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.

The Magical Hibiscus Flower

This one is a winner!!!  I was inspired the other day while watching Rachael Ray and her travels to Mexico.  Her husband made a drink similar to this but used much more lime juice and a special hibiscus flower syrup that I am sure you can only find online.  This is my version that is perfectly balanced and anyone can make at home.  I have also included the traditional water that is popular throughout Mexico.  You can find hibiscus in the Latin food section of your supermarket or local Latin Food store. 

Here's the history behind this magical flower:

Dried hibiscus flowers, known in Mexico as jamaica (pronounced "ha-mike-ah", rather than like the name of the Carribbean island country) have long been available in health food stores in the U.S. for making a tea that is high in vitamin C. With the advent of interest in south-of-the-border cuisine, hibiscus flowers are sold in bags. This drink is particularly good for people who have a tendency, temporary or otherwise, toward water retention: it is a mild and completely natural diuretic.

Hibiscus - Hibiscus Sabdariffa. Hibiscus is also called Rosella (roselle, Jamaica sorrel, karkadé). It's good to soothe colds, open blocked nose, clearing up mucous, as an astringent, promoting proper kidney function, helps digestion, a tonic, a diuretic and helps reduce fever. Some people call Hibiscus the "other cranberry" or habiscus.  Hope that was informative enough for you!

Hibiscus Margarita (Margarita Jamaica)

1 1/2 shots Hibiscus syrup
2 shots tequila
juice of 1 lime
ice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.  Shake until very cold and serve straight up.

Hibiscus Syrup

2 c. water
1 oz package Hibiscus Flower (Flor de Jamaica)
2 c. sugar

Heat water to boil then remove from heat.  Add hibiscus flower and steep for 10 minutes.  Strain through a sieve and discard flowers.  Add sugar and stir till dissolved.  Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.



Hibisucs Water (Agua de Jamaica)  Non-Alcoholic drink

1 part Hibiscus Syrup
4 parts water

Combine and pour over ice.

Lazy Jerky Turkey Chili

 Since I have started working in the city and my commute is much longer than the average, I have had to find recipes that I can whip up in no time to feed a hungry family when I walk in the door.  This one is a great one-pot meal that is full of flavor and hits the spot on any cold, chilly night.  Leftovers are great for lunch the next day and taste even better than the day before.

 

Lazy Jerkey Turkey Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds ground turkey
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
One 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 scotch bonnet chile peppers, finely chopped (for a milder jerk, use 1 chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed; for a very mild jerk, use a red Fresno pepper)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 scant palmful sweet smoked paprika or sweet paprika
1 teaspoon allspice (about 1/3 palmful)
1 teaspoon ground cloves
About 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
One 12-ounce bottle lager beer (or omit the dark brown sugar and add one cup of cola instead)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish



Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chile peppers. Stir in thyme, paprika, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, beer, Worcestershire, brown sugar and vinegar; simmer to combine the flavors, about 5 minutes. Serve in bowls and top with the scallions. 

Thank you Rachael Ray!