Mom baked us an all time favorite cake, served plain, with coffee... Simple like that, just like mother's love...
Ingredients for mom's plain cake
2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal or oatbran (her secret ingredient)
1 cup sugar
1 dash salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup warm milk (another secret)
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1) Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add milk and oil. Mix well.
2) In a separate small bowl, beat eggs and add to the mixture and beat one minute or about 60 strokes. The more you beat the better.
3) Bake in two small oiled and floured loaf-cake pans for 40 minutes at 375˚F (190˚C). Serve plain or with a lime glaze.
Lime and poppy seed glaze
4 tablespoons lime juice
4 tablespoons sugar
Poppy seed (optional)
1) Put lime juice and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the sugar is dissolved.
2) Remove from heat, poke holes in top of warm cake with toothpick or fork and spoon the warm glaze over the cooked cake. Sprinkle poppy seed.
I love this cake, because whenever I bake it for my kids I have the feeling I am doing something just like my mom used to do when I was a child. I remember her moving around the kitchen getting the ingredients and the utensils ready, turning the oven on etc. That's why I love cooking for my family, so that they can have fond memories of their childhood too.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Mother's Day was good...
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Yogurt Parfait with Mango and Cardamom
Did you know that "parfait" means literally "perfect" in French? And also it is:
1 : a flavored custard containing whipped cream and syrup frozen without stirring
(Merriam-Webster dictionary)
My parfait is made with frozen greek yogurt. Parfaits are usually made in layers in a tall glass, but I used a serving plate instead.
2 cups greek yogurt (substitutes: vanilla yogurt or ice cream)
2 to 3 tablespoons honey
For the mango syrup:
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 to 4 cardamom pods, split open
1/2 cup water
1 mango, peeled and sliced
1) Mix together greek yogurt and honey. Line bottom and sides of muffin pans with loose fitting plastic wrap or parchment paper. Divide the mixture between the lined muffin pans and freeze for about 2 hours.
2) In a sauce pan heat sugar, cardamom pods and water until sugar dissolves for about 5 minutes. Add mango slices and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and leave fruit to cool.
3) Remove the parfait from the freezer. Remove the plastic wrap or parchment paper. Place the parfait on serving plates and drizzle the mango syrup around each one.
Recipe adapted from Woman and Home magazine.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Courgette Salsa - Grow Your Own #9
I used organic zucchinis (or courgettes) from the family farm located about 150 miles (about 250 km) from where we live. We go there once a month and that's when I have plenty of time to experiment with home grown ingredients.
This is my entry for Grow Your Own event that promotes the use of ingredients we grow or raise ourselves and also the dishes we make using our homegrown products. To view other entries and participating blogs, please visit Andrea's blog!Courgette Salsa
From Woman and Home magazine
2 ripe tomatoes, core removed, finely chopped
1 medium courgette, finely chopped
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
finely grated zest and juice 1 lime
handful fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
3 tsp sweet chilli sauce (optional) - I used 1 tsp chilli powder
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1) Mix the chopped tomatoes and courgette with the rest of the ingredients, plus a pinch of sugar if not using the chilli sauce. Set the salsa aside at room temperature. Serve as appetizer.




Thursday, April 24, 2008
Flavors and colors from foreign lands
From India: My husband spent a few days in India and brought home some nice spices, like Curry and Garam masala, and colorful bracelets and pashminas.
From England: I set up a meeting between my husband and Val, a blogger friend whom I have not met yet. The gift exchange was mutual, we had bought each other magazines, chocolate bars and spices. The wellies are so cute...
Friday, April 11, 2008
A big thanks... My Moo cards are here!!!
My birthday present came in a week earlier and it was a huge surprise! A signed contract with Foodbuzz and a free gift!!! Moo mini cards with my name and blog name printed on the back of the cards that have such nice food pictures!
You have a food blog and have not yet joined Foodbuzz... Why not do it now? Just click here to sign up! Please remember to type in http://fromourhometoyours-en.blogspot as your referrer!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Stuffed Crab Shells - Casquinha de Siri
Stuffed crab shells or "Casquinha de siri" is a Brazilian appetizer made with sautéed crab meat, coconut milk, palm oil, tomatoes, bell peppers, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. You bake them in scallop or crab shells, either molds made of silicone or real ones, and then sprinkle lime juice on top. These taste even better if served with cold beer and preferably on the beach!
- If you are strict vegetarian, try using shredded cabbage instead of crab meat.
1 pound (500 g) crab meat, drained
1 small onion, cubed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cubed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cubed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 tablespoon palm oil
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Bread crumbs
Grated Parmesan cheese
Crab or scallop shells
Lime wedges
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°) or use the broiler inside the oven.
1) In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onions, garlic and bell peppers until soft. Stir in crab meat and cook 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes.
2) Add coconut milk, salt, pepper and palm oil, cooking about 3-5 minutes. Stir in parsley. Remove from heat.
3) Fill the shells with the crab mixture and top with bread crumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown. Sprinkle lime juice when serving.





