Cheesy Baked Mostaccioli Recipe

Hola Amigos! After cooking all week, we all feel like taking a break on the weekends, and the best way of doing it (and cheapest) is to cook a casserole big enough to feed an army and tasty and satisfying for your soldiers not to mind reheating leftovers the next day!
Mostaccioli is a favorite. My grandma used to called it Macarrones Asados! She made the most delicious food ever, well I think we all  believe our grandma's are the best at everything anyways, right? I'm sure they are!

I asked my readers on FB how they have theirs, with meat as a main dish or plain as a side, but you know Facebook, No One gets to see what you post there unless a) you have a large fan base b) you pay to promote your status, or c) your  family and friends love you so much they keep up with what you do. I'm blessed and proud to have option C . I got 2 answers, one from my friend +Diane Kaul blogger at Giraffe Legs and she likes it as a main dish with meat in it, delicious and with endless options and the other one from my sweet adoptive little "sis" and blog designer,  Brooke, creative at Uplifted Designs who likes it as a side. Knowing my boys, I decided to play it safe and make a big casserole as a side.

This is a common recipe, everybody has their own little extra special ingredient and that is what I'm interested on exploring. New possibilities and tastes for a classic!

My motto bake 2 freeze 1 applies to this dish, only don't bake  it after you are done preparing it, freeze it well sealed right away and then bake it for that day you are scratching your head for what to have for dinner!
They all liked it  and I was able to stay out of he kitchen for the weekend a win win situation in my book if you ask me!

Thank You for visiting the blog today! I wish you all a healthy and productive week! Before you leave don't forget to let me know what makes your Mostaccioli extra special and a hit among your family and friends! Big Hug and remember my friends, everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Cheesy Baked Mostaccioli 

Ingredients:

2 Cups Uncooked Tube Shaped Pasta

1 Jar (24 oz) Spaghetti Sauce of your choice

1 (10 3/4 oz) Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup

1/2 Can Milk

1 Large Egg, Beaten

2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded (about 16 oz)

1 Cup Cottage Cheese

Pepper. Salt and Garlic Powder to taste

1 Cup Cheddar Cheese "Pringles" Chips, Crushed

1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350 F.

In a large saucepan prepare your pasta with plenty of salt in the water as indicated on the package. Once drained, place it in a large mixing bowl and start adding ingredients to it mixing after each ingredient is added carefully not to break the pasta. After the last cheese is added, the cottage cheese, check the pasta for flavors and add the condiments, pepper and garlic powder to taste and extra salt if needed.

Pour the mix in 2 separate, previously greased baking dishes. I used (2) 9x9 dishes.

*If you are going to freeze one baking dish, cover the container well and freeze. Remove from freezer, thaw in the refrigerator add the toppings after it thaws and  you are ready to bake it.

Top the remaining baking dish with crushed chips and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 45 minutes. Let it rest and serve with salad, garlic bread and enjoy!

Prep Time 20 minutes                      Cook Time 45 minutes                       Serves 8-12

Sharing my Easy Cheesy Baked Casserole at these Fabulous Parties:

Gina's Craft Corner, Little House Living, Feeding Big, The Princess and her Cowboys, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Lady Behind the Curtain

"Hot Tamales" Spiked Hot Chocolate Recipe

Hola Amigos! It's a beautiful 15 F today!!!! Oh yes! Beautiful compared to yesterday's bone shattering -16 (feeling like -35 F)! I haven't been out of my little house since Sunday when I went to the store and stock up like I was going to hibernate for months. I don't drive in the snow, so I knew what was coming for me! Truth be told, although I'm a homebody, I like to have the "choice" of getting in my car and drive to the store to get that extra ingredient missing of  a recipe, take a quick trip to my favorite coffee shop or just go browse the latest and greatest at the local dollar store.

I'm serving time in an Ice Cell and turning into a Hot Mess (aka Cabin Fever-itis), but since the only thing worse would be running out of chocolate, I'm celebrating my lock up with this Spiked Hot Tamale Hot Chocolate, and believe me...it is a celebration on a mug for sure!

Nothing fancy here, just a few ingredients with a lot of flavor and kick! Hard to feel when it's so cold,  the extra juice bottles and gallons of milk I got on Sunday, kept in the garage, are frozen!!!! Yikes!

