Antonia's Portuguese Stuffing

My husband never knew his grandparents on his father's side of the family as my father in law was the youngest of nine siblings and was a "change of life" baby as they like to call it. His Portuguese grandmother, Antonia, was pregnant with twins at the age of 50, but the doctors thought she had a tumor. Nine months later, my father in law was born and sadly, his brother had passed in the womb. By the time my husband was born, both grandparents had passed away, but the stories lived on through his parents, aunts, uncles and older cousins.

Linda's Portuguese Baked Beans & Chinet Bakeware Giveaway!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

If you've been following CEK for a while, it should be no surprise that I love this new disposable bakeware from Chinet.  I even entered one of my recipes, Sausage and Spinach Lasagna with Parmigiano Reggiano Cream Sauce showcasing their product into a contest where the winner had their recipe posted in a 2 page spread in Martha Stewart Living Magazine (November 2012 issue). And guess what? I WON! 

 

So when Chinet asked me if I would be interested in creating another recipe this summer I was thrilled and I knew exactly what I would make. The infamous end of summer Labor Day BBQ is almost here and for our family, as with many others, it also means the kids go back to school shortly thereafter. And for as long as I've been married (19 years this coming Spring), every family picnic with my in laws has always included my  mother in laws' Portuguese Baked Beans. Everyone loves them!

I realized I had never made them myself so I finally got her recipe. Have you ever heard of the term 'Doctor it up'? It's when you take a food item that is already in essence done, but add your own unique flavor and spices to make it your own. Well, that's what she's been doing all of these years with Campbell's Pork & Beans.  At first I thought about doing the same thing, but then when I looked at the ingredients and all of the added sodium, sugar and preservatives, I knew I could make it a little healthier on my own.  So after I made my version of her Portuguese Baked Beans, we gathered together for the official taste testing and I got a huge thumbs up from all six participants! They really were very good; however, her version includes extra bacon and mine doesn't have any. Again, if you've been following along on this blog adventure I don't eat bacon so I left it out. If you like bacon, by all means throw some of that in here too.

I'll be bringing these Portuguese Baked Beans in my disposable Chinet Bakeware^® to our family Labor Day picnic so I don't have to worry about getting my dish back (not that there's going to be any beans left anyway!). The bakeware goes right into the oven (minus the plastic lid). It heats the food beautifully. And...you can take it with you! 

Linda's Portuguese Baked Beans
Prep Time: 20 minutes                     Yield: 16
Cook Time: 1 hour                           Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Green Pepper, small dice
• 1 c. Onion, small dice
• 1 lb. Portuguese Chorizo, skin removed, small dice
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
• 1 12-ounce Can Tomato Paste (I used Hunts)
• 2 c. Water
• 3 tbsp. White Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Paprika
• 1 1/2 c. Light Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 4 16-ounce Cans Navy Beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil then add in the peppers, onions and chorizo. Saute over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften and the chorizo starts to brown.
3. Next, add in the garlic and saute for another minute; then add in the tomato paste, water, vinegar, paprika, sugar and salt.  Mix well then add in the beans. 
4. Bring mixture to a boil on top of the stove then turn off the heat. 
5. Transfer beans to an oven safe baking dish like Chinet Bakeware® and bake for 1 hour; stirring every 20 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 268, Carbs 37.3g, Fat 9.5g, Protein 12g, Fiber 7.8g, Sugar 20.1g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate as different brands yield different nutritional information. 

Enjoy! 

Linda's Portuguese Baked Beans Shopping List

And now for the Giveaway...

Chinet Bakeware^® is the first disposable baking dishes that let you take your food from oven to table to freezer to microwave, all in one attractive, non-stick pan. And because it's from the Chinet brand, strength and stability are built in. Bakeware is designed to be sturdy and dependable no matter what you've got cooked up. Not only does it look good, but you can leave it behind without worrying about losing your favorite permanent pan. And, it's made in the USA of 90% recycled material! 

The bakeware comes in four convenient sizes in sets of two including the pan and clear plastic lids: Square 8"x8", Rectangular 9"x13", Oval 7"x11" and Oval 7 1/4" x 9 1/4". Chinet has offered to give one lucky winner a chance to receive their own set of Chinet Bakeware by entering the contest below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

Broccoli Rabe with Chorizo

Broccoli rabe (also spelled broccoli raab) or otherwise known as rapini is a green, leafy vegetable that is know for it's bitter taste that have buds that resemble broccoli, but do not form a head. You can eat the leaves, buds and stems and is mainly used in Italian and Portuguese cuisines. 

