My Big Fat Cuban Family: A Cuban-American Blog

Croqueta Talk

Every now and then I get invited to be a guest on someone's radio show and talk about my life and about Cuban food. I never, ever say no, but that's not important right now.

Tonight at 7 pm Pacific, I'll be a guest on Silvio Canto Jr.'s radio show, along with the lovely and talented Sonia Martinez, another amazing Cuban cook who lives in Hawaii and knows everything there is to know about Cuban food. Go visit her wonderful blog, Sonia Tastes Hawaii. I'm honored to share air space with these two.

I've done Silvio's show before and we can barely get through the first hour because we all get so excited talking about Cuban food.

Tonight's show promises to be no different. I can hardly wait.

The first topic is.....*drum roll please*

Croquetas.

If you'd like to call in to the show, the number is (646) 478-4933.

Again, that's tonight,  Tuesday, September 4th. 7pm

I'm only about 5'4" in person, but on the radio, I sound waaaay taller.

Call me. Let's talk croquetas.

Who Loves Me?

I'm still in Las Vegas (and blogging from my phone, but thats not important right now) and I just got the news that NBC Latino is featuring "My big, fat, Cuban Family" as one of the "Food Blogs We Love."

I'm so honored to be able to share this great news with you today. Here's the link: Food blogs we love: My Big Fat Cuban Family http://t.co/2d1hNTfF

Quick! Grab the sandpaper! Pa' darme lija!

Thanks, NBC Latino! I feel sooo accidentally cool now.

Lucy and The Wardrobe (and the Mamey Smoothie)

I was in Burbank with my girls recently. Our intention was to get a quick bite (and some provisions to bring home) from Portos. Portos is a divine Cuban Bakery that's not too close to where we live, but very drivable in a pinch. And we had business in Burbank so we weren't even cheating.

Of course we were deluding ourselves. A trip to Portos takes time and great care and planning. And we always spend lots of time enjoying all the wonderful Cuban sandwiches and pastries. It's a treat to be relished with great relish.

As soon as we walked in we saw... The Photo.

Mamey Smoothie? GUAT??

The world began moving in slow motion.
Must. Try. The. Smoothie.

So my girls and I ordered sandwiches (Pan con Bistec for me, Ropa Vieja for Lucy, Pan con Lechon for Amy) and, of course, mamey smoothies for all!

We were privileged to visit the Disney Archives a bit later. And we got to touch the wardrobe. You know THE WARDROBE. From "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe!"

So, just to recap: Mamey Smoothies from Portos and the Disney Archives all in one Magical Night. Oh, and the smoothies? To die for!

Everything couldn't have been more perfect. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised to step into the wardrobe to find La Calle Ocho on the other side. (Quick departure into that fantasy....makes me laugh out loud at the thought.)

Or maybe that was wishful thinking? Either way, we got our smoothies and a trip around the Disney Pictures Backlot. Win/Win.

What a wonderful way to spend a summer day. (And night.)

No run-ins with any Ice Queen either, but that's not important right now. Que Rico!

It's Not Easy Being Green - Avocados from Mexico

Growing up Cuban meant we didn't eat many salads. And by "many," I mean, "none."

For the most part, the only time green things appeared on our plates were the tiny, diced pieces of bell pepper in our sofrito. (For the uninformed, sofrito is at the beginning of most Cuban dishes. Sauteed onion, garlic, and green bell pepper form the basis of the magic that is Cuban food, but that's not important right now.)

We add asparagus to our Arroz con Pollo and I think that pretty much ends our venture into "green" territory.

The exception being that on special occasions, we were treated to An Avocado Salad. *insert heavenly choir here*

Having grown up here in California makes me partial to the beautiful dark-skinned Avocados from Mexico (as opposed to the big, fat, smooth ones from South Florida). Don't judge me. I also make a pretty mean guacamole.

Today, Mexico is the only place in the world where avocado trees naturally bloom four times a year. Which means that we get avocados here pretty much year-round. (Thank you, God.)

But every now and then I want my Avocados from Mexico to taste, well, Cuban. And this is my go-to salad. Don't you love it when I share?

Buen Provecho!

CUBAN-STYLE AVOCADO SALAD

• 2 ripe avocados, sliced
• 1/2 large sweet red onion, sliced into rings
• Sea salt
• Fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of 3 limes (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 packet of Sazón Goya Complete
• Salt & pepper to taste

1) Blanch the bell pepper by putting in a small bowl and microwaving on high for about 40 seconds. Let cool.

2) For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, Sazón Goya Complete and the cooled red bell pepper.

3) Arrange red onions on a plate, top with sliced avocados.

4) Salt the avocados.

5) Pour dressing over everything.

6) Top with fresh cilantro.

It totally feels like a special occasion, doesn't it?

Find many more avocado recipes (including mine!) on the Avocados from Mexico site.

{Disclaimer: I am being compensated by Avocados from Mexico for this campaign. Isn't that totally awesome?}

Ponzu Roasted Pork

When I'm cooking Cuban food, I have my familiar go-to items. I can make a good sofrito (sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper) in my sleep. And usually my marinade of choice is Bitter Orange (Naranja Agria). That is, until I found Ponzu.

*cue angelic chorus*

I am crazy-in-love with the citrusy goodness that is Ponzu. It's a lot like my beloved bitter orange, but with a lovely can't-quite-put-my-finger-on-it (I think they call it "umami") flavor. So, when the good folks at Mitsukan asked me if I had a favorite Ponzu recipe I would like to share, I was way ahead of the game.

