Easy Macaroni au Gratin

Ingredients

1 box of Penne

2 sausage links

1/2 onion

1/2 green pepper

1 lbs cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon of salt

1 egg

1/2 cup of milk

Tea Gaz (Gas). Friend or Foe?

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Feeling gassy is a normal and in the Haitian culture there is a very well known tea called Tea Gaz that will aide and alleviate some the gas you may be feeling from eating that bowl of sauce pois. feeling. But I have always questioned whether or not it really works. So I did a little research to find out for myself if the herbs used really do work.

Ingredients

3 cups of water

skin of 1 garlic clove

3 clove

a couple pinches of salt

1-2 teaspoon of honey or sugar (optional)

Did you know that there are certain ingredients and foods that produce or cause you to have more gas. Gas is a byproduct of undigested food or a cause of eating certain foods. Some examples of foods include garlic, beans, onions, green peppers and more. According to Dr. Oz garlic has a starchy substance in it that causes gas. 

On the other hand, there are certain foods and ingredients that may help relieve that gas. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, peppermint eases tense muscles in the digestive tract, allowing gas to dispel more quickly and easily. Cinnamon, anise, ginger and yogurt with acidophilus aides gas. Cloves actually aides digestion and help to eliminates gas. 

Let's take a look at the salt. Salt attracts water in the body so when the salt is are passing through your bowels creates lubrication for the bowels to go out of the body.

That's the break down of the tea gaz. Garlic may cause gas but the recipe only calls for the skin of the garlic and not the actual garlic. To aide the pep of gas in your stomach or digestion tract. You can try the tea gaz or just drink tea canell to help with gas. You can also try some the natural remedy for gas listed below.

Natural remedies for gas include:

Peppermint tea

Chamomile tea

Anise

Caraway

Coriander

Fennel

Tumeric

www.brighamandwomens.org

www.health911.com

www.remedyguru.com

Barbara

Sweet Mango Smoothie/Jis Mango

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When summer comes around, there are 3 things that come to my mind hot days, mosquitos, and lots and lots of mangoes. I am fortunate enough to live in a S. Florida where mangoes are everywhere and just about everyone have at least one mango tree growing in their backyard.

Called the "Food of the Gods", mangoes are distributed worldwide but originated in India thousands of years ago.  Known to protect against heart disease and aide constipation this antioxidant rich super fruit is high in vitamins. It's no reason why some cultures use the skin of this delicious fruit to make facial masks to aid discoloration and combat sun damage.

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Today, we will be making a classic Haitian smoothie called Jis Mango using our feature ingredient a sweet delicious mango.

Ingredients

        1 cup of mango cubed

3.5 heaping tablespoons of sugar

7 oz of evaporated milk  (half a can)

1.5 cups of ice

1 teaspoon of vanilla (optional)

Blend. Blend. Blend.

Get creative and add in some coconut milk, lime juice or try using other fruits like passion fruit or guava. Hmmmmmm.

2 Min. Epis

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Pronounced munsh-pilon, in Kreyol, a pestle and mortar has been around for centuries for medicinal purposes and for cooking. Used to grind, crush and pound herbs together this ancient tool is still being used today. I remember being called into the kitchen as a child and having the task of mashing the herbs and seasoning together for my mom to use. 

Using a blender or food processor is often used in place of a pestle and mortar but using one actually gives one more control over the texture of the herbs and seasoning being pounded. I decided to write about a munsh-pilon because I ran out of Epis/marinade but needed some to marinate and tenderize the meat I was preparing. I pulled out my trusty wooden munsh-pelon/pestle and mortar from the back of the pantry. My mom would be proud.

Here's a 2 minute recipe for Epis/Marinage by hand, the old fashion way.

Ingredients:

1 wooden pestle and mortar (used primarily for softer ingredients/herbs)

1 large garlic clove

3 pinches of salt

1/8 cup of cilantro

3 cloves

1/16 cup of onions

Directions:

Pound, pound, pound until a wet paste (Literally for a minute or more).




**FYI: Garlic tends to linger in wooden mortars so to get the smell out just clean with lime juice or scrub with lime wedges.

Labouye Banane/Green Plantain Porridge

What happens when you mix green plantain with milk and sugar. You get sweet delicious plantain porridge. Here's the long awaited labouye banane recipe. It requires time, patience and a little elbow grease but it's definitely well worth the work and effort.

Labouye in the pot with carnation milk

Ingredients:

2 green plantains
1.5 cups of whole milk
1 cup of sugar
4.5 cups of water
2.5-3 oz of carnation milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 cinnamon sticks
3 pinches of salt
2 slices of bread
peanut butter

 
Directions.

