Comfort Foods take us down memory lane.

Familiar house numbers on Nana's San Antonio home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comfort whether it pertains to a place, a food or feeling one gets taking a trip down memory lane. It's something that makes us all feel an emotion about the person place or thing.  Last year my Nana's house sold in San Antonio Texas & it was a bittersweet feeling.  Good because the family who bought the home knew my grandmother & loved the property. Bittersweet in that the empty house brought back so many memories that somehow would never again be so visceral or so easily touched.  Emotions & memories are like that.  Touching on something deep within which somehow make us connected to that which we are from.  Comfort foods are like that also.  Comfort foods connect us to a person or event which gets relived even in a tiny form when we experience it again.  I recently found a new twist on an old favorite.

Ground Smoked Chipotle Pepper adds a smoky quality

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So normally I don't just take a recipe I find in a food magazine then just revamp & repost.  Something within me yearns for a little more creativity but, how can one really improve on something as great as mac & cheese? The recent cover dish on the March issue of Bon Appetit has been in my focus since I saw it.  B A food writers have an entire article dedicated to mac & cheese.  True, mac & cheese is what every red blooded American kid grew to love & crave no matter what era you grew up in post World War II.  Even if it was that familiar blue box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese & it somehow made an episode of the Brady Bunch last a wee bit longer. (Ha! Guess I'm dating myself with that one...) I left behind my boxed macaroni & cheese some years ago when I realized homemade mac & cheese is better than anything pre-packaged.  My version of the Pimento Mac & Cheese has a bit more heat in it than the original version may have.  I found a nice ground smoky chipotle pepper.  At it's outset it has a nice smoky scent imparting a nice touch of hot. Whether you want to play with the recipe as I did or just make the mac & cheese ingredient for ingredient it's by far one of my favorite macaroni & cheese recipe's I've had in some time. I also opted to roast my red bell pepper since I like the flavor of roasted bell pepper. Can't wait to see what strikes my fancy in the April issue. Bon Appetit!

 

Pimento Macaroni & Cheese

• 1 7- to 8-ounce red bell pepper. (After roasting seed & cut into 1-inch pieces.)
• 2 garlic cloves, halved, divided
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup drained mild Peppadew peppers in brine, 1 tablespoon brine reserved
• 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chiles
• 1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella
• 8 ounces medium shell pasta or gemelli

• ingredient info

  Peppadew peppers are available in jars or in the deli section at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and from peppadew.com.
  
  Look for panko at supermarkets and at Asian markets. Ground Chipotle Chile peppers are available in the spice section of supermarkets and at Latin markets.

Preparation

• Broil or roast in the oven the garlic & red bell pepper. Simmer until pepper is soft, about 15 minutes.
• Toast panko in skillet over medium-high heat until golden, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl; cool to lukewarm. Rub 1 tablespoon butter into crumbs to coat. Mix in 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Transfer bell pepper mixture to processor. Add Peppadews and 1 tablespoon brine, 2 tablespoons butter, ground chiles, and 1/2 garlic clove; then add cheddar and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Blend until sauce is smooth; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 8-cup baking dish (or 6 individual dishes). Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; return to pot. Stir sauce and mozzarella into pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon pasta into dish. Sprinkle with crumb topping.
• Bake pasta until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes (15 for individual). Let stand 10 minutes.

The "un-birthday cake"

A very merry unbirthday to you



Our youngest daughter has always been the "un-birthday" cake girl! When she was little she would stick her fingers in the frosting & pose for those cutesy photos parents have of their toddlers. You know the pics with the fingers dripping with sugary sweetness. In truth though when she was able to express her opinion at birthday events she never wanted a birthday cake. She was that kid at a birthday party who didn't want a sugary piece of birthday cake loaded with frosting. The "un-birthday cake" girl ate Cookie cakes for years. Now that she is older she actually has a little more variety in her dessert repertoire but still manage to keep it simple. When she had a birthday this week I stumbled upon a great idea for a small gathering birthday celebration. Why not make a loaf pan sized birthday cake? Our family tends to have a birthday every 4 weeks in the summer & fall. We get overloaded on cake to be honest. The smaller sized cake seems like the perfect way to celebrate & have our cake too! Why did it take me so long to come up with this "small un-birthday cake" idea?










