Rum Cake

NOT HEALTHY BUT FESTIVE

This recipe was giving to me by one of the original Bacardi. Well she was married to him. I love making it. It may not be the healthiest of recipes but it sure taste good.

Next year I'm going to work more on bringing you everyday food that are easy to make and good for you. Stay tune.

Rum Cake

* 1 1/2 cups pecan pieces, reserve 1/4 cup
* 4 whole eggs
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/2 cup of canola oil
* 1/2 gold rum, Bacardi
* 1 (18.25-ounce) box classic yellow cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
* 1 (1-ounce) small box sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix (recommended: Jell-O)

Glaze

* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 stick butter
* 1/2 cup gold rum (recommended: Bacardi)

Frostic

* 3 cups confectioners sugar
* 5 Table spoons of Rum (or you can use water.) You may need more depends the consistency that you want it.


Directions

For Cake

Grease a Bundt pan and spread pecans on the bottom of the pan. Beat eggs, oil, water and rum in mixer just until incorporated. Add pudding mix and cake mix and beat on med. about 3 to 5 minutes just until you get a smooth texture. Pour into pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake should have a light golden brown color, but will darken with the glaze.

NOTE**The glaze needs to be prepared approximately 10 minutes before cake is ready.

For Glaze

Melt butter in saucepan and add the sugar and water, bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, take off the heat and add the rum. Should make approx. Pour into a large measuring cup that will hold that amount or more. Set Aside

Once cake is ready, take out of oven and leave in pan. Gently prick holes into the cake with a skewer. Slowly pour half of the glaze over the cake making sure to fill in all the holes. Once the cake has soaked up the glaze, turn cake over, removing pan, onto the base that the cake will stay on. Gently prick more holes on other side and slowly pour other half of glaze over cake. Fill the center of the cake with reserved pecans. Let cool and enjoy. The cake is best if left at room temperature.

Frosting

mix the sugar and rum for make the consistency you desire.

pour over the cake.

Tomorrow yes Tomorrow

I'm starting WW again, but this time I'm sticking to it.
I'm going to start cooking the delicious recipes they have and sharing them with you all again. I have a new goal of loosing 50 lbs in one year, and I'm doing it now.

I'm always tired, my cholesterol is high but not high enough for medicine, my triglycerides are high also and my liver enzymes are also elevated. Everything can be made right by diet and exercise. So as I sit here today I'm drinking my last beer for a while and eating my last bunch of chips without measuring them. This time next year I will be healthy again, that is a promise I have made myself and my kids.

Today I'm making BBQ chicken and salad.

Mambo Rice

This one is yummy guys. If you like garlic, lime cilantro and parsley you will love this one.
Guy Fieri's recipe.

Ingredients

* 2 cups water
* 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
* 2 cups rice
* 1 cup chopped Italian parsley
* 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
* 4 tablespoons minced garlic
* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* Kosher salt, to taste
* 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Add water, chicken stock and rice to a rice cooker. Cook until al dente.

Combine all other ingredients in a bowl.

Remove rice from cooker and toss, separating with fork. Once rice is separated, slowly add the blended mixture.

Rice can be served hot or cold.
Enjoy it.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Guava Glaze

This one is for Tonya

ngredients

* 2 pork tenderloins (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* Salt and freshly ground pepper
* Guava Glaze, recipe follows
* Orange-Habanero Mojo, recipe follows I used Jalapenos since my family does ot like the Habanero, I also used one lime and one lemon it taste better with the oranges but I did not have any.

Directions

Preheat a grill to high.

Brush pork with oil, and then season it with salt and pepper. Set aside a few tablespoons of the Guava Glaze for brushing the cooked pork. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side, brushing frequently with the Guava Glaze. Remove from the grill, brush again with glaze and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slices, drizzle with the Orange-Habanero Mojo, and serve immediately.
Guava Glaze:

1 cup guava jelly, or apricot jam

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper
Whisk jelly, mustard, and orange juice together in a small bowl. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Orange-Habanero Mojo:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 small red onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 habanero chile, seeded and finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add lime juice, orange juice, and habanero chile and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half. Whisk in the cilantro and cumin and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Drizzle over pork.
Try this one is absolutely delicious and fast 30 to 40 minutes.

Got Spice

Yeap you name it I have it, I have Spanish, English, Italian, Thai, Indian and any other one you can think of other than scrapbooking I love to cook and collect spices. I cook most days and I cook different foods from different countries, for the vast majority of time my family is ok with the food but sometimes they beg me to please cook "regular" food.



And just for good measure I have a little extra. Can you believe that sometimes I can't find the spice I need. There are so many different spices I wish I could have them all.

I'll be back later with a new delicious recipe with only 4 ingredients.

Greek Salsa or Salad

This is good either way.

2 whole ripe tomatoes
1 sweet onion (med)
1/2 green pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1 whole cucumber
1/4 cup parsley
1 cup of Greek Calamata Olives (Black Olives)
1/2 cup feta cheese.
1 tsp Cayenne pepper.
Salt & Pepper to taste
Olive Oil Vinegar

Chop all of the above into small pieces all the same sizes putting everything into the same bow. Mix all the ingredients together add salt, pepper, cayenne, oil and vinegar and mix well. You can eat it with crackers, chips or as a side salad, no matter how you eat it you will love it.

Diana's Quick and Easy Potato Soup

I made this the other night when I was in no mood to cook. I needed something quick and easy so I made this potato soup. I don't have exact measurements but go with it and try it I know you will love it, because it is yum yum yummy.

1 medium onion chop
1 tablespoon chives
1/2 to stick of butter
1 tsp of Salt
1 tsp of white pepper
32oz container of broth (Chichen or vegetables)
1 cup heavy cream (you can use low fat milk instead)
2 containers of ready made mash potato.
slurry (3 tablespoons of corn starch 1/4 cup of heavy cream/or milk.)

Melt butter and saute onions, add salt and pepper to taste. Once the onions are translucent add the container of broth 3/4 cups of heavy cream and little by little start whisking in the mash potato. once all the mash potato is whisk and you see the consistency if is too watery add the slurry if not leave it as is. let cook for about 20 minutes and serve top with chives.

quick and easy very tasty.

Tuscan Vegetable Soup, Ellie Krieger,

Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional
Directions
In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired

Try this one out it is So Yummy and quick.
It's what's for dinner tonight.

VACA FRITA (Fried Cow)

2 lbs Flank or Roast (I use Flank but if you want less fat use sirloin roast for less fat, You can also use chuck roast )
3 bay leaves
1 whole onion
1 whole green pepper
1 whole garlic cut in half
Salt and pepper
You can put this in your slow cooker with about 2 to 3 cups of water, and let it cook all day. Save the broth for soup.Remove the beef and let cool for a bit. Shred it all up and add the following ingredients.
1 juice of one lime
1 jice of one lemon
2 cloves garlic finely minced
4 tablespoons Olive oil
1 large onion thinly sliced
fresh parsely as desired
salt and pepper
you can leave it overnight or just 1 hour then in a large frying pan add olive oil and fry the meat and onions until slightly brown. Sprinkle parsley and squeeze more lime juice if desire.

put over white rice.

Happy New Year

been gone for a while, I'm going to start posting new recipes at least once a week, they will be healthy but maybe once in a while we will have one not so healthy.
The family went to Boston, and "BABY IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE". It was the first time Natalie saw snow, and she enjoyed it a lot.