For an expectant mother, the thought of all that she will have to buy for her new baby can be overwhelming. Enter the baby shower, a party thrown by friends of the pregnant woman where she receives gifts for her expected arrival. Baby showers began in America and are primarily an American idea, which is why the Spanish word for baby shower is actually "baby shower." If you want to give your shower a Puerto Rican twist, however, making traditional food is one way to do it.

Corn is a staple in many Puerto Rican recipes, and the corn fritter, or fritura de maiz, is no exception. This is perfect for a baby shower because it requires little ingredients, is easy to prepare and cooks quickly, so you can easily serve it to a large group of people.

Corn fritters usually consist of canned creamed corn, flour and a few other basic ingredients. Although most recipes are simple, you need to fry the fritters on each side for a few minutes, so plan to make sure you have enough time to prepare them. These little goodies are a sweet and light treat, and guests will have a hard time resisting, so make more than you think you will need.

For an impressive and filling main dish, chicken pasta paella is a Puerto Rican choice that all guests (even the Americans) will enjoy. A standard recipe only serves about four people when it is the main dish at a meal, but if you are offering a large buffet with a lot of other choices, it might be enough even for a large crowd. If you are nervous about not having enough, it is very easy to double the recipe.

A chicken pasta paella usually includes white meat chicken, linguini noodles and an assortment of vegetables. There are many recipes available online, so choose one that looks the most appealing to you.

A good host will put out some appetizers and finger foods for her guests to nibble on when they arrive, so lay out some Puerto Rican snacks as well. Some tasty choices that fit with the theme are tortilla chips and guacamole, salsa, flan (a sweet custard-like cream) and quesadillas.

Quesadillas are soft tortillas that you fill with cheese and fried. You can prepare some in advance and cut them into small pieces, perfect for picking up by hand and dipping in guacamole or salsa. You can also put out some toppings to accompany them, such as sour cream, olives, lettuce, tomatoes and shredded cheese.