Holiday Period Brunch - Green Chilaquiles With Eggs

I admire the work of Martha Rose Shulman. I first discovered her through her cookbooks, Mediterranean Light and Provencal Light. The cuisines are among my favorites, and although Shulman's specialty is making lighter, healthy fare, you never go away disappointed with her flavors. 



Chorizo and onions being cooked in chorizo fat

She is a regular columnist with the New York Times, with a column titled Recipes For Health. Don't be turned off by the Meh title. Check her out sometime.

I made an addition which turns this into a Recipe Not So Much For Health: browned chorizo sausage. Yum!

Mangia!

Green Chilaquiles With Eggs

Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman

Roasted tomatillos and chiles, ready for a spin

1 ½ pounds fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed

2 to 4 jalapeño or serrano chiles, stemmed, to taste (seeded for a milder salsa)

12 cilantro sprigs, plus 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil

1 small white onion, quartered and thinly sliced (about 1 cup sliced onion)

 Salt
 

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Juice of 1 to 2 limes, or to taste

12 ounces chorizo, crumbled and browned, drained on paper towels

6 large eggs, fried

12 thick corn tortillas, cut into wedges and deep-fried or microwaved until crisp (see note), or 1/2-pound thick tortilla chips from a Mexican grocery

½ cup crumbled queso fresco or feta
 

Ta da!

Heat broiler. Place tomatillos and chiles on a baking sheet and set about 4 inches below broiler. Roast until dark and blackened in spots, about 5 minutes. Flip over and roast on other side until tomatillos are soft and charred in spots and chiles are soft all the way through, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Transfer tomatillos and chiles to a blender along with juices on baking sheet. Add cilantro sprigs, then blend to a coarse purée.

Heat oil over medium heat in same deep-sided saute pan you used to brown the chorizo and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add a little salt, stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Turn heat to medium-high and add tomatillo purée. Cook, stirring often, until salsa thickens and leaves a canal when you run a wooden spoon down the middle. Add broth and lime juice, bring to a simmer, and simmer 10 minutes or until salsa coats the back of a spoon.

Stir in tortilla chips, making sure they are completely submerged, and remove from heat. Sprinkle with chorizo, crumbled cheese, some chopped cilantro, green onions and the eggs and serve at once.

Tip

To make tortilla chips, cut tortillas into wedges and leave out so they dry for an hour or more. Heat 1 to 1 1/2 inches vegetable or canola oil in a wide, deep skillet or wok to 375 degrees. Add tortilla wedges a handful at a time and fry, stirring constantly with a skimmer or heatproof spatula, until dark brown and the bubbling has subsided, 45 seconds to a minute. Remove from the oil with a skimmer and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining tortilla wedges.

Christmas Eve Dinner - Rib Roast, Green Beans With Pancetta and Garlic, Herb-roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Sauteed Mushrooms with Shallots and Sherry

And in the grand finale (temporarily) of Our Month Of Beef, may I present our Christmas Eve dinner:
 

Rib Eye Roast

Roasted Herb Fingerling Potatoes

Green Beans with Pancetta, Garlic and Balsamic Vinegar

Sauteed Mushrooms with Shallots, Thyme and Sherry

Rolls

 

I picked up two two-bone roasts, about 5 1/2 pounds each, while they were at a very good price at Fry's. I froze one for later use, but we ended up cooking it a few days after Christmas because we had company for Christmas Eve, and we felt leftover-deprived. Leftovers not a problem in Round Two! Beef coma ensues!

Rib roasts look very impressive but they are surprisingly easy to turn out well. The potatoes re-heat well, so they can be done before the roast goes in, and if you have your prep done ahead of time, the green beans and mushrooms can be easily completed while the roast cooks.

 

The Colonel is big on King's Hawaiian rolls, so that was the bread of choice.

 

All massaged and oiled

Merry, merry!

 

Mangia!

Rib Eye Roast

5.5 pound, two bone roast

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced


 

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary leaves

Zest of one lemon
2 teaspoons dry mustard

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon pepper

Set roast out at least 1 ½ hours before cooking to come to room temperature. One hour before cooking, mix the rub ingredients with the olive oil to form a paste and rub all over the roast. 30 minutes before cooking, preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Put the roast in a roasting pan. You don’t need a rack, just put the bone side down. Roast at 450 degrees for 15 minutes and then turn the oven down to 325 degrees. Roast for about 15 minutes per pound. For medium rare, temperature should be about 120 to 130 degrees. For 5.5 pounds you’ll need to roast for about 1 hour and 22 minutes after the initial 15 minute period.

The roast should rest for about 30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to retreat into the roast. If you carve it right away, the juices will run out all over the carving board. No good. You carve it by slicing off the bones end, following the curve of the bone, then slicing the leftover boneless hunk of meat. Or in the instructions from Serious Eats, copied below (I couldn't agree more with the fat commentary):

http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/12/how-to-carve-a-prime-rib-slideshow.html

REMOVE THE BONES

Stand the rested prime rib upright, holding the bones with your free hand (use a clean kitchen towel if you'd like). Using a long, thin-bladed carving knife, cut between the bones and the meat, following the curvature of the bones as closely as you can until you get to their base.

