Rabanadas {Portuguese French Toast}

Rabanadas have accrued many nicknames since I started sharing them with non-Portuguese people. My favorite one is from our buddy Ben: "whet bread." You have emphasize the w-h sound to capture how he pronounces "wet." Rabanadas are generally reserved for Christmas in my family.  Once my husband proclaimed his love for them, my mom started making them every month for her beloved son-in-law. Food is our language. 

Brigadeiros

Brigadeiros are a traditional Brazilian dessert that are similar to fudge or a truffle. They are a powerhouse of richness because the base ingredient is sweetened condensed milk. From there, you can make all sorts of variations! They are great for parties because one can of milk can easily produce 40 tiny bon bons. I experimented with three different recipes for a get-together: matcha (green tea) rolled in coconut flakes, chocolate rolled in sprinkles, and dulce de leche rolled in cookie crumbs.

Bolo de Bolacha {Cookie Cake}

Traditions are a funny thing. You spend your childhood blissfully unaware of the rest of the world, thinking what goes on in your house is no different than anywhere else. You get a little older, and the world gets a little bigger. Some of the small things you dismissed as, "just part of another holiday" become more special.... like this cake.

Bolo de Bolacha (which translates to "Cookie Cake") was a dessert made only around Christmas. It's a Portuguese classic and very similar to the Salame de Chocolate that I posted a few years back. I absolutely loved this cake as a kid. The texture is smooth and the flavor is simply delicious. It's incredibly basic in theory but the ingredients work together perfectly.

Maybe Milano Cookies

While waiting in line at the grocery store, I thumbed through the magazine Bake From Scratch - The French Issue for ideas. That's when I stumbled upon a cookie recipe that made me hop around like a little bird - "Langues de Chat." The translation is "cats tongue" which in itself would turn heads. For me, however, it stood out because I grew up eating Portuguese cookies with the same name ("linguas de gato"). They were a casual snack, nothing you would break out for guests at a dinner party. Could the French and Portuguese be using the same cookbook?

As it turns out, this recipe is a far cry from my childhood treat even though the ingredients are the same with varying ratios. The cookies I grew up eating were crunchy and small, more resembling a British biscuit than the traditional American cookie. These were much softer and larger in comparison.  I think it's all the same cookie but in this instance, the size makes all the difference!

Additionally, the French version has optional chocolate ganache on the side. I didn't find it necessary to enjoy but it was a thoughtful touch. A thoughtful and familiar touch... That's when it hit me. Light, buttery cookies. A dash of rich chocolate. If you put the two together... perhaps in a sandwich form.... you get something equally fantastic: 

MILANOS! 

I flipping love Milanos! My family has never been big on homemade desserts but we always put out a box of Pepperidge farm cookies for guests. Milanos were the crowd favorite and tasted incredible with a cup of strong coffee. I've had a homemade recipe bookmarked for months but never got around to it. It was simply meant to be! There are so many different versions out there - some call for confectioners sugar instead of regular, others use whole eggs instead of the whites. Regardless. This recipe makes some banger cookies.

What's most stunning is how easy they are to make. It's literally flour, sugar, unsalted butter, egg whites, a pinch of salt, and vanilla bean. So simple! A few minutes in the oven and your kitchen smells incredible. Bake them to meet your desired texture - a little longer for some crunch or a little less for a soft chew. And of course, if you want the traditional Portuguese version (example here), keep them tiny!

Unfortunately, I cannot find a link to the recipe online from the magazine but I won't leave you hanging! Check out this recipe for Milanos that is extremely similar in terms ingredients and I'm sure just as scrumptious! Enjoy!

Pasteis de Laranja {Orange Pastries}

When I was a kid, dessert was treated like a formality that we only experienced on holidays and at big family dinners. It was always the same spread: traditional Portuguese fare (aletria, pudding aka flan, pasteis de nata, etc.), fruit, fruit salad spiked with port wine, and a box of Pepperidge Farm cookies. We did not deviate from the formula. Heck, the only reason we ever baked cookies was thanks to the middle school Home Economics class!