Monday, March 24, 2008
Mixed Pepper Vinaigrette - Grow Your Own # 8
While visiting the family farm I picked different types of pepper and made this vinaigrette that goes so well as an appetizer, with any side dish or as a dressing for grilled vegetables.
Ingredients: (quantities may vary, pick assorted colors)1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 fresh hot peppers, seeded and diced (chili, malagueta or Aji)
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon vinegar or lime juice
1/4 teaspoon italian seasoning or oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup anchovies, sliced (aliche) - optional
Directions:
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Happy Easter!
The homework: dye a batch of eggs and write messages to kids from school. I was already planning on coloring eggs with them, and my little one was so helpful as we dyed the eggs together. One simple task turned into a nice way of not only decorating but creating memories with the kids. Eggshells, water and food coloring: all we needed for some fun! Have a nice Easter!



Friday, March 14, 2008
Re: Cheddar Bay Biscuits - WBB #20 Balanced Breakfast
My husband's birthday could only fall on a saint's day, but now we're talking about another saint... the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick! So, if March 17th is the date for many Irish and non-Irish to wear green, enjoy a parade, drink a lot of Guinness beer and wish good luck, why can't we celebrate it with food?
The garlic butter brushed on top added a special flavor and to me they seem to taste like the ones sold at Red Lobster.
I made these Red Lobster-inspired biscuits recipe because I feel homesick for the US and also this is my contribution for Mansi's Balanced Breakfast event at Fun and Food.
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Muffin paper liners
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Black-eyed Peas - Feijão-Verde



Cow peas or Black-eyed peas - not the band... make wonderful salads, stews, and fillings. These beans were a gift from farmworkers and can be eaten green or dried. They are staple in North and Northeast regions in Brazil but can be easily cultivated anywhere.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Baked T-bone Steak with Pineapple Sauce - Royal Foodie Joust
A simple dish that gets a unique flavor with spices from different countries that blended so well together along with the pineapple sauce that is an incredible complement.
I use mirin, the Japanese cooking wine, to enhance the flavor of all kinds of meat and also tabil, a Tunisian spice mix to add some zest to the food.
I became a huge fan of Tunisian spices when a friend of mine who lives in Montreal and is married to a French-Tunisian, gave me some last year when we met for the first time here in Brazil.
A beautiful friendship that started with a comment on my blog. To make a long story short, we found out that our grandparents and also my father and her father were long-time friends, even though we had never met! Things that only internet can explain...
This month's joust at the Leftover Queen forum was an easy one for me with pork, citrus and pink or white peppercorns. The hard part was to choose the pictures for the post, as I ended up taking 149 photos of the same dish!
Baked T-Bone Steaks
6 T-Bone steaks
1 tablespoon salt (or to taste)
1/3 cup mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon tabil (Tunisian spice mix)
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped scallion
Juice of 1 lime
2 potatoes, cut into wedges
5 shallots, cut in half
Dried rosemary leaves
Pink peppercorns
Directions:
1) Mix salt, mirin, evoo, tabil, garlic, scallion, oregano and lime together. Pour over steaks. Marinate overnight or at least one hour in refrigerator, turning occasionally.
2) Transfer the steaks and the marinade to a large baking dish. Add potatoes and shallots. Season the potatoes with rosemary leaves and pink peppercorns. Bake, uncovered at 400ºF/200ºC for 45 minutes/1hour or until cooked to your taste. Usually, when the potatoes are done too. Serve with rice and pineaple sauce.
Pineapple sauce - from the kitchen of my sister-in-law's mother
1 fresh pineapple, cored, cut into chunks
3/4 cup sugar
1 malagueta pepper, finely diced.
1) Put the pineapple and the sugar into a blender and puree until smooth.
2) Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated and sauce is thick. Let cool and then add the malagueta pepper.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Bolognese Polenta - Grow Your Own # 7
Polenta and pizza: two magic words! Travel anywhere in the world, even if you do not speak the language, and these simple words will put food on your plate. So, to celebrate the end of the cold season in the Northern hemisphere and the beginning of possible colder days here... I couldn't think of anything more comforting than the traditional italian dish: a Bolognese Polenta!
My mom used to make a lot of polenta when we were kids, like chicken polenta soup, fried polenta as appetizer and even a very soft sweet polenta which we had for breakfast or dessert.
My contribution to this month's Grow your own event at Andrea's blog has basil from my indoor garden. My dad makes sure I never run out of basil, he always sends me basil seeds and also dried basil!
Ingredients for hard polenta - from my mom's kitchen
1 cup yellow cornmeal or instant polenta
4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tablespoons onion, thinly diced
2 tablespoons canola oil
Directions
1) Combine the cornmeal and 2 cups of cold water into a large bowl and whisk, this will avoid lumps forming.
2) In large sauce pan, sauté onion over medium heat until translucent, add garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more, until fragrant, do not brown. Add the remaining 2 cups water, boil, add salt and gradually stir in the polenta and water mixture.
3) Let the polenta and water simmer stirring frequently with wooden spoon to prevent sticking. It will take about 15 to 30 minutes until it's very thick, or 5 minutes if using the instant polenta. If it is too thick, add more water.
- You know the polenta is ready when it pulls away from the side of the pan.
- The polenta will be creamy if you eat it right away and very firm for your next meal or if you let it set for 15 minutes while you make the topping.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄4 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1⁄4 cup shredded carrot
1⁄2 lb (250g) Italian smoked sausage, cubed or grated (remove casings)
1 lb (500 g) ground meat, preferably chunk
1 can (14-ounce/500g) peeled, crushed tomatoes with the juice
(or 1 can (6oz/180g) tomato paste)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Fresh basil leaves
Chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1) In a large sauce pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
2) Add carrot, sausage and sauté for 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the ground beef. Break up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add parsley, basil and nutmeg.
3) Add the milk and let it simmer gently stirring frequently. Then add the wine, let it simmer until it has evaporated, add the tomatoes and stir throughouly. Cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens, for at least 1/2 hour. Check for seasoning. Serve hot over the polenta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Fresh eggs from the farm



