connieiscooking

I love all ethnic food but topping my list is a tie between Chinese and Mexican cuisines. I love them both – and have discovered I can actually reproduce some of my favs in my own kitchen. I am now starting to reach into the dark corners of my kitchen bookshelf to find more cookbooks/recipes. Tucked away was Old El Paso Sun Country Mexican Cookbook (1978). On first glance, you might think it’s merely an advertisement for Old El Paso products – and you would be sort of right. But the recipes are remarkably good and varied, and I had a hard time deciding which to try here.

I make chicken enchiladas a lot. I have several variations that I rotate through for dinners but this one was a little different that those I enjoy regularly. The homemade enchilada sauce is a winner – just the right amount of spice. I cut-up the canned tomatoes with my handy-dandy kitchen shears (every kitchen should have one). I skipped the chicken breast prep because I have several bags of cut-up cooked chicken in my freezer – the byproduct of That Soup (aka Chicken Soup) featured in a previous post. Chicken cooked in broth for several hours is like liquid gold. So many uses! Besides using this ready-made meat for enchiladas, I use it to make egg foo young, fried rice, chicken salad and naturally, chicken noodle soup. I chopped up my chicken; not sure I understand the recipe’s directions to use strips.

One word of caution, I’ve been unable to find my favorite brand of corn tortillas (La Perla) – made locally in Minnesota – and purchased another brand. They immediately fell apart when dipped in the sauce so I resorted to my ol’ faithful way of rolling tortillas. Wrap a bunch in a wet paper towel and microwave 1 minute or until they begin to soften up. You need to move fast while they are soft! And you’ll see my pictures- yes, everything I post, I make, and I photograph – for better or for worse! You’ll see mine aren’t perfectly lined up like little soldiers in the pan as they should be – but they tasted amazing! Husband just finished them at lunch today. I think topping the tortillas with the extra sauce mixed with sour cream is the perfect finishing touch!

Chicken Enchiladas

2 large chicken breasts

Water

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 16-ounce can tomatoes, cut-up

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried basil

12 corn tortillas

2½ cups (10 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

¾ cup sour cream

In a saucepan, simmer chicken breasts in water to cover, 15 to 20 minutes or till tender. Drain and carefully remove skin and bones. Sprinkle chicken with a little salt. Cut in 12 strips; set aside.

In saucepan, cook onion and garlic in butter or margarine till tender but not brown. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, sugar, cumin, the ½ teaspoon salt, oregano and basil. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Dip each tortilla in tomato mixture to soften. Place one piece of chicken and about 2 tablespoons shredded cheese on each tortilla; roll up and place seam side down in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Blend sour cream into remaining sauce mixture, pour over tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or till heated through.

I am a sucker for out-of-the-ordinary dishes. I found this Caribbean dish in Calphalon Cooks Weeknights (1996), a cookbook I picked up back in my food demo days, thanks to the Calphalon rep! I love every ingredient and knew I had to try it. Note, I always use ground turkey breast – not the plain ground turkey. It’s leaner and drier and also a lot healthier. You can certainly use regular ground turkey. It’s imperative you let the dish simmer at least those 30 minutes to blend the flavors. I served it over brown rice. Next time I will stir in some black beans. If you are a WW member, this is a very point-friendly dish!

I was afraid my husband wouldn’t like this strange mixture – but he actually gave it high marks. I loved it. Tangy, thanks to the tomatoes, peppers and olives with a tad of sweetness thrown in from those raisins. Sure you could leave out an ingredient or two. But don’t. And remember to squeeze fresh lime juice over your plate – it truly “wakes up” the flavor.

Turkey Picadillo

1 tablespoon oil

1 large onion, diced (about 8 ounces)

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and minced

1 pound ground turkey (I opted for ground turkey beast)

1 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes

¾ cup fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth

½ cup golden raisins

¼ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced

2 tablespoons  drained capers

1 dried bay leaf (optional)

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 small fresh hot green chile, optional

Lime wedges

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a 3 or 5-quart sauté pan or 10 or 12-inch omelet pan over medium-high heat until rim of pan is hot to the touch. Add oil and wait for about 1 more minute. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and minced jalapeno chile; cook stirring often until onion begins to soften, about 8 minutes. Add turkey and cook until lightly browned, about 8 minutes, stirring with a wide spatula to break up meat. Add tomatoes, broth, raisins, olives, capers, bay leaf and cumin.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until flavors are blended (about 30 minutes). Garnish with whole chile (if desired) and lime. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

The Pandemic rages on – even with vaccinations – and my house-made cocktail list continues to grow as a result. Seriously, knowing how easy it is to prepare top-notch cocktails in the comfort of my home has me rethinking what I will do when I start dining in again at my favorite restaurants. And the cost! Homemade cocktails are a fraction of what you pay for bartender-made drinks.

