A Golden Casserole for the Golden Globes

The high holy season for cinephiles has begun! The Golden Globes are tomorrow night, and I have spent my winter break, as always, trying to watch every nominated film and most of the the tv shows. A friend is inviting a few people 'round to watch the show, and I am making two casseroles for the event: my favorite cavatini, and something I just made up that I'm calling Chicken Chile Relleno Casserole. I think it turned out great!

Chicken Chile Relleno Casserole

vegetable oil

12 corn tortillas

16 oz. prepared salsa verde

2 cups sour cream

1 rotisserie chicken, deskinned, deboned, and shredded

1 teaspoon each paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 large onion, thinly sliced or diced

2 cans whole green chiles, drained and sliced

1 lb. shredded colby jack cheese (or Mexican blend)

Heat an inch of vegetable in a large skillet to medium-hot. Fry the corn tortillas in four batches until golden brown, and drain on a paper towel. Set aside. Whisk together the salsa verde and sour cream and set aside. Mix the shredded chicken with all of the spices. Saute the onion in a little of the leftover vegetable oil until tender and starting to color. Reserve.

Assemble: Put a half cup of the salsa verde and sour cream mixture on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Make a layer of six fried corn tortillas. Top with half the chicken, onions, green chiles, and a cup or so of the sauce. Top with half the shredded cheese. Repeat with a second layer, including the rest of the sauce but minus the cheese.

Cover with tin foil and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, add the other half of the cheese on top, place the foil back over the dish, and bake for another 15 minutes.

Great Green Guac!

My friend Yves always makes a giant vat of awesome guacamole for our friendly gatherings, and he swears that leaving the pits in the guac keeps it from turning brown (a tip he got from his friend's Costa Rican mother or some such). I poo-pooed this nonsense, but I thought I'd give it a try.

The first picture is from yesterday when I made my guacamole, and the second picture is 24 hours later...with no plastic wrap pressed on top like I usually do. (Actually, the first pic looks browner, but that's because I took the photo in lower-light conditions.) So, I stand corrected!

P.S. I'm not completely convinced that it's not all the citrus juice that's mainly helping the situation. But still, what harm in using citrus, the pits, and pressed-down plastic wrap? The holy trinity of keeping guac green! #yourewelcome

Christmas in Brazil

If there was ever a good excuse to get back to my long-neglected blog, it would be the annual Padula Christmas Cookie EXTRAVAGANZA! Because one of the Padula boys has a Brazilian girlfriend, this year's culinary theme was Christmas in Brazil, and it was DELICIOUS!

View #1 of the cookie exchange table. (My cookies aren't pictured, as they were on the porch chillin',)

View #2 of the cookie table.

The beautiful tablescape!

The appetizer was this Brazilian shepherd's pie type of affair with reconstituted carne seca (dried beef) and veggies underneath and mashed yucca root on top called Escondidinho de Carne Seca. Yucca is a staple in Brazilian cuisine.

These were yummy little chicken-filled croquettes called Coxinhas.

Apparently, the Christmas turkey (Ceia de Natal) is traditionally served with peaches. YUMMY!

The turkey was served with rice and black beans and Brazilian hot sauce, and a fruity bread stuffing.

I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this dried fruit-studded bread stuffing, but it was SO GOOD! I'm not sure what it's called in Portuguese, though.

This is called Farofa, and it's toasted cassava flour. It's sprinkled on everything in South America, like Parmesan cheese.

For my money, this dessert was the star of the show! It's called a Torta de Bombom Sonho de Valsa, or Bonbon Pie. AMAZING! Here's the recipe:
http://www.cynthiapresser.com/recipe-blog/desserts/358-bonbon-pie-torta-de-bombom-sonho-de-valsa

The other dessert (which I did not have room for, but looked incredible) was a Passion Fruit Cheesecake. (Passion fruit, or maracuja, is another Brazilian culinary motif.)

I made three different (rather homely, but very tasty) cookies for the exchange this year, inspired by a holiday baking show I saw on the Food Network recently. The first was a soft maple bacon cookie that was supposed to be a whoopie pie, but I ended up just frosting the individual cookies so that I'd have more to share.

Maple Pecan Cookies (or Whoopie Pies) with Bacon Cream Cheese Frosting
(Source: Adapted from Poet in the Pantry)
 
Filling/Frosting:
6 strips thick-cut bacon
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cookies/Cakes:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons bacon fat, reserved from frying bacon for the filling
3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/3 cup dark maple syrup
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Filling:
Fry bacon until crisp and reserve and cool the fat.
Crumble (or cut with kitchen shears) bacon and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and confectioners' sugar for three minutes. Add the vanilla, syrup, and salt. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in the crumbled bacon. Transfer to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator.

Cookies/Cakes:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Get out two rimmed nonstick cookie sheets and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Beat together the butter, bacon fat, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Add the buttermilk, mixing until smooth.

In a liquid measuring cup, add the cream, baking soda, and white vinegar, stirring to combine. Turn the stand mixer on low and mix in half of the dry ingredients. Add the cream/baking soda vinegar mix, mixing until combined. Mix in the last of the dry ingredients. Add the vanilla, and beat until well incorporated. Stir in the toasted nuts.

