Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Chebe...or Brazilian Cheese Bread...

Brazilian Cheese Bread


I had about given up on bread of all kinds...gluten free bread tastes funky...it is either crumbly or it is slippery in your mouth or you have to toast it to make it taste half way ok...It is easier to just not eat bread.  I had been seeing this recipe lately on several blogs...It is a bread they make in Brazil. The name is Pao de quejo. I found the recipe I used on this blog. This gal has many great recipes. I would like to try so many of them. What I liked about these buns, was the fact that this is the way they are supposed to be...They were not a recipe that someone modified so that it would be gluten free...It always was. They are so tender and cheesy and flavorful....They are going to now be my new go to bread...I think I can make hamburger buns out of them, they would make a great breakfast sandwich and the gal suggests using the dough to make a pizza crust! I can't wait!
These are so easy and fast to make...start to finish in 30 minutes...They do sell a Chebe mix, but you still have to add the eggs, butter and cheese...so you might as well just make your own and avoid the expensive mix. Click here for the recipe...

all the ingredients in the mixing bowl.....

mix very, very well....

shape into buns....dust some of the tapioca flour on your hands to prevent sticking...

bake for 10 minutes or until golden...

a basket of buns, ready to make into sandwiches or to have with your favorite soup...or just eat plain...it is hard to stop at one....

Cheers to Happy  !!



Friday, June 22, 2012

Chili Cheese Dip and BBQ Sausages...

Last week my oldest daughter turned 40.......remember the song, Sunrise Sunset, in Fiddler on the Roof...with the words, I don't remember getting older, when did they? I have sang them a hundred times, and they never seemed more truer than now....I am not sure how that happened...she was just a sweet little tiny bird like baby, then a little tiny short toddler, with a sweet voice, with long hair and red patent leather shoes....wasn't that yesterday?

I decided to have a poker party for her birthday...she loves to play, well who doesn't? It was fun to plan and fun to decorate...I chose a lot of black and white and red foods...and things that Kim likes...that was Fun! We had red licorice, red hots and black jelly beans, white cheddar popcorn, nuts, vegetable tray and hotdogs with lots of ketchup, white cake with red and black frosting...I made two of her favorite hot dishes...BBQ sausages and a chili cheese dip...so simple it is embarrassing to blog, but there just may be one of you out there, that wants to throw a party....they would be a great addition to a super bowl party...or card party!

Kim is the sweetest girl in town!

some of her cousins came, some aunts, siblings and friends....we can see Rachels hand....hmmmm...

Whatever Eric was saying, they were all listening....We played  cards well into the night....It was great fun!
So on to the simple hot appetizers....

BBQ Sausages
This first one is BBQ sausages.....This is also very good with just sliced up polish sausages....put as many as you like in a pan or crock pot....

here is the secret ingredients and here is the story behind this...I have been making these for years,I have never told my daughter Kim or her daughter what is in the sauce...I knew they wouldn't eat them again, and they loved them so much I didn't want to spoil it for them...Misty is now 13 and I thought it was time for her to learn how to make them and accept the fact that it was made with grape jelly...yep, that is it, half grape jelly and half BBQ sauce of your choice...I received this recipe probably, 30 years ago...and have made it for get together's ever since....

ok time to stir it up and put on high in the crock pot till bubbling and then turn on low to slow cook...If you are doing on top of the stove, the same..bring to boil and then turn down to simmer for about an hour....

they are sweet and smokie and good....You will love these!


Chili Cheese Dip
The secret here is, No bean chili and Velveeta cheese, yes it is imperative that you must use Velveeta....put equal amounts into a pan or crock pot...

bring the to a boil and then turn to low...will keep for hours on low...eat with tortilla chips...

this is also good on a hot dog.....or from a spoon....(this is Misty's fun, finger nail polish, I wonder how she gets it strippedy).....

Throw a party, make some noise and make some fun!!!!!

Cheers to Happy  !!




Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Poached Pears with Raspberry Sauce...

poached pears and raspberry sauce
It has been a good week in the Pacific Northwest..we have had every kind of weather, except snow...some might call it the June gloom...but we are used to it and we know that without this rain we wouldn't have such wonderful fruits and berries...I made Poached Pears with Raspberry sauce tonight...when I told my daughter Anne, she thought it sounded yukky...funny I wounder how old you have to be to start liking such things?

Poached Pears with Raspberry Sauce
2 perfect pears, peeled and cored cut into quarters
1 1/2 cups of water
1/2 cups of sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp of fresh grated ginger
1 pint of raspberries fresh or frozen
Add the water, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger to a saucepan...bring to a boil..add the pears and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the pears are soft, but not falling apart...take the pears and cinnamon out of the syrup and add the berries....bring to a rapid boil for approx 10 minutes and then strain with a fine mesh strainer...add the berry syrup back to the pan, bring back to a boil and reduce by half again....you will be left with about 3/4 cup of pure sweet raspberry syrup...place the pears and the syrup into the fridge until time to serve...


the pears need to be not  over ripe and not too green....I peeled mine with a potato peeler, I would usually use a knife, but I wanted nice clean, smooth pears....

I have said this before, buy this, it lasts forever and you will always have fresh ginger...

ready for the pears!

pears are poached and cooling

add the berries to the syrup and boil....then strain and return the syrup to the pan


reduce by half.....

The flavor of these pears are exceptional...there is just a hint of ginger, the raspberry sauce is sweet and velvety.....a wonderful light dessert!

Cheers to Happy  !!


Monday, June 4, 2012

Tequila Lime Salmon



I never tire of Salmon...I could eat it every other day (so could my granddaughter) and no I did not tell her about the tequila part of this...she would not have tasted it... This recipe is so easy and good...it really looks like you did something, and sounds fancy, like something from a gourmet restaurant......the salmon is so tender and moist...does the lime make it tender? maybe...I think this same marinate would be great on a beef flank steak, barbecued and made into fajitas...add a couple of handfuls of chopped cilantro and it would be perfect...The marinade smells much like a garlicky margarita...well sorta anyway...oh, and shrimp would be great marinated like this and the skewered and grilled on the barbecue....ok I will stop now...I bet you have your own ideas!

Tequila Lime Salmon...

1/3 cup any tequila
1/3 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves of chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of worcesterchire
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

stir all together and pour over salmon and marinate for 4 hours or overnight..broil or grill to desired doneness...

these are the ingredients, minus the olive oil, use any brand of tequila that you have....


stir the marinade up and pour into a plastic zip lock bag with the salmon...wait for at least 4 hours or overnite...oh and yes add the lime shells...they have tons of flavor....


place the marinated salmon on a broiler, covered with foil, you will thank me for this....


broil until desired doneness....



I served mine on a bed of chopped swiss chard...however you serve it, you are promised greatness!!!!

Cheers to Happy  !!