Cinco de Mayo Round-Up

Pin It After sharing with you a meal fit for a Cinco de Mayo celebration, I thought I would share a few more recipes from the archives to round out your fiesta.  From appetizers and snacks like guacamoles and salsas to main events like chicken tortilla soup (a hearty warm bowl for those of you who experienced a snow storm yesterday!?!) and chilaques, I think there is a little something for everyone.  The one thing that you may notice missing from the line-up is something sweet to end the meal.  I'll save that one for tomorrow☺.

Appetizers/Snacks

Chile con Queso

Guacamole with Pico de Gallo

Mango Guacamole

Shrimp and Spanish Chorizo Bites

Shrimp with a Chipotle Dipping Sauce

Sweet Potato Chips with Lime Salt

Tejas (phyllo crackers) with Sunflower Seeds

Tomatillo and Poblano Guacamole

Beverage

Blackberry Margarita

Bread

Flour Tortillas

Salsa

Fire-Roasted Tomato Salsa

Pico de Gallo

Mains

Chicken Chilaquiles

Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Pie

Chicken Flautas in a Roasted Tomatillo Broth

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Ceviche Verde

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce

Grilled Steak Fajitas

Soups

Albóndigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sides

Sautéed Corn with Manchego and Lime

Rice

Mexican Red Rice

Mexican Rice with Tomatoes and Beans

Spicy Minced Pork in Lettuce Bundles

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Not exactly the catchiest title, right?  What this dish lacks in its name, it makes up for in taste and fun-to-eat charm.  Here we have a great, low-carb way to transport a delicious mix of pork and vegetables from the plate to your mouth.  I like to think of them as Asian style pork "tacos".  No matter what you want to call them, you and your fellow diners (my kids love them) will enjoy a light and crunchy, yet savory meal that will make the list for fun weeknight meals.

These can also be served buffet style as an appetizer or light bite.  I normally double the proportions for a weeknight dinner with lunchbox leftovers. To make an even more substantial and healthy meal, I serve the pork and lettuce cups with julienned vegetables, like red bell peppers and carrots.  My children like to add mung bean noodles and sometimes sprouts to their "tacos".  A spoonful of chopped honey roasted peanuts, a sprinkle of additional cilantro, and a dash of extra hot sauce will complete the bundle.  

Chicken and Corn Patties with a Roasted Red Pepper Mayonnaise

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Leftovers.  You either love them or heave them.  With four hungry mouths to feed, I am most definitely in the love category.   Heating up leftovers can come in handy and still be tasty, but-- boring.  When I have a chance, I like to transform them into a completely different meal.  This past Monday, I grilled two Brown Sugar Chickens with the intention of having leftovers.  With some uncooked ears of corn bought for that meal taking up space on my kitchen counter, I knew these tasty cakes were going to be on the menu this week.

Along with the chicken and corn, I add sautéed red onion, some herbs from the garden, lemon juice, and cayenne for a kick.  An egg and panko crumbs are used for binding and breading.  But what really makes these patties crowd pleasers is the red pepper mayo.  Instead of plain ol' mayo, I jazz it up with a purée of roasted red bell pepper and garlic.  It's a simple and flavorful combination.  A little of it goes into the patty mixture and the rest is served on the side.  Serve with a simple salad and some sliced garden tomatoes for a complete weeknight meal.  I made these patties with salvaged parts of another meal, but you can pick up a store bought rotisserie chicken in a pinch because they are definitely worthy of intentional meal status.

Guinness and Cheddar Meatloaf

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Lamb, Guinness, and a good Irish Cheddar, all wrapped in bacon and glazed with more Guinness, um....yum! Could there be a more perfect meal than that for St. Patrick's Day?  Possibly, but for know, I am going with this wonderful meatloaf recipe packed full of flavor.  

The original recipe called for a mixture of ground beef and lamb, but since this has an Irish twist with the addition of a stout beer and cheddar, I figured the lamb would be a good pairing.  I omitted the celery and carrots because I do not care for a meatloaf packed with veggies.  I like to keep it simple with lots of onions and a bit of garlic in order for the flavor of the meat to shine through.  After all, this is a meatloaf, not a veggieloaf (save the vegetables for a side dish).  I also like a tightly textured meatloaf when I slice into it.  I drives me bonkers when I see a beautiful meatloaf that falls apart when cut, so I use the food processor to process the meat a bit further.  Fewer binders are needed and the end result is much more juicy and tender.  Wrapping it in bacon adds flavor to an already tasty mixture. Also, I had a half bottle of Guiness Extra Stout left over from the reduction and I knew I could put it to a good use.  Down the hatch was my first thought, but I resisted and decided to take a pointer from the Triple Chocolate Guinness Cookies and made a reduced syrup to glaze the top.  Boy, oh boy! Is this ever good.  There is sweetness from the glaze, smokiness from the bacon, and a deep, rich flavor from the meats and cheese.  My middle child doesn't particularly care for lamb.  After she asked for seconds, I let her in on the main ingredient.  She was surprised.  I believe her words were, "If all lamb tasted like this, I would eat it all the time."

