This month Iâ€ve picked Bon Appetit mostly because I was taking a look at Barbara Fairchildâ€s book on the Cookbook section of the Books-a-Million Bookstore and well thatâ€s the magazine I bought and it was 4.99 plus whatever the tax is in Old Town Alexandria.

I think Iâ€m one of the few people obsessed with Food Magazines, theyt have everything I think about most of the time, Food, Photograhy, Design & stories, there is usually people behind each project working their butts off to bring new things, ideas and concepts, reinventing oldies, cooking I hope.

This is going to be a naked truth because I will be very honest. I think not even once I have tried a recipe from a Food magazine, maybe once a sweet potato brownie because I was starting a diet, and it was good, but I ended up serving it with whipped cream and ice cream so I broke the whole recipe goal. Shame on me.

This time Bon Appetit is showing several interesting recipes, and I will refuse to try a recipe thats calling for fancy stuff, at this point of my life I have almost NO money so I will do as much as I can afford, I apologize for this, to whoever reads my humble and unknown Blog.

So this it how it starts.

Wild Mushroom Risotto
Chicken, Vegetable and Dumpling Soup
Maple-Apple Pie with Walnut Streusel or
Maple-GingerBread Layer Cake with Salted Maple-Caramel Sauce
Beet and Carrot Salad with Coriander and Sesame Salt
Quick Coq Au Vin (very worried about this one)

Once I am done with this magazine I will count the recipes and hopefully make these or more or less before the end of October.

If you want to propose which magazine I should test recipes and read completely for November shoot an email to littleladycook@gmail.com and I will check it out.

Iâ€ll say goodbye for now, gotta run to work, 3 days more of work and then 2 lovely days off, hopefully it will be me, the kitchen and some volleyball if possible, they boy is going to NYC, long story.

¡a comer!

¡a comer!

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Por:  Mitch

Porto, Portugal

Tener amigos de visita en Porto significa entre otros, ir a comer una “francesinha” acompañada de una refrescante Super Bock (cerveza originaria del norte del país).  Confieso que mi primera “francesinha” fue hasta un año después de vivir en Porto, Portugal.    La catalogaba (y continuo a catalogarla) como una bomba calórica.   Hasta que decidí “Vivir la experiencia francesinha”.  Y bien, Qué es una “francesinha”?.  Yo la describo como un “emparedado de carnes/embutidos” con queso derretido acompañado de una salsa (a base de cerveza y tomate) y para darle un toque final, un huevo frito como buen plato portugués (Yo omito el huevo por gusto pero esta en la receta.  Puede ser acompañado con papas fritas.

Comparto aquí la receta.

Para 2 “Francesinhas”

4 Rebanadas de pan

2 Filetes de carne

4 Salsichas

4 Chorizos

10 Rebanadas de Queso

2 Rebanadas de jamón

2 huevos

1 lata de salsa de tomate 120g

Para la salsa:

1 Cerveza

½ Taza de Vino Porto, o Brandy, o Rum

1 Cubito de caldo de carne

3 Hojas de Laurel

1 Taza de leche

1 Cda. de Maicena

1 Cda. de Aceite de Oliva

Picante al gusto

Preparación

Comience por preparar la salsa.  Mezcle todos los ingredientes y llévelos a fuego lento hasta reducirse cerca de la mitad y estar ligeramente espeso, demora cerca de 30 minutos.

Sazonar la carne (con sal, pimienta y ajo) y sofreírla con aceite o mantequilla (dependiendo del gusto, yo prefiero mantequilla).

Dorar las rebanadas de pan con mantequilla.  Coloque una rebanada de pan sobre un molde que pueda ir al horno.  Rellene con un filete de carne, una rebanada de jamón, 2 chorizos partidos en dos y 2 salchichas cortadas también en dos.  Coloque la otra mitad del pan y cubra con las rebanadas de queso (recomiendo queso Flamenco o un queso amantequillado y que se derrita bien). Repetir para la segunda “francesinha”.  Meter el molde al horno por 10 minutos a 100°C.

Freir los huevos y al retirar las “francesinhas” del horno, colocar un huevo frito para cada una, encima de ellas.  Verter la salsa sobre toda la “francesinha”.  Acompañar con papas fritas.

Sugerencias: Cubrir la “francesinha” con bastante queso!  Bom Proveito!

Últimamente ha sido más difícil cocinar en casa desde que inicié mi trabajo nuevo.  No me quejo porque gracias a esta situación he podido probar diferentes restaurantes, sobretodo los que hacen entrega a domicilio u ofrecen el servicio de preparar para llevar y esta vez el camión de “Rebel Heroes” me salvaron el almuerzo.

Prometo compartir alguna fotografía del camión la próxima vez, pero ayer mi Chico estaba trabajando cerca así que me trajo a casa estos emparedados, fue gracias a Twitter cuando vi que el camión estaba en Courthouse fue ¡Bingo! ya sé lo que quiero de almuerzo, emparedados vietnamitas.

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Lately it has been very difficult to cook at home since I started my new job.  I am not complaining because thanks to this situation I have been able to try many places that offer carry outs, this time my Lunch was saved by the Rebel Heroes ladies!

I promise I will take a picture of the truck the next time, but yesterda the Boy was working nearby so he brought it home after I read on Twitter that the Rebel Heroes were going to be on Courthouse so I told him to get some sandwiches for lunch.

