My day starts at the crack of dawn these days, it seems my heart has it’s own race going on and it is pumping full of energy the second I open my eyes.  I’m ready to go with a million things passing through my mind of what needs to get done. I’m not sure if it is the adjustment of my son going to school, or if I have decided to really make the most of my time. I think it may be a little of both. With that said I am going to make the slow cooker my new friend and have it do most of the work for me so I could get other stuff done. Take something as easy as a pot roast and think of all the possibilities that can come from a pot roast turned to shredded beef. First and foremost I think of a shredded beef torta with a little au jus from the meat soaked into a fresh bolillo…. oh yeah…. I’ll let my mind ponder that for a while. Then I could turn that pot into a plate of machaca for breakfast, or a quick plate of soft tacos for lunch. I’ll have something on hand to feed my son when he comes home from school. I’m telling you my mind is everywhere these days, but the one thing I don’t have to think about is where I’m going to be able to get all of these ingredients for this recipe, because I already know the answer…. Walmart.

Ingredients for shredded beef tortas:

• 4 to 5 – garlic cloves
• 1 – onion (sliced)
• 3 to 5 – pounds chuck pot roast
• a pinch of oregano
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• a pinch of chile flakes
• 3 – cups beef broth
• bolillo

For directions watch the video posted above. 

Last year I realized that I did not have a rib recipe (aside from short ribs) on my blog, nor could I say I really knew how to make them.  Then in a very candid conversation with my friend Stephen from Latino Foodie who was also in the same boat with the “rib situation” we both decided to master making ribs.  Well we kinda motivated each other to get ribbing.  That was last summer and it didn’t happen on my part.

Then last month I was on a trip with Walmart in their hometown of Arkansas and they brought in some master bar-b-que experts to teach us a few tricks of the grill.  I watched them and was amazed at a few things I had never learned along the way, and knew I would incorporate my newly found knowledge into some grilling recipes.  Then one of the masters teaching us about steak, grilling and the best cuts to look for mentioned that he was a rib master and had won many competitions.  Mind you he was not showing us how to make ribs at all.  I waited until his demo was over then pounded him with a million questions about making ribs on the grill from start to finish.  He told me about the 2-2-1 method which means, 2 hours with the ribs on the grill (ribs facing down), 2 hours with the ribs wrapped in foil (meaty side down-ribs sticking up), then remove ribs from foil and place them back on the grill (rib side down) for 1 hour.  Now the part I didn’t know is you can’t cook ribs under direct heat, or at least you shouldn’t.  He told me to heat the outer flames on my grill to a medium low heat and place the ribs in the middle.  And to keep the hood of my barbecue closed the entire time with the exception of the meat turning (of course.) He said his favorite ribs to grill were the St. Louis Style pork ribs.  I asked him where I could buy my ribs and he said he always buys his slabs at Walmart.

Here is my video showing you exactly how I made my delicious cherry chipotle ribs, from start to finish, using the 2-2-1 method.  Oh and can I just say they were the best darn ribs I ever had!  Toot, toot (my own horn.)

Ingredients for cherry chipotle ribs:

• 1 – teaspoon garlic powder
• a pinch oregano
• 1 – teaspoon black pepper
• 1 – teaspoon ancho chile powder
• 1 – teaspoon sea salt
• 1 – teaspoon chipotle pepper powder
• 3 to 4 – pounds St. Louis Style Ribs
• 6 – tablespoons butter (divided in half – one portion per packet)
• 1 – lime
• 1/4 – cup honey ( 1/8 cup per packet)
• A generous helping of Cherry Chipotle Fruit Sauce by Not Ketchup (Shhhhhh, I bought this sauce at Sam’s club! If you can’t find it feel free to use your fave fruit sauce or BBQ sauce)

Directions:

Watch video for directions and how to get these scrumptious babies in your life! 🙂

       This video is sponsored by The Idaho Potato Commission. However all opinions and the recipe are 100% my own.

Welcome to MARCH!  I love the month of March not only because it’s my birthday          month, but it is also National Nutrition Month.  As I slip into another year of age, I am happy to be more aware of what I feed my body.  Good nutrition = healthy living = great energy = baked fries.  Yes, baked fries are king!  Make them, bake them, watch my video and EAT THEM NOW!

Ingredients for Lemon Lime Chipotle French Fries:

• 4 –  Idaho Potatoes (russet)
• 1 1/2 – tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 – lemon (juiced)
• 1/2 – lime (juiced)
• 1 – tablespoon garlic (minced)
• 1/2 – teaspoon black pepper
• 1 – teaspoon Lawry’s
• 1/2 to 1 – teaspoon chipotle pepper (depending on how spicy you like your fries)

Watch the video for directions!

A special THANK YOU to the Idaho Potato Commission, Mando Lopez and Tony Molina!

I hold my love for Idaho Potatoes in a special place. I hold it there all year long and at certain times it needs to burst out of it’s cozy snuggly place in my heart and show it’s true colors. February is always a great time to let my potato affection reveal itself in the light of  Potato Lover’s Month.

I have a growing boy in my house who requests potatoes with every meal. I usually make a batch of baked potatoes at the head of the week and as we get into the middle of it I find other ways to enjoy them. One of my favorite is the mojo potato. It puts the spunk back into my step and makes me fall in love.

