Cinco de Mayo

May 5^th. Literally.

Most of us know it is a Mexican holiday; some wrongly assume it is Mexican Independence Day. That commemoration of the declaration of war against Spanish colonial government in Mexico is celebrated on September 16.

Cinco de Mayo is actually the observance of a triumph in a battle against France. My understanding is that when the Mexican government claimed their country was too poor to pay outstanding debts to foreign countries, the French decided that it would be an opportune time to carve out their own claim in Mexico. War was declared, and troops were sent. Against the odds, one small Mexican community managed to claim a victory over the French armies at Puebla. This win bolstered the resistance movement among the Mexican people, and after a lengthy, 6 year battle, France withdrew. 

Oddly, aside from Puebla, where the famous battle occurred, I am told that most of Mexico doesn’t actively celebrate Cinco de Mayo. It is just another day. Banks and schools are open, as it is not a federal holiday.

In the United States, we’ve never met a holiday we don’t like to celebrate. Areas with a greater Mexican-American population host festivals, parades, and parties for Cinco de Mayo which honor Mexican culture and heritage. For much of rest of the nation the holiday is synonymous with “2 for 1” taco and margarita deals. While this is a more commercial and less authentic observance of the historical significance of Cinco de Mayo, tacos and margaritas are certainly delicious. I am on board. 

Tostadas are open-faced crispy tacos, and throwing together Chicken Tostadas with Tomatillo Cream would be a great way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Shredded rotisserie chicken is tossed with smoked paprika for a grill-like flavor, piled over a creamy, but slightly spicy sauce, and topped with fresh salsa and cheese. If you can't find tostada shells, it only takes a minute to crisp a few corn tortillas in hot oil.

Chicken Tostadas and Tomatillo Cream

 (adapted from Cooking Light)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup tomatillo sauce or green enchilada sauce or salsa verde

1 tablespoon chopped roasted green chiles

1 cup tomato, chopped

2 tablespoons onion, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon jalapeno pepper, minced

2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sliced black olives

6 corn tostada shells

Combine sour cream, tomatillo sauce, and green chiles in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine tomato, onion, 1 tablespoon lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno in another bowl; toss well.

Toss chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and smoked paprika.

Spread some tomatillo cream on each tostada shell; top with chicken and salsa. 

Sprinkle cheese and black olive on top and serve with lime wedges. (Serves 4 {2 tostadas each})

Soup and (fill in the blank)

The local school almost always serves cinnamon rolls with their chicken noodle soup. I pack my lunch when I hit the classrooms as a substitute, but that pairing still has worked its way into my mind. When I make chicken noodle soup at home, I want cinnamon rolls for dessert.

I also like to enjoy cornbread with my chili, quesadillas with chicken tortilla soup, and of course, grilled cheese with tomato soup. Vegetable beef soup begs for pie for dessert. Thick and creamy soups like Fresh Pea Soup or a pureed squash or pumpkin soup scream for the crisp crunch of a salad at their side.

When I plan a menu of soups for the shearing crew at the farm, I usually fall back on the old stand-bys of chili and Potato, Bacon, and Green Bean Chowder. Corn muffins and/or garlic bread of course make their way to the table, and I also put together a veggie tray with Dill Dip to round out the meal.

I have made a variety of dips throughout my culinary experiences, but always come back to the clean simplicity of Dill Dip.  Those packaged ranch dips don't seem to agree with me. (Can you say, "BUURP?") This dip is really delightful with fresh dill from the garden, but a good quality dried version works during the winter months. (However, beware...if you are paying 99 cents for a seasoning, it is probably mostly dust and will taste that way...not that all herbs and spices need to be expensive.) Grating the garlic and onion with a microplane allows the flavors to easily blend through the creaminess. This dip tastes fresh and not heavy and is a perfect pairing for vegetables, with or without soup on the side.

Dill Dip

(adapted from Food.com)

16 ounces sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup onion , grated with a microplane

1-2 cloves garlic, grated with a microplane

3 tablespoons dill (fresh is best, but a good quality dried works)

3 tablespoons parsley (FRESH, or don't bother. Dried parsley is just color, not flavor.)

1 tablespoon seasoning salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients together.
Chill for 3 hours (or more) to meld.
Serve with fresh vegetables of your choice.

We Work Hard For Our Money

Many, many years ago when Hubs and I "bought out" his parents, I officially became a farm wife. At that time, the buyout didn't include what one traditionally thinks of purchasing. The leased farm land couldn't be transferred (other than adding our names to the lease agreement). The house was still my in-law's possession, and remains the family home today. The livestock exchange was also a little questionable, as that particular year, my husband had already purchased and owned most of lambs on the farm. What we accepted with that buyout was debt. A lot of it. There had been many ugly years, and with my in-laws advancing age, the banks weren't looking favorably upon them.

Someone had to step up if the business my husband had returned from college to help with was to have any hope of making it. My mother and father-in-law had sacrificed their lives to hard work, but times weren't always kind to them. I worried that their circumstance would be the future for Hubs and myself.

