Does everyone have beliefs? And do these beliefs shift through time or are they stagnant? As I get older, some of my beliefs have stayed the same, and others change tremendously as I pick up tiny gold nuggets of life knowledge. I’ve always believed in friends, and strong relationships. I believe in deep conversations, in pondering life’s big questions. Through these questions, I’ve come to believe in the power of the Universe, and my allegiance that something… unfathomably larger… exists. This belief gets stronger on the daily. I believe in good food and wine, duh. I believe in being real, and honest, and being your stupid funny weird self, and rejoicing it. I believe in my family, my parents, my sister. I believe in love, and soulmates. I believe that the person that was meant for you has the same values as you, and what surrounds them or what they’ve been through has nothing to do with what you could have with them. I’ve kind of shed my belief of having beliefs, in a way, when it comes to that…does that make sense? I do not believe in meanness, in cruelty, or violence. I don’t believe in superficiality or fakeness. I do not believe in fast food.

I also do not believe in frozen or canned vegetables, for the most part. Usually they’re just not the same. But. BUT. I do believe in frozen plantains when it comes to making maduros in a pinch. If you’re from Miami, Cuban, come from a Latin family, or have dined in a Latin establishment or household, chances are you’ve had maduros, which are fried pieces of plantains. The plantain is kind of like a starchier banana but it’s more difficult to peel and not as sweet. Its sweetness blossoms when it’s fried, and that’s why I’m totally obsessed with these little morsels of deliciousness. Maduros make me weak in the knees. My excitement goes through the roof when I see them anywhere. Even Pollo Tropical (Miami Fast Food, okay maybe I believe in some fast food).

Maduros develop a caramelized crust, and unveil luscious pillows of unctuously sweet banana when bitten into. But at home, they can be difficult to make. Unless you buy the frozen stuff. When I’m at home, my mom buys the frozen packs and bakes them up with some of my favorite ingredients in the world: butter, brown sugar, and orange juice. These plantains come out smelling insane and tasting even better. Plus, they only take like 30 minutes, and it’s largely unattended.

As if they weren’t delicious enough, my mom serves them with a salted sour cream and some queso fresco. This dish makes me go nuts! When my mom asks me what I want her to make me, I say, without fail, “Goya frozen maduros with the toppings.” She asks me what else. “Goya frozen maduros with the toppings.” Shatter your belief of frozen produce with these. They’re life changing. Just like some of the best beliefs out there.

Easy platanos maduros

For maduros

One box frozen plantains (about ten plantains, we use Goya)

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup orange juice

½ teaspoon cinnamon, optional

For serving 

1 cup sour cream

Salt

8 ounces queso fresco, or any subtle crumbly cheese

Set your oven at 400 degrees. Butter a 13 x 9 baking dish. Scatter frozen plantains in the dish. No need to thaw. Dot maduros with the pieces of butter. Crumble the brown sugar over them, too. Pour the orange juice over them, as well. If you want, sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.

Cover with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until cooked through.

Add a little salt to the sour cream and stir to combine. Once the maduros are cooked, serve with the sour cream and wedges of queso fresco. Hoard your pieces, because people go back for seconds quickly.