Pablano Polenta Stuffed Peppers

My usual course of action with several peppers on hand is to stuff them. Typically, fillings involve ground meat and rice, smothered in tomato sauce. On rare occasions an Indian inspired version comes about, using lentils or chickpeas and copious amounts of cumin and garam masala. This tex-mex corn-centric version is a first for me. I blame the endless sea of sweet corn we were blessed with late this summer.

adapted from Martha Stewart's Polenta Stuffed Peppers and Stuffed Poblano Peppers

serves 4-6

The Ingredients:
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 pablano pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup coarse cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
2 ears of corn
1 1/2 cup shredded monteray jack cheese
4 bell peppers, halved, stem and seeds removed

The Process:
In a large saucepan set over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp of butter. Add the poblano, onion and garlic.  Sautee util tender, 2-3 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil.

Slowly whisk in the cornmeal, salt, pepper and cumin. Reduce to a simmer. Whisk frequently until the polenta thickens, about 5 minutes. Add additional water as needed. Remove from heat and fold in the remaining butter, corn kernel, and half of the cheese. Stir until cheese and butter has melted. Season with addition salt, pepper and cumin to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375

Arrange the pepper halves in a large shallow baking dish. Spoon the polenta into the peppers.  Add 1/2 of water to the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with foil.

Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle the peppers with remaining cheese. Return dish to oven and bake an additional 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the peppers are tender.

Serve garnished with salsa and cilantro.

Steak Tacos with Radish Relish

The relish really makes this dish. The entire meal comes together incredibly quickly, which is good. After all, who wants to spend a lot of time in a hot kitchen with gorgeous summer nights to look forward to.

adapted from Bon Apetit

serves 4

The Ingredients:
2 Tbsp oil, divided
1 lb skirt or flank steak
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4-5 radishes, trimmed and chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 serrano pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/2 lime, juiced and zested
8 corn tortillas
2 oz queso fresco or feta cheese, crumbled

The Process:
In a large cast iron skillet over high heat, heat 1 Tbsp of the oil. Season the steak with salt and pepper. Sear the steak, 4-5 minutes per side. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

At the steak rests, in a medium bowl combine the radishes, half of the cilantro, green onion, serrano pepper, remaining oil, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the tortillas in a dry skillet, 1-2 minutes per side. Cover and keep warm.

Slice the steak cross grain. Divide steak among tortillas, and top with relish, cheese and remaining cilantro.

 

Cilantro-Lime Steak with Tex-Mex Quinoa

Tonight's dinner came courtesy of Pinterest. Periodically, when attempting to draw up a grocery list, I turn back to boards overflowing with legitimate recipes and dotted with flights of pure fancy. Usually something will catch my eye and inspiration will hit, as was the case with the one-skillet quinoa recipe.

Not surprisingly, I already had all of the ingredients in my pantry for this lovely little dish.  Billed as a vegetarian main course, the quinoa certainly stands well on it's own, but we were in a protein mood. And the sirloin tip steaks beckoned at us from the butcher counter.

A note on the avocado...it is lovely stirred into the quinoa just prior to serving, but does not stand up well as leftovers. When in doubt, serve it on the side. Thin bright green slices do make a lovely garnish.

Steak marinade adapted from Danny Boome's recipe at Foodnetwork.com
Quinoa adapted from Chung-ah's recipe at damndelicious.net

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the steak
4- 4oz sirloin tip steaks
2 limes, juice and zest
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
small handful fresh cilantro, finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

for the quinoa
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1-15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lime
small handful fresh cilantro, minced
1 avocado, peeled pitted and diced

The Process:
Marinade the steak:
Place the steaks in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Whisk together the lime juice and zest, garlic, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and cilantro. Pour over the steaks, turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prior to cooking, remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

Cook the quinoa:
In a large skillet set over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeño. Sauté stirring frequently, until fragrant and the onion is translucent



, 6-8 minutes.

Stir in quinoa, broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, and spices. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until quinoa is cooked tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro.
 Sear the steak and serve:
Place a seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven and heat the oven to 500 F.  Once the oven has pre-heated, remove the skillet and place on HIGH heat on the stove.  Remove the steaks from marinade and place directly into the hot, dry skillet. Sear, without moving for 30-45 seconds. Flip and sear an additional 30-45 seconds. Place the skillet and steaks into the pre-heated oven. Cook about 5 minutes for medium rare, 7-8 minutes for medium.

