Feelin' Spicy (Latina Style)

Remember I mentioned the Tres Leches cake I made for NYE at my neighbors? Well, we had a bit leftover, and it put me in mind to make a meal that complimented it quite nicely. Now, I went to high school in Texas and was introduced to so many of the regional foods of Mexico. Not that disgusting bean paste and cheese crap that so many Americanized Mexican restaurants serve. I'm talking slow cooked, fresh and flavorful food. I've made Yucatan Lime Soup which is from the south of Mexico. Today I'm making Chicken Chimichangas with a Sour Cream Sauce from the Sonoran, or Northwest, area of Mexico. Coupled with Sofrito Yellow Rice and Black Bean and Hearts of Palm Salad we are set!


I don't know about where you guys are, but it is unseasonably warm here this winter. It's about 62 degrees outside right now which means that I am not bundled to my chin in sweaters and scarves. I'm in grey jeggings and a sequined teal asymmetrical shirt. It's balanced, it's comfortable, and it sure as hell isn't sweats!

(Disclaimer: As you may have guessed I took this pic two days ago when it was warmer, I'm way more bundled today!)


First let's make that Tres Leches Cake! It's creamy sponge caked soaked goodness. Seriously, if I could be covered in this stuff I would.  Hmmm, anniversary idea for the future, perhaps?

Tres Leches Cake:


1 c. all purpose flour


1 1/2 t. baking powder


1/4 t. salt


5 whole eggs, yolks and whites separated


1 c. sugar, divided


1 t. vanilla


1/3 c. milk


1 can evaporated milk


1 can sweetened condensed milk


1/4 c. heavy cream


Icing;


1 pint heavy cream


3 T. sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 inch pan with non stick spray.


Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl beat yolks and 3/4 c. sugar until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir until combined. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form (oooh kinda kinky). Add remaining 1/4 c. sugar and beat until stiff, but not dry (definitely kinky!)


Fold egg white mixture into the batter VERY gently until just combined-don't want to lose that airy goodness!. Pour into prepared pan and and spread evenly. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.


Combine evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and 1/4 c. cream.


Allow to cool. Using a fork pierce the surface of the cake repeatedly. Slowly pour all but 1 cup of the milk mixture onto the cake. Allow the cake to sit for 30 minutes. This gives it time to absorb all that creamy lusciousness!


Meanwhile, whip pint of cream and sugar to make whipped cream topping. Ice the cake and enjoy!


This is a cake that only improves with time. I always make it a day ahead at least. My favorite time to enjoy it? 3 days after being made. It's like crack and sex had a crazy love child...


Now for the entre. I told you this is not your pour refried beans out of a can kinda meal. This is a labor of flavorful love!

Chicken Chimichangas with Sour Cream Sauce:

• 2 large chicken breast halves
• 
  
• 2 chicken thighs
• 
  
• 3 cups water
• 
  
• 2 tablespoon chili powder
• 
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 
  
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 
  
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 
  
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 
  
• 1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chilies, divided
• 
  
• 1 cup diced onion
• 
  
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 
  
• Sauce: 
•  
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 
  
• 1 cup water
• 
  
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• 
  
• oil for frying
• 
  
• 10 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• 
  
• 
  

Directions

Place the chicken breasts and thighs into a large saucepan. Pour in the water, and season with chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, stir in 7 ounces of green chiles, onion, and garlic; continue simmering until the liquid has reduced to 1 cup-about 3o minutes. Remove the chicken, debone, shred with two forks, and return to the onion mixture.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the water and bouillon cube until the water has thickened and the bouillon cube has dissolved, about 4 minutes. Whisk in reserved 3 ounces of green chilies and the sour cream; season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Place a tortilla onto your work surface, then spoon about 1/3 cup of the filling halfway between the bottom edge and the center of the tortilla. Flatten the filling into rectangle shape with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle some of the Monterey Jack cheese over the filling. Fold the bottom of the tortilla snugly over the filling, then fold in the left and right edges. Roll the chimichanga up to the top edge, forming a tight cylinder; secure the ends with wooden toothpicks. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Cook the chimichangas, 2 at a time, in the hot oil until they are crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and remove toothpicks. Top with sour cream sauce to serve.

