Pozole

Pozole is a popular soup in Mexico.  It is delicious and it can be made with either pork or chicken.  Serve it with chopped onions, lettuce, sliced cucumbers, radishes, and salsa.  This soup is extremely easy to make specially when you use canned hominy.  

Try it, it is the perfect meal for a cold winter day!

 INGREDIENTS:

5 lbs boneless pork roast (cut into large chunks)
20 cups water
salt
1 tbsp oregano
4 dry guajillo peppers
1 garlic clove
extra water (one-two cups)
1 6lb 9oz can Mexican Style Hominy (I used Juanita brand)

GARNISH:
shredded lettuce
chopped onion
sliced cucumbers
sliced radishes
limes
tostadas
hot sauce

In a very large pot, place the cut pork, water and salt and start cooking in medium heat.  In a small saucepan, place guajillo peppers and some water, boil.  When peppers are soft, pour peppers and water in blender along with the oregano and garlic clove.  Blend well.  Place a strainer on top of the large pot and pour the mixture from the blender.  This mixture will add some reddish color and flavor to your soup.

I waited about an hour and then poured the hominy in the pot.  I did not include the liquid from the can.  In fact, I drained and rinsed the hominy before placing it in the pot.  Your soup will be ready as soon as your meat is fully cooked.  I cooked my soup for about two hours total (maybe a little more).  Note:  if you are making chicken pozole, you need to add the hominy at the same time you add the meat since chicken cooks a lot faster than pork.

Dish your soup and add garnishes.  The soup is not spicy at all and that's why you need to add hot sauce for extra flavor.  I like to use Tapatio brand (found in the Latin aisle of your grocery store).

I specially love to eat mine with onion, lettuce and cucumbers.  Others like to squirt some lime juice in it and eat it with radishes and tostadas as well.  Enjoy!

Birria

 Delicious and easy traditional Mexican roast.  One of our family favorites!

INGREDIENTS:

Beef Roast

2 garlic cloves

3 guajillo peppers

1 can whole tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes

8 or so of “Chile bravos” also know as “Chile de Arbol” (these are hot peppers)

3/8- ½ cup vinegar (maybe a little less)

½ - 2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

6 or so whole cloves

1/8 tsp (about 19 kernels) whole pepper

1-1  ½  tsp oregano

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

½ cinnamon stick

1/3 Mexican chocolate tablet (such as “Abuelita” or “Ibarra” brand)

Salt to taste

3 bay leaves

Cut roast into several large chunks and place in crockpot.  Boil or microwave the guajillo and chiles de arbol peppers to soften them.  If microwaving them, do it for 1-2 minutes (you do not need to use a lot of water). Throw the rest of the ingredients (except for bay leaves) in the blender (including the soften peppers) and blend for a few minutes.  Pour sauce over meat and throw bay leaves on top.  Cover and cook on high heat for 4-6 hours.  Serve with chopped onion and cilantro on top.

Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)

This is my mom's Mexican bread pudding recipe.  This is not only delicious but it also makes your kitchen smell fantastic!  You will note in the ingredients that some ingredients are optional.  My mom always adds them but my kids are not big fans of raisins so it's not a must to add.  The same with the dates, but I think they are a great addition.  I also substituted honey for the sugar, but either one is fine.  A definite must try!

INGREDIENTS:

5 Bolillo rolls (You can also use french bread, about a loaf or loaf and a half)

2 tbs vanilla

1 cup chopped dates (optional)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup raisins (optional) 

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup sugar or honey

5 cups of milk

sprinkles ;)

Rip the bread into large chunks and place them in a large mixing bowl.  In the blender mix: vanilla, eggs, butter, honey, sweetened condensed milk, and some of the milk.  Pour mixture on top of the bread.  Add dates, coconut, raisins and the rest of the milk.  Add the milk slowly.  You want everything to be pretty moist, if 5 cups of milk is not enough to moist all of the bread then add some more.  Once everything is well mixed, place mixture in a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Sprinkle top with sprinkles! Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for about an hour or until set.  Enjoy!