Remove from the oven and transfer steaks to a plate. Loosely tent with foil and allow to rest 2-3 minutes before serving. Plate along with quinoa.

Turkey and Red Bean Soup with Rainbow Chard

The peak of summer is upon us, with all of its muggy, hot glory.  So why does my mind drift to soups and chili?  I suppose the fixation has a lot to do with a small test batch of red chili beans that found its way into our CSA box last week.  The farm included a great recipe for a radish and bean salad, but I couldn't shake that thought of chili...

This dish didn't end up nearly as thick as most chilies I prepare, and I'm okay with that.  The addition of chard makes if far more reminiscent of a minestrone anyway.  But the flavors are all tex-mex.  If you'd rather not hover over the stove on a hot summer's day, this soup can be prepared in the crock pot as well.  Just plan on adding the chopped chard leaves right before serving.

The recipe is my own

Serves 6-8

The Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup dry red chili beans
1 Tbsp oil
20 oz ground turkey
2-3 bulbs green garlic
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1 bunch rainbow chard, leaves and stems separated
1 - 8oz can tomato sauce
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

The Process:
Remove any pebbles or grit from the beans.  Rinse.  Place in a large bowl and cover with cool water.  Soak overnight.

Drain the beans.  In a large saucepan set over medium heat, bring about 5 cups of water to a boil.  Add beans, reduce to a simmer and cook about 45 minutes or until beans are tender.  Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the turkey, onion and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently until the turkey is cooked through and crumbled.  Add the cumin, chili powder and oregano.  Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Coarsely chop the chard stems and add to the pot along with the broth, beans, salt, bay leaf and tomato sauce. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Coarsely chop the chard leaves.  Add to the soup and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the chard has wilted.  Remove bay leaf and serve immediately

Black Beans and Brown Rice with Ginger Salsa

Keep it simple, keep it cheap...

I should really work on making this a regular mantra.  Good food needn't be fussy.  It certainly doesn't have to be expenxive. 

Want a quick, inexpensive and aboslutley delicious dish layered with flavors?  This dinner is for you.  The most time consuming part is cooking the rice.  Of course, my work around was to make the rice a day ahead of time while I prepped that day's dinner.  The rest comes together in no time flat.

adapted from Bon Apetit

serves 4

The Ingredients:

for the rice:

1 Tbsp olive oil, divide  

2-3 Tbsp chopped onion
1 cup brown rice

2 cups vegetable stock or water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
pepper to taste
 

 for the beans:

1 Tbsp olive oil

2-3 Tbsp chopped onion

1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 cup vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

 

for the salsa

2 red Fresno chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded, and diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 Tbsp chopped onion
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1 Roma tomato, finely diced
1 Tbsp lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
salt and pepper

 

to serve

1 avocado, halved, pitted, and chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta

fresh cliatnro
Lime wedges

 

The Process:

for the rice:

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, about 45 minutes.  Remove saucepan from heat. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and fold in cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

for the beans:

In a medium saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Add coriander and cumin; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans and broth.    Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer.  Cook until heated through, about 8-10 minutes.  Mash slightly.

 

for the salsa

Using the flat side of a knife against a cutting board, or a mortara and pestal, mash the chiles, garlic, ginger, tomato,  lime zest, and onion until a chunky sauce forms. Spoon into a bowl and mix in the lime juice.  Season salsa with salt and pepper to taste. 

 

to serve:

Spoon rice into one half of a bowl, and scoop beans alongside.  Top with a dollop of ginger salsa and sour cream.  Sprinkle with feta and cilantro, Serve with avocado and lime.  Omit cheese and sour cream for a vegan dish.

Pork Carnitas

Sometimes the mood strikes for something in particular.  I find in those moments, the best course is to heed those moods.  On the first day of spring, when the snow still lingers and temperatures continue to dip, this hearty dish provides hope...

adapted from My Kitchen Escapades

serves 3-4

The Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless pork butt
1 small onion, quartered
1 orange
1 lime
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 300

Trim the fat off of the pork roast and cut into 2" chunks. Half and juice the orange, reserving the peels.  Juice and zest the lime.  Combine the pork, juices, zest, orange peel, onion, spices and water in a 1-quart Dutch oven.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover and transfer the Dutch oven to the oven.  Cook until the meat starts to fall about, about 2 hours.

