Mandocas - Sweet Corn Fritters

April 10, 2013 by Monica in Appletizers & Snacks, Family, Family Cookbook, International, Latin

When I was 8 years old my mother sent my sister and I to live with our paternal grandparents. She was coming to the states to prepare our arrival and she decided that our grandparents should spend some time with us before we moved to the United States.

My grandparents lived in the state of Zulia, which is located in the northwest of Venezuela, around the Marcaibo Lake. This lake is the largest water body of its kind in Latin America and its basin covers one of the largest oil and gas reserves in the Western Hemisphere.

Maracaibo is the state capital and it has the second (Caracas being the first) largest population among Venezuela states. Like any country, each state is known for their own individual personality. Maracuchos (the population of Maracaibo) as they are referred, are loud, talk fast and everyone cuss like sailors – and I mean everyone, toddlers to gradmas.

My absolute favorite Corn Cake

October 26, 2012 by Monica in Baking, Cake, Family Cookbook, Latin

I should probably just come right how and say that I’m taking a break with blogging, because it just seems that the last couple of months I start all my post with the boring … “ I been soooo very busy and that is why I have not had time to blog” – we been eating, but, really nothing new, nothing to share. I have made this soup so many times in the last couple of weeks, we have lived on cereal and lots of ham and cheese sandwiches and left over from our respective mother’s houses – bottom line, the kitchen has not seen any heavy duty used. Except when it comes to this recipe, which has been repeated well over the normal, allocated time. I think Tom is starting to turn corny with all the corn we been eating the last couple of weeks.

I.cannot.stop.making.this.corn.cake.

GCC: Arroz Imperial [Imperial Rice]

October 17, 2011 by Monica in Chicken, Dinner, Entertaining, Gutsy Cooks Club, Latin, Main Courses, Rice

The first time I tried this dish was when I lived in Miami and was invited to a birthday party by a friend from Cuba.

When I first saw it, I figure it was the typical Arroz con pollo – [chicken and rice] dish found in most Latin birthday parties.

Boy, was I wrong.

Is anything BUT, the typical chicken and yellow rice.

I would call it a dress up version of Chicken and yellow rice with a couple of twist - Mayonnaise is added to the cooked rice and the chicken is cooked in a sofrito/tomato base giving it a rich flavor, then its layered like a lasagna, and topped with mozzarella or any other mild white cheese.

Living in Miami, I never had the need to make it at home, since about 80% of the Cuban restaurants would have it as a catering/menu choice and all I had to do, was place the order and pick it up.

I had not had this dish in over 10 years.