My Big Fat Cuban Family is a Cuban-American lifestyle and food blog by Marta Verdes Darby.
I was recently invited to cook with celebrity chef Sunny Anderson. I know. Shut up. Of course I was going to attend!
The surprise was that she was kicking off The SPAMERICAN!TM Tour and would be cooking - wait for it - with SPAM®.
Read MoreI recently celebrated having traveled around the sun for 21,900 days (give or take a couple of leap years). I had a lot of assumptions and deep thoughts about this particular milestone in my life.
Read MoreI first want to thank all of you who have supported my Cuban food poster.
I love every time one of you sends me a photo of your framed poster and when you tell me how much you're enjoying it.
It makes me feel like I'm right in your kitchen with you. (Not in a weird way, of course.)
I've been hearing from many of you that the 16 x 20 size is a little too big for your kitchen, so I'm excited today to announce that you can get this really fun poster for your Cuban kitchen in different sizes. (Yay!)
Here are the new sizes available today:
Here's the link: Cuban Food Poster on Etsy
Order now if you're thinking you may want to get one for Mami for Mother's Day. If you shop now, I can definitely guarantee delivery BEFORE Mother's Day on May 10th.
Or maybe Tia Cuca is still waiting for hers. What are you waiting for?
Gracias! Have fun shopping.
When I say I'm making Cuban pizza, no one believes it's a real thing.
What makes it Cuban, you ask? Well, it starts, just like all good Cuban food, with a sofrito. A Cuban "sofrito" is the beginning and end of all that is good and holy about Cuban food - onion, garlic, bell pepper perfectly sauteéd in olive oil with a hint of tomato and spices.
For the cheeses, you will want to add some gouda to the mozarella and parmesan. Then just sit back and enjoy the compliments.
1) In a large skillet, sauté garlic, onion, and bell pepper in olive oil over medium heat.
Remember, you’re making a sofrito for the sauce.
2) Cook and stir until onion is translucent, but make sure not to burn the garlic.
3) Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, white wine, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
4) Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until well-blended and heated through.
5) Spread this sofrito sauce over pizza dough.
6) Mix the gouda and mozzarella cheeses together and cover the pizzas with these.
7) Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over all. This is what gives it that toasty cheese look and taste.
8) Sprinkle lightly with a little bit more oregano.
9) Cook in a hot oven at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and toasted.
10) WARNING: Resist the temptation to bite into it immediately, even though you will be enticed to do so by the blissfully amazing Cuban-food smell.
11) You can thank me later.
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As you well know, it's my great pleasure to be a part of the Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium Committee.
For one, we get to have our meetings at Porto's, but that's not important right now. What's so very cool this year is that the Dodgers love our Cubanity (<--that's a word, rightr?) so much that they've added a Cuba Night At Dodger Stadium.
How awesome is this?
The fun goes down on Monday. May 11th at 7:10pm against the Miami Marlins. Mark it on your calendars and make it happen!
For every person that buys a ticket through www.dodgers.com/cuba for that night, you'll receive a voucher for a commemorative Cuba/Puig t-shirt.
Are we having fun yet?
Of course I'll be there along with My Big, Fat, Cuban Family. (Thanks for asking.) We'll be the ones wearing Dodger Blue and yelling "Dále!" at Yasiel Puig and eating the Cuban Dodger Dogs. Here is my recap from last year.
Because that's the way of our people.
Just so there's no confusion, we also have a Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium over the summer.
THAT'S TWO DAYS OF BASEBALL AND CUBANITY, PEOPLE!
This year the 3rd Annual Cuban Heritage Day is on Sunday, July 12th, 2015.
Please follow Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium on Facebook for all the details.
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For Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium in July, here's what you need to know for tickets and tshirts.
Habana Brand Clothing is accepting pre-orders now thru May 1st, at a special Pre-Order Price of $20.00 - after May 1st the on-line price will be $25.00.
Orders will be shipped early May. We are only producing a very limited amount of these shirts, so do not be left out! Wear it proudly when you join your family and friends at Dodger Stadium for the cultural celebration of the 3rd annual Cuban Heritage Day on Sunday, July 12th.
The Cuban-themed Viva Los Dodgers festival will begin 2 hours prior to first pitch and fans can enjoy festive live music, player autographs and various activities.
Admission to Viva Los Dodgers is free with a paid ticket to the game. We will also be selling the t-shirts on various dates at Porto's Bakeries. Click on the following link to place your pre-order:
Habana Brand Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium tshirts.
Is it summer yet?
This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Farmland® and Latina Bloggers Connect. But, of course, all opinions are my own.
Recipe Development - let’s discuss this for a moment.
When I hear the term, “Recipe Development,” I think of scientist types in an expansive, pristine kitchen, clothed in white lab coats and safety goggles. Because “Recipe Development," you see, is probably something that's best left to the professionals.
