Buddha Bowl Bar with Miso Vinaigrette

Buddha Bowls--we have been calling them "Grain Bowls" or "Grain Salads" and I've heard them referred to as "Hippie Bowls"  and "Power Bowls" but whatever you want to call them, they are definitely worth a try. Delicious, healthy, beautiful and easy-- what's not to love here? I set the ingredients out and let guests select their favorites, that way everybody is content. (Salad bars and Potato bars are the direct ancestor of this concept.) The list of ingredients presented happens to be vegan but adding one or two cheeses, bacon crumbles and diced deli turkey is something we do often. We even included mini pepperoni once! The Miso dressing is fab and we use it on most of our green salads. It is a terrific probiotic concoction and coupled with the prebiotic bowl ingredients, you have a top tier gut health combo.

Buddha Bowl Bar (serves 6-8)
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups coconut back rice
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup mukimame (shelled soy beans)
1 cup garbanzo beans
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 sliced avocados
2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped spinach
1 cup sliced cucumber
2 cups mixed roasted veggies (sweet potato, red pepper, cauliflower, parsnip roasted in olive oil)
Heat quinoa, rice and roasted veggies. Place all ingredients in serving dishes and allow diners to assemble their own bowls. Top with Miso Vinaigrette.
Miso Vinaigrette
1/3 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup grape seed or walnut oil (or oil of your choice)
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons white or red miso paste
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
Whisk all ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate any left over vinaigrette.

Hints: Warming the grains allows the vinaigrette to absorb better. It also seems to make the dish more satisfying and filling to have some hot and some cold ingredients. Use whatever veggies, grains, beans, nuts, herbs and greens you have on hand. You can buy a nice vinaigrette if you don't want to make your own (but you should really try this one out someday!) You don't have to use roasted veggies--finely chopped raw ones are also really great and I do that in the summer when I don't want to heat up the oven. Adding a sweeter touch is also nice with diced pear or apple, or sectioned oranges or grapefruit, or red grapes or berries. I try to use what is in season and what is readily available. If you use kale, cut it finely and massage it with some of the vinaigrette or some lemon juice to soften it. Adding cooked crumbled bacon, blue or feta cheese and/or sliced deli meat is also really good.

I have been making variations of this bowl for a couple of years now and it is one of our favorite dinners. I'll defrost some frozen leftover black rice and open a can of hominy for the grains, raid the fridge for veggies and scour the garden for fresh herbs. A healthy and delicious dinner can be ready in 10 minutes. No wonder it has become one of our 1st choices!

Potstickers Twice, Pork and Vegan

What is it about little bundles of food? The whole world has some type of wrapped up savory morsels that delight. Ravioli, samosas, tamales, knoedel, dumplings, pasties, etc. First up here is an interperetation of traditional pot stickers and then, inspired by Indian appetizers,  a delightful vegan option.
I had the opportunity to visit the Thermador, Bosh, Gaggenau corporate kitchens in California a couple of years ago and the demo chef did a variation of these pot stickers for us. They looked good but may have been a bit under cooked via his method and pork that is not throughly cooked...? Anyway, try these and see if your family likes them as much as my family does. Each of these recipes will serve 4 adults a main dish portion--about 7 potstickers each.

Pork Potstickers
1/2 lbs ground pork sausage (I use my local store's "Country" style bulk sausage)
1/4 cup finely shredded cabbage
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot
1/8 cup finely chopped snow peas
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
2 tablespoons water
1 package square wonton wrappers
3 tablespoons peanut or coconut oil, divided

Mix the sausage, the veggies, soy sauce, ginger and water together. Taking one wrapper at a time, place a heaping teaspoon of pork filling in the center, wet the edges with water and fold corners together. Seal along the seams and set aside. Continue to pack and seal each potsticker until filling is used up. Heat a 12 to 14" non stick skillet that has a tight fitting lid over medium high heat. Place about 1 tablespoon of oil in pan and then about 10 potstickers, one at a time, swirling the bottom in the hot oil. Prepare to cover the skillet with the lid, then ladle 1/4 to 1/3 cup water into the pan and immediately cover with the lid. Steam about 3 to 4 minutes -- the water may have cooked all the way off. Remove cooked potstickers to a tray and place in a warm oven or warming drawer until all are cooked. Serve with dipping sauce.

Simple Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup each: warm water, lite soy sauce, rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped green onion (or fresh cilantro)
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Mix together and pour into individual dishes to serve.