Thankfully, times have been good to us. Along side his parents, Hubs has worked brutally long hours. We have all saved and scrimped and did without at times, and it has paid off. That initial debt is long gone, and while new operating loans are acquired each year, we are able to make the payments, have made improvements, and live comfortably. Farming isn't glamorous, but we are some of the lucky ones for which working hard for your money does pay the bills.

And, what do I do throughout this process, other than worry we will be the next victim of a poor economy? I cook. I am not a farm wife that spends hours in the corrals with the livestock or days in the hay fields, although I could, if needed. What I do is cook. I make sure that the men (and women) that are breaking their backs 365 days a year, freezing their butts off in the winter, and melting into puddles of soup in the summer have nourishing food to fuel their work. That is my job, and how I work hard to support our business, our livelihood.

I don't think there is a farm wife alive that hasn't made some kind of hash-brown potato casserole. Cheese, frozen hash-browns, cream of something soup. There are as many recipes in church cookbooks, scribbled on the back of envelopes, and on spattered recipe cards as their are fence posts in this state. Everyone has their own method, but they all pretty much taste the same. Cheesy (in a good way). Warm. Comforting. Hearty. Just the kind of thing you want to eat when you work hard for your money.

Cheesy Hash-Brown Casserole

(adapted from the Armour Centennial Cookbook)

1/2 cup butter

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

1 pint sour cream

1/2 - 1 cup green onions, chopped

9 cups frozen hashbrowns (I like to use a combination of half shredded {Mr. Del's} and half southern-style cubed {Ortega}.)

2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup corn flakes, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add 1/2 cup of butter in a 9x13 baking dish and place in the oven to melt.

Meanwhile, combine canned soup, milk, sour cream, and chopped green onions in a medium bowl.

When the butter has melted in the baking dish, remove from oven and swirl pan to coat all sides.

Add half of the hash browns to the pan, top with half of the soup mixture, and then half of the shredded cheese.

Repeat layers in the baking dish with remaining ingredients.

Melt the final 2 tablespoons of butter and add the crushed corn flakes. Toss to coat.

Sprinkle the buttered corn flakes over the top of the final cheese layer.

Bake 45 minutes until potatoes are tender and cheese is melty. (Serves 12)

Fridge Friday: Episode 14

I have cleared all of the Thanksgiving leftovers out of the fridge this past week. A lot of the turkey was packaged and frozen in soup-sized servings to make quick turkey noodle soup on lazy days in the future, and surprisingly, most of the rest of the leftovers were actually (and not pretend) consumed. I did have to toss some dressing, which absolutely broke my heart. Dressing is one of my favorite parts of a turkey dinner, but I guess my eyes were bigger than my stomach when I baked this year's batch.

Here's today's fridge:

For once, it is pretty bare; I will have to make a grocery run soon. There are some Pickled Habanero Sticks on the top shelf (not my fave, but Hubs is a snacker). Middle shelf has some purchased (forgive me for I have sinned) hummus and flatbread, along with my favorite Greek Yogurt and some blueberries. Almost always present in my fridge is that big box of fresh baby spinach (I find that putting a paper towel in the container wicks the excess moisture away from the delicate leaves and keeps the "ick" away.). 

I bet the takeout containers caught your eye right away. Last night, I had defrosted pork chops (yes, that is what is in the butcher paper wrapped package on the right), but about dinner time lost all enthusiasm to cook. Hubs came to the rescue by picking up Hunan Beef and Steamed Dumplings for dinner. I am lucky to have someone so willing to indulge my laziness. However, today, those pork chops *have to* be cooked, and I think that they need gravy. Pork Chops with Sour Cream Gravy is super simple, but super good. I like to top egg noodles or mashed potatoes with the extra saucy onions and gravy, but rice would be a good accompaniment, too. Dare I say that dressing might be a good side, as well. The pork chops are rubbed with sage, and sage is a major seasoning in dressing. Hmm...that is an idea. (cue: *light bulb*) Maybe I will have to whip up a small batch of dressing next time I put Pork Chops with Sour Cream Gravy On My Plate.

Pork Chops with Sour Cream Gravy

4 pork loin chops

1-2 teaspoons dried sage (I used sage dried from my herb garden...and it might be more "crushed" than "ground.")

1/2-1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

olive oil

2 medium onion, sliced

1 can (10.5 ounces) beef broth

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons flour

additional fresh ground black pepper, to taste 

Combine sage, salt, and pepper and rub both sides of the chops.
Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet and brown chops on each side.
Remove the chops from the pan and set aside. (Tent with foil to keep warm.)
Add the onions to the pan and saute until tender and slightly caramelized.
Return the chops to the pan and add the beef broth.
Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes (depending on thickness of chops), until chops are cooked through.
Again, remove the chops from the pan and set aside. (Again, tent with foil to keep warm.)
Combine the sour cream and the flour. (May need to add a splash of milk to mix well.)
Add sour cream mixture to the broth and onions in the pan.
Stir to combine and season with pepper, to taste.
Simmer, uncovered, 5-10 minutes.
(At this point, you could add the chops back to the pan to have "smothered" pork chops, but I like to just serve the gravy on top.) Serves 4.