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Cool Down with Piña Colada Popsicles

Today is national Piña Colada day! Though I'm all about a silky, creamy, icy piña colada, I love Puerto Rico's national drink even more in popsicle form, especially on 100 plus degree days. I make mine virgin because I'm not much of a drinker, and I have a teenage boy in the house that eats six of everything. Of course, you can make these frozen pops with spicy rum. Just remember that alcohol doesn't freeze, so you have to be careful with your ratio of juice to alcohol. If you go heavy on the alcohol, you'll be eating piña colada slushies, which doesn't sound all that bad either. Buen [...]

2021-07-10T19:12:40+00:00By |#IslandFlavor, Desserts, Recipes|0 Comments
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#IslandFlavor: Piña Colada

The Piña Colada is Puerto Rico's National drink and today is national Piña Colada day! It's also my fave frozen drink so, of course, I have to give you my recipe and a little bit of history. As the legend goes, back in the way back, when the seas were ruled by pirates, there was a Puerto Rican buccaneer who had a ship full of super-depressed, thieving sailors. This pirate decided that the best way to perk up his shipmates' spirits was to get them a 401k plan. I kid. He got them drunk on a blend of coconut, pineapple and white rum and PERFECTION was born. Traditionally a Piña Colada [...]

2021-07-10T18:32:59+00:00By |#IslandFlavor, Drinks, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Chorizo Frittata

Frittatas are like your favorite pair of jeans, no matter what time of the day it is, they're always just right.  They're so easy to put together with anything you've got in your fridge, really. This recipe is one of my favorites. The porky hit of paprika from the Spanish chorizo paired with the gooey nuttiness of the manchego and the creamy tang of the buttermilk is irresistible. Of course, you can't just throw everything together. You've got to brown the chorizo and potatoes and coax the flavor out of your onions and garlic, but that doesn't take long and the reward is well worth the effort. I use [...]

2021-05-25T16:20:31+00:00By |#IslandFlavor, breakfast, brunch, Recipes|0 Comments
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Easy Mango Salsa

This mild salsa has a fruity punch, and with just five ingredients, it's a perfect recipe for an easy, breezy Cinco De Mayo celebration. You can add heat by incorporating minced jalapeno to taste. This recipe makes about 3 cups of salsa.  A couple of handy tips: You don’t have to choose organic mangoes or onions as they don’t usually contain high levels of pesticide residue, especially since you remove the peel before eating them. Choose organic when it comes to cilantro, bell peppers, jalapenos, and limes as they all test high for pesticide residue. You can reduce the sharp bite of the diced red onion by soaking it [...]

2021-05-03T18:30:18+00:00By |#IslandFlavor, Appetizers, Fruits & Veggies, Sauces, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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PRESSURE COOKER RICE PUDDING (ARROZ CON DULCE)

My digital pressure cooker is one of my most used kitchen tools. I’m a busy mom and the ability to make a one-pot meal in half the time is something I can’t pass up. So much so that I wrote a cookbook of my favorite Caribbean recipes made easy with Quick Pot, one of my favorite brands of digital pressure cookers.  […]

2021-03-14T17:09:44+00:00By |#IslandFlavor, Desserts, Pressure Cooker, Recipes|5 Comments
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GUAVA BBQ WINGS

This recipe was featured in Men's Journal as one of the best wing recipes to make for the Super Bowl! If you're looking for something sweet and spicy and a little left of center when it comes to traditional wings, this is it! Baking wings is healthier and easier than deep frying, and with the addition of the baking powder and rice flour, you won't sacrifice crispness.  If you can't source guava paste, substitute with quince paste or fig paste. Serve with Dark and Stormies, Ginger Beer, or Red Stripe. Buen Provecho!

2021-02-07T18:37:38+00:00By |#IslandFlavor, Appetizers, Dinner, Proteins, Recipes|2 Comments
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Island Ratatouille Pie

Spring is here and nothing quite puts the season on the plate like a batch of ratatouille.  If you've never had it, it's a vegetable dish usually made with onions, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. The veggies are sauteed or roasted with a little oil until they've softened and released their juices. Ratatouille can be served hot or cold or in a Disney movie prepped by the cutest team of rodents ever. Traditionally, ratatouille is accompanied by a few slices of crusty bread to sop up its savory sauce. I wrapped my ratatouille with a pie crust and dressed it with an herbaceous lemon ricotta to create a one-pot dish [...]

2018-04-19T16:00:28+00:00By |#IslandFlavor, Appetizers, Dinner, Fruits & Veggies, Recipes, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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#IslandFlavor: Pastelón, Puerto Rican Shepherd’s Pie

  What I love the most about social media is that it allows me to connect with people that I would never have met otherwise and my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE is getting a message from another Boricua who feels as strongly about Puerto Rican flavors as I do. I recently received this note from Hilarie Santiago: Dearest Monti, I've been a huge fan of yours since your appearance in Master Chef 3. I truly identified from the beginning, being a Puerto Rican mom, hustling to make a better life for her  baby. Let me just say, you are a fantastic mom and Danger is a lucky little guy, to have [...]

2017-12-19T00:37:22+00:00By |#IslandFlavor, Recipes, Uncategorized|2 Comments
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#IslandFlavor: The Freakin’ Rican Burger

Everyone has a favorite burger recipe and the Freakin' Rican is mine. I developed the recipe when I competed on Gordon Ramsay's MasterChef because it’s Puerto Rico in one juicy bite. The patty is made from 50% short rib, 25% sirloin and %25 pork shoulder, all coarsely ground. I season the patty with sazón, a Puerto Rican spice blend and then layer it with a chunky sofrito (flavorful tomato based sauce) and slices of creamy meunster cheese. Then come the smashed ripe plantains and strips of crispy thick cut bacon. I top those with tomato, onion, and arugula and sandwich all of it on a potato bun toasted with garlic [...]

2017-12-19T00:37:22+00:00By |#IslandFlavor, Proteins, Recipes, Uncategorized|2 Comments
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#IslandFlavor: Abuela’s Rice and Beans

There's nothing I love more than getting messages like this one: My name is Jamie and I watched you on MasterChef and I just saw you on The Kitchen. My mom is from Puerto Rico and her mom used to make "the best" rice and beans. She doesn't know how to make it, she's not a good cook and she's been in America for a very long time. Do you happen to have a good traditional recipe for rice and beans? It seems simple but I wouldn't know where to start with seasonings. Thank you!!! Jaime, one of the biggest reasons I focus on Puerto Rican flavors is that they [...]

2017-12-19T00:37:22+00:00By |#IslandFlavor, Fruits & Veggies, Recipes, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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