Portion out the batter with a small cookie scoop and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges and the tops are springy. Transfer to wire cooling racks immediately. Cool completely.

Assembly
Remove filling from the fridge at least 20 minutes before starting assembly. Stir before starting assembly. Using a pastry bag fitted with a decorating tip, or simply a butter knife, apply filling on the flat side of one cookie/cake. Press the flat side of another cookie/cake and press gently together.

Wrap each whoopie pie in a small piece of plastic wrap store and in an air-tight container. Best eaten the same day. For longer storage, keep in the refrigerator.

*You can also just frost the top of each individual cookie (as I did here) instead of making whoopie pies.

The second cookie I made was a sour cream cookie infused with Earl Grey tea and frosted with a honeyed lemony icing. YUM!

Earl Grey Tea Cakes with Honey-Lemon Frosting

(Adapted from a sour cream chocolate chip cookie recipe that my friend, Kallie, gave me--unsure of the original source)
Cookies:
1 cup sour cream
2 bags Earl Grey tea
2 eggs
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour

Mix the sour cream and the tea from the two bags and set aside.

 Cream butter and eggs together. Add sugar and mix in. Add baking soda, baking powder and flour. Add vanilla and sour cream and tea mixture. Bake at 350° until lightly browned (10-12 minutes). Cool completely before frosting.

Honeyed Lemon Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1/2 pound (about 2 cups) confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 to 1/4 cup heavy cream
zest of one lemon, finely grated
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Beat the butter on high speed until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in half of the sugar until combined. Stir in the vanilla and honey. Beat in the remaining sugar. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest, whisk on high for 6 minutes.

The third cookie that I made--and my personal favorite--was a Rosemary Browned Butter Shortbread. Now, I am ALWAYS down with some nutty browned butter, but savory rosemary was an unusual guest at this sweet cookie party. It may sound strange, but applied with restraint, the rosemary takes this shortbread to a whole other level of deliciousness! I was loathe to give (most of it) away.

Rosemary-Walnut Browned Butter Shortbread

(Source: The Kitchn)
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup walnut halves, toasted and chopped small (none larger than pea-sized)--or combine walnuts and almonds
1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioner sugar (or another 1/4 cup granulated, if you don't have confectioner's)

Melt the butter in a medium sauce-pan or skillet over medium heat. Swirl occasionally and cook until all foaming has subsided, the butter is dark tan colored with little black specks, and smells fantastically nutty. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl and let it cool to room temperature. (The butter should be solid but still smooshy.)

Mix the walnuts, rosemary, and all the dry ingredients together in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or medium-sized bowl with a hand mixer). While beating on medium-speed, add the cooled brown butter in several additions until it's completely incorporated and the dough looks grainy. The dough should hold together when you press some in your fist - if not, add a few teaspoons of cold water until it does.

Turn the dough out onto your work surface and shape it into two thick logs about 1 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter (or smaller if you want smaller cookies). The dough will be pretty crumbly, but that's ok. Wrap the logs tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until hard (30 minutes, or up to three days).

When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Take out and unwrap one of the logs. Slice it into 1/4 inch round cookies using a sharp knife and transfer to the cookie sheet. Place cookies about a half inch apart - they won't spread much during baking. If any of the cookies crumble, just press the dough back together with your fingers and a bit of water.

Bake for 10-13 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges and very fragrant. Allow to cool five minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Prepare and bake the other half of the cookie dough as above. Cookies keep in a sealed container for about two weeks.

The Art of Living...with Cast Mates That Have Food Issues

I am performing in a musical this weekend, and unfortunately, I picked the worst time in the world to get a cold that then developed into a respiratory infection with bronchitis and laryngitis ("Ain't nobody got time for that!"). So while I was at Walmart yesterday waiting for my prescriptions for antibiotics and codeine cough syrup, I wandered around the store and decided I should make a Mexican fiesta for my cast mates before tonight's performance. The problem is, I've got one gluten-free gal, two vegetarians, one person who hates all vegetables, and two who don't do "spicy." Plus, there are another 20 or so more "normal" eaters in the cast and crew, so I had a lot of different mouths to feed. Talk about a complicated order!

So I made two enchilada casseroles: one was vegetarian and gluten-free using corn tortillas, brown rice, both black and chili beans, sauteed onions, garlic, red and yellow peppers, zucchini, and fire-roasted tomatoes, and then cheese and red sauce. The meaty, gluten-filled version was made with flour tortillas, mild Anaheim pepper strips, chicken spiced with cumin, paprika, and chili powder and mixed with sauteed onions and garlic, along with cheese and then mild green enchilada sauce. There was sour cream to cool things down and my friend Jamie's red savina hot sauce to spice them up.

I also served an easy taco-type salad on the side: iceberg/carrot/cabbage mix topped with shredded cheese, black olives, (prepared) corn and black bean salsa, crispy tortilla strips, with (bottled) avocado ranch dressing. I thought everything turned out great, but I came home with a lot of the GF/vegetarian version, and I actually thought that one was slightly better! Oh well, I won't have to cook tomorrow...or the next day!

