Pots and Pins

Mexican Street Corn Flatbread...

You know what's great about Mexican street corn?  Everything.  Until everything ends up in your lap.  All of that wonderful corn and spicy goodness, the onions, lime juice and queso fresco eventually drips down onto your white tee-shirt or your linen pants.  Truth.  I know of what I speak!  So how does one get the experience, the taste, the unbridled joy of Mexican street corn without drip humiliation and dry cleaner fees?  One makes Mexican street corn flatbread. 

I don't know who the first person was to come up with this recipe but they should win some sort of badge and they should wear it with pride.  Mexican street corn flatbread has sort of become our quarantine meal.  It's so easy to make, and it reheats great - the perfect thing to grab in between episodes of The Crown.  That's our latest TV binge and we are loving it.  Thank Heavens for Netflix!!!  Can you imagine what kind of state we would all be in if Rona had arrived say in 1990???  No cell phones, no computers (at least not in our house) and nothing but network TV and basic cable.  OH THE HORROR!!  We have so much to be thankful for - and I'm thankful for computers and Netflix and wifi and Mexican street corn flatbread!

So let me tell you just how easy this is - you buy the Naan, the flatbread, at your local grocery store.  It is an essential item.  And you use canned corn.  Oh sure, go ahead and laugh but when time is of the essence and the clock is ticking, you have to be quick!  One doesn't have time to roast fresh corn and then let it cool and then cut it off the cob.  One doesn't have time to thaw frozen corn either.  One only has time to let the dog out, go potty, assemble ingredients on top of flatbread and put in oven to bake so one can rush back to watch the preview of the upcoming episode.  Timing, as they say, is everything.   

Just feast your eyes upon that for a moment.  Dang delicious.  And it really is easy.  You can make it for lunch, for your afternoon snack, for dinner, for your after-dinner snack...it's perfect for any time of the day, including breakfast!  Reheat a slice and top it with a fried egg and you've got yourself a designer breakfast as the mister said!  

 

You can spice this up as much or as little as you want.  I tend to like it more spicy than the mister so I make one flat bread that is spicy and one that is not.  If you don't like cilantro, then don't add it, but definitely give it a squeeze of lime before you take your first bite - it's the clincher!

Mexican Street Corn Flatbread - Adapted From Midwest Foodie Blog

2 flat breads (store bought Naan or pita)

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, minced

zest of 1 lime

Juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon)

pinch of cayenne pepper or to taste

1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained

4 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese

1/3 cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco'

Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon chili powder, optional

 

For serving:

Fresh chopped cilantro

lime wedges

crumbled cotija

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a small bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, zest, juice of 1 lime, cayenne pepper and a couple of large pinches of kosher salt.  Place flat breads on a baking sheet.  Divide sauce between the two, spreading it in an even layer, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons of sauce for topping the flat breads after baking.  Divide shredded cheese evenly between the flat breads, spreading in an even layer.  Divide corn evenly between the flat breads.  Top both flat breads with crumbled cotija or queso fresco.  Sprinkle with chili powder and another couple of pinches of kosher salt.  Bake for 14 to 16 minutes.  Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly and is beginning to brown.  Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining sauce, garnish with chopped cilantro and more crumbled cotija.  Cut into slices (or serve whole, who's counting calories these days?!?)  Serves 2.

 

Winning Queso...

Every game day I usually make different versions of our favorite munchies and I always make queso.  Queso is the common denominator.  (Look at me!  Using a math term!!  My dad would be so proud!)  So I had to ask myself a very serious question...what would happen if I didn't make queso??  Would it throw off the entire karma of the Seahawks game?  Would the Seahawks lose?  Well my friends, let me tell you a strange but true story...IF you watched the game you know the Hawks were not even on the board at half-time!! Packers 16, Hawks ZIP!!  The mister and I were stupified!  What was happening?!?!   The Packers were running, jumping, scoring and the Seahawks seemed to have lost their mojo.  At half time I headed into the kitchen, so sad and shocked...and then I realized I had not yet made the queso!!!  I sprung into action and by the end of half-time we were back in front of the TV with our queso and, as they say, the rest is history!!!  The Seahawks are going BACK to the SUPER BOWL!!!  

 

 

 

 

Our Winning Queso made all the difference - I'm sure of it!! I'm not sure if the Seahawks know about our lucky queso or not...but, you can bet your Velveeta I'll have a vat of it at the start of the Super Bowl! 

Easy to make and it tastes great.  Yes, it IS loaded with fat and calories.  Duh.  Why do you think it makes the Seahawks win?!?!  Look, I don't question anything I put in my mouth on game day and neither should you, unless it's New England clam chowder! 

