Can't get enough COCONUT?!!

Well, me either!! I have been hooked on this recipe since I first tried it!! I happened upon it just randomly searching for Puerto Rican recipes. The recipe's for Puerto Rican-style popsicles called limbers. These tasty frozen treats come in flavors like pineapple, dulce de leche, banana, guava, cookies and cream, cheesecake (I am really looking forward to trying this one one day, and I'll be sure to report back on how it turns out), peanut butter (not sure which is better, coconut or peanut butter) coconut, and just about any other fruit flavor you can imagine. I have yet to go to Puerto Rico and have them for myself, but I hear it's the type of thing women make at home and sell to both neighborhood children and adults for something like a quarter or so.

Limbers are super easy to make and kill any store-purchased popsicle you've ever had. Here is my adaptation of the recipe I found (http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-587305-.html). I just add about two teaspoons vanilla in addition to what the recipe calls for. By the way, to make them, they're traditionally just frozen in small plastic cups and people get creative as far as how to eat them :). What has worked for me is to fill the cup half way so that you can squeeze around the sides to loosen it, then push it up to enjoy it and flip the popsicle around to catch the juice once the bottom starts to melt.

Limber de Coco (coconut Puerto Rican-style popsicles)

1 can coconut milk

1can coconut cream

1 can water (fill the can of coconut milk to measure)

1/4 tb cinnamon

you can also add grated coconut before freezing, if desired

sugar to taste (maybe about a 1/4 cup)

Mix it all up in the blender and taste it to be sure it's to your liking. Freeze and enjoy a yummy, fresh-tasting, creamy limber!

Tips:

You can cover the tops of the cups by pressing a piece of plastic wrap flat to the surface to delay the tops of the limbers getting that freezer taste. It happens sometimes, but the whole thing isn't ruined...you can rinse the top with hop water, if necessary or just flip it and eat it from the bottom first.

I've also added two baby bananas in the mix and it was sooo good!! You can add a half a regular banana as a sub.

And sorry this is a little out of season for most of the US, lol. Hey, it's still in the 80s here in Miami, lol. Nonetheless, I would probably still be eating them if I were at home because they're just that good :)

Check out my reviews on yelp!

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to invite you to check out my reviews on yelp. I have some for Richmond, N. VA, DC/Silver Springs, NYC, and, of course, Miami. Check me out at HKristen.yelp.com.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with yelp, it's pretty much a foodie's paradise! People reviews restaurants they've been to, so it's great if you need help finding a new place to try or finding somewhere to eat before going out-of-town. It's great because there are nice features like a Talk forum (which can be found on the top bar) and many features that make it a hybrid that combines social networking in the mix as well. That means that people create profiles (nothing long or cheesy, just a few basics and a couple quirky questions), add friends, and send private messages. I say it kills facebook any day! Plus...they have EVENTS! Awesome! I hear they are amazing! I'll post if i get to go to the one I RSVPd for in Brickell Key in Miami. We shall see what happens!

Nostalgia...warm Miami weather isn't for Tomato Soup :( but RICHMOND IS!

Okay, for those of you who are skeptical about any dishes with its flavor based off of just about nothing but veggies, try this recipe. I promise this dish will make a convert out of any meat-a-tarian out there. It's nothing like the ketchup-y Cambell's version of so-called tomato soup, so just erase that comparison from your mind altogether. This is my mom's recipe that I've have tweaked slightly by adding basil, thyme, and fresh cayenne pepper for extra kick. I absolutely LOVE this stuff! It's comfort food at it's best that's actually somewhat healthy (if you take out the fact that heavy cream is obviously full of fat :P!). This recipe is so rich and creamy, you almost have to have a new word besides soup for it--there's nothing thin and watery here, just lots of rich flavor! Meat-a-tarians, I especially want you to try this one out and get back to me. I made a convert of one of my biggest meat-loving friends, so I'm confident you'll change your mind to.

This dish is so warm and comforting and it always makes me think of fall. Just when it starts to get chilly, around October or November, my mom usually makes a huge pot of this stuff and I'm so nostalgic for it now!! I can't wait to get home and get a nice, warm bowlful!

