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by 4 Comments

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Nachos

nachos sweet potato black beans close up shot

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

I love black beans. I mean love love love black beans. I mean if I could have them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner I would. Beans, beans, good for your heart...the more you eat, the more you...well, you know. My love for black beans is strong. My daughter loves back beans too. My hubby...well he claims he is allergic so black beans petty much are non-existent in my kitchen. Bummer.

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by 8 Comments

Turtle Coffee Recipe

This Turtle Coffee Recipe is a delicious sweet treat. Have it for breakfast or as an after dinner dessert. 

coffee in front of coffee machine

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

The best part of waking up is coffee in my cup! Yes, I sang that while I typed it. I gave up coffee for Lent and I am proud to announce that I made it 🙂 It was not as easy as I thought it would be. There were many days I wanted to cheat. I think I even cried one morning. Oh the struggle was real.

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by 16 Comments

Jamaican Spice Bun

This Jamaican Spice Bun is usually served with cheese and served during the Easter holiday. I eat it year round, don't judge me. It's a delicious bread recipe that is a part of the Jamaican Culture and can easily be made at home.

spice bun on cooling rack cut in half

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

Any Jamaican will let you know that it is a must to eat "Bun & Cheese" for Easter. Growing up, it was a must for me to eat Bun & Cheese every time I visited the Jamaican bakery.

This homemade version is easy to make and is quite delicious. I like to slice it up and place slices of sharp cheddar cheese on it.

How to Make Jamaican Spice Bun

Gather all your ingredients.

ingredients for jamaican spice bun

Soak the dry fruits in the beer to hydrate them. I do this for about 30 minutes.

dried fruits soaking in beer
 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a standard 8x4 loaf pan. Set aside.

Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

dry spices in a bowl with wooden spoon sticking out

In another bowl, combine brown sugar, egg, milk, honey, melted butter, molasses, browning, vanilla extract, and the beer that's soaking the fruit. Do not pour the fruit in at this time, just the beer. Mix to combine.

jamaican spice bun wet ingredients

Remove 2 tablespoon of flour from the flour mixture and pour over the fruits and toss until they are covered.

Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and mix in the wet ingredients, stirring until combined.

collage of dry and wet mixture being combined

Then add the fruits to this mixture and stir until incorporated.

batter with fruits added

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake on the middle rack in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick entered in the middle comes out clean.

collage of batter in loaf pan unbaked and then baked

Allow bread to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then finish cooling on a cooling rack. Serve with cheddar cheese.

spice bun on cooling rack

How to Store Jamaican Bun and Cheese

Store the bread in an airtight container. It will last for 2 days on the countertop or up to 5 days in the fridge.

Notes on Jamaican Bun and Cheese

  • I use Red Stripe beer in this recipe.
  • You'll want to hydrate the dried fruits before adding them to the batter. It helps keep the bread nice and moist.
  • Tossing the fruits in a little flour before adding it to the batter allows the fruit to distribute evenly in the bread and they won't sink to the bottom.
sliced spiced bun with cheese in the middle

I hope you like this Jamaican spice bun as much as we do. If you're looking for more Jamaican baked goods, check out my hard dough bread recipe.

finished photo of spice bun
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Jamaican Spice Bun Recipe

This Jamaican Spice Bun Recipe is delicious and a traditional bread served in Jamaica for Easter. 
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Caribbean
Keyword: jamaican spice bun
Servings: 8
Calories: 407kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Ingredients

  • 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour 380g
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder 9g
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 5g
  • ½ teaspoon salt 1.5g
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar 156g
  • 1 cup beer 250g
  • ⅓ cup milk 85g
  • ¼ cup honey 85g
  • 4 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted 53g
  • 1 Tablespoon molasses 18g
  • 1 teaspoon browning 6g
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4g
  • ½ cup dried craisins 62g
  • ½ cup raisins 62g
  • ½ cup dried cherries 62g

Instructions

  • Soak the craisins, raisins, and cherries in the 1 cup of beer. Set aside and allow to soak for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8x4 loaf pan. Set aside.
  • Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, in a large bowl and set aside.
  • In another bowl, combine brown sugar, egg, milk, honey, melted butter, molasses, browning, vanilla extract, and the beer that’s soaking the fruit. Do not pour the fruit in at this time, just the beer. Mix to combine.
  • Remove 2 tablespoon of flour from the flour mixture and toss the fruit in it. Set aside.
  • Make a well in the middle of the bowl of dry ingredients and pour in wet mixture, stirring until fully combined. And the fruits to the mixture and stir until incpororated.
  • Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Serve with slices of cheddar cheese.

