Azoresgal~Life on an Island

These drop biscuits are super easy to make, with only 3 ingredients!  You simply mix everything together in a bowl, scoop it out, and drop on a cookie sheet, and bake! Perfect to have with  soups or as a sandwich or just on there own,warm straight out of the oven, with butter and jam. Drop Biscuits ½ cup Mayonnaise 1 cup milk 2 cups self-rising flour Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 200 C/400°F. 2. Combine mayonnaise and milk in a medium bowl, then add flour and stir until incorporated. 3. Divide dough into 12 biscuits and place on a greased or lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. 4. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  VARIATIONS *Cracked Pepper Biscuits: Before baking, sprinkle the tops of the biscuits with fresh cracked pepper. *Garlic Butter Biscuits: Add a half teaspoon of garlic powder to the dough, then brush the tops of the biscuits with a mixture of 2 Tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. *Cheesy Drop Biscuits: ...

 Social isolation continues, day 35 for us, and the kids have been asking for something sweet! Pudding it is!If you have a sweet tooth and are looking for a simple dessert to make, you should give this one a try. This butterscotch pudding is rich, creamy, and truly delicious. One of the easiest treats to put together with simple ingredients,the hardest part is waiting for it to chill in the refrigerator. For me, it's comfort food at its best, and good Lord knows we can all use a little extra dose of comfort these days. Hope you are all keeping safe, and staying home. 1-1/2 cup Brown Sugar, Light Or Dark Is Fine 1/4 cup Cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon Salt 3 cups Whole Milk 4 whole Large Egg Yolks (discard Or Save Whites For Another Use) 2 Tablespoons Butter  Whipped Cream INSTRUCTIONS Gently whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium nonstick pan. In a separate pitcher or bowl, whisk together the milk and egg yolks. Pour it into the pan with ...

These two ladies have been on my mind lately, they are my maternal great grandmother Francisca and my paternal great grandmother Maria. I have been thinking of them because of their strength, determination and courage. You see they both became very young widows,a mere week of each other. Both their husbands died because of the spanish fever (The 1918-1920 influenza pandemic). They each had one small child and were both pregnant at the time. My maternal grandfather was one when his father died, and my paternal grandmother never met her father. I do not know how these women coped. I think of all the conditions in which they were living in at the time, and I am always in awe of their resilience. Fast forward to 2020, global pandemic Covid 19, and all that is being asked of me (all of us) is to stay put in the comfort of our homes! With running water, electricity, heating, bathrooms, food in our cupboards, and the knowledge and information that this is what has to be done! Let's honour...

 This recipe is so very simple to make,  even if you’ve never made bread at home before! This soft, chewy, garlicky flatbread is worth rolling up your sleeves and giving it a try. You can serve them plain, but we all know everything is better when it’s brushed with garlic butter. Everything. I made these to go along with Chicken Coconut Curry , I made for dinner last night!. If you make them sans garlic butter,  you can use them for wraps! Ingredients 2 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt 2 ½ cups self-rising flour + more if needed Place Greek yogurt in a mixing bowl and give it a stir. Add in 2 cups of flour and stir to combine. Gradually add in more flour until the dough starts to form into a ball. Tip the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead with your hands for a minute or two. If the dough is still too sticky, add some more flour and continue to knead. The dough is ready when it is able to hold it’s shape and is not sticking to your hands or the surfa...

This Tangerine cake is a little burst of sunshine in the midst of all the gray weather we are having, and all the doom and gloom of late, being felt world wide. Where ever it is you may find yourself when reading this, I hope you and yours are all well! Ingredients 2 eggs 2 tangerines 1/2 cup vegetable oil (125ml) 1 cup sugar (225g) 2 cups self-rising flour or all-purpose flour + 2 teaspoons baking powder (226g) Instructions Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease and flour a flan pan or bundt cake pan. To a blender cup add, eggs, tangerines (cut in half without seeds), oil and sugar. Blend. In a medium bowl add flour and baking powder if using. Pour the tangerine mixture into the flour and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. ** Sprinkle with icing sugar or top with a cream cheese frosting Tangerine Cream Cheese frosting 1 cup  cup crea...