Veggie Potstickers
2/3 cup green peas, blanched fresh or thawed from frozen
1 cup sweet potato chunks (1/2" or smaller), cooked to just tender (microwave or dry pan fried)
3 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1 package round wonton wrappers
3 tablespoons peanut oil or coconut oil
Stir veggies, ginger and soy sauce together. Place 1 1/2 teaspoons in the center of a wrapper, wet edge with fingers dipped in water, fold in half and seal by pinching edges together and pleating 3 or 4 times. Continue to pack and seal each potsticker until filling is used up. Heat a 12 to 14" non stick skillet that has a tight fitting lid over medium high heat. Place about 1 tablespoon of oil in pan and then about 10 potstickers, one at a time, swirling the bottom in the hot oil. Prepare to cover the skillet with the lid, then ladle 1/4 to 1/3 cup water into the pan and immediately cover. Steam about 3 to 4 minutes -- or until the water has evaporated. Remove cooked potstickers to a tray and place in a warm oven or warming drawer until all are cooked. Serve with dipping sauce if desired.

Hints: Round and square wrappers, both work great. Just about any type of veggies can be used in either variety- I have used celery, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, cauliflower, red onion, bell pepper, soy beans, parsnip and more. You can make potstickers with ground turkey or chopped raw shrimp. I have not tried them with beef but maybe? They seem to work out best if there is slightly more veggie than meat by volume. Too much meat and they become more solid and feel like little bites of meatloaf--which may be ok for you- just not what I like. The water helps loosen up the mixture and it is much easier to work with. Sealing the wrapper really well helps the potstickers hold together so be sure and wet all along the edges. They may stick to the pan a bit but can easily be loosened with a flat spatula or small lifting tool. I like to keep them warm when done, in a warming drawer or low temp oven, if they are the main dish. If using as an appetizer, I make them and set out in batches as they get finished. Dipping sauces can be anything from bottled sweet and sour sauce to wasabi/soy sauce mixture. A fresh mint sauce works well with the sweet potato and pea variety.

These little bundles are full of flavor! Always a happy little treat for the tastebuds. They do take a few minutes to prepare but are so worth the effort. So wrangle some help if you can and have a potsticker party soon! 

Pomegranate, Quinoa and Hominy Salad

This was my go to salad for the 2014 holiday season. Great at pot lucks as well as great for quick, healthy dinners at home.  I am going to keep going to it for a while longer--as long as I can get pomegranates this winter.

Pomegranate, Quinoa and Hominy Salad
4 cups mixed greens (spinach, arugula, romaine etc.)
1 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup white hominy
1 cup cooked red quinoa
1/2 sweet onion, sliced thinly
1/4 cup slivered red cabbage
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
optional: 4 ounces blue cheese, cubed or crumbled
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Prepare and place in a serving bowl the greens, pomegranate arils, pistachios, hominy and quinoa. Heat a small non stick sauce pan to medium heat then add the sweet onion slices, red cabbage and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cook and stir for 4 or 5 minutes. Add vinegar and salt. Continue to cook for another 4 or 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vinegar has reduced almost entirely. Set aside to cool slightly.
Prepare the dressing by whisking the ingredients together. Toss the warm onions and cabbage, the blue cheese if using and the dressing with other ingredients just before serving.

Hints: This is a very hearty salad and can easily be used as a main dish, especially if you use the blue cheese. Try feta or fresh mozzarella if you don't like blue cheese. I find white hominy in the canned vegetable section of the supermarket. It comes in yellow too. Cut the onion in half lengthwise and then slice it into slivers. When I took this salad to pot lucks, I kept the dressing and the onion cabbage mixtures separately to transport then mixed together just before serving. I had some pomegranate balsamic vinegar on hand that I purchased from my local grocery store (I also saw it at Trader Joes) but plain balsamic would be just fine. I try to keep some cooked quinoa on hand in the fridge for salads like this one, soups or for crackers etc. Black or brown rice would be a good substitute for the quinoa.

This not only tastes superb but travels well and has beautiful color, (red, green and white) for a winter salad. When I make it with romaine lettuce only, it holds up until the next day for my leftovers lunch.

Salmon, Planked

This is fun! Neal gave me some planks for Mother's Day and I finally got around to using one. Thanks Neal...I'll be using the rest soon.