Notes

  • I use Red Stripe beer in this recipe. 
  • You should hydrate the dried fruits before adding them to the batter. This helps keep the bread nice and moist.
  • Tossing the fruits in a little flour before adding them to the batter allows the fruit to distribute evenly in the bread and not sink to the bottom.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 223mg | Potassium: 325mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 492IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 3mg





*Adapted from Tanya's Jamaican Spice Bread. Funny how this Tanya and I share the same name 🙂
 by  16 Comments 
Corned Beef and Cabbage - Jamaican Style


This quick and easy Jamaican-style Corned Beef & Cabbage is our go-to recipe for busy weeknights. It's a flavorful and fast take on a traditional dish.





corned beef and cabbage in white bowl





You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!





Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe, just in time for St. Patrick's Day. When I think of St. Patrick's Day, I think of the color green, the movie Leprechaun in the Hood, beer, and, of course, Corned Beef and Cabbage. 





Growing up in a Jamaican household, this was a frequent dinner option that I loved, and still do. So when anyone talks about corned beef and cabbage, all I can think of is the Jamaican version, also sometimes called "bully beef."





So, what sets Jamaican Corned Beef and Cabbage apart? The use of canned meat, of course!





First, let's do some mise en place (I love that word!) – get all your ingredients ready for cooking, because this is a quick recipe. 





Ingredients Needed





Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.





    

  • Green Cabbage: you will need ½ of a medium head of green cabbage that has been shredded with a knife.
    • 




  • Green bell pepper, yellow onion, garlic, Roma tomatoes, thyme.
    • 




  • Seasonings: Ketchup, ground black pepper, scotch bonnet pepper sauce (or any other hot sauce)
    • 






How to make Jamaican Corned Beef and Cabbage





Shred half a medium-sized cabbage into medium-sized shreds, chop 1 green pepper, chop 1 medium-sized onion, mince 2 cloves garlic, and chop 2 roma tomatoes.





Next, you will heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. I did this in a "Dutch pot." OMG, how cool is it that I own a Dutch pot?! I got this from my dear mother, and I barely use it, so I get excited every time I whip it out.






dutch oven pot on stove






Look, how cool 🙂





Once your oil is heated, sauté green peppers and onions for about 3 minutes, or until softened.






green bell pepper and onions in dutch pot with wooden spatula sticking out






Next, add the garlic and stir for about a minute more. After the garlic has cooked, add your shredded cabbage to the skillet (or Dutch pot) and continuously stir for about 3 minutes, allowing the cabbage to soften but not get too mushy. Add your Roma tomatoes and 2 springs of thyme.  





Now comes the fun part: adding your corned beef!






close up photo of canned corned beef






Opening a can of corned beef is an interesting adventure in itself! There's this weird key on the side that you turn to get it open. The can has directions, but it definitely took me a while to get the hang of it.





Once you've added your corned beef, break it up in the pot and stir it well with the other ingredients.






dutch pot with corn beef on top of cabbage and peppers







cabbage and corned beef mixed up in pot






Looks delicious, right?! Well, you're not done yet. 





Add 1 tablespoon of ketchup (yes, ketchup on corned beef!) and stir. An optional but highly recommended ingredient is "hot peppa" sauce, also known as scotch bonnet sauce. 






bottle of scotch bonnet pepper in front of microwave






Reduce the heat to medium and let everything cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the corned beef is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, but go easy on the salt since corned beef is already pretty salty.





And there you have it – corned beef and cabbage, Jamaican style! I like to serve mine over plain white rice or pile it high on bread for a delicious sandwich. Yum!





