GGAA Cookbook Fall 2023

FALL 2023

Acknowledgements

Uniting Gammas through the power of food, one recipe at a time.

Culture is pride, pride is success

Besides some of the recipe owner’s names, you will find a flag. This flag represents their background. While the recipes do not necessarily have to be of a cultural background, we felt that it was important to represent their heritage.

Indian Summer Cornbread

Source: The Northern Cherokee Cookbook (1997)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup yellow corn meal

1 cup all purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola)

Steps:

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. I'd recommend sifting or whisking them together.

Combine the oil and buttermilk into a separate bowl. Beat the eggs lightly and blend into the wet ingredients.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, leaving a few small lumps. The batter will be thin.

Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan and bake at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, until slightly browned and a cake tester (or knife) comes out clean.

Serve with butter, honey, or hot chili. :) Enjoy!

Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes

Ingredients:

One 8-ounce can pineapple rings (4 rings per can)

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 cups buttermilk batter, from a box mix or your favorite recipe

Optional: 8-10 maraschino cherries with stems removed

Directions:

Follow pancake batter mix directions or your favorite recipe and put aside

Pat the pineapple rings dry with a paper towel, then transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Heat a large nonstick pan or cast-iron griddle over medium-low heat. Add the butter.

While the butter is melting, sprinkle one side of the pineapple rings with the brown sugar. Place the pineapple rings sugared-side down in to the pan, leaving enough space around them to allow for the pancake batter to be poured over top. Cook until the sugar caramelizes and the pineapples turn light brown, about 5 minutes.

Optional: Add a cherry to the center of the pineapple ring. Carefully pour about 1/2 cup of pancake batter over each pineapple ring to make 4 pancakes. Cook until the batter starts to bubble and take on a dull look, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the pancakes and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes.

Transfer to a plate and Enjoy e syrup.

Sausage Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

2 loaves frozen bread dough (thawed)

2lb sausage

2tsp garlic powder

1tsp onion powder

1 1/2tsp parsley

1/2tsp oregano

5Tbsp parmesan cheese

2 eggs (beaten)

2 cups shredded cheese (1 cup cheddar & 1 cup mozzarella)

Steps:

Roll thawed bread dough into rectangle

Cook and drain sausage

Mix all other ingredients and spread equally onto 2 loaves of bread

Roll up and pinch ends together

Seal edges with a bit of water

Bake at 350° for 30 min.

Jen's Arroz con Gandules

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tablespoons of sofrito

1 can of guandules washed and drained

1/3 cup of ham steak cut in small pieces

2 packs of sazon with achiote

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1-2 teaspoons of adobo

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

1 chicken bouillon cube

2 bay leaves

2 1/2 tablespoons of oil

2 cups of rice

2 1/2 cups of water

Banana leaves (these can be found in the frozen food section and you can use them frozen)

Steps:

Heat your oil in a caldero. Once the oil has warmed add your sofrito and sauté for 1-2 min on low-medium heat.

Add the ham, seasonings, tomato paste and guandules . Mix well and saute for 1-2 minutes

Add the washed rice and mix well. Cook for 1 minute on medium, but keep an eye and mix

Add the water and allow the water to absorb. Once the water has absorbed mix the rice , and cover it with the frozen banana leaves for approximately 15-20 minutes on low .The time will depend on your stove

Ceviche

*For measurements, use your ancestors as guidance

Ingredients:

Bag of frozen tilapia

Bag of frozen shrimp (peeled and deveined)

Veggies, all finely chopped:

Red onion

Tomato

Jalapeño

Serrano pepper

Cilantro

A bag of limes

Salt

Pepper

Tamazula hot sauce (1/2 - whole small bottle)

Tajin

Tostadas or chips

Instructions:

Let fish & shrimp thaw and finely chop them up. Then juice enough limes to cover the fish completely in lime juice and put in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. While fish is “cooking” in the lime juice, you can chop up the rest of your veggies. After 20-30 minutes, make sure your fish is not raw and then mix in the veggies you prepared. Add in salt and pepper to taste. At the end, add in as much or little tamazula hot sauce as you like. Finish with tajin, as much or little as you like. Serve with tostadas or chips!

