Category:

Food

Food is more than just something you put in your mouth to your fuel your body. Food is an adventure, a shared experience with someone you love, it’s traveling to a distant part of the world and it brings people together.

In our family are foodies. I come from a long line of foodies. We were taught to try everything and I’ve raised my daughters to try everything twice.

Here I will review different restaurants, share recipes and try foods that you may otherwise have never heard of or known about. My goal is to share all the good we discover and give my readers, and my family, exposure to different kinds of cuisines and tastes.

Food is something that connects all humans. We all need it. We all love it. The more we understand the foods of different cultures, the more we can understand it’s people and the world can always use a little more human understanding.

Food

Pina Colada Cupcake Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2016/02/25

written by Deborah Cruz

If you like Pina coladas and getting caught in the rain, my pina colada cupcake recipe is going to make your mouth happy. When I think of Pina Coladas, I think of lying on a beach somewhere like Hawaii relaxing in the sun as the surf hits the shore. This is my happy place and I can’t think of anywhere else more perfect to spend an afternoon, unless it was on that same beach in a hammock lying in the arms of the Big Guy.

I don’t have Pina Coladas often but when I do, I’m in my happy place. I’ve even shared the virgin kind with my girls. There is just something about all that pineapple, coconut goodness that makes it impossible to be in a bad mood.

So when I was asked to make a cupcake inspired by my favorite cocktail, a Pina Colada cupcake recipe was the first thing that came to mind. I actually came up with this recipe last year for my daughter’s Luau themed golden birthday party.

Ingredients for Pina Colada Cupcake Recipe:

½ c. butter, melted

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

1 cup of brown sugar

½ cup pineapple juice, from crushed pineapple

1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained (Save juice)

½ cup whole milk

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of coconut extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 2/3 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line muffin cups with paper liners.

Combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pineapple juice and salt in a large mixing bowl; mix with hand mixer on Low until combined, about 3 minutes; add butter and mix.

Beat 1 egg into the flour mixture at a time, assuring each is integrated fully before introducing the next; beat until the mixture forms a cake batter.

Slowly add milk, vanilla extract and coconut extract to the batter, beating and intermittently scraping down the sides of the bowl as you mix, until fully integrated. Fold in crushed pineapple.

Spoon batter into paper liners to about 2/3 full.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Cool completely for 30 minutes before icing.

Cream Cheese frosting

Ingredients

3 cups powdered sugar

½ cup butter, room temperature

8 oz. package of cream cheese

1-teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon of coconut extract

1 cup of toasted coconut flakes

Maraschino cherries

Directions

To prepare the frosting, use the paddle attachment on your mixer and cream the butter, vanilla extract, and coconut extract for 2 minutes until fluffy and light. On low speed add powdered sugar. Beat until it forms a ball. Add cream cheese and mix on lowest speed for 1 minute.

Place in refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes.

Frost cupcakes, sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes and top with maraschino cherry. For extra fun, we placed cocktail umbrellas on some of the pina colada cupcakes. My girls loved it.

If you could turn any cocktail into a cupcake recipe what would it be? If you already have, please share a link in the comments. I’d love to give it a try.

Hope your family enjoys my pina colada cupcake recipe as much as we did.

2016/02/25 2 comments

Food

Food is Love

by Deborah Cruz 2016/02/12

written by Deborah Cruz

When I think of food, I think of love. Not like, my food loves me but I associate food with the feelings of being cared about by someone who loves you; like my mother making me a grilled cheese after school on a cold winter day when I was a small child or how she made me that same favorite grilled cheese when I was overcome with morning sickness when I was pregnant with my first child. There is something comforting and beautiful about a food made with such love and caring as a mother providing food for her child.

I think most people think of food in this way. That’s probably why we have that old saying, “A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Maybe there is something to it. Most people celebrate the big occasions in life with food because it’s a way to share a special moment with family and friends, punctuated by the warm, permeating smells of something delicious baking in the oven.