Did you think you were done? Roll up those sleeves, shoot a shot of tequila, and lets get to the side dishes!


Sofrito Rice:


If you aren't familiar with Latino cooking you may not know about sofrito. Sofrito is a flavorful paste of cooked tomatoes, green peppers, garlic, and onion. You can by it in a jar or frozen at your local supermarket, or like me you can make your own. Just freeze what you don't use.


Sofrito:


3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced


2 cloves garlic, diced


1/2 c. onion, diced


1/4 c. green pepper, diced


Cook over low heat in 1 T. vegetable oil to slowly, oh so slowly, caramelize and reduce the liquid. About 15-20 minutes.


Rice:


2 cups chicken broth


1 T. olive oil


1-2 T. sofrito


1/2 t. salt


1 cup white rice


1 pinch saffron


Bring broth, oil, sofrito, salt, rice and saffron to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.


Done!


Now, my lovelies, kick up your stilettos and enjoy this comida muy sabroso you have made for yourself!


¡Salud!

The Big 4-0!

Okay, first off, I must apologize for almost 2 months since my last post.  It was summer.  There were vacations and children involved.  Enough said.


Now on to the present-I am turning 40 this Thursday! Yep, the big 4-0.  I have a week of family and friend celebrations ahead, and I plan on enjoying each and every one! I know a lot of people-men and women-really freak out about this milestone.  I gotta say, I'm pretty stoked! Maybe it's because I am a naturally optimistic person, or maybe I'm in denial, or who knows, but I am genuinely looking forward to a new decade in my life.  I mean the alternative to being older is, well, pushing up flowers, if you get my meaning, and I am not so keen on that particular idea.


So, instead of my usual outfit of the day sort of thing, I've decided to share my thoughts on getting older, turning 40, and basically the realization that I have firmly moved out of young adulthood and entered middle age.  Here goes:


Confidence:  At 40, I am not eligible (nor was it ever really in my personality) to play the ingenue. I am free to be the confident, sexy person I am without coming across as trying too hard.  I know my own body and can dress it appropriately.  I can walk with my shoulders back, my chin held high, and a swing in my hips and not care what people think-good, bad or otherwise. I love the power that confidence and sexuality gives me.


Body Image:  Yes, my body has changed over the years.  I am lucky (or active enough) that my body shape and type has not changed in ways that I find troubling.  While miniskirts may not look so great on my legs as they used to, a tight pencil skirt looks fabulous. Showing a little cleavage, I used to think, was reserved for bustier women, but now I find that my smaller chest is less, shall we say, southward bound than my chesty counterparts and I find myself being a bit more daring than I used to be (see Confidence above). That does not mean that I am looking down my nose at my fellow women who have felt the effects of gravity-heck no! I guess what I am trying to say is, "Roll with it." Things change.  So what? Love your body.  It is beautiful just like it is.  Don't bemoan the fact that you don't look like you did at 20.  Seriously, did you wish you could look 12 again when you were 25? I think not.  So stop hating yourself for getting older.  We all get older.  Embrace it.


Wrinkles: Oh, yeah, I've got 'em.  Do I love each and every one of them? Not always.  I love that I have crinkles around my eyes from smiling so much.  I love that my dimple on one side has become a permanent crinkle on that cheek for the same reason. The lines on my forehead, they just mean I am an animated and expressive person.  Just the kind of woman I like to hang out with, so those are cool too. The furrow of my brow-you know the one-the one you get from being cross or worried or angry.  Well, that one I don't love that one a lot, but I keep it.  Why? First of all, I've earned it.  From caring about those I love.  From standing up and arguing when I know I'm right.  From being human.  Second of all, botox and juvederm and all that crap makes you look like a freak.  There.  I've said it. I can't stand watching Hollywood films with all those women with paralyzed faces.  What's more, I don't want to be one of them.


