As I plotted my Super Bowl post I decided that an anti-Super Bowl foodie post might be a bit more fun to prepare …something unusual. My requirements – the dish needed to be both sweet and savory, could be served as finger food and would add a new food element to usual game fare. Voilà – my crazy take on Chicken and Waffles. (I’ll be honest, I had hoped to serve these when the San Francisco 49ers made it to the Super Bowl this year; but alas, that was not to be. It was fun to get our team colors on, celebrate with family and friends and create this post. Many thanks to our game time hosts, Ken and Rochelle, for sharing their home and their waffle iron.)

There are quite a few theories on how this now in vogue combination of fried chicken and waffles came into being. One theory seems to date back to 1940s and 1950s with the New York City Jazz scene and artists such as Miles Davis and Thelonius Monk. In this theory, legend goes that this northern soul food tradition began when artists in New York like Monk ordered chicken for breakfast after missing dinner the night before because they were performing, then he ordered waffles as hot bread to eat with the fried chicken. That’s one historical theory, the other is that in Pennsylvania Dutch Country people had been eating a similar combination for years but smothered the chicken with gravy. It makes since knowing that waffles culture here in North America started with Dutch colonist in sixteenth century New York, New Jersey, and parts of Pennsylvania. No matter which story you subscribe to, this dish is divine and had my biggest skeptics going back for seconds.

Open Faced Skillet Chicken & Savory Stout Beer, Bacon and Cheddar Waffles with Horseradish Apple Slaw

Spicy Skillet-Fried Chicken Wedges

Chicken Ingredients

2 TBS kosher salt, divided

2 tsps plus 1 TBS black pepper

1 1/2 tsp paprika

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

5-6 chicken breasts, flattened to 1/4-inch

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/2 cup water

3 cups flour

1 TBS cornstarch

peanut or vegetable oil

Chicken Directions

In a small bowl, mix together 1 TBS salt, 2 tsps black pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and onion powder. Season chicken in spices, cover and let chill 4 hours to overnight. One hour before cooking, remove chicken and allow to come to room temperature. In a medium bowl, mix buttermilk and water. In a medium size bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch 1 TBS salt and 1 TBS pepper.

Pour oil into a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet, setting temperature on medium high (if you have a deep frying thermometer, temperature should reach 350 degrees). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, set a wire rack down (or if one is not available line with paper towels).

Using one hand for wet ingredients and the other for dry ingredients, dredge one piece of chicken at a time first into buttermilk mixture (allowing excess to drip off) then into four mixture (tapping against bowl to shake off excess flour). Place all piece in skillet and fry, turning with tongs every 2-3 minutes. Adjust heat to maintain approximately 300-325 degrees, until crust is a deep golden brown.

Using tongs, remove chicken from skillet, allowing excess oil to drip back into skillet; transfer chicken to prepared rack. Allow to cool before serving. Cut pieces in half, or to fit the size of the waffle, and set aside.

Savory Stout Beer, Bacon and Cheddar Waffles

Waffles Ingredients

6-8 slices thick cut bacon

4 TBS brown sugar

2 tsps black pepper (more or less, to taste)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 lb cheddar cheese, shredded

1 egg

1/2 cup Stout Beer or Amber Ale

1/3 cup vegetable oil

maple syrup, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place wire cooling racks on the sheets. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and pepper until well combined.

Lay the bacon out on the cooling racks and sprinkle evenly with half of the brown sugar and pepper mixture. Press the sugar and pepper into the bacon, and bake for 10-15 minutes. Then flip it over and sprinkle the remaining sugar and pepper on the bacon, and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Check the bacon regularly to prevent burning. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before chopping into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, flour and salt. In a second bowl combine buttermilk, beer, egg and vegetable oil. Mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix thoroughly until there are no lumps. Lastly mix in the bacon and cheddar cheese.

Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter should allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles.

Makes 10-12 waffles.

Horseradish Apple Slaw

Slaw Ingredients

2 tsp cider vinegar

1 TBS prepared creamy horseradish

1/4- 1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 head green cabbage, shredded (4 cups)

2 crisp small apples (such as Granny Smith), cut into matchstick-size strips

1 bunch scallions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Slaw Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, horseradish, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add the cabbage, apples, and scallions and toss.

To assemble the open faced sandwich…waffle, chicken, slaw and enjoy it is a great blend of textures and flavors.

When the game was over, I captured one of my nephew’s devouring this 49er cupcake. While this photo has nothing to do with my chicken and waffles recipe, it has everything to do with the end of our football season. And besides, who could resist those blue eyes?!

