An Inspired Cook

- The Kitchen 2019
  
  Posted at 10:06 am by NativeNM, on September 10, 2019
  Welcome to my kitchen! After 3 1/2 month’s of demo, patience and a lot of hard work we finally have the kitchen we dreamed of. I have to give my husband Joe so much credit, he took my ideas and made it a reality. When we moved from Kansas back to New Mexico we both had our own visions of what we wanted in a home. He wanted a space to store his tools and an area for woodworking projects and I wanted an open kitchen. And we both wanted a view of the mountains. Well we got two out of three. My kitchen was big enough but wasn’t open by any means. The kitchen in Kansas was small but was organized and designed to be functional. Everything was in reach and it was easy to prepare and cook in my tiny kitchen. The kitchen in Albuquerque was not functional at all, at least not for me. I rearranged things time after time and couldn’t find a way to make it flow. So we decided to take 6 month’s to find out what worked and what didn’t work in order to design a work area with ample storage space. We started just before Memorial day and finished up on Labor day. After a few days spent moving back in and organizing things, I’m ready to get back in the kitchen!
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments | Tagged AnInspiredCook Kitchen Remodel, Kitchen Remodel, Kohler Granite Composite Gray 70/30 Sink, KraftMaid Husk Suede Knotty Alder Cabinets, LM Flooring Nature Reserve Tundra Engineered White Oak, Ruggable Rugs, Silestone Quartz Countertop
- Grilled Pork Kabobs with an Apricot Glaze
  
  Posted at 10:23 am by NativeNM, on August 28, 2019
  I don’t remember a summer in recent years when I’ve done so much grilling. Good thing I love to grill because my indoor kitchen has been under construction all summer long. I’ve been making the most of it while trying out new recipes. These apricot glazed pork kabobs may be one of the tastiest meals we’ve had all summer. It’s a simple kabob with cubed pork loin and thick sliced bacon. Thick cut bacon is a must or it will char way beyond the crispy caramelized end bits that make this so tasty. I bought a pork loin and sliced it into pork steaks that I could put up in the freezer. Depending on size 2 – 3 thick sliced pork loin steaks plus 4 thick slices of bacon will make plenty for two people. Add some grilled corn, onions, zucchini, or red pepper on the side to complete the meal. Or if you prefer grilled peaches, plums or pineapple also taste great alongside apricot glazed pork.
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  Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Entree, Recipes | 2 Comments | Tagged Apricot Dijon Glazed Pork, Apricot Glaze, Creole Brown Sugar Rub, Grilled Pork Kabobs with an Apricot Glaze, Pork and Bacon Kabobs, Pork and Bacon Kabobs with Apricot Glaze
- Burrata Pesto Spread with Sun Dried Tomatoes
  
  Posted at 11:54 am by NativeNM, on August 20, 2019
  It’s been awhile since I’ve added a recipe. My kitchen has been under construction since mid May which we estimated to complete over a couple month’s. Sometimes well made plans don’t always work out though. We fell behind schedule but hope to have the total remodel completed by the end of August. Joe and I are doing a lot of the work ourselves with a little bit (actually big) help of a contractor who is helping to make it all happen. I haven’t had my stove hooked up until recently but without a sink to clean up, I’ve been making do with a more simple menu, meals that don’t require a stove or extra dishes. I shouldn’t complain though, it’s summer after all and most days I can grill outdoors. This weekend I was inspired by a recipe from “Fork in the Kitchen” , a Burrata Pesto Tomato appetizer that was so visually appealing, I had to give it a try. I tweaked the recipe so that it required no cooking and it turned out oh so good! Once you taste the creamy burrata cheese with freshly made pesto and sun-dried tomatoes layered on soft french bread it’s hard to stop!
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  Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes, Snack | 2 Comments | Tagged Appetizer, Burrata Cheese, Burrata Cheese Spread with Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Pesto, Spinach Pesto, Sun Dried Tomatoes Marinated in Olive Oil, Toasted Pine Nuts, Toasted Pinons
- S’mores from Scratch
  
