JBug's Kitchen Antics

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

I know what you're thinking! Another repeat? When you've been apart from your main squeeze for a while or otherwise finding reasons not to cook, a quick swing through the memory book for favorites is high on the list. A craving for Mexican food along with leftover rotisserie bird from Big Guy's Monday BBQ session and the die was cast. Dinner's served!

As you might have figured, there's several different recipes on this site for chicken enchiladas but for some reason cooler temperatures and sandy beaches equate to the necessity for a calorie laden creamy version...that's if you need an excuse. This one's adapted from one of my favorite books, Idaho a la CArte, but I promise I'll promote a more calorically responsible version next time like maybe another favorite from Cooking Light. 

However, I have to say last night's version is far superior in our books so be sure you give it a try. Incidentlaly, Big Guy was reading the Food Network magazine this morning and mentioned to me that flour tortillas have tons more calories in them than the corn version, so if you're so inclined you can always substitute the latter for the former. 

Personally I think it's kinda' like eating the whole half gallon of ice cream today so I can diet tomorrow - in the great scheme of things, it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense does it?

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas (adapted from Idaho a la CArte)

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

1 – 6 ounce can green chiles

3/4 cup hot salsa

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 teaspoon hot chile powder (optional)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

3/4 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

8 large flour tortillas

1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 – 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

Heat vegetable oil in a large sauté pan. Add onion, garlic and chicken and cook until onion is soft and chicken is no longer pink. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in green chiles, salsa, salt, pepper, chile powder, red pepper flakes and whipping cream.  Mix together until well combined. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon  approximately 1/2 cup of chicken mixture onto large flour tortilla and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Roll to enclose the filling and place seam side down into casserole dish. Repeat until all filling is used. In a small bowl combine shredded cheddar, chicken soup and sour cream. Spread on top of enchiladas and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Remove foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with additional salsa and/or guacamole.

 A year ago - Baked Eggs

Two year's ago - Making Bacon - Pancetta

 

Tamale Pie

I think there may be as many versions of tamale pie as there are cooks in the kitchen. I'm not sure I even knew what it was until I moved to the sunny southwest but I've made up for lost time over the past several years. There's several different versions on this site but as you all know I'm always game for trying new recipes.

       May 20, 2009                       March 2, 2010                August 19, 2011

     

To twig your memory, the first edition has kind of a chile style base with cornbread on top while the second version's made from leftover shredded pork carnitas. The third one included a flavorful filling surrounded by layers of oh so creamy polenta. The point is there's no right or wrong way to make a tamale pie.

Last night's version inspired once again by the Cast Iron Cookbook, is more like a picadillo in that it includes sliced green olives and sweet golden raisins along with black beans and ground beef. The salty sweet flavor is balanced by lots of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to say nothing of the Tapatio hot sauce I used for added heat. 

It is delicious and a good thing too because there's enough leftover to feed the entire neighborhood. I'll be sending some off with the Big Guy tonight as he rejoins his huntin' partner John in their quest for the ever elusive javalina. Surely that will bring them some luck, don't ya think?

Tamale Pie (adapted from Cast Iron Cookbook)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 -15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 – 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice

2 canned chipotle chiles chopped with 1 teaspoon adobo sauce

1 tablespoon Tapatio hot sauce (or to taste)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup spicy barbecue sauce

1/2 cup sliced green olives

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1-1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (I used jalapeno cheddar)

Heat large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add olive oil and when shimmering add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion begins to soften, stirring often to prevent garlic from burning. Crumble in ground beef and cook until beef is no longer pink. Add bell pepper, black beans, tomatoes, chipotle, hot sauce, cumin, barbecue sauce and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to a high simmer then add green olives and raisins. Keep warm while making cornbread topping.

Cornbread Topping:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons coarse ground cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

3/4 cup corn kernels, drained (I used canned)

2 tablespoons canola oil

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In a smaller bowl combine eggs, buttermilk and oil and beat until well combined. Add liquid to dry ingredients along with corn kernels and mix until well combined. Sprinkle half the grated cheese over filling in pot and pour cornmeal mixture on top, smoothing surface with a spatula. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove and sprinkle top with remaining cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese has melted and topping is set (about 5 to 10 minutes). Serve with guacamole, sour cream and salsa on the side.  Makes 8 servings

A year ago - Buckets of Lemons 

Two year's ago - Roast Pork Loin with an Apple Crown

Three year's ago - Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus

Beefy Beany "Benchiladas"

I'm calling last night's feast of ginormous proportions "benchiladas" because they're kind of a cross between a burrito and an enchilada and yes people the word "ginormous" does exist in the Merriam Webster dictionary. Surprised the heck outa' me, I'll tell ya'.

A JBug's original, they're fashioned from very large flour tortillas rather than little iddy biddy corn ones. The filling includes sauteed onion, peppers and tiny cubes of sweet potato, ground beef and cheese which makes 'em more of a burrito than an enchilda; however, I added salsa and enchilada sauce just to be different and to use up some of the jars and cans hiding in my oh so handy circular pantry. Topped with grated sharp cheddar and served along with a very large extra dry gin martini with 3 olives, it made Big Guy smile big time when he walked in the door last night - that and the "Sale Pending" sign announcing to all and sundry the deed is done.

It's official! We're moving and much more quickly than we had anticipated. What we thought would take about 6 months to accomplish took a little over 2 weeks which is proof we have ourselves one heck of a Realtor, don't we? Thanks Pam Devine, Keller Williams Southern Arizona. Take a bow because you're the bomb!

Beefy Beany “Benchiladas” An original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped mixed sweet peppers (I used red and yellow)

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1&1/2 teaspoons hot taco seasoning

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup chunky salsa

1 cup sweet potato or yams, peeled and cut into quarter inch cubes

6 large 10 inch flour tortillas

1 can red beans in chile sauce (chili beans)

1 10 ounce can prepared red enchilada sauce

1/2 cup chunky salsa

4 ounces processed cheese cut into long strips (I used Velveeta)

1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat and add onion and peppers. Sauté until vegetables are soft. Add ground beef, breaking it up well with a fork and cook until no longer pink. Add seasonings cook stirring constantly for 1 minute, and then add salsa and sweet potatoes. Cover pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until potatoes are soft. Uncover, remove from heat and cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 350. Coat 9 x 13” pan with cooking spray. Cover bottom with approximately half cup of salsa. Warm tortillas if necessary until pliable.  Spoon some undrained chili onto tortilla, followed by a half cup of beef mixture. Top with strips of cheese. Roll into a cylinder, tucking in ends and place seam side down into casserole dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Top with enchilada sauce, and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until casserole is bubbling hot. Serve garnished with sour cream, and salsa. Pass the hot sauce as necessary. Serves 4 to 6.

 A year ago - Perfect Pear Puddin'

Two year's ago - Eggs in Purgatory

Poblano and Sausage Chili

There's nothing better than a pot of chili on a Friday night especially when the temperatures are cooler and there's rain coming down.

Now we've enjoyed a lot of different chili's on this site and one of the many things I've learned during our 10 years is Tucson is there's a huge difference between a Mexican style chile and a chili like this one. In case you want to know the authentic Tex/Mex version, at least the one I make, doesn't have a touch of tomato in it, uses cubed beef instead of ground and there's not a bean in sight either. Not so with last night's pot of glorious stew. 

A Cooking Light Recipe via myrecipes.com, this one starts with the usual sauteed onion and garlic, and makes use of sweet Italian sausage for something a little different. A couple of poblano peppers instead of the usual sweet green bell pepper variety and the pot's completed with canned diced tomatoes as well as a couple of poblano peppers and a can each of red kidney beans (the recipe called for black) and pinto's too. I added a little more tomato flavor in the guise of tomato paste because I thought the pot needed a little extra richness and I nixed the cilantro because mine was looking a little tired. 

This chili has a very mild flavor, at least to our tastebuds,  so we added extra spice to our bowls to make it more to our liking, but for those of you who are less "heat tolerant" the recipe as written is the way to go. Hit the link here and it'll take you right to the source. 

I whipped up some quick cheese quesadillas out of corn tortillas and a mix of cheddar and Velveeta as a "with" but a hunk of cornbread would be a super side too.  Enjoy! We certainly did. 

A year ago - Weenies and Bacon Maple Beans

Two year's ago - Pork Tenderloin with Bacon,Onion,Mushroom Bourbon Sauce

King Ranch Casserole

Can't believe we've lived in the Southwest for 10 years and this is my first attempt at a King Ranch Casserole. It certainly isn't that I haven't wanted to try it before now. I mean really, it's got everything in it that we love including lots of ooey gooey goodness.