That's not to say that I'm complaining about the formula. On the contrary, I feel that it gave dessert a whole different level of nostalgia. For example, these Pasteis de Laranja are a trademark of my childhood.  I  vividly remember visiting my madrinha (god mother) in New York and there was a platter full of them on the kitchen table. They were just above my eye level so it must have been during elementary school. Maybe because they were generic and readily accessible, but it seemed everyone served them on the same Reynold's pastel cupcake liner!

So what exactly are Pasteis de Laranja? The translation is simply "orange pastries." They are a lovely concoction of milk, plenty of sugar, eggs, flour, butter, and fresh orange juice. Honestly, I have not experienced anything quite like them.

For starters, they look like golden, deflated cupcakes. The edges are a subject of great debate. Some like them browned because it gives a slight caramelized flavor. They're not burnt necessarily - just slightly singed. Others like them evenly colored and softer.

The texture is unique and is a bit difficult to explain. The center is very soft, a bit dense, and does not resemble cake at all. There is no crumble and it holds moisture; you could dig it out with a spoon. The outer edge, however, has more chew and is my favorite part to nibble.

Lastly, the flavor is super subtle. Even though it has fresh orange juice, I wouldn't mind experimenting and adding the zest of the orange as well. When I eat these, I don't really taste the orange. It's more of this hybrid of custard and cake that's magically addicting. 

The source of this recipe is my mother who never made them when she lived overseas. Instead, her best friend's cousin made them while they were visiting New Jersey many years ago. They were so smitten that they asked for the recipe and have been baking them for their families ever since. I have not been able to find them in a cookbook but have seen very similar versions listed as Queijadas de Laranja.

In keeping with tradition, I asked my mother to bake a batch with me on my birthday. She busted out her ancient binder filled with all sorts of recipes. Some are written in English, others in Portuguese, and each shares a memory. You can see time on the pages. Like many families, we don't have a "secret sauce" or one those recipes handed down generation to generation. What we do share, however, is something I would like to preserve.

Below I have included the recipe with my own notes as well as the original version that I wrote down in a Recipe Book that my mother gave me on August 12, 2003. This is the first recipe in the book. Obrigada mãe! Salude! 

Pasteis de Laranja {Orange Pastries}

3 eggs (3 ovos)
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (2 1/2 copos de acucar)
3 cups milk (3 copos de leite)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 barra de manteiga)
1 cup all purpose flour  (1 copo de farinha)
The juice of one medium sized orange ~about half a cup (sumo de 1 laranja)
*a pinch of salt is optional; you could also add a splash of vanilla extract or orange liquor 

Lightly grease 24 cupcake tins. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Warm the milk either in the microwave or the stove stop to about 110 degrees. The bottom line is you want it just warmed and with no skin forming on top. Add the butter and juice. Set aside to cool completely, stirring occasionally to make sure the butter melts. Once the butter is melted, you can pop it into the fridge to chill. The key is the milk mixture cannot be warm.

In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar. Add the flour. When the milk is completely cooled, combine the two mixtures and pour into cupcake molds. Bake at the 350F for 35 minutes. If you don't want browned edges, check in at about 25 minutes. Serve on cupcake liners so they don't stick together.

(Ferve-se o leite. Junta-se-lhe a manteiga e o sumo. Deixa-se arrefecer. Batem-se os ovos e o acucar. Junta-se-lhe a farinha. Por fim quando o leite estiver frio, juntam-se as duas misturas e poe-se em formas. Coz-se em forno a 350 por app. 35 minutos.)

Mariscada { Seafood }

My mother is a magician in the kitchen. I'm pretty sure she was born wielding a colher de pau (wooden spoon) or, as we lovingly knew it as children, "o colher POW!" The pow part was aimed at your bottom but we did a good job of staying away from those types of situations. Ahem!

