A recipe to make a caramel macchiato creamer at home with from scratch ingredients. This is great added to coffee by itself, but it also includes directions on how to make a full caramel macchiato. < Back Caramel Macchiato Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes Serves: 1 cup Level: Beginner About the Recipe A recipe to make a caramel macchiato creamer at home with from scratch ingredients. This is great added to coffee by itself, but it also includes directions on how to make a full caramel macchiato. Ingredients For the Creamer 1 1/4 cup sugar, divided 1/4 cup water 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, divided 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon vanilla For the Caramel Macchiato 1/2 cup milk 2-3 tablespoon creamer you just made 2/3 cup coffee Caramel sauce for drizzling Preparation Make the caramel syrup. Add 3/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water to a heavy saucepan and heat until the sugar has completely melted. Do not stir once the sugar melts. Once it turns a light amber color, add the butter and 1/2 cup cream. Stir until it comes back together. Return it to a boil for another two minutes, then remove the caramel syrup from the heat. Place all your caramel sauce into a heat-proof container, then measure 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce back into your saucepan. Add the remaining 1 cup of cream to the pan, as well as 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 cup of milk, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste. Heat on medium but do not let it boil, and stir until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool before placing into the container where you will store your creamer. Make the caramel macchiato. Add 1/2 cup of milk to a saucepan and turn the heat to medium. When it just starts to steam, remove it from the heat and use an Aerolatte or similar frother to whip up a creamy froth in your steamed milk. While your milk is heating, brew your coffee. Once your milk is heated, carefully pour it into a cup, reserving your froth. Add the caramel macchiato cream to the hot milk. Pour the coffee atop that. Add the froth to the top of the coffee, then drizzle your reserved caramel sauce as thinly as possible over your froth to keep it from sinking to the bottom immediately. Serve immediately. Notes This caramel macchiato creamer will last for up to three weeks in your fridge. Recommended Products As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. 1 1/2 Quart Saucepan / Handheld milk frother / Coffee Mugs Previous Next

Are you tired of using commercial hair conditioners that leave your strands dry, damaged, and loaded with chemicals? Try this!!!! < Back Conditioner Bar Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: 1 ounce bars Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 3 tablespoons shea butter 2 tablespoons Beeswax 2 tablespoons cocoa butter 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil 2 tablespoons mango butter 1 teaspoon argan oil 1 teaspoon avocado oil 30 drops Lavender Essential Oil – or other essential oil of choice Preparation Why A Conditioner Bar Recipe? Conditioner bars are frugal – a small bar lasts a month or more and once you’ve gathered the ingredients you can make a number of bars for yourself and your family. They travel easily. They dry quickly and make traveling simple with no worry about spills. They are healthy. If you make sure you know and understand each ingredient, then you know you are using something that will nourish your hair and scalp, not just make your hair look nice. Safety Precautions Most recipes that you will find for conditioner bar recipes have Behentrimonium Methosulfate, which is an ammonium salt made from Rapeseed oil. It’s generally considered safe, but no one can point to any research that states that it is good for skin or hair. I feel like the research is lacking too much, so this is one ingredient I’d like to skip. Creating the Best Conditioner Bar Recipe I really had to start from scratch to create these conditioning bars. There’s a lot that goes into a really good conditioner bar. I had to do a lot of research and a lot of experiments. And there’s a lot that I want in a bar. I want it to have only nourishing ingredients, nothing questionable. I want it to have the right pH. Shampoo bars are slightly alkaline, so you want ingredients that will be slightly acidic. For example, cocoa butter is slightly acidic, so it pairs well with other slightly acidic ingredients like shea butter and bees wax. Oils don’t have a pH, so in choosing oils I needed to look at oils that are beneficial to sealing and nourishing the hair shaft like jojoba, argon, coconut, and avocado oils. I also want it to have the right hardness. It needs to dry nicely, stay hard, but not be too hard where it doesn’t lather and spread well. How to Use This is VERY important! A few of you have mentioned how your hair feels greasy