Peruvian Caramel Custard/Crema Volteada

Since I can remember my parents "get-together" where always memorable.  My uncles and aunts coming to our house to have dinner, dessert and then listen to music with wine or some pisco.  My mother since she was the oldest was always host to these dinner parties and sometimes it would be to hectic for her because  my uncles would show up with three or four guests without letting my mother know (she was not a happy camper).  My mother would cook in the big pots (calderos) all day and for dessert she would make the fastest, easiest dessert she new, which was "Crema Volteada" a delicious caramel custard that kind of resembles to the French Creme Caramel (Creme brulee).  I hope that you guys enjoy this recipe as much my family does.

Peruvian Caramel Custard/Crema Volteada
Recipe:
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
8 eggs
1Tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup of sugar


Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350F
2.  Make the caramel by cooking sugar in a saucepan, cook it until sugar turns golden brown and thickens to start sticking to the spoon.
3.  Put the caramel into the bunt pan and cover the entire bottom and sides.

4.  In the mixer, mix eggs and vanilla extract together in low speed.

5.  After beating the egg mixture add both evaporated milk and condensed milk and mix on low speed until well incorporated.

6.  Pour egg mixture into the caramel bunt. and put bunt into a baking pan filled with water half way. 

7.  Bake for 45 minutes, until mixture has set.

8.  Remove the custard from the water immediately so that it can cool.  Place in the refrigerator and once is cool, you can remove it from the pan.

Enjoy!!

Oreo and Cheesecake Pops

Oreo and Cheesecake Pops
Recipe:
1 (1 lb 1 oz) package of Oreos, minus about 6-8 cookies
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
7" plain cheesecake
1 bag of cocoa candy melt

Directions:
1.  Crush the Oreos (including the creme filling) in the food processor until finely ground.  Also crush the 6-8 cookies but set aside.
2.  Mix together Oreo crumbs and the cream cheese until completely blended. ( I used my fingers)

3.  Using the measuring spoon (1/2 Tbsp) of the Oreo mixture and roll into balls.

4.  Place them on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for about 15 minutes
5.  Now for the messy part, when Oreo balls are ready, scoop 1/2 Tbsp of cheesecake, flatten a little, add the Oreo ball and mold the cheesecake around the Oreo ball. Mold until the cheesecake is completely around the Oreo ball.

6.  Place them in a flat sheet pan lined with parchment paper or wax paper.
7.  Roll the cheesecake balls on the crushed Oreos that you set aside earlier.

8.  Refrigerate the cheesecake pops for 20 minutes
9.  While the Cheesecake balls are in the refrigerator, melt the cocoa candy in the microwave as directed in the instructions.
10.  One at a time dip a candy stick into the candy coating about 1/2 inch then push stick into bottom of cheesecake ball.  Just be careful you don't push it far that it goes through the cake ball.
11.  Remelt the candy in microwave and completely dip into candy melt and remove quickly, once is done place them in baking sheet or in foam block.

12. Refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes

Enjoy!!!!

Shrimp Fried Rice

Shrimp Fried Rice

Recipe: 
1 large bowl cooked Jasmine rice (cook 4 cups of rice)
1 lbs shrimp 6 eggs
2 small pieces of fresh ginger
4 green onion (chopped)
1 1/2 cup of mixed peas and carrots
1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp soy sauce
3 tablespoon sesame oil (2 for the shrimp and 1 for the rice)
salt and pepper


Direction:
1.  Beat eggs and add a pinch of salt and pepper, cooked the eggs as you where cooking an omelet but do not fold, chopped in to small pieces and set aside.

2.  Peel and devained shrimp and season with salt, pepper and the 2 Tbsp of soy sauce.
3.  Heat wok.  When wok is super hot, add 2 Tbsp of sesame oil.  When oil is hot, add the ginger fiirst and right after the shrimp and stir until shrimp is cooked. set aside

4.  Re heat wok.  Make sure its really hot and then add the rest of the sesame oil and stir in the rice.
5.  While stirring the rice add the 1/4 cup of soy sauce constantly stirring until all the rice is covered with soy sauce and its grains are separated.

6.  Add salt and pepper at your discretion and stir.
7.  Add mixed vegetables and green onions and stir for about a minute.

