Recipes & Menus for Holidays & Special Occasions
Homemade Food Gifts From the South American Kitchen
During the holidays, my parents' kitchen is always overflowing with wonderful homemade gifts. One friend always brings them baklava, and another sends her special chocolate nut fudge. We look forward to them every year. Homemade food gifts are always appreciated, and it is especially fun to bake something unusual, something that your recipient...
Holiday Cookies from South America
A collection of South American-style cookies for the holidays.
New Years Celebrations in South America
Some of the unique South American traditions and foods associated with New Years.
A Menu of Traditional South American Christmas Dishes
There are so many wonderful Christmas traditions in South America. In the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas comes simultaneously with beach weather and summer vacation from school, so there are many reasons to celebrate. The main Christmas meal is typically late Christmas eve night, although many families have another celebratory meal on...
Turkey with Quinoa Chorizo Stuffing - Pavo Relleno con Quinoa y Chorizo
Quinoa and chorizo fill this elegant rolled turkey breast.
South American Candies, Cookies, and Chocolates
A collection of recipes for Valentines Day.
Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
A collection of recipes (with pictures) for Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos.
Recipes for Fall
A list of South American recipes that are perfect for the fall season, including Halloween and Thanksgiving.
South American Thanksgiving
The natural, traditional flavors of South American cooking lend themselves perfectly to a fall meal meant to celebrate the successful harvest. You may find yourself inspired to incorporate a Latin dish or two into your holiday dinner this year.
Roast Turkey "A La Brasa" - Pavo Horneado
Roast turkey with the delicious flavor of the famous Peruvian pollo a la brasa.
Potato and Cheese Casserole - Pastel de Papas
This rich version of scalloped potatoes is a specialty of the city of Arequipa, in Peru.
Quince, Chorizo, and Cornbread Dressing
This cornbread dressing with spicy chorizo, quince, sweet potatoes and golden raisins is delicious on its own, or can be used as stuffing for roast turkey.
Pumpkin Spice Cake with Dulce de Leche Filling and Caramel Frosting
This pumpkin spice layer cake makes a great addition to the Thanksgiving table.
Cheesy Mashed Yuca with Caramelized Onions
A Latin alternative to ordinary mashed potatoes, mashed yuca root with a spicy cheese sauce and caramelized onions makes a delicious addition to any holiday meal
Mango Pineapple Cranberry Sauce
Liven up your cranberry sauce with the tropical flavors of mango and pineapple.
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake with Candied Cranberries and Pecans
This rich caramel dulce de leche cheesecake is perfect for special occasions.
Pineapple Mango Glazed Spiral Cut Ham
This pineapple mango glazed ham is perfect for a holiday celebration.
Christmas Alfajor Cookies - Alfajores de Navidad
Alfajor sandwich cookies in holiday shapes.
Holiday Gingerbread Llamas
Gingerbread llama cookies make a great (and unusual) holiday gifts.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake - Torta de Piña
A traditional and pretty pineapple upside down cake, with rings of caramelized pineapple and maraschino cherries.
Pan de Jamon - Venezuelan Ham and Olive Bread
Venezuelans enjoy this sweet savory bread stuffed with ham, olives, and raisins at Christmas time.
Chilean Holiday Fruitcake - Pan de Pascua
Pan de pascua is a holiday tradition in Chile. While Italian panettone cake is enjoyed during the holidays throughout most of Latin America, pan de pascua is a closer relative to German stollen.
Quick and Easy Recipe for Panettone
A relatively quick method for making panettone, the yeasted holiday fruitcake.
Panettone Trifle with Rum Custard
This elegant trifle is a wonderful way to use leftover panettone from the holidays.
Panettone Cake Truffles
Cake truffles are pretty bite-size treats made by mixing crumbled panettone fruitcake with frosting, and dipping them in icing and chocolate.
Panettone - Holiday Fruitcake
Panettone is a delicious Italian-style fruitcake that is very popular in Latin America.
Panettone - A Latin American Christmas Tradition
Panettone is a rich brioche-like fruitcake that is popular throughout Latin America, especially at Christmas.
Turrón de Doña Pepa - Anis Cookie Bar with Candy Syrup
Turrón de doña pepa is a traditional Peruvian sweet eaten in October, the month when many Peruvians wear purple in honor of the Lord of Miracles, a Catholic celebration.