I wrote the recipe for one large loaf, but I actually made two.  One for dinner and one for leftovers.  Not just warmed up leftovers, but sandwiches made with toasted white bread, a good schmear of mayonnaise, and pickled red onions.  I might make it again just for the sandwiches ☺! 

Dry Brined-High Heat Roast Turkey

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We are spending Thanksgiving this year at my parent's house and although my mother and father will be going back to basics (why mess with what is already good?) with the bird and all the trimmings, I make sure to make the whole nine yards just for leftovers when we get home for that late night turkey sandwich plate:)  I have shared appetizers, side dishes, breads, and dessert (all can be found on my recipe link at the top of the page), so now I would like to share with you our menu with any links to previous recipes and the recipe for the main event-- the TURKEY!

Thanksgiving 2011

Curried Chicken Log

(why my family insists on having chicken before turkey is beyond me)

Caramelized Pear and Gruyère Torta

 Smoked Salmon Stuffed Deviled Eggs

Roast Turkey

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Cornbread Dressing with Fresh Herbs

Creamed Corn

Sweet Potatoes baked with a Pecan Streusel and Marshmallows

Steamed White Rice

Giblet Gravy

Southern Green Beans

Braised Onions and Bacon

Buttery Pan Rolls

Buttermilk Tart

Browned Butter Pecan Tart

Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Truffles

Now that I have you all good and hungry, it is time to get down to Tom, (Turkey that is).  This is hands down my favorite way to cook a turkey.  I use two methods to achieve the juiciest and best tasting turkey meat.  It also helps that I buy, in my opinion, the best bird.  I can't recommend enough the poultry products from Bell & Evans.  They are air chilled, antibiotic free, and organic with deep poultry flavor.  Yes, you will pay more, but the end result is worth it.  If Bell & Evans' products are not available to you, then find the freshest turkey in your area.  Steer clear of the frozen ones that have been injected with some sort of solution and extra fats.  They have too much white meat and too little flavor.  Now that I have given you some fundamentals for turkey purchasing, on to the method.

As I stated, I use two methods.  One is a dry brine and the other is a high heat roast.  I'll start with the dry brine.  Dry brining (rubbing kosher salt between the meat and the skin) balances the moisture in the bird and pulls the seasoning deep into the meat, not just on top of the skin.  I have used a wet brine before, but I feel that the dry brine leaves a better texture meat (firm, not mushy) that is still flavorful and very moist.  The high heat method is an easier and quicker way to roast a bird; no turing and no basting.  I can roast a 12-13 pound turkey in 1 1/2 hours!  For more on this method, you can find some good reading here, or check out the cookbook Roasting by Barbara Kafka.  Since you are roasting a turkey at 500º F, make sure your oven is clean.  A dirty oven means a lot of smoke, so turn the vents on.

To help you with the process, I have included a few step-by-steps below.  

Warning: Graphic turkey images.

Hellloooo!  Anybody in there?! (Sorry, couldn't help myself:)

First, choose a 12-15 pound fresh turkey.  Remove and reserve the giblets and neck for gravy, if making. Trim any excess fat from the cavity.

Carefully separate the skin from the meat. Separate the skin on each breast separately leaving the skin on the middle of the breast bone intact.  I like to use my fingers, but...

a chopstick can also help you get started.  Just make sure to press against the meat and not into the skin.  You do NOT want to break the skin.  Doing so will expose the meat to the high cooking temperature, which will result in dry meat.

Go on, get your hand in there; nothing to be afraid of.

Continue with the legs and thighs, wrapping your fingers around the leg and thigh meat to loosen the skin. It may look difficult, but once you start it becomes fairly easy.  Once the skin has been separated, sprinkle measured amounts (see recipe below) of kosher (see brand specific below) salt into the cavity, and rub into the breast, legs and thighs.  (Sorry, no picture.  Hard to do that and hold a camera at the same time:)

Wrap the turkey tightly in plastic wrap, place on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.  Remove the turkey from the refrigerator, unwrap, and thoroughly rinse of excess salt.  Gently run water in between the skin and meat several times to rinse the salt.  You don't want a salty bird or salty pan drippings.  Drain and completely dry the turkey inside and out with paper towels.  A dry skin will make for a crisp skin.  Wet skin will simply steam.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an ice bag or freezer pack on top.  Place the turkey breast side down on the ice.  Place another bag on the neck of the turkey, making sure that the ice is not touching any of the dark meat.  Since white meat cooks faster than dark meat, this method ensures that the dark meat is is cooked thoroughly without the breast meat being overdone and dried out.  

Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 500º F (yes, that high).  Place a V-rack in a large, heavy-duty roasting pan.  Place the turkey in the V-rack breast side up.  Cover the tips of the wings and legs with small sheets of aluminum foil to prevent burning.  Roast the turkey until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165º F (the temperature will continue to rise while resting).  Check the turkey after 30 minutes.  If the breast seems to be browning too quickly, lay a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the breast.  Remove the foil 30 minutes before the turkey is done.  A 12-pound bird will take about 1 hour 20 minutes.  A 15-pound bird will roast up to 2 hours.

Carefully drain the juices from the cavity of the bird into the roasting pan.  Reserve the juices for gravy and drizzling over unbaked dressing. (I yield almost 1 cup of juices and about 1/4 cup fat from a 12 1/2-pound turkey).  Transfer the turkey to a cutting board; lightly tent with aluminum foil and rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving.

You can certainly go for presentation points and present your beautifully browned bird atop a bed of greens and herbs for a final resting place on your holiday table before... 

carving the meat, which has been roasted to perfection!  The dark meat is completely cooked through and the white meat is still juicy and tender.  After all that work, I am ready for a sandwich:)

I almost forgot-- here is a great kitchen tip for reheating Thanksgiving leftovers (without the microwave).

Reheating Turkey Leftovers 

Corn Polenta with Bacon and Fontina

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Comfort food.  What could possibly make it any better?  Versatility, that's what. We'll get to that after I sketch the outline. The original recipe called for only 1/4 cup of onion-- what?!  We like onion so I throw in a whole medium yellow onion.  I use a touch more garlic and reserve the bacon as a garnish for texture-- creamy polenta and crunchy bacon means yum! Some crushed red pepper flakes never hurts either.

Back to that beautiful "V" word, I serve it as a side to roast meats, meatballs, and roasted vegetables.  I send it for lunches packed in thermoses and we even enjoy it all by itself. However, there is another way, and it is my favorite way. First, crack open the windows to let the cool Fall air stream in.  Then, put on your favorite bulky sweater (hoodie- optional).  Ladle a good scoop of the creamy, cheesy polenta into a shallow bowl.  Fry up an an egg, gently place it on top, and garnish with the salty, smoky bacon bits and fresh parsley.  Set your hard working body down into your favorite comfy chair and dig in-- mmm!  Now the only thing keeping you from getting out of that chair (and right back in) is dessert.

Grillades and Grits

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Aside from roast chicken, I don't repeat many main dishes for Sunday dinner.  There are so many seasonal recipes to make and it's hard to resist trying out new ones, too.  I won't be making this dish for quite some time, so I thought I would share the recipe.

Grillades and Grits is good creole comfort food.  It is beef or veal (I prefer the veal) that is pounded very thin, browned on both sides, and simmered in a broth/wine/vegetable mixture. The meat becomes fork tender while the gravy deepens in color and flavor. It is then served over a generous helping of stone ground grits. Garnish with a few chopped green onions for more color and flavor, then give it a few dashes of Tabasco for a kick. Take a fork (no knife needed, but you should use one to be polite at the dinner table:) and dive on in!

Oh, and if you have the time, make the grillades and gravy (not the grits) the day before. As good as it is the day you make it, it really has that "next day better goodness", making it a perfect dish for entertaining.

Antipasto Chopped Chicken Salad

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After enjoying heavy (but delicious) Sunday dinners, I usually try to serve at least one main-dish salad for dinner on a weekday.  This salad is so satisfying that I wind up serving it twice in one week.  The best description for this salad is Italian antipasto platter meets American Cobb salad.  Served with some warm crusty bread, it is a filling meal.  It has meats, cheeses, veggies and greens, and it is dressed with a positively delectable vinaigrette that you will wind up dipping your bread into-- it is that good.

Whiskey Glazed Corned Beef

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I just couldn't write another post without first sharing this recipe.  As much as I enjoy the traditional New England boiled dinner, this recipe is a "pot o' gold".  The meat is simmered slowly on the stove top for several hours until it is fork tender (This step can be done the day before).  Then it is glazed with a sweet whiskey sauce and placed under the broiler until it is dark and sticky.  Sliced not too thick, but not too thin--it just melts in your mouth.  My son couldn't believe that he didn't need a knife to cut his meat and my youngest just kept asking for more "ham"--blame that one on the nitrates☺. 

