It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything. My computer had been slowing down over time but I was able to work through it until an automated update in February. Well, that last update brought my computer to a standstill, so after a couple weeks of frustration I eventually had to invest in a new computer. After getting things set back up I’m ready to share a breakfast cake that I made recently. It was so light and moist with layers of apples, and a brown sugar, cinnamon and pecan crumble topping. It’s hard to resist any time of day, especially with your morning coffee or afternoon tea.
Posted at 9:25 am by NativeNM, on January 24, 2025
If you’re looking for a lighter meal, try making some chicken lettuce wraps. They are loaded with flavor and can be customized to your tastes by adding vegetables and a crunchy topping in the form of peanuts, cashews or pistachios. I made a simple version that suited both Joe and I with ground chicken, carrots, green onions, ginger and garlic along with a a lighter sauce and a sprinkle of roughly chopped cilantro and green chile pistachios. Drizzle some sweet chili sauce over top for a little bit of sweetness in every bite. All the flavors came together nicely and were tucked inside butter lettuce leaves. It was a perfect meal for the two of us with a side of jasmine rice that was simmered in chicken broth to round it out. Whether you are looking for a flavorful appetizer or a light meal, chicken lettuce wraps are a healthy tasty choice that’s fun to eat!
Posted at 9:03 am by NativeNM, on January 16, 2025
I am a little late sharing my holiday sweet rolls that I enjoy making every year, however I have a good reason. My youngest son Cameron is here for a visit and since I don’t get to see him very often, I am taking this time to enjoy every minute. Over the years I have made numerous flavors of sweet rolls and each time I have the hardest time deciding what new filling to try. Custard sweet rolls are not all that sweet, however, an added hint of sweetness and citrus flavor can be tasted throughout. It’s quite satisfying to peel back the layers of the brioche dough and taste the custard with orange sugar. Sprinkle a fine dusting of powdered sugar over top to make it pretty and lets face it, it’s fun to lick the powdered sugar off your fingers after every bite. Enjoy one with your morning coffee or afternoon tea for a taste of pure bliss!
Posted at 1:25 pm by NativeNM, on December 20, 2024
If you’ve ever received a few bricks of Christmas Coal, you might wonder if you are on the nice or naughty list. I guarantee you will feel like you’re on the nice list once you’ve tasted this delicious fudge. It’s so decadent and creamy with sprinkles of black sanding sugar on top. A couple years ago we received some bricks of black coal as a gift and I was quite impressed. I wanted to recreate it at home and found a great recipe from Savory Experiments that was exactly what I was looking for. You might think this is a dark chocolate fudge, but in fact it’s made with white chocolate and colored with a black food gel. It’s so easy to make and will delight anyone who enjoys the humor in this edible coal.
Posted at 8:58 am by NativeNM, on December 13, 2024
For the past year or so I’ve been making cookie dough and putting the dough balls into the freezer to bake whenever I please. Once they are frozen they are ready to go, and all you have to do is heat the oven and place as many frozen dough balls on a baking sheet to pop in the oven for approximately 13 – 15 minutes. You can even mix and match cookies as long as they can be baked on the same temperature. I wish I had started doing this years ago, it would have saved so much time and energy. Some cookies turn out better than others though. Through trial and error I’ve found that the best freezer cookies that I have tried so far are Brown Butter Salted Caramel Snickerdoodle Cookies, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies and most recently Halloween Candy Cookies. They taste just as delicious as if you had made them fresh the same day. Making Freezer Cookies makes sense especially for busy Mom’s. You never know when you will need a batch of cookies for a school function, a potluck or holiday gathering. It’s so easy and no one will ever know you baked them straight out of the freezer, unless you tell them.