 

We must have been exceptionally anxious to chow down on this casserole last night, because this is the only picture we got. Sorry!

I took my inspiration from a "light" version via myrecipes.com but added a few more calories - hey, heaven forbid anything should be too light around here and while I know there's scratch versions out there like the one at Homesick Texan, since JBug's Kitchen is all about every day cooking, I went ahead and used a couple of Campbell's products in the form of fat free cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom too. I'm sure I'll hear from you "gourmand's" out there who take issue with using convenience foods, but so be it. 

I threw in extra garlic powder, a touch of cumin and some of our favorite chipotle chile powder as well as just a touch of sour cream and a little chicken stock too. Good thing the sour cream was in it because Big Guy picked up Rotel with Habenero peppers in it for a little extra kick. Just can't trust him can I?

As for the chicken, I raided the freezer for the rest of the bird we roasted a few weeks ago which means we enjoyed 3 totally different meals plus leftovers from that one little bird. Not bad, eh? Oh, in case you're wondering whether we liked the casserole - heck yes. What's not to like? Rich creamy flavorful soul satisifying good grub that's a cross between chicken enchiladas and chilequilas... no way you can go wrong with that!

Lighter King Ranch Chicken Casserole (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from myrecipes.com)

1 large onion, chopped

5 assorted mini sweet peppers, chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 – 10 ounce can fat free cream of chicken soup

1 – 10 ounce can fat free cream of mushroom soup

1 – 10 ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes with habanero peppers

1/3 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup lite sour cream

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 -1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

10 – 6 inch corn tortillas cut into quarters

2 cups chopped leftover roasted chicken

4 ounce grated Pepper Jack cheese (or Monterey Jack)

2 ounce grated sharp cheddar

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 x 13 casserole with cooking spray and set aside.

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is softened – about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together undiluted cream soups, tomatoes, chicken stock, sour cream, pepper, garlic, chile powder and cumin until well mixed. Pour a third of the mixture onto the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with one third of the tortilla pieces, followed by half the chicken, half of the onion pepper mixture and a third of the cheese. Add a third of the sauce and repeat layers, ending in sauce and cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until the casserole is bubbling. Serves 6 to 8.

 A year ago - New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp

Two year's ago - Magic Banana Caramel Pudding

Pork, Chorizo and Green Chile Cheeseburgers

We haven't been home for a Pink Mountain Friday night * (see note)  for a number of weeks and quite honestly I've been feeling guilty about it. I mean I'd hate to get to the point that I take a Friday night date night for granted so instead we teamed up and cooked dinner at home last night.

I mixed up ground pork and Mexican style pork chorizo with chopped roasted Hatch green chiles from our freezer, garlic, a few panko crumbs and salsa verde and formed the mixture into patties. Refrigerated for half a hour or so, they held their shape beautifully on the grill as Big Guy did the cookin.

Topped with slices of gooey Velveeta and some Pepper Jack Cheese, a little mayo and a bunch of other green stuff like more roasted chiles, dabs of guacamole, shredded lettuce and pickled jalapeno's all piled up onto a grilled bun, we were definitely on the right road to flavor town. 

* Note - for those of you who are puzzled by the terminology, Pink Mountain Friday's are our Tucson tradition to be defined as "when the mountains are pink, it's time to drink".)

Pork, Chorizo and Green Chile Burgers (an original from JBug’s )

1 pound ground pork

1/2 pound Mexican style pork chorizo

4 ounces roasted green chiles, peeled, seeded and chopped (canned is fine)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup panko crumbs

1/3 cup salsa verde

Course ground black pepper

Salt as needed

4 hamburger buns, buttered and grilled

4 whole peeled and seeded green chiles

4 slices Velveeta

4 slices Pepper jack cheese

Guacamole, mayonnaise, pickled jalapenos, shredded lettuce

Combine pork, chorizo, green chiles, garlic, panko and salsa verde. Season well with pepper but go lightly on the salt because the chorizo is usually quite salty. Form into patties and refrigerate for a minimum half hour. Grill on a hot oiled grill until patties reach an internal temperature of 145. Add cheese slices and cover during last few minutes of cooking to melt the cheese. Serve on grilled buns topped with mayo, guacamole, jalapenos and shredded lettuce.

Makes 4 servings. 

A year ago - Roast Chicken with Apples and Rosemary

Two year's ago - Nasi Goreng

A Soft Taco with Homemade Chorizo

Living here in Tucson for the past ten years so close to the border has been a super opportunity as far as learning to appreciate the diversity of Mexican cuisine. We've become huge fans and I've had a blast trying new recipes thanks to books by Rick Bayless, Diana Kennedy and John Conley of Salsa Brava fame never mind the b'zillions of sources available on the good old internet.

Last night's effort comes from The Cooking Channel (hit the link and it'll take you to the recipe).  Quite honestly it is pretty darn tasty although it leans more towards the Spanish style of soft chorizo than the Mexican version. A few pounds of ground pork combined with a paste made from a three dried dried chiles that have been rehydrated and seeded along with red wine vinegar, cumin, coriander, oregano and garlic make up the basis of this recipe. The difference between this and our local chorizo is the addition of smoked paprika rather than cinnamon and cloves or allspice and the Mexican version is also a lot more "chile intensive" too I might add.

Although much milder in flavor,this one is certainly no less delicious and it's a great introduction for those of you who have rather "pansy" tastebuds because while spicy, there's just a slight bite of heat. It makes for a great filling for Soft Tacos like the ones we enjoyed last night, including a flour tortilla topped with crispy fried potatoes, shredded lettuce, queso fresco cheese, a touch of guacamole, sour cream and salsa. What a great week night dinner solution, huh!

Pile a couple of eggs on top and add a quesadilla and you've the makings of a rather incredible breakfast too just like the one Big Guy enjoyed this morning before he left for work...and no, he doesn't eat a huge one like this every day in case you're wondering. It's usually a little more "portion controlled" but always hot off the stove. Spoiled you say? Hey, we're a team so we spoil each other and that's all I'm gonna' say about that. 

By the way, we made a version of Mexican style chorizo using javalina and ground pork a while back, so hit this link and it'll take you there. I can hear you saying "javalina, ya right"...well, just substitute more pork and you'll be OK. 

A year ago - Mushroom and Fontina Quiche

Two year's ago - Lazy Lasagna in a Bowl

Chicken Tostadas

I was in a real fix yesterday trying to decide what to do with some of the leftover roast chicken from Saturday night's dinner. I was thinking enchiladas since we haven't had them for a while and of course there's always one of my favorites, chicken pot pie but we've had plenty of those in the past. 

Instead I took a page out of Marcela Valladolid's book at Food Network and put together a platter of goodies as toppers on small corn tortillas that I fried until crisp and golden. The tostada's are a cinch to make so there's no need to buy the shells because they take all of about a minute total to get crisp and puffy. A little oil in a large cast iron pan, a pair of tongs and that's it.

Next time you've some leftover pork, beef, chicken or even fish or shrimp, take an imaginary trip to margarita land and cook up this simple Mexican version of an open face sandwich.  I bet your family will have a blast choosing how to build their masterpieces never mind enjoying the crisp and flavorful results of their labors. I know we sure did!

The simple version...uh dainty isn't it?

 

The manly kind. Dainty? NOT

A year ago - Grilled Tri Tip with Tequila Marinade

Two year's ago - Shaker Lemon Bars

 

Use Leftovers - Turkey and Pumpkin Enchilada Casserole

Leftovers can be the best gift a cook can give herself and never moreso after a big holiday meal. With that in mind, we threw a few extra turkey thighs in the pot on Sunday so we'd take care of a few more meals through the week. Here's number 1.  

I don't know about you but when I use the word casserole, I think of something quick and easy to make. Unfortunately this version of Mexican style lasagne doesn't quite fit into the "quick" category but believe me when I say it's worth every second of the time it takes to get it on the table. 

Step one is the sauce. While you could forgo this by simply opening a can of prepared enchilada sauce, this sauce isn't difficult to make and definitely worth it in the flavor department. Simply mild California dry chiles mixed with a couple of dried Ancho chiles, six cloves of garlic, oregano and water, the pot of red simmers for a half hour until the chiles are softened and the garlic cooked, then steeps for another half hour before it gets hit with an immersion blender. A little golden roux, brown sugar, salt and a bit more time on the burner and the sauce is done - rich, red and absolutely delicious. 