Lemon Pound Cake
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon Paula's Texas Lemon Liqueur
Juice from two medium lemons (approx 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease & flour a 9x5 loaf pan well. (I used a Nordic Ware loaf pan with many nooks & tiny spots) make sure to get the entire pan greased & floured so the cake will have nice clear definition.

In a medium bowl sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

In mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream butter. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice and oil until mixed well.

Gradually add dry ingredient mixture to your mixer and blend until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until wooden skewer comes out clean. Edges should be golden brown & will continue crisp upon cooling.

Let cake cool before spreading the icing over the cake.


Ingredients for Lemon Liqueur Icing
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon Paula's Texas Lemon Liqueur
For icing blend powdered sugar, milk, and lemon extract & Lemon Liqueur until creamy. Ice the top of your cake and let the icing drip down the sides of your pound cake. Let icing set on the pound cake before slicing.


When making a flavored Pound Cake try using a local liqueur. Austin Texas has many local flavors but this one really caught our interest & has so many possibilities. Paula's Texas Lemon Liqueur also has a delicious Orange Liqueur.

Brave Potatoes on family Tortilla night.

In Mexico the simple tortilla is at times a spoon, a plate as well as bread. The contribution of the tortilla to the cuisine of Mexico is irrefutable & there is really no way to describe the flavor of a handmade tortilla hot off the stove. Whether you enjoy corn or flour the one thing you should do if only once is to try making your own tortillas.

















Last weekend we had family Tortilla night. Bytes from Texas, (one of my daughters) served up a menu of Fajitas, roasted corn & my Patatas Bravas all of which required fresh tortillas. The highlight of the evening was when my daughter's boyfriend made flour tortillas the way his Grandmother taught him to make them. Nothing was measured, everything was by feel & touch. It was almost therapy watching him figure it out with a pinch of this & a handful of that. His flour tortillas were perfect. I on the other hand used Masa Seca for my corn tortilla dough. Masa in Mexico means "dough". The true masa is made from field corn, called maiz blanco or "cacahuazintle" which was dried, treated with a lime water solution, then ground. For a few dozen tortillas I will always start with a quality Masa Seca. The masa can be used for corn tortillas or for tamales.



















Flour Tortillas
3 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4-6 Tbsp. vegetable shortening or lard
about 1 1/4 cups warm water

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add vegetable shortening or lard. (Or use a combination of half lard, half shortening.)
Use a fork or a pastry cutter to cut in the shortening or just do it the old fashioned way and use your hands.

Next add warm water a little at a time until your dough is soft and not sticky. You do not need very hot water.
Knead the dough for a few minutes.

Let the dough rest a few minutes then divide the dough into 12-15 golf ball sized round balls. Heat the comal (griddle) to medium high heat. Roll out with a rolling pin or press the tortilla dough between two pieces of wax paper & press in a tortilla press.

Lay the tortillas on the comal & cook for brief 20-30 seconds or till they brown slightly. As the tortillas cook they will develop brown specs on the tortilla. Wrap the cooked tortillas in a fresh tea towel & keep warm in a basket or tortilla keeper till all the tortillas are cooked.

Corn Tortillas

2 Cups Maseca Corn Masa mix
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/8 Cup Water

**Use the same process as above for the flour tortillas but keep in mind that the corn dough will be more dense to work with. There are very good instructions on almost all masa packages. The reason many people use pre-packaged masa is that finely milled masa is perfectly ground for making corn tortillas.



The process of tortilla making can be a family experience. There is something for everyone to do.

























This potato dish is unique to Spain. Often served with a simple glass of wine in as a tapas dish in bars throughout Spain. It is as commonplace in the countryside as it is in the big city restaurants. The potatoes can be eaten as a side dish or appetizer with toothpicks on small plates. The "Bravas" or Brave title comes from how brave one may have to be to eat this spicy potato dish. However you decide to try this dish remember both the heat & the amount of paprika are up to the discretion of the chef! It is a great addition to any Mexican meal.

















