Posted at 1:10 pm by NativeNM, on January 22, 2016
I’m taking a break from the winter soups and pastas. Most of the time it’s just Joe and I at the kitchen table and we enjoy a good sandwich as much as anything. I picked up a skirt steak and some veggies to make my version of the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. Stir frying the steak and veggies makes such a quick and easy meal. I have a mini wok that I love to use for just the two of us. It’s seasoned just like a cast iron skillet and everything tastes so good in it. Philly cheese steaks are traditionally served with onions, mushrooms and green bell peppers but I personally love the taste of the sweet ornamental peppers. I can say without a doubt that these peppers add a great new taste to an already famous sandwich.
Posted at 9:51 am by NativeNM, on January 11, 2016
It’s that time of year to share Josh’s Birthday Cheesecake. For the past dozen years I have made the infamous cheesecake for Josh. He is one who stands by tradition and every birthday his cheesecake must have chocolate and it must have peanut butter cups. Each year I try to change it up a bit . . . sometimes it comes out amazing . . . other times it doesn’t. This year was a complete success! We all enjoyed having a bite or two of these little cheesecake squares without all the guilt. Celebrating several birthdays right after the holidays can make for sugar overload if you know what I mean. When I dipped each square in chocolate it was like each piece had it’s own personality. Some would drip down the sides while others would harden instantly. They have a decadent flavor followed by a melt in your mouth sweetness. Your taste buds will definitely smile!!
Posted at 1:42 pm by NativeNM, on December 4, 2015
I had this sandwich in mind when I made the Spicy Brown Sugar Bacon. It may be the ultimate chicken sandwich with so many layers of flavors to tempt your taste buds. The grilled chicken is seasoned with some chiles and spice. Then I topped it with a thick slice of tomato that’s been warmed on the grill, 3 slices of brown sugar bacon and an avocado cilantro mayo that brings it all together. And just one more thing, add some candied jalapenos on the side. It gives this sandwich a little kick of sweet heat. Here’s another idea, add olive oil to any leftover avocado cilantro mayo to make a salad dressing. Drizzled over a grilled chicken salad with brown sugar bacon crumbled on top would taste so good!
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.
Posted at 9:31 am by NativeNM, on November 16, 2015
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.
Posted at 9:43 am by NativeNM, on November 6, 2015
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.
Posted at 1:08 pm by NativeNM, on November 2, 2015
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.
Posted at 9:01 am by NativeNM, on October 23, 2015
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!
Posted at 11:11 am by NativeNM, on October 15, 2015
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!
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!
An Inspired Cook 