At least that’s the way this plays out in my mind. However…
I’ve had an idea for an appetizer-type recipe rattling around in my brain for a while. It has some of my favorite ingredients with the delicious addition of bacon. It would be ideal for a game day snack.
And serendipitously, I’ve been tasked to develop a recipe using Farmland® Bacon.
Full confession: My first reaction was, “Seriously? I’d so love to.” My second reaction, “I don’t really know if Recipe Development is part of my particular skill set.” Of course, I didn’t say this out loud, but that's not important right now.
It had to be something that appealed to my Cuban sensibilities. And incorporated bacon.
“Seriously? I’d love to!”
The best ingredients are key for this recipe to taste like I wanted it to. Farmland® Bacon has that whole “slow smoked over real wood” thing going for it so that was a no-brainer. (I buy it at Walmart.)
From the Farmland® Bacon website: For decades, Farmland® has taken pride in perfecting their curing and smoking technique – a difference you’ll taste in every delicious bite. (Emphasis mine.)
The Farmland® Bacon is what takes this recipe to that next level. So much so, that I thought about calling this recipe, “Every Delicious Bite.” Yep. It’s that good.
Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado, let me present to you my latest recipe (drum roll, please).
Bacon Guava Cream Cheese Bites.
Let’s just observe a moment of silence, please. Thankyouverymuch.
I have had cream cheese wontons before and I think they’re perfectly lovely. Of course, when my thoughts turn to cream cheese, you know I will be thinking of adding guava somehow very soon. But then, I still needed to incorporate bacon into this mix.
That’s right when the whole thing went from Pedestrian to Sublime, the Heavens opened and an Angelic Choir burst into a Song of Great Celebration and Joy. That, or I got really, really excited.
Bacon. Guava. Cream Cheese. Wontons. Together at last.
Believe me when I tell you that this is a pretty brilliant combination of textures and flavors. And you’ll be floored by how these beautiful little creatures can be put together so quickly and so very deliciously.
The guava is what gives it the sweetness. Paired with the cream cheese it takes this to the Next Level of Cubanity. The bacon? Well, the bacon is what makes it other-worldly. And when you deep-fry these little bundles you get crunch. Everything you want in a Cuban-style appetizer or game day treat.
INGREDIENTS
1) Slice the entire package of bacon down the middle so you have shorter pieces to cook.
2) Fry these in a hot skillet until they are crispy, but not burned.
3) Drain on paper towels and chop roughly into smaller pieces.
4) Separate the thin sheets of wonton. I used both 1 and 2 sheets. Two sheets add more crunch. This will depend on your personal preference. I tried some both ways and I was equally happy.
5) Cut up the guava into small pieces.
6) To build the wontons, place small pieces of guava in the center of the wonton.
7) Spread with cream cheese, drop a few pieces of the roughly chopped bacon into this little cream cheese nest.
8) Dip your fingertip in water and run a tiny bit of water around the edges of the wonton. This acts like glue. You can also use egg white for this. Grab the corners of the wonton and squish (<—yes, that’s the technical term for it) corners together to create a little pouch.
9) Heat your oil in a deep skillet. The depth of the oil should just cover the wontons.
10) Fry quickly in the very hot oil. It should only take about 10-15 seconds, if that. Work in small batches. Don't do more than 3 or 4 at a time. They cook very quickly.
11) Drain cooked wontons on a paper towel.
12) Let them cool slightly before eating. They’re great at room temperature.
13) Serve and receive your praises.
Makes about 36 pieces.
Come to think of it, I kind of ROCK at Recipe Development.
For more awesome Farmland recipes, go give them some Facebook love right here.
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This is a compensated collaboration with Farmland® and Latina Bloggers Connect. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Farmland® and Latina Bloggers Connect. But, of course, all opinions are my own.
I'm looking forward to The Big Game.
I'm talking about the Superbowl, of course. And, yes, I know who's playing and all, but truthfully, these days I'm more concerned with the menu than with what teams are on the field, (because I'm usually feeding an army of my own) but that's not important right now.
I plan my Superbowl Menu by quarters. Appetizers for the first half. Main Dish at half-time. Desserts for the fourth quarter. I know it sounds kind of formulaic, but it works for the organized part of my brain.
If I can make it work for my Cuban taste buds, all the better.
Here's a Cuban-inspired appetizer using Farmland® Bacon. (I found it at Walmart.) I decided that the perfect appetizer would be something both sweet and salty which made me think of maduros (sweet plantains) and Farmland® Bacon. Genius, no?
Farmland® bacon is slow smoked over real wood for maximum flavor. For decades, Farmland® has taken pride in perfecting their curing and smoking technique – a difference, they tell me, you’ll taste in every delicious bite. I am a believer.
