Chiles en nogada is a traditional Mexican dish made of stuffed poblano peppers with a sweet and savory meat filling and walnut-cream sauce.
Ingredients
For the nogada (walnut sauce)
2 cups water, plus more as needed
1 cup shelled walnuts halves
4 ounces goat cheese
3 ounces queso fresco
¾ cup milk, divided
½ cup Mexican crema
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
? teaspoon granulated sugar
For the stuffed peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ medium white onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ lb ground beef
½ lb ground pork
¾ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons chopped dried pineapple chunks
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
? teaspoon ground cloves
? teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup blanched slivered almonds
½ Bosc pear, peeled and diced
½ Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
½ peach, peeled and diced
¼ plantain, diced
6 large poblano peppers
pomegranate seeds, for garnish
chopped parsley, for garnish
flaky sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
Make the nogada sauce. Boil the water in a small pot over high heat. Add the walnuts, cover, and soak for 5 minutes to loosen the skin.
Using your fingers or a paring knife, carefully remove the papery walnut skin off each walnut and place the peeled, skinless walnuts in a bowl. This is a very tedious process and takes patience, but it's an important step to ensure the sauce doesn't come out bitter.
Add the skinned walnuts, goat cheese, queso fresco, milk, Mexican crema, ground cinnamon, and sugar to a blender. Blend for 5 minutes until completely smooth. Set aside.
Make the filling. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the ground beef and ground pork. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks.
Stir in the tomato sauce, golden raisins, dried pineapple, salt, black pepper, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon. Cook uncovered for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the excess moisture is cooked out.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the pear, apple, peach, plantain, and slivered almonds. Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the fruit is tender and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly.
Prepare the poblanos. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the poblano peppers on top. Set your oven rack directly underneath the broiler and turn the broiler on.
Broil the poblanos for 5 minutes or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Carefully flip them over and broil for another 5 minutes or until the skin is blackened and blistered.
Remove them from the oven and loosely cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep in some of the heat and help them steam. Let them sit for 5 minutes.
Peel and rub off as much of the loose skin on the peppers as possible. It doesn't have to be perfect; just as much as you can.
Cut a small slit down the middle of the peppers with a knife. Carefully scoop out and discard the seeds using a spoon.
Assemble the Chiles en Nogada. Carefully stuff the peppers with the picadillo filling. Some of the peppers will be extra fragile because of the roasting process and may tear – that's okay. Just do the best you can. The peppers do not need to fully close, so stuff them as much as you can. parsley.
Garnish and serve. Drizzle the nogada sauce over the peppers and garnish with pomegranate seeds, chopped parsley, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
Notes
Walnuts: Removing the skin from the walnuts is a very tedious process that can take up to 45 minutes, but it's an important step to ensure the sauce doesn't come out bitter.
Poblano peppers: This filling in this recipe fills up 6 large poblanos or 8 medium poblanos.
Slow Cooker Taco Soup
An easy and comforting Slow Cooker Taco Soup perfect for busy weeknights!
Made with beans, corn and the best Tex-Mex ingredients!
Ingredients
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 pound Honeysuckle White 93% Lean Ground Turkey
2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
2 cups chicken broth
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can whole corn kernels, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons lime juice (about the juice of 1 lime)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
4 ounces cream cheese (optional)
optional toppings: tortilla strips and shredded cheese
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes until softened.
Add ground turkey and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix together and break up the meat using a spatula. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the meat has browned and fully cooked through.
Transfer cooked ground turkey and onions to a large slow cooker. Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, black beans, pinto beans, corn, the remaining 1 tablespoon salt, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika and dried oregano.
Mix together until fully combined. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.The longer it cooks, the thicker and more concentrated the flavor of the broth will be.
Mix in lime juice, cilantro (if desired) and cream cheese (if you want the soup a little creamy).
Serve and top with tortilla strips and shredded cheese.
Saturday September 16, 2023
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Succulent, tender beef slow-cooked to perfection, this French Dip Sandwich, also known as Beef Dip, is the ultimate comfort food you didn't know you needed. Imagine biting into a crusty roll loaded with slices of flavorful beef, caramelized onions, and gooey Swiss cheese. It's a symphony of textures and flavors, all elevated by the rich, savory au jus that you can generously dip your sandwich into.
Ingredients
4 pound ribeye loin boneless or chuck roast or sirloin
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions sliced
10 cloves garlic minced
2 bay leaves
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup white wine
3 cups beef broth low sodium
8 crusty rolls or French baguette
8 slices swiss cheese optional
Instructions
Tie the meat with kitchen twine if needed. In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper and oregano together. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture liberally and generously over the beef on all sides.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sear it on all sides until a nice brown crust has formed.
Add the remaining ingredients to your slow cooker and stir. Add the beef and pour some of the liquid over the meat.
Cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 6 hours. The meat will be done when the internal temperature reads 130?-135? for medium-rare or 145? for medium. My beef was cooked to a medium, if you prefer more rare, check the meat after 2 hours on HIGH, or 4 hours on LOW.
Transfer the meat to a cutting board and cover with foil. Let it rest for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into it.
In the meantime, pour the remaining liquid from the slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer. Reserve both the liquid and the onions for sandwiches. Discard the bay leaf.
Slice the beef as thin as you can.
To assemble the sandwiches, slice the rolls in half then pile some beef on the rolls, then top with onions and a slice of Swiss cheese, if preferred. Place the rolls under the broiler, if preferred, for a couple minutes until the cheese melts.
Serve them immediately with the reserved liquid/au jus to dip the sandwiches into.
Notes
Meat Choices: While ribeye loin is my go-to for this recipe, chuck roast or sirloin work well too. The key is slow-cooking to achieve that fall-apart tenderness.
Cheese Options: Swiss cheese is optional but highly recommended for that gooey, melty texture. You can also use provolone or mozzarella as substitutes.
Cooking Time: Keep an eye on the internal temperature of the beef. Aim for 130-135?degrees for medium-rare or 145? degrees for medium. Cooking times can vary based on the cut and size of your beef.
Straining Liquid: Don't skip straining the liquid from the slow cooker. It serves as your flavorful au jus for dipping, enhancing every bite.
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Warm up the beef in the au jus to keep it moist when reheating.
Grandma’s Biscuits DON'T LOSE THIS
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
Half a cup of margarine
1 cup milk
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 ° F (220 ° C).
In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Chop the margarine until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir the milk gradually so that the dough folds off the side of the bowl.
You may love the local gods cake
Turn it over on a floured surface and knead 15-20 times. Roll or roll dough to 1 inch thick. Cut the biscuit with a large piece or a cup of juice dipped in flour. Do again to dough runs out. Discard the excess flour, and place the biscuits on an ungreased baking tray.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in a preheated oven, or until the edges begin to turn brown.
BONUS Never too much Bacon!
Saturday September 09, 2023
MUFFULETTA PIZZA ROLLS
INGREDIENTS
2 packs Pillsbury pizza dough
1 pack Sargento provolone cheese, sliced
2 cups olive spread
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup jack cheese, grated
18 slices Genoa salami
18 slices ham
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Italian seasonings, dried
1 teaspoon dried parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix olive oil and Italian seasonings, set aside.
Roll dough out and slightly stretch it with your hands.
Place olive spread on top of dough, top with provolone cheese, salami, ham and end with grated cheese.
Roll dough up and cut into about 2-3 inch rolls.
You should get 6 rolls out of each log.
Place logs on greased cookie sheet, baste with olive oil mixture.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes until golden brown and dough is cooked.
