Can you send me that recipe???

I get the question all the time, "so will you share the recipe?" I am always hard pressed to answer because, whereas I do look up recipes (quite often actually). I don't follow them all that well. I seek out recipes only to gather the skeleton items. For instance. I had a hard time making oatmeal cookies. No matter what I did the recipe would not come out right. So I went online checked out several recipes and found the basic elements of a cookie and then the basic elements of an oatmeal cookie. Took the skeleton, added a dash here, a pinch there of my own flavor, modified the recipe to my taste and voila I ended up with a perfect recipe for chocolate chip cookies (Lol!!!). Hey it wasn't what I set out to do, but it works.

The point I am trying to make is recipes are great, especially for the beginner. You don't find yourself trying to re-invent the wheel, you can take simple basic items and add your own creative touch. So, do I share my recipes? Hardly ever. But I will always, always share the basic recipe that I may have drawn inspiration from.

Another question I have been asked frequently is after cooking for the business, do I still cook for myself and the family? Or do I like other people's cooking? Question 1. Of course, my family members are my taste testers. Trust, its better that way, because then by the time it gets to the public, its been tried and tested. Besides I come from a family of cooks, so the challenge is always on. About liking other people's cooking....ahhhh that's hard. Not generally. There are really three people who I walk away from a table and I am amazed. My mother, my husband Eugene and my sister Akilah. These are the people that I look to for ideas, recipes, help :) My mother is really good with on the spot, flavorful, everyday meals. Akilah is great at food that makes you feel good when you are eating it, her food is like a huge hug. Eugene, well he is Mr. "How About". How about adding this, or how about if you add that. He's great when, I am stuck. Or he has the ability to go in the kitchen and make 1 potato, a handful of Brazil nuts and cut okra into a gourmet dish packed with flavor.

Suffice it to say, this is a movement. MaituFoods has so much input from my everyday experiences and relationships. I'm grateful for that much. Because I can rest with the assurance that WE are putting so much of ourselves into making this endeavor complete and whole-hearted. I love doing this. I give thanks for the opportunity.

Garbanzo Patties

• 2 cups of cooked Garbanzo beans/Chickpeas

• 1/2 onion, diced

• Salt to taste.

• 2 tablespoons of oil.

• 1 clove of garlic.

(I like to add different veggies, depending on my taste)
combination of your favorite spices and herbs to taste.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until the mix is smooth.
There are two routes you can take this recipe. You can either spoon the mix into hot oil and brown the patties on each side (my favorite option), or you can add a bit of flour to the mix and form into patties and bake for 15min-20min.

Once done you can serve over rice with a nice homemade rue/gravy and a side salad.


My Kitchen sounds like: Sun Is Shining by Bob Marley (Kaya) "We lift our hands..."