WHAT'S COOKIN'? NEW MEXICAN CALABACITAS

Typically a side dish or eaten as a main dish with warm tortillas here in New Mexico, this was my first time to cook (and actually eat) this native dish using local ingredients.

 NEW MEXICAN CALABACITAS

2 1/2 C fresh corn kernels (slice it off fresh raw cobs)

1 T olive oil

1/4 C chopped onion

1 clove minced garlic

1 lb sliced zucchini or other green summer squash

3 chopped tomatoes

1 poblano or jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and chopped

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 C crumbled Cotija, Fresco or other crumbly Mexican cheese

Place the corn in a saucepan with enough water to cover; bring to a boil. Place a cover on the saucepan, reduce heat to medium and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Cook and stir in the onion and garlic in the hot oil for about 5 minutes. Mix in the squash and tomato in with the onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes longer. Stir the corn into the mixture and add pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well, cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

Plate and sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

HOW TO MAKE A FOLDED OMELETTE

Now I love using fresh ingredients, but I really am passionate about buying local ingredients and supporting the community I live in.

Canaan & I walked to a local farm about 1/2 mile or more from our house today to see what was freshly picked and for sale. Schwebach's is an amazing local farm in our area. Today I bought onions, green onions, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, several kinds of summer squash, zucchini, garlic, etc. all picked that day as well as local honey, local goat cheese & goat cream cheese, local eggs raised by a little boy and his family, etc.

There are all kinds of recipes to use all or most of the ingredients I acquired today but I chose omelettes.

Omelettes are super easy to make and like ratatouille, you can put just about whatever you want in them.

Cheese, cream cheese, salt, pepper, other spices, herbs, onion, green onion, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, spinach, mushrooms, peppers, salsa, ham, bacon, beef, chicken, etc. 

HOW TO MAKE A FOLDED OMELETTE

makes 4

8 eggs

salt & pepper to taste

2-4 T milk

fresh vegetables, herbs, meats, etc. (Make sure everything that needs to be cooked is!)

butter

Mix eggs, salt, pepper & milk together well, but do not over mix. Save the frothy eggs for scrambled eggs.

Heat a large flat skillet on moderate heat. Add a tablespoon of butter and swirl to coat. Turn up the heat slightly. For an electric stove top this means about 5.5. 

Add 1/4 of the egg mixture. Swirl slightly to make sure the whole bottom of the pan is coated. Let cook. With a spatula, loosen the edges slightly. This is easier if using a non stick pan. 

When the eggs have cooked, add extra ingredients to one side of the egg disc.

Take the spatula, and on the other side of the disk, fold it onto the extra ingredients. 

Slide the omelette onto a plate and serve.

Repeat to make more omelettes.

WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST? Broccoli Sausage Quiche with a Croissant Crust

Broccoli Sausage Quiche with a Croissant Crust

1 can refrigerated croissant rolls

8 oz pork sausage

2 C frozen broccoli florets, thawed

3 eggs

1 T flour

1 t seasoned salt

1 can cream style sweet corn

1 C shredded cheddar, American or Colby cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat an 11x7 glass baking dish with non stick spray.

Unroll dough n baking dish; press on bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the dish. Press edges and perforations to seal.

Cook pork over medium high heat in a skillet, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Drain. Spoon evenly over dough in dish.

Top with broccoli.

In a bowl, beat eggs, flour and seasoned salt until well blended. Stir in corn. Pour over broccoli.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Cover with foil; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 25 to 35 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

COOKIN' ON YOUR VEHICLE ENGINE - I tried baked potatoes.

Nothing is worse on a car trip than having to stop the car and pop the hood...unless you're checking on your meal.

I had so much fun cooking in my car windshield that I decided to cook on my engine while I was going up to the cabin this past Monday. I first saw this idea on Bizarre Foods when they cooked their meal on their snow mobiles somewhere up North...Minnesota, maybe? I knew I could do it too. 

Prepare your meal as you would to cook in the oven. Make sure there's not too much liquid because you don't want a mess under your hood. 

Place 3 sheets of foil on top of each other. Spray the inside with non stick spray so your food won't stick. Put your food in the middle of the foil and wrap it up tight.

Now don't just drop your food anywhere under the hood. You need to find a good, hot spot for it to cook. To do that, Drive for a few minutes to warm up your engine and then turn off your car and open up the hood. Find your engine's hot spots by very quickly and lightly touching a finger to metal parts on your engine. Yes, this could be a recipe for burning your finger so do it quickly and lightly. If you can hold your finger in a spot for more than a quick & light second, that spot is no good to cook your meal on. The best place is usually near the exhaust manifold, if it's accessible.

Put your food there and drive until your food is done. 

It might help to plan out your meal to see how long it will take. 

I didn't do that so I had to stick my potatoes in the oven for 10 minutes after a 2 hour trip. 

RULE OF THUMB

For every 15 to 20 minutes the meal would take in a conventional oven will take an hour on your car engine.