This time I didn't have any whipped cream, or cute marshmallows, or sweet sprinkles, just Peppermint Hershey kisses, melting in the hot chocolate and some extra sweetness thanks to Marshmallow Fluff.

This tastes just like the candy, sweet, spicy and hot! only with a little something extra for grown ups.

Thank You for visiting the blog today! It's always a pleasure to enjoy your company and your comments on each post! We will be looking forward to the weekend when finally this cold front will be gone for good...I hope! Remember my friends, everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

"Hot Tamales" Spiked Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
1 Tablet "La Abuelita"
4 Cups Whole Milk
Pinch of Salt 
1 Cup Peppermint Hershey Kisses
4 ounces Tequila
2 ounces Hot Damn Cinnamon Schnapps 
Marshmallow Creme and Powder Cinnamon to top it
Directions:
In a saucepan, bring milk to simmer and add your chocolate tablet, stir until it melts. Add s the pinch of slat and whisk. Add Hershey Kisses to the mix and keep stirring until they melt as well and everything is well combined.
Add Tequila and Cinnamon Schnapps and whisk one more time before dividing the mix into 4 mugs.
Top your hot chocolate with some Marshmallow Creme, sprinkle some powdered cinnamon and a few extra Hershey Kisses. Cheers and Enjoy...bottoms up!

Total Prepare Time: 10 Minutes

Sharing my Sweet Spiked Fiery Hot Chocolate at these Fabulous Parties:

My Snippets of Inspiration, Gina's Craft Corner, Little House Living, Feeding Big, The Princess and her Cowboys, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Lady Behind the Curtain

Rice and Beans with Coconut Milk Recipe

Hola Amigos! I really wanted to make the first post of 2014 memorable! Perhaps an awesome and gooey dessert or a 5 star meal, but after getting and digging a foot of snow the first 2 days of the year and with temperatures today -5 without windchill, the only kind of food I can think of is good old fashion comfort food, nothing fancy, just good!!!!

This rice is very common in the Atlantic Coast of my country. Folks there eat it as part of their daily diet with saucy chicken or spicy escovitch fish! I had mine with a hamburger patty in a spicy onion and mushroom sauce, my 1-2-3  version of Salisbury steak!

Add extra beans with butter if you want! I know, not the leanest and healthier thing to eat but it's good I tell ya! On the plus side, it's a side dish rich in fiber!

You can taste the sweetness of the coconut on every bite but by no means the rice is sweet, just a hint!
As a side, serve it with something definitely sweet, yellow plantains, mine I soaked in coke, that's why they are a bit on the dark side.

Now that we all had a taste of the sunny Caribbean, let's go out and do some more shoveling! (hopefully not)! I hope you guys are having a wonderful first week of the year! Remember that everything could be memorable and taste even better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Rice and Beans with Coconut Milk Recipes

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cup Long Grain White Rice

1 Can Coconut Milk

2 Cups Chicken Broth

1 Can Red Beans, drained

1 Can Pinto Beans, drained

1 Chicken Bullion (dissolved in broth)
2 Cloves Garlic Minced
1 tbsp Butter

Directions:
In a large pot on medium high heat, melt butter and toss minced garlic until slightly golden. Remove from pot. Add rice, coconut milk, broth and beans. Stir Cook uncovered until the liquid evaporates. Cover, low the stove temperature to medium and cook for 12 minutes. Stir the rice first with a large spoon and then with a fork to separate the grains. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until grains are soft. Serve as a side and enjoy!

Total Cook Time: 30 minutes

Sharing my Homeland's Caribbean Cuisine at these Fabulous Parties:

Tartertots and Jello, Th Best Blog Recipes, Home Maid Simple, The Shabby Nest, Six Sister's Stuff, What's Cooking with Ruthie, Made from Pinterest,Swe Licious Home Decor, Becoming Martha, Walking on Sunhsine, Flamingo Toes, 504 Main, Navy Wifey Peters, Twigg Studios, Nifty Thrifty Things, Will Cook For Smiles, Suburbs Mama, Lines Across, The Chicken Chick, This Gal Cooks, I Should be Mopping the Floors, Smart School House, Ginger Snap Crafts, All She Cooks, Lady Behind the Curtain, Ducks' n a Row, Kitchen Meets Girl, My Girlish Whims, Memories by the Mile, My Snippets of Inspiration, Gina's Craft Corner, Little House Living, The Princess and her Cowboys Love Bakes Good Cakes

Smothered Fiesta Chicken Recipe

Hola Amigos: This is an easy chicken recipe that will set your taste buds on  a party mood! It's tender, juicy and spicy, just like a festive meal should be!