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Original recipe inspired by Hello Fresh

Ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup water

4 cloves of garlic

2 carrots (optional)

2 zucchinis (optional)

500 g of chicken breast

2 - 36g (1.30 oz) Tex-Mex spice blend

2 - 15oz enchilada sauce (of your prefe

1 bag of tortilla chips

500 g shredded cheddar cheese

Steps:

Finely chop the garlic (or use a garlic press). Grate the carrot (unpeeled) and zucchini.

Cut the chicken thigh into 2cm chunks. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and both Tex-Mex spice blend with a drizzle of olive oil. Toss well to coat.

In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over a medium- high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until browned. Add the carrot and zucchini and cook, stirring, until just softened.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute Add the enchilada sauce sachet and cook, stirring, until just heated through. Remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Chop tortillas into small pieces and crush the corn chips into crumbs. Pour enough enchilada sauce at the bottom of the pan (enough to cover with a thin layer). Start with the first layer of the casserole with corn chips then a layer of chicken and vegetable mix, then a layer of cheese, repeat until the top layer of the pan is chicken.

Cover chicken layer with cheese. Grill until the cheese is melted and golden, 15-20 minutes

Chicken Pot Pie Pasta

Ingredients:

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 cans each of Peas, carrots, corn and potatoes (diced) - frozen can be used in place

2 diced chicken breast

1/2 tablespoon garlic

1 diced yellow onion

1 bag of egg noodles

1 box of chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

Direction:

Dice raw chicken breast and onion into quarter-sized pieces

Brown Chicken And skillet with onion until cooked through Add all ingredients to a big pot on medium heat. Cover and stir occasionally

Cook with cover until pasta is tender.

Uncover and cook until excess liquid has evaporated and it has thickened to your preference.

Chicken Tinga | Tinga de Pollo

Makes enough for 6 people.

Ingredients:

8 diced tomatoes

2 ½ onions

7 garlic cloves

½ teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon Oregano

3 bay leaves

2 chicken breasts or substitute for a cooked rotisserie chicken

1 small can of chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (Note: If the chipotle peppers are whole, puree in a blender.)

Steps:

Boil the chicken breast with half an onion, 3 garlic cloves and a tablespoon of sea salt for 30 minutes or until fully cooked. (Can be substituted for cooked rotisserie chicken for faster prep time. Simply shred and skip to step number 3.) Once fully cooked remove the chicken from the broth and shred. *Tip: You can save the chicken broth to cook either a soup or Mexican Red Rice as a complimentary dish or for your next meal.

Mince 4 garlic cloves and dice 2 whole onions.

Sautee the garlic in a pan with a dash of oil. Then, add the onions consistently stirring do not let the garlic get burnt.

Add your diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Let it boil for 5 minutes on medium heat.

Add the chipotle peppers in adobe sauce to your preference. Let it simmer for 5 more minutes.

Lastly, add the shredded chicken and salt to taste. Stir and let it simmer on low heat for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and enjoy!

Can be enjoyed with tostadas or by itself.

Creole Jambalaya

Ingredients:

Garlic, to taste

1 Red or white onion, finely diced (you're preference)

1/4 cup Vegetable oil

1/2 stick Butter

Instant rice

1/2 cup Flour

Celery, finely diced

Chicken thighs ( 1 per person)

Chicken Stock - amount depends on your rice

Beef sausage (Andouille)

Green and red bell pepper, finely diced

A spicy pepper of your choice (or omit for mild flavor), finely diced

2-3 tablespoons of Tomato paste

1/2 block of pepper jack cheese or a cup of shredded

1 Bay leaf

*season all in steps (Tony’s Creole season or Slap Ya Mama, garlic powder, a LITTLE cumin, black pepper*

Steps:

Add a large amount of oil (around 1/4 cup) to the pan and add all vegetables except garlic once hot; cook veggies until soft.