WHAT'S FOR DINNER? PIZZA BAKE

I'm not big on what I call "canned" recipes. That's where you buy all the ingredients from cans or other prepackaged foods. A lot of people like them because their fast & easy but to me they don't taste homemade. But sometimes I have to break my own rules.

PIZZA BAKE

1 can (12 breadsticks) refrigerated breadsticks

16 oz frozen cooked Italian-style meatballs

15 oz can pizza or pasta sauce

1/2 C chopped pepperoni

2 T grated Parmesan cheese

2 C shredded pizza cheese blend

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 11x7 glass baking dish with non stick spray.

Unroll dough into rectangle. Cut crosswise into 8 strips so each strip has 6 pieces. Cut dough at perforations to make 48 pieces. Arrange half of dough pieces randomly in bottom of baking dish.

Place meatballs and sauce in a large microwavable bowl. Cover and microwave on Medium-high for 5-8 minutes. Stir in pepperoni. 

Pour over dough pieces in dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Arrange remaining dough pieces over cheese.

Bake 16-20 minutes or until edges are golden and pieces are no longer doughy.

Sprinkle with cheese blend and bake for another 4-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. 

Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

WHAT WE'RE EAT'N? BACON & SWISS CHARD

BACON & SWISS CHARD

2-4 servings

4 slices chopped bacon

2 T butter

3 T fresh lemon juice

1/2 t minced garlic

1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed & cut into 1 inch pieces

salt & pepper to taste

Heat skillet over medium heat. Place bacon in skillet and cook until fat separates from meat. Melt butter in skillet. Stir in lemon juice and garlic. Add chard. When leaves begin to wilt, place a lid on skillet and increase heat to medium high heat. Allow chard to cook while covered for about 4 minutes. Stir to coat with butter mixture. Season with salt & pepper.

WHAT WE'RE EAT'N? ITALIAN or ENGLISH PEAS?

ITALIAN or ENGLISH PEAS?

Serves 4-6

2 T olive oil

1/2 chopped onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1 lb fresh shucked English peas or 16 oz frozen green peas

1 T chicken stock

salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic and cook about 5 minutes. Add peas and stir in stock. Season with salt & pepper. Cover and cook until peas are tender about 10 minutes.

HOW TO PREPARE & COOK FRESH GREEN BEANS

HOW TO PREPARE FRESH GREEN BEANS?

Wash with clean water.

Snap the ends off with your fingers.

Snap into bite-size pieces.

HOW TO COOK FRESH GREEN BEANS?

Place beans in a pan. Add 1-2 slices of cooked chopped bacon, 1-2 T butter and salt & pepper to taste. As well as 1/2 C or more of water.

Cook on high for 10 minutes or more. Taste one to see if it's done. 

WHAT WE'RE SNACK'N ON? DEVILED QUAIL EGGS

When I went to the farmer's market a few days ago, I bought 2 dozen quail eggs for $3. At the time I only bought them because it brought up so many good memories of hunting quail with my daddy...until I remembered we got shot (buckshot) by some drunk hunters. That was the last time I ever went hunting with him.

DEVILED QUAIL EGGS

6 quail eggs

1 t mayonnaise

1/4 t Dijon mustard

dash Tabasco

1 t fresh snipped chives

coarse sea salt

Rinse the eggs under warm water. 

Place in a saucepan and cover with cold salted water.

Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes. 

Drain, rinse under cold water and peel.

Pat dry.

Cut the eggs in half, lengthwise. Scoop out yolks with a paring knife or small spoon into a bowl. Mash and mix with mayonnaise, mustard and Tabasco. Carefully fill the whites with the yolk mixture.

Sprinkle with chives and coarse sea salt.

Arrange and serve.

Yes, this is a double recipe all on a saucer!

WHAT WE'RE EATING? FRESH SWISS CHARD with GARBANZO BEANS

In a previous post, I stated that I went to a local farmer's market in Edgewood, NM where about 10 local farmers come and set up a row where you can leisurely shop and once a week. Among the beautiful produce, herbs, fresh lemonade, bread, quail eggs, raw honey, etc. I bought some fresh red Swiss chard from a farmer who we actually go to church with.

FRESH SWISS CHARD with GARBANZO BEANS

2 T olive oil
1/3 onion, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 bunch (1lb) red Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Stir in onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant.

Stir in garbanzo beans; heat through.

Place chard in pan and cook until wilted. Squeeze lemon juice over greens, and heat through.

Season with salt and pepper.

HOW TO PREPARE & COOK: FRESH ENGLISH PEAS

Do you ever go to the farmer's market or grocery store and not know what to do with a certain fruit or vegetable? 

FRESH ENGLISH PEAS

Wash the pods.

At the top of the pod, there's a little "string" sticking out as you can see in the photo above.

Grab that "string" and pull down the pod.

With your thumbs, pull open the pod.

Put your thumb at the bottom of the pod and push up towards the top of the pod to release the peas. 

Do this over a bowl to catch the peas.

Place peas into a saucepan.

Cover with water.

Bring to boil and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain.

Season with salt and pepper.