Category Archives: MEXICAN FOOD RECIPES

SALSA VERDE (GREEN TOMATILLO SALSA)

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What happens when you put 7 little ingredients in the hands of my dear friend Jim? Well, if they happen to be this combination of ingredients, you get the best darn tomatillo salsa you ever tasted.

For my birthday this year Jim made this salsa to go with the taco/burritos we were serving. And I am here to tell you, the salsa was an unqualified hit. And then the best part, he left the leftover salsa with us!  “Greater love hath no friend than to leave homemade salsa in your refrigerator!” (I know I am quoting some sage historian, but I can’t remember for the life of me who it was!)

Now, although Jim and I have been cooking together for decades, we still think differently when we prepare food. Jim is more analytical in his approach to food preparation. He considers things like the fact that adding an avocado to the salsa would not only add flavor but cause the mixture to emulsify. (In culinary terms, an emulsion happens when two liquids that wouldn’t ordinarily mix (like oil and vinegar) are whisked or blended into a mixture in which one of the ingredients is evenly distributed throughout the other substance. This is part one of the emulsion process. Step two involves keeping the mixture in an emulsified state. That requires an emulsifier. The most common emulsifiers are natural and modified starches such as cornstarch, mustard, egg yolks, garlic, and you guessed it – avocado.)

So Professor Jim, in using an avocado in the salsa, created a perfect blend of not only flavor but consistency. (And no, I would never have thought about adding the avocado because of the emulsion factor. If I had considered an avocado at all, it would have been merely a chance flash of brilliance. And flashes of brilliance just ain’t happening as often as they used to!)

The other difference in our cooking styles; Jim usually prefers bolder flavors. (Now you do realize there is no wrong or right here; just personal preference.)

So, in reading the ingredients list below, I presented the amounts that best worked for me first, with Jim’s amounts listed second. (My blog!) But I’m sure Jim will forgive me. Although we each have our own style, the ultimate outcome of our adventures in the kitchen is always the same – we aim to prepare darned tasty food.

Thank you my dear friend for sharing your recipe and educated culinary perspective with me and my readers.

  • 5-6 tomatillos, husks removed
  • 1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper
  • 3 T. olive oil (Jim uses about twice as much)
  • 2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, peeled (again, Jim uses about twice as much)
  • 1 c. rough chopped cilantro (partial bunch)
  • 1 small, ripe avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
  • kosher salt – start with about ¾ tsp.

Jim’s method of roasting tomatillos over an open flame: Sacrifice one small square cooling rack and place it over a gas burner. Lay the tomatillos and peppers on the cooling rack, turn the heat on as hot as you can stand, and char the veggies until they are good and black or start to get oozy, whichever comes first. Remove to a bowl or plate to cool.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA(If you do not have a gas stove top, use the alternate charring methods provided below.)

Meanwhile, pour olive oil into a small pan. Turn heat to very low and add the garlic cloves. Gently heat the oil until you see bubbles start to form around the pan. (Jim cooks his garlic longer for a more mature roasted garlic flavor.)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERARemove from heat and allow to cool. (You are basically creating garlic infused oil.) When the tomatillos are cool, place them in the bowl of a food processor, along with the cooled oil, garlic, cilantro, avocado, and salt. (And no, do not carefully remove all the charred skin on the tomatillos. That charred skin is part of the flavor in the final product. Now doesn’t that make life easier for everyone?) Whirl to blend. Carefully remove the seeds and stems from the jalapeno pepper. Add the pepper to the salsa mixture and whirl just until finally chopped. Adjust seasoning. (This recipe actually takes more salt than you would expect.) Store salsa covered in your refrigerator. Best if made at least a day ahead. Serve with tortilla chips or as a condiment to any of your favorite Mexican dishes.

Alternate directions for charring tomatillos and pepper in the oven:

1)      Hold a tomatillo with a pair of long handled tongs over gas burner until well charred. (If the tomatillo starts to get oozy, call it good!) Place the charred tomatillos in a bowl or on a plate to cool while you char the rest of the veggies.