Chicken Broccoli Braid

This recipe was shared by a friend from church.  It's a quick, easy, and sure tasty.  I made some changes to the recipe just because, but either way it's delicious.  Instead of refrigerated crescent dough I used the "Best Rolls" recipe found here on the blog.

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup chopped broccoli florets

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts (or 1 can chicken)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp dill weed

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp minced garlic 

1/4 tsp salt

Best rolls dough (or 2 pkg (8oz) refrigerated crescent dough)

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 tbsp slivered almonds (optional)

NOTE:  When preparing the chicken, I usually spray a broiler pan with cooking spray.  I get some chicken breasts and season them.  I lay them on the broiler pan and broil each side for 6-7 minutes.  After both sides have been broiled, I get the chicken out and cover it with aluminum foil for 10 minutes (meat still cooks outside the oven).  Make sure juices run clear and your chicken is fully cooked.  If not, put it back inside the oven for a few more minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Combine broccoli, chicken, cheese, mayonnaise, dill weed, garlic, and salt in a bowl: Mix well.  

If you make the "Best Rolls" recipe, you'll only need a quarter of the dough for this recipe.  Roll bread dough to cover the bottom of a large cookie sheet.  

If using refrigerated crescent dough: do not separate.  Arrange longest sides of dough across width of cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining package of dough.  Press all seams together.  

On longest sides of cookie sheet, cut dough into strips 1 1/2" apart, 3" deep. 

Spread filling down center.  Braid strips across center, twisting each strip one turn.  Tuck ends.  Brush with egg whites and sprinkle with almonds.

Bake 25-28 minutes until golden brown.  Enjoy!

The Best Rolls!!!

Thank goodness for Pinterest right!

I came across this recipe on Pinterest a few years back and had to try it.  Since then, this recipe has become my go-to recipe for rolls.  They taste AMAZING and are fast and easy to make.  There's only one problem though, they are soooo good that it is hard to stop eating them!

This recipe can be used for a lot of other recipes as I'll mention in the bottom of this post, and a few others later on. 

Give it a try, you will not be disappointed.  

Recipe from:  How does she?

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp yeast

2 cup warm water

9-10 cups flour

butter

In a small bowl dissolve the yeast in the warm water along with 1 tablespoon of sugar, set aside.

In a microwavable bowl add milk, 3/4 sugar and one stick of butter (1/2 cup).  Microwave for  2 minutes.

Transfer the milk, sugar and butter mixture into a big bowl and add one to two cups of flour to cool it down a bit.  Then add egg, salt, and yeast mixture.  Mix well.

Incorporate flour, 2 cups at a time.  Mix well, cover, and let rise.

Divide dough in 4 balls.  Take each ball and roll it in a circle.  About 1/4 inch thick.   Smear some butter on top of each rolled circle.  Using a pizza cutter cut the circle in quarters, then do two more cuts in each quarter in order to end up with 12 triangles per circle.

Roll triangles beginning with bigger side first and finishing up with the tip.  Place rolls in a greased cookie sheet and let rise until double their size.  I usually let them rise for about 20-30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes.

Run a stick of butter on top of baked rolls for an extra buttery taste. Enjoy!

 

Did you make a lot of dough?  Don't want to make all the rolls?  

Well how about a dessert!

Just add a little bit of melted butter to the top of one of your rolled circles.  Sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar, then roll it (like making cinnamon rolls).

Using a knife, cut rolled dough in half, just don't go all the way so that the two pieces are still connected.

Grab both pieces of dough and twist together.  Form a ring and pinch ends together.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  

Frost with cream cheese frosting or your favorite glaze.  Enjoy!

Dulce De Leche Alfajores

 

My mom came to visit me last week and she brought along several magazines and cookbooks for me to keep.  We both got started looking through a Better Homes and Gardens specialty magazine of Christmas cookies that had what seem like a gazillion good cookies and bars.

We had to try at least one of the recipes while they were here and these alfajores were a must.  They were pretty easy to make, pretty, and amazingly delicious!!!!

