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Prep time 10 mins,

Cook time 25 mins,

Total time 35 mins,

Recipe type: Meats,

Cuisine: Caribbean,

Serves: Serves 4,

Ingredients

¾ cup uncooked rice,

3 cloves garlic,

2 potatoes,

1 onion,

1 tin corned beef,

¼ tsp. saffron powder (turmeric),

¼ tsp. geera powder,

2 tsp. curry powder,

3 tsp. water (to mix curry),

salt to taste (about ¼ tsp.),

pepper to taste (1/4 tsp.),

1 tbsp. green seasoning,

2 tbsp. oil,

1 bouillon cube (optional)

Instructions

1. Boil and strain the rice. Set aside. Chop the onion and garlic. Dice the potatoes. Remove the corned beef from the tin and set aside. Mix the curry, saffron, geera and green seasoning in about 2 tablespoon of water.

2. Mix well. Sauté the onion and garlic. Add the curry mixture ( curry powder, geera powder, saffron powder {turmeric}, green seasoning. Mix and allow to cook well. Add the potatoes and cook until soft.

3. When the potatoes are cooked add the bouillon cube if desired or salt and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes. Add pepper to taste and add the corned beef. Allow to simmer, until the most of the liquid is evaporated. Serve hot over rice.

Course: Desserts,

Cuisine: International,

Servings: 12 large cookies.

Ingredients

½ cup granulated sugar,

½ cup brown sugar,

½ cup chocolate powder,

 ½ cup butter softened,

1 egg,

1 tsp cinnamon,

⅛ tsp salt,

1 tsp baking soda,

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour sifted,

1 ½ tsp. vanilla essence,

¼ c chopped nuts almonds, hazel, or pecan or chocolate pieces,

 ½ c chocolate sprinkles or chocolate kisses Hershey’s,

Instructions

Mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and chocolate powder. Mix and set aside.

Sift the salt, cinnamon, baking soda and flour together. Mix and set aside.

Cream the sugars, chocolate, and butter together.

Add the vanilla to the egg and beat together.

Blend the egg into the creamed mixture.

Then stir in the flour mixture.

Mix until a smooth dough is formed.

Note: If you’re adding the nuts add it at this step.

Separate dough into small balls. Place in greased trays.

These will make large cookies, about 4 inches in diameter.

Place the chocolate cookies about 2 ½ inches apart.

Note: To maintain uniformity we measured about 2 tbsp of cookie dough for each cookie.

Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.

Sprinkle chocolate sprinkles or place a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie.

Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees F (160 degree C) for 15 minutes. Of course before I go here are a few tips for your cookies ( You’re gonna like this,

1. For the weight conscious……EAT ONLY ONE…. 

2.If you feel depressed ….Don’t eat any of these. Alternatively make a second batch for you alone. 

3. Keep toothbrush and toothpaste at hand.

4. Store/ hide in a cool place preferably in an airtight container …with a lock.

5. If you think your chocolate cookies are threatened in anyway hire a security guard, lol, 

Prep time 40 mins,

Cook time 40 mins,

Total time 1 hour 20 mins,

Recipe type: Breads,

Cuisine: Spanish/ Hispanic,

Serves: 12,

Ingredients,

FILLING:

 1 lb minced beef,

2 onions, finely chopped,

1 bunch chive,

1 bunch big leaf thyme,

1 hot pepper to taste, finely chopped,

1 pimento pepper, finely chopped,

1 stalk celery,

2 cloves garlic,

20 leaves chadon beni,

1 bunch fine leaf thyme,

salt to taste,

¼ cup roucou (or ketchup),

2 tbsp. capers (optional),

2 tbsp. raisins (optional),

8 olives chopped finely (optional),

DOUGH:

2 cups yellow cornmeal (Promasa),

3 cups lukewarm water,

4 tbsp. vegetable oil or coconut oil,

¼ lb butter, unsalted,

1¼ tsp salt,

WRAPPING:

2 -3 large fig (banana) leaves,

Strings to tie,

Instructions,

1. Season the meat. Stew the seasoned meat for 15 minutes. Cook well, then add the roucou or ketchup. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Combine cornmeal, water, salt, and butter to make a soft pliable dough. Divide the dough into small balls (about 12). Cover with damp cloth to prevent drying.

3. Cut the fig leaves and strip them from the midrib. Singe the leaf over a low fire on the stove. Wipe clean.

4. Grind the green seasoning. Mince the meat again to make it smoother. Combine the seasoning and the meat and place back on the stove. Mix thoroughly and add salt to taste. Allow to cool.

5. Dip the ball in the oil. Place on an oiled fig leaf. Use a wooden press to help flatten out the dough. Spoon about 2 tbsp meat filling to the centre of the dough.

6. Fold the fig leaf and tie into a neat package using the string. Place in a pot of water and boil for 15-20 minutes. When cooked, drain the water.

Cornmeal Pastelle ready to be served.

Tip:

You can freeze your pastelles as they are and when you are ready for a few, just boil and drain. Usually some people boil all their pastelles before freezing them. I think this is wasting gas because you still have to boil them when you take it from the freezer. Anyhow that’s what we do at home.

Variation on filling:

You can substitute mince beef with chicken or fish or pork; or you can mix beef and pork equally.

For vegetarians:

You can substitute meat with soya or soya bits (soaked in warm water and drained). Season and cook like the meat.

Prep Time, 30 mins,

Cook Time, 25 mins,

Total Time, 55 mins,

Course: Side Dish,

Cuisine: Fusion,

Servings: 1 9″ x 9″ dish,

Ingredients,  

7 medium potatoes,  

1 cup grated cheese,  

2 – 3 tablespoons butter,  

½ tsp cayenne pepper,  

2 tsp parsley,  

3 egg yolks,  

1 tbsp garlic grated,  

¼ cup evaporated milk room temperature,  

2 tsp chadon beni minced,  

¼ cup heavy whipping cream,  

½ tsp nutmeg grated,  

1 tsp thyme finely chopped,  

salt to taste,

Instructions,  

Boil, peel and mash potatoes.  

Add butter, seasonings, milk, whipping cream, eggs, salt and cheese. Mix well.

Place in a greased dish (mine was 9″x9″) and bake at 350 degrees F 20 – 25 mins or until golden brown.

Notes, You have a choice of presentations to bake the herbed duchess potatoes.

1. You can pipe the potato onto a baking sheet using a large star tip.

2. Place into mounds and just mark ridges using a fork. If you’re creative you can still create the swirl effect.

3. Place the mashed potato in a greased baking dish, like a casserole.

Course: Vegetarian,

Cuisine: Fusion,

Ingredients,

 2 lbs. red skin potatoes washed,  

1 head garlic about 27 to 30 cloves, unpeeled,  

2 tbsp. unsalted butter,  

1 tbsp. flour,  

¾ cup evaporated milk,  

1 tbsp parsley,  

1 tbsp chadon beni minced (optional),  

1 tbsp onion grated,  

Salt to taste,  

Pepper to taste,

Instructions,

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, (approx 15 minutes) drain, peel and mash.  

Boil garlic in water 2 minutes drain, peel and grate finely.  

Note: This step is optional. If you don’t want to taste pieces of the grated garlic you can saute it whole following the steps. Then, after you make the bechamel sauce you can puree it in a blender to make it smoother.  

Melt butter over medium flame and saute garlic and onion until soft.  

Stir in flour; cook 2 minutes.  

Stir in milk; cook until thickened, 3–4 minutes.

Add to the bechamel sauce: parsley, salt, chadon beni (optional) and pepper; mix well.  

Transfer the sauce to the bowl of mashed potatoes.

Mix well. Serve warm.