FOLD BONES OUT AND REMOVE

Once you get to the bottom, fold the bones outward as if they're on a hinge, then cut through the bottom to remove them completely.

READY TO SLICE

You should end up with a single solid block of bone-free meat, and a slab of bones ready to be split apart and picked at.

If you prefer, you can now remove the excess fat from the roast, leaving just an eye of meat. I prefer to leave the fat on as I carve so guests can make their own choices about whether or not to eat the fat and I can silently sort them into two categories in my mind for future judgment.

SLICE

Holding the roast steady with your free hand, carefully slice the meat into thin, even slices. For best appearances, try and saw back and forth as little as possible, instead trying to cut through in a few thin, even strokes.

DON'T CARVE IT ALL!

Carve only as many slices as you need, leaving the rest of the roast intact. This will help keep it warm for seconds, or if you have leftovers, make it easier to store.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

1 ½ pounds fingerling potatoes, or small red potatoes

1 tablespoon each finely chopped Italian parsley, thyme leaves, rosemary, basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Wash potatoes and if using red potatoes that are more than an inch of 1 ½ inches wide, cut in half. Toss with olive oil, herbs and salt/pepper. Roast in 425 degree oven on a baking sheet for about 20 to 25 minutes, tossing them halfway through. Pierce a couple of potatoes to make sure they are tender. If not, give them a few more minutes.

Green Beans with Pancetta, Garlic and Balsamic Vinegar

1 pound green beans, topped and tailed
3 ounces pancetta, diced
Two cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Cook beans in boiling, slated water to cover by a couple of inches, until crisp tender, 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a sauté pan big enough to hold the beans, and sauté the pancetta until crispy, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to low and add the garlic. Sauté the pancetta and garlic for a minute or two to soften the garlic but not brown it. Take the pan off the heat and add the beans and vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Shallots and Sherry

1 pound Cremini or baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry Sherry
2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan large enough to hold the mushrooms over medium heat. Add the shallots and thyme leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots start to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened, about 5 to 6  minutes. Turn the heat up to high and add the Sherry. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the Sherry is almost evaporated.


 

Lazy Day Slow Cooker Pot Roast - Hooray For The Used Meat Section!!! Hooray For Holiday Beef Overload!!!

The beef emphasis continues. Thank you Used Meat section. The second of the great stew meat/pot roast buys gets utilized in a near-perfect little effort one pot meal Slow Cooker classic. Serve with buttered peas and refrigerated crescent rolls for a real Old School touch.

Mangia!

Lazy Day Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Adapted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

1 (4 lb) boneless chuck roast, trimmed of as much fat as possible and blotted dry

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

4 large carrots, cut into 3-inch lengths

4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 large yellow onion, quartered

2 bay leaves

3 cups water, or half beef stock/half water (I also throw a tablespoon of tomato paste in)
1⁄2 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Place roast in the slow cooker; sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Add the carrots, potatoes, onion, and bay leaves. Pour the water and vinegar over the meat/vegetables.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

Transfer the meat and vegetables to a heated platter; cover with foil.

Turn the cooker to HIGH; you will have about 3 full cups of liquid.

In a small bowl, mash together the butter with the flour; add to the hot liquid in the cooker and stir with a whisk until melted and the liquid thickens. (It's faster to transfer the liquid to a stockpot and put it on to boil)

Ladle gravy over the meat and vegetables and serve the remainder in a bowl.

Dry The Beef!!!! - Julia Child's The French Chef and Her Boeuf Bourguignon

It's been years since I made Boeuf Bourguignon. When the movie Julie and Julia came out, I vowed to make it again, excited by the gorgeous food-filming in Nora Ephron's vision for the combining of the story by Julie Powell and Julia Child's My Life In France.

Yet, time went by with no execution.

But, it's been damned cold here in the Valley of the Sun, so beef stew sounds about right. I committed to a turn just a bit before before Christmas, even knowing I planned a rib roast for Christmas Eve, and also squeezed in a Slow Cooker Pot Roast because chuck roast and some bottom round made it into the Used Meat section at the Safeway. The Colonel and I do like our meat.

Around the time I planned it, I came across the first season of The French Chef, Julia's original cooking show. And guess what was featured for Episode One? That's right!!!

DRY THE MEAT!!!!!!

Ah, her gloriously goofy accent! I kept screaming "Dry the meat!" like a demented Dan Ackroyd yelling ""Save the liver!".

It requires several steps, but none of them are difficult. Except maybe peeling all those tiny little pearl onions, but that's nothing a glass of wine during prep time can't facilitate.

I served this with buttered egg noodles for a really great plate of beefy comfort. 

Mangia!

Boeuf Bourguignon

Adapted from Julia Child’s Mastering The Art of French Cooking

Meat and veg living in happy harmony

6 ounces bacon, solid chunk, or thick sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 lbs lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

1 onion, peeled and sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

2 tablespoons flour

3 cups red wine (a full bodied wine like Bordeaux or Burgundy or Chianti)

2 -3 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, mashed (you may choose to add more)

1 sprig thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dred thyme)

1 bay leaf

First prepare the bacon: cut off the rind and reserve. You won't have a rind with the thick sliced version. Cut the bacon into lardons about 1/4" thick and 1 1/2" long. Simmer the rind and the lardons for ten minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry the lardons and rind and reserve.

Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.

Put the tablespoon of olive oil in a large (9" - 10" wide, 3" deep) fireproof casserole and warm over moderate heat.

Saute the lardons for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.

Dry off the pieces of beef and saute them, a few at a time in the hot oil/bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides.

Once browned, remove to the side plate with the bacon.

In the same oil/fat, saute the onion and the carrot until softened.

Pour off the fat and return the lardons and the beef to the casserole with the carrots and onion.

Toss the contents of the casserole with the salt and pepper and sprinkle with the flour.

Set the uncovered casserole in the oven for four minutes.

Toss the contents of the casserole again and return to the hot oven for 4 more minutes.

Now, lower the heat to 325°F and remove the casserole from the oven.

Add the wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered.

Add the tomato paste, garlic and herbs and the bacon rind.

Bring to a simmer on the top of the stove.

Cover and place in the oven, adjusting the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly for three to four hours.

The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the meat is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms and set them aside till needed.

For the Braised Onions

18 -24 white pearl onions, peeled

1 1⁄2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil

1⁄2 cup beef stock

salt & fresh ground pepper

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme

2 sprigs parsley

Onions

For the onion, if using frozen, make sure they are defrosted and drained.

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and add the onions to the skillet.

Saute over medium heat for about ten minutes, rolling the onions about so they brown as evenly as possible, without breaking apart.

Pour in the stock, season to taste, add the herbs, and cover.

Simmer over low heat for about 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape and the liquid has mostly evaporated.

Remove the herbs and set the onions aside.

For the Sauteed Mushrooms

1 lb mushroom, quartered

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the mushrooms, heat the butter and oil over high heat in a large skillet.

As soon as the foam begins to subside add the mushrooms and toss and shake the pan for about five minutes.

As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.

To Finish the Stew:

When the meat is tender, remover the casserole from the oven and empty its contents into a sieve set over a saucepan.

Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it (discarding the bits of carrot and onion and herbs which remain in the sieve).

Distribute the mushrooms and onions over the meat.

Skim the fat off the sauce and simmer it for a minute or two, skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface.

You should be left with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock.

If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right consistency.

Taste for seasoning.

Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

Christmas Cookies For The Neighbors....And Way Too Many Leftovers!

I'm not exactly a Martha Stewart when it
comes to wrapping things

Fired by what was apparently an overly-optimistic assessment of my holiday energy level, I decided to make a few different cookies and float to the neighbor's front doors to deliver them as a Benevolent Christmas Cookie Fairy. I imagined the look somewhat like Carol Kane in Scrooged, except maybe without the punching and kicking, but definitely including the floaty, gauzy dress and some ethereal wings. Or maybe just the cookies.

I settled on three recipes: a chocolate chip one with peppermint candies (because...Christmas), a very pretty shortbread thumbprint with raspberry jam and an icing drizzle, and Bourbon balls because nothing says holidays like booze. Then at the last minute threw in a fourth, just because I like them: chewy molasses cookies. Numerous sticks of butter, mountains of flour and a stroll down Toddler Memory Lane via Nilla Wafers* later, voila! Oodles of cookies.

I had never made Bourbon Balls before. I followed the recipe to the letter, and all I can say as forewarning is don't light any matches next to these darlings. Those are powerful.

Based on feedback later received, the shortbread cookies were the star. Need to make a double batch next time. And maybe tone down the booze infusion a bit.

Merry Mangia!

*Anyone for banana pudding???

Chewy Molasses Cookies

Epicurious

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¾ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

⅓ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup mild-flavored (light) or robust-flavored (dark) molasses

¼ cup (packed) dark brown sugar

Coarse sanding or raw sugar (for rolling)

Place racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 375°F. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk egg, butter, granulated sugar, molasses, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Mix in dry ingredients just to combine.

Place sanding sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop out dough by the tablespoonful and roll into balls (if dough is sticky, chill 20 minutes). Roll in sugar and place on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2" apart.

Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until cookies are puffed, cracked, and just set around edges (over-baked cookies won't be chewy), 8–10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.

Bourbon Balls

Food Network

2 cups pecans

2 boxes vanilla wafers

1 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa, divided

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup bourbon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Spread the pecans on a cookie sheet, and place in the oven for 3 minutes. For even toasting, turn the tray, front to back. Toss the nuts with a metal spatula and bake for another 3 minutes. You'll know they're done when they give off their fragrant aroma, and be sure to check them so they don't become overbaked or charred.

In a food processor, chop the vanilla wafers into crumbs. Add the pecans and process just until they are finely chopped. In a medium bowl, mix together the crumb-pecan mixture, 1/4 cup of the cocoa, and 1/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar. Add the corn syrup and bourbon. Mix thoroughly. Sift the remaining 1/4 cup cocoa and 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar onto a large plate. Form the crumb mixture into 3/4-inch balls and roll them through the cocoa-sugar to coat. Store in a sealed container for up to 5 days. If necessary, touch them up with a light dusting of the remaining confectioners' sugar.