Panettone in the Bread Machine - Easy Panettone Fruitcake
This special holiday fruitcake is surprisingly easy to make with the help of the bread machine.
Panettone Bread Pudding - Budin de Paneton
Turn leftover panettone into a moist and delicious bread pudding.
Coconut Lime Layer Cake - Torta de Coco y Limon
A sweet coconut layer cake filled with tart lime curd.
Asparagus with Red Pepper Salsa & Queso Fresco
The red pepper salsa sets off the beautiful green color of the asparagus in this dish.
Holiday Alfajor Cookies
Alfajores keep well and make great holiday gifts.
Natilla - Colombian Christmas Custard - Natilla Navideña
Natilla is a delicious custard, served with bunuelos at Christmastime in Colombia.
Rabanadas - Brazilian/Portuguese French Toast
This decadent "French toast" is often enjoyed during Christmas time in Brazil.
Buñuelos & Natilla
Bunuelos are delicious cheese fritters, popular at Christmastime.
Arepas with Black-eyed Peas and Collard Greens - Arepitas con Frijol Carita
These bite-size arepas are perfect for a New Years celebration, since they are topped with lucky black-eyed peas and sautéed collard greens.
Coconut Roll Out Cookies - Galletas de Coco
These coconut roll out cookies have lots of buttery coconut flavor.
Gingerbread Layer Cake - Torta de Jengibre
This festive cake has layers of gingerbread and a ginger cream filling, and a lemon frosting.
Halloween Butternut Squash Empanadas - Empanadas de Calabaza
These tasty empanadas have an orange butternut squash filling that glows through the smile of the jack-0'-lantern.
Holiday Beef Stew in a Pumpkin Shell - Carbonada en Zapallo
This delicious beef stew has an unusual and dramatic presentation.
Torta de Pascualina - Easter Tart
This delicious tart has a puff pastry crust on top and bottom, and a spinach and ricotta cheese filling. It's served in Argentina and Uruguay as a meatless main course during Lent.
Chocolate Passionfruit Truffles - Trufas de Maracuya
These chocolate and passionfruit truffles are perfect for Valentines.
Sweet Bread "Babies" for All Souls Day - Guaguas de Pan Dulce
Guaguas are traditional bread figures that are part of the All Saints Day and All Souls Day celebrations in the Andes.
Valentines Alfajor Heart Cookies
These heart-shaped alfajores make the perfect Valentines gift.
Argentinian Easter Cake - Rosca de Pascua
This lovely Easter ring cake is made with a brioche-like dough and decorated with pastry cream.
Lechon Asado - Seasoned Roast Pork
Lechón asado is a deliciously seasoned tender pork roast that is perfect as a main course, with leftovers that make excellent sandwiches (pan con lechón).
Grilled Dinner Menu
A collection of South American recipes for hosting a dinner party around the grill.
Pan de Pascua - Chilean Christmas Bread
The name of this Christmas yeast bread can be confusing to English speakers, but the word Pascua refers to both Easter and Christmas in Spanish. Pan de pascua is thought to have evolved from two other holiday breads, German stollen and Italian pannetone. Serve pan de pascua with the spiced alcoholic coffee concoction called cola de mono (tail of a monkey), another Chilean holiday tradition.
Mother's Day Food Gift Ideas
Delight your mom with the gift of homemade food. Breakfast in bed, a family brunch, a pretty plate of cookies - there are so many possibilities. She'll enjoy the break from the kitchen (dont forget to clean up!).
South American Asado
Grilling is a serious pastime in Latin America, and a favorite way to spend time with friends and family.
Passionfruit Cream Cannoli with Toasted Macademia Nuts
Italian cannoli with the tropical flavors of passionfruit, dried pineapple, and candied macademia nuts.
Semana Santa and Easter
Felices Pascuas - Celebrate Semana Santa and Easter with this collection of recipes.
Lemon Guava Cake with White Chocolate Frosting - Torta de Guayaba y Limon
This elegant tropical cake is fancy enough for any celebration.
Fanesca
A traditional Ecuadorian Easter stew made of beans, grains, and salt cod.