Here's my prediction:  Seattle Seahawks 17 - New England Patriots 10.  Queso wins again!!

Winning Queso - Pots and Pins

8 oz. Velveeta, cut into chunks

1/2 cup milk

1 can (15 oz.) Hormel Chili without beans

juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Put all into a small pan over medium-high heat and stir until cheese is melted.  Serve hot with chips or Fritos.  Serves 4.  Recipe can be doubled or tripled, depending on how much your 12th Man can eat at your Super Bowl Party!

 

Three Onion Relish...

It's been another week of playing tour guide...my sister and her tribe came to visit and since they had never been here before, we were off to the Space Needle, the Ballard Locks, the Monorail, Pike Place Market, the Gum Wall, the beach and the Fremont Troll...

Isaac, Sam and Nick loved the Troll but I advised them not to touch it because while it looks like the Troll has been crying, which you can't see in this pic, I'm pretty sure those weren't tears.  All Trolls have a foul smell, that just goes with being a Troll but this one has a distinct urine scent!

 

 

 

 

 

After seeing the Troll nothing could really impress three teenage boys as much, but I tried by pointing out my little herb garden, which only got a snicker, but then I showed them my TOMATO!!!  Yes, folks, while that isn't Headline News in other parts of the country, having ONE tomato on just one of my four plants in the first part of June is nothing short of miraculous!  It just might be ripe by July!!!  After 21 years of trying to grow tomatoes and only getting green ones by September, this is truly impressive...although not one of my nephews thought so...not even a high-five!  The fine art of growing tomatoes in the Northwest is wasted on the youth.

 

 

 

 

 

What does one do with Onion Relish?  Well, let me tell you!  It's fabulous on any kind of Mexican food...and it's great with pork, chicken or fish.  If you're not going to be kissing anyone, it's also just great as a dip with chips!  It's easy to make and has such a great flavor - it will surprise you with it's delicious versatility!

Three different kinds of onions plus a few more ingredients all go into the food processor to be pulsed into submission and then some shredded Parmesan cheese is added in, making this a truly unique and yummy relish...this simple relish will put the WOW into your next BBQ, even if you're just serving up some dogs.

Three Onion Relish - Pots and Pins

1 can (3.5 oz.) diced mild green chiles

1/4 large green pepper

6 green onions, white and half of the green stems

1/2 large white onion, cut into large pieces

1 large red onion, cut into large pieces

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

juice from 1/2 of lime

2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Put all ingredients except Parmesan cheese in food processor and process until onion is in very small pieces.  Remove to a bowl and stir in Parmesan cheese.  Serve with chips, on fish, chicken or pork and with all Mexican dishes.  Makes about 2 1/2 cups.  Will keep in refrigerator for up to one week.

Baked Chile Rellenos with Cinnamon Salsa...

Baked.  So easy, so good, you'll wonder why you've never tried this before.  And really, with all the chopping, dicing, slicing and everything else that goes into the making of the perfect Cinco de Mayo fiesta, (tacotamaleenchilada...I like to say them together, I feel like I'm really speaking Spanish when I do!)  who has time to batter and fry?!  We ate this on Dos de Mayo and again on Tres de Mayo, but alas, there was nothing left on Quatro de Mayo!  But you'd better believe I'll be making this again on Cinco de Mayo - it's the perfect dish!  We're going to have ourselves a small fiesta...the mister, even though he loves this dish, is not looking forward to our fiesta...he's afraid, after gorging himself with a tacotamaleenchilada, his backside might convert to a flame thrower - his words - I suggest you not try to get a visual...so after dinner he'll get a dose of Pepto Rio Bismol!  Have I told you how much he likes Pepto Bismol?  He drinks it like it's an after-dinner cordial...it's pretty amusing...he'll take a sip, bark a command or two, then another sip, then he'll fire up the remote with one more last sip until he licks his lips.  Sometimes he'll even hum the "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is" Alka-Seltzer song while he sips his pink Pepto...this is how we spend our evenings folks...it's magic! 

 

 

 

Restaurant style Chile Rellenos are dipped in a batter and fried to a golden brown with with a molten-lava-of cheese center that I love to watch ooze out into a little puddle on my plate...aye Chihuahua!  But again, who has time for all that?!? 

This dish comes together in minutes thanks to canned chiles - already fire-roasted, which means the skins have been removed so all you have to do is open them so they're flat and lay them nicely into a baking dish.  A good dose of green onions and cheese top the chiles and then it starts all over again, chiles, onion, cheese.  A mixture of milk, eggs, and spices is poured over the top and it's ready to bake.

