Photo Gallery – Page 8 – Tia Maria's Blog

Desserts / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery / Recipes

August 18, 2016

Cranberry Lemon Scones

Invite your friends over for these Cranberry Lemon Scones and enjoy the company! They’re a perfect breakfast or anytime treat.

I served mine with Lemon Balm Tea (Cha de Cidreira) which is my favorite tea. My mother made this tea just about every day and grew her own lemon balm in her garden. She dried the leaves to make tea all year long. I also grow my own now and make tea on a regular basis. It’s a soothing calming tea and good for when you have an upset stomach as well.

“A member of the mint family, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) has a lovely lemon flavor and the ability to gently calm the nerves and lift one’s mood. Native to the Mediterranean, lemon balm’s medicinal and culinary use dates back over 2,000 years. Avicenna, the 11th-century Arab physician, wrote that lemon balm “causeth the mind and heart to become merry.” http://www.thekitchn.com

How to dry the lemon balm leaves for tea:

Cut the branches and trim off the larger stems. Wash and dry them and lay them out on paper towels or newspapers. Place in a dry place for about 1 week or more until the leaves are dry and brittle. Break the stems and leaves into small pieces and place in ziploc bags or a jar. Store in your cupboard.

When ready to make tea, boil 1 tablespoon of the dry tea leaves per 1 – 2 cups of tea for about 5 minutes. Let seep for another 5 minutes or longer depending on how strong you like it

Cranberry Lemon Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 stick cut into chunks (8 tablespoons of very cold butter)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon of coarse natural sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix all dry ingredients and cold butter food processor or mixer until well blended.

(do not over mix)

Add remaining egg and sour cream to mixture and pulse until well blended and crumbly.

Add the cranberries and lemon zest and give the processor a few pulses just to mix slightly.

Shape into a circle of 3/4 inch thickness on a slightly floured surface.

Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.

Cut into 8 equal pieces. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Look at that beautiful golden color.

Light and flaky!

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

August 18, 2016

Mexican Lasagna

Your family will love this Mexican Lasagna. You’ll love that’s its easy to make and it tastes better the next day!

8 – 10 Burrito shells

Meat filling:

1 pound of ground beef or turkey

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion (minced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 cup of jarred roasted red peppers (diced)

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup salsa (any flavor)

salt and pepper to taste

Bean filling:

1 32 oz can of black beans

1/2 cup salsa (any flavor))

Layers:

1 (8oz) package shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 cup salsa (any flavor)

Hot sauce to taste

Cilantro or parsley for garnish

Note: You can also add some cooked rice to the bean layer.

Preparation:

Make meat filling by sauteing the onion and garlic in olive oil until golden. Add the meat and brown. Add salt and pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about 10-15 minutes until thickened. Set aside until ready to assemble.

Place the beans in a saucepan and add the salsa. Cook and stir often until the beans thicken. Set aside.

Begin layering the lasagna. First coat the bottom of deep dish with a little sauce. Place 2 or 3 burritos on the bottom followed by 1/3 of the sauce. Spread with 2 oz. of cheese. Add a layer of shells, then the beans. Top the beans with 2 oz. of the cheese and spread a few tablespoons of sour cream and salsa on top. Continue layering followed by a final layer of shells with a little sauce on top. Cover with cheese. Cook for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Note: If you like it spicy add a few drops of hot sauce into each layer.

Cool slightly before cutting so it doesn’t fall apart. Garnish with sour cream, hot sauce and cilantro when serving if desired.

Let cool and store in refrigerator. It tastes better the next day! YUM!!

Desserts / Photo Gallery

August 3, 2016

Plum Crisp – Bolo de Ameixa

Delicious plums are in season. This easy dessert is sweet and tart. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to complete the dish! I make this all the time because it’s so simple. Enjoy!

Plum Crisp Ingredients:

8 – 10 large plums (pitted and sliced into 1/2 inch)

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

Crisp topping

1 package or 8 graham crackers (coarsely crushed)

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup instant oatmeal

12 Biscoff cookies (coarsely crushed)

5 – 6 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix the plums with flour, sugar, cinnamon and pinch of salt in bowl. Set aside.

Mix the crisp ingredients in a bowl and stir with a fork until crumbly and butter is incorporated.

Spread the plums in an ungreased deep baking dish. Top with the crisp mixture and cook for 20 minutes or until golden.

Let cool slightly before serving. Serve with Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Desserts / Photo Gallery

July 30, 2016

Lemon Bars with Maria Cookie Crust – Torta de Limão com Bolacha Maria

What an light and easy dessert for summer! I know most of you probably have the needed ingredients right in your kitchen pantry so go ahead and try it this weekend!

I don’t know anyone that doesn’t like lemon bars and I know everyone, will love these! Enjoy!

