December | 2013 | An Inspired Cook

Monthly Archives: December 2013
- New Mexico Red Chile Posole
  
  Posted at 9:11 am by NativeNM, on December 24, 2013
  Traditional New Mexico Posole is a rich hearty stew made from red chiles, pork and dried corn also known as hominy. Most New Mexicans have a bowl of posole and tamales during the holidays between Christmas and New Years. I will miss being in NM for the holidays, seeing the lighted luminarias and the aroma of chile in the air which is breathtaking this time of year. But I won’t miss out on having a comforting bowl of posole with a pork tamale. This year I made a more traditional red chile posole and it was so good, it reminded me of home. Have a wonderful holiday everyone!
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  Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes, Red or Green, Soups, Stews and Chili | 4 Comments | Tagged Ancho Chile, Guajillo Chile, Hominy, New Mexico Red Chile Posole, Red Chile Posole, Tamales, Traditional New Mexico Posole
- Pecan Pie
  
  Posted at 9:07 am by NativeNM, on December 20, 2013
  Pecan pie may not be the healthiest thing to eat but it also happens to be one of the tastiest things on earth, so I give it a pass around the holidays. I just don’t think the holidays would be the same without a slice of pecan pie. There’s just something about the creamy buttery sugar filling combined with the nutty pecan that makes your mouth water. I always take my time and savor every bite because I know it will be another year until I taste it again. I like to pick out all the biggest and best pecans, lay them out one by one on top of the pie to make a pretty circular pattern. It’s fun to put together and gets a lot of “Wow’s” when you set it on the table!
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  Posted in Pies and Cobblers, Recipes | 3 Comments | Tagged Pecan Pie, Pecans, pie crust
- Berry Cream Cheese Pie
  
  Posted at 8:40 am by NativeNM, on December 18, 2013
  This is a pie from my childhood, maybe from yours too! Only we used cherry pie filling for the topping and it was called Cherry O Cream Cheese Pie. I remember Mom making this pie for the holidays, and loving that lemony cream cheese filling with syrupy cherries on top. I froze several packages of raspberries and blackberries over the summer and thought this would be a perfect topping on an old favorite. Everyone loved the mixed berry version and the coloring was bright and glossy red. Makes you hate to slice into it . . . almost!
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  Posted in Pies and Cobblers, Recipes | 2 Comments | Tagged Berry Cream Cheese Pie, Berry Glaze, Berry O Cream Cheese Pie, Cream Cheese Filling, Graham Cracker Crust
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie with a Toffee Crumble
  
  Posted at 9:13 am by NativeNM, on December 16, 2013
  I’m devoting this week to holiday pies! Pies are my favorite dessert no matter the occasion but around the holidays I like to make a variety so we have choices. I think a slice of pie brings back recollections, particularly around the holiday season, of times spent with family and friends. There are many different layers of flavors and textures (fruit pies, cream pies, pies with meringue, custard pies, frozen pies, well you get the picture) in which to choose from. One of the pies I’m making this year is a Salted Caramel Apple Pie with a Toffee Crumble. This one is for Joe who loves any pie with a crumbly topping. I tried a new recipe for an all butter crust which I found easier to work with and made a really pretty crust. I can’t wait to taste it but I’ll have to be patient as it went straight to the freezer for safekeeping until the holidays. The temptation was overwhelming as the aroma of warm apples and caramel filled the kitchen. As far as apple pies go, I think this pie will be hard to beat!
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  Posted in Pies and Cobblers, Recipes | 2 Comments | Tagged All Butter Pie Crust, Braeburn Apples, Caramel Apple Pie, Salted Caramel Apple Pie, Salted Caramel Sauce, Toffee Crumble
- Chicken and Dumplings
  
