Dessert Delight

Dessert Delight

Shredded Chicken for Tacos





Shredded Chicken for Tacos


Ingredients:
2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional (adjust according to desired heat preference or omit)
1 chopped onion
Directions:
Place chicken breast halves in the slow cooker or large pot.  In a mixing bowl whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over chicken in slow cooker, cover slow cooker with lid. Cook chicken on low heat 6 - 8 hours. Shred chicken (it's so tender I usually just shred it in the slow cooker without even removing it), then cook shredded chicken in broth in slow cooker an additional 30 minutes on low. Drain broth from chicken.

NOTE: if cooking on the stove top, mix all ingredients in pot covering with water half way full. Bring to a boil and cook until chicken is tender. Usually takes about 1 hour after the water boils. Remove chicken breast aside and drain almost all but 1 cup of broth.  Return broth back into stock pot and when chicken is cooled shred with two forks until all shredded and return back to pot.  Cook until all the broth has boil out.

Serve with you toppings!! Enjoy

Frijoles al Charro (Mexican pinto beans)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry pinto beans
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 pound bacon, diced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 fresh tomatoes, diced
  • 1 (3.5 ounce) can sliced jalapeno peppers (optional)
  • 1 (12 fluid of water of chicken stock
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons of cumin
  • 2 tablespoons of chilli powder

Directions

  1. Place pinto beans in a slow cooker, and completely cover with water. Mix in garlic and salt. Cover, and cook 6 - 7 hours. (If you cook them on the stove top brown onion, bacon and grate in garlic) Place in your dry beans and cover pot halfway full with water or chicken stock and bring to a boil with lid on. Simmer for 3-4 hours over med/low heat until tender.
  2. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium high heat until evenly brown, but still tender. Drain about half the fat. Place onion in the skillet, and cook until tender. Mix in tomatoes and jalapenos, and cook until heated through. Transfer to the slow cooker, stirring into the beans.
  3. Cover slow cooker, and continue cooking 4 hours on Low. Mix in the cilantro about 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.

West of the Peco Winter Posole



I can't take credit for this recipe. I found it in a departures travel magazine today. I've been wanting to make it and finally found a recipe that I think sounds and looks great.

8 0z dried white-corn posole (available at ranchogordo.com) or you can use white homoney
3 lbs. smoked ham hocks (about 4 pieces)
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/4 pieces
3 celery stalks, sliced crossswise 1/4 inch thick
12 whole garlic colves, peeled
2 chipotle peppers (from a can of chipotle in adobe marinade)
small bunch fresh sage (about 1/8 oz) wrapped in a 12-inch square of cheesecloth
1 1/4 lbs good quality smoked ham, cut into 1/2 dice
salt to taste
4 oz unsalted cor tortilla chips
small bunch of cilantro, chopped

1. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a 8 quart stock pot and add 4 quarts of water.
2. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil.   Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 3 hours, or until the posole is al dente.
3. Take out the ham hocks and set aside to cool.  Remove the two chipotle peppers and discard.
4. Skim the surface of the broth with a spoon to remove any fat.  Return the pot to the heat and simmer until reduced by about one-third.
5. Meanwhile, pull off the meat from the ham hocks and cut into bite-size pieces; discard the bones and fat.
6. Add the diced ham and the ham hock pieces to the broth, and return to a simmer.  Check the seasoning and add salt if necessary.
7. Place about 10 corn tortilla chips in the bottom of each bowl, ladle the posole over the tortilla chips and garnish with the chopped chlantro.


Queso Flameado Burger



1 pound of Lean Ground beef
1/2 cup chorizo
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup habanero flavored cabot cheese, shredded
English muffins or Hamburger buns

In a large bowl, combine beef, chorizo and garlic,  Form mixture into 6 equal patties.

Heat grill to high. Place patties on a grill, cook about 6 minutes per side or until done all the way to the center.

Place burgers on English muffin. Top with 2 teaspoons of cheese.

Homemade Salsa

When I was about 18, I had an opportunity to learn how to make salsa from this little old Mexican lady (Mrs Rodriguez) who didn't speak English nor did I speak Spanish. However, I loved her salsa and her children encouraged me to go into the kitchen and just observe and watch her and learn. I love this salsa and make it all of the time.  In honor of Mrs. Rodriguez who is no longer with us, her tradition of salsa lives on.  I give her the credit for this wonderful salsa.

This is the first time that I made this recipe for canning purposes so it's a little more time consuming.

First I'll post the recipe that is used to eat immediately and will last for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

Salsa (for eating now and up to 10 days in fridge)

6 large tomatoes
2 large jalapeno peppers
4-6 large garlic cloves
4 tablespoon of canola oil
1/2 bunch of cilantro
6-8 tomatillos (green tomatoes)
salt & pepper to taste


In a large heavy frying pan place your red tomatoes, jalapenos, oil and garlic. Cover with a lid and cook over (medium heat)  Within about 5 minutes, check the tomatoes to see if the skin is starting to peel from the tomato, if so, then you will turn them over along with the garlic and jalapenos.  Put the lid back on and cook over medium/low heat.

Tomatillos have a outer skin which is like a brown paper. You will peel the skin off and rinse under cold water. Place tomatillos in a pot with water half way full and bring to a boil. Once they come to a boil, then you remove from heat and drain water.

Using a blender or food processor place 1/2 of the tomatoes and 1/2 of the tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos and a handful of cilantro.  I usually cut the tomatoes in quarters for easier blending.  Blend on low. If you like it thick and chunky, then only blend for a few pulses but if you like it thin then you will blend to the consistency you like.  Add salt/pepper to taste.   Repeat until all the mixture is blended. After each batch you will pour in a large Tupperware container and stir in each batch until it is all blended and you are finished with all the ingredients. Check for salt and if needed add more.

Now...here is how I made my salsa that I canned.

FOR CANNING

Preheat oven to 300Depending on how many jars you want to you make then you will double or triple the above recipe. Follow the above recipe except when all blended you want to place in a stock pot or large pot.  Simmer on low.  I also add 1 tablespoon of alum (this is a spice that keeps veggies crisp) In the mean time, you take your canning jars and clean them and treat the lids. 

For treating the lids and seals

Place the lids and seals in a pot of water.   Fill halfway full with water.  When the water comes to a boil then remove the lids and seals carefully with tongs and place on a towel.  Wipe each seal and lid.

Preheat over to 300. 

Spoon hot salsa mixture into each jar, filling to the first line of the rim of the jar.  Wipe off any excess salsa and make sure there isn't any spillage on the rim or on the outside of the lip or rim.  I use a funnel that is specially made for canning.  This prevents any spillage and trust me so much easier.  Once all the jars are filled and wiped clean then you place the seal and the lid on each jar. Tighten the lid but not too too tight.

Place jars on a cookie sheet (about 6 - 8 per sheet) and place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Gently take out of oven and place on a towel or cooling rack.  Gently, (by using pot holders) hold the lid and jar and re tighten jars.

When they are completely cooled, double check to make sure the lids are sealed tightly.

Enjoy!