Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)

This is an all time favorite of mine!

Brazilian food is definitely freakin’ delicious and this is by far one of the most well known Brazilian food.

This cheese bread isn’t like any other, it’s distinctive flavor and soft texture comes from the tapioca flour,

which comes from the cassava root.

Brazilian food consists in a lot of corn and cassava based products, those being largely grown and produced in Brazil.

These are so damn cheesy, the flavor is like POW!

Just ask anyone who’s been to Brazil, the one thing they wont stop raving about is the amazing cheese bread!

So go ahead and make them, they just so happen to be Gluten Free!

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INGREDIENTS:

2 cups tapioca flour

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup oil (preferably Canola)

2 eggs

14 oz parmesan cheese

1 tsp salt

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DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375ºF/190ºC.

Pour oil, water, milk, and salt into a large saucepan, and place over high heat.

When the mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat immediately, and stir in tapioca flour until smooth.

Set aside to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the eggs and parmesan cheese to the dough and knead thoroughly. If it’s too hot for your hands, use a wooden spoon.

The dough should be the consistency of normal bread dough, don’t worry if its really sticky, that’s totally normal!

Roll golf-ball sized balls of dough into your well-oiled hands.

Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until golden brown on top.

April 21, 2010 | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments »

Creamy n’ Cheesy Pasta with Juicy Turkey Breasts

I made this DELICIOUS recipe when I was on vacation in Portugal about a year ago.

I stayed a bit at my grandma’s house and couldn’t help but cook some food after always

eating at restaurants! So I cooked up some cheesy magic for dinner, something my grandma never

tasted before, a mac & cheese style dish.

For this I mixed up spaghetti with ham and finely chopped tomatoes.

I got a lot of compliments on this dish, some cousins ate over. It was perfect!

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INGREDIENTS:

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2 tbsp. flour

1 cup milk

Your favorite creamy cheese (I used some, French, creamy goats cheese – that I bought myself in Paris!)

Feta cheese

½ cup chopped up tomatoes

Some ham (I used turkey ham)

1 tbsp. butter or margarine

Thyme

Salt and pepper

Ketchup

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DIRECTIONS:

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On medium heat add the milk and flour at once, stir rapidly with a fork or whisk.

Add in the salt, pepper, thyme and butter (always stirring).

Once it starts to get a little thick add in all of the cheese and ham.

Keep on stirring and meanwhile have your pasta drained and ready to be tossed in the mixture.

Before adding the pasta, add all of the tomato and cover for 3minutes.

Then, add the pasta and ketchup (this is what changes this dish completely into something delicious).

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For the Turkey/Chicken breasts:

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Grab your breast and sprinkle in some salt, pepper, paprika and chopped up garlic.

Rub this on breast until it’s completely covered all over.

Then, add in some white wine or lemon juice. Let it marinate for an hour.

Once it’s ready grab a skillet and get it nice and hot, drizzle in some olive oil and add the breasts.

Let them fry nicely and viola!

July 16, 2008 | Tags: , , , | No Comments »

Chicken and Butternut Squash Lasagne

Butternut squash…

It’s my all time fave veggie, delicious cooked in everyway!

One of my all time fave dish?

Lasagne.

So why not mix the two faves together?!

The result was pure, creamy, mouth watering, comforting textures and flavors.

To tell you the truth, it was the BEST lasagne I have ever made!

So please, take the time to make this freakin’ delicious and easy dish for your next dinner.

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INGREDIENTS:

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1 butternut squash (about 3 cups, cubed)Chicken and Butternut Squash Lasagne

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tsp oregano

3 skinless chicken breasts (or use leftover chicken)

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

400g can of chopped tomatoes

no-cook lasagne sheets (or fresh, like me)

2 tsbp butter/margarine

3 tbsp plain flour

2 cups milk

1 tsp grated nutmeg

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

salt and pepper

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DIRECTIONS:

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Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC.

Peel and cut the butternut squash into cubes, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with 1 tsp of oregano,

season with salt and pepper and roast until its tender.

Chop the chicken breasts into small pieces (or shred up leftover chicken).

Heat a tbsp of olive oil, add the garlic and let it get nice and to a light brown color and add the chicken and cook.

Now add the tomatoes and herbs, let it simmer for 5 minutes, turn off the heat and cover it.

Meanwhile, make the béchamel sauce (white sauce).

Melt the butter and then whisk in the flour. Let the paste cook for a minute then add the milk, a little at a time,

whisking well so you wont have any small lumps (do this in medium heat).

If it gets too thick add in more milk, or if it isn’t creamy enough add in more flour.

Once its done add in the nutmeg and stir until its well mixed in.

In a 30cm square lasagne dish add a small layer of the chicken and tomato sauce (use about one third of the

mixture, don’t worry if it doesn’t completely cover the bottom of the dish).

Top with a layer of lasagne and top this with half the roasted butternut squash and 1/2 cup of cheese.

Add another layer of lasagne, followed by chicken and tomato sauce.

Top this with the remaining butternut squash and 1/2 cup of cheese.

Add another layer of lasagne, top with the remaining chicken and tomato sauce, top with another lasagne

layer, pour the white sauce all over and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.


July 15, 2008 | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »