The heatwave this summer has lasted longer than I think anyone expected. We’ve experienced more consecutive days in the upper 90’s or topping over 100 degrees for most of July. It’s just too dang hot to turn on the oven or cook on top of the stove. Early on it was sandwiches or salads for dinner, but after a while I started searching for something more. I found some fresh pasta in the refrigerated section of the grocery store; the package directions called for a 3 minute boil. That sounded perfect, I knew just what to do. A creamy parmesan sauce with pesto would taste so good and take only minutes to make. Add a Mediterranean salad and call it a meal. I’ve included a couple more variations that I think you will enjoy as well.
One of our sources to find new trails to hike can be found on a facebook page “Hiking in New Mexico”. I love to pore over the stories of fellow hikers as they post their photos and provide information on the status of the trails, the road and weather conditions and maps. We actively seek out trails that aren’t well known, low foot traffic and of course beautiful scenery. The information we find from “Hiking in NM” is sometimes better than AllTrails. I came across a post for Red Rock Trails and immediately wanted to hike this trail. You’ll need to purchase a permit at the Walatowa Visitor Center which is located within the Jemez Pueblo on Hwy 4 open daily between 9 am – 4 pm. It’s a short trail only about 1.5 miles and showcases the Walatowa Red Rocks with a side trail leading to a gorgeous slot canyon. Every time we think we’ve found everything to explore in Jemez, we discover another gem.
Today is the 12th anniversary of An Inspired Cook. I’m proud of the content and how I’ve grown as a better cook over the years. In the beginning, I tried to put out 2 – 3 posts a week but these days I enjoy taking time in between traveling around New Mexico to explore our beautiful state as well as sampling some of the best food along the way. This past year I’ve been taking photos of our favorite dishes from some of the restaurants we’ve visited on our day trips and also here in Albuquerque. We try to seek out where the locals eat, sometimes in a little mountain town or a food truck at an art festival. Sometimes you find the best food at a little unknown cafe out in the middle of nowhere. One day I will put together a “best of” list but today I’m going to share the accidental burrito that changed my perspective on how to build a burrito. The plan was to make some green chile sauce with pork to smother burritos or enchiladas. I had an end piece of a tender pork loin that I saved to go in the sauce. I cut it into small bits and then stir fried the pork with some green chile salt. As the sauce simmered and cooked down it seemed obvious that this would make a delicious filling by scooping out the pork and green chile to fill a couple of tortillas. And there was enough sauce leftover to smother the burritos. It was one of the best tasting burritos I’ve ever made, however I didn’t measure the ingredients or take pictures so this is take two. I made enough for 2 burritos but it can be easily doubled or tripled. You can also substitute ground beef, chicken or steak in place of the pork.
An Inspired Cook 