Gorditas

You know...I don't give this blog enough attention....I publish blog posts on Keith's Space and Escapades almost everyday...and only write this one maybe once a week.... I keep saying that I'm going to cut down on those two blogs too, but I haven't...

Okay...got that out of my system....I'm here with a new and exotic dish....What you say are Gorditas??  I didn't know either until yesterday when somebody on Twitter brought it to my attention..

Crisp on the outside and soft within, these savory corn cakes are a great base for all types of toppings, from pulled pork to shredded chicken — an easy way to serve a variety of appetizers with little fuss. For a more luscious gordita, fry the dough in lard or butter instead of oil.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cup(s) masa harina, preferably Bob's Red Mill
• 1 1/4 cup(s) water
• 1/4 cup(s) vegetable oil, plus more for frying
• Shredded chicken, for serving
• Salsa, for serving
• Sour cream, for serving
• Cotija cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, mix the masa harina with the water and the 1/4 cup of oil. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a 10-inch log; cut into 10 pieces. Using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter, mold the pieces into flat disks a scant 1/2 inch thick.
2. Heat a large griddle or comal (a round, flat griddle). Add the gorditas and cook over high heat, turning once, until lightly browned in spots, about 2 minutes per side. Using the back of a spoon, lightly press an indentation in the center of each gordita.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil until shimmering. Add the gorditas and fry over high heat until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per side; drain on paper towels. Top the indentations with chicken, salsa, sour cream, and cheese and serve hot.

Serve with a nice red wine...or sangria!

Enjoy!  Eat Well My friends!

West Bank Wings

Super Bowl season is at hand....Trying to think of something to serve to the crowd that is coming over your house to watch the game on your wide screen flat TV...Yeah right? Well here is a recipe for West Bank Wings...A New Orleans treat! (And another shameless free plug for Zatarains!)



INGREDIENTS:


3 pounds chicken wing pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ZATARAIN'S® Creole Seasoning
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup cane syrup or molasses
1/4 cup ZATARAIN'S® Creole Mustard
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce, such as Thai Kitchen®
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sesame seeds


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss chicken wings with oil and Creole Seasoning in large bowl. Arrange wings in single layer on foil-lined large shallow baking pan.

2. Bake 35 minutes or until wings are cooked through and skin is crisp.

3. Mix remaining ingredients, except cilantro and sesame seeds, in large skillet. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer about 15 minutes or until sauce is reduced by a third and is a "syrup" consistency. Add wings; toss to coat with sauce. Transfer wings to serving platter. Garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Serves: Makes 10 appetizer servings.


Enjoy! Eat Well My Friends!

Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops

MMM, doesn't that look great??  Yes indeed....I know that I tend to favor Steak...But there is something to be said for Pork Chops...

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The glaze on these chops is irresistible thanks to a combination of flavor notes from sweet to spicy to smokey...


INGREDIENTS:

• 6 (1/2 inch thick; 1 pound total) smoked bone-in pork rib chops
• 1 teaspoon(s) dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon(s) light-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon(s) bourbon
• 1 tablespoon(s) safflower oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place pork chops on a paper-towel-lined tray, and pat dry. Combine mustard and cayenne pepper, and evenly season chops. Stir together sugar, bourbon, and 2 tablespoons water.
2. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear pork chops in batches until browned, about 2 minutes on each side (turn heat down if necessary to keep browned bits from burning). Remove chops from pan, and lower heat. Add bourbon mixture, scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon, and cook for 30 seconds, until reduced to a glaze. Return chops to pan, and cook, flipping, until chops are warmed through and completely glazed, about 1 minute.

Enjoy tonight! (I am) Eat well my friends!

Huevos Motuleños

I know you're probably asking- WHAT?  ...This is actually a breakfast dish...I should tell you that not everybody eats a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios for breakfast...This dish...Huevos Motulenos.. is a hearty Mexican favorite, this breakfast dish originated in the Yucatán Peninsula and consists of two eggs on a fried tostada with tomatoes, ham, peas, plátanos maduros, queso fresco, and, oftentimes, black beans.


INGREDIENTS:

• Olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 4 ounces sliced button or cremini mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups of refried black beans
• 6 fresh epazote leaves, finely chopped (optional)
• 1/4 pound chorizo Mexican sausage (out of casing)
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped
• 1/2 serrano chile with seeds, minced (stem discarded)
• 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 1 plantain
• 4 corn tortillas
• 4 to 8 eggs, depending on how many eggs people want

Garnishes:

• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced
• 4 ounces of queso fresco, crumbled
• Small bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and sliced mushrooms. Cook until onions are translucent, but not browned, and the mushrooms have given up some of their moisture, about 5 minutes. Stir in the refried beans and epazote (if using). Cook for another 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from pan into a bowl, set aside.

2. While onions and mushrooms are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in another, smaller sauté pan or cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add the chorizo (out of its casing), breaking it up into chunks. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned. Remove from pan into a bowl and set aside.

3. In a blender, blend together the chopped tomato, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 serrano chile, 1/2 cup of water, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and cook on medium high heat until cooked through, bubbly and thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and put into a small bowl, set aside.