The enchilada filling includes onion, garlic and cumin, as well as pumpkin or butternut squash, simmered until just cooked then joined by a few cups of leftover turkey. Layered between warmed corn tortillas, the fabulous deep red rich chile sauce and shredded monteray jack cheese, the casserole hits the oven (finally) and 30 minutes later comes out looking beautiful and smelling glorious.

We loved it, in fact oddly enough I was the one who kept asking if it couldn't have used more spicey heat but honestly it's perfect just the way it is. We garnished our servings with sour cream and some purchased salsa but head on over to Fine Cooking for the recipe and see how they did it. I changed not one thing to the casserole and I'd make it exactly the same again in a heartbeat.

Next time I might just double the recipe and make 1 for the freezer and 1 for dinner. As for the sauce, we'll be canning quarts of it and calling it Ruby Red Chile Gold! Just sayin'. 

A year ago - Pumpkin PIe Creme Brulee

Two year's ago - Cider Brined Pork Chops with Apples and Creamed Leeks

Pork and Sweet Potato Chili

I'm always looking for ways to repurpose leftovers around here. Afterall when you cook as much as we do and there's just an audience of two, there's usually always something left over. As a result I've become rather creative, if you know what I mean. 

As an example, take Big Guy's slow cooker spicy country ribs that we had a while ago. I've been thinking about various ways to use the remains of them and pulled the container out of the freezer yesterday. Originally I thought about carnitas - crisping up the meat on the flat top grill and making tacos loaded with guacamole, salsa and slaw but then the wonderful gravy would have gone to waste. That would have been tragic because honestly, in my opinion that's where all the flavor is.

I could have put the whole thing into a casserole dish, added a few veggies, put a crust on it and called it a pot pie too and you all know how I love me some pot pie like this one, but something different was in the cards. 

Instead I sauteed some onion and garlic, added sweet potatoes and a couple of roasted fresh green Hatch chiles, some chipotle chile powder and a can each of drained pinto beans and diced tomatoes and the country ribs morphed into a pot of glorious spicy and totally satisfying chili.

So listen, are you wondering if it tasted like leftovers? Not on your life! 

Pork and Sweet Potato Chili (an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics)

Half a recipe of Slow Cooker Spicy Country Ribs with Gravy

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder

1 tablespoon Knorr tomato bouillon (optional)

1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and diced

2 diced roasted Hatch chiles, skin and seeds removed

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 – 14 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup low sodium chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

Sour cream, hot sauce and mango salsa as garnish

Warmed corn tortillas (optional)

Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil and when hot add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion has softened. Stir in chipotle chili powder, bouillon if using, sweet potato, green chiles, tomatoes and chicken stock. Cook, covered for 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Add leftover country ribs with gravy and drained pinto beans. Heat to a simmer and taste for seasoning. If desired, thicken mixture with cornstarch/water slurry and cook for additional 3 or 4 minutes or until mixture boils. Serve with sour cream, hot sauce and salsa with corn tortillas on the side. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Chicken Parmigiana

Two year's ago -  Mac and Cheese

Chicken with Green Mole

One thing we've discovered during our ten years in Tucson is that Mexican cuisine is a lot more than tacos and burritos. I've learned a tremendous amount about the diversity of the food thanks to the internet, some fabulous local restaurants as well as books by Rick Bayless and Diana Kennedy; however, we can thank Marcela Valladolid of Food Network's Mexican Made Easy for introducing us to a green pipian sauce also known as green mole. Watching her make it on her show made me really anxious to give it a try.

Of course, I'm never satisfied unless I do a ton of exploring before I try a new recipe and my research brought me to a recipe from New Mexico Magazine, so I combined Marcela's and Chef Fernando Olea's from Epazote in Santa Fe to come up with my version. 

I seasoned skinless boneless chicken thighs with sea salt, pepper and chipotle chile powder then dusted them lightly in flour before they hit my favorite cast iron Dutch oven and came out golden brown and glistening. Onions and garlic got a quick saute in all those lovely chicken juices before they hit the food processor along with par boiled tomatillos, a serrano pepper and unsalted roasted pumpkin seeds (pipian), that were lightly toasted until golden brown. Joined by a little chicken stock, I whizzed the ingredients resulting in a sauce with a relatively coarse texture.

The sauce returned to the pot along with the chicken and more chicken broth and simmered slowly for 45 minutes until the chicken was tender. Finished with chopped cilantro and served with rice, tortillas and a squeeze of lime, the end result is absolutely not to be believed.

The flavors are rich and nutty with a very subtle hint of heat from the serrano that just hits the back of your throat and says howdy...I'm here. It's so good, I can't wait to make it again... maybe with pork next time and I might even add some Hatch green chile to the mix! Man, don't ya' just love cooking?

Chicken with Green Mole (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by Chef Marcela Valladolid, Food Network and Chef Fernando Olea of Epazote in Santa Fe via New Mexico Magazine)

2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Chipotle chile powder

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce:

1 pound tomatillos

1-1/2 cups unsalted roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

4 cloves garlic

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 Serrano pepper, with seeds (stem removed)

1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth or more as needed

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh limes

Fill a medium sized pot with water and heat until boiling. Meanwhile remove papery outer husk of tomatillos and wash tomatillos well until no longer sticky. Add to pot of boiling water, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until color changes to a deep olive green and they are soft. Remove from pot and drain well. Cool slightly.

Meanwhile in a large nonstick skillet, toast pumpkin seeds over medium heat, stirring constantly until lightly browned. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Wash and dry chicken thighs. Cut each thigh in half and place into a large bowl. Season well with salt, pepper and chipotle chile powder and toss to coat. Sprinkle in flour and toss again so that chicken pieces are evenly coated.

Heat oil in heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook until browned on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside.

Add onion and garlic to pot and sauté until onion is softened. Remove to a food processor. Remove cores from prepared tomatillos and add to food processor along with Serrano pepper, toasted pumpkin seeds and a half cup of chicken broth. Process until sauce is fairly smooth (it will be slightly coarse because of the pumpkin seeds).

Return chicken to the pot and pour sauce over top. Add an additional cup of chicken stock, then season sauce with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, slightly covered for 40 minutes or until chicken is very tender. Add chopped cilantro during last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve with rice and garnish with lime wedges. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Homemade Hamburger Buns & Leftover Pork

Two year's ago -  Peach Crumble Pie

Fish Baked in Fresh Green Salsa

Tomatillo's aren't something I was familiar with before we moved to the sunny southwest. They look like giant gooseberries on the outside, resemble green tomatoes inside their papery husk and I had absolutely no clue what to do with the darn things. Thankfully, those days are gone. 

Take this fresh green salsa for example from Sunset Magazine courtesy of myrecipes.com. Hit the link to see the official version but notice I've made a few changes just because I'm ornery (see recipe below). It's full of mystery tomatillos, poblano chiles and cilantro - all whizzed up in the food processor along with onion, sour cream and chicken broth. Thickened with a beurre manié  simply flour incorporated into melted butter, after the sauce is heated and allowed to bloom the tomatillos lose much of their tartness and the sauce becomes a perfect poaching liquid for firm fish fillets.

We used cod but feel free to use halibut as called for in the recipe, or salmon or tilapia or even shrimp!  As you can see, we had our fish with a side of rice to soak up some of the incredible sauce, along with a garnish of Matouk's hot sauce. Hey wouldn't you be surprised if we had a meal without the stuff. Yup, so would we. 

Incidentally in case you're wondering - the poblano pepper also known as pasilla, is a green pepper with a very mild flavor and almost no heat quotient so don't be worried about having 2 of them in the sauce. Honestly, you hardly know they're present as far as heat goes, but there's really no substitute for their flavor. 

(Note, photo's of tomatillos and poblano pepper aka pasilla are from Wiki)

Fish Baked in Fresh Green Salsa (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Sunset Magazine via myrecipes.com)

4 fish fillets approx. 6 ounces each (I used cod)

Salt and coarse ground pepper

Sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

3 small tomatillos (3/4 cup chopped)

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 fresh poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro plus some for garnish

1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup sour cream

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper as required

Melt butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Stir in flour, combining to form a paste then transfer paste to food processor. Remove husks from tomatillos, wash to remove stickiness on the outside and dry well. Roughly chop and add to food processor along with onion, poblanos, cilantro, chicken stock and sour cream. Process until sauce is smooth. Transfer to a microwave safe bowl, add lime juice and heat for 3 minutes, stirring often until mixture comes to a boil.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 375. Wash and dry fish fillets and place into a casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Season well with salt and pepper. Pour heated sauce over top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with rice on the side. Garnish with cilantro.  Makes 4 servings.  