Once soft add in some butter. There should be liquid in the pot; add your meat to brown.

Once the meat is browned, add tomato paste and allow to cook through for 2-3 minutes.

Add in flour and stir on low for about 8-15 min until dark in color; add bay leaf.

Once dark add in chicken stock slowly to create a thick consistency.

Once all of your chicken stock is added, add as much rice as you see fit.

Cook until rice is cooked on low and add cheese once off heat. Allow to melt and serve.

Enchiladas Rojas

2 bags Guajillo Chile

2 cloves Garlic

Half Onion

6 Peppercorn

8 Clove

1-3 tortillas

As needed Chicken stock or Water

To taste Salt

To taste Chile de arbol (optional)

Devain chile pods, remove seeds if you don't want it spicy. Leave seeds in for some spice. In a sauce pan place chile pods and cover with water. Boil chile pods until tender.

Let the Chiles cool for at least 15 minutes.

Blend Chiles, peppercorn, clove, garlic, onion, tostada, salt, in enough chicken stock or water for it to run smooth.

Blend to a smooth and velvety consistency

In a separate deep pan, fry some slices of onion in olive oil Use enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan Caramelize the onion, don't let it burn

Carefully pour your mixture into the pot with the fried onion, using a sieve The one with the smallest holes

Squeeze as much juice out of the pulp, use more stock or water to get as much flavor out of the pulp. If necessary, blend the pulp once more with more stock.

Taste for salt and other flavors.

If it's not spicy enough, add chile de arbol. If it's too spicy, start over.

Sometimes you need to add more clove, it's to taste.

Pour through the sieve the remaining sauce.

Let it simmer on low, stir using a flat spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot.

Once it releases its first steam, taste and adjust seasoning.

Let it boil and check for viscosity.

If it's too think, blend some of the sauce with another tostada and follow the sieve instructions.

That should thicken it up

If it's too thick, add stock or water to thin it out

Do a final taste once it's been boiling for a good amount of time Adjust accordingly

Warm up corn tortillas Dip the warmed tortilla in the sauce for a few seconds Carefully remove the tortilla onto a plate On the flat tortilla, add queso fresco and chicken (optional) then roll the tortilla into a taco. Top off enchiladas with more cheese and sauce and serve.

Itzel’s Fresh Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

Enough fresh tomatoes to cover a sheet pan

Couple tbs of olive oil

At least two whole heads of garlic

Half a tube of fancy ass tomato paste

1 whole carrot

1 white or yellow onion

Rosemary

Thyme

Oregano Sage

4 tbs butter

A soft goat cheese

1 cup chicken stock

Steps:

Cut tomatoes in half and place them face down on the baking sheet (use baking sheet with a lip for best results). Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cut the top off of both heads of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap separately in aluminum foil.

Throw sheet pan and garlic foils into the oven at 375. Roast for 30-45 minutes.

Chop onion roughly and grate the carrot.

Add onion to a stock pot with a bit of olive oil. Cook until transparent, and then add the carrot.

Add a bit of butter to the stock pot along with your herbs. Cook altogether until fragrant. Add cooked tomatoes, roasted garlic, and tomato paste to the pot and mash/stir together

Add chicken stock and stir

Bring soup to a boil and then immediately bring down to a simmer and put a lid on it Stir occasionally, adding salt, pepper, and any additional seasoning to taste (I like to throw a bit of cayenne in for a kick)

Simmer for about 20 minutes

Use an immersion blender to your taste

Serve with a dollop of goat cheese on top :)

Haitian Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

Rigatoni noodles (1 box)

Evaporated milk (2 cans)

Mayo (as much as needed)

Unsweetened applesauce (to your preference)

Gouda, Asiago, Parmesan (2-3 shredded bags)

1 onion Garlic (as much to your preference)

Pepper For an extra kick if desired: hot peppers

Steps:

Cook noodles.

