September 7, 2009

Labor Day Fireworks flickr photo by IceNineJon

Happy Labor Day! I suppose summer is officially over now. As a final salute to the season, I have a recipe for you. I haven't been in the kitchen this weekend, so please forgive me for not including photos!  But trust me, this recipe is family-tested and approved!  And you already know what potato salad looks like anyway, right?

Here's our world-famous SisFamily Potato Salad recipe, which originally came from SisMama's dad. Ok, it might not actually be world-famous, but our family loves it! What makes it special? No to celery, green pepper, sweet relish and Miracle Whip! Yes to celery salt, a touch of mustard, boiled eggs and dill pickles. That's how we roll!

SisFamily Potato Salad

3 to 4 pounds new potatoes, as close to the same size as possible
6 eggs, boiled and chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
4 to 6 dill pickles, finely chopped or use dill relish
2 tablespoons yellow or spicy brown mustard
Good mayonnaise to bind it all together: usually 1 cup or more
Celery salt to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes (unpeeled) until just tender.  Allow to cool just enough to handle and then peel.  They peel easier when they're still warm.  Cut potatoes into medium-size chunks; not too small.  They break up a bit when mixed, and you don't want to be left with mashed potato salad.  Salt and pepper the pieces while still warm, since they absorb flavors best while warm.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the egg, onion, and pickles together.  Add the mustard, mayonnaise and a few dash of celery salt.  Mix all together, then add in the potatoes and toss together gently. Taste and adjust for seasonings.  You may need to add more mayonnaise to hold the mixture together.  The potatoes will drink up some of the moisture as they sit for a while, so we usually make the salad pretty juicy to start with.  It's best to make the salad a day ahead or at least a couple of hours in advance so all of the flavors can blend.

For a lower-fat variation, you could use low-fat mayo, but we aren't big fans of that product.  And here's a tip that I learned from a co-worker.  To mellow your chopped raw onions a bit, let them marinate for an hour or so in plain water or in lemon juice, then drain them and pat them dry.  The liquid takes out some of the bitter strong flavor.  It really works!  You could also substitute chopped chives or scallions for a milder flavor.

Potato salad is a main course in my veggie household, but it's just a side dish in LilSis' household of carnivorous guys.  Fortunately for them, she has an awesome brisket recipe and she's going to post it for all of you with similar big appetites in your family.  Take it away, LilSis!

~BigSis

May 24, 2009

Anyone who knows us, knows that we take any opportunity we can to get together with friends and family. Unfortunately, our family can't be together this Memorial Day so we'll be getting together with friends. I thought it might be fun to serve up some festive Patriotic Cocktails so here are just a few ideas.

Here's an easy, Red, White, and Blue Cocktail.

Red, White, and Blue Cocktail

Red, White, and Blue Cocktail

1 part grenadine
1 part peach schnapps
1 part blue curacao

Simply pour each part slowly into a shot glass in order:  red, white, and blue.

Here are two more really easy, yet very colorful cocktails.

Yankee Doodle

Yankee Doodle

1 part blue raspberry flavored vodka
2 parts sour mix or lemonade
1 part tonic water

Just pour into a rocks glass, stir and serve over ice.

Patriotic Punch

1 part red cherry flavored vodka
3 parts lemonade

Pour into a rocks glass, stir and serve.

And, I really like this one. I'm sure you could substitute vodka for the gin, if you're not a gin lover.

Blueberry Cobbler

Blueberry Cobbler

1/4 c. fresh blueberries
1 small lime wedge
1 1/2 t. sugar
1 1/2 oz. gin
2 oz. club soda
Ice

In a cocktail shaker, muddle 15 of the blueberries with the lime wedge and sugar. Add the gin and ice and shake well. Strain into a highball glass half-filled with ice, top with the club soda and garnish with the remaining blueberries.

And, how about some red, white, and blue jello shots? Find all three recipes here on recipezaar.