#6 Righteous Pork “The Rebel”

#5 Pressed Cubano “The Old Guard”

En gerenal $5.50 es muy barato por un emparedado decente, y comprendo que algunos se queden con otros lados como Subway por el tamaño y porque trae más vegetales, pero este “Bánh mì” resuelve y muchísimo.  Nosotros probamos el #5 (Pressed Cubano y el #6 (Righteous Pork) (pressed supongo es como estilo panini, aunque no fue así, tendré que averiguar).

Tienen buen tamaño y aún de haberlos comido 10 minutos luego de haberse preparado estaban calientitos, y el pan soporta perfectamente los jugos de la carne.  El mío fue el #6 y tenía jalapeños eso le dio un toque al emparedado, me gustó la mayonesa compuesta que pusieron, solo que hubiese querido más vegetales.  El Cubano estuvo bueno, pero no fue mi favorito, pienso que le hizo falta un poco de sabor en comparación ah #6.

Sí, compraría allí nuevamente, la próxima vez quiero probar el “Tofú Libre” y les contaré qué tal me fue.

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Overall $5.50  is very cheap for a decent sandwich, I understand Subway lovers they get a footlong, etc more veggies, but this sandwich (if you ask for it to be Cuban Pressed) get’s the job done.  We had the #5 (Pressed Cubano) and #6 (Righteous Roast Pork) (pressed).

They have a nice size, 10 minutes later when the Boy brought them home they were still warm and the bread just holds all the juicyness and meats perfectly.  Mine (#6) had jalapeños in it a nice kick it added to the sandwich, I like the mixed mayo it had and I wish it had more vegetables.  The Cubano was good but not my favorite I thought it was missing flavour in compare with the R. Pork.

Yes I would buy again, the next time I will try the Tofu Libre and will let you know how it was!

Menu here

Twitter here

“Like them” on Facebook here (I would rather Become a Fan, but now I guess “we like” =)

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¡a comer!

Every Friday would usually be “Carry Out Friday” and even more when it was payday Friday.  Mom likes to rest from cooking on weekend evenings so whenever she and my Dad would come back from work they would stop by the “Lady on the Corner” and buy Lomo Guisado w/ Frijolitos & Rice and a delish Mustard Potato Salad, (mom always hates it when the lady runs out of Lomo & Potato Salad, and sells instead Pollo Guisado and Elbow Pasta Salad (ensalada de coditos), me too!

The “Sao” always cheap, she sells them in little ziplocs, and trust me not as fancy as the one I ‘m showing on this picture haha!  Always hoping it will be properly cleaned, not in the sense of hygiene per se, but presentation wise, we already trust this lady’s food.

I have noticed while shopping for Pig’s Feet in DC area or NoVa grocery stores, the feet always look very clean, no hair, no weird smell or anything so that’s pretty amazing for such an not popular item.  I recommend, unless you have an amazing butcher’s knife, to buy them aready cut in pieces, not like the one I have on this package, since it was almost impossible to cut it.  I tried a different presentation, you let me know if it makes a difference to you at all.

A couple of weeks ago I shared this dish with many friends and the Panamanian Dinner I gave to Chowhound Friends, some loved them, some didn’t care for it, and some felt just too grossed, so that means for us Pig’s Trotter lovers that there will be more!

For those who want to make this at home, give it a try, it’s amazing to serve as an appetizer on a hot day!  With a cold beer or like my dad likes it a very cold Rum & Orange Juice!

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Ingredients (Serves 6 people, small portions)

Prep-Time 1 hour  – Overall time 3 hours (1 week in the fridge should be ok).

1.5-2 lbs Pig’s Feet

juice of 10-14 limes

1 10″ cucumber + 1 small cucumber (sliced, remove seeds and peel)

1 medium white onion

1 scotch bonnet pepper or a thai pepper

Salt & Pepper

White vinegar

Water

Directions

1.  Place a big Pot with water & salt with the feet already in, bring it to a boil and cook until tender, 30-60 mins.

2. Chop onions thin or like sticks, whatever you prefer, toss salt, sliced small cucumber, lime juice and adjust with water and vinegar to your taste, add the thinly sliced pepper, use half of it if you are not used to hot peppers. And please wear gloves and wash the chopping board and knives onces you are done with it. Read NOTE

3. Marinate them covered with plastic wrap inside the fridge until the Pig is ready.

4.  Once your pig is soft take it out of the pot, place it in a bowl and pour all the liquid you have the cucumbers & onions together.  Wait until it cools off, and marinate covered in fridge 2 hours- 3 days.

5.  When ready to serve, discard the cucumbers and add the other sliced ones so they can marinate a little before serving without being soggy and still with a crisp to it.  You could serve it room temperature or cold, I like it both ways!

This is how we eat it in my house! But if you want to make it “friendlier” looking check the picture under this one…

Slice the Sao and serve it with some juice, cucumbers & onions, so your guests never see the bone, though they are missing all the juiciness!

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Suggestion, serve this with Patacones (double fried Smashed Green Plantains) or anything that comes in mind that’s warm to make contrast with this great dish.

NOTE. I found out i’m a little allergic to hot peppers and several times I’ve hurt with myself using them, even jalapeños!)  If you get in contact with the pepper and your skin starts burning put very cold milk or sour cream and it will help, that’s what I did, took a benadryl so I could sleep, yes it was that bad.

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¡a comer!