Note:  I only filled my cookies with dulce de leche, but as you will read the original recipe has dulce de leche and chocolate in the middle, yum!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp finely shredded orange peel or lemon peel

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup finely ground blanched almonds

3 cups flour

powdered sugar (for sprinkling on top)

1 can dulce de leche

6 oz semisweet chocolate pieces, melted

 

In a bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds.  Add 1 cup powdered sugar, granulated sugar, and salt.  When combined, add egg, orange peel, and vanilla.  When that's combined, beat in the almonds and the flour last.  Cover the dough and chill for two hours or until dough is easy to handle.

On a surface dusted with powdered sugar or flour (I used flour), roll one portion of the dough at a time to 1/8 tot 1/4 inch thick.  Using a fluted round, or square  2- to 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut out dough.  Place cutouts about an inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheet (I just line my cookie sheets w/ aluminum foil).

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until tops are very light brown.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

Spread 1 rounded teaspoon of dulce de leche on the bottom of a cookie.  Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the melted chocolate on another cookie and then sandwich both cookies together.  To garnish, sift cookie tops with additional powdered sugar.  Enjoy!!!

 

Chile Relleno Casserole

 We love chiles rellenos, but they are a little time consuming and probably not the healthiest for you since the egg-covered peppers are fried.  Nonetheless, if you have the time and want to eat something amazing, definetively make them.  I posted the recipe in the past and you can find it here.

I found the recipe for this casserole here.  I honestly almost didn't make it because I didn't think it would turn out.  Then I figured I would never know if I didn't try it.  As usual, I kinda like to tweak recipes so this of course has changes to the original. You can click on the link above if you want the original recipe or just do it my way.  

This dish is pretty good, and I think overall healthy.  I will definitely make this again and I hope you like it too.

INGREDIENTS

5 oz grated cheddar

5 oz grated monterey jack cheese (I'm sure you can use mozzarella instead)
2 eggs

4 egg whites
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup flour
1 2/3 cup 2% milk
3-5 large poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped (I used five)

Note:  If you are not sure how to roast the peppers, click on the first link I provided.  It will take you to my chile relleno recipe and I explain the process there.

Spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.  Then add the cheese, about 3/4 of it, followed by the peppers.

Beat the eggs and egg whites, then whisk in the flour, salt and the milk.  Pour this mixture on top of the peppers.  Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-55 minutes.  Enjoy!

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I wanted to find a good mint chocolate chip ice cream and I think I found a winner.  Allrecipes.com had a great one and I just made one slight change to it.  You can find the original recipe by clicking here.

INGREDIENTS:

2 c milk

2 c whipping cream

1 c sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp peppermint extract

3-5 drops green food coloring

5 oz chopped Andes Chocolates

Mix the first seven ingredients and pour into an ice cream maker.  Mine takes about 20-25 minutes for the ice cream to be freeze, so just follow your manufacturer's instructions.  About ten minutes before it's ready, pour the Andes chocolates in.  Transfer to a container and eat right away, or freeze to enjoy later!

Whole Wheat Bread

 

This is my mother-in-law's recipe for whole wheat bread and we love it!

It is easy and overall fast to make.

I have a kitchen-aid mixer and the whole recipe doesn't fit in my bowl so I usually half the recipe.  My mother in law has a Bosch and she says the whole recipe fits just fine in her mixing bowl. 

When I make this bread, I tend to make 4 of the half batches at a time and freeze the bread. Last time I made it, I ended up with 9 small loaves and 3 large ones.

INGREDIENTS:

11 c whole wheat flour

2 tbsp yeast

5 c warm water

1 1/2 c powdered milk

2/3 c oil

2/3 c honey

2 tbsp dough enhancer

1 cup vital wheat gluten 

2 tbsp salt

Mix all ingredients and knead for 10 minutes.

Let rise, punch down.  Let rise.  Use oil instead of flour to make loaves.  Makes 7 small loaves or 5 large ones.  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

Here is a picture of the Wheat Gluten and Dough Enhancer I have.  You can find these products in the baking section of your grocery store.  Hopefully it will give you an idea of what to look for although it will probably be different brands.

Note:  This bread freezes great!