What We Ate: Christmas Day - December 25, 2017

Monday, December 25, 2017


~ Breakfast ~

Coffee
Cinnamon Rolls

Champagne
Bagels with Fresh Creme and Salmon
Onions, Capers



 ~ Late Xmas Lunch ~

Meatballs in Cranberry and Orange Juice
Cold Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
Creme Cheese with Jalapeno Jam with Crackers

Pork Roast
Stuffing
Fruit Salad
Mashed Potatos
Sweet Potato with mini marshmallows
Avacado
Dinner Rolls with Butter



~ Dessert ~

Cheesecake * Pecan Pie * Berry Pie * Mince Pie
Coffee


What we ate for Dinner: Christmas Eve - December 24, 2017

Sunday, December 24, 2017




 ~ Appetizers ~

Brie with Guava Paste
Apples
Pears
Ham & Salami


 ~ Dinner ~


Lobster Bisque

*

Crab Cakes
Sauteed Baby Spinach with Kale
Mini Gratin Dhapinois 
Sauteed Green Beans
Dinner Rolls with Butter

*

Pecan Pie



What we ate for Christmas Eve Dinner: December 23rd

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Dinner at Neighborhood Mexican Restaurant


Margarita/Beer/Sprite

Burrioto - Sarah
Carnita Guisdao - Me
Fajita - Ian
Enchilada - Cecil


Easy Pressure Cooker Pork Chile Verde

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds (1.9kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 3/4 pound tomatillos (about 4 tomatillos; 350g), quartered, husks discarded
  • 2/3 pound Poblano peppers (about 2 peppers; 300g), roughly chopped, seeds and stems discarded (see note)
  • 6 ounces Anaheim or Cubanelle peppers (about 2 peppers; 170g), roughly chopped, seeds and stems discarded (see note)
  • 2 serrano or jalapeño chilies, roughly chopped, stems discarded (see note)
  • 8 ounces white onion (about 1 medium; 225g), roughly chopped
  • 6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) whole cumin seed, toasted and ground
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems (about 1/2 ounce; 15g), plus more for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Asian fish sauce
  • Fresh corn tortillas and lime wedges, for serving
Directions

In a pressure cooker, combine pork, tomatillos, Poblano peppers, Anaheim peppers, serrano peppers, onion, garlic, cumin, and a big pinch of salt. Heat over high heat until gently sizzling, then seal pressure cooker, bring to high pressure, and cook for 30 minutes. Release pressure.

Using tongs, transfer pork pieces to a bowl and set aside. Add cilantro and fish sauce to remaining contents of pressure cooker. Blend with an immersion blender or in a countertop blender, then season to taste with salt. Return pork to sauce and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately with tortillas and lime wedges.


Note: If you'd like, you can use other fresh green chilies in place of Anaheims, Poblanos, and serranos. Using 100% Hatch chilies is a good way to go. You can also replace the fresh chilies with frozen or jarred roasted green chilies, using the same amount by weight.

Why It Works

  • Adding all the ingredients to the pressure cooker, with no extra liquid, makes for an intensely flavored stew that cooks in its own juices.
  • Fish sauce adds umami depth to the dish once it's cooked.

Original Recipe @http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/03/easy-pressure-cooker-pork-chile-verde-recipe.html

Buckwheat Galette Tips

Sunday, November 5, 2017

David, if I can make good galettes, you can too. The galette recipe I was given by my Bretonne mother-in-law contains an egg (!) and a bit of salt. It came with two rules: one, that you absolutely must let the batter rest at least three hours, preferably overnight, and two, that you never reverse direction when using the rateau.
Pour pimper vos galettes… If they’re are a total disaster, I have a galette cookbook that suggests you mix the remaining batter with an egg, a bit of sugar, a squeeze of lemon and a grated apple. Cook it in a frying pan, flipping very carefully with the aid of a dinner plate. You’ll get a thick, dense pancake which you can serve in slices, maybe with some honey or jam – a bit like a sweet paillaisson de pomme de terre. Delicious!

Chicken Enchilada Recipes

Chicken Enchilada Recipes

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (makes 15 – 18 enchiladas) or
  • 5-6 thighs (9 – 12 enchiladas)
  • Corn tortillas
  • vegetable oil
  • 12 oz. of mild cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
  • enchilada sauce
  • sour cream optional
  • guacamole optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Personally, I think dark meat makes the chicken enchilada recipes better than white meat. The choice is yours.

Rinse your chickens in cold water and place them in a pot and fill with water. You are going to boil the chicken for 1/2 hour.

Always test your chicken to make sure it is done. You don’t want to see any red juices coming out of the chicken.

When done, remove the chicken to a dish to cool off.

