Salsa, Guacamole and Dips | An Inspired Cook

Category: Salsa, Guacamole and Dips
- Mojo Pork Tenderloin with Parsley Cilantro Chimichurri
  
  Posted at 1:20 pm by NativeNM, on May 26, 2025
  Recently I got a Blackstone griddle and I can’t wait to show you how much fun I’ve been having with it. Cooking outdoors is going to be so much fun this summer. This pork tenderloin was so easy to make and it turned out absolutely delicious! It charred over the outside while remaining tender and moist on the inside. There’s nothing more fragrant and flavorful than adding chimichurri to grilled meat. It makes every bite taste like a burst of flavor that you can’t resist. I paired the tenderloin with some foil packet potatoes and a salad which made a perfect meal with very little cleanup. It gets so hot during the summer months here in the Land of Enchantment that I prefer grilling over heating up my kitchen. Starting this weekend I’m planning a new chapter in Blackstone cooking; I hope to find some new inspiration along the way. Wish me luck!
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  Posted in Entree, Recipes, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips | 4 Comments | Tagged Blackstone Griddle, Chimichurri, Mojo Marinade, Mojo Pork Tenderloin, Parsley and Cilantro Chimichurri
- Spinach Artichoke & Green Chile Dip
  
  Posted at 1:12 pm by NativeNM, on December 8, 2023
  This recipe is inspired by one of our favorite appetizers at Zio’s Italian Kitchen. Zio’s was an Italian restaurant chain that we frequented when we lived in KC. Sadly Zio’s closed their doors for good, but I fondly remember their menu with so many traditional and non-traditional Italian dishes. One of their most popular appetizers was their Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip. They also used this tasty dip in their Artichoke Chicken Pizza and Artichoke Pasta Florentine. Today I’m recreating their famous dip with a New Mexico twist by adding green chile. This is an amazing appetizer plus I’ve included my version of their pizza and pasta dishes. If only I could figure out how they made those mini French loaves that they brought to the table with bread dipping spices . . . they were so good!
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  Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Pizza and Calzones, Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips, Snack | 6 Comments | Tagged Spinach Artichoke & Green Chile Dip, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Spinach Artichoke Dip with Green Chile, Spinach Artichoke Pasta, Spinach Artichoke Pizza, Zio's Artichoke Chicken Pizza, Zio's Artichoke Pasta Florentine Copycat, Zio's Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip, Zio's Italian Kitchen Copycat Recipes
- 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
- New Mexico Inspired Meatballs (Albondiga con Salsa)
  
  Posted at 11:05 am by NativeNM, on January 24, 2020
  I haven’t made meatballs in the longest time. They were one of Cameron’s favorite things to eat. I used to make a big batch and package them in single serve bags that he could pull out for a quick meatball sub or add to his favorite pasta. These meatballs are much different than any I’ve ever made before. I added a bit of New Mexico with some roasted red and green chiles along with some queso fresco cheese and tortilla chips. The meatballs on their own turned out quite tasty with a little kick in every bite. I envisioned these meatballs simmering in salsa which turned into two salsa’s. The first is a chile de arbol salsa which was by far my favorite. It included roasted red tomatoes along with onion, garlic and tomatillos. While I was at it, I had all the ingredients to make a verde salsa, which was loaded with green chile. It made more than enough for a meal and then some. Whatever is left can go into the freezer until the next time a meatball craving comes along.
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  Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips | 5 Comments | Tagged Albdigas con Salsa, Chile de Arbol Salsa, Meatballs with Green Chile, Meatballs with Hatch Green Chile, Meatballs with Roasted Red Chile, Mexican Meatballs with Salsa, New Mexic, Salsa Verde, Verde Salsa
- New Mexico Green Chile Cheese Ball
  