after using these conditioner bars. You are using way too much. These are oil based conditioner bars that should last months. They are designed to condition and moisturize at the same time. You put only a little onto your hands and start by working into the ends of your hair and then rubbing hands throughout the rest of your hair. This will keep most of the oils at the ends of your hair where it is needed, but will also condition the rest of your hair. Put your head under warm/hot water and work your hands through hair to distribute. This works wonderfully on my thick, curly hair. If your hair is thin or tends to be greasy, you may have a better experience using an herbal hair rinse. Combine all ingredients, except essential oil, in a double boiler. I like to use a glass measuring cup in a saucepan of boiling water. 3 tablespoons shea butter, 2 tablespoons Beeswax, 2 tablespoons cocoa butter, 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil, 2 tablespoons mango butter, 1 teaspoon argon oil, 1 teaspoon avocado oil Stir on and off until melted. Remove from heat and add essential oil. Stir. Add 30 drops Lavender Essential Oil Pour into molds (makes 4 one ounce bars). If you don't have a mold, use muffin liners in muffin cups until cooled and hardened. You will combine all ingredients, except the essential oil, in a double boiler. I like to use a glass measuring cup in a saucepan of boiling water. Stir on and off until melted. Remove from heat and then add the essential oil of your choice and stir until well combined. Pour into molds (makes 4 one ounce bars). If you don’t have a mold, use muffin liners in muffin cups until cooled and hardened. How to Use Condition Bars After washing and rinsing your hair with a shampoo bar, rub the conditioner bar between your hands to get a light layer on both hands. Spread into your hair, taking care to avoid hair around your face (because that hair usually becomes oils first) until last. Using warm to hot water, rinse your hair. This will make sure it spreads throughout your hair and the hot water will ensure it is spread evenly. Towel dry, brush, and you’re ready to go! Previous Next

Roasted Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts These side vegetables get totally elevated with the addition of tahini and pomegranate molasses. < Back Roasted Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Serves: 4-6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Roasted Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts These side vegetables get totally elevated with the addition of tahini and pomegranate molasses. Ingredients 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets 4 cups Brussels sprout, cut in half 1 pomegranate 3 tbsp tahini 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses 8-10 mint leaves, chopped 1/4 cup pistachios, chopped Extra-virgin olive oil, for roasting 1 tbsp za'atar 1 lemon, juice Salt and pepper, QB Maldon salt, QB Preparation Preheat your oven to 475F. In a large roasting tray, add the cauliflower florets, brussel sprouts, olive oil, salt, za'atar, 1/2 lemon juice, and black pepper. Mix well with your hands. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until browned on the edges. Plate and season with another 1/2 lemon juice and maldon salt to taste. Finish with a drizzle of tahini, pomegranate molasses, and add mint, pomegranate seeds, another sprinkle of maldon salt, and pistachios. Enjoy! Previous Next

Duchess Potatoes are a fancy piped potato side dish that must make an appearance at your next dinner party. Rich, creamy, and cheesy with just a subtle crisp, these elegant baked mashed potatoes are unlike anything else! < Back Duchess Potatoes Prep Time: 20 Miniutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Duchess Potatoes are a fancy piped potato side dish that must make an appearance at your next dinner party. Rich, creamy, and cheesy with just a subtle crisp, these elegant baked mashed potatoes are unlike anything else! Ingredients 2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (peeled) 6 Tablespoons butter (divided) ¼ cup heavy cream 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 4 large egg yolks Minced fresh parsley (for garnish (optional)) Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste) Preparation Instructions 1. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place them in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the potatoes and add about 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork. Drain well. 2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 3. Add drained potatoes to a large mixing bowl along with the cream and 4 TBSP butter. Mash well with a potato masher until there are no longer any lumps (or press through a potato ricer). 4. Stir in the cheese until well combined. Season with salt & pepper, to taste. 5. Let cool slightly, then stir in the egg yolks. 6. At this point if the mixture is very thick you can add additional heavy cream, if needed. 7. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. (You’ll need to work in batches.) Pipe the potatoes onto the parchment-lined baking sheets into swirls about 3 inches in diameter. 8. Gently brush with the remaining 2 TBSP butter, melted. 9. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately garnished with parsley, if desired. Previous Next

