An Inspired Cook

- Dulce de Leche Sweet Rolls with Candied Pecans and a Coffee Glaze
  
  Posted at 10:32 am by NativeNM, on December 31, 2022
  As promised I share with you these decadent gooey Dulce de Leche Sweet Rolls! And in every soft layer you will find pieces of candied pecans and topped with a coffee glaze that is out of this world! This has been on my bucket list for the longest time. Dulce de Leche is creamy and tastes similar to caramel sauce, however there are subtle differences between the two. While caramel sauce is made with sugar, water and heavy cream; Dulce de Leche is made with sweetened condensed milk. Caramel sauce only takes a few minutes to make, but it takes a few hours for sweetened condensed milk to simmer into a creamy caramelized sauce aka Dulce de Leche. While I would have loved to make my own Dulce de Leche, I was in a pinch for time and picked up a jar that was ready to go. Sometimes giving yourself a break is a good thing. I did make time to spice up some pecans with some sugar and spice that truly made these rolls special. The inspiration for these rolls and especially the coffee glaze is inspired by Yvette at Muy Bueno Cookbook. From my kitchen to yours, I hope 2023 will be a year filled with good health, happy times and delicious food to be shared with those you love!
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  Posted in Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Recipes | 1 Comment | Tagged Breakfast Dulce de Leche Sweet Rolls, Breakfast Sweet Rolls, Candied Pecans, Dulce de Leche Filling, Dulce de Leche Sweet Rolls, Dulce de Leche Sweet Rolls with Candied Pecans and a Coffee Glaze, sweet rolls
- Raspberry Cream Cheese Sweet Rolls with a Lemon Glaze
  
  Posted at 10:56 am by NativeNM, on December 30, 2022
  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your families. I look forward to hearing about your holiday traditions and delicious food with all the trimmings. One of my favorite things to make around the holidays is sweet rolls. Every year I make a batch of Brioche Cinnamon Rolls as well as something new that we haven’t tried before. Lets face it, sweet rolls are my weakness and the holidays just wouldn’t be the same without a delicious sweet roll on Christmas morning. This year I made two new versions. First up is a sweet roll filled with sweetened cream cheese and raspberries topped with a lemon glaze. It all starts with my favorite brioche dough that never fails. These delicate soft layers almost melt in your mouth while the filling and glaze contrast the sweet and tart flavors. It’s the perfect roll to go with your morning coffee or tea. That said, I think every new version of sweet roll is perfect. I can’t choose, they are all my favorite! While you contemplate these sweet rolls, I hope to tempt you with my next post which features a decadent sweet roll with candied pecans! Happy New Year!
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  Posted in Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Recipes | 6 Comments | Tagged Breakfast Raspberry Sweet Rolls, Lemon Glaze, Raspberry Cream Cheese Sweet Rolls, Raspberry Cream Cheese Sweet Rolls with a Lemon Glaze, Raspberry Sweet Rolls with Cream Cheese
- Green Chile and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
  
  Posted at 9:28 am by NativeNM, on November 15, 2022
  I’m going back to an old favorite that I used to make when my boys were young. They always loved these chicken breasts that were stuffed with creamy cheese. Back then I made them to order, stuffing with whatever they wanted, sometimes a dollop of whipped cream cheese and avocado or cooked bacon bits with roasted tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Anything goes if it will fit inside a chicken breast. These days one chicken breast is enough for Joe and I to share. We both enjoy them stuffed with green chile and Oaxaca cheese. Oaxaca cheese melts so creamy and tastes so good. To finish it off I spooned egg wash over the stuffed chicken breast and then dredged it in panko crumbs for a crisp coating. Once pan fried on both sides place in a preheated oven to finish baking until the chicken is cooked throughout and the cheese is bubbling. Serve alongside your favorite side dish and you have a complete meal that is simply delicious!
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  Posted in Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes, Red or Green | 15 Comments | Tagged Green Chile and Cheese Stuffed Chicken, Oaxaca Cheese, Roasted Green Chile and Cheese Stuffed Chicken, Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Sedona, Arizona / Hiking Paradise
  