Like I was saying, she's an amazing cook thanks to a lifetime of practice. She's the second eldest daughter from a family of ten surviving children. That's a lot of responsibility and hungry mouths to help feed. They didn't grow up eating anything fancy on the farm in Portugal - mostly rice, beans, bread, and boiled vegetables. A lot of things that I take for granted at the grocery store had to be grown or butchered. She can peel a potato in 20 seconds with a blade. Bad @$$.

It wasn't until she married and things settled down that she began cooking the more iconic meals of her country, like carne de porco à Alentejana, bolos bacalhau, and paella.  I was lucky enough to be raised enjoying these dishes for special occasions and holidays. If there was shrimp in the fridge, you knew people were coming over. Thanks mom!

That being said, this post centers around my brother's birthday! Mom and I pulled out all the stops with mariscada (mix of seafood- what did I say about that shrimp!) and her version of fried chicken. I was able to find some frozen pasteis de nata at the European Foods Import store and whipped up a tasty Rum-Kissed Banana Butterscotch Cream Tart.

In this post, I'm going to focus on the mariscada but don't sleep on the chicken- Mike's infatuated with mom's recipe. The bird is seasoned with salt, red pepper, and black pepper, coated in flour, dipped in egg, then coated tempura. Fry that bad boy slow and slow. That's it. It's really simple and keeps the meat tender and juicy. 

In this version of mariscada, we kept the rice and seafood separate because it's not paella or arroz con marisco. In those recipes, the rice is cooked with the water used to boil the clams and mussels then everything is mixed together in one big pot. I prefer keeping the seafood separate because it's nice to control the ratio. Plus, it's awesome to grab a big hunk of bread and scoop up all of the olive oil at the bottom of the pot. 

The following are general guidelines as cooking is less of a science and more of a "pinch here" and a "dash there" in our house. 

Mariscada

serves 4

Cooked long-grain rice of your choosing, enough to serve 4

2 (5 ounce each) lobster tails, shell on

1 pound large shrimp

1 pound sea scallops

olive oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

3-4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, add more if you like it hot

sea salt

1-2 bay leaves

pinch of yellow saffron (optional)

1/2 cup chicken bouillon cube mix preferably, but chicken broth could work (optional)

Per the directions for the rice of your choosing, make the rice first since it takes the longest to cook. 

Make the sofrtio: coat the bottom of a heavy bottom pan or dutch oven in olive oil on medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion until it beings to very lightly brown, then add the garlic, bay leaf, and crushed red pepper. Cook until the garlic starts to golden. 

Add 1/4 cup water. Split each lobster tail in half and place with the meat-side down into the olive oil and cook through, 4-5 minutes. You'll know it's done when the meat turns white and the shell turns a vibrant shade of red (see the last photo of this post as a reference). 

Add the shrimp and sea scallops. Season with white pepper, about 1/2 a teaspoon. Cook evenly so that both side of the shrimp are a nice shade of pink. Add a pinch of saffron if you crave that beautiful yellow color; season with salt to your liking.

If you want the base to be more saucy, heat enough water to cook a chicken boullion cube. Pour 1/2 cup to the seafood mix as a starting point. Don't add too much or it's going to become a bowl of soup!

Serve with rice, crispy bread, and salad. 

Almond Zimttorte with Honey and Figs

Continuing with the trend of cakes that make my husband tilt his head to the side is this Almond Zimttorte with Honey and Figs. As I mentioned in my last post, he is not a fan of some of my family's innate cravings which includes figs. He jokingly refers to them as "alien fruit" because of their vibrant interior. 

That's okay- more for us!


This cake was made for my wonderful mother as a going-away/"I-know-how-much-you-hate-flying" treat. She and her sister spent two weeks in Portugal trying to make sense of a pile of paperwork. Up in the Northern mountains, their childhood home now sits quietly collecting dust. It has been nothing short of a headache trying to make arrangements to sell the house from overseas. They had finally had enough and took matters into their own hands. 

Pictured below are my grandparents at a local festa (left) and their home (right) in Trás-os-Montes over forty years ago. Wild, right?