Pretty, no?  And it tastes every bit as good as it looks.  Oh, and because I know you're dying to ask, yes, the cheese oozes slowly into a nice puddle on your plate...it's heart-stopping beautiful!  But that's not all!  The cinnamon salsa is spooned over each serving - just enough so you'll want to eat every bit, lick the plate, sit back contentedly in your chair, possibly stifling a burp as you utter an enthusiastic Ohhh-lay!

The Cinnamon Salsa has only a hint of cinnamon, it's not over-powering - just enough to make you wonder what it is, enough to make you pour more onto your plate, eat with chips straight from the bowl - make it your new signature dish - really, it's different, refreshing and down-right delicioso!  And, you can make it as mild as you like or spicy/hot by adding in a jalapeno or two.  It all comes together quickly in a blender - easy and fast...you'll want this one in your Mexican Repertoire!

Baked Chile Rellenos with Cinnamon Salsa- Pots and Pins Inspired by Marisa Sapienza

(My neighbor Marisa brought me a baked Chile Rellenos about a year ago and gave me her recipe, which I promptly misplaced.  So I have tried to recreate her recipe, making version after version until I came up with this.  Thank you Marisa for inspiring me with your fabulous Chile Rellenos! I couldn't bring myself to ask you again for the recipe!)

3 (10 oz.) cans fire roasted and peeled green chiles

4 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (I used a 4-cheese Mexican blend which I recommend)

1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced

5 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, optional

Cinnamon Salsa recipe below

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 10-inch deep, dish pie pan (or something similar in size) with cooking spray.  Drain chiles well.  Open each chile carefully, scrape out any remaining seeds, and lay flat in pie pan; you will use half the chiles, over-lapping a bit.  Top chiles with half of the cheese then half of the onions.  Repeat with the other half of the chiles, cheese, onions, making the next layer. 

In a medium-size bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cumin, and chile powders, whisking together.  Pour egg-milk mixture over dish as evenly as possible.  At this point you can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.  When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator, remove plastic wrap and let sit on counter for 20 minutes.  If baking immediately, cover with foil for the first 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.  40 minutes total baking time.  (If you are baking dish after it has been in the refrigerator you may need to add an additional 7 to 10 minutes of baking time.)  Serve hot with Cinnamon Salsa.  Serves 4 as an entree, 6 as a side.

Cinnamon Salsa

4 to 5 large, ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/2 medium-size sweet onion (like a Vidalia or Walla Walla)

6 cloves garlic

handful of fresh cilantro

1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, optional (with seeds or without - seeds provide more heat)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Transfer to a saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated and salsa has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.  Spoon over Baked Chile Rellenos or serve with chips on the side.  Makes about 3 cups.

 

 

Homemade Tamales...

My friend Sandra lives in Spokane and comes to the West side of the state frequently to visit her daughter and grand-kids, who happen to live next door to me.  I somehow managed to talk Sandra into showing me how to make tamales - homemade tamales are nothing like the tasteless things you get in most restaurants...and Sandra's tamales were the best I have ever had!  I had such a good time making tamales with Sandra that when I flew to SLC last week I made them again for my family and I had a little help from the nieces, who were thrilled to do forced manual labor!  That's Callie on the left, she is always smiling and her sister Gracie, on the right, is a growly-bear...but we love her anyway!  Those two smeared the masa mixture onto about 70 corn husks and topped them with a mixture of chopped spinach, tomatillos, jalapenos, cilantro, green chilies, onion, cooked chicken and cheese...a little fiesta all rolled up in a corn husk!

When Sandra and I made tamales we used prepared Masa, which is found in the refrigerated section of some Hispanic markets, it look like a big bag of dough/turkey breast, pictured on the left.   (The mister, who had to atone for his latest foible, was my masa errand boy and he had to go all the way to Kent to find a market that sold prepared masa!  He was not amused.)  We couldn't find any prepared masa in SLC so I used the dry stuff, mixed it with water, a little baking powder and lard and beat it until it was light and fluffy with enough air whipped into it so when a small piece of dough was dropped into a glass of water it floated  - that's how you know it's good to go!

 

 

 

 

While I cracked the whip, my little worker bees filled the corn husks until the masa was gone, sneaking bites of the filling when they thought I wasn't looking - who could blame them, it was dang good!  Once the tamales were made, we put them into a large pan that had wadded up aluminum foil in the bottom to keep the tamales above the water line, and then they were steamed.  Since we were steaming so many at a time it took about 40 minutes or so until they were done.

