An Inspired Cook

An Inspired Cook
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    • Chicken Parmesan with Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce

      Posted at 9:31 am by NativeNM, on November 16, 2015

      Chicken-Parmesan-15

      When I need some comfort food and a quick meal I think of Chicken Parmesan.  You can’t beat the taste of crispy panko breaded chicken with melted mozzarella alongside spaghetti topped with the tastiest marinara sauce.  Most marinara sauces are made from canned tomatoes but I like to use fresh tomatoes when I can.  There’s just something special about fresh tomato sauce with fresh herbs.  This is also a frugal meal as I can make a meal for 4 using just one chicken breast.  Don’t worry, no one goes away hungry.  A hunk of french bread and a salad makes this a complete meal.
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      Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Chicken Parmesan, Fresh Herbs, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce, Marinara Sauce, Panko Bread Crumbs
    • Mexican Chocolate Lava Cakes with Espresso Whipped Cream

      Posted at 9:43 am by NativeNM, on November 6, 2015

      Mexican-Chocolate-Lava-Cakes-17

      Any chocolate lover will love this rich lava cake.  It’s one of the most decadent desserts I’ve ever tasted.   So rich with chocolate and a molten center that tastes like a thick gooey brownie.  The Espresso Whipped Cream is like the ultimate exclamation point!  I found a great recipe from “Dulce Desserts from Santa Fe Kitchens”.  There are so many decadent chocolate recipes in this cookbook to choose from but the lava cake was calling me.  If you can’t find Mexican chocolate locally you can order online through Taza or Amazon.  Taza has a variety of flavored Mexican chocolates and I can’t wait to try some new recipes using the flavored chocolate discs.
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      Posted in Cakes, Cupcakes and Muffins, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Espresso Powder, Espresso Whipped Cream, Lava Cakes, Mexican Chocolate, Mexican Chocolate Lava Cake, Taza Mexican Chocolate
    • A Care Package of Cookies (Halloween Candy Cookies)

      Posted at 1:08 pm by NativeNM, on November 2, 2015

      Halloween-Candy-Cookies-16

      Have you ever wanted to send a care package to a friend or someone in your family?  It can be a special treat to those who are far away, to let them know you are thinking of them and that you miss them.  I often think of my friends who have sons and daughters in the Military who are far from home and how they would enjoy a care package of homemade treats made specially just for them.  I found that for me, sending cookies is the easiest choice.  Cookies tend to stay fresh longer than other treats so they can travel a few days and still be yummy when they arrive for that special someone.  I picked up some cookie wrappers from Wilton with pretty twisty ties so that they would stack together nicely and hopefully not crumble.  They also make nice treats to give to your neighbors when you have extra cookies to share.  I had a lot, I mean A LOT of extra Halloween candy so I made use of the extra candy bars to make these cookies.
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      Posted in Cookies, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Candy Bar Cookies, Care Package of Cookies, Halloween Candy Cookies, Holiday Candy Bar Cookies
    • Detroit Coney with Cheese Sauce

      Posted at 9:01 am by NativeNM, on October 23, 2015

      Detroit-Coney-with-Cheese-Sauce-9

      If you’ve ever been to Detroit you know that there is a Coney Island restaurant located every few blocks.  You never have to look far to find one, just go down any street and you will eventually run into one.  Each diner has an extensive menu with every kind of hot dog you can imagine plus a full breakfast menu and family style entrees too.  The great thing about it is that the food is good and cheap.  At least it was during the time that Joe and I lived there.  My favorite thing was the Detroit Coney with Cheese Sauce.  Oh, that gooey cheese sauce was so good!  And finally I’ve found a recipe to make a homemade cheese sauce that captures that smooth and creamy taste. I’ve tried to make it with different cheeses and thickeners but it always came out with a texture that was gritty or chalky. The recipe posted on Serious Eats breaks down the science of how cheese melts.  They also tested different variations like milk, cream cheese and mayo to make the perfect cheese sauce.  They figured out the components which makes cheese sauce creamy like you might find at a Fuddruckers restaurant.  You will find none of the background graininess in this sauce because it doesn’t require flour to thicken it.  The scientific key has much to do with the concentration of milk fat.  They discovered that evaporated milk is more concentrated with much of its water content removed.  Combined with cornstarch to thicken the sauce makes the cheese melt silky smooth. Thanks to Serious Eats I can now make the perfect cheese sauce!
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      Posted in Burgers, Sandwiches, Paninis and Wraps, Condiments and Sauces, Recipes | 6 Comments | Tagged Cheddar Cheese Sauce, Detroit Coney with Cheese Sauce, The Best Cheese Sauce
    • New Mexico Frito Pie