Peppermint Crush Cookies

Relish.com

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 teaspoon salt

2 ½-3 cups self-rising flour

2 cups chocolate chips (mixture of semisweet and milk chocolate)

1 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes, processed into coarse crumbs

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine butter, sugars, eggs, extract and salt and beat until just combined. Add flour in 1 cup increments until well combined. If dough is sticky to the touch, add more flour in 1/4 cup increments until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop about 3 ounces of dough into your hands to form each cookie. Dip the tops into the peppermint candy. Place candy-side-up on insulated baking sheet one dozen at a time. If desired, decorate with additional chocolate chips. Bake in center of oven 10 to 13 minutes, until puffy and lightly tanned. Remove from baking sheet carefully with a metal spatula. The candy hardens quickly and will cause cookies to tear if using a rubber spatula.

Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

All Recipes

1 cup butter

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with preserves.

Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.

In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies.

Grilled Swordfish With Lime Garlic Butter and Baked Minty Rice With Feta And Pomegranate Relish

We continue in Pomegranate Season! Love, love, love them. Did you know they are a symbol of fertility? All those seeds? Catherine of Aragon had a pomegranate as part of her heraldic badge, along with a Tudor rose. The fruit didn't help her out too much but probably the bigger factor in her lack of success as a Royal Breeder was Tudor-era medicine. But no matter. It's here today for us to enjoy in the fall and winter.

We have a ginormous sack of basmati rice, dating from recent run through the Asian market. The Colonel loves rice, and I'm always looking for interesting rice recipes. I came across this baked rice dish in Bon Appetit. I have to say the baked part didn't work out too well for me, so I had to improvise the final cooking in a sauce pan. I would suggest going with a covered casserole rather than relying on aluminum foil. Too much steam escaped in my try.

I had some nice swordfish in the deep freeze, from a sale at Sprouts. The Colonel grilled them, and I made some lime garlic butter to put on top. That is too easy for a recipe. I used a couple of tablespoons of butter, juice of one lime and the zest and a clove of garlic minced and crushed into a paste. Grill swordfish steaks over a medium fire for about 5 to 7 minutes a side, depending on thickness.

The cole slaw is store bought. The Colonel likes slaw with his fish, and I didn't feel like making it from scratch. This was a nice dish to give a light break heading into the heavier cuisine of the holidays.

Mangia!

Baked Minty Rice With Feta And Pomegranate Relish

Bon Appetit

Pomegranate Relish

½ cup walnuts

¾ cup pomegranate seeds (from about ½ large pomegranate)

¾ cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted, coarsely chopped

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

1 garlic clove, crushed into a paste

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Rice And Assembly

2 cups basmati rice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

10 mint sprigs

8 ounces feta, sliced ¼-inch thick

Preparation

Pomegranate Relish

Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 5–8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Increase oven temperature to 450°.

Toss walnuts, pomegranate seeds, olives, oil, mint, parsley, pomegranate molasses, and garlic in a medium bowl to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Rice And Assembly

Combine rice, butter, and salt in a 13x9" baking dish, then pour in a scant 3½ cups water; top with mint sprigs. Cover tightly with foil and bake until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 30–35 minutes. Remove from oven; pluck out mint. Fluff rice with a fork.

Heat broiler. Arrange feta over rice. Broil until rice around edges of pan is browned and crisp and feta is starting to brown, 8–10 minutes. Spoon pomegranate relish over.

Re-post - Chipotle Turkey Pozole With All the Trimmings

Making turkey pozole with our beautiful carcass. The stock is almost finished and ready to cool for use tonight in the soup. Soup, beautiful soup.

From last year. Made a half recipe this time. Didn't feel like lugging a suitcase-sized can of hominy home from the market. We'll be eating this with The Colonel's homemade bread.

Mangia!

Chipotle Turkey Pozole
Posted 12/2/14

Love, love, love turkey carcasses, chicken backs and necks. Get enough of them, it's time for soup!

My dearest Petal's family puts on a very boring spread for T Day. I long ago gave up any hope of bringing along some side dishes that don't suck, like those darling parsnip chive pancakes from a recipe I saw a few years back, or a really fabulous sweet potato dish with fresh ginger, garlic, green onions and a miso-based dressing that I make occasionally. Do that one at Thanksgiving and you'll always look at candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows in abject horror.

I once made a wild mushroom bread pudding to bring to their festivities and the whole family looked at me like I was a Martian about to probe them.

But I scored big time this year by carting home the carcass and basically any pieces of meat that were less than whitey white breast pieces. Dark meat tastes good!! Petal can't handle things that look like the animals they once were. When she does her Christmas Eve tamale parties, we make the run to Costco and pick up some dozen or so rotisserie chickens and me and one of the boys have to de-meat them for her. Her middle son volunteers a lot because he loves the skin. So do I, so it's a bit of a challenge to stay focused on work when the two of us are trying to devour more skin than the other.He's in culinary school now and I can't wait to see where that takes him. 