P.S. And I came up with what I think is an ingenious idea for keeping the casseroles warm throughout the show. I used an extra-large heating pad underneath the two foil lasagna pans. Worked like a charm, except that it shuts off after awhile (safety feature), so you have to check on it and turn it back on every so often. Still, am I not clever??

Gluten-Free/Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

2 cups uncooked brown rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion

2 sweet peppers (yellow & red)

1 medium zucchini, shredded

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained

2 teaspoons each: paprika, cumin, chili powder

1 teaspoon each: ground celery, seasoned salt, sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

40 oz. red enchilada sauce

18 small corn tortillas

2 cans beans, drained (I used chili beans and black beans--pinto would also be good)

4 cups shredded Mexi-cheese blend

sour cream and/or hot sauce to garnish

Steam the brown rice and set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the onions, peppers, zucchini and garlic until tender. Pour in the can of tomatoes and stir in the spices and sugar. Set aside.

Assembly: In a 9x13 pan, layer in one quarter of the sauce, corn tortillas, half the rice, half of the beans, half of the veggie mixture, about a cup and a half of shredded cheese, and another quarter of the sauce. Repeat the previous layers, ending with a final layer of tortillas and the last quarter of the sauce.

Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes at 375 until bubbly, hot in the middle, and slightly browned around the edges. Add another cup of cheese on top and put back in the hot oven for five minutes just to melt the cheese.

Green Chicken Chile Bake

deli roaster, skinned, boned and shredded

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons each: paprika, cumin, chili powder

1 teaspoon each: ground celery, seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

40 oz. green enchilada sauce

8-10 medium-sized flour tortillas

1 large can (27 oz. or two small cans) mild Anaheim chiles, drained and ripped into strips

4 cups shredded Mexi-cheese blend

sour cream and/or to garnish

Skin, debone, and shred a deli chicken. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and sauté the onions until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Mix the onions and garlic and spices to the reserved chicken.

Assembly: In a 9x13 pan, layer in one quarter of the sauce, flour tortillas (cut to fill in spaces), half of the hand-torn pepper strips, half of the chicken mixture, about a cup and a half of shredded cheese, and another quarter of the sauce. Repeat the previous layers, ending with a final layer of tortillas and the last quarter of the sauce.

Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes at 375 until bubbly, hot in the middle, and slightly browned around the edges. Add another cup of cheese on top and put back in the hot oven for five minutes just to melt the cheese.

Hot Avocados? (Don't Be Afraid.)

Have you seen that Tip Hero recipe video for Avocado Chicken Tortilla Soup going around the interwebs lately? Well, I did, and I made it tonight, and I adapted the recipe to make in my magic pot, and it turned out DEE-licious! It's also easy and so good for you. Now don't let me hear you say, "Eww" to hot avocados. They make this soup creamy and luscious, without any actual cream. It's the good kind of fat, yo! And this dish is endlessly variable, depending on what kinds of toppings you add before serving. This one's a winner, folks.

Instant Pot Avocado Chicken Soup
(Source: adapted from Tip Hero)

1 quart chicken stock (homemade from the IP, please!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs (sprinkled with seasoned salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, cumin, and chili powder)--about five thighs
1 cup chopped green onions, stems removed
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and cracked
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chicken soup base
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
juice of two limes
1 teaspoon of honey (or sugar)
2 large avocados, pits removed, scooped out of the shell

Pour the chicken stock into the IP and turn on low saute, then heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat on the stove top. Brown the seasoned chicken thighs on both sides (leave rolled up, don't flatten out), and then put the browned chicken pieces in the pot with the hot stock. Add the onions, jalapeño, garlic, cumin, chicken soup base, and black pepper. Set the IP to Manual/high pressure for eight minutes, then do a quick release.

Remove the chicken from the pot, then shred it into smaller pieces when it has cooled enough to handle. Meanwhile, add the cilantro, both avocados, and honey or sugar to the pot and use an immersion blender until creamy and smooth. Taste and use more seasoned salt if necessary. Lastly, stir in the pulled chicken and lime juice.

Garnish with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, salsa or fresh tomato, sour cream, etc.

Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas for a Potluck Fiesta

I was invited to a potluck dinner last night that I thought started at 6pm. I got home at 5pm, checked the event notice, and realized it actually started at 5. Ugh. Magic pot to the rescue! I took a big package of half-frozen boneless/skinless chicken thighs, seasoned and browned them, cooked them in the IP on high for eight minutes, pulled the meat and threw it in a crock pot with onions and peppers and a package of fajita "skillet sauce," and I was out the door lickety-split and off to my party! (And I brought home an empty crock afterwards! ‪#‎winning‬)

To be more specific, I started with a big package of semi-frozen boneless/skinless chicken thighs (8-10 thighs) that I sprinkled with a cilantro seasoned salt, black pepper, cumin, granulated garlic, and chili powder, then browned on both sides in a large skillet on the stove top with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil (I left the thighs rolled together, not flattened out). Next, I put a cup of hot water in the IP and added the browned thighs on top of the trivet, and cooked them on high for eight minutes. Meanwhile, I sauteed two sliced red onions and a scant two cups of sliced red and yellow sweet peppers in a couple more tablespoons of olive oil (on the stove top in the same skillet in which I browned the chicken). 