Rinse plantains. Leaving the skin cut off the ends and discard. Thinly slice and chop the plantains, then place 1 chopped plantain into a blender/food processor with 1.5 cups of water. The thicker the slices the harder it will be to puree. Puree on high and add in remaining chopped plantain one handful at a time. Blend for no more than 30 to 45 seconds with remaining 1/2 cup of water.

In large quart pan, add in remaining water with cinnamon sticks. Stir in pureed plantain and allow to boil for 20 minutes on medium high temperature. The mixture will get thicker and should boil down some. Stir and watch the mixture. It will start to stick to the bottom of the pan. Just stir and stir. After 20 minutes, you are going to strain the mixture in the fine strainer (This is where the elbow grease comes in at). This will help remove the seeds and make the consistency smooth and creamy.

Once the mixture has been strained be sure to discard cinnamon sticks, Place plantain mixture into the cleaned and rinsed pot. Stir in the whole milk, salt and vanilla. Allow the mixture to boil for 5-7 minutes then stir in sugar and lower the temperature to medium low.  The mixture should be thick, you want to slowly add in the the 2.5 oz of carnation milk. If you'd like to get a consistency that is not too thick just add in remaining .5 oz of carnation milk. Taste to see if you need to add in additional sugar. Allow plantain porridge to thicken a bit more for 5-6 minutes.

Toast bread slices and spread with peanut butter. Serve with plantain porridge and enjoy.

Please share your comments. I'd love to hear how yours turn out.

D.I.Y. Window Sill Herb Garden



How many times have you purchased herbs and it spoils before you can even use it. I have a solution. My latest obssesion is windsill herb garden. I am hooked. You can grow garlic, sweet potatoes, sage, onions, parsley, mint and more. Here's an easy way to save money, help the environment and grow your vegetables. You don't need a green thumb and it take no time. Here's how I started my windowsill garden.

What you'll need.

1 Small clear container
1 garlic bud or buds of green onions
1/2 cup of water (or less)

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• Use a clear container it helps you see when the water needs to be changed and you can watch the roots grow.

• Do not submerge the cloves or green onions in water they will become cloudy, smelly and will begin to rot.

• Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the cup and touches just the bottom of the cloves.



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Your budding garlic cloves and green onions will start to sprout in just a few days. It's a cool little hobby and a great way to save money on vegetables.

 The same applies to herbs like sage, basil and mint. Just snip at the stem of the given plant and place it in a clear container of water. In a few days you will begin to seem roots. In a month, you can plant in a pot of soil or just contunie to water.

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No more spoiled green onions or brown herb leaves. Fresh ingredients from your window sill.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Tuna Rigatoni

If you are looking for an easy quick recipe. Here's a recipe for tuna rigonati. Yes, tuna . This recipe brings me back to those college days where there was nothing in the fridge or pantry except for tuna, tomato sauce and a box of tuna. I first had this dish when visiting a friend and she had a huge pot on her stove. It's delicious and I've changed the recipe abit. Have fun with it add in different vegetables or different cheeses. Let's begin.

Ingredients:

2 cans of tuna
2 green onions chopped
1/4 cup of rough chopped onions
6 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz of rigatoni
salt to taste
1/2 bouillon cube
couple pinches of seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper or more
8 oz Bertoli tomato sauce
1 teaspoon of lime juice
1 garlic clove , crushed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
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1/8 teaspoon cayennecayenne pepper1/8

½ cup vegetable oilvegetable oil½

1/8 teaspoon cayennecayenne pepper1/8

½ cup vegetable oilvegetable oil½

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. When the pasta is tender, drain and set aside. Place drained well tuna in a bowl and squeeze in lime juice and mix. In a meduim sauce pan, add vegetable oil to hot pan. When the oil is hot, fry the tuna until a meduim brown color. Add in crushed garlic clove, chopped onions and sprinkle in bouillon cube. Stir, stir stir and cook until onions are cooked.

Add in tomato sauce, rigatoni pasta and mix. Add salt to taste, sprinkle on seasoning salt and black pepper. Allow the sauce to thicken and boil down a little for 5 to 6 minutes on meduim heat. Add in shredded cheese and garnish with green onions.


Enjoy!!

My little one turned 1 yrs old this weekend

Birthday Girl Knocked Out

Baked Griot!!

Thanks to Royalty84 who suggested making griot in the oven to ensure the griot meat stays moist and tender. It took less time and I got rave reviews. This was the tastiest and juciest griot I've ever made. I basically did everything the same but instead of frying the meat I baked it for 15 minutes.

Click on the link for How to make Griot.

After boiling the meat and it's tender, place on a foil lined cookie sheet, drizzle on 1 teaspoon of oil (any will do) onto the sheet and place meat on foil then bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees. No need to turn the meat.

Let me know how it turns out!!!

THANK YOU ROYALTY84!!

