Layers of thinly-sliced plantains, ground beef, and cheese, all in one cozy casserole. As a native Puerto Rican, he argued that my version wasnt the real deal. It was as real to me as his attitude, so I defended my version tooth and nail! Marta Diaz According to him, and many other mainland Puerto Ricans, pastelon has no cheese. It must also include green beans. But for most Nuyoricans like me, cheese is amustand green beans are omitted....

A simple paste is the secret to BIG flavor when grilling at a moments notice. No long marinades herebrush your food with a tasty paste right on the grill. This time of year, I like to grill as often as possible. Dont get me wrongbrines,marinades, anddry rubsare great for adding flavor. With a paste it’s possible for you to grill at a moments notice. Well show you how! Then, head outside and fire up the most talked-about cookout of the summerits just a matter of paste....

The process can change the milk’s flavor and how it behaves in cooking. Simply Recipes / Getty Images These days, theres a lot of talk about milk pasteurization. As the controversial consumption of raw milk is increasingly garnering attention, I became curious about pasteurization in general. Simply Recipes / Getty Images HTST eliminates harmful bacteria and retains the milks nutritional value and taste. This method extends the milk’s shelf life significantly, says Snodgrass....

Spanish roasted potato tapas appetizer known as “patatas bravas” or angry potatoes! Roasted potatoes tossed with a spicy, smoky tomato sauce. The name of the recipe roughlytranslatesinto “fierce” or “angry” potatoes. Elise Bauer But these potatoes are as spicy or “fierce” as you make them. We’ve made ours with some tomato sauce, quite a bit of Tabasco, and some smoked paprika. you might easily reduce the heat to taste. Elise Bauer...

One little addition that takes your brownies to the next level. Super-sweet milk chocolate brownies? What Are Cocoa Nibs? Simply Recipes / Getty Images Cocoa nibs are crumbled bits of dried and roasted cacao beans, a key ingredient in chocolate. The nibs are the same part of the bean used in chocolate production. you’re able to use them interchangeably in baking. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock I generally find it easier to find cacao nibs (rather than cocoa nibs) in stores....

This egg white meringue dessert named after a Russian ballerina is served with raspberry sauce. It has attracted more than its fair share of controversy. Two distinct neighboring countries take credit for invention and creation. Elise Bauer Whether you hail from Australia, New Zealand or elsewhere, I hope you’ll attempt this gorgeous recipe. It’s a delightful dessert any time of year. You create your best egg white-based confections when you know how to treat this important part of the egg....

This is the one pawpaw recipe you simply can’t go wrong with. Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter For years, it seemed like barely anyone knew what pawpaws were. People are pawpaw-curious, and they want to learn more about North Americas largest native fruit. Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter Are you one of those people? Get set, because pawpaws are not just a thing you’re able to eat. Theyre a way of seeing the world....

A vibrant spring take on the Italian condiment using frozen peas. Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek You dont have to wait until summer to enjoy homemade pesto! This spring twist on classicItalian basil pestoswaps the fresh herbs for sweet peas. Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek Here youll utilize a good old bag of frozen peas. This simple pesto comes together quickly in a food processor. You dont even need to cook the frozen peas!...

Jamming is a tradition that Ive carried on into my adult life. I love its sweet and tangy flavors together. I gift them to friends and family throughout the year. Simply Recipes / Coco Morante Plus, they are a taste of sunshine from my pantry in the winter months. Scale the recipe in half for a smaller batch. I like to use either a jam potknown as a maslin panor a 9-quart Dutch oven....

Its the dessert you mess up on purpose. Ive even entered into a few pie contests, taking home a blue ribbon. This is not intended to be me tooting my own horn. Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh When in the throws of summer, I turn to equally delicious shortcut desserts like this pandowdy. Made with an incredibly simple fruit filling topped with a single pie crust, its pie light....

Sweeten up your next brunch with a round of juicy, fresh Peach Bellini cocktails! Where Did the Bellini Originate? The Bellini cocktail can be traced back to Harrys Bar in Venice during the 1940s. Simply Recipes / Elana Lepkowski Peach Nectar is a Great Sub for This Cocktail! Prosecco Makes a Bellini Magical The second important ingredient here is the sparkling wine. Once blended, the skins are just tiny flecks in the mix and dont interfere with the texture....

Elegant cake with fresh fruit and a rich, buttery, biscuit-like crust. I found this peach blueberry cake recipe onEpicuriousand couldn’t resist trying it! The crust is almost biscuit-like and has a rich buttery flavor. Elise Bauer The Epicurious recipe doesn’t call for buttering the pan. So I suggest using a stick-free springform pan or buttering your pan. Adding a round of parchment to the bottom of the pan will help as well....

It couldnt be easier to make. A peach brown Betty checks all of those boxes. It goes back over a hundred years, appearing in cookbooks from the mid-1800s. Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh Dont forget a scoop of ice cream to top it all off! I will always choose to make this treat using fresh peaches for a much more flavorful base....