Wednesday, February 23, 2011
We've Moved!
As you may have guessed, wedding planning took serious priority over food blogging. I actually started writing about our plans over at Weddingbee as Miss Lioness. Our 20-month engagement is now coming to its final weeks, and its final days. So now, I invite you to visit me over at my post-wedding blog, Dr. Princess! I'd be happy to see you over there...I promise there will still be lots of food!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Another Gringa Winner!
Thanks to everyone who entered our latest giveaway! I had fun reading all of your comments and retweets :)
And now...drum roll please...
Hmmm...and who might lucky #2 be?
It's Cathy's Crazy Life! Congratulations, Cathy! Shoot me an email at cooking4gringas (at) gmail (dot) com and we'll get that CSN Stores gift certificate sent your way. Thanks again, y'all! Stay tuned for future contests!
And now...drum roll please...
Hmmm...and who might lucky #2 be?
It's Cathy's Crazy Life! Congratulations, Cathy! Shoot me an email at cooking4gringas (at) gmail (dot) com and we'll get that CSN Stores gift certificate sent your way. Thanks again, y'all! Stay tuned for future contests!
Monday, July 5, 2010
As American as...Cupcakes?
Y'all ate up my last batch of cupcakes so I decided to share some more! I made these for some friends yesterday just before watching certain film starring Will Smith and some aliens. No, not Men in Black...that other one. What's it called? Oh yes, Independence Day!
The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays. Playing by the pool, fireflies, watermelon...it just feels like summertime. This recipe truly captures the pure, innocent joy of summertime. It's fun and simple. Also, it happens to be reduced fat/reduced sugar! Be sure to bookmark this one for your barbecue next year...it's a big hit!
Liberty Cakes
Source: Inspired by fellow Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, Omnomicon
Ingredients:
1 box white cake mix
12 oz Sprite Zero (sorry...I live in Atlanta)
LOTS of gel food coloring
8 oz Fat Free whipped topping
Directions:
Preheat oven according to cake mix package directions. Line cupcake pan.
Mix together white cake mix and Sprite Zero according to package directions.
Pour one third of the batter into a small bowl. Pour another one third into another small bowl. Add blue food coloring to one bowl and red food coloring to the other. I like to add three drops, stir, and repeat until I find the desired color.
Place one heaping tablespoon of blue batter into each cupcake liner. Then place one heaping tablespoon of uncolored batter directly on top of the blue, as though forming concentric circles. Then top each cupcake liner with one heaping tablespoon of red batter. Repeat until you're out of liners (I made 2 dozen with this much batter). Don't worry if your cupcakes look a little lower than usual...this stuff rises a lot!
Bake according to box directions. Let cool completely. Once cool, top with whipped topping and a blueberry. Serve with sparklers and patriotism.
The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays. Playing by the pool, fireflies, watermelon...it just feels like summertime. This recipe truly captures the pure, innocent joy of summertime. It's fun and simple. Also, it happens to be reduced fat/reduced sugar! Be sure to bookmark this one for your barbecue next year...it's a big hit!
Liberty Cakes
Source: Inspired by fellow Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, Omnomicon
Ingredients:
1 box white cake mix
12 oz Sprite Zero (sorry...I live in Atlanta)
LOTS of gel food coloring
8 oz Fat Free whipped topping
Directions:
Preheat oven according to cake mix package directions. Line cupcake pan.
Mix together white cake mix and Sprite Zero according to package directions.
Looks like cappuccino froth!
Pour one third of the batter into a small bowl. Pour another one third into another small bowl. Add blue food coloring to one bowl and red food coloring to the other. I like to add three drops, stir, and repeat until I find the desired color.
The prettiest dirty dishes ever
Place one heaping tablespoon of blue batter into each cupcake liner. Then place one heaping tablespoon of uncolored batter directly on top of the blue, as though forming concentric circles. Then top each cupcake liner with one heaping tablespoon of red batter. Repeat until you're out of liners (I made 2 dozen with this much batter). Don't worry if your cupcakes look a little lower than usual...this stuff rises a lot!
Bake according to box directions. Let cool completely. Once cool, top with whipped topping and a blueberry. Serve with sparklers and patriotism.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Reminder: Another Gringa Giveaway!
Don't forget! You have until Monday, July 5th, to enter our latest giveaway to win a $40 gift certificate to CSN Stores!
Two Ways to Enter:
Hope y'all have a happy 4th of July weekend!
Two Ways to Enter:
- Simply comment on this post!
- Follow cooking4gringas on Twitter and retweet the following: RT I entered to win a gift card from CSN Stores and @cooking4gringas!!! http://tinyurl.com/2g29qc9 Then, comment on this post to let us know it was you!