Remove the Dutch oven from the oven,  Spoon the pork into a separate bowl.  Discard the peel and onions, reserving the juices.  Heat the mixture on the stove top to a rolling boil.  Cook the mixture until reduced by about half, about 15 minutes.

Preheat the broiler.

Meanwhile, using two forks, pull the meat apart into bit-sized chunks, but do not shred.  Add the pork into the juices and stir to coat.  Spread the pork and juices in a single layer onto a rimmed baking.  Transfer the pan back into the oven and broil until the meat begins to brown, about 5 minutes.  Using a large spatula, flip the meat, and broil for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Serve hot with tortillas, avocado, onion and cilantro

Roasted Corn and Red Cabbage Slaw

How about a break from the holiday carb fest for something a little more colorful and crunchy?  This tex mex slaw comes courtesy of Driftless Organics.  The November storage box had in it not only a plethora of root vegetables but two beautiful heads of red cabbage.  The roast corn is ridiculously easy to prepare, even in the middle of winter.  Frozen corn can go a long way.

The slaw is a great side dish on its own, but it is even better as a taco filling.  Fish tacos come to mind.  Our tasty dinner consisted of seasoned ground turkey, a smear of sour cream and a mound of this beautiful purple slaw wrapped up in a corn tortilla.

It was hard to stop...

recipe courtesy of Driftless Organics 

serves 6-8

The Ingredients:
1 medium head of red cabbage, cored and shredded
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 cup frozen sweet corn
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red sweet pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
3 Tbsp yogurt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste





The Process:
Preheat broiler.

Combine cabbage, red onion, and carrots in a large bowl. Set aside.

Toss sweet corn, garlic, and red pepper in oil. Season with salt and pepper.  Spread on
a baking sheet in an even layer. Place under broiler for 7-10 minutes, watching carefully and stirring occasionally, until the corn is completely thawed and starting to brown. Let cool.

In a small bowl whisk together spices, yogurt, lemon juice and hot sauce to taste. Add the dressing and corn mixture to the cabbage and toss to coat. 

Roasted Chili and Pork Empanadas

I was in a bind.  I run into this problem every time the word potluck is tossed about.  A friend was having a gathering and asked we bring a dish to pass.  My reputation in the kitchen is beginning to precede me.  I wanted to offer something stellar.  But I was also feeling lazy and didn't want to make a special trip to the store or put much effort into concocting an awe-inspiring dish.  Something saliva inducing was still required. Or at least palatable.  Desserts are easy...potlucks seem overwrought with cookies, bars and cupcakes.  So I wanted to bring something savory.  But easy to eat.  Serious board game playing was likely to occur and few things clutter up playing space like dinner plates. 

So the solution?  Empanadas.  Have you noticed how many cultures have savory meat pies in their repertoire? Italian calzones, Cornish pasties, Indian samosas, Spanish empanadas...heck, even hot pockets...

I picked empanadas for the broad appeal of the ingredients.  Honestly, really the biggest difference between all of these hand pies is the seasoning and sauce.  I guess I was in more of a tex-mex mood.  I've made pasties and samosas before.  Plus I already had everything on hand.  I used leftover roasted pork loin; but ground beef, shredded chicken, or rice and beans could just as easily work.  Given my impatience with pie pastry, that I did purchase instead of making my own from scratch.  I'm getting better, but Pillsbury still makes a better pie crust than I do...

the recipe is my own

yields 20-24 empanadas

The Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1- 4 oz can fire-roasted chilies
2 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 cups cooked pork loin, finely chopped
6 oz Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 recipe for a double pie crust
1 egg, beaten

The Process:
 In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute the onions and garlic until the onion is tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the chilies, cumin, chili powder.  Stir until well combined and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the meat.  Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.  Add the cheese and stir until melted.  Mix in  the sour cream.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly grease 2 baking sheets and set aside.

Roll out the pie crust and cut out 3-inch rounds using a cookie cutter (I ended up using the screw top band from one of my canning jars...)  Re-roll the dough as necessary to make 20-24 rounds.

In the center of each dough round, mound a scant Tbsp of filling.  Dip your finger in water and dampen the edges of the dough round. 

Carefully fold one side of the dough over the filling.  Line up the edges of the dough and press gently.  Crimp the edge with the tines of a fork to seal the empanada shut.  Place on a baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough rounds and filling.  You will most likely have some filling left over.