FAQs




What is hot peppa sauce? 
This sauce is made from scotch bonnet peppers, which can be hard to find fresh where I live, so the sauce is a great substitute. You can usually find it in any international supermarket. Just a heads up, it's delicious but spicy! I added only ½ teaspoon to this dish to keep it kid-friendly.
 
 




Looking for more Jamaican recipes? Try these out...









corned beef and cabbage on the side





I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! Your feedback is invaluable and helps us grow. Thank you for your support!





	
corned beef and cabbage on the side

	

	 Print Recipe
	
	
5 from 10 votes




Corned Beef and Cabbage – Jamaican Style




This quick and easy Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe, Jamaican style, is our go to recipe for busy weeknights. It’s a flavorful and quick traditional recipe.




Prep Time10 minutes 
Cook Time10 minutes 
Total Time20 minutes 




Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Caribbean
Keyword: jamaican corned beef and cabbage, jamaican style corned beef and cabbage


Servings: 4 people


Calories: 89kcal


Author: Tanya Harris




Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ medium sized cabbage shredded
  • 1 green pepper chopped
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 12 oz tin of corned beef
  • 2 Roma tomatoes chopped
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 Tablespoon ketchup
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon scotch bonnet pepper sauce optional
  • salt and pepper to taste


Instructions
  • Heat olive oil in a skillet or Dutch pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and green pepper and sauté for about 3-5 minutes.
  • Add garlic and stir for about 1 minute.
  • Add shredded cabbage and stir. Cook for about about 3-5 minutes, stirring often until softened.
  • Add corned beef, Roma tomatoes, and thyme and stir. Add ketchup and scotch bonnet pepper sauce and stir. Reduce heat and cook on medium for about 3-5 minutes, until the corned beef is heated through. Remove from heat.
  • Serve with white rice, bread, or on its own.


Video


Notes
Green cabbage is typically used with this recipe. You could use savoy cabbage as a substitute. 


Nutrition
Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 382mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 526IU | Vitamin C: 74mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg





Pinterest image for corned beef and cabbage


 by  1 Comment 
Balsamic Shrimp and Sausage Skillet Dinner


This Balsamic Shrimp and Sausage Dinner is a flavorful weeknight meal that can be on your dinner table in less than 20 minutes. 





shrimp and peppers in a skillet





This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here. This post was updated on 9/3/18 with photos, video, and additional helpful information. 





Who doesn't love shrimp? Can you believe that there are people in this world who just don't like shrimp. It shocked me too. I don't understand why because shrimp is so delicious. Maybe because of the rumor that they are considered insects of the sea. Insect or not, shrimp is always a go to for me for a quick dinner meal. I could honestly go on and on about how great shrimp is (hehe, Forest Gump) but I'd rather get into this amazing recipe.





balsamic shrimp and sausage dinner in skillet





Balsamic Sausage Shrimp was created on a school night and a night that I was completely exhausted. I needed a quick meal and I wanted to make sure we got a good mix of veggies in the meal. The best way to do that is a skillet meal, yum yum. Side note, I hate calling this a skillet meal because I made it in my Dutch Oven, not my skillet. , after staring in the fridge in hopes that something would jump on the stove and cook itself, I decided to throw this recipe together.





How to make Balsamic Shrimp and Sausage Skillet Dinner





First, lay out all your ingredients. This is known as Mise en Place. I always pronounce it wrong but they say it on Food Network quite often. This makes cooking any dish so much easier. Who wants to be chopping an onion while the oil in the pot begins to burn. Have all your onions and peppers chopped and prepped before the stove burner even turns on. LESSON.





ingredients for balsamic shrimp and sausage skillet dinner





So this may not be the best of the best photo of my layout but it's the only photo I had the energy to take. Oh yea, my onions and garlic are missing in the photo and this recipe does not call for wine...but I sure did drink some while I cooked, hehe. I also love to watch tv on my tablet while I cook. Is there any other way to cook? I say no, the mindless tv shows must be playing while you cook. Any other cooks watch tv while the sauté?