Patatas Bravas

* 3 Tbsp olive oil
* 4 - 5 Lg Russet potatoes, peeled, and cut to 1-inch cubes
* 2 tablespoons minced onion
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* Salt & Pepper
* 1 1/2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
* 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
* 1/2 cup Ketchup
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 1 tbsp. sherry vinegar
* Chopped parsley, to garnish
* 1 cup olive oil, for frying

In a saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic cook until the onion is soft. Turn off the heat, and add the paprika, and thyme, stirring well. Transfer to a bowl and add the ketchup and mayonnaise, sherry vinegar & Tabasco or preferred hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Sprinkle the potatoes lightly with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet fry the potatoes in 1 cup olive oil until cooked through and golden-brown, stirring occasionally. Drain the potatoes on paper towels, check the seasoning, add more salt if necessary, and set it aside. (*if you wish to use other vegetable oil it is fine but the olive oil imparts a nice flavor on this traditional dish. )


Keep the potatoes warm & pour sauce over them while warm. Serve immediately.









If you are lucky enough to have any left the next morning be brave & serve them with eggs & tortillas.

Cascarones translates to: Easter Celebration!

The egg cracking, confetti flying traditions of Cascarones have been in the Southwest for a very long time but it has certainly made a come back in recent years. What are Cascarones? Cascarones traditionally were carried from Spain to the Americas over a century ago. Carlotta, the wife of Emperor Maximillian, was so fascinated by the eggs that she brought them to Mexico during her husband’s rule in the mid 1800’s. Originally the eggs were filled with perfumed powders. In Mexico people replaced the perfumed powder with brightly colored confetti. It was that point when Mexicans labeled the egg shells.... Cascarones... the word derives from the Spanish "Cascara" which means shell. In Mexico Cascarones were popular at one time, but the tradition eventually faded. Only in the late 1960s and early 1970s Cascarones regained popularity in South Texas. As a child in San Antonio Texas I can remember learning how to make the Cascarones in school. The Cascarones are a regular cottage industry in San Antonio from Easter to Fiesta time. I have seen very artistic creations which look like animals & popular cartoon characters. They are usually sold by the dozens however the more creative the Cascarones the higher the individual price. To make your own Cascarones prick a hole in one end of the egg & blow the yolk/white out of the egg through a larger hole in the other end. Once the egg is removed from the shell wash & dry the shell fill with confetti & seal the end with tissue paper. It is believed that the Easter Cascarones represent the Resurrection of Jesus & breaking the egg symbolizes Christ rising from the tomb. Also who ever receives a shower of confetti on the head will have good luck & fortune. So be not offended when you are showered with this goodness, someone is just showing you some love & sharing the luck! This year we did not make our own as I bought Cascarones pre-made & so we enjoyed hand dying Easter eggs along with our showers of confetti & Easter goodies!
Our recent meal of Ancho Enchiladas reminded me of a recipe I had years ago I had long since lost for Pork Enchiladas with Ancho sauce. I am still working on recreating that exact recipe but found this Vegetarian version of Ancho Enchiladas very nice, especially with the addition of the crumbled fresh Panela Queso.

For the recipe for those adorable Bunny Cakes check here:

Cottage industry?? Nope, just a little father/daughter egg dying hilarity & artistic creativity!










Ancho Veggie Enchiladas
1 Red Sauce recipe
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
1 yellow Bell Pepper, sliced
2 Zucchini, sliced
1 12 oz. Panela Fresca Queso, crumbled
10 White Corn Tortillas, softened
Saute Bell Peppers & Zucchini slices in 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil till vegetables are slightly tender while still crisp. Ladle 1/4 cup of Red Sauce over bottom of greased 9 X 13 dish. Soften Corn Tortillas & fold veggie strips into the enchiladas, layer Panela crumbles into the Tortillas. Layer the Enchiladas evenly over the sauce in the bottom of the pan. Pour Red Sauce over the enchiladas, top with remaining Panela crumbles. Bake @ 350* for 20-25 min. or till cheese starts to look slightly toasted & sauce is bubbly. Serve immediately.
