2)      Move an oven rack to the top position in your oven. Preheat broiler to high. Place tomatillos and pepper in an oven-safe baking dish. Place in oven, 4 inches from the preheated broiler, until the tomatillos are roasted and the peppers are charred, about 10-15 minutes. Turn veggies as necessary to char on all sides. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Proceed with recipe as described above.

3)      Place tomatillos and pepper on outdoor grill over high heat. Turn as needed to char the skins. Will take upwards of 30 minutes. Allow to cool and proceed with recipe as described above.

 

 

BAKED CHICKEN FAJITAS

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So once again I am going to prove to you how lazy I am. (I know confession is good for the soul, and I obviously have more to confess than most, but I seem to always be telling you of my deepest and darkest personal deficiencies.) And although laziness might not be up there on the list of the 10 most abhorrent habits known to mankind, it’s right up there on my own “must work on” list, second only to patience. But enough about my faults and on to Baked Chicken Fajitas!

As I wrote in my post entitled Chicken Fajitas, I love fajitas. And for my birthday party this year, I decided to follow my good friend Jim’s advice and serve taco/burritos with three types of meat filling. So I put my good friends Paul and Jim to work on the beef and pork (the two best meat cooks I know) while I concentrated on the chicken. I decided my chicken fajita recipe would taste great all wrapped up in a flour tortilla and slathered with all kinds of yummy condiments. But (and here comes the lazy part), I didn’t want to fry all the chicken and veggies necessary to feed 80 guests. (That’s a lot of chicken and veggies to fry, my friends. And although I might be lazy, I’m not crazy!) So I thought maybe there was a way to bake the chicken and veggies and still retain that lovely mixture of tender chicken and semi-crunchy veggies. So taking some good advice from several cooking sites I visited, while at the same time retaining the essence of my original recipe, I came up with this baked version.

Now I know it is in very poor taste to brag about oneself, but in this case I simply must! Not only did I turn my laziness into an inspiration, my inspiration resulted in nothing less than a fabulous new way to prepare one of my all time favorite dishes. The chicken remained tender and succulent and the veggies had that lovely semi-crunchy “roasted veggie” taste. Amazing! So in retrospect, maybe laziness (in certain circumstances) isn’t such a bad thing after all. I can live with that!

I hope you enjoy this new version of an all-American Mexican classic.

  • 2 tsp. cornstarch
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. granulated garlic
  • ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
  • scant 1/8 tsp. cayenne
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast meat, cut into 1/3-inch strips
  • 2 green peppers, thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 lg. yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 T. fresh lime juice
  • warm flour tortillas
  • shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese, salsa, thin avocado slices, and sour cream (preferably Mexican) for serving

Combine the cornstarch, chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, granulated garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken, peppers, and onion in a 10×16-inch pan. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the meat and vegetables. Drizzle the meat and veggies with the olive oil, and using your hands, toss the ingredients until everything is well coated in oil and seasoning. Bake the mixture in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or just until the chicken is done. Stir once half way through the cooking process. Remove from oven and squeeze lime juice over all. Serve in warmed tortillas, with lettuce, cheese, salsa, avocado slices, and sour cream or whatever your heart desires.

 

 

MEXICAN SALSA

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This is my daughter Paula’s favorite salsa, and not coincidentally, my favorite red salsa. It is perfect served with tortilla chips or any type of Mexican dish that is usually served with a red (tomato based) salsa.

So, as promised, this is the second salsa in a series of three that I felt duty bound to share with you. And I know, there are thousands, probably millions of salsa recipes out there, but I have not sampled them all, or prepared them all, so you are stuck with these three (at least on this site), plus another one already on my blog simply entitled “Salsa”. But (there’s always a “but” right?) these are tried and true and enough above the ordinary to warrant a post on my blog. Each exhibits its own unique flavor. Where they share commonality is in their ease of preparation and use of readily accessible ingredients. (Hey, it’s hot out there, but it’s chips and salsa weather. Who wants to spend their valuable time searching for unusual ingredients or spending the afternoon making a salsa? Not me, that’s for sure!)

