Tag: jalapeno

Appetizers · Mexican Dishes · Salads

Mexican Street Corn Salad

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What a delicious salad or dip! I’ve never had Mexican Street Corn but this is amazing! You can adjust the heat by adding more or less jalapeno. I enjoyed it as a dip as much as a salad. What a wonderful dish to share with friends and family!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

INGREDIENTS:

  • Dressing:
    • 3 tbps Greek yogurt
    • 3 tbps mayo
    • 1 large clove garlic, minced
    • 1 lime, half zested + fully juiced
    • 1/2 tsp chili powder (or Sriracha)
    • salt to taste
  • Salad:
    • 4 ears corn
    • 2 tbps butter
    • 1/2 large bell pepper, fine chop
    • 1 small jalapeño, fine chop
    • 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
    • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Grill your buttered corn on your BBQ to get those lovely black grill marks and smokey flavor.  You can also use frozen corn (heated through in some boiling water), roast in the oven or boil the ears.  Allow to cool and then slice off the kernels and add to a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayo, garlic, lime juice, zest, chili powder + salt. Taste and adjust if needed. Sometimes I add 1/2 tsp sugar to compliment the spicy.
  3. Pour this mixture over the shaved corn and mix to combine.
  4. Note: You can substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt.

Recipe from HungryHappens

Appetizers · Breakfast

Peach Jalapeno Jam

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Peach Jalapeno Jam sounded so delicious and I love the Cranberry Pepper jelly I make for the holidays. I wanted a smoother jam so chose to process the peaches together with the jalapeno. Next time, I would process the peaches and sugar and add to the jalapenos before cooking. The jelly is not spicy or perhaps I had a very mild pepper. If you like it hot, add more peppers to your liking. I plan to serve this with Brie and crackers. I can also envision a delicious grilled cheese sandwich with this jelly. Go wild!

Peach Jalapeño Jam

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 1/2 lb. ripe yellow peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 small jalapeno chile, diced (I found that the jam was not at all hot so you may want to add more jalapenos)
  • 5 strips of lemon peel (I chose to grate one lemon peel and add to mixture)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. salt (I reduced to 1/2 tsp. salt)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Toss peaches and sugar until well mixed. Let stand for 30 minutes. (At this point you can cook as instructed below or blend the peaches to make for a smoother jam).
  2. In a large saucepan, bring peaches, jalapeno, lemon peel, lemon juice and salt to a boil. Adjust heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
  3. If you did not blend the peaches in step 1, use a potato masher to lightly mash the fruit. Ladle mixture into sterilized canning jars and jar properly or refrigerate for up to 3 months.

Recipe Adapted from Good Housekeeping Carla’s Peach Jalapeno Jam

Soups and Stews · Vegetarian

Sengalese Soup

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Sengalese Soup by IowaGirlEats sounded so delicious and easy, and indeed it was! I didn’t have anything ready for lunch but I had all of the ingredients for this soup. It only took about 30 minutes start to finish. It is SO flavorful and a healthy, vegetarian dish. For those that need more protein, shredded chicken would be a nice addition.

Sengalese Soup

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large shallot or small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 jalapeños (or 1 for a mild soup,) seeded and minced
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 medium-sized sweet potato, peeled and diced small
  • 4 cups (32oz) gluten-free chicken or vegetable broth
  • 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 14oz can lite coconut milk
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 3 Tablespoons peanut butter
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • cooked white rice
  • chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallot or onion, red bell pepper, and jalapenos, season with salt and pepper, then saute until vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds or until very fragrant.
  2. Add sweet potatoes, chicken broth, chickpeas, coconut milk, crushed tomatoes, curry powder, salt, and pepper, then turn heat up to high to bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, scoop some of the liquid into a small dish with the peanut butter then stir until smooth. Stream back into the soup then stir to combine. Turn heat down to medium then simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, 8-10 minutes.
  3. Remove soup from heat then stir in lime juice. Taste then add more salt, pepper, and/or lime juice if necessary. Serve with cooked white rice and chopped fresh cilantro.

