The Latina Gourmet

Quick,easy & cheap. Magical words!

I'm the Latina Gourmet and I'm going to show how with the Gourmet Cupboard line where you can buy handmade gourmet food mixes at a fraction of store prices. They make perfect gifts too! In love with the line and want to be a distributor? Just let me know!

From PR,raised in NY and now in KY, my husband and I will share how we combine our styles with fun easy recipes with & without Gourmet Cupboard mixes.

Join us now for fun, food and occasional giveaways!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Cheesy Potato Casserole

 I received my first order today and had the Cheesy Potato Casserole for dinner. Can we say DIVINE??? OMG It was absolutely glorious!!!




Package of Cheesy Potato Casserole.  
Looks like a small bag but you'd be surprised since it makes 12 servings.


And the finished product.  
Doesn't it look yummy?  Trust me it WAS!  And I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

 Total cost of this meal for a family of 5 with LEFTOVERS (!!) less than $7.00 (not including regular staples you already have like milk and butter) for the WHOLE MEAL!   How can you 
beat that?  Order yours today!!

Email me at The "Latina" Gourmet" to place that order!



  



Friday, March 25, 2011

Mmmmm....hot chocolate & cheese??

One of my favorite drinks growing up was having a hot cup of hot chocolate with melted Gouda cheese in it.  There's just something about the sweet flavor of hot chocolate with the melting smoothness of the cheese mixed together as you take that first sip that just warms me up.  Now becoming more and more frugal each day I decided to make some comparisons.  Now your typical Spanish style chocolate recipe would be the following:


6 ounces fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped 
1/4 cup water, room temperature
3 tablespoons hot water 
3 cups hot milk, divided 
Sugar to taste 
Gouda Cheese

In a double boiler over low heat, combine chocolate and 1/4 cup water until melted, stirring occasionally; stir until smooth.

Remove top of double boiler pan from. Whisk in 3 tablespoons hot water. Pour into pitcher or divide among individual 4 mugs and Stir 3/4 cup hot milk into each mug.  Cut the cheese into chunks and add to hot chocolate. 
Makes 4 servings.

Now instead of using hot water and hot milk I would substitute a can of evaporated milk.  So let's see what our price on my take of this recipe:

6 ounces fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (Using Chocolate Cortez 4.95 a bar or Chocolate Abuelita made by Nestle which is anywhere from 3.39 to 9.99 depending where you buy it!)
3 tablespoons hot water (free...hopefully!)
3 cups hot milk, divided (3.79 a gallon or 1.00 for a can of carnation milk)
Sugar to taste (roughly 2.00 a pound?)

Gouda cheese

So to make it the "old fashioned way" you'll be spending roughly 11.00 without the cost of the Gouda Cheese.

Now that's an expensive cup of hot chocolate!! And you're only getting 4 servings?  

Let's try this instead! 

Gourmet Cupboard Hot Chocolate mix 5.25 

milk 3.79 a gallon or 1.00 for carnation milk

Gouda Cheese

So to make it the "Latina" Gourmet Cupboard way you would be spending 7.00 to 9.00 on ingredients instead of 11.00 and instead of 4 servings you are getting 8 servings!  Do the math!  That's a median average of 1.00 cup versus 2.75 a cup!  

Who doesn't want to save money?  So before you decide that you have to have that gloriously yummy cup of hot chocolate think of all the saving you can get from buying from the "Latina" Gourmet Cupboard!  Got your interest piqued?  Order today!  Just email me at The "Latina" Gourmet today!




Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Here come's Peter Cottontail...

Don't forget and wait until the last minute....Adults deserve Easter baskets too!


Easter's on its way and we're offering Easter baskets from the Gourmet Cupboard!!  Some of the cominations we an make are:


Raspberry Tea (makes 36 cups) and Grandma's Pound Cake Mix 
Not a fan of tea and prefer coffee...well...since nothing taste better with something sweet than a nice cup of coffee...try:


Caramel Pecan Pie Mix with Southern Pecan Coffee (small ground bag makes 8 cups)  


 Last idea that I have (but your ideas are more than welcome!!) is:


 Reese's Cup Hot Chocolate (makes 8 cups) with Snickerdoodles Cookies Mix (makes aprox. 2 dozen) 


Oh the decisions!!  If you still can't decide or are looking for another flavor let me know if we have it in stock and we can get it out to you!


Easter baskets are $22.00 (not including shipping and handling of $8.75).  


Don't wait until the last minute get those orders in email me at The Latina Gourmet!