For starters, you need the right equipment – a large cocktail shaker and a jigger and/or a versatile mini-measuring cup. The latter has allowed me to halve drink recipes I seek to master. And my liquor cabinet is now quite full – so full that I can tackle almost any cocktail I desire – like a Brandy Alexander. I found it in one of my oldie but goodie volumes of the Better Homes and Gardens Encyclopedia of Cooking (1970), Volume 2, Barbecue to Brisling Sardine. It’s surely an old-time drink but boy does it go down smooth as silk – with just three simple ingredients. This makes a great dessert or after dinner drink.

Brandy Alexander

Combine 1 ounce crème de cacao, 1 tablespoon whipping cream, 1 ounce brandy, and 3 or 4 ice cubes in cocktail shaker or screw-top jar. Shake; strain into 4-ounce glass.

Still loading up on those potato recipes! Remember it’s not the potato itself that’s “bad” for you- it’s what you put on it! Potatoes are a fixture on our dinner menu! This one is a classic – with an interesting twist. I found it in the American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook (1990) by Rodman D. Starke, M.D. and Marty Winston, ED.D, R.D. I remember purchasing this paperback cookbook after my husband had his first bout with kidney stones. Turns out salt is a contributing factor. I used to salt everything before even taking a taste. Somehow I broke myself of that habit.

This recipe can be prepared in an oven or in an air fryer for half the time. Do take the time to cold soak them. It removes excess potato starch, which prevents the potatoes from sticking together and helps achieve maximum crispness. Feel free to vary the spices to whatever you have on hand. The game changer? Sprinkling the cooked potatoes with malt vinegar – just like the British do! Surprisingly it is a great finishing touch!

Oven-Fried Potatoes with Oregano

3 medium baking potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano (I always use fresh if I have it!)

2 tablespoons malt vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub potatoes thoroughly. Cut each potato lengthwise into six wedges (or whatever size you wish). Place wedges in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Place potatoes and oil in a medium bowl and toss to coat evenly. Place potatoes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with pepper and oregano. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle with malt vinegar.

Some cookbooks make better coffee table books than recipe sources. At least in my humble option. Case in point Charlie Trotter’s (1994). It’s a gorgeous book full of mouth-watering photos and complicated recipes with unfamiliar ingredients. Charlie Trotter opened his famed restaurant in Chicago in 1987. It garnered many awards including two stars by the Michelin Guide. The restaurant closed in 2012.

I received this keepsake volume from Maytag after working for them demonstrating their appliances one spring. I found one recipe that intrigued me, and I could actually feel comfortable preparing. With some adjustments, including longer baking time, I reproduced a beautiful plate of roulades (spirals). I love the roulade presentation and plan to work on my own variation (stay tuned for future blogs)!

Salmon Roulade with Anchovies, Ligurian Black Olive Sauce, Red Wine Reduction, and Saffron Oil

4 skinless 4-ounce fillets of salmon, cut lengthwise from a side

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped tarragon

1 teaspoon chopped basil

Salt and pepper

12 large spinach leaves, stemmed and blanched*

12 small fillets oil-packed anchovy, rinsed*

12 strands roasted red bell pepper

4 tablespoons Ligurian Black Olive Sauce**

2 tablespoons red wine reduction*

4 teaspoons saffron oil*

4 teaspoons parsley juice*

Rub the salmon strips on all sides with olive oil, then rub on the chopped tarragon and basil, and finally, a little salt and pepper. Roll the salmon strips into medium tight roulades with the former skin side outside and the thicker part of the salmon in the center of the roulade. Put the roulades in a nonstick pan, bake at 350 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes (depending upon size/thickness of the roulades, you may need to bake them much longer; internal temp should be at least 140 degrees), then remove from the pan.

Place a roulade in the center of each plate. Arrange 3 pieces of blanched spinach, 3 anchovies and 3 pieces of bell pepper around the roulade. Drizzle with a little Ligurian Black Olive Sauce, red wine reduction, saffron oil and parsley juice around the edges of the plate.

