Costa Rica: Arroz con Pollo (Chicken & Rice with Salsa), Caribbean Bread, & Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding)

I love Costa Rica! I went there for vacation a year and a half ago and want to go back so bad! It was a great place to visit and I thoroughly enjoyed their food. I loved their rice and beans. It wasn't just any rice and beans, it had such great flavor that I haven't been able to find anywhere else.

 So, when I decided to cook from Costa Rica, my goal was to match that flavor so that I could satisfy my taste buds and pretend like I was back in Costa Rica - oh how I wish! My husband also said that this was probably one of his favorite meals that I have cooked - woohoo. Enjoy and have fun!

Chicken & Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Serves 4-5

Chicken:
2-3 Chicken Breasts, cubed
2 Tbsp Oil
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 Rib of Celery, chopped
1 Tsp Salt
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
1 Tsp Pepper
1 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tbsp Cumin

Rice:
1 Lb Long Grain Rice, uncooked, rinsed and dried
2 Tbsp Oil
2 Carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 Tsp Annatto
- TRY: Spice Appeal Annatto Seed Whole, 80-Ounce Jar
Salt to taste
2 Cups Peas
Chicken Brother or Water for cooking

Salsa/Sauce:
1/2 Cup Onion, finely diced
1/2 Cup Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
1 Tomato, diced
1/4 Cup Cilantro
1 Can Tomato Paste

Chicken: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add all of the chicken ingredients and stir regularly. Cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Rice: Place all of the rice ingredients in a rice cooker - make sure to double the liquid (water or chicken broth) compared to the rice and veggies. I choose chicken broth for my liquid.
If you are not using a rice cooker, do the same in a pot with a lid slightly ajar. Cook until rice is finished (30-45 minutes).

Salsa/Sauce: Saute the onions, bell pepper, tomato, cilantro, and salt in a small pot over medium heat for a few minutes. Add in the tomato paste and stir. Cook for 10-15 minutes stirring regularly.

Serve the chicken with the rice and sauce. Enjoy!

Caribbean Bread

Yields 3 Loaves

8 Cups All-Purpose Flour
3 1/2 Cups Warm Water
2 Tbsp Yeast
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Oil
2 Tbsp Vanilla
1/2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
1/2 Cup Raisins
- TRY: - Melissa's Organic Raisins, 3 Packages (3 oz)
1/2 Cup Candied Fruit

Combine the yeast with 2 cups warm water. Add in 2 1/2 cups of the flour and mix. Cover and set it aside for at least 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place brown sugar in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and then bring to a simmer.

Add all of the ingredients and mixtures together. Mix until the dough is smooth.

Separate the dough into 3 equal pieces. Place each dough into a bread pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Let bread cool before taking it out of the pan. I just flipped the pan over and the bread came out. Enjoy!

Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding)

Serves: 5-6

1 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 Cup Evaporated Milk

6 Cups Milk

1 Cup Long Grain Rice, uncooked

1/2 Cup Water

1 Tsp Vanilla

2 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Nutmeg

1/2 Cup Raisins

- TRY: Melissa's Organic Raisins, 3 Packages (3 oz)

In a large saucepan bring the rice, water, 4 cups of milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg to boil over medium high heat. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of milk and bring it back to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes (until the rice is cooked). Stir in the raisins and cook for 10 more minutes. Serve chilled or at room temperature. 

Montenegro: Sesame Ginger Chicken, Potatoes & Cheese Cornmeal (Kacamak), & Priganice (Doughnuts w/ Apple)

I'll be honest - this was probably my least favorite set of recipes that I cooked. I don't know if it is because I messed up or that my taste buds were just not having it.
First off, the chicken was suppose to be a sesame ginger chicken soup. However, I actually really liked the chicken recipe so I've changed the recipe so that it is not a soup. I was not too fond of the potato dish. I'm just personally not a huge fan of cornmeal. The Donuts was yummy, but they just weren't that pretty haha and they were a little difficult to make.
Sorry for the lack of pictures - I forgot to take more! Hopefully I didn't scare you off from cooking recipes from the country of Montenegro - I recommend the chicken and donuts! Have fun!

Sesame Ginger Chicken

Serves 4-5

2-3 Chicken Breasts, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Inch Piece of Ginger, minced
2 Tbsp Dry White Wine
6 Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
Sesame Seeds

Heat the sesame oil in a large pan. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook until the chicken is cooked thoroughly (about 15-20 minutes). Stir throughout the cooking process.

May garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with potato cheese dish. Enjoy!

Kacamak with Potatoes, Cheese & Cornmeal

Serves 6-8

3 Cups Water

2 Potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled

Salt to taste

- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
1 1/4 Cup Cornmeal

1/2 Cup Feta Cheese

1/4 Cup Oil

Bring the water to a boil in a pot. Add the cooked potatoes and salt. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and gently mash the potatoes in the pot. Slowly add the cornmeal and continuously stir. Add the cheese and oil. Stir Well. 

Priganice (Doughnuts w/ Apple)

Dough: 

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 Cup Flour
2 Tbsp Warm Water
1/2 Cup Warm Water
1 Package of Yeast

Oil for frying
1 Green Apple, diced into small pieces
Sugar to coat

Mix the sugar with the 2 tbsp of warm water. Sprinkle in the package of yeast (don't stir). Set aside for 2 minutes and then gently stir. Set aside for 5 minutes. Foam or small bubbles must form on the surface - if this does not happen start over. (It can get messed up if the water is too warm or too cold and/or if the yeast is not fresh).

Stir 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of warm water into the yeast mixture. Mix well and then set aside - it should double its size.

After dough has risen, heat the oil in a pot with medium to high heat. Make sure you have enough in the pot so that the doughnut can be immersed in the oil.

Drop a piece of the apple in the dough. Take two spoons and scoop the dough that surrounds the apple piece. Then make the dough into a ball (with the apple piece in the middle).

Drop the ball into the oil. Make sure it browns on all sides. Take the doughnut out and place on a paper towel to soak up the remaining oil. Roll in sugar and serve warm. Enjoy!

Senegal: Chicken & Vegetables in Peanut Sauce, Black-Eyed Pea Salad, & Peanut Ice Cream

Senegal is the world capitol for peanuts! They grow a lot of peanuts and therefore 2 out of my 3 recipes are heavily flavored by peanuts. Each recipe I cooked was delicious - I especially loved the peanut ice cream - two of my favorite things! Enjoy!

Chicken & Vegetables in a Peanut Sauce

Serves: 5-6

1 1/2 Cups Unsalted Roasted Peanuts OR 1 Cup Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
3 Cups Water
3-4 Lbs Chicken (Breasts, Thighs, etc.)
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Onion, peeled and chopped
1 Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Can Diced Tomatoes w/ Juice
1 1/2 Tsp Cayenne
2 Tsp Salt
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and chopped
3-4 Medium Turnips, peeled and chopped
1 Lb Spinach
White Rice

Preheat the oven to 325°F. If you are using peanuts, blend them in a blender until they are creamy. Then put the peanut butter into a bowl and mix with 1 1/2 cups of water.

Season the chicken with salt. Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the chicken on all sides. Set chicken aside in a large ungreased baking pan. In the same pan saute the onion and bell pepper until it is fragrant. Add the garlic and saute for a few more minutes. Stir in the peanut butter mixture and remaining water, tomatoes with juice, salt, and cayenne pepper. Simmer for a few minutes.

Pour the mixture over the chicken and mix in the vegetables. Put in the oven and cook for 45-60 minutes.

While that is cooking, saute the spinach in a little bit of water or oil. Also, cook the white rice.

Serve with spinach and rice.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Serves 8-10

1/2 Lb Black-Eyed Peas, soaked in water overnight
1 Quart Water
1 Tsp Salt
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
1 Tomato, diced
1 Cucumber, peeled and diced
1 Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
1 Cup Green Onions, minced
1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley, minced
Juice of 2 Limes
1 Habanero Pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
2/3 Cup Olive Oil
8-10 Lettuce Leaves for serving

Allow the black-eyed peas to soak overnight - this will allow for a faster cooking time.

 In a large saucepan, boil the peas in 1 quart of water for 30 minutes to a hour (until tender - it may take more depending how long they soaked). Season with salt while cooking. Drain and set them aside.

In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (except the peas and lettuce). Mix well. Combine the mixture and peas. Cover and let it sit for 1 hour (on counter or in the refrigerator).

Serve by using the lettuce leaves to scoop the salad.

Peanut Ice Cream - Yummy!

Serves: 8-10

1 (14 oz) Can Evaporated Milk
1 Can Condensed Milk
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
1 Cup Peanut Butter
4 Tbsp Lemon Juice

In a large saucepan, immerse the can of evaporated milk in water. Boil the can for 20 minutes. Chill the can in the refrigerator for several hours.