I had already been experimenting with Ponzu for a while. And while chicken is a quick and easy no-brainer, it was the Pork Roast that really got my family's attention. Because I'm Cuban, pork is my favorite white meat. I'm determined to use the Ponzu as a substitute for Bitter Orange whenever possible.

I'm also determined to eat pork whenever possible, but that's not important right now. ;-)

Ponzu Roasted Pork

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 three pound pork sirloin roast
• 1/4 cup Mitsukan Ponzu
• sea salt
• 4 garlic cloves - crushed
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water

    1. Preheat oven to 325º degrees F.

    2. Pour most of the Ponzu on the pork roast - reserve about 3 Tbsp. of the ponzu to make the sauce.

   

    3. Salt the roast heavily and sprinkle with crushed garlic.

    4. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for about one hour. (Longer if you have the time.)

    5. Place the roast in a cast iron or heavy bottom pan.

    6. Roast at 325º for 45 minutes. Basting occasionally with sauce. Turn if desired.

    7. Continue roasting for another 45 minutes, or until internal temperature of the roast reaches 155-160º.

    8. Remove roast to platter to rest before slicing.

    9. While roast is resting, strain juices into sauce pan. Add brown sugar and water. Stir until sugar is melted and mixture starts to bubble.

    10. Pour glaze over roasted pork.

    11. Serve immediately over white rice.

    

Buen Provecho!

By the way, this recipe can easily be made in the crockpot. Use a little more ponzu and salt liberally. If you can, turn the roast over halfway through cooking. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. You can easily make the glaze with the drippings.

I prefer this recipe roasted because the roast slices better. But in the crockpot, you will have melt-in-your-mouth-falling-apart awesomeness.

{Disclaimer. Thanks to Mitsukan for providing the delicious ponzu marinade for my own culinary pleasure and review. They did compensate me for trying the product. The opinion that it is awesome, is my own.}

The pork roast was to die for. The family kept asking, "What did you do differently?"

"It was nothing at all. I just added some magic." *blushes and takes a bow*

Homemade Pastelitos de Guayaba - in 3 Acts.

I don't give it much thought anymore. One of my kids will say they are craving Cuban guava pastries (Pastelitos de Guayaba).

This inevitably makes me smile because I remember having this same craving growing up. Sadly, it was only when we were on a random trip to L.A. that there was even a remote chance that my pastelito craving could be indulged.

Living here in Southern California, I had often lamented that there were no pastelitos to be had, unless, of course, I wanted to take the time out to roll out dough and all that. I did it on occasion, because the other alternative was to drive five area codes in So Cal traffic to procure the beloved pastelito. And that road trip, while eventually satisfying, was also time consuming and gas-guzzling.

Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention. (Well, in this case, it wasn't technically a necessity. It was a craving. But that's not important right now.) And I figured out a way to make easy pastelitos de guayaba at home. Easy. Pastelitos. (I firmly believe and maintain that it was Divine Inspiration.)

So I shared my recipe and there was great rejoicing in the land. (Yay! *confetti canons explode*)

Now when someone has a craving, they reach into the cupboard for the guava paste (always on hand) and into the freezer for some frozen pastry dough (also always available). You never know when the craving will strike and it's best to be prepared, no?

That's the story of my life. Or rather, this might be....

Pastelitos de Guayaba - in 3 Acts

• Act 1 - Bake a batch of pastelitos. (Recipe can be found right here.)
• Act 2 - Wait (impatiently, with lots of finger tapping and pacing) for them to cool.
• Act 3 - Serve them on a platter (listen closely for all the oohs and aahs).

Wait for the applause. Take your bow.

Bravo!  ;-)

Orange(!) is the new black. (A Giveaway)

I am waiting (a little impatiently) for my fabulous new kitchen appliances to be delivered. I think we're still about a week out from that. You would think I'd be totally content now since I'm getting all new appliances, but you know how it is, suddenly everything starts looking like it needs upgrading or replacing. *sigh*

There is, however, one item in my kitchen that still makes me completely happy and that is my IMUSA USA Orange(!) caldero. I use it constantly and am always looking for new recipes to make in it.

Arroz con pollo. Carne con papas. Sopa de pollo. All made in my beautiful Orange(!) caldero. I am starting to think it has magical properties because everything I've made in it tastes amazing. I have to add that I also go ahead and put the Orange(!) caldero straight on the table, not because I'm lazy (shut up. I'm not!), but because it's so seriously beautiful.

My good friend, Chef Ana (don't-hate-me-because-I'm-beautiful) Quincoces shares her recipe for some amazing Pulled Pork Sliders in her Orange(!) caldero.

Brilliant, no?

 

Doesn't that just make you want this beautiful Orange(!) caldero to cook something fabulous in?

Here's your chance.

My friends over at IMUSA USA have graciously partnered with MBFCF to host this giveaway for a beautiful Orange(!) caldero.

Oooh! Yes, please!

Usually, I would only ask you to leave a comment to enter the drawing for the giveaway item, but I want to give you each a couple of chances, so....

1) To enter this drawing, please leave a comment on this post and answer the following question:

• What favorite recipe of yours will taste fabulous when made in this beautiful Orange(!) caldero?

2) For an extra entry, please go "like" IMUSA USA on Facebook and come back and leave me another comment telling me:  

• "I like IMUSA USA!"

So that's not one, but two entries apiece. Yes, I'm generous like that, but that's not important right now.

Remember that if you want to enter the drawing for this beautiful Orange(!) caldero, you must leave a comment (plus the 2nd comment if you do the Facebook liking thing) on this post and I'll choose a winner on Monday, January 16th 2011 at 8 PST.

Buen Provecho! And thanks, IMUSA USA!

