An Inspired Cook

- Mexican Street Corn
  
  Posted at 9:01 am by NativeNM, on August 21, 2015
  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
- Homemade Mustard and Ketchup
  
  Posted at 9:12 am by NativeNM, on August 14, 2015
  Have you ever wanted to make your own mustard and ketchup? I know that I have, but never knew how easy it could be. In less than 30 minutes I found I could make both and in my opinion tastes better than anything you can buy in the store. Josh came over one day and we set out to try different versions to see what tasted best. For the ketchup we tried a quick version which was made with a tomato paste base. It had just the right texture, was slightly sweet and had a very good taste. The other version was slow cooked with crushed tomatoes which we both decided tasted more like tomato soup than ketchup. Needless to say it’s not something worth posting. On the mustard side we tried mustard powder and mustard seeds. The mustard powder dissolved in minutes with water and vinegar with spices and thickened with some homemade Wondra flour. It’s spicier than your bottle of French’s you have in the pantry, so you may want to spread it lightly. But it has a wonderful flavor that makes every sandwich, burger or brat taste so good. The mustard seeds needed to soak overnight, then ground and strained but I could never get the same flavors to come out as I did with the powder. Maybe I need to give it another try but for now mustard powder is the tried and true. You can be sure that in a pinch you can have homemade mustard and ketchup in a matter of minutes with just a few simple ingredients.
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  Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Homemade Ketchup, Homemade Mustard, Ketchup from Scratch, Ketchup made from Tomato Paste, Mustard from Scratch, Mustard made from Mustard Powder, Mustard Powder, Wondra Flour, Wondra Flour Recipe, Wondra Flour Substitute Recipe
- Grilled Steak or Chicken Burrito Bowl
  
  Posted at 8:42 am by NativeNM, on July 22, 2015
  I love big ole burritos stuffed with everything. Sometimes I take the time to make a big batch of them that will last us for several days. And sometimes I wrap them up to freeze for an easy meal later on. I’ve been wanting to try a burrito bowl which is so popular these days. I must admit it is much easier to just layer a bowl with my favorite meat and toppings but I missed the tortilla so I toasted one to have on the side. This is literally a bowl of my favorite things starting with grilled steak and chicken that is spicy and flavorful. More goodness comes with a scoop of fresh guacamole, salsa verde, roasted corn salsa, seasoned black beans, sour cream, Oaxaca cheese and cilantro lime rice. Most everything was made from scratch but there are short cuts you can take to make the prep a little easier. There is a visual appeal of a burrito bowl that you don’t get with a traditional burrito that is smashed together once you roll it up. So the question is, do you prefer steak or chicken or both?
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  Posted in Entree, Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips | 0 Comments | Tagged Burrito Rub, Cilantro Lime Rice, Fresh Guacamole, Grilled Chicken Burrito Bowl, Grilled Steak Burrito Bowl, Grilled Steak or Chicken Burrito Bowl, Oaxaca Cheese, Roasted Corn Salsa, Salsa Verde, Seasoned Black Beans, Sour Cream
- Sweet Roasted Tomato Brushetta with Bacon Bits
  
  Posted at 11:02 am by NativeNM, on July 17, 2015
  In June, Joe and I spent a few days vacationing in Florida. We spent the majority of our time near Cocoa Beach where we enjoyed long walks along the beach. Also, we spent a day at the Kennedy Space Center which gave us chills at times taking in all the history of the space program. They house the Atlantis Space Shuttle there and it’s an amazing sight to see in person. One day we drove inland for a day trip to Orlando and spent a few hours at Downtown Disney. We weren’t there to go to the theme parks, just a day to spend walking around and enjoying the atmosphere, shop and enjoy some good food. We stopped by Wolfgang Puck’s Cafe and enjoyed a light lunch. I wasn’t particularly hungry so I ordered the Bruschetta with roasted tomatoes, pesto, topped with fresh arugula and shaved parmesan. The first thing I tasted was the tomatoes. The texture was thicker than roasted tomatoes and had a caramelized sweetness that tantalized my taste buds. Every bite was an experience in sweet tomato flavors with a hint of saltiness in the background. The pesto was fresh with olive oil dripping over the side of the toasted bread and it was all topped with fresh arugula and shaved parmesan. I made a note to self to make this when I got home. My version is close but I added some bacon bits and brushed my Arugula pesto over the bread with some chiffonade basil leaves. I made a little sugary blend to sprinkle on top to try and recreate that sweet caramelized flavor. I came pretty close, see what you think!
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  Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes, Snack | 3 Comments | Tagged Arugula Pesto, Bruschetta, Bruschetta Sugar, Sweet Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Bacon Bits, Wolfgang Puck's Bruschetta
- Fried Green Tomato Salad with Aussie Shrimp and Remoulade Dressing
  
  Posted at 8:59 am by NativeNM, on July 14, 2015
  It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy a platter of fried green tomatoes. Every summer I can’t wait to try them in some new recipe. This year I made a salad loaded with quartered fried green tomatoes, Aussie shrimp, bits of fried bacon and the most delicious remoulade dressing I’ve tasted since the old days at the Cafe Oceano in Albuquerque. The Cafe is long gone now but I still remember the days of chalkboard seafood specials and the house remoulade dressing which was so good in my memory. This salad is like a serving of Southern hospitality with warm tomatoes, spicy shrimp and bacon on top. But don’t worry if you have any leftovers. Even chilled, this salad tastes great!
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  Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Aussie Shrimp, Bacon, FGT Seasoning, Fried Green Tomato Salad, Fried Green Tomatoes, Green Tomatoes, Remoulade Dressing
- Praline Pecan Ice Cream
  
