Happy Mother’s Day to every mom out there! I’ve been saving this recipe from Ina Garten for a special occasion and thought it would be perfect for Mothers Day. This is my first time trying it and it turned out so light and moist. The streusel with cinnamon and pecans add to the flavor and texture. It’s delicious and a bit sinful with all the butter and sugar but it’s Mother’s Day so I’m giving permission to indulge and enjoy a slice. It is the perfect companion to your morning coffee, afternoon tea or after dinner dessert. I wish you all a fun weekend and Happy Mother’s Day!
Pecan pie is a classic and one of our favorite desserts. Combining the flavors of pecan pie with bread pudding is pure bliss. The croissants were an impulse buy at Costco. They were huge and still warm in the container; I couldn’t resist. There were a dozen in all, way too many for just Joe and I. Since we couldn’t eat them all before they expired, our best choice was to freeze some or make bread pudding. Joe voted for bread pudding! Croissant rolls give the top a crispy flaky crust while the center cubes are soaked in custard and baked to make a warm creamy center. And don’t forget the pecans that are sprinkled throughout. It’s one of those desserts that appeals to your eyes as well as your taste buds. This makes enough for a large gathering but any leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen for another day. Anytime you have leftover French bread, brioche or croissant rolls that are going stale; don’t throw them out, make bread pudding. You’ll be happy you did!
If you’ve never heard of a smoked pulled ham you’re not alone. Neither had I until I started looking for a new way to prepare a ham. I came across some pellet smoking blogs and found that you can smoke a ham the same way you would a pork butt roast to make pulled pork. Even though the ham is already cooked, you can smoke it so that it will pull apart and shred like pulled pork. The recommended choice is a shank ham or picnic ham. Spiral ham should be avoided if you plan to shred it. I’ve never been one to eat ham very often but I definitely enjoyed this one. These salty tender shredded pieces are unlike any ham I’ve ever tasted. We prepared it a few days before Easter as the total smoke time would take approximately 11 -12 hours. It reheats nicely and tastes just like it was smoked that day. We saved 1 pound out for our meal and vacuumed sealed the rest in 1/2 pound packages to make future meals with. I have visions of making ham salad sandwiches like Joe grew up on or maybe make a fruity glaze or a mustard sauce to go with it. And don’t forget breakfast, can you just imagine pulled ham in your favorite breakfast dish? For Easter I made a pineapple sauce to pour over the pulled ham which was quite delicious. If you have a smoker, you really need to try Smoked Pulled Ham, it’s unlike any ham you’ve ever had before.
If you’ve ever had a taco salad at a restaurant, it’s usually served in a flour tortilla bowl that has been deep fried or baked. It’s filled with salad and topped with seasoned ground beef, chicken, steak or pork, followed by grated cheese, salsa and a spicy ranch dressing. Sometimes I make a vegetarian version with black or pinto beans with roasted corn and avocado. I don’t have a mold to make flour tortilla bowls but I do have an alternative. I take a flour tortilla, cut it into triangles and pan fry them. They turn out light and crisp and seasoned perfectly with a sprinkle of red chile salt. I have a hard time not eating them all before they go into the bowl; they are so addictive! But with that said, fill your bowl with as many crispy fried tortillas as you wish and then top them with the rest of your salad fixings. Your going to love it! And if you want to make it healthier, just add some beans, corn, avocado or any other veggie to your salad, it’s up to you what you put in it.
Posted at 8:57 am by NativeNM, on February 13, 2024
Valentine’s day is a day to show the ones you love how much they mean to you. This year I’m making Joe some cupcakes infused with cocoa and coffee that are moist and decadent. They are topped with a buttercream chocolate frosting and sprinkled with toffee bits. This recipe comes from the Decadent Dark Chocolate Cake that I made a few years ago. I couldn’t imagine finding a better mocha base that would have the moistness and dark chocolate flavors than we enjoyed in that recipe. At the end I added some mini chocolate chips in the cake batter to add some chocolate texture in each bite. I cheated with a store bought chocolate buttercream frosting but I will include the frosting recipe I’ve made in the past just in case you want to make your own. For all the dark chocolate lovers, these Valentine cupcakes are hard to resist!