This fabulous Orange(!) caldero is also available at all Macy's stores.  

{Disclaimer: IMUSA USA very generously sent me that beautiful Orange(!) caldero for my own use and to review the product and also offered one as a giveaway for one lucky MBFCF reader. The opinion that it is fabulous is my own.}

The Best of MBFCF in 2011

It's that time of year when I look back and see what has transpired in my life this past year. And it's moments like this when I realize how grateful I am that I started blogging.

Here's a time capsule look back at 2011 - MBFCF style. I also did this for 2010 and 2009 and I'm so glad I did. It's quite a compilation of stories I've got going on here. Do I sound surprised? The truth is, I sort of am.

If you're a regular reader, I thank you for hanging out here and keeping up with the "relajo" that is my online life here at MBFCF.

If you just recently joined the party, the following posts will give you a glimpse of what life is like here in my cyber-world as I walk you through my favorite posts over the last year. Welcome!

And if you'd like to connect with me on Facebook, please go "like" My Big, Fat, Cuban Family there.

Without further ado....here's the best of MBFCF for 2011. (NOT 2012! Not yet, anyway...)

1. An Historical Day - In which I celebrate my sweet Desi Arnaz Jr.'s birthday. *sigh*

2. On a clear day, you can see Havana - In which I tell about my Dad's amazingness as a storyteller on what would have been his 100th birthday.

3. El Bix - A Cuban cure for all that ails you - In which I celebrate the magical properties of Vicks VapoRub.

4. For the love of guava.... - In which I discover (thanks to a dozen or so online friends) the amazingness of Conchita GuavaBites!

5. The Hawk Walk - in which my three men have a wonderful adventure together involving a hawk named Mariposa.

6. Always Right - in which my kids hijack my blog on Mother's Day which leaves me in a puddle of tears.

7. N-E-S-T-L-E-S ... A Giveaway - in which I get to bake in the Nestlé Kitchens and was out-of-my-mind excited to be making REAL Nestlé Tollhouse Cookies in the Nestlé Kitchens. I know. Shut up.

8. It's a Small (Cuban) World, After All - in which my daughter, Amy Kikita and I inadvertently meet up with some long lost relatives.

9. How to make Cuban coffee with KILLER espuma. You're welcome. - In which my daughter, Amy Kikita reveals her secrets to making espresso.

10. Cooking with the Troops or Meet Team Cubanaso - the absolute highlight of my year, in which my big, fat, Cuban family and I  fly to Texas and get to make a Cuban Nochebuena-style lunch for 300 wounded warriors and their families.

11. Fricase de Pollo - a lo Cubano - in which I continue my quest to share my love of all Cuban food.

12. Cuando Sali de Cuba - stories of courage and hope - A series I began for Hispanic Heritage Month (Cuban Style) in which ordinary people show extraordinary courage as they began new lives here in the U.S. I'm quite proud of this. And by the way, if you have a "coming to America from Cuba" story to share, please email me.

It's funny, but I sometimes wonder if anyone is reading my blog (statistics tell me you are, but that's not important right now) and if anyone cares about the silly things I write about. But there is one thing I know for sure and that is that I'm so happy that I've documented all of these stories, both mine and yours, and all of the happenings of this past year (technically, years - I've been blogging for 5 - count 'em!- years now).

MBFCF has become my personal legacy, and of that I'm quite proud. (Get the sandpaper! Pa' darme lija!)

Happy New Year!

For the Love of Rice. (A Cuban Christmas Giveaway)

As we're nearing the holiday countdown and making all the preparations, I'm all about making lists.

I have a book with the following lists:

• My Christmas List
• My Crema de Vie Recipient List
• My Menu List
• My Grocery Shopping List
• My Stocking Stuffer List
• My Christmas Card List
• My Decorating List
• My Christmas Tag List (The to/from kind)
• My Video List (I'll explain this another time)

And on it goes.

As I was reviewing my Grocery Shopping List, I realized that all of my holiday meals involve rice. Talk about a staple in the Cuban home! Growing up, we had rice at every meal. Every meal, people.  We Cubans are nothing, if not committed to our rice.

And obviously our Nochebuena celebration is not complete without perfectly cooked white rice. Am I right? 

What else, I ask you, would so beautifully prop up our perfect Cuban black beans? (Can you hear that Angelic Chorus?)

Just in time for Christmas I have partnered with my friends at IMUSA USA to bring you an awesome giveaway. 

The Perfect Rice Cooker from IMUSA USA. Ta-da! You can also make any of your favorite "arroz con _____" in it.

To enter the drawing for a chance to win this beautiful IMUSA 5 Cup Rice (and Multi-purpose) Cooker, please leave a comment on this post and answer one or all of the following questions:

• Did your family serve rice for every meal?
• What else will you be serving with your Christmas Rice?  ;-)
• What's your Nochebuena and/or Christmas menu?
• What's your favorite "arroz con ______"?

I'll do a random drawing on Sunday, December 18th at 8 pm Pacific Time. 

{Disclosure: I received the 5 Cup Rice Cooker from IMUSA USA to use for this promotion and as a giveaway to one lucky reader. The opinion that it is fabulous is my own.}

Cuban Cold Remedy: Homemade Cuban Chicken Soup (and VapoRub on your feet?)

I'm sick. And so's Eric. *cough, sniff*

We've got feverish-coughing-sneezing-and-hacking colds.  

*hack, sniff, achoo!*

A good, old-fashioned snotty-stuffy-headed cold. And there are certain things one does when one is Cuban (or happens to live with a Cuban) and has a cold. My friend, Chantel over at Yuca Baby addresses those Cubanisms in a hilarious way.

