Where there’s pink frosting, there’s gotta be donuts. I recently celebrated by son’s birthday in a big way with over 135 guests. There were lots of treats and it was a very boy driven day. I don’t think there was anything pink in sight for miles. As I stood there observing the kids at the party I realized we had a lot of little girls running around too. I watched them running with long hair and cute braids, some even had glitter in their hair. It made me miss celebrating my own girly side, and I made a small mental note when the chaos of life dies down a little I would take some time to be ultra girly again.

Yesterday I was organizing my pantry and came across some decorative colored candy sprinkles, you know the type you see on either Mexican or Italian cookies. I purchased  them a while back and still hadn’t done anything with them. That instant was the perfect time to be girly. I fancied myself eating a pink donut topped with candy sprinkles. Now to get from point A to B was going to be a bit challenging. I started thinking of everything pink. I looked in the fridge and found some fresh cherries (strawberries or blueberries would have worked fine as well), then found a box of pink cake mix flour in my pantry too. It was all coming together. I wanted my pink donuts to be a little more dense than cakey, so I thought “Hmmmm, I bet if I add Maseca to this pink party, that will definitely do the trick!” And it did. Thanks to my wonderful versatile Maseca corn flour, I had pink donuts all day long, and it felt grand to be a girl.

Ingredients for Maseca’s berry good baked donut:

• 3 – eggs
• 1 1/4 – cups water
• 1/3 – cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 – cup Maseca Corn Flour
• 1 – box pink cake mix flour
• 1 – cup fresh cherries (stems removed, pitted, and cut into pieces)
• 1 – cup powder sugar
• 1/8 – half and half
• pink food coloring
• candy sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Spray a donut pan with a non-stick spray. Set to the side.
3. In a mixer add eggs, water, vegetable oil, Maseca, and pink cake mix flour. Mix until smooth.
4. Add in fresh cherries (or berry of your choice), and mix to combine.
5. Use a heaping 1/8 cup of batter and fill each space in donut pan. 
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely on cooling rack.
8. In a bowl whisk powdered sugar and half and half together until smooth.
9. Color with pink food coloring. Mix until the color desired is reached.
10. Dip one side of each donut into the pink frosting then place back on cooling rack to dry.
11. Sprinkle the top with candy sprinkles and allow frosting to set for about 2 hours before eating.
12. Enjoy! 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Maseca. However, the recipe and opinions are my own.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the wonderful Tabasco family. It is my pleasure to be a Tabasco Tastemaker. The recipe and opinions are my own.

Oh yeah, the summer is still lingering. Even though my mind is completely consumed with “back to school” my kitchen is still telling me it’s “hot in here.” I guess I’m hanging on to the last couple of weeks of longer days, eating on the patio, and entertaining guests all in a very simple easy style.  I want to enjoy these last moments of the summer of 2014 with easy to make snacks, refreshing drinks and a gaggle of family and friends.

Since the clock is ticking, carpe diem…. I started with this spicy yet cool dip. I imagine myself outside in the patio with a slight breeze blowing through, good music from the 70’s creating a heartfelt ambiance, a tall drink on ice, my nearest and dearest hanging out in comfy clothes, and a big bowl of spicy habanero blistered tomato dip with chips to bring it all together.

I used sour cream as my base, spiked it with a nice helping of Tabasco Habanero Sauce, and added a tribe of blistered tomatoes. Mixed it all together, served it with corn chips, and sat down to enjoy my afternoon. The dip has a amazing contrast of flavors going on, from very cool and creamy to spicy with a slight hint of sweet. It is very addicting and could be eaten by the spoonful or poured over rice, but I should warn you now it is fiery hot with a vibrant intensity and delicious tangy taste! Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Ingredients for spicy habanero blistered tomato dip:

• 2 – tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 – cups cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
• 1 – teaspoon Tabasco Spicy Salt
• 2 – cups sour cream
• 4 – green onion stalks (chopped)
• 1 – tablespoon Tabasco Habanero Sauce

Directions:

1. In a large frying pan over a medium high flame add in olive oil and allow to get hot.
2. Add in tomato halves and sprinkle with tabasco spicy salt. 
3. Cook on each side for about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove pan from flame. Set to the side and allow to cool. 
4. In a bowl combine sour cream, green onion, and Tabasco Habanero Sauce.
5. Add blistered tomatoes to sour cream mixture. Mix to combine and serve with chips.
6. Enjoy!

