Bread Machine Pizza Dough / Pizza Bites

When we purchased our bread machine I thought it was just going to be an easy way to have homemade bread. Instead, it has proven to be a way to quickly mix up a variety of things. I like to keep a supply of pizza dough in the fridge for when we need something that doesn't take too long to make for dinner, but making homemade pizza dough can be a fairly tedious process. You have to mix the ingredients, knead the dough, and wait for the dough to rise. Using the bread machine streamlines the process nicely. You just add the ingredients and enter the correct settings.

I love these pizza bites because they are quick and simple. My niece loves them, and if you can get her to eat something I think any picky eater will approve. I like to change up the filling in these. Sometimes I do pepperoni and cheese, sometimes just cheese, and sometimes I like to put some chourico and cheese.

Azorean Fried Beans / Acoreano Feijao Frito

I guess you could say that I'm a Portuguese mutt: half my relatives are from the Azores and the other half are from the continental part of Portugal.  The Azores and the continent are both part of Portugal, but they definitely have unique cultures. My mother is from the continent, but she took the fairly common Azorean dish of fried beans and adapted it. The result is this delicious recipe, the best of both Portuguese worlds. The best part is that these beans are very versatile. They are great served by themselves with a side of rice, or made into a sandwich (in a papo seco of course).

Vegetable Soup/Sopa de vegetais

I’m not a big fan of soup, but on cold days during the winter in New England this soup was always great for warming up.  It's not so cold down south, but sometimes you just need a nice warm soup for dinner. This soup is great because it has a lot of flavors. The broth is tangy, you get some meatiness from the hamburger, and a burst of sweetness from the corn. I like to enjoy a ground chourico sandwich, kind of like a Portuguese tomato soup with grilled cheese. It could even be good enough to make a fan out of the non-soup lovers out there.

Portuguese Chicken With Spaghetti / Espaguete Com Galinha

This is another dish that makes frequent appearances at the dinner table, particularly because it has been successful with the little picky eaters in the family.  This recipe is different from some of the other  Portuguese chicken with spaghetti recipes out there because it includes potatoes (we like our potatoes) and carrots. If you wanted to change this up you could add other vegetables or some sliced chourico. Of course, I would serve it with a roll for dunking.

Portuguese Beef Stew (Carne Guisada)

This beef stew has made regular appearances at the dinner table for as long as I can remember. It is an adaptation of the Portuguese carne guisada. It has some additions such as the pasta and the vegetables that are not commonly found in a traditional carne guisada, but make it a heartier meal. This is a great stew; broth is slightly spicy, the potatoes fall apart when you poke them with a fork and the meat is tender. This is a great dish on a chilly day in the winter or on any day that you just want a fairly quick but filling meal. I suggest serving the dish with a piece of bread for dunking in the broth.