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Pecan and Dulce de Leche Pancakes

Posted on by Ali Palacios - Broker

Makes approximately 12 6in pancakes

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups buttermilk (or regular milk with 2 tbsp of white vinegar or lemon juice)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tablespoons dulce de leche
  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and finely ground (not chopped)
  • 1 cup Candied Pecans rough chop
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

Service with dulce de leche on top

DIRECTIONS

Mix all the ingredients through the ladies pecans together until smooth. Melt a little butter in a sauce pan, medium heat, pour a ladle full of batter into the pan. Cook on one side until all bubbles have popped, flip pancake. Cook for 1 min or until golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is all used. Keep warm. Serve with dulce de leche or butter and maple syrup.

 

VARIATIONS AND TIPS

  1. Looking for just regular buttermilk pancakes? Remove the dulce de leche and pecans
  2. Have extra pancakes? freeze then individually and heat then up as needed in the microwave.

 

Asian Style Pork Belly

Posted on by Ali Palacios - Broker

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 lbs pork belly, cut in 1 in pieces
  • 1/2 cup Chinese rice wine
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp of brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (whole)
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 bunch Green onions (sliced)

Serve with steamed white rice

DIRECTIONS

Brown the pork belly pieces in small batches (do not crowd the pan) until brown. I used an electric pressure cooker, the sauté function. Once all pieces have been browned add them back to the pot and toss in all the rest of the ingredients except the green onions. Add 2/3 cup water. Cover the pressure cooker and set for stew setting.

Once the setting is complete, uncover the pressure cooker and turn the sauté function back on. Cook until the sauce reduces and becomes as thick has honey. Stir several time so that the pork is even coated.

VARIATIONS

  1. I make a cuban style pork belly. Pork is cut into 1in pieces and browned as stated above. Add the pork back into the pan with 1/2 cup orange juice, the juice of 1 lime, 5 cloves of garlic, 3 packages of saloon Goya, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 1 small sliced onion, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper. Once the pork is cooked in the pressure cooker you will once again open the pot and set it to sauté. Cook until the pork is dark brown, stir often.

Italian style burgers

Posted on by Ali Palacios - Broker

Makes 4 patties

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb beef or turkey
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup of Italian style bread crumbs
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 2 tbsp tomato pesto (or sun-dried tomato pesto)
  • 1 cup grated cheese (I’ve used parmesan, provolone, mozzarella or a combination of these)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 buns
  • 1 tomato sliced
  • 1 small red onion sliced
  • Green leaf lettuce or arugula
  • Pesto or basil leaves (optional)
  • 4 cheese slices – Mozzarella or provolone

DIRECTIONS

Mix ground meat with egg, bread crumbs, garlic salt, tomato pesto, grated cheese and black pepper. Mix well and found 4 patties. Heat a sauce pan with olive oil, place patties in pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until done to taste. Add sliced cheese and cook until melted. Toast buns, add condiments as desired. Enjoy!

VARIATIONS

  1. This same mixture can be turned into a meatloaf. Mix the same ingredients and top with a 1 cup of ketchup or tomato sauce. Place in greased loaf pan. Cook for 30 mins or until done. Serve with parmesan potatoes!
  2. This same mixture makes amazing meatballs. Mix the same ingredients and form 16 small meatballs. Brown the meat balls in olive oil and add your favorite spaghetti sauce.

 

 

Butter Pecan Cookies

Posted on by Ali Palacios - Broker

I used a 1 in scoop and this recipe made 60 small cookies. If you use a larger scoop you will need to make cooking adjustments. See below.

Ingredients:

2 cups pecan halves, finely chopped

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks (8 ounces) salted butter + 2 tablespoons of salted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

32 pecan halves, for decoration (optional)

 

Directions:

  • Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in chopped pecans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside until needed.
  • In a large bowl combine flour, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda; whisk well, set aside until needed.
  • Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; continue cooking, stirring often, until golden brown (light caramel color). Add browned butter  into a large, heatproof mixing bowl. Add in both sugars and whisk well to combine. I mixed it for about 2 mins so the mixture would cool slightly. Add in vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating until eggs are just combined.
  • Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, stirring until just combined. Fold in the buttered pecans.
  • Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

To Bake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Scoop 3 tablespoon sized rounds of dough onto the prepared sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie for spreading. Firmly press a pecan half on top of each ball of cookie dough, if desired, then bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes, or until edges are set and the center is still a little jiggly. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

Notes

  • If using a 2in scoop, the cookies will take about 9-10 mins to cook
  • I scoop all the cookies and freeze the balls of dough. This way I can bake a few batches as needed. If frozen you might have to bake the cookies for an addition 2 mins.
  • Cookies will stay fresh for 3 days when stored in an airtight container.

