Choco-Flan

I actually tasted this cake/flan several years ago at a church activity, but never got the chance to ask for the recipe. I figured it wouldn't be too hard to make since it was a chocolate cake and flan baked together, I just didn't know how you accomplish that without mixing the ingredients. I did some searching online and was able to find the procedure for making it-this is also known as the impossible cake. Anyway, I ended up using my own flan recipe and I just bought a box of chocolate cake mix for the cake.

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Just a few things to keep in mind:

1. Make sure you don't over-bake, or the cake will be dry

2. The cake pan I used was a spring-form pan and I believe water was able to creep into the cake pan and also some flan mixture got out at the bottom. I suggest you use a solid bundt pan.

3. During the baking process, the cake will rise and bake at the top and the flan mixture will sink to the bottom and cook there.

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INGREDIENTS:

1 box of milk chocolate cake mix (follow the instructions as in the box to make the batter)

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Flan Ingredients:

1 can of evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 eggs

1tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sugar (for caramel)

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In a small saucepan, melt the sugar on medium heat until it becomes caramelized, pour on the bottom of a bundt pan.

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Mix the chocolate cake mix according to the instructions on the box and then pour on top of the caramel.
In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the flan: milks, eggs and vanilla. Make sure they are mixed well (mixture will be runny) and then carefully pour over chocolate batter.

Bake cake a Bain Marie for 1 hour at 350 degrees farenheit, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, let cool, invert onto a cake platter. Enjoy!!!!

Note: To bake a cake/custard A Bain Marie, you just need to insert the bundt pan into a larger container and partially fill the large container with water.

Lomo Saltado

I saw this picture on my friend Elizabeth's profile on facebook and asked her what it was. Elizabeth is from Peru and she is such a good cook I figured this dish would be pretty good. She told me what it was and included the recipe. I actually made this dish yesterday and asked her if it was okay to place this recipe on the blog and she agreed. Maybe she'll become a contributor on the blog (she doesn't blog)....but on the mean time she has given me the okay to place her recipes for her.

Below you will find the recipe exactly as she gave it to me (I translated the recipe from Spanish). I did make a few changes: I used less meat and therefore only used 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 pepper (green bell pepper b/c I didn't have yellow), I didn't have fresh cilantro or lemon juice so I skipped those.

Also, lately whenever I make french fries...I actually bake them. They are just as tasty and don't feel as guilty for eating them. To bake them, preheat your oven to 425 degrees farenheit. Add salt, pepper and about 2-3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to the potatoes and then place on a lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes or so, it really depends on how you want them.

The finished product was very good, it sorta tastes like the fajitas I make only a mild version because they are not spicy. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs of top sirloin, cut in thin strips
3 medium onions, cut julienne style
2 lbs of potatoes, peeled and cut for french fries
4 fresh yellow peppers, cut julienne style
4 tomatoes, cut julienne style
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
oil (for the potatoes)
salt
pepper
1/2 tsp lemon juice


Place a little bit of oil on a pan and cook the meat, remove the meat when cooked. In the same pan place the onions, sautee approximately 2 min. Add the yellow peppers, tomatoes, salt and pepper, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Cook for another two minutes and then add the meat to the mixture as well as the lemon juice. Mix well and add the cilantro.

Fry the potatoes and reserve. Serve immediately, mixing the french fries, meat and veggies. Serve with rice.

Spinach Salad

Delicious salad!

Sorry about the picture but I remembered to take it when the salad was almost gone.

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INGREDIENTS:

1/2 gallon chopped spinach

1 c sliced fresh mushrooms

4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 c grated cheese (Swiss, Mozzarella, or Monterrey Jack)

2 small cans of mandarin orange slices

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Sugared Almonds:

1/2 c sliced almonds

3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp melted butter

Blend sugar and melted butter well. Coat almonds and spread on a baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes. When lightly browned remove from oven, loosen with a metal spatula and let cool completely.

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Place salad greens in a serving bowl and top with mushrooms, bacon, cheese, mandarin oranges and nuts. Serve with poppy seed dressing. Enjoy!

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Poppy Seed Dressing:

1/2 c white vinegar

2 tsp poppy seeds

1/2 tsp salt

1 c extra virgin olive oil

1/2 c sugar

1 tbsp grated onion

1 tbsp prepared mustard

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Blend all ingredients but oil until sugar is dissolved. Gradually add oil, whisking it into dressing.

Butterscotch Cinnamon Rolls

This is another recipe found in my family cookbook. It was super fast and easy to make and most importantly...it was really good.

INGREDIENTS:

1 c chopped pecans

28 frozen Rhodes rolls

3 oz pkg regular butterscotch pudding mix (dry, do not use instant)

1/2 c butter

3/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 c brown sugar

Place nuts in bottom of greased bundt pan. Add rolls. Sprinkle pudding over top. Melt together in saucepan the butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Pour over rolls. Leave rolls out overnight to rise. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes.

Note: Try and assemble everything late at night. I started mine about 9pm and by 7:30 am, the rolls had risen so much they were overflowing.

Apple Pancakes

This is a recipe found in a family cookbook. We tried it a couple of weeks ago while we had some family over. They turned out really good!

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp baking powder

4 tbsp sugar

2 c milk

2 eggs

4 tbsp oil

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

3/4 c apple sauce

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Mix dry ingredients, set aside. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, milk and oil. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Cook pancakes and top with cider sauce. Enjoy!

Cider Sauce

This is a syrup for apple pancakes

2 c sugar

4 tbsp cornstarch

4 c apple juice or cider (or apple sauce)

4 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 c butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Boil in sauce pan until thick. Pour over apple pancakes.

Pudding Cake

What I love about this cake is that it's light, it doesn't make you feel bad after you eat it. It's so delicious!! It's our new favorite cake, and it just made my mouth drool after seeing the photos again!

Bake a yellow cake by the directions on the package. Let cool.

When cake is cool, take the end of a wooden spoon and poke holes, moving the spoon around to make the holes a little bigger.

Make a large box of chocolate pudding and pour about half over cake, before pudding sets up. Spread over cake a few times to work pudding in to holes.

Take remaining pudding and mix with half regular container of cool whip. Spread on top of cake, as icing.

It's a "Piece of Cake" to make! Enjoy.