This Korean Beef is salty, sweet, crispy and a bit spicy. It's an umami-bomb, delicious and very easy to make!  One pan,ground beef and a simple sauce and dinner is on the table in no time. Not gonna lie, I would eat this for breakfast, it's so good you guys! I hope you try it! For Sauce: 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce 4 cloves garlic finely minced or grated 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 tablespoons brown sugar ( I used a 1/4 cup, 4 tablespoons) 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon ginger root grated ( I didn't have any) 1 teaspoon Sriracha or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or more to taste 500 grams ground beef 3 green onions sliced, green and white parts separated 4 eggs 4 teaspoons butter 1 ½ cups cooked rice ( I used jasmine rice) sesame seeds optional, for garnish Instructions Whisk together the sauce ingredients, set aside. Place a large pan over medium high heat on the stove. Add the ground beef and brown, breaking the meat up as it...

 A Happy New Year to you all! The French Galette des Rois or “King Cake” celebrates the end of the Christmas season, on Epiphany January the 6th. It is made with two layers of puff pastry and filled with frangipane, a thick, sweet paste made from almonds, butter, eggs and sugar, and it is oh so delicious!   Tradionally baked inside the galette is a feve  (a broad bean), and when the galette is sliced, and divided up by the number of people present, the youngest child of the family gets to decide who has which piece and the person who gets the fève in their piece of cake gets to be crowned King or Queen, and is in charge for the day! Now to avoid a trip to the dentist, just place a piece of candied fruit, an almond or a rasin instead of a feve. This is the first time I ever made a Galette, and I am so pleased with it! I was scared to make one, I thought it was complicated, but you know what it's not! Lots of little steps, but nothing you can't do I promise! ...

So here's the thing, you either love eggnog or you hate it! I have to admit here in our home, we like it, and brace yourselves my kids even ask me to make it. Yup, I have those kids, eggnog connoisseurs! Most of the eggnog haters, dislike it because of the eggs in it. I get it I do, so this recipe may just convert you to an eggnog lover, because no eggs are involved, yup no eggs! No eggs means it's also safe for the kiddos, pregnant mommas, and the elderly. So now you have no excuse not to give it a try! Ingredients 5 cups milk ( I use skim milk) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 (3.4 oz.) package instant vanilla pudding mix 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon allspice Pinch of ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon salt Instructions Add 2 cups of milk, sugar, pudding mix, vanilla, spices and salt to a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes. Pour into a large pitcher and stir in remaining 3 cups milk. Refrigerate until thickened sl...

   I hope that you and your loved ones are having a wonderful holiday season! Just wanted to share these  scrumptious waffles with you, they are lovely! They remind me of yummy gingerbread cookies,I love them for the holidays.  I think they make breakfast extra special, without  being complicated to make, because we all know I like things easy around here! ‘Tis the season for hanging out in your pyjamas all day and being lazy, am I right?  So please make these, grab a cup of coffee, pour some mimosas and enjoy some gingerbread waffles together! INGREDIENTS 1 1/3 cups milk, warmed to room temperature 3 tablespoons melted butter 1/2 cup molasses 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1 large egg 1 3/4 cups (290g) all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves Melted butter or cooking spray for coating...

These candy cane hearts, are so easy to make, seriously just three ingredients, you have no excuse not to make them! Besides being easy, they are so stinkin' cute and delicious too! I like to make them to serve with hot chocolate, as a topper. They are also a great addition to a cookie platter oe even a sweet little gift for someone!  I hope you give them a try! 24 miniature candy canes 1 cup white chocolate candy melts  holiday sprinkles or crushed candy canes Arrange the candy canes into 12 hearts on a sheet of parchment paper. Melt the candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted. Stir until smooth. Pour the candy melts into a piping bag or a plastic bag. Snip the tip off the piping bag or plastic bag. Pipe a dollop of chocolate into each heart. Use a toothpick  or spoon to spread the chocolate into the point and curves of the heart. Add sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. Let sit until firm, then serve. **I like t...

