Molé Poblano

Mole poblano is the best known of all mole varieties and considered the "national dish" of Mexico. Mole Poblano originates from the Mexican state of Puebla and is known to contain about 20 or more ingredients.  Moles come in various flavors and ingredients, with chili peppers as the common factor. This sauce is most often served over turkey at weddings, birthdays and baptisms, or at Christmas, but mostly for the yearly celebration of the local churches in each community. 

So the story goes...

The legend takes place at the Convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla during colonial times.  The archbishop was scheduled to visit which sent the convent nuns into a frenzy since they were poor and had nothing to prepare. They prayed and gathered the little bits of what they did have, chili peppers, spices, day-old bread, nuts and more. They killed an old turkey, cooked it and put the sauce on top.  The archbishop loved it.  The rest is history.

The version I was taught is one that my husband's family uses which is a recipe handed down through generations.  Each cook puts their own spin on their sauce to make it their own.  However, I did not veer from the original recipe that was given to me. I hope you all try it and enjoy it as much as our family does.

8-10 pieces of turkey, chicken or pork, reserve stock
6 chiles Pasilla, dried
4 chiles Chipoltles, dried
1/4 c. sesame seeds
1/2 c. pumpkin seeds
8 Roma tomatoes
1/2 c. raisins
1/4 c. roasted almonds
1/2 c. dry roasted peanuts
1 ripe plantain 
3 T. corn or peanut oil

In a large pot, cover the turkey, chicken or pork with water, generously salt and boil meat until cooked through and tender.  Skim excess solids and reserve stock.  Remove meat and set aside.

While meat cooks, toast chiles in a dry skillet.  Once toasted, chiles will soften allowing you to remove stems, seeds and membranes.  This step is very important and will reduce the heat of the chiles.  In separate batches, toast pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds.  Finally, roast tomatoes until skins are charred.  Add chiles, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, raisins, almonds, peanuts and plantain and one to two cups of stock to blender and blend on high until smooth. 

**Note:  The type of blender you have will depend on how long it will take to completely puree ingredients to a smooth sauce.  I have a Vitamix which really helps with this recipe to create the consistency and texture needed.  No I am not selling Vitamix blenders but it was one of the best purchases I EVER made.  Additionally, you may need to thin out your mixture with stock and run it through a sieve to achieve a smooth sauce.

Add oil to a dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Stirring constantly, add mixture to pot and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Be careful as it will pop up if you leave unattended.  Add additional stock to mixture until it becomes a gravy consistency. Add in your meat and simmer for another 30-45 minutes.  Add additional salt, if necessary.  Serve with warm corn tortillas and Mexican rice.

Mexican Lasagna

This is my twist on Rachael Ray's recipe.  I just love her interpretations of food.

Mexican Lasagna


2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
2 pounds ground pork
2 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoon ground coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large can hominy (28 ounces)
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, chopped
12 large tomatillos (14-16 if small), peeled and coarsely chopped
A handful of cilantro 
3 avocados
Zest and juice of 2 limes
2-3 tablespoons honey
1 package large flour tortillas
1 pound pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1 pound swiss cheese
Mexican cream or Sour cream, to pass at table

Serves 6

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the broiler or place the oven on 400°F.
Heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, a turn of the pan, in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and crumble it up as it browns. While the pork browns, season the meat with cumin, coriander and salt and pepper. Once browned evenly, stir in the hominy and reduce the heat to simmer.

While the meat cooks heat the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO in a saucepot; add the onions, garlic and peppers, season with salt and pepper and sauté until softened, 5-6 minutes. Place the tomatillos and cilantro in a food processor and process until almost smooth. Pour into the onion and garlic mixture and simmer to mellow, 5-6 minutes more. Replace the processor bowl. Pit and scoop the avocado flesh into the processor, add the lime zest and juice. Add 2 T. honey, puree until smooth and season with a little salt. Stir the avocado mixture into the green sauce and remove from the heat.  Taste to see if seasoning is balanced.  If too tart then add additional honey to balance flavors.

Char all of the tortillas over an open flame or in dry hot skillet.

In a baking dish, layer the sauce, tortilla, meat, cheese, tortilla, sauce, meat, cheese, etc. End with a layer of tortilla, sauce and finally cheese. At this point you can freeze it for later or place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 4-5 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is brown. Pass cream at the table.

Edamame Succotash Salad

Here is another salad creation for lunches or a side. 

Edamame Succotash Salad

2-8 oz packages edamame, shelled
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4-5 green onions, sliced
1 handful parsley, chopped

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. honey
1 T. olive oil
1 t. kosher salt
black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine edamame, tomatoes, corn, beans, onion and parsley.  Mix until combined.  In a separate bowl, combine lime juice, vinegar, honey, oil, salt and pepper and mix until combined.  Stir in dressing until salad is well coated.

