South Dakota Magazine Recap

It is that time of year when things start to get a little cray-cray. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and then there is no stopping Christmas and all of the many holiday events. Throw in a little year-end business and a few bouts of bad weather, and before we know it 2014 will be done.

Before I get caught up in that whirlwind, maybe I should do another South Dakota Magazine Recap. I have shared several recipes (and a few stories) online with South Dakota Magazine since my last update in early April.

For Easter, I considered a new tradition of layering asparagus, ham, and pasta with cheese and a creamy sauce. Ham and Asparagus Lasagna is a perfectly elegant comfort food worthy of a Spring holiday table.

Cinco de Mayo was observed with simple Sausage and Feta Tacos. The day is a celebration of a Mexican military victory and more than just party with "2 for 1" margarita deals.

My husband was fearful that I would give up his prime asparagus hunting ground when I shared some of his wild asparagus secrets. If you are lucky enough to receive a bouquet of freshly cut wild asparagus, I recommend trying Asparagus Ravioli in Parmesan Broth.

I am happy to report that as summer dawned, the snakes in my backyard seemed to move on. Harvest of strawberries and rhubarb for Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars was uneventful...and the bars were delicious.

Nilla is still living in town with us, and before the snow, I noticed a new hole in my cleared-for-fall garden. She must still be digging for worms. I should have taken her fishing for some walleye to make Lemon Butter Fish.

Avocado Toast with Radish Salad pulls from produce both local, and not. Sourcing my food from whatever origins are available for the tastiest options is my "diet" plan.

I didn't get a great spinach harvest from the garden this year, but did manage enough for a few Spinach and Garlic Vinaigrette Salads.

Keeping cool was easy this summer with the Asian influenced Peanut and Cucumber Salad.

If I want to kiss my husband, I need keep my toothbrush handy whenever Bleu Cheese and Bacon Potato Salad is on the menu.

Scrambled Eggs with Pesto and White Beans is a powerhouse for breakfast and an excellent place to start while working toward those big dreams for the day.

In September, I guided Laura from the South Dakota Magazine offices through a south-central South Dakota adventure and made time for some Pho-ish Soup.

Homecoming revealed a little background of a long ago spontaneous pancake party in Colome, and I shared the story with the puffed pancake of a Dutch Baby with Caramel Sauce and Bananas.

As the winter allows Hubs more time at home in the evenings, I can't wait for movie night and Pomegranate and Popcorn.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup is a perfect fall bowl of comfort. Topping this rich, savory soup with crumbled queso and sliced green onions enhance the earthy flavors.

And, finally, I have the tart jewel of your Thanksgiving table: Homemade Cranberry Sauce, even though I kinda miss the nostalgia of those perfect rings on the log of sauce from the can.

Whew. What a list of amazing recipes! I hope you have had the opportunity to enjoy a few, and I can't wait to share more On My Plate and with South Dakota Magazine.

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})

Not Quite the Same

Last week, Hubs and I celebrated out 25th anniversary. (Yes, I was 4 years old when we married. Why do you ask?) 

This week, I stretched way back and blew the dust off of a recipe that I used to make as a newlywed. I seriously don't believe I have prepared it in over 15 years, but a bag of Doritos in somebody else's cart at the grocery store brought it to mind.

The Taco Bake Casserole wasn't quite what I remembered, but then, I am not the same as I was back then, either. Has Pillsbury changed the formula for their crescent rolls? or are the sheets less buttery than the actual triangular-cut rolls I used to use? Doritos seem more salty and less cheesy, but that could just be my own taste buds. Back in the day, I used Ortega taco seasoning, but these days, it was the homemade dry mix I keep on hand. I grated my sharp cheddar cheese from a block instead of using pre-shredded, and my tomato sauce and green chiles were from my garden. These minor changes might have made the slight difference when revisiting the casserole, but Taco Bake Casserole was still pure comfort food on a chilly autumn evening. Nothing fancy, just a hearty dinner On My Plate.

Taco Bake Casserole

(adapted from Taste of Home)

1 tube crescent rolls (or 1 tube crescent roll dough sheet)

2 cups crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, divided

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 cup diced onion

1 pound lean ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

1 small can (4.5 ounces) diced green chiles

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained

3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350F.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread the crescent roll dough in the pan and up the sides slightly. If using rolls instead of sheets, press the seams together.

Top with 1 cup crushed Doritos and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Pre-bake 5 minutes while prepping the beef mixture. (Don't fully bake the crust, but allow the top to set slightly.)

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and crumble. 

Add the onion and cook until tender.

Drain any excess fat from the pan.

Add the taco seasoning, green chiles, and tomato sauce to the beef.

Simmer until most of the liquid had absorbed.

Stir in the black beans and heat through.

Spread this beef and bean mixture over the par-baked crust.

Top with dollups of sour cream and spread to cover.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese.

Finish with the remaining crushed Doritos.

Bake 20-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned.

Serve with taco sauce or salsa and additional sour cream, if desired. (Serves 8.)

A tossed salad on the side is our tradition.

Cinco de Mayo

May 5th. Cinco de Mayo.

Bloggers all across North America are featuring spicy Tex-Mex foods and tequila drinks in honor of this Mexican holiday.

Since I already offered up Thyme Tequila Lemonade to Mother Nature as a peace offering, it's only reasonable that I also heat things up with some flavorful tostadas to serve along side.

Crisply fried corn tortillas are piled high with all the best fish taco makings. Cilantro-lime slaw is bright and fresh and topped with mild tilapia and a hearty, earthy corn salsa. Squeeze a lime over it all to spark just a hint of acidity and you won't want to wait for the celebrations of Cinco de Mayo for Tilapia Tostadas with Roasted Corn Salsa to be on your plate.

Tilapia Tostadas with Roasted Corn Salsa

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1/4 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced

2-4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 green onions, diced

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced finely

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

canola oil

8 corn tortillas

8 tilapia fillets

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup corn meal

1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder

1/2 cup milk

1 cup corn kernels (freshly cut from cob, or defrosted frozen)

1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chipped

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

queso fresco

lime wedges

Whisk the mayonnaise and lime juice together in a medium bowl.
Toss the cabbage, cilantro, green onions, and jalapeno with the dressing.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
Heat about 1/2-3/4 inch of canola oil in a large heavy skillet.
One at a time, fry the corn tortillas, turning as needed, until browned and crispy.
Drain on paper towels and set aside.
In a seperate skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil.
Add the corn, red pepper, onion, and jalapeno.
Season with salt and pepper and saute until onion is tender and translucent; set aside.
Combine flour, corn meal and chile powder in a shallow dish.
Dip the tilapia fillets in milk and then dredge in flour/corn meal mixture.
Fry the tilapia fillets in the oil used for the tortillas until flesh is tender and breading is golden.
Drain on paper towels.
To serve, arrange fried tortillas on plates, spoon on cilantro-lime slaw, layer the fried fish, top with the roasted corn salsa. Add crumbled queso fresco and serve with lime wedges. (Serves 4)