Old Fashioned Ribbon Sandwiches

Old Fashioned Ribbon Sandwiches

I don't know about you but when I see these things, 

I get super excited!

Any Trinidadian will be able to tell you many, many stories built around these sandwiches.

We hated them when we were little 

but then started to love them once our American friends 

thought it was so cool that we had multicolored sandwiches.

Then we started to request them for lunch...

Are these healthy? NOPE!
Not even a little...
But they were quick to make and fun to eat...
And quite frankly, cheap to make a big batch of these!

RECIPE

Sliced Bread

1 Tbsp Mustard

1 Tbsp Mayonnaise

8 Tbsp Butter

8 Oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese (I used Hot Habanero Cheddar)

Food Coloring

Finely grate the cheese and butter so it can be easily combined.

Add mustard and mayonnaise.

Use a hand mixer to whip this all together.

I somehow misplace my mixer so I had to do it by hand.

Who the heck misplaces a hand mixer???

Mix until it is nice and smooth.

Separate into 3 equal batches and 

add 3 different colors of food coloring.

Each sandwich will have 3 layers.

Spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture, each color on a separate piece of bread.

Cut off the crust and slice diagonally into triangles.

This recipe will be enough for an entire loaf of sliced bread.

Quick and easy.

Not so healthy but oh well...

Live a little!

ENJOY!!!

Chocolate Pretzel Snax

Chocolate Pretzel Snax

Oh the sugar overload going on in my house is out of control!

But this one has a valid excuse!

Yesterday was my Daddy's birthday and he has the biggest sweet tooth!

After throwing a full pound of Lindt chocolates in with his gifts, 

I thought I'd make him something a little different!

I think this qualifies me for the BEST DAUGHTER EVER AWARD...

Please vote accordingly! ;)

I think I might win! 

And I think you guys are gonna love this little snack.

It only take a few minutes 

and if you happen to have a few bored kids on school vacation this week, 

call them in the kitchen and let them help! 

See? Now I'm fixing family bonding time here... 

I totally deserve an award!

Let's get stared here...

What You Will Need:

Hershey's Kisses

M&Ms

Pretzels (the square ones)

These pretzels work the best. It make everything nice and neat.

Heat your oven to 350*.

Line a baking pan with a single layer on pretzels. 

Place a Hershey's Kiss on each.

Pop these into the oven until the chocolate looks like they are starting to sweat...

Uhhhh... That sounded gross.. SORRY!

The Chocolate will not change shape but it's soft enough for the next step.

Place an M&M on each and push down.

Let these cool and the chocolate will firm right back up.

It's a no-brainer recipe. 

These may seem to be just regular little snacks but trust me!!!

Once you get the flavors of sweet and salty; the buttery goodness from the preztels and the smooth textures of the chocolate...

You just won't be able to get enough!!!

My Dad loved them! 

And I have to admit, I kind of helped him eat 1/2 these!

I mean.. That's what daughters are for, Right?

Serve in a pretty little bowl.

ENJOY!!!

Chicken Empanadas

Chicken Empanadas 

There are a few recipes that I make that do not take long to disappear. 

This is one of those...

I've pretty much mastered the art of easy cooking. 

I learned to use short cuts because quit frankly...

Ain't nobody got time for that... 

WAIT...WHAT??? 

What just happened....

Oh social media, you have taken over my life. 

I can't avoid that meme for the life of me...

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em... Right?

To avoid further meme outbursts... Let's move on.

Recipe

2lbs Ground Chicken

1/2 Orange Pepper, Diced

1/2 Yellow Pepper, Diced

1 Package of Maggie Chicken Seasoning

1/2 Onion, Diced

5 Cloves Garlic, Grated

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Worcester Sauce

8oz Cream Cheese

1 Cup Cheddar/Mozzarella Mix

20 Goya Discos Para Empanadas - Dough For Turnover Pastries

Black Pepper to Taste

This is the season packet that I used. 

If it's hard for you to find, use a packet of Sazon.

Dice the peppers into small cubes and mix cheeses in a bowl.

I used two different color sweet peppers because I like how it looks.

You can use just one color to keep it simple.

In a medium pot, cook the chicken, diced onion and garlic.

When chicken is cooked through, add soy sauce & worcester sauce to brown.

Turn off the stove and add the cheese and pepper mixture into the pot to combine.

I cut the discs in half to make smaller empanadas but you can keep them whole if you'd like.

Add a spoonful of the mixture onto each.

Fold over the dough and pinch the edges to seal.

Now you know that I like to get fancy so I used a fork to crimp the edges.

Deep fry in oil at medium heat until golden brown. 

You can also bake these to make them a little healthier.

Just looking at these makes me want to make some more right now!!!

Serve on a nice platter. 

No dipping sauce necessary because the creamy filling needs no help!

ENJOY!!!

Pray for Boston

There will be no recipe post today in respect for those who were 

injured and killed in today's tragedy.

Today, during the Boston Marathon, evil happened. 

While innocent men, women and children stood by the sidelines to cheer on their loved ones, 

the unthinkable happened. Bombs were set off, injuring so many and even killing some.

This was an extremely scary situation for not only those in the area, 

but all of the residents of this beautiful city who had to scramble to locate loved ones.

I was born on the island of Trinidad but Boston raised me. 

I have been lucky enough to call Boston my home for over 25 years. 

I have walked, traveled, worked, eaten, shopped and celebrated on that same street 

that is now covered in blood. 