Southern Broccoli Salad

In my search to come up with a solution to my weekdays of which I have no time to cook, I thought I would make a couple salads that would last in the fridge a few days for my lunches and/or light dinners.  This was one I chose.

Southern Broccoli Salad

2 crowns of broccoli, cut up into florets
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 red onion, diced

Dressing:
1 c. mayonnaise
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 t. sugar

Combine broccoli florets, cranberries, walnuts, crumbled bacon, chopped onion in a large serving bowl; toss to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well; chill thoroughly before serving.

Frijoles Charros

Here is another one of my regulars that was taught to me by my Mexican friend, Celia Chimal.  I have never been a fan of the normal pot of beans, but this is one that everyone will love.  It is full of flavor and yumminess!  You can adjust your spice level with the amount of jalapeños.  

 

Now for the history lesson...

Charro (no, not the coochi-coochi singer) is a type of Mexican cowboy that is known for wearing the traditional attire seen below.  They participate in Mexico's national sport called Charreadas, which is a type of rodeo.  Check out the link here for more information. 

Mexican Charro

Frijoles Charros 

16 oz bag of dried pinto beans (washed and soaked overnight in water)

1 ham hock

1/2 lb fresh chorizo

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 medium onion

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb diced ham

4 hotdogs, diced

3 Roma tomatoes, pureed

1-2 jalapeños, minced (remove ribs and seeds to reduce heat), optional

1/4 c. chopped cilantro, optional

In a heavy dutch oven, add pre-soaked beans and ham hock to pot and fill with 8-10 cups water.  Cook beans on medium heat, covered for 3 hours or until tender.  If water evaporates too much you may need to add more, however don't overdo it or you will lose flavor.  

While beans are cooking, over medium high heat, cook the chorizo and bacon until done.  Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent.  Add in ham, hotdogs, tomato puree and jalapeños and cook for and additional 3 minutes.

To the cooked beans, add the meat and tomato mixture to the pot and stir.  Cook and additional 30 minutes to fully develop the flavors.  Stir in cilantro just before serving and additional to garnish. 

Holiday gifts

This year, instead of buying people things they may or may not like, I decided to put my heart into each and make handmade gifts.  How can you go wrong with these fabulous and easy to make presents.  I think it actually took me longer to come up with a design for the labels than to actually make and package them.  Give it a try if you are short on ideas and need that last minute surprise.  Happy holidays!!!

Sugar scrub

2 ½ c Sugar

1 c. mineral oil or olive oil

Scent oil of choice ( I used Bath and Bodyworks massage oil, but if you have a concentrated scented oil, use that)

Mix until combined and fill jars.

Here is the label template I used.  

Sugar Scrub Labels

Simply Divine Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

2 cup light corn syrup (1 bottle)
2 ½  cups packed brown sugar
1 stick butter

2 cup whipping (heavy) cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. In 2-quart saucepan, heat corn syrup, brown sugar and butter to boiling over low heat, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in whipping cream; heat to boiling. Cool about 30 minutes. Serve warm. Store covered in refrigerator up to 2 months. Reheat slightly before serving if desired.

Here is the label template I used:

Caramel Sauce Labels

Rockin' Mac 'n Cheese

This classic puts on it's fancy duds and hits the town.  Using Dolcelatte for the cheese and bacon makes this dish go from same 'ole same 'ole to ROCK MY WORLD!  Dolcelatte is a sweet, soft Gorgonzola that add the extra zing.  Bacon and scallions put this dish over the top.  You will come back to this time and time again.

 

Rockin' Mac n' Cheese

1 lb. box elbow macaroni

salt and pepper

4 slices bacon, diced

4 scallions, trimmed and sliced

1 T. fresh thyme, chopped

3 T. butter

5 T. flour

pinch of nutmeg

1 t. ground dry mustard

3/4 c. milk

1 1/4 c. heavy cream

8 oz. Dolcelatte or Gorgonzola cheese

1 c. panko bread crumbs

4 oz. parmesan cheese

3 T. butter, softened

chopped fresh parsley, garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water just shy of al dente.  Drain, then return to the pan and set aside.

Fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until it just starts to brown and crisp up, then add the thyme leaves and scallions and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add its contents to the pasta.

For the sauce, put the butter, flour, nutmeg, and mustard in a small pan set over medium heat and cook until the butter has melted.  Add milk then cream a little at a time to the flour and butter in the pan, stirring well. Keep adding and stirring well each time till smooth and creamy. This will prevent the sauce from going lumpy. The sauce will thicken, then remove the pan from the heat. Add two-thirds of both of the cheeses to the sauce while it is still hot and combine well. It may be a bit lumpy, but that is fine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add to the pasta mix. Stir everything together and spoon into a shallow casserole dish or 4 individual large ramekins.

Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and the bread crumbs and dot with butter.  Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble and the topping goes crumbly and brown. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve while hot.