  Posted at 11:46 am by NativeNM, on June 7, 2019
  Is it Summer yet? Maybe not officially, but after Memorial day it feels like summer break for most folks. Time to enjoy being outdoors whether it be time away on vacation, or just getting outside in your own backyard. When my kids were growing up we would make s’mores using the simple ingredients of store bought graham crackers, marshmallows and Hershey bars. I’ve been making marshmallow creme for several years and always wondered how s’mores would taste with that delicious whipped creme. Then I thought why not go all the way and make graham crackers too. And you know what . . . they turned out great. I had my doubts, but I am pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to put together and how tasty they are. The marshmallow creme recipe makes approximately 6 cups, more than enough for the graham crackers and chocolate. No worries, there are so many recipes to use marshmallow creme. Some of my favorites are dark chocolate cake with marshmallow creme icing, s’mores blondies, or rice crispy treats!
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  Posted in Cookies, Dessert, Recipes | 2 Comments | Tagged Graham Crackers, Graham Crackers from Scratch, Hershey's Chocolate, Marshmallow Creme, Marshmallow Creme from Scratch, S'mores, S'mores from Scratch
- Three Rivers Petroglyph
  
  Posted at 12:03 pm by NativeNM, on May 31, 2019
  Three Rivers Petroglyph is located in the Southern Central part of New Mexico between Carrizozo and Tularosa. It is rare to find such a location where you can hike so close and walk among the rock carvings. There are many sites in New Mexico that have petroglyphs, in fact Joe and I live near several trails where you can hike and find many petroglyph drawings right here in Albuquerque. We enjoy getting out to walk the trails and are always excited to find something new that we’ve missed on a previous hike. Three Rivers is a treasure in that there are more than 20,000 known petroglyph drawings clustered in a this small area. You can see many of them along two trails that lead you through a 1 mile hike. It is one of the great wonders of the Southwest. Some of the drawings depict birds, humans, animals, fish, insects and plants, as well as numerous geometric and abstract designs. Some are faded and hard to make out what they are while others are still quite vivid and easy to determine what they were trying to convey. I’ve always loved to explore the petroglyphs and try to interpret the story native people left behind for us. We had a great day and made a large loop from Carrizozo to Tularosa and through Ruidoso Downs, and up to Hondo where we visted the Hondo Iris Farm. The drive takes you some of the most beautiful scenery of mountains and valleys. Hondo was our turn around point as we headed back north through Lincoln National Forest where Smokey the Bear was rescued in 1950 and now buried. For anyone who loves the history of the Southwest and Native American people who resided here, Three Rivers is an amazing place to visit.
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Jornada Mogollon Rock Art, Lava Fields, Native American Petroglyph Site, Rock Carvings, Sacramento Mountains, Three Rivers Petroglyph, Tularosa Basin
- Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
  
  Posted at 11:06 am by NativeNM, on May 24, 2019
  Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is located just over an hour north of Albuquerque near the Cochiti Pueblo. Kasha-Katuwe meaning “white cliffs” is a natural formation of weathering and erosion that forms these rocks that resemble cones or tents. The slot canyon trail is approximately 1.5 miles one way and will climb in elevation to lookout over the canyon where you can view the tent rocks from above. The climb can be challenging at times but well worth the effort. The view from above is hard to describe as anything other than wonderous. Other than the wind, which is a given in NM, the weather was quite beautiful, low 70’s with mostly sunshine and blue skies. We took our time and tried to take in every moment and of course I took way too many pictures. Follow along on our tour from the bottom of the canyon to the top and back down again. Maybe you will be inspired to visit one day!
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Cochiti Pueblo, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico, Slot Canyon Trail, Tent Rocks, Tent Rocks National Monument
- Chile Relleno Skillet Breakfast
  
  Posted at 10:39 am by NativeNM, on May 10, 2019
  Breakfast in New Mexico is an experience unlike anything you might taste elsewhere. The combination of red or green chile, beans, potatoes and eggs along with tortillas or sopaipillas are common. In many restaurants you will find breakfast served all day, every day. The breakfast menu’s of today are more creative and amazing than ever. Most weekends Joe and I will go out for breakfast or lunch to try some of the local favorites around town. We found a gem in “Hot Tamales” located in Rio Rancho. We have been there several times and have been impressed each time by the flavors and creativity they inspire. One of Joe’s favorite meals is #64 Relleno and Eggs. It is described as a green chile cheese relleno with 2 eggs any style, topped with your choice of red or green chile and served with papitas and a sopaipilla. Now that’s a breakfast!! Anytime we talk about breakfast “Hot Tamales” comes up, and is also the inspiration for this breakfast skillet dish. Enjoy!
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  Posted in Breakfast, Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Recipes, Red or Green | 4 Comments | Tagged Chile Relleno Breakfast Casserole, Chile Relleno Skillet Dish, Chile Rellenos, New Mexico Chile Relleno Breakfast Dish
- Albuquerque Botanical Gardens
  
