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Drink Sangria

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sangria
Sangria is a refreshing drink that as the name suggests is really, really red. The name is from the Spanish word for blood. It can be made from wine, chopped fruit, sweetener, and a touch of brandy.

While traditionally it has been made with brandy, there are also variations which include Seltzer, Sprite or 7 up. The fruit used does not have to be orange it can also be lemon, lime, apple, peach, melon, berries, pineapple juice, grape, kiwi, or mango.

This drink is popular in Spain and Portugal but is also served in the Americas in Cuba, Peru, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Argentina.

To make Sangria you will need 1 bottle red wine, 1/4 cup brandy, 1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 orange, thinly sliced, 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced, 1 unwaxed apple, cored, and cut into thin wedges, and 1 bottle sparkling water, chilled.

To prepare combine everything except the sparkling water and in a large plastic container or glass pitchers. Cover and chill completely for about 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the sparkling water.

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Creamy Hot Cocoa, Yummy Warm

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creamy_hot_cocoa
This is the season when it gets very cold and at this time of the year there is nothing better to warm up your insides like a hot drink.

Try the Creamy Hot Cocoa on a chilly night to heat things up!

To make the creamy hot cocoa you will need 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¾ cup white sugar, 1 pinch salt, 1/3 cup boiling hot water, 3 ½ cups milk, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ cup half-and-half cream.

To prepare, first combine the cocoa, sugar, and a pinch of salt, in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water and bring this mixture to a boil continuing to stir as it boils. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes and make sure that it doesn’t scorch.

Add the 3 ½ cups of milk and heat until it is very hot but do not boil.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Divide into several mugs and add the cream to each mug of cocoa to allow to cool to drinking temperature.

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Hot Buttered Rum drink

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hot_buttered
Hot buttered rum drink is a beverage that is usually drunk around the holidays. The mixed drink often contains rum, butter, hot water or cider, a sweetener, and some spices which may include cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves.

These kinds of drinks are popular during cold months especially during winter. The drink is made by blending the rum batter with dark rum.

To make the hot buttered rum you will need 1 cup dark brown sugar, 4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg or mace, 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

To prepare, blend all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Then refrigerate in a sealed air-tight container for up to two months. To make the cocktail you will need 2 tablespoons refrigerated Hot Buttered Rum batter, 6 oz boiling water, 1 1⁄2 oz dark rum, 1 tablespoons light cream, and nutmeg, to garnish.

When ready, spoon the batter into a hot beverage mug, add boiling water and stir well until dissolved. Add rum and cream (if using) and stir and garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

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Wiener Schnitzel, fried veal

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weiner_schnitzel

Wiener Schnitzel is recognised as the national dish of Austria. The dish consists of very thinly sliced breaded veal. It is one of the best known of the dishes of the Austrian capital, Vienna.

To make this dish gather together 4 veal cutlets, pounded very thin, scaloppinistyle, salt, freshly ground black pepper, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 eggs, beaten, 2 tablespoons water, 2 cups plain, dry bread crumbs, vegetable oil, for frying, and lemon wedges.

To prepare, first dry the veal cutlets and season them with salt and pepper. Place bread crumbs in a bowl and put in flour in 1, eggs and water in two other bowls. Beat the eggs and water together and place each veal cutlet in first the flour the eggs and then bread crumbs. Place each coated veal cutlet onto a platter.

In a skillet, place the vegetable oil, halfway through the skillet and heat over a medium flame.

Place each cutlet into the heated oil and fry. Each cutlet will be thin enough to fry within two minutes on either side. Then remove from the skillet and drain on a paper towel. Serve the cutlets with wedges.

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Zuppa Toscana, Tuscan soup

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zuppa_toscana

When one thinks of Italian food pasta, pizza, and antipasto most readily come to mind. But Italian cuisine also includes an interesting array of soups. One such soup is the Zuppa Toscana.

As the name suggests, Zuppa Toscana is soup indigenous to the Italian region of Tuscany. To make this soup you will need 1 package smoked sausage, 2 potatoes, cut into small slices, 3/4 cup chopped onion, 6 slices bacon, 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 cups kale– shredded, 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder, 1 quart water, and 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream.

To prepare first preheat an oven to 300 degrees F, place the sausage on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Cut each in half, lengthwise.

Cook the onions and bacon in a large skillet over a medium flame until the onions are translucent. Crumble to bacon and add the garlic, to the onions and cook for another minute. Add the chicken base and water, potatoes, and simmer for around 15 minutes. Add the bacon, sausage, kale, and cream and cook for a further 4 minutes. Serve when hot.

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Torta Rustica, ethnic treat

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torta_rustica

The Torta Rustica is an easy Cuban, Greek, or Italian dish that can be eaten for breakfast or lunch. The dish which is a complete meal consisting of carbohydrates, vegetables, and food from animals, is a fairly heavy meal and best eaten before late hours.

Gather together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup butter, diced 2 eggs, 4 tablespoons cold water, 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese, 4 ounces feta cheese, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 egg 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 pound ham slices, chopped frozen chopped spinach, roasted red peppers, and 1 egg.

