Authentic Latin Cooking With Real California Cheese! #VivaCADairy

*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The California Milk Advisory Board and Latina Bloggers Connect. All opinions are 100% mine.

In the Latino culture, food is a very important part of every family gathering or event. We take pride in preparing delectable meals that our loved ones can enjoy together and we infuse love and affection into every dish that we serve to our families. As a result, we include ingredients in our recipes that are fresh and natural whenever we can. After all, we wouldn’t serve our family or friends anything that was any less than that.

My husband is half Cuban and, since becoming a part of his family, I cannot even begin to describe all of the delicious meals that his grandmother has prepared for us to eat during holiday gatherings or special events. One of my favorite treats that she always makes for me is the Cuban Sandwich. It is a variation of the traditional American ham and cheese sandwich that was made for Cuban workers in Cuba years ago but continues to be very popular to this day.

Cuban Sandwiches are made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and sometimes salami on Cuban bread. I wanted to learn how to make this delicious sandwich on my own so I sat down with my husband’s grandmother, Mima, to find out what makes her variation on this traditional Cuban food so pleasing to the palate. Here is the recipe that she shared with me that I am now going to share with all of you:

Mima’s Cuban Sandwich and Meat Pastelillos.

Mima’s Cuban Sandwich Recipe:

Ingredients:

One loaf of Italian bread
One pound of sliced ham
One pound of roasted pork/pernil
1/2 pound of sliced Real California Queso Blanco/White Cheese
Yellow mustard or mayonnaise

Preparation:

Preheat frying pan on medium heat
Cut the loaf of bread depending on how many servings you need to make and slice it on the sides to make sandwiches
Coat the inside of the bread with mustard or mayonnaise and create layers with the roast pork, ham, and Real California Queso Blanco
Coat the frying pan with butter or cooking spray and heat the sandwich
Make sure you heat the sandwich on both sides and press down on the bread with a metal spatula to flatten it
The sandwich is ready to eat when the cheese melts on the bread and the ham and roast pork are golden

When looking for a variety of cheeses to add that special flavor to your Cuban sandwich, look for the Real California Milk seal so you know that your dairy products are made from 100 percent California milk from California’s over 1600 dairy families. California is the number one dairy state in the US, producing more milk, butter and ice cream than any other state and is the 2nd largest producer of cheese.

In our home, we are happy to include Real California dairy products in our recipes whenever possible since California is the leading producer of Hispanic dairy products. Many of these California products are sold nationally and 99% of them are family owned. Make sure you look for the Real California Milk Seal next time you visit your local supermarket!

Look for the Real California Seal in your local grocery store or supermarket.

You can make Real California Milk part of your family by liking them on Facebook and including their delicious dairy products in your traditional family dishes and recipes!

Disclosure: This compensated post was written as part of a blogging program through Latina Bloggers Connect and the California Milk Advisory Board. Any statements made in this post are the author’s honest opinions. I only recommend products or services I use personally and I believe will be “family friendly.” I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.