Class Recipes 

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• Once you've finished rolling the lumpia you can start frying the lumpia right away in a shallow fry, or you can freeze the rolls and save them for a snack later!

A Step-By-Step Guide to Banana Bread 

by Morgan Rodriguez

That's how to make the 3-Step Process  Banana Bread. When asked on her reasoning for said recipe, Fatima replied:

"It's a comfort food, I make banana bread because it brings me comfort. During Covid, it was nice to have something sweet in the mornings, and I always had extra banana's. So I began making banana bread, my grandchild really likes it so I think it's something of a new tradition for my family. Now that I'm a grandma I make banana bread."

Recipe:

Filling

1. Prepare the yellow Mung beans by draining and then replacing with hot water twice over the course of two hours.

2. Cook the yellow Mung Beans using a steamer (Its best if you use medium heat) for around 25 minutes.

3. Combine all of the filling ingredients together

Outer Shell

1. Pour ½ of water into the a big bowl and mix with the sugar and salts

2. Add the remaining ingredients, rest the dough for a minimum of 2 hours. For the best results 8 hours.

Shaping the Sesame Ball

1. Flatten out a disk of the dough and add a ball of yellow Mung bean filling. (Make sure the dough can wrap around the yellow Mung bean filling) (Don’t make it too big because the Sesame Balls expand)

2. Slightly roll in your hands to make a ball shape and then roll in a bowl of sesame seeds to coat thoroughly.(Make sure there is no yellow mung bean filling outside only the dough should be outside).

Frying the Sesame Balls

1. Heat a heavy pot with neutral cooking oil to around 285 F and deep fry the Sesame balls (Make sure you are stirring the Sesame balls around because if not they would burn, if stirred too hard the Sesame balls would break), each of the batches take around 11 minutes to cook.

During the holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas, my family would always get together, and I mean all of my family. In total, there were around 15 of us at the table having a great time. My Abuelita and my Tias would always prepare the main food, leaving the dessert for my Abuelo and I to make! We would make it outside together while enjoying the stars of the night and each others company. The dessert is called Buñuelos. That time together is very important to me because now most of my family has moved away, including my Abuelo. I would like to share this recipe in hopes that someone makes it with someone they love dearly, and make more memories. 

Recipe: 

• In a big pot, warm up approximately 2 cups of Corn Oil, but you can really use whatever oil you choose, and keep it on a low heat.

•  While that is warming up, stack your tortillas and cut them into fours, any bigger will be too big and any smaller will be too small.

•  After slicing the tortillas, prepare the sugar coat we all love by simply adding 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of cinnamon to a bowl, and mixing well. 

• Once the oil warms up, start carefully placing the tortilla slices into the pot one by one, until they turn golden brown.

• Carefully take the tortilla slices out and let it cool down for a minute.

• Once that minute has passed, coat the slices in the sugar mix we made earlier, don't put too much or it'll be too sweat.

• After you've coated all the tortilla slices in sugar, you can serve with whatever toppings you'd like! My family used to put Lechera and Strawberries on it, the best!

Thank you for sharing this memory with me, and if you try it out with different toppings, let me know! I would love to know if someone makes these, and the fun they had while doing it. Have a good day Jags!

French Toast Dish by Kayla Garcia

Think of the most anticipated day of the year, the one where countdowns until that single 24 hours begin months before. The one where candy canes and silver lanes are aglow. Yep, Christmas! Many families have their own traditions for this once-a-year holiday, such as a special breakfast the morning of, like my own. There is not much time in the hectic morning before family come over or you go to theirs’ to make an elaborate meal full of hot, fresh, food. Including the messy clean up, Christmas morning isn’t going to be as holly-jolly as it can be now, can it? That is why the French Toast Casserole dish is a perfect Christmas morning breakfast. It's sweet, easy-to-make (and clean!), minimal ingredients, cooks in the oven, and feeds plenty!

Once we wake up in our new pajamas that were opened the night before (our first Christmas present), we go out into the living room, brew some coffee for the parents, and open the beautiful presents stored under the fresh tree. During this time you work up an appetite, but why wait for long after these special moments to eat? The dish can bake while you do so and only takes 35 minutes to do so. Prepared the night before, the eight ingredients soak together and are baked whenever you want the next morning, just as my mom would for several Christmases in the past.