It was in this home that the love for figs was born. My mother is a fig fanatic. Wherever she resides, there is a fig tree in the yard no matter how big or small. They are the highlight of the fruit season and are exchanged with same secrecy and reverence as black market goods. Whenever possible, I make her something new with this childhood staple. 

This Almond Zimttorte is a rock star. The cake alone is crazy good because it is not super sugary and deviates from the usual chocolate/vanilla. It is comprised of ground almonds and there is a touch of corn flour/corn meal to create a more earthy taste. As it baked in the oven, you couldn't help but drift into the kitchen from the delicious aroma.

The frosting is a delightful combination of marscopne cheese, another plus because my mom loves Tiramisu, and whipped cream. It is a mild flavor that I would love to use on a number of other cakes. Paired with this not-so-sweet cake, it is a surprisingly complimentary combination.

 

Top with generous slices of figs and enjoy. You could have this without the figs but I wouldn't recommend it. They provide a juicy burst of freshness and help bring out the almond. The drizzle of honey is not a deal-breaker though!

 Note, I did not frost this cake with a lot of patience. The directions were translated from German and I was thoroughly confused by the frosting segment. Total cluster. The first batch was thrown into the trash because the whipping cream broke when added to the marscapone. It was at this point the common sense hat had to be put on and I took my own approach. I hope you enjoy!

PS. The husband liked the cake -- just not the figs! : )
 

Almond Zimttorte with Honey and Figs
translated and slightly modified from Fräulein Klein

Cake
4 eggs, room temperature
4 tablespoons hot water
100 grams granulated sugar
8 grams of vanilla sugar*
1 pinch of salt
70 gr. all purpose flour
70 gr. Corn flour/corn meal
1 tsp baking powder
50 gr. Ground almonds

Frosting
400 gr. heaving whipping cream
500 gr. Mascarpone
16 grams of vanilla sugar*
1/2 teaspoon bourbon (optional)
1-2 tablespoons cinnamon
60 gr. white chocolate

*the original recipes calls for packets of vanilla sugar which are not common in US grocery stores; you can substitute with vanilla sugar from a gourmet shop or simply make your own.

Grease a 6 or 8-inch spring form pan. I prefer smaller cakes so I used a 6 inch pan.  Preheat oven to 355F.

Separate the eggs. Mix the egg yolks with sugar, vanilla sugar, pinch of salt, and the water until very thick creamy. In a separate bowl, mix the flour with corn meal/ corn flour, grounds almonds, and baking powder. Combine the with the egg yolk mixture.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks appears. Gently fold into the batter.

Pour mixture into the prepared spring form pan and set in oven for about 20 minutes.  Allow to cool completely on an oven rack. Carefully, slice the cake into three, even layers. This was the most stressful part for me but we got through!

For the frosting, melt the white chocolate via the microwave or on the stove top in a double boiler. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat the mascarpone with cinnamon and vanilla sugar until smooth. Gradually add in the whipping cream until the icing becomes fluffy.

Split the frosting into two separate bowls. Set one aside for frosting the exterior of the cake. With the other half of frosting, stir in the slightly cooled white chocolate and use to frost between the layers of cake. If there's any leftover, go ahead and mix it with the frosting you had set to the side- no sense in wasting.

Frost the exterior of the cake with the reserved frosting; if there's any extra left over, use to form into balls for cake decoration. 

If you don't have enough left over frosting and you really want those little frosting poms, don't worry! Mix 100 gr. confectioner's sugar with 80 gr. unsalted butter and use as the frosting poms!

Decorate cake with slices of figs and a drizzle of honey.

Excursions: Portugal

The intent of this post is to share a breath of the wanderlust that we experienced during our Honeymoon last year. There are so many places in this world to explore and creating a reasonable list of destinations was taxing. Oh what a blessed and fortunate dilemma to overcome.

I've always wanted to see Greece but was anxious about their economic straits as Mike felt about Italy. Peru? Istanbul? New Zealand? Or should we just stay in the US to save resources? Unless I'm passionate about something, I tend to be a bit too indecisive. Mike said, "enough!" and made the call for us. And so it was settled.