 

That's half of the tamales we made in the pot!  We ate some, gave some to mom's neighbor, my sister took some home and we froze the rest; after cooking they freeze really well and can be reheated easily in the microwave or they can be re-steamed.

 

Just look at that perfect tamale!  Steamed to perfection so the masa holds the filling tightly inside!  We ate ours with my sister's homemade salsa (her recipe coming soon) and some fresh guacamole.  They were so good...so, so, so, so good!  I think I'm going to try to earn myself a Tamale Maker Badge or something because I know I'll be making these again and again - maybe even for the big game on Sunday!   I had so much fun making them, thanks Sandra!  And my nieces definitely had fun making AND eating them!  Get a few friends or family members together and make up a couple hundred...it's fun, easy and they are absoposilutely delicious!

HomemadeTamales - Pots and Pins - Adapted From Sandra Carter, Tamale Expert

(Since prepared masa is hard to find I'm going to give you the ingredients and directions for dry masa.  If you find prepared masa and want to use it, you still have to beat it with a little lard and baking powder until a small piece floats in water - but I don't have those exact measurements for you - you'd have to wing it.)

4 cups masa

4 cups water, or chicken broth

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 lb. lard (comes in a 1 lb. block)

1/2 bunch spinach or Swiss chard, finely chopped

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 bunch green onion, finely diced

2 jalapenos, seeded, finely diced (if you want more heat leave in some of the seeds)

4 tomatillos, finely diced

2 cans (4 oz.) mild green chilies

1 lbs. shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

salt and pepper to taste

1 to 2 teaspoons cumin, or more, to taste

2 lbs. diced chicken (I purchased a 4 lb. package of rotisserie chicken from Costco)

1 package corn husks (Available at most large grocery stores, Safeway carries them, and Hispanic markets.  The package I purchased had 100 husks, we used about 65.)

You will also need a very large pan, aluminum foil, and tongs.

Fill a clean sink with water (or a large pot) and submerge the corn husks; soaking them will make them soft and able to fold and bend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the masa, water/broth, baking powder, salt, pepper and lard and beat for about 3 to 4 minutes, until well combined.  Fill a small glass with water and drop about a teaspoon of the masa mixture into the glass, if it floats it is done, if it sinks, keep beating for 2 or 3 more minutes and then try again.  When a teaspoon of the mixture floats it's ready to spread.

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cilantro, green onion, jalapeno, tomatillos, green chilies, and about 3/4's of the Monterey Jack cheese.  Mix in salt, pepper and cumin to taste.  Mix in chicken.  Set aside.

 

 

 

To make the tamales:  Take a corn husk and if it's wider than about 5-inches, tear off the extra, you don't want the husk to go around and around and around, just one time around is enough.  Spread a thin layer of masa, about a little less than 1/4-inch, over the top 2/3's of the husk, from side to side, and stopping 1/3 up from the narrow end.  On top of the masa put about 2 tablespoons of the filling, spreading down the center, top to bottom, and then roll the sides of the husk up and over the filling.  Fold the bottom 1/3 up and pinch the top to seal.  Make all the tamales. 

To steam the tamales:  In a very large pot, add about 3-inches of water.  Crumple up enough aluminum foil to keep the tamales above the water level.  If you have a steamer basket, great!  I do not - so the crumpled aluminum foil works great.  Please tamales in the pot on top of the crumpled foil, folded end down.  Cover with tight-fitting lid, bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to low and steam tamales for about 30 minutes.  Take one of the tamales out with the tongs and check it to see if the masa is cooked.  When they're done the masa will be firm and will easily peel away from the husk.  If it's not quite done, put it back in the pot and continue steaming for another 5 minutes.  Makes about 30 to 35 tamales, depending on how big they are.  Serve with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream.

 

Fry Bread...

I'm probably the only one who didn't know about this...it's a real fore-head-slapping-duh.  And now that I know, and am not too embarrassed to admit it, I'm going public with this little trick in the hopes of enlightening any other cave dwellers out there!  You can FRY refrigerator biscuits.  Is that not the greatest thing you've ever heard?!?  Once those biscuit/rolls are fried, some call them scones but I have chose to call them Fry Bread.  It's a totally easy version of Navajo Fry Bread. (Click on the highlight to read all about Navajo Fry Bread - the real stuff!)

 

 

Pillsbury Grands! work great - they come 8 to a package and fry up quickly.  Within minutes you can have hot fry bread to slather with butter and peach jam (!) or the perfect start to a Navajo Taco Salad!

