most requested
Thank you for all your input and comments on which of the 8 recipes I put forth you’d like to see first. The requests were all over the board, but the jalapeño jelly had a couple more than the rest. I believe the halibut had the next most, so that recipe will be second and then I’ll go from there until all recipes are posted here for you.
I made this jelly as a take-home gift for the students in my series at Les Gourmettes Cooking School. All of the recipes from this particular class were from Barbara Fenzl’s Southwest The Beautiful Cookbook. This jelly is the perfect homemade gift or hostess gift, especially during the holidays. But I promise you, it’s would be a much-appreciated gift any time of the year.
The recipe below is written just as it is in the book, but here is a tip I’d like to add: When dispersing the jelly between the jars, use a slotted spoon to evenly divide the solids into each jar. If you pour the jelly directly in, the first few jars will end up with all the solids and the last will have none.
Once the solids are distributed, then ladle the hot liquid evenly between the jars. I used 4-ounce jars and ended up with 17. That is a very satisfying amount of gifts for one quick cooking session.
June 12, 2019 No Comments
cilantro sauce and flag food
Before we get to another recipe from Chanté and Cody’s wedding…
…I want to remind you that there are more than 2 dozen 4th of July recipes in the Complete Recipe Index under the Holidays – 4th of July tab.
So if you’re waiting until the 4th or the upcoming weekend to celebrate, get on over there and find something festive to make.
Several of them are in the shape or colors of the flag. FUN!
July 2, 2018 1 Comment
better than cornbread
This may have been my favorite dish from Connor’s birthday dinner. I found the recipe on Saveur.com. It’s originally from Brigtsen’s Restaurant in New Orléans.
Baked in individual ramekins, this cornbread with jalapeño and shrimp is so much more than cornbread.
To make them hot and fresh: Just before serving. I cooked the shrimp mixture and set it aside, whisked together the flour/corn meal mixture, and set it aside. Then, combined the wet ingredients, covered and refrigerated that, all done in the late morning. Thirty minutes before we were to sit down at the table, I preheated the oven and put it all together. They were ready to serve at exactly the right time with very little last-minute effort.
And, of course, I served Harmony Boards for his dinner too. I’m creating and serving them every chance I get. It helps to practice before Kim and I make our new business venture official.
These birthday boards were fruit and cheese, with only a few slices of salami thrown in for good measure.
June 4, 2018 1 Comment
cool and crisp
This refreshing salad is the perfect counterpoint and complement to the Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai – posted last week. It is best served cold from the refrigerator.
My family enjoys and can tolerate quite a bit of heat and spice in our food. I thinly slice the jalapeño pepper for this dish, but it can also be finely minced for those who like things toned down a bit. I give directions for both methods; you decide which suits your taste.
Prep the salad and the dressing hours ahead and then dress it just before you heat up the wok for the pad Thai and your meal will come together in a snap.
September 6, 2017 No Comments
old clothes in the slow cooker
Ropa Vieja translates to old clothes.
Not the most appetizing image, but it’s in reference to the torn or shredded beef and the slices of onion and peppers, so no worries about it all being too literal.
After I made this pot of deliciousness, to my taste, it wasn’t spicy enough. I don’t know if it was because my homegrown jalapeños weren’t hot enough or if I should just up the number of jalapeños, so I did up it from 2 to 3. If that still doesn’t do the trick, you can always serve it with some hot salsa, such as Trader Joe’s Hatch Valley Salsa. Or add a jar of it to the slow-cooker from the start, your choice.
One more choice to make is the color of your bell peppers. I like to use red, yellow, and orange for the color variety and the sweetness. But if green bell peppers are more economical or if red bells are on special, do what works for you.
January 30, 2016 No Comments
Barb’s Apple Tart with Jalapeno
The tart recipe I’m sharing with you today is Barb Fenzl’s recipe and it was the delectable dessert she brought to our Fall Picnic.
Before I get to the recipe, which I will be making for Thanksgiving, I’ll share with you a few photos of my Thanksgiving table, which I set yesterday.
November 25, 2014 3 Comments
thanks Jenny!
This quick, easy, and delish recipe comes from my Illinois BFF, Jennifer. My girl knows how to throw together a fabulous dinner like no one else! With three busy sons, who run her ragged, she is the master. Love you, Jenni-Jen! xoxo
February 10, 2012 3 Comments
my picks and their dips
The Super Bowl is in 3 days, so today and tomorrow, I’ve got a few party dips to share with you. These first two represent the two teams I’d rather see in the Super Bowl. Number one is, of course, my Arizona Cardinals. And the second would be the Green Bay Packers. I do realize that these two teams could never be in the Super Bowl together since they are both in the NFC (along with the New York Giants). But still, I’ve created a couple of dips as my show of support for next year. It was great coming up with the ideas for these recipes while looking online for fantasy football news and updates about the two final teams.
Tomorrow I’ll share the dips I created for the actual teams in Super Bowl XLVI, the New England Patriots, and the New York Giants.
Here in AZ, we love our heat and peppers. In Wisconsin, they love their cheese and beer. And we all love bacon…
February 2, 2012 3 Comments
sweet… hot…
- Sweet: Something that is awesome – “Girl, that is one sweet outfit!”
- Hot: One who is: a. gorgeous b. pretty c. beautiful d. cute e. attractive – “George Clooney is so hot!”
Nice definitions in the current urban language, but not the sweet or hot I’m talking about here…
- Sweet: Tasting or smelling of sugar or a similar substance.
- Hot: Spicy or peppery enough to cause a burning sensation in the mouth or throat.
My friend and neighbor, Ronnie Jaap, dropped by yesterday smack dap in the middle of my current “pickling craze” with a bag of big fresh jalapeño peppers for me. How convenient! Now I have a jar of pickled jalapeños in my fridge! It’ll be about a week before I can use them but when they are ready, I’ll stem and slice them, remove the seeds and use the slices or dice them into any recipe that could use a bit of spice and a touch of sweetness. Or maybe use them whole as a condiment for my favorite Mexican, Southwestern, or Tex-Mex dishes and beverages. I’m already thinking how great a slice would be with a tall icy cold Bloody Mary. The week needs to go by faster! Thanks, Ronnie, we’ll have to make a day of it.
July 23, 2010 No Comments