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A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, APPETIZERS

Anita’s Easy, Cheesy Homemade Sheet Pan Nachos

A crowd pleaser! Perfect, fun and delicious dish for sharing. Baked and served.

Ingredients for Homemade Black Beans

2 cups black beans pre-washed

5 cups of chicken broth

1 red pepper, small diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika, ground

1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground

2 teaspoon granulated sugar

Preparation

  1. Place black beans in a large pot filled with 5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth and let them boil at medium high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours till beans are tender and creamy.
  2. In a large pan heat olive oil at medium heat, incorporate diced onions, diced red peppers and garlic. Cook until softened and transfer into large pot of cooked beans. Seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin. Let it simmer on low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes and add sugar. Stir well. Set aside.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Prepare a sheet pan. Set aside.

 

Ingredients for Homemade Ground Beef for Nachos

1 pound ground beef

2 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon Taco seasoning

1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Hot Sauce

Preparation

  1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Take out grease from skillet and add olive oil, diced onions and minced garlic.
  2. Cook until translucent. Seasoned with salt, pepper, taco seasoning and ground cumin. Add hot sauce. Stir to combine.

Toppings

Diced Onions

Diced Tomatoes

Avocado

Cilantro

Sour Cream

Green Onions

Mexican style Blend Cheese

More than can be added: corn, olives, ready Pico de Gallo, etc.

Assembling Delicious Loaded Nachos

Spread out Half of your Tortilla Chips (of your choice) over the baking tray. Sprinkle with Half of your ground beef mixture and your cooked black beans. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat the layers. Place tray into the preheated oven till cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with fresh diced tomatoes, green onions, cilantro leaves, diced avocado, and sour cream. Enjoy!

 

 

DESSERTS

Anita’s son Sponge Cake

This is one of the best Sponge Cakes I have ever taste. Guess who made it to surprise me. My amazing and lovely son.

Ingredients

1 cup Cake flour, sifted

8 large eggs (separated)

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 cup powder sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoon corn starch, sifted

3/4 cup coconut oil

1 pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 325 grades Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch round Bundt pan with baking spray. Place Bundt pan inside a deep baking tray. Set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan place coconut oil and heat it at medium heat until warm, but do not overheat it.  Add to this oil, the cake flour with the cornstarch. Whisk constantly until smooth.
  3. Add in coconut milk and stir until well combined or until mixture slightly thickened.
  4. Transfer mixture to a glass bowl. Let it cool.
  5. Incorporate the 8 eggs yolk beaten, vanilla and salt. Whisk gently until all well incorporated. Set aside.
  6. Use a large bowl and beat the 8 eggs whites with cream of tartar using a stand mixer for about 8-10 minutes or until stiff peaks has formed. Add powder sugar in 2 to 3 batches and beat in high for couple seconds until well mixed.
  7. Incorporate this stiff merengue slowly into the cake batter folding in using a spatula until all well combined. Do not over mix batter.
  8. Transfer cake batter into greased Bund pan.
  9. Pour warm water to the outer baking tray 1/2 way up carefully. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until you insert a toothpick in the center of cake comes out clean or has that blondie beautiful color all around.
  10. Remove Bundt pan carefully from outer baking tray with water. Let Sponge cake rest in pan for about 15 to 20 minutes. Invert cake into a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Transfer into a cake stand and enjoy this super soft and sponge cake. Delicious!

 

A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Delicious Tomato stuffed with Homemade Pesto Gnocchi

Ingredients for the Easy Pesto Gnocchi

1 16 ounces package gnocchi or (made them from scratch, see my site for the recipe)

3 Tablespoon Homemade Pesto (see recipe on my site) or store-bought pesto

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon cream cheese

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

10 fresh basil leaves

  1. Cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Rinse and set aside.
  2. Use a deep large pan and add gnocchi. At medium heat , pour heavy cream and let it simmer for two to three minutes until thick and creamy. Add pesto, cream cheese and stir until well incorporated. Remove pan from heat. Drizzle with olive oil and mix. Set aside.

How to Stuffed the Tomatoes and Preparation

6 to 8 large tomatoes cut tops, and hollow out insides. Keep tops.

  1. Preheat oven to 400 grades Fahrenheit. Place upside down tomatoes over a greased baking pan with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Bake for about 8-10 minutes till tomatoes are little tender but still firm. Set aside.
  2. Place gnocchi into tomatoes . Add extra grated parmesan cheese over the top. Place them back into the preheated oven for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!

 

 

 

DESSERTS

Anita’s Best Homemade Cream Horns

Ingredients for the Puff Pastry Horns (10-12 servings)

1 sheet of 8-ounce puff pastry, defrosted

1/3 cup Turbinado sugar

1 Tablespoon butter, softened

Powder sugar to decorate

2 Tablespoon of corn starch for dusting underneath puff pastry and top

1 egg mix with1 tablespoon of water (egg- wash)

 

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400 grades Fahrenheit
  2. Use a parchment paper over a surface and sprinkle with some corn starch. Slightly sprinkle the top too.
  3. Roll out the sheet of puff pastry to an approximately 9×12 inches rectangle. Cut first the rectangle in half. Then each half into 5 or 6 equal size stripes. A total of 10 to 12 stripes, about 1 1/2 inches thick
  4.  Take the metal cone molds5. Grease each cone with butter using your hands. Roll each strip of puff pastry into the cone mold overlapping.