Red Beans & Rice/Diri Kole ak pois rouge

INGREDIENTS

1.5 cups dried red beans

2 cups of white long grain rice

salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 bouillon cube

1/4 cup of rough chopped onions or less

 2 garlic cloves, crushed

5 cloves

2.5 tablespoon canola oil (any oil with due)

Rinse and soak beans overnight in bowl in filled with water. Be sure to discard any broken, bruised or discolored beans. In the morning, drain beans and set aside to cook.

Put beans to boil in a meduim sized saucepan, 1 teaspoon of salt and allow to cook/boil for 45 minutes to an hour. Be sure to watch the water, if the water reduces and the beans are not yet edible add in more water. Once the beans are soft and edible they are ready. Strain, but do not discard the water (you will need that for later).

On meduim high heat add 2 tablespoons oil and fry the onions, garlic and chicken bouillon cube for 4 minutes.  Make sure the bouillon cube is completely crushed. Then add in 3/4 cup of drain beans and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Once the beans start to get darker but not burned add in remaining beans, pepper, cloves and the water you boiled the beans in. If you need more water add in 1 cup of water. Cover the pan and allow water to come to a boil.

Taste to see if any salt is needed (This is what your rice will taste like). At this point, I like to add a pinch of salt. If it's too salty just add in more water. Add in your rinsed rice. Once the water has reduced to the point where you can see the rice, stir in 1 teaspoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. A quick stir then cover your pot and reduce temperature to meduim low. After 15 mins, reduce temperature to low and rice should be ready in 10 to 15 minutes.

End result should be soft, tasty rice and beans.

SMELLS YUMMY RIGHT!!!

Te Canell/ Cinnamon & Star Anise Tea



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Here's a recipe for Canel or cinnamon tea. This simple tea includes cinnamon sticks and star anise which makes for a aromatic and delicious tea that will have your home smelling delightfully sweet.



Ingredients

1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 cups of water
1 pinch of salt
sugar/honey to taste

Servings 2 people.   

In a small saucepan add in cinnamon stick and anise. Allow to come to a boil, add in pinch of salt and reduce temperature. Allow the tea to simmer. After 5 minutes remove from stove top and pour into cup. Add sugar or honey to taste and enjoy!

FYI: Cinnamon's scent actually promotes brain activity. It's also a very good source of dietary fiber, iron and calcium which leads to a healthy colon and heart disease.



Lazy Day Tuna Salad Sandwich

Had a long day and no time for cooking. Here's a quick, easy and tasty recipe for a tuna salad sandwich that will definately hit the spot.

Ingredients:

2  tuna cans

2 tablespoons of mayo

2 hard boiled eggs

2 teaspoons of mustard

1 tablespoon of relish

1 teaspoon of black pepper

3 pinches of salt (or taste)

1 pinch of seasoning salt

juice of 1/2 lime

2 tablespoons of fine chopped onions

2 tablespoons of fine chopped celery

1/2 chopped green onion

Instructions

servings 4 hungry people:

Add well drained tuna in a bowl. Then squeeze the juice from the lime, mix and set aside. Chop your vegetables and add into the bowl. Add in mustard, relish and finely chopped eggs including the yolk. Add in mayo and mix, mix and mix. Sprinkle in salt, pepper and seasoning salt.


Build your sandwich, enjoy with a salad or serve with crackers.


BON APPETIT!!!

Savory Stuffed Shells

Umm...ummm good.

Made the the other night and decided to share with you guys. It's easy and does not require much ingredients. This recipe is dedicated to Harrison.

Ingredients

8 oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 box of stuff shells

1 lbs of ground beef (or less)

1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon of sugar

3 teaspoon of garlic salt

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

3/4 cup of chopped onions

1/4 cup chopped green peppers

5 oz of spinach (half a bag)

8 oz ricotta cheese

5.5 cups of water/4 cups of water & 1 cup of white wine

1 can Hunts pasta sauce(flavored with garlic and herb)

4 oz tomato sauce

3 tablespoons of olive oil

 Serving: 3 to 4 hungry people

Ground beef and sauce

In a small bowl add in onions, green peppers and ground beef then mix. Add to hot medium size frying pan stirring and not allowing the meat to stick to pan. Then add in 1 teaspoon of garlic salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, cinnamon and sugar.Cook until all the meat has a brown color and all the pink has disappeared.  Once the meat has been cook pour in 1 can hunt pasta sauce stir then add in 1 cup of water/wine and 2 pinches of salt. Stir, lower the temperature and cover until the sauce has thickened. Approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from stove and set aside.

At this point, put the shells to bowl in 4 cups of salted water. Do not allow to cook all the way because we will be baking in the oven. It will finish cooking in the oven. Cook half way, drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.

Ricotta cheese and spinach

In a frying pan on medium temperature, add in olive oil. Once hot, sautee the spinach for 5 to 6 minutes until it has wilted down. Then stir in the ricotta cheese. Add in the half of cup of water and stir. Add in a pinch of salt. Allow to cook for 5 minute on the medium temperature until you have a thick consistency. Remove from stove and mix into the ground beef and sauce. Set aside.

