In The Beginning..

Homemade Blueberry/Apple Muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 cups minus 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Heavy pinch of salt
• Dash of Nutmeg
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 11/4  generous cup plain, unflavored yogurt 
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup diced apple
• Vanilla Extract
• Turbinado sugar 
• Cupcake paper cups:

  Preparation

• Preheat oven to 385 degrees.
• In a large bowl sift flour, baking soda, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Add apple and mix well
• In another large bowl whisk together sugar, oil, cap-ful of vanilla, egg, and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and stir to a count of 10.
• Add blueberries, reserving 1/2 cup, to mixture and stir 3 times. 

• With an ice-cream scoop put mixture to paper cupcakes.

• Sprinkle remaining berries on top and press down lightly. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over top.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes and allow cooling completely.

Mediterranean Beef and Veggie Kabobs

Ingredients:

4 Callisons Mediterranean Garlic Herb Seasoned Skewers

1 1/4 pounds boneless beef sirloin, cut into 2-inch chunks

1/2 cup white wine

8 slices of zucchini

8 (1 1/2 inch) pieces red onion

8 (1 1/2 inch) pieces of green bell pepper

8 (1 1/2 inch) pieces of red bell pepper

Perfect pinch - Mediterranean herb seasoning to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Soak skewers in white wine for 10 to 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl mix all veggies and add oil and seasoning.

Thread onto a skewer in the following order: beef-onion-zucchini-beef-green and red pepper, using 1 piece of each. Repeat 1 more time. Repeat with remaining skewers. 

Let them sit for 10 to 20 minutes in refrigerator.

Place on a preheated medium-high grill and cook until beef is cooked for about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

What are seasoned skewers?

They are a 100% natural, fat and sodium free way to season foods from the inside out. Callisons Fine Foods seasoned skewers release natural oils and herbal extracts into the food as it cooks, infusing your food with flavor. If you don’t find these skewers, don’t worry just use any regular skewers, and make sure you seasoning them and they will be good as well!

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Pasteles of the Colombian Coast

The Colombian coast pasteles are similar to tamales, except that pasteles are made out of rice, while the tamales are made from corn dough. Another difference is that tamales are wrapped in banana leaves, or corn leaves, and the “pasteles” are made with bijao leaves.

The Rice:

As the main ingredient is rice, its preparation should be careful. To do this, first rinse the rice. Mix it with vinegar, colored oil (annatto), chives, garlic, sweet pepper or bell pepper, and salt, and let it stand for a few hours.

The Meats:

The other part of the preparation has to do with meat. Traditionally is used pork, beef and chicken, but I used leftover turkey for mines. These meats are cooked with peppers, garlic, onion, tomato, salt, and colored oil (annatto). When finished, this stew is saved to add it later to the pasteles.

The Veggies:

In small containers sliced ​​peppers, onions, potatoes, carrots, green beans, and add green peas. The use of olives and capers shows the Arab cuisine influence.

Preparation

Arrange two bijao leaves crosswise. Spread a layer of rice on the bottom of the leaves, and then add meats. Follows with a layer of the veggies mentioned above, and ends with another layer of rice on top. The last step is to fold the leaves until well packaged, and tied then with a string.

In a large pot add enough water to cover all pasteles (make sure the water is boiling before placing the pasteles.) Add salt and vinegar and cook for 1 ½ hour until the pasteles are cooked.

Ingredients:

For the Rice:

4 cups of rice

½ cup of vinegar

½ cup of colored oil (annatto)

1 cup o

4 pieces of crushed garlic

Salt to taste

For the Meats:

3 pounds of different meats

1 cup of chopped tomatoes

1 cup of chopped onions

1 cup of chopped peppers

2 pieces of crushed garlic

Salt and black pepper

The Veggies:

2 cups of sliced carrots

2 cup of chopped green beans

2 cups of peas

2 cups of sliced of potato

1 cup of green olives

1 cup of capers