If you can't stomach the idea of cooking the same old boring meal yet again, it's time to get creative. Cooking should be fun, after all, and not a chore. A good way to inject something different into mealtimes is to try a couple of Latin American cooking recipes. They don't always require ingredients that you can only find in specialty stores and the dishes are simple to make. Moreover, they're not so exotic that the kids will insist on ordering pizza instead.
When most people think of Latin American food, they think of tacos or burritos. These are Mexican but the region actually has much more to offer in culinary terms. After all, it covers many different countries and landscapes that vary from the highest mountains to sweltering coastal plains. The incredible variety of ingredients has meant that you'll find several distinctly different regional cuisines within the same country.
When the Spanish came to the Americas, they took several New World foods back to Europe, forever changing the way people eat. It's almost impossible to think of what Italians used to eat before they discovered the versatility of the tomato, for instance. Corn is a starch from Central America that quickly spread to the rest of the world but is still a staple in its region of origin too. It's used to make tortillas, tamales, pupusas and many other dishes.
Corn is not the only starch used in Latin America. In the Caribbean and more tropical regions, you'll find manioc and versatile plantains everywhere. Potatoes are popular too, since they originated in the Andean region. Rice dishes are found throughout and rice is often mixed with beans. In fact, rice and beans is a filling breakfast staple in many countries. Vegetables include carrots, green beans, tomatoes and onions, as well as a variety of squashes.
The meat of choice for many is pork, unless you're on the plains of Argentina or Paraguay, where you'll be served mountains of beef grilled to perfection. Chicken is eaten everywhere as well. Coastal communities, as well as those who live along large rivers or on the shores of lakes, often eat fish and other types of seafood and a refreshing dish is ceviche, which originally came from Peru.
There's nothing like something sweet to end a good meal. Desserts that are eaten almost everywhere, with slight regional differences in their preparation, include tres leches cake, flan and a caramel spread known as dulce de leche. For certain religious festivals you'll also find special desserts and cakes.
One of the greatest things about the region is the variety of delicious fruits to be found here. These make for a healthy, nutritious snack. They're also very tasty when blended into drinks similar to smoothies. In some areas, people make tasty, creamy drinks by using corn or rice as well. Rum is a popular alcoholic drink.
Food websites are great places to look for recipes from Latin America. Another option is to find specialty recipe books. A fun way to learn how to cook like a true Latina, though, is to visit the region and enroll in some cookery classes.
When most people think of Latin American food, they think of tacos or burritos. These are Mexican but the region actually has much more to offer in culinary terms. After all, it covers many different countries and landscapes that vary from the highest mountains to sweltering coastal plains. The incredible variety of ingredients has meant that you'll find several distinctly different regional cuisines within the same country.
When the Spanish came to the Americas, they took several New World foods back to Europe, forever changing the way people eat. It's almost impossible to think of what Italians used to eat before they discovered the versatility of the tomato, for instance. Corn is a starch from Central America that quickly spread to the rest of the world but is still a staple in its region of origin too. It's used to make tortillas, tamales, pupusas and many other dishes.
Corn is not the only starch used in Latin America. In the Caribbean and more tropical regions, you'll find manioc and versatile plantains everywhere. Potatoes are popular too, since they originated in the Andean region. Rice dishes are found throughout and rice is often mixed with beans. In fact, rice and beans is a filling breakfast staple in many countries. Vegetables include carrots, green beans, tomatoes and onions, as well as a variety of squashes.
The meat of choice for many is pork, unless you're on the plains of Argentina or Paraguay, where you'll be served mountains of beef grilled to perfection. Chicken is eaten everywhere as well. Coastal communities, as well as those who live along large rivers or on the shores of lakes, often eat fish and other types of seafood and a refreshing dish is ceviche, which originally came from Peru.
There's nothing like something sweet to end a good meal. Desserts that are eaten almost everywhere, with slight regional differences in their preparation, include tres leches cake, flan and a caramel spread known as dulce de leche. For certain religious festivals you'll also find special desserts and cakes.
One of the greatest things about the region is the variety of delicious fruits to be found here. These make for a healthy, nutritious snack. They're also very tasty when blended into drinks similar to smoothies. In some areas, people make tasty, creamy drinks by using corn or rice as well. Rum is a popular alcoholic drink.
Food websites are great places to look for recipes from Latin America. Another option is to find specialty recipe books. A fun way to learn how to cook like a true Latina, though, is to visit the region and enroll in some cookery classes.
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