Larry - thank you! I love to cook. I actually had a healthy catering business almost 10 years ago fresh out of college, but that was when I was young and crazy with 5 part time jobs. As soon as I got one full time, I couldn't handle it much anymore. By request, I do offer lunch service at work to coworkers for a small fee.
I don't use that much adobo - it's more of seasoning to taste. You can always use garlic powder, pepper, and salt if you want to cut the salt down but still impart the same flavor.
As for nationality, I'm black/white but I have a taste for strongly flavored foods. Most of my friends are 1st generation Americans, and I've been blessed to have exposure to all of their home cooking from the time I was really young. My best friends are Vietnamese and Guyanese, and between the two of them, I definitely got to try a lot of things I wouldn't have otherwise had and very young. I also LOVE spicy foods, so naturally Indian and Mexican dishes appeal to me.
Amandie the skinnytaste
baked potato soup is so good and definitely sounds like what you're making. I love cutting potatoes with cauliflower! Even my dad (meat and potatoes) and my daughter (picky) have complimented it. The carrot peanut soup is seriously good. It is a very North African flavor with savory root vegetable and peanut. And the recipe:
YoyomaI always contemplate opening a restaurant. My mom is retiring and wants it to be her next big project. I just don't think I can find the time or energy, but having a food truck really appeals to me because of the reduced overhead costs. Maybe one of these days!
Carrot peanut soup is soooo good. If you don't like it, you can always toss it because it's cheap enough!
Sauté one chopped onion, 2lbs chopped and peeled carrots (I use a 2lb bag of baby carrots and don't chop at all) until slightly browned. Add in 4 cloves minced garlic, 1/4t cayenne and sauté for a min. Mix 1/4 cup natural (creamy or chunky – your preference) peanut butter into the veggies until all are coated, then add in 1 quart stock. Simmer until carrots are soft and puree. Season (salt and pepper) as needed.
Freezes BEAUTIFULLY!
The layered enchilada is in a privately published family cookbook, but I can never remember what I wrote! I found an email I wrote to myself, so let me see if it seems right. I plan to make it again and probably replace the beans with zucchini (boyfriend has IBS and can't eat them, so he was sad yesterday)!
MEXICAN LASAGNA/LAYERED ENCHILADA
Saute 1 large chopped onion, 1 chopped pepper, 3-4 cloves minced garlic. Add in 2 cups of shredded chicken, 1 can of rinsed black beans, 1 cup of corn, 1 can of diced tomato, 1 can of mild green chiles, one packet of sazon con culantro y achiote, 1/4 cup or so of sofrito, (optional hot sauce or jalapenos).
-Mix and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Spray the bottom of an 8x8 dish. Line the bottom with 3 small corn tortillas. May need to cut to fit in a single layer.
Spread half of the bean/chicken mixture over the tortillas, top with cheese of choice.
Repeat with another layer of corn tortilla, bean/chicken mixture, cheese
Add last layer of tortillas, cover with remaining 1/3 cheese,
Bake at 350 until hot. Before serving, top with chopped cilantro and scallions.
I serve it with sour cream and jalapenos
If I don't eat leftovers tonight, I'll probably make a zucchini noodle "alfredo." It's basically sauteed chopped pepper, mushrooms, garlic, neufchatel cheese, skim milk, adobo, cracked black pepper. Add lightly sauteed zucchini noodles, chopped tomato, and scallion, for a few minutes more and serve. Fresh basil and/or capers also work on top, but aren't necessary.