Cuban Pork Fricassee

Posted on by Ali Palacios - Broker

Ingredients

1 – 1 1/2 lbs of pork ribeye (cut in chunks)

1 large onion

1 large green pepper

1 small can roasted red pepper or pimentos

6 cloves of garlic

3 packs of Goya sazon

2-3 tbsp garlic salt

2 cups red wine

1 can diced tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce

1/3 cup capers

1/2 cup green olives with pimentos

3 red potatoes (large dice)

salt/pepper to taste

1/2 cup Olive oil

 

Directions

Season the pork with salt, pepper, garlic power and 2 packs of Goya seasoning. Heat a large stew pan and add olive oil to coat the bottom. Brown the pork in batches. Do not crowd the pan. Remove from pan as browned. Once all the pork has been browned, set aside. Add a little more oil and throw in the onions, peppers and garlic. Sauté until tender. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Cook for 3 mins. Add red wine, the last Goya season pack, olives, capers and pork. Add 1 cup of water. Cook pork until tender, about 1 1/2 hours on low.

Add potatoes and cook until tender. Serve over white rice.

Variations: you can make this same dish with chicken instead of pork. Everything else stays exactly the same.

Let’s grow together

Posted on by Ali Palacios - Broker

Thank you for your support, trust and referrals. I would not be where I’m at without your help. You helped me grow, I will help you grow!

I’d like to offer you my support in promoting your business. Do you have a small business and/or hobby you’d like to promote. I will list your business on my facebook page, website and offer your services to other clients.

Tell me more about you and your business. I’d love to help.

 

Frio Pops

Posted on by Ali Palacios - Broker

 

I accidentally found Frio Pops in Cinco Ranch. I’m so happy I did!

If you are looking for fresh and fun flavors this is the place for you. I went all out and tried the avocado lime popsicle. Yum! I know it sounds weird but it’s smooth and creamy with a great lime flavor.

I also tried the strawberry cheesecake and the fruity pebbles. The strawberry cheesecake is like eating a yummy frozen cheesecake. It’s creamy and delicious.

The fruity pebbles is like eating a bowl of fruity pebbles and milk. There is something very comforting about this popsicle.

I honestly can’t wait to try it again! Check out their website

 

Whole foods – Mochi ice cream

Posted on by Ali Palacios - Broker

If you have never tried Mochi Ice Cream you need to head out right now and get some. Where have you been?

But seriously, if you like gummy textures and ice cream, you found your new best friend.

Whole foods sells this yummy delights by the piece. They have a Mochi ice cream freezer and you fill up your own container. I tried several flavors: pistachio, strawberry, mango and vanilla. By far for me pistachio was my favorite. The rest were fine but I didn’t finish them. The pistachio had me wanting more!

Now go out there and try some Mochi Ice Cream!

Flan Rum Cake…yum!

Posted on by Ali Palacios - Broker

I’ve tried lots of flan/cake combos. Normally it’s combined with chocolate cake or a butter cake. I thought, why not combine my two favorites!

  • 9 Eggs
  • 1 box Duncan Hines butter cake
  • 1 small can dulce de leche
  • 1 stick of butter (melted) + enough to coat the bundt pan
  • 1 can condensed milk
  • 2 can evaporated milk
  • 2/3 cup + 2 tbs of dark rum
  • 1 tbs vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 325. Butter a Bundt cake pan. Mix dulce de leech with 1 tbs of dark rum. Pour into buttered bundt pan. Mix cake mix, 1 stick of melted butter, 3 eggs and 2/3 cup rum. Pour cake batter into the pan. Mix condensed milk, evaporated milk, 6 eggs and vanilla. pour over cake batter. Place filled Bundt pan in a 9×13 pan filled with hot water about 2 inches up the side of the Bundt pan. Place in oven and cook until cake is golden brown and baked through. Test for doneness by inserting toothpick in the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.

Remove from oven and water bath. Let cool for 15 mins. Invert onto a cake plate. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. You can decorate with a little extra dulce de leech. Enjoy!

Note: I’ve tried so many variations. I’ve used a butter cake that I’ve flavored with toasted coconut and coconut extract or coconut rum. If you’d prefer caramel to the dulce leche, that’s an easy substitution. Instead of pouring dulce de leche in the pan, cook 1 cup of sugar in a pan until golden brown. Pout into the pan

You can also flavor the flan. Chocolate cake with coconut flan is fantastic. The options are endless.

Super Easy Tres Leches Cake

Posted on by Ali Palacios - Broker

 

  • 1 box butter cake
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1/2 cup water (or rum if you want to spice it up)
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • 1 pint of heavy whipping cream
  • 1 can condensed milk
  • one container of cool whip (or make your own whipped topping with heavy cream and sugar)
  1. Mix butter cake mix with eggs, melted butter and water (or rum). Pour into a 9×13 pan and cook until done at 350 degrees.
  2. Mix all three types of milk in a bowl
  3. Poke holes in the butter cake and pour milk mixture on top. Cover cake and refrigerate over night.
  4. Frost the cake with the whipped topping and top with cinnamon (optional)

Enjoy!

 

Note: I’ve make several variations of this cake. I’ve added rum as stated above. I’ve lined the bottom of the pan with berries, dulce de leche, coconut or chocolate before pouring the cake mixture into the pan; then baked until done. What have you tried?