Portugal.

Happy and safe travels!

2013 Holiday Happiness

December is long gone, but that doesn't mean one can't reminiscence! We spent the holiday surrounded by loved ones and amazing food. These people have set an incredibly high standard; I think I'll have a nervous break down when we decide to host for a holiday! This is literally what Christmas Eve has looked like since I could remember... 

Piles of Portuguese grub stacked to the ceiling. Seafood as far as the eye can see. Ride wine and espresso being passed out to everyone in a binge coma. Desserts covered in sugar and cinnamon. It's a beautiful thing. 

There were a few non-traditional things at the table and the MVP award goes to Susana's "Gingerbread Cookies." I've NEVER cared for gingerbread cookies but hot damn these were fantastic. I loved how they weren't overpowering or super sweet. They were so good, I thought that she purchased them at a fancy bakery. Post to follow on our rendition of this tasty treat!

After the festivities, we made our way in the cover of night to Mike's parent's house. The differing traditions have worked perfectly! I grew up celebrating the Eve, he grew up celebrating Christmas Day. No fuss, no muss with the families. This is only a single example, but it never ceases to amaze me how our different worlds merged together so perfectly.

This Christmas was a milestone because it was my first as a wife and daughter-in-law. Mike and I are both big family people; if my mom and brother didn't like someone that I brought home- they were shown the door. My mother thinks the world of him and I must admit, my in-laws make me feel like a really chubby, happy kitten. Now I know how Autumn feels! It's always a warm greeting, plenty of hugs, and delicious food. Mega jackpot.

Another milestone this year was the hubby's grandparents drove in all the way from Texas. Yes, they drove. Talk about hardcore. I didn't get to meet them until the day of the wedding and even that was a few fleeting seconds among the chaos. Growing up, I didn't have many opportunities to get know my own grandparents as they were in New York. We're a huge family with lots of commotion and they always had their hands full. Being able to talk to these two people as family and my new grandparents.... is difficult to explain. In a good way. I was a sucker for both of them instantly.

We spent the day cooking and relaxing. It was totally low key and what the doctor ordered. I got to experience some American cooking, like Texan caviar and an addictive cheese ball. Heck yah baby, black eyed peas, sweet potato, and ham. Some pecans got burnt before being added to the casserole. On a hunch, they were put on back steps for the local wildlife. It quickly turned into a squirrel frenzy. 

It's a creative crowd, so I made wreaths out of rosemary for table settings and grandma used cranberries as a decorative base to the candle center piece. For the directions on how to make these smell-good placeholders, check out Spoon Fork and Bacon's post here! If you don't have a home garden, plan early. I was running around stores trying to find enough rosemary and ended up looking like a crazy person swiping (and getting caught) the last two sprigs from a neighbor's front door garden. Eh heh.



As I was writing this post , we started to discuss what a wonderful world it would be if we could keep the cheery spirit of December year-round. People tend to be a little nicer, the office a little less stressful. I guess it's just to make sure that we appreciate the time off with family all the more and heck, every season has it's beauty and fun.

It's long over due, but happy holidays everybody!

Love,

Michele

Chouriço and Egg Sandwich

I have always been fascinated and humbled listening to my mother's childhood stories; it almost feels like she comes from another planet. She grew up in the back woods village of Bragada, located in the Northern province of Trasmontes, Portugal. Even though she immigrated to the United States as a teenager, she raised my brother and I with the same basic principles and food of her roots.

This chouriço (sausage) and egg sandwich is one of our childhood classics. Mom would make this in a pinch for lunch or as a snack to share. Everybody loved it because it was so simple yet filled with tons of flavor. I can easily see this being served in my grandparents home overseas because it's basic farm fare and filling.

The ingredient list is very short: chouriço, eggs, parsley, pepper, olive oil, and a hunk of good bread. Let's face it, chouriço, much like bacon, makes anything tasty! The one pictured in this post comes from European Foods located in Arlington, VA. My only qualm was the one I procured had a lot of fat in it- you can tell by the white spots. Fat equals flavor but I like mine with a little less. If you cannot find any chouriço, the closest substitute in terms of flavor is Spanish chorizo or andouille sausage.

