Birthday cookie cake

Ingredients:

1 cup of room temperature unsalted butter 

 1 ⅓ cup of brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar 

3 large eggs room temperature 

1 tbsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda 

1 tsp cornstarch 

½ tsp salt 

3 cups all purpose flour 

2 cups of chocolate chips 

Buttercream icing

100g room temperature unsalted butter 

200g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional 

Food coloring and sprinkles 

Heat the oven at 350°F. Grease a 13x18 sheet pan or a large pizza tray. I used  a silicone mat to avoid  this step.

I used  a mixer but it could be done  by hand.

Cream the butter and sugars together (if doing it by hand, melt the butter), incorporate one egg at the time, add vanilla, continue  to mix. Add baking  soda, cornstarch and salt. Add flour ½ cup at the time, do not overmix. Using a spatula add 1 ½ cups of chocolate  chips into the cookie dough.

Evenly distributed the mix into the prepared sheet pan, is going to be a thin layer. Sprinkle the reserved  ½ cup of chocolate chips to the top and bake for about 14 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let it cool down completely.

For the icing, add all ingredients to the mixing bowl using the paddle attachment mix until the icing is creamy and fluffy. Separate to add colors. Integrate  color with a spatula, decorate cookie cake when is at room temperature. Decorate  with sprinkles.

Aguachile de camarón

 Ingredientes:

2 lbs de camaron pelado y cortado en trozos o abierto estilo mariposa

½ cebolla morada fileteada

1 a 2 pepinos con o sin cascara, pueden ser cortados en cubos o fileteados en medias rodajas

Jugo de limon fresco, lo suficiente para cubrir el camaron (aproximadamente 1 taza)

1 a 2 chile Serrano picado (o 1 serrano y ½ habanero)

1 aguacate en cubos

Cilantro picado

Sal y pimienta al gusto

Procedimiento:

Salpimentar camarones y agregar jugo de limon, mientras se marinan, preparar el resto de los ingredientes.

Mezclar todo.

Tips:

Cantidades de los ingredientes pueden ser modificadas al gusto.

Yo prefiero usar pepino para ensalada, es pequeño, si semillas y la cascara es mas rica.

Creamy chicken and broccoli pasta

 Ingredients:

1 pound of cubed chicken  breast 

1 head of broccoli in florets 

4 garlic cloves diced

½ white onion diced 

1 cup of heavy whipping cream 

½ cup of pasta water

6 tomatoes in halves 

Fresh Parsley Chopped (dry works too)

Parmesan cheese

Oregano

Paprika

Salt and pepper 

Butter

Olive oil

How to do it:

Cook chicken in a mix of butter  and olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper, in the meantime, put water to boil for your pasta. Before adding pasta, cook brocoli  florets  until  slightly  tender, remove and reserve, on the same water, cook, pasta according package directions, reserve. 

When chicken its starting  to caramelized, add broccoli. 

in the meantime, melt some butter in a skillet, add tomatoes and cover to softening skin, remove skin, add onion and garlic, when slightly  caramelized, add cream, and season with salt, pepper,  oregano and paprika, let it simmer for a few minutes, mashed tomatoes, add Parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Add pasta and sauce to the chicken and broccoli, incorporate really well, let it cook for a few mor minutes before serving.

Caldo miso con tofu

Ingredientes:

5 tazas de agua

1 paquete de tofu suave en cubos

1 ½ cdas de hondashi

2 cdas de de miso en pasta

Una cantidad pequeña de wakame 

Cebollita verde

Opcional:

Baby bok choy

Procedimiento:

Mezclar todos los ingredientes a fuego medio-bajo, y calentar sin llegar a herbir.

 

Pasta salad with garbanzo

 

Ingredientes:

Aderezo:

¼ taza de aceite de oliva

⅓ taza jugo de limon amarillo

1 cdita de ralladura de limon

1 cdita mostaza dijon

1 cdita de miel

1 cdita de oregano

1 cdita de sal

½ cdita pimienta molida

Ensalada:

1 lata de 15 oz de garbanzos enjuagados y drenados o 1½ tazas de garbazo cocido

1 paquete de 12 oz de pasta 

2 a 5 pepinos en rebanadas 

2 tazas de romate cheeey por la mitad

1 a 2 chiles morrones en trozos 

½ taza de cebolla picada

Perejil o eneldo freso de preferencia

Opcional:

Aceitunas negras

aguacate 

Queso feta

Procedimiento:

Mezclar todos los ngredientes del aderezo, incorporar el garbanzo y dejar marinar mientras preparas el resto de los ingredientes, integrar todo y servir.