      Posted at 11:11 am by NativeNM, on October 15, 2015

      Frito-Pie-11

      This year Joe and I have gone to several fall festivals around town.  We’ve been to Irish Fest, the Plaza Art Fair and Old Settlers Day.  It’s a great way to spend a day at any of these events.  We’ve had some great festival food which got me craving a NM favorite Frito Pie.  Frito Pie is a staple at most festivals in NM.  We eat it straight from the bag and the chili has to be New Mexican. It’s traditionally served with grated cheese and onions upon request.  When I make it for myself, I like to add some shredded lettuce and diced tomato to the mix.  It’s Muy Bueno!  I’d like to give a shout out to the ladies at the Desert Rose Center in downtown Tucumcari, thank you for the beautiful Route 66 swatch of material.  It goes perfect with my NM Frito Pie!
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      Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes, Red or Green, Soups, Stews and Chili | 2 Comments | Tagged Frito Pie Chile, Frito's, New Mexico Frito Pie, New Mexico Red Chile Sauce
    • Skillet Blackberry Bread Pudding with Lemony Whipped Cream

      Posted at 9:42 am by NativeNM, on October 6, 2015

      Blackberry-Bread-Pudding-16

      Bread pudding is one of my favorite things on earth.  In fact, I’ve never met a bread pudding I didn’t like.  I had my boys over for dinner and made this especially for them.  They showed up about the time this came out of the oven and as soon as the pictures were taken it was devoured!  Normally, I would take the time to make a loaf of brioche myself, but I found this great brioche bread at Sprouts that is so good!   If you have a Sprouts store, you must try this bread.  It’s already sliced and perfect for french toast and easy to cube for a pan of bread pudding.   Adding just a hint of lemon juice to the sweetened whipped cream turned out to be a big hit.  Another reason I chose this dessert is because this is my 300th post of An Inspired Cook.  I thought this would be the perfect dessert to mark the occasion!
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      Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Recipes | 2 Comments | Tagged Blackberries, Blackberry Bread Pudding, Brioche Bread, Lemony Whipped Cream, Skillet Blackberry Bread Pudding, Skillet Bread Pudding
    • Spicy Gumbo

      Posted at 9:08 am by NativeNM, on October 2, 2015

      Gumbo-14

      Recently I cleaned out my freezer and found a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  I had a small amount of shrimp, lagostino tails and an odd package of chicken thighs.  So I decided to put it all together in a spicy gumbo which is one of my favorite one pot wonders.  It makes a complete meal ladled over sticky rice with a crusty slice of french bread on the side.  Traditional gumbo includes a holy trinity consisting of chopped onion, celery and green pepper, however I make mine with a duo of onion and red bell pepper.  I’m just not into celery and green bells. However if you like them, throw them in too and just cut back on the onion and red bell.  It’s hard to find the Southern tastes of New Orleans here in KC but having a bowl of gumbo takes me there!
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      Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes, Soups, Stews and Chili | 0 Comments | Tagged Gumbo with Chicken, Roux, Shrimp and Lagostino Tails, Spicy Gumbo
    • Brown Butter Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles

      Posted at 9:56 am by NativeNM, on September 25, 2015

      Snickerdoodles-18

      My husband Joe is a cookie monster!  He loves all cookies, but especially ones that have a contrast between sweet and salty.  These snickerdoodles are very soft and gooey with melting caramel bits, rolled in cinnamon and sugar and lightly sprinkled with grey sea salt.  Made with brown butter gives off a nutty aroma as well as a taste that is hard to describe other than heavenly.  Beware the addiction that follows after taking your first bite.  It’s hard to resist just one more!
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      Posted in Cookies, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Brown Butter, Brown Butter Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles, Cookies, Grey Sea Salt, Kraft Caramel Bits, Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles, snickerdoodle cookies, Snickerdoodles
    • Chicken Madeira

      Posted at 9:15 am by NativeNM, on September 18, 2015

      Chicken-Madeira-20

      This tasty Chicken Madeira is a popular dish served at the Cheesecake Factory.  They have an extensive menu and I’ve tried several dishes but was unaware of this dish until my sweet friend Paula told me about it.  She knows me well and thought I would find it delicious.  She was right, I loved it at first bite!  The chicken is smothered in melted fresh mozzarella and drips into the sauce which is flavored with Madeira wine and beef stock.  The mushrooms are hearty and taste so good alongside a heaping dollop of mashed potatoes.  It’s comfort at its best and very simple to make.  There are many copykat recipes to choose from and I tried to take the basics and make it as close to the original as possible.  I think I came pretty close.  Hope you enjoy it!
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      Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes | 4 Comments | Tagged Baby Portabella Mushrooms, Beef Stock, Cheesecake Factory's Chicken Madeira, Chicken Madeira, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Madeira sauce, Madeira Wine, Mashed Potatoes
    • Mexican Street Corn

      Posted at 9:01 am by NativeNM, on August 21, 2015

      Mexican-Street-Corn-8

      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!
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      Posted in Recipes, Red or Green, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged Grilled Corn, Guajillo Chile Flakes, Hellmann's Mayonnaise, Mexican Street Corn, Queso Fresco Cheese
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