Every cook needs an easy, throw-together dinner that can be made ahead of time so that little to no preparation needs to be done before guests arrive (or your family sits down) for dinner. Featured in this photo are three dishes: Orange Marinated Pork Tenderloin, Carrot Salad with Dijon Dressing and Potato Soufflé (from my original cookbook Taste This!).

While I highly recommend this combination of flavors, this is not an all or nothing post. If you are just looking for that salad that can be made on a moment’s notice – this nutritious carrot salad is as chic as it is classic. It’s found in nearly EVERY French cook’s repertoire (and can easily be adopted as a salad staple by those who just want to play-French). Crunchy, fresh carrots blend with bright, zippy lemon mustard dressing in what is perhaps one of the easiest preparations in authentic French cuisine.

Orange Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Tenderloin Ingredients

1 cup orange juice

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 TBS fresh rosemary, chopped

3 tsps, garlic, minced

2 (3/4 pound) whole pork tenderloins

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Tenderloin Directions

Make the orange marinade by whisking together the orange juice, soy sauce, rosemary, and garlic. Pour over pork tenderloin and marinate for at least one hour, preferably overnight. (This is enough marinade to double the portion of meat being used if serving a larger party.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain pork, reserving the marinade, and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 20-30 minutes until internal temperature has reached 160 degrees.

Meanwhile, strain the reserved marinade and bring it to a simmer in a small saucepan. Serve this as a sauce for the meat and/or over mashed potatoes.

Carrot Salad Dressing with Dijon Dressing

Salad & Dressing Ingredients

1 TBS lemon juice

2 tsps Dijon mustard

3 TBS olive oil

1 lb carrots, peeled and shredded

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 TBS fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp fresh chives, chopped

2 TBS pine nuts, toasted

Salad & Dressing Directions

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, mustard and olive oil together until the dressing is completely blended. Stir the dressing into the carrots, chives, parsley and pine nuts. Add salt and pepper. Toss the salad again to blend the seasonings and chill it for 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 4-6.

Potato Soufflé

Caught in the act! Prima steals the prepared plate.

I had the opportunity to spend some time Pam Anderson on her recent book tour for “Cook Without A Book – Meatless Meals“. Even at a glance, I could tell that this collection of recipes and techniques, for part-time and full-time vegetarians, was going to leave me wanting to turn the pages over and over again. The format of the book really breaks the chains of strict recipe cooking by providing one master formula recipe then suggesting numerous proposed variations. Call me a cooking geek, but this book is FUN!

And since we are discussing fun – how about a give-away? Yes, I have two copies of this book to give away and I can promise that the lucky winners will not be disappointed. At the end of this post, leave a comment and let me know if you consciously ever observe one (or more) meatless days (that includes you my vegetarians, sport your bravado!).

Note: Of the three pizza’s (AKA nearly danish like delights) depicted, I made were two of Pam‘s fave combos, and then, in keeping with the theme of her book, I created one of my own. (Photo cooking highlights at end of post.) I made some minor changes – wheat dough and no extra drizzle of honey so that a few of my diabetic friends could also indulge in these beauties:

- Blueberries, sliced almonds, and lemon zest

- Raspberries, sliced almonds, and lemon zest

- Fuyu Persimmon, green apple, cinnamon and pecans (Gina’s creation)

Master Formula Fruity Breakfast Pizzas

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4 oz) Neufschatel (or reduced-fat cream cheese)

2 TBS honey or agave nectar, plus more fore drizzling

Flavorings (pick 1)

1 lb store bought pizza dough (I purchased wheat)

Cornmeal, for baking sheet (or cooking spray)

2-3 cups fruit (pick 1 or more)

1/2-3/4 cup nuts (pick 1)

Directions

Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Microwave the cream cheese for 15 seconds to soften slightly. Mix the cream cheese with the 2 TBS honey and the flavoring.

Cut the dough into 4 equal parts and stretch each portion into a rectangle about 12 inches by 4 inches, arranging all 4 crosswise on a large cornmeal coated (or cooking spray coated) baking sheet. Spread the cream cheese mixture over each portion of the dough. Top with fruit and sprinkle with nuts.

Bake until the crusts are crisp and golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven; drizzle with additional honey or agave, cut into portions, serve hot or warm.