Hope you enjoy this little slice of nostalgia.

Thanks again mom for coming over and making it for us!

Chouriço and Egg Sandwich 

6 eggs
1 chouriço, sliced into half inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
splash of olive oil
black pepper, red pepper, and salt for seasoning
sturdy bread (i.e. French baguette)

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs until well combined and a few bubbles appear on top. Stir in the parsley and generous amount of black pepper and a pinch (1/8 teaspoon- the meat has plenty of sodium) of salt. Red pepper flakes optional. Set aside.

Lightly coat a large skillet with olive oil and set to medium heat. Add the sliced chouriço and cook until the juices start coming out, about a 3 minutes, then flip. Make sure that they are evenly distributed in the pan.

Keep the heat at medium low and poor in the egg/ parsley mixture. Continue cook until the eggs firm. If your a G like my mother, flip it on a plate and immediately slide it back into the pan to cook the other side. If you're less confident like me, throw it under the broiler like a frittata for a few minutes, until the top has cooked.

Serve between bread (mom likes to butter hers) or as a stand alone omelette.

Salame De Chocolate - Portuguese Chocolate Roll

When I was a kid, home-made desserts were reserved for Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. I'm amazed by the number of foodie bloggers who fondly remember making apple pie from scratch with grandma or living in a home seemingly built of fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies. Heck, the first time we baked a cookie was when my older sister brought a recipe from the highschool Home Economics class (do they still have those classes?). It was titled, "The World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookie." And you know what? We believed it with all our hearts! It was a printed recipe. With measurements! And directions! Legit.

There are a few home made desserts that tug strongly at my heart strings with nostalgia, like Salame De Chocolate. As you can probably deduce, it literally translates to Chocolate Salami! One time in middleschool, I found an entire roll of Salame De Chocolate untouched in our basement freezer. Mom must have forgotten about it during the holidays! This was a huge score that I didn't want to compromise. A few nibs wouldn't hurt, right? I didn't bother with cutting off a slice- sneaking silverware downstairs would only draw attention. Hence.... I tore into like a wild animal. There was no time to let it thaw- gnawing on frozen brick of chocolate seemed like a good idea at the time. As you can imagine... a few nibs turned into the rolls steady demise.

It seemed sacrilegious to make the Salame de Chocolate myself since it's reserved for holidays and a mom specialty. However, after a recent trip to Portugal (post to follow), I couldn't resist! It was in almost every pastry shop and I took full advantage. 

The beauty of this sweet treat is it's simplicity. I feel that it is an strong representation of what a little creativity and limited resources can produce. (Portuguese cooking isn't exactly fancy in the ingredients but it's big on flavor) This log is a simple mixture of a chopped bolachas (always known as Maria cookies which can be found easily in Portugal and should be in the Latin section of your local grocery store), dark cocoa powder, sweetened condensed milk, unsalted butter, almonds (optional), and port wine (also optional). Totally healthy, no? These are ingredients that country folk could access; when my mom talks about her childhood, condensed milk was a luxury import from Africa.

Cocoa is the key ingredient in this recipe. I used a very strong, 100% cocoa- it was a lot darker than Olga's(the second mom) version. It was best served with a small bowl of vanilla ice cream to balance out the richness of the chocolate. If you're not a dark chocolate fanatic, use a more generic brand like Nestle or look for a 70% minimum dark cocoa powder. Plus, feel free to add other things to the mix- I have seen versions with a range of dried fruit and nuts! Some add sugar but I find the condensed milk sweet enough. Roll the log in confections sugar before serving for an extra hit of sweet. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe! It makes me feel like a kid again just looking at the pictures. 

