Arroz Con Gandules

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Felix Arroyo

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Arroz Con Gandules
Story and Photos by Felix Arroyo

In a world full of spices and flavors, where meals can make a person feel like it was prepared solely for them, Ari Rivera, a senior majoring in forensic science, chooses to create the most recognized and popular Puerto Rican dish, Arroz con Gandules.

Rivera, originally from Killeen Texas, has been a President’s Ambassador, served as a writer and former news editor for The Rattler and presently works for Residence Life.

After receiving her bachelor of arts degree in English-communications arts, Rivera returned to St. Mary’s to complete a second undergraduate degree in forensic science.

She hopes to find a position in San Antonio as a blood splatter analyst and eventually go on to work for the F.B.I. Rivera appreciates the community atmosphere at St. Mary’s and the many ways to get involved with the university and local community.

For Rivera, Arroz Con Gandules is a special dish since her father is Puerto Rican (her mother from Guam).

“I enjoy making food from both of their backgrounds. Both feature rice cooked in different ways combined with vegetables,” says Rivera.

Although her older sister is the one who first taught her how to prepare this dish, Rivera believes that she can now do it much better.

Known by friends for creating creative and colorful desserts, Rivera enjoys preparing this dish because wants to show that she can create a meal as well.

Rivera, who also enjoys baking, notes that her favorite dish, red velvet cupcakes which go great with this dish, always brighten her day she says as she serves.

Ingredients

  • small handful of roasted ham chunks
  • 1 tsp of Olive oil
  • 1 pack Sazon con achiote
  • Adobo seasoning
  • 1 tsp of Tomato sauce
  • Gandules (one can per 4-6 people)/ pigeon peas
  • white rice (one cup per 4-5 people)
  • water (one cup per every cup of rice)
  • 1 can of Vienna sausage
  • 1 pack of galdo de tamato con sabor de pollo
  • 1 T of cut salad olives
  • 1 tsp of roasted bell peppers
  • 1½ T of Recao/sofrito

Directions

Set a medium sized pot to heat medium and then pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place sliced ham into pot stir and let simmer for 5 minutes. Place cut Vienna Sausages in and let simmer for another minute. Pour 1½ tablespoon of ricao/sofrito into pot. Pour 1 teaspoon of tomato sauce and 1 tablespoon of salad olives. Cut 1 teaspoon or small handful of roasted bell peppers and toss into pot. Pour one can of gandules/pigeon peas into pot fill cant with water and pour into pot. Drop one pack of Sazon con achiote and 1 pack of galdo de tamato con sabor de pollo into pot.  Sprinkle adobo seasoning to slightly coat the top of the sauce in pot. Pick up pot and mix or slightly shake to mix ingredients. Run water over 1 cup of rice to get rice clean and then pour into pot with a separate cup of water as well. Stir contents and let sit till rice turns a gold color and till rice is soft not wet. Serves 4-5 people.

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Doritos Casserole

Posted on January 15, 2012 by farmendariz

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Doritos Casserole
Story and Photos by Fernando Armendariz 

It’s a cold winter day in London.

Feeling homesick, St. Mary’s International Relations Major Juls Forbus decides to Skype with her mother; however she stops as she smells the cooking of her flat mates.

Curiously, she enters the kitchen expecting to find a gourmet meal.

To her surprise, she discovers only Doritos and other ingredients.

Forbus, originally from Houston, presently lives in a residence hall on campus and will graduate in December 2011 with her bachelor of arts degree.

While at St. Mary’s, she was extremely active in the Tri-Sigma Sorority, Organization for Conflict Diplomacy and participated in the London Study Abroad Program in fall 2010.

After receiving her degree, she hopes to return to London and study for a master’s degree in international relations; ultimately, she hopes to practice family law.

Forbus chose to attend St. Mary’s due to the funding she was awarded, student-teacher ratio and the sense of community she felt.

“What I like most about St. Mary’s are the deep connections I’ve developed with my peers, teachers and the immense opportunities I’ve been given such as studying abroad,” Forbus says.

After learning about the dish while studying abroad in London, Forbus returned to the U.S., tried the recipe and was pleasantly surprised with its taste and ease of preparation; it quickly became one of her favorites.

When preparing this dish, Forbus suggests, “You can never have too much cheese!”

Ingredients

  • 2 large handfuls of Doritos chips
  • 1/2 c of Hormel pre-made, microwaveable chili meat
  • 1 1/2 c shredded cheese of your preference
  • 1 small sized tomato
  • diced onions (optional)
  • dollop of sour cream (optional)
  • sliced jalapeños (optional)

Directions
Warm up Hormel, pre-made, microwaveable chili meat for one minute and let cool. Dice tomato. Lay out the chips so that they completely cover a microwavable plate (may overlap in some areas). Spread chili-meat over the Doritos, creating an even layer. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the chili meat and Doritos. Add the diced vegetables (and optional onions) on top of the cheese. Warm nachos in microwave for two minutes or until cheese is melted thoroughly. Add a dollop of sour cream (optional) and serve the nachos while warm. Makes one serving.

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2nd Annual Magazine Launch Party

Posted on November 18, 2011 by tasteofstmu

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The sweet smell of success came not only from the food being served in Treadaway Hall but also from two students who won awards for their graphic design final projects at the second annual Taste of StMU magazine launch on Friday, Nov. 18, 2011.

Volunteer judges who work in the graphic design field selected Emily Scruggs (see magazine) as the winner of the “Professionals’ Choice” award. Her respective “chef” also received an apron imprinted with the Taste of StMU logo. Nearly 40 alumni, faculty and staff attended this event and voted Brissa Renteria as the winner of the “People’s Choice” award.

The magazine launch party gave graphic design students the opportunity to showcase what they have learned throughout the semester by editing and creating their own 20-page edition of Taste of StMU magazine, complete with ads, photographs and stories. The chefs featured in their magazines provided the food for the event.

On the menu were arroz con gandules, cheese enchiladas, Cuban lechon asado, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, flan, peanut butter chocolate chip brownies, no-bake strawberry frosted cheesecake, grey poupon steak with garlic mashed potatoes, gluten-free red velvet cake, seven layer dip, enchiladas, rojas, spinach and ricotta stuffed shells, steaming spaghetti with meat sauce, swedish meatballs and grilled chicken breast with mango salsa.

This project also was featured on the December 2011 issue of E-Talk from St. Mary’s University. See Flickr photo album.

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Queso Flameado

Posted on November 15, 2011 by wordp06

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Queso Flameado
Story and Photos by Larry Machado 

Kevin Alaniz does not cook often-yet he is an awesome chef, due to his ability to make queso flamed.

He is confident that if anyone were to taste it, they would think he were an awesome chef, too.

About the only thing more puzzling than Alaniz’s mastery of queso flameado is how simple he made it look in its preparation.

Originally from southern Texas, Alaniz comes from a home of educators, where both his parents are involved in teaching at his hometown, Brownsville, Texas.

Alaniz, a junior majoring in communications at St. Mary’s University, also plans on becoming involved in teaching–“the family business” as he calls it–after he graduates.

After high school, Alaniz felt that a small family environment was key in choosing a college which is why he chose St. Mary’s.

Aside from cooking and eating queso flameado, Alaniz’s favorite food is the potato.

He says that he eats and enjoys any type of potato regardless of how it is prepared: fried, baked, mashed or smashed.

Yet, the reason why he chose queso flameado to share is because it is simple to prepare and good to eat–and, most importantly it is a cultural dish with Hispanic ties.

Despite his love for potatoes and his respect for queso flameado, Alaniz interestingly would not select either of these if he were stranded on an island and could only choose one food item to eat for an entire year.

The winner of this battle would be macaroni and cheese. Yes! The ol’ mac and cheese combo.

In fact, mac and cheese wasn’t his first reply to the question, rather, Alaniz asked if Dr. Pepper would count as a food item?

Perhaps this satirical confusion stems from how he views food and the cooking process as a whole.

Alaniz claims that, by nature, he is a very structured and organized person and why he enjoys cooking (when he actually does cook) is because it allows him to break away from his mold of organization.

In fact, one of Alaniz’s most memorable moments involving food–hilariously and ironically–stems from a total lack of structure.

One day when attempting to bake a cake, Alaniz accidentally added a wrong ingredient. Instead of using all-purpose flour, he added powdered sugar.

As a result, “The cake never cooked,” he says.

While this was an embarrassing moment, Alaniz also has some fond memories of cooking as well; some of Alaniz’s most cherished memories involve him and his father making tortillas from scratch using grandma’s recipe.

Alaniz rates his queso flameado four out of five stars and offers the reader this bit of advice when preparing the dish: “Plan on making more because it is so good you won’t be able to stop yourselves from getting seconds.”

Ingredients

  • 1 package of Mexican Chorizo
  • 4 oz of Oaxaca melting cheese
  • 1/2 chile habañero
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 package of tortillas
  • 1 bushel of fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Cook 3 links of chorizo (take out of plastic casing) in an cast iron skillet until browned. Make sure to break apart the chorizo using your cooking spoon, until it looks like ground hamburger meat. (Approximately 3-5 minutes). Remove most of the grease from pan; however, leave a small amount in there. The small amount of leftover grease will be used to sauté the onions and chile habañero in the next step. Slice 1/2 of an onion finely, as well as, 1/2 of a chile habanero and add to the pan with the chorizo and leftover grease. Cook all contents together until both the onions and chile are sauteed, and then remove from flame. Cut the Oaxaca cheese into cubes about 1 inch in size and place into the skillet with the contents. Mix well. Place the cast iron skillet into the oven until contents are bubbling (approximately 5-10 minutes). While waiting for contents to bubble, begin warming up tortillas. Remove contents and serve immediately in tacos preferably using two spoons to scoop up your gooey queso. Makes 6 servings.

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Quesadillas

Posted on April 11, 2011 by dianapaulina

Quesadillas by Rebecca Prada
Videography and Production by Diana Garcia

Rebecca Prada is a junior, marketing major at St. Mary’s University. Rebecca learned to cook through her family and continues to do so because she has come to love it. “It is a way to relieve stress and just get away from daily life.”

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of uncooked tortillas
  • 1 pack of mixed Mexican cheese
  • 1 pack of cooked ham

Directions

Heat a large flat sheet pan to medium heat. Make sure the pan is hot before you place the tortillas. Let the tortillas cook for about 3 minuets on each side or until you see them puffing up. If you see the tortillas puffing up let them puff for about 30 seconds and then safely with a knife or fork pop the “pimples.” After heating them at the proper time add the cheese and place it on half of the tortilla. Let the cheese melt for about a minute and then add the ham. After adding the cheese immediately close the tortilla in half and let it melt together. Let it heat up on each side for about 20 seconds and take them of the pan to cool off.

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King Ranch Chicken

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Sarah J. Mills

King Ranch Chicken by Robin Johnson
Videography and Production by Sarah J. Mills

St. Mary’s student Robin Johnson creates King Ranch Chicken, one of her favorite dishes. King Ranch Chicken is a cheesy casserole mixed with corn tortilla pieces, boiled chicken, and a zesty can of Rotel among other ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz can of Rotel Tomatoes
  • One large onion
  • 8 skinless chicken breasts
  • Two 8 oz cans of cream of chicken soup (do not add water)
  • One 4 oz can of mushrooms
  • 3 cups of shredded cheese
  • 1 package of 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 celery stick
  • 1 tsp of salt, pepper, and poultry seasonings

Directions
Preheat over to 400 degrees. Boil chicken in water seasoned with 1 tsp salt and pepper, 1 tsp poultry seasoning, onion slices and celery stick until done. Cut chicken into cubes. Finely chop remaining onion and sauté in butter until tender. Mix Rotel tomatoes with soup, onions and mushrooms in a bowl. Cut tortillas in ¼ triangles. Spray cooking dish with Pam. Layer tortilla quarters in bottom of cooking dish. Add chicken, tomato mixture and shredded cheese for three layers. Finish the dish with a layer of shredded cheese. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes.

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Pasta Salad

Posted on March 28, 2011 by jasminegarciaa

Pasta Salad by Gaby Hernandez
Videography and Production by Jasmine Garcia

Gaby Hernandez is a senior criminal justice major at St. Mary’s University. She learned how to cook through her culinary arts teacher in high school and her sister. She enjoys cooking for her family and friends.

