In just a couple more days the winter games will start in Sochi, Russia. I imagine if I was attending I would there in the middle of blistering cold weather mapping out where all the games would take place. I think maybe I would stumble into a small little restaurant on a side street somewhere hidden craving a traditional Russian dish, and there at the center table would be a team of athletes loading up on carbs.  Taking off the many layers of warm clothing, I would walk over to the Olympians to wish them luck on their events, and snoop at what they eat. Of course I envision that they would be eating beef stroganoff, a classic Russian dish packed with pasta and creamy beef and mushroom sauce….

But since Eastern Europe isn’t a hop, skip, and a jump away from Eastern Los Angeles, I guess I’ll have to settle for sunny weather, a homemade bowl of beef stroganoff and the comfort of watching the games from my television set. I’ll make it even more enjoyable for myself…. and get everything I need for this dish at Walmart…. my one stop shop.

Ingredients for beef stroganoff:

• 4 – tablespoons butter
• 1 – pound rib-eye steak (cut into thin strips)
• 1/2 -teaspoon Lawry’s
• 1/2 – teaspoon black pepper
• 1 – onion (sliced)
• 9 – mushrooms (sliced big)
• 1/4 – teaspoon ground mustard
• 3 – tablespoons flour
• 1 – can beef broth
• 1/2 – cup sour cream
• 2 – cups egg noodles (cooked according to package)

Directions:

1. Cut beef into thin slices. Season with Lawry’s and pepper. 
2. In a large frying pan over a medium flame melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
3. Add the meat to the butter pan. Cook on both side till browned. 
4. Add in onion. Mix to combine. Cook for 8 minutes or until on onions soften. 
5. Add in mushrooms. Mix to combine. Cook for 5 minutes just to brown the mushrooms a bit. 
6. Add in 2 more tablespoons of butter and mix until melted.
7. Add in ground  mustard and flour. Mix to combine, and all flour is absorbed.
8. Add in beef broth and bring to a boil. Then once it starts to boil, lower flame to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to an hour.  
9. Add in sour cream and mix to combine. Really stir in the sour cream.   
10. Pour sauce over cooked egg noodles. 
11. Enjoy!

Are you ready?  The count down for the big game is upon us and everyone is buzzing about it.  Who’s your team, Seattle or Denver?  Or are you like me…. Who cares?  What’s on the menu?!  For me it’s a reason to get together with friends, eat good food, watch a bunch of awesome commercials and wait for the show in the middle of the game.  I know my opinion isn’t the popular one in America but I bet there are a lot of closet, non-pigskin freaks that will be watching (unless we are talking about chicharrónes of course.) Let’s stay on the subject at hand.  I will be joining in on the fun with the rest of America on Feb.2nd.  My family has been invited to a friends house and I am in charge of bringing something savory that is cheer-worthy.  It didn’t take me long to decide on individual mac and cheese servings packed with bacon,  jalapeno, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and topped with potato chips.  Like always I was able to find all my ingredients at my favorite one stop shop…. Walmart.  (I got the cute football napkins there too. Extra point!)

GOOOOOOOOOOOOO CRUNCHY BACON JALAPENO MAC AND CHEESE!!!!!!!

Ingredients for crunchy bacon jalapeno mac and cheese:

• 4 – jalapenos (charred, peeled, and diced)
• 1 – pound bacon (cooked and crumbled)
• 2 – cups Barilla macaroni
• 3 – cup cheddar cheese (grated)
• 7 – stalks green onion (chopped)
• 2 – 8 ounce packages of Philadelphia cream cheese
• 1 – stick butter
• 1 – tablespoon of minced garlic
• 3 – cups half and half
• 1/2 – teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning salt
• 1/2 – teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 – bag of Lay’s potato chips (crushed down to crumbs)

Directions:

1. Place jalapenos on an open flame and char/ burn the skin. 
2. Place jalapenos in a ziplock for 30 minutes to steam.  Set to the side. 
3. In a large frying pan over a medium flame fry the bacon until it is fully cooked, then remove from oil and drain on a paper plate.  Crumble and set to the side.
4. Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil.  Add in macaroni and boil as directed on package.  Drain and place in a bowl.
5. Add bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onion to macaroni, and mix to combine. 
6. Cut 1 package of cream cheese into 1/2 inch cubes and add to macaroni mixture.
7. Peel and chop jalapenos into cubes (deseed and throw stems away).
8. Add jalapenos to macaroni mixture mix well. 
9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
10. Butter 10 – ‘3 inch’ ramekins. 
11. Fill each ramekin with macaroni mixture.  Set to the side. 
12. In a large frying pan over a medium flame add butter and garlic.  Melt.
13. Add in 1 package of cream cheese, mix to melt into butter.  It will still be a bit chunky.
14. Add in half and half and continue stirring to melt in the cream cheese. 
15. Add in Lawry’s and mustard to cream cheese/butter mixture.  Mix to combine.
16. Slowly pour 1/3 cup of cream/butter mixture into each ramekin.  
17. Top with potato chip crumbs. 
18. Bake for 30 minutes.
19. EAT THIS NOW!  

Recently I was out having a Chinese dinner with my family and at the end of the meal the waiter brought us a plate full of orange slices and fortune cookies.  I quickly grabbed the cookie closest to me and busted it open to get my fortune. I could see the little piece of paper on the inside of the cookie sparked the interest of my four year old son who is obsessed with reading. I turn my attention to him and started explaining to him what a fortune cookie was. Then he asks me “Can we make some at home?” Before I could answer, my fiance says “No, you can’t make those kind of cookies at home, they only make them in a factory.” Then my son says “Why not? Do you have to cut them out with scissors?” I thought about it for a second trying to figure out what he meant by the scissors question , did he mean the shape? Then I realized what he meant and answered him “Yes, you have to cut the paper to go inside the cookie with the scissors, it’s a craft.”

A few days later I was at Walmart looking around in the craft section and came across the scissors. I thought I should buy my son some kid scissors so he could practice cutting paper (like he’s learning in school) at home. I ask him “Do you want some little scissors to cut paper?” Then his eyes lit up, and he says “To make fortune cookies?” I thought to my self this is going to be one crazy project / food craft, but why not? I looked into his eyes and said “Yes, let’s get all our supplies right now, and we will make them as soon as we get home!” That’s exactly what we did. Who needs a factory? Do It Yourself!

Ingredients for fortune cookies:

• 2 – egg whites
• 1/8 – teaspoon almond extract
• 1/8 – teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 – teaspoon salt
• 1/2 – cup flour
• 1/2 – cup sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Place a baking mat on a cookie sheet and lightly spray with a non stick baking spray. Set to the side.
3. Write or print a few fortunes or messages on a piece of paper. Then cut them out and place them in a dish. Set to the side. 
4. In a mixer add in egg whites and almond and vanilla extract. Mix on high until egg whites are stiff. 
5. In a separate bowl sift the salt, flour, and sugar together. Mix well to combine.
6. Add the flour/sugar mixture to the egg whites. Mix well to combine.
7. Use a teaspoon, and pour it onto the baking sheet. 
8. With the back of a spoon make it into a 3 to 4 inch circle. Make one cookie at a time to begin with because it is hard to get the timing right with more then two. You need to fold the cookies fast or they will break and not work. Start with one and see how many you can make.    
9. Bake cookie for 5 minutes. The edge should be golden and the inside pale.
10. Take it out and quickly remove the cookie from the mat with a spatula. 
11. Then place a fortune in the middle. 
12. Next fold the cookie over so both ends meet. 
13. Last fold the cookie over the rim of a mug.
14. Place the cookie down to cool completely.  
15. Make the next one. This recipe made almost 2 dozens.
16. Eat This Now! 

There is nothing worse then biting into a piece of fruit that has no flavor or is sour. I absolutely despise when that happens. I get so upset, because when you are at the market loading your fruit into the cart you imagine a great tasting piece of natures jewels…. I do at least. I fantasize about the sweetness and the just right texture. Well here’s some of the best news…. Walmart has this thing called 100% guarantee which means…. If you buy their produce that is labeled 100% guarantee, and you don’t absolutely love the fresh produce, all you have to do is bring your receipt back to the store for a full refund! How awesome is that? I love that they feel confident enough to offer that to the consumers. Plus it let’s me know it’s good, because they don’t want to lose money. It’s just a little insurance on my fruit.  I decided to take them up on their pledge and bought some navel oranges…. WOW…. they were everything promised to be… sweet, tangy, juicy, and lovely. I wanted to have them first thing in the morning to start out my day, and that is exactly what I did.

Ingredients for honey orange bolillo french toast:

• 4 – bolillos (which they sell at Walmart in the bakery area)
• 4 – eggs
• 1/2 – cup milk
• 1 – tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 – teaspoon cinnamon
• butter (for frying)
• 3 – navel oranges
• honey butter spread
• honey
• candied pecans

Directions:

1. Cut bolillos down the middle length-wise.
2. In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. 
3. Dip two slices of bolillo at a time into egg mixture. 
4. Add a dab of butter to a large frying pan over a medium flame. Allow it to get hot then add in dipped bolillos. 
5. Cook on each side 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove from pan and place on a plate. Continue until all bolillo slices are cooked. 
6. Using a pairing knife, cut the peeling off the oranges, then slice into rounds. 
7. Spread french toast with honey butter spread, and top with orange rounds. Finish by drizzling honey over the top and sprinkling with chopped candied pecans.
8. Eat This Now! 

The winter weather here in southern California is either hit or miss. Sometimes you feel a chill coming and sometimes it feels like it might be a Summer day with cleaner air. I like winter to be on the cooler side. When the sun decides to take a break and let a little bit of the cold hit our coast, I instantly think of sopa de estrellas. Who can resist the savory star shaped pasta? I’ve been eating it since I was a kid. When I would get home from school on a cold day, I always knew there would be a small pot of sopa de estrellas or fideo waiting for me on the stovetop. Even though they are super similar I prefer the estrellas. As a kid it made me think of fantasy sci-fi or astrology, and it seemed to fit in with my cast of cute girly characters I wore in my hair or proudly displayed on my shirt. As an adult I love them just the same. I adore the fact that they are star shaped and a serious traditional dish my Grandpa made me growing up. They bring total nostalgia of a cold day from my childhood. I used to really be thrilled when he would let me watch over his shoulder as he made a fresh batch, he would tell me to make sure to burn the pasta good before adding anything else…. this would give the sopa good flavor. He was absolutely right about that. I add cubes of cheese to the top of the sopa when it’s done cooking and find myself happy and warm.

Here’s something I forgot to mention I found my estrellas at Walmart for .33cents a bag. Yes…. you read that right, I love it at Walmart. If you need to spend extra money on your gas bill this month due to the heater being on… This meal is inexpensive, and taste just right.

Ingredients for sopa de estrellas: 

• 1 – tablespoon olive oil
• 1 – 7 oz. bag of estrellas ( I used La Moderna)
• 3/4 – cup onion (thinly sliced)
• 3 – garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1/4 – teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 – teaspoon black pepper
• 8 – ounces tomato sauce (1 small can)
• 5 – cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 – cup diced chunks of cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. In a small pot over a medium high heat add in olive oil and allow to get hot.
2. Pour in the estrellas. Mix to coat with oil. 
3. Cook for  about 6 to 7 minutes. Stirring every so often. You want to make sure your pasta stars are burned. 
4. Add in onion, garlic, oregano, and black pepper. Mix to combine. 
5. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to soften the onion.
6. Pour in the tomato sauce. It will sizzle. Mix it in. 
7. Then add in the broth. Stir once or twice to break up the estrellas. Once the mixture comes to a boil let it cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until stars are soft to the bite. 
8. Remove from flame and add the cheese cubs in. Mix. 
9. Serve hot and enjoy with corn chips. 

Christmas is long gone but Dia De Los Reyes is just around the corner. Typically children in Latin America and Spain celebrate the Three Kings on January 6th, which marks the 12 days of Christmas. It is believed that three kings came on the 12th day by guidance of the north star and found baby Jesus along with his parents in Bethleham.  The kings bestowed gifts on the new born king, and during the celebration of three kings day on Jan. 6th gifts are exchanged and it is a serious celebration had by all. People also either make or buy a rosca de reyes (Three Kings bread), and it has little toy babies baked inside it (usually between 1 – 3 babies per rosca, depending on who is making it). Enjoying the rosca becomes a big event where a group of people gather to eat it, and if your slice has a toy baby in it, then you are appointed to provide a tamale dinner for the people at the rosca gathering on Feb. 2nd for Dia De La Candelaria. It sounds complicated, but it’s sort of like a game… The rules: if you find a baby in your bread you make a tamale dinner on Feb. 2nd for the group of people at the gathering.

Get all your supplies to make your own Rosca De Reyes at Walmart….  and if you think you’ll get the toy baby, stock up on your tamale supplies there too.

Ingredients for Rosca De Reyes:

• 1/2 – cup water
• 4 – anise stars
• 1 – packet yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/4 – cup milk
• 1/3 – cup sugar
• 4 – tablespoons butter
• 1 – tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 – eggs
• 3 3/4 – cups flour
• 1/2 – cup dried cherries or craisins

Egg Wash:

• 1 – egg
• 1 – tablespoon water

Pasta Topping:

• 2/3 – cup sugar
• 1 – stick butter (1/2 cup)
• 1 – cup flour

Optional:

• dried fruit or paste
• toy babies

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan over a medium flame add in water and anise stars. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 5 minutes. Remove from flame and cool for 20 minutes. Remove anise stars and pour water into a bowl, it should measure out to 1/3 cup.
2. Pour yeast into the warm anise water bowl and set to the side for a minimum of 5 minutes. the yeast will start to foam.
3. In a small sauce pan over a medium-low flame add in milk, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Stir to combine and melt. 
4. As soon as the ingredients come together allow to cool for about 5 minutes then add in the yeast/anise water. Mix well. Set to the side.
5. In a separate bowl beat the eggs.
6. Fill a large bowl with flour and cherries, then pour in the sugar/milk/yeast mixture and the eggs. Mix with your hands till the dough comes together.  
7. Then on a lightly floured surface knead bread, and make into a round loaf. 
8. Place the loaf in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest in a warm place for a minimum of on hour or overnight or until loaf doubles in size. 
9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
10. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out with your hands into a long snake. 
11. Make a little slit on top of the bread and insert baby. 
12. Then form the dough into an oval shaped ring binding the ends together. 
13. Make the egg wash: In a small bowl whisk egg and water together. Then brush the top of the ring with the egg wash. 
14. Make the pasta: In a mixer beat sugar and butter until fluffy and light, then add in flour. Mix till combined. It will feel like thick paste, and be slightly crumbly. Gather the mixture and place on a surface and roll out with a rolling pin. Traditionally people cut pasta into thick strips, I decided to cut mine into stars to represent the stars the three kings followed. 🙂 
15. Place rosca on a baking mat on top of a cookie sheet, then pasta shapes and dried fruits onto rosca/ring and bake for 25 minutes. 
16. Cut and enjoy with hot chocolate. 

Some people believe that you should eat something round for New Year’s Eve. It is suppose to be symbolic of bringing the year to a full circle. I like the idea of anything that is full circle getting the full comprehension of the year, and especially when it is in the form of cake. Hahhahhahhaa silly me…. I just brought cake into the equation. I needed to find a way to make sense of my cake addiction and New Year’s Eve traditions….. and I just made my own.

Have you ever had a Jarritos cake? A delicious cake made with pudding and citrus soda….. it’s so moist and close to perfect, and I personally love it. Especially when you find the Jarritos at Walmart for .50 cents a bottle. That makes it real easy to pick up a few bottles drink a couple and use one for your Jarritos cake. This is one of the desserts I will be making for New Year’s Eve this year. I will say it is for the kids to eat, but in reality it will be for me. Happy New Year Friends! Enjoy!

Ingredients for Jarritos cake:

• 3/4 – cup Jarritos grapefruit or lime soda
• 1 – box yellow cake mix
• 1 – small box lemon pudding
• 3/4 – cup vegetable oil
• 4 – eggs

Icing:

• 2 – cups confectioners sugar
• 2 – tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 – tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Spray a bundt pan with non-stick baking spray, and set to the side.
3. In a large mixer add all cake ingredients and mix until smooth for about 5 minutes.
4. Pour into the prepared bundt pan and place in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
5. Allow to cool completely before flipping it over onto a plate.
6. Then whisk together the icing ingredients and drizzle over the top of the cake. 
7. Enjoy!