Filling:
6 large eggs

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup flour

zest and juice of 4 or 5 large lemons

powdered sugar (for decoration)

Crust:
1 package 7.05 oz Maria Cookies (coarsely ground) (I placed them in a ziplock and pounded with a kitchen mallet for a coarser ground)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

5 tablespoons butter

Preparation:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.

Mix the crust mixture in a bowl using a fork until well incorporated. Press the crust mixture into bottom of a ceramic or glass deep baking dish approximately 7 x 11 inches and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, sugar and eggs in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix until well blended.

Pour the mixture over the slightly cooled crust and bake for about 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until set. Let cool and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Dust with powdered sugar and cut into desired squares. Enjoy!

Appetizers / chicken / Photo Gallery

July 27, 2016

Asian Chicken Salad

A perfect summer lunch!

Asian Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chicken (cut into cubes)

6 cups Spring salad mix or any favorite salad mix

1 cup fresh bean sprouts (rinse and drain)

1/2 small red onion (sliced into thin strips)

1 cup grapes

1 carrot (sliced into thin strips)

1/2 cup peanuts

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Asian Dressing:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 clove garlic (finely minced)

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce (optional)

Cook Books / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Traditional customs

July 21, 2016

Giveaway: The Portuguese Travel Cookbook by Nelson Carvalheiro

If you long to visit Portugal, taste the foods, learn some history, learn about the cuisine, and mingle with the locals, I suggest you pick up a copy of The Portuguese Travel Cookbook. It’s the next best thing to physically traveling there. If you’re planning a trip, take the book along with you because it’s a great guide to plan your journey!

“This book shows you the Portuguese way of saying; I love you through food.” (The Portuguese Travel Cookbook)

Nelson Carvalheiro, the author, is a travel writer, award winning blogger (FITUR 2014/2015) and a photographer. Visit Nelson’s award winning blog nelsoncarvalheiro.com. Visit his webpage to order the cookbook in Portuguese.

The cookbook has won the award the Portuguese Gourmand Winner of World Book Awards 2016, the author tells us; “My love for Portuguese cuisine knows no boundaries or limits, is something that is in my soul, in my skin and in my heart. It is the Portuguese identity that matters the most and something I strive to preserve for future generations.” He also says that since he was a little boy, his favorite hobby is and always has been “eating.”

Like most of us who grew up with the comforting meals made by our Portuguese mother’s, grandmothers, and relatives, the passion for our cuisine is deep in our soul, because it brings back joyous memories of home.

ORDER HERE
Leave a comment on this post, Instagram or the Facebook feed mentioning the contest to be entered to win a free signed copy of the English version! Good luck everyone! ****This contest has ended. Thank you for participating.******

The author put his heart and soul into this cookbook which reflects the love between this man and his beloved country. Nelson and his photographer, Emanuele take us on a journey around Portugal spanning 300 cities, towns and villages from the beaches of Algarve to the mountains of the North. They visited almost 90 restaurants and tasted over 250 dishes. Stunning photography by Emanuele brings us up close to heartwarming simplicity of the old landscape, villages and rusticity of the many faces of Portugal’s inhabitants. It also includes 50 traditional authentic Portuguese dishes from the places he visited.

I read his book these past few weeks while on my vacation on the shore of the Rhode Island, nicknamed; “The Ocean State” which has a vast coastline like Portugal. I sat on my beach chair with my toes digging into soft sand often looking up at the sunny landscape where the ocean meet the clear blue sky. I said to myself, that if I sailed off into that ocean, in a straight horizontal line, I would place my feet on the very distant shores of Portugal. Although the distance between Nelson and I, is far and wide, as I read the book, I felt a bond and a connection to him because we have the same love for the food of Portugal, it’s cultural identity and it’s heritage.

The cookbook took me on a spiritual, inspirational, and educational journey. Reading each page I felt as if was there traveling right alongside him, meeting the locals, listening to the stories from those faces that bring me back to the past. I could and taste the dishes so lovingly prepared by fisherman, farmers, chefs and locals he introduced me to. The familiar names which are so recognizable, the faces in the photographs that remind me of my ancestors and the foods that brought me sweet memories of family, love and home.

Portugal is a part of me. I have often longed to travel the paths which Nelson so lovingly paved for me and this book brings me to the same rustic tables he dined in the forgotten countryside of the north, I can taste the wine from the vineyards that grow in the mountains and valleys of the Douro. I see the Algarve with it’s beautiful beaches, cliffs and amazing seafood dishes. In the Alentejo I taste the wines, savor the rich foods from the land, and listen to the Cante Alentejo, (Alentejo popular singing) from those that love the land and sing about the joys and sorrows of life. Here’s the sample Nelson put in his book below.

“I am indebted to the earth, the earth is in debt to me. the land pays me with life; I pay the earth by dying.”

Although I left Portugal as a young girl, this cookbook made me feel as if I never left. Happy travel to Portugal everyone!

The food and the 50 authentic recipes had me at hello.

