Crushing on Tortas

I had the good fortune of spending some time last weekend in Chicago. As a lover of Mexican food, I *HAD TO* visit one of Rick Bayless' restaurants. Had. To. I have stalked him on Facebook and Twitter, drooled over his cookbooks, and unearthed his PBS contributions from the archives. I am a fan, to say the least.

The casual atmosphere of XOCO fit our schedule for the trip, and we popped in for dinner on Friday night. The Xoco Michelada was refreshing, and guacamole topped with roasted chiles and pepitas served with both tomatillo salsa and a 3-chile salsa whet our appetite for the main course. We chose a torta (Spanish for sandwich) to complete our meal. The option of suckling pig danced toward me on the menu. There was no resisting that Cochinita Pibil. I can only lamely describe the pork as the best wood-smoked pulled pig you have ever eaten kicked up twenty-thousand notches with black beans, pickled onions and a VERY flavorful and spicy habanero dipping sauce. Bite after incredible bite of the crusty, toasted bread left me licking my fingers and forcing myself to slow and savor it. It was that good. Really.

The torta that I made here at home a few months ago is not even comparable to Rick Bayless' masterpiece. The pork is nicely seasoned with the smokiness of cumin; pinto beans are mashed with my favorite homemade salsa; and the addition of avocado layered with other veggies is a creamy bonus. It is good--don't get me wrong--but, Rick Bayless won't be beating on my door for the recipe. In hindsight, I didn't toast my bread enough. The crispness of the crusty baguette was a great texture balance with the tender pork in the XOCO sandwich.

While I would love to rush back to XOCO (or one of Rick's other restaurants) for another sampling of his tortas, a trip to Chicago when the craving hits me just isn't really that feasible. I believe I will be making this version of a Seared Pork Torta at home with more attention given to toasting the bread...maybe I will even smoke the pork someday instead of sear...and those pickled onions were delicious...oh man...there might have to be another blog post with my version of THAT recipe.

Seared Pork Torta

(adapted from Cooking Light)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 (1/4 inch thick) boneless center-cut pork loin chops

1 baguette, cut in half horizontally

1/2 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons salsa (I used my home canned garden salsa.)

1/2 cup Monterrey Jack cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 large tomato, sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, sliced thinly

1/2 avocado, sliced

Preheat broiler.
Heat oil in a large skillet. 
Season pork with cumin and salt.
Add pork to pan and cook 2 minutes on each side, or until done. 
Let stand 5 minutes; slice thinly.
Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 3/4-inch shell.
Place bread halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet and broil until golden brown...don't skimp on this.
Combine beans and salsa in a small bowl; mash together with a fork.
Spread bean mixture on bottom of baguette.
Top with pork, cheese, onion, tomato, jalapeno, avocado, and crown with top half of baguette.
Cut into 4 pieces. (Serves 4)

Fee Fi PHO Fun

Disclosure: I know that I didn't use "PHO" correctly in the title. The pronunciation is not with a long o sound, but rather with a short u/dipthong uh. So...my title says "Fee Fi FUH Fun." Not nearly as clever, huh? Oh well. Pardon me and my fun. Let's just get on with the blog post...

I met a friend for lunch the other day, and imagine my surprise at discovering that the same area steak house (The Homesteader) where the Vietnamese owner has delicious Kung Pao on the dinner menu also offers Pho for lunch. Pho! Available right in my back yard! It isn't actually listed on the menu, and when ordering, you just ask for the "Vietnamese soup," but it is Pho, and it is heaven in a bowl for me.

When first introduced to Pho by another sassy and beautiful friend in Forth Worth, TX, I was plopped down in front of a steaming bowl of brothy noodles, a plate of delicate, thin slices of raw beef, a platter of herbs, and a big bottle of fiery Sriracha Sauce. I carefully sprinkled the herbs into the fragrant soup, squirted with hot sauce, dunked the slices of beef into rich and flavorful broth, and was soon slurping those noodles like there was no tomorrow. It was divine.

Since that Texas visit, I have searched out a place in my area "big city" that specializes in this delectable soup, and visit it often. However, to find Pho just a few miles down the highway from my home is incredible. It seems like the food heavens opened up for me...if only we also had local sushi.

