Empanadas are a traditional appetizer in Colombia. We have different variations of this delicious dish throughout the country and these meat empanadas are one of them.

Empanadas de Pipián are typically associated with the del Cauca zone of Colombia and are made with corn masa and stuffed with roasted peanuts and potatoes.

I can resist many foods, even when they are very tempting and I am terribly tempted, but I cannot resist a Colombian empanada. They are the ideal snack. It’s hard for me to just have one! They are perfect at breakfast, lunch or as a snack during the day. One, two, three…six, seven…how many can you eat? I can eat a lot of these wonderful empanadas Read more…

Who doesn’t like salsa with tortilla chips?

Here is a quick and easy to prepare appetizer that is tasty and fun to make. The salsa will keep for up to a week, covered, in the refrigerator.

Enjoy it! Read more…

I had some potatoes in the fridge and I didn’t know what to do with them, so, while I was doing some laundry, I started to have some ideas on how I would cook them. I was thinking maybe mashed or just roasted, until I thought about this delicious Potato Gratin recipe that I love! This a wonderful side dish and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. Read more…

This spinach cake is really simple and delicious. I have a weird relationship with spinach, sometimes I hate it and sometimes and I just can’t get enough of it. It all depends on how it’s prepared.

One of the ways I love to eat spinach is when it’s in this Spinach Cake This is a great vegetarian side dish. Enjoy it! Read more…

This is a wonderful side dish that you can prepare and serve with your favorite meat, fish or poultry. I added cilantro and thyme, but you can be creative and add your favorite herbs. This Carrots with Lime side dish is easy and quick to make and tastes delicious! Read more…

Jamaica is a beautiful island located in the Greater Antilles and was the home of Bob Marley, one of my favorite musicians.

Some ingredients used in Jamaican cuisine are similar to the ingredients used in Colombian cuisine. Some examples of this are: plantains, yuca, coconut milk, beans, avocado, tropical fruits and anatto.

As you may know by now, my friend Joan from Foodalogue is having a virtual culinary tour and this week she is going to Jamaica. So, I will be joining her with a traditional Jamaican side dish, rice and peas.

Soon you may be asking, “where are the peas in this recipe?”. Well, in Jamaica, beans are called peas. This recipe is flavourful and delicious and is especially good with fried plantains on the side. Read more…

Pasta with Tomato sauce is a classic dish and I think that everyone should have a good tomato sauce recipe. This one is simple and easy to make and is delicious!

Growing up in Colombia, the only tomato sauce that I had was from a jar, so when I met my husband, whose grandmothers were Italian, I realized that I needed to make a homemade tomato sauce for him. He can pretty much eat pasta with tomato sauce every day and be happy!

One day when we first met, I wanted to surprise him with a nice Italian dinner, so I made a delicious tomato sauce, so I thought. As he began eating it, he made a strange face and asked me what I put in the sauce? I told him the list of ingredients… tomatoes, garlic, cilantro… “Cilantro?!” he said. “No wonder why it tastes like salsa. You don’t put cilantro in tomato sauce!” He has been making fun of me for that ever since.

It is so normal for me to add cilantro to every dish, that I though it was going to be delicious. What he doesn’t know is that I forgot to add cumin Anyway, after that Colombian-Italian tomato suace, I made a variety of different tomato sauce recipes until I came out with this one just recently and he said that this is the best tomato sauce that he has ever had. Enjoy! Read more…