This is my  favorite icing for decorating  my favorite sugar cookies ! It's quick and easy to make, with very simple ingredients. Great for cookies, gingerbread houses, I  have even used it to frost my Christmas fruit cake. The icing dries nice and hard, tastes yummy, and will make your cookies look beautiful. So bake some cookies, and gather up the family to help decorate them. Listen it will be a rather messy event, but I promise it will be fun and you will be creating so yummy food memories!  cookies baked and cooled ( sugar cookie recipe ) 2 cups powdered/icing sugar 2 egg whites (or 1/4 cup liquid egg whites I prefer to use these for food safety) 2 teaspoons lemon juice ( this helps to harden the icing) *food coloring in desired colors *sprinkles  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Switch to low speed and gradually sift the sugar into the egg whites until it's comp...

Well here we are again, just a few weeks away from Christmas! Now I know it comes every year, but gosh it just seems like a year goes by faster and faster as I get older. If you are anything like me I am sure you are already making lists, and checking them twice trying to get things done! This month everything  seems to happen all at once, parties, school activites, church activities it's seems never ending. More often than not you will be asked to bring something, or perhaps you want to take a gift for a teacher, or a "secret santa"! Well look no further, these super delicious treats require only 3 ingredients and  about 10 minutes  of your time from start to finish! That's it, when you are finished, you can pour yourself a cocktail for all your hard work! All you need is a bag of Rolo candy, a bag of mini pretzel twists, and a bag of pecan halves. Preheat your oven to  200 C/400F degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper....

A simple, no-bake pie that is perfect for the butterfinger lover in your family! This creamy butterfinger pie comes together in a snap with just a few simple ingredients.  Peanut butter, cream cheese and a butter finger filling poured into a delicious cookie crust, make this pie a winner! Ingredients 1 9 oz prepared graham cracker crust ( I made a cookie crust see below) 1 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 8 oz tubs Cool Whip thawed, ( I used 2 cups cream, whipped) 3 full size Butterfinger candy bars, crushed (I used 4) Using an electric mixer, whip together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until fully combined. Fold in containers of thawed cool whip and crushed candy bars into the filling by hand. Reserve 1/3 cup of crushed candy bars for the top. Spread into the crust. Top with the remaining crushed candy bars. Chill for ...

This Mac & Cheese has been on our menu rotation on repeat, it is that good! SUPER easy to make just add everything in the  slow cooker/crockpot and you end up with a classic, comforting dish.  It’s  become my favorite way to make mac and cheese and comes out perfect every time!  Friends I think you’re gonna like this one! INGREDIENTS 500 grams elbow macaroni (uncooked) 4 Tablespoons salted butter (sliced) 1 package cream cheese (cut into cubes) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or black pepper 3 cups whole milk 1/2 cup heavy cream (can also use whole milk) 3 cups  shredded  cheddar cheese ( or a mix of your favorites) INSTRUCTIONS Place the uncooked pasta into the bottom of the slow cooker. Put butter, cream cheese, salt and pepper on top. Then pour the milk and cream on top and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until the pasta is tender. Stir half way through. Once the noodles are read...

  A rich and fudgy, easy to make, chocolate chip banana bread!  Made super quick with the use of a boxed cake mix, and made in one bowl!  Oh and please trust me,it tastes just as good as it looks! INGREDIENTS 3 Bananas Ripe, Mashed ( about 6 small island bananas) 1/3 cup Oil 3 Eggs Large 1 box Chocolate cake mix Or Devil’s Food cake 1 cup Chocolate chips Regular or mini 1/2 cup  chocolate chips for topping (optional) INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven 180C/350F In a large mixing bowl, mix together mashed bananas, oil and eggs until smooth. Add cake mix, chocolate chips and mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix! Pour batter into two greased/floured loaf pans (Dimensions: 8×4). Sprinkle extra chocolate chips and  on top. Bake 45- 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean. *Don’t replace oil with butter because butter makes this bread too dense. *Make sure to use the ripest bananas you can find because ...