A year ago - Chicken with Maple Mustard Glaze and Curried Rice

Two year's ago - Viva Italia, Lasagne Bolognese

Three year's ago - Shrimp Cakes with Avocado Grapefruit Salad

Steak Quesadilla with Bacon Onion Jam

I was on my own for dinner last night and rather than grab a couple of celery sticks and some yogurt out of the fridge which is what I should have done, I had the yen for a nice crispy quesadilla instead. After all, not only are they quick and simple to make, they're the perfect use of any odds and sods you have hiding in the refrigerator.  Trouble is they're not exactly diet material but this is a moderation plan, so I didn't have to think of that. Did I?

This one contained leftover grilled steak from the other night, chopped up into bite size pieces along with some of our bacon onion jam, a touch of barbecue sauce and a few sliced up mozzarella pearls - all on a flour tortilla. Sprayed with butter flavored cooking spray it hit a hot cast iron pan and dinner was on the table in less than 4 minutes. It really hit the spot and could only have tasted better had it been accompanied by a nice cold Corona; however, you know there's none of that happening in this house at the moment. Oh well. Baby steps, baby steps ...right?.

A year ago - Asparagus with Maltaise Sauce 

Two year's ago - Chicken With Roasted Lemons, Green Olives and Capers

Makai Wide Eyed Arizonafied Chicken Chili

In case you’re wondering about the name of last night’s pot of gloriousness, Big Guy named this one so that means it must logical, right?

To clarify, Makai is the name of the community where we’re staying on the Oregon coast …wide eyed’s for the fact the chicken we used was leftover from our previous night’s dinner when Big Guy butterflied, deboned and  cooked the bird outside on the gas grill, slathering the whole glorious mess a’ meat in some of our Kicky Kumquat Marmalade. The habanero peppers hidden amongst the sweet marmalade can cause one to be rather wide eyed if you know what I mean.

As for the rest of the moniker, this chili includes lots of green chiles along with a chopped jalapeno and other assorted herbs and spices and there’s absolutely nothing pansy about it.  Garnished with sour cream to tame it a tadd along with a quesadilla made with corn tortillas stuffed with pepper jack and cheddar cheeses and fried till crisp, it fills the requirement for quick easy no fuss utterly delicious vacation grub.

Makai Wide Eyed Arizonafied Chicken Chili (inspired by Best of the Best from Arizona Cookbook)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 cup white wine

2 – 10 ounce cans Rotel tomatoes with green chiles 

1 – 14 ounce can whole tomatoes

3 packages Swanson’s Chicken Flavor Boost

2 cups water

1 6 ounce can diced green chiles

1 large jalapeno, finely chopped

4 cups chopped cooked chicken

2  16 ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed

Sour cream as garnish

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add shallot, onion and garlic and cook until onion is softened. Add oregano, chili powder, cumin, coriander, black pepper and red chili flakes and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring for an additional minute, scraping fond from the bottom of the pot. Add Rotel tomatoes, whole tomatoes, chicken flavor boost, water, green chiles and jalapeno as well as chopped chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Stir in rinsed beans and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream. Serves 8.

 

BBQ Beef Chili

My apologies to my regular readers but there's nothing even close to being inspired coming from JBug's Kitchen at the moment. I'm trying to get the freezer contents down to a bare minimum so our house sitter doesn't have to worry about it next month in case the power goes out for any length of time as is normal during monsoon season. At least the freezer losses will be minimal.

One of my foraging finds was a 3 pound chunk of barbecued beef the Big Guy cooked up for our big party in May and since he's nutso about our chili created from leftover beef, he was a happy camper last night when he saw the big pot of red on the stove.

Hit the link and it'll take you to our original post, but in case you'd rather not read about chili created from leftovers that includes lots of onions, garlic, tomatoes, beef consomme and beer, never mind a good amount of barbecue sauce, I've re-posted the recipe below.  Just remember you can make a pot of this anytime you've leftover meat and that doesn't mean it has to be beef either. Try it with chicken, turkey or pork and I guarantee you'll be really happy with the outcome.

Incidentally, I added another can of tomatoes to the pot along with a little more beer because I had a lot more meat in this pot of chili than I usually do, never mind that I only had 1 can of beans in the pantry;  however, there were no complaints coming from the resident carnivore. None, nada, zilch...no siree!

The Ultimate Chili from Leftover Prime Rib from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by Fine Cooking 

4 slices smoky bacon, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large yellow onions, diced

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons mild chili powder

1 tablespoon hot New Mexico chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 - 12 ounce can lager beer

1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce (I used Kraft original)

10 ounces of beef stock or a can of beef consomme'

1 or 2 pounds leftover prime rib roast, cut into half inch dice

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Garnishes – cubed cheese, chopped sweet onion, pickled jalapeno, lime wedges

Heat a Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add olive oil and bacon, and cook stirring occasionally until bacon has released its fat and pieces are starting to crisp. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are very soft – about 8 to 10 minutes. Add chili powders, cayenne, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and cook stirring constantly for another 3 or 4 minutes. Add beef, tomatoes, tomato paste, barbecue sauce and beef stock. Bring to a boil, and then add beef. Lower to simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Add pinto beans and cook additional 15 minutes, stirring often. Serve with garnishes and a squeeze of lime. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Cornbread with Pancetta and Beef and Chorizo Chili 

Two year's ago - Tres Leches

Crispy Dogs - a new kinda' corndog

Big Guy took me out to our favorite restaurant last night - The Parish. I've bragged about this place several times but I'm going to say it all again, so hear me out OK? If you're lucky enough to live in Tucson or unlucky depending on your point of view since the heat's arrived along with monsoon season, then The Parish is the perfect place to go to cool off and drown your sorrows or celebrate. 

Their menu contains an eclectic mix of Louisiana style food with a modern twist and there's not a bad thing on it. From incredible tennis ball sized crawfish hushpuppies to dead on perfect gumbo to a blue rare blackened steak salad that Big Guy enjoyed immensely last night to their crunchie bacon popcorn, I've yet to see a plate return to the kitchen or see an unhappy customer.

The atmosphere's fabulous, the staff fun to be around and the Owner's are a constant welcoming presence and sincerely want everyone to have a great experience. Oh, the beer on tap's pretty darn special too and we've yet to try their homemade infused spirits, but hey, we'll be going back so there's plenty of time for that.

If you live here or you'll be visiting, you've got to go. They paid me nothing for this review and barely know we exist except that we met Bryce one of the Owner's last night, so take me at my word - from an incredibly discriminating foodie, this place rocks. 

Now, on to a JBug's kitchen antic for the day. I saw these crispy dogs on Homesick Texan and knew we had to give 'em a try. I mean Big Guy'd rather have a tube steak than a filet mignon so I knew he'd be happy and I'm good to try anything as long as it's a good quality "dog". 

Simply a weiner (we used Hebrew National 97 percent fat free), sliced in the middle and loaded with cheddar, then wrapped in a warmed corn tortilla and fried, they're so darn easy to make I kinda' wonder why we didn't think about it ourselves. 

More important, they're absolutely addictively delicious and a fabulous lunch or perfect summertime snacker. We had our crispy corn doggies along with some of the avocado dip we had the other day and some purchased salsa. 

Head on over to Homesick Texan for the more info on the "how to's" and here's the link to our Guacamole Dip. 

A year ago - Chicken Mushroom Lasagna with Bechamel 

Two year's ago - Biba's Bolognese with Risotto

Chimichangas - Baked Not Fried

Chimichangas aren't something we've had around here before except on a date night out, but that's about to change. We've had baked tortilla shells before filled with taco salad, so I figured, why not baked chimichangas? 

Thinking "burrito" I fashioned the filling from sauteed onions, poblano pepper, and lean ground pork - mostly because I'm a frugal shopper and not only is it leaner than most beef, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper too - at least in this man's country. 

I added about a cup of salsa for moisture -  a mix of salsa verde and peach salsa because it's time to start clearing out the refrigerator before our trip north. Oh, I also spiced up the meat using my homemade taco spice mix and believe me, once you try it, you won't be buying any more of those package mixes full of heaven knows what.

Piled onto a huge flour tortilla along with some re-fried beans and grated cheese, the monster sized chimi's are rolled, placed on a sheet pan and brushed with melted butter before they hit the oven. Forty minutes later, they're out, steaming hot inside and super crisp outside. They're much lighter than a typical deep fried chimi and certainly missing nothing in flavor.

