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Consisting of a classic Bolo de Leite Ninho, but decorated Red, White and Blue, this cake is just like me: a little Brazilian, a little American and a whole lot of delicious! Earlier this year, I decided that I wanted to bring a Flag Cake to our neighborhood Memorial Day cookout. As I was browsing through some recipes, I noticed they were all kinda boring. Usually some sort of white cake (sometimes from a box) topped with frosting or Cool Whip and decorated with berries....

Okay, let me start by saying this is not your every day Olivia’s Cuisine post. True, I do like to post food porn style treats, but I think this time I might have gone a little too far. ? Well, what happened was: I was trying to explain to my husband, Tim, that lots of burger places in Brazil sell a burger call X-Tudo (hereby called “Epic Burger”) that is pilled insanely high with everything (hence the “tudo”) you can thing of....

O abacate, apesar de ser usado como vegetal em muitos países, é botanicamente uma fruta. É nativo do México e data ao redor de 7000 a 5000 A.C. Você sabia que a palavra asteca “ahuacatl” (avocado no inglês e abacate em português) significa “testículos”? Os astecas consideravam essa fruta com formato de testículo como a fruta da fertilidade. E então era (e ainda é) considerada afrodisíaca! Não só pela parte do testículo, mas porque é uma fruta rica em vitamina E (considerada a vitamina do sexo) e vitamina B6 (que regula a testosterona)....

As I sit at my desk, staring at the blank white screen filled with photos but no words, I start to realize that I should have eaten lunch before attempting to write this post. The pictures are just too tempting and they remind me how insanely delicious this burger was last night. Thankfully, I still have the ingredients to make one or two more. I guess I should go make one then, right?...

Out of all the cuisines that I attempt to cook at home, I find the Asian ones the most intimidating. We go out to eat at least once a week, and I’d say that 50% of the time is to a Thai or Chinese restaurant! One of the reasons is because we love it. And the other is because I don’t usually cook those dishes at home! But 2019 is a new year and I’m determined to be more courageous!...

Lemonade? But where are the lemons? ??? Well, there aren’t any really, because Brazilian Lemonade is usually made with limes. But then, shouldn’t it be called “limeade”?, you might be asking yourself. I guess it could, but it usually isn’t. Here’s the deal: you can call it whatever you want and you can even use lemons instead of limes in your lemonade. Whatever makes you happy! So let’s talk about what makes this lemonade (limeade?...

Even the pickiest eaters will love these cheesy Brussels sprouts, caramelized to perfection and topped with spicy chorizo and a whole lot of Manchego cheese. Believe me, those nasty boiled Brussels sprouts that you used to eat as a child have nothing on this unbelievably delicious gourmet side dish! I confess I was never a Brussels sprouts hater. Not a lover either, but nothing against them. That doesn’t mean I’m not a picky eater, cause there are a whole lot of things that I won’t eat....

Casseroles are the best invention for busy people EVER! They are so easy to make and really handy on busy weeknights. Most people eat them as an one-dish meal but, being the good Brazilian that I am, I need some white rice on the side! (I love anything creamy over rice! It’s the perfect combo!) This casserole is very popular in Brazil and it’s called Chicken Fricassée (Fricassée de Frango)....

And what better way to toast than with a glass of a good champagne cocktail? If you think champagne is a treat reserved for New Year’s Eve, you are missing out, my friend. I think I could drink champagne every day – I wish! – but I do love it on special occasions and celebrations. Mother’s Day? Open a bottle! Valentine’s Day? Another bottle! Someone got into college? Two bottles!...

The combination of all the flavors in this salad is what make this a hit! Shredded chicken (preferably smoked, but I couldn’t find it!), pineapples, green apples, corn, golden raisins, walnuts, table cream, mayo and potato sticks. Feel free to also add some cubed ham if you want! Yum Yum! Who would have thought that these ingredients could come together to make the most delicious chicken salad in the world?...

Welcome to Festa Junina Week! This week we are going to visit some of the dishes served during the festivities called “Festa Junina” in Brazil. Some of the most indulgent treats can be found at these parties, so be prepared for a lot of yumminess! I decided to start with the easiest: paçoca. If you’ve never tried paçoca, you’re in for a treat. And if you have, then you will be amazed at how simple it is to make them at home!...

Chicken is one of the best things to make when you are short on time. From an impressive roasted chicken to the best fried chicken you will ever make, my collection of chicken recipes will certainly have something to inspire you to cook tonight! This post has been sponsored by McCormick Gourmet™. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A flavorful and easy chicken recipe! I’ve always had a certain obsession with charred food....

Waking up to a special breakfast on Christmas morning is a must! This festive oats porridge is not only delicious and heartwarming but also dairy free. Sweet, tart, creamy and crunchy goodness. What else could we wish for? ✨ I have a feeling you are thinking I am completely insane. After all, who starts thinking of Christmas before the day after Thanksgiving? But while I do have lots of Thanksgiving recipes yet to be shared, I just couldn’t help but express my love for Christmas right now....

To complement the holiday feast, serve it with Green Beans, Cheesy Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo and/or Honey Bourbon Cranberry Sauce. Tired of the same old mashed potatoes and ready to try something new and delicious? It’s time you give Yuca Mash (or Purê de Mandioca, in Portuguese) a try! It’s just as good as mashed potatoes, but lighter in flavor and texture. It has a mild, sweet and somewhat nutty taste that I can’t get enough of....

The first time I made this hot chocolate, I had to double check if I had used sugar free chocolate. It tasted better than a lot of the hot chocolates I had tried in my life, so I was baffled that this was low carb/sugar free! I guess I was just conditioned to think “sugar free” means “not as delicious” or even “disgusting”. Oh boy, was I wrong! This newly forced low carb lifestyle has been teaching me a lot....

Whenever I think of Summer cocktails, I think of Caipirinhas (Brazil’s national cocktail). The traditional Caipirinha is made with Cachaça (sugar cane hard liquor), lime, sugar and ice. But there are many variations regarding fruits and liquor. There’s the Caipiroska (that is the Vodka version), the not so popular Caipiríssima (the rum version) and there’s also my favorite: the Sakerinha (that is the sake version)! You can easily find them made with fruits like tangerine, passion fruit, pineapple, strawberry, lemon, grapes, cashew fruit, mango, lichee and – of course – watermelon!...

Corn cakes are a staple in Brazilian cuisine, especially during the winter festivities. There are probably more corn cake recipes than there are people in Brazil. The variations include cakes made of fubá (cornmeal), fresh corn, canned corn, with coconut, with cheese, with guava, and so on. You could eat a different corn cake every day and never get sick of it! Today I’m sharing one of my favorites. It is super moist, sweet and full of corn flavor!...

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rumba Meats. All opinions are 100% mine. Crispy on the outside and meaty/creamy on the inside, these Oxtail Croquettes make the perfect finger food to serve at your soccer watch party! If you want to upgrade your game food to the next level, this recipe is for you. Being Brazilian, soccer is almost a religion in my family! If you happen to come by my parents’ house on a Wednesday night, chances are you will find us by the TV, surrounded by delicious snacks and pints of ice cold beer....