Enchiladas

I grew up knowing and cooking one type of enchilada - which makes the tortilla almost lasagna like,
but have expanded my horizons to a new manner, which everyone (including myself) likes better.

First the old way with a traditional red sauce:

Enchiladas - Red, soft

§       6 Whole wheat tortillas

§       1 32 oz can tomato sauce or puree

§       8 oz Monterrey Jack Cheese, sliced length-wise (about 1 & 1/4 oz)

          an optional cheese is queso fresco, crumbled

§       1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterrey Jack)

§       green pepper, sliced length-wise

§       Jalapeno, sliced length-wise

§       1 bunch course chopped cilantro

§       1 tablespoon Cumin

§       2 tablespoon Chili powder (commercial grade)

§       Corn oil (enough to coat the pan)

§       salt

To make the enchilada sauce (no, do not buy it!):

mix tomato sauce with all the cumin and chili powder and salt (to taste)

§       add the jack cheese, cilantro and pepper slices (either mild or hot or a mix) to tortillas and roll.

§       Put corn oil into a baking pan and mix.

§       Turn the tortillas in the oil to coat completely.

§       Smother the rolled tortillas with your enchilada sauce

§       top each  with shredded cheese.

bake @ 350 for 30 minutes 

My new way: which is crispy and very refreshing

Enchiladas - chicken, crispy

§       6 wheat tortillas

§       1 16 oz can tomato sauce or puree

§        ~ 2 lbs chicken breast

§       16 oz chicken broth

§       8 oz Monterrey Jack Cheese, sliced length-wise (about 1 & 1/4 oz)

          an optional cheese is queso fresco, crumbled

§       1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)

§       green pepper, sliced length-wise

§       Jalapeno, sliced length-wise

§       1 bunch cilantro, chopped course

§       3 teaspoons Cumin

§       3 teaspoons Chili powder (commercial grade)

§       Corn oil (enough to coat the pan)

§       salt

§       To make the enchilada sauce (no, do not buy it!):

o     mix tomato sauce, 2 teaspoons each of cumin and chili powder

o     salt to taste

§       Cook the chicken in broth with 1 teaspoon each of cumin and chili powder

§       allow chicken to cool and then drain and shred

        (use the liquid as a base for a like a corn-tortilla soup)

§       mix the enchilada sauce with the chicken

§       add a the Jack cheese, cilantro, the chicken mixture and pepper slices

          (either mild or hot or a mix) to tortillas and roll.

§       Put corn oil and chili powder and cumin into a baking pan and mix.

§       Turn the tortillas in the oil to coat completely.

§       add a small amount of enchilada sauce to the center of each rolled tortillas

§       top with shredded cheese.

§       bake @ 350 for 30 minutes or until light brown

there are alternative sauces - I make a mean green one that is great also!

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Me and pork chops

No I have not written much lately, but I have been doing a boat load of cooking, just not writing it down.

Pork chops with corn flakes

§       4 thick cut pork chops (over 1/2 inch)

§       1 cup corn flakes, crushed to about 1/4 inch size

§       2 eggs, beaten

§       1/2 long green Italian pepper, minced

§       garlic powder

        (was not sure how regular garlic would stay on the chop, so used powdered)

§       salt

§       black pepper

§       olive oil

liberally coat each chop with salt, pepper and garlic powder

add olive oil to coat the bottom of a baking pan

pre-heat oven to 375 F

set up the "breading station" in the following order

In separate dishes place eggs, then peppers, then corn flakes in order

dip each chop on each side in order of the dishes and place in pan

cook for 30 minutes at 375 F THEN reduce the heat to 275 F for 45 min

check the temperature (should be over 165 F, FDA says 135 F is fine)

sorry FDA, I don't believe you cause I saw cases of Trichinosis the year you changed the rules!

a lot of cooking but little posting

Christmas season is a season for me doing things i am not used to doing...
baking particularly, but also some of the main proteins.
I have made some mistakes - like drying out a meat because i was cooking something else that needed a higher temperature than i needed to cook the meat at...gravy fixed that, but back to baking..

my favorite and easiest recipe is something i can not imagine doing without modern tools, like electric mixers, yet my mom learned this from family who did just that and i do not think i would want to arm wrestle them!

I have adopted the basic idea of this recipe to things like corn bread because the flour used is not what sticks this cake together!

Karidopida

Greek nut cake

Ingredients:

8 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice (though nutmeg can be used, it is not traditional)

1 teaspoon finely diced orange peel (zest)

1/8 teaspoon cream of tarter (to acidify the eggs, they whip better)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

2 cups chopped or ground hazelnuts (i like hazelnuts, but walnuts can be used)

after baking, the cake can be soaked with a syrup which needs the following:

1/2 cup sugar

1 whole orange (minus the zest used in the cake and without the rind, which is bitter)

1/4 cup honey

1 cup water

Greeks generally use 1/2 cup of fortified wine (sherry or port), but it is an option

this is reduced by 1/4 volume and then strained and cooled, but kept slightly warm

making the cake

whisk the egg whites with the cream of tarter until stiff and then set aside

Whisk the egg yokes until thick then add the sugar and spices and continue to mix

separately, mix the flour, salt and baking powder

If using an electric mixer, change to a paddle and mix in the flour

remove from the mixer and fold in the egg whites (you must fold it!)