When the chicken was done, I did a quick release, and then used two pairs of tongs to pull the hot meat apart. I combined the vegetables and pulled chicken along with a pouch of McCormick Roasted Chile, Garlic, and Lime Skillet Sauce. Along with the chicken fajita mixture, I took to the potluck: flour tortillas, a package of shredded Mexi-cheese, a carton of sour cream, prepared medium-hot salsa and mild pico de gallo, some leftover corn and black bean salad, and shredded iceberg lettuce. (Someone else brought guacamole, and I knew the host had a vast collection of hot sauces.) Then folks could make their fajitas as they liked--from mild to wild. Oh, and there were also corn tortilla shells for the one gluten-free guest. Great party idea, right?!

Helping You Hang onto That New Year's Resolution!

Ok, you MUST make this for dinner! It's CRAZY delicious and so good for you! Seriously, you can eat this and still maintain your tenuous grasp on your New Year's resolution...until the Valentine chocolates are upon us (literally, like on our hips and thighs). Plus, it's like a little taste of summer in the dead of winter. I give you Cajun-Spiced Chicken Breasts (cooked in the Instant Pot) on a Bed of Black Japonica Rice (also cooked in the magic pot) Topped with "Veggie Crack" (aka Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, and Avocado in a Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette). Oh yeah.

For the chicken, I seasoned then browned two pounds of FROZEN boneless/skinless breasts in a very hot skillet in two batches, then placed them in the Instant Pot on the trivet over 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth and pressure-cooked them on Manual/high for four minutes with a quick release. For the black Japonica rice, I cooked 1 1/2 cups of rice in a scant two cups of water for 24 minutes on Manual/high in the IP, releasing after 10-15 minutes.

The best part of this meal is the so-called "Veggie Crack," the Pinterest favorite that is so nicknamed because you just can't stop eating it! Of course, this salad would be delicious on its own, and perfect to take to a party or potluck. I followed the recipe almost to the letter, except that I had to use frozen corn because, duh, it's winter. I just steamed a bag of sweet corn in a little water in the microwave for ten minutes then chilled it in ice water for a few minutes, drained it, and added it to the salad. Oh, and I used one red pepper and one yellow, because that's what I had.

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers and Avocado in a Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette, aka "Veggie Crack"
(Source: Once Upon a Chef)
Servings: 6-8

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob (or frozen--steamed then cooled)
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced (or any combination of red, yellow or orange)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons peeled and minced shallots, from one medium shallot
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing them)
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 Hass avocados, peeled, seeded and chopped

Combine all ingredients except for avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a more chopped cilantro if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Late-Night Karaoke Kravings

Ok, this is the essence of who I am in one culinary anecdote: So I eat at a local sports bar tonight. It's called Hobie's, and it's owned by the same family that has an Italian restaurant called Pasquale's in a neighboring town, and both establishments serve very good food. I am tempted to try their soup special (chile verde pork with rice), but I am craving a salad (like I seem to do all winter long), so I get that instead. 

But later this evening, I run into my buddy Kevin​, and he tells me that he ate at Hobie's as well, and he DID have the soup, and it was fantastic. I am instantly depressed. So I have him describe it to me, and at 2am (after karaoke is over), I come home and make my own version. I don't know what the soup at Hobie's looked or tasted like, but mine turned out YUMMY! And because I made use of some pantry staples, it was so quick and easy, especially if you have leftover pork roast on hand like I did. 

Chile Verde Pork and Rice Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, small dice

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups pork stock (or chicken)

1 can corn, drained

1 jar Herdez salsa verde

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon chicken soup base

juice of one lime

1/2 cup half-n-half or cream

2 cups cooked pork shoulder, chopped

2 cups cooked white rice

In a 3 1/2 quart stock pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, jalapeno, and garlic until tender. Stir in the oregano, cumin, and pepper. Cook for another minute or two. Add the stock, corn, and salsa verde, sugar, and soup base and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then stir in the lime juice, cream, pork, and rice. Serve piping hot!

A Cozy Bowl of Cross-Cultural Comfort

So I was watching a rerun of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives one night, and Sammy's Bistro in my old stomping grounds of Park City, UT made this crazy bowl of Indian/Southwest fusion comfort food that they called the Savory Chicken Bowl with Rice. There wasn't a recipe on the Food Network web site, so I watched the demonstration a few times, and thought to myself, "I could probably recreate that...or something close to it." And I made it in the crock pot to boot!

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the Savory Pulled Chicken Curry Bowl with Jasmine Rice, Tomatillo Aioli, and Crispy Tortilla Strips. I know, it sounds like all kinds of bizarre, but it's soooooooooooooo good! And it's even gluten-free, for those who care about such things. This is one I'm going to make again and again.

