Posted at 9:15 am by NativeNM, on December 12, 2025
A baked chile relleno casserole is an easy way to make rellenos without sacrificing the flavor of individually fried rellenos. This casserole has layers of meringue like egg batter, a layer of NM Green Chiles and grated cheese before covering the chiles in another layer of batter and cheese. It’s baked in the oven and puffs up like a souffle. This casserole makes enough for a crowd, however Joe and I plan to freeze individual slices so we can have some whenever we want. Just wrap up individual portions to put in the freezer first with plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. I’m looking forward to a slice alongside a bowl of green chile stew or posole.
Several weeks ago a new Greek restaurant opened up near us. We don’t have a lot of Greek choices in our area on the west side. So, one day Kat came up for a sisters day and we had lunch at “The Great Greek”. We shared a Souvlaki Plate with lemon potatoes as our side. The entree was delicious but we kept going back to the lemon potatoes. They were thick cut sliced potatoes with grilled lemons and had a crisp texture. I was curious how to make them at home and found that traditional lemon potatoes are roasted in a seasoned lemon broth, sometimes 45 – 90 minutes or longer depending on the recipe. That wasn’t going to work for me, especially in the summer, it’s just too hot to turn on the oven. I decided to go a different route and made them on my Blackstone griddle. I marinated the potatoes in a lemon broth for several hours. They needed to be partially cooked so that they would crisp quickly on the hot griddle without burning. My solution was to microwave them in the broth which took about 12 minutes. I microwaved them in 3 minutes intervals stirring them after each interval. When they were fork tender, I strained the broth and placed the potatoes and lemon slices on the oiled hot griddle. I turned them often and in 20 – 25 minutes they were crisp and ready to serve. I had no idea if these would taste anything like the restaurant but they turned out fantastic. They were perfectly seasoned and drenched in roasted lemons; the texture was crisp on the outside while tender inside. Greek lemon potatoes are now possible in the summer without ever turning on the oven.
Last summer I started making foil packet potatoes on the grill. It’s an easy way to make crispy sliced potatoes with any number of seasonings. This summer I’ve traded in the grill for the Blackstone griddle and they are just as tasty and easy to make. Using a mandolin makes every slice precisely the same and allows them to cook evenly. If you don’t have a mandolin, you can slice them by hand, just try to slice them thin and as even as possible. The two packets pictured above have different seasonings; the left packet is sprinkled with a salt, garlic, and black pepper blend. The right packet is seasoned with Joe’s KC French Fry Seasoning. There are numerous season combinations that would taste fantastic on these crispy sliced potatoes. Create the taste that compliments your entree; perhaps a grilled burger, steak, chicken or smoked ribs.
Posted at 9:25 am by NativeNM, on January 24, 2025
If you’re looking for a lighter meal, try making some chicken lettuce wraps. They are loaded with flavor and can be customized to your tastes by adding vegetables and a crunchy topping in the form of peanuts, cashews or pistachios. I made a simple version that suited both Joe and I with ground chicken, carrots, green onions, ginger and garlic along with a a lighter sauce and a sprinkle of roughly chopped cilantro and green chile pistachios. Drizzle some sweet chili sauce over top for a little bit of sweetness in every bite. All the flavors came together nicely and were tucked inside butter lettuce leaves. It was a perfect meal for the two of us with a side of jasmine rice that was simmered in chicken broth to round it out. Whether you are looking for a flavorful appetizer or a light meal, chicken lettuce wraps are a healthy tasty choice that’s fun to eat!
Posted at 10:36 am by NativeNM, on October 11, 2024
I’ve always loved spinach to make salads or to enhance a pasta or soup dish. Recently I’ve been on a salad kick and this Strawberry Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans was one of the best. The strawberries had the perfect amount of sweetness which balanced the spinach, candied pecans and goat cheese crumbles. I had some strawberries in the freezer and picked out a few to make a strawberry vinaigrette. It goes quite well on this salad but you can also go with a balsamic vinaigrette if you prefer a more savory dressing. The candied pecans give the salad texture and crunch while the goat cheese counters the sweetness with a bit of tangy creaminess. It all comes together to make a flavorful salad to go alongside most any entree.