Red Chili Sauce
8 oz Dried Ancho Chilis,
1 quart of water
14 oz. can of Roma Tomatoes
1 Chili Chipolte, stem removed + 1 tsp of Adobo liquid*
1 small Yellow Onion, roasted under broiler or on a Comal
5 cloves Garlic, roasted briefly, peeled & finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Mexican oregano (if using fresh only 1 tsp.)
1 tsp. ground Cumin
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Remove stems & seeds from Adobos (seeds which do not remove easily will fall away once the chilis are cooked in the water.) Dry roast the Chilis Anchos for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not burn. Add to 1 quart of boiling water simmer for 10 minutes. Remove once the chilis are re-hydrated. Cool then remove rest of seeds & set aside. Reserve liquid for blending process. Roughly chop the Chilis Adobos, place in blender or food processor, to this add the Roma Tomatoes, 1 canned Chili Chipolte, 1 tsp. Adobo liquid the chilis are packed in, sugar, cumin, diced onion, garlic, oregano. Blend slowly by pulsing the blender or food processor. To this liquid I add the reserved water I simmered my Anchos in 1 Tbsp at a time. I like my sauce to be the thickness of catsup & not as thin as some of the store bought enchilada sauces. You might want a thinner sauce. It is your choice. This yields aprox 2 3/4 cups of Red Chili Sauce. Any extra sauce I have freezes well to use another day. **As with any of my more spicy recipes, this can be made with less heat, omit the chipolte if needed.

Sultry Texas Summer & Easy Meals with a Cherry Limeade or 2!

Bring on the ice & squeeze that lime! Regardless of what else you're drinking; Lime juice over ice can certainly help hold the heat off this Summer.


Only 2 Sisters from Texas could think of sitting outside on a patio to eat in 100+ heat in the middle of Summer.
















Returning home & family has been a Texas tonic for my Soul. The sister visit, much too brief. The Sonic drinks, hit the spot! All of it is good though, in fact is it downright well with my Soul!



















Of all the things I was certain of when we returned to Texas early this Summer; I was positive I'd experience the blazing Texas heat. Of course at the onset I doubt that anyone could have predicted how hot. We have already had 60 days of temperatures over 100*. Our garden efforts have been fizzling out one by one. The only things which have remained strong throughout this heat are the Peppers & my Herbs. I do have high hopes for some Winter Squash which are starting to show some promise for the Fall. I am hopeful cooler temperatures may be heading our direction before too long. While my sister & her kids were visiting we made several manditory stops to Sonic for Cherry Limeade drinks. If you are from the South you know of what I am talking about, nothing cools you down like a Route 66 Cherry Limeade from Sonic! I even took a photo of my sister snapping a shot of her Sonic drink to send send back home. Somethings are beyond words & only a photo will do! Driving back & forth across Central & South Texas we made many quick side trips through our beloved Sonic Drive In! We actually hit many rest stops along our trek across Texas as a result of those enormous Route 66 drinks but every ounce was worth it! While my sis was here visiting we visited Cascade Caverns (which I'd never seen), had some quality family time out in Uvalde, had more BBQ & Tex-Mex than her kids thought possible & made it an all around Texas pilgrimage for her kids making certain they never forget their Texas roots. There is no place like home or in our case, TEXAS!
With family visits & outdoor activities this Summer I have tried to maintain some easy go-to-meals which keep everyone fed & hot times in the kitchen to a minimum. I made this Southwest Soup in the Crockpot which made a filling, easy 1 dish meal.


Perky Peppers are some of the true garden survivors in the Texas heat right now.


Cherry Limeade Tutorial, Texas to Mexico version
You need, Sprite, Limes, Cherry Juice, Rose's Grenadine, *Cherries & lime to garnish & plenty of crushed ice!
~ Fill a 16 oz glass 3/4 full of crushed ice Pour 12 oz Sprite or 7-up over crushed ice. Add 1/4 cup Cherry, squeeze in juice of 1/2 lime & drop lime half into the drink.
Add the cherry juice & a dash of Rose's Grenadine, for exact color (about 1 tsp.) This does nicely with a quick shake in a cocktail shaker. Serve with straw. & garnish with Cherry or Strawberry. Makes 1~16oz drink. Pretend you are driving down a long stretch of highway & Crank that music up & let your hair down, Baby!




















Spicy Southwest Chicken Soup
1 1/4 lb. boneless skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 14.5 oz. cans Chicken Broth
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes, undrained (use original or mild)
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 medium Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 14.5 oz can of Black Beans, drained & rinsed
1 can (4 ounce size) Roasted Green Chilies, chopped
1 tsp. Thyme leaves, fresh or dried
1 1/2 teaspoon Seasoned Salt, optional
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
**Garnish: Avocado, Tomato, Cilantro, Cheese, Baked Tortilla Strips

In a large skillet, saute the chicken, onion & peppers in oil until lightly browned. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Stir before serving. Serve on the side & garnish with *Baked Corn Tortilla strips, shredded cheese, avocado, tomato & cilantro.

