Category: Recipes

Main Dish / Photo Gallery

Oven Broiled Spicy Chicken Piri Piri

 

I am so tired of Winter! I bet many of you are too. I was craving some Chicken Piri Piri so I made this recipe using the broiler last night. Now you can get the char grilled chicken flavor all year long with this method!

The chicken comes out tender, juicy and flavorful.

Find the recipe for; Portuguese rice or  Sweet Potato Chile Fries as a side dish. What’s great about making the fries is that you can cook them along with the chicken saving cooking time. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 small fryer chickens

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 or 2 tablespoons of piri piri sauce or Tabasco hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon of piri piri powder (optional)

1/4 cup of Vinho Verde or white wine

Instructions:

Marinate the chickens with all the ingredients and leave them overnight in the refrigerator or for at least 2 hours before cooking.

Arrange the chickens on a large baking tray and broil in your oven until the skin becomes golden brown for about 10 minutes.

Do you notice the bottle of Vinho Verde, and authentic Portuguese spices? I’m lucky that I have many stores in my town to buy them!

*Note: Leave the oven door open slightly so you can keep your eyes on the chicken and it does not burn or smoke.

Turn off broiler and set the oven at 400 degrees.

Place the chicken in the tray in the middle oven rack and cook and cook for 1 hour or until the chicken is fully cooked and crispy.

If you make the sweet potato fries place them in the oven along with the chicken.

Here it is! Look at that crispy golden color!

When the chicken is cooked drain off the pan drippings and strain it into a small pan. Skim off the fat on top of the drippings, add more piri piri sauce to your taste and cook on low heat for a few minutes.

Serve the sauce over the chicken or on the side for dipping!

 Here’s the photo of the sweet potato fries. They are so good and spicy! Enjoy

Photo Gallery / Side Dish

Hot and Spicy Sweet Potato Chili Fries

These Hot and Spicy Sweet Potato Chili Fries are amazing! Let me suggest you make a double batch because they will be gone fast! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 pounds of skin on sweet potatoes (washed, pat dry, and cut into 1 inch slices)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons hot sauce or piri piri (optional if you don’t want them spicy)

1/4 cup of bread crumbs

Cooking spray

Instructions:

Place the potatoes in a bowl. Add the olive oil and shake the pan to coat the potatoes with the oil.

Add the remaining ingredients and shake the bowl again until the potatoes are evenly coated with the seasonings.

Coat a sheet pan with a heavy coating of cooking spray. Place the potatoes evenly in the pan. Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn each fry over and cook the other side for another 10 minutes or longer until the fries are cooked and crispy!

Appetizers / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Side Dish

Saladas de Atum – Tuna Fish Salads

I’ve been making salads to make it feel like Summer. Look at the beautiful colors in this salad! It says Summer doesn’t it?

Prepare the tuna salad and eat it over a bed of lettuce for a light lunch, or add the tuna salad to the cooked pasta for a main meal.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for Tuna & Tomato Salad:

1 or 2 cans of tuna fish in water

1 cup of grape or cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup of onion or scallions (finely minced)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

Salt to taste

Pepper

Parsley flakes

 

Pasta Salad Ingredients:

8 ounces or 1/2 package of uncooked pasta (any you prefer)

1/2 cup of red, yellow or green pepper (chopped)

1/4 cup of onion (finely chopped)

1 cup of uncooked peas

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

crushed black pepper

1 tablespoon of Italian salad dressing mix (optional)

 

Instructions:

Cut the tomatoes in half. Drain the tuna. Place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir gently to incorporate the flavors.

Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Pasta Salad Instructions:

Prepare pasta per package directions but add the peas, peppers and onions 5 minutes before the pasta is done cooking.

Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water to remove the starch.

Mix the pasta with the remaining ingredients of mayonnaise, pepper and dressing and stir gently. Add the prepared tuna salad mixing gently to incorporate the flavors.

Add more salt or crushed black pepper if desired.

Main Dish / Photo Gallery

Bacalhau com Grao – Codfish & Chick Peas with Herb Vinaigrette

Bacalhau com Grao is perfect for your meatless days. This recipe has slow digesting carbs that are good for your diet, fiber and packed with protein! For those of you that observe Lent and opt out of eating meat on Friday it’s an easy dish to prepare in less than 30 minutes.  If you can’t find salted cod in your grocery store, you can substitute it with any flaky white fish but add 1 teaspoon of salt to the poaching liquid.