Savory Pulled Chicken Curry Bowl with Jasmine Rice, Tomatillo Aioli, and Crispy Tortilla Strips 
(Source: adapted from Sammy's Bistro, Park City, UT via the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives)

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Curry:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, peeled and minced
4 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 quart chicken broth
salt, to taste

Tomatillo Aioli (stir together the following ingredients to combine):
1 cup prepared tomatillo salsa (mild)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves

steamed jasmine rice

chopped fresh cilantro leaves

crispy tortilla strips (corn tortillas sliced thinly, fried in vegetable oil in a large skillet until golden then drained on paper towels and sprinkled with salt)

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, poblano peppers and onions. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and just starting to turn golden. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute or two. Scrape this mixture into a slow cooker. Brown the chicken thighs in the same--unwashed--skillet (in two batches to avoid crowding the pan and steaming the meat). Add the chicken pieces to the slow cooker.

Sprinkle in both curry powders, the paprika, onion powder, and pepper. Deglaze the skillet with the chicken broth, scraping up all the browned bits (the fond, if you will). Pour over the veggies, chicken, and spices, add a couple good pinches of salt, and give everything a stir. Cook for about three hours on high or six hours on low, or until the chicken is tender enough to pull apart with two forks. Check seasoning and add more salt if needed.

Serve chicken curry drizzled with tomatillo aioli over steamed jasmine rice, sprinkled with chopped fresh cilantro, and garnished on top with crispy tortilla strips.

CLCA Day 18: Annnnnd...She is Sick Again :-(

"Cyd's Low-Carb Adventure," Day 18
Sadly, there was not much to report, as Cyd drank her customary berry smoothie with almond milk and chia seeds for breakfast, but was sick for the rest of the day (no lunch), came home from work early  and slept right through dinner. HMPH!! (However, I'd like to report that I had some awesome green chile carnitas tostadas!)

Of course, I realize that these aren't low carb, as they have refried beans AND tortillas. But if Cyd is ever ready to eat again, I'll serve her carnitas as a Tex-Mex salad or over cauliflower "rice" that I sauté with some onion and finish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Slow Cooker Green Chile Carnitas

3 lb. pork roast, cut into chunks
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
2 teaspoons cumin, divided
2 teaspoons chili powder, divided
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (or fat of your choosing)
28 oz. (3 1/2 cups) green chile enchilada sauce/salsa verde
1 large onion, diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced (or a tablespoon of nacho slices, chopped)
one bulb of garlic, separated, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon oregano
juice of a lime

Season the pork pieces with the salt, half of the pepper, cumin and chili powder, and the granulated garlic. Fry in two batches in the melted shortening until browned all over. Drain and add meat to the crock pot along with the salsa verde of your choosing (homemade is best, but prepared will do).

In the leftover fat, fry the onions and jalapenos until they just turn golden brown. Throw in the garlic and cook for a minute or two more. Add the cooked veggies to the crock pot along with the remaining pepper, cumin, and chili powder, and also the oregano and lime juice.

Cook for 3-4 hours on high, 6-8 hours on low until the chunks are just starting to fall apart, but still hold their shape. Finish with more fresh lime juice.

CLCA Day 16: My New Favorite Tacos!

"Cyd's Low-Carb Adventure," Day 16
Breakfast: Mixed Berry Smoothie with Almond Milk and Chia Seeds
Lunch: Beef with Broccoli and Mushrooms over Cauliflower "Rice" (leftovers)
Dinner: Aida Mollenkamp's Pea Guacamole and Seared Halloumi Soft Tacos--pictured

THESE TACOS ARE MY NEW FAVORITE THING--SOOOOOO YUMMY! They're pretty quick and easy, too, and meatless...but yet still savory and satisfying. Of course, I used some sprouted grain hippie tortillas to minimize the carb impact. I pretty much followed the recipe, although I added some onion to the tomatoes, and a squirt of sriracha at the end, as is my way. DELISH!!!

Pea Guacamole and Seared Halloumi Soft Tacos
(Source: Aida Mollenkamp)

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium garlic clove, pressed or finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for frying
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups fresh or frozen shelled sweet peas
1 medium firm-ripe avocado
1 medium lime or lemon
6 1/4 ounces Halloumi or paneer cheese cut into 1/2-inch steaks
8 flour or whole wheat tortillas

Toss together the tomatoes, garlic, two tablespoons of the olive oil, and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate until ready to serve.

Cook the peas in just enough water to cover in a small pot over medium heat, about four minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of the pea cooking liquid. Add the reserved cooking liquid and two tablespoons of olive oil to the peas and puree in a food processor until mostly smooth with some small pieces of peas remaining. Add the avocado and pulse to a slightly chunky puree. Add a squeeze of lime or lemon, season with a pinch of salt, taste, and adjust as desired. Set aside.

Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a medium nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cheese on both sides with pepper. Add to the hot pan and cook until crisp and brown on one side, two minutes. Flip and continue cooking until just browned, one to two minutes more.

Toast the tortillas over an open flame on your stove. Add a spoonful of the pea guacamole to each tortilla, top with the cheese and the tomatoes and their juices. Serve warm.