I should learn to make Pho at home, but haven't yet tackled that challenge. I don't think the slow simmered broth would be difficult to make, I just tend to lack patience...and have to remember to add the rice noodles to my grocery list one of these days. In the mean time, how about a switch in cultures to try a soup with Mexican flavors?

Like Pho, Chicken and Hominy Soup is brothy and topped with fresh herbs. This simple Mexican soup, takes a short cut by using prepared stock (that is infused with onions, garlic, jalapenos and just a hint of cumin), and hominy replaces the noodles of its Asian friend. Just like Pho, a squeeze of lime over the bowl just before eating brightens it up so well. Chicken and Hominy Soup isn't Pho at all, but it isn't meant to be. It is simply an effortless soup that I loved On My Plate.

 

Chicken and Hominy Soup

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 3/4 cups chopped onion (about 1 medium)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced

2 cups shredded chicken (I rubbed a large chicken breast with olive oil & steak seasoning and roasted, but rotisserie chicken or any leftovers would be good.)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

4 lime wedges

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 

Add onion to pan; saute until translucent.

Stir in garlic and jalapeno; cook just until tender.

Add chicken, pepper, cumin, and broth; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Stir in hominy; bring back to a boil.

Cook 5 more minutes.

Ladle into 4 bowls; top each with sliced radishes and fresh cilantro.

Serve with lime wedges. (4 servings)

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving weekend is winding down, and while I didn't have time to blog any hints or tips for that grand holiday meal, I would still like to take a moment to confirm my profound thankfulness.

It has been a difficult year full of tremendous losses, but we have withstood them all and are so much more thankful for what remains. We have been blessed beyond measure, even in times of struggle. I am thankful. Very thankful.

I could be true to my over-sharing, rambling nature and go into detail, but really do I need to? We all face challenges. We all face loss. We all have people in our lives that make them better (and some that don't). We are all human, and though our experiences may vary, at the end of the day, we are all thankful for what we have (and some of what we don't). Life isn't easy, but life is good. I am thankful. Very thankful.

And, on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, with my fridge still brimming with leftovers, I am thankful for leftover turkey to throw together a simple lunch during our day of chores and errands. Poblano, Ham, and Turkey Quesadillas, quite thankfully, rock. I served them today with some of the Basic Canned Salsa that I preserved from our summer garden. The roasted poblanos meld with the cheeses and the saltiness of the cured ham and really kick up the turkey. I give thanks for Poblano, Ham, and Turkey Quesadillas On My Plate.

Poblano, Ham, and Turkey Quesadilla

2 fresh poblano peppers

olive oil

mozzarella cheese, shredded (I used a mix of mozzarella and Monterrey Jack.) 

Queso Fresco, crumbled

thin sliced deli-style ham

sliced or shredded leftover Thanksgiving turkey

flour tortillas

unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 500F.
Place the whole peppers on a sheet pan and drizzle with oil to cover.
Roast for 10-15 minutes until the skins are completely wrinkled and the peppers are charred, turning them occasionally.
Remove the pan from the oven.
Immediately place chiles in a medium bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand 10 minutes.
Peel and seed chiles; cut into strips.
On each flour tortilla, layer cheese(s), ham, turkey, and poblano strips equally over one half.
Fold the filled tortillas in half.
Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
When the butter starts to bubble, add a folded tortilla and toast until the cheese melts and tortilla is crisp, flipping half-way through. (I covered skillet while first side was crisping to help hold in the heat to melt the cheese.)
Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding butter to the skillet as necessary.

¡Ay, caramba!

"Hay Grinder on fire. Got it out." That was the text message that Hubs sent to me this afternoon. ¡Ay, caramba! We have had a few awful hay fires in the past, and my mind immediately raced to the memories of those blazes. Tons and tons of hay were lost then. Thankfully, today's sparks caused minimal damage and hay loss. Hubs' quick action and the help of the fire department prevented a huge catastrophe. 