 I saw this recipe on Gordon Ramsay’s ‘Ultimate Cookery Course’ TV show, and decided to give it a try. These easy fritters are made with just a few cupboard ingredients! They are delicious and comfort food at it's best.  Great for lunch or a quick and easy dinner. Perfect for dipping, in some spicy mayo,  aioli, salsa, or even guacamole. My family loves them, I hope your family will too! Gordon Ramsay's Corn Fritters For The Fritters 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 egg, beaten 1/4 cup whole milk ( I used skim) 1 tablespoon Olive Oil 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced 1 red chile, seeded and finely chopped 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro 1 8-ounce can of sweet corn, drained and dried on paper towel ( 1 cup of corn ) For The Dip 1 cup of plain yogurt (I used greek) 1/2 red chile seeded and finely chopped Juice of 1 lime 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper *oil for frying ...

Well here we are, the 20th of August, and it feels like summer is over! I am not ready for summer to be over, even though temperatures have dropped,  its been raining for days and outside already feels like fall! So I say, step away from that pumpkin latte, and put away that blanket, and have faith that summer has not left us yet! To help, here is a super delicious bite to enjoy, while we wait for the sun!  ricotta cheese black pepper sea salt olive oil  slices of prosciutto fig jam slices of a nice rustic bread Preheat the oven to 200C.  Line the slices of bread on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil on both sides.  Bake until golden and toasty, about 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Once your bread has cooled, spread with a small amount of fig jam.  Spread a few tablespoons of ricotta on top to cover.  Next place some prosciutto on top, tearing each slice into smaller pieces if necessary.  Crac...

This banana pudding recipe is super easy to make and is always a crowd pleaser.  It's rich, creamy, and indulgent. The combination of  condensed milk, pudding, whipped cream, bananas and vanilla wafers makes it a delicious dessert.  Did I mention it is also no-bake?? I love making it for our summer parties and get-togethers! Ingredients 1  can  Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 1/2 cups cold water 1  package instant vanilla pudding mix 3 cups whipping cream, whipped  vanilla wafers ( I used mini Maria cookies) 3 medium bananas,  thinly sliced ( I use about 7 ) Caramel topping (optional) Directions In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and water. Add pudding mix; beat until well blended. Chill 10 minutes. Fold in whipped cream.  Into a trifle dish or other clear container, spoon in enough of the pudding mixture to cover the bottom. Top with a layer of vanilla wafers and a layer of banana slices and then cover with a ...

Today I am sharing my recipe for Tortas!  Portuguese tortas, are I suppose  how our grandmothers and their mothers before them found a way to stretch out meals to feed their families. As the saying goes  "waste not, want not", these are a perfect way to use up leftover fish or meat. I make them many times with canned tuna or sardines too! Now I am by no means saying this recipe is "the way" to make them, because we all know every family has  their own way of preparing these. This is how my family likes them, but I remember my avó Pimentel made her tortas with only eggs and no flour. I can just taste them now, she would make them with linguiça, chopped olives and lots of chopped parsley! She would fry them up, and serve them in paposecos, sprinkled with.....wait for it....sugar! This is one of my fondest food memories, tortas with sugar, the combination of sweet and savory, perfect! But even if I wanted to make them like my grandmother's, I don't think I coul...

  Soft and chewy, these rolls are so easy to make and are the perfect start to your favorite  sub sandwiches! INGREDIENTS 5 teaspoons dry active yeast (2 pkgs) 1⁄4 cup sugar 2-1/2 cups water,  warm 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 teaspoons salt 7 cups all-purpose flour DIRECTIONS Dissolve sugar in water and add yeast to proof. Rest one to two minutes. Add oil and stir to combine. Combine salt and flour in a medium mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer, or by hand, add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Beat until smooth on medium speed. If dough is too wet, add a little more flour to make the dough soft. On a lightly floured surface (or in the mixer bowl with bread hook), knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5-6 minutes. Lightly grease a large bowl with a bit of oil and place dough into bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with dish towel and let rise for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set oven to...