I think I probably learned this as a small child watching my mom cook for my father and the six of us children. Some of my fondest memories as a child are centered on our kitchen table as we all shared a meal. I want that for my children. The meal is about more than just the food, it’s about gathering together and talking about your day. It’s about listening and caring. In a word, it’s about love.

This is why my family has dinner together every night and on weekends, all meals are eaten gathered around our dining table after we spend the prep time in the kitchen together. Those cooking stand at the stove while those not sit at the island, watching and learning. We’ve done this with our girls since they were very small.

They’ve always had an interest in cooking and want to learn the recipes we’ve had handed down from our mothers and grandmothers. I always get a warm fuzzy feeling when they ask, “Mommy, when I grow up, will you teach me how to make your enchiladas/ secret recipe meatloaf/lemon Greek soup?” My standard answer is, “Yes, of course,” then I whisper, “ It’s all on the blog.”

Of course like most kids, they love anything I cook or bake even more so if they have a hand in it and I think it’s important to encourage them to experiment. I want it to be a fun experience not something I take so seriously that I yell at every imperfection. I just breathe and remind myself that there is a special beauty in the imperfections and these precious moments are few and fleeting the older they get. Pretty soon, I am sure they will both be better cooks than I am.

There is one thing that they love to bake together as often as possible, Pillsbury™ Grands! Cinnamon Rolls. Maybe, like my mom’s grilled cheese does for me, it holds some special part in their heart. All I know is that if they see them in the refrigerator, they always get a little sparkle in their eye because they know that we will be together in the kitchen baking them.

There is just something special about biting into that first bite of a warm, gooey cinnamon roll especially when someone you love made it. For Valentine’s Day, I thought a fun way to surprise the girls was with a batch of Pillsbury™ Grands! Cinnamon Rolls. Each bite reminding them of how much their mom loves them. This is so simple but something they will remember forever and might someday do for their own children. It’s quick, it’s easy and what’s more special than waking up to the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls on a cold Midwestern morning?

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by General Mills through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Pillsbury™ Grands! Cinnamon Rolls, all opinions are my own.

2016/02/12 0 comment

holiday recipes, healthy, fuel up to play 60

Holiday Recipes with a Healthy Twist

by Deborah Cruz 2015/12/07

written by Deborah Cruz

Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with National Dairy Council Fuel Up To Play 60 en español and Latina Bloggers Connect but all opinions on healthy holiday recipes are my own.

The holidays are here and everyone knows that the time between Halloween and New Year’s day is all about celebrating, which means it’s all about eating and drinking. We look forward to traditional family favorites like candy at Halloween, turkey at Thanksgiving, Tamales, Bunuelos and Rompope at Christmas and, of course, all the decadence and cocktails that New Year’s Eve brings with it. It’s the most delicious time of the year and also can be unhealthy but it doesn’t have to be if you make those holiday recipes healthy.

My theory is everything in moderation. If you are craving something and you completely ignore your body’s craving, you will be left feeling unsatisfied and frustrated. But what if your body is craving 7 cocktails, a heaping helping of pumpkin pie with more than a dollop of whipping cream and tamales x4? Then what?

Firstly portion control is a big part of staying healthy during the holidays. So why not use some of the tools provided by Fuel Up to Play 60 like Supertracker, which allows you to track your food and physical activity while setting goals and having access to the nutritional values of the food as well as target portion sizes.

There is also the option of taking your favorite holiday dishes and drinks and making them healthier by swapping out less healthy ingredients for healthier options. For example, swapping out full fat cheeses for low fat cheeses, swapping out red meat for chicken or pork or instead of drinking 3 glasses of eggnog, limit yourself to one.

Fuel Up to Play 60 and their new website (FuelUpToPlay60.com) is designed to help Latino students and their families to be active and make healthier dietary choices by providing relevant resources.

It will help you make your holiday recipes more healthy.

Fuel Up to Play 60 en Español aims to help Spanish-speaking students (and their families) create positive changes that increase opportunities for more active lifestyles. Parental diets and family physical activity habits often have an impact on children’s lifestyles. Through take-home materials and opportunities for family involvement, Fuel Up to Play 60 goes beyond the classroom and into the community and homes of students to achieve the most effective results.

