Azoresgal~Life on an Island

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...

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...

 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 ...

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...

This Orange Chicken is delicious, and easy to make. A combo of spice, a little sweet and a lot of sticky, this citrusy saucy chicken is so scrumptious. All you need is a bowl of rice with it and you have yourself the perfect, comfort meal! Ingredients Chicken: 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts cut into bite-size pieces 3 Eggs whisked 1/3 cup Cornstarch 1/3 cup Flour Oil for frying Orange Chicken Sauce: 1 cup Orange Juice 1/2 cup Sugar 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar or White Vinegar 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce use tamari for a gluten-free dish 1/4 teaspoon Ginger 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder or 2 garlic cloves, finely diced 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes Orange Zest from 1 orange 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch Garnish: Green Onions Orange Zest Instructions To make orange sauce: In a medium pot, add orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and red chili flakes. Heat for 3 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoo...

We just changed our clocks back an hour, the days are now shorter, and the nights a little cooler, so around here we are now in comfort food mode.  Enter this really simple and delicious one-pot meat sauce, Beef Ragu.   The ragu cooks low and slow, all the flavours marry, and the beef ends up fork tender. Making it perfect  for being served with your favourite pasta( I made fresh pappardelle ), or over creamy polenta. I don't think it's something you would make after rushing back from a long day at  work, but instead make it for a lazy weekend at home, it just ticks off all the boxes for comfort food! Beef Ragu Approximately 3 pounds (1.35kg) Beef brisket, or similar cut of meat (slow cooking) 5 Tbsp olive oil 2 small onions, finely diced 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 cup of celery, finely diced (4-5 stalks) 1 cup Carrot, finely diced (1-2 medium carrots) 2 cups (500ml) red wine, divided 3 cups (750ml) beef stock/broth 1 28oz (800g) can of ...

Summertime, and the livin' is easy... it sure is! Can you believe we are headed toward the month of August already? Summer please slow down, I am enjoying all of our late mornings, pool days, BBQ's and our respectable laziness ( our as in me and the kids, Mr.G is working, well because someone needs to pay the bills around here ). As much as I love summer, there is something I struggle with, and no it's not the crazy island humidity, but instead cooking!! Gasp, I know how the heck do you have a food blog and yet hate cooking in the summer. The struggle is real, I just loose my kitchen mojo. Anyone else feel the same? I just want some simple suppers, something I can fix perhaps in the morning and not worry about it when it comes to dinner time. So my dear ones, I present to you the Quiche Lorraine, make it and forget about it. Serve warm or cold and add a salad, and tah-dah dinner is served! Mini Quiche Lorraine Crust 1 3/4 cups (430 ml) unbleached all-purpose fl...

This was such a big hit at dinner the other night, Mr.G and the kids absolutely loved it! Crispy bites of beef with a delicious, thick, sweet yummy sauce, whats not to love? Sprinkled with some green onions on top and served with some rice or noodles, I promise it will feel like you are at your favorite Chinese resturant. 2 teaspoons vegetable oil or sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup water/ or beef stock 3/4 cup dark brown sugar vegetable oil, for frying (about 1 cup) 500grams//1 lb flank steak 1/2 cup cornstarch 2 large green onions, sliced on the diagonal into one-inch lengths Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat. Don’t get the oil too hot. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes ...

This soup is so delicious! It's creamy, fragrant, lightly sweet with a bit of spice from curry powder. It's also so very simple to make. I’m serious! All you do is place all the ingredients into a pot, cook the soup, and blend. Perfect for busy weeknights. 2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds/900 g) peeled and cubed 2  small onions, chopped 2  medium carrots, chopped 2 cans (14 ounces/400 ml each) of coconut milk 2 cups (500 ml) of water/or chicken broth  2 cloves of garlic, sliced 2 tablespoons (30mL) of  mild curry  powder (start with 1 if you like) 2 teaspoon (10ml) of salt Place everything into a large pot. Bring to a furious boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a slow, steady simmer. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and your kitchen smells amazing, 20/30 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender (or, work in batches, in a regular blender or food processor). ** my grocery ...