  Posted at 11:12 am by NativeNM, on April 19, 2019
  I have an ever growing bucket list of things to see and do in New Mexico. It’s coming up on one year since we moved back to the Land of Enchantment and we haven’t been disappointed one bit. My home state is full of beauty whether it be the colorful landscapes or vivacious sunsets. We are diverse in culture and within those cultures have some of the most artistic souls. Every corner of the state has something to offer. Even in my own backyard I am in in awe of the nature all around us. A pair of roadrunners visit each day as they go back and forth hunting and making their nest. We also see quail, hawks, black crows and even a coyote that have roamed through the yard. The coyote was a bit close for comfort but I was in awe nonetheless. Last weekend we went to the Albuquerque Botanical Gardens and Aquarium. It was a first for Joe and I, it opened in 1996 when we were in our third year of Kansas life. Now that I’ve experienced it, I can say that it doesn’t disappoint, in fact it surpassed my expectations. The ABQ Bio park is a magnificent place and I can’t wait to check out the rest of the park which includes the ABQ Zoo. I hope to go back to the gardens every season as the colors change and new flowers begin to bloom. Take a walk with us as we explore the trails of the ABQ Botanical Gardens. This is the Spring edition!
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments | Tagged ABQ BioPark, Albuquerque Botanical Garden, Albuquerque New Mexico
- Pineapple Chicken and Rice
  
  Posted at 11:39 am by NativeNM, on April 12, 2019
  Adapted from Carlsbad Cravings “Pineapple Ginger Chicken”, this recipe has become one of my favorite go to meals whenever I have fresh pineapple on hand. It’s bold in flavor yet has a fresh taste, if that makes any sense. I don’t think you would find anything better if you ordered it in a restaurant. The burst of flavors that are in every bite along with the aromatic pineapple, ginger and garlic will enhance your senses for a very satisfying meal. Most recipes I would scale down for just the two of us, but the leftovers taste ever so good the next day.
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  Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Entree, Recipes | 7 Comments | Tagged Pineapple and Ginger Chicken with Rice, Pineapple Chicken and Rice, Pineapple Ginger Sauce, Sticky Pineapple and Ginger Chicken
- Coconut Shrimp and Fried Cream Cheese Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
  
  Posted at 1:41 pm by NativeNM, on March 29, 2019
  On our recent visit to the Florida Keys we enjoyed some really tasty seafood. On the last day we packed our bags and started the drive back to the mainland to get ready to catch our flight home. We stopped in Islamorada to have lunch and found this lovely restaurant called Lazy Days where we enjoyed an ocean view lunch from the second story patio. I was intrigued when I read the description of the “Billings Salad”. It was a big bowl of salad greens topped with Coconut Shrimp, Fried Cream Cheese, Apples, Grapes and Caramelized Walnuts with a Raspberry Vinaigrette. I wasn’t sure what to expect, I had never heard of fried cream cheese except in a Won Ton and as it turns out, the cream cheese filling tasted just like that. Their fried cream cheese was in the shape of large flat triangles and was warm and creamy. The shrimp and cream cheese completely covered the top of the salad. This salad looks very similar to the salad I had at Lazy Days although I made a couple of substitutions. It’s such a hearty salad and the warm cream cheese really compliments the rest of the ingredients. Whoever created this salad is genious! I’ve never had anything quite like it.
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  Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Entree, Recipes | 3 Comments | Tagged Billings Salad, Coconut Shrimp and Fried Cream Cheese Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette, Coconut Shrimp Salad, Florida Keys, Fried Cream Cheese, Fried Cream Cheese Balls, Islamorada, Lazy Days Restaurant, Raspberry Vinaigrette
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