Serves 6-8

**Flavoring Options (pick 1)**

- 1 tsp ground cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 tsp ground ginger

- 1/4 tsp finely grated lemon or orange zest

- 1/4 tsp almond extract

**Fruit Options (pick 1 or more)**

- Firm, crisp apple or pear — quartered, cored, each quarter halved crosswise, and sliced

- Fresh Figs — quartered

- Apricots or plumps — pitted and sliced

- Peaches (peeled) or nectarines — halved, pitted, each half halved crosswise, and sliced

- Strawberries — stemmed and sliced

- Fuyu Persimmons –- peeled and sliced into thin squares

- Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (halved if large)

- Pineapple — peeled, cored, and cut into medium dice

- Seedless grapes — halved

**Nuts (pick 1: buy roasted nuts or toast them yourself)**

- Toasted walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios, chopped

- Toasted whole (chopped), slivered or sliced almonds

**Pam’s fave combos**

- Apples, hazelnuts, and cinnamon

- Figs, pistachios, and vanilla

- Apricots, slivered almonds, and orange zest

- Strawberries, sliced almonds, and orange zest

- Blueberries (or raspberries and/or blackberries), sliced almonds, and lemon zest

- Pineapple (or peaches), pecans, and ginger

- Grapes, walnuts, and cinnamon

From high in his black, snowy lair on Mount Crumpit,
The Grinch, with old Max, came with bags down the summit.
In red hat, coat and shoes he came armed with a plot,
To take from the Bay every last happy thought.

Only here through next Thursday at the Golden Gate Theater,
The Grinch, Cindy Lou, and all Whoville await!

SHN‘s hot new holiday show ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas‘ should have been called how the ‘Grinch Stole My Heart’ – Stefan Karl’s acting was captivating and wickedly funny. Suited up from head-to-toe in green fuzz, the lead actor from the kids hit TV show, Lazy Town, was as brilliant as Robbie Rotten as he is Mr. Grinch. This green hairy Icelandic heart throb moves beyond the outwardly scary facade and quickly takes command of Whoville with his unholiday small heart antics. And for those of you that are scratching your heads to remember how this Dr. Seuss story ends, don’t despair, things take a turn for the best when Little Cindy Lou helps the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes. The performance joyfully concludes with the cast adorned in shades of pink, red and white (accented by a splash of Grinch green) during a musical feast with the Grinch serving roast beast! >Hint, spoiler alert, this is the moment I share my new favorite green food.<

Chestnut Sage Pesto Bruschetta

Ingredients

1 cup chestnuts

1 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley (tightly packed)

1/4 cup fresh sage leaves

1 clove garlic, smashed

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pecorino Romano, finely grated

salt and pepper to taste

1 loaf crusty bread, sliced

Directions

In a food processor combine the nuts, parsley, sage and garlic until coarsely ground. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil down the feed tube until the mixture is emulsified. Then add the cheese, salt and pepper and pulse a few times until it reaches a loose paste consistency.

Serve on bread or toast.

Some fun out takes from our day…

To say that these last few months have been a whirlwind of activity is a far cry from true. Life has not been uneventful or dull between all of the hats I juggle but that is the emblem of this decade, we multitask and walk a fine line to balance all that life throws our way. The exciting news is that amidst all of this activity a sequel to my first cookbook was released- Taste This! The Delicious Sequel.

Book signing and all, things are off to a very exciting start as we look down the barrel at 2012. In honor of this personal milestone (which was only possible due to the love and support of my family and friends) I wanted to share a wonderful holiday vegetarian appetizer recipe from the cookbook. And if you are tempted to try more of the recipes, your fingers are a few key strokes away from the online purchase button (look to your right hand side of this page) .

Tortellini Skewers

Ingredients

1 (16 oz) jar roasted red peppers

20 oz package tortellini, cooked and tossed with olive oil

1 bunch fresh basil, leaves washed/dried and removed from stem

4 (14.75 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, 1/8-1/4 inch slices

1 box large cocktail tooth picks

Cook tortellini according to package directions. On a large cocktail toothpick, layer according to above order.

Makes 4 dozen

A few out takes from the first cookbook signing held at the Golden Gate Yacht Club (Thank you Norbert and Madeleine)!

When my friends at Tortilla Land generously sent me some of their newly formulated gluten free corn tortillas I began to think about creating a vegetarian harvest taco. With the Thanksgiving holiday lurking, time was of the essence, so I admittedly took a few short cuts to arrive at this recipe but the longer version for preparation is certainly an option!