Watch the video below to see how to make mojo’s out of leftover baked Idaho Potatoes:

Ingredients for mojos:

• 3 to 4 – leftover baked Idaho Potatoes (cold)
• 1 – egg (whisked in a bowl)
• 1 – pouch fried chicken coating mix
• 1 – teaspoon Lawry’s
• 1 – teaspoon corn starch
• 1/2 – teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 – teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 – teaspoon garlic powder
• vegetable oil

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Idaho Potato Commission. The recipe and all opinions are 100% my own. 

Thank you to my crew of two for this shoot! Mando Lopez and Tony Molina you guys ROCK!!!!!

Oh yeah… It’s almost time for the big game, just a few more days to be exact. This Sunday I’ll be sitting in a sea of people screaming and cheering for their teams, but I picture myself completely absorbed in my potato skins filled with rajas con crema, unaware of the chaos spewing around me or unable to pull my attention away to look up at the television . Sort-of like my own private Idaho….. Idaho Potatoes that is.

Check out my video on the unique combination of potato skins meets rajas con crema!

Ingredients for potato skins filled with rajas con crema:

• 10 – left over Idaho baked potatoes (better if they are cold out of the fridge)
• 2 – pasilla chiles (charred, peeled, and sliced)
• 1 – onion
• 1 – yellow bell pepper
• 1 – tablespoon chicken or vegetable bouillon
• 1/2 – teaspoon black pepper
• 2 – tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 – cups sour cream
• 1/2 – cup cotija cheese

Disclosure: A big thanks from the bottom of my heart to The Idaho Potato Commission for sponsoring this video. All opinions and the recipe are 100% my own.

Thank you Mando Lopez and Tony Molina for helping me make this video. You two work so hard and make the filming process fly by. Wish we could release all the impromptu rap songs we created this day or a photo of the three of us squeezed into the bathroom with all the equipment! Love you guys!

Remember a post I wrote a few weeks ago telling you about Viva Navidad at Disney’s California Adventure?  Well, I was there again yesterday celebrating the finale’ of Viva Navidad with Three Kings Day / Dia De Los Reyes. This fantastic celebration is only happening for a few more days until Jan.6th to be exact.

I am so thrilled that all the traditional richness of Latin holiday culture is being celebrated on such a grand scale at Disney’s California Adventure and I was lucky enough to not only attend, but to interview Chef Toby J. Hollis and learn his way of making pozole. The very pozole that they are now serving in the park for Dia De Los Reyes!

If you have some free time in the next couple of days head down to Disney’s California Adventure and make your way to Paradise Garden where you will find pozole, bunuelos, rosca de reyes, and other great authentic Mexican food.

Watch the video below of Chef Toby showing me the ropes of his pozole, and hop over to Babble for a pozole recipe and other foods to eat during Dia De Los Reyes!

 Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed and recipe is are 100% my own.

In my travels, I remember when I had panna cotta for the first time, in Italy.  It was a day off from touring with my band and I was wandering around the city of Milan.  I was purposely trying to get lost in order to “accidentally” find a treasure of a restaurant to blow me away.  After walking for about an hour or so, I happened to wander into this beautifully colored tiled bakery (Panetteria).  The people that worked in there were loud, happy and celebratory.  Celebrating life I suppose.  I asked them what they recommended to a slightly hungry girl from the United States that wanted to experience a bit of the essence of their culture.  They all immediately argued as to what I should eat.  Back and forth they playfully screamed at each other but in the end, the lady that seemed to be the matriarch of the bunch said I should give the panna cotta a try.  It’s a custard and is very common at most Italian restaurants.

Since that visit, I’ve made panna cotta for my family quite often.  There never has to be an occasion for it.  I don’t necessarily have to make an Italian meal in order to have it for dessert and it doesn’t always have to be a dessert.  I like to make it on a whim and whenever I’m invited to a pot luck.  At these pot lucks, it always seems to be the hit of the party and I’m asked by many for the recipe.

Here is my simple recipe for Panna Cotta….. I will also be making it for Three Kings Day since I have a few Italian friends visiting, and they won’t be around to make us dinner on Feb. 2nd if they get the toy baby. Rosca and panna cotta sound like a lovely combo anyway!  Like I said, it works for almost any occasion and people will love you for making such a yummy decadent treat.  Let me know how it goes! Click here to save some dough and get a great coupon. Or if you are in search of more milk recipes….click here!

Oh yeah, and how was the Panna Cotta in Italy you ask?

Delizioso!!!!!

Ingredients for panna cotta:

• 5 – tablespoons hot boiling water
• 2 – packets knox gelatin
• 1 – cup milk
• 3/4 – cup sugar
• 2 – vanilla beans (cut length wise)
• 1 -pint whipping cream
• 1 – cup 1/2 and 1/2

Directions:

1. Pour boiling hot water in a bowl, and sprinkle with knox gelatin. Mix to dissolve gelatin. Set to the side. 
2. In a small sauce pan over a medium flame add milk, sugar, and seeds from inside vanilla beans. Stir until sugar is dissolved. 
3. Add in whipping cream and 1/2 and 1/2 to sugar/milk mixture.
4. Let it combine for about 3 minutes, then remove from flame.
5. Pour the knox water mixture into milk mixture. Mix it to combine. 
6. Then pour the mixture through a sieve  to collect any bits of knox or pieces of vanilla bark. 
7. Pour the liquid into cups and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. 
8. Top with fresh berries and cookies of your choice. I used strawberries and brownie cookies.
9. Enjoy!