It also uses very inexpensive chicken quarters, but certainly you could use any chicken cuts you have handy! I think that is why we all love chicken! it's so versatile!

When it comes to the ingredients, there are very few, corn and black beans take center stage, highlighted by a few spices and a whole lot of flavor! It's smothered in a delicious tomato based sauce where all the ingredients combine and become one with the chicken! You can hardly see the chicken...but it's there, under all that goodness!

It goes in the oven leaving you plenty of time while it cooks to get some things done around the house.
I personally love the bright colors, the combination of textures and of course the flavors!. Serve it with some white rice or flour tortillas and dinner would be memorable!

Thank you so much for your visit to the blog today. I hope you are able to prepare this flavorful and frugal recipe and bring share with your family this festive meal! Remember my friends everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Smothered Fiesta Chicken

Ingredients

4 Chicken Leg Quarters

1 Can Black Beans

1 Can Sweet Corn

1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Jalapenos

1/2 Can Chicken Broth

1 1/2 tsp Minced Onion

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Ancho Chilli
Pinch of Coriander

1 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese

Oil for browning

Directions:

Season chicken with salt & pepper or seasonings of your liking. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes. (marinating overnight is always better). 

Preheat your oven at 365F . 

In a large very hot oiled  sauce pan, brown the chicken, skin side down. Once all the pieces are browned transfer to a baking pan. In the same saucepan add chicken broth to deglaze it, scrapping all the bits and juices left from browning. Add diced tomatoes, corn, beans and spices. Cook for 5 minutes and cover chicken with this sauce. Cover you baking dish with aluminum foil or a lid and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese and let it melt.

Serve with white rice or flour tortillas. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 5 minutes                                           Cook Time: 35 minutes                  Serves 4

Sharing my simple easy meal at these Fabulous Parties:

Made from Pinterest, Be Different Act Normal, Classy Clutter, Serenity You, Twigg Studios, Your Homebased Mom, Angels Homestead, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Navy Wifey Peters, Will Cook for Smiles, Flamingo Toes, Create with Joy, My Mixing Spoon, Frugal Foodie Mama, The Chicken Chick, Twelve O' eight, Claire Justine, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Tatertots and Jello, The Best Blog Recipes, Home Maid Simple, The Shabby Nest, Six Sister's Stuff, What's Cooking with Ruthie, Sew Licious Home Decor, Becoming Martha, 504 Main, Suburbs Mama, Nifty Thrifty Things, Lines Across, Smart School House, Ginger Snap Crafts, All She Cooks, Lady Behind the Curtain, Duck's' n a Row, Kitchen Meets Girl, Feeding Big, The Silly Pearl, My Girlish Whims, Memories by the Mile

Holiday Chocolate Flan Recipe

Hola Amigos: One of the best things about the Holiday season is food! Ham, Turkey, Pork, Rice the sides you name it, but what I really love is something I always bake no matter what right around this time, Flan! It's a typical dessert for Christmas and celebrations in many Latin American  countries and the best part is that is super easy to make.

This time I decided to try friend's recipe for chocolate flan that I knew it was going to be a hit since it combines the best of the best, chocolate cake and flan! yumm!!! It takes a little time in the oven, but at the end you get rewarded for your patience with the best dessert ever,  a spongy chocolate cake topped with smooth and sweet custard! oh boy!

Don't worry about perfection with this dessert! It's a rustic one, meant to be eaten in a few bites and believe me, it will!. Since it's a cake you can make it pretty for the few minutes it will be at the table with your favorite icing or whipped cream.

I also added more "manjar" or dulce de leche to mine..you can't never have enough of this good thing!
When slice it's just pretty and delicious, a bite of flan and a bite of chocolate cake! Nothing else to say, just enjoy the goodness.

Now tell me if this dessert is not the perfect holiday and festive ending to a great family meal? To my family is what we all look forward to have sometimes even stealing a slice before dinner is ready!

Do you have a family dish you bake or prepare for the holidays by popular demand, something that reminds you of your hometown, of your childhood or that your family just love when you make it every holiday? I would love to know!