Once it is chilled, whip the evaporated milk in a cold bowl for a few minutes. Add the lemon juice and sugar.

In another bowl, combine the peanut butter, condensed milk and milk. Mix well.

Fold the two mixtures together well. Freeze the mixture in the freezer.

Azerbaijan: Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Beef, Rice & Herbs, Potato-Carrot Bread, & Cinnamon-Walnut Apple Roll Ups

I have never before cooked or ate food from the country of Azerbaijan and it definitely wasn't what I expected. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but part of me thought it would be all curry or more Middle Eastern. The few recipes I did reminded me of Eastern European recipes. Anyways... it was good! I'm not a huge fan of cabbage, but I love cooked cabbage. I absolutely loved the cabbage rolls! The herbs and seasonings were yummy! The dessert was also very fun to make since I've never made roll ups before. I shared these with some of my neighbors and they loved them. Enjoy!

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Beef, Herbs & Rice

Serves: 4

Stuffing:
1 Lb Ground Beef or Lamb (or combo)
1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup Medium Grain Rice, washed and drained
1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, minced
1/2 Cup Fresh Dill, minced
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 Tsp Salt
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
1 Tsp Pepper

Rolls:
1 Large Green Cabbage
3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 1/2 Cup Hot Water
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

Prepare the stuffing by combing all the ingredients together. Mix well and set aside.

Prepare the cabbage leaves by filling a large saucepan with water and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to boil. With a knife, cut out the core of the cabbage - this can be tricky, at least for me it was. Then carefully pull off the leaves, keeping them whole and undamaged. (I was able to pull off some undamaged, but it was hard! I had left over stuffing to eat by itself haha). Stir a few leaves in the water at a time and allow to boil for at least 5 minutes, or until they have softened. Place leaves in a colander to drain.

Once they leaves have cooled, place them on a cutting board and cut out the rough center vein (this will allow it to be easier to roll up). Do not cut out the whole vein, just the part nearest to you (stem nearest to you). Make sure you have some damaged leaves or the cut out stem parts to use later.

With each cabbage leaf, place 2 big spoonfuls (you can determine the size of stuffing since each leaf is different) in the center of the leaf. Fold in the sides and then roll up from the bottom. Make sure to roll away from you. Set Aside and finish the cabbage leaves.

Arrange the left over cabbage pieces on the bottom of a large saucepan. Place each stuffed cabbage in the pan. Make sure the seam side is down. If you have more than one layer of cabbage rolls place some tomato paste between the layers and on top of the last layer. Pour the hot water and more tomato paste on top of the cabbage rolls. Cover the top layer with the butter.

Place a ovenproof plate on top of the rolls to keep them secure.

Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 1 hour. Serve warm!

Potato-Carrot Bread

Yields 1 Loaf

4 Potatoes, medium sized, chopped
1 Carrot, medium sized, chopped
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Oil
1 Cup Yogurt, plain
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro or Parsley, chopped
1/4 Cup Fresh Dill, chopped
1 Tsp Salt
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
1 Tsp Black Pepper

Put the chopped potatoes and carrot in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 25 - 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Preheat the oven to 380°F. Grease the bottom of a loaf pan (9"x 5"x 3") and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs and oil together. Then add in the yogurt, flour, baking powder, vegetables and herbs. Mix gently and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.

Cinnamon-Walnut Apple Roll Ups

Filling:
3 Green Apples, peeled and grated
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Cinnamon
3/4 Cup Walnut, finely chopped
Oil for frying

Dough:
2 3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Cup + 3 Tbsp Butter, unsalted and room temperature
2 Tbsp Plain Yogurt
1 Tbsp Lemon Zest

Top:
Powdered Sugar

Filling:
Prepare the apples. Fry the apple pieces in a pan with a little bit of oil. Mix in the sugar. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Once it has cooled mix in the cinnamon and walnuts. Set aside.

Dough: In a large mixing bowl mix the flour, powdered sugar, and baking powder. Then add the remaining ingredients. Knead well until the dough is soft to the touch.

Grease 1-2 baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 380°F.

Divide the dough into 4 parts shaped like a ball. Roll each ball out into a 8-9 inch circle. Using a knife, cut the circle into 8 wedges.

Place about 1 teaspoon of the filling in the middle of each wedge.

Then roll each wedge up. Place each roll up on the baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Dust the tops with powdered sugar. Enjoy!