Cajun Garlic Shrimp with Creamy Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti

 

Ingredients 

For the Pasta:

16 oz spaghetti

1 tbsp salt (for boiling water)

For the Shrimp:

1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1½ tsp Cajun seasoning

½ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

½ tsp lemon juice

For the Sauce:

2 tbsp butter

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup whole milk

1 cup grated Parmesan

½ cup shredded mozzarella

½ tsp Italian seasoning

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp Cajun seasoning

 Instructions

1️⃣ Cook the Pasta:

Boil spaghetti in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2️⃣ Cook the Shrimp:

In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

Add shrimp and season with Cajun seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Cook shrimp for 2–3 minutes per side until pink and fully cooked.

Drizzle with lemon juice, toss, and transfer shrimp to a plate.

3️⃣ Make the Sauce:

In the same skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat.

Pour in heavy cream and milk, stirring until warm.

Add Parmesan and mozzarella; stir until smooth and creamy.

Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and Cajun seasoning.

4️⃣ Combine:

Toss cooked spaghetti into the sauce until fully coated.

Add shrimp back to the skillet and gently mix.

5️⃣ Serve:

Plate up and garnish with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot!

Arroz frito con camaron y repollo

Ingredientes:

1 lb.de camaron crudo

4 tazas de arroz de un dia anterior

1 taza de zanahorias en cubos

2 tazas de repollo en pedazos

¾ taza de cebolla blanca picada

³ taza de chicharos

3 dientes de ajo picados

4 huevos

1 cdita bicarbonato

1 cda de maizena (corn starch)

Pimienta  blanca

Sal

Ajo en polvo

Aceite de oliva 

Aceite de ajonjoli

Cebolla verde picada para decorar

Salsa:

3 cdas de salsa de soya

1.5 cdas de de hoisin salsa

1 cdita de caldo de pollo concentrado 

1 cda de azucar

Procedimiento:

Marinar camarones con bicarbonato, maicena, sal, pimie ta y ajo en polvo, agregar un poquito de agua. Dejar reposar 20 minutos. 

En un poco de aceite de oliva freir los camarones, reservar, agregar un poco mas de aceite y cocinar los hievos estilo revuelto, reservar,  sofreír cebolla, zanahoria y repollo, cuando esten suaves, agregar el arroz y la salsa, integrar, agregar los chicharos, el huevo y los camarones, rectificar sazón y agregsr un chorrito de aceite de ajonjolí, servir con un poco de cebolla verde picada.
 

Miso chicken ramen

 INGREDIENTS

- 1 Large shallot finely chopped

-5 garlic cloves, minced (separate one minced clove to marinate chicken)

-4 green onions (just the greens) thinly sliced

-2 tsp grated ginger

-1 chicken breast halve sliced

-2 tbsp teriyaki sauce (to marinate chicken)

-1 tbsp miso paste

-8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

-ramen noodles

-soft boiled eggs

-Baby Bok choy

-Seaweed sheet cut in small pieces (about 1/2 inch)

Spicy chili oil:

-1/2 cup chili flakes

-1/2 shallot finely chopped

-2 garlic cloves minced

-1 tsp ginger, grated

-1/2 tsp coriander seeds

-1/2 tsp pepper

-1 tsp sugar

-1 tsp salt

-1 cup of vegetable oil (I prefer olive oil)

Spicy chili oil instructions:

Heat oil over medium heat until it reaches about 350.

In a heatproof bowl, mix de rest of the ingredients, carefully pour the hot oil over the mixture. it will sizzle and release its aroma, mix well. 

Let the chili oil cool, before transferring to a jar for storage.

Miso chicken ramen instructions:

Marinate chicken with teriyaki, garlic and salt for at least 20 minutes.

Grill over medium heat in a little bit of olive oil until golden and cooked through, set aside.

In a large pot, heat a little bit of oil and sauté the aromatics (shallot, garlic, half of the green onions and ginger), until fragrant.

Add the miso paste and stir, pour chicken broth and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

With the help of a strainer, pour the soup to remove the aromatics. 

