Pineapple Batido

Pineapple Batido

Ingredients:

2 c. cubed pineapple

3/4 c. milk

1/2 c. pineapple orange banana juice

Juice of 1/2 lime

3-4 Tbsp. honey

1 c. ice

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients except for the ice in the jar of your blender. While the blender is running, add the ice and puree until smooth. Add more ice and honey to taste (if necessary).

Pina Colada Variation

Replace the milk and honey with 1 c. cream of coconut (not coconut milk; you'll find cream of coconut with the drink mixers at the grocery store).

Pineapple-Banana Variation

Omit honey and add 1 small banana. If the drink is a little tart, add more honey or sugar to taste.

Brazilian Lemonade

Brazilian Lemonade

Ingredients:

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they're the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk


Directions:

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use hand-dishwashing soap or regular hand soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you're using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you'll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk; DO NOT leave this step out unless you will die of a horrible sweetened condensed milk allergy because this is the secret ingredient! You may want to taste test it at this point; I used giant, thick-skinned limes tonight and didn't test it and it came out a little bitter. If it's bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.

Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don't make this in advance (although you can cut the limes, mix the sugar water, and measure the sweetened condensed milk in advance). Serves 4, although I can pretty much guarantee you that people will want more; I usually plan on 1 1/2 servings at LEAST per person.

Avocado Lime Tart

Avocado Lime Tart

Ingredients:

3/4 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tart crust (recipe below)

Directions:

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until small bubbles form around the edges.  Remove from heat, add sugar, and stir until sugar dissolves.  Pour the liquid in a bowl and allow to cool.
In a food processor, blend the avocado and cream cheese until smooth.  Add lime juice and process again until smooth.  Pour mixture into a bowl and whip in cooled cream.
Pour into tart crust and place in freezer for at least two hours.  Allow to soften on kitchen counter about 15 minutes before serving.

Sugar Free Tart Crust

Ingredients:

2 cups pecans
3 large medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare an 8-inch tart pan with cooking spray.
In a food processor, blend the pecans and dates until well chopped.  Add the butter and process until dough forms.  Press mixture into the tart pan and bake for 8-10 minutes.  The crust will be light brown and slightly puffed.  Allow to cool completely before adding filling.

Brazilian Lemonade

Brazilian Lemonade

Ingredients:

8 juicy new limes
1, 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
6 C cold water
1 C sugar
Ice

Directions:

Cut your limes up into quarters or eighths. And put half of them in your blender with about half the water. Blend till everything is good and chopped up. Yes, everything, peel, pith, pulp and all. You want all the limey goodness. Strain into a mixing bowl and set aside. Repeat this till you have blended up all the limes. You may need to make the batches smaller depending on the strength of your blender. Take your lime juice/water mixture and add the sugar and sweetened condensed milk and blend or whisk thoroughly till everything is dissolved. Then blend with ice for service.

Cucumber and Tomato Vinaigrette

Cucumber and Tomato Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, sliced & quartered
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper
balsamic vinegar


Directions:


Mix cucumbers & tomatoes in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, and salt & pepper it liberally. Serve with black beans and rice.

Brazilian Black Beans & Rice

Brazilian Black Beans & Rice

Ingredients:

black beans (dry or canned)
1 onion, chopped
1 sausage, sliced & cut into quarters
fried eggs


Directions:

Cook the above together. Dried beans: Pressure cooker (1-2 hours). Crock pot (3-7 hours). Canned beans: cook on stovetop.  Add cumin, garlic salt, and/or lime juice to taste. Serve with rice, cucumber & tomato vinaigrette and a fried egg on top.

Avocado Shake

Avocado Shake

Ingredients:

1 avocado
3 cups milk
1 cup ice
6 TB sugar

Directions:

Add all ingredients in blender and blend!

Variations: omit sugar and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, add fresh mango, add frozen fruit

Grilled Pineapple

Grilled Pineapple

Ingredients:

1 fresh pineapple, sliced
1/2-1 cup brown sugar
1 TB lemon juice
1 TB soy sauce
1 TB melted butter

Directions:

Put sliced pineapple in gallon ziploc bag, add remaining ingredients. Let marinade prior to grilling. Grill until warm and caramelized.

Variations: serve with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries.

Salpicao

Salpicao

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
3/4 of a 1lb bag of carrots, shredded
2 TB onions, finely grated
1 large green pepper, finely chopped
1/4 lb raisins
1 cup mayonaise
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 cups straw potatoes

Directions:

Cook chicken in stock. Chill. Drain chicken, saving 1/4 cup stock. Shred chicken and carrots. Dice green pepper. Stir together the saved stock and mayo to make the dressing. Combine all the salad ingredients but potatoes. Add dressing to the salad and stir to combine. Just before serving, sprinkle salad with the straw potatoes.

Pressure Cooker:

Pressure cook chicken, chopped onion, salt & pepper in 4 cups water (enough to cover chicken) on medium heat for 25 minutes. Continue above.

Brazilian Pancakes

Brazilian Pancakes

Ingredients:

4 cups milk

3 to 3-1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together in the blender. Pour circles onto buttered frying pan. Swirl the pan a little so the batter goes into a big flat circle. Serve warm with butter & cinnamon sugar, or whipped cream and fresh chopped fruit. Makes a ton of pancakes.