So in deference to the lovely weather, I am going to make this recipe introduction short and sweet. Look for Jim’s Salsa Verde (Green Tomatillo Salsa) recipe in the near future. Happy Summer!

  • 2-3 cloves garlic
  • 1-2 jalapeno, whole, seeds and all (but yes, remove the stem)
  • 1 T. dried oregano, Mexican oregano if possible
  • 1 T. sugar
  • 1 T. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
  • ½ c. tomato juice, plus more to bring sauce to desired consistency
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 1 bunch cilantro, rough chopped
  • 1 (32-oz.) can crushed tomato*
  • 1 (32-oz.) can diced tomato*
  • kosher salt

Combine the garlic, jalapeno(s), oregano, sugar, lemon juice, and ½ cup tomato juice in a blender. Whirl until garlic and jalapeno are in very small chunks. Pour into a medium large bowl and add the onion, cilantro, crushed and diced tomatoes, and enough additional tomato juice to bring to desired consistency. Adjust amount of lemon juice and add salt to taste.

*Paula’s Comment: “I have made this with real tomatoes and while it is very good, it causes the salsa to become very watery and then it does not sit well on a chip, and I really hate that. So I stopped making it with fresh tomatoes. You end up with a perfect consistency when you use canned tomatoes.”

Note: The recipe entitled Salsa on this site is also Paula’s recipe. The difference in the two recipes is easy to explain. Salsa number 1 is best served immediately, while this recipe has lasting power. The tomatoes in this recipe will not break down and become watery even after 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

 

CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALSA

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There are very few edibles I like better than a really good salsa and tortilla chips. And for my 70th birthday party, I served taco/burritos with three types of meat and three types of salsa. And one of the salsas I served was this corn and black bean creation.  It was very well received, as were the other two salsas that were served. So along with this salsa, I will be posting my daughter Paula’s recipe for Mexican Salsa and my dear friend Jim’s recipe for Salsa Verde (Green Tomatillo Salsa).

All three of the salsas are very easy to prepare and include ingredients readily available in just about any grocery store. (If I can find them on Camano Island, you should be able to find them in your favorite grocery store.)

And although this is technically a salsa, it can be eaten as a salad. Or, if you are like my husband, it can be eaten straight out of the refrigerator container, while standing up, big old forkfuls at a time. After all, why dirty a dish when all you need is a few bites of corn and black bean salsa? Why even bother getting the tortilla chips out of the pantry? So, does Mr. C like this salsa? You might say so!! I hope you enjoy it too.

  • 2-3 c. frozen corn, thawed and patted dry  
  • ¼ red pepper, chopped
  • ¼ orange pepper, chopped
  • 2 T. chopped red onion
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tsp. very finely minced jalapeno pepper or more to taste
  • 1 T. fresh lime juice, or more to taste
  • ½ c. tomato salsa, medium hot
  • ½ tsp. chili powder
  • ¼ tsp. granulated garlic
  • ¼ tsp. kosher
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-4 T. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (depends on how much you like cilantro)

Combine the corn, red pepper, orange pepper, red onion, black beans, and jalapeno in a bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, salsa, chili powder, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper in another bowl. Pour the sauce over the veggies and stir gently. Make a day or two ahead if possible. Before serving adjust the seasonings and stir in the fresh cilantro and additional fresh lime juice to taste. Serve with tortilla chips. (We love Juanita’s Tortilla Chips.)

 

 

 

HUNK OF BEEF CHILI

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This is my answer to the age old question – “what to do with half a grilled London broil steak when the flavor of the new rub you tried rendered the final product almost inedible”? Yes ladies and gentlemen, I too try new recipes that look sensational in print and turn out to be, well how do I say this politely – not worth the ink used to print the recipe! And that’s exactly what happened when I tried a new recipe that appeared in our local paper. The steak rub/paste sounded oh so good, but unless you have only about 9% of your taste buds left, the taste of fresh herbs knocked your socks clear into next Tuesday! And you know how I feel about blended flavors. Each ingredient should compliment all the other ingredients. The only analogy I can draw is that the steak was like Wile E. Coyote, and the rub had the same characteristics as the Road Runner. And you know how that always turned out! – the steak, I mean  Wile E. never had a chance!

