An Inspired Cook

An Inspired Cook
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    • Cranberry Jam Granola Bars

      Posted at 8:33 am by NativeNM, on June 10, 2014

      Granola-Bar-19

      As promised I’m testing out some new recipes for granola bars.  This granola bar is baked and has a cranberry jam filling that really puts it over the top.  I really love this bar for the flavors that come through and the surprisingly chewy texture.  I was almost certain that baking it for such a lengthy period would produce a hard crunchy exterior but it turns out not to be the case.  They are time consuming, mostly the prep time making the jam and the time it took to bake the granola but it’s time well spent when you take that first bite.  I can’t wait to try out some other dried fruits but cranberry is definitely one I want to make again.
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      Posted in Dessert, Recipes, Snack | 2 Comments | Tagged Cranberry Jam, Cranberry Jam Granola Bars, Crumb Topping, Dried Cranberries, Fruit Filled Granola Bars
    • Spicy Pecan Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries

      Posted at 9:12 am by NativeNM, on June 6, 2014

      Spicy-Pecan-Chicken-Salad-16

      Cameron is a kid of few words and rarely makes any requests for dinner.  Recently he was out to eat and ordered a chicken salad wrap that he described as having big chunks of apples with dried cranberries, kind of sweet with lots of dressing.  He asked if I could make it sometime and I told him I’d give it a try.  Not having tasted it myself, I was left to translate his description into a recipe that would live up to his expectations.  I searched several blogs to find a dressing that would go with what I had planned.  The one that stood out was a slightly sweet dressing with a hint of citrus from “Cookbook Junkies“.  My contribution was adding some sweet and spicy pecans to tempt the taste buds and give a little added crunch.   I had a crusty artisan sourdough loaf that I sliced and toasted for sandwiches and also picked up some spring greens for a salad. We all thought it tasted pretty amazing and was a success according to Cam which I guess is really all that matters!

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      Posted in Burgers, Sandwiches, Paninis and Wraps, Entree, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Chicken Salad, Dried Cranberries, Granny Smith Apples, Rotisserie Chicken, Spicy Pecan Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries, Sweet and Spicy Pecans
    • Salted Dark Chocolate Caramel Cookies

      Posted at 8:23 am by NativeNM, on May 30, 2014

      Salted-Dark-Chocolate-Caramel-Cookies-14

      These cookies were inspired by my craving for ice cream sandwiches.  I’ve been on an ice cream binge lately and the thought of dark chocolate and caramel wrapped around a scoop of vanilla ice cream seemed very appealing.  I started with a basic chocolate cookie dough, chopped up a bar of dark baking chocolate then added some caramel bits to the mix with just a sprinkling of sea salt over the top.  For those who love this combination, it’s like eating a decadent candy bar filled with gooey caramel.  The ice cream sandwiches turned out better than I had imagined, I could indulge in these all summer long!
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      Posted in Cookies, Recipes | 3 Comments | Tagged Caramel Bits, Coarse Sea Salt, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Salted Dark Chocolate Caramel Cookies, Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate
    • Goodwill Hunting plus some of My Favorite Things

      Posted at 9:51 am by NativeNM, on May 23, 2014

      AnInspiredCook-1

      It was almost 3 years ago that I began sharing my love of food and recipes.  My vision of the perfect blog was to take beautiful photos of food and paint a picture, so to speak, as to how a recipe comes together with step by step instructions.  I have always been drawn to cookbooks with beautiful photos and wanted to create something that would let you imagine the aroma and taste of the dish.  I quickly found that I didn’t have very many plates and dishes in which to lay out my recipes.  I look back at the early posts and see the same plates used over and over for the first few month’s.  My sister Kat solved my problem and enlightened me to a whole new world.  I call her the “Queen of Thrifting”.  She has a vintage eye and knows what to look for at yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores.  It’s like a treasure hunt when we go thrifting. Over the past 3 years I have acquired quite a collection of items that I found at Goodwill and other thrift stores.  I don’t spend very much, if it’s too expensive at one place, there’s another shop right around the corner that might have something better or cheaper.  It’s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.  Some days you hit the jack pot and other days not so much.  The fun comes when you find something rare or something new or something that you like to collect.  I’m also sharing a couple of my favorite things, things that were handed down to me or tugged at my heartstrings like my very own cookbook.  Josh designed it and gave it to me for Christmas.  It brought me to tears when I unwrapped it and saw how much work and love went into making it.  It’s something I will treasure forever!

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      Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments | Tagged Dansk, Goodwill, Goodwill Hunting, Mikasa, Noritake Stoneware, Ovenex, Pfaltzgraff, Pyrex, Thrift Stores, Vintage
    • Nostalgic Friday

      Posted at 8:41 am by NativeNM, on May 16, 2014

      Nostalgic-Friday-10

      Awhile back I went through some boxes in the basement and came across my old Westerner cup.  Growing up in Tucumcari, the Westerner Drive Inn was the place to be on any given night for Rattler Burgers or Westerner Tacos.  Oh, how I miss those tacos . . .  The Westerner is no longer in business, just a shell of a building left standing, but every time I think about it I get nostalgic. There are a few places in New Mexico that I find myself reminiscing about.  Blakes Lotaburger has been a New Mexico tradition since the 50’s for those Lotaburgers with green chile, and just recently Kat and I went to the Frontier Restaurant down on Central in Albuquerque which has been around forever.  It’s located near the UNM, a few blocks from where Joe and I had a little apartment when he was going to college.  All those years we lived so close and I never ate there even though it was famous for it’s New Mexican cuisine.  I thought I had all the time in the world to experience The Frontier among other things but time and circumstances changed.  The Frontier is known for their jumbo cinnamon rolls, green chile cheeseburgers and Frontier burritos as well as other breakfast, lunch and dinner specialties.  We each had a Frontier Burrito with fries on the side generously sprinkled with melted cheese and green chile.  It was an awesome experience all around, especially the atmosphere, Southwest art deco and food.  So if you are ever in the neighborhood, pick up a Lotaburger or stop by the Frontier for a giant burrito.
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      Posted in Recipes, Red or Green, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged Blakes Lotaburger, Frontier's Green Chile and Cheese Fries, Green Chile and Cheese Fries, Lotaburger, Nostalgic Friday, Westerner Drive Inn
    • Sweet and Salty Granola Bars