*Optional ingredients

** Couldn’t find Ligurian black olive paste so substituted prepared 2 tablespoons black olive tapenade with 2 tablespoons chicken stock. Whisk together over low heat until warm. I did decorate the plate with blanched spinach and bell pepper.

Baking isn’t my “thing” – sadly because I am often disappointed with the results. Could be me. Could be the recipe. But I continue to try! I just bought myself a new 13 x 9-inch covered cake pan at the Nordicware Outlet store and was combing my cookbooks for a recipe where I could use it. And I found one in General Store Of Minnetonka’s Cookbook. Wish I could tell you when it was published but I couldn’t find a publication date anywhere! It’s a collection of favorite recipes from staff, customers and local celebs. I actually submitted a recipe for a salad – which is included in the book!

It’s a 369-page spiral bound book that can still be purchased in the General Store. Love that store – best place to get gifts for anyone and everyone! And their in-house café bakes these amazing popovers plus they make wonderful homemade soups. And yes, they have a great website where you can order gifts if you don’t live in Minnesota!

I was specifically drawn to this recipe because A. The woman who submitted it baked this for her daughter’s wedding; how could it be anything but wonderful? B. it sounded amazingly decadent C. I could sneak a piece and send the rest with my husband tomorrow for his staff’s enjoyment!

I hesitate sometimes to make recipes from books like these – as they are often missing pan sizes and directions can be vague. This recipe is pretty straightforward. I’m actually doing a “two-fer” today – including a recipe for a chocolate frosting, also in the cookbook, and submitted by someone else. The two together are a match made in heaven. The cake, thanks to cake flour (which is lighter than all-purpose flour) and the creamy rich chocolate frosting are a chocoholic’s dream come true. You might need a glass of milk to wash it down. One warning on the frosting. Wait to make it until the cake is cooling as it thickens the longer it sits; I ended up having to thin it a bit with some heavy cream so I could spread it on the cooled cake. YUM!

Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

3 squares bittersweet chocolate (I used 3 ounces), melted and cooled

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup boiling water

Cream sugar and butter together (I used an electric stand mixer). Add 2 eggs, one at a time. Beat. Add 3 squares bitter chocolate. Add buttermilk, cake flour, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Beat; clean beaters often. Last, add 1 cup boiling water. Bake in 13 x 9-inch baking pan at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

Recipe from Anne F. Smith, Minnetonka, MN

Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup margarine/butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

6 large marshmallows

3/4 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine first 4 ingredients (in a saucepan), bring to boil and boil for 1 minute on stove. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and vanilla. Beat well with spoon and cool – beating several times while cooling – it will thicken as it cools – frost cake or bars when it cools to correct consistency to frost. Frosts a 9 x 13-inch cake.

Recipe from Elaine Bocksell, Plymouth, MN

I’m a huge asparagus fan. Generally I like them roasted until they caramelize. But this unusual preparation for asparagus I found in the Food & Wine Annual Cookbook (2010) piqued my interest. It’s easy to throw together and ideal for thicker asparagus. No need to break off the stalk; just peel ’em and trim the ends.

To date, this is the BEST new recipe I’ve discovered during my cookbook cook-off! This is a “must-try” – flavorful, crisp asparagus unlike anything you’ve ever eaten. And the next day the couple of cold spears leftover were equally delicious. I would include these on a charcuterie board and/or a relish tray – they are THAT good! And now with barbeque season in force, just throw ’em on the grill with whatever else you are cooking!

Smokey Glazed Asparagus

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 pound thick asparagus, stalks peeled

Light a grill. In a shallow dish, whisk the mayonnaise with the oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt and cumin. Add the asparagus and toss; let stand for 30 minutes. Grill the asparagus over moderately high heat, turning until tender and blistered in spots, about 6 minutes.

I continue to be surprised at the cookbooks I have on my kitchen bookshelf. Case in point – San Francisco A La Carte from The Junior League of San Francisco (1979). It’s a hefty volume – and I now remember regretting I had purchased it on a trip to San Francisco – afraid that my luggage would be too heavy to check! Cookbooks by real cooks are my favorite – and Junior Leagues tend to publish the best local books – in my humble opinion (yesterday’s recipe was from the Savannah Junior League!).

I love finding recipes that are sophisticated yet can be prepared in advance so as a hostess I can enjoy a dinner party with everyone else. This recipe checks those boxes. In fact I recommend preparing this dish in advance because it does take some time. You will no doubt have to add more heating time in the oven. Lovely sunny sauce, savory and ultra creamy and fork tender chicken breasts!