Tonight, as my exhausted Hubs naps in his chair in front of the TV, the only heat is my laptop charring my legs as I menu plan for the rest of the week. ¡Ay, caramba! Lately, I have gotten so lazy about planning our meals. Usually, I just open the fridge or freezer and hope that something jumps out at me. It is a hit or miss way to get a meal On My Plate, and I just hope that whatever jumps hasn't been in the fridge long enough to actually (and not pretend) be coming to life again and really jumping.

One recipe that a friend recently shared with me easily fits heated last minute planning. Taco Soup uses basic pantry items and can even be heated in the crockpot, if time is short. I adjusted the original recipe to suit what I have on hand most of the time, and you could alter it to suit your own tastes. Add a can of black beans to stretch the servings further; change out the diced tomatoes to plain or those with jalapenos; brown diced green peppers with the onions and ground beef. (My friend makes a veg version by using meat substitutes instead of the ground beef. She also recommended ground turkey as an alternative.) Serve it up as a soup, or use it as a topping for baked potatoes. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, black olives, even shredded lettuce, diced onion, and tomato. My choice was with Deluxe Corn Muffins (with a can of green chiles added to the mix) on the side and crushed corn chips, shredded cheese, and freshly chopped cilantro on top. It's not On My Plate, but rather, in my bowl, and nobody will be shouting "¡Ay, caramba!" when you ladle up Taco Soup.

Taco Soup 

1 pound ground beef 

1 cup chopped onion 

1  15 oz. can kidney beans, undrained

1  15 oz. can chili beans, undrained

1  15 oz. can fat-free refried beans

2 cups frozen corn

1  15 oz. can tomato sauce

1  15 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 1/2 cup water (If you want it more like a chili consistency, reduce or leave out the water.)

1 package taco seasoning

1 package Hidden Valley dressing mix(not buttermilk)

Brown the ground beef with the onion in a soup pot.

Combine the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. (Serves 6-8)

The Whole Enchilada

I *think* that I might finally be done canning the tomatoes from the garden. I still have a large bowl of cherry and yellow pear tomatoes on the counter for snacking and salads, and kept a couple big ones for slicing on sandwiches this week, but otherwise, all of the ripe tomatoes have been processed into some kind of salsa, sauce, juice, or jam. Yes, there is a tub of green ones that are tempting me into trying pickled green tomatoes (I have made my fill of green tomato salsa.), but I don't know if I want to go there. I am so over the canning thing for this year. I am ready to give up the whole enchilada.

Finally tally is 193 quart, pint, half-pint, and 4 ounce jars lining the pantry shelves from my garden produce. Not all are tomato-based, but most are. It will be nice to just grab a jar from the pantry shelf when I want to make spaghetti, throw together a quick snack with the salsa or the jam, make a traditional pizza, or whip up a pan of enchiladas. Yes, even enchiladas. I am testing a from scratch recipe for enchilada sauce that seemed to go over pretty well in my trial batch. Let's hope the jars of sauce don't disappoint this winter. Beef or chicken, I will be happy with enchiladas made with From Scratch Enchilada Sauce On My Plate.

From Scratch Enchilada Sauce

5-8 pounds tomatoes

1 cup white vinegar

3/4 cup chili powder

1/2 cup salt

2 Tablespoons cumin

2 Tablespoons oregano

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar

1 can tomato paste

Chop tomatoes and place in a large, heavy pot over medium heat.
Add the seasonings.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, until tomatoes have cooked down and flesh has released from the skins.
Remove from heat.
Process tomatoes through a food mill/cone colander with pestle/sieve/or similar utensil to strain the seeds and skin.
Return sauce to heavy pot and bring to a simmer.
Ladle into prepared jars (I used half-pints) and secure lids.
Process in hot water bath for 30 minutes.

Fridge Friday: Episode 10

Hey! It is Fridge Friday! Did you think that I forgot about giving you little peeks into my fridge? Never. I may have neglected your inquisitiveness, but I didn't forget. I am back this Friday with a gem.

Check it out. That is my hotel room fridge. We have all the basics: water, wine, leftovers, and a Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat. What could I possibly blog about from that fridge, you ask? Honestly, nothing. Or, at least nothing that I would want to eat when combined and heated in the little in-room microwave.

