An Inspired Cook

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  • Monthly Archives: February 2021

    • Creamy Feta Cheese Spread with Honey and Pistachios

      Posted at 9:31 am by NativeNM, on February 23, 2021

      This weekend I cleaned out the fridge to freshen it up and rearrange so that everything fit in a more organized way.  While I was cleaning I came across an unopened container of feta cheese that got pushed to the back.  The expiration date was still good but I needed to find a way to use it soon or toss it.  I searched the web and found that feta cheese can make an incredible dip that can be savory or sweet or both.  This spread has it all and is layered in flavors that will tantalize your taste buds with the salty feta, sweet honey and spicy pistachios.  We enjoyed it with pita chips or slices of toasted artisan bread.  I made this creamy bowl with some New Mexico honey and another bowl with Monroe’s Red Chile Honey.  We enjoyed both with the red chile honey tasting slightly spicier.  If you enjoy sweet and salty flavors this might be the appetizer for you.
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      Posted in Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips, Snack | 9 Comments | Tagged Creamy Feta Cheese Dip with Honey, Creamy Feta Cheese Spread, Creamy Feta Cheese Spread with Honey and Pistachios, Creamy Sweet and Salty Feta Cheese Dip, Feta Cheese Dip, Heart of the Desert Red Chile Pistachios, Monroe's Red Chile Honey, Red Chile Honey, Red Chile Pistachios

    • Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing

      Posted at 9:11 am by NativeNM, on February 12, 2021

      Southwest Chicken Salad also referred to as a Santa Fe Chicken Salad is a healthy alternative for dinner that is loaded with flavors.  It’s a popular salad that can be made at home to taste just as good or even better than your favorite restaurant.  Nearly always you will find a bed of greens topped with grilled chicken, corn and black beans along with avocado, tomatoes and cheese.  These are things that most of us already have in our pantry or refrigerator.  The toppings vary and you can always add or leave out ingredients that work for you.  The salad dressing is a personal choice but there are many recipes for dressings that enhance the flavors of this salad.  I chose a chipotle ranch dressing that paired well with all the toppings and gave it a spicy kick.  If you have some or all of these ingredients handy, you too could put together a salad for dinner that is scrumptious and healthy which is ways a plus!
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      Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Entree, Recipes | 2 Comments | Tagged Chipotle Ranch Dressing, Cibolo Junction Chipotle Ranch Dip Mix, Grilled Chicken, Los Chileros Chicken Fantastico Rub, Santa Fe Chicken Salad, Southwest Chicken Salad, Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing

    • Huevos Rancheros

      Posted at 10:34 am by NativeNM, on February 9, 2021

      One of the most popular breakfasts in New Mexico is Huevo Rancheros.  It’s traditionally made with soft corn tortillas topped with 2 fried eggs smothered in red chile sauce.  And most likely you’ll find a side of pinto beans and fried potatoes on the side.  It’s delicious!!   Normally I have homemade red chile sauce on hand but this time I am trying one of our locally made sauces.  It made this breakfast a breeze to put together.  I know from experience, it’s not always easy to find dried red chiles or the right chile powder to make your own sauce, especially if you live in a different state or different part of the country.  In a pinch you can always use a can of red enchilada sauce to smother your eggs.  The crispy breakfast potatoes and beans on the side complete this meal.  If you haven’t had Huevos Rancheros it should be on your bucket list.  I think you will find it one of the most enjoyable meals any time of day!
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      Posted in Breakfast, Recipes, Red or Green | 7 Comments | Tagged Huevo Rancheros with Breakfast Potatoes, Huevos Rancheros, Huevos Rancheros with Country Potatoes, Huevos Rancheros with Fried Potatoes and Pinto Beans, Huevos Rancheros with Hash Browns, Huevos Rancheros with Pinto Beans, New Mexico Huevos Rancheros

    • Caesar Salad

      Posted at 9:51 am by NativeNM, on February 5, 2021

      Salad is the side dish that we have most often, it goes with almost everything.  I miss going out to restaurants and getting those great salads with the house made dressings.  They are always so good and you just can’t replicate the same taste from a store bought dressing.   So lately I’ve been making more homemade dressings in small batches so that can change it up without taking up too much space in the fridge.  One of my favorite salads is the ever popular Caesar salad, however it’s taken some time experimenting with recipes that tastes like the dressing you might eat at a restaurant, or takeout as we do these days.  I found a recipe that checks all the boxes, simple to make, tastes great and no anchovies!  I tweaked it a little bit and now it’s my go to Caesar dressing.  Once you have a good salad dressing, the rest is simple.  Romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese and croutons complete the salad.  So what has kept this salad so popular over the decades, it’s the dressing of course!
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      Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Entree, Recipes, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged Caesar Dressing, Caesar Salad, Caesar Salad with Chicken, Homemade Croutons

    • Pinto Beans with Roasted Red Chile and Jerky

      Posted at 10:49 am by NativeNM, on February 2, 2021

      Pinto beans are one of the main staple foods here in New Mexico.  You will find beans on most tables multiple times a week.  It can be a side dish but for a lot of folks, it’s the main meal with a flour tortilla on the side.  In all the years we lived in Kansas it was quite different going out to eat at a Mexican restaurant.  You would find refried beans sometimes but black beans were often served as a side .  I grew to love black beans but since we’ve been back I find myself reacquainted with the pinto’s of my childhood.  Every time we get takeout from our favorite restaurants I always ask for extra beans, no rice.  Joe is the opposite, wouldn’t touch a bean if his life, well you get the picture, he doesn’t like beans.   So every now and then I will make myself a little pot of beans and spice them up with onion and chiles, sometimes bacon, and sometimes add a little chopped cilantro or grated cheese.  My favorite is still my Mom’s Charro Beans.  Her recipe is my guide with the substitution of roasted red chiles for green and red chile jerky for bacon.  I had no idea how jerky might taste in a pot of beans, but to my surprise it turned out really really good!  About half of the jerky is put in the pot along with the beans while saving a few little bits to go on top for crunch.  It’s a delicious blend of flavors and texture.  Here in NM you can find locally made jerky on almost every corner of the state.  There are so many jerky flavors that might taste good in a pot of beans but red chile is a natural choice!
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      Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Recipes, Red or Green | 2 Comments | Tagged Charro Beans with Jerky, Epizote, Pinto Beans, Pinto Beans with Roasted Red Chile and Jerky, Pinto Beans with Roasted Red Chile and Red Chile Jerky, Soupy Pinto Beans
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