Poulet Au Poive Vert

8 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons green peppercorns

4 whole chicken breasts, halved, skinned and boned

3 tablespoons cognac

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup dry white wine

¾ cup heavy cream

3 egg yolks

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make a paste of 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon green peppercorns. Flatten breasts gently with a rolling pin and make a slit on the thick side to form a small pocket. Brush breasts with 1 tablespoon of the cognac and place about 1 teaspoon of the paste in the pocket of each.

In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of the butter and slow brown the breasts on each side. When all are done, remove to a serving platter and keep warm. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the butter from the skillet and add remaining cognac to deglaze the pan. Stir and warm cognac, then ignite to burn off alcohol. Add pan glaze to chicken stock and set aside. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet, add shallots, and cook briefly. Sprinkle with flour, cooking and stirring, for about 3 minutes. Slow add chicken stock and wine, cook and stir until sauce is smooth and thickened. In a small bowl, beat together the heavy cream and egg yolks. Add a tablespoon or two of the warm sauce, then slowly pour it into the skillet. Add remaining 2 tablespoons peppercorns and correct seasonings. Pour sauce over warm chicken and reheat all in the oven for 10 minutes (check temp is at 160, I had to bake them longer!)

I launched Connie is Cooking on January 1st and have posted every day since. It was a challenge to myself – and a way to give me something to focus on, other than the Pandemic, during a difficult time in all of our lives.

Today is day 98 – and perusing my cookbook collection – I’m betting I still have at least two months more of recipes to prepare and share before I am done. I’ve discovered numerous recipes that I probably would have never tried if I hadn’t set out to highlight a recipe from each and every book I own.

Today’s recipe is yes, from my collection, but it’s from a recently added cookbook, generously sent to me by Lisa Spector Miller who insisted I needed Downtown Savannah Style Cookbook (1996) by the Junior League of Savannah, Inc. in my cookbook library. And on her recommendation, or maybe it was her mom’s? – I was more than happy and excited to make the crab cake recipe in this beautiful volume oozing with Southern charm! These are the real deal, chock full of crab meat and absent the fillers you often taste when you buy them in a store or order them in a restaurant.

Crab Cakes Savannah

1 pound lump crab meat, flaked

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon Dijonnaise

Several drops of Worcestershire sauce

Old Bay seasoning to taste (I used 2 teaspoons)

Black pepper to taste

Cayenne to taste

8 to 10 saltine crackers, crushed

8 to 10 saltine crackers, finely crushed ( Use a mini food processor)

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Combine the crab meat, egg, mayonnaise, lemon juice, yellow mustard, Dijonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper and cayenne in a bowl and mix gently. Stir in the crushed crackers. Shape into eight 1/2-inch thick patties. Coat with the finely crushed crackers. Arrange in a dish. Chill or freeze the crab cakes until firm. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet until hot. Sauté the crab cakes in the butter mixture until brown on all sides – about 12 to 14 minutes – cover briefly to ensure the inside is as hot as the outside); drain.

Tip: I did freeze them and I recommend it!

When I was growing up shrimp cocktail was a treat reserved for only very special occasions. As I recall it was pretty pricey. Flash forward to today and you can pick up a fresh shrimp cocktail at Costco or Sam’s Club for $12 and change. While good shrimp is crucial – what makes or breaks a shrimp cocktail is the sauce! I found this recipe in another one of the books in the cookbook series from Better Homes and Gardens’ Encyclopedia of Cooking (1970), Cauliflower to Cocoa. Four basic ingredients and a quick stir and you have a pungent, tangy sauce that will accent those cool, crisp shrimp.

What to do with leftovers? A lot! Add to a cheese omelet, use as a dip for mozzarella sticks or onion rings, stir into deviled eggs or drizzle on avocado toast. Homemade sauce will keep up to two weeks in your refrigerator. Or just eat more shrimp.

Shrimp Cocktail

Cleaned, cooked shrimp (at least a pound)

¾ cup chili sauce

2 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 to 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon grated onion

Dash bottled hot pepper sauce

Salt to taste

Lettuce

Chill shrimp. Meanwhile, combine chili sauce, lemon juice, prepared horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, onion and bottled hot pepper sauce. Add salt to taste. Chill thoroughly. Line chilled cocktail cups with lettuce. Add 4 or 5 chilled shrimp to each cocktail cup. Spoon cocktail sauce over shrimp. Serve with cocktail forks. (Or “group” serve – see photo! – and let guests dive in – with those cocktail forks of course)