Codfish & Chick Pea Salad with Herb Vinaigrette

Bacalhau com Grao

Ingredients:

1 pound of boneless re-hydrated salt cod (cut into (2) 8 ounce portions)

1 slice of onion

2 cups of water

2 cups of cooked chick peas

Vinaigrette:

¼ cup of olive oil (add more if desired)

½ cup of white wine vinegar

½ small onion (finely minced)

2 cloves of garlic (finely minced)

¼ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of black pepper

2 tablespoons of Parsley (chopped)

Instructions:

Make the vinaigrette in a medium bowl by mixing the ingredients together and set aside to incorporate the flavors.

Meanwhile, poach the codfish in a medium pan filled with about 2 cups of water and the slice of onion. Cook in a slow boil for about 8-10 minutes on medium heat.

Remove the codfish from the pan, drain, and cover to keep warm. Add the chick peas to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on low heat.

Drain the chick peas and place both the fish and chick peas on a serving dish.

Pour the vinaigrette on top and serve. Add more olive oil and seasoning if desired. Enjoy!

 

 Photo credit: http://www.cincoquartosdelaranja.com/2010/06/bacalhau-cozido-com-chicharos.html



Photo Gallery / Side Dish

Chopped BLT Apple Salad Wrap

Think Spring and Summer with this easy BLT salad in a wrap! I’ve had enough of winter this year!

I’ve decided to start cooking summer dishes early this year so I can make believe it’s hot and sunny outside!  Join me..:)

Ingredients:

2 cups of chopped salad

2 cups of chopped baby spinach

12 grape, cherry tomatoes or tomato pieces

4 slices of cooked bacon

4 ounces of chopped cheddar cheese

1/2 cup of chopped cucumber

shredded carrots (optional)

1 apple (chopped into small pieces)

2 Wraps

Dressing:

1 tablespoons of lite mayonnaise

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon of crushed pepper

salt optional since the bacon is salty

Croutons (optional)

Instructions:

Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small cup, mix well and set aside.

Spread half of dressing on each wrap. Place desired amount of salad on each wrap and fold over.

Enjoy this salad without the wrap its deliciously fresh and full of flavor!

 

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / soup / Soups

Chicken Tortilla Soup

 

This recipe is very easy to make despite having a lot of different ingredients.

I adapted it from the Pioneer Woman. She used tortillas in the soup instead of rice. If your family loves Mexican, they’ll go crazy for this soup! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked boneless leftover chicken (shredded)

1 small onion (minced)

1 small red pepper (minced)

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 or 2 cups of crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup Hot Salsa

1 large can of black beans

1 cup of rice

10  cups of water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 tablespoons of corn flour (medium grind)

1 cup of corn (optional)

 

Topping suggestions:

Tortilla Chips

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

Salsa

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped onion

Avocado

 

Instructions:

Saute the onion, garlic, and peppers in the olive oil, in a large heavy soup pan.

Add the salt, pepper, spices, tomato paste, tomatoes, salsa, water and bouillon and let cook on medium for about 5 – 10 minutes for the spices to blend.

Add the beans, rice, corn flour and chicken and cook for about 20 minutes on medium low heat stirring once in a while so the corn flour does not stick.

Do you notice the Gonsalves brand of corn flour?

Taste the soup and add more seasonings to your taste. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes on low heat. The soup will thicken as it cooks so you may need to add more water if you like a thinner soup.

While the soup cooks, prep the toppings. You can add as many as you like to your taste.

The soup was a big hit last night! Enjoy the recipe!

Desserts / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery

Rabanadas – Portuguese Style French Toast

Order these beautiful ceramic mugs and glass cutting boards here Lisbon Blue shop

When I was a little girl, I would wake up on Christmas Eve mornings smelling the aroma of the sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on the warm Rabanadas that my mother had made for our Christmas Eve dessert table.

This classic old time dessert is delicious and has become one of my favorites which I make very often for my own family any time of the year. I think about my dear mother every time I make them, and that’s a good thought!

The traditional way to make them is by frying them in hot oil, but I grill them with margarine for a lighter version.

Ingredients:

1 loaf day old crusty bread

2 cups milk

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

butter for cooking

sugar and cinnamon for topping

 

Instructions:

Slice the bread into 1inch slices and place in a deep dish pan. Beat all the other ingredients in a bowl.

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread. Let the bread slices sit in the egg for about 30 seconds and then flip them over to absorb into the other side 

Meanwhile on medium high heat, melt butter in a large flat skillet or griddle. When the skillet is hot, lower the heat to medium and gently place the slices of bread on the grill greasing the pan as needed.