Serve with tortillas, or in this case I went with cornbread, just simple cornbread with the addition of a bit of chile powder.

Sorry about the cabbage, Colonel.

Mangia!

Chipotle Turkey Pozole

Courtesy of Simply Recipes, with some adaptations by me

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup minced chipotles in adobo (to taste)

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 28-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes (San Marzano!)

Salt
Pepper

4 to 5 cups leftover cooked turkey meat, shredded

1 large (108 ounce, 6 lb 12 oz, 3 kg) can white hominy, rinsed and drained

4 quarts of turkey stock or chicken stock (I use Better Than Bouillon for stock if I am too lazy to make it fresh, but for today, I made one from leftover carcass of turkey, onion, garlic, carrot and celery, peppercorns and salt and augmented with a few chicken backs, bring to boil and simmer for about 2 hours. I had leftover parsnips and fennel from the roast chicken night, threw those in also. Let stock cool, remove solids and allow it to sit for a bit to allow the fat to rise and be skimmed off. Pick off any remaining meat from the bones to add to the pozole)

3 bay leaves

2 Tbsp dried oregano (Mexican if available)

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Toppings

1/2 head green cabbage, sliced thin

3 avocados, diced

1 bunch red radishes, sliced thin

8 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled

1 large bunch cilantro, chopped (stems included)

1 red onion, chopped

4 limes, cut into wedges

Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a large (12 quart) stockpot. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic. Add the minced chipotles in adobo (start with 1/4 cup and add more later to desired heat). Cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cooked turkey meat to the pot, stirring to combine. Add the rinsed and drained hominy. Add the stock. Taste and add salt (at least a tablespoon if you are using unsalted stock) to taste. Add the bay leaves, oregano, ground cloves, and cinnamon. Add more water if the soup is too thick with hominy for your preference. Bring to a simmer. Taste and add more salt, herbs, or chipotle to taste. You may need more salt than you expect, if you are using homemade, unsalted stock. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Set the table with toppings arranged in separate serving dishes. Spoon out the soup into bowls. Let people add the toppings they want to the soup.

Cornbread with Chile Powder

1 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 tbsp chile powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. 

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, chile powder and salt. Add flour mixture to corn mixture; stir until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into center of the pan comes out clean.

Thanksgiving Recipes

It's the Thanksgiving round up!

Here are some the recipes for our first Thanksgiving in our Arizona home:

Menu

Herb Roasted and Braised Turkey
Cornbread Sausage Dressing with Dried Cranberries
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Orange-Spiced Cranberry Sauce
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Garlic
Green Bean Casserole with Wild Mushrooms
King's Hawaiian rolls

A very full Mangia to you and yours!

Herb Roasted and Braised Turkey
Food Network

Total Time:

4 hr 55 min

One 17-pound whole fresh turkey, rinsed well and patted dry

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 large stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 large onions, quartered

12 cups homemade chicken stock

Gravy:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 head roasted garlic, cloves removed and peeled

Splash of white wine, optional

Mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme. optional

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the turkey: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.

Combine the butter, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme and in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper and fill the cavity with half the carrots, celery and onions. Rub the entire turkey with the herb butter and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Put 4 cups of the chicken stock in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Place the remaining vegetables on the bottom of a large roasting pan. Put the turkey on top of the vegetables, put in the oven and roast until lightly golden brown, about 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue roasting, basting with the warm chicken stock every 15 minutes, 2 to 2 hours 15 minutes hours longer. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh should register 160 degrees F.)

Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to baking sheet, tent loosely with foil and let rest 30 minutes before slicing. Remove the legs for braising. Strain the drippings into a bowl and discard the solids. Add enough stock to make 4 cups liquid.

Bring the liquid to a simmer, transfer to a roasting pan, add the legs, cover with foil and braise until tender in a 350 F degree oven about 1 hour.

For the gravy: Melt the butter in a medium pan over high heat. Add the roasted garlic and cook for a minute. Whisk in the flour and cook until lightly golden brown. Slowly whisk the drippings into the flour mixture, bring to a boil and whisk until the mixture begins to thicken and the flour taste has been cooked out, about 5 minutes. Add a splash of the white wine if desired and cook for 1 minute longer. Fold in fresh herbs if desired and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Cornbread Sausage Dressing with Dried Cranberries

This is a family recipe. Bake a couple of pans of cornbread using the recipe (or mix) of your choice. Brown a package of Farmer John breakfast sausage links; cool and crumble. Saute chopped onions and celery in the sausage drippings, add chopped parsley, sage and dried cranberries. Crumble the cornbread and mix the vegetables, sausage and as much chicken broth to make the mixture very moist. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 35 to 40 minutes until browned on top. Very good the next day mixed with a little egg, formed into patties and fried.

Green Bean Casserole with Wild Mushrooms
Adapted from Campbell's

The casserole is made the way it is on the label of the French's Fried Onions container with the exception of the addition of sauteed wild mushrooms.

I used a couple of handfuls of dried wild mushrooms, reconstituted in boiling water form about 30 minutes, chopped and sauteed with shallots and olive oil for about 10 minutes. I threw in a good couple of slugs of dry sherry and let that cook out. Mix with the green bean and soup mixture.