If you’re looking for a great holiday gift for the foodie with a nutritional conscience in your life, The Dairy Good Cookbook is a great option. It’s full of delicious recipes and beautiful photography.

Milk, cheese and yogurt not only taste great, but also are nutrient-rich, affordable, readily available and versatile; making dairy foods realistic options to help people build healthier meal plans.

The book features more than 100 recipes that showcase the unique tastes and versatility of dairy – from cheese and yogurt to milk and butter. The book celebrates the nation’s more than 47,000 dairy farm families and their commitment to their land, animals, commitment to community and their love of family.

The Dairy Good Cookbook is available wherever books and ebooks are sold and retails for $25.00.

How do you keep your holiday recipes healthy?

2015/12/07 0 comment

Thanksgiving recipes, perfect thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, family, Angel Soft, recipes, recipe perfect thanksgiving

Food

Recipe for the Perfect Thanksgiving

by Deborah Cruz 2015/11/18

written by Deborah Cruz

A perfect Thanksgiving is just around the corner. In all honesty, it’s my favorite holiday, not because of the perfect turkey recipe, all of the scrumptious side recipes or even the unbelievably good tasting sweet potato casserole that I make every year but because it’s the one time of year, I know that my entire family will be gathered together in one space; breathing the same air. I am so grateful for this one-day and these people who I hold so dear to my heart. These are the people who cause me to be soft and to be strong.

We don’t live that far apart, only a few hours really. But as many of you can relate, life gets in the way of the best intentions. We never get to see one another as much as we would like. But birthdays, weddings, religious celebrations and Thanksgiving, those are the days we show up for without fail.

Once the Big Guy and I were married, we knew that we wanted Thanksgiving to be our holiday because we wanted to unite both families. My husband is from a small family. He only has one brother, three uncles and two aunts. I can count all of his cousins on one hand. This was weird for me at first because this was completely different from what I was used to.

I grew up in a big Latino family with 60 first cousins and several Aunts and Uncles. My parents have six children and we were raised to believe that family is the most important thing, right after God. Being together with family means everything to us. In fact, we were raised that the moment you marry your spouse his family is your family. Even if you barely know them or don’t like them, you love them because they are family.

That’s the true recipe for the perfect Thanksgiving.

We may not have had much in the way of money or possessions growing up, our fortune was meager but we were rich in family and wealthy beyond our wildest imagination in love. We want this for my children. This is why we decided to host Thanksgiving, to bring both sides of the family together and blend them into one great big beautiful village for our children. For us, Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate all the blessings we have by being part of that amazing group of people.

Since I was a small child, Thanksgiving has always been about our family being together celebrating. In Mexico, they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving because it’s an American holiday but in our house, it’s always been a day to be thankful for the life we have and the people we get to share it with. This is a beautiful thing to celebrate.

We might be Mexican but our Thanksgiving doesn’t look much different than yours. There are only a few subtle differences. For example, at some point during the day Banda music will probably be playing because I like to dance while I cook. There will always be hot sauce on the table because my dad puts it on every thing he eats, including turkey legs.

Sure there is football on the television, pumpkin pie with whipped cream and a 30-pound turkey but depending on who’s showing up there might be tamales and there is usually a pretty intense game of lotteria played by all the children. In the end, it’s all about the family and taking the day to be thankful for those people whom you get to love.

What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Georgia Pacific. The opinions and text about Thanksgiving are all mine.

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2015/11/18 1 comment

Pillsbury, cinnamon rolls, family, breakfast

Food Lifestyle

Sunday Mornings were Made for Family

by Deborah Cruz 2015/10/15

written by Deborah Cruz

In our house, weekends equal sleeping in, relaxing and indulgent brunching. All week long, we are always in such a rush to get to all the places that we need to be that we seldom have time for anything more than toast or cold cereal. There is no time to linger and have long conversations over hot breakfasts and warm coffee. This alone makes us look forward to Sunday mornings.

As our daughters get older, life goes by faster. I know it sounds crazy because time never actually speeds up. But I swear it seems like just yesterday my girls were being born and that first year seemed like an eternity but now, they are 8 and 10 years old and the days, months and years are flying by. Sometimes, I just want to hit pause and Sunday brunch is our way of doing that.