Instead, I am going to tell you that when we left home, Hubs had his mind made up that we were going to eat Mexican food. All day, I salivated at the thought of perfectly seasoned and grilled shrimp folded inside a warm corn tortilla with some creamy coleslaw to make the most awesome shrimp tacos. I wanted. I wanted badly. With beans and rice. Then, we got to the big city and Hubs decided he wanted pasta. So much for Mexican food. *shrug*

However, that doesn't mean that I couldn't still share a great Spanish Rice recipe with you. I have been making Denise's Spanish Rice for several years and pairing it with Spicy Black Beans whenever I serve a spicy Mexican/Tex-Mex themed meal. It is, in my opinion, excellent. Why wouldn't it be? It has bacon. Everything that includes bacon is good. Period.

So...it is Fridge Friday, and I have just a miserable hotel room fridge, and I didn't get Mexican food, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't jump at the chance to have Denise's Spanish Rice On My Plate.

Denise's Spanish Rice

6 strips bacon

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel...mild or hot, your choice)

2 cans roasted green chiles

1 cup long grain white rice (I use Jasmine)

In a large skillet, fry bacon until crispy.
Set aside on paper towels to drain.
To bacon grease, add the butter and melt.
Add the onion and peppers, sauteing until the onions are translucent.
Add the garlic and cook until soft, being careful not to burn.
Add the tomatoes, green chiles, and chicken broth.
Simmer about 5-10 minutes to blend flavors.
Add the rice, cover and simmer approximately 20 minutes, until tender. (May need to add more liquid.)
Before serving, crumble bacon over the top of rice. (Serves 4)

Fridge Friday, episode 3

I have found that while Fridge Friday has so far accomplished its intended duty of prompting me to blog more regularly, it has also made me infinitely more aware of a few other things.

1. I clean my fridge more often. I have to. You are looking at it every week. Yikes. Maybe I should start posting regular photos of my bed so that I will make it more often than just when someone is coming over? Umm...Not.
2. I plan my menus a bit more, if only for Friday. It might surprise you, but I don't often menu plan. I go to the store, buy what looks good and come home and find something to do with it. 
3. And, I have learned that snapping photos inside a refrigerator is tough. The lighting sucks. That little bulb glares like an interrogation room spotlight.  Unscrew it, and you have coarse, grainy light through my camera lens. Of course, that is pretty much the norm for my food pics, so what am I worried about?

 So...anyway...I have been away a lot of this week, but did a big grocery purchase yesterday. Here is my fridge today:

What catches your eye? The English cucumber on the bottom shelf? The pearls of fresh mozzarella in the bottom left deli drawer? That HUGE bunch of asparagus cut fresh from my backyard? Silk soy milk? I know, there is still a lot of butter in the bottom right corner. That is what we use. Olive oil and real (unsalted) butter are my fats of choice. (I keep canola oil and a can of Pam on hand for baking, but they stay in the cupboard a lot.) Oh! Did you notice the bowl of fresh cherries on the middle shelf? It might be a little early for good fresh cherries, but I couldn't resist throwing them in my cart while shopping.

What catches my eye are the poblano peppers on the second shelf. I was giddy to find these mild chile peppers at the store. One of my favorite meatless meals is Grilled Chiles Rellenos served up with Spanish Rice and Grilled Zucchini.  Of course, you wouldn't have to go meatless. The recipe that I pulled from an issue of Real Simple magazine is a great side with chicken or steaks, too. It is healthier than traditional battered and fried chile rellenos and gives a slight nod to Latin flavors with the addition of raisins for a bit of sweetness with the spicy filling. How spicy your Grilled Chiles Rellenos will be depends on your choice of chili powder and salsa. I like using Chipotle Chile Powder and my home canned salsa. Those options provide some awesome heat. However, more mild versions with regular McCormick's Chili Powder and some store-bought salsa have been just as quickly devoured. The beauty of all recipes is that they are just ideas. Mix it up. Do your own thing; even add some ground beef or turkey to the filling, if you so desire. I just want you to enjoy your own version of Grilled Chiles Rellenos On Your Plate.