My hubby is a HUGE broccoli rabe fan; however, the girls and I don't care for it. So every once in a while I just buy some for him and I'll usually saute it with a little garlic and olive oil or my Aunt Bonnie will make some extra when she's making it for her family and save some for him. Since he also likes it mixed with sweet Italian sausage or pasta, I decided to mix it in with some sauteed Portuguese chorizo and he LOVED it!

Broccoli Rabe with Chorizo

Prep Time:  10 minutes                       Yield: 4

Cook Time:  8 minutes                        Serving: 1/2 c.

Total Time:  18 minutes

Ingredients

• 7oz. Chorizo, peeled and sliced into 1/2" slices
• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 1 Bunch Broccoli Rabe
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1.  Heat oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat; then add in your chorizo. Saute about 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned. 
2. Cut the head broccoli rabe into 1"-2" pieces, removing the stems; then rinse under cold water. Drain well.
3. Add the garlic and the broccoli rabe to the pan and saute until the vegetable has softened yet is slightly firm; approximately 3 minutes.  A good indication is when it turns bright green. Season with salt and pepper. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 271, Carbs 3g, Fat 22.8g, Protein 13.9g, Fiber 1.6g, Sugar .2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Chourico & Spinach White Bean Stew

I have mentioned before that my father in-law is Portuguese and until I met and married my husband over 20 years ago, I never even heard of chourico, let alone cooked with it. So when I saw a similar recipe in Bon Appetit Magazine a couple of months ago, I knew I wanted to give it a try. Of course I changed it around a little bit to suit our liking, but this dish was fantastic! 

The only suggestion I would make would be to watch what type of chourico you purchase because they are different and depending on the brand or type you purchase, the meat could either be more smokey tasting and the consistency of the sausage might not be as firm as others. Our family prefers the Portuguese chourico, but when not available locally, I usually purchase the long, thin Spanish variety.  

Here are three different types: 

1. Portuguese chourico is made with pork, fat, wine, paprika and salt. It is then stuffed into natural or artificial casings and slowly dried over smoke.They are available in sweet and hot varieties. 
2. Spanish chorizo is made from coarsely chopped pork and pork fat and is seasoned with smoked paprika and salt. You can purchase it spicy or sweet depending on the type of smoked paprika used. Chorizo comes in short, long, hard and soft varieties. In general, long, thin chorizos are sweet, and short chorizos are spicy.
3. The Mexican versions of chorizo are made from fatty pork and the meat is usually ground rather than chopped, and different seasonings are used.

My husband really liked this dish and can't wait for me to make it again. However, my father in-law and I thought the particular brand of sausage I used was a little too smokey, though the dish as a whole was good so I'll have to make it again with a different brand. He's going in for heart valve replacement surgery next month so I'll have to make him a batch of this to enjoy when he's on the mend. 

 Chourico & Spinach White Bean Stew
Adapted from Bon Appetit
6 oz. Chorizo
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 c. Fresh Spinach, stems removed, rinsed and packed
19oz. Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 c. Low-Sodium/Fat Free Chicken Broth
1/4 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions: 
1. Peel skin from chorizo, then chop into bite sized pieces. 
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven (or large pot) over medium heat; then add the chorizo, garlic and onions. Cook for approximately 5-6 minutes. 
3. Next, add in the spinach and stir until it has wilted; then add in the beans. Smash half of the beans with the back of a wooden spoon as this will help thicken the stew; then add the chicken broth and cheese. 
4. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes; then season with salt and pepper. Makes 3 cups. 

*Nutritional Information per Cup: Calories 318, Carbs 29.8g, Fat 15.8g, Protein 22.3g, Fiber 10.9g, Sugar 1.3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 


Shared at Thursday's Treasures 4/11/13

Chef Contest-Spanish Mussels with Chorizo (Lily Zhou)

Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 

Lily Zhou from Goleta, CA

Bio:

My name is Lily, I live in Goleta with my husband, my son (3.5 years), and my daughter (18 months).  I am a trained chemist although right now I am a stay at home mom.  Cooking and eating is a hobby for me.  There are not many interesting restaurants in the Goleta area, so most of the time I take advantage of the local farmer's market and cook at home.  I don't have a blog, but I post at least once a month on yelp.

