Mermelada de Fresa./ Strawberry marmalade.

Aqui esta la receta que use para la mermelada de fresas. 

Here is the recipe for the strawberry  marmalade.

Strawberry marmalade (taken from Taste of Home canning: and preserving magazine 2012)

This recipe make ordinary orange marmalade into something really special! Sometimes I make it using strawberries that I've frozen. I just thaw them into the refrigerator overnight.
Mrs. Craig Presbey
Pascoag, Rodhe Island

2 medium oranges
2 medium lemons
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 quart ripe strawberries, crushed
7 cups sugar
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin (half of a 6-ounce package)

Peel outer layer of oranges and lemons; set aside. Remove the white membrane from fruit and discard. Set the fruit aside. Chop peels; place in a large saucepan. Add water and baking soda; cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, section oranges and lemons, reserving juice.Add fruit and juice to saucepan; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add strawberries. Measure fruit; return 4 cups to the saucepan . (If you have more than 4 cups, discard any extra; if less, add water to equal 4 cups.) Add sugar and mix well. Boil uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat; stir in pectin. Stir for 5 minutes to cool; skim foam.

Carefully ladle into hot half-pint jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water  canneror store in the freezer. Serve with toast or biscuits.

Yield: about 10 half-pints.

Blueberry jam

Aqui esta la receta que use para la mermelada de arandanos (blueberries). 

Here is the recipe for the blueberry jam.

Blueberry jam (taken from Taste of Home canning: and preserving magazine 2012)

Summer doesn't feel complete without at least one berry picking trip and a batch of this homemade blueberry delight. Try it over fresh scones or biscuits.

Marisa McClellan

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

8 cups fresh blueberries

6 cups sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 pouches (3 ounces each) liquid fruit pectin

Place blueberries in a food processor; cover and process until blended.Transfer to a stockpot. stir in the sugar, lemon, juice, cinnamon, lemon peel and nutmeg. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.Stir in the pectin. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat; skim off foam. ladle  hot mixture into hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner. 

Yield: 9 half-pints.  

Un dia maravilloso!/Such a great day!

Hoy no me he sentido muy bien, anoche tuve un calambre muy fuerte en mi pantorrilla izquierda lo cual no me permitio descansar! Aun asi, creo que mi hermosa familia merece lo mejor de mi (yo yo tambien) asi que decidi hacer boyos los cuales en esta ocasion han sido “UN EXITO TOTAL”.

Receta: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bird-rolls/detail.aspx

I haven’t feel well today, last night my left leg cramped and I couldn’t rest! besides de discomfort I believe my lovely family deserves the best of me (and so do I) so, I decided to make rolls which this time have been “A TOTAL SUCCESS.”

Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bird-rolls/detail.aspx

pastel pastel...como me encanta...how I love cake...

There is a single cake slide left from the cake I made last Sunday. Cakes have an especial place in my heart. At home with Mom and Dad we always have had cake to celebrate birthdays... ALWAYS... Cakes for me are an token for Happiness. I remember one winter, it was just around Christmas that we as a family gave (as present, we bought the cake, it was a 3 milks cake) a cake to our piano teacher. She was going through some hard situationss at the time, and when she saw us with a pink cake (I suppose it was pink, I do not exactly remember) we smiled, she told us that that day she wanted to eat cake but could not find some time to make one, we al felt happier that evening. So cakes makes life bright, because a cake was given hearts were touched. This is one of my favorite memories also.

Ok the recipe of the cake I made last Sunday is here, from the same book Seasons of my Heart by Susana Trilling. It's delicious!! This time I followed the recipe completly, however I made little mistake which I realized too late...the cake was fine though... my mistake was that I used baking powder instead of baking soda... I wonder what makes those two different...and I did not use rum, for obvious reasons.

PASTEL DE COCO
Coconut Pecan Cake
MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS

For the cake
5 eggs at room temperature for at least 1 hour
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sunflower  or vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk mixed with 1/2 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup grated fresh coconut, toasted
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
For the frosting
1cup (2sticks) plus 1 tablespoon buttle, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 cups confetioner's sugar
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped and toasted
Rum to taste

FOR THE CAKE
Preheat the oven to 325⁰F. Oil a Bunt pan or two 8-inch square pans.
Separate the egg yolks and the whites into bowls.
In a large bowl, mix the butter, oil, and sugar until creamy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition.
Mix the baking soda and milk.
Add the flour to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Add the vainilla, coconut, and nuts. Mix well. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then fold into the batter.
pour the batter into the greased cake pans and bake for 45 minutes or until the cake separates from the edge of the pan. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes, then remove from pans. Cool on a rack.

FOR THE FROSTING
Cream the butter and cream cheese with a hand or electric mixer. Add the vanilla, confectioner's sugar, nuts and rum. Mix well.
Brush off the excess crumbs. If using a Bundt pan, frost the cake on all sides and around the center hole. Decorate with fresh flowers. If using the square pans, invert  a layer onto a plate and cover the top pf the cake with frosting. Place the second layer (inverted) on top of the first and frost the sides of the cake. Finally, frost the top and decorate with fresh flowers.

cocinando!!!...cooking!!!

Last Sunday I decided to cook como Dios manda and it was great. The menu was italian chicken, savory fava bean soup and coconut cake for dessert. Fava bean soup is one of my favorite  dishes, my mom uses to make it frequently at home.

I got a good recipe from this marvelous recipe book entitled "Seasons of My Heart" by Susana Trilling, which has all sort of original and "from scratch" Mexican food recipes. The recipe is ... if you ever wonder...

SOPA DE HABA (Savory Fava Bean Soup)

MAKES 6 SERVINGS AS A FIRST COURSE, 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

1 pound fresh fava beans (see Hint)

1 medium white onion, finely chopped, and 1/2 medium onion chunked

12 garlic cloves, 7 finely chopped and 5 left whole

2 springs hierbabuena (see Note)

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 pound tomatoes (2 medium-large round or 8-10 plum), boiled , peeled, and finely chopped (reserve one cup cooking water)

2 teaspoons sunflower oil

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped.

In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 1 1/2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the fava beans, chopped onion, chopped garlic, and hierbabuenaand cover the pan. Lower the heat and cook until the beans are soft, about 45 minutes. Add the salt.

In a blender, combine the tomatoes, chunked onion, whole garlic with one cup of the reserved tomato water. Blend until smooth. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan and fry the tomato mixture for 5 minutes. Add the fava beans and stir in. Add the cilantro, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Hint: You can substitute fresh peas for  the fava beans.

Note: Hierbabuena (MENTHA SPICATA): Spearmint, used as a flavoring in tea or a variety of dishes and for upset stomach.

I used canola oil instead of sunflower oil, I also used the pression cooker, olla presto,and I asked mom for how long should I cook the fava beans, her answer was "about 40 to 45 min, they have to be very soft so the soup gets thick." I did not have spearmint, so I did not add it... It tastes great anyway.... mmmm!!! hahaha!!!