Bolillo Con Cajeta (Bread Roll with "Cajeta")

Again super simple, didn't know if worth a post, even though this is simple and a no brainer it's something some might have not been introduced to or familiar with, so here I will share this humble simple sweet treat I enjoy :)

Cajeta (pronounced ka-hé-ta) is a thick caramel syrup made from either cow's milk or goats milk. The best and most favored Cajeta among many Mexicans is the one made with goat's milk, sugar, and dry white wine reffered to as "Cajeta Envinada" and somewhere on the bottle it will say 100% goat milk and or it should be the first and ingredient and only type of milk on the label. It is delicious and typically enjoyed spread on a "Bolillo" roll which is the Mexican version of french bread and is medium in size. It is one of my favorite bread for all purpose everything (bread puddings, sandwiches, with food, etc.) The popular brand where I live and in many parts of Mexico is called "CoronadFor any reader's living in area's with stores that cater to Mexicans and other Latino/ Hispanics I suggest you check out "Cajeta" and take advantage of the oppurtinity to enjoy fresh Bolillo rolls (since most stores here have fresh baked Bolillos available constantly) you will sometimes find the "Cajeta" near the creameries or butcheries within the stores.

Ingredients for 1 serving:
-1 Bolillo (if you can't find Bolillo I guess you can use baguette or other soft french bread or variety of white bread you like)
-1/4-1/2 cup cajeta (to spread)

Serve with any 1 of the following:
-hot chocolate
-hot coffee
-glass of cold or warm milk

Directions:
(1)Cut the bolillo roll in half all the way or not all the way it's your choice, if the bread is not hot and fresh than lightly toast it on a griddle, and press lightly.

(2)Get your cajeta and spread generously as much as you like on both sides or just one. It is your choice. I like cut my bread in half all the way and slather in both sides. Other people like to spread on one side only and use the other side to close it as a sandwich your choice. I'm a glutton I put tons of the sugary caramel syrup on both slices and don;t sandwich so I can fit more caramel sauce ha ha. Plus I leave a spoon with caramel sauce on the side to eat the caramel straight after indulging.

(3)Serve with a glass of cold or warm milk, or if desired accompanied my hot coffee or hot chocolate. This is typically consumed in the morning for breakfast or around night time a bit before going to bed and also it can be consumed anytime of the day as a snack. (I was sinful when I was eating and making this it was almost midnight)

P.S. another way I enjoy Bolillo rolls with sweet fillings is layering sliced ripe banana cut into rounds, then drizzling copious amounts of sweetened condensed milk (Leche Condensada)

Oh yeah and tomorrow I will be posting some time at night or maybe Monday day my mother's "Pozole" recipe (a Mexican stew with lots of cuts of pork and hominy)

Cocido Salvadoreño (Salvadorian Beef and Vegetable Stew)

This stew is a very healthy, nutritious and nourishing, it is a stew with beef bone and meat, with a large variety of different colored hardy veggies and for some body some starchy plantain, cassava root, and potatoes. Sure to revive anyone and make you feel stronger. As they say in spanish, "Levanta muertos" (raises the dead). Ha ha.

This recipe is from a Salvadorian family friend, we call her "Tita" and she cooks amazing delicious food, she is elderly and kind, when I learn from her it's like learning from a grandmother. Her cooking though she cooks Salvadorian many of her dishes are unique to her because they are clearly strongly Spanish influenced because her grandparents from both sides of the family are Spaniard born, both her parents where born in El Salvador from Spaniard immigrants, it is even evident in her speech which I find interesting because she uses typical Salvadorian word usage and slang but her accent is Castillion so I have fun listining to her :)

I also have a 1/2 sister (media hermana) from my father's side whom is 1/2 Salvadorian and 1/2 Cuban Spanish, she also makes this Cocido but she does it differently (she probably won't read this so I feel safe to say that I find Titas version to be tastier than my sisters ha ha, my sister's is more straight forward and excludes some stuff that I feel give it more "oomph") also she doesn't do much cooking anyways, and heck she doesn't read my blog shame on her ha ha she would probably learn a thing or two about our culinary heritage (atleast our Cuban and Spanish side) you know I believe you can know a culture very well and preserve it through their/ your food :)

Ingredients:
-3 limes and salt (to clean meat)
-2 1/2 lbs. of beef shank cut into large chunks fat left on
-3 lbs. of beef bone with meat
-1 bay leaf
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1 teaspoon chicken or beef bouillon (about 1 cube?)
-salt to taste
-3 celery stalks cut into large chunks
-4 large tomatoes chopped into 4 large pieces
-1 large green bell pepper cut into 4 large pieces or just halved
-1 large onion cut in half
-7 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
-4 carrots peeled and cut into 3 sections (leave in big chunks)
-2 medium chayotes, cut into 4 large pieces each
-1 small bag of frozen cassava root (yucca) or 2 fresh yucca
-4 small potatoes, peeled and left whole (or 2 large ones halved)
-2 fresh peeled corn cobs (each cut into 3 sections)
-3 yellow plantains well washed with soap cut into 4 sections PEEL LEFT ON! Or else it will disintegrate into the soup)
-2 cups of green beans. stems removed (optional, I didn't have any on hand)
-3 Italian Squashes/ zucchini (cut into 3 sections)
-1/2 head of cabbage (cut into 4 large sections)
-1 bunch of spinach cut in 1/2 (well cleaned and rinsed several times)
-1 large bunch of cilantro well washed and coarsely chopped
-more salt to taste if needed
Extra Ingredients:
-additional fresh cut limes to squeeze over soup when serving

Directions:
(1)In a large bowl wash meat and bones and drain several times, squeeze in lime juice, and add a lot of salt, rub the meat and slowly add more water wash meat with limes and water, then drain and rinse again. (you will do this about 7 times) rinse meat well until you wash away the lime and salt.