Every so often my body craves meat-free meals. I can’t necessarily say it’s because I’m a closet vegetarian or anything like that, I think I just enjoying eating meat-free sometimes. It usually happen after a few days of heavy carnivore scarfing. Plus I like making dishes that my Momma (she’s vegetarian) can enjoy too. It’s all about my Momma, really. Anyhow, I was having one of those days yesterday and really craving a sope. Mmmmm sopes!

I looked in my pantry and not only did I find a bag of Maseca front and center, I also saw a plump little onion sitting there waiting to be had. Fast forward thirty minutes later and my bag of Maseca was now a batch of sopes. I had a pan of refried beans on the stove, and a mushroom caramelized onion mixture was underway. I called my Mom up on the phone and said “Get over here!” It was nice, we had an afternoon lunch in a matter of minutes. She was happy, and I was happy too. I have to remind myself more often that it’s good to eat vegetarian, and not to get so caught up in the “meat” race. Simple, and yet so delicious.

This meal could be made as a light lunch served with a little side salad, or as a main dish for dinner served with a side of rice. I would even consider making them in a much smaller version as an appetizer for a party. Doesn’t matter how you make them, once you do you’ll realize how easy they are to make and never look back. You could even make all the ingredients and have a little sope bar. Build your own.

Ingredients for sopes de hongos:

• 4 – cups Maseca
• 1/2- teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 – cups warm water
• vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 – tablespoons butter
• 1 – onion (sliced)
• 1 – basket of mushrooms (sliced)
• refried beans
• crumbled queso fresco
• salsa
• sour cream or crema

Directions:

1. In a large bowl add maseca, salt and water. Mix with hands until no longer sticky.
2. Divide the dough into 18 to 20 balls, then flatten it between both hands. Make sure the dough is a little on the thick side, and about the size of the palm of your hand.
3. On a hot comal heat each disk for a minute on each side. Remove from comal and place on a clean working surface.
4. Pinch the sides of the sope to form a little edge. Make sure to do this step right when the sope comes off the comal. Careful not to burn your fingers.
5. In a frying pan over a medium high flame add vegetable oil (enough to cover entire sope). Allow to get hot.
6. Drop each sope into the hot oil and fry till lightly golden about a minute.
7. Remove from oil and place on a paper lined plate to drain off oil drippings.
8. In a large frying oil over a medium flame add in butter.
9. Add in onion and sauté for 10 minutes.
10. Add in mushrooms and sauté for 7 minutes.
11. Remove onion mushroom mixture from stove and place in a dish.
12. Fill sopes with a huge dollop of refried beans and smooth to fill center.
13. Top beans with onion mushroom mixture. 
14. Then top with queso fresco, sour cream and salsa.
15. Enjoy!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Maseca. However, the recipe and opinions are my own.

Chilaquiles Divorciados

Some things just stand better on their own. Chilaquiles Divorciados is one of them. I heart everything about them…especially the name. Two completely different chilaquiles that decided to throw in the towel on their union and disconnect whole heartedly. One hot and spicy “Chila” stands in all her red distinction , and the other easy going and smooth “Quiles” swims in his pool of green chile. Two separate dishes plated together but each making a different statement on their own. (more…)

This post is part of a compensated campaign between Kikkoman and Latina Bloggers Connect.

I’ve been making roasted vegetables for over a decade now. Once I discovered roasting vegetables was far more superior over boiled or fried in flavor I never turned back. I make roasted veggies quite often, and love to switch up the flavor in my vegetables when ever I can. Let’s take the precious brussels sprout for instance… my family won’t have anything to do with them, unless they’re roasted.