Prepping Your Ingredients





Once you have gathered all your ingredients, you are going to julienne 1 medium sized onion and 1 green pepper. Mince 1 garlic clove or you can use the minced jar garlic. (Fresh garlic is much better but this does just fine). You will then want to chop your sausage, I used half of one of those sausage packs so about 7 ounces, and peel and devein about 6 large jumbo shrimp.





balsamic shrimp and sausage in a skillet





Oh yeah, my sausage. I chose a Pecan Smoked Andouille sausage because it was on sale. So glad I made this choice, it's sooo delicious.





First, Heat 2 TBS of olive oil over medium highish heat in a medium sized skillet, or Dutch oven, whichever you prefer or have available. Sautè the onions and peppers in oil until softened, around 5 minutes. Once softened, add garlic and sauté for about another minute.





peppers and onions in a skillet





Then, measure out and have the following ingredients ready: ½ teaspoon dry basil, ½ teaspoon dry oregano, ¼ teaspoon dry thyme, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, ¼ cup chicken broth, and 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar.





balsamic shrimp and sausage ingredients in a skillet





Next, add your sausages and shrimp to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. At this time, your shrimp should start turning pink and the sausage should be warming up. Next, add your basil, oregano, thyme, brown sugar, chicken broth, and balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Heat for about another 5 minutes until everything is cooked through and looks like this.





finished balsamic shrimp and sausage dinner





Season to taste with salt and pepper. 





What to Serve with Balsamic Shrimp and Sausage Skillet Dinner





Serve this Balsamic Sausage Shrimp with white rice, brown rice, or pasta for a balsamic sausage pasta and enjoy 🙂 





This dish is also great for meal prep and lunches. 





Looking for more quick skillet meals? Try my Zucchini Mushroom Chicken





finished balsamic and sausage dish





Enjoyed this Recipe? Consider Sharing by Pinning 🙂





Click here to Pin for Later




 


	

		
		


			
			

				


			Yield: 4 people
	
			
Balsamic Shrimp and Sausage Skillet

	




	balsamic shrimp and sausage dinner in skillet	




		

			
This Quick and Easy Balsamic Shrimp and Sausage Skillet Dinner is a fast, easy, and delicious dinner option for many families. Make it in less than 20 minutes. It's perfect for busy weeknights. 

		

				


			



			

						Prep Time
			5 minutes 
					

			

						Cook Time
			10 minutes 
					

			

						Total Time
			15 minutes 
					

	



	

		
Ingredients


								

									

						

						
					

								
    
											
  • 
							2 tablespoon olive oil						
    • 
												
  • 
							1 onion, julliened						
    • 
												
  • 
							1 green pepper, jullienned						
    • 
												
  • 
							1 garlic clove, minced						
    • 
												
  • 
							6-8 jumbo shrimp, peeled and devined						
    • 
												
  • 
							7 oz Pecan smoked Andoullie sausage						
    • 
												
  • 
							½ teaspoon dry basil						
    • 
												
  • 
							½ teaspoon oregano						
    • 
												
  • 
							½ teaspoon thyme						
    • 
												
  • 
							¼ cup chicken broth						
    • 
												
  • 
							3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar						
    • 
												
  • 
							1 teaspoon brown sugar						
    • 
										

			

				

		

		

		
Instructions

		
  1. Sautè onions and peppers in 2 TBS oil of medium high heat until softened, about 5 minutes. 
  2. Add minced garlic and stir, cook for about 1 minute.
  3. Add sausage and shrimp. Cook for about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, making sure your shrimp is cooked through.
	

	

		
Notes

		

			
Suggested Tools for Balsamic Shrimp and Sausage

		

	

	

		
	

	

	

		
Nutrition Information:


					
Yield:
 4
		
					
Serving Size:
 1 grams
		
		
Amount Per Serving:

		Calories: 126Unsaturated Fat: 0g	


			
Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.