Salame De Chocolate

1 package of Maria cookies, coarsely broken (7 oz) or substitue with lady fingers
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups of dark cocoa powder (at least 70%)
2 tablespoons Port wine (optional but recommended)
1 cup of unsalted butter, melted
1 cup of whole almonds (optional but recommended)

In a big bowl, mix condensed milk, cocoa powder,Porto wine, and the melted butter. Add the almonds and the Maria cookies. Spread the mixture in a parchment paper and roll it to make a salami shape. Twist the edges and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours to harden. Add a layer of aluminum for frost bite protection. Keep it in the freezer for as long as you want. To serve, take it 10 minutes before and then cut into slices. 

Bolo Pudim (Caramel Pudding Cake)

This post is per request of a reader! A few years ago, I mentioned Bolo Pudim but never followed up with the recipe. "Bolo" in Portuguese means cake; "pudim" is our version of flan. This recipe magically merges these two elements into one tasty dessert. You coat a pan (I prefer using a bundt pan) in home-made caramel, pour the flan on top, and then pour cake batter directly on top. Sounds like syrupy goodness to me!

The recipe for the pudim is a little different than our traditional family version. We don't us any sugar in our mix. Instead, use 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk plus 2 cans (instead of measuring cups, use the empty sweetened condensed milk cans) of regular milk. I like the thick texture it provides but hey- we're old school like that.

The creator of this delicious treat is David Leite and you can find it in his book, "The New Portuguese Table: Exciting Flavors from Europe's Western Coast." There are many versions of this cake; some use chocolate cake as the base! Once you get comfortable with this duo, the possibilities are endless. I'm already playing with the idea of using coconut or pumpkin pudim instead! I'll be sure to make this cake for Easter and will provide an update. The above picture is the bolo pudim- slightly burned- but made with lots of love by Olga a few years back.

Special thanks and lots of love to Susana and Olga for scanning this recipe and sending it over.

Obrigada!

2012: A Little Christmas Recap

Every year, I struggle to find the perfect schedule for my every day routine. Once it's found, it's a really good rhythm. This means going to bed at a decent hour, getting into work all spry, hitting the gym hard, and a relaxing evening of home-cooked food. Then... the holiday's show up.

Oh holidays, how you wreck blissful havoc to the natural order of life. I'm slowllly waning off the buzz of bountiful food and the joy of loved one's visiting. Very slowly. The snooze button must feel like it owes me money because it is getting all sorts of beat. Our tummies were in shock for almost an entire week from rich foods and hearty portions. No light veggies and tofu here! Seriously... look at the feast my 2nd mom put out. She's a culinary monster.

That, my friends, is a traditional Portuguese Christmas. And don't you dare say "holiday" because the Catholic mother back-hand will come into full effect. Octopus, paella, codfish, boiled potatoes with eggs, rebanadas, filojes, and rissois to name a few! Heavenly awesomeness.

The real joy of the season, at least for me, is being in the same room as loved ones. It was a full house! Ricky flew in from California, Susana's family drove from West Virginia, and their parents hosted. My side of the family and friends basked in festivities. That's the kind of gathering that gives me warm fuzzies of nostalgia! It's just not the same unless we're all together.

The star to my tree this year was Landon being a part of the tradition. It was magical to watch him open presents, refuse to eat food, play with toys, cuddle grandpa, say our names, and fall asleep to Susana singing. I can't even begin to explain the awe of watching her as a mother. This baby is incredibly loved- grandma even knitted him 3 baby blankets! It's enough to make you move to West Virginia.

This was also my first Christmas as a fiancee. Holy smokes. It's crazy to say that, I'm still floating on Cloud 9. Mike's family went out of their way to make me feel welcome. I deeply appreciate the kindness and warmth they exude. Dinner was delicious as usual with homemade mac and cheese, stuffing, ham, sweet potato's topped with pecans and toasted coconut. I made some dinner rolls which produced way more rolls than necessary.  It's really neat to see another family's version of tradition and become a part of it.

We wrapped the holiday up with a trip to my mother's house. There was the gift exchange and even with our full tummies, we managed to sneak in a few bites of stuffing and pie. Check out the childhood ornaments! Wild, no?

I hope you all had a very happy holiday. Abraços!