Ingredients

  • Parmesan cheese
  • Kraft Free Zefty Italian dressing
  • 4.25 oz can Baby Corn
  • 14.5 oz can Artichoke Hearts
  • 14.5 oz can Hearts of Palm salad cuts
  • 16 oz bag of mixed frozen vegetables (carrots, water chestnuts and broccoli)
  • 16 oz bag Garden Rotini pasta

Directions

First you fill a medium sized pot with water and boil at high temperature. Once the water is at a boiling point, pour the pasta into the boiling water. If it looks like the water is about to overflow, pour some of the water out into the sink. While the pasta is cooking, microwave the frozen vegetables for about 4-5 minutes with two tablespoons of water in a microwaveable bowl. Then, cut the hearts of pam and baby corn into small bite size pieces. Pour the hearts of palm and baby corn into a large bowl. Mix it all together with a large cooking spoon. Pour the italian dressing and parmesan cheese (as desired) and mix. 6-8 servings.

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Macadamia Blondies with Caramel Maple Topping

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Veronica Luna

Macadamia Blondies with Caramel Maple Topping by Kimberly Vela
Videography and Production by Veronica Luna

Kimberly Vela is an alumna and graduate student at St. Mary’s University. As a vegetarian for six years, Vela learned how to cook for herself and loves to share her recipes with her friends.

Ingredients

  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 ounces firm silken tofu
  • ¼ cup rice or soy milk
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups raw macadamias, partially chopped and partially ground

Ingredients for the topping:

  • ¼ cup nonhydrogenated margarine
  • 2 tablespoons turbinado or other brown sugar
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup raw macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 9 x 13 inch pan. In blender or food processor, blend tofu and soy milk until smooth. Add oil, sugar and vanilla, then blend. Combine the dry ingredients in mixing bowl and mix well. Fold in nuts. Dough will be thick. Spread in baking pan, bake 25 minutes.

Prepare topping: Mix all ingredients except nuts in saucepan. Heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat, bring to boil one minute. Stir in nuts, remove from heat. Remove blondies from oven, pour on topping, then bake 10 more minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

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Green Chicken Curry

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Gerardo Mendez

Green Chicken Curry by Nathian Mambru
Videography and Production by Gerardo Mendez

Nathian Mambru, a senior at St.Mary’s University, learned to cook from his mother at the age of four. He has since grown a love for cooking which can be enjoyed with his many dishes. In this video, Mambru prepares Green Chicken Curry, a delicious Indian dish with a kick.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs skinless chicken breast, diced
  • 2 cups Basmati rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 half sticks of unsalted butter
  • 1 tbs ground marjoram
  • 2 tbs curry power
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1 tbs garlic powder
  • 24 oz premium coconut milk
  • 1 cup green diced chile
  • 1/2 cup jalapeno diced chile
  • salt
  • pepper

Directions

Basmati Rice: Melt half sticks of butter in saucepan. Once melted, add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of milk along with 2 cups of rice. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow it to boil, then let simmer for 15 minutes. Fold rice every 10-15 minutes.

Green Chicken Curry: Add butter to frying pan and allow it to melt. Coat the chicken with some butter and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Put the chicken in the frying pan and let it brown and then bring the heat down to medium. In a mixing bowl, pour the coconut milk, add the diced jalapeno chile, ground marjoram, salt and pepper, and mix throughly. Pour the mixture into the pan. Simmer for for five minutes then add the green onions. Allow to simmer for 10-25 minutes more, then serve with the Basmati rice and garnish with curly parsley. Makes seven servings.

Special thanks to Nate and Aldo for preparing the dish and to Bert for letting us use his kitchen. Thanks guys in ZAX!

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Fettuccine Alfredo

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Dania Pulido

Fettuccine Alfredo by Stephanie Flores
Videography and Production by Dania Pulido

St. Mary’s University student Stephanie Flores shows us how to prepare an exotic Italian dish quickly and efficiently with minimal ingredients. It’s the perfect sit down meal for the college student looking for a change from Easy Mac!

Ingredients

  • 4-6 quarts of water
  • salt
  • pure vegetable oil
  • Alfredo sauce (150z jar)
  • Fettuccine (1 lb)

Directions

Boil water (4-6 quarts for a 1lb box of fettuccine) in a pot, sprinkling 1 tablespoon of salt, until the water begins to bubble. Add fettuccine and stir it in with a wooden spoon. Let fettuccine cook for 12-13 minutes, or until noodles are soft. Drain in strainer and return the noodles to the cooking pot. Add 2 “caps” full of pure vegetable oil. Mix it in then add entire jar of Alfredo sauce. Mix that in as well and add more salt if desired. Serve and enjoy!

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