Friday, August 30, 2013

New Tastes and A New Addition

 
 
August with the Allrecipes Allstar Ambassador program brought a lot of good food and flavor to my kitchen and dinner table.  Our sponsors for this month were Goya and Beef. “It’s what For Dinner”.  I want to thank them as they were amazing sponsors and I really enjoyed making some of their delicious dishes. I hope you will give a few of them a try, too.

Let’s start with Goya…I really liked using the Goya seasonings and products. They brought a lot flavor and they added a tropical flair to my menu.  My first dish (my husband’s favorite) for Goya was Empanadas (Beef Turnovers).

 
 



I have to admit I was a bit intimidated by this at first but using the Goya Pastry Discs (found in freezer section) made it very easy to create these delectable meat pies. The filing was made with beef, onion, tomato and garlic. My husband likes a little bit of heat so I added a jalapeno to the meat mixture as I browned the meat. The discs already to use, just put some filling Then just fry them. These were AMAZING! My husband was working from home that afternoon as I was making them and he came out of his office to investigate what smelled so good. Of course, he snatched up the first one. He has requested these to be made again soon. Plus, there is so much you can do with the discs. You can do sweet or savory… I will be experimenting with them very soon. Stay tuned…



 

 
My next Goya dish was Tropical Chicken Skewers. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tropical-chicken-skewers/detail.aspx  This created a flavor explosion of sweet and savory in our mouths.  We loved these and they were so easy to make. Plus the cleanup was very easy too. Which in my house is a Big Plus!  I used GOYA® Mojo Criollo and a sweet GOYA® Pineapple Nectar to create a flavorful marinade. The flavors are incredible! Your taste buds and your family will really enjoy this dish.

  


My 3rd dish for Goya was the Ropa Vieja (Cuban Meat Stew). http://allrecipes.com/recipe/ropa-vieja-cuban-meat-stew/detail.aspx  This is a braised beef (Flank Steak) that is cooked with onions, peppers and olives and then shredded.  I served it with Tostones. This was very good and filling. We liked this dish a lot.

Now it’s time for some Beef … It’s what’s for dinner!

 



These little meatballs were excellent and very easy to make. These meatballs are put on skewers and baked/broiled in the oven. I made them up that morning and put them in the refrigerator and when I got home that night I popped them in the oven and about 20 minutes later these scrumptious meatballs were ready! I grilled the pita and added some tomato, onion and a homemade Tzatziki sauce. This Rocked!  I added a bit of Greek seasoning to my meat mixture as we like our meatballs with a bit more seasoning. These were awesome and great for any day of the week.

 



Chimichurri Flank Steak  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chimichurri-Sauce-for-Steaks/Detail.aspx?prop24=RD_RelatedRecipes  I  had to include this as it was a great way to add flavor to a steak. I used a Flank Steak but you can add this sauce to just about any cut of steak. I used some of this sauce in my marinade and it really kicked up the steak.  I marinated the steak then slapped it on a hot grill… This was perfect to serve on a hot August evening. 

 

I just have to share that August also brought a new addition to our family. (A four legged addition that is.) We found a baby kitten in our garage.  He was literally skin and bones. I had to nurse the poor little guy back to health, with the help of our vet and the fluids they gave him. He could barely hold his head up the first day. Now he is running around and playing like a normal little kitten. We are still trying to get him to put on more weight as he’s still a bit skinny, frail and clumsy  but it won’t be long before he gets back up to a normal weight.  Let me introduce you to our new addition "Lil’ Max".  He has already brought so much joy and laughter into our lives. I am so grateful that he slipped into our garage and that we found him before it was too late.

 

Lil' Max



I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com.

Products received from advertiser are only used for experienced-based reviews on My Sweet-n-Spicy Journey. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Janet Henderson-My Sweet-n-Spicy Journey