Grilled Chiles Rellenos

4 poblano chiles

1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (8 ounce) package monterey jack cheese, shredded (for a more mild flavor use a Mexican blend cheese)

1/4 cup raisins (more or less, or not at all if this doesn't interest you)

1/4 cup salsa (I like a chunky salsa for this.)

2 teaspoons chili powder

Heat the grill to medium. (We like a charcoal grill for more flavor.)
Cut a slit lengthwise in each chile and carefully scoop out the seeds and ribs.
In a medium bowl, combine the beans, cheese, raisins, salsa, and chili powder. (This is the point where you would add cooked, seasoned, and crumbled ground beef or turkey, if you want to try a non-meatless version.)
Stuff the peppers with the filling.
Place peppers on grill and cook, turning frequently, until they are soft and the cheese has melted. (Serves 4)

Taco John's Is Closed

The area Taco John's is closed. It has been for quite awhile...so long that I don't even remember when it happened. A year ago? More? Who knows. All I know for sure is that Taco Tuesday, 6-pack and a Pound, and Nachos Navidad (in season) are no longer available to clog my arteries. I must now get my Mexican fix at home. 

Not that creating homemade meals is a bad thing. After all, cooking is my passion, and, of course, most things that come out of my kitchen are infinitely tastier and more healthy than the Taco John's menu. In fact recently, a taco recipe from Food & Wine magazine caught my eye. Chipotle-Rubbed Salmon Tacos calls for simple ingredients that I almost always have on hand, and while Hubs is not a fruit salsa fan, even he had to admit that the Apple Cucumber Salsa was a perfect pairing. Both dishes earn bonus points with me for coming together quickly...almost in less time that it would have taken me to travel to the next town, hit the drive-thru of Taco John's, and return with a bag of that greasy dinner. I might even dare to say that Taco John's can stay closed when I have Chipotle-Rubbed Salmon Tacos On My Plate. 

Chipotle-Rubbed Salmon Tacos

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

2 teaspoons sugar

1 pound skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

8 corn tortillas

kosher salt
1 avocado, mashed

Apple Cucumber Salsa (recipe below)

1 cup shredded cabbage

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Whisk the mayonnaise with the lime juice. 

Combine the chipotle powder with the orange zest, sugar, and season with salt to taste. 

Rub each piece of salmon with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and then with the chipotle-zest mixture. 

Let stand for 5 minutes.

Wrap the tortillas in foil and bake for about 8 minutes, until they are softened and heated through.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan. 

Season the salmon with salt and grill over high heat until nicely browned and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Gently break each piece of salmon in half. 

Season mashed avocado with a little salt.

Spread the mashed avocado on the warm tortillas and top with the salmon, Apple Cucumber Salsa and the cabbage. 

Drizzle each taco with the lime mayonnaise and serve right away. (Makes 8 tacos)

Apple Cucumber Salsa

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced

1/2 English cucumber, diced

1/2 small red onion, diced

1/2 small red pepper, diced

1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

kosher salt, to taste

Toss the apple with the cucumber, onion and pepper. 

Stir in the vinegar and sugar, season with salt.

Waffling

March 25 was International Waffle Day. Yep. That was yesterday. A good food blogger would have had a submission ready to post early in the day. A good food blogger might have tempted you with perfectly crispy or decadent fruit-topped waffles for breakfast, chocolate waffles for dessert, or savory waffles for dinner. The blogger might even have gotten creative and thrown in some Waffle Fries just to stir things up.

Obviously, I am not a good food blogger. There are many AMAZING food bloggers out there, and I can while away an entire day reading their recipes, soaking in their tips, knowledge, and humor, and drooling over their food porn photos. Their skills (in the kitchen, with words, and behind the camera) entrance me. What I do here is just share what's On My Plate. As the heading says, this is just my menu with a little life thrown in.

