An Inspired Cook

An Inspired Cook
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  • Category: Side Dishes

    • Charro Beans

      Posted at 9:02 am by NativeNM, on July 12, 2013

      Charro-Beans-14

      Awhile back Joe and I ate at a Mexican restaurant where they served Charro Beans on the side.  That first bite brought back memories of something my Mom used to make.  Only she called them Chuckwagon Beans and I remember asking her to make them.  I looked up an old index card with her handwritten recipe and found that she seasoned her pinto beans with cooked bacon, onion, green chiles and tomatoes.  Of course out on the farm we rarely had a meal without a pot of beans on the table, but I remember the Chuckwagon beans as special, much more flavorful.  Since Joe doesn’t like beans I kind of got away from the pinto’s over the years.  I pulled out Mom’s old recipe and tried it out just to see if it tasted like the charro beans and I’m happy to say they were pretty darn close.  Thanks Mom. . .  for the recipe and the memories!
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      Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Recipes, Side Dishes, Soups, Stews and Chili | 8 Comments | Tagged Charro Beans, Chuckwagon Beans, Pinto Beans, Soupy Beans
    • Black Bean and Corn Salsa

      Posted at 9:01 am by NativeNM, on June 25, 2013

      Black-Bean-and-Corn-Salsa-9

      Every summer when the corn and tomatoes start showing up at the farmers market I make a batch of black bean and corn salsa.  Nothing tastes better along side a good grilled steak or chicken or as a topper for your favorite taco.  Plus I could eat it all day with nothing but tortilla chips.  It’s completely vegetarian and packed with everything good for you.  I found these little cast iron half pint kettles at a Lodge Factory Outlet in the little town of South Pittsburg, TN, near the Alabama border.  What a store. . . they have almost anything you could dream of, if you’re into cast iron.  A little room at the back has some great bargains on many of the cast iron skillets, dutch ovens some other items listed having a scratch or blemish.  I couldn’t find anything wrong with them and came home with a large 12 inch skillet, a griddle/grill and these mini kettles.
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      Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips, Side Dishes | 4 Comments | Tagged Black Bean and Corn Salsa, Roasted Corn on the cob, Salsa, Vegetarian
    • Chipotle Pulled Pork Pizza with Coleslaw

      Posted at 8:26 am by NativeNM, on May 21, 2013

      Pulled-Pork-Pizza-13

      I’ve found that you can make pizza with almost anything.  Whereas pizza might have been considered Italian in the past, it’s now anything you can imagine.  Some of our favorites are Greek pizza, Verde pizza, Flatbread pizza, Barbecued Chicken pizza and Breakfast pizza.  If you’ve ever eaten at California Pizza Kitchen you know they sometimes add a scoop of coleslaw or black bean and corn salsa in the middle to enhance the flavor.  I find it appealing and another layer to add to the flavor of the pizza.  So when I had leftover Chipotle pulled pork and sauce, it was logical to make pizza and add a scoop of coleslaw to go on top.  Josh ate it morning, noon and night until it was all gone!

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      Posted in Bread, Pizza and Calzones, Recipes, Side Dishes | 1 Comment | Tagged Chipotle Pulled Pork, Chipotle Pulled Pork Pizza, Coleslaw, Pulled Pork Pizza
    • Avocado Club Egg Rolls

      Posted at 8:31 am by NativeNM, on February 15, 2013

      Avocado-Egg-Rolls-22

      If you’ve ever had the Avocado Club Egg Rolls at California Pizza Kitchen then I don’t need to tell you how yummy they are.  We don’t go often but when we do we always order some of these tasty egg rolls to share.  I came across a copycat recipe some years ago, don’t remember where I got it, but it seemed to have all the right ingredients.   When I mentioned making egg rolls my guys all asked for the avocado egg rolls so I decided to give it a try.  I was amazed at how closely they tasted to the egg rolls they serve at CPK.  They were a big hit and I’m sure it won’t be long before they start requesting them again.  Egg Rolls can seem like a challenge, but they are really easy to make.  Once you get into a rhythm it’s easy!