  Posted at 1:18 pm by NativeNM, on November 7, 2022
  Over the last week of October, Joe and I took a few days to get away and enjoy a change in scenery. We recently celebrated our 40th Anniversary and wanted to go somewhere beautiful but within driving distance. Sedona is only a few hours away and we found it one of the most beautiful hidden gems of the Southwest. Nestled in the Red Rock country of northern Arizona’s high desert, Sedona is surrounded by towering red rocks, flat topped buttes, and steep canyons . There are dozens of hiking trails to choose from and if that’s not your thing, you can hire tour guides that will take you to all the stunning destinations while making stops along the way for photos. There are many vacation rentals, resorts and spas available to those who like to be pampered. And I would recommend stopping at Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village for some unique shopping and art galleries. We found a comfortable vacation rental located near Thunder Mountain which was close to many of the hiking trails we had planned. Many of the trailhead parking lots filled up early so we made a point of getting up early and heading out to beat the crowds. Our mornings started out just above 40 degrees with full sunshine. After walking only a few minutes we would begin to warm up and take off a layer or two of clothing. We took our time enjoying the stunning views of the rock formations around and above us. Joe had a bucket list hikes with the Subway Cave at the top of the list. The Boynton Trail led us to the Subway Cave which was our favorite and most challenging day. There is a bit of a climb to say the least to get up to the area of the cave where you can view the stunning landscape of the Boynton Canyon pictured above. Whatever the occasion, Sedona is a place surrounded by serenity and beauty with a mild climate that provides a unique getaway anytime of year!
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Bell Rock, Birthing Cave, Boynton Trail, Chimney Rock, Courthouse Butte, Devil's Bridge, Long Canyon Trail, Sedona Arizona, Sedona Red Rock, Subway Cave, Thunder Mountain Trailhead
- Green Chile and Cheese Quiche with a Hash Brown Crust
  
  Posted at 1:18 pm by NativeNM, on September 28, 2022
  I’ve taken some time off to enjoy the last days of summer. The last few weekends we’ve been hiking and traveling to some of our favorite places like Santa Fe and Taos. Pretty soon the fall colors will be dotting the landscape and we’ll be out again enjoying the crisp air and taking photos. But throughout August and September we’ve been enjoying New Mexico’s green chile season. It’s one of our favorite times of the year with the aroma of green chile roasting in the air, well there’s nothing better. This green chile and cheese quiche has been on my bucket list for awhile and it seemed like the perfect time to give it a try. I thought a hash brown crust seemed appropriate for this particular quiche and it turned out so good. I simplified the prep work by using dehydrated hash browns to make the crust. I’ve tried several recipes using them and they always come out just as good if not better than making hash browns from scratch. Once the crust is prepped I added a layer of grated cheese and then poured the green chile and egg mixture over top. This savory quiche baked to perfection leaving a crispy outer crust with fluffy eggs and spicy chile in every bite. I added a few bacon bits on top for Joe and I but you can keep it vegetarian if you like. We ate half of it over the weekend and saved the leftovers for later. Would you believe the leftovers were even better the next day? Oh yes they were!
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  Posted in Breakfast, Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Recipes, Red or Green | 8 Comments | Tagged Breakfast Quiche, Green Chile and Cheese Quiche, Green Chile and Cheese Quiche with a Hash Brown Crust, Quiche with Hash Brown Crust
- Exploring the Sandia Mountains
  
  Posted at 10:37 am by NativeNM, on September 2, 2022
  Sandia Mountain Fall 2023 Taken from the Riverside Trail in Rio Rancho, NM
  
  The Sandia Mountains are located just east of Albuquerque and provide a picturesque view over the city. The Sandia’s were named for the watermelon color that they display during the evening hours of sunset. When that happens it’s quite stunning to see those vibrant colors but usually it only lasts for a few minutes. There are numerous trails on either side of the mountain but up on top is where Joe and I love to go. You can drive all the way to the top where there are easy to moderate trails that head along the rim either to the north or south. With every mile upward the altitude reduces the temperature making it a very comfortable place to hike and explore in the summer. Joe and I recently celebrated our 40th anniversary and spent the day up on top of Sandia Crest. We enjoyed a gorgeous day with amazing views. The landscape is so green from the recent rains, and the wildflowers are blooming in every color of the rainbow. I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed a day more! I hope you enjoy some of the highlights!
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments | Tagged New Mexico Sandia Mountains, New Mexico Wildflowers, Sandia Crest, Sandia Mountains, Sandia Peak Tramway
- Hatch Green Chile, Corn and Guacamole Street Tacos
  
  Posted at 2:09 pm by NativeNM, on August 16, 2022
  Over the weekend, Joe and I spent a day in Taos, NM. We love Taos for their small town charm, the local artistry and the food! We could spend hours walking through the plaza, surrounding shops and art galleries. On Saturdays the plaza is packed with a farmer’s market, artisan breads, local crafts and music. When we started to get hungry we stopped at a food cart for some street tacos. We ordered a Carne Asada and a Poblano taco which were both amazing! The poblano tacos had a miso vinaigrette which sounded a bit strange (at least to me) but it really worked. Joe absolutely loved it and couldn’t stop talking about it so I took a picture of the menu with the intention of recreating it at home. Since it’s green chile season here in NM I thought I would use them in place of the poblano. I picked up some “Hatch” green chile and fresh corn at the market and roasted them on the grill. Then I prepped the miso vinaigrette and made a small batch of picked red onions in the morning so that they had time to marinate. With all the prep work taken care of, the tacos took no time at all to put together. My Hatch green chile had a bit more kick than the poblano version but no matter what you choose your taste buds will smile. There are so many flavors going on in these little tacos and it all comes together in a very good way!
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  Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Recipes, Red or Green, Tacos, Taquitos and Flautas | 4 Comments | Tagged Hatch Green Chile Corn and Guacamole Street Tacos, Miso Guacamole, Miso Vinaigrette, Roasted Corn, Roasted New Mexico Green Chile, Street Tacos with Chile Corn and Guacamole, Vegetarian Hatch Green Chile Tacos, Vegetarian Street Tacos
- Peach Pie with a Blue Corn Pecan Crumble
  