 

 

 

 

After separating the rounds of dough, they are fried in about a half-inch to an inch of hot oil - one at a time.  It only takes about 30 seconds on each side before they are golden brown. 

The fork is there to show you how big this one is...actually it's rather small!  I grew up in Utah where there is a chain of restaurants called Scone Cutter - they really aren't restaurants but drive-thru scone shacks where they serve up fried scones in every way you can imagine.  I do not remember ever eating a fried scone growing up...apparently my kin are not fried scone people...every family has it's secrets!  But I do remember eating fried bread at a neighbor's house...they had recently adopted a Navajo Indian child and the kids in the neighborhood were invited over to meet him and to eat Navajo Fry Bread.  I don't remember much else about it other than their house smelled and I loved the bread.

 

If you eat Fry Bread with butter and jam, good for you, it's delicious and you won't regret the calories!  If you make Navajo Taco Salad, even better...the fry bread is the foundation for refried beans, shredded beef, cheese, olives, avocado - whatever you want to stack upon it!

Fry Bread - Pots and Pins

1 package refrigerator biscuits (I used Pillsbury Grands!)

Canola or vegetable oil for frying

Optional for fried scones:  jam, butter, powdered sugar, honey

Optional for Fry Bread:  1teaspoon cumin mixed with 1/4 teaspoon sugar, sprinkled over tops of bread after frying for added flavor

In medium skillet, heat 1/2 to 1-inch of oil until hot.  Remove dough from package.  Stretch out into a 6-inch round circle.  Fry one at at time until golden brown, about 30-seconds on each side.  Remove to paper toweling to drain.  Keep warm, covered loosely with foil in a 200 degree oven until serving time. Serve warm.  Makes 8. 

For Navajo Taco Salad, sprinkle fry bread with cumin and sugar mixture and then spread with refried beans and continue to top fry bread with all of your favorite taco ingredients.

Mexican Banana Cream Pie...

It's rainy and cold out today...as usual...and while that's nothing new, this recipe for Banana Cream Pie is!  It's a new twist on an old favorite and at first I wasn't sure if I liked it...but it grew on me, with each bite, and each slice...until by the end of the pie I was wishing I'd made two.  The mister, being a dessert racist (he only likes lite-colored desserts) is also very much a purist when it comes to the Holy Trinity of Pies...Banana Cream, Coconut Cream and Lemon Meringue...he doesn't like anything changed, he wants the same old pie the same old way year in and year out - so I expected him to hate this pie.  And he did.  As soon as I said, "Mexican Banana Cream Pie," the mister said, "No thanks."  At least he was polite.  But deep down inside, where the mister didn't know it, I knew he would like this pie.  It has everything in it that he loves...light flaky pastry, bananas, sweetened cream, caramel sauce (Dulce de Leche) and just a hint of cinnamon.  I didn't take his no for an answer, instead I cut him a piece and told him he could have a slice of cinnamon cream and bananas in pastry...and he bit...quite literally, into his slice of Mexican Banana Cream Pie, licked his lips and called it a winner.

 

 

 

 

My new favorite pie crust has to be this one - graham crackers, dry-roasted peanuts and butter...it's dang good!  Sometimes graham cracker crusts leave me with a granola taste - but the peanuts take care of that - there's no granola taste whatsoever - nothing but buttery crunchiness which goes perfectly with the layer of Dulce de Leche, which is the base of the pie!  Surprise!  Buttery crunchiness with caramel!  It's not a party in your mouth, it's a fiesta!

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh bananas are placed on top of the caramel, followed by whipped cream with a hint of cinnamon.  It's delicious.  Muy delicioso.  But, just to make sure you hear Mariachi music in your head, the top of the pie is drizzled with more Dulce de Leche and topped with peanuts...how do you say BadaBing in Spanish?!?! 

Give this one a try at your next fiesta...it's sure to bring a round of applause!  One last pic...cactus leaves come with thorns/spikes/prickles...and to remove them it takes a steady hand and a good pair of pliers!  I don't think I'll be buying them again...but they were very festive!

Mexican Banana Cream Pie - Adapted From Marcella Valladolid, Food Network

(Marcella Valladolid is one of my very favorite Food Network chefs...every recipe I've made of hers has been spot on...if you haven't tried any of her dishes - try this one, although I modified it, cutting the cinnamon in half and using salted peanuts in the crust - which I thought it needed.  One of my very favorite recipes of Marcella's is this, which I make for special occasions - it's worth the time and calories!)

