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Quick Pasta


  • 1 Boursin cheese (feta can also be used
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • Basil or any other herb
  • Olive oil
  • Pasta
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Set cheese on an oven safe pan. Add the tomatoes around it. Sprinkle with basil. Drizzle with olive oil.
  3. Cook in the oven for approximately 30 minutes.
  4. Separately cook the pasta and mix it in with the cheese and tomatoes when they are done cooking in the oven
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Sliced Baked Potato


Sliced Baked Potato
  • 2 large potatoes
  • 2.5 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Preheat ovn to 450 degrees
  2. Stir butter, olive oil, salt and pepper
  3. Place a potato between the handles of 2 wooden spoons. Slice the potato into thin slices, leaving 1/4 inch at the bottom unsliced. Repeat with the remaining potato
  4. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet and brush the butter mixture ensuring it goes between the slices. Bake until tender and crisp on the outside. Approximately 55 minutes
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Chicken Thighs in Bell Pepper Sauce


Chicken in Bell Pepper Sauce
  • 6 chicken thighs
  • 2 bell peppers, halved. I used Green but other colors can be used
  • 1 medium onion, halved
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  1. Preheat broiler to high. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place bell peppers, onion and garlic on the prepared pan. Broil on the top rack until charred on all sides. About 8 minutes turning the vegetables every 2 minutes.
  2. Chop the vegetables and transfer to a blender. Add olive oil, lemon zest and juice, vinegar, 1 tsp salt, oregano, paprika, and pepper. Puree until smooth
  3. Add the chicken and sauce to a pot. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Add bay leaves. Cook covered until chicken is done. Approximately 30 minutes.
  4. Serve with baked sliced potatoes
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Mango and Strawberry Mousse


Mango and Strawberry Mousse
  • 1 cup water (room temperature)
  • 1 packet unflavored gelatin (1 oz)
  • 1 can (14 oz) condensed milk
  • 4 cups frozen mango and strawberry (any fruit can be used)
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • Fresh fruit for decoration
  1. Add water and gelatin to a small pot. Stir and let it rest for a few minutes
  2. In a larger pot bring 2 or 3 inches of water to a simmer. Set gelatin pot on top and cook for a couple of minutes until the gelatin completely dissolves
  3. Combine, condensed milk, fruit and lime juice in a blender. Puree until smooth. Add gelatin and blend for a few seconds to combine. Pour the mix in a large bowl
  4. Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the cream for 3 or 4 minutes. Fold it into the fruit mix.
  5. Pour in individual ramekins, or champagne glasses.
  6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set. Top with fresh fruit if desired
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Beef Picadillo over Plantain Mash


Beef picadillo over plantain mash

Plantain Mash

  • 2 medium green plantains, unpeeled
  • Hot water as needed
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  1. Cut off ends of plantains and discard. Slice plantains in half crosswise
  2. Place them in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  3. Cook until plantains are soft (30 to 40 minutes)
  4. Peel them and slice them into small pieces. Tranfer to a bowl and use a potato masher or a fork
  5. Add water until desired consistency is reached

Beef

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
  • 1 onion chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 3 chopped tomatoes
  • 10 pimento stuffed olives thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp capers
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  1. Heat oil on a skillet
  2. Add pepper, onion, garlic. Cook and stir until softened
  3. Add beef. Cook until no longer pink. Crumble it if needed.
  4. Add tomatoes, olives, capers, cumin, salt and pepper.
  5. Cover reducing heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Serve plantain mash and top with beef. Add sliced avocado (optional)

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Orange-Rosemary Roast Chicken


Orange-Rosemary Roast Chicken
  • 2 medium oranges
  • 1 1/2 potatoes, cut into wedges or squares
  • 1 tbsp dry rosemary
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 2 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 5-6 chicken thighs (with skin or skinless)
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp honey
  • 1/2 cup olives pitted and cut into pieces
  • 1 oz parmesan cheese
  1. Place an empty baking pan in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees
  2. Slice 1.5 oranges into thin slices and place in a bowl. Add rosemary, potatoes, 1 tbsp olive oil, 3/4 tsp salt, and pepper to orange slices and toss to coat. Scatter this mix over the preheated pan. Bake until potatoes start browning (approx. 15min)
  3. Season chicken with 1 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet and add chicken until it turns golden (5 to 7 minutes). Turn chicken and cook for about 5 minutes on the other side. Transfer to the baking sheet with the potatoes, return to oven and bake for about 20 more minutes. (Until potatoes are browned and chicken is done).
  4. Squeeze juice out of the remaining half orange and mix in a bowl with balsamic vinegar, honey, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp oil. Remove pan from the oven. Scatter olives and parmesan cheese and drizzle with the juice mixture
  5. Sprinkle with more rosemary if desired
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BBQ Short Ribs


  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup Coca-cola
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 pear (grated on the large holes of a box grater)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 pounds beef short ribs
  • Salt
  1. Combine the soy sauce, coca-cola, brown sugar, oil, pear and garlic in a bowl. Mix until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Add the short ribs and let them marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours
  3. Grill over high heat until desired doneness.
  4. Add salt to taste
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Torta de piña


  • 1 cucharada de mantequilla derretida
  • 3 cucharadas de azúcar morena
  • 1 o 2 latas de piña en rodajas (depende de como se distribuyan en el molde). Reservar 1/4 taza del jugo
  • 1/4 taza de cerezas partidas por la mitad
  • 1 taza de mantequilla
  • 2 tazas de azúcar
  • 6 huevos batidos separadamente
  • 1 1/2 tazas de harina cernida
  • 2 cucharaditas de polvo de hornear
  • 1/2 cucharadita de esencia de vainilla
  1. Engrasar un molde con la mantequilla derretida y espolvorear con la azúcar morena
  2. Repartir las tajadas de piña en el fondo del molde y si se desea también en los lados. Colocar media cereza en el centro de cada tajada
  3. Batir la mantequilla con el azúcar hasta formar una crema.
  4. Agregar los huevos, harina, polvo de hornear, vainilla y jugo de piña y batir muy bien.
  5. Vertir en el molde y llevar al horno a 300 grados por aproximadamente una hora.
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Phyllo Egg Cups


  • 1 Set of Phylllo Dough sheets
  • Shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 6 eggs
  • 3 Tbsp butter melted
  • Dry basil
  • Salt
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Add eggs to a bowl and mix them. Add salt
  3. Grease 8 muffin cups
  4. Lay out the phyllo sheets and cut them into 8 rectangles
  5. Take a few layers of phyllo squares and put them on the bottom of the muffin cups
  6. Brush them with butter
  7. Add a couple more layers of phyllo squares (You will have leftover phyllo squares after this step)
  8. Brush them with butter
  9. Add shredded cheese
  10. Pour egg mix into the 8 muffin cups
  11. Add basil on top of each cup
  12. Bake them for about 20-25 minutes until the eggs look done
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Chicken and Quinoa with Avocado Sauce


Quinoa:

  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onion
  • 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  1. Bring broth to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in quinoa and let it boil again.
  2. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered until quinoa is tender.
  3. Remove from heat and keep covered
  4. Before serving, mix in green onion, lemon juice and salt

Chicken:

  • 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (approx. 2 pounds)
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
  1. Mix cumin, onion powder, paprika, pepper, salt in a small bowl
  2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and rub spice mixture on all sides
  3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook until chicken is done (approx. 10 min).
  4. Transfer chicken to a plate and let it rest

Avocado Sauce:

  • 1/2 large avocado or 1 small one peeled and pitted
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  1. Mix avocado, yogurt, water, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt in a blender until smooth

Serve chicken on top of quinoa and add avocado sauce