This mouthwatering sandwich is a MUST HAVE. Buttery toasted Cuban bread stacked with crispy ham croquettes (croquetas de jamón), swiss cheese, pickles, and smoked ham slices. What more could one ask for in a sandwich!? What is a Ham Croquette (Croqueta De Jamón)?  A croquette (croqueta) is a small finger length breadcrumb fried food roll that usually consists of minced ham, ground meat, or fish as its main ingredient. This delicious roux filling is either shaped into a cylinder or an oval shape. Then, it is rolled into seasoned breadcrumbs before being fried. However, the ..read more

A delicious easy ground beef recipe, that uses Puerto Rican sofrito as its base seasoning and can be used as a filling for pastelillos and alcapurria. This quick picadillo recipe is an absolute must try dinner for those busy weeknights! What is Picadillo? Picadillo is a traditional Latin American dish that is made using ground beef. However, ground turkey may be used instead if you are trying to stay away from the beef. Ingredients vary from different parts of the Caribbean Islands. For example, Puerto Rico picadillo uses sofrito (recaíto) and Cuban picadillo usually has potatoes and rais ..read more

Can’t get enough of the authentic Puerto Rican coquito? Why not spice it up a bit with this unique amazing twist of the traditional holiday drink! Pistachio makes the perfect combination with this delicious coconut nog! What Exactly is Pistachio Coquito? Pistachio coquito is just a flavor variation of the classic Christmas drink “Coquito”. We have a whole explanation of what is coquito and the traditional Puerto Rican coquito recipe if you would like to learn more. The blend of pistachio and coconut is AMAZING together. Moreover, pistachio is used as a base in many desserts li ..read more

Bring Christmas in Puerto Rico to your home with this creamy traditional coquito recipe! This savory coconut and white rum drink mix is perfect for those big family holiday parties!  What is Coquito?  Coquito is a traditional Puerto Rican drink that is usually made for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is sometimes referred to as “Puerto Rican Eggnog”. However, this recipe is the egg-less version, making this not an eggnog. The main ingredient in authentic coquito is the coconut which is always required no matter what Puerto Rican recipe you follow. Also, this boozy hol ..read more

Yuca con Mojo makes a perfect appetizer dish or a side to any dinner meals! The combination of the tender soft cassava and garlicky citrus flavored oil will make you keep coming back for more! What Exactly is Yuca? The Caribbean Islands and much of North America describes the Cassava root vegetable as “yuca”. It is a starchy tuberous root and is very similar to potatoes, yam, and malanga. Yuca (cassava) is one of the most drought tolerant vegetables and is a very popular crop throughout the Caribbean Islands. There is a lot of confusion with the words “yuca” and “yucca”. Yuca is th ..read more

This Cuban Flan de Coco (Coconut Flan) is a perfect after-dinner dessert for your friends and family! Coconut tastes fantastic over this traditional Caribbean dessert. How to Make the Best Cuban Flan de Coco This easy coconut flan recipe removes the “baking” nightmares many people have in the kitchen. If you have made a flan and it comes out as too liquidly or like cottage cheese, then read below to see some tips and tricks on how to prevent flan disasters. One kitchen product that makes this process way easier is a flanera. A flanera is a flan mold that is made out of stainless steel and has ..read more

Mofongo con Camarones is a traditional Puerto Rican dish, that is easy to make, and is filled with deliciousness flavor! What is Mofongo? That round yellow ball that resembles some sort of mashed potatoes is mashed fried plantains. Mofongo is a traditional food dish from Puerto Rico that has fried plantains as the star of the dish. Similar to tostones, the green plantains are fried then mashed in a wooden pilón with garlic and oil. The method of making this food dish dates back to Africa and was introduced to the Caribbean islands as a recipe called “fufu“. It originally was ma ..read more

Guineos en Escabeche is a delicious pickled unripe green banana salad that is perfect year-round and is very easy to make. What is Guineos? The word “Guineos” is in many instances used throughout the Caribbean Islands (mainly Puerto Rico) to refer to “bananas”. But, these aren’t your regular Chiquita brand bananas; they are a little smaller in size compared to the Chiquita bananas. However, size is the only difference between the two. These also should not be confused with plantains (plátanos). Plantains have a lot more starch and used in many different dishes than its counterpart guineo ..read more

Arroz con Gandules is the best Puerto Rican rice dish that is filled with FLAVOR.  What is Arroz con Gandules? Arroz con Gandules is a traditional Puerto Rican dish that is served usually around Christmas season or special occasions. One of the main reasons why this is served for special occasions is because it serves A LOT of people. It is referred as “Puerto Rican Rice” and includes the Puerto Rican Cuisine seasoning sofrito to give it the unique mouthwatering taste. Gandules, which is pigeon peas in English; is essential to the rice dish and is packed with nutrients. You’ll ..read more

Sofrito, also called Recaíto; is a staple to seasoning many Puerto Rican food dishes.  What is Sofrito? If there is one thing that was always in my grandmother’s kitchen, it was the unlimited stock of sofrito. There something about that fresh homemade sofrito smell as it sizzles on a frying pan. A childhood aroma that will forever continue to be passed down generations. It is made in different variations around the Caribbean Islands. The base consisting of peppers, onion, garlic, and tomatoes. However, Puerto Rican Sofrito rarely has tomatoes and uses two main ingredients – recao&n ..read more