So, back to my original question; what to do with half a pound of highly spiced cooked beef on a cold and rainy spring day? And of course, the only answer that made perfect sense was chili. So after thinking on it for a few minutes, I came up with this recipe. And low and behold, it was good! No, not just good, it was really good.

So next time you get a hankering for chili, give this simple and tasty recipe a try. Serve it with corned bread and a good hearty beer, and life will become a bed of roses. (Just don’t over spice the chili, or you’ll end up like I did when I tried the rub recipe. Your bed of roses will have thorns large enough to use as knitting needles!)

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ lb. lean beef such as London broil, round steak, top sirloin (raw or cooked*), diced into bite sized pieces
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • ½ red pepper, chopped
  • 1 (28-oz. can) diced/chopped tomatoes (preferably Italian tomatoes)
  • 1 heaping tsp. beef base
  • 1 can black beans
  • pinch marjoram
  • pinch dried rosemary
  • 2 T. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
  • ¼ tsp. crushed aleppo pepper or pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 tsp. ground guajillo pepper, opt.
  • thinly sliced green onions, garnish, opt.
  • Mexican sour cream, garnish, opt.

Heat the olive oil in a medium large covered pan. Add the raw meat* that has been dried with paper towels and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Fry until brown on all sides. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and red bell pepper and cook for about a minute or until you can smell the garlic. Add the canned tomatoes, beef base, black beans, marjoram, rosemary, chili powder, oregano, Aleppo and guajillo peppers. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook for about 2 hours or until the beef is fork tender. Stir often during the cooking time. Adjust seasoning along the way. Serve sprinkled with green onions and sour cream.

*if you are using already cooked meat, add along with the black beans

Note: aleppo and guajillo peppers are both new to me, but both have quickly become near and dear to my heart. Finding them ground can be kind of an adventure, but if you live in the Seattle area, visit PFI (Pacific Food Importers). Heck, even if you live in Portland you should visit PFI! It’s worth the trip. And if you don’t live in the area, go on line and order a bit of each. They are simply head and shoulders more tasty than crushed red pepper flakes.

 

CHICKEN FAJITAS

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Well once again I have proven to one and all that my photographs of food will never make the rotogravure section of the Sunday Chronicle. Whoa Nellie – that was a thought blast from the past!  Maybe I thought about the long gone rotogravure* section of Sunday papers because I have been going half mad all day trying to get Irving Berlin’s melody for the song Easter Parade out of my head. (There is a reference to the rotogravure in the song lyrics.) Whatever the reason, the truth of what I said remains. I am simply a lousy food picture taker (can’t even refer to myself as a photographer) and I want to take this opportunity to apologize for my ineptitude.

OK, I got that off my chest; on to better and tastier subjects.

I don’t know about you, but I love fajitas. What I don’t appreciate is when fajitas are so highly seasoned that you can’t taste the flavor of the meat. (Just my old hang-up of wanting a blend of flavors in whatever dish I eat or prepare!) I also don’t like buying seasoning packets when I can jolly well produce a better and less expensive product at home! Of course, my spice blends don’t have the likes of monopotassium glutamate, disodium guanylate, or disodium inosinate (not making these names up folks), but I don’t really feel I’m missing anything by their absence!

So the following recipe is my answer to a not overly spiced fajita that can be made with chicken, beef** (skirt steak works great), or shrimp**.  This mélange of herbs is perfect for Mr. C and me. For those who prefer spicier fajitas, I recommend using a hot salsa to ramp up the heat.

*According to the Free Dictionary website, rotogravure is an intaglio printing process in which letters and pictures are transferred from an etched copper cylinder to a web of paper, plastic, or similar material in a rotary press. i.e. printed material, such as a newspaper section, produced by this process.