Hope y'all have a happy 4th of July weekend!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Pequeño Cheesecake
If you think I enjoy cooking, you should see me with a cake pan and a hand mixer. I like to cook, but I love to bake! This particular recipe has absolutely nothing to do with Cuban cuisine or my general gringa theme, but I just had to share! My cousin introduced me to this Martha Stewart recipe (love her...both my cousin and Martha, that is) and it's been a big hit every time I've made it for friends! I'm sure you'll have the same reaction. Not only is it delicious, it's simply adorable. Are they cupcakes? Are they cheesecake? Who cares!
Martha Stewart's Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes
Ingredients:
42 Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped (I put them in a gallon bag and released the aggression of studying for boards)
2 pounds cream cheese, softened (let them sit out for a while at room temperature, or zap them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.
With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. You might need to do this pretty often if you don't have a super high mixing bowl. My mixing bowls are pretty short and Miss Corgi kept waiting for sweet creamy batter to go flying her way.
Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.
Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.
Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22-25 minutes. Cool completely. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from tins just before serving.
Martha Stewart's Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes
Ingredients:
42 Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped (I put them in a gallon bag and released the aggression of studying for boards)
2 pounds cream cheese, softened (let them sit out for a while at room temperature, or zap them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.
Yes, I got a new camera, Yes, it has a food setting. You're welcome.
With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. You might need to do this pretty often if you don't have a super high mixing bowl. My mixing bowls are pretty short and Miss Corgi kept waiting for sweet creamy batter to go flying her way.
Anticipating.
Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.
Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.
Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22-25 minutes. Cool completely. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from tins just before serving.
Look how cute! (Source)
Monday, June 28, 2010
Another Gringa Giveaway!
You may remember me talking about a collection of online stores so diverse, you can find anything from a vanity for your bathroom to a tricycle for your child. Of course, I'm talking about CSN Stores! Our last giveaway was such a success, CSN Stores has decided to host another! I know, they rock. The grande prize? A $40 gift certificate to CSN's cookware.com! Imagine using those $40 to get these:
Or to put it towards a larger purchase like this:
Two Ways to Enter:
Again, this giveaway is open to readers with addresses in the U.S. and Canada, as CSN Stores only ship to those countries (for now). Good luck, y'all!
Baking dishes by Le Creuset
Or to put it towards a larger purchase like this:
Stand mixer by Kitchen Aid
Two Ways to Enter:
- Simply comment on this post!
- Follow cooking4gringas on Twitter and retweet the following: RT I entered to win a gift card from CSN Stores and @cooking4gringas!!! http://tinyurl.com/2g29qc9 Then, comment on this post to let us know it was you!
Again, this giveaway is open to readers with addresses in the U.S. and Canada, as CSN Stores only ship to those countries (for now). Good luck, y'all!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Costa Rica's Finest
As I've mentioned earlier, my fiance and I recently traveled to Costa Rica to celebrate our graduations. We had an absolutely amazing time there. We enjoyed some tropical cocktails poolside, we experienced some exciting outdoorsy adventures, but most importantly, we ate. A lot.
Perhaps the most famous dish of Costa Rica, gallo pinto is a unique combination of black beans and rice. Costa Ricans eat it with every meal. Don't believe me? Try it as a side dish with an omelet this Sunday morning. See? I told ya so.
The name gallo pinto means "painted rooster" or "spotted rooster."
See the resemblance? The best part about gallo pinto (okay, the second best part...the best part is the taste obviously) is that it's really easy to make. Convenient, too! If you have some cooked rice lying around, it's a great way to spice it up and turn boring old leftovers into a new and exciting side dish.
Gallo Pinto
Source: Recipe Zaar
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, finely choppied
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked rice
2 cans Goya black bean soup, heated and drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced
2 sliced green onions
Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until it just begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté until onion is golden.
Add spices and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine.
Add beans and rice. Combine well and cook until it is heated through.
The gallo pinto will have a cohesive consistency...think fried rice. Use an ice cream scoop to serve neat compact servings. Garnish with cilantro and green onions.
There you have it! Have you traveled somewhere in Latin America and fallen in love with a dish? What was it?
Plato Tipico
Perhaps the most famous dish of Costa Rica, gallo pinto is a unique combination of black beans and rice. Costa Ricans eat it with every meal. Don't believe me? Try it as a side dish with an omelet this Sunday morning. See? I told ya so.
The name gallo pinto means "painted rooster" or "spotted rooster."
See the resemblance? The best part about gallo pinto (okay, the second best part...the best part is the taste obviously) is that it's really easy to make. Convenient, too! If you have some cooked rice lying around, it's a great way to spice it up and turn boring old leftovers into a new and exciting side dish.
Gallo Pinto
Source: Recipe Zaar
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, finely choppied
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked rice
2 cans Goya black bean soup, heated and drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced
2 sliced green onions
Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until it just begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté until onion is golden.
Add spices and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine.
Add beans and rice. Combine well and cook until it is heated through.
The gallo pinto will have a cohesive consistency...think fried rice. Use an ice cream scoop to serve neat compact servings. Garnish with cilantro and green onions.
There you have it! Have you traveled somewhere in Latin America and fallen in love with a dish? What was it?
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