Happy Mother’s Day
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms!
“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers” Rudyard Kipling
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Category: Recipes
Sloppy Ronaldo Sliders
Delicious sliders with a kick of ground chourico Portuguese sausage. I used to call them Sloppy Maria’s but I changed the name to Sloppy Ronaldo Sliders in honor of Cristiano because last year I made them for the World Cup and Portugal won! Maybe my sliders gave Ronaldo good luck!
If you prefer you can leave out the chourico if your family prefers the original sloppy Joe taste. I always make this big batch and I store half of the recipe for the next day, or freeze in small containers for 1-2 person servings. It’s perfect for a busy night when you don’t have time to make dinner or to give as an after school snack.
I took these pictures on live TV after the win!
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef or turkey
1 pound chourico or linguica sausage (skin removed and ground in processor) (this is optional to your taste)
2 medium onions (finely minced)
4 cloves garlic (finely minced)
2 cups of crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups ketchup (depending how sweet you want the Joe’s
1 tablespoon tomato paste to thicken if necessary
1 tablespoon piri piri hot sauce more (optional to your taste)
hamburger buns
Preparation:
Brown the ground beef in a large heave saucepan or skillet. Drain the fat and add the onions and garlic to pan. Cook the onions and garlic for a few minutes until translucent along with the beef.
Add the chourico and cook for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and let simmer for about 10 minutes stirring often. Taste and add more ketchup or brown sugar if you want more sweetness. Add the hot sauce if desired.
Let cook for another 10 minutes on low until the sauce and meats are thick and rich. Add the tomato paste to thicken sauce if needed.
Serve on warm buns.
After game celebration!
Portuguese Flan 2 ways – Flan de Vinho do Porto e Flan de Aniz
This is such an elegant dessert for your next celebration. Flan is very easy to make despite it’s appearance and these two variations on the original flan recipes create a unique taste.
Ingredients:
6 large eggs
3 cups (whole milk)
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 teaspoons either Port Wine or Anisette (Aniz) Liquor
Caramel glaze ingredients:
1 cup sugar
Preparation:
Note:Take your eggs out of the fridge a few hours before you start to get them to room temp or place them in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 20 minutes.
Prepare Caramel glaze first:
Place the sugar in a large heavy skillet. Continue stirring while cooking on medium heat until the sugar melts and begins to turn caramel colored and thickens like corn syrup. (probably 5-8 minutes depending on your burners) If you notice it begin to smoke remove immediately from the burner. If you smell a burned aroma, start over since the syrup will taste bitter. Pour the caramel into a souffle dish and slightly shift the dish side to side to coat the bottom and sides up to 1/2 inch or so. Set aside while you make the flan. You will notice the caramel as hardened which is good.
Prepare custard:
In med bowl, beat the eggs with 1 cup sugar until lemony colored. Meanwhile, heat up the milk until hot but not boiling.
Let the milk cook down a little and then add about 1/4 cup of milk, to the eggs while continuing to beat on low. *If the milk is too hot, you’ll discover that you just made scrambled eggs.
Continue beating and slowly add the milk 1cup at a time until all of the milk is incorporated.
At this point you can beat in, either the port wine or the anisette.
Let the egg mixture rest to let the foam subside a little, then run through a strainer and slowly pour it into the souffle dish that has been coated with the caramel.
Place the flan dish into a larger oven proof deep dish pan (bain -marie) that has been filled with 1 inch of water.
Cook at 350 for 60 -75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the flan cool in it’s pan and place it in the dish in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to serve, loosen the sides of the flan with a knife and giggle the pan to loosen it.
Cover the top of the flan with a deep serving dish and invert it. Spoon out the caramel over the flan.
Serve as is, decorate with candy pearls or with whipped cream!
+
Piri Piri Picante Chicken Fingers
These little treats have great flavor and a burst of spice from Piri Piri Hot Sauce! I make these so often that I could do it with my eyes closed! Note: If you can’t handle the heat just leave out the hot sauce and they are just as good!
Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken tenders
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon piri piri or (hot sauce)
Cooking spray for coating pan and chicken
Coating:
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
Egg wash:
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon piri piri
Sauce:
1/4 cup hot sauce
2 tablespoons melted butter
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a large sheet pan with a heavy coating of cooking spray.
1. Season chicken in a medium bowl. Toss and coat with piri piri. Set aside.
2. Place the coating ingredients in a plastic bag and shake well to blend.
2. Beat the egg wash ingredients in a small bowl until well incorporated.
4. Dredge 3 or 4 pieces of chicken at a time in egg wash. Shake off excess then place in plastic bag. Shake to coat evenly.
5. Place tenders evenly on sheet pan.
6. Spray tops of chicken with cooking spray.
Cook for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into one piece. Chicken should not be pink. Turn over and cook a few minutes longer to achieve a darker crispy color on all sides if desired
Mix the hot sauce with the butter and cook for 1 minute to blend flavors. Make a double batch if you like it really HOT! 🙂
Gallo Spicy Oven Fried Chicken
Gallo Spicy Oven Fried Chicken
I never make fried chicken because I try to avoid the grease in my diet, so I bake it in the oven instead. This chicken is oven baked with crunchy panko bread crumbs creating a moist chicken on the inside. I make a hot spicy sauce with Portuguese hot sauce to drizzle on top for great flavor and kick! Of course it’s optional to use the sauce. I usually top half of the chicken and leave the other half plain.