  Posted at 8:57 am by NativeNM, on July 3, 2015
  I made this for Joe on Father’s Day and thought it would make a great 4th of July treat as well. It was one of the few things he has ever asked me to make. He was real stingy with his ice cream but when Little Man Z crawled in his lap he found an extra spoon to share. He’s our new kitty and so adorable. You should see the two of them sit together and eat ice cream. This version is really simple and tastes like you went to your favorite ice cream shop. I made up a batch of my homemade vanilla ice cream and added caramel sauce, a little coarse sea salt and praline pecans. Honestly, I think homemade ice cream is key but if making ice cream isn’t your thing, well just go out and pick up 1 1/2 quarts of vanilla ice cream. If you are the ambitious type and want to make everything yourself, I have links to my homemade vanilla ice cream, salted caramel sauce, and vanilla sugar glazed walnuts (just sub in pecans) that will get you the same results.
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  Posted in Dessert, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged caramel sauce, Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, ice cream, Little Z, Praline Pecan Ice Cream, Praline Pecans, Salted Caramel Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream, Vanilla Sugar Glazed Pecans
- Ancho Chile Espresso Rubbed Ribeye Steak
  
  Posted at 8:42 am by NativeNM, on June 30, 2015
  A couple of years ago I purchased a Groupon for half off at Pierpont’s Union Station. The restaurant is located inside Union Station Kansas City and if you are ever in the area I would highly recommend it. Inside Union Station is historical architecture reminiscent of the days of the Harvey Houses. Actually there is a Harvey’s Restaurant located in the center of Union Station with the decor and ambiance of a bygone era. Walking through the halls takes you back to a time of elegance. We celebrated our anniversary by having dinner at Pierpont’s. I ordered the Ancho Chili Coffee Rubbed Steak and I must say it was one of the finest steaks I have ever tasted. I found an online site in Kansas City where independently owned restaurants will post some of their most popular recipes online and they just happened to share my favorite steak. The original recipe called for a Grand Marnier Butter which I skipped in my recipe. In the future I might make my own Ancho Espresso butter, however with or without the butter, this steak screams flavor. And just in case you didn’t already know, this might possibly be the best steak I’ve ever grilled at home!
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  Posted in Entree, Recipes, Red or Green | 2 Comments | Tagged Ancho Chile Coffee Rubbed Ribeye Steak, Ancho Chile Espresso Butter, Ancho Chile Espresso Rub, Ancho Chile Espresso Rubbed Ribeye Steak, Pierpont's at Union Station
- Margarita Popsicles with Berries
  
  Posted at 9:01 am by NativeNM, on June 23, 2015
  I don’t know anything better on a hot summer day than a cool slushy popsicle. Making your own popsicles are fun because you can try so many different flavor combinations and add any kind of fruit. In the old days we used to make popsicles with Kool Aid and sometimes add Jello. It was all about keeping it simple, inexpensive, fun to make and fun to eat. I’ve kept those same qualities with these popsicles. I find them to be the most luscious frozen treats that taste like hand held frozen margaritas using only a single can of frozen limeade or lemonade, a few berries and a little pre-made margarita mix. So simple yet so tasty. For a kid friendly version, leave out the alcohol. Kids will love the frozen berries tucked inside their frozen limeade or lemonade.
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  Posted in Dessert, Recipes | 2 Comments | Tagged Blackberry Lemonade Popsicles, Cherry Limeade Popsicles, Frozen Juice Concentrate, Lemonade Margarita Popsicles, Lime Margarita Popsicles with Berries, Limeade Margarita Popsicles, Margarita Popsicles with Berries, Raspberry Limeade Popsicles
- Zucchini or Green Chile Fries
  
  Posted at 9:34 am by NativeNM, on May 19, 2015
  Zucchini and/or green chile make a great summer side dish when you slice them into bite size strips to resemble french fries. Dipped in a buttermilk batter and rolled in panko bread crumbs give them a crispy outer texture that tastes so good. French fries and ketchup may go hand in hand, however zucchini and chile fries taste especially good dipped in salsa or green chile dip. You can’t go wrong there. Imagine these fries alongside a big juicy burger or a grilled chicken sandwich. I can assure you they truly taste scrumptious together!
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  Posted in Recipes, Red or Green, Salsa, Guacamole and Dips, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged Anaheim Chiles, Anaheim Peppers, Buttermilk Batter, Chile Fries, Green Chile Dip, Green Chile Fries, Green Chile Powder, Hatch Green Chile, Jan's Salsa, Panko Bread Crumbs, Zucchini, Zucchini Fries
- Dutch Baby Pancake with Buttermilk Syrup
  
  Posted at 11:17 am by NativeNM, on May 9, 2015
  With Mother’s Day just around the corner it’s the perfect occasion to make Dutch Baby pancakes. These puffy pancakes, sometimes referred to as German pancakes are traditionally served with melted butter, lemon juice and powdered sugar. I opted for raspberries and a buttermilk syrup that sounded like the perfect touch to sweeten my pancake which has very little sugar. When it comes out of the oven it is puffed up over the lip of you skillet as if it could float away at any moment. When it eventually deflates, drizzle some melted butter over the top and listen as it virtually sizzles. Then top it with your choice of lemon juice or raspberries and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Some like maple syrup over top but I found the buttermilk syrup to be the perfect touch. The dutch baby pancake has the slight taste and texture of custard and a drizzle of buttermilk syrup made me think of my Mom’s buttermilk pie, only sweeter. So many times when I think of food it brings me back to my Mom who inspired me to make meals special and create memories. Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mom’s who make each and every day special!
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  Posted in Breakfast, Condiments and Sauces, Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Buttermilk Syrup, Cast Iron Skillet, Dutch Baby Pancakes, German Pancakes, Lemon Juice, Mother's Day Breakfast, Powdered Sugar, Raspberries
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