Spaghetti and Homemade Sauce

Ingredients:

• Green bell peppers
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Capers
• Chopped tomatoes (canned or fresh)
• Salt/pepper
• Sugar
• Spices: Dried Basil, oregano, Parsley 
• Olive oil
• Pasta (Spaghetti)

Preparation:

Chop vegetables individually. Do not mix. 

Individually toast green peppers, onions, and mushrooms without olive oil. Place each toasted vegetable on a  container; to be added to the sauce at the end. 

Two cans of tomatoes is enough sauce for one spaghetti package.

Place can tomatoes in deep pot.

Add spices: olive oil, salt/pepper, sugar, basil, oregano and parsley.

Let it boil/simmer for 10 minutes. Cook pasta while making sauce. So pasta and sauce can be ready at the same time.

Blend pasta. Using a manual blender works well as you can blend in the same pot. Otherwise, use blender.

Add roasted vegetables and let them simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn off stove and cover to use once pasta is cooked.

Add capers as garnish.

Use deep pot to cook pasta.
Add enough water that will cover pasta. Approx 3/4 of the way. Add oil, cover it with lid and let the water boil for 5 minutes before adding pasta.

Once water is boiling, add pasta.

Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes at medium-high heat; until pasta is tender.

Use a colander to drain water. Rinse with cold water.

Combine sauce with pasta. Enjoy with garlic bread (bolillo garlic bread)!

Bruschetta con Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes
• Rice vinegar
• Olive oil
• Salt/Pepper
• Basil (dry or fresh)
• Toasted bread (french bread works well)
• Cheese (goat, brie, cream cheese) all work well

Preparation:

Chop tomatoes in small pieces (salsa style).  

Add species: salt, pepper, olive oil, rice vinegar and basil.

Spread cheese on toast and add chopped tomatoes.

Enjoy as an appetizer or snack! Goes well with wine.

Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients: 

• Yellow cake mix
• Eggs (3)
• 1 cup of Water
• 3/4 cups of melted butter
• Tres leches:
• Condensed milk
• Evaporated milk
• Regular milk (fat free recommended)
• Vanilla (home made!)

Preparation:

Follow directions on cake mix box.
Mix dough with 1 cup of water, 3/4 melted butter and 3 eggs.

 

Mix using an electric mixer or hand whisk.

While mixing ingredients, pre-heat oven to 450 F degrees.
Pour mix into a tin or glass container.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Or until cooked. You can identify whether the cake is completely backed by using a fork. Once fork turns out clean, it is cooked.

On another container, use whisk to mix vanilla (home made), condensed, evaporated and regular milk. Add as much drinking milk as desired (based on your preference for sweetness).

Once the cake is baked. Let it cool for 15 minutes. Poke holes with fork throughout the cake. Then, add tress leches mixture.

Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Enjoy with coffee, tea, milk or by itself!

Stay tuned for another tres leches cake-made from scratch.