Fold in the nuts

Pour into a 9 x 12 greased cake pan

cook at 350 F for 40 minutes

Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes

the cake may be topped with the syrup or dust it with powdered sugar

serve cool

a hangin' offence

What i did today would earn me a quick trip to the nearest cottonwood tree in my home state of Texas.
Chili, you see, is something of national, excuse me, state pride (I forgot for a moment that Texas is no longer its own country) and must be made of beef and have a deep red color through out.  It is not low fat and does not have a lot of vegetables, (though one must remember that peppers are a kind of fruit, seeds on the inside) but onions are vegetables and all my Texas chili has onion (without complaint from the chili board).
Today though, i dared to make something I called green chili chicken chili and i now wait for the dreaded knock on my door, even though i am many states away...

Green Chicken Chili

1.   3 lbs of ground chicken

2.   5 green chilies, diced

3.   1 and 1/2 red onion, diced

4.   16 oz Recaito (from Goya)

5.   1 tablespoon chili powder (commercial)

6.   juice of 1 lime

7.   1 or 2 beers (minus a swig or 2)

8.   1 cup bell peppers, diced

9.   salt to taste

all my chili is begun by cooking the meat first, adding liquid and then all the peppers and onions and then the spices.

I cook for a minimum of 3 hours at a low simmer, adding more beer as needed

leftover turkey

What?  You say it is all gone?
I do not believe you America!
There has to be turkey to make great turkey sandwiches or horrible casseroles or even a good soup for cold days.
Freeze it? naw, use it in a good turkey salad and you will not have any left over!
this is my twist and it is good!

Turkey Salad

1.   3 cups turkey, cut into ~ 1/2 inch cubes

          white, dark or mixed meat, but all white is best

2.   1/2 cup mayonnaise

          or as little as 1/4 cup, but no less

3.   1/4 teaspoon dry Chipolte peppers, minced fine

4.   1/2 large red onion, minced fine

5.   1/2 cup fresh celery, diced fine

6.   1/2 teaspoon black pepper, coarse grind

7.   1/4 teaspoon curry powder

          (yes, i know this is not real, but just run with it)

8.   salt to taste

mix all the ingredients together except the turkey

heat the turkey (sauce pan or microwave)

        if you use a microwave - use glass -phthalates do leech in from plastic

mix the turkey into the other ingredients while it is still warm

cool in the refrigerator and serve cold.

Pumpkin stew with lamb

I love pumpkin as pie, but love savory pumpkin even more.

This was a test which came out very different, but very good

(I have thrown out other experiments that did not go so well)

Do NOT expect a traditional pumpkin flavor!

§       2 lamb chops, leave the fat

§       1 medium to small pumpkin

          (best to fit in a cast iron Dutch oven,

          but I have done this in a 9 x 9 glass baking tray)

§       1 medium union, sliced into strips

§       5 mint leaves

§       2 teaspoons black pepper

          (to add a bit of kick, but reduce to one if you do not want much kick)

§       1 to 3 cups of rose or white wine

        (depending on the size of the pumpkin)

§       2 teaspoons lemon

§       1/2 teaspoon salt

Remove the top of the pumpkin and hollow out the stringy stuff and seeds

(but save the seeds for roasted pumpkin seeds)

place the lamb chops on end inside the pumpkin with the mint, lemon

cover with the onions

cover the onions with wine

cook at 275 for 3 hours or until the pumpkin is soft

I have always been afraid of baking bread

till yesterday at least,  when i decided to go for it.
I always thought that it required to much time and i have been an impatient man,
but everything came together and this is what i went with

No-Knead Bread
makes 1 loaf

·       3 cups all purpose flour

·       1 packet active dry yeast

·       1-1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

·       1-1/2 cups water

·       1 tablespoon olive oil

Add flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl.

Add 1 1/2 cups of warm water (between 90-100 F and mix.

This should be a thick, gooey dough.

Cover with a damp towel and leave it in a warm spot in the house.

Let it sit for 3-4 hours until dough has doubled in size.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle flour on it.

Knead two or three times to form it into a ball.

Coat with a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking, and place back into the bowl and let it rest for 15 minutes covered.

Pre-heat oven to 450°F.

Place a Dutch with the lid on in the oven and allow to heat up for 15 minutes.

Uncover the dough just before placing it carefully into the heated pot.

You will hear a sizzle, this forms a crust on the bottom of the loaf. Cover the pot with a lid and bake undisturbed for 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake for another 15-20 minutes until it’s beautifully browned on top.

Remove pot from oven and carefully shake to loosen the loaf before tipping it out onto the counter, then cool on a wire rack.