Posted at 10:17 am by NativeNM, on January 26, 2024
Today I’m going back to our Kansas days when Joe and I used to frequent one of our favorite restaurants, Corner Bakery Cafe. This chain has a number of locations across the country, however there is only 1 location in NM and it’s a long way from Albuquerque. If you’ve ever visited one of their locations you’ve probably tasted some of their creative sandwiches, salads as well as breakfast and pastry items. The first time I ordered the Chopped Salad it came with all the listed ingredients but there was a bonus sprinkle of quinoa. It was obviously added by mistake but I enjoyed those tasty little pearls of quinoa that soaked up the vinaigrette with a burst of flavor in every bite. This inspired chopped salad is loaded with cooked chicken, bacon bits, romaine lettuce, tomato, avocado, green onions, cucumber, red bell pepper and goat cheese crumbles, plus a sprinkle of quinoa over top. I experimented making a vinaigrette that would capture the taste of a house dressing with sweet and spicy tones like Corner Bakery. I think I nailed it with a simple red wine vinaigrette with a hint of maple syrup and shallot and garlic flavors throughout. Once I had the dressing, the rest of the salad was a breeze. It’s just my opinion but it tastes very close to the chopped salad I used to order at Corner Bakery plus a little quinoa sprinkle over top, because it tastes so good and is good for you.
Posted at 10:36 am by NativeNM, on January 19, 2024
One day I was flipping through the news feed on my phone when I came across a recipe for a thick cut candied bacon sandwich. It looked so good and ever since I’ve been craving one. I didn’t save the article and had to do a bit of research to find a recipe that would hold the flavors that I had in mind. What I found was a great recipe from The Merchant Baker that was easy to prep and very flavorful. I added some red chile flakes to the mix to add some heat which rendered the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. My turkey, bacon and avocado sandwich was so delicious. The candied bacon was a difference maker. You can also elevate any salad with a sprinkle of candied bacon bits. This BLT side salad was so good with bits of candied bacon on top. Whatever you make with your candied bacon, I know it will taste fantastic!
Posted at 12:13 pm by NativeNM, on January 12, 2024
When you need a warm brothy bowl filled with noodles and endless vegetables, look no further than a Ramen Noodle Bowl. This has become one of my favorite things to have for lunch during this winter cold spell. It’s also a way to add some veggies to my diet which can be a challenge living with a man who doesn’t care much for vegetables. Actually Joe will eat ramen if I add some cooked chicken and an extra dollop of spicy chili crisp to his bowl. Anything to get a few veggies in him is a win in my book. I like my ramen with spinach, carrots, green onions, cilantro, mushrooms, garlic and ginger. But there are so many other veggies that you could choose from such as zucchini, snow peas, Bok choy, sliced jalapeno, asparagus or anything else that sounds good to you. It will warm you up on a cold day and taste really good too.
Posted at 11:07 am by NativeNM, on January 5, 2024
As you know, sweet rolls are my weakness. And every year for the holidays I try to make a new flavor which at this point is starting to become a challenge as I’ve made so many different versions over the years. These lemon pastries are so light and fresh tasting. They are tart but have just enough sweetness to make them a sweet roll. The cream cheese glaze however is quite sweet and you can add as much as you like to find that sweet spot that you enjoy. They are unlike any roll I’ve ever made in that they taste like sunshine and lemonade. I devoured a few over the holidays and put the rest in the freezer. I individually freeze them so I can pull out just one just when I have a craving. They keep for a couple month’s in the freezer and once thawed they can be microwaved for 20 – 30 seconds and taste just as good as the day they were made. If you love the flavor of citrusy tart lemon with a cream cheese glaze then look no further, these sweet rolls are for you!
Posted at 9:57 am by NativeNM, on December 29, 2023
The one holiday treat that I enjoy baking for Christmas is sweet rolls. They are a sweet indulgence that makes me happy. An afternoon sitting in front of the fire with a cup of tea and a sweet roll is the essence of comfort When I make sweet rolls, I make enough to share with my sister because she loves them just as much as I do. And I don’t post my sweet roll recipes until after the holidays because I make them just a couple days before Christmas so they will be fresh. This year I decided to go back to my childhood for inspiration. Both Kat and I have a vague memory of our mom baking Pecan Sticky Rolls that tasted so incredible. I don’t have any idea how she made them or what recipe she used, but I am going to try and recreate the memory with flavors that I think she would have used to make that pecan caramel syrup. It all begins with brioche dough, which is my go-to sweet dough that never fails. I then tested variations of brown sugar and butter combinations to get just the right amount of sweet buttery caramel flavors. After all the taste testing and decision making was done, it was a triumph to finally bake them. They tasted as good as I had hoped and I think they turned out quite pretty too!