Orange-Spiced Cranberry Sauce 
by Season with Spice

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh cranberries

3/4 cup raw sugar or light brown sugar

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 teaspoon orange zest

1/4 tsp Season with Spice's ground ginger or 1 tsp freshly grated ginger

1/4 tsp of Season with Spice's ground Ceylon cinnamon

1/8 tsp of Season with Spice's ground clove

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

A squeeze of lemon juice (optional, but it adds a refreshing note)

For a fancier version, add in a swirl of bourbon or port.

Method:

1. Combine cranberries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix well and as the sugar starts to dissolve, about 2 to 3 minutes, add water along with orange juice, zest, spices (and Bourbon or Port if using) and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook mixture gently for about 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Finally, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice.

2. Remove from heat, cover pan, and let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Or you can prepare the sauce a few days ahead, and then store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Garlic

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)

2 oz pancetta, visible fat discarded and pancetta minced

10 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss together Brussels sprouts, pancetta, garlic, oil, and salt and pepper to taste in an 11- by 7-inch baking pan and spread in 1 layer.

Roast in upper third of oven, stirring once halfway through roasting, until sprouts are brown on edges and tender, about 25 minutes total. Stir in vinegar, scraping up brown bits. Serve warm

It's That Pumpkin-y Time Of The Year - Slow Cooker Spicy Pumpkin Chicken Corn Chowder

It's too bad we don't think about pumpkin that much during the year. Even out of season for the fresh vegetable, the canned version is versatile. You can do more with it than just pie. Did you know it's very good for dogs, and they seem to love it? Just feed it to them before it gets loaded up with sugar and spices.

This is a lovely slow cooker recipe that results in a hearty, flavorful chowder. It's loaded with potatoes, corn and chicken. The pumpkin adds a great creaminess, and the chipotle chiles bring some good heat. And it's easy too, due to the use of my favorite kitchen appliance.

Please do use the garnishes. The bacon really gives a umami bomb and the cilantro brings a green freshness to the finished dish. The chowder freezes well, but freeze it without the bacon, which will just get soggy with thawing and re-heating.

Mangia!

Slow Cooker Spicy Pumpkin Chicken Corn Chowder

Boulder Locavore

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Yield: 10 cups chowder

Ingredients

1 cup Red Onion, chopped

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

1 pound Red New Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-size pieces

2 cup Frozen Corn Kernels

¼ cup Flour (gluten-free or regular)

6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

2 cups Rotisserie Chicken, shredded (home cooked chicken may also be used)

1 15-ounce can Pumpkin (unseasoned); or the equivalent homemade

1 canned Chipotle Pepper, diced

1 teaspoon Adobo Sauce (from the can of chipotle peppers)

¼ Heavy Cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional Garnish: crumbled bacon and torn cilantro leaves

Instructions

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium high. Add the chopped onions and sauté until the onions are translucent. Set aside.

Add the potatoes and corn to the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with the flour and toss to fully coat the potatoes and corn. Spread evenly on the bottom of the slow cooker.

Add the sautéed onions evenly on top of the potatoes and corn, followed by the chicken. Next add the broth and the pumpkin; gently stirring to combine them. Top with the chopped chipotle pepper and adobo sauce.

Cook on high between 4-6 hours until the potatoes are soft. Stir in the cream. Salt and pepper for taste. Add garnish if desired and serve.

It's Getting Cold Out There - Time for French Onion Soup

It's strange to me that Phoenix seems to have more weather, as in changes of weather, than my San Diego birthplace. The change from burning summer heat to chilly winter nights and mornings finally happened, and I just can't remember when San Diego has ever been this cold. Except when I lived in the mountains. Of course, San Diego doesn't have multiple straight days of plus-100 heat. The Colonel says every day in San Diego is 63 degrees. He's probably not far off.

With some nights in the 40s, it's officially Soup Season. The Colonel had mentioned French Onion soup recently, and who doesn't like a nice hot ramekin of savory, bubbly, gooey cheesiness. Yes, yes, there are onions in there, but the real star is the Cheese.

Mangia!


French Onion Soup
Epicurious

INGREDIENTS

2 lb medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dry Sherry

3/4 cup dry white wine

4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (32 fl oz)

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette

1 (1/2-lb) piece Gruyère, Comte, or Emmental

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Special equipment: 6 (8- to 10-oz) flameproof soup crocks or ramekins; a cheese plane

PREPARATION

Cook onions, thyme, bay leaves, and salt in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and sherry and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, water, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until completely dry, about 15 minutes.

Remove croûtes from oven and preheat broiler. Put crocks in a shallow baking pan.

Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a croûte in each. Slice enough Gruyère (about 6 ounces total) with cheese plane to cover tops of crocks (I just sliced thinly with a regular knife), allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts

November has just flown by, and it's been a busy month. The need to cook wonderful things doesn't go away during busy times, but trying to carve out time to write posts is difficult when lovely holiday distractions are all around you.

There had been a package of ground lamb staring me in the face whenever I opened the freezer, and the closer to Thanksgiving it got, the greater the need to make some room for turkey carcass and leftovers. So, it was ground lamb's turn.