Right now I'm trying to build up my Cuban Immunity Arsenal* (*or C.I.A.) and gathering what I need. And the first thing I need, is Homemade Cuban Chicken Soup. 

Here's that recipe:

Sopa de Pollo (Cuban-style Chicken Soup)

• 1 bunch green onions, chopped up
• 1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped up into small bits (unless you love cilantro, go mellow on this, but don't skip it.)
• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil ( for sautéing)
• 3 Tbsp. white flour
• 8 cups of chicken stock (2- 32 oz. containers)
• 8 chicken thighs (keep the skin and bones on for now, they add to the flavor)
• 1 yuca peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (I use frozen)
• 2 red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into cubes
• 2 ripe, cooked plantains (I use frozen - these add a surprising sweetness), sliced into rounds
• 6 oz. super thin fideo noodles. (again, go mellow on the noodles as they can easily take over the entire dish)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. Sauté the green onions, cilantro, and cumin in olive oil. Quickly whisk in the flour.

Keep whisking to avoid lumps. (When the cilantro cooks, it looses it’s bite and leaves an incredible flavor. Don’t skip the cilantro!)

2. Immediately add 1 cup chicken stock, and continue to whisk until well blended.

3. Remove this mixture from the pot into a bowl and set aside.

4. Place chicken thighs and remaining chicken stock in an 8 quart stockpot.
Bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

6. Add the yuca, potatoes, and plantains.

7. Simmer for another 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

8. Remove the chicken thighs from the soup and run under cold water in a colander to cool.

9. Skin and debone the soft chicken, manually shredding it into bite-size pieces.

10. Return the chicken to the chicken stock-onion-cilantro mixture.

11. Add the chicken-chicken stock-onion-cilantro mixture to the soup.

12. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and the noodles.

13. Continue cooking for at least 8 to 10 more minutes or until noodles are soft.

14. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

So now that I have my Homemade Cuban Chicken Soup, there's just one thing left to do in my quest to rid myself of this virus.

I'm rubbing it on the soles of my feet before bedtime and putting on some thick socks. I know. Shut up.

Eric calls it Cuban Voodoo. And I have to admit, I believe there are some mystical, healing properties to the VapoRub (or "El Bix"). And after the chicken soup, I'm feeling all nostalgic and wanting some childhood comfort. But I promise you that I draw the line at lighting a candle to San Lazaro. 

Never mind. It's a Cuban thing. But that's not important right now. ;-)

Ay Dios mio.

Marta's Cuban Christmas Shopping Guide: La Cantina

I am not the type to start decorating in November for Christmas. I know many of you do. I choose not to. I am patient when it comes to the festive home decor. I wait until about a week before Christmas to start. It's my own personal preference. I think it's just that much more magical, but that's not important right now.

But I have already finished my shopping and have my cards ready to mail. I'm currently working on a gift book for my family and our Christmas video. I am busy!

Because I'm feeling so relieved that my shopping is done and am also feeling just a bit generous, I thought it would be fun to share some of the places I frequent online to find cool and geeky and Cuban gifts.

Today, let's talk Cantina.

Back in The Day, my family had the option of having hot meals delivered to our door via an ingenious method: La Cantina.

The metal container had 3 compartments and each held some wonderful culinary gift. The cantinas were packed and delivered hot around dinner time. Can you imagine? Hot Cuban food delivered at dinner time? I could weep from the beauty of it.

It was the ultimate take-out.

The last time I was in Miami, I picked up an old-school metal cantina. And I use it often as a lunch box or for sending leftovers to my daughter.

I always get asked where I found it, so for those of you who are 3,000 miles away from South Florida (where you can probably find these in every corner store) here's your cantina hook-up.

You can find this beauty online at The Cuban Food Market - click here for link.

Then there was the hard plastic one that I used after Thanksgiving. They call it a bento box. Who knew? - click here for link.

It seems they've discontinued these particular colors, and there are both small and large sizes to choose from.

The whole idea of the cantina makes me happy. It reminds me of my childhood and brings with it a kind of nostalgia. Comiendo de cantina? I wish someone would bring that back.

Who am I kidding? I wish someone would show up at my door at dinner time with hot Cuban food. *sigh*

Did you have cantinas delivered to your door? Tell me.

Arroz Con Maiz Recipe - An Original Thanksgiving Side Dish Cuban-style

Thanksgiving with my big, fat, Cuban family is usually a very typical American feast. But because my family has so many amazing cooks, we're often trying new recipes and sometimes we like to put a spin on some old classics. 

Our turkeys have run the gamut from deep-fried to classically oven-baked to (my favorite) the Guavalicious Bird. 

This final challenge from Mizkan^® and Holland House^® was to make something original as a Thanksgiving side dish. So I started mentally listing the side dishes we usually enjoy with our Thanksgiving turkey:

• Mashed Potatoes
• Stuffing
• Green Bean Casserole
• Sweet Potatoes
• Cranberries
• Corn

And as much as I love these foods and the lovely blending of these flavors with the turkey, I sometimes crave the familiar. By that I mean something that starts with a sofrito, of course.

So I opted to take a traditional Thanksgiving side dish (corn) and added a Cuban spin to it. (Because I can.)

That's right. This year, our Thanksgiving table will be graced by a big, fat, pot of Arroz con Maiz (that's Rice with Corn for those of you who dimly remember Spanish 101). 

