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 6:14 pm by NativeNM, on December 26, 2018
I have memories of my Mom making traditional peanut brittle around the holidays. Everything she made always tasted so good. She used to make several different types of candies but the peanut brittle was always my favorite. That was back in the day, times have changed and now you can find red or green chile brittle here in New Mexico and it’s quite the addictive treat. Let me tell you about the green chile brittle. It has sweet and hot flavors coming from the spices on the pistachios along with green chile powder. Instead of using peanuts I added green chile pistachios which I think makes this brittle so special. First you taste the sweetness of the hardened sugar and corn syrup, next up you taste the flavors of the pistachio nuts and the heat from the chile powder coming on the back end. I’m a little obsessive compulsive and don’t know when to stop so I made another batch, this time adding red chile flakes and Pinon nuts aka pine nuts. I took some local NM dried red chiles and ran them through a grinder to get the fresh flakes that would spice up the brittle. The Pinons were roasted but unsalted so I added a hint of salt which helps balance all the flavors. Actually the red chile flakes were a bit hotter than the green chile powder which was a surprise to me. I couldn’t pick one over the other, they are both so good and such a treat this time of year. And the other thing about this brittle is how easy it is to make. I found a great recipe from “Veggie Obsession” who made brittle in the microwave. One bowl is all you need, just add the ingredients and microwave. Find the wattage of your microwave and use a conversion chart to find out how many minutes is necessary to microwave. Once you have the ingredients it only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Posted at 12:05 pm by NativeNM, on December 10, 2018
One of my favorite things to snack on is cheese and crackers. And with the holidays just around the corner it’s time to think about appetizers. Many years ago I would make a cheese ball around the holidays, but in recent years I found other things to make and the cheese ball became a distant memory. I’ve forgotten how good it tastes and think it’s time to bring the cheese ball back!! It’s not just the green chile that makes this cheese ball so special. Many of the ingredients are grown or produced in the state of New Mexico. It’s so easy to assemble, just pack all the ingredients into a food processor and blend. Once chilled the flavors meld together and the flavors are enhanced. It’s addictive to say the least, we are having a hard time saving it for snack time. It’s so good we could make a meal out of it . . . just kidding!!