Thank You for visiting the blog today! Hope you give my chocolate flan a try and enjoy it as much as we did! Remember my friends, everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Holiday Chocolate Flan 

Ingredients:

1 box Chocolate Cake of your choice

Eggs, Oil, Water needed to prepare the cake according to instructions on the box

5 Eggs

1 Cup Evaporated Milk

1 Cup Condensed Milk, divided

1 Cup Dulce de Leche

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 shot Kahlua (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350 F degrees.

Prepare the cake according the box instructions. Set aside. 
In a large bowl (I use my blender), add and mix well the eggs,  evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla and Kahlua.
Use half of the Dulce the Leche to coat a previously buttered baking dish (a 9 inch square or round). Pour the chocolate cake mix and then the flan mixture. Don't panic if at this moment you see the flan mixture sink to the bottom, that is a good thing! Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in a bath Marie for about 45 minutes or until a fork in the middle comes clean. Remove from oven.
Let it cool for a few minutes and place a plate upside down over the baking dish and turn the plate and baking dish over. 
Decorate if you want with chocolate icing, whip cream and the remaining 1/2 cup of dulce de leche. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes                                       Cook Time: 45 minutes                   Serves 8

Sharing my Sweet festive Flan at these Fabulous Parties:

Made from Pinterest, Be Different Act Noraml, Serenity You, Classy Clutter, Twigg Studios, Your Homebased Mom, Angels Homestead, Navy Wifey Peters, Life on Lakeshore Drive, The Tablescaper, Will Cook for Smiles, Flamingo Toes, Frugal Foodie Mama, Create with Joy, My Mixing Spoon, The Chicken Chick, Twelve O' eight, Claire Justine, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Tatertots and Jello, The Best Blog Recipes, Home Maid Simple, The Shabby Nest, Six Sister's Stuff, What's Cooking with Ruthie, Sew Licious Home Decor, Becoming Martha, 504 Main, Nifty Thrifty Things, Suburbs Mama, Smart School House, Ginger Snap Crafts, All She Cooks, Lady Behind the Curtain, Ducks' n a Row, Kitchen Meets Girl, Feeding Big, The Silly Pearl, My Girlish Whims, Memories by the Mile

Baked Cod with Lemon and Orange Recipe

Hola Amigos: Today I'm sharing with you a recipe using a sometimes overlooked fish, Cod! This mild flavored fish is so  inexpensive compared to others and rich in vitamins A, C and D as well as Omega 3's that we should all included on regular basis as part of our diets.

Back in my country is very popular in it's dried salted version. I remember the semi lengthy process my mom used to go through every time we had it for dinner. It was well worth the effort,we loved it there,  but oh boy, you won't find this girl doing all that work  now, just thinking of trying to "fish" for all the tiny needles even before starting cooking it, makes me want to open a can of tuna instead, also there is the matter of  the "fishy" smell salted dried cod has, that alone will make all my guys run out the door in panic,lol. Don't get me wrong, it's delicious just like lox, but it takes a lot of work to prepare.

No problem with fresh cod filet though, it's mild flavor allows this fish to wonderfully take any flavors you want to add. This time we added citrus notes of lemon and orange!

Also as you all know my favorite method of preparing seafood is to steam it in a bag and then quickly crisp it and brown it for  a few minutes outside the bag and preparing a little sauce with the delicious juices rendered in the cooking process.

The little sauce I created has a hint of tangy ginger to complement the citrus fruity flavors already in the fish.
A super quick and healthy recipe for times when we are all busy trying to catch up with office parties, hosting our own or just trying to get from one place to another with heavy holiday traffic! 20 minutes in the oven and enjoy!

Thank You for visiting the blog today! Hope you enjoy this quick and flavorful recipe and give it a try next time you see this nutritious and  tasty fish at a store near you! remember my friends, even the most humblest of foods taste better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Baked Cod with Lemon and Orange Recipe

Ingredients:

12 oz Cod Filet

1 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice

1 TBSP Fresh Orange Juice

1/2 tsp Lemon Zest

1/2 tsp Orange Zest

1 tsp Seafood Seasoning

Onion Powder, Garlic Powder and Lemon Pepper to taste

1/2 Small Red Onion, Sliced

3-4 Thin Orange Slices

1/8 Cup Ginger Ale

1/2 tsp Cornstarch 

Directions:

Marinate your fish with the fruit juices, juice zests and seasonings. Let the fish marinate for 15 minutes only since we don't want to cook it in the citrus mix. 