We visit my husband's family farm once a month but I would love to live closer to enjoy all the good things there. A good reason to have chickens is to be able to collect fresh eggs and have a regular supply of delicious eggs to try new recipes.
Chickens there have room to roam free and eat outside. The kids love to throw kale from the garden fence and watch the chickens running torwards their natural food!
Much different from this other farm... Birds that live short lives, 40 to 45 days, under confined conditions, without ever seeing natural daylight. There is a campaign called Chicken out in Europe and you can read more about it here too.
And that reminds me of the British movie "Chicken Run," released a few years ago, about the miserable lives of a clan of chickens at a farm in 1950's England that plan to escape their prisonlike coop. Did you notice that they have teeth?
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Romeo and Juliet - a sweet pizza for my Valentine
It's Valentine's Day in many countries, but here... What are you making for your sweetie, neighbor or friend?
Here's a sweet pizza I made, with guava paste and cheese, a common combination found in many latin countries and known here as "Romeo and Juliet." The name might have come from the famous play by Shakespeare, but the idea is that "cheese and guava paste" make an irresistible and perfect combination.
Also, Portuguese has two genders for nouns, so Cheese is masculine and Guava is feminine. A language peculiarity that makes Portuguese a beautifil language but very confusing for English speak
ers who have a hard time trying to figure out the gender of things.
My contribution to "A heart for your Valentine" event. If you would like to participate, please find the instructions here.
To make the Romeo and Juliet pizza:
1 recipe for personal pizza
1 can guava paste cut into cubes
cream cheese, white cheese or mozzarela
Cover the pre-baked pizza with the cheese and the guava paste and bake in preheated oven until cheese and guava paste melt.

Friday, February 1, 2008
Do you say Mardi Gras or Carnival?
This has nothing to do with food, but it's Carnival in Brazil and I will be out for a few days.
Can you tell it is a mannequin? It looked so real to me. By the way, I say Carnival. Have fun!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Game night with Arugula and Sun-dried Tomato Pizza!
For football fans or not... There is nothing like homemade pizza to please everyone! Set up a table for personal pizzas with pre-baked pizza crust, different toppings, olive oil, herbs and a no-cook tomato sauce. The do-it-yourself pizzas will sure please everyone and the cook can score a touchdown too, fixing the pizza crusts in advance!
My contribution to the Game Night event that Mansi at Fun and Food is promoting.
Pizza dough
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (about 105 °F/40°C)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1) In a mixing bowl or food processor: dissolve yeast in water and add sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes, then add the flour, salt, and oil and beat or process until smooth.
2) Knead: on a floured flat surface for about 5 minutes, until smooth.
(This step can be skipped if using a food processor).
3) Cover and let rise: in a warm place until doubled. It should be ready in 30 to 60 minutes. (Make the pizza sauce below while the dough is rising.)
4) Roll out: break the dough in half, or in the amount of personal pizzas you want to make. Roll out using a rolling pin to flatten it out to about 1/4" (0.5 cm) thick. Run the pin over the dough once or twice, flip over and roll it again to make it even (use a plate to cut out a round shape). Transfer dough to a lightly greased cookie sheet, prick several times with a fork.
5) Pre-bake: at 425 °F/220°C for 6-8 minutes.
6) Add toppings: Cover with your favorite sauce and toppings and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
My toppings suggestion: fresh tomato sauce, mozzarela or goat's cheese, oregano - cook a few minutes in the oven. Remove from oven, place arugula and sun-dried tomatoes on top - these last two ingredients do not need to be cooked; sprinkle coarse salt and pepper over the pizza. Enjoy!