We know that Sunday mornings are the one day a week that we can all sleep in until the girls jump in bed and wake us to butterfly kisses and tiny giggles. Then we come downstairs in our pajamas with no place to be and as a family, we make brunch.

Usually the Big Guy or myself make the meal but the girls are always close underfoot to help set the table, clean the fruit, squeeze juice or at the very least chat us up about the weeks happenings at school, ballet and tumbling. This is when we really talk about everything and nothing. In order for us to parent effectively, we have to listen and engage in these fleeting moments.

Brunch usually includes music playing in the kitchen as we have impromptu morning dance parties while the smell of bacon and something scrumptious in the oven wafts through the air. This weekend it was ooey, gooey Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls. There is just something so comforting about biting into a warm, freshly baked pastry dripping with icing. It’s like a warm hug.

Honestly, the only thing better than the smell of bacon and cinnamon rolls wafting through the house is the sound of little girls giggling and mommies and daddies sharing inside jokes, winks and stolen glances as they take it all in. They don’t call it Sunday Funday for nothing.

In my book, it doesn’t get much better than sleep in your eyes, random hugs and cuddles and food that makes your soul dance. What’s your favorite Sunday morning family ritual?

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Pillsbury through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, all opinions are my own.

2015/10/15 0 comment

Food Parenting

Parenting Means Nourishing the Mind, Body and Soul

by Deborah Cruz 2015/10/07

written by Deborah Cruz

Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Nesquik and Latina Bloggers Connect but all opinions are my own.

Weekdays are crazy at our house; absolutely chaotic in the best possible way. This is what being a family and having children is all about. I remember as a child myself, there were six of us on top of each other in a tiny house. My childhood was loud, crazy and busy but it was filled with love because we had each other. Family can make everything better because no matter what’s going wrong in the world, you have those people who know you best and at your worst who still love you as if you were pure perfection. That is priceless.

This is how I raise our girls. They know that even when life is absolutely crazy and they have 15 different things on their plate; places to be, homework to be done and people to see, they know that they’ve got someone to lean on. I’ve always tried to teach them that it’s not about what you have in this world but about whom you share your life with, your family and your friends.

Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to really remember what that means. After breaking my leg a few weeks ago, I’ve had to come to a full stop, which was absolutely terrifying for me. I don’t do “full stop”. I’m more of a rolling stop, carry on kind of gal. But life has seen to it that I slow down completely. Life has taken control out of my hands and forced me to relinquish my obligations and let others help me. That is something that is very hard for me. I’m a doer. I always have been so waiting for others and depending on others is a difficult thing for me to do, maybe one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

The thing is that it’s not just about me. I have the Big Guy and my girls to consider. They have so many activities that they participate in. When the school year started, I knew that we had a full schedule. Everyone told me that we were overextending ourselves but I knew I could handle it. The problem is now, I can’t do any of it and everyone else is pitching in to help get my girls where they need to go.

The hardest part is knowing what needs to be done, being 100% willing to help and 0% able to get my girls to ballet, gymnastics, cheer, violin, choir, robotics or even just an impromptu soccer game or birthday party. I have to depend on someone else to do all of these things because I can’t drive with my broken leg.

But there are some things I can still do like show them how much I love them by doing little things like brushing their hair before bed, reading them bedtime stories or making them a quick, nutritious and fuel-charging snack like homemade granola bars with an ice cold glass of Nesquik. Sometimes it’s the little things that mean the most in the midst of all the chaos.

Protein is essential for a healthy and active lifestyle. Nesquik provides kids with 40% Daily Value for calcium and 8 grams of protein in every serving compared to zero grams in the leading sports and juice drinks. Nesquik chocolate milk is available in pre-made 8 oz. serving bottles full of all the same nutritional benefits plus the great taste kids love. Its convenient size makes it portable and a great option when packing lunches and nutritious snacks for after school activities.