CLCA Day 10: Latin Low Carb

"Cyd's Low-Carb Adventure," Day 10
Breakfast: Scotch Eggs
Lunch: Leftover Spaghetti Squash and Slow Cooker Bolognese
Dinner: Green Chile Chicken Bake (my own low-carb invention)--pictured
Dessert: Ice Cream (or "Carb Smart Dairy Dessert," if you will)
Late-Night Snack: Leftover Chicken Sausages

What to do when you're low-carbing but craving Latin American delicacies? Why, you invent a low-carb green chile chicken enchilada bake using some sort of whole/sprouted grain hippie tortillas from the co-op (just three of them in the whole pan!). Am I a genius, or what? ;-)

Low-Carb Green Chile Bake:
I used the big grainy tortillas (cut in quarters, six pieces to a layer), two cans of whole, fire-roasted green chiles (which I ripped into strips), a deboned/skinned/chunked up rotisserie chicken, shredded cheese, and two cans of green enchilada sauce. I left the top open-faced (normally, I'd add a final layer of tortillas, but we're cutting carbs, right?), then covered with the pan foil and baked at 350 for 30 minutes covered and another 15 uncovered.

Of course, if you want to go fully Paleo on this, just use the green chiles (not ripped into pieces) layered without tortillas and skip the cheese.

Even with all that food, including my tortilla bake, carb count for the day was 53! WOOT!

Spatchcocked chicken? You watch your language!

One of my favorite t.v. chefs used to be Aida Mollenkamp. I don't know if she's even on t.v. anymore, but I still follow her online. Recently, she posted an amazing recipe for a spatchcocked roasted chicken with lime, chile, and cilantro. As you know, I'm all about spatchcocking (or so you may have heard--tee hee), but I never thought that only five ingredients would yield something so incredibly flavorful. It should be noted that I used pickled jalapenos instead of serranos (as it's what I had on hand), and added a teaspoon each of ground cumin and dark chili powder to the marinade. So that takes it to seven ingredients, but c'est la vie! 

I served this wonderfully tender, juicy, and zesty chicken with a simple salad of (steamed, peeled and chunked and cooled) potatoes, corn (steamed and cut from the cob), pickled green beans, a can of dark red kidney beans (drained), and a few small chopped tomatoes all tossed with a little bottled vinaigrette. This meal is definitely going into my regular repertoire!

Note: If the chicken comes out of the oven not quite dark and crispy enough to suit you, flip on the broiler for a few minutes right at the end of cooking time.

Roasted Cilantro Chile Lime Spatchcocked Chicken
(Source: adapted from Aida Mollenkamp)

1 (4 to 5 pound) chicken
1 or 2 medium serrano chiles seeded and minced
5 medium garlic cloves grated or minced
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lime zest, divided
scant teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon dark chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Heat oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Remove necks and any innards from the cavities and discard. To spatchcock, use a sharp pair of sharp poultry shears or kitchen scissors to cut along the backbone; remove and discard. Score along the breastbone then flip chicken, placing it breast-side up, and pressing down to flatten until it is lying completely flat.

Combine half of the lime zest with remaining ingredients in a small bowl and mix until evenly combined. Season and adjust flavor as desired. Massage the mixture into both sides of the bird.  Set aside while oven heats up, at least 20 minutes.

Drizzle a little of the marinade into a large cast iron pan, roasting pan, or baking dish and rotate to coat the bottom. Lay chicken breast-side down, scrape/pour the remainder of the marinade over the chicken, then roast until breast is golden brown and opaque, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, carefully flip, then continue to roast, basting every few minutes, until thigh juices run clear and an instant read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F, about 15 to 20 minutes more (about 45 to 50 minutes total). 

Set chicken aside and rest 5 to 10 minutes before carving. Serve garnished with remaining lime zest, cilantro, and with pan juices spooned over the top.

Replacing Dishes and Remaking Dinner

I guess this isn't really food-related, but it is food-adjacent, and I'm just SO excited that I must share! I just used a chunk of my tax refund, not on badly-needed home repairs or other bills as I surely should, but on something I've wanted for at least twenty years: Ten full place settings of colorful (SQUARE!) Fiestaware, including dinner, luncheon and salad plates and mugs in six different colors: Flamingo, Tangerine, Peacock, Lemongrass, Sunflower and Turquoise. I blame my dear friend, Jay, for enabling this irresponsible, addictive behavior. (And I thank Macy's for an excellent seasonal sale, an extra 15% off for signing up for email, and for free shipping on heavy dishes.)

Ok, so to turn this back around to recipe talk, I wanted and intended to post about this lovely potato soup that I made in the crock pot last night. But when I got home from work, I was horrified to discover that the soup had turned brown and curdled! I really don't know what happened, as I've made milk-based soups in a slow cooker before and never experienced anything like this. Strange.