8.  Add the eggs and stir for another minute.

9.  Finally add the shrimp and stir.

* You can adjust the recipe by cutting it in 1/2, this recipe is for about 8-10 servings

Sushi: California Roll

SUSHI

So, when I asked my daughter what she wanted as food for her birthday party, (which we celebrated a week earlier so she could spend it with her friends since she is going to winter camp on that weekend) she said we wanted a sushi, fried wantons and fried rice.  Well I was kinda shock because I thought she was going to say hot dogs, pizza, or nuggets and fries but, instead I got and grown-ups menu.  I guess she is really growing up and it kinda makes me sad to see my baby getting all big.
I hope you guys enjoy it, as much as all the kids at the party did, they loved it!!

Sushi: California Roll

Recipe:
2 cups of sushi rice
3 sheets of nori (dried seaweed)
1 avocado
imitation crab meat
cucumber cut julienne
carrots cut julienne

Direction:
1.  Peel avocado and cut into strips.
2.  put a sheet of nori on the mat with the shiny side of the nori down.

3.  spread sushi rice on top of the nori and press firmly.

4.  place avocado, crab meat, carrots and cucumber lengthwise on the rice.

5.  Roll the bamboo mat forward, pressing the ingredients inside the cylinder-shape sushi.

6.  Press firmly the bamboo mat with hands then remove the rolled sushi.

7.  Cut the sushi roll into bite-size pieces.

Valentines Cake Pops

As you have read in my other blog, This year's Valentines is a little demanding then the other years and that's because my baby girl is turning 13.  Last night we made cupcake cake pops for my dad, she adores her grandfather.  All of my kids love my dad but the relationship that Ana has with my dad is just like no other.  Well my husband is taking a ride to New Jersey, which is 5 hours long and she wanted to send some treats to her grandpa.  We made cake pops for the first time and tried to shape them as cupcakes, like I said we tried.  I actually ordered a set of cake pop molds, so next time they would look prettier.
I hope you guys like the recipe, cause we sure did.

Valentine's Cupcake Cake Pops
Recipe:
1 box of red velvet cake mix + ingredients to make the cake as according to package
1 can of cream cheese frosting
1 bag of chocolate candy melts (or milk-chocolate chips)
1 bag of pink and red candy melts
sprinkles

Directions:
1.  Mix the cake batter and follow the directions on the cake box.

2.  Cool cake for 15 min.
3.  In a large bowl crumble the cake with your hands or you can use a food processor.

4.  Add the 3/4 of the cream cheese frosting.  Do not add the whole container because it will be to wet and and it will be hard to hold shape.

5.  Mix together.  I used my hands.

6.  Using your hands shape them as a compact balls and place them on baking sheet lined with was paper.  I measured my 2 Tbsp so they can all have the same size.

7.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

8.  I separate bowls melt candy melts in microwave at 30 sec. intervals, stirring each time.

9.  After an hour take cake balls and shape them as a cupcake, I used a 1.25 round cookie cutter to shape mine.

10.  take cupcake and dip into chocolate base, cover the bottom part completely and insert Popsicle sticks.  Place the dipped cupcake upside down in baking sheet.

11.  Refrigerate for 10 min.
12.  Holding the cupcake pops by the stick, dip the top with pink or red candy melts and decorated with sprinkles.

Enjoy!!!!

This is how we packed them for my dad

Valentines Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

February is here and I have to say that is one of my favorite month of the year as is December and July because they are the months when my babies were born.  Ana was born February 11, 1999 so she is turning 13.  I know the BIG "13", she reminds me of it everyday for the past 2 weeks.  She is a fire cracker she has such a great personality and great qualities of a leadership.  She is a miniature Donna Summer look alike.  Since February is her month her favorite cookies are sugar cookies, so she asked for heart shaped sugar cookies for her birthday party.  I have to say that I have tried many recipes of sugar cookies and I finally found one that I truly love from The Martha Stewart Cook Book/Collected Recipes for Every Day.

This is Ana my new Teenager to be

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 Ts salt

1/2 Ts baking powder

1/4 Lb (1 Stick) butter, softened ( I used unsalted)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 Tb brandy

1/2 Ts vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Sift together the dry ingredients.

2. In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light.

3. Add egg, brandy and vanilla and beat well.

4. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix until well blended.

5. Wrap and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
7. On a lightly floured board, roll out 1/3 of the dough at a time.
8. Roll to 1/8 inch thick and cut out with cookie cutters.
9. Put shapes on parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake for 10 min. ( Do not allow to brown, I left them for 8 min)

10. Cool on racks.
11. Decorate with Royal Icing.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did.
Enjoy!!!