Planked Salmon
Cedar plank (see Hints)
4 skinless salmon fillets, (about 1 pound)
1 medium lemon
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Soak plank in water (weigh it down with a heavy pan) for at least 20 minutes. Turn on outdoor grill to high, or prepare charcoal briquettes. Rinse salmon and pat dry; set aside. Cut lemon in half, zest one half and mix the zest with the ginger, salt, pepper and parsley. Place salmon on plank and spread lemon parsley rub on top. Slice the other half of the lemon and top each fillet with 1 or 2 slices. Grill planked salmon, with lid closed, for 6 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets. Fish is done as soon as it is opaque and flakes easily.

Hints: Planking is a great way to grill fish because you don't have to turn it, which can be hard to do on a barbeque grill. The plank needs to be untreated wood. (Board from a lumber yard may be treated with chemicals that repel insects and can be dangerous to humans.) They can be found in packages in cookware shops or some large grocery stores. The package Neal gave me came with different types of wood, Cedar, Alder and Applewood. The soaked wood gives off smoke when heated that flavors the food cooked on it. Delicious! I like to use wild caught salmon, just because of the sustainability--I can't really tell any difference in taste but maybe you can. You could also use other types of fish like trout or halibut.

I have this aversion to "sweet" salmon. Often a menu will feature salmon with a honey glaze or brown sugar spice rub and I never order it even though salmon is one of my favorites. That's weird for me, isn't it? I like coconut shrimp and lichee scallops, I dip calamari in sweet and sour sauce, but somehow sweet salmon makes me cringe. So I guess my claim that I like all foods has a qualifier--I like all foods but not all the ways they are prepared. How do you feel about sweet fish?

Grilled Asparagus Quiche

Springtime -- time to break out the grill! Fresh asparagus, eggs and cheese with tender young chives meld to form a delightful Easter Brunch main dish.

Grilled Asparagus Quiche
Crust and filling as per this post.
1/2 pound fresh asparagus
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup shredded Balsamico Bella Vita cheese (or Swiss or Romano)
1/2 cup diced red pepper
3 tablespoons snipped chives
4 slices pancetta
Heat grill to medium high. Clean asparagus and break off tough ends. Sprinkle olive oil on asparagus and toss to coat. Place on grill and cook with lid closed for 2 or 3 minutes or until it begins to brown. Turn and cook another 2 or 3 minutes. Turn and cook once more. Remove from grill and allow to cool. Reserve 8 spears whole and chop the rest. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place cheese in bottom of crust; top with red peppers and chopped asparagus. Whisk egg and cream mixture together then stir in chives. Pour over veggies and cheese. Cut pancetta in half lengthwise. Wrap each half around the reserved asparagus spears and place on top of quiche in a circle. Bake quiche for 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Hints: You can use all white flour in the crust if you prefer. I like the Bella Vitino cheese but use your favorite. I didn't serve a sauce with this quiche but you could use a lovely Hollandaise if you would like.

I have a spring birthday and have always looked forward to this time of year. Easter is a remarkable time to count blessings, to remember the Love of God that has fill each and every year of my life in ways I cannot even comprehend sometimes. I truly "Stand All Amazed" at the thought of my Lord, Jesus Christ. Happy Easter to you! May God continue to bless and keep you and yours.

Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes

On a menu in any restaurant the word "curry" nabs my attention. Usually I end up ordering a curry if it is offered and usually I am perfectly happy about it. So making curries at home is a natural outcome. (The same holds true for "tamale".) This curry has sweet potatoes along with other good for you veggies and spices. Healthy eating is a great adventure!

Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes
1 medium sweet potato
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 medium carrots
1 cup snow or snap peas
2 medium stalks celery
1 large orange bell pepper
4 green onions
1/4 cup loosely packed chopped basil
1 lime
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger root
3 medium chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 teaspoons curry powder
2 cans coconut milk
2 cups water, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 cups cooked quinoa or rice for serving
Peel and dice sweet potato. Slice mushrooms. Peel and slice carrots. Rinse peas to clean. Dice celery and pepper. Clean and cut green onions into 1 inch long pieces. Chop basil. Zest lime and cut into 6 segments. Grate ginger.

Cut the chicken meat into 1 1/2 - 2 inch pieces and sprinkle with the salt. Place a heavy pot over medium high heat. Add coconut oil to hot pan. Saute chicken allowing each side to brown well before turning. When chicken is browned, sprinkle curry powder over the meat and stir so that the curry heats in the coconut oil.