 Using a pastry brush, brush a little beaten egg onto each empanada.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the empanadas puff slightly the crust is golden brown.  Serve warm.

The Review:
Considering I used leftovers and pre-made pie crust, these empanadas were a breeze to make.  They looked absolutely stunning...beautiful puffed and rounded crusts, carefully crimped edges, glistening egg glaze, steaming and flavorful filling...I would make these again in a heart beat.  And it appears our friends would gladly partake of them again given the chance.  Filling possibilities are endless.  And the size is perfect for snacking and sharing.  For an entree-sized meat pie, a larger round with more filling would be easy enough to do...and I suspect they would freeze well for future quick meals.

Garbanzos with Chorizo and Spinach

Beans and pork is a tried and true combination much loved across most of the country.  The possibilities are virtually  endless once you've moved beyond the backyard barbeque pinto beans and bacon.   This dish is much more stew like, with chunks of tender potato, ample bean and a healthy dose of smokey chorizo.  Wilted spinach added towards the end helps endow a sense of health and good eating.  And the best part?  The entire entree can be dished up in about thirty minutes.

I highly recommended the smoked Spanish-style of chorizo for this dish, though the raw nutmeg chili infused Mexican style will work as well.  I opted for Palacios mild versions...hot sausages are also available.

adapted from A recipe in Men's Health, December 2011

servers 4

The Ingredients:
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 links Spanish-style chorizo, chopped
1 large onion
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp paprika (preferably pimenton)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 lb yukon or russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2- 14 oz cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
8 cups baby spinach

The Process:
Heat the oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat.  Add the chorizo and saute until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the pant and set aside.

Add the onion, garlic, red pepper, and paprika to the pot and cook until the onion begins to caramelize.  Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the paste evenly coats the onions.  Add the stock, potatoes, and bay leaves.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the Garbanzo beans and cook for another 5 minutes or until beans are heated through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove the bay leaves and add the cooked chorizo and the baby spinach. Continue to cook until the spinach is wilted.

The Review:
Upon beginning to saute the chorizo, I would have thought the end result would be a greasy mess due to the red slick of fat that coated the saucepan. instead of the rich, smokey dish ultimately served up.  The meat was not a substantial part of the meal, quantity wise (though you could easily double or triple the amount if you are a huge fan of this Iberian treat) but it infuses smokey and slightly spicy nuances in every bite.  The potatoes and chickpea both lend a wonderful soft and velvety texture, but with enough difference to keep you from getting bored.  The contrast of something firm or with a little more bite was missing, but not by much.  The flavors more than make up for what the texture front may lack.  And the spinach...eight cups seems like a lot until the bunch cooks down.  The beautiful flecks of green amidst the deep red sauce made for an incredibly picturesque dish.  However, this one is so tasty you may polish it off before the camera had a chance.  Leftovers were just as wonderful the next day.

Seafood Enchiladas

 Once in a blue moon I'll find myself in a Mexican restaurant (granted, often as far from "Mexican" as Minnesota is from our Southern border).  On these rare occasions I'll find my hopes raised at the thought of a tortilla wrapped around succulent little bits of shrimp, crustaceans and mollusks in a creamy sauce.  Inevitably those hopes are dashed as my fork pries out flakes of imitation crab and bits of anemic shrimp, with little else.

These enchiladas are a step in the right direction.  The end result is directly related to the quality and variety of seafood you put into them.  I opted for crab, shrimp, scallops and john dory fillets.  But salmon. lobster and many other varieties of flaky fish would serve nicely.

adapted from a recipe at Betty Crocker

serves 4-6

The Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups chicken, fish or vegetable stock
8 oz sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (monterey jack, cheddar, queso quesadilla and asadero)
1 can (4.5 oz)  chopped green chiles, undrained
8 oz small scallops, raw
8 oz salad shrimp, raw
2  fillets john dory or other firm white fish, raw
1/2 cup crab meat, cooked and flaked or 2 - 6 oz cans, drained
8 - 8 inch flour tortillas
Diced tomato, avocado and cilantro for garnish


The Process:
Preheat oven to 350.

In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Stir in flour and stir until blended with butter. Add broth and heat to boiling, stirring frequently to remove any lumps.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Add scallops, shrimp and fish fillets and poach until the fish begins to flake and the shrimp and scallops turn opaque, about 5 minutes.  Remove the seafood to a medium bowl and cover to keep warm.