Sofrito & The Gourmet Cupboard



Keith and I share cooking duties.  He loves his good ol country food with gravy while I like my island food with cilantro and onions.  Throughout the years he’s learned that if there is sofrito in the house, I can cook just about anything!  Sofrito? You must be wondering...what is that?  Sofrito is a base that is used is almost all Puerto Rican cooking.  It can be store bought but if you live in the country like I do…You make your own!  It’s a hardy robust mixture so it can be freezed and used as needed.  Try freezing them in ice cube trays.  This way you have one serving and don’t defrost what you don’t need. 
There are many different ways to make sofrito.  Some use tomatoes, some use Recao (CULANTRO) and yes there is a difference between


Cilantro




 & Culantro






and Ajices Ddulce (this is what they look like)
 
For those that can’t find these items they can be left out.  I do and it works just fine for me!
Sofrito Latina Gourmet Style Improvised & Simple
1 Medium head garlic
1Large Onion
½ Bunch of Cilantro (50ish leaves)
1 Medium Green Pepper
Olive oil (a couple of teaspoons would work more if the mix looks too dry)
Oregano leaves, Salt and Pepper
Sofrito for those who have the availability!
1 lb of Ajices Dulces
50 leaves of Recao
50 leaves of Cilantro
2 heads of Garlic
2 big Onions
1 Medium Green Pepper
1 Medium Red Pepper
Olive Oil with Achiote (use 1 envelope Sazon Goya con culantro y achiote as a substitute instead of the Achiote with the Olive Oil)
Oregano leaves
If you want to go old school right now you’ll need a mortar & piston (pilon):
Pilon

or a modern aged with a food processor…which I never used until my husband made the sofrito with a food processor and it saves so much time on my hands!
Instructions:
Start peeling your garlic and separating the cloves INDIVIDUALLY.  Place aside when done.
Take you onion and chop it up no specific way just roughly chopped up.  Remember the food processor will do the rest.
Do the same with the green pepper.  Now I don’t clean out the inside of the pepper.  I leave it in there for more flavor.
Once you have everything chopped and ready put the olive oil in your food processor and begin to add the ingredients and chop to a coarse puree.  You want to still be able to see the chunks in it.  Place in ice cube trays and freeze and use as needed for cooking or in a bowl.  Freezes well so can be used for several months.  This is your beginning basis for cooking beans, rices, stews, soups…pretty much anything Puerto Rico! 
You’re probably thinking…Now how do you incorporate this with you Gourmet Cupboard meals? 
Here are a few suggestions:
Mexican Meatloaf Mix: instead of adding green chiles and picante sauce how about a couple of teaspoons of sofrito mixed in?  It will definitely give it a different kick! 
Or cook your ground beef with sofrito before adding it your Skillet Lasagna mix for added flavor (We do this all the time and it’s always a winner at our home!)
The possibilities are endless!  Combine some Latina flavor into your Gourmet Cupboard today!  Don’t hesitate and place those orders so you too can feed your family new and exciting foods with a twist! 
For ordering the Skillet Lasagna (layered in a large bag) $6.75 or the Shrimp/Chicken and Rice Casserole $7.00

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Curious Cora: Bella Fleur Boutique Headband Giveaway and Review ...

Curious Cora: Bella Fleur Boutique Headband Giveaway and Review ...: "Bella Fleur Boutique A Chic Baby Boutique Headband Review and Giveaway Ends 4/3 Bella Fleur Boutique creates beautiful headbands for babi..."

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Price list

Gourmet Cupboard price list is up finally!  Start ordering your products today and don't forget about our Easter Basket deals for 22.00.  Choose 1 beverage and 1 dessert or bread all in an Easter box ready to go.  Box that it will come in looks like this:


Make your selection soon!

Interested in being a distributor also?  Let me know so I can get you all the information that you need!  Remember no cost to sign up!  
Email me at The Latina Gourmet

Friday, March 18, 2011

3 Girls Reviews: Pretty Petals Hair ♥ GIVE-A-WAY ♥

3 Girls Reviews: Pretty Petals Hair ♥ GIVE-A-WAY ♥: "Taisia is the owner of 'Pretty Petals Hair' and let me just say her work is beautiful. These satin flowers take time and patients to make an..."

Still updating

Really, really didn't think it would take me this long to get all the information I needed up!  Wow...it sure is alot!

More to come tomorrow!

Up and running!

So pleased to announce that we are finally up and running!  We would've been up sooner but Google Chrome wasn't exactly cooperating today with me :)  Also got my twitter account working today...*phew* we're being productive today aren't we?   Twitter me at The Latina Gourmet


Easter's on its way and we're offering Easter baskets from the Gourmet Cupboard with Raspberry Tea (makes 36 cups) and Grandma's Pound Cake Mix inside!  Yummy!  Not only the kids can have a basket but moms, friends and anyone else you can think of can get one too!  Not a fan of tea and prefer coffee...since nothing taste better with something sweet than a nice cup of coffee...we Caramel Pecan Pie Mix with Southern Pecan Coffee (small ground bag makes 8 cups) also!  Last Easter basket that I'm offering is Reese's Cup Hot Chocolate (makes 8 cups) with Snickerdoodles Cookies Mix (makes aprox. 2 dozen). 


Oh the decisions!!  If you still can't decide or are looking for another flavor let me know if we have it in stock and we can get it out to you!


Easter baskets are $22.00 (not including shipping and handling of $8.75).  


Don't wait until the last minute get those orders in so email at The Latina Gourmet!