Stir in the ginger and lime zest then add the coconut milk and 1 3/4 cups water. Stir in the sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, peppers, mushrooms and lime wedges. Cover the pot and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are beginning to soften. Remove the lime wedges and discard; add the peas and green onions. Continue to cook while making a slurry with the corn starch and remaining 1/4 cup water. Stir in the slurry and cook curry for another 5 minutes. Add the basil and cook for another minute or two then serve hot with quinoa or rice. Feeds 6 to 8 hungry adults.

Hints: I like to get everything ready before I begin cooking but chopping as you go is fine too. Substitute ( or omit) veggies as you wish. Use what is available and fresh. Freezing ginger root makes it easy to work with, but frozen root won't work for all recipes--this one it does. I use one can of lite coconut milk and one can full fat, but you can use either. The fresh basil is wonderful but can be expensive so dried is OK, just add a bit earlier so that its' flavor will bloom. Cook the quinoa while the curry is cooking so that everything is hot at once. I like to scoop the quinoa on top rather than under the curry for presentation. A one dish meal, this needs nothing to complete it.

Warm and cozy, this meal is a winner for curry fans. An aromatic, pleasant way to eat your veggies with enough protein to keep you satisfied through a long winters' evening. We will be having this again soon at my house. Try these Curried Chicken Spinach Crepes as spring approaches.

Pesto Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Aromatic, mouth watering sandwiches made with pork and pesto--what a way to end a mid winter's day. Hearty, hot sandwiches are great in the winter, especially if you need a knife and fork to eat them. And this one is so easy to make, you will love it!

Pesto Pulled Pork Sandwiches
1 large sweet onion
2 pounds boneless pork roast, (can be partially frozen)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup pesto, divided
8 slices sourdough bread
Peel and chop onion roughly. Place in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place pork on onions. Salt and pepper pork. Spoon 1/2 cup pesto onto meat. Place lid on cooker and turn onto low. Cook for 7 1/2 hours. With two forks, pull pork into pieces and mix with the onions and pan drippings. Lightly toast sour dough bread if desired. Spread 1/8 of remaining pesto on each slice of bread, top with pulled pork and serve hot.

Hints: Use home made pesto or store bought. Use another type of bread, like ciabatta rolls or roasted garlic artisan bread if you like. A leaner, tougher cut of meat is great here. And bone in would be fine, merely requiring a bit more time after cooking to prep. This recipe could easily be doubled if you have a larger slow cooker. I haven't tried cooking it on high for less time but I think that would work out fine.

I think this would be a great recipe with chicken as well! Few ingredients with mega taste--my favorite kind of dish. Slow cooking is such a nice option for busy days. And leftovers make a great lunch, (one that you won't resent but actually look forward to eating), another day. 

Sweet Potato and Smoked Gouda Souffle

Sophie had me try smoked Gouda a few years ago. I've been a fan ever since. This souffle has roasted sweet potato and a bit of nutmeg mingled with the smokey flavored Gouda all contained in a pecan crust. I think you're going to be so happy you tried it...

Sweet Potato and Smoked Gouda Souffle
1 cup sweet potato chunks, peeled, 1- 2 inch dice
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 to 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 eggs
1 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (or hazelnuts or bread crumbs)
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle sweet potato chunks with olive oil, toss to coat and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes or until tender, stirring once. Remove from oven and mash until smooth with a fork. Measure 1/2 cup and set aside. (Use any remaining for another recipe.) Heat 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet until melted. Stir in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly stir in milk and continue to cook until thickened. Stir in salt and nutmeg. Set aside to cool. Separate eggs, placing whites in a large mixing bowl and yolk in a smaller one. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat whites to stiff peaks and set aside. Beat yolks slightly with a flat wire whip, then whisk into cooled milk mixture (white sauce). Combine thoroughly. Whisk in mashed sweet potatoes and then Gouda. Take about 1/3 of the egg whites and lightly fold into the egg yolk/ cheese mixture to lighten it. Spoon mixture into remaining egg whites and fold in with a rubber scraper until mixture is combined and has few white streaks. Prepare souffle dish by buttering the bottom and 3/4 up the sides. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and twist dish to coat. Even out any loose nuts in the bottom of the pan by shaking it. Spoon souffle batter into prepared dish and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Hints: Roasting the sweet potatoes adds a depth of flavor that pairs well with the smokiness of the cheese. (I roasted more than a cup and will post a recipe that used the rest.) Grating nutmeg is easy on a micro-plane but you can use ground nutmeg. Measure the cheese loosely, not packed. If you don't eat nuts, the bread crumbs will work fine, but the toasted nut flavor really adds the final note of deliciousness here. A perfectly cooked souffle will be just barely set in the center, still moist and very jiggly. The nut crust will be crispy but not charred. The souffle can wait before cooking for a few minutes, but needs to be served immediately once baked. This recipe could be cooked in 12 ounce ramekins for individual servings and would need to cook about 25 minutes.