  
Add sour cream to the saucepan and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Stir in chiles.

In 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, spoon 1 cup of the cheese sauce over bottom. Set aside.

Add 1 cup of the cheese sauce to the reserved seafood. Stir to combine, gently breaking up the fish fillets.  Add the crab meat and stir to combine.  Spoon about 1/2 cup seafood mixture onto each tortilla. Roll up tortillas; place seam sides down on sauce in the baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas.

Cover baking dish with foil. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly.  Serve warm with tomatoes, avocado and cilantro.


The Review:
These enchiladas were a wonderful change of pace from the underwhelming varieties sold at tex-mex chains, as well as a richer alternative to the tried-and-true ground beef versions smoothered in a tomato based sauce.  Ross opined that, well incredibly good, these are a little too rich to replace our favorite beef and garlic ones when an enchilada craving hits.


The sauce was rich and mild, with a lovely seafood flavor due to using the base being used to poach the seafood.  During the cooking process, I sampled the sauce throughout and was in love with its velvety texture and subtle heat from the canned chilies.  So it was a bit of a surprise that the seafood flavors dominated the end result, almost completely masking the chilies.   A second can of chilies or hotter variety may be called for next time around, should I want a peppier sauce.


Two enchiladas easily provided four gut stuffing entrees. But given how rich these plump enchiladas are, served up with rice and a salad I'm sure you could stretch the serving size to eight people. 

Audra's Margarita Cupcakes

A huge thank you to Audra of the Baker Chick for this recipe. After a full day of packing and moving heavy boxes, I wanted to provide all of the friends who helped us move with a summertime "adult" sweet. Truth be told...I sort of planned the house warming around the thought of making these alcoholic cupcakes.

In an ideal world, these tequila filled and frosted gems would have been coupled with Audra's mojito cupcakes. Unfortunately, the kitchen became so beastly hot with all of the other cooking going on that I could only tolerate keeping the oven on for one batch of cupcakes.

Perhaps next time....

Adapted from Audra's recipe at The Baker Chick

The Ingredients:
The cupcake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 limes, zested and juiced
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

The Filling
1/2 lb fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 cup tequila
2 Tbsp sugar

The Frosting:
1 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly chilled
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup strawberry tequila filling

The Process:
For the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk to blend. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla. Slowly mix in the dry ingredient a third at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about three quarters full. Bake 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling:
In a blender or a food processor, add the strawberries, lime juice, tequila and sugar. Puree the mixture until there are no chunks of strawberry. Set aside.

Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, use a small paring knife to cut a cone out of the top of each cupcake. Remove the cut-out cake and spoon a tablespoon of strawberry puree into each cupcake. Replace the top part of the cone, cutting the tip to leave room for the filling. For alternative filling methods, check out the photo laden tutorials on Annie's Eats.

Prepare the frosting in a large mixing bowl: cream together the shortening and butter on high until well mixed and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time alternating with a tablespoon at a time of the Strawberry puree. Mix until the frosting is thick and creamy, like the consistency of ice cream. Spread or pipe on cupcakes With a teaspoon, sprinkle some coarse sugar around the edge of the cupcake and top with a lime wedge.

My Modifications:
Were nearly non-existent...I was so excited to try these cupcakes out as is. My cupcakes lacked the sugar rim and were not nearly as photogenic as Audra's; however, they all disappeared in a heartbeat.

The Review:
I think these were the biggest hit of our house warming, and well worth reheating the entire kitchen to prepare. The tequila packed quite a punch when the cupcakes were freshly filled and frosted, but after chilling about 30 minutes, the booze was much more subdued and the strawberry flavor truly shown through. I loved the citrus-y hint of lime in the cake.

I had wanted to accompany these cupcakes with Audra' mojito ones as well, for a truly relaxing and booze end to a long day of move heavy boxes. However, one batch of cupcakes heated up our kitchen almost more the I could bear. Of course it doesn't help that our moving day was a balmy 90+ degrees...

Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salad

A huge thank you to my husband for helping out on this dish by baking the sweet potatoes ahead of time. Few foods exist that I abhor more than microwaved "baked" potatoes, convenience be damned. I almost skipped over this recipe completely due to its dependance on the modern kitchen appliance. I'm glad I didn't.

adapted from Eating Well Magazine, Dec 2005/Jan 2006

serves 4

The Ingredients:
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream*
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

The Process:
I'm ignoring all microwaveable directions on principle. Below is my process. For microwave instructions, visit the original recipe at eatingwell.com

Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places. Alternatively, place in a baking dish and bake at 425 degrees F until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine beans, tomatoes, oil, cumin, coriander and salt; heat over medium heat until just heated through.

When just cool enough to handle, slash each sweet potato lengthwise, press open to make a well in the center and spoon the bean mixture into the well. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro.

My Modifications:
I prepared this dish in the oven and stove top, foregoing the deplorable microwaveable option. Microwaves never seem to yield the same creamy interior that an oven baked potato offers. For want of fresh tomatoes (most in the store and even, sadly, at the farmers market appeared more like pink Styrofoam than juicy, pulpy produce) I opened a can of diced tomatoes. The substitution wasn't ideal, but passable. Canned tomatoes still supersede flavorless genetic monsters. We also skipped the cilantro.

The Review:
I am a huge fan of sweet potatoes. They are capable of dishes far superior and nuanced than the overly sweetened marshmallow-y concoction most people familiarize with the tuber. I've eaten sweet potatoes baked before, but the Tex-Mex dressing was a new twist well worth trying out. The coriander and cumin, a pairing I am becoming quite fond of, played very well off of the sweet meat of the potato. The sour cream added a wonderful tart edge, with a creamy finish. With large enough potatoes and a generous spoonful of the filling, these could easily pass for a vegetarian entree (*or vegan if you omit the sour cream).

Tamale Casserole

Two back to back Mexican-inspired dishes? This happened to be a complete coincidence! On Saturday Ross and I were wandering the farmer's market on its opening day. We happened upon a booth selling locally ground grains and bread mixes. Off to the side the miller had a pile of recipes, one toting several uses for his cornmeal. The tamale casserole called out to be made...

We unfortunately did not pick up any of the miller's cornmeal at the market, so I was in a bit of a bind. Until I remembered the box of jiffy mix in the cabinet. I poked around on a few recipe sites to see if others had used this cornbread staple for a similar casserole. This is the resultant recipe.

adpated from recipes provided by Home Hearth Grains, and Whole Foods Market

serves 6-8

The Ingredients:
filling
1 lb ground beef, turkey or bison
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 clove of garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1 can (14 oz) kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1/4 cup water or broth

tamale crust
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 cup gluten free flour
-or-
1 pkg (8-10 oz) cornbread mix
-plus-
1 egg
1 Tbsp honey
1 cup of milk, sour cream or water

The Process:
Preheat oven to 350

In a large sauté pan, brown meat, breaking up any large pieces. Drain well and return to stove. Add onions, garlic and jalapeno. Saute until the onion is tender. Add beans, oregano, chili powder, salt diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Simmer uncovered for 7-10 minutes. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour and baking powder (or the contents of the cornbread mix). Whisk in milk, egg and honey until just combined. The mixture will be runny. Pour the batter over the batter over the filling mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the cornbread is lightly browned and the filling hot and bubbling.

My Modifications:
Is the recipe as written above...but substituting a 1/4 cup of red enchilada sauce (from last week's pablano enchiladas) for the water. For the 'original' recipe check out Whole Foods website.

The Review:
Quick, easy comfort food! As I was adapting this recipe, merging the two I was using as my basis, it dawned on my that this is essentially your favorite chili, topped with a running corn batter crust. That realization opens the door for countless variations. I'm curious to try a spicier, vegetarian version next time around. And dependent upon which cornbread mix you use...it is easily gluten free.

The casserole reheated well the next two days...and was consumed very quickly between the two of us.

Pablano and Queso Fresco Enchiladas

Happy Cinco di Mayo! This day seemed like an appropriate time to branch away from my tried and true enchilada recipe...a recipe my mother clipped from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel years ago...a recipe that became a cornerstone of "family dinners" in Stevens Point. Others have carried the recipe on with them, and they have found it highly adaptable to accommodate not only any spice level, but also vegetarians. The best part was...this particular enchilada recipe did not rely on jars of sauce, cream of anything soups or packets of taco seasoning. It was one of my first attempts at from scratch* cooking.