Relationships: At 40, a woman may be happily married, in a loveless marriage and sticking out for the kids, divorced, happily single or in a long term relationship with a significant partner.  I think that's one of the interesting aspects of women my age, they each bring a different perspective to the table.  I am one of those that falls squarely into the happily married category.  Yes, marriage can be tough, but everything worthwhile is.  I have the love of a wonderful man who thinks I am just as smart and beautiful as the day we met.  Is that my good luck? Maybe.  But, it doesn't hurt that we both still care how we look for the other.  Never underestimate the power of killer lingerie and great outfit! Plus, our chemistry in the kitchen-ooh la la! I look forward to what the next 40 years will bring for us.


Okay, so I'll get off my soap box and talk about food.  And, I promise more frequent posts and the normal outfit ideas next time!


On the menu tonight-Roast Chicken Salad with Peaches, Chevre and Pecans with The World's Best Fudgy Brownies for dessert. Yum!

Image courtesy of Becky Luigart-Stayner

With peaches still in season, I couldn't pass up this easy, peasy salad! The tang of chevre 

pairs so well with the greens and the crunch of the pecans.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 2 cups sliced peeled peaches
• 1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 (5-ounce) package gourmet salad greens
• 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

• 1. Combine first 8 ingredients; stir with a whisk.
• 2. Combine chicken and remaining ingredients except cheese in a large bowl. Add vinegar mixture; toss gently. Sprinkle with cheese.

See? Told you it was a breeze!

This recipe is found on the bag of King Arthur All Purpose Flour.  Hands down the best brownies ever!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 
  
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan
• In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until it's hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

  While the sugar heats a second time, crack the 4 eggs into a bowl, and beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla till smooth.

  Add the hot butter/sugar mixture, stirring until smooth.

  Add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth. Note: If you want the chips to remain intact in the baked brownies, rather than melting in, let the batter cool in the bowl for about 20 minutes before stirring in the chips.

  Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan.

  Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

  Enjoy, my lovelies-cheers!

  
  

Pastechis in Progress

Hello, my lovelies! I have been experimenting in the kitchen to create my beloved Aruban pastechis (like an empanada, but with a Dutch Caribbean twist).  Since pastechis come with many different kinds of filling, I decided to try chicken curry. And, not wanting to make a one note meal, I completed the menu with an avocado-spring mix salad with honey lime dressing and Dutch cashew cake for dessert.  With the windows thrown open to a warm spring day, and a breezy outfit to boot, I channeled my island girl childhood and went to work!


My idea of a breezy outfit? Well, I start with a closet staple-a pair of Miss Me white skinny jeans. The white creates a more casual and colorful color palette, while the skinny cut keeps it from being too bulky.

While it was warm, but the breezy had a bit of a coolness to it, I chose a light blue tissue weight v-neck sweater.  Perfect to contrast with my ginger hair!

Notice the feminine details on the sleeve caps? Keeps it from looking like Alexander Skarsgard on True Blood...not that I would mind looking AT him, just don't want to look LIKE him.

And, since no outfit is complete without a pair of red stilettos (actually no woman's closet is complete without a pair in her arsenal!)....

I tell you, my lovelies, I get more complements on these shoes than anything else I own.  Ignore that tired, conservative adage that only cheap women wear red shoes-I know I look like a million bucks when I wear these sweet shoes!

Okay, now that we are dressed and ready to cook, let's begin!

Pastechis with Chicken Curry Filling:

For the chicken:

1 whole roasting chicken

Juice of 3 limes

1 large yellow onion, sliced

3 t. garlic powder

3 t. allspice

3 t. smoked paprika

3 t. cumin

Mix garlic powder, allspice, paprika, and cumin together in a small bowl. 