Posted at 11:02 am by NativeNM, on December 6, 2024
I’ve been craving an authentic lasagna that has bold flavors and a creamy filling with lots and lots of melting cheese. While searching for ideas I came across the perfect recipe from one of my favorite blogs, “La Bella Vita Cucina“. Roz calls this “The Most Delicious, Awesome Lasagna” which I happen to agree! The sauce is bold and flavorful, but I must say the ricotta cheese filling is what puts this lasagna over the top. This velvety smooth layer combined with melted mozzarella practically melts in your mouth, it’s that good. I made a few adjustments and split the recipe between two pans because I don’t have a deep dish lasagna pan to hold it all. It’s all good either way. With the holidays coming up this would be the ultimate alternative to the traditional turkey, ham or roast beef. It’s perfect for special occasions and will feed a large crowd. Since we are empty nesters, it’s impossible to go through a whole pan of lasagna. We saved out some for a few meals, then packaged the rest into individual servings wrapped first in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and placed in a large ziplock freezer bag to go into the freezer. They freeze well and it’s so easy to take out as many individual servings as you need. Thaw and unwrap completely to warm in the oven or microwave. Serve with a salad and warm bread with dipping oil and spices for the ultimate meal.
Posted at 1:10 pm by NativeNM, on November 14, 2024
November came in with a bang and brought us colder mornings with freezing temperatures along with our first Winter storm of the season. When the cold weather sets in, I am inspired to crank up the oven and bake pizza. This pizza has always intrigued me and got me to wondering if it would taste as good as it sounds. Turns out, it exceeded my expectations and I plan to put it on the pizza rotation a lot more often. Joe also raved about it, he would have gladly had another slice or two, but we are trying to eat healthier with smaller entree portions while adding more salad to our diet. I worried the fig jam would be too sweet but in fact, the prosciutto balances it out resulting in salty and sweet flavors combined with savory spinach, goat cheese and pine nuts. It really is an incredible combination of flavors.
Posted at 9:33 am by NativeNM, on October 18, 2024
It’s been 6 years since Joe and I moved back to New Mexico. It’s been my dream to explore all the natural wonders of our state, creating a diary of our travels through photographs. Many of those places have hidden treasures that can only be found by hiking to them. Along the way we’ve been compiling photos of all the wildflowers. After the monsoon rains in the summer, the wildflowers begin to bloom and we’ve been fortunate to find many of them. We routinely find a variety of flowers at the Valle Caldera, the Sandia Crest trails, El Morro National Monument and even the trails close to home. Truthfully, Joe and I spend hours and get lost in thought while taking pictures of flowers when we go hiking. He keeps track of our miles and how fast we are walking which slows to a snails pace when we reach a valley of flowers. I particularly love cactus flowers. Those colors are my colors, from the sunshine yellows, to the peach colored orange to the vivid pinks. The cactus above is located on the Riverside trail in Rio Rancho. The trail from Riverside heading north is covered in Prickly Pear Cactus and when they begin to bloom there is nothing more beautiful. You can hear the bumblebees buzzing from flower to flower until their legs are heavy with pollen. If you are into wildflowers or any flowers for that matter, you will love the unique wildflowers of New Mexico.
Posted at 10:36 am by NativeNM, on October 11, 2024
I’ve always loved spinach to make salads or to enhance a pasta or soup dish. Recently I’ve been on a salad kick and this Strawberry Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans was one of the best. The strawberries had the perfect amount of sweetness which balanced the spinach, candied pecans and goat cheese crumbles. I had some strawberries in the freezer and picked out a few to make a strawberry vinaigrette. It goes quite well on this salad but you can also go with a balsamic vinaigrette if you prefer a more savory dressing. The candied pecans give the salad texture and crunch while the goat cheese counters the sweetness with a bit of tangy creaminess. It all comes together to make a flavorful salad to go alongside most any entree.
Posted at 10:46 am by NativeNM, on September 24, 2024
Red and Yellow Dahlia
Our day at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens was one I will never forget. We arrived early to find the flowers still dotted with dew. The dew on the plants and flowers made them so vivid and bright, it was like an added texture on top of their natural beauty. The gardens are part of a 47 acre area with 4 miles of trails, with trickling streams running through it along with a path that leads to the ocean. We spent hours walking the trails and taking pictures of the colorful flowers. There were many garden collections but the Dahlia Garden was my favorite with every color of dahlia imaginable. I wish I had a knack for gardening, I would fill my yard with so many colorful flowers. It’s just not in my skillset, Joe will tell you that I kill every plant I touch. But for me, the next best thing is visiting a botanical garden and taking photos so that I can revisit them. After looking through all of them the red and yellow dahlia was the one I kept going back to. There are so many to choose from, take a look and find your favorite!
An Inspired Cook 