So imagine my disappointment when pursuing food blogs and cook books. Page after page of enchiladas recipes toting cream soups, jars of pre-made sauce, boring chicken or ground beef fillings. My hopes were sinking until I stumbled upon this little gem from Vegetarian Times.

adapted from Vegetarian Times, September 2008, pg 75

Seves 6

The Ingredients:
The Sauce
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
2½ oz. dried New Mexican chiles, halved, stemmed, and seeded
4 medium tomatoes, chopped

The Enchiladas
6 Poblano or Anaheim chiles
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced (approx. 2 tsp)
1½ cups queso fresco
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
12 6-inch corn tortillas


The Process:
To make Sauce: Heat olive oil in saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic in oil 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft. Add dried chilies, and sauté 3 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes and 2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until chiles are soft. Remove from heat, cool 5 minutes, then purée in blender or food processor until smooth.

To make Enchiladas: Preheat oven to broil. Place poblano chiles on baking sheet, and broil 15 to 20 minutes, or until blackened on all sides, turning often. Cool in covered bowl, then peel off skins and remove seeds. Chop chiles into 1/4-inch pieces.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic in oil 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Transfer to mixing bowl, and add queso fresco, 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, cilantro, and chopped chiles.

Spread tortillas on baking sheet. Warm 3 minutes in oven to soften.

Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Divide cheese mixture among tortillas, and roll loosely. Place filled, rolled tortillas in baking dish. Top with remaining Sauce, and sprinkle with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until Sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

My Modifications:
I had perhaps a third of the sauce left over...using two-thirds seemed to be more than enough without drowning the enchiladas.

The Review:
I adored them, but these my not be for those who like their Mexican dishes tear-jerkingly hot. The heat was subdued and smokey. The flavors of all of vegetables really came through...the peppers, the tomatoes, the onions. And the corn tortillas were pleasantly soft and on the verge of soggy. For the record, I abhor working with corn tortillas. While I love the flavor and texture of flour tortillas, I can never roll these little flat tortas without them starting to crack of flake.

Overall they reminding me of the enchiladas you would be served at one of those hole in the wall madre y padre taquerias. Ross and I really enjoyed them. And we were really surprised that the picky eater among us...given that she avoids meat and spicy foods...didn't enjoy them. But to each their own.


*if one considers using canned tomato sauce, cartons of broth and stewed tomatoes "from scratch." The next incarnation of this recipe will likely use only the bounty of the farmers market, and homemade stock.

Tex-mex chicken and rice bake

What do you do when you haven't been grocery shopping, but are craving a home cooked meal? Raid the pantry and make something up. And in classic Midwestern fashion...the hot dish comes to the rescue. Sometimes the results of such a cabinet and fridge dump are surprising.

I realize this dinner is a theme with many a variation. However, not a single recipe was consulted or perused prior to throwing the meal together. Out of curiosity, later on I may dig around online and in cookbooks to see how close my recipe came to others in existence. But for now, I'm sated and satisfied from my own little creation.

The recipe is my own.

serves 3-4

The Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice
1/4 cup wild rice
1 1/4 cup beef, chicken or vegetable stock
2/3 cup low fat yogurt, plain
1/3 cup low fat sour cream
1/2 cup salsa (heat of your preference)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp sage
1 can (14 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 medium tomato, diced
1 medium red pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack and Manchego work well)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3-4 portions

The Process:
In a saucepan over medium heat combine the brown rice, wild rice and broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and let stand undisturbed for 20-30 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350

In a medium bowl whisk together yogurt and sour cream. Fold in salsa, chili pepper, garlic powder, cumin and sage. Stir until well blended.

Assemble the casserole in a 9x9 or 7x11 inch baking dish, beginning with the rice. Spread roughly 2/3 of the salsa mixture over the rice, layer the beans over, followed by the corn, tomato and red pepper. Sprinkle generously with half of the shredded cheese. Arrange the chicken breasts on top and cover with the remaining sauce. Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand before serving.

The Review:
The end result was a little soupy, but full of the flavors and textures reminiscent of enchiladas. All the the layers contributed to a great palette of textures, though something crunchy was noticeable absent. Had I made a more traditional casserole of the midwestern variety, I suppose cubing the chicken and generously sprinkling the top of the dish with crushed tortillas would have solved this dilemma. C'est la vie. There will be future last-minute hot dishes to experiment with. In the meantime, I need to brainstorm about how I could have cut down the cooking time...without using instant rice, mind you.