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Homemade Bolognese
This bolognese is perfect for when the weather gets cold!
Pasta was my favorite meal as a child. As I grew older, my mission was to find the most perfect sauce to enhance the pasta eating experience. As the leaves changes and the weather becomes more cold, I crave pasta with a hearty sauce. This homemade bolognese is delicious served with your favorite pasta or layered inside a lasagna.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 4 large carrots, diced
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 1 tsp Adobo Goya seasoning
- 1 tsp Sazón Goya seasoning
- 1 tsp Ranch powder seasoning
- 1 tsp Montreal steak seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1.5 tbsp garlic minced, 3 cloves
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3/4 cup red wine or beef/vegetable stock
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
Instructions:
- In Dutch oven or cast iron pot, cook ground beef with spices on medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until beef is fully cooked through.
- Drain excess fat and remove beef from pot.
- Reduce heat to medium and add carrots and onions to pot. Cover with lid and cook veggies until carrots have softened and onions are translucent.
- Remove lid and continue to cook until onions begins to brown.
- Add garlic and tomato paste to the pot. Caramelize the paste for 2 min.
- Deglaze pot with wine/stock. Stir until combined and bottom of pan is no longer sticky.
- Add crushed tomatoes and fill empty can with water. Add water to pot. Cook sauce uncovered on medium heat for 10 min.
- Reduce heat to low and return the cooked beef to the pot of sauce. Simmer until sauce for 1 hour. Sauce should be reduced 25%.
- Served with your favorite pasta!
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Traditional Puerto-rican rice with a dash of Peruvian spice!
Arroz con gandules a.k.a Puerto-Rican rice and beans has been a staple in my mom’s kitchen since before I was born. At every holiday, all my Puerto-Rican aunts and uncles raved about her arroz con gandules – and she’s Peruvian. For his homecoming dances, my brother needed to have my mom’s arroz con gandules so he could win some extra student council brownie points. Now, this amazing rice is highly requested at Thanksgiving.
The best part about this recipe is that my mom add a little dash of Peruvian flavor to the base, making it extra special.
Ingredients:
- 6 tbsp sofrito
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 cans 15 oz green pigeon peas
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 packets of Sazon Goya
- (if tomato sofrito use 1.5 tbsp of tomato paste and 2 tbsp of water, if green sofrito use 1 6oz can of tomato sauce)
- 2 tsp adobo Goya
- 1 tbsp of minced garlic or 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups white rice
- 4 cups of water
- 1 tbsp Aji Panca (optional, but best ingredient!)
Instructions:
- Rinse peas.
- Add peas, sofrito, oil, tomato paste, garlic, cilantro, pepper paste, and spices to the pressure cooker pot.
- Turn on Sauté over medium heat.
- Cook the mixture for 3 min stirring occasionally.
- Wash the rice and add to pot.
- Stir and cook for 2 min.
- Add water, stir, and taste. Add salt to taste if needed.
- Turn off Sauté. Place pressure lid onto pot and turn pressure valve to Seal position.
- Turn on Pressure setting. Set pressure to High for 8 min and Start.
- Once rice is done let the pressure naturally release from the cooker.
- Note: Natural pressure release will allow the rice at the bottom of the pot to cook and harden into a sticky crust called Pegao. It very delicious if you like crunchy things. If you do not want Pegao, quick release the pressure when rice is finished cooking.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and serve with your favorite protein.
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My mom’s fresh & easy Thanksgiving salad is a must try!
In elementary school, my brother bought a 25lb bag of quinoa for us to “eat healthy” as a family. None of us liked the taste so this huge bag of quinoa sat in our kitchen for months. My mom, being the great cook that she is, created this salad that is now a staple at Thanksgiving dinner. Tangy and sweet with a bit of a bite, the well balanced flavor of my mom’s famous quinoa salad is sure to satisfy even the pickiest of family members.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups diced red onions
- 2 cups diced tomatoes
- 5 cups cooked quinoa
- 12 oz frozen sweet corn
- 1 – 15 oz can black beans
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- ½ cup chopped cilantro (optional but highly recommended 🙂)
- Juice of 5 limes OR Juice of 2-3 medium sized lemons
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Cook frozen corn according to packaging instructions.
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together.
- Enjoy this flavorful salad with friends or keep it all for yourself 😈.