  • 1 T. cornstarch
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. granulated garlic
  • ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
  • scant 1/8 tsp. cayenne
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. water
  • 3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/3-inch strips
  • 1 green pepper, thinly sliced (or half green, half red pepper)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 T. fresh lime juice
  • 8 warm flour tortillas
  • shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese, salsa, thin avocado slices, and sour cream (preferably Mexican) for serving

Note: Remember – you don’t have to buy your spices in those darling little jars at the grocery store. Buy your spices in bulk and save yourself mucho dinero (well we are talking fajitas here you know!)

Combine the cornstarch, chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, granulated garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Place in an airtight container for storage. (I make about a triple batch at a time.)

When ready to prepare fajitas, whisk together the water, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and the chili powder mixture together in a small bowl. (If you have made a larger amount of the spice mixture, use about 4 tablespoons for this recipe.) Add the chicken, and stir together until the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. **

After the chicken has had a chance to marinate, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet until shimmering. Carefully empty the chicken into the skillet along with the green pepper and onion. Cook over medium high heat, stirring continually with a heavy spatula to remove browned bits off the bottom of the skillet, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

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Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Serve in warmed tortillas, with lettuce, cheese, salsa, avocado slices, and sour cream.

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** 15 minutes for shrimp and about 1 hour for skirt steak

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

So, who out there has never tasted a Russian Tea Cake, Swedish Tea Cake, Snowball, Butterball, Mexican Wedding Cookie or whatever name you use to identify these little 5 ingredient wonders? Probably no one, right? But on the off chance that you are among the half dozen or so people left in the United States that have not partaken of one of these incredibly tasty and easy to prepare cookies, I am going to provide you with this recipe so you too can come aboard the happy mouth train.

These cookies literally melt in your mouth. And cute? Who in their right mind could say no to such a darling little round ball liberally covered with powdered sugar? They look like little mini round pillows. (I’d have provided a picture but the cookies disappeared before I could get my camera out of the closet.)  Now granted, they are not the least expensive cookie to produce. But truly, you would have to be related to $crooge McDuck not to spend the money to make these little babies at least once a year.

Now some recipes I have made call for more flour, or less flour, or ground walnuts or almonds instead of pecans. But the 5 basic ingredients (butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, and nuts) remain the same in every recipe I have ever seen. Warning: don’t even think of using margarine or vegetable shortening instead of butter. You might find culinary experts from every country that has a version of this cookie appearing on your door step with strong words of displeasure at your disrespectful action. (We who are connoisseurs of these cookies take our use of the proper ingredients quite seriously.)

So next time you host an occasion that warrants a rich little dessert cookie (Christmas, wedding or baby shower, Monday night football, etc.) bake a batch of these cookies for your family and friends. I’m told they are the perfect end to any meal be it chicken cordon bleu or corn dogs and chips.

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
  • ½ c. powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. finely chopped pecans

Beat butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the flour and pecans and beat until thoroughly combined. Shape dough into balls with small ice cream scoop or by hand. Place 1-inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 14-15 minutes or until bottoms of cookies are light brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Roll cookies in powdered sugar until evenly coated. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

MEXICAN BROWNIES

This wonderful brownie recipe comes from Aaron Sanchez. And unlike many of the recipes that I feature on this site, I have not changed one single solitary ingredient or amount in Aaron’s recipe. No need! However, I did change the assembly instructions a bit. I added the step of sieving the dry ingredients together to eliminate any possibility of lumps in the final product. This is not a difficult or very time consuming process, but one that guarantees that all your careful preparation work will not have been in vain. (No one appreciates biting into a lovely goody like this brownie and finding a small lump of cocoa or a wee chunk of cayenne, for example.)  Not a pleasant surprise. And dried ingredients are notorious for wanting to stick together. (And yes I know what you are thinking when it comes to dried spices. Fresh spices don’t clump together.)