Harvest Taco

Lentil Pesto

1 (17.63 oz) package lentils, approximately 2 cups cooked

1/2 cup ricotta

1/2 cup vegetable broth

Taco Filling

1 TBS vegetable oil

1 small yellow onion, sliced lengthwise

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups pumpkin or mixed root vegetables, skin removed, cut similar size

1 TBS butter

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1 medium size zucchini, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 cups prepared chestnuts, coarsely chopped

1 tsp fresh sage, chopped

1 sprig rosemary, whole

2 tablespoons chili powder (medium-spicy blend)

salt to taste

14 Tortilla Land corn tortillas

cheddar cheese

avocado (optional)

sour cream (optional)

Tabasco sauce (optional)

Directions

In a blender combine cooked lentils (premade or homemade), ricotta and vegetable broth. Mix on high until well blended. Keep a bit of the texture and resist the temptation to add more broth to smooth it out. Set aside in a bowl.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute a minute or two, then add garlic and pumpkin or root vegetables. Add butter and cook for 5-7 minutes until slightly browned. Add in broth, cover skillet with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Begin to prepare tortillas according to package directions. Keep tortillas warm in a 200 degree oven on a heat proof plate. Place optional garnishes in serving bowls.

In the skillet, add oregano and chili powder, stirring until well combined. Add salt to taste. Before adding in zucchini, mushrooms and chestnuts check to see if other vegetables are almost soft enough to eat. Allow 10 minutes for zucchini, mushrooms and chestnuts to cook as it is best if these have a bit of crunch to them.

To prepare tacos, layer ingredients over warm tortillas in this order: lentil pesto, cheese, harvest taco filling, and additional garnishes as desired. I served the tacos with two additional dishes — refried beans and Spanish rice.

Serves 4-6

If you are looking for a way to celebrate Thanksgiving with a dessert that has a twist to it and avoids the traditional pumpkin pie concept, this recipe should win you rave reviews. My contribution to this recipe was a bit of tweaking, however Debbie is the genius behind the lovely mix of flavors!

With Thanksgiving immediately around the corner, I am both thankful for this wonderful amalgamation of flavors and to the people at Crosby and Taylor for treating me to this lovely pewter measuring spoon set. Each short handle is styled as a curling grape vine and each pewter bowl is decorated with grapes and leaves. The pewter stand matches the spoons, with grapes and grape-leaf spilling over the base. It is kitchen art at its finest.

Since the arrival of this set it has adorned my kitchen counter and received numerous compliments. In the spirit of giving, one lucky reader that comments will be randomly selected to win a set of their own. Tell me what you are most thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday season.Oh and did I mention, that this item is a Paula Deen favorite and was featured in her magazine as well as on TV?

Snapping Ginger Punklin Pie

Note: This recipe should be prepared 8-24 hours in advance to allow time to set-up.

Ingredients

10 oz (2 cups) ginger snaps

1/4 cup sugar

6 TBS unsalted butter

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup heavy whipping cream

caramel ice cream topping

1 gallon pumpkin ice cream, softened at room temperature for 15 minutes

1 heath bar candy, crushed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove ice cream from freezer, remove lid and set on counter.

In a food processor, add ginger snaps and pulse until crumbled. Set aside in a medium bowl, add sugar and stir. Melt butter and add to bowl; combine well. Coat a 10-inch spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray, press cookie mixture into pan in a very thin layer, going slightly up the slides. Place in oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Place chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl and stir every 30-45 seconds. Once melted, add heavy cream, stirring until completely mixed. Spread chocolate ganache over crust then coat with caramel sauce. Place ice cream in pan, and smooth with a bit of texture.

Place heath bar in food processor and pulse until crumbled. Sprinkle over top of pie and then drizzle a little more caramel sauce. Place in freezer and chill for 8-24 hours. Before serving remove from freezer for 10 minutes.

If you are not drooling from this picture then you must not be a chocolate lover. I’ll confess, when I watched Yigit (pronounced Yeet) Pura, executive pastry chef at San Francisco’s Taste Catering Co. (and winner of the 2010 Top Chef: Just Desserts), whip this treat up I had every inclination that it would be good — but I had no idea that after taking my first bite that I would want to unhinge my jaw and push the entire dessert into my mouth. It was seriously – THAT GOOD!

In typical Scharffen Berger fashion, the day long event and bakery hop received rave reviews. The day culminated at the Ferry Building and left everyone licking their digits as globs of ganache glaze dripped off of spoons. What’s all the hub-bub about? Well it was the official 2011/2012 kick-off to the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Contest. The theme: Elevate a Classic Dessert. >and the wheels are turning<

The following is Chef Yigit Pura’s recipe – and I sincerely hope that you enjoy it as much as I did! >Sidebar: at the event Yigit made this cake recipe into cup cakes and added a little extra filling in the middle, which demonstrates how much fun you can having augmenting this recipe.<

(Note: Be sure to read over the entire recipe as there are two ingredients lists and two sets of directions.)