With a good quality pure maple syrup, candy thermometer, saucepot and a wooden spoon, you can make naturally sweet maple cream! Also known as maple spread or butter. One of the best tips I can give you is never to make maple cream when you’re in a rush! It takes time to boil the syrup and then cool it to the right temperature before you start the 30-minute stirring process. With some patience, you will transform this 1-ingredient recipe into a beautiful maple cream. If you’re vegan, this is an excellent honey alternative. CAUTION: Boiling syrup is extremely hot! < Back How to make maple cream Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves: 1-3/4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 2 cups pure maple syrup Preparation Step 1 Place the medium pot (b) for cooling down and mixing the boiled syrup into the freezer. This pot can be smaller than the one to boil your syrup. Prepare a saucepot or stainless steel bowl to use as an ice bath. Add a generous amount of ice cubes to the bottom and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready for it. Getting those saucepots prepared before you start is key. Step 2 Attached your candy thermometer to a medium to large saucepot*. On low to medium heat, bring 2 cups of pure maple syrup to a gentle boil. Do not stir the syrup while it’s boiling. Keep an eye on your boiling syrup at all times, don’t walk away. If your syrup boils too close to the edge, reduce your heat to prevent overflowing. Once the syrup reaches 234° F (some wait until 235° F, but that makes it thicker), remove it from the heat. Step 3 Immediately transfer the boiled syrup to the medium pot (b) placed overtop the larger pot (c) with the ice cubes. Be very careful, hot maple syrup can burn you! Cooldown the maple syrup to about 95° F. Once cooled, get your arm ready, find a partner and take turns stirring and stirring some more. The process takes about 30 minutes to transform the syrup into a gorgeous golden, thickened maple cream. Step 4 As soon as the cream is ready, transfer it to a glass jar with a lid. Store the cream in the refrigerator. Enjoy! *Make sure your pot is large enough to prevent overflowing. An 8-inch pot should do the trick. Previous Next

Say hello to the most delicious homemade French onion soup we’ve ever made. It’s easy, too. Thanks to a simple broth, caramelized onions, garlic-rubbed bread, and melted cheese, it’s the perfect comfort food. < Back French Onion Soup Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 3 ½ pounds yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced (6 to 7 medium) 4 tablespoons (57 grams or 2 ounces) European-style salted butter, like Kerrygold, plus more for bread 1/4 cup (2 ounces) sweet vermouth, sherry, or brandy 1/4 cup (2 ounces) dry white wine or Lillet Blanc; see notes 4 to 5 cups chicken broth or homemade beef stock; see notes 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste 1 French baguette or rustic loaf, sliced into 1/2-inch slices, 12 slices 2 cloves garlic 1 cup (114 grams or 4 ounces) grated Gruyere cheese Preparation 3 Secrets for the best homemade French onion soup Caramelize your onions to the perfect golden brown. If there’s one thing to takeaway from this onion soup recipe, it’s how we cook the onions. Stirring often is the key. Watch our video to see how we do it or see our photos below! Garlic-rubbed bread is a game-changer. I honestly don’t know if I could ever enjoy a bowl of French onion soup without it. Choosing the right cheese. We use melty Gruyère, and love it. French onion soup is easy to make at home. All you need are a few tips and a surprisingly short list of ingredients. To make this a full meal, serve French onion soup with your favorite salad. Key ingredients The best onions for French onion soup are yellow onions. We have made this soup with sweet onions and found it to be a little too sweet for our tastes. A combination of yellow onions and sweet onions would be interesting. Red onions are spicier than yellow onions and will change the color of your soup. White onions are more mild and sweet, making them a good alternative. You can use chicken broth or beef broth to make French onion soup. We’ve tried all combinations (including using half chicken and half beef broth). I can honestly tell you that we’ve loved them all. Beef broth is a bit more savory, while chicken is lighter on its feet. When using beef broth, we highly recommend homemade or a high-quality beef bone broth. Most store-bought beef broths taste nothing like beef and are salty. Store-bought chicken broth is a bit more forgiving