	





		


		

			



			
© Tanya
	
	


					
				
					Cuisine:
				
				american			
							/
					
					Category: Main Course
		
	


	


		


		
				

		
	


	
 by  11 Comments 
Fried Catfish...Yummy Yums


Fried Catfish is a traditional southern recipe that I have learned to love. A cornmeal breading fried to a perfect golden brown make this recipe a real treat.





Fried Catfish on a plate with lemon slices





This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.





You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!





 Fried Catfish





I have been craving Catfish for a whole week. I can't explain why because I'm not the biggest fan of Catfish. I'm also not the biggest fan of fried foods. Either way, I was determined to buy and fry some Catfish.

My first task was to actually find Catfish. First, I strolled through the aisles of my local supermarket expecting to find either frozen or fresh Catfish. I found none. I do wonder why Catfish isn't as popular as other brands of fish. Then again, Catfish are ugly so that may explain it. I then hopped over to my local Walmart (since Walmart has everything) in hopes of finding some frozen Catfish fillets. I found some!!! Right in the frozen section next to the Tilapia!!! I chose not to buy it. It was at that moment I decided maybe I should try and buy fresh Catfish. I live in a city with ample fresh fish markets. So after the realization that I wasted my time and gas travelling to the supermarket and Walmart, I headed over to my closest local fresh fish market. This is where I purchased my Catfish. They skinned it, filleted it, and boned it while I sat in the market embracing the smell of fresh fish.





Once I made it home, I began the process of prepping my Catfish. First, I soaked it in milk. Why? Because the internet told me so, that's why.












Then, I covered it and slipped them in the refrigerator around noon.





When dinner time rolled around (7pm in our house), the fun started. First, I prepped my deep fryer. Oh my deep fryer. I love it. It's one of those fancy ones I invested in that drains the oil once frying is done. I poured the oil in my deep fryer and let that oil reach to around 350 degrees. My fancy deep fryer indicates when my oil is ready (Another reason I love my fancy deep fryer.)





Then I pre-heated my oven to 225 degrees. You will see why later.





While my deep fryer was getting hot, I prepared my Catfish making station. In one dish, I poured about ½ cup of Hot Sauce (I use Franks).





hot sauce in white plate





Next, I combined my breading mixture in a shallow dish; ¾ cups very fine cornmeal, ½ cup flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, and ½ teaspoon paprika. After mixing, it looked like this.





breading in dish for catfish





Then I was ready to fry. I like to place my deep fryer basket in the oil before I place my food in. A trick I learned from my hubby. That way your food won't stick to the basket.





I took my catfish fillets out of the milk. Then I drank the milk because I was thirsty. Jokes!!!! I threw the milk away. THROW THE MILK AWAY. Don't drink it, don't eat a bowl of cereal with it, throw it out, it's just nasty to drink fish milk.





Then I dipped my fillets in the hot sauce, coating both sides. Then I dipped fillets in breading mixture, coating both sides, and then slowly place them in the fryer. I was able to fit about 2 fillets in the fryer at a time.












I fried them fillets for about four minutes, until they were golden brown and floating nicely at the top.





I removed the catfish and placed them on a baking sheet and placed them in my pre-heated oven to keep them nice, warm, and crunchy. I then repeated with other pieces.





And then there was this





catfish on plate with lemon





	

	

	 Print Recipe
	
	
5 from 1 vote




Fried Catfish…Yummy Yums













Author: Tanya Harris




Ingredients
  • 1 lb Catfish filleted with skin removed
  • 1.5 cups milk
  • ½ cup hot sauce
  • ¾ cup very fine cornmeal
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • oil for deep frying


Instructions
  • Soak catfish in milk for at least an hour.
  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
  • Heat oil in a deep fryer, enough to cover the fish or whatever your deep fryer suggest, to 350 degrees.
  • Place hot sauce in shallow dish.
  • In another shallow dish, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, black pepper, old bay seasoning, and paprika.
  • Remove catfish from milk and coat in hot sauce. Then coat fish in breading mixture and fry to golden brown, about 4 minutes. Fry 2 fillets at a time.
  • Place fillets in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining pieces.








Pin Fried Catfish for Later





fried-catfish pinterest image