Tamale Pie

It’s me today. No guest bloggers. Last week, I went to Trader Joe’s and went straight to the “tasting station”, where they hand out samples for you to try. I almost always buy whatever they are demoing. It was this tamale pie. I am not a big fan of polenta (unless it’s crispy), but I have to say I really liked this dish. It’s something you could have in your pantry. It takes less then 5 minutes to throw it in a casserole dish. You could even make it vegetarian by using vegetarian chili instead of chicken or turkey. The original recipe calls for a jar of their Cowboy Caviar, but I actually used the corn salsa instead.

Tamale Pie

Serves 4 – 6

1 jar TJ’s Corn and Chile Tomato-Less Salsa
1 can TJ’s Chicken or Turkey Chili
1 can Black Beans
1/4 tsp TJ’s Cayenne Pepper
TJ’s Olive Oil Cooking Spray
1 package TJ’s Fully Cooked Polenta
1 bag TJ’s Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
TJ’s Fresh Green Onions, TJ’s Fresh Cilantro, TJ’s Sour Cream, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the corn salsa, chili, black beans, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside. Grease an 8″ x 8″ casserole dish with olive oil spray. Set aside. Cut the polenta into 1/4-inch slices. Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with a layer of polenta rounds. Pour chili mixture over the polenta and top with half of the cheese. Top the chili & cheese with the remaining polenta slices. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over the top and place in oven to bake for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve and garnish with chopped onions, cilantro and/or sour cream, if desired.

Easy Ceviche

My friend’s son is doing a science project on ceviche and asked me if I would be willing to oversee the preparation of the dish.  Of course, I jumped at the chance.

Naturally, his “little” brother had to get in on the action!

Ceviche is a seafood dish popular in the coastal regions of the Americas, especially Central and South America.

Ceviche is typically fresh raw fish (he used cod) marinated in a citrus-based mixture, with lemons and limes being the most commonly used. In addition to adding flavor, the citric acid changes the structure of the proteins in the fish.  Thus “cooking” the fish.

Traditional-style ceviche was marinated for about three hours. Modern-style ceviche, usually has a very short marinating period. With the appropriate fish, it can marinate in the time it takes to mix the ingredients, serve, and carry the ceviche to the table.

Easy Ceviche

1 lb fresh sea bass, mahi-mahi, or other firm-fleshed white ocean fish, cut into cubes about 1 inch square

½ small onion, very thinly sliced

1–2 serrano chiles, seeded and chopped

Juice of 4 juicy limes

1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and stir to mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for 1 hour, then serve with tortilla chips or saltine crackers.

Eric’s Jambalaya

Jambalaya can be made many ways. I have blogged about a few different jambalaya recipes – Louisiana Jambalaya and Jambalaya Pasta with Penne, Chicken, Shrimp & Andouille.  All recipes must have the trinity of celery, peppers, and onions; the meat is usually chicken and sausage such as andouille or smoked sausage.  Shrimp is sometimes used.

This is my husband Eric’s version.  Here my recipe book.

Eric’s Jambalaya

Serves 6

1 Tbs olive oil
1 lb andouille sausage, cut up
2 chicken breasts, cut up
1 green pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken stock
2 Tbs paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 sprig of sage
Salt & pepper, to taste

Sauté  sausage in olive oil, add paprika, stir, then add the green pepper, celery, onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add the chicken and sauté, then add the rice and sauté for 1 minute.  Next add the tomatoes and stock and simmer for 45 minutes.  Serve with cornbread.

Red Beans and Rice Stew

This classic Cajun dish is done in a crockpot. You throw the rice and green peppers in at the end. It’s great to serve it with a baguette or corn bread to sop up the spicy juices!

Red Beans and Rice Stew

Serves 6

2 onions, minced
1 celery rib, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp minced fresh thyme (or 1⁄2 tsp dried)
2 tsp sweet paprika
1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus extra as needed
3 cups water
1 lb dried red kidney beans (21⁄2 cups), picked over, salt-soaked, and rinsed
1 lb andouille sausage. sliced 1⁄2 inch thick
2 bay leaves
2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped medium
1 cup long-grain white rice
salt and pepper
red wine vinegar
3 scallions, sliced thin

Microwave onions, celery, garlic, oil, thyme, paprika, and cayenne in bowl, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir broth, water, beans, sausage, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

Let stew settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon. Discard bay leaves.

Stir bell peppers and rice into stew, cover, and cook on high until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. (Adjust stew consistency with additional hot broth as needed.) Season with salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.

Green Chili Macaroni & Cheese

This is one of our family favorite recipes. We call it Grandma’s macaroni. My mother-in-law gave me this recipe years ago. I make this when I’m tired. I usually have all the ingredients in the pantry.