Arroz con Maiz Recipe - Cuban-style

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 1 envelope Goya Sazón con Azafran
• 1/4 cup Holland House^® White Cooking Wine with Lemon Flavor
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup canned corn, drained
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Be careful not to brown them.
3. Add the tomato sauce and bay leaves, cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the rice and stir well.
5. Add the Goya seasoning, Holland House^® White Cooking Wine with Lemon Flavor (I'm so hooked on this. It has quickly become a favorite around here, but that's not important right now) and stock, stirring to combine.
6. Reduce the heat to low, add the corn and fluff the rice with a fork.
7. Cover the pan and continue cooking for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and fluffy.
8. Taste the rice, adding salt & pepper to taste.

Buen Provecho and Happy Thanksgiving!

  

But, wait....there's more....

Holland House Holiday Sweepstakes

It’s all about Happy Holland Days and “merry in the making.” Holland House is a staple for holiday cooking to help families enhance meals during a traditionally busy time. Enter the sweepstakes: one lucky winner takes a $500 grand prize, plus the chance to have an expert blogger help them plan their holiday meal. Ends 12/17/11.

{Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored series to promote Mizkan cooking wines, vinegars and marinades. I also received samples of Mizkan’s Holland House, Nakano and World Harbor brand products and promotional material from Mizkan to assist in preparing the posts. All opinions and recipes in this series are my very own.}

 

The "Sanweech Plancha" Winner

You know what I love about my readers? That you come in all shapes and sizes and have extraordinary taste in sandwiches. 

I confess that I'm surprised that a lot of you don't have your own sandwich "plancha." How do you grill, not just a Classic Cuban Sandwich, but what about a pan con lechón? Or a pan con bistec? (I may or may not be losing sleep pondering this question, but that's not important right now.)

Anyway, congratulations to the winner of the beautiful IMUSA Sandwich maker and Cuban coffeemaker:

Guess what, Amanda? You own a plancha now. ;-)

Please send me an email with HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG! in the subject line. Include your snail mail address so I can forward to the generous folks at IMUSA so they can get your goodies out to you ASAP. 

Most IMUSA products can be found at Macy's Department Stores. I encourage you to also follow them on their Facebook page for regular recipe ideas and updates to their amazing product line.

(For the record, we actually took a road trip to Porto's Cuban Bakery for the Cuban bread and made pan con lechón. Because we could...)

The Sandwich Generation - A Rant, a Classic Cuban Sandwich Recipe, and a Giveaway

The term, "sandwich generation" is used to describe those adults who are caring for aging parents while still actively parenting their kids. 

While I'm grateful that my sisters and I share the load of caring for my 97 year old mom, Luza, I still feel the push-pull of having teenagers in the house and helping my mom with her needs. 

Jonathan is a sophomore in high school and even though I'm not his primary teacher, I'm still overseeing much of his schoolwork and am still very present in his life. He does not yet drive and so I'm also schlepping him around from event to event. But I still get phone calls from my mom when she needs bananas or bread or because her prescription ran out. 

And so I feel squished at times between his needs and her wants and sometimes there doesn't seem to be enough hours in my day. 

I'm ashamed to admit that I sometimes feel sorry for myself. What about me? I wonder. What about what I want? I don't say it out loud, of course, but I sure think it enough. (I'll deny it if you tell anybody, but that's not important right now.)

I guess if my life is to be defined by being sandwiched between two generations, I'm grateful it's a Cuban Sandwich. ;-)

Speaking of Cuban Sandwiches, you know there are rules to what you put in a Classic Cuban, right?

 Classic Cuban Sandwich Recipe

• Long loaf of bread (preferably Cuban, but French will do.)
• Softened butter (to spread on the outside of the bread)
• Yellow mustard
• Swiss cheese
• Dill pickles (Clausen Bread and Butter Sandwich Pickles make all the difference here)
• Roast Pork
• Sliced Ham

1) Coat the bread lightly with mustard.
2) Make the sandwich with the ingredients in this order: Swiss cheese, pickles, roast pork, and sliced ham.
3) Butter the bread on the outside.
4) Grill. A sandwich press is ideal for this.

The goal is to get the sandwich nice and toasty and melt the cheese.

Serve hot, with an ice cold Materva and some authentic Cuban plantain chips.

Follow with a sweet, hot cafesito (with KILLER Espuma^®, of course).

Like so.....

Of course, to make the perfect Cuban sandwich, you definitely need a Cuban sandwich maker.  I'd like to thank the kind folks at IMUSA USA who are generously sponsoring today's giveaway:

A beautiful sandwich maker (A Plancha!) and a Cuban coffee maker. Soo classically Cuban, right?

To enter the drawing for a chance to win both the sandwich maker and the coffee maker, please leave a comment on this post and answer one or both of the following questions:

• Are you part of the Sandwich Generation? Tell me.
• What goes into a Classic Cuban Sandwich?
• What's your favorite sandwich?

I'll do a random drawing on Sunday, October 30th at 5 pm Pacific Time. 

Rice. An in-depth look. (And a giveaway.)

In keeping with our Hispanic Heritage Month, I've decided to tackle a subject that's near and dear to us. It's something that we feel absolutely passionate about.

But we Cubans are passionate about so, so many things. (Well, everything, really....but that's not important right now.)

I know I shouldn't be surprised when the mildest topics bring up so many intense and varied opinions.

Today's seemingly innocuous topic is rice.

Much to my everlasting delight, my beautiful and enormously entertaining cousin, Yllien, takes on the topic of Hispanics and Asians and Rice and Rice Cookers and a poor mook named Osvaldo.

Please enjoy. (And get some popcorn. I'll wait.)

                                        

My friend, Ana Quincoces has an entire section in her cookbook ¡Sabor! A Passion for Cuban Cuisine about rice. She even shows you how to make it old-school in a pot on the stove. (Page 82.)