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 10:34 am by NativeNM, on November 16, 2023
I can’t believe that it’s mid November with the holidays just around the corner. As I start to think about preparing a holiday meal I wanted to try a new side dish. We decided to check out the farm shop in Corrales (Wagner’s Farm) for some inspiration. We enjoy going to the farm during the summer and fall for fruit and vegetables. They had bins filled with butternut, acorn, zucchini and yellow squash. They had also picked the last of the tomatoes and apples before the hard freeze. I picked up a few tomatoes, zucchini and one medium sized butternut squash. I thought I would roast it and experiment with a couple different fillings to stuff each half. Both have Italian sausage with one half being savory and the other somewhat sweet. I liked both versions but if I had to pick one, I was a bit more partial to the savory filling as shown in the photograph above. Along with the Italian sausage it has fresh spinach, sun dried tomatoes and melted mozzarella cheese with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning. The sweeter version has Italian sausage, diced apple, dried cranberries and candied pecans with a sprinkle of dried parsley. Each are quite tasty and would be a great side dish for Thanksgiving.
Posted at 9:19 am by NativeNM, on September 1, 2023
Joe and I love this local cafe called Cinnamon, Sugar and Spice Cafe. They have 2 locations in Albuquerque but both are across town from us so it’s a treat every time we’re in the area. It’s a popular place with locals standing in long lines to order from an extensive menu including breakfast and lunch items. There is a counter behind glass lined with baking sheets filled with freshly made baked goods and pastries. Baristas are busy making specialty coffee’s and tea to order. We have never been disappointed with anything we’ve ordered and today was no exception. Joe ordered the Duke City French Dip topped with Green Chile and a side of Red Chile Au Jus. He shared a bite with me and it was amazing!! So of course I was inspired to remake it which also turned out pretty amazing. To start, I needed a package of sliced rare roast beef and some soft rolls. Since it’s green chile season here in New Mexico, I picked up some fresh chiles from a local farm and roasted them myself. Cinnamon’s au jus was spiked with ground red chile so I tried a combination of NM Red, Guajillo and Chile de Arbol to add flavor and a little bit of a kick. We thoroughly enjoyed this NM chile twist to an old favorite.
There are a few vegetables that I feel need some help to make them taste extraordinary. This is just my opinion but roasted asparagus needs more than just salt and pepper to entice me to eat it. I guess over time I got burnt out on asparagus but recently I’ve discovered some new flavors to add to it that make it taste fresh and new. Josh was my inspiration for this dish. He was here over Mother’s Day and suggested we make roasted veggies. We picked up some of his favorites, including asparagus and tomatoes. We crumbled some goat cheese and added a drizzle of balsamic vinegar with salt and pepper. Asparagus suddenly tasted good again! So I got to thinking that I’d like to add something crunchy to the mix and came up with some candied pecans which paired perfectly. There’s a contrast of flavors ranging from salty, tangy, sweet and savory. As I try to make healthier choices I’m striving to make those healthy choices taste better.
Posted at 1:47 pm by NativeNM, on February 17, 2023
I am not sure if you would consider this grits or polenta with both being made from ground corn. Even my package of Bob’s Red Mill is labeled “Corn Grits also known as Polenta”. However, after looking at several online sources I decided my dish was a polenta dish. Recently Joe and I took our boys out for a seafood dinner which has become our tradition when we get together. Joe ordered blackened mahi with cheesy grits and sweet corn that was so so good! He gave me a taste and I wished I had ordered a side to take home, it was that good. The addition of sweet corn was what made this dish. I loved the contrast between the sweet corn and the savory butter and cheese flavors. After giving it some thought I decided to make a NM inspired polenta that included roasted sweet corn, cheddar cheese and green chile. I paired it alongside some red chile stewed pork that I simmered in my dutch oven all day. I thickened the juices from the pork with a bit more red chile sauce which acted as a thin gravy for the polenta. It was so delicious! We had a bowl of pork and polenta every day until we ran out of polenta. I froze the remaining pork to keep for another day.
An Inspired Cook 