Sadness has overcome all who call Boston home.

BUT...

We are STRONG!

Being a Bostonian does not just mean we like the Sox or Celtics... 

It means our pride in through and through.

These streets are our home. We walk through them with pride.

Today was terrible, yes, but I am so proud of my fellow citizens. 

More than I have ever been. 

We will overcome this tragedy. 

No hate and evil can break the love and passion that we have for our city.

Please Pray For Boston.

Pizza Crescent Rolls

Pizza Crescent Rolls

Let's talk...

Pizza is probably one of my least favorite foods.

Seriously...

I was probably the only kid who hated pizza day in school...

I don't really like being the weirdo friend 

so I had to find a way to fit in with the rest of society. 

So I found a way to make the whole pizza thing work for me 

and of course, as usual, it's as simple as 1, 2, 3...

RECIPE

Crescent Rolls

Pepperoni (I used jalapeno & cheddar flavor)

Cheddar Cheese

Tomato Sauce

You can add just about any pizza topping that you like 

but to keep it simple, I went with pepperoni.

Chop it up into small pieces.

Roll out your crescent dough and spoon on a thin layer of tomato sauce.

Try no to go all the way to the edges.

Sprinkle on your pepperoni and cheese.

Roll your dough into crescent shapes and bake at 350* until golden brown.

It's just that simple!!!

Serve with a side of tomato sauce for dipping!

ENJOY!!!

Mac 'n' Cheese Spring Rolls

Mac 'n' Cheese Spring Rolls

It's probably not the best idea to eat these everyday... 

Actually, I would probably only eat these once a year...

I mean... Unless you like gaining 50lbs in one sitting!

But it's OK to indulge once in a blue moon... right?

A friend of mine is throwing a birthday party for her son, 

who by the way is one of the SMARTEST kids on the planet!!

If there was anything better than an A+, he would get it!

He loves junk food and I thought I'd come up with a few recipes 

that would be kid friendly and easy to make!

And then this happened!

RECIPE

1 Box Elbow Macaroni

4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter 

1/3 Cup All Purpose Flour

2 1/2 Cups Half & Half (or whole milk)

8 Ounces of Sharp Cheddar

4 Ounces Jack Cheese

2 Tsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp White Pepper

1 Tbsp Garlic Powder

1 Egg, beaten

24 Spring Roll Wrappers
Cooked Bacon (optional)

Start by cooking your pasta according to the directions on the box.

In medium saucepan, melt your butter and add your flour to make a roux. 

This is the base of the cheese sauce.

When it starts to smell like toasted nuts, 

add the milk, cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and mustard.

Adjust the mustard to your preferred taste.

It will thicken and look like heaven in a pot!!! 

At this point, I would have loved to add some cooked bacon but I didn't have any.

You should do it though!! 

Drain your pasta and mix into the sauce.

Set it aside and let it cool down. 

If the mixture is too hot, it will make the wrapping process way too messy!

Once it's cool, 

lay out your wrappers and add a spoonful of the mixture to each.

In a small bowl, combine your egg and 1 Tsp of water.

Brush the egg mixture onto the edges of the wrappers.

Fold the sides first...

...then roll it over and make sure you pull it tight. 

Brush a bit more of your egg mixture on the edge and roll it one more time to seal.

Bring your oil to medium heat and deep fry until golden brown.

Pile them up on a pretty platter and serve while they are hot!

Happy 10th Birthday Anthony!!

ENJOY!!!

Curry Shrimp

Curry Shrimp

Remember when I said that you won't be able to find a curry recipe here?

Here's the thing...

I LOVE CURRY SHRIMP!

Well, I love shrimp in general but when it comes to curry shrimp, 

I'm a happy little camper!

So learning how to cook curry was kind of a MUST in this case...

Let's start by talking about this ^...

In Trinidad, we call it Bandania or Chado Beni.

In America, it's kind of hard to find.
It's called Recao at my local Caribbean grocery store and it's kinda of a MUST.

It tastes pretty similar to Cilantro but it's definitely not the same.

Anyway...

Make a green seasoning out of it.

3 Leaves of Bandania

5 Cloves of Garlic

Blend it up with a little water...

It should look like this ^

RECIPE

4 lbs of Shrimp

2 Tomatoes, chopped

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

1 Tbsp of Vegetable Oil

2 Tbsp of Curry Powder

1/2 Habanero Pepper (optional)

Green Seasoning (recipe above)

Mix your cleaned shrimp, onions, tomatoes, green seasoning and pepper together.

You can do this the night before and leave it in the fridge if you'd like.

In a large pot, heat you oil on high.

Mix a little bit of water into your curry powder in a bowl and add it to your HOT oil.

Fry it up for a bout 30 seconds or until you see the color change and it starts to cook.

Add your shrimp mixture into the pot and stir it to combine.

Your shrimp will start to produce liquid. 

Just let it cook until the liquid cooks off and it starts to fry.

Depending on your stove, your cook time will vary. 

Gas stoves tend to cook fast because of higher, direct heat.

Once your shrimp is at this state ^,

just let it cook on med-high heat.

And you will get this^.

I added a little water towards the end to make sure I had enough sauce.

All of the solid seasoning that you added at the beginning 

should not be solid anymore.

You will only have shrimp and sauce at this point.

That's how you will know it finished.
Add salt to taste.
Adding salt before this will cause the shrimp to produce more liquid
and you would end up overcooking.

You're Done!

Serve over rice with a nice green salad.

ENJOY!!!