Panama

Last Monday night was our monthly missionary meal. This time we had food from Panama. Our missionaries are Elder Stinson (from Alabama, on the left) and Elder Elledge (from Washington). Elder Stinson picked this country because it's where his ancestors are from. His parents lived there when they met and got married. It was fun having a nice connection to the country this time.

Our meal was yummy (if I do say so myself). The menu for the night:
Arroz con Pollo (Rice with Chicken)
Red beans with bacon
Corn with Chayote
Fried plantains
Dessert: mango pudding


I've done several countries where arroz con pollo is a main dish, but read that in Panama it's their "national" dish. So I made it. Yummm!

The red beans were a little tart but the corn and chayote was really yummy. I didn't know what chayote was. It's a green vegetable (I found it at Walmart) that is related to the squash & cucumber families that looks like a pear. Boy was it good with the corn. (See the green stuff in the photo? Chayote)


However, my favorite was the mango pudding. Here's the recipe because I loved it so much.

Mango Pudding

4 cups sliced mangoes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup melted butter
1 pint vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, add mangoes with 1/2 of the sugar, the cinnamon, allspice, in a glass baking dish, stir remaining sugar with milk, flour, soda, salt & butter and pour over mangoes, bake or 35 min. Serve with the ice cream. (8 Servings)

Next month (which will be next Sunday) is Uzbekistan. That should be interesting.