I, personally, use a rice cooker. Often. Next to my pressure cooker, it's the hardest working appliance in my kitchen and is in constant use.

So now, let's talk rice.

Today's giveaway is an autographed copy of Ana's cookbook, ¡Sabor! A Passion for Cuban Cuisine.

Of course, you know that the real reason you should have this book in your kitchen is because my recipe for My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Torrejas (made with guava and creme cheese, thankyouverymuch) can be found on page 204. *takes bow*

But I digress......

Rice.

To be entered in the drawing for the cookbook, please answer one or all of the following questions:

• Do you wash your rice?
• Do you use a rice cooker or are you an old-school pot-on-the-stove-topper?
• Isn't my cousin, Ylli adorable? ;-)

I'm guessing we have a lot of rice to talk about, so let's let this contest run through the weekend. Please share it with your friends. Ask them the questions on Facebook. You'll be surprised at how much emotion rice engenders.

I will pick a winner randomly from your comments on Sunday, September 25th at 5 pm.

So, rice.....your thoughts? 

Fricase de Pollo Recipe - a lo Cubano

As you know, I've recently been participating in Mizkan's™ Cooking Challenges. See here and here.

To kick off Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 through October 15), we were asked to share a recipe from our country, or "Receta de Mi Pais." 

For this challenge, I chose to enter one of my family's favorites, Fricasé de Pollo.

The Original Story* about the Fricasé de Pollo goes like this:

The first time my husband (then boyfriend) was to meet my big, fat, Cuban family, my mom made what we would consider a regular (albeit wonderful!) Cuban meal.

I spent days and hours preparing Eric for the meet and greet. I explained our customs, our politics, what topics were allowed and what NOT to bring up. I could have written a complete guide to meeting the Cuban girlfriend’s parents.

In fact, I still may. I think I’ll call it - “Huat to Especk if Ju Don’ Espik Espanish.” 

I coached him on what to say to my dad. I told him how he was expected to treat my mom. I told him our island history and my family history. I told him the number and names of all my siblings and their offspring.

I explained that if all else failed, to just nod and smile. I thought I had told him everything he needed to know.
For the dinner, my mom made a typical Fricasé de Pollo.

So it surprised me, after he passed the Cuban Family Review (with flying colors, of course), when he said:
 

“You didn’t tell me your mom was an amazing gourmet cook.”

“Umm… she’s not. She’s just Cuban. Like me.” 

 He proposed just a few days later. =D

*posted on Babalú blog on August 9, 2007

Fricasé de Pollo Recipe a lo Cubano 

(This recipe works well for both slow cookers and pressure cookers)

The challenge was to use one of the Holland House brands in the recipe. I chose Holland House White Cooking Wine. 

 

• 3-4 lbs. Chicken pieces (I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs)
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. cumin
• garlic powder
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 cups red potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 2 packets Goya® Sazón Completo
• 1 1/2 cup Holland House® White Cooking Wine
• 1 cup Bitter Orange Juice* (see recipe below)
• ½ cup green olives (stuffed with pimientos)
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 2 bay leaves

1. Make the sofrito by sautéing the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until the onion is translucent.
2. Season the chicken pieces with cumin and garlic powder.
3. Add chicken back into the slow cooker or pressure cooker along with the rest of the ingredients.
4. In the slow cooker - cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5.
5. In the pressure cooker - cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
6. Serve over white rice.

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored series to promote Mizkan cooking wines, vinegars and marinades. I also received samples of Mizkan’s Holland House, Nakano and World Harbor brand products and promotional material from Mizkan to assist in preparing the posts. All opinions and recipes in this series are my very own.

* Bitter Orange Juice (Naranja Agria) Recipe

If you can’t get bitter orange juice in your area, it is just as easy to make your own:

 

• 2 parts orange juice
• 1 part lemon juice
• 1 part lime juice (I love using the little key limes for the taste.)

This is an ever-so-Cuban marinade for chicken and pork.

By the way, have I told you how much I love my digital pressure cooker? I do. I love it. ;-)

  

It takes a village. (iVillage to be exact.)

According to Wikipedia:

Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15–October 15) in the United States is the period when people recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the United States and to celebrate Hispanic Cultural heritage and Hispanic culture. Hispanic Heritage Week was approved by President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. 

"September 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. They all declared independence in 1821. In addition, Mexico, Chile and Belize celebrate their independence days on September 16, September 18, and September 21, respectively."

I often get asked at this time of the year to contribute something to Hispanic Heritage Month on other sites. I am happy this year to be representing Cuban food in a feature for iVillage titled Recipes from our Favorite Latina Food Bloggers.

The featured recipe is my family's favorite Arroz con Pollo which you can find right here.

Yes, it tastes as amazing as it looks. 

I'll be kicking of Hispanic Heritage Month right here on My big, fat, Cuban family later this week with stories from other Cubans about how they arrived in this country and I'll also have some fun giveaways. 

If you would like to share your coming to America story, it's still not too late. Please send me an email to mdarby(at)cox(dot)net with Cuando Sali de Cuba in the subject line. I'm very proud to share our stories and our food and our music....and well, I'm very proud to be Cuban American. 

Please share my arroz con pollo recipe with your friends while I go get some sandpaper.....pa' darme lija. ;-)

Cuban Food Review ... Or is it?

*The following post was written by Kikita, la hija de Marta.* 

Here in "The Bubble" (as Mami likes to call it), there is not much Cuban food to be had. That's why Mami posts recipes over on Babalú Blog. That's why we cook so much. If we want to eat out and we want to eat Cuban food, we have to take a road trip.