This souffle has a scent and flavor so well suited to cold weather! Gathering around a table to spoon out a portion to those you care for in the warmth of your home is so satisfying. Laughing and talking about how their day went or plans for tomorrow or challenges we face is a way to connect and re-connect as you share a lovely meal together. Of course connecting can be done without the lovely meal, over fast food takeout if need be. But there is something extra, some bit of intimacy that occurs when we cook for those we love and they partake with grateful hearts.

Chilli Sauce and Sloppy Joes

Here's a shout out to the Downs'! This is a recipe of my Mom's that uses Nana Hoffman's (Aunt Trudie's mom) Chili Sauce. This is the best chili sauce I have ever had! Mom would make a batch or two every year in the fall, preserve it in pints and use it to top hamburger patties, for wonderful barbeque beef or in this fabulous sloppy Joe like sandwich.

Sloppy Joes (Nola's version)
1 lb lean ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 cup chili sauce (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When pan is hot, place hamburger and onions in skillet and brown, breaking meat into small chunks with a wooden spoon. When meat is browned, add salt and pepper to taste and stir thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and stir till combined. When heated through, remove from heat and serve on buns.


Chili Sauce (Nana Hoffman)
16 large tomatoes
6 medium onions
6 medium apples (equal amounts of onion and apple)
2 tablespoons salt
2 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Grind tomatoes, apples and onions. Combine in a large stock pot. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients and simmer on low about 3 hours or until apples glaze. Makes about 4 quarts. (Process quarts about 30 minutes in a water bath.)

Hints: My mom would make a double batch of Sloppy Joe for our family of six. Of course my older brothers could plow through several sandwiches at a sitting when they were teenagers. If you don't have lean ground beef, be sure to spoon the fat off after browning. I am going to try this recipe with some of the elk meat my brother gave to me--I think it will be great. Mom used dehydrated onions at least one time when she made the chili sauce and it worked fine. She would chop the tomatoes and onions roughly, shred the apples with a fine blade rather than grinding. Pints process faster than quarts, I remember her processing pints for 20 minutes.

I have fond memories of my mom and Aunt Trudie making chili sauce together, using a very, very large pot. It must have been the result of  a tomato windfall in Bennie's garden. I also remember many good times with the Downs family. Once Kelly got Nana Hoffman to freak us all out by twisting her dentures backwards in her mouth with her tongue. We squealed and she laughed and continued knitting. What great times we had!  I thank you; Bennie and Nola, Craig, Brent and Kirk thank you, too. Hang in there Ralph! Hang in there Trudie!

Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Balsamic Glaze

Long hiatus from the Wasatch Mountain Kitchen. We've been building a house and by that I mean I was throwing trusses around, digging sand out of the water hook up, painting what needed to be painted, etc. Acting as my own general contractor on this project has been rewarding, challenging, frustrating and fun...sometimes all in the same day! Cooking has not been a priority lately but the project is almost done and I am thrilled to see my new kitchen pulling together. (And the rest of the house, too.)
Here is a slow cooker roast that is simply dreamy, both to cook and to eat. I created it one day that I knew was going to be long and arduous. It was great to come back to a beautiful aroma at dinner time. Don't we all love slow cookers for that very reason?

Pork Roast with Balsamic Glaze
3 to 4 pounds pork loin
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 purple onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 generous sprigs oregano
6 to 8 sage leaves
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon corn starch
Place meat in a slow cooker. Season with salt. Peel and quarter the onion then add to pot. Crush and peel the garlic and add to pot. Pour the vinegar over meat. Add oregano, sage and finish with black pepper. Place the lid on and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours. Remove roast to platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain cooking liquid into a sauce pan, discard solids. Place on stove top and begin to heat pan. In a small container, mix water and cornstarch. Whisk into hot liquid and cook until thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings. Slice meat and pour glaze over top to serve.

