Karen's Mexican gumbo

This is so delicious! I love hominy and gumbo , so one day I came up with this.



2 lbs ground beef
2 small cans of chopped hot green chilies
2 large cans of yellow hominy
3 large potatoes peeled and cubed
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons of flour
"Louisiana"brand Cajun seasoning.

Brown ground beef. (you can use thin stripped stir fry meat if you want)
When ground beef is almost done, add enough water to cover it. Add green chilies.
Add cubed potatoes. If you have to add more water you can , just make sure water covers ground beef and potatoes. Let it boil on low for around 20-25 mins or until potatoes are soft.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet. Add flour and on low heat, stir until it becomes like roux, golden to lite brown in color. Add it to the ground beef mixture and stir. Put around 2 tablespoons of Louisiana seasoning in and stir. Poke your finger in the water to see if you need more seasoning, then add till your taste. Add the hominy. Stir and cook about 5 to 10 more mins. Serve with crackers. Soooooo goooood.

Homemade Marshmallow Cream

For a treat kids all ages will enjoy, split the gingerbread and make a gingerbread-marshmallow cream sandwich.

3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. In a very clean glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until light and foamy. With the mixer still running, sprinkle in the two tablespoons of sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, mix the water, corn syrup, and granulated sugar together. Cook over medium heat until it boils and comes to the firm ball stage (246 degrees). Do not overcook.
3. Drizzle the hot syrup into the egg whites with the mixer running on low. Turn the mixer to high and beat for five or six minutes or until the sauce is very fluffy and the consistency of marshmallow cream. Beat in the extract.

Note: This cream is of the consistency that it can be piped as you would frosting.

Smokin' Hot Firehouse Chili

Smokin' Hot Firehouse Chili

Ingredients -

1 minced clove garlic
1 ½ lbs ground beef
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 oz canned Ro-Tel tomatoes, not drained
5 ½ fl oz tomato juice
¼ teaspoon ground oregano
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 chopped onion
1 ½ teaspoons salt
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 lb can dark red kidney beans, not drained
1 lb can black beans, not drained
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 chopped fresh tomatoes, for garnish
8 chopped chives, for garnish

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a pot, then brown the onion, garlic and beef together.

Drain off the fat. Add all the other ingredients and bring the chili to a boil.

Simmer it covered for an hour and a half or uncovered for half an hour. If it is too thick, you can thin it with some water or additional tomato juice.

Serve hot, garnished with the fresh tomatoes and chives.

(Serves 8)

Mexican Pozole

Mexican Pozole

Ingredients -

1 ½lbs pork shoulder
4-5 cups broth (from cooking the pork)
4 cups canned white hominy, drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 jalapenos, diced (adjust quantity to taste)
1 large yellow onion, diced finely
1tablespoon cumin
2tablespoonsoil (canola or olive)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne
1tbsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp oregano (use Mexican oregano if available)

Preparation:

Like many soups, this pozole recipe takes a little while to make, though most of this is prep work. Start by chopping all of the vegetables and setting aside. Next, add the pork to a large pot and cover with lightly salted water, along with half of the onion and garlic, black pepper and oregano. Bring meat to a boil before reducing to a simmer, skimming off any foam that rises to the top, and covering; simmer for 45 minutes. Once the pork has simmered for 45 minutes, remove the pork and broth and set aside to cool. Once it is cool enough to handle, chop the meat into 1 inch pieces and sauté along with the remaining garlic and onion until the onions and garlic become translucent. Add these ingredients back to your stockpot, along with the hominy, the broth, cumin, and hot peppers. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered for 60-90 minutes until the hominy and the meat become tender. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed and serve.

(Serves 6)

Battered Fried Jalapenos with an Avocado Salsa

Battered Fried Jalapenos with an Avocado Salsa

Ingredients -

2 eggs
1 cup beer
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sliced jalapenos
½ quart vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper

For the Avocado Salsa:

2 chopped plum tomatoes
4 oz crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon white or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 minced clove garlic
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1 peeled, pitted and chopped ripe avocado

Preparation:

First, make the salsa.
Stir the avocado with the tomatoes, garlic, and onions.

Stir in the oregano and parsley, then the vinegar and olive oil.

Stir in the crumbled feta cheese. Cover the salsa and chill it for 3 to 5 hours.

Combine the salt, pepper, flour, garlic powder, beer, eggs, and chili powder in a bowl.

Heat the oil to 365 degrees F in a big pot or a deep fryer.

Dip the jalapenos in the batter, and then transfer them to the deep fryer.

When they float to the surface of the oil, they are cooked.

They will be crispy and golden brown.

Serve the hot battered jalapenos with the avocado salsa.

(Serves 8)

Chicken Tacos

Chicken Tacos

Ingredients -

8 small (taco size) flour tortillas
2 lbs cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper, diced (use more or less according to taste)
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 large green pepper, sliced into thin strips
2 small white or yellow onions; one diced, one cut into thin strips
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup cotija cheese, grated (grated Romano may be substituted if cotija is unavailable)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
Salt and black pepper, to taste
A little olive or vegetable oil for sautéing
Lime wedges and salsa, for serving

Preparation:

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the green pepper, jalapeno or Serrano pepper and onion until tender, about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken and tomatoes, oregano and cumin and cook until the chicken is heated through, another 4-5 minutes and remove from heat.

Taste and season with salt and black pepper if needed. Warm the tortillas (over the flame of a gas stove or in the microwave if you have an electric stove) and fill each with the chicken mixture and top with a little chopped cilantro, diced onion, and cotija cheese.

Serve with salsa and lime wedges.

(Serves 4)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Poblano Pesto

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Poblano Pesto

Ingredients -

For the macaroni and cheese:

½ pound elbow macaroni
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp powdered mustard (prepared will do if you don't have powdered)
3 cups milk
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
12 ounces sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack, shredded
1 tsp salt
Black pepper, to taste

For the topping:

2 tbsp butter
1 cup bread crumbs

For the Poblano pesto:

2 poblano peppers, roasted and peeled, seeds, and stems removed
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp pine nuts
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees while bringing water to a boil for the macaroni; cook the macaroni until al dente, remove from heat and drain.

While the pasta is boiling, melt 3 tbsp butter in a saucepan and whisk the mustard and flour in, stirring frequently over low heat for a few minutes until the mixture is smooth. Add the milk and onion and continue simmering for 7 minutes, then add about ¾ of the cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Add the cheese mixture to the macaroni, pour into a large baking pan, and set aside.

Now it is time to make the Poblano pesto. Roast the poblanos over a flame (or in your broiler if you have an electric stove), turning frequently until the skins begin to blister and blacken. Place the peppers in a paper bag and tightly close - allow them to steam for a few minutes and rinse under cold water; the skins should rub right off. Cut off the tops of the peppers, slice in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds under running water. Add the poblanos, garlic, lime juice, pine nuts, and olive oil to a food processor and blend until smooth. Season with a little salt and pepper and fold into the macaroni and cheese.

Melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter in a small saucepan and remove from heat, add the bread crumbs and toss until coated with butter. Top the macaroni and cheese with bread crumbs and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are nicely browned.

Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes and serve.

(Serves 4)