6. Brush the horns with egg wash and sprinkle each one with Turbinado sugar

7. Place over a baking tray lined with parchment paper

8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cones are golden brown

9. Remove from oven. Let them cool for 10 minutes. Remove metal cone molds and let them cool completely before filling them with cream

 

This is the way the beautiful cones or horns should look from the inside. The trick is in overlapping the stripes of puff pastry dough.

Custard Cream for the Horns

  1. Use a bowl and whisk together 3 egg yolks with 3/4 cup of sugar till pale color. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract. Add 2 1/2 Tablespoon of All-purpose flour. Whisk until fluffy. Set aside while warming up the milk.
  2. Use a medium sauce pan, and at medium heat warm up 1 cup of whole milk before the boiling point.
  3. Incorporate half of the warm milk into the egg mixture by whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
  4. Place the sauce pan over medium heat again and add rest of the milk and keep whisking until cream start slightly boiling, lower the heat and keep whisking for about 1 to 2 minutes or until cream thickened.

5. Remove cream from heat and place into a bowl cover with plastic wrap. Let it cool before placing into the fridge for about 1/2 an hour.

6. Remove from refrigerator and place cream into a pastry cream bag. Be ready to fill the horns up. Sprinkle with powder sugar.

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

MY CHILDREN'S FAVORITES

Anita’s Donut Wall in Easy Steps

If you are a fan of donuts like my son, take your Dessert Table to a new Modern look by creating your own Donut Display Wall to amaze and treat your guests!

 

This is all you need:

  • A pegboard for your background cut to fit your dessert table, and the amount of donuts you want to display.
  • Peg hooks to fit in its holes
  • Non-toxic Spray paint for the pegboard (I used the color scheme of my son’s school)
  • Paper doilies

Easy Steps:

Step 1. Spray the pegboard with the color of your choice. Let it dry completely for at least 24 hours.

Step 2. Secure the peg hooks in the pegboard leaving space to fit your donuts size.

Step 3. Place your doilies into the hooks.

Step 4. Hang the donuts of your choice.

Step 5. Place your other desserts around in your table while your main center attraction to your theme party will be your DIY(Do it yourself) Donut Wall.

Note: You can reuse your pegboard for your next party and hang cookies, pretzels, little party souvenirs or favors.

A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN

Anita’s Flaky Delicious Roasted Salmon in Lemony Thyme Sauce

Ingredients:

3 Pounds salmon, cut into 6-7 fillets

1 large red onion, sliced in rounds

1 large white onion, sliced in rounds

2 Tablespoon fresh thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon of fresh ginger, grated

1 cup of fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 cup of grapefruit juice

1/2 teaspoon turmeric, ground

2 Tablespoon honey

2 Tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400 Grades Fahrenheit. Prepare a glass baking sheet and grease it with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Place onions rings on bottom of the pan. Set aside.
  2. Use a large bowl and combine lemon juice, grapefruit juice, grated ginger, minced garlic, turmeric, salt, black pepper, paprika, honey and olive oil. Mix well. Add sauce over the salmon. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme. Coat salmon fillets well with this sauce.
  3. Place each salmon fillet over the onions rings slices. Top with rest of the onions and sauce. Place baking sheet covered with foil into the oven for about 10 minutes for the onions to become tender. Remove foil and continue to cook salmon fillets for another 10 to 15 minutes until salmon is cooked trough but flaky, juicy and tender.
  4. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the left Tablespoon of fresh thyme.
  5. Enjoy!

 

 

DESSERTS

Anita’s Homemade Matcha Baked Doughnuts

Ingredients for Doughnuts

Yield: 6 doughnuts

3/4 cup All-purpose flour

2 Tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoon Matcha green tea powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 large egg

2 Tablespoon sour cream

1/4 cup of Green Matcha tea latte (store bought)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoon coconut oil

Ingredients for Matcha Glaze

1-2 cup powder sugar

1 Tablespoon Matcha green tea Powder

1-2 Teaspoon green Matcha tea Latte

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation for Doughnuts

  1. Preheat oven to 350 grades Fahrenheit. Grease lightly with baking spray a donut pan.
  2. Mix all dry ingredients in a medium size bowl: flour, sugar, Matcha powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together eggs, sour cream, green Matcha tea latte, vanilla and coconut oil until well combined.
  4. Incorporate wet ingredients into all dry ingredients. Whisk.
  5. Mix well until well combined. 6. Transfer doughnut batter into a pastry piping bag and fill almost all the way up into the molds. 7. Place doughnuts baking pan in the center rack of your oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges of doughnuts are slightly golden and a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. 8. Remove from oven and let it cool in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer doughnuts over a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile prepare Glaze.

Preparation for Glaze

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together powder sugar, Matcha green powder, Matcha tea latte and vanilla extract until creamy, and smooth with a thick consistency.
  2. Dip each donut in the glaze and let them drip off a wire rack. Place a parchment paper under wire rack to catch the drippings.
  3. Make your desired decoration. Let glaze dry for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!