Aside from homemade granola and Nesquik, a few other tasty, healthy, fuel-charging and healthy snacks that I give my girls that I feel good about are:

Celery with peanut butter and raisins
Apple slices with peanut butter
Cheese and Fruit Kabobs
Cottage Cheese with fresh fruit
Strawberries, Nutella and a whole-wheat crepe
Homemade yogurt and fruit Popsicle

These are all quick, easy and nutritious; the perfect after school or before a game restoring pick-me up. After a tough practice or game, studies suggest that low fat chocolate milk, like Nesquik, may contain the ideal 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein that can help restore muscles. This right balance provides your athlete with the nourishment they need after a hard game.

This is a sponsored campaign in collaboration with Nesquik and Latina Bloggers Connect, all opinions and text are all mine.

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2015/10/07 0 comment

Glucerna, diabetes, carbsteady, healthy snacks, diabetic dessert, dessert

Food Health

Recipe for the Perfect CarbSteady Banana Split Parfait

by Deborah Cruz 2015/09/24

written by Deborah Cruz

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Glucerna. All opinions are mine alone. #GlucernaContigo #CollectiveBias

Did you know that 6 million(23%) Hispanics in the United States have diabetes compared to 20 million of non-Hispanic whites. In addition to that an estimated that 57 million people in the United States have pre-diabetes, and 35% are estimated to be Hispanic. This is a terrifying statistic, especially for the Latino community.

At my last check up my doctor told me that my sugar was higher than she would like. I was not diabetic but she wanted my numbers to go down or one day, I will be diabetic. That really scared me because I have lost people in my family that I love to diabetes. I don’t want to be another statistic and I certainly don’t want to die because of bad eating habits.

That’s the thing about diabetes, it is a scary and terrible disease but it can be prevented if you are willing to do the work; move more and eat less of the foods that are bad for you. I know it’s hard because we develop these habits and our bodies crave sweets.

It’s not easy but isn’t your life worth the sacrifice? Isn’t being around to see your children and your grandchildren grow up worth it? Do it for your spouse who loves you and doesn’t want to live without you. Do it for you because you deserve to live a long and happy life and no amount of sweets is worth giving up all of that living you still have to do.

One way to avoid becoming another statistic is to start by changing some of your favorite recipes and making them healthier. You could be surprised at how a few tweaks can change your life for the better.

One of my favorite treats has always been ice cream. I love ice cream but I know too much of a good thing can quickly become a bad thing so I’ve changed up one of my favorite recipes the banana split.

Banana Split Parfait

Ingredients

½ banana

½ cup of strawberries

¾ cup of organic French vanilla yogurt

½ Glucerna Crispy Delight Nutrition Bar in Chocolate Chip ( which can easily be found at your local Wal-Mart.)

Glucerna products have CARBSTEADY, which includes slowly digestible carbohydrates designed to help minimize blood sugar spikes.

Directions

Using a small parfait glass, layer half of the bananas sliced on the bottom of the cup.

Then layer one third of the French vanilla yogurt.

Top that with ¼ cup fresh, sliced strawberries

Add another layer of bananas

Add another layer of yogurt

Add a layer of strawberries

Add final layer of remaining French vanilla yogurt

Top with crumbled up ½ of Glucerna Chocolate chip Crispy delight Nutrition bar to give the parfait a little extra crunch and nutrition.

Enjoy in good conscious.

This treat is tasty, healthy and you won’t feel like you are being punished. It’ll fulfill your sweet tooth but its completely healthy.

Bonus: You can click here for $1 off coupon on any 1 Glucerna product.

Glucerna – Steady Ahead from Kevin Egan on Vimeo.

Be sure to check out more information about Glucerna, great meal plans and the amazing array of shakes and nutritional bar options at Glucerna.com

2015/09/24 0 comment

Food Latina

Elote Casserole Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2015/06/26

written by Deborah Cruz

Have you ever tasted elote? I make lots of Mexican dishes and have lots of favorite Mexican food recipes, my enchilada recipe is to die for. Seriously, but I also have developed a new take on an old favorite, elote! You may know it as esquites. I am calling it elote casserole because it’s not quite esquites either.