**To bake Corn Tortilla strips: Slice corn tortillas into 1/2 inch strips, place strips in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Spray them with cooking spray, sprinkle with cumin, red pepper & toss to coat strips. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until strips are crisped & lightly browned.
6 servings.

April Beach Escape & Tasty Tortilla Dishes

Our April run to the border began last week for Semana Santa here in Mexico. Semana Santa is Holy Week in Mexico & people often take the entire week off for the holiday. In Northern Mexico much of that week is spent heading North of the Border to South Padre Island or seeking out relatives in Texas. Driving to Nuevo Laredo we kept uploading the government website for the bridge "wait times" hoping we were ahead of the rush of cars & buses seeking entry at one of several bridges. Smooth sailing at the bridges on the Mexican side looks much like the proverbial lemming rush with thousands of people crushing into too few lanes. Once across we drove several hours through familiar South Texas landmarks to our final destination of South Padre Island. The weather was blustery, the sun intermittent; however the relaxation & family time was premium. For our family the sounds of ocean waves crashing on the sand makes the cares of the world seem far away. For several blessed days we watched nothing more than the setting sun & drifting sands. (Oh there was a large rattlesnake on the sand as well...we gave him a wide berth!)

While in Port Aransas we hit Port A Seafood Company several times for incredible fish & oysters but ate so quickly no photos or recipes are forthcoming (better planning next trip)...So food wise I'll post a couple of Lenten favorites which make the cut even post Easter. Tortillas in Mexico are thought to date as far back as 10,000 B.C. According to a Mayan legend they were created by a peasant to feed a hungry king. Whatever the origin, no one can argue the importance of the Tortilla in Mexico or Mexican cuisine. While living in Mexico I have found that almost everyone who has kitchen help or has lived in Mexico very long has a favorite version of Chiliquiles either Rojo or Verde. I am particularly fond of the version favored by the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. She enjoyed serving company Chiliquiles Verde. Frida loved to entertain & was fond of traditional Mexican dishes of which several are recorded in the book "Frida's Fiestas~Recipes & Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo". The other recipe I have included is a different twist on Pie Azteca which I first blogged in the traditional format in November 2008. I changed it up a bit deleting a few of the vegetables & staying with only chicken, mushrooms & white corn. These type dishes are frequently served with beans & salad of some type. The last of the Padre sand is being swept out of the car, I'm still hearing seabirds in my head but it's a comforting feeling to know my lifetime obsession of the Texas Gulf Coast keeps me anchored back home~






















Chilaquiles in Green Sauce
24 medium Corn Tortillas, cut into triangles
Corn Oil1
1/2 cups. of Mexican Crema (Sour Cream can be substituted but needs to be thinned out with milk.)
1/2 lb. shredded Oaxaca Cheese


*Sauce
30 tomatillos, peeled & chopped
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
5 Serrano Chiles
1/2 onion, chopped
Salt
2 Tbsp. Corn Oil
Fry tortilla triangles in hot oil until golden & drain on brown paper.Cover the bottom of an ovenproof casserole (8 X 13) with a small amount of sauce & cream after spraying the pan with cooking spray. Top with 1/2 of the remaining sauce, 1/2 of the remaining cream & half of the cheese. repeat this process ending with cheese. Bake @ 375* for about 20 minutes or till the sauce is hot & cheese is golden & bubbling. *To make the sauce, puree all the ingredients except the oil with salt to taste. Saute the puree in the 2 Tbsp. Corn Oil until the flavors blend & the sauce has thickened.




















Pie Azteca con Pollo

18 Flour Tortillas, cut into triangles
1 cup Roasted Chicken Breast, diced
1 small can of fire roasted Green Chiles, (Roasted Poblanos can be used instead)
3 cups Sour Cream or Low Fat Sour Cream
2 Large Eggs, beaten
pinch of ground Cumin
12 oz. Manchego, Oaxaca Cheese or Monterrey Jack grated
Veggies:
1/4 onion, diced
8 oz. Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup frozen or fresh white corn, thawed
1 clove garlic, diced
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 bunch of Green Onion tops, diced
salt, pepper to taste

Lightly bake tortillas @ 350 for 15 min. spread evenly on a cookie sheet, sprayed with vegetable spray.
Prepare the sauce by sauteing the onion, garlic, mushrooms & corn for 8-10 minutes, seasoning with salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Mix in sour cream & 1 beaten egg with pinch of cumin & green onion tops.
In an oven proof, greased 9 x 13 casserole: layer 1/2 of the tortillas, 1/2 of the chicken & green chilis, 1/2 sour cream mixture, top with 1/2 cheese. Repeat layers ending with cheese. Bake in 350* oven for 30 minutes or till bubbling at the edge & slight golden color to the edges. Remove from heat, cool for 10 minutes, cut into squares & serve.