We topped ours with more salsa and sour cream, but guacamole and shredded lettuce would have been marvelous too, had there been any hiding in our refrigerator that is. 

Chimichangas – Baked Not Fried (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 large poblano pepper, finely chopped (core and seeds removed)

1 – 7 ounce can chopped green chile

1 pound lean ground pork (or use beef, chicken or turkey)

1-1/2 tablespoons taco spice mix (see recipe below)

1 cup prepared salsa

6 large burrito sized flour tortillas

1 – 16 ounce can refried beans

2 cups grated cheese (I used a mix of sharp cheddar and Monterey jack)

2 tablespoons melted butter

Salsa/Sour Cream/Shredded Lettuce/Guacamole as garnish

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large sauté pan. Add onion and pepper and sauté until onion is softened. Crumble in ground pork and cook until no longer pink. Add green chile, taco spice mix, and salsa and simmer, stirring often for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Spread flour tortillas with a thin layer of re-fried beans, then place approximately a half cup of filling in a narrow row on bottom third of tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Fold in sides of tortilla towards the center then roll and place seam side down onto a sheet pan that’s been sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Repeat for remaining tortillas, placing on the sheet pan allowing plenty of space between each chimi. Brush with melted butter and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. (If they’re not browning, finish under broiler). Serve topped with salsa, sour cream, shredded lettuce and/or guacamole. Makes 6 servings.

Taco Spice Mix:

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a tight lid. 

A year ago - Minty Lamb Pita Pockets 

Two year's ago - Buffalo Chicken Chili

Fun in the Kitchen - Make Nachos

One super way to show off your creativity in the kitchen is to make a big pan of nachos for dinner. Afterall, we missed our usual Pink Mountain Friday so it was our excuse to celebrate with a beer and nacho Saturday. I'm not entirely sure why I thought it necessary to make excuses for our unorthodox dinner, but there you have it. 

Big Guy was responsible for darn near all of this as I sat on at our new kitchen island on one of the new barstools and threw in my two cents worth and snitched chips while I was at it. Man, I love it when he cooks!

Anyway, should you need one, there's a ton of recipes on-line for nachos - check out this one by Rachael and of course there's Guy Fieri's Italian version that I've had my eye on for a while too. That said, our plates of crisp and gooey goodness included browned ground beef and sauteed onions kicked up a notch with taco seasoning and garlic, along with cubes of processed cheese, warmed refried beans, pickled jalapenos, chopped black olives and lots of grated Mexican cheese blend courtesy of Trader Joes.

Garnished with guacamole, sour cream, salsa from a jar and a squeeze of lime, it was all quite sublime.

A year ago -  Beer Braised Shortribs

Two year's ago - Quick Blender Hollandaise

 

Hurray, hurray it's the first week of May

The first week of May is rather significant in our house. Not only is it likely that the AC comes on almost full time because the outside temperature heats up considerably, there's also a couple of reasons to celebrate on the first weekend of the month.

Cinco de Mayo is on Saturday and keeps company on the calender with the running of the horses at the Kentucky Derby. Both are rather close to our hearts, the former because of our new found love for Mexican food and the culture, and the latter because Big Guy's an instructor in the only program of its kind that prepares students for the opportunity of a career in the business side of horse racing.

If we ever needed an excuse to cook up a storm and have a party, this would be it so here's a couple of ideas for guaranteed good grub.

Taco's, Carnitas and Enchiladas are a great choice, not only because they're economical to make but also because the variations are almost unlimited.

Try some fish tacos, or of course there's the Maui ones we talked about yesterday and if you really want a treat, you could always mix up a mess of crispy pork or duck carnitas too. 

There's a bunch of different ways you can make an enchilada too - try one of our favorites made with black beans and sweet potatoes, or of course there's always the chicken version, or make one of this blog's most popular recipes, a chile rellano with tequila shrimp.  

 How 'bout some braised turkey in a mole sauce, or a big pot of chili, or even a Mexican style pot roast.   

Hit the link or see the Index Item Mexican/Tex Mex to your right and you'll see a whole slew of things to munch on. Whatever you decide, you're bound to make a bunch of people break out the mariachi's and dance up a storm. 

As for the horse lovers among us, the start of the annual quest for the triple crown is always exciting. Keep your guests happy with a traditional hot brown sandwich or shake it up a knotch and make hot brown chicken burgers like we have here.  If you'd rather stick to beef, you can always make these Bluegrass Beercheese Melts with Bourbon Sauce. They're amazing! 

Speaking of bourbon, don't forget dessert. How about a bread pudding with bourbon sauce, or exchange the bourbon for rum and make these powerful pina colada cupcakes and call 'em Derby hat's.  Speaking of hat's, look at the meringue cap on top of this frozen lemon pie and tell me you wouldn't just love a bite of it right this second? 

Whatever you decide, just remember to surround yourself with the people you love and make every day a party. 

 

 

 

Maui Chile Verde - well kinda' verde

Much like the Maui taco's we told you about some time ago, this isn't what you think. We had a ton of the pork carne adovada filling and grilled pineapple leftover from a recent family event and put the leftovers in the freezer for another time. 

While we could have gone ahead and repeated what we had the last time ...you're lookin' at it, I decided to use some imagination and make a batch of green chile verde instead. The only problem is it turned out a little more red than green because of all the spice mixture already mixed into the pork. It may look a little strange but it sure doesn't taste that way.

A base of sauteed onions, anaheim and green peppers, and garlic along with cumin, coriander and Mexican oregano make up the spicy basis of this bowl of yum. Add chicken stock, salsa verde and a single bottle of Mexican beer as well as some simmering time and this was the result. 

We loved the spicy pork flavor and the sweetness of the pineapple which really cut the heat down, in fact just enough that a garnish of pickled jalapenos and some sour cream was the perfect thing. 

So next time you're having a bunch of people over, serve some Maui taco's and make sure you make extra. Then you can revamp the dregs into a delicious pot of chile becauuse believe me, there's no way this lives up to what we normally thing of as the leftovers. It's so delicious you'll want leftover leftovers. 

Maui Chile (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 large Anaheim pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 bay leaf

1 cup salsa verde (I used Herdez)

1 – 14 ounce can low sodium chicken stock

1 – 12 ounce bottle Mexican beer (I used Modelo)

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2 pounds prepared maui taco filling – see recipe below

Garnish with sour cream, pickled jalapenos

Heat oil in a large dutch oven until shimmering. Add onion, bell and Anaheim peppers and cook until onion softens. Add garlic and cook another minute, then stir in flour. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, then add oregano, cumin and coriander. Stir in salsa verde, chicken stock and beer. Drop in bay leaf. Cook stirring until mixture comes to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and add maui taco filling. Simmer slowly for 45 minutes. Cover pot if you find the mixture is getting too thick and/or add more chicken stock.  Serve garnished with sour cream and pickled jalapenos. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Maui Tacos

Meat – Carne Adovada

30 dried chile de arbol, stems removed

2 dried New Mexico chile’s stems removed

1 cup water

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon garlic powder

10 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 teaspoons cumin

1/4 cup red chile powder (mild)

2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 pounds pork loin, cut into half inch cubes

In a spot pot, boil water. Add chiles, cover and let soften for 20 minutes. After they’ve softened, drain chiles reserving liquid. Place chiles into a blender along with canola oil and 2 tablespoons of reserved liquid and blend until completely pureed. Pour over cubed pork; add garlic powder, garlic, cumin, red chile powder and salt. Mix well. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for a minimum 4 hours or overnight.

Maui Tacos:

Add to above meat mixture:

1/2 cup chopped Maui sweet onion

1 – 14 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained

On a large flat top grill or cast iron pan, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium high heat.  Add meat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.  If using large skillet – cook meat in batches so pan is not crowded. Cook until meat is browned and onion and pineapple have caramelized.

Serve with warm flour tortillas. Garnish with Pineapple Salsa, fresh chopped cilantro, queso fresco cheese, guacamole and sour cream and a squeeze of fresh lime.  

 

The Ultimate Chili - Second Time Around

I know I've shared this one with you before but I figured a reminder may be in order. Did you know you can make a great pot of red from almost any kind of leftover meat, using the same basic recipe? 

While in our house the argument's on about whether chili should including anything but beef, I happen to believe turkey or chicken or pork work just as well; however, when I married the Big Guy I promised to obey (ya, what was with that?), so beef chili it was last night.

