Caribbean Style Potato Salad

6 big potatoes
8 cups chicken broth from cubes
1/2 cup fresh mint
salt

2 apples
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 minced garlic cloves
1 cup corn
1 red pepper cut into very small pieces
1/2 red onion cut into very small pieces
2 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon tabasco sauce (optional) Spicy
salt and pepper to taste

*you can also add celery, peas, carrots, bacon bits (be creative)

Peel potatoes. Boil chicken broth, add potatoes, mint, salt and cook until done. Drain potatoes, cool (to room temperature) and cut into 1/2″ cube pieces, set aside. In a bowl mix rest of ingredients and gently fold potatoes into the mix. Serve at room temperature or place in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes or until serve. Serves 10

Family Style – Salmon Wellington with Spinach

2 pounds skinless salmon fillet
1 lime
salt and pepper
1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed but very cold
1 beaten egg with 1 tablespoon water
olive oil

for the spinach filling;
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves
1 bunch fresh basil
2 cups frozen thawed chopped spinach, squeezed dry
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick foil paper.
Season salmon with salt pepper and the juice of one lime

For spinach mixture, in a food processor mix all ingredients until well blended.
Halve salmon through the middle into 2 pieces of equal thickness.
Cut rolled dough into 2 pieces across the center, place 1 half sheet of dough on the baking sheet, sprinkle with some olive oil and center salmon on dough. Spread half of the mixture on top of the salmon filet and top with other half of the salmon. Top with remaining mixture. Set pastry top in place and seal edges. Lightly score with cross hatch pattern on angle, being careful not to cut through dough. Bake 25 minutes, brush with egg wash and bake 20 minutes longer to cook salmon through and until the dough is puffed and brown.

Caprese Tortellini Salad

1 (around 19-oz.) package frozen cheese tortellini or just fresh tortellini if you have a market close to home
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 minced garlic cloves
2 cups red cherry tomatoes cut in half
2 cups yellow cherry tomatoes cut in half
2 cups small buffalo mozzarella balls or pieces of buffalo mozzarella
big bunch fresh basil cut into strips
4 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh black pepper or red pepper flakes(spicy)

top with good quality shaved parmesan cheese

In a pan heat olive oil and cook garlic for 1 minutes, stirring accordingly, pour into big serving bowl. Cook tortellini following the package instructions, using the minimum amount of minutes. Drain and pour into serving bowl, stir and let it cool for at least 10 minutes. Add rest of ingredients, stir and serve or refrigerate up to 3 days
as a side dish serves up to 4 people

Sonia's Curry Chicken Salad Appetizer

4 chicken breast halves
1 chicken stock cube
12oz plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 apple cut into pieces
1 celery cut into pieces
2 tablespoon currants
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons curry
1 tablespoon honey
salt and pepper

Optional
You can add any of these ingredients for additional taste;
cucumber, raisins, walnuts, bacon, or grapes

In a tall pan boil water, cook chicken with cube and plenty salt. Lower heat to medium and boil chicken for 15 minutes. Remove chicken and cool, cut into small cube pieces. In a bowl mix chicken with rest of ingredients and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Serve with lettuce wraps, crackers or bread.

FYI- Curry is a mixture of several spices, predominantly turmeric. Curry powder, which is extensively used in Indian cuisine, for instance in curry chicken or curry shrimp, is largely made of turmeric combined with other spices such as coriander and fenugreek. Different countries and different regions within a country will have other herbs as part of their curry, but the predominant herb is turmeric. Many Indian cuisine cookbooks have curry recipe dishes.
Curry powder contains many powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Curcumin is one of the main substances in turmeric that gives the curry mix its yellow color.

Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict

3 english muffins
6 crab cakes
6 eggs
2 cups steam drain spinach
pepper

For Hollandaise Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1 teaspoon old bay
salt and cayenne pepper
parmesan cheese

Make crab cakes according to instructions. In a oil pan cook each cracked egg until done.
To make hollandaise:
Melt butter. Whisk in lemon juice, old bay and pepper.
Place toasted open english muffins in plates. Top evenly with spinach. Top spinach with crab cakes. Place one egg onto each half of english muffin. Drizzle hollandaise sauce over the top. Sprinkle on salt and pepper and parmesan cheese. Serves 6

Sweet Potatoes with Pecans

2 pounds sweet potato
4 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 cup brown sugar or maple/agave sirup
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
salt
2 cups of small marshmallows

Preheat oven 450 degrees. Bake potatoes until done, set aside. In a bowl mix rest of ingredients but marshmallows. Remove skin from potatoes, mix in the bowl with rest of ingredients. Pour mix into a greased baking dish. Top with marshmallows and bake uncover until marshmallow start to turn brown. Serve hot or room temperature. Serves 8

Eggs Benedict

3 english muffins or 6 1/2″ pieces of beef tomatoes
6 piecescanadian ham
6 eggs
salt and cracked pepper
chopped chives for garnish

For Hollandaise Sauce:
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoon water
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tbsp Lemon juice
pinch tabasco sauce
salt and fresh black pepper

To make hollandaise:
Whisk egg yolks with lemon juice and hot sauce. Simmer until the mixture is pale yellow. Remove from heat and wish the rest of ingredients very well. Cover to keep warm until is time to serve.

Place toasted english muffins in plates (or beef tomatoes). Assemble starting with ham then eggs. Drizzle hollandaise sauce over the top. Garnish with chives and cracked pepper. Serves 6 pieces

*

Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese

1 bag of fresh spinach
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup crumble goat cheese
2 tablespoon crumble bacon optional

For dressing;
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon pomegranate vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
pinch of nutmeg and salt

*Traveling has made me be aware of how international this recipe is, and that’s why I created my version.

FYI;Low in calories and high in vitamins, spinach is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in existence. One cup of the leafy green vegetable contains far more than your daily requirements of vitamin K and vitamin A, almost all the manganese and folate your body needs and nearly 40 percent of your magnesium requirement. It is a good, very good or excellent source of more than 20 different measurable nutrients, including dietary fiber, calcium and protein.

Buckwheat Ham and Cheese Crepes

 

 

Buckwheat Crepe Batter
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 tsp kosher salt
optional: tsp dried herbs I use Fines Herbs

Mix all ingredients in blender or with a hand mixer until blended really well.  Let batter stand for a minimum of 2 hours before cooking.  I also recommend allowing batter to come to room temp before using.  As the buckwheat rests, it can thicken.  Just add a bit of milk if too thick to swirl around in pan easily.

Crepe filling:

Shredded Fontina Cheese
Shredded Gouda Cheese
Mix blend of chopped ham varieties
 

Tips:

I find a true crepe pan works best.  It is lightweight and easy to hold as you swirl batter evenly to the edges of the pan.
Lightly smear butter to your pan if you feel it sticks.
Always pour your batter into a hot pan.  Allow crepe to cook completely before filling.  This will make crepe easier to remove from pan.
Have your fillings in bowl near your crepe station filled and ready to go.  This dish cooks quickly so have your table ready and the family near by to join in on the fun!
Make the batter before kids get home from school, or, if your having a party… can be made 1 day ahead.  (It is actually better the next day).
This recipe makes about 10 – 12 crepes.  I always find I have enough to make breakfast for my son the following am!  Scrambled eggs and a bit of cheese and ham.  A great breakfast will be the start of a great day for your kids.
Serve with a salad.  I served last night with a blueberry vinaigrette!  Scrumptious!  Recipe below.

 

Blueberry vinaigrette Herb Salad

2 tbsp good balsamic vinegar (I used pomegranate)
3 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh blueberries and handful for topping
couple of hands full of herb salad mix
 
Into salad mixing bold add balsamic and olive oil.  Mix well and add blueberries.  Smash blueberries and mix well into dressing.
Add to salad bowl herbs salad mix.  Toss to combine and plate.  Add a few extra blueberries to top of salad.
 
 
 

Sonia's Crab Cakes – Recipe

1 pound white crab meat
1 egg
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 sliced whole grain bread or bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon old bay
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon back pepper
sea salt to taste
Sliced limes for serving

Crumble bread and mix with crab. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl except crumbs and crab meat. Fold crab mixture gently into mix. Make 8 patties and place in wax paper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Bake over 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once. Serve with slices of lime on the side.

*I lived in Miami for 13 years and this recipe is my creation and reminds me of many trips to the Keys but I must pair it with my Puerto Rican rice and beans, as shown.