Hurray it's finally chilli weather! This is one of our favorite meals around here. My kids absolutely love it, and request it often for our friday night meals. I made this big ol' pot of beans this week for our halloween dinner. This recipe is super simple to make, and requires basic ingredients, all  simmering away in one pot. When it's ready to eat just load it up with you favorite toppings! 2 tablespoon  olive oil  1 kilo/2 pounds ground beef /pork/turkey 1 large yellow onion, diced 3  large cans beans, drained and rinsed ( I like red beans) 2 (15 ounces) can tomato sauce 3 tablespoon chili powder 2 teaspoons  salt 1 tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2-3 shakes of cayenne pepper (optional or to your liking) Toppings  sour cream shredded cheddar cheese bacon, cooked and crumbled jalapenos green onions, sliced corn chips Heat the olive oil in a large (5 or 6 quart) dutch ove...

Chicken pot pie is such a perfect comfort food  for the cooler autumn nights upon us. A  dish with a golden  brown flakey pastry crust  loaded with a creamy chicken and veggie filling. Making this pot pie all from scratch is so worth the effort, but if you are pressed for time, going the store bought route will also work. Either way, your family is going to love the savory, delicious goodness that is this pie! 2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed (turkey works/ deli chicken/ leftover chicken) Crust for a double pie (storebought/or from scratch) 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 carrots, diced 1 small sweet onion, diced 1 cup frozen peas 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup flour 1½ to 2 cups  chicken broth 1/2 cup heavy cream ( or milk) 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, minced (or 1 tsp. ground) Fresh chopped parsley to taste Salt and pepper to taste Chicken bouillon cube or 1 TBS bouillon paste (optional) Preheat oven to...

A great little pasta dish, super easy and delicious. Perfect for a busy work week or just right for when you need some comfort food. The portion here is for one as per the original recipe, when I am cooking for my family of five, I just adjust the portions. If you like use fresh pasta, it also works like a charm here. 100 g spaghettini or vermicelli pasta ( I used spaghetti) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 100 g cherry tomatoes, chopped 5 basil leaves, shredded To serve 5 basil leaves, shredded 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1.In a large saucepan cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 5 6 minutes, before draining. 2.Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan and fry the garlic for about 2 minutes until soft but not brown. 3.Put in the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and cook for a few more minutes, adding a splash of water. Cook until the tomatoes are tender and have a saucy consistency. Add the chopped basil. 4.To serve: stir ...

 This is a quick meal that’s perfect for the lazy days of summer that are upon us . Made with a few simple fresh ingredients, it takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and tastes amazing. For a summer meal that´s light and meatless, you really should give it a try. I promise you will love it! 100 g spaghettini or vermicelli pasta 2 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 100 g cherry tomatoes, chopped 5 basil leaves, shredded To serve 5 basil leaves, shredded 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1.In a large saucepan cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 5 6 minutes, before      draining. 2.Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan and fry the garlic for about 2 minutes until soft but not    brown. 3.Put in the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and cook for a few more minutes, adding a splash of water.  Cook until the tomatoes are tender and have a saucy consistency. Add the chopped basil. 4.To serve: stir t...

This delicious gravy will help you get dinner on the table in no time. Well alot quicker than a drive to your nearest Swedish furniture store, for me that's actually a plane ride away.   A simple one pan-sauce, it's rich, creamy and perfect  to serve with meatballs over cooked buttered noodles for a fabulous everyday family dinner. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup heavy cream  salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional) Lingonberry jam, for serving (optional)  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth. Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving di...

Friday nights at our house usually means we are eating fast food, well kinda sorta, we don´t go out for it, we make it at home. All three of our kiddos are big foodies, they love to cook, they love to try new things, and are quite happy to make suggestions for what to make for dinner during the week. For some reason, Friday has got to be some kind of junk food , someting you would find on a diner menu . So when Sara asked if we could have chicken and waffle sandwiches, I had to oblige and say yes! I used frozen chicken tenders, to save some time, but the waffles I made from scratch. These cornmeal waffles are seriously delicious, and are also perfect for Sunday brunch on there own. The sauce for this waffle sandwich, Maple Sriracha Mayo, the perfect sweet and spicy topping. Add some peppery arugula, and a fried egg and that my friends is a winning combination.  Savoury and sweet with every single bite. An easy way to have fast food at home, I hope you give it a try! ...