But let’s be realistic here. Most of us who cook and bake a lot buy our spices in bulk. And regardless of what the experts say about only using fresh spices (they all work for large import companies, BTW), a dried spice older than 6 months is just as worthy of your regard as the fresh faced newcomer in your spice rack! Just because older spices have a little longevity going for them does not mean that they should be cast away like last year’s half  jar of Aunt Sarah’s homemade bread and butter pickles! (Note to self: clean the refrigerator!) Older spices just need to be understood.

So if using a sieve to break up little clumps of spice caused by repeated and infinitesimal exposure to moisture that robs the spice of essential oils, so be it. Beats the heck out of becoming “spice poor” or worse yet, “old spice phobic”! Just treat your older herbs and spices with the same kind of loving respect you afford your older loved ones. Visit them often, tell them how wonderful they are each time you reach for them, and treat them special. Nothing could be easier.

  • 1 c. unsalted butter (2 sticks), plus more for greasing
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2/3 c. good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. baking powder

Place the butter in a large glass bowl and microwave at a low heat just until melted. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla; stir until well combined.

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In a separate bowl sieve the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and baking powder together to eliminate any lumps. Add to the butter mixture and stir until smooth. Spread the batter in a lightly buttered glass 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (350 if you are using a metal pan) for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

(And sorry about no picture of the brownies. They were gone before I could even think about reaching for my camera.)

JALAPEÑO POPPER DIP

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As I was planning the menu for our next in-home concert, I decided on Mexican food. Since the before concert meals are at 1:00pm (lunch really) I usually don’t serve appetizers. (Ok, when I serve Italian food I almost always have an antipasto platter for people to start munching on when they arrive, but other than Italian cuisine, I usually don’t feel the necessity.)

But thinking about Mexican food, I remembered that the first thing that happens when you arrive in a Mexican restaurant (lunch or dinner) is the magical appearance of warm tortilla chips and salsa. So, not one to be outdone by any Mexican restaurant worth their beans (that’s pinto beans of course) I decided my menu needed a “safe arrival” treat too.

And of course I could simply make a nice salsa (too messy) or guacamole (too de rigueur). But instead, I decided to serve an appetizer that was different enough to be of interest to everyone while at the same time keeping to the whole “south of the border” theme.

Now I truly have no idea if jalapeño poppers have any place in authentic Mexican cuisine, but they are certainly popular in America. But filling fresh jalapeños with cream cheese for 35 people seemed just a little more than my sanity could handle. That’s when the light bulb came on and I got the brilliant idea to serve a popper dip. So of course, I did what I always do when a flash of genius strikes me. I go on line, search for the dish I have in mind, let someone else do the basic work for me, refine their recipe to my liking, and take credit for the whole thing! (Now, you must admit, that’s brilliance personified! And no, I don’t feel even one little tug of remorse for my actions. I figure all is fair in love, honest income tax deductions, and adapting recipes to make them my own!)

So, in preparation for the upcoming luncheon, I made this dip last evening. (I don’t always try new recipes before I serve them to guests, but this time I decided not to “wing it”). Well boy howdy, this dip was an instant hit with Mr. C. It has that wonderful creamy mouth feel associates with cream cheese, a subtle cheesy background flavor from the Monterey Jack, cheddar, and Parmesan, and tons of jalapeño flavor without too much heat, that even the most chili-phobic person should find palatable. In other words, it’s really, really tasty without being too in-your-face hot.

So give this warm dip a try. It’s ever so easy to prepare and ever so easy to eat. And thank you American Food website for this wonderful recipe. I know I changed a few things, but that’s why I get paid the big bucks! And if you believe that (the big bucks part), I’ve got a great piece of property for sale right here on Camano Island that would be perfect for a banana plantation! The price is right too!