Here's the recipe. It's nice and easy for those of you who may not be comfortable in the kitchen. Try your hand at this one and be prepared to wow your friends and family with your culinary skills!

Oh, and before I get into the recipe, let me say that the quality of your tomatoes is important in this dish as they are the principal ingredient. If you can, try to go for something like Hunt's Natural. You'll taste the difference.

Creamy, Flavorful Tomato Soup

1 28 oz can organic crushed tomatoes

½ cup heavy cream

1 onion diced

2 cloves garlic (3 if they’re small)

2TB butter

1 carrot (peeled and diced)

1 celery stalk diced

1 slice crispy, thick-sliced bacon

About 2-1/2 cups chicken broth (as long as its not too watery – I don’t know exact measurement)

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

1 bay leaf

1 pinch thyme

About a thumb’s length of fresh cayenne pepper

- could probably be substituted with 1/8 cup orange bell pepper and cayenne powder to taste

Salt, seasoned salt, and pepper to taste

I would add a bit of white wine (a couple TBs or so) too if you have it. I couldn’t find mine, so that’s the only reason I didn’t add any.

Put the celery, carrot, onion and garlic (and orange bell pepper, if you’re using it, not fresh cayenne) in pan w/ olive oil and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, bacon, fresh cayenne pepper (if using) chicken broth, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. If using cayenne pepper, peel off skin and place 1/3 of pepper in soup and discard rest (don’t want it too hot). Add basil and cream, if using. Puree in blender until smooth.

ENJOY!

The BEST coconut Macaroons EVER!

So I have really been craving something sweet, but I didn't want anything chocolate-y and I really had no idea what I wanted because nothing was satisfying. I was surfing the net for recipes and came across Puerto Rican limbers (home-made popsicles), which are amazing! I fell in LOVE with the limber de coco and limber de mani (recipes forthcoming), but lately, I've been wanting something else different. Finally, I started to remember the amazing coquitos/besitos de coco (macaroons) I had in Samana and La Romana, Dominican Republic. They were the amazing kind that had a cake-like softness to them. I went to a local cuban bakery, El Brazo Fuerte, here in Miami, but the macaroons weren't what I was looking for. They were good, but they were the flourless kind and I had a craving to dive in to some nice soft yumminess! So...today after surfing a while online, I found this beauty and made a few tweeks (Spanish - http://foro.univision.com/univision/board/message?board.id=cocinadepuertorico&message.id=5585, English - http://www.ricanrecipes.com/recipes/detail.php?category_id=23&id=88. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION, friends! I promise!

For the sugar, go to your local Southeast Asian market (Battambong or Sahath By in Chesterfield, Horsepen and Rigsby Rd area markets off of W. Broad in West W. End) and ask for Palm Sugar. If they don't know what you're talking about, just look around. I promise, they have it. It's like $2 something in the pack and maybe a little more in the jar. Yes, it makes a HUGE difference in the flavor. It's rich with a great depth of flavor, like nothing you've ever tasted before and brown sugar won't cut it. Anyhow, read the back of the packet and make sure all it says is "palm sugar" or "coconut sugar." Basically, you just want to be sure that it's the natural stuff, not refined sugar with the molasses and such added back in. That won't cut it. Most of the time, this is what you're buying, so if there's no way to tell, just get it.

Soooo...what I was getting at is that the change i made to the macaroon recipe is that you use 1/2 cup palm/coconut sugar (same thing) and and 1/2 cup white sugar. Break up the palm sugar with a fork, then mix it up with the white sugar, using the fork to break up the palm sugar more and mix it with the white. Other than that, just use 1/2 tsp vanilla instead of 1/4 and there you go!! They are soooo good!! The palm sugar give them an amazing texture. A little crunch on the edges, but a nice one!!! I'm sure you could get a similar effect with brown sugar, but the taste will be soooo different, and perhaps a bit too dark for the coconut flavor and you might overpower it. But...try, if you wish. If you try it, write back to let me know how it turns out or if you made any changes.

Important Tips:

Baking in a glass dish is best if you don't want the crust, in other words, if you want the more traditional softness. But, guys, I'm telling you, the way I did them in the oven in a metal pan was a really tasty change. The bottom had a thin, lightly crispy crust, and a very slight crust on the top from the palm sugar, and the inside was warm and soft

One option is to bake what you are likely to eat the day of in a metal pan to enjoy the crust and do the rest in a Pyrex. The nice crispiness is unlikely to be the same the next day.