Cook ramen noodles according with package directions. Remove noodles,  add baby Bok choy to the ramen water for a minute or two, remove, reserved.

Assembling bowls:

Put some noodles in a bowl, add the hot miso broth, place some slices of chicken, halved eggs and baby Bok choy, drizzle with the spicy chili oil. Garnish with green onions and seaweed.

Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients for cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter softened 

1 cup granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla

1 large egg

2 ½ cups of all purpose flour

¾ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp salt

Ingredients for icing:

3 cups of powder sugar  sifted 

2 tbls of light corn syrup

½ tsp vanilla or almond extract 

2-4 tbls of milk

Gel coloring and sprinkles optional

Cookies:

Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer) and beat until creamy and well-combined.

Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until completely combined.

In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until dough is smooth and completely combined.

Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and transfer approximately half of the dough onto the wrap (dough will be quite sticky at this point, that’s OK!).

Cover dough with clear wrap or wax paper and mold into a flat disk. Wrap tightly. Repeat with remaining cookie dough in another piece of clear wrap. Transfer dough to refrigerator and chill for at least 2-3 hours and up to 5 days.

Once dough has finished chilling, preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (alternatively bake cookies directly on an ungreased baking sheet). Set aside.

Generously dust a clean surface with flour and place one chilled cookie dough disk onto the surface. Lightly flour the dough and roll out to ⅛" (for thinner, crispier cookies) or ¼" (for thicker, softer cookies). Add additional flour as needed both on top of and beneath the dough so that it doesn't stick. 

Note: if dough is cracking as you roll it, let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften before attempting again.

Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and use a spatula to transfer shapes to prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 1" apart. If you are not intending to decorate your cookies with icing, you can decorate them with sanding sugar at this point before you bake them. 

Bake on 350F (175C) for 8-10 minutes (this is for cookies that are approximately 3" [7.6cm]; note that smaller cookies will need less time and larger cookies will need more), or until edges just begin to turn lightly golden brown.

Allow cookies to cool completely on cookie sheet before decorating.

Icing:

Combine powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons of milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl and stir until combined. If frosting is too thick, add more milk, about a teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is thick but pipeable. If you accidentally add too much milk, add powdered sugar until desired texture is reached.

Divide into bowls and color as desired.

Let them set, thia could  take several  hours before they can be stacked.

"Minestra maritata", Italian wedding soup, sopa de boda italiana

 Ingredientes para las albondigas:

1 lb carne de puerco molida

1 lb carne de pollo o pavo molida

2 huevos

½ taza de pan molido

1 taza de queso parmesano rallado

½ taza de perejil picado

1 cda de oregano fresco picado o ½ cda de oregano seco

Sal y pimienta al gusto

Ingredientes para el caldo:

2 tazas de pasta acini di pepe, orzo o perla couscous (yo usè couscous)

3 zanahorias en cubos

2 ramas de apio picadas, picar las hojas del apio aparte.

2 cdas de mantequilla

1 cda de aceite de oliva

½ taza de vino blanco

1 cebolla picada

4 dientes de ajo picados

8 a 10 tazas de caldo de pollo o de verduras

1 trozo de queso parmesano  (de preferencia  la orilla dura y seca)

1 bonche de espinaca fresca o congelada

Sal y pimienta al gusto

Procedimiento:

Mezclar todos los ingredientes para las albondigas, formar albondigas pequeñas, como del tamaño de un bocado, poner en una bandeja, rociar con un poco se aceite en spray y hornear hasta que esten ligeramente doradas, yo las puse en la freidora de aire por 17 minutos a 370°F, las moví un poco a la mitad. Reservar.

Para el caldo:

Acitronar la pasta en la mantequilla por 3 a 4 minutos. Reservar.

En la misma olla o cazuela,  agregar el aceite de oliva, sofreír la cebolla, zanahoria y el apio por 4 a 5 minutos, agregar las hojas de apio y el ajo, 2 minutos después agregar el caldo, y el vino blanco, sal y pimienta, dejar hervir por 15 minutos tapado y a fuego lento. Agregar las albondigas, la pasta y el pedazo de parmesano, dejar hervir por otros 8 minutos, agregar espinacas, rectificar sazon. Y servir.

Tip, yo solo uso la mitad de las albondigas, el resto las congelo para hacer mas sopa o para spaguetti con abondigas.