An Inspired Cook

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  • Monthly Archives: March 2022

    • Pork and Zha Cai Ramen Bowl

      Posted at 9:14 am by NativeNM, on March 31, 2022

      If you haven’t noticed already, I’ve been trying out different Asian dishes, learning as I go trying new flavors and techniques. I recently came across some noodle bowls on Pinterest that resemble a brothy soup with noodles and thin sliced pork and pickled mustard stems. It reminded me of a ramen noodle bowl and it looked so tasty. After reading more about it, I just had to give it a try. I found that Zha Cai is a type of Chinese pickled vegetable that tastes sour, salty and sometimes spicy. For this particular dish pickled mustard stems are most commonly added, but alternately pickled radish can be used. It’s a simple recipe, something I thought would appeal to my youngest son Cameron who has always loved a bowl of ramen noodles. This is an easy and healthy alternative that only takes 20 minutes to make.

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      Posted in Recipes, Soups, Stews and Chili | 4 Comments | Tagged Pork and Zha Cai Ramen Bowl, Ramen Bowl, Zha Cai
    • Kung Pao Chicken (Panda Express Copycat)

      Posted at 11:17 am by NativeNM, on March 22, 2022

      Have you ever had the Kung Pao Chicken at Panda Express? I’ve been searching for the perfect copycat recipe for years and finally found “the one”. It comes from Jamie at Drive Me Hungry. Seriously this recipe is as close as you’re going to get to the Kung Pao Chicken at Panda Express. I would even go so far as to say it’s better. I couldn’t wait to hunt down all the ingredients and get started. Joe has never ordered Kung Pao when we go to Panda because it has zucchini in it. But he ate every bite and said that the sauce even made zucchini taste good. I think I may add some different vegetables next time to get added veggies into our diet. There are a lot of ingredients in the sauce with some that were new to me such as Chinese black vinegar and Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp. Every time I try a new Asian dish I learn something new. This version of Kung Pao is a very aromatic dish as well as pleasing to the eye. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

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      Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Entree, Recipes, Red or Green | 13 Comments | Tagged Chinese Black Vinegar, Copycat Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken, Dark Soy Sauce, Kung Pao Chicken, Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp, Red Bell Pepper, Wok Cooking, Zucchini
    • English Muffins

      Posted at 12:29 pm by NativeNM, on March 10, 2022

      I had a grand idea of making breakfast sandwiches over the weekend but it didn’t start out very well. I picked up some English muffins from the store but they were so thin; they just fell apart when I attempted to separate them. At that moment I decided it was time to make my own muffins. I found a recipe that incorporated yogurt into the recipe and was so appealing that I gave it a try. After some adjustments this recipe turned out really good. As with many dough recipes, (even the ones I made in Kansas) I’m finding that I have to adjust the ratio of liquids and dry ingredients because of our high altitude and the dry desert air of New Mexico. If you are unsure of how to adjust your recipes you might try this guide: Cooking and Baking at High Altitudes by Betty Crocker. These muffins took about 2 hours from start to finish which was perfect for our weekend brunch. Our breakfast sandwiches turned out delicious with freshly made English muffins, lightly toasted with egg, cheese and bacon. They are also good with butter and jam too!

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      Posted in Bread, Breakfast, Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Recipes | 11 Comments | Tagged Breakfast Sandwich, Egg McMuffin, English Muffin made with Yogurt, English Muffins from Scratch, Homemade English Muffins, Woks of Life
    • Green Chile Frito Pie

      Posted at 2:59 pm by NativeNM, on March 1, 2022

      If you’ve ever had a Frito pie, most likely it’s been served in a bag or a bowl of Fritos corn chips smothered in red chile, seasoned ground beef and beans, topped with grated cheese and onion. It’s one of our tastiest guilty pleasures and when the Fritos go on sale it’s time to make Frito pies. I often wondered how it would taste with green chile and decided to give it a try. I went to the freezer for a jar of green chile sauce and found that I had used the last jar and there was none to be found. Not to worry, I always have a backup in the pantry. A jar of 505 Flame Roasted Green Chile is my go to sauce when I don’t have homemade. I used to find in it Kansas and apparently it’s marketed in many Walmart, Sam’s Club and Costco’s around the country so even if you don’t live in NM you may be able to find it in your area. The key to making a green chile Frito pie is to be generous with the green chile and add enough broth to make the texture saucy but not soupy. Pinto beans are traditionally added, however Joe isn’t going to change his ways even for tradition so I only added beans to my pie. We garnished them with lettuce, tomato, onion and grated cheese. I can’t believe I didn’t try this sooner. Green Chile Frito Pie is here to stay, we love it and I hope you will too!

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      Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes, Red or Green | 13 Comments | Tagged Burrito Seasoning, Frito Corn Chips, Frito Pie with Green Chile, Green Chile Frito Pie, Green Chile Sauce, Ground Beef and Pinto Beans, New Mexico Frito Pie, New Mexico Green Chile Frito Pie
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