Crust

1 package graham crackers (about 9 whole crackers)

1/2 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, plus 1/2 cup chopped, for garnish

1 stick butter, melted

Cream Filling

4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup store bought Dulce de Leche (recommended:  Nestle La Lechera Dulce de Leche), plus extra for drizzling on top of pie

3 medium bananas, sliced

For the crust:  Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely ground.  Add the peanuts and process until finely ground.  Add the melted butter and pulse until combined.  Transfer the crust mixture into a 9-inch pie dish, pressing and forming the crust evenly across the bottom and up the sides.  Refrigerate for 20 minutes to allow the butter to solidify. 

For the cream filling:  Using a hand-held mixer, whip the cream cheese and butter at medium speed until fluffy with minimal lumps.  Add the powdered sugar and cinnamon, whipping at low speed until just combined.  Add the cream and whip to soft peaks. 

To assemble the pie:  Spread the Dulce de Leche on top of the chilled crust.  Top with the sliced bananas, forming 2 layers if necessary.  Pour the whipped cream on top and spread evenly to completely cover the banana layer.  Refrigerate and chill until set, about 2 hours. 

To serve:  Top the pie with a 1-inch border of the remaining chopped peanuts.  Warm the remaining Dulce de Leche in the microwave until melted.  Drizzle the Dulce de Leche on top of the pie and serve.  Serves 8. 

Seis De Mayo...Churros...

As many of you know, the 6th of May is a special day for those who may have imbibed a bit too much on the 5th of May...they devote themselves to nursing hangovers and dealing with the (gassy) consequences of one too many chalupas or maybe they're still puking tequila and gorditas in the parking lot of Taco Time!  (Which is what we witnessed this morning!  I'm sure the Taco Time people loved that endorsement!)  It's undoubtedly a big $$$ day for Pepto Bismol and Rolaids - the mister certainly downed his share last night even though the most spicy thing he ate all day were homemade Churros, which were not spicy at all!

   

 

 

 

 

If you haven't made Churros before, there's no time like the present! You can have a warm and crispy plate-full in under half an hour and they will fly off the plate in under half a minute!

 

Churros are a great snack all by themselves but with vanilla ice cream they are a great dessert and with yogurt they are a great breakfast...oh, they're not the least bit healthy but what they lack in nutrition they surely make up for in taste!  After the Churro batter is made, you fill a plastic bag with a star decorating tip, which is the only special thing needed to make Churros.  If you put your plastic bag inside a tall glass, the glass will hold the bag upright for you so you can easily fill it - then you'll be ready to make Churros!

The Churros fry up quickly, about 30 seconds on each side.  After they drain on paper toweling for just a bit, they get tossed into a plastic bag where they are gently coated with cinnamon sugar...crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside...so, so good.

Churros you buy at the ball-park/street fairs or in Mexican restaurants are usually always straight...I had trouble with that, the batter would squeeze out and then curl!  Speaking of squeezing,  I may have mentioned I have a dress to squeeze into in the near future...I managed to block that from my mind until after I had downed a half dozen Churros...so I suppose I'm in the same boat as those who drank themselves stupid yesterday...I ate myself stupid, but unlike those who are hungover today, who will be fine manana...I will be doing the walk of shame in and out of my closet until my Churro pounds come off!  But they were so good!

Churros - Adapted From "Mexican Crullers" Churros by Daisy Martinez

1 cup water

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 to 5 eggs

Canola oil, for frying

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup water , the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt over medium-high heat until the edges of the liquid start to bubble.  Add the flour all at once and stir briskly with a wooden spoon until well mixed and no lumps of flour remain.  Remove from heat.  Add 4 of the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each.  The dough should look soft and glossy and keep a "hook" shape when the spoon is pulled from the dough.  If not, beat in the last egg.  Scrape the dough into a pastry bag (or a Zip-Lock style plastic bag) fitted with a large star tip.  Pour enough Canola oil into a deep heavy skillet to fill 1-inch.  Heat over medium-high heat until the top of the handle of a wooden spoon gives off a slow steady stream of tiny bubbles.  Carefully pipe the dough into the oil, forming 6-inch Churros.  Pipe about 3 at a time, overcrowding will result in soggy Churros.  Fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 20 to 30 seconds on each side.  Drain on paper towels. 

Put the sugar and cinnamon into a paper or plastic bag.  Close the bag and shake well to mix.  Drop in a few Churros at a time and shake until coated with cinnamon-sugar.  Makes about 12 to 15 Churros.

Quatro De Mayo...Tamale and Chicken Pie with Black Mole...