10-12 pieces of uncooked chicken preferably thighs and legs
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons piri piri or hot sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
Bread coating:
1 and 1/2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup regular bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Hot Sauce:
1/4 cup hot sauce ( Portuguese brand or Tabasco)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Preparation:
Mix the milk, vinegar, salt, pepper, piri piri or hot sauce and garlic powder in a large bowl. Add the chicken and coat with the milk mix. Let sit for at least 3 hours or over night in the refrigerator.
Let chicken sit 30 minutes before coating.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with a heavy layer of cooking spray.
Place the coating mix in a plastic bag and shake well. Drain chicken of any milk or pat dry and then place 3 pieces at a time in the plastic bag. Layer evenly on baking sheet. Top with any leftover coating mix if you want an extra crispy layer on chicken. Spray top of chicken with a coating of cooking spray.
Cook for about 40 to 45 minutes until crispy. Note, that ovens vary so check chicken after 30 minutes to adjust time.
While the chicken cooks, make the hot sauce by placing all the ingredients in a small pan and cook for a few minutes. Taste the sauce and add more hot sauce if desired. Brush chicken with the sauce and serve or, if desired; place the chicken back into oven and broil for a few minutes to achieve a sticky crust.
Enjoy!
Creamy Sausage and Spinach Pasta Bake
This pasta bake is great for an easy everyday meal and perfect to bring for a pot luck party. Prepare it ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook and serve.
Ingredients:
2 pounds uncooked Italian sausage
1 (16 ounce) package favorite pasta (any your prefer)
1 pound fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 small onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 pound fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese or (any your prefer)
Cream Sauce:
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation:
Prepare sausages:
Cook sausages by boiling in 1 cup of water until the water evaporates. Flip the sausages as they cook. When water evaporates remove sausages and cut into slices.
Add the chopped onions and garlic to the same pan and cook for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add the sausages back into the pan, cover and cook until the sausages are fully cooked. Fold the spinach into the sausages and set aside.
Prepare sauce:
Melt butter in a small pan and add the flour. Stir until it blends with the butter. Add milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until thickened. Add 1/4 Parmesan or peccorino cheese. Stir well until cheese melts and set aside.
Cook pasta per package directions and drain.
Add the pasta to the pan with sausages followed by the cream sauce. Mix well to incorporate flavors.
Pour into a slightly greased deep baking dish. Top with the cheese.
Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes covered with foil, then remove foil and cook for a few minutes longer to get slightly golden color.
Banana Cream Cake with Bolacha Maria Cookie
For banana lovers! This cake recipe tastes just like banana cream pie with and added fluffy and moist cake layer.
Perfect for party, pot luck and a summer picnic. I placed it in the refrigerator which gave it a cold sweet taste. It was a big hit with the family and bananalicious!
Ingredients:
1 boxed yellow cake mix recipe (follow package directions)
1 package of instant Vanilla pudding (follow package directions)
3 bananas (sliced)
10 Maria Cookies
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
Preparation:
Prepare cake as per directions in a deep baking dish.
While cake bakes prepare the pudding as per package directions. When slightly cooled poke holes with a wooden spoon.
Spread pudding evenly over the cake and into the holes.
Top forming a layer with 1/2 of the banana slices over the pudding.
Prepare whipped cream by beating until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread gently over the banana layer.
Gently cut the Bolacha Maria in half leaving the Maria letters. Crush the remaining cookies to fine crumbles.
Top the whip cream layer with cookie crumbles.
Top with the remaining bananas.
Arrange the cookies on top with the Maria name exposed.
Cool cake in the refrigerator for a few hours if desired. Serve cold
Augie’s Piri Piri Buffalo Chicken Pizza and Calzone
My husband Augie loves, Pizza, football and Piri Piri hot sauce! For this year’s Super Bowl, I’m making him his favorite buffalo style pizza.
I use piri piri (Portuguese red pepper sauce) but you can use your favorite hot sauce as a substitute! Go Patriots! 
Piri Piri Buffalo Pizza
Ingredients:
1 pound pizza dough
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups cooked cut up chicken
1 cup ricotta or cottage cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/4 cup ranch dressing
1 and 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons piri piri sauce or Tabasco sauce
Corn meal for dusting pan
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Sprinkle a sheet pan with a heavy dusting of corn meal. Roll out the dough to the length of your sheet pan. Brush the edges and the pizza dough with the olive oil. Mix the dressings and piri piri together in a small bowl. Spread the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the dough, sprinkle with garlic powder and top with the chicken pieces. Top with the piri piri and dressing sauce.
Top with cheese and then sprinkle the rest of the piri piri sauce. You can use a much as you like! The hotter the better!
