Recipe(tried): Saturday Night Dinner At Our Home...Picadillo, Yellow Rice, Plantains, and Paula Deen's Savannah Bow Ties with Chocolate Dipping Sauce

Hello Everyone!

My wonderful neighbor Carol shared a most delicious recipe of Picadillo, the famous Cuban beef hash served alongside rice and sweet plantains. It was soooo delicious and full of flavor that I begged her for the recipe. You will be very pleased with this recipe. Any leftovers can be made into "Papas Rellena", those are the stuffed potato balls.

Picadillo is best served alongside white or yellow rice and sweet fried plantains. A loaf of crusty, fresh sliced Cuban bread and a simple salad of sliced tomatoes and lettuce drizzled with olive oil and balsamic rounds out the meal. For dessert, a sweet, rich and crunchy bowtie cookie, recipe from Paula Deen. These are called Savannah Bow Ties and are dipped in chocolate sauce...how good can that be?

Happy Cooking! Gina

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CUBAN PICADILLO
Servings: 6

2 onions, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 tsp. pressed garlic
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided use
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 (12 oz.) can of tomato sauce
1 medium jar stuffed olives, sliced
1 small jar capers
1 small box (about 1/2 cup) dark raisins

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 the juice from the olive jar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. paprika

Saute the onions, peppers and garlic in 2 Tbsp. olive oil until softened. Set aside.

Saute beef in 2 Tbsp. olive oil.

Combine the sauteed veggies and beef in one large skillet pan. Add tomato sauce, olives, capers, raisins, and remaining seasonings. Stir well to mix. Cook covered 40 minutes on low heat.

Serve with Vigo Yellow Rice or plain white rice.

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SAVANNAH BOW TIES WITH CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE
Source: Paula Deen & Friends: Living It Up, Southern Style by Paula Deen
Recipe Photo (click here)

1/2 a (17 1/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (1 sheet)
1/2 cup almond paste
1 egg yolk, white reserved
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1 egg white
Sugar, for sprinkling
Chocolate Dipping Sauce, recipe follows

Let pastry stand at room temperature for 20 minutes or until easy to roll. Unfold pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 14-inch square. Cut square in half with a fluted pastry wheel.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

FOR FILLING:
Crumble almond paste in a small mixing bowl. Add egg yolk, brown sugar, and milk. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. Spread filling over 1 pastry half *. Place remaining pastry half on top of filling.

Using the fluted pastry wheel, cut dough crosswise into fourteen 1-inch-wide strips. Then cut each strip in half crosswise to make 28 pieces. Twist each piece twice. Place twists about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with foil or parchment paper.

Brush twists with slightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle with sugar (coarse sugar if available).

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Serve with Chocolate Dipping Sauce.

*Almond filling will be very stiff. To make spreading easier, drop a dollop of filling uniformly over pastry. Spray a piece of waxed paper with non-stick cooking spray. Press almond paste evenly over entire dough. Spray waxed paper as often as necessary to prevent filling from sticking.

CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 (1.5-ounce) milk chocolate bars
2 cups whipping cream
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Crumble candy bars in 1 at a time. Gradually stir in cream. Cook and stir over medium heat until chocolate is melted.

Temper egg yolk with 1/2 cup of hot sauce. Add back to pot and cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

Stir in vanilla and pour into a serving bowl.

Any remaining sauce can be poured into custard cups, refrigerated and served as pudding. Yield: enough sauce for 28 cookies