Recipe from IowaGirlEats

Appetizers

Cranberry Salsa

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Cranberry Salsa is the perfect appetizer for the holidays. I am not a fan of too much spice but i jalapeno is just right for this dish. I served the Cranberry Salsa over softened cream cheese with crackers, tortilla chips, and cubes of sourdough bread. In addition I had very thinly sliced piecs of serrano ham. A piece of the bread with cream cheese, salsa and a bite of serrano ham…to die for!

After Thanksgiving, I made a turkey sandwich topped with the salsa and it was sooo good. Definitely worth making this holiday season!

Cranberry Salsa

INGREDIENTS:
  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar, (add more to taste)
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped coarsely (leave the seeds in if you like it spicy)
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 4 green onions
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 (8 ounce) blocks of cream cheese
  • Crackers or tortilla chips
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor (EXCEPT CREAM CHEESE) and pulse until desired consistency. I like mine fairly fine. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours (preferably overnight) to allow the salsa to macerate. Serve over cream cheese and with crackers.
  2. This makes enough to cover two blocks of cream cheese. Some people prefer to spread the cream cheese on a serving dish with the salsa on top. I prefer to just pour it on top of a block of cream cheese.
  3. Depending on how tart your cranberries are you may want to add more sugar. This last batch I added a total of 1 cup of sugar.
  4. NOTE: Wheat thins or triscuits are great for serving with this because they are sturdy and won’t break. I love it with Ritz crackers but they are too soft and will break with dipping. If you want to use them just make sure you have a spreader with the salsa. As with all salsa, the quantities are approximate and you can adjust to your own preferences. I have kept this in the fridge for up to 10 days and it was still good! I’m not a food safety expert but it does last for a while.

Recipe from Thegirlwhoateeverything.com

Appetizers · Holidays

Cranberry Pepper Jelly

cathysmahaLeave a comment

A tangy, yet spicy jelly on top of a mild cheese is such a wonderful appetizer. I’ve enjoyed many of these appetizers through the years but Christmas 2021, I made my own! After the epic fail of Grape Jalapeno jam a few years ago, I was a little nervous. Never fear, this recipe is a winner! Other than cleaning and chopping the jalapenos, this was an easy recipe and yielded 7 half pints of Jelly and a little more to enjoy immediately! It was wonderful on top of cream cheese or brie. It would be marvelous with chicken or fish, too.

It you make homemade Christmas gifts, I would highly recommend this for friends and family!

Cranberry Pepper Jelly

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (I used a 12 oz. package of fresh cranberries)
  • 1 cup jalapeno
  • 2 cups cider vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 6 tbsp. Ball RealFruit™ Low or No-Sugar Pectin
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Sort & wash cranberries. Measure pectin and add 1/2 cup sugar to it.
  2. Add vinegar and water to large stock pot.
  3. Chop and remove seeds from jalapenos. 1 cup of jalapenos makes a fairly mild jelly.
  4. Add peppers and cranberries to the vinegar and water to pan.
  5. Bring to boil.
  6. Reduce heat.
  7. Simmer for about 10 minutes until everything is soft.
  8. Strain out the cranberries and pepper mixture with a slotted spoon to a food processor or blender.
  9. Blend until very smooth. (you can add some of the liquid from the pan to help break up the cranberries and peppers, if you need to)
  10. Return to the saucepan.
  11. Add sugar/pectin mixture. Bring to rolling boil.
  12. Add the remainder of the sugar.
  13. Bring back to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.
  14. Fill hot jam into hot jars.
  15. Wipe rims.
  16. Attach lids. Tighten bands finger tip tight.
  17. Process in water bath canning pot for 15 minutes. Turn of heat, allow jars to sit in hot water for at least 5 minutes.

Recipe from blinkysculinarycarnival

Family · Meats · Mexican Dishes · New Favorite

Crock Pot Carnitas

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Pork Carnitas are a favorite while dining at local Mexican restaurants.  This recipe, made in the Crock Pot, made the work easy.  I chose to skip the final step in the recipe and it was delicious.  If you love the crispy pork, go for it.  The pork is great in tacos, burritos, bowls, nachos….your choice!

