Posted at 2:22 pm by NativeNM, on December 1, 2015
Some people believe everything tastes better with bacon. I have to admit I have a weakness for bacon too. Bacon is my go to breakfast meat but it also perks up a salad, adds flavor to soups and makes any sandwich taste better. So when I heard about brown sugar bacon I was intrigued. The sweetness was evident in the brown sugar but I wanted some spice too so I added some chile flakes. It was an amazing combination. Before it all disappeared I saved a few slices for my favorite pasta sauce, a grilled chicken sandwich and a spinach salad.
A few weeks ago I spent a few days with one of my oldest and dearest friends, Paula. We’ve been friends since 7th grade but lost contact for a few years when we got married, had our families and lived so far apart. We have since reconnected and found that old friends never lose touch, they just start up where they left off and keep on going. And now we have new memories to build on. During Paula’s visit we cooked some fun meals and ate out to taste some of the local favorites. We didn’t go hungry, that’s for sure! When we were chatting about food she mentioned her favorite roasted corn with a mayo based sauce that is out of this world. It sounded so scrumptious that I started looking up recipes. I found several different variations and came up with a combination that sounded tempting. Thanks Paula for the tip, my family may never go back to butter again!
In June, Joe and I spent a few days vacationing in Florida. We spent the majority of our time near Cocoa Beach where we enjoyed long walks along the beach. Also, we spent a day at the Kennedy Space Center which gave us chills at times taking in all the history of the space program. They house the Atlantis Space Shuttle there and it’s an amazing sight to see in person. One day we drove inland for a day trip to Orlando and spent a few hours at Downtown Disney. We weren’t there to go to the theme parks, just a day to spend walking around and enjoying the atmosphere, shop and enjoy some good food. We stopped by Wolfgang Puck’s Cafe and enjoyed a light lunch. I wasn’t particularly hungry so I ordered the Bruschetta with roasted tomatoes, pesto, topped with fresh arugula and shaved parmesan. The first thing I tasted was the tomatoes. The texture was thicker than roasted tomatoes and had a caramelized sweetness that tantalized my taste buds. Every bite was an experience in sweet tomato flavors with a hint of saltiness in the background. The pesto was fresh with olive oil dripping over the side of the toasted bread and it was all topped with fresh arugula and shaved parmesan. I made a note to self to make this when I got home. My version is close but I added some bacon bits and brushed my Arugula pesto over the bread with some chiffonade basil leaves. I made a little sugary blend to sprinkle on top to try and recreate that sweet caramelized flavor. I came pretty close, see what you think!
Zucchini and/or green chile make a great summer side dish when you slice them into bite size strips to resemble french fries. Dipped in a buttermilk batter and rolled in panko bread crumbs give them a crispy outer texture that tastes so good. French fries and ketchup may go hand in hand, however zucchini and chile fries taste especially good dipped in salsa or green chile dip. You can’t go wrong there. Imagine these fries alongside a big juicy burger or a grilled chicken sandwich. I can assure you they truly taste scrumptious together!
Posted at 9:51 am by NativeNM, on January 13, 2015
There’s nothing more comforting to this native New Mexican than a bowl of Green Chile and Cheddar Mashed Potatoes. Especially like today when the temp will be no higher than 10 degrees for the day. It’s frigid outside and I’m all about staying warm. A bowl of comforting potatoes with spicy Hatch green chile and cheese is the perfect side dish or in my case main dish to serve on a blustery day like today! These mashed potatoes with buttery creamy melting cheese and green chiles are something that I make quite often. I love them soooo much!! Ask any member of my family and they will vouch for me that I have an infinite love of potatoes that goes way back. I had a hard time coming up with a recipe because I don’t measure when I make mashed potatoes, I just make them. So this time I did my best to put together something on paper that would help recreate the bowl of comfort that I’ve enjoyed so many times. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I have!
Posted at 8:42 am by NativeNM, on December 9, 2014
Creamy Risotto is one of my favorite comfort side dishes. It’s similar to the recipe Pioneer Woman makes which was my inspiration. It’s so easy to make, the only requirement is that you stay close by and continuously stir the pot as the liquid is absorbed into the rice. The process is repeated by adding additional amounts of liquid until all is absorbed over an approximate 20 minute period. Then comes the delicious creamy part, adding a blend of three cheeses with a splash of cream that taste so good that you could eat the whole bowl! It’s meant to be a side dish but could easily be the main attraction!
Posted at 9:02 am by NativeNM, on November 18, 2014
Great Day Cafe is one of our favorite little cafe’s in the heart of downtown Overland Park. It’s a quirky little cafe with a cool menu of sandwiches and panini’s with vegetarian and gluten free choices, a new soup for each day of the week, quiches, and my favorite, this Cranberry and Nut salad which comes with your choice of pecans or walnuts. You can’t beat the charming staff or the black board specials where you might find something new to tempt your palate! A very tiny space with an outdoor patio featuring artwork and a small band in house for a unique experience. Located next door to the Farmer’s Market, Penzey’s and The Tasteful Olive, it’s safe to say I’ve been there a few times. After my last visit I came home and made a Cranberry and Pecan salad at home with a homemade Raspberry Vinaigrette. I don’t have a house band to entertain you but the salad is great!
I made this chicken sandwich a couple weeks ago with a big red steakhouse tomato and it was fantastic. The flavors of grilled blackened chicken with smoked gouda cheese and chipotle mayo made it special. Joe and I loved it so much I promised to make it again soon. I went to the farmers market to pick up a tomato for the sandwich but changed my mind when I saw these big ole green tomatoes sitting out on display. Why not try something different . . . so I changed it up a bit by adding a fried green tomato slice for a tangy twist. For those who love fried green tomatoes, this sandwich will not disappoint, but if you are a traditionalist, by all means go with a big slice of summer red. You can’t go wrong either way. And if you can stand the heat of the oven, roast some potato wedges with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and your favorite herbs. It makes the best side kick to any sandwich!
Egg rolls are known for being a fun finger food, an appetizer that tides you over until the main entree is served. That might be the case at a restaurant but homemade egg rolls are a special treat. Southwest Egg Rolls are packed full of colorful veggies with grilled chicken and bound together with melting pepper jack cheese. And since they are packed with so much goodness, I serve them straight out of the fry pan hot and crispy onto plates where they are quickly devoured.
Did you ever have a meal that reminded you of a special event, time or place? Do you recall a special dish you had on vacation or something you picked up at a vending cart at a festival? Or maybe you shared a meal with family and friends for a special occasion, such as a birthday or Christmas. About a month ago we celebrated Josh’s graduation from college. He’s a smart kid (I should say man), way smarter than his parents and we couldn’t be more proud! So after the pomp and circumstance we took him out to dinner at the Capital Grille down on the plaza. There were a lot of families celebrating and the wait staff couldn’t have been any nicer. Their menu was set up to order entrees and side dishes separately. We were feeling adventurous and ordered the Lobster Mac and Cheese as our side which we were told was a signature dish and favorite of the staff. The entrees were delicious, but the lobster mac and cheese was the true stand out. Served in a small cast iron skillet, the lobster was perfectly cooked with a light panko crunch in every bite while the blend of cheeses were so flavorful and creamy. It made such an impression that I started searching the web to see if there was a copycat recipe anywhere out there. I found a recipe I could work with and created a mac and cheese close to what we enjoyed at the Capital Grille. From now on this mac and cheese will be a reminder of the night we celebrated Josh’s graduation.
An Inspired Cook 