Kitchen Disaster

It's so fun to write about the recipes that work because I love to share them with you so you can try them with your family. But I got to thinking this afternoon and I thought about telling what NOT to try in the kitchen. Yes, yes... I have to admit that I cooked that meal and not my Hubby. And Yes, my Hubby did tell me it was not a very good idea.

What happened? Well, I just had to try what I thought would turn out delicious.

One dish I really like to eat here in the States is Sloppy Joe's. It's tasty and messy :-) I love it! We had a can of Manwich in the cupboard that really needed some attention. In other words, it needed to be prepared. That day we were out of the remaining ingredients needed to make Sloppy Joe's such as buns and ground beef. So  I figured I could make my own version of Sloppy Joe's with a vegetarian twist.

I made some white rice. Once it was cooked, I put it in the pan with the can of Manwich. Oh boy, here is where the trouble began. I mixed it real well until the rice with the sauce were nice and warm. Then I got two bowls and served our meal.

We prayed and I quickly took a bite of my new recipe.

I looked at my Hubby and said "You don't have to eat this. You really don't."

He tried to take a bite and that was it.

Vegetarian Manwich over Rice quickly found itself in a white plastic bag tied tightly.

How did it taste? Like rice with an overpowering taste of tomatoes and sloppy Joe sauce.

Probably some ground beef could've helped save this new dish.

Has anyone made a vegetarian version of Sloppy Joe's? It could be a handy recipe to have around when the ground beef is not available.

Thanks for reading!

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

*Pictures are pending...

Last weekend my Hubby was in a baking kind of mood. I can't complain, I get to see him do it, help here-and-there, and taste the wonderful goodies that he makes *sigh.* I had always told my family I wanted to marry a guy that would like to cook and bake. The Lord sure heard my prayer and answered it. It's really wonderful to tell him what I crave (happens often) and he makes it for me :-) I will definitely make this recipe for him sometime, especially now that I have a really good idea on what I'm supposed to do.

Making cinnamon rolls takes time and a few hours of preparation.  Moms...do we have a lot of hours to spare in the kitchen??? More than likely, the answer would be "not really." His Mom, like most Moms, was really busy between raising her children and working. However, those long hours working in the kitchen sure made a difference! and my hubby still remembers waking up to the smell of a cinnamony,  warm, and yummy breakfast on a cold Saturday morning in Santiago.

That's the reason this recipe is so special and I'm sure it could become a memorable breakfast to your child.

Alright, so here is the recipe for the Cinnamon Rolls:

Ingredients:

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• ½ cup warm water (105-115)
• 1 ½ cups lukewarm milk (scalded from cooled)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup shortening or butter or margarine, softened
• 7 ¼  to 7 ½ cups all purpose flour

Preparation: 

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2. Stir in milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 4 cups of the flour.
3. Beat until smooth.
4. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
5. Turn dough onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
6. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up.
7. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, 1 ½ to 2 hrs
   (You may cover the bowl with a towel to keep the dough in a warm environment)
8. Punch down dough; divide in half.
9. Roll each half into rectangle, 15 x 9  inches (approximately)
10. Spread butter (at room temperature so that it’s easy to spread with a knife)
11. Mix sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over rectangle.
12. Roll up, beginning at wide side.
13. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal well. Stretch roll to make even.
14. Cut roll into 15 slices.
15. Place slightly apart in greased baking pan, 13x9x2 inches, or in greased muffin cups.
16. Let rise until double. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. (Oven should be preheated to 425 degrees)

After baking:

While warm, frost rolls with icing (see details below)

Icing

Cold Water (or milk) with powdered sugar and vanilla.  

Source: Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (1969)

Tips:
(thanks to my mother-in-law)

ü *To seal dough – you can also use a bit of water; like sealing an envelope – My Grandmother used to do this as well, especially when making Empanadas.

ü *To cut dough easier – so it doesn’t stick to a knife – use dental floss to cut dough.

Enjoy!

Hot Dogs - Chilean Style

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The first recipe in our blog features one of the easiest meals one could make and most definitely a family favorite. The reason? This food is typical of Chile (in South America) where both my husband and I grew up. There are many cafes, restaurants, street kiosks where you can get a completo. Even McDonald's makes it down there.

Ingredients:

1. hot dog bun 
2. hot dog
3. (sauerkraut)
4. avocado  
5. tomatoes 
6. mayonnaise
7. mustard
8. ketchup

*Note: the ingredients have been listed in the order we make them at home. 

Ways to get the most of your completo: 

• Eat it with a very cold Coca-Cola
• Heat the bun in the oven (not the microwave). Ideally, the bun will be warm and toasty. It helps bring the full flavor of the bread and the other ingredients. 
• Use fresh tomatoes - there is nothing like enjoying fresh vegetables! 
• Have as many napkins or dish towels available to clean your hands as you eat. 
• Be ready to eat more than one! 

Preparation: 

1. Pre-heat the oven - I usually set it at 200 degrees while I get everything else ready. 
2. Prepare the hot dogs as desired (boiled or fried) 
3. Mash your avocado with a fork, add some oil and salt. 
4. Dice your tomatoes into small squares. It makes them look so pretty afterwards! 
5. Heat the buns for about 5-7 minutes. You want them to be toasty, not burnt. 

You may be skeptical about this recipe, but I can guarantee you will like it :) All of our friends here in the States who have tried this dish have asked us to make it for them in multiple occasions.   

If you have an opportunity to visit Chile, be sure to eat a Completo at Doggis or Domino.

I invite you to leave your comments and impressions of this dish! 

Homemade Completo with Sauerkraut