As for my life and my menu on March 25...friends can tell you that I love a good holiday celebration. So of course, waffles had to be the main attraction on International Waffle Day. The evening before, I had mentioned the possibility of banana waffles to Hubby, and while he didn't verbally protest, I did get "the look." I wasn't willing to give up, though. Hitting my online recipe sources, I was actually searching for a bacon waffle recipe (because everything is better with pork fat, right?) when I stumbled upon a Mexican Cornmeal Waffle recipe that had caught my eye some time ago.

What better way to celebrate Waffle Day than with dense, cornmeal waffles as a base for a cumin and green chile spiced ground beef and kidney bean mixture, shredded lettuce and cheese, dollops of sour cream, and a drizzle of hot sauce? I gave my nod to International Waffle Day with a taco salad on a cornbread waffle On My Plate.

Mexican Cornmeal Waffles

1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups canned tomatoes with green chiles
1 can red kidney bean
shredded lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
taco sauce

Mix flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Beat the egg yolks, add the milk, and combine well with the cornmeal mixture.
Beat the cornmeal mixture until smooth.
Add the melted butter to batter and mix well.
Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into batter.
Bake in a hot waffle iron until golden brown.
Meanwhile, brown the ground beef, chopped onion, and garlic.
Add all other seasonings (may adjust to taste), tomatoes and beans; simmer uncovered at least 20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and flavors have blended.
To serve, layer waffle topped with meat mixture, shredded lettuce and cheese, sour cream, and drizzle with taco sauce.(Serves 6)

What a Crock

There are recipes for all kinds of dishes to be prepared in crock pots. Breakfasts of slow-cooked oatmeal; lunches of soup; pot roasts and even the mashed potatoes to serve with them; cobbler like desserts; and just about anything in between can magically simmer in the crock pot while you cut the apron strings to the kitchen and get on with your life. That isn't to say that I believe that everything can/should be prepared in a crock pot. It is kinda like Speedos...just because they are there doesn't mean it's a good thing. A successful crock pot meal requires common sense and most of all attention to your own tastes. Don't like a roast chicken that isn't browned? Don't attempt the crock pot recipe. Want a chili with the blended flavors of chiles, seasoned meat, and beans (for us Northerners) bubbled all day? The crock pot could be your perfect tool.

My crock pot isn't used a lot. Honestly, I am not happy with the texture of many foods after cooking for hours. But, I love the ease of tossing in a few ingredients and not giving dinner a second thought, except to appreciate the aromas drifting through the house. Trial and error has provided a few chosen recipes for the crock pot that I turn back to time and again.

One of those tried and true recipes is a flavorful and spicy method for preparing shredded meat for tacos, enchiladas, sandwiches, nachos, casseroles, and even soups and stews. The original recipe called for beef roasts, and I can attest that it is fabulous. I have also prepared it with lamb and deer roasts with equal success. However, I recently swapped out a few ingredients from the original recipe to create Chipotle Pork. Hubby and I loved it, swooned over it, ate like little piggies and couldn't get enough of it. It is not a crock to have Chipotle Pork On My Plate.

Chipotle Pork

3-5 pounds pork loin roast
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
3-5 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can green chiles
1 (7 ounce) can salsa verde
1-2 cups slice onion
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth

Place roast in crock pot and season with pepper, chili powder and cumin.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Simmer on high for 5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.
Shred the meat with a fork and simmer in the sauce on high for additional 10-15 minutes. (Serves 8)
(To make the original Chipotle Beef (or Lamb or Deer) replace the chicken broth with beef broth.)

Celebrations after the Battles

Last fall, Hubby and I finally, after 10 years in this house, replaced the broken, heaved, and ugly old sidewalks. It was a task that I had been battling for since we had moved into this home, and I was elated when Hubby finally put it on his to-do list. Plans were for the work to be completed early in the summer, but those fell through, and fell through again, and again, and again. At one point, I was so frustrated and just didn't believe that it was ever going to happen at all. I thought that I was cursed to always have hunks of missing concrete and a death trap leading to my door. Finally, in late fall, after much drawn out labor and even me getting some hands on experience with the mucking and finishing of the concrete, the new sidewalks were in place.