Spanish Mussels with Chorizo

1 pound cleaned mussles

olive oil

3 cloves of garlic 

1/4 cup chopped onion

half cup Spanish chorizo 

1/3 cup plum tomato

small pinch of saffron

salt and pepper

chopped parley

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat 2 tablesp good quality olive oil. Add 3 cloves of minced or sliced garlic, 1/4 cup chopped onion or shallot, half cup of Spanish chorizo. Sauteed until the oil turns red from the paprika. Add 1/3 cup of plum tomato and just a small pinch of saffron, let it cook for about 2 min to meld the flavor. Add salt and pepper to taste (chorizo is very salty, you might not need additional salt)

2. Add 1 lb cleaned mussel to the pot. Stir and then add half a cup white wine. Close the lid and let mussels steam until the shells are open. Do not overcook.

3. Top with optional chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Mother's Day Brunch Ideas

Well, Mother's Day is this Sunday and I can't believe it's already May! I don't know why this holiday is deemed perfect for breakfast/brunch. I hate brunch (and breakfast for the most part). Why do Dad's get to have a nice BBQ huh? If it were up to me, I'd eat lunch/dinner food for breakfast. Oh well! So instead of me cooking for breakfast this year, my family and I will be heading into the city for the day. There is always so much to do and see and I'm sure we'll have a wonderful day just because we'll all be together. That to me is better than any gift they could ever possibly buy me (as long as they do it without any arguing or whining!) 


For those of you who LOVE breakfast, I have some breakfast items to share with you that you might like. Some I've posted before on the blog and others are new. I hope you like them! 

Sweet Potatoes & Chorizo (New)

2 Sweet Potatoes

2 oz. Spanish Chorizo, chopped

2 Scallions, chopped

1 tbsp. Canola Oil

In a pot, add potatoes, completely cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the hot water and add cold water to the pot to bring down the temperature of the cooked potatoes. You may need to do this 2-3 times. Once cooled enough that you can handle them, carefully peel away and discard the skin of the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 2-3” chunks. Heat oil in a large saute pan and add the chorizo and scallions. Saute for approximately 5 minutes, then add your potatoes. Allow to brown on each side, turning several times so that they do not stick; approximately 15 minutes. Serves 4. 

*Nutritional Information: Calories 146, Carbs 20g, Fat 7g, Protein 4g

Tomato, Basil & Fresh Mozzarella Frittata
4 Eggs
1/4 c. 2% Milk
1 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1 Roma Tomato, chopped
2 oz. Fresh Mozzarella, chopped
Cooking Spray

In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Heat a stainless steel saute pan over medium and spray generously with cooking spray (I use Olive Oil or Canola), making sure you get the sides. Add the egg mixture to the pan and push the eggs towards the center, allowing them to cook evenly. When most of the liquid has been cooked, place the entire pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until the eggs have set and are firm. CAREFULLY remove the pan from the oven with an oven mitt (YES, the handle will be hot!). Serves 2. 

 Copycat Cinnabon® Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted from Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes

Rolls

1/4 c. Warm Water

1 Package Dry Yeast

1 tbsp. Granulated Sugar

1/2 Package 3 1/2 oz. Vanilla Pudding Mix

1/4 c. Butter, melted

1 Egg

4 c. All-Purpose Flour

1/2 c. Butter, softened

1 c. Brown Sugar

2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir until dissolved then set aside. In a separate, large bowl, prepare the pudding mix according to package directions (remember you're only using half of the package so cut the milk in half also). Mix in the melted butter and egg. Next, add in the yeast mixture and blend together. Add the flour and knead until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl (I just used cooking spray). Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 1 hour. Punch the dough down, cover again and let it rise for another hour. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is a large rectangle shape about 1/2" thick. Spread the softened butter over the surface. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle over the top of the butter. Roll the dough towards you very tightly, forming a log. Slice the dough with a sharp knife every 2" and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet approximately 2" apart. Take hand and lightly press down on each roll. Cover and let rise for 1 hour until they double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden. Frost warm rolls with Cream Cheese Icing. Makes 12. 

