This week I have decided that I will be cooking things that I love! Sunday is my birthday and I am going to share some of my favorite dishes, flavors and cultures with you! So, to get fired up for the best week ever. (And the fact that it is now thunder snowing outside), I am starting with my favorite flavors! Carribean.
When you go to Miami or South Florida you cannot help but see all of the signs for Cuban and Carribean foods. It is everywhere! One of my favorites is arepas. It is basically a south american hot pocket. It is made of corn flour and is cooked in a pan. Then once they are warm you crack them open and stuff whatever you love inside. They are addictive. I make them a lot when we are in Florida and will sometimes just stuff them with monterey jack cheese! So so good! I am mixing it up a little bit by adding a mango and scotch bonnet salsa! Thanks to Suan’s Scotch Bonnet Pepper Jelly! So here is my recipe for simple yummy arepas.
Cheesy Arepas with Mango Pepper Salsa
2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups pre-cooked white cornmeal (PAN brand)*
Mango salsa
2 Tbsp. Suan’s Red Pepper Jelly
1 cup monterey jack cheese
Preheat a skillet over medium high heat. In a medium sized bowl mix together the water, oil, salt and sugar. Then sprinkle in the white cornmeal flour. Stir together till it thickens and forms a ball. Use about 1/4 cup of the cornmeal and form a smooth ball. Then flatten lightly with your hands tip it is about 1/4 inch thick. Brush your skillet with butter and place the discs in the pan and cook till they are browned and then flip. Continue the browning process. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.
To make the pepper salsa: Mix together the prepared fresh mango salsa with 2 Tbsp of Suan’s Pepper jelly.
To make the cheesy arepa: Simply cut the arepa in half lengthwise. Spread with salsa and then sprinkle in the cheese. Return to the warm skillet and warm till cheese is melty! Eat!
*Pan brand cornmeal can be found in all international grocery stores as well as in the international aisle in grocery stores.
Now if that didn’t get you feeling like you were sitting in a lawn chair then this cake will for sure take you there! Simple to make and tastes like the tropics!
This is Caytie in Hawaii and her Sunshine Birthday Cake!
Sunshine Cake
1 white cake mix, cooked according to package
1 can cream of coconut*
1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple, chopped
3/4 cup flaked coconut, toasted**
1 container Cool Whip
Prepare white cake mix according to package instructions and bake. Remove from oven and poke with a toothpick or skewer all over. In a small saucepan, warm the cream of coconut till it is liquid. Pour over warm cake. Sprinke with chopped pineapple. Cover and allow it to sit in the fridge for 3 hours. Now it is time to top with cool whip and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
*Cream of coconut is found in the bar mixer aisle. Do not use coconut milk!
**Easy way to toast coconut- place shredded coconut on a paper plate. Put it in the microwave and cook 1-2 minutes. Watch it closely so it does not burn.