I always like to serve up a festive cocktail, or two, for whatever the occasion may be, so maybe this gives you a couple of ideas.

Of course, this Memorial Day, we will be remembering what our service men and women do for us every day.

And, we will be remembering those who served our country that are no longer with us. SirHoney's brother was a Marine and served our country in Vietnam. We will definitely be thinking of him this Memorial Day, as we do every day.

~LilSis

May 22, 2009

In past years, I would normally cook a big ole Texas size brisket for our Memorial Day get together with family and friends. Most holidays are very different for us now since we're way out here in California while the rest of the family is either in Texas or Illinois.

Since living out here, we've definitely had to reinvent how we celebrate some holidays. This past year we've met some great people down at the Harbor, so this year for Memorial Day, we'll be attending a huge Kabob Party on our dock this Sunday. Everyone who participates will bring their favorite Kabobs to share.

I've gotta admit, though, I don't really have a favorite Kabob. I've made Kabobs on several occasions and I'm never that happy with how traditional kabobs turn out. I don't want to make the standard beef, peppers, tomato, and onion kabob because I've found that the meat and the veggies just don't cook at the same rate.  The meat is always done before the veggies, especially the peppers.  So, you either end up with dried out meat or hard vegetables. I know there are many marinades that probably help prevent the meat from drying out, but I'm trying to cook less beef anyway, so I'm not going that route.

I've done veggies on a separate skewer and am more happy with how that turns out except that if you add mushrooms and tomatoes, those are still done before peppers and onions.

So, I want to do something different. I'm thinking shrimp. Even though it isn't a traditional kabob, I've been wanting to make this Guy Fieri recipe, Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Chipotle Barbeque Sauce that I saw in the February/March 2009 Food Network Magazine. These look pretty amazing to me.

And one of my favorite “go to” cookbooks for anything to do with grilling is always “How To Grill” by Steven Raichlen. He has a fantastic Bacon Basil Shrimp on a Stick recipe that I'm also considering.

This Chicken and Bacon Shish Kabob recipe from All Recipes also sounds interesting because the chicken is wrapped in the bacon, which would probably keep it from drying out, plus there are no peppers.

I know the variations are endless with Kabobs. I would like to use shrimp or chicken instead of beef. I would REALLY love to hear from you if you have a favorite kabob recipe. Pretty please? 🙂

~LilSis

May 9, 2009

For Mother's Day, brunch is normally on the agenda for a lot of us moms. It's just nice to have one day out of the year when you don't feel guilty saying: “I'm not cooking today.  And, as a matter of fact, I'm not doing any laundry either!”

Most Mother's Day Brunches include mimosas, too. But no one says you have to drink Mimosas on Mother's Day. How about some Margaritas?  Food Network has over 100 great recipes for different varieties of Margaritas.

I think this Whole Citrus Margarita sounds nice because it just calls for fresh juices instead of a store bought mix.

Whole Citrus Margarita

If you're not really in the mood for a tequila-filled Margarita, how about one of these treats for after dinner?

We love these Margarita Cupcakes from Recipe Girl.

Margarita Cupcakes

This Frozen Margarita Pie from Cookie Madness looks scrumptious!

Frozen Margarita Pie

This Key Lime Bundt Cake with Margarita Icing is another from Cookie Madness.

Key Lime Bundt Cake with Margarita Icing

And the Margarita Cookies from Peanut Butter and Julie are adorable!

Margarita Cookies

How about Margarita Ice Cream from Barefoot Kitchen Witch!

Margarita Ice Cream

Whatever your plans are for Mother's Day, we wish you a wonderful day!

~LilSis

May 5, 2009

My Classic Tortilla Soup

I'm calling this recipe Classic Tortilla Soup, but I probably should have come up with something more original.  I've been testing, tweaking, tasting, changing, experimenting, adapting this recipe for many years. I was originally trying to duplicate the awesome Tortilla Soup from Mi Cocina in Dallas.