The beautiful rustic faces of our heritage remind me of my ancestors.

The spectacular photographs want me to jump on the plane and visit.

The beautiful cities and landscapes bring me to another time in history.

*Contest open to residents of USA and Canada only. Winner will be chosen at random on August 22, 2016.

Appetizers / asian foods / Photo Gallery

July 21, 2016

Crunchy Baked, Fried and Air Fried Egg Rolls

You’ll love these egg rolls because they’re lite and easy to prepare. You can enjoy them any day of the week and no take out needed! Whenever I make these egg rolls I also make my easy Won Ton soup! Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 package of egg rolls wrappers

1 pound of ground pork (I used turkey for lower calories)

1 small yellow onion (thinly sliced and chopped)

1 shredded carrot

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 large head of napa or bok choy cabbage (Chiffonade into strips)

8 oz of fresh bean sprouts

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 egg (beaten)

2 tablespoons of oil (for sauteing)

Cooking Spray

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sweet and Sour sauce for dipping

Preparation:

Heat the vegetable oil in large wok or saute pan. When the oil is hot add the pork. Season with salt and pepper and fry for a few minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes longer until the pork is cooked.

Add the cabbage, carrots and sprouts and cook for 1 minute stirring once in a while. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil. Taste the filling and add more salt and pepper, or soy sauce if desired. Stir well remove from the heat and cool completely. Drain off any excess liquid.

Baking:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Place 2 – 3 tablespoons of the filing in center of the wrapper and fold in the ends toward the center. Spread a little of the egg wash around the edges. Fold in sides and roll like a jelly roll. Repeat.

Coat a baking pan with cooking spray and place the rolls evenly in pan. Brush tops of the egg rolls with olive oil and cooking spray. Cook for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

You may need to turn the egg rolls over to get all side crispy but this is optional. Note: You can also fry them in hot oil until golden.

Serve with soy sauce and sweet and sour sauce.

Frying:

Fry in oil for about 5-8 minutes until very golden crispy. Place on paper towels to absorb any grease.

Air Frying:

Spray prepared egg rolls with cooking spray on both sides. Cook at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes turning them over half way into cooking process.

Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Recipes

July 19, 2016

Hot Lobster Roll

Hot Lobster Rolls

I only have 3 words to say; Yum! Yum! Yum!

Makes 2-3 lobster rolls

Meat from 1 cooked lobster

1/2 stick of butter

Juice from 1/2 lemon

pinch of paprika

Hot buttered and toasted buns

Preparation:

Melt butter in a small saucepan, add the lemon juice, lobster meat and paprika.

Heat to warm. Serve on buttered and toasted hot dog buns! Eat slowly and savor each bite!

chicken / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

June 15, 2016

Limonchello Chicken

You will love this lemony flavored chicken! The recipe is simple to make and takes very little time to prepare.

I served the chicken with my recipe for Green Bean Rice which pares perfectly with lemony sauce.

Serves 4-8

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts (cut in half and pounded to 1/4-1/2 inch thick)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth (or 1/2 chicken bouillon cube and 1 cup water)

1/4 cup Limonchello liquor

Zest of 1 lemon

Lemon slices

1/2 teaspoon dry oregano

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 stick margarine or butter

Preparation:

Season the chicken with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Coat with flour and set aside.

Heat 1/2 of the olive oil and 1/2 of the butter in a saute pan until hot. Cook 1/2 of the chicken in the oil for about 5-8 minutes turning chicken over on each side until golden brown. Set cooked chicken aside. Add the remaining oil and butter and cook the rest of the chicken and set aside.

Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth and limonchello and cook for about 3 minutes on high for the liquor to evaporate.

Place the chicken back into the pan. Add the lemon zest and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add the oregano, cover and let sit on low heat until ready to serve. Top with fresh lemon slices and serve.

Main Dish / Photo Gallery

May 23, 2016

Bacalhau com Batatas a Rodelas a Tia Maria

My family loves bacalhau so I’m always trying new recipes. This week I gave the classic “Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa” a makeover by making it as a scalloped potato layered bake. It was very simple to prepare since I didn’t have to cook the potatoes a head of time like the traditional recipe.

The thin sliced potatoes mixed with the sweet onions and olive oil tones down the saltiness of bacalhau creating a wonderful blend.

This recipe is pretty versatile so you can go ahead and add lots of bacalhau or as little as you wish. We all decided that I would make this recipe from now on. Enjoy everyone!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds of 1/8 inch thin sliced potatoes (washed with skin on)

1 and 1/2 pounds to 2 pounds of hydrated de-salted bacalhau (salt cod)

3 large onions (sliced 1/8 inch)

4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

1 cup of olive oil

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon or more salt to taste

1 large roasted red pepper (cut into strips) (fresh or jarred)

Optional garnish: chopped parsley, sliced hard boiled eggs

Preparation: