Baked Chicken Breasts with Mojito Sauce

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Baked Chicken Breasts with Mojito SauceI’m sorry I haven’t posted anything recently, but my trusty laptop crashed.  I couldn’t believe it, but such is life.  So I have a new laptop and I’m up and running again, so I promise to make it up to you.  And this recipe is the perfect way to begin.  The mojito is a staple Cuban libation.  This sauce is a keeper, even for those that think they aren’t crazy about mint.   Continue reading

Guava Glazed Sweet Potato Wedges with Walnuts

Tags

, , ,

Guava Glazed Sweet Potato Wedges with WalnutsThese are just so delicious and deliciously easy.  They are slightly unusual, in so much that they have decidedly tropical flavors.  Guava is sweet, but with a nice little tang that works really well with sweet potatoes.  Continue reading

Portugal – Óbidos

Tags

,

Castelo de Óbidos - PortugalÓbidos is one of the few remaining examples of Moorish occupation, where an actual functioning town lies within the wall of the 12th century castle.  Óbidos is a day trip from Lisbon, with time leftover to explore a bit of the surrounding area.  Continue reading

Glazes, Wet and Dry!

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Gloriously Glazed PorkGlazes can make a piece of meat or poultry.  Since we’re looking at Easter (and this may work for a Passover lamb, too), I thought I might pass on a couple of simple glaze options for ham, pork or lamb.  Truth be told, these could work well with turkey, too, but you’re on own, as I haven’t tried that…yet!  Continue reading

Savory Layered Sweet Potatoes

Tags

, , , , ,

Savory Layered Sweet PotatoesSweet potatoes are a nice change of pace and they shouldn’t be relegated to being served as just a Thanksgiving side dish.  And savory is the way to go, as sweet potatoes are sweet enough…you know, like The Goddess!  Continue reading

Portugal – Mafra

Tags

, , ,

Palácio de Mafra - PortugalThe Palácio de Mafra (Palace of Mafra) is just plain amazing.  It consists of the palace, as well as the Convento de Mafra (Mafra Convent), the Basílica de Nossa Senhora e de São António and a magnificent library.  This incredible building, a monument to baroque architecture, is one of the largest buildings constructed in the early 18th century, and is a candidate for classification as a UNESCO sight. Continue reading

Creamy Herb, Garlic and Lemon Spread

Tags

, , , , ,

Creamy Herb, Garlic and Lemon SpreadI love Boursin™ cheese, and I make a pretty decent facsimile, Almost Boursin Cheese Spread (Almost!) in a previous post.  So anyway, I was sitting, sipping and musing.  Goddesses do that sometimes.  You should try it.  The things one thinks up…and this was one of those things.  Continue reading

Cuban-Style Black Beans à la Pressure Cooker – Part 2

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Cuban-Style Black Beans à la Pressure Cooker, UnsoakedFirst of all, you’re going to need to read through the recipe for Cuban-Style Black Beans à la Pressure Cooker, because I’m not going to give you a recipe, because it’s the same.  This is about technique and cooking times, using the pressure cooker feature on my multi-cooker…it’s a wonder, I tell ya’…. Continue reading

Cuban-Style Black Beans à la Pressure Cooker

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Cuban-Style Black Beans à la Pressure CookerThese Frijoles Negros were the very first thing I cooked in my new toy…a multi-purpose pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker that you can sauté in, so the sofrito, that lovely mixture of garlic, bell pepper and onion, was a breeze.  Continue reading

Portugal – Lisbon–Museum and Monastery

Tags

, , , ,

Today we’re going to explore more of Lisboa or Lisbon.  We’re off to the Museu National de Arte Antiga and the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, with a bite to eat at  the Pastelaria Belém for pastéis de nata.  It’s a full day (pun intended!).  Continue reading