Hints: I like to use pretty lean cuts of pork but you may need to skim off some fat before making the sauce if the pork was too fatty. Of course using the slow cooker makes the meat very tender and the slicing may turn into shredding if you are not careful. Allowing the meat to rest a bit helps and a very sharp knife does too. Adjust seasonings in the glaze by adding salt or balsamic vinegar until it taste right to you. Leftovers are great on an artisian roll topped with slaw.

I appreciate all the traffic my blog has received these past several weeks even though there was no new content. I'll be back in the saddle again soon and am excited to begin using a new kitchen to create new recipes and feed family and friends more consistently again.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Succulent, spice rubbed pulled pork, cooked slowly with lovely peppers--this is a hit! Use it for tacos, burritos or enchiladas. Works great as a sandwich filling, too. Or use it to sauce some pasta. Tremendously versatile, extremely tasty.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Peppers
1 teaspoon each chili powder, ground coriander, rubbed sage,
1/2 teaspoon each black pepper, ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, hickory smoked preferred
1 tablespoon each Mexican oregano, brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 pounds boneless pork roast
2 large red or orange bell peppers
1 large sweet onion
1 teaspoon salt

In a small bowl, mix together the spices, herbs, smoked salt and brown sugar until thoroughly combined. Pat pork dry with paper towels. Rub the herb mixture into the pork on all sides. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add oil to pan. Sear pork for 3 to 4 minute on at least two sides. Clean and slice peppers into thin strips about 2 inches long. Peel and cut onion into slivers about 2 inches long. Sprinkle the veggies with 1 teaspoon of salt. Layer veggies and meat in a slow cooker, scraping any of the fond from the meat skillet on top. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low (or 6 hours on high). Shred the pork with a fork before serving. Serve onions and peppers on the side.

Hints: Browning the meat is critical to a good end product. There will be a fair amount of liquid in the slow cooker at the end. It can be thickened with some cornstarch if you like. This can make two meals or can be used all at one time for a larger group. Add some Quesso Fresco, cilantro and lime for tacos. Use with whole grain buns and the thickened sauce for sandwiches. Or stir into cooked bowtie pasta and top with Romano and fresh basil.

This dish has a hint of spiciness but some of us added hot pepper sauce and liked it that way. The fork tender meat is delicious and pairs well with nearly anything. Cooking slow and low allows the flavors to meld in a wonderful way.

Stuffed Shells with Lemon Garlic Sauce

Ricotta and Romano cheeses mingle with artichoke hearts and spinach to stuff these lovely shells. Finished with a lemony garlic browned butter sauce, they make a great center piece for any meal.

Spinach, Artichoke and Cheese Stuffed Shells
16 jumbo pasta shells
1 egg
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded Romano cheese
3/4 cup chopped fresh spinach
2/3 cup chopped artichoke hearts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Cook shells for 5 to 6 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Beat egg in a mixing bowl. Add cheeses, spinach, artichoke, chives and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Grease a baking dish with a bit of olive oil. Using a spoon, stuff shells with cheese mixture and place in baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with red sauce or lemon garlic sauce.

Lemon Garlic Browned Butter Sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
2 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a small sauce pan, stirring until butter foams. Add garlic, chives and lemon zest, continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes or until butter has browned and garlic is golden. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, remaining butter and salt. Stir until butter is melted. Spoon over shells or toss with hot pasta.

Hints: Don't over cook the shells or they will tear when you try to stuff them. I use canned artichoke hearts, about half a 15 ounce can. You could use lasagne noodles coated with the filling and rolled up instead of the shells. Or spinach crepes. The sauce could be used for pork or chicken cutlets.

These shells make a great brunch dish or a lovely light dinner. The garlic and lemon flavors play off the cheeses beautifully. Your family and guests will really appreciate this dish.

Tamale!

Wouch!!! That is "Wow these are great!" combined with "Ouch! I could have been eating these for years!" My first foray into Tamale making, I know--hard to believe for a Mexican food lover like me--turned out better than expected. I will most certainly be making more tamales in the very near future. (Watch for dessert tamales coming to this blog soon!) They are not as time consuming as you may have been lead to believe. Nor are they technically difficult. They are vastly versatile as well. I think you are going to love them!