In any case, I ended up having to remake dinner last night, and it turned out like a rather clever episode of Chopped. First, I strained the cooked potatoes out of the soup, rinsed and drained them, and then tossed them with some Cajun seasoning. Then I chopped up some leftover smoked brisket. I also found two little half bags of shredded cheese in the fridge and a package of corn tortillas. I warmed the tortillas in the microwave, added some cheese, some chopped brisket and some little chunks of seasoned potato, and rolled them all up. I thought I had enchilada sauce on hand, but I didn't. But after rooting around in the pantry, I found a jar of Alfredo sauce and a some homemade salsa verde. I stirred those together, thinned it out with some fresh cream, poured it over my filled tortillas, and baked uncovered for about 30 minutes at 350, topping with more shredded cheese for the last ten minutes.TA-DAH! Smoked Brisket and Potato Enchiladas with Creamy Verde Sauce! I am a culinary wizard--feign to deny it--and one with pretty new dishes, too!

Another snow day...must make soup!

Ordinarily, one would rejoice at the prospect of a snow day--this time a proper one where classes are cancelled before you make it into school. But this is the second one in a week and a half, and I am starting to despair that my MWF classes will never get caught up!

That said, I slept in, took a hot shower and put on clean, cozy jammies, got the fire going, and started a pot of creamy Monterey Jack cheese soup for dinner. Now I'm trying to clear out the dvr, catch up on blogging, and I'm considering baking something...maybe banana nut bread? To top it all off, I just got a call from my oncologist's office with a "normal" blood work result! Now THAT'S a sweet Valentine's Day!

The soup recipe was another Pinterest discovery, and it's quite good. I made some changes, of course, like using my homemade salsa verde in place of the tomatoes, onion, and peppers in the recipe. Also, I recommend the addition of a couple of cans of corn and some cut-up grilled chicken strips to make it a heartier meal, though it's deliciously meatless as it. Either way, it'll warm your cockles on a snow day!

Monterey Jack Cheese Soup

(Source: adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything)

2 cups chicken broth
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles*
1 cup tomatoes, diced*
1 cup onion, finley chopped*
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups milk, hot
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3/4 lb Monterey jack cheese, coarsely chopped (about 3 cups - see note)

2 cans sweet corn, drained (optional)

1 lb. grilled chicken strips, cut into a large dice (optional)

*I used 1 1/2 cups of homemade salsa verde instead of the chiles, tomatoes, and onion.

In a medium pot bring broth, chiles, tomatoes, onion (or salsa verde), and garlic to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes or until veggies are soft. (If using salsa verde, just bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and hold until ready to use.)

While the veggies are cooking, melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the flour and cook for three minutes stirring constantly. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of the hot milk, adding a 1/2 cup at a time. Cook for seven minutes over medium heat until thickened.

Remove veggie/broth mixture from the heat and stir into milk mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups of hot milk, salt and pepper and Monterey Jack cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. (Make sure your don't heat the cheese soup on too high of heat or the cheese will "break" and be grainy.) If you like, add corn and chicken and just heat through.

Note: When making soups it's best to not use pre-shredded cheese which can have additives and doesn't melt as well. For creamier soups buy cheese in blocks. 

Follow-up (2/15): The soup was very creamy…UNTIL I reheated it (on low) today in the crock pot. Then I got the graininess going on. So either I left it heating too long, or it just doesn’t reheat well. So next time, unless I’m cooking for a lot of people, I’ll just make half the recipe.

Yet another follow-up (2/18): You know what "fixed" the grainy reheated soup? I can just hear the screams of the food purists and the "clean" eaters now, but I chopped up about a cup of sharp cheddar flavored Velveeta to the leftovers, and that did the trick. Took it right back to smooth and creamy. I know, I know. But desperate times called for desperate measures! ;-)

Super Bowl XLVIII

HAPPY SUPER BOWL DAY! Or, as I prefer to think of it, Happy Expensive Commercials and Bruno Mars Concert Day! As my friends and longtime readers know, I loathe football, but I struck a deal with my roommate that she would go to the Sing-Along Frozen movie with me (tee hee), and I would prepare a junk food feast for the big game. Here was my menu:

Devilled Egg Footballs
Muffaletta Sliders
Festive Favourite Layered Dip
Asian-Style Wings
Beefy Enchilada Dip

Make your favorite devilled eggs, then use green onions or chives to make the "football" laces. Cute, huh? (Thank you, Pinterest!)

I bought little football-shaped potato rolls, spread each side with (prepared) olive salad, then filled the sammies with spicy cappicola, mortadella, Genoa salami, and provolone.

My friend near Quebec City, Isabelle, shared this recipe with me, saying she gets raves about it every time she takes it to a party. And I get that--it's YUMMY and so pretty! It would also be perfect for a Christmas potluck with the red and green.

Festive Favourite Layered Dip
(Source: adapted from Kraft Canada)

1 tub (250g) Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup Miracle Whip Original Spread

1 cup salsa

2 cups Kraft Mozzarella Shredded Cheese

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 green pepper, finely chopped (I used a jalapeno instead)

2 green onions, chopped (I doubled this)

Mix first three ingredients until well blended; spread onto plate or shallow dish. Top with layers of all remaining ingredients. Serve with crackers or sturdy tortilla or corn chips.