In a large Dutch oven or clay baking pot, placed rinsed whole chicken.

  Pour lime juice over chicken, making sure to get plenty inside the cavity.  Put onion slices in and around the chicken, and sprinkle spice mixture over whole chicken, making sure to get fair amount inside the cavity as well.

Bake at 350 F, for 2 hours, or until the bird is fork tender.  After chicken has cooled, de-bone, dice and set meat aside. (While the chicken is cooking you can start on the cashew cake.)

For the filling:

3 potatoes, diced to 1/2 pieces

1 onion, diced

3 T. olive oil

2-3 t. curry powder (I prefer Sharwood's Hot Curry Powder)

Diced chicken 

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add potatoes and onions and cook until potatoes are golden and onions have carmelized.  Add chicken and curry powder, stirring until warmed and mixed thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste.

For the dough:

4 cups of flour
1 T. of baking powder
1 T. sugar
2 T. vegetable shortening
2 T. margarine
1 t. salt
1 egg beaten
1 cup of water

Put all ingredients into a large bowl except water. Mix well. Add water, a little bit at a time to form dough. When the dough is pliable, knead it well.

Divide into 18-20 small, equally sized dough balls.  Roll each ball to 1/8 inch thickness and place 2 T. filling and fold over to form a half moon shape.  Seal with water and pinch closed, making sure that no filing can leak when frying.

To Fry:

In a large pot, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil over medium high heat.  Cook pastechis, a few at a time, until golden brown.  Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on a plate with paper towels.

Whew! It's a bit of work, isn't it, my lovelies?  Not to worry, pour yourself a glass of wine and take a breath.  It's almost time to eat...

  

Dutch Cashew Cake:

This cake is a European style cake, meaning it is not crazy sweet and the icing is a delicate egg white frosting rather than a heavy, rich butter cream.  The recipe also only makes 1 9 inch round, but it is a lovely when sliced in small pieces and served with tea. It is good the first day, and spectacularly moist on the second.

Where I live, I cannot buy ground cashews, so I have to make them.  Make sure you buy unsalted, raw cashews for this step, otherwise-well, eww.

Grind the raw, unsalted cashews in a food processor, pulsing until the nuts resemble a coarse meal, much like corn meal.

Cake:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1-1/2 cups sifted flour
• tiny pinch of salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups ground cashews

Frosting: (use a metal bowl)

• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (no artificial flavoring)
• tiny pinch of salt
• 1 cup ground cashews

DIRECTIONS:

Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Fold in the egg whites and mix gently. Add the rest of the cake ingredients and mix gently, being careful not to deflate the egg whites. Grease and flour a 9" round cake pan and bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting: 
In metal bowl......Beat egg whites on high speed until they form soft peaks, then add sugar and continue beating on high speed until stiff. Add butter, salt, almond extract and beat well.

Notice that the frosting only covers the top of the cake-this is how it should be served.  The thin and delicate frosting would not sit properly on the sides, but slide down to a puddle.

The remaining ground cashews are sprinkled on top of the cake.  My mouth is watering just looking at the picture again.  Yum! Yum!

For the salad, this is one I have posted before.  Just your favorite spring greens, red onions sliced, tomatoes, and diced avocados.  Toss with 3 T. honey, the juice of one lime (whisked together, of course).

Notice the tasty cocktail in the background of the picture? This is a concoction we invented on the fly that evening.  We're calling it a Malibu Mike.

Malibu Mike:

2 oz. Malibu rum

6 oz. Mike's Hard Limeade

juice of 1/2 lime

1 maraschino cherry

In a cocktail shaker, combine rum, lime juice, and hard limeade. Shake gently.  Pour over cherry and crushed ice.  Garnish with a lime slice.

And, last but not least, the slice of cashew cake.  All and all, it was like a trip home.

Here's to spring weather and all that comes with it, my lovelies-

Cheers!