  Posted at 12:28 pm by NativeNM, on August 9, 2022
  Another year, another birthday pie! Every summer I make myself a peach pie, cobbler or crisp with different variations of crusts, toppings or sometimes pairing peaches with berries. A couple month’s ago I came across a recipe for “Apricot, Blue Corn and Pecan Crisp” from FarmersMarketNM.org with an amazing topping that I couldn’t resist. It reminded me of my “Peach Pie with Pecan Crumble”, that I made a few years back, but with a new twist. The most delicious peach pies starts with summer ripened peaches. In my experience, mid to late July is the best time to start finding those juicy, flavorful peaches that taste so good. And then you have to decide what kind of topping, whether it be a traditional crust or a crumble topping made with oats and flour, butter, sugar and nuts. This topping with blue corn flour has a slightly different texture; you may find it more grainy than using all purpose flour but it has a hint of saltiness in the topping that tastes so good with the sweet peaches. Add a dollop of vanilla ice cream and you will have the perfect summer dessert!
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  Posted in Pies and Cobblers, Recipes | 4 Comments | Tagged Blue Corn Flour Recipes, Peach Pie, Peach Pie with a Blue Corn and Pecan Crumble, Peaches and Pecans, Summer Peach Pie
- Loaded Green Chile Potato Salad
  
  Posted at 8:38 am by NativeNM, on August 2, 2022
  August in New Mexico means it’s green chile season! The harvesting has begun and any day now you may start seeing “Hatch” green chile in your grocery store no matter where you live. The roasters are fired up and the aroma of roasted green chile is in the air. As soon as I found them in the grocery store I picked up a dozen and roasted them myself on the grill. They had the perfect amount of heat and had so much flavor. I’m always trying to find new ways to incorporate green chile into everyday recipes and thought it might taste good in a loaded baked potato salad. Oh my goodness, this turned out better than I could have imagined. Joe isn’t a fan of traditional potato salads but he loves this version. Instead of mayo I used a low fat sour cream and seasoned it with dehydrated green chile powder, salt and garlic powder. Limiting the cheese and bacon makes for a lighter version but didn’t skimp on flavor. Adding roasted green chile was the perfect addition to the mix. Try it fresh when the potatoes are still warm enough to slightly melt the cheese. You will be amazed when you take a bite of the warm cheese and green chile combined with the creamy potatoes. It’s Muy Bueno!
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  Posted in Recipes, Red or Green, Side Dishes | 7 Comments | Tagged Hatch Green Chile, Loaded Baked Potato Salad with Green Chile, Loaded Green Chile Potato Salad, New Mexico Green Chile, Potato Salad
- Bandelier National Monument
  
  Posted at 2:48 pm by NativeNM, on July 8, 2022
  Alcove House Photo by Sally King/NPS
  
  After a tumultuous drought season in New Mexico with record fires, we’ve finally received some much needed rain. The monsoon season arrived in June and gave our national forests some relief. Many of our national forests, state parks and many other trails had been closed to the public due to fire safety. I am happy to say that most if not all are now open. Joe and I couldn’t be happier and anxious to get back up north where the weather is cooler amid so many beautiful hiking trails. Bandelier National Monument is an archaeological site with the remains of cliff dwellings nestled in the Frijoles Canyon. Along the Pueblo Loop trail you will see the tall cliffs that provide natural caves large enough for shelter which we were able to enter by climbing ladders. Some of these ladders are quite high and not for the faint of heart if you have a fear of heights. Halfway through the loop trail is the Alcove House which is a ceremonial cave with a reconstructed kiva. After we successfully climbed to the Alcove House we made the loop back and took the Frey Trail to the top of the Frijoles Rim Mesa where we enjoyed stunning views of the canyon and the layout of the circular remains of a pueblo village below. There are numerous trails within and surrounding the Frijoles Canyon from easy short trails to strenuous long distance trails that you can backpack with a permit. For now I hope you will enjoy our trip to Bandelier National Monument, who knows, you may want to explore it too!
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments | Tagged Alcove House, Bandelier National Monument, Frey Trail, Kiva, Pueblo Loop Trail, Talus House
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