For skillet pizza:
Instead of baking, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook each round 2 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Add toppings, cover with a lid and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes.
No-cook fresh tomato sauce
3 ripe tomatoes, cut in half
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (evoo)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
oregano, fresh basil leaves, black pepper and garlic powder to taste
1) Grate tomatoes: use a coarse vegetable grater over a bowl, grating as close to the skin as possible (flesh down, do not grate skin, discard it).
2) Mix together grated tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, sugar, pepper and garlic powder.
This recipe makes a great fresh tomato sauce for any pasta.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Moqueca: Brazilian Fish Stew - Grow Your Own # 6

Moqueca is a traditional Brazilian seafood stew that consists basically of layers of onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, pepper and fish steaks cooked and served in a black clay pot and a side of rice.
There are many types of moqueca depending on the meat used, but two stand out: one from Bahia state and another one from Espirito Santo state. What differentiates one recipe from another is the use of two ingredients: coconut milk and palm oil that are added only to the Bahian style.On our first vacation together after we got married, some 13 years ago, we drove a thousand miles to Porto Seguro, a place that claims to be where the history of Brazil started. As we were on vacation and time did not count, we would stop for a couple of days here and there to enjoy the beaches along the coastline. Over there, they eat a lot of fish and we were able to try the two types of moqueca, that were always brought steaming hot to our table.
This is my contribution to Andrea's recipes and her Grow Your Own event. I used cilantro from my indoor garden.
Moqueca baiana (Bahian fish stew)
2 lbs. (1 kg) fish filets, cut into large portions, about 2 inches (5 cm)
juice of one lime
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 pound (500 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 large tomatoes, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 bunch cilantro
7 oz (200 ml) coconut milk
2 tablespoons palm oil (azeite de dende)
1 teaspoon salt
1) Marinate the fish filets and the shrimp with salt, pepper, paprika and lime juice for at least one hour.
2) In a large sauté pan or dutch oven, sauté garlic in oil. Turn off the heat at this point and using half of the vegetables start making layers of onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and peppers. Cover the layers with the fish, the marinade and cilantro.
Serves 4 to 6.
- Simply Recipes
- Epicurious
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Eating Global: Brazilian Fusion Cuisine
Or, if like me, you like food movies... Try "Woman on top" (2000, rating R) with Penelope Cruz, who plays a young Brazilian chef that creates wonderful recipes and leaves for America, where she becomes a star as the host of a TV cooking show, Passion Foods Live.
Speaking of movies... What's the best food movie you have ever seen?
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Lentil Soup and Grilled Eggplant - Royal Foodie Joust
For the monthly Royal Foodie Joust at The Leftover Queen I needed to use eggplants, lentils, and cinnamon. Even though the task seemed easy, I had never tried mixing eggplants and cinnamon. Well, I soon found out that they are a perfect match to make a wonderfully warm and comforting soup for a chilly day!
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt, paprika, garlic powder and pepper to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 strips (3 ounces) bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth (3 1/2 cups)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1) Slice eggplant lengthwise into very thin slices. Brush or spray slices with olive oil; sprinkle with salt, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and cinnamon. Grill on electric/outdoor grill until each side has golden brown grill marks and is fragrant. Reserve for garnish.
2) In a Dutch oven (or other 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid), cook bacon over medium-low heat until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
3) Add onion and carrots; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, and cook 1 minute.
4) Add lentils, thyme, broth, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover; cook until lentils are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper if necessary.
5) Arrange grilled eggplant slices on deep bowls. Laddle lentil soup, top with grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Lentil soup adapted from the book Everyday Food - Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Cassava or Yucca Root - Grow Your Own # 5
Cassava, yucca, Brazilian arrowroot, mandioca... So many names for a root that can be used in a variety of dishes. The most known ingredient extracted from the root of cassava is tapioca flour, tapioca starch or yucca flour. Sounds familiar? I use cassava as much as many people use potatoes. Puddings, breads, cakes, chips, deep fried, purées, dumplings, soups, etc. can be made with cassava or tapioca. Gluten-free, it can replace wheat flour and it is very used by people with wheat allergies, like coeliac disease.
This is my contribution to this month’s Grow Your Own event.
The pictures were taken from my husband's family farm. Cassava is organically grown there and right now I have some in the freezer for future recipes.