So, imagine my excitement when I hear that the Souplantation (which is known as Sweet Tomatoes in some states) is having a special where they will be serving Cuban Cuisine for two weeks in August!

Then I saw the menu, and I got worried. There was a whole lot of "chorizo" and nowhere did I see the word "platano."

Did I let that stop me?

Of course not!

Even though their list had me thinking that whoever planned there menu must have had Cuba confused with some other country (Spain, maybe) and that the person had never heard of the internet or how to do any kind of research (because if they had would they really have thought "Chorizo" said "Cuban Food" - nevermind that we put chorizo in boliche, that's not imporant right now), I decided I would go and give these plantation people a chance.

First up, the Havana Banana Salad.

No, the "Banana" was not platano. It was just your basic, everyday banana. And since it was a chip, it was really just acting as a tasteless crouton. Was the salad delicious? Of course. A delicious citrus blend of happiness. I daresay it tasted like summer. But it didn't taste Cuban, not even with the black beans added for effect.

Not ready to give up hope, I continued on and found this:

I'm sure there are ways to Cuban-ify potato salad, but this wasn't it. Switching out bacon for chorizo (which, again, says "Spain" before it says "Cuba", right?) and adding lime with that dash of cumin (which ARE two Cuban food staples, we just don't staple like that) only makes your potato salad taste limey. Yummy, if you're the type who likes potato salad, but not Cuban.

I held my breath as I continued on. Telling myself that there really was no way to mess up "Cuban beans and Rice." It's too traditional. It's impossible to get wrong. Impossible? Not for Souplantation!

E'CU'E ME!?!

Garbanzos?

Y que es turmeric? Isn't that an INDIAN spice?!

AGAIN WITH THE LIME?

And did they add the honey to make the beans sweet? They were the wrong color.

We call them Black Beans and White Rice for a reason. This reason must have been lost on the Sweet Tomatoes. If they were going for a Moros y Cristianos style, the were still the wrong color whether you make it with black beans or the red ones. Plus, all that lime was really pushing that "summer" taste. And if you like cold beans and rice, it was really quite delicious. An untrained palatte might even go so far as to call it "Tropical" because "Lime" really does scream "Tropical," but "Tropical" was not the scream I had bubbling up in my throat.

In a state of shock, I moved to the soups. 

They're the Souplantation, right? So maybe they'll do better with that... or not.

Ay! Again with the chorizo! And sweet potatoes? Well... I guess that's the closest thing to boñato. (Technically speaking, sweet potatoes ARE in the boñato family, they just aren't the ones most commonly used in Cubano boñato dishes.) I was not fooled for one second. I was eating chili, without the cheese and with black beans and sweet potatoes thrown in to confuse me. A delicious chili, but I didn't come for a chili cook-off. I came for Cuban food.

I was grateful when I saw the sign that told me, this time, no one was trying to pretend this food was really Cuban. Just because you put the word "Cubano" in front of Focaccia, does not make your pizza Cuban.

I knew it was trying to be "just like the classic sandwich," but putting ham and more chorizo on top of a pickle pizza just makes it a pickle pizza with ham and chorizo. (Yes, I know Focaccia is not exactly pizza, but it's flat and there was cheese on it and it tasted like a pizza with ham and chorizo and pickle - a good pizza, but not even a Cuban pizza: which DOES exist, by the way.)

 Once I got past my utter disappointment at not finding the promised Cuban food anywhere, I really did enjoy the taste sensations dancing on my taste buds.

All in all, the food was good, it just wasn't Cuban.

Thanks Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes, if you ever think about adding a Cuban Cafecito to your menu, please call me, Kikita, first and let me teach you how to Taka Taka.

It will be more better. Te lo prometo.

I promise. 

Cooking With the Troops or Meet Team Cubanaso

I have spent the last three days thinking about what I want to say about our experience in San Antonio and Cooking With the Troops.

My family has talked and talked and rehashed almost every detail of our weekend, multiple times. And I'm still at a loss for words to describe all that we experienced. I'm just going to post lots of photos and try to give you a feel for what we experienced.

When I first received the invitation to join Cooking With the Troops in Texas in July, I didn't hesitate before I agreed. I can think of no higher honor than doing what I do best to say thank you to those who have sacrificed everything for my personal freedom.

I don't have photos of the troops we served because so many of those that we met over the weekend gave up their limbs and a normal life so we could continue to enjoy the freedoms that we do. Many were waiting for prosthetics. The Warrior and Family Support Center is a beautiful home-like healing facility with an air conditioned kitchen (Thank you, God!). I was grateful that we could be there to do this one act of charity for these, our best and bravest.

They are absolutely heroes and it was our great pleasure to serve them. What an honor!

But let me tell you about the Amazing Volunteers (or Team Cubanaso):

The first thing I want you to know about these people, (including my own family) is that when asked if they were interested in doing this, (San Antonio, Texas in July, people!) not one of them hesitated. "Of course. What can I do?" And that was the attitude that carried through the entire weekend.

The guys from Dos Cubanos Pig Roasts (Texas, you are sooo lucky!) brought their expertise, four pigs, and their families. (Yay! More Cubans!) I think that might just have to be a separate post altogether. (Go "like" them on Facebook right now, please.)

Pig Roasting is their specialty, but Joey Lay and Jorge Carmona were able and willing to help in the kitchen as well. (Yes, that's Jonathan working on his professional photo-bombing skills, but that's not important right now.)

Val from Babalú was there knee deep in Cajas Chinas and pig fixins.

Because this was a service to the military, they named him Point Man on the Pigs. He proved more than capable in his role (thank you, Val and Caja China people)! They started preparing the coals at 5 am.