(2)In a really large pot (I mean really big) bring to a boil enough water to submerge meat about 6-7 inches in water. When water comes to boil add meat, let boil for a bit maybe 5-10 minutes, when the scum from the meat comes up, remove it, scoop it out.

(3)Once most scum rises up (very little will because we washed meat so well), now add chicken/beef bouillon, salt to taste, bay leaves, black pepper, ground cumin, celery, onion, tomato, garlic, and green bell pepper. Cover and boil on medium low for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.


(4)Check meat for tenderness keeping in mind it will cook for another 30 minutes with the stuff added later. You should have a golden rich stock. Now add carrot, chayote, yuca, corn, potatoes, green beans (if using optional) and plantain. Let it boil 15-20 minutes

(5)Now after 15- 20 minutes add cabbage, squash/ zucchini, cilantro, and spinach cook add salt to taste if neseccary and cover let boil for about 10 minutes.


(6)Turn off heat your done, serve in large bowls, with some freshly squeezed lime and if desired a hot sauce on the side to add in on your own serving plate.


PLEASE NOTE:
-Everything for this stew should be cut in really large chunks, it's a hardy soup, the chunks are large you should only need 1 piece of each thing and broth to fill your bowl. It is purposely like this.
-The plantains after cooked are usually taken out and peeled, people add it to their stews from the plate.
-If you over cook some veggies may disintegrate, nevertheless don't get upset it's still delicious :)

VERY IMPORTANT
-Chances are if you do this late for dinner you'll be to tired to put away the stew or it might be to big and you don't want to take up space, here is a helpful tip I learned from my mother I don't know the scientific explanation, but if you don't want it to spoil but still leave it out for the night do this.
(1)Bring it to a strong boil (it has to boil evenly), after it comes to a strong boil let it boil atleast 5 minutes.
(2)Turn of heat DO NOT TOUCH AND DO NOT STIR IT LEAVE IT ALONE, DON'T MOVE IT, for some reason the next day it will not be spoiled the next day, but if you touch it and stir it will spoil, pretty cool isn't it.
(3)This trick works with any type of bean stew and other stews, when you ready to eat again, bring to boil and consume :)
-This is a large recipe, we like this soup so we have it for like 2 days, if you wish cut the recipe in 1/2 more and use your judgment.

My Favorite Breakfast Sandwich

Very simple, didn't know if it was worth a blog post, but I'll share anyways just in case other's haven't though it :)

I don't have a name for this it's just straight forward ham, egg, and cream cheese sandwich. Or how I usually say it in my home "Sanguise de Jamon Con Huevo y Queso Crema" (yes there's no direct translation I know for sandwich in Spanish, but in my home it's always butchered like that) it is very comforting for me. I remember my mother whipping these for breakfast sometimes, she would pack it sometimes when we had to go somewhere early and I hadn't had breakfast yet so I was able to eat it on the road (better than stopping at Mc Donalds :) It's not the healthiest sandwich or anything like that, but man is it satisfying with a tall glass of milk.

Don't know what to label this as, but I guess I'll call it "American" since breakfast type sandwiches and all other sorts of sandwiches are very common here in the states (at least for me here in Southern Cali there's deli's in almost every Donut shop which is usually at every corner ha ha, as well as these Donut shops are usually owned by Asians and they sell "Boba" drinks but that's another story all together.

Ingredients for 1 sandwich:
-2 slices of your choice of sandwich bread (any white, wheat, etc. I used the Mexican "Bolillo" rolls which are also very common and available fresh daily at the Mexican stores here in Southern Cali, but you use whatever is available to you :)
-2 eggs (beaten with a pinch of salt, and a small splash of whole milk like 1 teaspoon)
-2 slices of ham (I always use regular pork ham thin sliced)
-2-4 tablespoons cream cheese to spread on bread (more or less depends on your tastes and likes)
-1-2 tablespoons butter (I use real butter, if you must you can use margarine or even just use regular oil)
Directions:
(1)Heat a small pan, add butter, lightly brown the 2 slices of ham on each side, set aside.

(2) In the same pan add a little more butter if necessary, now add your scrambled eggs, and let them cook, every time you see the edges cook gently push them towards the center and tilt the pan to let it he uncooked run to the sides, when it starts sort of cooking like turning a little firmer flip in sections if desired and be gentle, don't overcook eggs, set aside.



(3)Now in same pan, place bread sliced face down and lightly press and let it brown and toast to your liking. Set aside.

(4)Now to assemble, spread cream cheese on both slices, place ham folded on 1 slice, place egg over ham, and cover with other slice, press lightly if desired.

(5)You may cut it in half or leave whole and enjoy with a tall glass of warm or cold milk whatever mood your in.

PLEASE NOTE: We use cream cheese for this in my house, but you can also use in place of cream cheese you can use Mayonnaise, or any variety of sour cream (Mexican unsalted or salted cream, Salvadorian cream, regular American sour cream, etc.)