CROCK POT CARNITAS

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (or 2 1/2 pounds bone-in)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, chopped
1 orange, cut in half
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Salt and pepper liberally. Mix the oregano and the cumin with olive oil and rub all over pork.
  • Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno.
  • Squeeze over the juice of the orange and add the two halves. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 hours.
  • Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly before pulling apart with a fork.
  • In a large sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Press the carnitas into the oil and fry until crusty on one side. Serve.  (I skipped this step)

Recipe from FoodNetwork

Garden · Mexican Dishes · New Favorite · Soups and Stews

Chicken Pozole with Tomatillos

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Tomatillos are plentiful this year so I’m always up for trying a new recipe. I love my standard Posole recipe with pork, but liked this idea with chicken and tomatillos. Tomatillos have almost a citrus-like taste to them so it pairs well with chicken and pozole.

The soup was great fresh and I’ve frozen a large batch for a cold winter’s night!

CHICKEN POSOLE WITH TOMATILLOS

1 pound tomatillos
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups chopped onion
1 pounds chicken, skinned (I used 2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken vs. raw)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and quartered
1 (30-ounce) can white hominy, drained
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more to taste)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
8 lime wedges (optional)

Inspired and Adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/posole-tomatillo-chicken-hominy-soup

Garden · New Favorite · Vegan · Vegetarian

Raspberry Salsa

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Raspberries have always been my favorite fruit.  My Mother grew red and black raspberries on the farm.  When we moved into our home in 1988 we, too, planted red raspberries in our yard.  Very few raspberries make their way into the house, instead being consumed right there on the spot.

Through the years I’ve tasted several wonderful commercial raspberry salsas and it was time to make one from scratch.  Several recipes call for tomatoes but I’m a raspberry purist and didn’t want to ruin the tart, tangy goodness of fresh raspberries.

The salsa was good with tortilla chips (I’m thinking a cinnamon chip would be great with it!) and as a side to fresh grilled salmon.  The salsa would be wonderful with a grilled or broiled chicken breast as well.

Our summer bounty will fast come to a close so enjoy while you can! Also try the fresh peach or tomato salsas:

Peach Salsa
Fresh Tomato Salsa

English: Raspberries Français : Framboises Deu...

FRESH RASPBERRY SALSA

2 cups fresh raspberries
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
3 tsp.  finely chopped jalapeno chile peppers
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

  • Combine raspberries, sweet onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, white sugar and lime juice.
  • Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.
  • Optional: Mash berries slightly before chilling and garnish with whole raspberries.
Family Favorites · Gluten Free · New Favorite

Easy Peasy Appetizer…Mozzarella and Raspberry Chipotle Jam

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Now that I’m MUCH older, I’m feeling a little lazy around the postings so taking it easy for a week or two and celebrating the rest of my birthday month.

Even though I’m feeling lazy, sometimes you want a wonderful appetizer but don’t feel like putting a lot of time into it.  Are you with me?

Many years ago a popular appetizer was a brick of cream cheese with jalapeno jelly and it is still a favorite but I like to shake it up a little.  I purchased a fantastic jar of Shirley Ann’s Raspberry Chipotle Jalapeno Jam a while back and paired it with slices of Buffalo Mozzarella with crackers and sliced baguette. Yummo! It would be equally wonderful with a fine Brie.

Here’s to a lazy August day!

Losers!

Grape Jalapeno Jelly…Maybe, Maybe Not!

cathysmaha6 Comments

Grape Jalapeno Jelly may not be the best idea!  Each year I have a small harvest of concord grapes, if the birds and squirrels decide they want to share.

In the past, I have made grape biscuits (to be shared another year), but this year I wanted to try something different.  I like grape jelly and I like jalapeno jelly…why not try a combo?  Sounded like a good idea.

I searched the web and did not find ONE SINGLE recipe.  I adapted a blackberry jalapeno jelly but decided to cut back on the jalapeno so it wasn’t too hot.  Big mistake!  While the grape jelly is beautiful and tastes good, the slight jalapeno aftertaste is perplexing to my taste buds.

Grape Jalapeno Jelly

Not all of my great kitchen experiments are winners.  This is one of the losers.  I will not share the recipe but I’ll share photos. I’m hoping to salvage this disaster by using the jelly in a meatball sauce or perhaps mixing with a hot pepper jelly and serving over brie or cream cheese. I’ll keep you posted, but be aware…if a recipe isn’t posted anywhere on the internet, there may be a reason for it.

Lesson learned!