      Posted at 9:05 am by NativeNM, on May 6, 2014

      Sweet-and-Salty-Granola-Bars-8

      If your family is like mine it goes through a lot of granola bars.  Granola bars are great to pack sack lunches, quell the late afternoon hunger pains and to take along a favorite hiking trail.  In the last few years our vacations have taken us on hiking and backpacking adventures where the need for lightweight food staples are a must.  Granola bars that contain fruit, nuts and peanut butter are almost always sought after for the energy they provide. By making granola bars at home you can create flavors from fruits, nuts and grains that reflect your own personal tastes.  I went to Sprouts where you can find a bounty of bins and barrels full of different types of grains, dried fruits and nuts to choose.  I plan on trying some different combinations this summer but in the meantime, here’s a simple “no bake” granola bar that brings out a little bit of salty and sweetness with some peanut butter to bind them together.
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      Posted in Breakfast, Recipes, Snack | 0 Comments | Tagged Caramel Bits, No Bake Granola Bars, Oats and Rice Cereal, Peanut Butter, Pretzels, Sweet and Salty Granola Bars
    • Tortellini with Grilled Veggies and Herbs

      Posted at 8:49 am by NativeNM, on April 29, 2014

      Grilled-Veggies-and-Tortellini-3

      We’ve been dodging April showers this past week.  They’ve been more like downpours than showers at times.  The first day we had a reprieve I wanted to get outside and pop the cover off the grill.  Over the winter month’s I used the wok to cook my veggies but today I thought I would cook outside and enjoy some sunshine.  I sliced some zucchini, baby bella mushrooms and onion that tasted fantastic with a drizzle of lemon flavored olive oil, salt and pepper.  I paired the veggies with some tortellini, tomatoes and herbs to make a healthy vegetarian pasta dish.
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      Posted in Entree, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Fresh Herbs, Grilled Baby Bella Mushrooms, Grilled Onion Slices, Grilled Zucchini, Tortellini, Tortellini with Grilled Veggies and Herbs
    • Grapefruit Margarita Sorbet and Popsicles

      Posted at 8:22 am by NativeNM, on April 25, 2014

      Grapefruit-Margarita-Sorbet-11

      I am not shy about how much I love sorbets.  Sorbets are so refreshing and take little time out of your day to make.  I’ve been a little obsessive lately trying different fruity combinations and this is definitely one of the best!!  I am partial to citrus flavors and the fusion of grapefruit, lime and margarita is hard to beat.  Joe and I kept stopping by the freezer for “just a taste” and it was gone in no time.  So I made a smaller batch and poured into popsicle molds to see how they would freeze.  It was like a frozen margarita on a stick, a fun adult treat that we will be enjoying a lot this summer!

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      Posted in Dessert, Recipes | 0 Comments | Tagged Fresh Grapefruit Juice, Fresh Lime Juice, Grapefruit, Grapefruit Margarita Popsicles, Grapefruit Margarita Sorbet, Lime and Margarita Sorbet, Pre-Mixed Margarita, Simple Syrup
    • Latin Salsa Chicken

      Posted at 9:25 am by NativeNM, on April 22, 2014

      Latin-Salsa-Chicken-19

      In the mood for some meat and potatoes . . . I found a recipe for Latin Pork and Potatoes in the local paper that looked intriguing.  It was an easy one pot meal but the list of ingredients seemed to be a bit on the bland side.  So I changed it up subbing in chicken thighs for the pork chops and adding salsa flavors to the pot.  It was an amazing blend of flavors with chicken so tender and juicy surrounded by potatoes, onions, green chiles and garlic in a brothy tomato base.  It made a hearty meal with a hunk of french bread on the side to sop of any leftover juices.
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      Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes, Soups, Stews and Chili | 0 Comments | Tagged Braised Chicken, Latin Salsa Chicken, One Pot Chicken Dish
    • Southwest Deviled Eggs

      Posted at 9:02 am by NativeNM, on April 18, 2014

       

      Green-Chile-Deviled-Eggs-7

      One thing my family always asks for is deviled eggs for Easter.  It’s like a guilty pleasure that we indulge in every year and just wouldn’t be the same without a platter filled with them.  I always make my “Classic Deviled Eggs” and I will again this year but the cook in me wants to try new things.  I’ve always wanted to try this recipe that I’ve had tucked away for many years from Chile Pepper Magazine.  It has all the ingredients a New Mexican would love with a little bit of green chile, chives, cilantro and lime juice.  Combined with the cooked egg yolk a mixture of mayo and sour cream will make a savory filling which will be a perfect compliment to a sweet slice of honey ham.

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      Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes | 0 Comments | Tagged Green Chile, Hard Boiled Eggs, Southwest Deviled Eggs
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