Scharffen Berger Chai Tea-Spiced Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache Glaze

Serves 8

Chai Tea-Spiced Chocolate Cake Ingredients

1 tsp baking powder

5 TBS Scharffen Berger Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 1/4 cups flour

3/5 oz creme fraiche

3/4 cup plus 4 tsp whole milk

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/3 cups sugar

7 TBS grapeseed oil

4 tsp Ceylon tea, chopped

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground clove

1 tsp ground green cardamom

1/4 tsp ground star anise

Chai Tea-Spiced Chocolate Cake Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the baking powder, cocoa powder and flour; set aside. In a bowl, mix the creme fraiche and milk and set aside.

Place the eggs, sugar, grapeseed oil, tea and spices in an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip until the mixture has a thick, fluffy consistency.

In two steps, alternately mix the creme fraiche mixure and the flour mixture into the eggs using a spatula. Be gentle not to overwork the batter or deflate it.

Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and lightly dust with flour. Pour the batter into the pan, about 1 inch from the top.

Bake until the cake has a rise and peak, rotate gently, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, and lightly bounces back to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes and then loosen with a spatula on each side, and gently unmold and cool on a cake rack.

Ganache Glaze Ingredients

7 oz Scharffen Berger 70% Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped

1 1/3 (10.5 oz) cups heavy cream

5 1/3 TBS corn syrup

cinnamon stick, for garnish

star anise, for garnish

candied orange strips for garnish

Ganache Glaze Directions

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Bring cream and the syrup to a boil, and pour over the chocolate. Mix using a spatula, and in the end finish mixing using an emersion blender to emulsify the mixture, taking care not to add too many air bubbles. Use the glaze while it remains warm.

To assemble, place the chocolate cake on a cooling rack with a pan lined with plastic underneath to catch the glaze drippings.

Put the chocolate glaze in the container with a spout, and gently yet quickly pour evenly over the chocolate cake, covering the entire top. Garnish the cinnamon stick, whole star anise and candied orange strips.

With temperatures creeping towards the cooler end of the thermometer, I was in the mood for soup. Since I had not yet learned about Bertolli’s new soups >hint, give-away below recipe<, I whipped up a quick hearty bowl of Tomato Tortellini Soup from Better Homes and Gardens. The orangish-redish color was perfect for this October bowl of goodness and fit my busy schedule.

Cream cheese and tomato soup make a rich and creamy base for this four-ingredient tortellini soup recipe that can be prepared in just 15 minutes.

Tomato-Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

4 (14 oz) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

2 (9 oz) packages refrigerated tortellini

8 oz tub cream cheese spread with chive and onion

1 (10.75 oz) cans condensed tomato or tomato bisque soup

Snipped fresh chives (optional)

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to boiling. Add tortellini; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. In a bowl, whisk 1/3 cup of the hot broth into the cream cheese spread until smooth. Return all to saucepan along with tomato soup; heat through. Sprinkle with chives before serving. Makes 8 servings.

***

As you may have heard, Bertolli recently added a new product to their line of meals – Bertolli Premium Meal Soup for Two. Chef Michael Christiansen, Innovation Chef for Bertolli, and celebrity Chef Fabio Viviani are the men out in front of this ‘take the night off and stay in’ product. In celebration of their new product launch Bertolli wanted to provide one lucky reader with a soup-tasting giveaway….

This soup-tasting giveaway includes:

· Two Tasting Certificates for Bertolli Premium Meal Soup for Two

· Stainless steel soup ladle

· Woven oval bread basket (ceramic)

· Bertolli reusable freezer bag

How do I win? Well, pretty straight forward, tell me about why you’d love to incorporate this gift into your winter arsenal of dinner tricks.

FINE PRINT: This giveaway is being run independently and I was fortunate enough to also received the set from Bertolli.

I am told this South American recipe has many names – Pandebono in Colombia, Cuñapes in Bolivia and Pao de Queijo en Brazil. No matter what you call this bread, it is plain good! Pandebono is very easy to make and is perfect as an appetizer or as an accompaniment to lunch or dinner dish. The bread is anything but cheese forward. It is very subtle and it is the cheese that seems to give the bread a dough-ish consistency.

Pandebono

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

3 TBS butter, softened

1/3 cup milk (may need to add 1 TBS more if mixture appears dry)

1 egg

1/2 lb queso fresco

2 cups Yuca Harina (flour)

Mix all ingredients in a food processor, until well blended. Mixture should resemble the consistency of a creamy polenta or whipped cream cheese. Using a TBS, place bread dough on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing each bread 1/2 inch apart. Cook at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Bread should bounce back (and not dent), when lightly touched in center. Before removing from oven, place bread under broiler for 2-3 minutes until it is lightly browned.

Yields 12 breads

Rosa introduces us to another new found favorite recipe!