Oi, Gente! We're officially in that part of winter where it's just... cold and gross... ugh... But that's when Brazilian stews really shine. They're warming, comforting, and exactly what January needs. Here are two I've been thinking about this week: Ensopado de Frango This Brazilian Chicken Stew is super simple, super comforting, and no fancy ingredients required. It's chicken thighs and drumsticks in a luscious broth with potatoes and veggies. One pot, minimal fuss, and the leftovers are...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Oi, Gente! It's soup season, and since you're a regular here, I know you've got some leftover beans in your freezer. Right? RIGHT? 👀 And if you don't... here's your sign to really turn having beans on hand into a weekly, or bi-weekly habit. It helps so much. Making a pot of beans is one of the steps in my "1-hour weekly prep" (you can watch the video with my "meal prep" strategy here). I love it because, when you've got beans ready to go, weeknight soups like these come together fast. Here's...
21 days ago • 1 min read
Oi, Gente! Happy New Year! ✨ January usually has me setting up those good intentions that come with a fresh start, like... eating better, saving money, cooking simpler things to ease me back into a routine. So this week I want to share with you my go-to recipes that are actually worth keeping in your rotation if those are your goals, too. They're the kind of recipes that make weeknight cooking easier, less expensive and more flavorful. Big Batch Vegetable Proteins My go-to meatless proteins...
28 days ago • 1 min read
Oi, Gente! New Year's Eve is around the corner, and whether you're hosting, bringing drinks somewhere, or just chilling at home, here's the move: make cocktails that don't keep you stuck in the kitchen all night. I'm talking batch drinks, baby. And ones that are so easy to whip up multiples without breaking too much of a sweat. Here are some NYE-perfect choices 🥂 Batida de Café This Brazilian coffee cocktail is creamy, boozy, and caffeinated... basically designed to help sleepy heads stay...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Oi, Gente! Christmas is behind us, and I'm betting a lot of you are feeling that post-holiday cooking hangover. You know the one... where you never want to see another pot or pan again? 😅 I know I'll be living off leftovers and UberEats this weekend while I catch up on all things Stranger Things. But before we fully collapse into couch mode, I wanted to share what ended up being the most popular Christmas recipes this year. These four were THE absolute favorites: Pudim - Brazilian Flan...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Oi, Gente! Do you know what you're making for Christmas yet? Because my menu is still TBD... 😮💨 Over here we keep going back and forth between making something new (my vote) or repeating last year's menu that was a massive hit... and I'm over here like... 😵💫 So here's where I landed: nowhere... I still don't know what I'm making. But I'm not stressing about it. Last year's menu was SO good, and SO easy, that I could literally decide to make it again at the last minute - easy peasy. Last...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Oi, Gente! We're just a couple weeks away from Christmas, and I know you're planning a menu full of delicious stuff... but real talk: did you grab your specialty ingredients yet? I definitely don't want you to be without farofa on Christmas Day because you didn't have cassava flour and it got too late to order. Or scrambling to find batata palha for your salpicão. Or realizing you forgot the cachaça for caipirinhas when everyone's already at your house. All that sounds like a horrible...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Oi, Gente!! Panettone season is officially upon us, which personally makes ME very excited! Maybe you already know this, but panettone is one of the main holiday treats and gifts in Brazilian households. This Italian sweet bread is so central to our Christmas celebrations that it's basically required on every holiday table. Walk into any Brazilian supermarket in December and you'll see walls of them... traditional, chocolate chip, dulce de leche-filled, brigadeiro-stuffed... And they can get...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Oi, Gente! I hope you had the most delicious Thanksgiving, full of good food, good company, and a little bit of rest in between all the cooking. And... I wanted to say I’m grateful for you! Every click, every message, every time you make one of my recipes… it means the world. If you cooked something from the blog or FESTAS yesterday, I hope it turned out amazing and don’t forget to leave a review if you loved it. Your reviews help the blog (and help more people find my food!), and I...
2 months ago • 1 min read