I love all things Mediterranean, Moroccan and Middle Eastern in cuisine. The spice blend in this stuffed dish tends Moroccan, and although a stuffed veggie dish, there's plenty of met to sink your teeth into.

Mangia!

Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts
Courtesy: Serious Eats

Ingredients:

4 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 pound ground lamb

7 tablespoons pine nuts

⅔ ounces chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons tomato paste

3 teaspoons superfine sugar

⅔ cup water

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon tamarind paste

4 cinnamon sticks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place eggplant halves, skin side down, in a large roasting pan that allows them to fit snugly. Brush flesh with 4 tablespoons olive oil, and season with 1 teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Roast 20 minutes, until golden, and remove from oven to cool.

While eggplant cooks, heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Mix together cumin, paprika, and ground cinnamon. Add half of spice mix to pan, along with onions. Cook over medium-high heat about 8 minutes, stirring often. Then, add lamb, pine nuts, parsley, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper. Continue cooking, stirring, for another 8 minutes, until meat is fully cooked.

Place remaining spice mix in a bowl, and add water, lemon juice, tamarind, and remaining 2 teaspoons sugar, cinnamon sticks, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix to combine.

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour spice mix into bottom of eggplant pan. Spoon lamb mixture onto each eggplant half. Cover pan tightly with foil, and return to oven. Roast 1½ hours, removing foil to baste with sauce twice during the process, until eggplant is completely soft and sauce is thick. You may need to add a bit of water as the eggplant cooks. Serve warm, or room temperature.

Quick Dinner Of Soul-fulfilling Goodness - Parmesan-crusted Chicken Fingers With Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce And Mashed Potatoes

The Colonel had a very long day last Friday, and didn't have a chance at all to stop for lunch. He was hungry, hungry, hungry upon walking in the door. We had a package of chicken tenders, picked up from the Used Meat section at Safeway a few days before, and some taters, and a bag of frozen peas. I decided on Chicken Fingers. Fried, savory goodness, with mashed potatoes and a side of peas.

The fingers are just a wing-it kind of thing, and I have no recipe to consult, but here is my take on them. I have a new potato ricer, and while I really like to make mashed or smashed potatoes with chunks and peels, I thought I'd give the ricer a whirl and have smooth, dreamy, creamy taters.

Instead of gravy, I made a simple pan sauce to go with the potatoes and a Honey Mustard dipping sauce for the chicken. Buttered peas on the side make you feel virtuous about serving a vegetable although it's really just another excuse for butter.

Mangia!

Parmesan-crusted Chicken Fingers With Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2' inch chunks
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk, or more as needed
Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a stockpot and add water to cover by a couple of inches. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Drain potatoes and transfer to bowl. Return stockpot to heat, and reduce to very low. Working in small batches, add some potato chunks to the ricer and squeeze into the stockpot. Repeat until all potatoes are riced. add butter and milk and stir to melt the butter. Salt and pepper to taste and hold on very low heat.


Chicken Fingers

1 pound chicken tenders
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2  cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons butter

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup mayo
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey

Mix the ingredients for the dipping sauce and set aside.

Beat the eggs with Worcestershire sauce in a bowl big enough to dip tenders into. Combine the panko, Parmesan, and next 4 ingredients in a separate bowl big enough to dip tenders into. Dip each tender in the egg mixture, and then into the coating mixture, and set aside on a plate.

Heat the oil over medium high heat until almost smoking. Working in batches, fry the tenders on one side for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn once and cook for about another minute. Transfer to plate lined with paper towels and repeat with remaining tenders. Transfer to oven to keep warm on very low heat. Return saute pan to heat.

Add wine to deglaze pan, scraping up browned bits. Add shallots and capers and cook until slightly reduced. add 1 tablespoon of butter at a time until butter is melted and incorporated.

Serve the chicken fingers with the dipping sauce and the potatoes with the pan sauce.

When The Diners Let You Down, Make The Corned Beef Hash Yourself

The Colonel and I have been on a hunt for good diner corned beef hash, and generally check the menu for it at any breakfast place we're at. We haven't come across a truly great, or even fairly good batch yet. I had a hankering for it so decided to make it this past weekend.

I am not ambitious enough to corn my own beef, so over to the Fry's for a brisket in a bag. Bonus: leftovers for sandwiches!

For inspiration, I went with a recipe from Epicurious, but "kicked it up a notch" with a technique gleaned from Emeril Lagasse's Smoked Salmon Hash: mustard, lemon juice, Cayenne and capers added to the cream specified in the recipe.

Mangia!

Corned Beef Hash and Eggs

Adapted from Epicurious, with a nod to Emeril

1 lb baking (russet) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1-lb piece cooked corned beef, chopped

1 cup chopped onion

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons capers

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4 large eggs (optional)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

PREPARATION

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water to cover until just tender, about 3 minutes, then drain. 

Sauté onion and bell pepper in butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in corned beef and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Mix cream, mustard, lemon juice and capers together. Add cream and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

If desired, make 4 holes in hash and break 1 egg into each, or just cook the eggs and serve beside the hash or on top of it. 

Días De Los Muertos - Chicken Enchiladas With Red Chile Sauce and Ginger Deadmen

It's like you're ready for the Day
of the Dead prom

It is Day of The Dead season! YIPPEE! I can wear my sugar skull apron! The Colonel is wary of this look.

I planned chicken enchiladas for dinner. Chicken enchiladas are something my Dad and I would make together, me of course being sous chef to his Executive. I drew the chopping and grating assignments. They were very simple but oh so delicious. Just chicken, tortillas, red chile sauce, onions and cheese, topped with cheese and fresh shredded iceberg lettuce. I still make them essentially the same way, but I make my own sauce, and add black olives and cilantro.

I thought about making a Dad altar this year, this first Días in my adopted state, but time just got away from me. Altars are traditional in the celebrating of Days of the Dead. The first day (November 1) is for honoring those children who have passed. Day Two is for elders. But Dad is getting his enchiladas on Day One, and he'd be perfectly ok with that. He did manage to stay a Kid At Heart in many ways even into his older years.

Dad's wouldn't have been this elaborate

What a Dad altar would contain: Milky Way Dark candy bars, a multi-tool (Leathermen) keychain, a picture of him from his abalone diving days, a picture of him in his National Guard uniform, an ice cream cone, a radio (for weather updates), candles and Pan de Muertos. He loved his tools, candy, ice cream and Mexican pastries. And storm-watching.

The sauce is from a recipe in Aida Gabilondo's Mexican Family Cooking. I've been making it for years. Petal is Hispanic and she approves it heartily. I made some for her during a visit to her when she lived in Ohio and made an extra quart or two so she could "drink it like a soup". Or just have extra to use in enchiladas. It's a very traditional dried New Mexico chile sauce. The chiles are boiled to soften and then pureed with garlic, next cooked with a roux until thickened, and seasoned with chicken bouillon and vinegar.

I used to boil the chicken, with onion and garlic, salt and pepper, and a bayleaf, but I got lazy this time and picked up a rotisserie chicken, augmented with 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs and 3 drumsticks I had in the freezer. I roasted the parts at 450 degrees with salt and pepper for 30 minutes. The Colonel, Kagan Puppy and I snacked on crispy chicken skin while I continued working.

I also bought pre-grated cheese, because...lazy. I draw the line at pre-chopped onions. Something happens to the taste of onions when they are mechanically-handled and kept chilled. They don't taste right and the texture can get weird.

You'll want to form a filling assembly line of sorts, with your mise en place spread out on a wide counter, leaving room to place plates of sauced tortillas for filling. It can go very quickly with help. I usually have three plates going, so that I can fill one, add to a pan and quickly go back for another plate.

How they are supposed to look

I found some really cute cookie cutters online with a stamped design on them, for "Gingerdeadmen". I thought, how cute and how hard can it be to decorate them? Turns out: very. But I gave it a game try. Can't say I enjoyed the recipe I chose that much. They seemed a little bland. I think next time I'd go with a little more molasses and add some cloves.

I went for a reverse icing design, figuring that would be easier than trying to fill in the skulls. Less area to cover. To do it again, I'd make more effort to find an icing tube with a finer tip. The fat tip didn't make it any easier.


I served the enchiladas with leftover white rice and a simple black bean salad of beans, grilled corn, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and a lime cumin garlic dressing.

¡Olé!

Mangia!

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

Sauce adapted from Mexican Family Cooking
Enchiladas adapted from Dad

30 to 36 dried New Mexico chiles, stemmed, seeded and washed
3 quarts water
9 or 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
10 tablespoons flour
10 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
10 cups shredded chicken
10 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
2 large onions, chopped
2 7-ounce cans sliced black California olives
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
36 corn tortillas
2 cups vegetable oil
6 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
Sour cream for serving

Put the chiles and water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, pushing the chiles back into the water occasionally. Let cool in the pot.

Working in batches of 3 or 4 chiles, 1 cup of cooking liquid and 1 garlic clove, puree in a blender until smooth. Drain through a sieve into a large bowl. Repeat until all the chiles are pureed.

Heat the flour and 10 tablespoons of oil in the stockpot, stirring, until the roux is a blonde color. Add the pureed chiles all at once and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bouillon, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm on the burner.

Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time, with tongs, turning after a couple of seconds, to soften the tortilla. Dip the tortilla in the sauce and transfer to a plate. Fill each tortilla with about a scant 1/8 to 1/4 cup of chicken and cheese, a sprinkle of onion, a few olive pieces and a bit of cilantro. Season each enchilada's filling with salt and pepper. Roll and place in a casserole dish. Pack them fairly tightly so that you end up with about 12 or 13 in a 13" casserole. Pie pans work well too.

Heat over to 350 degrees. Pour remaining sauce evenly over enchiladas, topping with leftover cheese, onions and olives. Sprinkle with queso fresco. Save any remaining chicken tossed with a little sauce for quesadillas. Bake the enchiladas for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Top with lettuce and serve with sour cream.

Ginger Dead Men

Adapted from All Recipes

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

 1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon,

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla;mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Press the design stamp side of the cutter firmly into dough and cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.