After noodles are cooked, mix all ingredients to a creamy consistency.

Feel free to add in more milk or Mayo if it needs additional creaminess.

Add mixture to casserole pan for baking and serving.

For fun: add Parmesan on top for some crispiness. Bake at 350 or 375 for 45-60 min. Let cool and serve.

Nana Banana’s Family Style Pot Roast

Serves 6-8 | Prep time: 40 Min | Cook Time: 6-8

Ingredients:

Chuck Roast of other Roast of choice

1 Bag of Carrots

Apple Sauce

1 Bag of Egg Noodles

1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 Bottle Heinz Ketchup

1 Bottle French’s Mustard

1 Bottle Sweet Baby Rays Barbeque Sauce

1 Can Aunt Nellie’s Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

King’s Hawaiian Dinner Rolls

Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder to taste

Directions:

Let the chuck roast come to room temperature before brushing it in mustard. Sear all sides of the meat on high heat to brown.

Remove the beef and add your sauces, spices, and vinegar. Add the meat as well as your carrots and let simmer on low heat for 8 hours.

Boil water, add salt, and egg noodles. Cook until al dente.

Serve your roast with noodles, red cabbage, applesauce and a dinner roll

Red Pozole

Original recipe courtesy of Tasting History With Max Miller

Ingredients:

3 kg or one big can of hominy - rinsed well

1 large onion cut in half

1 bulb of garlic. With cloves divided into two groups

2 tbsp. of salt

2 tsp of cumin

1 tbsp of Mexican oregano

1 cup chicken stock or 2 to 3 tbsp of chicken bouillon

2-3 pounds of pork shoulder cut into 1 in cubes

Additional pork with bones ex: pork neck, pork chops with bones, just something with bones.

15 to 20 dried guajillo chiles, de-seeded and soaked in hot water for 1 to 2 hours

Desired toppings such as sliced radish, cabbage, lime juice, diced onion, avocado, tortilla chips, or tostadas.

A good mood (An essential ingredient)

Steps:

In a large pot bring 6 to 8 quarts of water to boil

Add salt, half of the garlic cloves, all the onion, pork shoulder cubes, and pork bones. Boil for 1 hour.

This is high maintenance. You must skim the foam every 10 minutes or so.

After the pork has been cooking for about 45 minutes, remove the chiles from the water with tongs, transferring them to a strainer. Be careful not to squeeze them. Save 1 cup of the chili water Remove any remaining seeds that you may have missed previously

Place chiles in a blender with the remaining garlic and chili water Blend until smooth

Pass the sauce through a fine mesh strainer for a smoother sauce.

Optional: After the pork has boiled for an hour or so, remove the pork, onions, and garlic from the pot. Remove the bones and dispose of them. Pour the broth through a colander into a large bowl or new pot. This removes any additional foam creating a clear broth.

Return the pork, onions, and garlic to the broth to continue cooking.

Add chili sauce, oregano, cumin, and chicken bouillon to the pot. Stir and boil for 30 additional minutes or until the pork falls apart

Taste the broth and add more seasonings, if needed

If the water level has fallen too much, add additional hot water

Add the rinsed hominy and stir. Cook for approximately 30 more minutes. Top with desired toppings and enjoy.

Note: That the flavor will continue to develop over the next two to three days.