  • 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ c. mayonnaise
  • ¼ c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • ¼ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • ¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ c. sliced pickled jalapeños (I use Mrs. Renfro’s) + a couple slices for garnish
  • ½ fresh jalapeño, seeded, de-veined, and finely chopped, or more to taste

Whirl the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese together in a food processor until smooth. Add the pickled jalapeños and the finely chopped fresh jalapeño and whirl until only small bits of the fresh jalapeño remain visible. Do not over process. You want those little bits of green to remain. Spread the mixture into a lightly buttered casserole. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes. You should be able to see the mixture gently bubbling around the edges and the top should be turning a light golden brown when the dip is hot. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

 

 

MEXICAN COLESLAW WITH CILANTO LIME VINAIGRETTE

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I make slaw a lot. I love the crunch, taste, and especially the affordability of the ingredients. Now I am not a penny pincher, but I’m also not a spend thrift. But like everyone else, I like to get the most bang for my buck! And cabbage is one way to stretch the old dollar. And it’s good for us besides!

According to the Fitday blog site, and I paraphrase, “when eaten raw, cabbage delivers plenty of nutrients into the body. It is high in vitamin C and E. Other vitamins in cabbage include A, B1, B2, B6, K and folic acid. Mineral content includes calcium, sulfur, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. It also contains trace amounts of iron, copper, manganese, selenium and zinc. Cabbage also contains antioxidants and fiber.”

Another thing I like about slaw is that not only can the cabbage be shredded or sliced ahead of time, so can most of the other veggies. And for entertaining there is just nothing better to serve. First of all, many people do not routinely eat coleslaw, so a good (emphasis on good) coleslaw is a treat for your guests. And if you are the only one preparing and serving a large group of people, as I do regularly, not having to clean salad greens, chop delicate veggies, and dress a salad at the last moment is another excellent reason to choose a slaw.

But truly, the best reason to serve coleslaw is the flavor. If the simple veggies in a slaw are dressed with a yummy dressing, what’s not to like? Let’s get realistic here. Isn’t any salad mostly about the dressing anyway? (Well that, and maybe certain additives like bacon, cheese, croutons, nuts, dried cranberries, etc.) But here’s a news flash. There is often less dressing or dressing containing fat filled ingredients on coleslaw than on a typical lettuce based salad. Let’s use a hypothetical person like myself to illustrate my point.

When I go out to eat, I almost always order a salad with blue cheese dressing. And I’m not really happy unless there’s plenty of dressing on my salad. However, if I order fish and chips and it comes with coleslaw, the coleslaw is usually scantily clad. (Yes I know, the fried fish and French fries greatly make up for the lack of calories and fat in blue cheese dressing, but I’m simply making a point about coleslaw here folks, so cut me some slack!)

So next time you want to prepare a healthy salad to go along with a Mexican meal, or any meal for that matter, give this recipe a try. And don’t be afraid of the jalapeno. Yes it adds some heat, but not too much heat. If it still worries you, don’t use as much jalapeno, or leave it out all together. Now if you will excuse me, I’m going into my kitchen to prepare a jalapeno popper dip. (All this talk about jalapenos has my mouth watering!) If the recipe works, I’ll share it with you in the next few days. If not, it’s back to the drawing board, or in my case, the cutting board for me!

Dressing: 

  • ¼ c. fresh lime juice, or more to taste
  • 2 T. apple cider vinegar
  • ½ c. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together all the ingredients. Set aside. Or refrigerate until ready to use.

Slaw: 

  • 1 lg. head of green cabbage, finely shredded or sliced
  • 1 bunch radishes, trimmed and finely sliced
  • 2 medium sized carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced into half moons
  • 1 stalk celery, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced into half moons
  • 2 medium sized jalapeno chilies, seeded, de-veined, and minced (or more to taste)
  • 1 small red or yellow onion, cut in half and very thinly sliced
  • 1 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Place the cabbage in a large bowl along with the radishes, carrots, celery, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, and most of the salad dressing. (Be sure to whisk the dressing or shake the container before using.) Toss, taste, and adjust seasoning. Add additional dressing as required. Serve the slaw with any of your favorite Mexican dishes. Try it along with my Tamale Pie or Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chili Sauce for a wonderful Mexican food dinner.

Note: If you have any leftover salad, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Will be great the second day too.