Sunday, January 5, 2014

Chicken Posole

Source: Cooking Light
Yield: 6-8 Generous Bowls

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 half large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 10 oz. can tomatillos, drained and coarsely chopped
4 c chicken stock
2 c water
2 15 oz. cans white hominy, rinsed and drained
1 rotisserie chicken, picked from the bones and chopped (discard skin)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, diced $
4 radishes, thinly sliced $
Cilantro leaves
Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until barely softened, add celery, carrots, and garlic. As the veggies begin to cook, add the spices and bay leaf. Sauté 2 minutes. Stir in tomatillos; cook 1 minute.

Add broth and hominy; cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and cook 8 minutes. Stir in chicken cook until heated through. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper. Divide evenly among bowls. Top with avocado and radish. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Source: Martha Stewart
Yield: 1 10" pie



One pie crust

Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Apple Filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
16 ounces sour cream
2 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 Granny Smith or other crisp, tart apples (about 2 1/2 pounds)

Roll out dough into a 15-inch round (1/4 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 10-inch pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, and fold under, pressing onto rim of pie plate. Use your fingers to create a scalloped edge if desired. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Make the crumb topping: Whisk together sugars, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add butter, and combine with a fork or pastry cutter. Stir in walnuts, and press filling into large clumps with your hands; refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with 2 racks in lower third.

Peel and core the apples, slice them into 1/4-inch wedges and put into a very large mixing bowl.

Make the filling: Whisk together granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir in sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Pour over apples and stir to coat. Carefully fill the crust with apples. Arrange them neatly so that they are packed firmly and there are no open spaces.

Place an empty rimmed baking sheet on lowest oven rack to catch any drips, then bake pie 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake until apples are golden brown in places, juices are bubbling, and crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Remove topping from refrigerator, and crumble over hot filling. Bake until topping is browned and set, apples are tender, and bottom crust is thoroughly baked, about 50 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, 3 to 4 hours.

Black-Eyed Pea Queso Dip

Source: Homesick Texan
Yield: 8 servings

1/2 pound Mexican chorizo, removed from any casing
1/4 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 roasted jalapeños, seeds and stems removed, diced
1 roasted ancho pepper, seeds and stems removed, diced
16oz frozen chopped spinach, cooked per package directions but without the added water
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained or one 15-ounce can of black-eyed peas, drained
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
4 cups shredded Machego cheese (16 ounces)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Tortilla chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large oven-proof skillet, such as a cast iron skillet, heat the Mexican chorizo and onion on medium low. Add the garlic to the pan after about 3 minutes. While stirring occasionally to break up any large chunks of chorizo, cook until the chorizo and onions are cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and if you like, drain off any excess grease.

Stir into the skillet the diced peppers, black-eyed peas and spinach. Evenly distribute on top the cubed cream cheese and shredded cheese then pour in the cream. Bake uncovered until the cheese is bubbling, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently stir to combine everything. If you’d like a little tang, you can squeeze in some lemon juice. Garnish with chopped cilantro and add salt to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.