  Posted at 12:05 pm by NativeNM, on December 10, 2018
  One of my favorite things to snack on is cheese and crackers. And with the holidays just around the corner it’s time to think about appetizers. Many years ago I would make a cheese ball around the holidays, but in recent years I found other things to make and the cheese ball became a distant memory. I’ve forgotten how good it tastes and think it’s time to bring the cheese ball back!! It’s not just the green chile that makes this cheese ball so special. Many of the ingredients are grown or produced in the state of New Mexico. It’s so easy to assemble, just pack all the ingredients into a food processor and blend. Once chilled the flavors meld together and the flavors are enhanced. It’s addictive to say the least, we are having a hard time saving it for snack time. It’s so good we could make a meal out of it . . . just kidding!!
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  Posted in Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips, Snack | 2 Comments | Tagged Bueno Autumn Roast Chile, Bueno Green Chile, Chimayo Green Chile Powder, Green Chile Cheese Ball, Green Chile Powder, Heart of the Desert Pistachios, Ithaca Feta Cheese, New Mexico Cheese Ball, New Mexico Green Chile Cheese Ball, Tucumcari Mountain Cheese Factory
- New Mexico Green Chile Cheese Steaks
  
  Posted at 12:26 pm by NativeNM, on August 7, 2018
  Joe and I are enjoying being back in Albuquerque and trying some of the local restaurant favorites. While I cook most of our meals during the week, on the weekend we try to get away from the daily grind and nearly always go out for a bite to eat. One Saturday we tried a new place, at least it’s new to us called Filling Philly’s. They feature steak and chicken philly cheese steaks as well as meatball sandwiches. But what caught our eye was the Green Chile Philly. I can tell you my mouth was watering just reading the description. And it didn’t disappoint, It was delicious!! The distinct difference between my cheese steak and Filling Philly’s is the cheese sauce. They use cheese whiz which does taste good but I envisioned a creamy Oaxaca cheese sauce. Oaxaca cheese melts so creamy and makes the best cheese sauce and dips. I especially love it paired with green chile. My love of cheese steaks have no bounds, this one has to be one of the best!
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  Posted in Burgers, Sandwiches, Paninis and Wraps, Condiments and Sauces, Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips | 0 Comments | Tagged Bueno Autumn Roast, Green Chile Philly, Green Chile Powder, Green Chile Salt, New Mexico Green Chile Cheese Steaks, Oaxaca Cheese Sauce, Philly Cheese Steak with Green Chile
- Cocoa Coffee Braised Beef Tacos with Mango Salsa
  
  Posted at 11:44 am by NativeNM, on July 21, 2017
  This is another “Food Paradise” favorite that I found on the Travel Channel. It comes from the Taco Guild Gastropub in Phoenix, AZ, ranked No. 2 on their countown. One of their signature tacos uses a rub that coats big chunks of beef with cocoa powder, espresso powder, Ancho chiles, plus a few more flavorful ingredients. Once the beef is saturated with the rub it goes straight onto a hot grill to sear. The beef is turned over each side to sear until it is a bit charred and dark in color. Next place the beef in a roasting pan and pour brewed coffee over it. Cover it with aluminum foil where it goes into a 300 degree oven for 5 – 6 hours. It is so tender and so flavorful when it comes out of the oven and virtually falls apart at the slightest touch. Taco Guild serves their tacos with a mango salsa topped with cotija cheese. I have to say they were spot on as the mango salsa added just the right amount of sweetness to balance the cocoa and coffee flavors. There was a lot of shredded beef to go around. I don’t know exactly how many tacos we ate but for several days we were in taco heaven.
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  Posted in Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips, Tacos, Taquitos and Flautas | 9 Comments | Tagged Cocoa Ancho Chile Rub, Cocoa Coffee Braised Beef Tacos, Cocoa Coffee Rub, Coffee Braised Beef, Cotija Cheese, Mango Jicama Salsa, Mango Salsa
- Guacamole in a Molcajete
  