Thanks, Farmland®. You had me at "slow smoked." *sigh*
I had picked up some fresh plantains to make these, but they weren't truly ripe enough for what I wanted to do, so, as we Cubans say, I had to "resolver."
So I used frozen (baked) plantains instead and was super happy with the results!
Ingredients
1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Thaw the frozen plantains for about 20 minutes.
3) Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.
4) Slice the plantains into 1 1/2 inch slices - about the width of the bacon.
5) Cut the entire package of Farmland® Bacon in half with a sharp knife.
6) Wrap each slice of plantain with a half-slice of bacon, rolling it all the way around the plantain.
7) Place each wrapped plantain slice on the foil-lined baking sheet, seam side down.
8) Bake in 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.
You will want the bacon to be just slightly brown but not too crunchy.
9) Remove from foil immediately or they will stick. Move onto a plate lined with paper towels to blot any excess.
10) Can be served immediately or at room temperature.
If you did your job right, they will not make it to half-time.
Thanks, Farmland®. Buen Provecho and Go, Patriots!
Seriously, people. I read every single one of your comments and I swear that your love for Cuban food shows right through. Thank you all for participating and sharing your favorite foods and your stories behind them.
I'm grateful that you are enjoying my poster. Thank you for that. I love mine. And I figured you'd love it, too.
I wish I could choose all of you, but that's why I can't be trusted with these kinds of decisions. Which is why I go over to random.org and plug the number of (legit) entries into the True Random Number Generator, which then gives me well, random numbers.
The winners of the Cuban Food Posters are (drum roll, please)...
Congratulations! Please send me an email with HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG! in the subject line (so I don't accidentally delete it) and be sure to include your mailing address and I will ship out your posters ASAP.
For those of you who were so patiently waiting and did not win, you still have the option to head on over to my Etsy shop and buy the poster for yourself, or for your Mami, or for your Tia Cuca. She loves this kind of stuff.
Here's the link: Marta Darby Designs
I have two sizes of posters: 16" x 20" and 20" by 30". And also a 16" x 20" wrapped canvas.
Thank you again for participating in my giveaway. I'd so love to see this poster in every single Cuban kitchen.
I've got all this great Happy New Year energy going right now and I have so many stories to tell and I'm going to San Francisco next week to visit Pixar and Skywalker Ranch. I just feel like I want to share the love and happy vibes.
If you were in my town, I'd say, "Hey, come over for dinner. I'll cook you something Cuban." But since that's not likely to happen, how about I just do a Happy New Year Cuban Food (Poster) Giveaway?
Yes. I think it's a wonderful idea.
If you were coming to dinner, I would be torn. What to serve? Check out this poster and just try to make a decision.
Because I look at this one every day in my kitchen, I think I'm going to try to master the art of making Pan Cubano. (See? It's not just cool looking. It's motivational, too.)
So much Cuban food. So little time. *sigh*
I'm going to be giving away Three (3) Cuban Food Posters to 3 lucky winners.
Each 16"x20" poster is unmounted and printed on heavy duty premium luster paper with archival fade-resistant inks.
It looks just like the photo above. Black background with white lettering and some distressing for an aged texture.
To enter the drawing for a chance to win one of the 3 posters, please leave me a comment on this post and tell me...
Leave one comment only, please!
Remember that if you want to enter the drawing for the poster, you must leave a comment on this post and I'll choose THREE winners on Wednesday, January 14th at 11:00 am PST.
Gracias and Buen Provecho!
If you're the impatient type (and you know who you are), my posters are for sale over at my Etsy shop: Marta Maria Designs. the 16"x20" is only $21.00 plus shipping and handling.
I also have a larger size (20"x30") and one (16"x20") on canvas, but that's not important right now.
Buena Suerte and Happy New Year!
I'm super excited to share this with you today.
So, you know that I have that fabulous Cuban Food Poster that I designed last year. I've had such a great response from you that I decided to go ahead and create an Etsy shop (I know. Who am I?) to make it easier for you to buy as many as you want.
For those of you who don't know, Etsy is THE place to shop online for some of the coolest handmade, homegrown, fabulously designed stuff on the web.
And look! Here I am!
And because of this auspicious occasion, I've listed my 16 x 20 Cuban Food Poster (which, I know you've totally been wanting) at a discounted price just in time for Christmas.
It's only $21.00 this week. Just in time for you to get one for every single person in your big, fat, Cuban family to open on NocheBuena.
Here's the link: marta darby designs
I've got lots of other fun things in the works, but right now I'm really excited to get this party started with this fun poster.
"Cuban Food is its own reward." ~Marta Darby
Thank you all for your support. Buen Provecho and Happy Shopping!
My Big Fat Cuban Family is all about my Cuban American life. Enjoy my ramblings on my blog about my Cuban family, Cuban heritage, Cuban culture, Cuban life. And some decent Cuban recipes with pictures, too.
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