Cream Cheese Icing

8oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 c. Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 c. Confectioner's Sugar

1 tbsp. Milk

Combine all ingredients with a mixer until smooth. 

Homemade Pancakes (Old recipe/New photo)
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt

3 Tbsp. Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Cups Milk

1/3 Cup Canola Oil

1 tsp. Vanilla

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Heat your frying pan or griddle on medium heat. When you sprinkle a few flecks of water on your pan and the water 'dances' or jumps off the pan, then you know the pan is hot enough to cook on.  Spray the pan with cooking spray (or you can use butter) and pour about 1/4 cup of the batter onto the pan. Cook for approximately 2 minutes or until the pancake starts to bubble on the top and around the edges. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until it is golden and remove. Serves 8. 

*Tip: Heat your syrup in a pan or in the microwave in a microwave safe carafe or pitcher before pouring over your pancakes!

Mimosas (New) 

(just in case you've always wanted to make one and didn't know how..super easy!)

1 Bottle Champagne, chilled

Orange Juice

Fluted Champagne Glasses

Fill the glass halfway with orange juice then add the champagne to the top slowly right before serving. 

For other Breakfast ideas, click HERE! 

To all of the Moms (pet Moms count too!), Grandmothers, and Aunts, I wish you all a day filled with love. xoxo

Cheers! 

Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

Now that Halloween is over, it's time to start thinking about stuffing. And this one is really good anytime of the year. And since I had a few small links left after making the risotto last week, I didn't want them to go to waste. Waste not want not right?! This is a real easy recipe to make and gives you a little variety from the everyday normal bread stuffing. The chorizo I used wasn't too spicy but if you like the added heat, you can usually find one with more spices in it. 

Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing
4 c. Cornbread Stuffing Mix (I used Arnolds®)
3 oz. Chorizo, skin removed and diced
1 tbsp. Canola Oil
1 Clove Garlic, minced
2 tbsp. Red Onion, minced
1 Stalk Celery, small dice
1 3/4 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1 tbsp. Fresh Thyme, removed from stem
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt 
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper


In a small saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil then remove from heat. In a separate frying pan, add the oil, chorizo, garlic, onion, celery, and thyme. Saute for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, add the stuffing mix, chorizo mixture, heated chicken broth, salt and pepper and mix well. Transfer to an oven safe baking dish and bake at 350°F for approximately 25 minutes or until a light brown crust is formed. Serves 6. 


Enjoy!

Chorizo, Peas and Colby Jack Risotto

I was at a loss for dinner ideas the other night when I made this. My head was reeling from complete multi-tasking with house projects, decorating decisions and calendar synchronization that when I realized I hadn't taken anything out for dinner, it was already 4pm. I had purchased some Chorizo last week but never did anything with it and figured, I'd use that to make a one-pot dish for dinner. This recipe started out without the peas, but as I looked at it in the pan, it looked a little bland and needed some color. So I threw in some peas and it gave this dish that little something extra that it was missing. Now, I'm not a huge fan of peas, so I gave myself some before I added them in. I don't know, it's just one vegetable I can't get used to no matter how hard I try. I remember when my kids were babies and just trying out all sorts of vegetables; peas were both of their favorites. They used to try to get me to eat them by sticking them in my mouth, and being the type of parent that likes to try to set a good example, I would eat them with a smile on my face (while my body was secretly cringing on the inside). Anyway, this was good but very heavy...a little goes a long way.

Chorizo, Peas and Colby Jack Risotto
3oz. Chorizo, chopped fine
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1 tbsp. Canola Oil
2 c. Arborio Rice
1 tbsp. Butter
4 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
2 c. Water
1 c. Reduced Fat Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
1 c. Peas (I used frozen and defrosted them first)

In a large, non-stick pan heat oil and add the chorizo, garlic and rosemary. Saute for 5 minutes, then remove and set aside. In the same pan, add the rice and saute for 2-3 minutes. Gradually add one cup of chicken broth at a time, letting it absorb into the rice before each new addition. Next, add the water. When the water has almost absorbed, add back in the chorizo mixture, peas, cheese and butter. Mix well until the liquid has absorbed and it's creamy. Serves 4 for a main meal and 6-8 as a side dish.

Enjoy!