Pink Lemonade Pie Squares

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

Summertime is my favorite time of the year, for many reasons. One of them being, refreshing, summer desserts. I love lemons and anything related to them such as, lemonade, key lime pie, lemon squares, you name it. I recently came across a very easy recipe for frozen pink lemonade pie squares, and can I tell you, they are amazing. All I had to hear was cream cheese, condensed milk, cool whip and Oreos…I was sold! So sweet, yummy, light and refreshing. Anyone can make them.

Ingredients
22 Golden Oreos crushed
1/2 stick butter softened
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
6 ounces frozen pink lemonade concentrate thawed
8 ounces Cool Whip
Red food coloring

Instructions
Mix together the crushed Oreos and butter. Press this mixture into the bottom of an 8×8 pan. You can also just use a graham cracker pie crust if you prefer, but the Oreos make it different and delicious.

In a mixer, beat the softened cream cheese for about 2 minutes until it is fluffy and smooth. Add in the sweetened condensed milk (as usual, I added an additional 1/4 can), pink lemonade concentrate and red food coloring (only 4 drops, I made the mistake of using too many and mine came out dark pink) and mix it well. Fold in the Cool Whip using a spatula. Don’t mix it with the mixer or it won’t be fluffy. Pour this mixture over the crust and freeze for approximately 4 hours. Cut into squares and serve. Should look like this:

I love easy recipes and you can’t go wrong with this one. Have you ever made frozen lemonade pie? I would love to hear how you make it.

23Jun2020

Cuban-Style Arroz con Leche

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

Growing up, my grandmother was the queen of Cuban desserts. I have a tremendous sweet tooth so I know good desserts when I taste them and I have yet to find anything remotely as delicious as my grandmother’s Arroz con Leche (rice pudding, my favorite), Flan or Natilla (and I live in Miami, where Cuban bakeries and restaurants are a dime a dozen). Hers were simply in a league of their own. Sadly, I don’t have my grandmother’s recipe, so being my perfectionist OCD self, I decided to google Arroz con Leche recipes and found one that I really liked and made a few adjustments. I know there are many recipes out there that only use cow milk, however, I cannot imagine making this dessert without condensed and evaporated milk. This recipe is super easy to follow and will make for a very sweet and creamy Arroz con Leche.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of short grain rice
2 cups of water
Zest from one lemon
2 sticks of cinnamon
1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
1 14 oz. can of condensed milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Ground cinnamon for garnish

Cook the rice in a saucepan with water, lemon zest, and a 2 cinnamon sticks. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, until the water is mostly absorbed and rice is tender. Drain any excess water and remove the cinnamon sticks.

Add the evaporated milk, condensed milk, salt, and vanilla extract to the rice and cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until desired thickness. Should start to look like this:

Remove from heat and serve in smaller jars or bowls for individual servings if you wish. Top with ground cinnamon and chill in the refrigerator overnight (some like to serve it warm, I prefer it chilled). A delicious refreshing summertime dessert!

Have you ever made homemade Arroz con Leche? I would love to know if you have a different recipe?

30Mar2020

Homemade Dulce de Leche

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

During this quarantine time, many of us have taken to cooking to keep busy. I am not much of a cook, however, I do enjoy baking. I decided to try and make homemade dulce de leche. Dulce de leche is one of the most popular desserts originated in Latin America. However, its name varies greatly from country to country. In Argentina, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica it goes by the name of dulce de leche. In Ecuador, Chile, and Panama it is referred to as manjar. Peruvians and Colombians prefer arequipe, while Mexicans and Nicaraguans use the name cajeta. I am Cuban, and ever since I could remember, before dulce de leche became a thing, most Cubans simply called it leche condensada cocinada (cooked condensed milk). Dulce de leche for us was actually another dessert made from curdled milk and sugar (also delicious).

Dulce de leche can be eaten by itself with a spoon straight out of the can (my favorite way), or it can be spread on toast or crackers, as a topping for ice cream, on pancakes or crepes, etc. Many of you have probably seen dulce de leche cookie, cheesecakes and ice cream recipes all over Pinterest. It’s all very yummy (my entire family loves alfajores!)