Green Chili Macaroni & Cheese

Serves 4

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 onion, chopped
4 oz can green chilis
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1¼ cups milk
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Sauté the onion in 1 tsp olive oil, until soft. Mix all of the ingredients together and put it in a square casserole. Bake at 375˚ for 40 minutes.

Andouille Macaroni & Cheese

I love finding new and different ways to make Mac n Cheese. This one uses Andouille sausage. Andouille is a coarse-grained smoked sausage made using pork, pepper, onions, wine, and seasonings. Andouille is French in origin, and was later brought to the United States through Louisiana by French immigrants. In the US, the sausage is most often associated with Cajun cooking. Andouille sausages are sometimes referred to as “hot link” sausages.

Andouille Macaroni & Cheese

2 Tbs butter
1 cup chopped andouille
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
2 Tbs flour
2 cups half & half
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 Tbs chopped jalapeños
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 lb sharp Cheddar cheese, (plus extra for topping)
8 oz uncooked macaroni or pasta of your choice, cooked and drained

Melt the butter in a hot skillet, add andouille and sauté. Once the andouille is crispy, add ground beef. Break up the ground beef, and cook until the beef is done all the way through. Stir in flour until smooth.

Add heavy cream and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer until mixture thickens. Add tomatoes, jalapeños, salt, pepper and cheese. Cook until cheese is melted, stirring slowly (about 2 minutes).

Mix the cheese sauce with the cooked pasta, and place into a well-greased oven safe dish. Top with a layer of shredded cheddar and bake for 7 minutes or more at 375 degrees, until dish is heated through and cheese is golden brown.

Black Bean Burritos

I love the idea of melting cream cheese into this black bean mixture.

Black Bean Burritos

Serves 2

2 (10 inch) flour tortillas
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp minced jalapeno peppers
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven heated to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos in skillet, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour beans into skillet, cook 3 minutes stirring.

Cut cream cheese into cubes and add to skillet with salt. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.

Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and roll tortillas up. Serve immediately.

Black Eyed Pea Dip

We spent the weekend with friends at their wonderful home outside of Paso Robles. It was a painting weekend for a group of artists that painted at the nearby Mission San Antonio de Padua, which like most of the missions in California, is in much need of renovation.  This is a view from my the porch at my friend’s home.

We made some hors d’oeuvres for the artists in the late afternoon.  We made this great and easy black eye pea dip.

Black Eyed Pea Dip

Serves 12

14 oz Can Black-eyed Peas
1/4 whole Onion, Chopped Fine
1/4 cup Sour Cream
8 slices Jarred Jalapeños
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
3 Tbs Salsa
Hot Sauce, to taste
Salt And Black Pepper To Taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.

Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.

Spread into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips!

*Note: if you have them available, you can use the canned black-eyed peas and jalapeños (they’re canned together.) If you do this, you can omit the extra jalapeños.

Chili Rub for Pork or Chicken

Having just received a baggy of Hatch green chili powder, my experimenting continues. I decided to make a green chili paste to rub on my pork butt. Doesn’t that sound a bit crass?! It was easy and really good. You can use any kind of chili powder – chipotle, red, etc…. I cooked it in the crock pot after slathering on the rub (still sounds bad!). The next night, I shredded it up and mixed it with BBQ sauce for a pulled pork sandwich – Yum!

Chili Rub/Paste for Pork or Chicken

1½ Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs brown sugar (unpacked)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs olive oil

Chipotle Shrimp Taco with Avocado Salsa Verde

My friend, Amy, just came back from New Mexico and brought me some Hatch Green Chili powder.  What a treat!  When she passed it off, it felt like we were doing a drug deal.  I defy any cop to stick his finger in this!

I’ve spent hours trying to decide what to make first and I decided to make some shrimp tacos.  This recipe calls for chipotle powder, but I substituted the green chili powder, even though I am particularly fond of chipotle.

Try this with any kind of chili powder for your Cinco de Mayo celebration!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chipotle Shrimp Taco with Avocado Salsa Verde

Serves 4

Avocado Salsa:
1 small onion, quartered
1 jalapeno, quartered, seeds optional
1 garlic clove, smashed
4 medium tomatillos, (about 8 oz) husked, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
½ Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Shrimp:
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp chipotle or blended chili powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 lb medium shrimp (about 20), peeled and deveined
8 corn tortillas
8 sprigs cilantro for garnish
2 limes, cut into wedges

Put the onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a food processor and finely chop. Add the tomatillos, avocado, and salt and pulse until chopped but still chunky. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cilantro.

Heat a stovetop or outdoor grill to medium-high. Mix the olive oil, chipotle or chili powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Grill the shrimp until translucent, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side.

Grill tortillas, until slightly charred and pliable, about 20 seconds per side. (Alternatively, wrap in a damp paper towel and heat in a microwave.) Spoon sauce on the tortilla, then top with about 2 or 3 shrimp and a sprig of cilantro. Serve 2 tacos per person, with a lime wedge on the side.