The sun is shining, the mountain is out and everyone in the Northwest is happy - well, everyone but the mister.  He is on one this morning...a mole (not to be confused with mole/mo-lay!) had the nerve to invade a corner of the front lawn causing the mister to explode, as in steam coming out his ears and expletives flying out his mouth - so basically just another Saturday morn.  Right now he is scouring the garage for "Mole-B-Gone" and there will be no peace until he finds it.  I on the other hand, am loving having the spring air wafting through the open windows - after I hit post I'm going to dig in the dirt, bring out the patio cushions and then rest on my laurels.  And then for dinner we will enjoy this Tamale and Chicken Pie with Black Mole...it's so good we might even have it for lunch, too!  (This would be an excellent side dish to serve for your next Mexican Fiesta!)

 

 

 

 

 

This recipe comes from Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta: Recipes from the World-Famous Spa by Deborah Szekely and Deborah Schneider with Chef Jesus Gonzalez via Delish.com.  I love tamales but didn't have the time to wrap them in little corn-husks packages - this pie skips that step making it very easy to enjoy tamales any night of the week!  I wanted something substantial in the middle of my tamale so I added cooked chicken, green and red peppers for color and flavor and some cilantro...so there's a layer of tamale, then a layer of chicken and veggies, then another layer of tamale...think of it as a Mariachi Sandwich! 

The Mole has so many levels of flavor, from nuts, seeds and peppers to chocolate, cinnamon and oregano - it's so good you'll want to eat it with a spoon or even a straw and it's not spicy...I used de-seeded Anaheim and Pasilla peppers so it's very, very mild.  Next time I'll use a little more heat!  The Mole recipe makes about 8 cups - so you can freeze the extra or use it as a soup base or cook a pork roast in it or put a few tablespoons in a piece of foil, add a cob of corn, roll up and toss on the grill for 10 minutes - the possibilities are endless!

 

Almonds, peanuts and sesame seeds are toasted and added to the pepper, onion and garlic mixture...then the chocolate and cinnamon are added in...need I say more?  You will be doing a Mexican Hat Dance, possibly the Sombrero Cha-Cha when you taste this - it's definitely worthy of a few Arrrrrriba's!

 

 

 

 

 

The Tamale Pie isn't much to look at when it comes out of the oven - but as we all know, looks can be deceiving!  Oh, those white things floating in the mole are pieces of tortilla...it all gets blended together into one fabulous sauce.  Make this for your los ninos de la familia and your cavernicola (for your children and your caveman!) because they will all love it!  Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients - most of them you probably already have on hand and this really is a simple dish to make, not just for Quatro or Cinco De Mayo but for any night of the week!

Tamale and Chicken Pie with Black Mole - Adapted from Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta via Delish.com

For the Tamale Pie:

2 cups masa (available in the ethnic section of most grocery stores)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups water (plus more as needed)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper or green bell pepper or a combination of both

1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

1 green onion, finely chopped

1 cup diced cooked chicken

Black Mole Recipe follows

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Put a kettle of water on to heat for the water bath. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with butter, set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk masa, oregano, baking powder, thyme, salt and pepper together.  Add 2 cups water and beat with on low speed until combined.  With the mixer on low speed, add more water until the mixture is the consistency of thick pancake batter.  (I added about another cup and a half.)  Add oil and butter.  Increase mixer speed to medium-high and continue beating, scraping down the sides, for 4 more minutes.   

Spread half the batter in the prepared pan.  Evenly scatter the chicken, red and green peppers, cilantro and onions on top, then cover with the remaining batter, smoothing it evenly to the sides.  Place the baking dish in a larger pan, transfer to the oven and pour boiling water into the larger pan to about halfway up the sides of the baking dish.  Cover both pans with a piece of foil.  Bake until set, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes (don't skip this step!)  To serve, cut into slices and spoon several tablespoons of Black Mole over the top.  Serves 8.

For the Black Mole: 

1/2 cup peanuts

1/4 cup almonds (whole or slivered)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1 corn tortilla, cut in 8 wedges

2 large Anaheim peppers

2 large Pasilla peppers

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large while onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 teaspoons sea salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 cups vegetable broth 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place peanuts, almonds, sesame seeds, cinnamon stick and tortilla wedges on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until golden brown, being careful to not burn the sesame seeds, about 10 minutes, but check frequently.  Wearing gloves, remove the stems, seeds and inner ribs from the chiles and tear the chiles into large pieces.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chile pieces, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the chiles are fragrant and the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the toasted ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion begins to brown, being careful not to burn the chiles or nuts, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chocolate, tomato sauce, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

 Remove the cinnamon stick and discard. Puree the sauce in a blender (in 3 batches) until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.)  Makes 8 cups.  This freezes well, to reheat let sit in refrigerator over-night or slowly reheat on stove-top.