Sopes

Original Recipe by Isabel Eats

Ingredients:

2 cups masa harina (ground corn flour)

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 ⁄ cups warm water, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon olive oil, or lard, optional

1-2 cups vegetable oil, only if frying

Steps:

In a large bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. S Using your hands, knead the dough until it fully com about 3 minutes To make sure it’s ready, grab a small piece and roll it into a ball Press down on it with a finger. If the edges of the dough crack, the dough is too dry. If the dough sticks to your skin, it’s too wet. Add more water or masa harina as necessary. Divide the dough into 14 equal portions, then roll each into a ball. Cover them with a clean damp cloth or plastic wrap to keep the dough moist while you press and make the sopes

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat until hot While the griddle is heating up, cut the seams off of a large resealable plastic bag so that it makes one large rectangular piece of plastic. Alternatively, you can use parchment paper instead. Lay the plastic or parchment paper on the open tortilla press and place 1 dough ball on the bottom half Fold the other side of the plastic or parchment paper over the dough and gently close and press the upper portion of the tortilla press to flatten it out Open the tortilla press, carefully peel back the plastic or parchment paper, and transfer the dough to your hand. It should be slightly thicker than a typical corn tortilla.

Cooking 1 or 2 at a time, place the dough on the hot griddle and cook for 15 to 20 seconds. Flip and cook the other side for 15 to 20 more seconds Both sides of the dough should looks cooked and lightly seared You don't want to cook it all the way through like a corn tortilla

Transfer the dough to a plate and let it cool for about 30 seconds. When cool enough to handle, pinch the edges around the entire dough using your thumb and index finger to create a rim.

Cover the sope with a towel and repeat until all the sopes have been formed

To bake: Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer the sopes to 2 large baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes to fully cook the sopes.

To fry: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the sopes 2 or 3 at a time, flipping frequently, for about 2 minutes until light golden brown Drain the sopes on paper towels or a wire rack

Notes

When flattening the dough, make sure the dough is thicker than a regular corn tortilla, so try not to over-flatten it If you do, simply gather the dough, roll it into a ball, and try again

Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding)

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of uncooked rice

4 cups of milk

4 cups of sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon powdered cinnamon (or sticks)

1/2 teaspoon powdered cloves or 6 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 stick of butter

raisins (optional) but I love to include.

Directions:

Cook rice with 8 cups of water for 45 minutes until rice is almost mushy (Add more water if needed or milk for smoother texture).

When soft, add all other ingredients. Stir together and let it simmer for 1/2 hour on low heat.

Serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold.

Filipino Silken Tof ith S g

INGREDIENTS

16 oz silken tofu

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup tapioca or sago pearls

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. C according to your package instructi advance; just be sure to store the prepped pearls with some water or a little brown sugar syrup (next step). Combine the brown sugar, water, and vanilla in a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stir to dissolve the sugar, and lower the heat to a simmer. Continue simmering for about 2-4 minutes and remove from heat. This syrup, or arnibal, can also be made in advance. Place silken tofu in a parchment-lined steamer. Steam for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. Alternatively, you can microwave the tofu for about 2-5 minutes.

To serve, scoop slices of warm silken tofu into a small cup. Top with tapioca or sago pearls. Pour hot brown sugar syrup (arnibal) on top. Serve immediately, while warm.

Recipe from my aunt Rosy

Ingredients: Flan

1 can of Condensed Milk

4 Eggs

1 1/4 cups of Warm Water

1 tsp Mexican Vanilla Extract

Ingredients: Caramel Base

1 cup of Sugar

1/2 cup of water

Steps:

In a frying pan over medium heat, add the sugar and water. Cook without stirring (but moving the pan from time to time) until it begins to turn a caramel color.

Remove from the heat and pour the caramel into a glass baking pan, ensuring that it spreads throughout the pan.

In a bowl, beat the eggs and add the water, condensed milk, and vanilla extract.

Pour the mixture into the pan with caramel base. Cook under a water bath for 50 minutes in an oven at 340 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wait for the flan to cool and remove from pan.

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients: Bars: Direction:

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp pumpkin spice

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 Tb pure maple syrup

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream cheese frosting:

8 oz cream cheese at room temp

1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp

3 cups confectioner's sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp pumpkin spice

1/8 tsp salt

Preheat Oven to 350 F, and grease your desired pan. Depending on your pan size will depend on time, but a good start is 28-35 minutes. But watch it and do the toothpick test to make sure it's fully cooked.

