Recipes | An Inspired Cook

Category: Recipes
- Indian Tacos
  
  Posted at 11:13 am by NativeNM, on April 21, 2021
  I usually stay away from fried foods but when it comes to fry bread I will always make an exception. Lets face it, you just can’t make that crispy airy bread any other way. And one of the best ways to eat fry bread is to make Indian tacos aka Navajo tacos. This past year with Covid we’ve been ordering takeout instead of eating inside and I haven’t had an Indian taco from a restaurant in over a year. It tastes so much better when it’s fresh and comes out to the table warm and crisp. So I decided to make them at home and I have to say they tasted pretty darn good! The fry bread was a simple prep courtesy of Desert Gardens Fry Bread mix. Just add water, stir and let sit for 10 minutes. I used half the dough and placed the rest in the fridge to make sopaipillas the next day. For the toppings I browned ground beef and added beans and green chile. It tasted so good along with lettuce, cheese, tomato and onion. The one thing I would do is make smaller portions next time. These turned out huge and way more than we could eat but every bite was delicious!
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  Posted in Bread, Entree, Recipes, Red or Green, Tacos, Taquitos and Flautas | 9 Comments | Tagged Desert Gardens Sopaipilla and Fry Bread Mix, Indian Fry Bread, Indian Tacos, Monroe's Stewed Green Chile, Navajo Fry Bread, Navajo Tacos, New Mexico Indian Taco, New Mexico Navajo Taco
- Mojo Chicken Tacos
  
  Posted at 9:48 am by NativeNM, on April 13, 2021
  Recently I spent a weekend roasting a chicken and pickling some radishes to make some of the tastiest Mojo tacos around. Have you seen the spatchcock chickens that everyone is grilling these days? I think they look amazing! Mojo chicken can be described as chicken that’s been marinated in orange and lime juice along with garlic and herbs. Making it spatchcock allowed the chicken to lay flat on the grill and cook evenly. The chicken turned out tender, juicy and full of flavor. A whole chicken for 2 people makes a lot of meals; there was enough chicken for tacos along with some wraps, a pot of soup and sandwiches. The tacos can have any number of toppings, I chose some picked radish mix along with cilantro, avocado and crumbled fresco cheese I splurged and picked up some street tortillas in corn and flour that are smaller but fun to eat. We enjoyed these little street tacos with salsa and chips and called it a meal. They tasted like we got them off a taco truck!
  
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  Posted in Entree, Recipes, Red or Green, Tacos, Taquitos and Flautas | 3 Comments | Tagged Grilled Spatchcock Chicken, Mojo Chicken, Mojo Chicken Tacos, Mojo Spatchcock Chicken, Pickled Radish and Red Onions, Pickled Radish Mix
- Spicy Pickled Radish Mix
  
  Posted at 9:43 am by NativeNM, on April 13, 2021
  I often make pickled red onions or pickled jalapenos which are the perfect condiment to go with many dishes, especially tacos and sandwiches, nachos or burgers. Recently I’ve noticed that radishes have become popular as a pickled condiment. It made me think, why not make a mix of all three? If you love pickled veggies you’ll love this mix that adds a spicy kick. I added them to tacos and a barbeque sandwich which gave a salty spicy crunch that really elevated the taste. I’m thinking they might be good in potato salad or chicken salad too. After experimenting with pickling red onions I found I like the taste of lime juice over vinegar when it comes to pickling. I came across the lime juice method years ago from Rick Bayless and never went back. This is the perfect time of year to make a jar of spicy pickled radish mix to go with many of your favorite meals.
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  Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Pickled Jalapenos, Pickled Radish and Red Onions, Pickled Radish Mix, Pickled Radishes, Pickled Radishes for Tacos, Spicy Pickled Radish Mix
- Breakfast Tacos with Cheese Hash Browns
  
  Posted at 3:38 pm by NativeNM, on April 6, 2021
  Breakfast tacos are easy to make and scrumptious to eat. I like to make them with creamy scrambled eggs and toppings that include cheese, bacon, avocado and tomato with a drizzle of salsa. There are so many options that might go into a breakfast taco . . . maybe some diced onion or red peppers, green chile, spinach, or herbs. When it comes to toppings it’s all up to you. What I really want to talk about is the cheesy hash browns on the side. They are fantastic. If you order hash browns at a dozen different restaurants you’ll probably get a dozen different tastes and textures. I like my hash browns crispy outside while creamy inside. That’s a rare find but I think I’ve found a way to make them at home. After testing boiled potatoes and baked potatoes, I tried using dehydrated hash browns that you find in a box. The dehydrated shredded potatoes were the one that achieved that perfect combination of crispy and creamy hash brown. The addition of flour and butter makes the potatoes crisp on the outside while the cheese and egg keeps the inside creamy. I plan on testing some other additions like sour cream or yogurt instead of cheese to see how that alters the taste and texture. I’ll update you on my findings but in the meantime enjoy some breakfast tacos with some cheesy hash browns on the side.
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  Posted in Breakfast, Recipes, Side Dishes, Tacos, Taquitos and Flautas | 5 Comments | Tagged Breakfast Tacos, Cheese Hash Browns, Creamy Hash Browns, Crispy Hash Browns, Egg Tacos, hash browns, Tacos with Eggs
- 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
- Chilaquiles
  
  Posted at 12:16 pm by NativeNM, on January 29, 2021
  Chilaquiles is an easy dish made from fried tortillas tossed in red or green chile sauce and topped with a fried egg. That’s it! There are toppings involved that are optional for every individual taste. Most recipes add a crumbled cheese such as queso fresco or cotija, cilantro and chopped red onion. Some simmer the tortillas in the sauce which softens the tortillas, however I like the tortillas to have a little bit of texture and crunch. In the past I usually make a red sauce with dried red chiles, a combination of NM Red, Guajillo and Ancho chiles. This time I’m trying something new, a sauce by “The Fresh Chile Co.” which is made from Hatch fresh red chiles. The sauce is a puree of red chiles, garlic, salt, and citrus which makes a beautiful red sauce that is fantastic! If you are looking for a spicy breakfast or brunch, chilaquiles is the perfect choice.
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  Posted in Breakfast, Recipes, Red or Green | 5 Comments | Tagged Bueno Corn Tortillas, Chilaquiles, Chilaquiles with Red Chile Sauce, corn tortillas, Fried Eggs, Queso Fresco, The Fresh Chile Co., The Fresh Chile Co. Red Chile Sauce
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