---

Tres De Mayo...Sweet Pork Tacos with Mexican Slaw

Two more days to get prepared for Cinco de Mayo, or as the mister calls it, "Butt-burnin' day."  He does have such a way with words, no?  Almost brings a tear to one's eyes!  Due to his delicate constitution he does not like spicy food, but how can one properly celebrate Cinco de Mayo without at least a jalapeno or two?  The mister, if he eats anything spicy, usually washes it down with Pepto Bismol - he prefers Cherry Pepto Bismol and I kid you not, after he drinks it he licks his lips and the little cup!  He LOVES that stuff!  All this week I've been on a Mexican tear (in my pursuit to lose a few pounds so I can fit into the dress I bought for the boy's big day) because not only do I love Mexican food, but with just a few modifications Mexican food can be healthy and lo-cal and full of flavor that won't send the scale into the stratosphere!

 

 

 

This is the easiest sweet pork recipe you'll ever make - so easy it's not even worthy of calling it a recipe, it's just 5 ingredients!  And those 5 ingredients slowly turn into the makings of one of the best meals ever - plus it's made in the Crock Pot so you can bask in the Seattle sun while it cooks!  People!  The weatherbirds are talking 80 degrees next week!  Talk about your Global Warming!  80 degrees in May in Seattle!  Someone slap Al Gore!!  Well, you won't hear me complain about the weather, unless it actually hits 80 degrees...I'm a 76 degree kind of gal, one degree over that and my make-up melts!

The Mexican Slaw has a creamy avocado dressing, finger-lickin' good, and can be served alongside the pork tacos, but really it should go right on top...the crunch of the cabbage and peppers with the sweet pork is truly a fiesta for your mouth!  Aye-yi-yi-yi!  Break out your pinata and sombrero, open the gates and let the donkeys out!  Sweet Pork Tacos with Mexican Slaw is not only delicioso but it's healthy!  After you read the recipe you'll think to yourself, "She's nuts!  There's no cheese on those tacos!"  You would be right on both counts...but these tacos don't need cheese - they're that good!

 

 

 

 

You can use frozen corn if you want, but then you have to let it thaw and cook it and really, canned is just so much easier!  I know someone who thinks canned veggies are disgusting - she never uses them - said she wouldn't even feed them to her dog!  Well, my dog loves canned veggies!  And so do I, I grew up eating canned stuff so I don't have a problem with it but if you're a corn purist, then do whatever makes you happy!  If you're watching your waist, then serve these with a slice of cantaloupe and a few extra slices of avocado - you will definitely not feel deprived! 

 

Sweet Pork Tacos with Mexican Slaw - Pots and Pins

1 package corn tortillas, 6-inch rounds, 12 to a pack

For the pork:

1 1/2 lb. pork loin

1 cup Pace Salsa - Mild

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 large white onion, chopped

salt and pepper

For the Mexican Slaw:

1 head cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup black beans (15 oz. can), rinsed and drained

1 can Del Monte Summer Crisp Sweet Corn (11 oz.) drained (or any other canned corn)

1/4 cup finely diced green pepper

1/4 cup finely diced red pepper

3 green onions, finely diced

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

For the Dressing:

1 avocado

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon olive oil

juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper to taste

To make the pork:  Put the pork loin in a Crock Pot on high heat and toss in a little salt and pepper, about a half teaspoon each or to taste.  (If your pork loin is frozen, just put it in the Crock, it will just need to cook an hour longer.)  In a small bowl combine the salsa and brown sugar and pour over the pork loin.  Add onions.  Put on the lid and let cook for 4 hours (if frozen let cook for 5 hours).  Remove the lid and using two forks, shred the pork.  Put the lid back on and cook for an additional 30 minutes, then turn the heat to low until ready to serve. 

To make the Mexican Slaw:  In a large bowl combine the cabbage, black beans, corn, red and green peppers, onion and cilantro. Make the dressing:  Peel and pit the avocado.  In a blender combine the avocado, mayonnaise, olive oil and lime juice.  Blend on high until creamy.  Dressing will be thick.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing onto cabbage mixture and toss well to combine.

To assemble tacos:  Add a heaping forkful of shredded pork to a corn tortilla and top with Mexican Slaw, fold over and eat!  Serves 6.