{ A day in the kitchen }

 

 

The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home!

 

I think we've all heard that quote, and I for one am a firm believer in that it is absolutely true.  It is where we cook meals for our families, where we bring family together and where we sustain our bodies with nutritious food.

 

I love being in my kitchen and love spending time in it, pottering around, cooking, or doing dishes (I know that sounds weird, but I find doing dishes by hand, very relaxing).   Most of the time, you will find me in that room, in my happy place, where I feel the most at easy and calm.

Cooking is something I have enjoyed since very little.  I've told the story, I think a few times, of when I first started being interested in pots and pans and cooking.  I was just 5 years old, sitting at my great grandmothers feet.  I wanted so much to have my own set of pots, so my grandmother took me to the local store, in a small village in Portugal, and bought me a set of play pots and pans.  

I still remember it as if it was today.  They came in a big transparent bag, with a knot at the top, and I proudly carried it all the way home.  I wouldn't let my grandmother carry it, I was so proud of that set, that I wanted it all to myself.  Hahahah

When we got back home, my great grandmother was sitting at the kitchen table peeling potatoes, for lunch.  I sat at her feet, pulled out one of the pots, and asked her if I could cook too.  She passed me a small peeled potato, which I asked her to chop into small pieces and she obliged with a smile on her face.  I popped it in the pot, added water and salt and pepper and said I was going to make a soup.  She just smiled through it all, encouraging me.

So, as you can see, cooking has been ingrained in my soul since a very young age, and I think that's why to this day I absolutely adore being in the kitchen cooking for the family. 

So come into my kitchen with me.  I had my family over this weekend, and I decided to surprise them with some Portuguese desserts.  The first is for Bolas de Berlim, which if I were to translate would be Balls from Berlin.  Not exactly a great name, but it apparently was brought over to Portugal by German Jews fleeing World War II, and since Portugal was a neutral country, a lot of Jewish people immigrated there.  

 

Anyway, these fried donuts, filled with a delicious egg cream, are typically sold not only in bakeries throughout Portugal, but you will find them all over the beaches during the summer.  They are very reminiscent of our childhood in Portugal and one of our favorite desserts.  They do take time to make, and of course since they're fried and full of sugar, it's not something I make very often at all.  

 

I think the last time I made them was years ago.

 

So before I got to work on those, I quickly got dinner in the crockpot, so I wouldn't have to worry about it.

Then I got to work, and oh my word, the result were delicious perfect looking Bolas de Berlim, which my stepmother actually thought were bought at a bakery.  What a blessing and a wonderful compliment to me!

I may have a recipe on the food blog already, I'm not sure, I will check and if I do I will leave it linked here for you, but if not, then I'll be sure to get these on the blog this week.

They take some effort but are well worth it.

The recipe called for 12 but I actually ended up with 28 because I made them a bit smaller and doubled the recipe.  We have a big family of 16, so always need to make more.

The recipe I just linked for you above is not the recipe I used, this one came from an old Portuguese cooking magazine which I have collected for many years.  Teleculinaria!

Gorgeous!!!  (although I will say, I am regretting eating 2 of these, because I'm still paying for it today and that was Saturday that we had the family over lol)

I also made another Portuguese dessert which is kind of like the Portuguese Cookie Cake which I've shared here before.  You can find the recipe here if you want to make it, and I do suggest you give it a try because it's delicious.

This one however, is made the same way, but instead of a buttercream filling, it is layered with whipped cream that is mixed with pineapple jello and pineapple chunks.  It is so refreshing and easy to make and yummy too.  

I don't have this recipe on the blog yet, so this one will be going up very soon.

I ended my day in the kitchen, with a yummy dinner of Coney Island Hotdogs, and two amazing desserts to serve to the family.

They were a hit, and nothing was left, not a crumb.  

There is a pleasure that comes from serving your family, and seeing everyone enjoy your food.  It's a blessing for sure.

Thank you for joining me in my kitchen.  I hope you all have a blessed Wednesday.  Take care friends ♥