Growing up, I remember getting elote, the amazing steamed corn from street vendors. It was always a treat that we kids looked forward to, maybe more so than paletas! Anyways, I don’t currently live any where that I can get access to elote and you what they say, necessity is the mother of invention. In this case, it was the mother of the invention of this recipe. The same way it inspired me to develop my mexican hot chocolate milkshake recipe. There was no way I could let me kids grow up without knowing what this amazing food tastes like.

What is elote? If you are not Mexican, you may be asking yourself this. Elote is basically corn on the cob, steamed or boiled in the husk. Then the husk is pulled back and the corn is dipped in mayonnaise, drizzled with limejuice, dusted with Parmesan cheese and then liberally covered in tajin. You can substitute limejuice for lemon pepper and tajin for chili powder, either way, it tastes like a taste explosion in your mouth.

The only problem is that it is a little messy to eat and, where I live, hard to find a street vendor who makes it so I created this recipe so that I can still have my elote without the mess.

Elote Casserole

Ingredients

1 can of corn
½ cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup of sour cream

¼ cup of Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons of Tajin
1 small lime

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Empty the can of corn into small casserole dish, spread evenly.
In small bowl mix mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan cheese and juice from half of one lime. Blend well.
Spread mayonnaise mixture over top of the corn.
*If you’ve never had Tajin, I recommend that you taste it first. I love it on everything, oranges, apples and corn. You may not, so you may opt for less than the 2 full teaspoons or more.
Sprinkle Tajin, to your desired liking, on top of the mayonnaise mixture.
Place in oven and cook until top is starting to get golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with your favorite dish, mine is everything, especially my enchiladas but if you want to serve it at a cook out, it pairs awesomely with my recipe for Chorizo hamburgers with avocado cream sauce. What’s your favorite casserole recipe?

Have you ever had elote before?

2015/06/26 2 comments

ballet camp, how to survive camp, ballet, sports, Starkist, Hershey's, S'mores, summer, family, traditions, fireflies, campfire

Food

Hershey’s and Catching Fireflies are what Summer is Made For

by Deborah Cruz 2015/06/05

written by Deborah Cruz

This is a compensated post for MarketVision and its advertiser Hershey’s. All opinions are mine alone.

Summer time is here, though you might not know that if you live in the Midwest. Our weather has been more unpredictable than Lady Gaga on stage. You just never know what’s going to happen. However, one thing we do from spring until autumn, whether it’s 50 degrees or 90 degrees, is stay up late, sit around a campfire roasting marshmallows under clear skies and talk about everything. Doesn’t everyone?

This is a tradition that my husband and I have done every year since becoming parents. It started out as a way to just relax after the babies went to sleep, when we first became parents because back then there wasn’t a lot of time for just us. It was a way to be home but enjoy some alone time (well, until the baby started crying and needed one of us, anyways).

As the girls got a little older, they loved sitting around the campfire in their tiny kid’s chairs, in their pj’s as we roasted marshmallows for them and made s’mores. Sure, eating s’mores at bedtime is not the most responsible thing to do with toddlers but boy, did they love it. The night ended with two little ones, up way past their bedtime, passed out in our laps, smelling of campfire and tiny cheeks covered in bits of marshmallow and smears of chocolate. It may not have been the responsible thing to do but it was the right thing to do for making childhood memories.

It’s hard when your child’s bedtime is 7 p.m. but it doesn’t get dark until 9 p.m. We could never be the parents who made our kids miss out on catching lightening bugs. There’s just something intrinsically peaceful about sitting around a fire under the night sky, as children clamor about the backyard collecting fireflies as adults swap stories. A night filled with laughter is absolutely magical.

These days the girls are a little older and bedtime in the summertime is whenever you fall asleep. We spend lots of time outside in our backyard under a blanket of stars. Most nights you will find us with the people we love the most sitting around a fire pit roasting marshmallows for s’mores as the smell of burning wood fills the air and the sound of a crackling fire serenades us. The girls aren’t sitting on our laps as much these days but they’re never far away, usually within a few feet, watching movies under the stars and giggling with their girlfriends over whatever PG movie is playing in the yard that night.