  Posted at 9:02 am by NativeNM, on December 13, 2013
  It hit me this week how soon the holidays will be here. Time has quickly gotten away from me and I’ve had to rush around trying to get things done. With that in mind I haven’t had a lot of time to make dinner. When I’m crunched for time I sometimes pick up a rotisserie chicken which saves me the trouble and usually makes more than one meal. I picked off the leftovers and chopped it to make my tried and true recipe of chicken and dumplings that everyone loves. With the cold weather we’ve been having it sounded like the perfect time for a comforting bowl of stew with a dollop of mashed potatoes on the side. It’s like immersing the potatoes into a dumpling gravy that tastes oh so good. Stay warm everyone and have a great weekend!
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  Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Recipes, Soups, Stews and Chili | 2 Comments | Tagged Chicken and Dumplings, Dumpling Gravy, Dumplings, Mashed Potatoes, Rotisserie Chicken
- Pork Egg Rolls
  
  Posted at 8:54 am by NativeNM, on December 10, 2013
  With a winter blast heading our way this past weekend, I went out and stocked up on some supplies in order to wait out the cold and stay bundled inside. I’ve been craving egg rolls and knowing how much prep work they take, it seemed like perfect timing to spend an afternoon working on a timely project. First things first, I have a lot of veggies to chop. While some may think this a tedious task, I find it relaxing. I’m always amazed at how many veggies it takes to make egg rolls, you may think you have way too much filling for your wrappers but after they cook down and release their juices they reduce by about half. They roll up rather easy, once you get the hang of it and pan fry in just a couple minutes. As soon as they go into the fry pan, it brings out my guys who go for a plate and stand by waiting for the first egg rolls to taste. They do taste awfully good when they are freshly made! I just hope they leave some for me . . .
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  Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes | 2 Comments | Tagged egg rolls, Fresh Ginger, Ground Pork, Pork Egg Rolls, Soy Sauce, stir fry sauce
- Sweet Potato Fries
  
  Posted at 9:07 am by NativeNM, on December 6, 2013
  Sweet Potatoes are the ultimate superfood packed full of Vitamin A with a major source of skin-protecting beta-carotene as well as having 28% more potassium than a banana. Those are just some of the reasons to love sweet potatoes but what I love are the savory ways you can make them taste so good. I’m definitely in the minority when it comes to sweet potatoes in this family and although the guys may not be fans, I still make them as a treat for myself. Baked whole with lots of butter or salty garlic fries are my favorite. These fries are made easy, seasoned and baked with a drizzle of olive oil to crisp up nicely for a healthier side dish.
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  Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes | 2 Comments | Tagged Olive Oil, Salt and Garlic Seasoning, Sweet Potato Fries, Sweet Potatoes
- Hawaiian Pizza with Sweet Chili Tomato Sauce
  
  Posted at 8:32 am by NativeNM, on December 3, 2013
  Awhile back Joe took me out for pizza where I found this Hawaiian pizza on the menu with a sweet chili tomato sauce. The sauce caught my attention and I was a bit skeptical if I would like it or not. To my surprise it was amazing! The sauce was the key to this pizza, a slightly sweet sauce that complimented the Canadian bacon and fresh pineapple flavors. I knew from the first bite that I had to recreate this at home. I have to say I enjoyed my homemade version as much if not more than the restaurant’s version. If you like to try new things, give this pizza a try, I think you’ll like it!
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  Posted in Entree, Recipes | 4 Comments | Tagged Canadian Bacon, Hawaiian Pizza, Pineapple, Pizza Dough, Sweet Chili Tomato Sauce
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Monthly Archives: December 2013

Posted at 9:11 am by NativeNM, on December 24, 2013

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Posted at 9:07 am by NativeNM, on December 20, 2013

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Posted at 8:40 am by NativeNM, on December 18, 2013

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Posted at 9:13 am by NativeNM, on December 16, 2013

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Posted at 9:02 am by NativeNM, on December 13, 2013

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Posted at 8:54 am by NativeNM, on December 10, 2013

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Posted at 9:07 am by NativeNM, on December 6, 2013

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Posted at 8:32 am by NativeNM, on December 3, 2013

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