Gallo Pinto

pronounced: Guy-yo pin-toe
- a signature Costa Rican dish... It's quite fantastic!

Ingredients:
3 tbs oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/4 cup onion (chopped)
1/4 red pepper (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
3 tbs Lizano salsa
1/2 bullion cube/packet (chicken flavor)
handful of cilantro (chopped)

Cooked rice (about 3-4 cups)
Cooked black beans (about 3-4 cups)

Directions:
Saute garlic, onion, red pepper, and celery in oil. Add cooked black beans (along with the thick 'juice' that accompanies cooked beans. ie - do not drain). Stir in Lazano Salsa (this may be a problem to find in Canada in regular grocery stores, maybe in the ethnic section??? I heard worcestershire sauce can work as a replacement) and bullion seasoning. Let simmer for a few minutes, but stir often (beans have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan). Add rice and heat through. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Serve with: poached egg, chicken, or sausage.

This dish is most often served at breakfast, but can also be found at the afternoon and/or evening meal.

Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

I enjoyed this dessert at my sister-in-law's this last weekend and promptly asked for the recipe. So delicious!! The guys were sneaking extra pieces while she was out of the room. :)

Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Cake:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves*
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup pure pumpkin

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 15 x 10 pan, line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle clean tea towel with icing sugar. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, salt. Beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake 13-15 minutes or until it springs back when touched lightly. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting at the narrow end.

Filling:

• 1 pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 6 tbsp margarine
• 1 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese, icing sugar, margarine and vanilla until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refridgerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

*I didn't include the ground cloves. If you want an extra tasty dessert, try adding a tsp or so of Epicure's pumpkin spice. Divine!!