Tarragon Beef

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

1 lb sirloin (sliced into 1/4" strips)
2 T flour
salt and pepper
1 T garlic powder
1 onion (sliced)
10 button mushrooms (sliced)
4 T canola oil
1 c beef stock
1 8oz pkg sour cream
2 T dijon mustard
1/4 c chopped fresh tarragon
1 pkg extra wide egg noodles

1. In a large sauce pan, put water on to boil for the noodles. After a hard boil starts, cook noodles according to package directions.

2. In a large skillet, heat 2 T of oil over medium high heat. Saute onion slices (should fall apart into rings) until caramelized.

3. Add mushroom slices and saute with the onions until they release their juices. Remove onion and mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.

4. In a large zip lock bag, combine flour, salt, pepper, and garlic. Shake the bag to mix it up. Add the beef strips to the flour mixture and shake to coat the strips.

5. Heat the remaining 2 T of oil in the skillet. Add the meat and brown the outside of the meat (try to leave the center of the strips medium to medium rare). Remove the beef strips to the bowl with the onions and mushrooms.

6. Over medium high heat, add 1 T of the flour mixture to the drippings in the skillet. Add a little more oil if the pan is too dry. Stirring constantly, make a rue.

7. Add the beef broth the the flour rue and stir together (be sure to mix well to avoid lumps).

8. Add the mushrooms, onions, and beef to the skillet with the beef broth. Bring to a low simmer and reduce heat to medium low.

9. Stirring constantly, add in the mustard. Let cook for 2 minutes to release the mustard flavor into the dish. DO NOT let this boil. If you stir constantly, this will heat up but not boil. If it boils, the mustard will turn bitter.

10. Remove from heat and add the sour cream and tarragon to the mixture. Stir to combine.

11. Serve over egg noodles with a sprinkle of fresh tarragon.

NOTE: This recipe is very similar to my beef stroganoff recipe, but the mustard and tarragon add an unexpected surprise that is super yummy.

ENJOY!

Holiday Posole

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 1/2 hours

2 lbs cubed pork loin
1 medium onion(large dice)
2 T canola oil
6 c chicken stock or water
salt and pepper
1 T garlic powder
1 1/2 t ground cumin
2 T red chile powder
2 cans yellow or white
hominy (drained)
sour cream
shredded cheese
red chile sauce

1. In a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Saute onions until translucent.

2. Add pork cubs to the onion and brown the outside of the pork.

3. Add red chile powder, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper to the pork mixture and saute for 30 seconds to release the flavor in the spices.

4. Add chicken stock to the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour or until pork is very tender.

5. Add hominy to the soup and bring back to a simmer.

6. Serve in a bowl topped with shredded cheese, red chile sauce (if you want some extra spice), and sour cream.

Note: We always had this on Christmas Eve back in New Mexico. I love this soup whenever it gets cold though. This can also be made in the crock pot by adding the onions, pork, spices, and stock to the pot and cooking on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. Add the hominy in towards the end so that they don't turn to mush.

ENJOY!

Breakfast Burritos

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

18 eggs

1/2 c milk

1 lb thick cut bacon

1 medium onion(diced)

4 potatoes

2 T canola oil

cooking spray

1 c cheese

salt and pepper

1 t garlic powder

red chile sauce

6 tortillas

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and cube potatoes into 1/4 - 1/2 inch cubes. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Layer potato cubes in one layer on the cookie sheet and spray potatoes with cooking spray. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and tender.

2. Layer bacon in a single layer on a microwave safe plate and cover with a paper towel. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, cook in additional 1 minute intervals until bacon is crisp. Cook in batches if you have to.

3. While bacon is cooking, cook the egg mixture. Combine the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic. Beat until well combined.

4. In a large sauce pan, heat oil and saute onions until translucent. Add egg mixture and cook until scrambled and are no longer runny.

5. Add cheese to egg mixture and stir to combine.

6. When bacon is crisp, remove from plate and pat excess grease off of bacon strips. Break the bacon into 1/2 inch pieces. Add to egg mixture.