Asian-Style Wings

Mix together in a large bowl:

1 cup flour 
1 teaspoon granulated garlic 
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
1/2 teaspoon salt

Toss 20-24 chicken wings in the flour mixture to coat. Bake at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until crispy and brown.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, blend the following ingredients:
1/2 cup apricot pepper jelly (or plum jam/jelly)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

squirt of sriracha, to taste

When the chicken wings are baked, add them to a crock pot set on low, pour the sauce over, then fold gently to combine. Leave the wings to keep warm in the slow cooker during your party!

Beefy Enchilada Dip

(Source: adapted from Add a Pinch)

1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups red enchilada sauce
2 cups grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

sour cream
tortilla chips

Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Drain. Add in onion and garlic and cook until tender, about three minutes. Stir in enchilada sauce and top with grated cheese. Cover and allow cheese to melt, about three more minutes.

Top with sour cream and serve with tortilla chips.

In which I create guacummus (or hummamole?)

My friend, Janice, was snowbirding down to Florida for most of January, and she just got home yesterday. So she invited a few friends around to have dinner together tonight before the onslaught of spring semester hits us smack in the face come Monday. Of course, I asked what I could bring, and of course, she pretty much had everything covered as she always does, but I thought I might at least bring a little appetizer--nothing too difficult or fancy (I wanted a lazy last weekend before heading back to school).

I recently had a chat with a high school friend about hummus and all the different varieties one might make. This made me crave hummus, and it also compelled me to make a slightly more adventurous variety. As it happens, I had some perfectly ripe avocados looking at me on the counter, so I decided to invent...drumroll, please...GUACUMMUS (or is it hummamole?)! Ok, a quick perusal of the interwebs tells me that I probably didn't invent avocado hummus, but I'd like to think I may have perfected it with the following recipe.

Guacummus (Avocado Hummus)

1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
1 (15 oz.) can of chickpeas, drained
1/4 medium to large onion, roughly chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lime, juiced
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
squirt or two of sriracha (or hot sauce or a few pickled jalapeno slices)
1 tablespoon water, if needed

Blend all this in the food processor, adding a little water to achieve the right consistency. Then throw in a small handful of cilantro leaves and pulse a few more times.

Low-carbing it on my last night of freedom...

Well, folks. Winter Break has been fun and relaxing, but my freedom is over, and it's back to the grind tomorrow. I have an 8am meeting in the morning, and the weather threatens to dip to almost 20 below. The only thing that can help me face such a fearsome Friday is a delicious, seasonal margarita--and keep 'em coming!

'Tis the season of lovely citrus in the grocery stores, and I recently bought a box of clementines, mainly because my roommate likes to take a couple to work in her lunch bag. But there are a LOT of those sweet little suckers in that small box! So I decided to incorporate them into my favorite adult beverage, the margarita, because I always like at least a little bit of orange juice in the mix anyway. The resulting drink was delicious, but it also got me to thinking about blood orange margaritas, and minneola margaritas...oh, the list may be endless! It's a little taste of sunshine and summertime in the bleak midwinter.

Clementine Margaritas (on the Rocks)

1 cup clementine juice (about 8 clementines, juiced)
1/2 cup margarita mix
juice of half a lime
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup Triple Sec
good pinch of salt
agave syrup, if needed, to taste
ice

This makes two cocktails (in 16 oz. glasses).

For dinner, I prepared something that my friend (who recently completed a Whole 30 regimen) was babbling about on Facebook--Paleo Lettuce Cups. She said that her kids usually can tell when she's "paleo-fied" a recipe and made legal substitutions, but they loved these lettuce wraps and couldn't tell they were Paleo. I completely concur--they were SO GOOD! But I sort of un-paleofied them by swapping out ponzu soy sauce for the coconut aminos, by using non-sanctioned brands of fish sauce and sriracha, by using toasted sesame oil, and also by adding a little Hoisin sauce. So if you are following those strict dietary guidelines, be advised of these adaptations. Whether you stay "kosher" to the Paleo program or not, this is good stuff, something the whole family can enjoy together, even if the rest of them aren't watching their carb intake.

"Paleo" Lettuce Cups

(Source: adapted from NomNom Paleo)

1 lb. lean ground meat
1 lb. thinly sliced mushrooms (I used Baby Bellas, chopped)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lard (I used toasted sesame oil)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger (I added this)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (I used rice wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons coconut aminos (I used ponzu soy sauce)
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (I added this)

1 teaspoon sriracha, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1-2 cups broccoli slaw
1/2 cup shredded carrots (I used 2 cups total of broccoli, cabbage, and carrot slaw)
2 scallions, thinly sliced (I used 4 scallions)
handful of cilantro, coarsely chopped

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground meat with the mushrooms and onion in the lard or sesame oil. When almost all of the pink is gone from the meat, add in the minced garlic and ginger. Keep cooking until the meat has browned through. Add in the fish sauce, vinegar, coconut aminos or soy sauce, hoisin (if using), sriracha, and black pepper, and stir to combine.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the slaw vegetables, scallions, and cilantro. Serve in iceberg lettuce "cups."

Note: Another non-Paleo addition that's really good here is to toss in a handful of peanuts for some extra texture and crunch. NOM NOM!