Combine your dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix. (flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin spice). In another bowl, combine the oil, eggs, brown and granulated sugars and whisk through. Next add maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture half at a time Mix until well combined Your batter will be thick, its ok!

Add your batter to your desired pan and bake at 350 F to 28-35 minutes, but depends on your pan so KEEP AN EYE ON IT Once the bars are cooked, let them COMPLETELY cool down!

Make the frosting:

In a bowl mix (using a hand or standing mixer) the cream cheese, and butter together until they're nice and smooth and creamy. Next add the confectioner's sugar, vanilla, pumpkin spice and salt. Beat this a low at first(so it doesn't splat everywhere) and then on high until it's well combined. Spread your frosting on your bars and vuala! Yummmy bars. You can add candy pumpkins, sprinkles, dress it up or honestly leave it as is, you decide. Store these in a sealed container in the fridge :)

Pumpkin Bread

Original Recipe is from Kallie’s Grannie, Brenda Matthews She makes and delivers this recipe to family all the time

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2/3 cups water

1 cup of oil

2 cups pumpkin (One 15 oz can)

3 1/2 cups flour

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine wet ingredients in one bowl and dry in another.

3. Mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture.

4. Pour into 2 ungreased loaf pans.

5. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Test with a toothpick to make sure that they are done

Jen's Spiced Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

3 large eggs

1 -2 pie crusts

1/2 cup light brown sugar, sometimes I add a bit more

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

1 package of plain full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature ( this makes it easier to mix)

Steps: Mix the ingredients with either a stand mixer or hand mixer. Make sure you add eggs one at a time If you don’t your eggs won’t mix properly Make sure you scrape down the bowl to get all the pumpkin and spices mixed

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake at 350 for about 45/50 min but keep an eye on it Bc the crust can burn quickly depending on your oven . I like to use a crust ring which protects it from burning: sometimes. insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean .

Spiced Whipped Cream:

Place a bowl in the freezer for at least 10 minutes In the bowl pour 1 cup of heavy mix and beat until peaks form.

Once the peaks form sprinkle 2-3 teaspoons of brown sugar and 1-2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice and half a teaspoons of cinnamon.

Once the pie is cool place the spiced whipped cream on the pie and serve

Quesitos

Ingredients - Egg Wash

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon cold water

A dash of cinnamon

Ingredients - Quesitos

1 package of puff pastry sheets (thawed)

8 oz of cream cheese

1/2 cup of sugar

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper; spray parchment paper with non-stick spray

Roll out and cut pastry dough to desired size (4x7 in rectangles is average)

Place a spoonful of cream cheese at one side of dough

Use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of egg wash onto the edges of the dough

Fold the ends over the cream cheese to encapsulate it in the dough

Brush a little egg wash over the long-side where the cream cheese is to make sure it's sealed

Transfer the quesito to the baking sheet and brush with a thin layer of egg wash

Sprinkle sugar over each quesito; use a fork to poke vents into the dough for an even bake

Bake quesitos for 15-20, or until a golden brown

Egg Wash:

Whisk egg and water until smooth - set aside

Cream Cheese Filling:

Mix cream cheese until smooth

Add half a spoonful of sugar for extra sweetness (optional)

**Alternatively, you can cut the cream cheese into little cubes)

Sugar Glaze:

Make a simple syrup in a saucepan using the remaining sugar and 1/2 cup of water (you can add more if too thick); stir until sugar is dissolved

Bring to a boil and cook for one minute; remove from stove Syrup should be thin and syruplike

Once quesitos are done baking, let them cool for 5 minutes before brushing 1-2 layers of glaze

Set aside and let cool completely

GGAA FALL 2023