The other day my fiancé said he wanted a salad, and I looked into the fridge but didn’t have a head of lettuce in sight. I saw a nice plump supply of raw brussels sprouts sitting there begging to be made. I thought “What if I make a brussels sprout salad and enhance the flavor with Kikkoman soy sauce? I could coat the brussels sprouts with soy sauce before roasting, then make a soy sauce mustard dressing, and sprinkle the whole thing in goat cheese.” The thought of it made my mouth water. I then started kicking myself for not thinking of making my brussels sprouts with Kikkoman sooner. I skipped the regret and started making my old recipe with a new twist. It was so easy and simple to make and seriously the salad was so cosmic it belonged to the stars. You have to try this super yum-a-licious salad, it makes the perfect accompaniment to dinner, or a solo act for lunch.

Ingredients for roasted brussels sprouts and goat cheese salad:

• 1 – pound fresh brussels sprouts (stems trimmed off and cut in half)
• 4 – tablespoons olive oil
• 4 – teaspoons Kikkoman Soy Sauce
• 1 – teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 – teaspoons deli mustard
• 3 – ounces crumbled goat cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wash, trim, and cut brussels sprouts.
3. Place brussels sprout halves in a large bowl.
4. Pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 2 tablespoons Kikkoman soy sauce over the brussels sprout halves. Mix with your hands to evenly coat brussels sprouts. 
5. Remove the brussels sprouts out of the bowl with your hands ( Note: Do not pour the brussels sprouts out onto the sheet, you don’t want the baking sheet to be wet) and place on a large baking sheet.
6. Place baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes to roast. Then remove the brussels sprout halves from oven and using a spatula flip to roast the other side. Place back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Brussels sprout halves will be in the oven for a total of 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Some will be extra crisp and slightly charred and others will be a little browned. Set to the side and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
7. In a small bowl whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons Kikkoman soy sauce, garlic and mustard. 
8. Pour dressing over roasted brussels sprouts, and mix to coat evenly. 
9. Sprinkle goat cheese into the top of the salad, and mix one final time. 
10. Eat either warm or cold. 
11. Enjoy!

 I recently created these Cheese Pretzels for National Pretzel Day.  They were the BEST freshly baked pretzels that I’ve ever had, and I’m not trying to brag but it’s the truth. I promise you won’t be disappointed. 🙂

Ingredients for cheese pretzels:

• 1 – packet active dry yeast
• 1 – cup warm water plus 1 ½ tablespoons
• 3 – cups unbleached flour
• 1 – tablespoon sugar
• 1 – teaspoon salt
• 8 – cups boiling hot water
• 1 – tablespoon honey
• 4 – tablespoons baking soda
• 1 – egg
• 1 – tablespoon water
• 1 – cup jack cheese (grated)
• sea salt

Directions:

1. Add yeast and warm water to mixer and allow to sit there for 10 to 15 minutes. The water will become cloudy and slightly foam.
2. Add dough hook attachment to mixer.
3. In a bowl add flour, sugar and salt. Mix to combine.
4. Pour flour mixture into warm water mixture, and turn mixer on to medium speed. Allow dough to come together for about 5 to 7 minutes. The dough will form a ball shape. This means it is ready.
5. Remove dough from mixer, and kneed with hands for 2 minutes.
6. Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Cover top of bowl with plastic wrap, and let rest in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours or until dough doubles in size.
7. Remove dough from dough, and cut into 8 even pieces.
8. Roll one piece of dough at a time, by rolling it with two hands to form a long skinny snake like shape. Then carefully shape dough into a pretzel by bringing both ends toward the top and twisting once, then fold back down to press into the dough.
9. Place pretzels on a baking mat lined cookie sheet and allow to rise for another 20 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
11. In a large pot over a high flame add in hot water and bring to a rolling boil. Once water is boiling add in honey and mix to dissolve. Then pour in baking soda. Mix to combine.
12. Slowly dip each pretzel into the boiling water for 30 seconds on each side. Then with a slotted spoon remove pretzels. I did one pretzel at a time.
13. Place pretzels back on baking mat lined cookie sheet.
14. In a small bowl whisk egg and water together creating an egg wash.
15. Using a pastry brush, brush each pretzel with egg wash.
16. Sprinkle 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) of jack Cheese on top of each pretzel.
17. Top with a tiny pinch of sea salt.
18. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes.
19. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before eating.
20. Enjoy.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the wonderful Tabasco family. It is my pleasure to be a Tabasco Tastemaker. The recipe and opinions are my own.