This is a wonderful comfort soup for autumn and winter. Perfect for those crisp, cooler evenings we are getting now in the Azores. It's super easy to make,  with some simple ingredients, but it is so very delicious. It´s texture is rich and creamy, with out even adding any cream. I am not saying don´t add cream, because cream makes everything better! Mr. G prefers sans cream, so I just serve as is right after I blend it. Although a little swirl on top can´t hurt! If you like you can add some carrots, also great, is sweet potato and shallots instead of the onion. For extra liquid if it is a bit thick, coconut milk would be amazing, and if you wanted a bit of spice, curry powder would work like a charm. How ever you decide to make it, I hope you like it! 4 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, peeled and diced 1 medium butternut squash peeled, deseeded and cut into wedges 2 small potato, peeled and quartered 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 4 cups chicken stock (water, or vegetabl...

 I hope you are all enjoying your summer so far! Ours is going really well, despite the lack of sunshine, we have plenty of humidity.... hurray humidity ..said no one ever! I am not gonna lie, as much as I love cooking, once the summertime hits, I seem to hit a road block. I just struggle with what to cook for my family. There is only so much BBQ one can eat, and grilling when its hot and muggy, is just not fun. My kids seem to being eating every 15 minutes these days, Lord bless them, but why are they always hungry ? We pretty much have an agreement, that breakfast and lunch they fend for themselves! Don´t you judge me, I am busy washing all the towels they use and leave hanging around, after going in the pool for 5 minutes, every hour, every day ! Yes we are going broke feeding them, and yes my house looks like I lost a game of Jumanji, but I would not have it any other way, love that we all get to be home together, well except for Mr.G, someone has to work around here! So on to...

Despite the very cold, damp, winter-like spring we are having in the Azores, there are many things growing in the garden. Because of all of the rain we have had, the garden has become a bit of a jungle, as it is too muddy to keep things under control. We have enjoyed lots of lettuce, and spring onions. Anything that is leafy green, has basically gone wild, the herbs, like the parsley and mint. The arugula has bolted and so has the kale. Hubby isn't to worried, although he dislikes it being "messy", everything we grow is organic, so perhaps we get more birds, more butterflies, and more rabbits to visit the garden, and help control the mess . It all balances out, food for them, food for us, everybody gets their fair share, I can only hope the sun pays us a visit  really soon, the garden needs it, and so do I. While we wait for the sun, some things are ready for picking, these french green beans were picked by our oldest not so little . He thought  of it as a chore when he ...

 This salad is packed with so much yummy goodness! Salad greens, apples, feta cheese, candied pecans, dried cranberries, and a scrumptious dressing!  It´s a show stopping combination, of sweet, tart, salty, crunchy and it’s delicious.  It is super simple to make, yes even the candied pecans, and presentation wise, it´s beautiful! My family and friends love it, and I promise yours will too ! 6 ounces baby spinach ( I used mixed greens, arugula, bib lettuce, romaine ) 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped ( I added candied pecans, walnuts would be great too) 2 Granny Smith Apples, chopped ( I sliced mine, pears would work too) ½ cup crumbled Feta Cheese ¾ cup dried cranberries  Poppyseed Dressing ⅓ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup  milk ( I used skim milk) 3 Tablespoons Sugar 4 teaspoons cider vinegar 2 teaspoons poppyseeds In a large bowl, toss baby spinach, pecans, apples, feta cheese, and cranberries. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, m...

 I must say, that sometimes , I feel I bit guilty about being a stay at home mom, mostly when it´s cold outside, and I send everyone out the door in the early chilly morning. The kids go off to school, and Mr. G off to work, and Luna and I get to hang out in a toasty, warm home and wait for them to come back. We are a couple of weeks shy of winter, but they leave when it's dark, & arrive when it´s dark at the end of the day. Now we, in fact do not get snow, we might get the odd hail storm, but it does get chilly for us. So when they do come home, I want them to eat something warm and comforting. Pot roast is one of those comfort meals I  love to make for them. It is really easy to make, do not be scared, aside from browning the meat, everything else just goes into the pot. It´s also a one pot meal, and you know you can´t beat that, little to no clean-up. It just needs time, to bubble away in the oven, while the super delicious smell of the roast wafts through your h...