March is a month of transition. The year is officially off and running, winter is winding down and we are running towards Spring! Bring it On!

In a dream come true moment, we are judging the Orange Bowl Food and Wine Festival on April 12! Come by and check it out!

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE and when yo use the code “abuela” you can $10 off your tickets!

March is a great time to settle into new routines and nothing helps a new routine like new recipes.

Around here, we are focusing on keeping our weekly recipes easy and simple. We are also looking ahead as Easter is on the horizon. So we put together a few brunch and lunch menus for anyone out there looking to brave hosting.

Finally, we are featuring Picadillo, and all the different things you can do with it’s leftovers. Why? A key to keeping things healthy and simple throughout the week is having a game plan. A recipe, like Picadillo, allows you to eat something delicious one night, and then repurpose it in a way that feels fresh but without the work.

As the Easter Bunny would say, let’s jump in!

Ani and Cristy

Easter Brunch and Lunch Menu Ideas

Easter is a great time to gather your family and friends for a brunch or lunch. It’s a day filled with joy and of course tons of candy. Our Abuelas always hosted a lunch and kept things light and playful. They kept it easy so that they too could partake in the fun and enjoy the family. Here are a few of our ideas for a Brunch and Lunch.

BRUNCH

Our brunch menu mixes a few savory things with sweet. We also thought it would be good to make a lot of the items easy to grab and pick on. On a day like this, it makes it easy for your guests to grab and go.

Deviled Eggs
Tortilla
Fig Glazed Ham
Ensalada de Gallina
Ensalada de Coditos
Mango Crisp
Pan de Jamon
French Toast Casserole
Easy Egg Bites
Media Noche Sliders
Cuban Fruit Salad
Guava Marmalade – nothing like a home made jam
Cuban Coffee Natilla

French Toast Casserole — Jamon Serrano Deviled Eggs Recipe

LUNCH

Our mission for an Easter lunch is to keep things light and bright. We wanted to bring you options that are easy to put together and would feed a lot of people. Things like Arroz Imperial and Paella, are one pot wonders that can feed a crowd with ease, but still look so special. Any of the salads or the White Gazpacho soup pair perfectly and you can end it with a Tarta de Santiago or Bread Pudding to put the sweet exclamation on the meal. It’s not like there will be candy everywhere that day.

Summer Chopped Salad — Aji Blanco White Gazpacho Recipe

Recipe of the Month

Our new Eggless Tiramisu is the recipe of the month. It is our take on a classic Italian dessert that you can bring together under 20 minutes. Then you just have to let it set in the fridge for a couple of hours, and you have a delicious layered dessert that everyone will love.

Serve it alongside your next special dinner: Filet Mignon, Truffle Mushroom Pasta, or our Banana Leaf Fish The possibilities are endless.

Did you Know.. All the Things You Can do with Picadillo?!

Abuela’s Picadillo is a classic Cuban staple. We think picadillo is actually one of the more approachable recipes for you to try out. There are not too many steps, and each step is very forgiving. Meaning that if you do happen to make a mistake, there are ways to counter it so you can continue making it. Also there are so many flavors working together here that your mistake will be easy to hide.

The best thing about Picadillo is it’s leftover range. This is a recipe that you can make one night, and plan on making extra for the next day. We strongly encourage this, because Picadillo lends itself to sa many different leftover ideas that keep it feeling fresh. Here are just a few things you can do with your Picadillo that will take it to the next level.

Cuban Lasagna

Tambor Cubano (Cuban Picadillo Shepard’s Pie)

Stuffed Peppers

Picadillo Stuffed Pumpkin

Empanadas

If you are looking to make it healthier, there are a few things you can do. You can try our Instant Pot Turkey Veggie Picadillo or our Classic Turkey Picadillo Recipe as a great option for extra protein and vegetables.

However you can also pair the classic Picadillo with our Easy Quinoa, Riced Cauliflower or serve it with our Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Tools We Can’t Live Without:

The Instant Pot! We absolutely cannot live without the Instant Pot no matter how hard we try. If you could only buy one tool, we think this is it. It makes meal planning much easier, and the flavor that it injects into your food is unmatched. We have so many recipe for you to try with it (find them HERE)

Find a perfect budget friendly Instant Pot HERE

The Perfect Sheet Pan

Here’s what everyone is Clicking On:

Here are our most clicked recipes in December:

What’s going on our Social

We are always posting on our Instagram, Pinterest, and sometimes on our TikTok when we can figure it out. Make sure you are following if you haven’t already.

Also we are proud to announce that we do officially have a YouTube Channel! If you’ve never made it before check out our You Tube for a step by step cafecito tutorial. We break down everything from how to pack the coffee in the espresso maker and how to make the best espumitas. How else will we survive the start of a new year! Cuban Coffee Recipe

Our Favorite Places to Brunch in Miami:

Michael’s Genuine: a classic spot that basically brought the brunch to Miami. Always hits the spot.
Josh’s Deli: a little hole in the wall in Surfside that brings you a menu you can’t find anywhere else. You can find Josh behind the counter most of the time serving fresh bagels and smoked salmon that is out of this world.
Caracas Bakery Mimo: artisan Venezuelan food. Think cachitos, golfeados and open faced tartines. It’s so good you won’t believe it.
Zak the Baker: it’s hard to find fresher better bread anywhere in Miami. In fact, most of the bread at other brunch spots, is sourced from here. The brunch is delicious and a must try.
Blue Collar: a gem on Biscayne Blvd. If you are looking for a delicious American upscale diner experience, this is your spot. Always love it here!

Coming Up in April:

Doing a little spring cleaning and hosting hosting the Spring Dinner Party of your dreams!

See you next month!!