We had a pound of leftover steak hiding in the freezer, so I chunked it up and threw it into the pot along with the usual onions and garlic. As you'll see from the recipe below, this particular version of chili makes good use of pieces of smoky bacon too and attains a whole new level of glory with the addition of beer and barbecue sauce. Different you bet and absolutely delicious I might add. 

We had our bowls of heart warming comfort along with a piece of the glorious corn casserole that we had last week too - see I'll freeze darn near anything I think I can recycle and believe you me, that casserole freezes like a dream.

Incidentally, should you decide to use turkey or chicken instead of beef in your chili, be sure to exchange the beef stock or consomme' with chicken stock so you keep the flavors in the same family. If you decide to use pork, it marries well with either so just use what you have on hand.  

The Ultimate Chili from Leftover Prime Rib from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by Fine Cooking

4 slices smoky bacon, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large yellow onions, diced

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons mild chili powder

1 tablespoon hot New Mexico chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 - 12 ounce can lager beer

1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce (I used Kraft original)

1 cup beef stock

1 pound leftover prime rib roast, cut into half inch dice

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Garnishes – cubed cheese, chopped sweet onion, pickled jalapeno

Lime wedges

Heat a Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add olive oil and bacon, and cook stirring occasionally until bacon has released its fat and pieces are starting to crisp. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are very soft – about 8 to 10 minutes. Add chili powders, cayenne, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and cook stirring constantly for another 3 or 4 minutes. Add beef, tomatoes, tomato paste, barbecue sauce and beef stock. Bring to a boil, and then add beef. Lower to simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Add pinto beans and cook additional 15 minutes, stirring often. Serve with garnishes and a squeeze of lime. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Panko Crusted Oysters with Citrus Aioli

Two year's ago - Buttermilk Battered Calamari

Tex Mex Tostada Soup

Who says you can't cook without a stove? Last night's pot of soup was made in a crockpot minus the clay liner, took all of 15 minutes to throw together and included everything but the kitchen sink. It might have had that too, if we had one that is.

Made from darn near all canned goods, what you really need for this one is a good can opener, a large onion, a few small mini peppers or one big one, and a pound of ground beef or pork.

Spicy, hot and comfort food perfect for 2 very tired souls, it's really all about the toppings although we were limited in that respect. Meant to be topped with corn chips, shredded cheddar, shredded lettuce, avocado and sour cream, our refrigerator is a might bare at the moment so we scored only a few of the choices. Regardless, it's a great solution for a relaxed dinner, particularly with a Corona or ten.

If you're wondering how things are progressing, our new kitchen cabinets are installed and gorgeous, although I won't be posting a picture until everything's completed. The guys from American Kitchen Cabinets did an outstanding job and a tremendous amount of customization to make 'em exactly the way we wanted them. Roger and his co-hort are very professional, exceedingly patient and very particular which is exactly what you want when you're making a big purchase such as this one. 

Big Guy did some electrical work yesterday and installed power to the island. There's some touch ups needed before the stove goes back into place and we've some rather involved drywall repairs to do in the meantime. The stone fabricators will be here early in the week, or by Wednesday at the latest to do a template for the granite and by April 18 we should have counter tops and a kitchen sink so until then we'll be doing dishes in the bathtub. Hey, we're shower people anyway so that's no big deal. 

Meanwhile, JBug's Kitchen is back in business so dust off your grills, break out the sunglasses and margaritas for a week of grillin' and chillin' ...well maybe not the chillin' or then again maybe so, depending on your location that is.

Tex Mex Tostada Soup (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Wall Drug Cookbook)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 min peppers sliced or 1 large pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef or pork

1 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoons taco seasoning

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 – 16 ounce can chili beans with sauce

1 – 16 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 small jar picante sauce (2 cups)

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 cup beef or chicken stock (or water)

Garnishes: corn chips, grated cheese, shredded lettuce, diced avocado, sour cream

Heat oil in a Dutch oven until shimmering. When hot add onion and peppers and sauté stirring occasionally until onion is softened. Add garlic and crumble in ground beef and cook until meat is no longer pink. Add onion powder, taco seasoning and cumin and cook for another minute, stirring constantly, then add chili beans, tomatoes, picante sauce, tomato sauce and stock or water. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish as you wish.  Makes 6 servings.

Incidentally today's the third anniversary of JBug's Kitchen Antics! Can you believe we're still going strong? We've shared 1,095 meals with you all, some more successful than others I might add but at least they've all been relatively edible.

I definitely need to thank my darling Big Guy for always being so supportive, never mind such a willing guinea pig. He certainly keeps me grounded. He reminds me often when I'm sweating ALL the small stuff (...and I do mean ALL of it) that it'll all be OK, and when it is he only raises an eyebrow, gives me the look and never says "I told you so". Lucky aren't I?

Of course, I can't pass up this opportunity to say thank you to all my regular visitors and to the many great friends I've made during the past 3 years. You mean the world to me and I feel totally blessed, so I'm raising a glass in celebration and appreciation to all of you! Hey, when you're renovating the most important room in the house, any excuse to raise a glass is a good one, right? Thanks all and CHEERS!

Duck Carnitas

There's something amazing about leftovers, especially when it is leftover braised duck legs. There's at least a b'zillion things you can do with it, assuming of course that you haven't gorged yourself on the original like we wanted to do on Sunday night. 

Thankfully we held ourselves back because I knew this week would be a challenge, so last night we simply warmed up our little red Coleman grill, replaced the grates with griddle pans and made short work of crisping up the meat for soft tacos. I merely chopped up the meat, sprinkled it with fresh lime juice and the Big Guy fried it up till it was perfect. I warmed flour tortillas on the other side of the grill and dinner was ready.

Thank Trader Joe's for the peach salsa that adorned our duck carnita tacos along with shredded cabbage, slivered sweet peppers and a touch of chopped green onions. Delicious!

For more inspiration in the leftover quack department, just hit the links for 

Duck and Mushroom Risotto   or my personal favorites  Duck PIzza with Caramelized Onions and Brie or with Figs, Pancetta and Brie

   

In case you're curious about what's happening around here - well, the AC guys finished at noon yesterday and it is absolutely amazing how quiet and efficient the new unit is. They did a fabulous job for a very reasonable price.  Today American Kitchen Cabinets arrives to start the kitchen reno and I can't wait to see the results!

A year ago - Turkey Casserole with Apple Raisin Slaw

Two year's ago - Mexican Cowboy Beans 

Maui Taco's Aren't What You Think!

The Big Guy's family gathered at our place on Saturday afternoon and we decided a perfect sunny mid-seventies day called for a Mexican feast. Of course since most of his family reside in the Pacific Northwest, we tried to take their tender palates into consideration - at least I did. The Big Guy's a little less considerate that way because his palate's almost totally impervious to spicy heat of any kind. 

As you can imagine, we had a lot of leftovers so consequently you're looking at what turned out to be last night's dinner.  Not too shabby, eh?

We've enjoyed Maui taco's here before so you're likely aware they're not fishy at all, but loaded with spicy pork carne adovada along with seared pineapple and sweet onion. Hit the link and you'll see the recipe,   They're a perfect item for entertaining a crowd because the meat must be marinated in advance and can be cooked very quickly, preferably on an outdoor grill. 

Also piled on this mountainous taco is a Roasted Pineapple Habanero Salsa, loaded with blackened tomato, jalapeno, and sweet onion along with pineapple and habanero chiles of course. It is not for the faint of heart, believe me and a perfect layer of flavor!

A cooling avocado salad tops that tower of spicy heat and really does the trick as far as giving the mouth a break from the heat. Loaded with creamy avocado's, chunks of sweet tomato and crispy salty bacon in a simple vinaigrette, it really is magic in the flavor department and another gem for entertaining because it must be made in advance. 

Roasted Pineapple Habanero Salsa (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Salsa Brava, Cochina)

2 pounds roma tomatoes

4 jalapenos, stems removed but seeds and membranes intact

1 large slice sweet onion

1/2 cup water or as required

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Salt to taste

2 habanero peppers

1 can (20 ounce) pineapple chunks with juice

Grill or broil tomatoes, jalapenos and onion until blackened on all sides. Remove to a bowl and cool for 10 minutes. Place half the roasted veggies into a food processor along with the pineapple with juice, both habaneros and a small amount of water. Pulse to coarsely chop. Add remaining vegetables and cilantro, pulsing to chop to a semi fine consistency. Taste for seasoning and add salt as required. Refrigerate and use within 4 days.

