Coconut Mango Bread– Pan de Coco y Mango    I was over the moon to have the entire familia home for the Holidays.  We all had the opportunity to slow-down, un-wind and really enjoy each other’s company. Laid back dinners and hearty brunches were the theme, plenty of baking with the kids and late nights spent chit chatting at the table sipping cocktails.  It was all in all time we all very much needed.  I hosted a few brunches, (remember that espresso bar on instagram?), where I served this tropical breakfast bread.  The days were chilly so a hint… Read More

    Crock Pot Chicken Verde-  Chicken Verde en el Crock Pot I spent the entire day Saturday gutting-sorting-cleaning my kitchen pantry from top to bottom. My pantry was a nightmare, an overload of ingredients in desperate need of organization. I pulled everything out-baking supplies, spices, canned goods, pasta, and bags of rice, beans and lentils.  Every inch of my new kitchen table was covered. I was pretty embarrassed when mi carnio walked in and saw the table. “So… I guess I should go pick up something for dinner,” he said. “Looks like you will be tied up the entire… Read More

Sweet Life Disclosure: This post was sponsored by I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter® through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated to write a post about I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter® Deliciously Simple™, all opinions are my own. Sautéed Sweet Plantains- Maduros I’ve been having fun in the kitchen with plantains lately and am really enjoying finding new and exciting ways to cook with them.  My mom rarely cooked with them, so I feel like I’m making up for lost time. Their simplicity to cook, eagerness to grasp any flavor I toss at them only makes them… Read More

Pozole Verde We begin every New Year with a big comforting bowl of pozole in my family.  Every year while we kids were out popping firecrackers, lighting sparklers and gearing up for midnight my mom was inside prepping her pozole; that would slowly simmer away all night. The clock would strike midnight, the 12 grapes were quickly devoured, hugs, kisses and well wishes were shared and off to bed we were sent. The next day we would gather around the kitchen table and watch her ladle bowls of steamy pozole for the family. We were now prepared to tackle a… Read More

Marshmallows – Malvaviscos When I was engaged I began collecting fun Christmas activities in a small black binder for my future family.  The first recipe I clipped out was this one for Marshmallows featured in the February 1996 issue of Martha Stewart Living. My first daughter was 3 when I first made these marshmallows. She’s 13 now, my second daughter 8, so you can say these little pillows of love have become a family tradition.  The first year I made them the whipping process burned out my hand mixer. I thought I ruined the batch, but they came out amazing…. Read More

Jalapeño Jelly – Jalea de Jalapeño Every Christmas the Principal of the school where my mami worked as a teacher’s aide gifted his co-workers jalapeno jelly that his wife made. Mami looked forward to the little jar of jelly every year as she enjoyed it over crackers. One year she attempted the recipe, but with little ones running amuck in her kitchen she did not get too far into the process. After that she settled with purchasing a few jars from road stand fruit vendors. This year I thought I’d surprise her and a few of my neighbors with small… Read More