with more availability. The best cheese for French onion soup is Gruyère . It melts beautifully and tastes earthy and nutty, which works nicely with the savory soup base. If you cannot find Gruyère, substitute with parmesan cheese, Swiss, fontina, or mozzarella. For deeply flavorful, classic French onion soup, use wine. For the best flavor, we use dry white wine and sweet vermouth, an aromatic fortified wine. We highly recommend using both. See recommendations and substitutions in the recipe. Can you make French onion soup without wine? Yes. Wine and vermouth make our soup taste more exciting and complex, but it is still quite delicious without them. If you leave the wine out entirely and find that the soup is missing something, try adding a splash of sherry vinegar and possibly a little Asian fish sauce (I know it sounds odd, but it does wonders in the flavor department of savory dishes like French onion soup.) How to cut and caramelize the onions The secret for making rich, intensely flavored onion soup is how we cook the onions. Cutting the onions: Thinly slice a lot of onions (by a lot, we need 6 to 7 medium onions for a soup that serves four). I do this by hand. First peel them, cut in half, and then thinly slice into half moons. To speed this up, use the slicing disk of a food processor or mandoline slicer. Cook the onions in butter with the lid ON for about 12 minutes. This step softens the onions and helps them to release some liquid. Cook the onions uncovered over medium heat , stirring often, until they look golden and caramelized — this takes me somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes. Do you see why we started with so many onions? They cook down a lot! Focus on the onions, and you’re 99% there to some of the best-tasting French onion soup you’ve had. Here are a few more tips when caramelizing the onions: Use a wide heavy-bottomed pot , like a Dutch oven, or a wide stainless steel pot, like a Rondeau. Both of these options work well for caramelizing onions. Stir the onions often , and ensure you scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom and sides. Incorporating those browned bits helps add color (and flavor) to the onions. Pay more attention 20 minutes into cooking , since they cook more quickly at this stage. They can go from browned to burnt if you don’t keep a close eye. Use our photos and video as a guide for when the onions are ready. They will look golden brown and smell caramelized. Assembling the soup. Easy as 1, 2, 3 1. Simmer the broth and caramelized onions for 5 minutes, turn off the heat and let it steep like tea. 2.Toast and rub the bread with raw garlic (so good!) — we use a French baguette or rustic loaf 3.Briefly dunk the bread slices in the soup, add to oven-safe bowls with the broth and top with cheese. Broil until bubbly. Dunking the bread in the soup before adding it to your bowl allows the bread to absorb some of the soup, so that it doesn’t steal all the broth from your bowl when you eat it. French onion soup bowls Any oven-safe soup bowl (sometimes called crocks) will work for this recipe. Handles do help when transferring them in and out of the oven. We also recommend placing them onto a baking sheet to catch any dripping cheese. We used a mini round cocotte from Le Creuset (8 ounces). And there you have it, the most delicious homemade French onion soup we’ve ever made. I genuinely hope that you try it! This easy French onion soup recipe is part of our chef series, where we share recipes from our friend and renowned chef, Richard Hattaway. He knocked this one out of the park! Directions MAKE SOUP: Melt the butter in a wide pot over medium heat — use a heavy-bottomed or stainless steel pot like a Dutch oven or rondeau. Stir in the onions, and then cover with a lid. Cook, over medium heat, until the onions look translucent, 12 to 15 minutes. Uncover the pot, and continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally and scraping up any stuck browned bits from the bottom and sides. The onions take 45 to 60 minutes to caramelize. Keep a close eye on them. When you notice they begin to brown, stir them more often to keep them from burning. When the onions are golden and smell caramelized, stir in the vermouth and white wine. Cook, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, for about 2 minutes. Continue to the next step when you no longer smell strong alcohol and instead smell sweet onions with the aromas of the vermouth and wine. Stir in the broth, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pot with its lid and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and then season with additional salt if needed. While Chef Richard suggests 4 cups of broth, we enjoy a bit more liquid and use 5 cups of broth, instead. Turn off the heat, and allow the soup to steep (covered) while you prepare the bread. TO SERVE: Set aside four oven-safe soup bowls (we use cocottes from Le Creuset). Heat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Butter the bread slices, and then line them up on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Rub the toasted bread with the garlic cloves, and then quickly dunk the bread into the soup. Dunking the bread first helps to prevent the bread from soaking up all the broth in your bowl when serving. Place one slice into the bottom of each oven-safe soup bowl and sprinkle a little Gruyere cheese on top. Ladle soup into the bowls and top with two more slices of bread. Top with remaining cheese. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Previous Next

This is real comfort food. Get it ready ahead of time and make it at a moments notice. < Back Homemade Rice A Roni Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 cup long grain rice (other rice can be substituted) 12 cups spagetti noodles (uncooked, broken up really small) 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 2-3 tablespoons chicken bouillon (to taste) ____________ 2 tablespoons butter 2 1/2 cups chicken broth or water Preparation Mix dry ingredients in jar. Seal and label with instructions. Store in a cool, dry place. To use: Melt the butter and add the chicken broth. Add the bottle of the Rice A Roni mix. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid is gone. Turn off heat and let rest for 2 minutes. Serve hot. Previous Next

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Seriously the best veggie lasagna! This lasagna recipe is packed with bell pepper, zucchini and carrots, sautéed until golden and tender on the edges. Recipe yields one 9-inch lasagna, enough for 8 slices. < Back Veggie Lasagna Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 8 Level: beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Veggies and spinach 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 large carrots, chopped (about 1 cup ) 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 medium zucchini, chopped 1 medium yellow onion, chopped ¼ teaspoon salt 5 to 6 ounces baby spinach Tomato sauce (or substitute 2 cups prepared marinara sauce) 1 large can ( 28 ounces ) diced tomatoes ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil + additional for garnish 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes Remaining ingredients 2 cups ( 16 ounces ) low-fat cottage cheese, divided ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 9 no-boil lasagna noodles* 8 ounces ( 2 cups ) freshly grated low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese Preparation Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. To prepare the veggies: In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the carrots, bell pepper, zucchini, yellow onion, and salt. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until the veggies are golden on the edges, about 8 to 12 minutes. Add a few large handfuls of spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach has wilted. Repeat with remaining spinach and cook until all of the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside. Meanwhile, to prepare the tomato sauce: Pour the tomatoes into a mesh sieve or fine colander and drain off the excess juice for a minute. Then, transfer the drained tomatoes to the bowl of a food processor. Add the basil, olive oil, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes. Pulse the mixture about 10 times, until the tomatoes have broken down to an easily spreadable consistency. Pour the mixture into a bowl for later (youshould have a little over 2 cups sauce). Rinse out the food processor and return it to the machine. Pour half of the cottage cheese (1 cup) into the processor and blend it until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to large mixing bowl. No need to rinse out the bowl of the food processor this time; just put it back onto the machine because you’ll need it later. Transfer the cooked veggies and spinach mixture to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until they are more finely chopped (but not puréed!), about 5 to 7 times, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of whipped cottage cheese. Top with the remaining cottage cheese, then add ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt (to taste) and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine. Now it’s lasagna assembly time! Spread ½ cup tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9” by 9” baking dish. Layer 3 lasagna noodles on top (snap off their ends to fit, and/or overlap their edges as necessary). Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the noodles. Top with ¾ cup tomato sauce, then sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheese on top. Top with 3 more noodles, followed by the remaining cottage cheese mixture (we’re skipping the tomato sauce in this layer.) Sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheese on top. Top with 3 more noodles, then spread ¾ cup tomato sauce over the top (you may have a little sauce leftover) to evenly cover the noodles. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup shredded cheese. Wrap a sheet of parchment paper or foil around the top of the lasagna (don’t let it come into contact with the cheese). Bake, covered, for 18 minutes, then remove the cover, rotate the pan by 180° and continue cooking for about 10 to 12 more minutes, until the top is turning spotty brown. Remove from oven and let the lasagna cool for 15 to 20 minutes, so it has time to set and cool down to a reasonable temperature. Sprinkle additional basil over the top, then slice and serve. NOTES CHANGE IT UP: Feel free to play around with the vegetables here. You’ll want to use about 3 cups chopped veggies total (excluding the onion). Mushrooms or butternut squash might be nice! MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Substitute gluten-free lasagna noodles. Choose no-boil (oven ready) noodles if possible; if not, cook them according to package directions. (Fair warning, I tried using DeBoles brand of no-bake lasagna noodles and they weren’t done cooking in the time specified here. Reheated leftovers were ok, though.) Previous Next

Papas Rellenas are a traditional Cuban snack. The fried mashed potato balls are filled with ground beef and other fillings for a delicious appetizer or main dish. It’s easy to adjust these to your liking – no two recipes are exactly the same! < Back Papas Rellenas (cuban potato meatballs) Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Serves: 24 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Papas Rellenas are a traditional Cuban snack. The fried mashed potato balls are filled with ground beef and other fillings for a delicious appetizer or main dish. It’s easy to adjust these to your liking – no two recipes are exactly the same! Ingredients Mashed Potatoes 4 large potatoes about 2 pounds (or about 4 cups if already prepared) 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter 2 egg yolks lightly beaten, (reserve whites) 1/4 cup whole milk (add slowly as you might not use it all) Salt and pepper to taste. Breading 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup bread crumbs 1 egg beaten 2 egg whites Picadillo 1 pound ground beef 1 medium onion diced 3 cloves garlic minced 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or more to taste 1/2 teaspoon cumin or more to taste 1 pinch cayenne pepper 10 Spanish olives finely chopped 2 Tablespoons juice from olives kosher salt and pepper to taste oil for frying Preparation As an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn commission on qualifying purchases. What are Papas Rellenas? Papas Rellenas are Cuban potato balls. Our closest friends are 100% Cuban-American and I’ve learned that every Cuban party has trays of papas rellenas and croquettas (ham filled potato balls). The mashed potato balls are stuffed with picadillo – a filling made with ground meat, tomatoes, and other ingredients that vary by region. Every family has their own “secret” recipe for picadillo. Some recipes call for green peppers, some call for green olives with pimentos, some for tomato paste, and others for wine and tomato sauce. For my papas rellenas recipe, I wanted to give the picadillo a hint of smokiness. I added some smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne. The stuffed potato balls can be served as an appetizer or main dish. This is also a great recipe to use up leftover mashed potatoes. And the shape of papas rellenas also makes a perfect hand-held school lunch. How to Make Papas Rellenas I learned how to make potato croquettes in cooking school, which are basically mashed potatoes with egg yolks, formed into cylinders, rolled in breadcrumbs and fried. These potato meatballs are similar. First you’ll need a batch of cold, firm, mashed potatoes. If using leftover mashed potatoes, warm them slightly and add beaten egg yolks. Or you can make the potatoes as instructed in the recipe below and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the papas rellenas. Using about ¼ cup of stiff, cold potatoes, form a ball. Flatten the ball a bit and make a hollow indentation. Put about 1 tablespoon of the picadillo inside the indentation, then enclose the meat inside the potatoes, forming a ball. Roll each ball in egg, then in breading, and place on a baking sheet . Chill 2 to 4 hours. Repeat with remaining potatoes and meat. Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer or deep frying pan . I used a deep frying pan and about 1 1/2 inches of oil. When oil is hot, carefully place 2 or 3 balls in the pan. Using a slotted spoon, turn until the potato balls are golden brown on all sides, 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer to a clean baking sheet lined with paper towels. Keep them warm in the oven until all papas are fried. Can You Freeze Papas Rellenas? Yes! You can freeze them two ways. First, prepare them up to the breading, wrap well and freeze. This is the way I prefer, as they will taste freshest when cooked. Allow them to thaw in the refrigerator before frying them. You can also freeze them after they are cooked, but I only do this if we have leftovers. INSTRUCTIONS Mashed Potatoes Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender, then drain. Mash potatoes into a large bowl. Add butter and milk, mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Potatoes should be fairly stiff so they can hold their shape Stir in beaten yolks. Cool or refrigerate potatoes. These should be stiffer than regular mashed potatoes. They can be made a day before. Picadillo Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Next, add garlic, continuing to stir until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef stirring to break up meat. Add paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook until beef is brown throughout. Add chopped olives and juice. Stir and adjust seasoning to taste, adding more if necessary. Breading Mix 1/4 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Beat the 2 egg whites and 1 egg and place in a bowl. Assembling the Papas Rellenas Using about 1/4 cup stiff, cold mashed potatoes, form into a ball. Flatten the ball and make a hollow. Put about 1 tablespoon picadillo inside the indentation. Enclose meat in potatoes, forming into a ball. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining potatoes and meat. Roll each ball in egg mixture then in breading. Place on a baking sheet. Chill 2 to 4 hours. Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer or deep frying pan. I used a deep frying pan and about 1 1/2 inches of oil. When oil is hot, carefully place 2 or 3 balls in a pan, using a slotted spoon and turn until golden brown on all sides, 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer to a clean baking sheet lined with paper towels. Hold in a warm oven until all the papas are fried. Makes approximately 2 dozen, depending on the size. Previous Next

These easy 4 Ingredient Peanut Clusters are a perfect no-bake candy for Christmas. They’re made with mix of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, creamy peanut butter, and roasted peanuts. This easy sweet treat makes the perfect homemade holiday gift! < Back Peanut Clusters Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: Varies Serves: Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Baking Chips – a combination of semi-sweet or dark chocolate and butterscotch chips creates the perfect rich flavor. Peanuts – unsalted, roasted peanuts are my favorite. Preparation Melt chocolate – temper – stir in peanuts, cashews, whatever nuts you like. Drop onto wax paper. Sooooo easy! WORKING WITH CHOCOLATE Always start with good chocolate; a good chocolate will have a “smooth melt” – no noticeable grain when melted on the tongue. Never add anything to the chocolate (paraffin, oil, etc.). Break chocolate into small pieces, or buy small chocolate pieces. Keep away from moisture (i.e. steam) when melting. In an oven, put the chocolate in a bowl/pan, place in the oven and set the temperature to the lowest possible setting and close the door. Check every few minutes to make sure the bowl is not getting too hot. To test, place your bare hand on the side of the bowl. If it’s too warm to leave your hand there, remove the bowl from the oven with hot pads and stir the chocolate until the bowl cools, then return it to the oven if necessary. May want to turn the oven off; just let chocolate melt slowly in the warm oven. Be sure to stir chocolate fairly often as it melts. Chocolate can also be melted in a microwave, but milk chocolate can scorch rather easily. Melt on 50% power or lower. You can also use a double-boiler, but this is lots o’ work. If you have a lot of time You can put a bowl of chocolate in an oven with a pilot light; it’ll melt overnight (or thereabouts). A slow/low crock pot will also work. “Tempering” is the process of mixing and cooling chocolate to get it ready for dipping/coating candy. Stir in bowl, or pour into a cold electric frying pan or marble slab and make “S” motions through the chocolate. Continue mixing and cooling until chocolate feels cool to the touch. Dip or coat candies. When working with chocolate, your room temperature should be no higher than 70º. Chocolate can be remelted many times as long as there is no moisture present and it hasn’t been scorched. How to Store and Freeze Once the peanut clusters are completely set, they can be stored either at room temperature or in the fridge up to 2 weeks. I prefer to keep them in the fridge so the chocolate doesn’t melt. To store them, line them in an airtight container with pieces of parchment or wax paper between each layer. To freeze them, let them harden completely, then transfer them to an airtight container with pieces of parchment or wax paper between each layer if you’re stacking them. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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