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      Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes | 6 Comments | Tagged Avocado Club Eggrolls, Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce
    • Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette

      Posted at 8:50 am by NativeNM, on February 8, 2013

      Warm-Spinach-Salad-3

      I’m always trying to find ways to get some fresh greens into our diet.  Fresh spinach is one thing that we all seem to enjoy and so to dress it up I roasted some onion and red bell pepper and made a warm balsamic vinaigrette.  Adding the warm vegetables and dressing tends to wilt the spinach just a touch and makes this salad really delicious.  And for my bacon lovers I added a little sprinkle of bacon bits to top it off.

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      Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Recipes, Side Dishes | 4 Comments | Tagged Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Cranberry Sauce

      Posted at 8:25 am by NativeNM, on November 20, 2012

      This week everyone will be giving thanks and enjoying the holiday with family and friends.  And many will be gathering around the table for a feast of traditional turkey, dressing and all the trimmings.  One of our favorite side dishes is the cranberry sauce.  I have nothing against the cranberry sauce in a can, but I do love this homemade sauce that combines tart cranberries with citrus orange and lemon flavors.  It’s sweetened to perfection and a perfect compliment to any holiday meal.  Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

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      Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Recipes, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged Cranberry Sauce
    • Savory Butternut Squash Fries

      Posted at 8:41 am by NativeNM, on November 9, 2012

      Do you go savory or sweet when it comes to butternut squash?  I am definitely the savory type.  I like the buttery saltiness that comes from these fries.  The natural sugars caramelize during the baking process and release the most wonderful flavors.  They have a harder exterior which makes it more difficult to peel and slice but well worth the effort.  Make a lot because they shrink when baked.  It takes a little more time to get that crispy outer texture but it can be achieved.  Since I’m in the minority when it comes to these vitamin enriched vegetables, I sometimes make a meal of butternut squash fries just for myself.  No need for a fork, just dig in with your fingers and enjoy!

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      Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes | 2 Comments | Tagged Butternut Squash Fries, Garlic Pepper Seasoning, Savory Butternut Squash Fries
    • Greek Cucumber Salad

      Posted at 9:00 am by NativeNM, on August 14, 2012

      Here’s a little cucumber salad I tossed together with some leftover cucumber and tomatoes to go with our Dan Dan Noodles.  I went a little bit Greek with the addition of Kalamata olives and Feta cheese.  Going for simple, I added a splash of lemon juice and lemon infused olive oil to top it off.  It was the perfect little side salad that tasted fresh and crisp alongside our meal.

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      Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged Cucumber Salad, Greek Salad
    • Fresh Corn Cakes with Sweet Chile Butter

      Posted at 9:01 am by NativeNM, on July 20, 2012

      Fresh corn cakes are something of a summertime favorite.  Corn cakes take me back to the farm when we would sit around the table with a pot of pinto beans and skillet cornbread.  These corn cakes are made with fresh corn and paired with a honey butter spiked with cayenne.  I took half the batter and added some diced roasted poblano which turned out great.  We had fresh corn cakes alongside grilled veggies and sliced ripe tomatoes straight from the farmers market.  It was so satisfying!

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      Posted in Bread, Condiments and Sauces, Recipes, Side Dishes | 2 Comments | Tagged Fresh Corn Cakes, Sweet Chili Butter
    • Shrimp Po’ Boys with Remoulade Slaw

      Posted at 8:31 am by NativeNM, on July 10, 2012

      Recently I came across two separate recipes that I felt had to go together.   One was Paul Prudhomme’s classic Barbecued Shrimp and the other was a Remoulade Slaw straight from the new Cooking Light magazine.  Instantly I knew these two would go together to be the perfect Po’ Boy sandwich.  But this isn’t your typical Po’ Boy, in that it isn’t deep fried, but lightly seasoned and pan fried in butter for a delicate crisp shrimp that is encased in a french roll with a spicy remoulade slaw and sliced cherry tomatoes.  I made this one for Joe who loves the spicy food of Louisiana.

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      Posted in Burgers, Sandwiches, Paninis and Wraps, Recipes, Side Dishes | 4 Comments | Tagged Barbecued Shrimp, Remoulade Slaw, Shrimp Po' Boys
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