When I go back home to Texas for a visit, one of my very favorite places to stop in and have Mexican food is Anamia's in Southlake. They have an excellent Taco Salad and a perfect Tortilla Soup.  I love their soup and haven't yet been able to duplicate it exactly,  but I'm happy with my version of Classic Tortilla Soup.

Tortilla Soup is a little like pizza, spaghetti sauce, or chili because you know exactly how you like it. If you're from Chicago, like SirHoney, you're very particular about your pizza and spaghetti, and, of course the Italian sausage. For cryin' out loud, there is no Italian Sausage that they think comes close to what they get in Chicago.  And, if you're from Texas, like we are, you're probably pretty picky about your chili. I've shared my prize winning recipe for chili here.

So, I make my Tortilla Soup the same way that I make my Chili. I make it EXACTLY the way I like it. Before I get to the recipe, here are a few things that I LOVE about Tortilla Soup and a few things that I DO NOT like in Tortilla Soup.

• I LOVE a clear broth where the big chunks of tomato and other veggies aren't pureed into the broth.
• I LOVE adding corn to Tortilla Soup, the same way I add it to my Chicken Enchilada Soup and my Chili Con Carne.
• I LOVE using Emeril's Seasoning in my soup, instead of just cumin and oregano.
• I LOVE huge chunks of avocado in my soup.
• I LOVE adding onions for flavor, but  instead of dicing, I cut them into large slices so I can pick them out. (I know I'm weird.)
• I DO NOT like a dark, thick base for a Tortilla Soup.
• I DO NOT like celery, so it's not in my soup.
• I DO NOT like zucchini, so none in my soup.
• I DO NOT like bell pepper, but this is my only compromise. My guys like it, so for milder flavor, I use a red, orange, or yellow bell pepper and also cut it in large chunks so I can pick it out.

Now that is a perfect bite!

Classic Tortilla Soup

1 1/2 T. Olive Oil
1 large sweet onion, cut into large slices
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 c. carrots, cut into medium size pieces
8 c. low sodium chicken broth
1 large orange bell pepper, cut into large slices
1 c. frozen corn kernels
28 oz. can stewed tomatoes
6 chicken breasts, cooked, and shredded or diced (I like shredded)
2 or 3 T. Emeril's Seasoning (see recipe below)
10 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 tsp. chili powder
salt

Toppings:
cilantro
grated co-jack cheese
chopped avocado

Saute onion, garlic, and carrots in olive oil until onion and carrots soften a little. Pour broth into pot, bring to simmer over medium heat. Add corn, stewed tomatoes and bell pepper. Simmer until pepper starts to soften. Add chicken and Emeril's Seasoning. Keep soup on low simmer until ready to serve.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread just a little olive oil on a baking sheet. Arrange tortilla strips on baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little chili powder and salt. Bake until crisp and golden (15 -20 minutes).  Toss halfway through baking.

Ladle soup into a nice large bowl, top with cheese, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips. Perfecto!

Emeril's Seasoning

2 1/2 T. Paprika
2 T. Salt
2 T. Garlic Powder
1 T. Black Pepper
1 T. Onion Powder
1 T. Cayenne Pepper
1 T. dried Oregano
1 T. dried Thyme

Mix all ingredients together in a small container and you've got BAM!

And not to worry! We didn't forget about the dessert. To finish off our Cinco de Mayo Menu, BigSis has a festive Mexican Chocolate Rice Krispie Treat recipe. So, be sure to check back here later today!

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

~LilSis

May 4, 2009

Bobby Flay's Goat Cheese Enchiladas are on my Cooking Bucket List, and I thought about making them for Cinco de Mayo but didn't really want to go the high-fat route right now, since I ate more than usual on vacation and I'm trying to get back to my more disciplined way of eating.  So I compromised.  I made my version of Bobby's enchilada sauce, but instead of cheese enchiladas, I made spinach mushroom enchiladas with whole grain tortillas.  They aren't totally guilt-free since I'm still using a moderate amount of cheese (what would enchiladas BE without cheese?), but it's all about balance, right? If you want to go totally vegan and healthy, use agave nectar instead of the honey and eliminate the cheese altogether or use a non-dairy cheese.  If you have a non-dairy cheese that you love, please let me know about it!