4. Peel the plantain, slice it on the diagonal in 1/4 inch thick slices. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Line the pan with the plantain slices. Brown on one side, then flip and brown on the other side. Remove the plantain slices to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the oil in the pan.

5. Continue heating the oil on medium high heat. One at a time, cook the tortillas. Place a tortilla in the pan and cook until lightly browned and bubbles are forming in the tortilla. Flip over and cook until lightly browned on the other side too. Continue to cook until the tortilla is somewhat stiff. Use tongs to remove to a paper towel lined plate and continue the same process with the other tortillas. You will need to add more oil, make sure it heats up before adding another tortilla to the pan.

6. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a stick-free sauté pan (cast iron will work fine). Crack the eggs into the pan and cook, sunny side up, until egg whites are cooked and the yolks are still a little runny.

7. Assemble the dish. Place a cooked tortilla (tostada) on a large serving plate. Spread some beans over the tostada. Place a fried egg or two over the beans. Line the outside of the tostada with fried plantain, some chorizo. Put some salsa over the egg. Put sliced avocado on top of that. Sprinkle crumbled queso fresco over every thing. Sprinkle everything with fresh chopped cilantro.

Serves about four people....Serve with Tequila!

Enjoy....Eat well my friends.

Chicken & Rice Skillet with Cranberries

Doesn't that look appetizing?  Here I am with yet another Chicken dish....Chicken and Yellow Rice with cranberries...Once again, this is a free (and shameless) plug for Zatarains....My favorite New Orleans style rice.

It is my opinion that one-skillet dinners like this one I am proposing are weeknight favorites for working moms .. and single childless folk. This flavorful chicken and rice recipe starts with Zatarain's® Creole Seasoning and Yellow Rice.



Makes 6 (1-cup) servings.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
2 teaspoons ZATARAIN'S® Creole Seasoning(Shameless plug)
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water
1 package ZATARAIN'S® Yellow Rice(Just shameless)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
Toasted slivered almonds (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sprinkle chicken with Creole Seasoning. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from skillet; keep warm.

 2. Stir water, Rice Mix, cranberries, celery and onion into skillet. Bring to boil. Place chicken over rice mixture. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed and rice is tender.

 3. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with almonds, if desired.

Serve with a nice salad-

Enjoy!   Eat well in the New Year My Friends!

Chicken in Pineapple Sauce

Just when you think that there are no new things you can do with a chicken, I ask around and I find out that indeed you can....

Here is a recipe out of Cuba. Imagine enjoying a platter of chicken in a sweet, tangy glaze with your family and friends?


INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into eight pieces
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon(s) sweet paprika
• 1/4 cup(s) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 4 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 1 cup(s) dry white wine
• 1 cup(s) chicken stock
• 1/2 cup(s) pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup(s) lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 bay leaf
• Steamed white rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper and sprinkle with the paprika. Dredge the chicken in the flour, tapping off the excess.
2. In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat, turning once or twice, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet.
3. Add the onion, green pepper and garlic to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, 5 minutes. Add the stock, pineapple juice, lime juice and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
4. Nestle the chicken in the skillet and add any accumulated juices. Cover and cook over very low heat, turning the chicken once, until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and cook over high heat until the sauce is thickened and glossy, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and serve the chicken with rice, spooning the sauce on top.

Serve with a Red Wine....

 Enjoy!  Eat Well My Friends.

Beef Pot Roast

Hey Folks...So what to fix for a brisk cold winter afternoon? Why not try a nice Beef Pot Roast?

Using a slow cooker or croc pot Get a head start on dinner with this fresh take on a slow-simmered, all-in-one meal that makes cleanup a breeze. 


INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 tablespoon(s) cornstarch
• 8 medium carrots, cut into thirds
  
• 2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
• 2 tablespoon(s) Worcestershire sauce.

DIRECTIONS:

1. In slow cooker, stir together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Add carrots and onions; season with salt and pepper, and toss.
2. Sprinkle roast with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; place on top of vegetables, and drizzle with Worcestershire. Cover; cook on high, 6 hours (or on low, 10 hours).
3. Transfer roast to a cutting board; thinly slice against the grain. Place vegetables in a serving dish; pour pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve, if desired. Serve roast with vegetables and pan juices.

Serve with Cooked carrots and green peas.... Enjoy! Eat well my friends.

Bring On The New Years Brunch!!!!

Happy New Years Everybody!!! Before you start fixing your Black Eyed Peas ,Greens and Cornbread....You start fixing your New Years Day Brunch....And I've got a dilly of a new brunch item for you....Cinnamon Oats Pancakes!

Rolled oats give these pancakes a hearty, nutty flavor. Serve them with butter and maple syrup or powdered sugar and bananas.

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup(s) packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon(s) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 2 cup(s) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cup(s) milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup(s) vegetable oil, plus more for skillet

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and 1 cup oats and pulse a few times to coarsely grind oats. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and oil. Add dry ingredients and 1 cup oats and whisk just until moistened.
2. Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium. Lightly oil skillet. Using 2 to 3 tablespoons for each pancake, drop batter in skillet and cook until a few bubbles have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until browned on undersides, 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with more oil and batter.

Of course, you serve this with Bacon or Sausage and a tall glass of milk!

Enjoy!  Eat well in the New Year My Friends!