Most folks make dulce de leche in the pressure cooker or in a crock pot. However, I have always been scared (actually terrified) of the pressure cooker and after hearing how the cans may explode and such, I finally decided to make it a much simpler way, using a water bath.

Take a look at all of the delicious desserts you make with dulce de leche:

Directions:

1) Preheat your oven to 425°F.

2) Pour the contents of the sweetened condensed milk can into an 8×8 pie pan and cover the pan tightly with foil.

3) Fill a larger roasting pan with enough water so that it goes halfway up the sides of the 8×8 pan, which will go inside the larger roasting pan.

4) Bake for 1.5 – 2.5 hours, or until you reach your desired caramel color. Check to make sure that the water is still halfway up the side of the pie pan, checking every 45 minutes or so to add more boiling water if too much has evaporated. Take the pans out of the oven and uncover the pie pan. Stir the dulce de leche until smooth. It’ll thicken a bit while cooling. Cover and store in the fridge.

It should look like this:

Have you made dulce de leche? How do you enjoy eating it?

11May2015

Brunch at Eating House

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

Miami is full of incredible restaurants and my husband and I have tried many of them, but I have never experienced a brunch like the one we recently had at Eating House in Coral Gables. We finally made a reservation because the few times we tried to just show up and have brunch the line was halfway down the block (and it doesn’t help that the place is quite small). Eating House (which started as a pop up restaurant, sharing the same space as a coffee shop) has become extremely popular with the locals, thanks to the incredible concoctions of Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli. Honestly, I was hooked when I heard of their famous Cap’n Crunch Pancakes with condensed milk syrup (yes folks, condensed milk) and their Cuban bread torrejas with guava and cream cheese! Now mind you, I am much more of an eggs and bacon kind of gal for breakfast, as opposed to sweets, but I was very intrigued to try these dishes. And of course, it didn’t take much convincing when hubby heard Cap’n Crunch and condensed milk in the same sentence! Take a look at this:

Cap’n Crunch Pancakes, smothered in condensed milk syrup

Cap’n Crunch Pancakes, is a stack of pancakes topped with condensed milk ‘syrup’, candied cap’n crunch, and whipped vanilla butter. As I was expecting, my husband loved this dish! Cuban Bread Torrejas, are a Cuban-inspired version of French toast made with Cuban bread, a guava/iron beer syrup and melted cream cheese, topped with Maria cookie streusel. For the first time in my life, I actually found a dish too sweet, and could only take a few bites…but oh my, were they delicious. Both of these dishes were huge, definitely large enough for 2-3 people to share, and then some…

Cuban Bread Torrejas...a slice of heaven

Cuban Bread Torrejas…slices of heaven

To round things out, my daughter ordered some BK hash browns served with housemade roasted ketchup and candied applewood smoked bacon cooked with brown sugar. Both were delicious too!

BK hash browns and candied applewood smoked bacon with brown sugar

They serve many other items on their brunch menu, and of course make sure to check out their lunch and dinner menus as well. So if you’re in the Miami area and you’re looking for a truly delectable dining experience, I recommend you give Eating House a try. I’m ready to go back for dinner soon. Have you eaten at this wonderful place? If so, I’d love to hear what you liked best!

Eating House Miami

Eating House
804 Ponce De Leon Blvd
Coral Gables
(305) 448-6524

http://www.eatinghousemiami.com/

14Oct2014

Having Your Cake and Eating It Too?

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

October 14 celebrates my favorite part of a meal….it is National Dessert Day, and who doesn’t love dessert (well most of us do anyway)? For just one day, forget about the calories and high fat content, tomorrow you can go back to your healthy ways. And if you’re one of those people who leaves some food on the plate, because you need to save room for dessert, then today is your holiday!

In honor of this yummy day, here are a few of my favorite recipes from where else…Pinterest (yes I am a Pinterest addict). I’ve only tried making a few of these, but they all look delicious!