The only downside to this dish is that when you serve it family style in the middle of the table like I do, it disappears way too fast.  It is nearly impossible to keep yourself from going back for more.  It's a good thing I made two, because the one pictured above is all gone and I need leftovers for corned beef hash.  Wait, I also need some for reuben sandwiches for dinner one night this week.  Oh corned beef, is there anything you CAN'T do?

Red Beans and Rice

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Red Beans and Rice--I don't know life without it.  It was a staple in my Southern household.  We ate it all year long, not just during the revelry of Mardi Gras.  Instead of giving you my thoughts on this creole classic, I thought you would be humored by the thoughts of my husband.  He is a born and bred midwesterner to whom all things cajun/creole might as well be from a different planet.  At this time, I would like to introduce you to my husband and devoted taste tester, David.


Red Beans and Rice smells like the house of a voodoo priestess.  "Now I'm gonna stab this live chicken in the neck and its still-beating heart is gonna pulse blood all over these dolls of your enemies and...hold on while I go stir the beans on the stove."  It smells of humidity, Spanish moss, witch doctors, and mashed up folk religion.  All in a good way, that is, to a nose that did not enjoy its pleasures until adulthood.   There are seemingly eighty-seven levels of flavor in this dish, each one contributed by a different cultural source.  Splash some Tabasco on a hot bowl and dig deep.  Your dreams will have you running around one of those above-ground tomb cemeteries dodging ghosts and the like.  O.K., at least mine will.      


Alllrighty then.  I guess what he is trying to tell you is that he really loves this dish.  Slow cooked beans with sausage, ham hocks, and some veggies for good measure--what's not to love?

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

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Can one have too many recipes for macaroni and cheese?  I think not.  I have several.  Months ago, I posted my stove-top version.  It is quick, easy, creamy, and really delicious.  This recipe is a baked version.  There is a bit more labor, but loads more flavor. The extra time involved is completely worth it.  This time of year, I like to serve it as a main dish with slow roasted Roma tomatoes and a green salad.   Sometimes I add diced ham or chicken and veggies, like sautéed mushrooms and onions.  It is also a great side dish to a baked ham or a roasted rack of pork.  I must warn you though, this recipe feeds a crowd.   Therefore, it is great for holiday entertaining, but it can easily be halved to enjoy on weeknights.

Even with all of the flavor here, the thing that might really get you pushing the "have another bite" button with this mac and cheese is the play on texture.  Cheesy, soft noodles topped with buttered, crisp bread cubes--creamy and crunchy all in one bite--yes, please!  It is some serious comfort food.  Since I recently shared with you my White Bread recipe, you can now make this dish.  O.K., of course you can still make this if you don't make your own bread, but I must say the buttery flavor of homemade bread cubes--yum-yum!

Chicken and Slicks

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My favorite meal growing up was my mom's Chicken-n-Dumplings.  Tender biscuits, moist chicken, velvety broth, a few veggies for good measure--it was comfort food at its best.  I can still taste it to this day.  Recently I came across this recipe for Chicken and Slicks in Cook's Country magazine.  I was immediately intrigued by the name.  I had never heard of it or had it, but somehow I felt quite familiar with it.  How?  Why?  Well, it turns out it is an old Appalachian dish.  My family heritage goes back in the Carolina Appalachia (bluegrass banjo pickin' and all), so it all began to make sense.    

If you love dumplings, noodles, and chicken, then this dish is for you.  It is basically chicken noodle soup on steroids.  The homemade "slicks" are wide, noodle-like dumplings that are quite slippery, hence the name.  The broth is thickened with a dry roux and I threw in a few veggies just like Mom for good measure.  

When my children asked me what we were having for dinner, they looked at me with a high brow.  Chicken and Slicks sounded foreign, but one bite erased any doubt and they were quickly excusing themselves from the table for seconds.  I guess it's in their blood.

Making the slicks does take a little extra time, but the results are completely worth it.  All components can be made ahead of time; the broth and chicken up to 2 days and the "slick" dough up to 1 day.  Instead of making the dough by hand, the recipe uses the food processor for ease.  I found the dough very easy to work with.  

Once processed, turn the dough onto a very lightly floured (you really don't need much at all) surface.

Knead until smooth.

Divide the dough in half.

Roll each dough half into a 10-inch square of 1/8-inch thickness

Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut the dough into 5-inch by 1-inch rectangles.

Stack the slicks between layers of parchment paper and freeze briefly before simmering in the broth.

Then after finishing the broth, you will have yourself a bowl of some down home yum!