When the chicken is cool enough to touch, you will debone the chicken. Discard the skin, bones, grisle, and any other parts you don’t want to eat!

Try not to leave your chicken out at room temperature too long. You don’t want to encourage bacterial growth.

Place your deboned chicken on a clean cutting board and cut the chicken into approximately 1 inch chunks. If you have ever considered buying one good knife for your kitchen, here is one I have been happy with. I use it all the time and love it. It’s razor sharp and lightweight.

At this point you can start assembling your chicken enchiladas. If you want to keep your chicken warm just put it in a pot on the stove in the liquid it was cooked in.

Heat the vegetable oil on medium high heat in a frying pan big enough to fit the tortillas in.

Assembly Time


  1. When the oil is hot, take two tortillas with tongs and hold them in the oil until they bubble. The tortillas should bubble right away. If they don’t, your oil is not hot enough.
  2. Lift and dip the tortillas in and out of the oil 3 times fairly quickly.
  3. The goal is to make the tortillas soft so they are easy to roll. If you leave them in the oil too long,the tortillas get stiff and are hard to roll. Toss those aside and try again. If you make these chicken enchilada recipes enough times, you will get good at it.
  4. Now dip the tortillas in hot enchilada sauce to coat them. Transfer the coated tortillas to a plate or tray. The tortillas will be hot, so be careful.
  5. You might want to wait 1 minute to let the tortillas cool.
  6. Now add a large spoonful of chicken on top of the coated tortilla. Lay it right down the middle from end to end.
  7. Grab one end of the tortilla (closest to you) and bring it over 3/4 of the way to the other end. Place your fingers on top near the chicken. Tuck and roll the enchilada over so that the opening is now on the bottom.
  8. Pick up the enchilada and place it on a oven-proof dish. When you pick it up, make sure you grab the seam on the bottom with your fore fingers and let your pinky fingers cover the ends of the enchilada so the chicken doesn’t fall out.
  9. After a little practice you’ll realize that making these chicken enchilada recipes is a breeze.
  10. After you have placed your chicken enchiladas in the dish, use a ladle to spoon the enchilada sauce over the top of all the enchiladas. Spoon plenty of sauce to completely cover the enchiladas and the bottom of the dish.
  11. Sprinkle grated mild cheddar cheese over the top of the chicken enchiladas. Use a much or as little as you desire.
  12. Then sprinkle finely chopped yellow onions on top or not.
  13. Place the enchiladas in the oven. You don’t need to cover them with foil.
  14. Since all of your ingredients are warm, you will only need to leave them in the oven a few minutes.
  15. When you see that the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges, you know it’s hot enough.
  16. Take the chicken enchiladas out of the oven and serve immediately.

Try our easy chicken enchilada recipe. It will get you out of the kitchen sooner and your family will love it.

Would you like to try Mamasita’s chicken enchiladas recipe sumbitted by one our our website viewers? This one is delicious, easy and a great way to use up your left over chicken.

Sunday, October 8, 2017

Step by step preparation photos for achiote and beer marinated grilled steak (Bistec asado)

Homemade achiote or annatto seasoning mix Add beer and lime juice to make the marinade
Marinate the steaks in sealable plastic bags for best results Place the steaks on a hot grillGrill on each side and baste with jalapeno cilantro salsa as needed Steaks resting before serving
Grilled steaks with rice and beans Add an egg to the grilled steak for a churrasco style mealBeer marinated grilled steak Grilled steak with jalapeño cilantro salsa


Asados or barbeque parties are very common in Ecuador, especially on the weekends or holidays. And yes, I know that you can just add some salt to a good steak, throw it on a hot grill and you have deliciousness….but, as a good Ecuadorian I love to marinate my steak (bistec) and serve it with tasty sauces. And of course, as a good Ecuadorian I have to use achiote or annatto for almost everything. It’s easier to find ground achiote these days, but in case you can’t find it, use can use paprika as a replacement.
I love using beer as a marinade ingredient; it works well for steaks and beef, but also for chicken, pork and even seafood. I also used garlic powder, even though I prefer the taste of fresh garlic, because I didn’t want extra bits of the garlic sticking to the steak and burning on the grill. Feel free to replace the garlic powder with fresh garlic. I used New York strip steaks, I just love their flavor and they’re so easy to grill – but this marinade would also work great with ribeye and tenderloin.
Achiote and beer marinated grilled steak {Bistec asado}
Rate this recipe 

