Chicken Gizzards & Onions ("Mollejas de pollo con Cebolla)

Ingredients:

2 lbs Chicken gizzards
2 large Spanish onions
2 teaspoon adobo seasoning

1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
Half packet of sazon seasoning
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt (to taste)
5 lbs. Green bananas (optional)

Directions:

1.       Boil the bananas in salt water until cooked, about 20 minutes.

Gizzard Note:  use which ever method you prefer

To cut the cooking time in half, I place the chicken gizzards with salt and pepper in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes. 

If you don’t have a pressure cooker: Boil the chicken gizzards with 2 teaspoon of salt, add one envelope of regular sazon, onion powder, and garlic powder (1 teaspoon of each), until chicken is very tender (about two hours) 

2.       Drain the chicken gizzards and cut into small pieces.

3.       Cut bananas into 1/2 inch pieces (straight circles) and Slice onions into thin slices.

4.       Add olive oil to a skillet and heat on medium heat.

5.       Add chopped cooked gizzards, minced garlic, black pepper, sazon, paprika and adobo seasoning, sauté for 5 minutes.

6.       Add in cooked chopped bananas and onion slices and toss letting it marry for another 3 minutes, then remove from heat.

7.       Remove and serve warm.

This dish can be served with rice, meat, or alone.

 

Chicken Taquitos

Ingredients

8 oz diced cooked chicken breast

½  medium yellow onion

1 clove garlic

1 small jalapeno (optional)

1  teaspoon paprika

1  teaspoon cumin

1  teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

½  teaspoon sea salt

½  cup black beans

½ cup corn

3 tablespoon chopped cilantro

6-8 corn tortillas

½  cup Colby Jack Cheese, pepper jack or just plain shredded

Oil for frying

Deep fryer

Instructions:

1.       In a pan, heat 2 tablespoon of oil over medium heat.

2.       Add chicken, onion, jalapeno pepper and sauté  until onion becomes translucent.

3.       Stir in garlic, cayenne, cumin, paprika, salt, lemon pepper and continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add in black beans, corn and cilantro, cooking until everything is heated through  . (Turn off stove and let cool abit )

 While filling is cooling, Heat oil for frying and start rolling Taquitos

4.       Once filling is cool enough to handle with your hands 

5.       Lay tortilla on a flat surface and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a line and top with cheese, then roll tortillas into a thick, cigar-like shape and place, seam side down (can secure with a toothpick, just remove before serving)

6.       Once done rolling taquitos, add to oil and fry for 2-3 minutes or until crisp (reminder everything is already cooked), just let it crisp up and remove from fryer onto paper towels to drain.

Server with your favorite dipping sauce

New Orleans King Cake

1 Hr Cook Time: 30 Min

Ready In: 4 Hrs 30 Min

 

 Ingredients

PASTRY:

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup melted butter

FROSTING:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
5. To Make Filling: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.

6. Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the confectioners' sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.

Jambalaya

Ingredients
6 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup chopped celery

1 green and red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 pound cubed cooked ham

1/2 pound cubed cooked chicken

1/2 pound cubed smoked sausage
1 pound shrimp (peeled & deviened)

2 (14.5 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, with liquid

2 cups beef broth

2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups uncooked white rice

Directions

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon pieces with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Add celery, bell peppers, and onion to the bacon drippings, and cook until tender.

2. Add the ham, chicken and sausage to the pot, and pour in the tomatoes, beef broth and chicken broth. Season with thyme and Cajun seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper. Bring to a boil, and add the rice. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, until the rice is tender.

3. Stir in the shrimp and bacon just before serving, and heat through. If you use uncooked shrimp, let it cook for about 5 minutes before serving.

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup milk

Melted butter, to brush on top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
3. Slice cold butter into cubes and use a pastry knife or potato masher to cut butter into dry mixture until no large chunks of butter remain.
4. Add buttermilk and milk and stir with a spoon until dough forms.
5. Roll out to 1/2-inch thick on a floured surface.
6. Cut biscuits with a 3-inch biscuit cutter and arrange on a lightly-greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until tops begin to turn light brown.
8. Remove biscuits from the oven and cool for a couple of minutes, then brush each biscuit top with melted butter.

Note: Use a ice cream scoop and scoop spoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet, brush with butter and bake (skip step 5 & 6)

Fried Plantain (Tostones )

Ingredients:

3 green plantains
oil for frying
garlic powder
salt

Directions:

1. Slice the peeled plantains diagonally into 1" slices.
2. Fry the slices over medium heat until they soften.
3. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
4. Using a tostonera (a press), slightly mash each piece to about half an inch in thickness.
5. If a tostonera is not available insert the pieces between a folded piece of brown-paper bag/sack and press down using a saucer.
6. It is best to press all the pieces first before going on the next step.
7. Dip each piece in warm salted water and fry again until crispy.
8. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
9. Salt them.
10. Tostones may be served with ketchup (kid's favorite) or with garlic sauce.