In the News, Cooking & Daughters...

News worthy time spent South of the Border~















The long overdue trip to Mexico by our first born finally arrived 2 weeks ago. She hadn't been to visit Monterrey since her Birthday Celebration a couple of years ago which happens to coincide with Diez y Seis (aka: September 16th, Mexican Independence Day.) True, we have seen our girls since we travel home frequently but she had not had a recent opportunity to visit here, wine, dine & relax. I won't give too many details of her trip as the first born kids in our family never lack for words & she did give a fine detailed account of her visit in her Blog here:

Our Bytes-from-Texas girl had the chance to visit & meet up with several friends as well as find out that visiting Gringos often make it on the local television station! We traveled out to Presa de la Boca on Dia de Benito Juarez for sun & fun on the water only to find out when we arrived that a slow news day here can merit a television crew! Seriously, boats on a lake in Mexico are not all that newsy but Gringos as I am told are a tiny bit of comic relief on the evening news! Thank God for a slow news day in Northern Mexico...recent activities put a negative spin on life here & we were only to happy to be a "kinder, gentler, type of news story". I actually turned the camera on a particularly nosy cameraman who trained his camera at length on our boat. A seriously invasive Azteca News camera guy!! What is good for the Americanos is good for the locals in my book. The tiny photo at the top of the blog is a guy beside the news van with the camera trained on our boat.

We thoroughly enjoyed all of our time together. As always in the Texas to Mexico house a good deal of time was spent cooking. Slow meals south of the border are always better with loved ones. I always love cooking with my girls. We especially enjoyed the Spanish Tapas style meals with small bites & our favorite Latin American wines.

Mushroom & Jalapenos with Chorizo Stuffing
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
6 jalapeno peppers, seeded & split
8-10 large mushroom caps, stems removed & gills removed with spoon.
8 oz. hard Spanish Chorizo, casing removed & diced
1/4 cup black Spanish olives, seeds removed & roughly chopped.
2 cups homemade breadcrumbs*, divided
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 inch cubes of Manchego Cheese

Saute the Chorizo over medium heat in a large skillet until the pieces begin to crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of breadcrumbs and the chicken stock and saute for another couple of minutes. Remove to a bowl.

Make the toasted breadcrumbs by brushing the breadcrumbs with the butter and quickly running them under the broiler. You’ll want to watch them the entire time to ensure they don’t burn. Once they come out of the oven, mix them with the parsley, olives, next add in the cubes of Manchego cheese & blend well.

Stuff each pepper or mushroom cap with as much of the stuffing as you can fit and set aside. Once they’re all stuffed, place into an oven safe dish & bake @ 375 for 20 minutes or until tops of stuffed peppers/mushrooms are browned & crispy looking. Serve immediately. *We ate these with a nice Alamos Malbec wine.

She loved Sinatra...

My grandmother left this world this past week a few weeks shy of her 88th birthday. She was a remarkable woman who left an enduring legacy of love, joy, beauty & style. Simple words cannot describe her life or the impact she had upon her family but she left the world around her richer & a seemingly better place to be in. I will continue to use her as the measure of how to live & treat others. Never will I hear a Frank Sinatra tune or the hundreds of other joys I know she had & not think of her. Kindness was her virtue & soft were her words.
Margaret Ann Harrington, 1920~2008















Rare is a childhood memory complete which doesn't include Nana. Sister & I rang in the New Year in 1965 with our Nana & Grandaddy (& Raggedy Ann of course~)