However, it was too late to seed grass. Our cold, harsh winter was right around the corner and there just wasn't enough warm weather left for tender new sprouts. I hated the bare dirt that marred our front yard all winter. I loved when it was covered with snow and nobody could see that we were the only house in town without grass and a proper lawn. I couldn't wait for spring and new grass to be seeded. But, spring came and as usual, other responsibilities pulled us away from the front yard, again and again and again. I was beginning to think that the chicken scratched look was going to be mine forever.

Finally, there was a pocket of time to rake and smooth the soil. Finally, there was time to sow the new grass seeds. And, after careful daily waterings and a few sunny days, we have tender little sprouts of grass. I HAVE GRASS! :~) It is far from a lush, full lawn, but it is a beautiful site after a winter of dead, bare earth. I am ready for the celebration after our battle to renovate the front yard.

Cinco de Mayo (May 5th, for those of you not fluent in Spanish) is traditionally a day for celebrating victory after a battle. It commemorates the victory of Mexican forces over the French occupational forces in the Battle of Puebla. While not a federal holiday in either Mexico, or the United States, it is a celebration of culture and overcoming adversity. Food, drink, music, and dancing dominate the events.

Food? Drink? Music? Dancing? I am all over that kind of celebration. In honor of the liberty and freedom recognized by Cinco de Mayo, I think that it is a good day to break out a recipe with Latin influence for my own celebration of the Battle of the Front Yard Renovation. Chicken Rice Pot with Salsa and Avocado Cream is a Rachel Ray recipe that doesn't come together in 30 minutes, but is packed with flavor and ease. Even my not-so-thrilled-with-Spanish-rice Hubby loved the chicken and rice mixture. However, the fresh salsa with the surprising salty addition of olives and the amazing avocado cream really make this dish. (After all, what can go wrong with ANYTHING with avocados?) They are the perfect toppers to elevate what could be a pretty ordinary main dish to celebration level.



I am going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and the Battle of the Front Yard Renovation with something spicy on my plate. Chicken Rice Pot with Salsa and Avocado Cream is Yum-O.

Chicken Rice Pot with Salsa and Avocado Cream

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 cups white rice
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon fajita seasoning mix
1 cup tomato sauce
Olive and Pepper Salsa
1 cup Spanish olives with pimento, drained and chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small white onion, chopped
3 drops hot sauce
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
juice of ½ lime
salt
Avocado and Garlic Cream
2 ripe avocados
juice of ½ lime
1 clove garlic
1 cup sour cream
salt

Preheat a medium pot over medium heat, add olive oil and butter.
When butter melts into oil, add cut-up chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Stir and lightly brown the chicken, then add the rice and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
Add chicken stock, poultry seasoning, fajita seasoning & tomato sauce. Bring the stock to a quick boil, 2 or 3 minutes.
When the liquid boils, reduce heat to low and cook 13 to 15 minutes, until rice is tender but still a little chewy in the center.
To prepare the Salsa, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and adjust the salt and hot sauce, to taste.
Next prepare the Avocado and Garlic Sour Cream by adding all ingredients to a food processor and processing until smooth. Adjust seasoning, then transfer to a small bowl.
Stir 1/2 cup of prepared salsa to the chicken and rice mixture. Turn off heat and let stand 5 minutes.
Serve the prepared Latin rice and chicken in shallow bowls with spoonfuls of salsa and avocado cream to garnish. Serve any remaining salsa and sour cream with corn chips for dipping and scooping. (Serves 4-6)

Update:

OK. I hadn't had my dinner menu in place more than 30 minutes, and had just posted this blog entry when Hubby called. He made dinner plans to go out with another couple. I guess the Chicken Rice Pot with Salsa and Avocado Cream will have to wait. I am not cooking tonight. I can celebrate new grass with dinner out. :~)

Second Update:

Well...the plans for dinner out changed just a little bit. Heavy winds hit the town where we were going to eat and knocked out power. At the last minute, Hubby and I decided to join friends for a "tornado party", as they were under watches and warnings. I threw together a quick pepperoni pizza, grabbed some beverages, and we headed out into the storm. It wasn't Chicken Rice Pot with Salsa and Avocado Cream or a real dinner out, but it was a lot of fun.