Are you ever surprised by a secret ingredient? A few months ago I spent some time on Avery Island, the home of Tabasco. Like most food trips I was able to taste some of the best foods I’ve ever experienced. At the time of the trip I was very ill with a bad cold and cough, but I was still able to appreciate what I was eating. Even though it was only at a fraction of it’s full capacity, it was still marvelous. I can only imagine had my palate been 100% those days… it would have knocked me off my feet.  Never the less the experience was not wasted on me. I learned from some of the best chefs in Louisiana how to combine tabasco into foods I would never expect to find it in. For instance we had a delicious sweet potato hand pie served with bourbon ice cream and candied pecans that was glazed in a sweet tabasco sauce. I could taste the undertones of the tabasco, but was so surprised at how well it worked against the other flavors. This odd but successful pairing made me want to experiment with the hot sauce in a dessert of my own.

Last week I pulled up along side a road at the sight of a cherry stand. I got off the car and sampled a few sweet cherries before buying a few bags to take home. When I arrived in my kitchen, I wondered what I was going to make with the divine fruit? Then I thought the time to combine a spicy element to a sweet one was now upon me. I started off by pitting a few cherries then boiling them in a sugar water base, smashing them with a masher, and adding tabasco and jam. The mixture was sweet with a bit of a kick to it. Once I had my kicking cherry base, I wanted to spread it in a peanut butter sandwich, but thought it to be too simple. Before long I was making a batter for a batch of peanut butter blondies, and added the kicking cherry base right on top. I baked them and was thankful my tastebuds were not plagued with a cold, because I was able to savor every nuance of my blondies and they were quite amazing.

Ingredients for kickin cherry peanut butter blondies:

• 1/2 – cup cherries (pitted and stems removed)
• 1/4 – cup sugar
• 2 – tablespoons water
• 1 – teaspoon Tabasco Original Red Sauce
• 1/4 – cup cherry jam
• 1 – stick butter (8 tablespoons) (melted)
• 1/2 – cup peanut butter
• 1 – cup dark brown sugar
• 1 – egg
• 1/2 – tablespoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 – cups unbleached flour
• 1/4 – teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan over a medium flame add cherries, sugar, and water. Mix to combine allowing sugar to dissolve, then smash with a potato masher. 
2. Pour tabasco into cherry mixture, and allow t cook for another 3 minutes. 
3. Then mix jam into mixture. Remove from flame and set to the side to cool.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Line an 8×8 baking pan with aluminum foil (allow a 1 inch overlay to hang out of the pan for easy removal of the blondies) and spray with a non-stick baking spray. Set to the side.
6. Place butter and 1/4 cup of peanut butter (reserve the other 1/4 of peanut butter for a later use) in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to melt. Then stir the two together. The liquid should be smooth.
7. In a mixer, add brown sugar and peanut butter/butter mixture together and mix until fully combined about 2 minutes.
8. Add in egg and vanilla. Mix to combine.
9. Slowly pour in flour, and mix until batter comes together. Do not over mix.
10. Scoop batter into the 8×8 prepared pan, and with the back of a spoon smooth it out evenly to each corner of the pan. 
11. Drop by heaping teaspoons 1/4 cup peanut butter onto the top of the batter.
12. Then use 1/4 cup of cherry mixture, and drop by teaspoon by the peanut butter.  
13. Using a knife swirl the two together. 
14. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Or until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan.
15. Allow blondies to cool for 2 hours.
16. Remove from pan and cut into squares. 
17. Enjoy!