Nana was a beautiful woman lucky enough to marry a man who cooked for her but she had a few favorites which make me think of her. Both she & my Great Grandmother enjoyed making this simple cake with Apricot or Strawberry Nectar. Easy & elegant we made it for the 2009 New Years Eve at our house.
APRICOT NECTAR CAKE
1 yellow cake mix
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted and cooled
1 tbsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. apricot nectar
Place caked mix in a large bowl and add the sugar, butter, eggs, apricot nectar and vanilla. Beat with a mixer for 8 minutes. Pour into a well greased and floured tube pan (A Bundt pan works nicely). Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 55 minutes. Turn off oven and let cake set inside oven for additional 10 minutes. Cool partially and then remove cake from pan. I wait till the pan is cool enough to handle with bare hands & then turn out the cake onto a wire rack. Glaze cake while still warm.
GLAZE: Confectioners sugar and some additional apricot nectar mixed to desired consistency. Sprinkle with light dusting of powdered sugar.
*The Apricot cake can also be a strawberry cake using strawberry nectar instead.

A Handmade Christmas.

Long before the stockings were hung by the chimney with care & the pitter-patter of tiny hooves on the rooftop were heard our family decided a Handmade Christmas was in order. Considering the distance we have to drive returning to Texas & the time we wanted to spend with family once we arrived I was glad we opted for our handmade items as the majority of our family gifts. The girls had been beading, scrap booking & knitting for somewhere between full time job & college hours. I of course was not as on the ball as my girls & had some of my projects running right until I wrapped them up & placed them under the tree. I completed one more Tee-Shirt memory quilt & countless knitted items as well as some photo tiles with some of my black & white photos. Early mornings & a few late nights made it all come together in time though. Possibly one of the more enjoyable projects for me was the Gingerbread cookies we decorated late one evening while watching Bing Crosby & Danny Kaye sing "White Christmas". A holiday movie favorite was all the better when it involved Royal Icing & Spices. The blogging daughter posted the recipe here:






























I even picked up a new technique from my daughter when she taught me how she made her knitted rosettes! Now I am wondering how many things can I put these little rosettes on?






















The handmade Christmas items are the ones we hold close to our hearts for many years to come. The loving care which went into them make them treasures for a lifetime.

Christmas Eve traditions~Tamales at home for the Holidays.

Forget the old saying about not taking the girl out of the country or the country out of the girl. You can't take the Tex-Mex out of this Texas gal! Living in a country & surrounded by Mexican food & cuisines ranging from Northern Mexico to Southern Mexico & borders beyond there is something to be said for the familiar Tex-Mex food I know & love. Our family has the traditional tamales for Christmas eve each year. This year was no exception. A few days prior to Christmas I was informed by our favorite tamale purveyors in town that they would have plenty of tamales on hand for Christmas Eve. "No need to order ahead" I was told... as I always have. (I hate changes I am not prepared for!) Not being one to trust fate to such a major part of Christmas Eve I was in the door of Juarez' very early on the morning Christmas Eve. Judging from the lines reaching out the door I was not the only one feeling uneasy about grabbing my allotment of tamales for my family. Once we drove our tamales home, did a little Christmas shopping, had Starbucks (All roads lead to Starbucks don't they?) we landed in the kitchen at home to whip up a batch of our favorite quickie Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas. While these aren't the most traditional of recipes the flavors are creamy, cheesy & very quick to prepare. From our home to yours for the Holidays~Feliz Navidad.
















Family Christmas Eve 2008: Tamales, Enchiladas & a few fresh veggies highlighted the evening. The menu may change but the tamales always have a staring roll year after year!























Easy 3 Cheese Enchiladas
1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (6 oz. by weight)
1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese (6 oz. by weight)
1 8-ounce package softened Cream Cheese
2 cans Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce, red
1 medium red or yellow Bell Pepper (1/2 diced & 1/2 cut into strips)
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion, minced
1 can of black beans, drained & rinsed
1 teaspoon ground Cumin
12-15 corn tortillas

Combine 1 cup of Monterrey Jack Cheese, 1 cup of Cheddar Cheese, the Cream Cheese, the red pepper, onions and cumin. Mix Well.
Heat corn tortillas, dip tortillas one at a time into enchilada sauce, coating the tortillas.
Spoon 1/4 cup of the Cheese Mixture down the center of each Tortilla. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. black beans over cheese mixture.
Roll and place the Tortillas, seam side down, in a 9" x 13" pan. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchilada. Cover with the remaining 1 cup of Cheese. I garnish the top with 2 Tbsp. minced onion & pepper strips.

Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until hot.