Our girls are growing up fast. Life goes by too fast. But there is one thing we can always count on, summertime and time together in our backyard. Bonding over Hershey’s, graham crackers and marshmallows since 2005.

If you love Hershey’s S’mores as much as we do, you can enter a Hershey’s S’mores Grilling Gift gift set here! So enter and start your summer tradition of Hershey’s s’mores which is sure to bring your family closer together.

Even if you don’t win, everyone can use the above coupon to get $.50 off your next purchase.

Let Hershey’s be a part of your family traditions.

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2015/06/05 0 comment

buddig, monte cristo, monte cristo recipe, buddig taste challenge

Food

The Ultimate Buddig Monte Cristo Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2015/05/04

written by Deborah Cruz

You know how they say if you love something put a ring on it? Well, if you love a sandwich you should make a recipe and enter it into the Buddig taste Challenge.

Have you ever eaten something that from the first moment you put it into your mouth, you knew it would be an instant favorite? That is how I feel about the Monte Cristo sandwich. Have you ever had one? They are delicious.

I know it’s a weird combination to deep-fry a ham and turkey sandwich and then dip it in jam but it works and it better than works; it’s an amazing burst of warm, gooey, comforting goodness. It’s like a hug from your mother. In fact, the recipe that I came up with reminds me of my mother’s famous grilled cheese.

I don’t know how she does it or what makes it so good but it tastes better than any other grilled cheese I’ve ever had, ever. I think it has something with the love that is used when she makes it. At least that is what I am telling myself.

My favorite sandwich is the Monte Cristo. It was one of those sandwiches that I never would have thought to eat. In fact, until I saw it on a menu, I had never even heard of it.

Yes, deep-fried everything is awesome but there is something special about this sandwich and I loved it so much that I put my own spin on it and made it even better, I think. I kicked up the sweet and amplified the savory with robust cheeses and hearty Buddig meats.

This is the recipe for 1 sandwich but I quarter it and split with between my girls. It is definitely a 2-person sandwich.

Ingredients:

3 slices of sturdy white bread

3 slices of Buddig Smoked Ham

3 slices of Buddig Oven Roasted Turkey Breasts

1 Slice of thick sliced sharp cheddar cheese

1 slice of thick sliced Swiss cheese

Batter:

1 egg

1-cup whole milk

½ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of nutmeg

1 teaspoon of brown sugar

1 ¼ cup of all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon of baking powder

Vegetable oil

Powdered Sugar

Raspberry Preserves, strawberry or red currant jam.

Instructions for prepping the Sandwich:

Take one piece of bread, place turkey slices and Swiss cheese.
Then add another piece of bread.
Add ham and cheddar cheese.
Add last piece of bread.
Wrap tightly in saran wrap and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Instructions to make batter:

Beat egg in a bowl.
Add milk and blend.
Add salt, brown sugar, flour, nutmeg and baking powder.
Blend all ingredients until completely smooth.

Instructions to complete Monte Cristo:

Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer or skillet until 180 degrees Celsius.
Gently remove sandwich from saran wrap.
Gingerly dip sandwich into the batter mixture being careful to cover all the sides and surface area of the sandwich but not over soaking it.
Gently battered sandwich into hot oil and fry until golden brown.
Remove from hot oil and place on a rack to cool for a couple minutes.
Quarter the sandwich and then dust with powdered sugar.
Serve with Raspberry preserves, Strawberry or red currant jam for dipping.

I think this sandwich is amazing and I hope you will give it a try and let me know what you think. I’m one of 8 bloggers entered in the Buddig Taste Challenge, I would love it if you liked the recipe if you would vote for me. Simply go here click through until you see Deborah Cruz and give me a vote, if you want. I’d appreciate it.

You can vote once per day through May 31^st. The grand prize is a $1,000 Gift Card and a meet & greet with the Buddig Family. Every 25^th voter will receive a Buddig $1.00 off coupon.

Disclosure: I was invited to enter the Buddig Taste challenge but the recipe and my love for the Monte Cristo is all my own.

2015/05/04 3 comments

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