7. Remove potatoes from oven and add to egg mixture. Add red chile sauce. Stir to combine.

8. Heat tortillas, one at a time, in the microwave for 15 seconds. Place about a cup and a half of burrito filling in the center of the tortilla and wrap up (be sure to fold in at least one of the ends). Plate and serve.

Note: You don't have to add in the red chile, that is how I eat these burritos though. My husband likes green chile in them too. These can be made in very large quantities and frozen for easy breakfast. If you do freeze them, wrap them well in foil (individually) and put 4 or 5 together in a zip lock bag. To reheat in the microwave, take off the foil and zap for 5 minutes and additional 1 minute intervals until heated through. To reheat in the oven, heat oven to 400 and place burrito on rack. Bake for 30 minutes, check center temp and add more time if needed.

ENJOY!

Red Chile Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

1 c New Mexico red chile powder
4 c chicken stock
1 medium onion (diced)
2 T canola oil
1 T garlic powder
2 t ground cumin
1/2 t cinnamon


1. In a mixing bowl, combine chile powder and 2 cups of chicken stock. Mix well to form a paste. Set aside.

2. In a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Saute onions until translucent.

3. Stirring constantly, add garlic, cumin, and cinnamon to the onions. Saute for 30 seconds to release the flavors of the seasoning.

4. Still stirring, add the red chile paste. Heat for 1 minute constantly stirring.

5. Stir in stock and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until desired consistency is achieved. Be sure to stir frequently to avoid scorching the sauce.

Note: I like to use 1/2 cup of hot chile powder and 1/2 cup of mild chile powder to create a medium spice. This sauce will keep in the fridge up to 2 weeks. I like to make red chile ice cubes and keep them in the freezer to add to soups or whatever.

ENJOY!

Curry Chicken Wrap

1 c mayonnaise
2 T chopped fresh basil
2 t garlic powder
1 T curry powder
2 chicken breast
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1/2 c finely chopped celery
1 head romaine lettuce (shredded)
8 strips of bacon (crisp)
1 can pineapple tidbits
1 avocado (sliced)
salt and pepper to taste
4 tortillas

1. Season chicken breast and grill. Chunk into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside to cool.

2. Combine mayonnaise, basil, garlic, and curry in a food processor and blend until well combined.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, onion, celery, and curry mayonnaise. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of the mayonnaise for the wrap. (The curry flavor will be better if you let this stay in the fridge covered for a few hours).

4. On a tortilla, spread a thin layer of curry mayonnaise on the bottom half.

5. Put a generous handful of shredded lettuce in a line in the center of the tortilla.

6. Put a about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture in a line just below the lettuce.

7. On top of the chicken, place avocado slices in a line and top with a couple of bacon slices.

8. Sprinkle the pineapple chunks in a line just below the chicken.

9. Roll the sandwich up and eat.

Note: This is also great as a salad.

ENJOY!

Mac & Cheese

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

4 T unsalted butter
2 T flour
2 c milk
1 c shredded cheddar
1/2 c shredded Parmesan
1/2 c shredded jack
1 pkg elbow macaroni
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large sauce pan, put water on to boil for the noodles.

2. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium high heat.

3. After the butter has stopped foaming, add the flour and stir constantly, to avoid scorching the rue (rue is a base for many sauces and gravies), for 2 minutes or until mixture is slightly brown.

4. While stirring, slowly add the milk. You may need to add more milk if sauce is still too thick. You must constantly stir this mixture to avoid burning the sauce.

5. After white sauce is heated and while still stirring, add in all of the cheeses, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir until cheese is melted.

6. Once the water for the noodles is boiling, cook noodles according to package directions.

7. Drain the noodles and combine with cheese sauce.

Note: You can take this a step further if you like and place this in a baking dish, top with buttered bread crumbs, and bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or until bread crumbs are browned. Also, this recipe is great with ham cubes or tuna in it. If I'm feeling spicy, I like to add green chile to the mix.

ENJOY!

Dutch Baby with Blueberries

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

2 T unsalted butter
1 c flour
1 c milk
6 eggs (beaten)
1 c frozen blueberries
2 T water
1 T sugar
1/4 c powdered sugar


1. Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Rack should be on the bottom level or next to bottom level to allow for the dutch baby to rise.