I made the sauce a day in advance, and would recommend that since it takes a little while.  Plus, the flavor has a chance to develop overnight, and just makes it even better.  This sauce takes some doing, but I think it's worth it.  It's really delicious and has great depth to it.  Make sure that you use the Mexican oregano, not the usual Turkish oregano that you might have for Italian cooking.  The Mexican variety is not as sweet, and works great with the smoky cumin.  You can get a small jar of it at Penzeys for $1.49, so try to find it if you can.  You might be able to get it at the Latin foods market, which is where I found my dried ancho chiles.

Ingredients for the sauce

Enchilada Sauce
(adapted from Bobby Flay's Red Chile-Tomato Sauce)

3 ancho chiles
3 Tblsp vegetable oil
1/2 large red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 Tblsp ground cumin
1 Tblsp Mexican oregano
1 28-oz can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
4 cups vegetable stock
1 to 2 Tblsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Microwave 2 cups of water to boiling point, and carefully pour over ancho chiles in small bowl. Let soften for 30 minutes. Remove stems and seeds from chiles and puree in food processor or blender.

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, saute the onion in vegetable oil over medium heat until soft. Add crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add cumin and oregano and cook for 1 minute. Add ancho puree and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and honey to taste. Leave chunky or use an immersion blender for a smoother consistency. This recipe makes a large quantity, so you may want to freeze what you don't use in this batch of enchiladas. Just don't let it go to waste!

The whole steaming pan

Spinach Mushroom Enchiladas

1 Tblsp butter
1/2 large red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1-1/2 lb mushrooms, wiped clean and chopped
8 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
Salt, pepper and Frank's Red Hot sauce to taste
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese of your choice (I used a mixture of monterrey jack and mexican blend cheeses)
8 multi-grain tortillas
2 cups Enchilada Sauce
Cotija cheese for garnish, optional

Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add onions, garlic and mushrooms and cook until they are soft and liquid has evaporated.  Add the spinach and cook until spinach is wilted and liquid has evaporated again.  Add salt, pepper and Frank's Red Hot to taste.  Mix in one cup of the shredded cheese.

Place 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in bottom of 9 x 13 pan.  Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for a few seconds until softened enough to roll.  Place a generous 1/4 cup of the spinach mushroom filling into the center of a tortilla and roll up.  Place in the pan, and repeat until all tortillas are filled, snuggling them in tightly.  Cover with remaining 1-1/2 cups of enchilada sauce, and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly throughout and cheese is melted, about 30-35 minutes.  Serve with a sprinkle of cotija cheese if desired.

One tasty serving

~BigSis

May 3, 2009

BigSis and I had hoped that BigT could make his Jalapeno Poppers for our Cinco de Mayo appetizer. He would have loved to make these for us, but he moved out of our hacienda on May 1st (again; fingers crossed) so he was very busy getting situated this weekend.

Recently, BigT and I went to one of our favorite Mexican Food dives for lunch.  I ordered my favorite ground beef crispy quesadilla. It's really more like a humongous nacho because all the amazing cheese and meat are on top of one crispy tortilla and broiled until bubbly and golden brown. (I obviously wasn't being too disciplined.)

But BigT was being very disciplined, so he ordered the ceviche. I NEVER would have ordered ceviche from that particular restaurant, but I tried a few bites of his and it was really good. In their particular recipe, they used a white fish. We're going to use Ahi tuna for ours.

I have made a gazillion appetizers over the years but I have to admit, I was always a little afraid of ceviche. Luckily, since living here in CA, we've ventured outside our little box. We've actually been eating Sashimi Tartare and Carpaccio!

This ceviche recipe is a pretty traditional version, except that the fish in Mexico would likely be mackerel or kingfish, it would typically be marinated long enough to cook through and it would be served in a glass bowl or on a tostada. I really like serving this on the bed of butter lettuce.