Preheat oven at 425F. Cut a long piece of parchment paper and another one the same size of aluminum foil, to go right under the parchment one.

Remove the fish from the marinade, place on the parchment paper sheet. Add sliced red onions and orange slices to cover the fish. Wrap the parchment around the fish and seal this inner bag with an aluminum foil one. Bake for 15 minutes. When time is up, open the bags and bake for another 5 minutes so the fish browns.

Remove from oven. 

For the sauce, place rendered juice on a small saucepan, add cornstarch dissolved in ginger ale and cook for a few minutes until it coats the spoon. Serve over the fish and enjoy!

Prep Time 15 Minutes                               Cook Time 20 minutes                       Serves 2

Sharing my easy and frugal fish dinner at these Fabulous Parties:

Made from Pinterest, Be Different Act Normal, Classy Clutter, Serenity You, Twigg Studios, Your Homebased Mom, Angels Homestead, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Navy Wifey Peters, Will Cook for Smiles, Flamingo Toes, My Mixing Spoon, Create with Joy, Frugal Foodie Mama, The Chicken Chick, Twelve O' eight, Claire Justine, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Tatertots ad Jello, The Best Blog Recipes, Home Maid Simple, The Shabby Nest, Six sister's Stuff, Becoming Martha, What's Cooking with Ruthie, Sew Licious Home Decor, Walking on Sunshine

Berry Passionate Lemonade Smoothie Recipe

Hola Amigos! It's been a little while since I made a smoothie and even though holiday flavors like cinnamon and peppermint should be on my mind while the snow falls outside, I can't help but thinking that in other parts of the world it's sunny, toasty hot and summer is on it's way! I guess you can take a girl out of the Tropics but you can't take the Tropics out of the girl!

This is a super easy and refreshing smoothie. Something different if you want to try new sweet flavors and add a bit of "zing to your swing" this season.

The color is absolutely beautiful, reminds me of Caribbean's pink sand and the flavor delicious! It's also low in calories so you can still look amazing and in great shape for Christmas while enjoying a cool looking beverage!

Top it of with some fresh whipped cream, a few sugary sprinkles and strawberries for a festive look!

Make it even healthier by adding some wheat germ or flax seeds! See those little specks floating around? Wheat Germ! yumm!

Before I close this short but sweet post I want to thank all the sweet comments and emails I've gotten from you my friends since around Thanksgiving and been unable to answer. Due to health problems I haven't been able to get to my computer or blog at all! I hope and pray things get better as the weeks go by and come back and have fun with all of you!. In the meantime, please hang in there with this your blog. I will try to pop a few times a week to say hi to all and drop a little recipe or two.

Keep the shopping going my sweeties and enjoying the holiday cheer always keeping in mind that everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Berry Passionate Lemonade Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 (6 oz) Chobani Passion Fruit Yogurt, frozen

3/4 Cup Lemonade, chilled

1/2 Strawberries, frozen

1 tsp Wheat Germ (optional)

Fresh Whip Cream and Strawberries for garnishing (optional)

Directions:

Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Top with Whip Cream and Strawberries for a pretty presentation if you want. Enjoy!

Prep Time 3 minutes                                                                       Serves 2 (4-6oz) Cups

Sharing my Tropical Holiday Smoothie at these Fabulous Parties:

Made from Pinterest, Be Different Act Normal, Serenity You, Classy Clutter, Twigg Studios, Your Homebased Mom, Angels Homestead, Navy Wifey Peters, Life on Lakeshore Drive, The Tablescaper, Will Cook for Smiles, Flamingo Toes, Frugal Foodie Mama, Create with Joy, My Mixing Spoon, The Chicken Chick, Twelve O' eight, Claire Justine, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Tatertots and Jello, The Best Blog Recipes, Home Maid Simple, The Shabby Nest, Six Sister's Stuff, What's Cooking with Ruthie, Sew Licious Home Decor, Becoming Martha, 504 Main, Suburbs Mama, Nifty Thrifty Things, Lines Across, Kitchen Meets Girl, Feeding Big, The Silly Pearl, My Girlish Whims