2. Put the butter in a 13x9 baking dish and put into oven to melt.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, milk, and eggs until there are no lumps.

4. When butter is melted in baking dish, swirl the dish around to coat the entire bottom. Pour the batter in the dish and bake for 20 minutes.

5. While dutch baby is cooking, prepare the blueberries. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, water, and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until the consistency is syrup like.

6. The dutch baby will come out of the oven and be HUGE. Almost instantly, it will shrink down. Cut into squares and serve with the blueberries and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Note: This is also known as a German Pancake, Oven Pancake, or Yorkshire Pudding.

ENJOY!

2.

Spaghetti

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes

1 lb lean ground beef
2 T canola oil
1 c yellow onion(diced)
10 large button mushrooms
(sliced)
1 large can crushed tomatoes
3 T tomato paste
1/4 c chopped fresh basil or
3 T dried basil
3 T chopped fresh oregano or
1 T dried oregano
3 T chopped fresh parsley or
1 T dried parsley
2 T garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg thin spaghetti noodles
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large sauce pan, put water on to boil (for noodles).

2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes.

3. Add mushrooms to onions and saute until mushrooms are tender and release their juices.

4. Add meat to the onion and mushroom mixture and cook until there is no pink in the meat.

5. Once the meat is fully cooked, add in the garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley and stir to combine.

6. Add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a low simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook until noodles are done, stirring occasionally.

7. Once the water is boiling, add noodles to the water and stir. Salt the water to season the noodles.

8. When the noodles are no longer tough, drain and return the noodles to the same pot. Pour sauce over the noodles and stir to combine.

9. Serve plated with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Note: You can make this recipe with bell peppers if you like. Just add them with the onions and mushrooms and saute until tender.

ENJOY!

Tortilla Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

2 chicken breast (trimmed)
2 T canola oil
1 c chopped yellow onion
1 large can crushed tomatoes
6 c chicken broth or water
1 bag plain tortilla chips
2 c frozen corn
1 can whole black beans(drained)
1 T red chile powder
1 T garlic powder
1 t cumin powder
2 t dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 Avocado
shredded cheese
sour cream
1 lime (cut into wedges)
1/4 c chopped cilantro

1. Season chicken breast, grill until done, cube, set aside.

2. In a large sauce pan, heat oil. Saute onion until translucent.

3. Add garlic, cumin, red chile, and oregano to onions and saute for 30 seconds to release the flavors of the dried herbs and spices.

4. Add tomatoes, broth, and a large handful of chips to the onion mixture. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.

5. With a hand held emulsifier or blender, blend the soup base to a smooth texture.

6. Add in the beans, corn, and chicken. Bring soup back to a simmer.

7. Serve the soup in a bowl and top with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, squeeze of lime juice, avocado slices, sour cream, and sprinkle of cilantro.

Notes: If you like a little extra spice, try using Rotel instead of plain tomatoes. Also, if you can get your hands on some, fresh roasted New Mexico green chile is great in this soup.

ENJOY!

Family and Food

I feel that families have strayed away from the dinner table. My family used to be one of those families that would grab a plate of food and eat in front of the TV. But, when my daughter was born, I realized that was not the place I wanted her to learn to eat. I had to retrain my self and my husband to forget about what was on the tube and spend time with our family around the table with some good food.

I live in Western Washington, spent some time in South Texas, and grew up in New Mexico. Alot of my food reflects where I have lived. I do have a tendency to cook alot of New Mexican flavors though. I try to keep all of my ingredients fresh but easy to prepare...it is hard to cook for 3-4 hours a day with a toddler around your ankles. I have figured out how to make alot of my recipes, that normally take a few hours to make, in 30 minutes to an hour. I also utilize my crock pot about once a week for some of the recipes that are more time consuming.

I hope that you find my recipes easy and delicious. I will admit that I don't really use a written recipe most of the time. Most of my cooking comes from trial and error with flavors and quantities. And, I will be the first to admit when one of my creations is not very good. My advice to anyone would be to read a little about different kinds of cooking (mexican, french, german, etc.) and take note of flavor profiles and cooking techniques. These little bit of information can help you create some new recipes of your own or help you recreate some of your favorite restaurant meals.

Have fun cooking!