To make a Calzone, roll up the pizza dough gently pinching all sides. Make a batch of extra piri piri sauce (1 tablespoon piri piri, 1/2 cup blue cheese and 1/4 cup ranch dressing) for dipping.
Cook on center oven rack, for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Tia Maria’s Blog 7th Anniversary
Happy 2017 everyone! I hope this year brings you peace, joy, health and happiness to you and your family. Tia Maria’s Blog is now 7 years old and it’s been a pleasure sharing recipes and promoting our delicious Portuguese cuisine. Thanks to all of you Portuguese Foodies, for visiting my blog, following me on my social sites, buying my cookbook and encouraging me to continue on this wonderful journey that has enriched my life!
Lisa and I working on our second cookbook which should be ready this fall! 🙂
Classic Caldo Verde Soup
FIRST POST 1-15-2010
Today we’re going on a journey to Portugal were the classic green soup, “Caldo Verde” is probably the most loved and well known soup in the country.
Caldo Verde, originated in the northern Minho region of Portugal and is made with basic ingredients of potato and onion puree, and collard greens. There are many variations to this basic recipe in every Portuguese kitchen where ingredients are added such as red or white beans, ham hocks and meat bones to flavor the broth.
Sometimes Caldo Verde is mistaken for another classic known as “Kale Soup” which is very popular in the New England. The Kale version uses cubed potatoes, chopped chourico, tomatoes, and chopped Kale and looks nothing like Caldo Verde.
This is a very healthy soup because collard greens are considered to be one of the healthiest foods in world since they’re loaded with vitamin.
I learned to make this soup at a Portuguese Restaurant named “The Matador” which my brothers owned for almost 15 years. This soup was made fresh every day and sold out by the dinner rush.
We used hand crank processor imported from Portugal to Chiffonade (translates to “made of rags” in French) to cut the collard greens into thin strips.
My recipe is for a large pot of soup that will last you for a few days but don’t worry if it seems to much because this soup keeps well and it’s even better the next day.
It you find that it seems to thicken the next day, just add a little amount of boiled water to make to make it thinner. This will be your family’s favorite especially on cold winter days. Enjoy!
This is recipe number 1; in my Taste Portugal | 101 easy Portuguese recipes cookbook! Download this recipe and 100 other recipes to your computer, kindle, ipad and iphone on my new electronic cookbook!
Ingredients:
10 russet, or Idaho potatoes (peeled & cut into 1 inch slices)
2 large onions
2 cloves garlic
1 large bay leaf
1/4 cup olive oil (or more to taste)
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 whole medium Chourico (Portuguese) sausage (rinsed and dried)
6 cups of washed collard greens (sliced very thin)
6 cups chicken or (vegetable broth for vegetarians)
6 cups water
Instructions:
In large soup stock pot, place water, broth, potatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, and bay leaf. Cook on high for 20 – 30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked.
Remove from heat, remove bay leaf and puree the soup with hand blender until it turns into a creamy like base. If you find the soup is too thick, add a little boiling water.
Place the pot on medium heat and add the Chourico sausage. Cook for about 10 minutes.
You may cook Chourico in separate pan in boiling water if you don’t want a smokiness taste in the soup.
Remove Chourico and slice into 1/4 inch slices and set aside for garnish.
Add the collard greens and cook on medium heat for about 5 – 10 minutes depending on your preference.
When ready to serve the soup add 3 slices of Chourico into each bowl for garnish. Add a drizzle of olive oil, and crushed pepper to taste.
Add more Chourico if you prefer of course! Enjoy!
Portuguese Chourico Bread with Ham, Peppers and Onions
Are you drooling yet? My family went crazy when I made this bread and it disappeared the same day! I barely had a chance to take the photo of the finished bread for this post.
Making this bread is simple and you can substitute any meats you have on hand. Feel free to use more varieties of meats. I had a few slices of salami, so I added them. I used store bought fresh pizza dough from the market but you can follow the recipe below and make your own.
I suggest you make 2 and save one for the next day. It’s also a perfect treat to bring along for your next party this Holiday Season! 🙂
Watch this video of the bread fresh out of the oven!
Ingredients:
1 + 1/2 pound of store bought pizza dough or make your own (recipe below)
1 small chourico or linguica sausage (cut into thin slices)
3 or 4 slices of ham (cut into strips)
3 slices of salami (optional, cut into strips)
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 medium red pepper (sliced)
1 cup of shredded cheese
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon of coarse corn meal
Pizza Dough
3 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 envelope instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients. Add the water and oil and mix until a ball forms. It you find the dough too sticky add more flour. Grease a large bowl with olive oil and add the dough rolling it to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap, cover with a warm towel, and place in a warm place for about 1 hour until the dough doubles in size.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Saute the onions and peppers for a few minutes in 1 tablespoon olive oil until translucent and set aside to cool
Roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Add a layer of onions followed by a layer of meat.
Begin gently rolling the dough evenly.
Sprinkle the corn meal on a large sheet pan or pizza pan. Place the bread on pan. Brush with a little olive oil.
Cook for 20 minutes or until the bread is golden and crispy.
Let cook slightly before cutting. Take a bite and start drooling! Enjoy!
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