Tamales split open to reveal fab fillings

You will need some corn husk wrappers, some dough, some fillings and some toppings.
Tamale Dough for 24 tamales (this will need to chill so begin it earlier in the day)
3 cups Masa Harina
2 1/2 cups warm water (about)
1 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 to 1 cup cool water
Pour some warm water over masa harina and mix with your hands until it holds together and is about as stiff as play dough, adding water as needed. Allow to rest about 15 minutes. Place coconut oil, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a mixer. With a paddle attachment, beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. While mixer is running, add a handful (about 1/3 cup) of masa and 1 tablespoon of cool water to the bowl. Once that is incorporated, repeat with another handful of masa and some more water. Continue until you have mixed in all the masa. The dough should be the consistency of a thick brownie batter, but light and fluffy. You can check to see if enough air has been incorporated by dropping a teaspoon full into a cup of cold water--if it floats it is ready, if not, continue beating and check again in a few minutes. Cover dough surface with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or more. (Dough can be frozen at this point.)

When ready to assemble tamales, begin by soaking about 1/3 of an 8 ounce package of dried corn husks in hot water. While they are soaking, make Hot Red Chile Sauce and fillings.
Hot Red Chile Sauce (you will need some of this for the veggie filling)
2 1/2 ounces dried New Mexico chile (I have tried other types and they were not nearly as good!)
6 cups hot water for soaking
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, dried
2 tablespoons olive oil
Soak chilies in hot water for 20 minutes. (You may need to weigh them down so they don't float.) Remove a softened chile from water, pull off stem end, split lengthwise with fingers and wipe off seeds. Discard seeds and stems. Place chile flesh into a blender container. Repeat with remaining chiles. Smash and peel garlic, add to blender. Add salt and oregano. Measure 1 1/4 cups of the soaking water and pour it into the blender. (This makes the sauce hotter; you can use plain water to make it milder.) Place lid on blender and process for 5 minutes or more until a smooth sauce is produced. In a small skillet, begin heating olive oil and add chile sauce. Heat through to use. This sauce can be reheated for serving.

 Sweet Potato and Corn Tamale Filling
1/3 cup fresh or frozen corn kernals
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced sweet potato
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (dried is not a good substitute here)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Hot Red Chile Sauce
Heat a small skillet over medium high heat. Add corn to hot pan. Cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Corn will begin to "pop" and brown on the bottom. Stir oil into corn. Add sweet potato, onion and pepper, stirring to coat with oil. Sprinkle salt and herbs on veggies, cook for 2 or 3 more minutes stirring often. When most of the veggies begin to caramelize, deglaze the pan with the water. Stir to bring up the fond (browned bits on the bottom of the skillet). Add the red chile sauce and continue to cook until the water has nearly evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Chicken Tamale Filling
2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1 (7) ounce can chopped mild green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coriander
 Combine ingredients in a bowl and set aside for assembly.

Assembly and Cooking:
Take about 1/3 cup of the chilled dough and spread it out 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick on the center of a damp corn husk (you can overlap two smaller husks or use one large one), leaving 1/2 inch on the sides and 1 1/2 inches on the bottom. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling down the middle of the dough. Gently pull the sides together so that the dough encases the filling. Pull back one side of the husk a bit and lap the husk snugly together. Fold the bottom up and flip the tamale over so that the weight holds the bottom flap in place. Repeat until all the filling has been used.
Cook for about 1 hour over boiling water in a steamer pot lined with small or leftover corn husks. The tamales can be stacked on top of one another or you can stand them on end, bottom down, next to each other so that they hold each other up if your steamer is deep enough. They are done when the corn husk can be pulled away cleanly and the dough is cooked through.
Serve with warmed Red Chile Sauce, guacamole and sour cream if desired.

Hints: Traditional ingredient lists for the dough call for lard but I got great results with the coconut oil. Almost any filling can be used. Chilled dough is much easier to work with. I would try Rosemary Chicken Verde, or Beef Chile Rojo, or Pork Chile Verde, or anything you would put in a taco. Rolling them takes just a few minutes once you get the hang of it. With helpers it can go very quickly but it really can be done by one person. The tamales can be refrigerated for a day prior to cooking. They can also be heated up a day after cooking in a microwave. Or frozen. The sauce would work with enchiladas or smothered burritos. The fillings could both be used for tacos or enchiladas. Like I said, super versatile stuff here.

These tamales remind me so of trips to Albuquerque, the tram ride to the peak of the Sandia Mountain to the east, the marvelous Mexican cuisine. The veggie tamale with the rosemary tastes just like New Mexico to me. Let me know what they remind you of...