Recipe:

Prep tip: leave out cream cheese and butter for 15 minutes to soften.

• Take a 9x13 casserole dish and loaf of French bread to start. Tear the entire loaf into about 1 inch pieces and cover the bottom of the tray evenly.

• In a saucepan, heat butter, cream cheese, and half & half, on medium heat until the butter is melted and the syrup is smooth. The cream cheese will not be completely melted. About 10 minutes.

• Pour syrup mixture on top of bread evenly, making sure to reach the corners, as well.

• In a separate bowl, beat eggs with half & half until yolks are broken and it is a pale yellow mix. The texture should be a thick cream. Pour like the previous mixture over bread.

• Next, sprinkle the desired amount of brown sugar and cinnamon overtop. Approximately 2-3 tablespoons of loose brown sugar and 3 teaspoons of cinnamon is recommended.

• Cover the tray with aluminum foil and leave in the fridge until ready to cook.

• Once ready to cook, keep foil over it and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Should be soft but a darker brown.

Let it settle and enjoy! Best served warm with maple syrup.

I will always look back to this recipe and think of those early mornings of excitement with the smell of fresh delight coming from the oven, just enjoying the moment I had with my family, wishing it was to stay forever. None of this was ever perfect, of course, but close enough. The more time spent with the family, the better, and this dish is able to connect one and all to something special to start off the joyous day.

"Face Cakes" by Dani Jackman

I don't like cooking. It brings me no joy to prepare a meal, so when brainstorming food traditions in my family, I simply blanked. I had no desire to cook or bake and the only thing I could think of was our birthday "Face Cakes." Face Cakes started a couple of years ago when my mother attempted to make a cake with some resemblance to my little brother for his birthday. The result? Something horrifying. The decor was uncanny; his skin frosting was red, his eyes were huge, and his hair was large and unruly (though accurate if you ask me). But for all its ugliness and hilarity, the Face Cake became a favorite. Now, every birthday, my mother and I attempt a take at Face Cake for the special birthday guy or gal mostly at my request. 

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F

• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt

• Slice the room temp butter into pieces & add to the flour mixture

• Mix on low until the mixture looks something like big crumbs

• Leave the mixer running on low & add the eggs one at a time

• Add the milk & vanilla

• Mix until the batter is smooth

• Fold in your sprinkles with a rubber spatula or other hand mixing/stirring tool

• Place cupcake liners into a cupcake tin 

• Fill the liners about 2/3rds full of batter

• Bake for 15-20 mins (or until a toothpick can be inserted into the cupcakes and come out clean)

• Cool the cupcakes in a fridge before frosting with toppings of your choice

• Add designs, faces, and accessories to create the perfect Face Cake

For this recipe you will need: Ground beef, Spaghetti noodles, mustard, Worcestershire sauce,  garlic salt, chicken bouillon, beef bouillon, olive oil, and tomato sauce. You will begin by cooking the meat. You will need a pan and to open the package of ground beef then emptying it out into the pan and turning on the stove. After this, you will need a cooking spoon and start to stir the meat, trying to separate it so that it can cook evenly. Next, you will need to add mustard, there is no specific amount of mustard, its all to your liking. It usually would need about 3 tablespoons of mustard. Stir the mustard in and then add some of the Worcestershire sauce, about 2 tablespoons. After this, you will need to add your garlic salt plus your chicken and beef bouillon . For all of these, you will need to season them to your personal liking but usually just lightly coat the top and stir. Cook meat until crispy. Once crispy, add the entire can of tomato sauce. Let it simmer. Meat is done. Once the meat is fully cooked, you can grab a pot and fill it up with water half way. Add olive oil  and garlic salt to the water, once boiling you may add the spaghetti noodles. Stir around and check the Spaghetti until they are soft. After, you will need to drain the water and you are ready to enjoy. If wanted, you may add Central America table cream into your spaghetti for an added touch.  

Galletas de Nuez by Nathaly Garcia