By 9:00 am, it was time for the Pig Flip.

The pigs were done by 10:30. And the aroma went out in a cartoon-like-smoke-with-a-beckoning-hand and by 11:00 the guys were gathering around to get their first taste of the lechón asado, Cuban-style.

Once the pigs were done, Val came in to help Adam and Jon cut (more!) onions & garlic for the mojo for the yuca.

Our menu? A typical Nochebuena feast:

We spent all of Thursday and most of Friday morning prepping for our Friday lunch. Which meant cutting pounds and pounds of onion, garlic, and peppers for the Sofrito Que Se Le Perdio a Santa Barbara (as my mom would say).

We had 3 vats (VATS!) of Black Beans that turned out delicious thanks to the hard work by Val and Amy Kikita and the generosity of Conchita Foods. At this point, the aroma from the sofrito, the beans and the pigs had people wandering hungrily into the kitchen, which was great.

There was a lot of fun and camaraderie happening in the kitchen, along with a lot of hard work. (We Cubans would call it "relajo." =D)

Chef Ellen Adams of Red Hot Dish was responsible for dinner that night (couscous!) and Heather Solos of Home-Ec 101 was everywhere you wanted her to be. Both of these amazing women were so willing to lend a helping hand, and always with a smile. (When I grow up, they are who I want to be.)

Here's Jonathan helping with Ellen's fabulous couscous.

My family fell in love with these guys (yes, even you, Mike Russo!) and I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

I can't stress enough how every one of these volunteers pitched in wherever they were needed. We worked hard and long and shoulder to shoulder. And we bonded. We bonded in that gosh-that-was-exhausting-work-and-more-fun-than-it-should-be way. Every single person had that "What can I do?" attitude.

Let me just take a moment to talk about my kids.

Thing one: I was so happy they were all able to go on this trip. And I had all four of them with me all weekend - win!

Thing two: They all surprised and amazed me with how willing they were to step up and do whatever was required. What began as helping-mom-do-her-thing became a labor of love for them individually. I loved that they took ownership of the preparations themselves.

Thing three: No way would I have been able to prepare my share of the food without my family. I am completely at a loss. They went way above and beyond any expectations I had and I'm completely grateful and oh, so proud of them all.

Let me introduce you to Jorge, who managed the beautiful Warriors & Family Support Center at Fort Sam Houston. He is Puerto Rican and provided us with our music while we worked (and managed to locate some espresso for us Cubans). In fact, it was a little emotional prepping all this Cuban food with support from Celia, Beny, and Willy. ;-) Thank you, Jorge! (He was still gushing about the amazing food we provided as we were saying our goodbyes.)

I was quite proud that I managed (with lots of help) to prepare 300 of my famous Homemade Pastelitos de Guayaba.

Although the volume was obviously much, much greater than anything I ever make, I felt like I was feeding my own family. I know it sounds corny, but with every dish we felt that same way. Like we were feeding family. (Maybe that's why everything tasted so great?)

But then there was the fiasco with the rice, because really, could everything go perfectly smoothly when you're making lunch for these many people?

I confess that I had no clue how to make rice for 250 people (300 was the final count.). So Adam and I winged it and we got some rice that was cooked on top but hard on the bottom. We also managed to burn some. At 10:30, with the 12:00 deadline looming, the rice was a mess and I was close to having a breakdown.

Jorge Carmona's family to the rescue! They had done congris before at a pig roast event and had encountered the same problems. "Just take small batches, add water, and cook in the microwave." Without hesitation, they stepped up and did just that and rescued the rice. I don't think I could be more grateful. What's better than having a Cuban cook in the kitchen? LOTS of Cuban cooks in the kitchen. ;-)

Amazingly, we Cubans managed to get the food out and on the tables at 12:00 military time. This is quite a feat when you usually run on Cuban time. 

The warriors and their families came through the line and even though the food was foreign for many of them, they ooh-ed and aah-ed and came back for seconds and dove right into the yuca con mojo and the plantains (Thanks, Goya Foods!) without a second thought.

I was most pleased when the guys with the Hispanic surnames came through. They recognized the music. They recognized the food. "Is that guava??" And they were grateful for this "little piece of home."

Much gratitude to the CEO of Cooking With the Troops, Blake Powers who pulled us all together for this amazing experience and gave us the opportunity to serve. Thank you, Blake and cwtt.org. We have all been forever changed by this experience.

And to Mr. Bob Miller, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer and All Around Classy Guy.

I thank you all for the privilege of serving side-by-side with you.

I don't have words to express the gratitude and admiration I feel for the volunteers, the warriors and their families. Thank you all for your service.

Let it be known that we Cubans are very proud Americans.

(cross-posted on Babalú blog)

More on this event also posted at Blackfive and Home-Ec 101.

Sabor! Cookbook Winner

Thank you all for being so patient. I just got back from San Antonio last night and I have sooo much to tell you, but before I do that, I'd like to thank you for sharing your menus for your family celebrations. You gave me so many ideas! Check the comments section of the post entitled:

Happy 40th Birthday, Versailles! (An homage and a giveaway.)

The winner of Ana's beautiful (autographed!) cookbook, Sabor! A Passion for Cuban Cuisine is (drum roll, please)......

Congratulations, Karen! Please send me an email with HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG! in the subject line (so I don't accidentally delete you) with your snail mail address so I can get the cookbook out to you right away.

If you want a copy of Ana Quincoces’ amazing cookbook, you can find it on Amazon.com.

For the rest of you, don't give up! I have another awesome giveaway coming up next weekend, so stay tuned and as always, thanks for reading and playing with me. =D