As far as bagged coconut goes, you get what you pay for. Go for the gold on this one and use Baker's brand. It's a lot more moist than others. By the way, the three cups mentioned in the recipe, adds up to a 14 0z bag of Baker's.

This recipe is from Puerto Rico, so when they say brown sugar (azucar marron o azucar negra), what there referring to is not the sticky molasses kind that's popular in the contiguous States. Rather, what they are referring to is turbinado or raw sugar (also known as demarara), which is abundant and much more affordable than refined sugars in much of the Caribbean. Brown sugar is preferred for use in desserts and coffee in the region, while white is only used for things such as drinks that would otherwise be altered by the flavor of raw sugar.

The recipe that has been translated says to use lemon, but it has been mistranslated. The Spanish version specifies lime, and that's what I used. Both work, but there's a widespread preference for lime in the Caribbean.

Best if consumed within 3-4 days.

PS

I believe Indian markets have the same thing and they call it jaggery, so ask for that if you have an Indian market closer to you (I know there's one in the middle of 360 W Plaza beside the Dominican hair salon that faces the Mexican market) or Old Parham Road beside Shish kabab restaurant)

What on EARTH is palm sugar, you ask?

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-palm-sugar.htm

The Big Move Down South...WAYYY SOUTH!!

Downtown Foodie has made the big move to MIAMI!! I moved down in August for school and will be here for two years. I'll be back home on breaks, but for now, if you're ever in Miami, look for Kristen H. on yelp.com for the best restaurant recommendations. Get ready to try some new things and LOVE it!! In the meantime, I will be posting new recipes here and there, so keep an eye out.

Take care and until December!

Ichiban's SUPERMAN ROLL!!

all I have to say is SUPERMAN SUPERMAN SUPERMAN!!! go try it!! It is sooooo good. Served warm and filled with melty cream cheese, panko batter shrimp, imitation crab (typically gross, but VERY good in this dish), caviar and a AMAZING sauce on top. Slightly spicy and veryyyy flavorful. DELISH!!!!

bacon wrapped bbq shrimp - celebrating charcoal grillin and summertime!

So everyone loves some a good grilled meal, but this one is quick, easy, and super tasty! But before I begin, I have to start a short rant--can anyone please tell me why you think a gas grill is better than charcoal. If you're grilling on a gas grill, why not just cook inside? You miss out on the nice, smokey charcoal flavor and literally 3 minutes, you can get sooo much more out of your meal. I've heard the argument "a gas grill is just so much easier," but seriously, people. I had never started a grill myself until 3 days ago and the first time I tried, it took me 3 minutes at the very most. All you do is pile your charcoal, pour on the lighter fluid, and ignite...easy as pie! Just let the coals turn mostly gray and let the flame calm down and you're ready to grill. So tell me your thoughts on the gas vs. charcoal summer battle. I'm curious.

So here's my recipe for bacon-wrapped bbq shrimp. It was adapted from a recipe by Sunny Anderson of the Food Network show Cooking for Real. The difference is that I did a homemade BBQ sauce that was totally different from what she had and, of course, the fact that I grilled mine on the charcoal grill as opposed to indoors.

Ingredients:

hickory flavored bacon

extra jumbo shrimp

bamboo skewers (soaked in water for a couple hours to avoid burning and sticking)

homemade BBQ sauce

Preparation:

Remove shell from shrimp and devein. No need to salt or flavor in any way; the bacon and bbq covers that. Puncture the shrimp through the thicker end with the pointed end of a skewer and slide skewer through while straightening the natural bend of the shrimp. Once on the skewer, the shrimp should be straight. Place two shrimp to each skewer and wrap each one in half a slice of bacon. Slather with bbq and place on a hot grill over punctured foil to allow heat through. Let cook about 10 minutes on one side or until bacon is crispy (the shrimp will not be rubbery at this point, despite what you might think). Slather both sides with more BBQ and let cook 10 more minutes or until bacon is crispy on other side. ENJOY!