  Posted at 8:51 am by NativeNM, on May 5, 2017
  What goes with almost any Mexican dish . . . Guacamole of course! It’s a favorite for dipping, as well as topping burritos, enchiladas and nachos. And since I’m celebrating Cinco de Mayo, I thought I’d show you how I make guacamole in a molcajete. Molcajetes are used to crush and grind spices as well as preparing salsas and guacamole. In Mexico they are made from porous basalt volcanic rock, typically round in shape with a bowl in the center supported by 3 legs. The tool used to grind is called tejelote and made from the same material. A molcajete brings out the most amazing aroma by grinding the ingredients into the volcanic stone. There is an earthiness that heightens your senses of smell and taste. By grinding each ingredient you create a layer of flavors that will come together in the most amazing way. Every time I make guacamole in a molcajete I think it’s the best guacamole I’ve ever tasted. . . and then I make it again! Happy Cinco de Mayo!! Continue reading →
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  Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips, Side Dishes | 1 Comment | Tagged Avocado, Guacamole, Guacamole in a Molcajete, Mexican Molcajete, Molcajete, Tejelote
- Ya Ya’s Baba Ganoush
  
  Posted at 9:43 am by NativeNM, on September 16, 2016
  Ya Ya’s Euro Bistro is a restaurant here in KC that has an extensive menu garnishing traditional meals with a European spin. We hadn’t been there in many years but for our anniversary Joe took me to Ya Ya’s for a night out. Before the meal was served they brought out a Baba Ganoush appetizer with soft french bread for dipping that was so tasty. It had a hint of lemon and tasted different than anything we had ever had. We both loved it and asked the waiter what it consisted of. He was happy to share and told us that it was made with roasted eggplant, Greek yogurt, garlic, an herbed olive oil and sprinkled with a spice called Zatar. Most recipes use tahini in their Baba Ganoush which is why this dish tastes so different. I found a recipe online from St. Louis Today for Ya Ya’s famous Baba Ganoush that had the exact ingredients our waiter had listed. I made a run to Tasteful Olive for an olive oil that would give this dish the taste we had experienced at Ya Ya’s. When I explained to them what I was making they suggested Milanese Gremolata, a flavored olive oil consisting of fresh lemon zest, minced garlic, Italian flat leaf parsley and a hint of mint. With the olive oil in hand I walked a couple doors down to Penzey’s where I found Zatar, a spice that is a popular Middle Eastern blend consisting of sumac, thyme, sesame seeds and salt. Roasting the eggplant was a bit time consuming but I have to say my homemade Baba Ganoush came together with the consistency and flavors that we enjoyed at Ya Ya’s. It couldn’t have turned out better! Continue reading →
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  Posted in Recipes, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips, Side Dishes | 4 Comments | Tagged Baba Ganoush, Herb Olive Oil, Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil, Penzey's, The Tasteful Olive, Ya Ya's Baba Ganoush, Ya Ya's Euro Bistro, Zatar Seasoning, Zatar Spice
- Ancho Pulled Chicken Nachos with Green Chile Cheddar Sauce
  
  Posted at 10:18 am by NativeNM, on March 1, 2016
  Joe took me out recently to a new place called Red Door Grill. We were seated in the dining room right in front of a huge glass window looking into the kitchen area where the staff were preparing delectable wood fired dishes. They were grilling burgers, chicken, steak, and fish. Everything looked so tempting with wood smoke rising and open flames shooting through the huge grilling area. I was so conflicted when it came to ordering but in the end I decided on these Rojo Nachos with a green chile cheese sauce, pico de gallo, guacamole, pickled jalapenos, queso fresco and sour cream. You could also add Ancho Pulled Chicken for a couple dollars more. Yes, please!! Our server brought out a massive mound of fresh corn chips topped with all the afore mentioned favorites. I couldn’t decide where to start it was so gorgeous. It appeared that they pooled some of the cheese sauce on the bottom so that the nachos wouldn’t get soggy so quickly. Everything else was evenly piled on with so many complimenting flavors. There was no way to eat it all even with Joe helping me out. A week went by and I was still craving these nachos so I decided it was time to make my own. So what do you think . . .
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  Posted in Entree, Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips | 7 Comments | Tagged Ancho Pulled Chicken, Ancho Pulled Chicken Nachos with Green Chile Cheddar Sauce, Cheddar Cheese Sauce, Cheese Sauce, Cotija Cheese, Detroit Coney with Cheese Sauce, Green Chile Cheddar Sauce, Guacamole, Pickled Jalapenos, Pico De Gallo, Pulled Chicken Nachos, Queso Fresco Cheese, Red Door Grill, Sour Cream
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