Cook both sides of the bread until golden brown and it becomes firm to the touch. If you find the bread still soggy, continue cooking them on low heat for longer.

Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon while still hot. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery / Portuguese Christmas / soup / Soups

Caldo de Camarao – Shrimp & Vegetable Bisque

 

I learned this recipe for Caldo de Camarao, many years ago from a Portuguese Chef named Jose.

He was a great chef, with a wonderful soul, but like many chefs, he was quite temperamental in the kitchen!

Although the recipe is simple, it requires many steps in the preparation, but trust me it’s worth it.

My family likes it pretty hot and spicy so be sure to use the Piri Piri to your taste.

The broth is made from the Shrimp shells which gives this soup a rich flavor.

Please note that some people use a tomato based broth, but I don’t use them in my recipe.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 pounds raw shrimp (30 to 40) per pound

1 large onion (chopped)

4 large carrots (peeled)

2 stacks of celery (peeled)

8 cups of water

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 shrimp bouillon cubes

2 tablespoons of butter

2 teaspoons of paprika

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of white pepper

1 to 2 teaspoons of Piri Piri or Tabasco sauce

½ cup of Vinho Verde or white wine

3 Portuguese rolls to make croutons for garnish

1/2 cup of cream (optional)

2 tablespoons of flour (optional)

Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Peel and devein the shrimp and save the shells. Rinse the shells and put the shrimp aside. 

In a large stock pot add the 8 cups of water, the shrimp shells, ½ of the onion, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, and the shrimp shells and cook for 30 minutes.

Strain the broth, and throw away the cooked shrimp shells. Put the carrots, onions and celery back into the broth.  

Puree the soup with a hand blender until the soup is creamy.  Strain the soup through a fine strainer to catch any shells, or vegetable threads.

Place the soup on stove on low heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, saute the remaining onion in the olive oil and butter until translucent.

Add the shrimp, the bouillon, wine, paprika, Piri Piri or Tabasco and cook for a few minutes. 

Remove ½ of the cooked shrimp and set aside.

Add the remaining shrimp and sauce to the soup pan and puree until you get a creamy consistency.

Cook soup for on low for 10 minutes.

Chop the reserved cooked shrimp into 2 pieces and add to the soup. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

Taste the soup and add more salt and white pepper to taste.

If you like a creamy style soup, make a slurry by mixing the cream and flour in a small bowl.

Temper the cream with a few tablespoons of the soup and add it during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Make the croutons:

Slice the Portuguese rolls into small ¼ inch slices.

Coat with butter and garlic. Toast in broiler until golden brown.

Sprinkle with desired seasonings and set aside for garnish.

Serve the soup in bowls with one slice of the toasted Portuguese croutons in the center.

Add a few pieces of shrimp in each bow. Add the cilantro or parsley as garnish if desired.

Notes:

Always save your shrimp shells that you have left over from your recipes for this soup. Rinse the shells, pat dry and place them into freezer bags to make shrimp and seafood stock.

Serves 8-10

Photo credit: http://receitasfantasticas.net

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

Crunchy Oven Fried Chicken

The chicken in this recipe comes out moist, flavorful and super crunchy. You’ll never make fried chicken again once you try this! Enjoy it!

Click here for the Macaroni & Cheese with Chourica Breadcrumb Crumble  recipe. Try it with Portuguese Potato Salad.  Enjoy!


Ingredients:

2 small frying chickens or about 20 legs and thighs

1 teaspoon of salt

crushed black pepper

1 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of white vinegar

1 package of Shake n Bake chicken mix (The package comes with 2 packets – use only 1)

1 and 1/2 cups of flavored bread crumbs

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of coriander

1 teaspoon of curry powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Olive oil Cooking Spray

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Remove the back bone from the chickens and save for later use in soups and stocks. Cut the remaining chicken into 10 equal size pieces.

This should give you about 20 pieces.

Place the chicken into a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Add the milk and vinegar and let the chicken soak with the milk for at least 15 minutes or store in the refrigerator for later cooking.

Mix all other ingredients in a plastic bag. Place 2 pieces at a time in the bag and shake well to coat all the chicken.

Place the chicken on a large baking pan that has been heavenly coated with the olive oil spray.

Cook for 45 -60 minutes until the chicken is crispy.

*Do not turn over the chicken as it cooks! It will become crispy on its own!