Ceviche Salad with Avocado, Cilantro and Green Chile
(adapted from Rick Bayless Mexican Everyday)

1 cup fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup (loosely packed) roughly chopped cilantro
Fresh green chiles to taste, stemmed and roughly chopped
(I only used one Serrano and roasted it before peeling and chopping)
Salt, to taste
1 1/4 pound sashimi-grade boneless, skinless fish (I used Ahi)
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 diced tomato
1 large head butter lettuce

In a blender or food processor, combine the lime juice, garlic, cilantro, chiles and 1 tsp salt. Process until smooth.

Put the diced fish into a large bowl. Pour the lime marinade over it and let it “cook” in the lime juice to suit your own taste: you can eat it right away (Peruvian-style) if you like raw fish, or let it “cook” for an hour or two if you like it more well-done. It takes about four hours to “cook” fish well-done in lime juice; if that is your desire, add the cilantro, chopped, just before serving to preserve its fresh color.

Pour off half the marinating liquid and set aside. Toss the avocado and the tomato with the fish, then taste and season with additional salt if you think necessary.

Divide the lettuce among four dinner plates. Scoop a portion of the ceviche into the center of each arrangement. Sprinkle with a little chopped cilantro, drizzle some of the reserved lime marinade over the salad and you're ready to serve.

I marinated mine for exactly two hours and the fish was perfect!  If you really do not like the idea of semi-rare fish, marinate for the full four hours OR you can substitute 1 pound of cooked shrimp. In that case, you would only marinate the shrimp for a few minutes to soak up the flavors.

If you've never made ceviche, maybe this has inspired you to give it a try this Cinco de Mayo!

~LilSis

May 3, 2009

You can't have a Cinco de Mayo meal without guacamole, or any mexican meal, for that matter. LilSis and I make our guacamole pretty much the same way, and it's super simple. We don't like onion in our guac since it dominates the flavor, and we don't like tomato since it gets yukky and watery if there's any left over. We do like lots of lemon and garlic! The extra lemon will help keep the guac from getting too brown, besides giving it a great bright flavor  Here's how we do it.

Ole!

Super Simple Guacamole

3 avocados
Juice of 1 to 1-1/2 lemons (at least 4 tablespoons of juice)
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp shallot pepper (or plain pepper if that's what you have)
1/2 tsp minced dried garlic or garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Mash avocados with all other ingredients. Adjust seasonings to your taste.  Refrigerate any leftovers, with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the guacamole to keep air out and reduce browning.  Enjoy!

~BigSis

May 3, 2009

Hola!  Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, so oh darn, LilSis and I have an excuse to make Mexican food.  Our favorite!  With one sister in California and one in Texas, you KNOW we love our Mexican food!  The swine flu has postponed or cancelled the Cinco de Mayo festivities here in Texas, so it's a good thing that we have our own throwdown fiesta planned!

Here's our menu for this year:

• Ceviche Salad with Avocado, Cilantro and Green Chilis
• Guacamole
• Classic Tortilla Soup
• Spinach Mushroom Enchiladas
• Mexican Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

We're busy in our cocinas, so check back later for our first recipe.  Ole!

~BigSis

April 11, 2009

Oh no, Mr. Bunny! (Something about this is just wrong). This little pink bunny is just too cute to eat!  He looks like he's all tucked into his cozy little graham cracker bed for the night, but little does he know he's about to be liquified!  Oh nooooo……

But if you really get a kick out of this, check out CakeSpy for some fun ideas for leftover Easter Candy. I love this Malted Milk Shake.  It reminds me of a Peeps hot tub.

For all the cupcake fanatics, Baking Bites does some crazy cute Peeps cupcakes.

And if this just leaves you wanting more, check out the Peeps: Recipes and Crafts to make with your favorite Marshmallow Treats.

As for me, I'm about “peeped out”!

~LilSis