Limonada (Limeade)

This stuff is amazing! Andy had been looking for an authentic recipe for years, and we finally found this one that is just like he remembers from his mission in Brazil. We served it once when the missionaries were over for dinner, and they asked for the recipe. Later we found out they made it every day! I don't usually drink juice, but this is way too yummy to resist. :)

2 limes

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 3 cups water
• ice cubes (for each cup)
• 
  
• Wash limes thoroughly. Cut off the ends and slice into eight wedges. Place limes in a blender with the sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and water. Blend, pulsing 5 times. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove rinds. Serve over ice (-let it sit a minute or two to cool off before drinking).

Muito gostoso! 

From allrecipes.com

Brigadeirão

This is a yummy cake-like Brazilian dessert. Recipe from the mother of Andy's Brazilian coworker, Gustavo.

2 T butter

3 eggs
2 T sugar
1 cup cocoa
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can of cream (3/4 cup normal cream)

Blend eggs and butter. Add everything else and blend. Pour into well-greased and sugar-dusted microwave safe bowl. Microwave 8 to 11 minutes or until set and edges begin to pull away. Chill before serving.

You can place a greased cup in the middle to create a bundt-like effect. After cooking, remove the cup and invert the Brigadeirão onto a serving platter.

Brigadeiro

Brigadeiro is a traditional Brazilian birthday treat. It tastes like chocolate caramel. Yum! (not to be confused with Brigadeirão). Recipe from the mother of Andy's Brazilian coworker, Gustavo.

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 T butter
3 T cocoa

Mix everything and put into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes, stir. Repeat until it becomes thick, smooth, and creamy.

Eat with a spoon or form into balls and roll in chocolate sprinkles.

Pão de Queijo

“Pão de queijo” is typical Brazilian and it’s a delicious snack, which can be found at every bread store in Brazil.

1 cup water

1 cup milk

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 package tapioca starch (450 g)

3 eggs

200 grams grated parmesan cheese

Bring to boil in a big pan the water, the milk, the oil and the salt. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tapioca starch. Mix well with a wooden spoon and let it cool down.

P ut the mixture in a bowl, add the eggs and knead well. Add the grated cheese and keep kneading until the dough is smooth. Roll 1 tablespoon of mixture into small balls. Tip: Grease your hands with oil before making the balls. Wash your hands once in a while if necessary.

Place the balls on a baking tray greased with oil or lined with baking paper. Bake the cheese rolls in hot oven (350 degrees) for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes:

• This recipe makes about 70 small cheese rolls.
  

• Tapioca starch can be found in Asian grocery stores. It comes in a clear plastic bag, or a white paper bag, and the standard pack has either 400 or 450 grams.

• Brazilians usually knead the dough by hand, but it is easier to use a mixer to knead the dough.

• Formed “Pão de queijo” can be frozen and baked directly from the freezer. Place the cheese rolls on a tray lined with baking paper. Put the tray in the freezer. When the cheese rolls are frozen, put them in a plastic bag and put them back in the freezer. It works great to freeze "pão de queijo", but cooking time will be approximately double.

Feijoada

This is like the Brazilian version of spaghetti in that every cook has their own spin on it. Andy learned how to make this from a lady in one of his areas in Brazil. Feijoada was originally a slave food made from the leftover pieces of pig that the rich didn't want. This is the "light" version without pig ears, etc. :)

1 link mild Italian sausage (can use more)

1 lb pork (tenderloin, shoulder, etc), cubed

some slices of bacon

3-4 cans black beans or 2 cups dried beans

2 T vegetable oil

salt (or Tempero Completo if you have it!)

minced garlic (2-3 cloves), chopped onions (probably about 1 medium onion), bay leaves (2-3) (We don't measure these ingredients...)

Brazilian method (Pressure cooker):
 Heat oil in pressure cooker. Fry onions and garlic in oil, then add bacon, pork, and sausage until browned. Add dry beans, bay leaves, and salt. Add water to 1½ to 2 inches above the rest of the food. Bring to to pressure according to pressure cooker instructions and cook on low or medium low (the pressure cooker should just barely be steaming) for 50-60 minutes or until beans are soft. Serve over rice.


Brazilian Rice: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, fry some chopped onion and garlic in oil in a large pan with lid. Add rice and salt (to taste) and fry rice with garlic and onion until rice turns goldenish. Pour boiling water into pan with rice; cover and cook on low for 15-20 minutes or until rice is done.

Americanized (canned beans) method: (we've actually never made it this way, pressure cooker all the way baby! but go for it, it should work great!)

Add canned black beans to a medium sized pot with oil, salt, garlic, onions, and about 6 bay leaves. Cook for about 15 minutes on medium heat and set aside.

In a separate pan, cook cubes of pork and slices of bacon with salt and garlic. Add the sausage and stir over medium heat until all the water is gone.

Add the cooked meat to the pan with the black beans. Cook for 10 minutes or longer to let the flavors blend. Serve over white rice.