A year ago - Clam's Casino PIzza

Two year's ago - Mashed Potato Pie with Bacon and Cheddar 

Poblano-Jalapeno Chili

Sorry I'm late again this morning everyone. I'm suffering through what I think is my semi-annual war with allergies so I'm not feeling quite as chipper as normal. It's a good thing The Big Guy's around to take care of us and take care of us he did yesterday with this fabulous pot of chili.

From March's Cooking Light magazine, it is part of a series on great things to make using marinara sauce as a shortcut and believe you me if I hadn't seen the recipe myself, I'd never have known there's marinara in it.

The Big Guy made a few changes to the recipe and added roasted green chiles we had hiding in our freezer instead of fresh jalapenos along with a can of beef consomme rather than using the chicken stock that was called for. Oh, he also topped the bowl of yummy spicy goodness off with some pickled jalapenos, something we always seem to have on hand.

Hit the link HERE for the recipe and put this one on your list as soon as you can. It is absolutely loaded with manly flavors including a ton of garlic, spicy chili and beer too, no less. 

A year ago - Crispy Snapper and Oven Fries

Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Chicken and Cheddar

I've been meaning to make stuffed peppers for a while but just never seemed to get around to putting them on the menu until last night. Sure wish it hadn't taken me so long!

A Poblano pepper is a mild chile often used for making ooey gooey cheesy chili rellanos but they're certainly more than just a one note wonder. They're great in salsas and sauces, particularly in mole and can be stuffed with darn near anything. Roasted to impart more flavor and remove the skin, most of the heat of these babies is in the inner membranes and seeds so I removed both last night when I stuffed the beauties.

As for the stuffing, you can use almost anything like shrimp, ground beef or pork or even leftover chili. Inspired by a recipe on finecooking.com, in this case shredded cooked chicken mixed with cooked brown rice and cheddar cheese is bound together with a fresh tomato, onion, garlic and spice puree. I made a few changes to their recipe and added a little heavy cream and a touch of hot salsa for more moisture and to round out the flavors. A squeeze of fresh lime completes the dish. Stuffed and warmed briefly in a hot oven, I finished them off with a little more grated cheddar on top that melted down for a pretty and tasty finish.

Served with guacamole and sour cream on the side, we were really happy with the final result, particularly since I managed to absolutely destroy the kitchen while I was making them. An unexpected trip to the veterinarian with Max put the kibosh on the usual organized chaos of dinner preparations so I had some cleanin' up to do. 

Max is still fighting hard to win the war against his latest illness, pancreatitis. Just when we think we've our feisty little schnauzer back and he's on the up and up, he takes another downturn but he's fighting hard to recover and we're not ready to give up yet.

Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Cheddar and Chicken (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Fine Cooking.com)

4 large poblano peppers

3 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used chicken tenders)

1-1/2 cups cooked brown rice

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup hot salsa

Juice of half a fresh lime

 

Garnishes - Sour cream, salsa and guacamole

Wash and dry poblano peppers well and cut a slit down one side from stem to tip. Place directly onto gas flame and roast until blackened all over (or alternatively place under broiler). Cool until easy to handle, then remove skins and using a spoon or melon baller, remove seeds from inside along with membranes. (Leave some if you want a hotter pepper). Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and arrange poblanos leaving plenty of room in between each. Set aside.

Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper until smooth. Heat oil in a large skillet until shimmering, and then add puree and cook down for 5 minutes or until almost all of the moisture has been removed.

Preheat oven to 425. Remove puree to a bowl and add chicken, rice, cilantro, cream and hot salsa. Stir to combine and add half of the cheddar cheese. Fill peppers mounding filling up well and wrapping the sides of the peppers up over the filling. Sprinkle peppers with lime juice. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until peppers are hot. Remove from oven and sprinkle with reserved cheddar, then return to oven until cheese is melted (about another 5 minutes). Serve garnished with sour cream and guacamole. Pass the salsa too. Serves 4.

A year ago - Chicken and Andouille Gumbo  Two year's ago - Ground Hog

New Mexico Style Pot Roast with Cornbread Griddle Cakes

Sunday's are kind of slow around here so what better to have for dinner than something that's best cooked low and slow like this New Mexico Style Pot Roast. 

It's a breeze to put together because after a quick sear to brown the meat, the rest of the work is done by the oven. Braised in a mixture of red enchilada sauce, beer and beef stock, it's a beautiful thing finished with sweet potatoes and hominy.

Hominy is something I'd never had before we moved to the sunny south and it really is an acquired taste/texture thing. It is simply dried corn that's been soaked in a mild lye solution which kills the kernal and makes the corn puff up. You can find it in the canned vegetable section of your local grocery store. Just remember to drain and rinse it well before adding it to the pot. It has a musty flavor with a very chewy texture so if you're not inclined to give it a try, just leave it out or substitute regular corn.

I figured the roast would be lovely with cornbread but wanted to change it up a bit so we cooked these griddlecakes instead. Adapted from a recent post by Ezra Poundcake, they looked too darn good to pass up. They're really just like a hunk a cornbread only much lighter and the bonus is the crispy crust on the outside - both sides!

Just be careful not to overcook them or you'll have hockey pucks on your plate instead of light moist little yummies. By the way, the original recipe calls for self rising cornmeal but darned if I could find the stuff, so I made my own - how's that grab ya?

New Mexico Style Pot Roast (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted epicurious.com)

1 – 3 pound boneless chuck roast, tied

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

All-purpose flour

1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges

2 cloves garlic

1 – 20 ounce can red enchilada sauce

1 -12 ounce light beer

1 cup low sodium beef stock

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 – 28 ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed

Garnishes – pickled jalapeno peppers, sour cream, extra hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Meanwhile season roast with salt and pepper and dredge in flour on both sides, shaking off excess. Brown meat very well on both sides in hot pan. When browned remove pot from heat and add onions, garlic, enchilada sauce, beer and beef stock. Stir well to combine ingredients. Cover pot and bake in preheated oven for 2-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove pot from the oven and add sweet potato and drained and rinsed hominy. Cover pot and return to the oven. Cook for half an hour, remove lid and cook additional 15 minutes or until liquid is reduced to thicken. Serve garnished with pickled jalapeno peppers, sour cream and pass the extra hot sauce. Serves 6.

Cornbread Griddle Cakes (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Southern Living via Ezra Poundcake)

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup flour less 1 tablespoon

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3/4 cup milk

Butter

Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cayenne in a large bowl to combine well. In a small bowl beat together vegetable oil, egg and milk. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. (It will be lumpy).

Heat a griddle over medium heat and brush lightly with butter. Spoon a quarter cup of batter onto griddle and cook until tops are bubbled and edges look dry – (just like you’re cooking pancakes). Flip over and cook other side. Serve warm.

A year ago -  Parmesan Cream Potatoes  Two year's ago - Oven Fried Chicken

Frito Pie

What's better on a Pink Mountain Friday than Frito Pie. I mean really. I'm not sure why we haven't tried this before in one form or another but I've seen it on another couple of my favorite blog sites recently and figured I'd best put it on the list. Who knew that Frito Pie's really just a glorified form of nachos with more "goop" than chips which is really OK in our books, because we really like the goop.

I made a quick chili with extra lean ground beef, lots of onions and oodles of garlic along with the usual spices. A few ounces of tomato paste, a can of tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel) and some beef consomme, all cooked down for about 30 minutes made for a thick and flavorful meaty chili to crown a bowl of Frito's.

Topped with some fixin's including grated Mexi cheese blend from none other than Trader Joes, sour cream, diced red onions and the ever present pickled jalapenos, we called it dinner. It would have been perfect with a couple of giant margaritas, but the Big Guy's holding a grudge against tequila (some story about Jose Cuevo winning a round or two in a slugfest or somethin'), so he had a Martini, gin extra dry stirred not shaken and I stuck with a Cuba Libra. Life's tough around here on Friday's.

By the way in case you're new to this blog there's a saying here in Tucson "when the mountains are pink, it's time to drink". We call Friday's Pink Mountain days because we tend to save our alcoholic libations for the weekends, at least we try to.

Frito Pie (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Frito Pie lovers everywhere)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2 tablespoons chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

1 can Campbell’s Beef Consommé, undiluted

1 – 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

1 tablespoon cornstarch combined with a little water

1-1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

 

Frito corn chips

Grated Mexican blend cheese or sharp cheddar

Diced Red onions

Pickled Jalapenos

Sour Cream

Heat oil in a medium sized Dutch oven until shimmering. Add ground beef and crumble and cook until beef is no longer pink. Add onion and garlic and continue to cook until onion is softened. Add cumin, cayenne and chili powder and cook, stirring constantly for 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, barbecue sauce, consommé, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Mix together cornstarch and water and add to pot, stirring until mixture thickens. Add apple cider vinegar. Taste for seasoning adding salt and pepper as required.

To serve, place a handful of corn chips in the bottom of a bowl. Top with a scoop of chili and garnish with cheese, red onions, jalapenos and sour cream. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Chicken with Chili Verde and Cornmeal Dumplings

Leftover Prime Rib Roast Final Round - Taco Salad

I admit I'm almost sad this is the last of the prime rib roast from Christmas day. It's more than paid for itself not only in taste, but convenience too and while we've had a great selection of different entrees from it including Chili, awesome Sandwiches with Grilled Onions and Gorgonzola, and a stupendous Beef Pot Pie with Sherry Gravy, I can think of at least 3 more. Ah shucks - we'll have to save them for another time.

Last night's dinner combined chunks of prime rib with sweet potatoes, black beans and a home made green chili sauce - a remake of the enchiladas we enjoyed a little while ago. Cozied up to cabbage slaw inside a baked flour tortilla shell all crispy and warm from the oven, we topped our salads with a choice of condiments including guacamole, salsa, pickled jalapenos, grated cheese, sour cream and red onions too.

If you're wondering how I made the shells - well I simply draped flour tortillas, briefly newked to be more pliable over a stack of upended ramekins on a wire rack on a sheet pan and baked them for 10 minutes in a 400 oven. Then I removed the shells and ditched the ramekins, placed the shells face up on the same wire rack, turned off the oven and returned them to the oven for another 5 minutes to crisp up the inside. This method is a lot easier than frying them in hot oil and much, much lower in calories too.

Course if you don't want to deal with making the shells, just load the filling into some tortillas, either corn or flour, and call it a soft taco or a burrito.

I for one have learned that leftovers have been getting a bum wrap and really deserve to be treated with more respect. In fact, when the Big Guy asks what we're having for dinner, I never have to admit that we're having leftovers since with a little imagination, they can be morphed into something totally unrecognizable from the original. Check out the category to your right "Leftovers" and you too may be convinced that leftovers are a heck of a lot more than just mould gatherers in the back of your refrigerator.

Taco Salad with Beef, Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from the Gluten Free Goddess

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion finely chopped

8 ounces leftover prime rib cut into half inch cubes

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder (I used spicy)

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2 cups cooked diced sweet potato

1/2 cup chopped green chilies

1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

 

4 – 8 inch burrito sized flour tortillas

Cabbage slaw (purchased)

Assorted garnishes including guacamole, salsa, chopped red onion, pickled jalapeno, grated cheese, sour cream and/or lime wedges

Sauce:

1 cup roasted green chilies, skins and seeds removed (about 6 large)

1-1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

Place ingredients into blender and blend until smooth, adding more stock if necessary to make a smooth sauce with a fairly thick consistency. Set aside.

For Tortilla shells - Preheat oven to 425. Arrange 4 - 10 ounce ramekins, face down on a wire rack on top of a sheet pan, allowing as much room as possible between ramekins. Briefly microwave flour tortillas until pliable, then drape lightly over top of ramekins. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven, and carefully turn shells upright. Remove ramekins and place tortilla shells directly onto wire rack. Turn oven off and return tortilla shells to oven for another 5 to 10 minutes, until dried out and crisp.

For Filling - In a large sauté pan heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and sauté until softened. Add. Add cumin, chili powder and cook for additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add beef chunks, cooked sweet potatoes, chilies, cilantro and black beans, along with half of the prepared chile sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Heat until bubbling, adding more green chile sauce if filling seems dry.

To serve – place taco shell on plate and fill bottom with cabbage slaw mix (about a half cup). Add hot filling and top with assorted garnishes. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Cranberry Pie with Tangerine Ice Cream

The Ultimate Chili from Leftover Prime Rib Roast

For some reason we're programmed to make chili from fresh beef - ground, cubed or otherwise but there's a whole plethora of possibilities out there with leftover roast beef, brisket or pot roast. Beef aside, just think  what can be done with leftover turkey, chicken or pork roast too. 

Last night I rescued a pound's worth of cubed cut up Christmas prime rib from the freezer and morphed it into an absolutely fine and I do mean fine pot of red. It all started with 4 slices of smoky bacon, chunked up and cooked slowly so it released some fat (and flavor). Then I added a couple of huge yellow onions, all diced up along with a slew of minced garlic and let it saute until soft. Joined by a collection of spices followed by a can of lager beer, diced tomatoes, a touch of tomato paste, a cup of beef stock and the best kept secret which is a secret no more -  barbecue sauce. After the beef joined the party I let the pot simmer for 30 minutes before I added two cans of drained and rinsed pinto beans. Another 15 minutes of brewing time and a star was born!

It's addictive! The flavor is absolutely amazing - smoky bacon, tender beef, the sweet spicy taste of barbecue sauce and of course the bite of chile. It really is sublime.

Speaking of stars - the Big Guy was seeing 'em up close and personal last night. I'm not sure if the beans were doing a dance or whether he was climbing a mountain or some such thing in his sleep, but about the time the old REM's were at their peak darned if he didn't fall right outa' bed with a mighty crash. Of course after I made sure he was alright and he got himself re-situated and fell back to sleep the whole event tickled my funny bone big time and I just couldn't stop laughing.  Wonder what he's gonna' do after he has another bowl of chili.

The Ultimate Chili from Leftover Prime Rib from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by Fine Cooking

4 slices smoky bacon, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large yellow onions, diced

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons mild chili powder

1 tablespoon hot New Mexico chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 - 12 ounce can lager beer

1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce (I used Kraft original)

1 cup beef stock or beef consomme'

1 or 2 pounds leftover prime rib roast, cut into half inch dice

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Garnishes – cubed cheese, chopped sweet onion, pickled jalapeno

Lime wedges

Heat a Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add olive oil and bacon, and cook stirring occasionally until bacon has released its fat and pieces are starting to crisp. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are very soft – about 8 to 10 minutes. Add chili powders, cayenne, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and cook stirring constantly for another 3 or 4 minutes. Add beef, tomatoes, tomato paste, barbecue sauce and beef stock. Bring to a boil, and then add beef. Lower to simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Add pinto beans and cook additional 15 minutes, stirring often. Serve with garnishes and a squeeze of lime. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Ham and Cheese Quiche

Creamy Turkey Enchiladas

We're coming to the end of our Thanksgiving turkey stash with last night's dinner likely the favorite of all the leftover gobbler creations and without question our favorite enchilada recipe.

It would be afterall. It's loaded with green chiles, hot salsa, whipping cream and cheese and topped with a mixture of cream of chicken soup and sour cream along with a ton of cheese. Originally a recipe from Idaho a la CArte, it's a perfect way to channel leftovers into something fabulous. I've made it enough that I can honestly say it is now mine with with extra onions, garlic, and Tex/Mex heat. Perfect garnished with more salsa and some of Jen's fabulous jalapeno jelly, it is quintessential comfort food in a creamy spicy form and perfect for, dare I say, a COLD winter evening.

Yes people, winter has finally arrived in the desert and I swear when the Big Guy and I were out walking the dogs last night before bedtime, the precipitation falling looked suspiciously more like snow than rain. Yahoo! I wait all year to haul out my silk longjohns and fleece and it's finally here. Today's the day I finally get to turn the self cleaning switch on the oven and revel in the fact the kitchen's warm instead of doing it when it's 115 outside and feels like double that inside.

Creamy Turkey Enchiladas (adapted from Idaho a la Carte)

 1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2-1/2 cups leftover roast turkey (or chicken) chopped into small pieces

4 roasted green chiles, skinned, seeded and chopped (or 1 6 ounce can)

3/4 cup spicy hot salsa

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon hot chile powder (optional)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

3/4 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or pepperjack cheese

8 large flour tortillas

1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican cheese mix

1 – 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add oil and when shimmering add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is softened. Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Cool to room temperature. Add turkey, green chiles, salsa, salt, pepper, chile powder, red pepper flakes and whipping cream.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Spoon approximately half a cup of turkey mixture onto a flour tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Roll to enclose the filling and place seam side down into casserole dish. Repeat until all filling is used. Sprinkle cheese on top of rolled tortillas in casserole dish. In a small bowl whisk together cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Spread on top of enchiladas and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with additional salsa or guacamole. Serves 6 to 8.

A year ago - Curried Turkey Pot Pie