Putting it all together

At this point the pasta shells should be warm to touch.

In a small bowl add in the remaining pasta sauce and tomato sauce, mix.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 425 F.

We are using a 9 x 13 baking pan. Ladle and coat the baking pan with pasta tomato sauce. Take one shell in one hand using your other hand spoon in the ground beef and ricotta cheese mixture in the empty shell. Place the stuffed shell on top of the sauce. Repeat and do this until all the shells have been filled. Drizzle remaing oil over shells. Ladle remaining tomato sauce and ground beef on top of shells.  Sprinkle and coat with cheese.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Fresh out of the oven

Once you've removed the pan from the oven allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. This will allow for everything to set and come together before serving.

Almost gone.

I KNOW YOU'LL ENJOY THIS AS MUCH AS MY FAMILY AND I DID.

What in your Epis?

Stopped by to see my mother-in-law and this is what I found sitting on the counter. Epis!! I got to thinking what were some of the different herbs and ingredients in everyone else's epis mix.

As you can see in this picture she has a lot of garlic, some herbs like parsley, watercress, habanero peppers and tomato paste just to name a few...

What's in your epis?

Pink Cocktail: Pink Panties!!

Source

 Pink Panties is the name of the drink. Go out and get you some of the ingredients to share with your Valentine.

Ingredients

 Minute Maid 12oz frozen pink lemonade concentrate

2 cups of ice

2 cups of gin

4 oz Cool Whip

BLEND. BLEND. BLEND. BLEND. 

Serving: 4 people/2 really drunk individuals

Family Vacay to D.C.

Mommy and Baby on the tour bus.


We decided to take a mini-vacation to Washington D.C. since my hubby had never been. D.C. is one of my favorite cities to visit. I love the architecture, the people are nice and the history. Gotta love it.

Hubby being silly

Trees that change color, ohhhh. We don't get this in Florida.

Her hands is always in my hair.

Famous Ben's Chilli Bowl

NY Style Cheesecake

I can not take credit for this recipe, you can thank Martha Stewart for this recipe. But I can say that it is easy and delicious.

Ingredients

Vegetable-oil cooking spray

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

16 ounces sour cream

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Boiling water, for roasting pan

Directions

1. Make the crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap exterior of pan (including base) with foil.
2. Stir together butter, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Press mixture firmly into bottom and 3 inches up sides of pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
3. Make the filling: Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Reduce speed to low, and add sour cream, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Beat until well combined (do not overmix). Pour into chilled crust.
4. Set springform pan in a large, shallow roasting pan. Place in oven. Carefully ladle enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Transfer roasting pan to a wire rack. Let cake cool in roasting pan 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from roasting pan, and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours (or overnight).
5. Run a knife around edge of cake, and unmold.

Topping-Blueberry Simple Syrup

1 cup of blueberries (washed)/Any fruit will do.

1 cup of water

1.5 cups of sugar

In a saucepan on medium temperature, add in ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves, once the water comes to a boil lower the temperature. Continue stirring ensuring the sugar has dissolved completely. Allow mixture to cook until it turns to a thick syrup and remove from stove. Allow to cool.

 Spoon topping over cake.

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Happy Cooking.

Buttermilk Fried Tilapia

Buttermilk fried Tilapia

Ingredients

4 Tilapia fillets

2 cups of flour

1.5 cup of cornmeal

2.5 cups of buttermilk

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 cup of canola oil

juice of 1 lemon

Let's get started.

Rinse the fillets in the sink. Pour lemon juice on top and strain. In a medium size bowl pour in buttermilk then add in the fillets. Let sit for minimum 30 minutes in the refrigerator. In a separate bowl, add in flour, cornmeal, pepper and salt. Mix.

In a medium size frying pan or shallow sauce pan on medium high temperature add in oil. While the oil is getting hot, remove the fish from the milk and coat with flour/cornmeal mixture.

Slowly and carefully place fish into hot oil and allow to cook. Tilapia cooks quickly so cook until golden brown on each side. If you're not into frying you can bake the fish.

Enjoy!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR & Happy Haitian Independence Day!!!!

BON ANNEE!!!

Let's eat some soup Joumou...

Every 1st of the year, traditionally most Haitian homes serve soup joumou. Even though it's called soup, this pumpkin stew is hearty and filled with various roots, big chunks of beef, greens and lots of flavor. This soup is served each year on the 1st of January as a reminder of the struggle, perseverance and success in the battle to gain their independence. Like African Americans who believe eating collard greens and black eye peas on the first day of the year brings good luck and prosperity, Haitians believe that eating a bowl of soup joumou also brings those same fortunes.

From my family to yours HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Recipe soon to follow.