Tortilla de Queso is a staple in Costa Rica for breakfast or coffee time. These are not the regular tortillas that you eat with tacos; in these ones we add cheese to the dough. You can eat it by themselves or with a bit of sour cream on top. They are a filling breakfast option and gluten free!
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I have to confess how intimidated I was to make my own corn tortillas. I grow up seeing my mom, grandma and aunts doing it, but yet for some weird reason I felt they were hard to make. ​Well, that changed as soon as I made them. I was surprised how simple it was.  Was it really that easy?  Yes, it was.  And I didn't even have a tortilla maker, I made it with my hands and a plastic bag!!! 

Here in Costa Rica, there are many kinds of corn flours in the market. I like to use one called Juana, and that is the one I used for this recipe. Other brands may need a little bit more or less milk to get the right consistency.  Try it and let me know what you think. 

Picadillo translate to chopped so basically, picadillos are cooked chopped vegetables. There are so many recipes and variations using all kind of vegetable and protein combinations. In Costa Rica they are a very common side dish. 
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The picadillo de chayote, is one of the most popular ones, I guess it is because of its sweet flavor and and because it is so quick and easy to make. Another popular one, and my personal favorite it is the potatoes picadillo, I have a great recipe for this picadillo en my book. 
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This is one of my go to recipes during weekdays because it is such a light side dish, very nutritional and I goes very well with any kind of protein. 

Picadillo de Chayote 
Serving size: 4

Ingredients: 
3 chayotes tiernos (the light green ones)
1 cup sweet corn 
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 minced garlic cloves
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves

In a medium-size pot heat up a little bit of olive oil. Add the onion, red pepper, celery, cilantro and garlic to the pot, and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, until the onion is translucent.
Meanwhile, chop the chayotes into 1/2 inch squares. Add the chayote, corn, water, salt, pepper and oregano leaves and mix well.
​Cover and cook for 20 min or until the chayote is soft. Don't forget to mix a couple of times while is cooking. 

Like most women, I love chocolate and it is something I simply can't live without.  But do have to admit, I'm what my husband calls, a chocolate snob.  I enjoy GOOD chocolate, and make no mistake not all chocolates are equal.   I'm excited to hear that The Latest Batch is sharing Costa Rica's best chocolate to the rest of the world.  The Latest Batch imports all of their cacao directly from nature-minded farmers in Costa Rica. Then, longtime chocolate maker and chef Jay Holecek finely tunes small batches of chocolate  in his lab in Windsor, California – midway between San Francisco (to the south) and the Mendocino National Forest.

The Latest Batch began with the idea to share this hidden gem in its most delicious form – fresh, dark chocolate.  Freshness is important as you always get our chocolate within a month of when we make it. And we use just two ingredients – Costa Rican cacao and Costa Rican cane sugar.Lots of folks are surprised that with only two ingredients, every batch tastes different. Just like a wine’s flavor comes from the grapes and how they’re processed, so it is with chocolate and cacao (say it with us… “kah-cow”). 

When you are ready to try some amazing chocolate from Costa Rica be sure to check out The Latest Batch.