Banana Cranberry Smoothie YUM!

Smoothies are a great way to start your day. My smoothie recipes are very simple. And who needs complicated recipes early in the morning anyway?

Beef Stew à la Alice

If there is someone who truly inspires me in the kitchen is my sister Alice. But it wasn't always like that. Actually I used to feel intimidated by her as anything she touches in the kitchen becomes a piece of heaven and anything I 'touched' (notice this is in the past) used to turn into coal or a bad science experiment.  

Prunes Banana Smoothie

GOOD MORNING!!!   If you have never made this smoothie you are up for a good surprise. The prunes make it thick and very smooth. If you use a frozen banana then it's even more delicious.

And if you like sweet things in life, this is one of them ... if you like prunes of course.

Chicken and Cheese Flat Tortilla

You don't know what to do with your leftover chicken? I can tell you right now. Use it to make this delicious chicken and cheese quesadilla. Simple, easy, fast!

A quesadilla is actually a wheat or corn tortilla filled with a savory filling and folded in the middle. So the end shape is a half circle. But there is so much you can do with those tortillas and why not have a mix of sweet and sour like my recipe? I also think that by frying the quesadilla gives it extra flavors and color. 

Accidental Salad

Accidental salads are the best. No pre-planing required. They just happen. You start by opening your refrigerator and cupboards and taking out everything you could envision in a salad.

Banana Peanut Smoothie

Peanut butter smoothies are delicious but sometimes I feel they are too sweet. So yesterday I decided to simply use unsalted peanuts and bananas (besides milk) to make my smoothie. What a nice surprise! I loved the little bits of peanuts left to chew on. It might be related to the crunchy factor that is so addictive in junk food.

How to Peel and Eat an Orange

Oranges can be intimidating. You look at them and one of the first things that comes to your mind is the mess you are going to make to peel and eat them with all the juices running down your hands and arms.

Easiest Chicken Stew Ever

This is a recipe dedicated to my son who thinks peeling and chopping an onion is worse than cleaning cat litter box. So no chopping onions and neither crushing garlic. My solution to have this chicken have some taste is to use the 'Traditional Marinara Sauce' that I get at Trader Joe's . I'm obsessed with this sauce. Why? Because of the ingredients it does not have. It does not have sugar and neither any artificial color, flavor or preservatives. Can you believe that? Of course seasoning the chicken with soy sauce also helps to add more taste to this dish.

Ridiculously Easy Rice

 
You know those lazy days when you feel like doing nothing let alone cooking? Well this is the day to make this rice and pair it with the 'Easiest Chicken Stew Ever'.

Brazilian Black Beans

Black beans are a staple in Rio de Janeiro where I am from. When I worked at the 'Escola Americana do Rio de Janeiro' (American School of Rio de Janeiro) I remember that black beans and rice were an option every day, despite what the main menu was. The Americans teaching there quickly learned to love black beans.

How to Peel a Butternut Squash

Peeling a butternut squash is easier than you think. Then you can chop and cook it anyway you want. Try the delicious Brazilian Butternut Squash Sweet.

Cut one end.

And then the other.

Cut in half.

Remove the seeds with a spoon.

Stand one half on the board and peel the edges of the squash.

Using a sharp knife makes your work way easier.
Don't waste your time going 'surgical' with your cuts. If your peels are a little thick don't worry, it's just a squash. Better to waste a little bit of squash than to get bored to death in the kitchen.

Do the same with the other half.

 Slice the halves.

Then cut each slice in squares.

So simple!
Now go make some soup or butternut squash sweet!

Brown Sugar Pancake

I just 'had' to make pancakes again. It was all Chris' fault. Chris is one of my son's friends who spent the night over and when he woke up he asked if I we wanted 'him' to make pancakes for breakfast. Soon he understood that in a home with 'Mom Amelia' this is not a possibility for "I am the one who must feed the children" no matter how old they are. And the Finnish friends who were still with us had a chance to eat more pancakes. They seemed happy.

Banana Pancake

Yesterday I posted my pancake recipe and today I have another pancake post, but this time it is 'banana pancake'! Don't think I eat pancakes every day. I actually rarely eat pancakes, as I said they are a weekend treat. But we have two guests from Finland and they deserve some American breakfast, of course.