To prepare add flour, cornmeal, and salt and cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Beat in eggs and cold water and mix it into the flour mixture until the dough forms. Shape2/3 of the mixture into a flattened round and repeat the process with the remaining 1/3 and place in the refrigerator.

In a separate bowl, mix the cheese, 1 egg, parsley, basil, and oregano until blended. In an 8 inch round baking dish rollout the dough mixture and place the flattened portion in the bottom of the pan. Use the remaining 1/3 to wrap in the round section of the dish and add the cheese mixture. Add the peppers in single layer and top with the mozzarella and press down. Cover with the remaining dough and seal the edges. Use the remaining egg to top the mixture and bake in an oven at 375 degrees F or until the crust is golden brown. Once done, cool, cut into wedges and serve.

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Italian Sausage Lasagna, sweet

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sausage_lasagna

There is nothing like tasty Italian lasagna to tickle the taste buds. This is the Italian sausage lasagna (read here other news).

To make you will need 12 lasagna noodles, 1 poundsweet Italian sausage, 2/3 cupchoppedonions, 1/2 tablespoonminced garlic, 2/3 cupchopped parsley, 3 cans tomato paste, 1 cantomato sauce, 2 cups water, 1 1/2 teaspoonsItalian seasoning , 1 1/2 teaspoonsdried oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoonsdried basil leaves , 1 poundpart-skim ricotta cheese, 1 packagechopped spinach, 1/2 cupgrated Parmesan cheese , 3eggs , 2 teaspoons garlic salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper , and 3 cupsshredded mozzarella cheese.

First preheat an oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Then bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for about 10 minutes.

In a saucepan over a medium flame, cook the sausages with onions, garlic, and parsley. Then add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, Italian seasoning, oregano, and basil and mix carefully. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.

In a separate bowl, mix parsley, ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, eggs, garlic salt, and pepper. Spread some sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and layer with 4 noodles, 1/2 cheese mix, 1/3 remaining sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella.

Repeat and make last layer noodles, sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Cover pan with aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

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Peanut noodles, meatless option

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peanut_noodles

Peanut noodles (read here other news about noodles) are an easy option to prepare for those who don’t eat meat or just and want a change from the regular pasta with chicken, beef, or shrimp.

The recipe requires 8 ounces ofspaghetti , 1 bunchgreen onions, with the white parts only sliced, 2 tablespoonssesame oil , 1 teaspoonminced fresh ginger root ,1/3 cuppeanut butter,1/4 cupsoy sauce, 1/4 cuphot water, 1 tablespooncider vinegar, 1 teaspoonwhite sugar, and 1/4 teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes.

To prepare, first cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until done. Add a few drops of oil to the water to prevent pasta sticking while cooking. Drain when cooked.

Heat oil in a skillet and add onions, cooking until tender. Add ginger and cook for a few minutes. Next mix in the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Remove from the flame. Add the noodles to the peanut sauce and toss. Serve.

It is also possible to add other vegetables to this recipe. Some vegetable options include broccoli,shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, cucumber, red peppers, bean sprouts, kale, baby corn, and fried tofu cubes.

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Portuguese soup, ethnic warmth

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portuguese_soup
Soup isn’t always just soup. In Portugal it is a tradition that is passed on from generation to generation.

The traditional Portuguese soup recipe calls for 1 cup vegetable oil, 2 cups chopped onion, 2 bay leaves, 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced, 1 medium head cabbage, chopped, 6 potatoes, peeled and cubed, 2 cans kidney beans, 1 can beef consommé, 2 2/3 quarts water, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and diced, 3 tablespoons butter, and warm crusty bread.

To prepare, place a large pot over medium flame and cook onions and potatoes, until tender, then add sausage and cook for 5 minutes. Next add water, bay leaves, cabbage, beans, consommé, garlic, powder, pepper, and salt and bring to a boil. Lower flame and simmer for between 30 and 45 minutes.

Add vinegar and more continue to simmer for an hour. Serve soup with warm bread.

This recipe can be used with kale instead of cabbage, garbanzo beans or chick peas instead of kidney beans, and chourico instead of smoked sausage.

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Ravioli, magnific italian food

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ravioli
To make the pasta use 6 cups all-purpose flour, 6 eggs, 3/4 cup water, and 2 teaspoons olive oil.

For the sauce use 1 can crushed tomatoes, 1 cup tomato puree, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup tomato paste, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons minced basil, 1 tablespoon minced parsley, 1 tablespoon minced oregano, 1 garlic clove, minced, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

For the filling use 1 carton of ricotta cheese, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 2 teaspoons minced basil, 1 teaspoon minced parsley, 1 teaspoon minced oregano, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Place flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center and add beaten eggs, water and oil. Stir to form a ball. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

In a pot combine the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. In a bowl, combine the filling ingredients and refrigerate until ready for use.

Divide pasta dough into fourths, place teaspoonfuls of filling 1 inch apart over half of pasta sheet. Brush around filling with water, ffold sheet and press down to seal. Cut into squares with a pastry wheel.

Boil salted water and add ravioli. Simmer and cook until ravioli float to the top and are tender. Drain. Cover with sauce and serve.

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