24 ratings
Yield: For 2-4 people
Easy and delicious recipe for grilled steaks marinated in a spicy beer mix, served topped with jalapeño cilantro salsa.
Ingredients 
  • 2-4 thick steaks, I used New York strip steaks – also works well with ribeye and tenderloin steaks
    Achiote beer marinade
  • 1 tablespoon ground achiote or annatto
  • ½ tablespoon garlic powder, or 1 tablespoon freshly crushed garlic
  • ½ tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder, either cayenne or chipotle
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
  • ½ cup beer
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Mix the marinade spices with the beer and lemon juice.
  2. Place the steaks in a large sealable plastic bag or in a bowl and cover with the achiote beer marinade. Let marinate for at least 2 hours, overnight is ideal.
  3. Pre-heat the grill
  4. Place the steaks on a hot grill, use some of the jalapeño cilantro sauce to baste the steaks while they’re grilling. Cook the steaks to desired doneness, will vary from one grill to another and also based on the thickness and cut of meat.
  5. Let the steaks rest for 3 to 5 minutes on a warm plate before serving.
  6. Serve topped with jalapeño cilantro sauce and with your choice of side dishes.

Tuna fish ceviche {Ceviche volquetero}

Ceviche volquetero, which translates as truck driver ceviche, is a tuna fish ceviche dish that originated in the Amazon jungle region of Ecuador.
Unlike most traditional ceviches that are made with fresh seafood marinated with lime juice, this one is made with canned tuna fish, and isn’t usually marinated ahead of time. It seems to have started as a quick meal for hungry truck drivers, but has recently become a more mainstream dish and can be found on restaurant menus, especially in provinces in the Oriente or Amazon part of the country.
En español
Tuna fish ceviche {Ceviche volquetero}
Recipe for tuna fish ceviche, also known as ceviche volquetero, an Ecuadorian ceviche made with canned tuna fish, onions, tomato, lime juice, cilantro, and served on a platter with chifles or green plantain chips, chochos (lupini beans), toasted corn nuts, and hot sauce.
Ingredients
  • 1 red onion, finely sliced
  • 4 tomatoes, finely sliced
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 hot pepper, deveined and seeds removed, finely diced (optional)
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 2 cans of tuna fish (in olive oil), or add additional olive oil to taste
  • Salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Place the red onion slices in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and rub the salt into the onions. Rinse the onions well to remove the salt. You can use the onions immediately or let them rest in cold water until ready to use.
  2. Add the sliced tomatoes, the chopped cilantro, diced hot pepper (if using), the lime juice, the tuna fish, additional olive oil, and salt to taste. You can serve it immediately or let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
  3. To serve the tuna fish ceviche, on a large plate arrange the green plantain chips, the chocho beans, and the toasted corn nuts. Place the onion and tomato curtido salsa with the tuna fish directly on top, you can also add avocado slices and extra lime slices. Serve immediately with hot sauce on the side.
Notes
Canned tuna fish is very popular in Ecuador, and I remember that as a hungry student it was one of my go to quick lunches. I would mix it with rice, and add some tomato and onion curtido salsa, and have an easy, quick, and tasty lunch – you can also add an egg for a variation of the classic arroz con huevo lazy lunch. Tuna fish is used in everything from salads to pasta dishes. So, it’s no surprise that this tuna fish ceviche volquetero has become a popular dish.

This tuna fish ceviche is more of a mixed platter of Andean or mountain ceviche ingredients. It reminds me very much of the vegetarian lupini bean or chocho ceviche that is very traditional in Andean cities. In addition to the canned tuna fish, it has chochos (lupini beans), chifles (green plantain chips), tostado or roasted cancha/chulpi corn nuts, and is served with the very typical curtido – a fresh salsa or small salad made with onions, tomato, lime juice, and cilantro -, and aji hot sauce. I love hot peppers, so I usually add some diced hot pepper to my variation of this ceviche, but you can leave them out and just serve it with hot sauce on the side.
I also like to serve it with avocado slices, because the flavors go well together (I’m on the « avocados go well with everything » team), and adding avocado to dishes is very typical thing for us in the Sierra or Andean highlands. In Ecuador, most of the components of this ceviche volquetero are store bought: canned tuna fish, chifles or plantain chips, chochos, tostado or chulpi corn nuts, and hot sauce. The onion and tomato salsa is the main fresh component.

You can serve the tuna ceviche in individual bowls (or plastic cups for that street food look) or you can arrange it on a larger serving platter and let everyone mix and match as they wish. The tuna fish part can be added right before serving, or you can marinate and mix it with some of the onion and tomato curtido salsa ahead of time – I prefer the last option if I have time. You can use any kind of canned tuna fish that you prefer, I tend to go for the one in olive oil, but that’s just my preference. For a fancier and more sophisticated variation of this humble tuna fish ceviche, you could prepare it using fresh tuna, grill it slightly, and slice it on the platter. 







Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )