July 2009: Caveman Cookout for the 4th!

The 4th of July is on a Saturday this year. Celebrate with a cookout fit for the modern caveman! The recipes that we've selected are from SECRETS OF CAVEMAN COOKING by Rick Snider. Permission to print granted by Golden West Publishers, 4113 N. Longview, Phoenix, AZ 85014.

MOOSE BURGERS

• 2 pounds ground MOOSE
  
• 1 pound lean HAMBURGER
  
• Seasoning:
  
  • 2 tbsp. MINCED ONION
    
  • 2 tbsp. fresh GROUND PEPPER
    
  • 2 tbsp. WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
    
  • 1 tsp. SOY SAUCE

1. Preheat gas grill for 10 minutes with burners on high.
   
2. Mix meat and seasoning ingredients together in a bowl and make 8 burgers.
   
3. Turn burners to medium and place burgers on grill. Close grill lid. Cook 4 minutes per side for rare, 7 minutes for medium and 9 minutes for well done.
   
4. Don't forget to toast the buns on the grill!

CAVEMAN CRISPY FRIES

• 4 medium POTATOES
  
• 1 cup CORN FLAKES
  
• 1/2 cup BUTTER, melter
  
• SALT and PEPPER, to taste

1. Preheat gas grill for 10 minutes with burners on high.
   
2. Wash potatoes in cold water. After drying, cut lengthwise into eights. That means cut them in halves, then in halves again and again.
   
3. Finely crunch corn flakes and mix with melted butter.
   
4. Place potatoes in a large plastic bag. Pour in corn flake mixture and shake vigorously until all potatoes are coated.
   
5. Turn burners to low on one side of grill. Place potatoes over the lower heat. Close grill lid. Cook for 20 minutes, then flip with spatula. Cook for another 20 minutes.
   
6. Season with salt and pepper.

June 2009: Brunch for Dad!

Dad's Day is on June 21st this year. Celebrate with a gourmet brunch for Dad (or the main man in your life) that he will really enjoy! The recipes that we've selected are from the GOURMET GRINGO by Mari Meyers. Permission to print granted by Golden West Publishers, 4113 N. Longview, Phoenix, AZ 85014.

BLOODY MARIAS
Each Drink:

• 3 or 4 ICE CUBES
  
• 1 ounce TEQUILA
  
• 1 cup TOMATO or VEGETABLE JUICE
  
• ¾ tsp. WORCESTER SAUCE
  
• ⅛ tsp. CELERY SALT
  
• ½ tsp. fresh Mexican LIME JUICE
  
• several dashes HOT PEPPER SAUCE
  
• SALT and freshly GROUND PEPPER
  
• ROUND LIME SLICE for garnish

Use a tall glass to add drink ingredients on top of ice cubes, turn glass over and shake several times, then add a lime slice for decoration on rim of glass before serving. Serves 1.

SCRAMBLED EGGS MEXICANA

• 2 Tbsp. BUTTER or MARGARINE
  
• ½ cup chopped FRESH TOMATOES
  
• ¼ cup sliced GREEN ONIONS
  
• 1 fresh SERRANO CHILE, finely chopped
  
• 4 EGGS
  
• ⅓ cup MILK
  
• ½ cup diced or grated QUESO CHIHUAHUA or MONTEREY JACK CHEESE
  
• dash or 2 of GARLIC SALT
  
• dash or 2 of LEMON PEPPER
  
• dash or 2 of CHILI POWDER

Melt butter or margarine in large (10-inch) skillet and sauté tomatoes, green onions and chile until soft. Blend eggs with milk and pour into skillet over low heat. Add cheese, along with rest of ingredient. Cook slowly until eggs are set, but still soft, and cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Serves 2 to 4.

RICE MEXICALI

• 1 cup raw LONG GRAIN RICE
  
• 2 Tbsp. OLIVE OIL
  
• 1⅓ cups chopped ONION
  
• ½ cup chopped GREEN BELL PEPPERS
  
• ½ cup chopped RED BELL PEPPERS
  
• ¾ cup finely chopped CELERY
  
• salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• 2 tsp. CHILI POWDER
  
• ½ tsp. SAFFRON
  
• dash or 2 of GARLIC POWDER

Cook 1 cup of rice according to package directions to yield 3 cups cooked rice. Meanwhile, use an extra large (12-inch) skillet to heat oil and soften onion, bell peppers and celery. Add all seasonings and incorporate thoroughly. Blend in rice and heat through. Serve hot. Makes 5 cups.

Happy Cooking! Wish Dad Happy Father's Day from Kokopelli!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo 2009

Cinco de Mayo falls on Tuesday this year. Create these delectable appetizers to serve your friends when celebrating! The recipes are from THE TEQUILA COOK BOOK by Lynn Nusom. Permission to print granted by Golden West Publishers, 4113 N. Longview, Phoenix, AZ 85014.


MARINATED MUSHROOMS
1 can (16 oz.) BUTTON MUSHROOMS (The larger the mushrooms the better. If you can’t find the large cans in your supermarket – try a food wholesaler or specialty food shops.)
½ cup OLIVE OIL
1/3 cup WHITE WINE VINEGAR
2 tsp. LEMON JUICE
½ cup TEQUILA
1 tsp. CURRY POWDER
1 Tbsp. CILANTRO, chopped

Drain the mushrooms and spoon into a large glass bowl or plastic container. Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over the mushrooms, stirring gently to make sure all the caps are coated with the mixture. Refrigerate overnight before serving. Serve garnished with sprigs of cilantro or parsley and toothpicks to spear the mushrooms, Serves 6 – 8.


MARINATED OLIVES
1 cup LIME JUICE
½ cup ORANGE JUICE
1 cup TEQUILA
3 GARLIC CLOVES, run through a garlic press
1 LIME, unpeeled, sliced
1 ORANGE, unpeeled, sliced
2 cans (6 oz. each) PITTED BLACK RIPE OLIVES

Mix together all the ingredients except the olives. Drain the olives and place in a glass bowl or plastic container. Pour the tequila mixture over the olives and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Drain off the liquid before serving. Serves 6 – 8.


OLÉ SHRIMP DIP
2 cans (4¼ oz. each) SMALL SHRIMP, rinsed & drained
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) CREAM CHEESE
¼ cup SOUR CREAM
1/3 cup your favorite RED SALSA
¼ cup TEQUILA
1 tsp. chopped CHIVES
1 Tbsp. fresh PARSLEY, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh LIME JUICE

Mix all the ingredients together. Store in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving. Serve with crackers or crudités. Serves 6 – 8.


ENJOY!

Fruit Frenzy

The fresh fruits that are starting to take over the produce section of the grocery stores truly make this one of my favorite times of the year. Originally, I was going to share some recipes for sweets that would be fun for Easter Baskets but I was talked out of it by these delectable desserts with fresh fruits. Both recipes are from the "Gourmet Gringo" by Mari Meyers. Permission to reprint the recipes has been granted by Golden West Publishers, 4113 N. Longview Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85014.

SANGRIA-POACHED PEARS
6 ripe but firm PEARS
1/2 LEMON
2 cups DRY RED WINE (BURGUNDY)
1 cup unsweetened APPLE JUICE
1/2 cup ORANGE JUICE
1/2 cup SUGAR
4 LEMON SLICES
2 (2-inches) CINNAMON STICKS
LEMON RIND STRIPS (optional garnish)

Peel pears, leaving on stem. Remove core from bottom along with a small crosswise slice so they stand upright. Squeeze juice from lemon over pears; set aside.

In large Dutch oven or casserole, combine wine, apple juice, orange juice, sugar, lemon slices and cinnamon sticks; bring to a slow boil. Place pears upright in sangria and spoon liquid over pears. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

Cool, keeping pears in sangria and turn several times. Chill in refrigerator until presentation. Serve pears and sangria in glass compotes (remove cinnamon sticks). Decorate stems with thin lemon rind strips cut in circular fashion, if desired.

Serves 6.


CHOCOLATE & FRUIT TORTILLAS
1 pint fresh STRAWBERRIES, cleaned & hulled
2 teaspoons SUGAR
CHOCOLATE SAUCE (see below)
2 or 3 tablespoons BUTTER
2 (8-inch) fresh, flaky and thin flour TORTILLAS
1 large ripe, firm BANANA

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

• 3 ounces (3 squares) CHOCOLATE (blended such as semisweet or bittersweet), grated or finely chopped
  
• 1/2 cup WHIPPING CREAM
  
• 3 tablespoons BUTTER

Prepare berries and cut in large dice, or maybe halved, add sugar and refrigerate at least an hour.

Chocolate sauce should be made just before using. Heat chocolate in small saucepan, blend in cream to heat through, then add butter. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Makes 1 cup.

When ready to serve, warm butter in skillet large enough to hold 1 flat tortilla at a time. Heat each tortilla in butter just a few seconds on first side, then turn over and heat just until it starts to puff up on the second side. Quickly remove to serving plates.

Slice banana; divide strawberries and apportion fruit over middle of each heated tortilla, spoon hot chocolate sauce over fruit and berries combination and fold sides over middle to close. Present immediately.

Serves 2.

March 2009: Happy St. Pat's!

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years. Today, St. Pat's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds and is known as "the wearing of the green".

Celebrate St. Pat's Day by surprising your family & friends with a green fiesta! We found some exciting recipes in "From the Queen's Cookbook". Permission to reprint the recipes has been granted by Adobe Milling in Dove Creek, Colorado.

GREEN CHILI BURRITOS by Regina Willbanks

2½ cups PINTO BEANS, cooked
1 lb. HAMBURGER
½ cup chopped ONIONS
2 fresh GARLIC CLOVES, crushed
1 tsp. CHILI POWDER
1½ cup GREEN CHILI SAUCE
4 oz. chopped GREEN CHILIES
1 large TOMATO, chopped
1 cup shredded CHEESE
2½ oz. can sliced BLACK OLIVES

Brown the hamburger, add onions & garlic. Cook until onions are tender. Add beans, chili powder, salt, pepper and green chilies to taste. With a mixer on low speed mix until blended. Spoon filling over the flour tortillas and place seam side down in a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Top with green chili sauce, cover and bake at 350-degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese, black olives and tomatoes. Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired.



GREEN CHILI BEAN SOUP by Nancy McGrath
(Blue Ribbon 1982)

4 cups PINTO BEANS
1 chopped ONION
3 cloves GARLIC
½ lb. PORK SPARERIBS
2 tsp. SALT
4 chopped GREEN CHILIES

Cook together in slow cooker for 10 to 12 hours.

February 2009: Happy Valentine's Day!

Surprise your loved one with a sweet southwest treat for Valentine's Day! We found a yummy recipe for Southwestern Cheesecake in "From the Queen's Cookbook". Permission to reprint the recipes has been granted by Adobe Milling in Dove Creek, Colorado.


SOUTHWESTERN CHEESECAKE

2 cups GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS
3/4 cup SUGAR
½ cup MELTED BUTTER
3 (8oz) pkg. CREAM CHEESE
3/4 cup SUGAR
3/4 cup BROWN SUGAR
6 EGGS
2 cups PUMPKIN
1 cup MASHED BEANS
PINCH OF SALT
2 tsp. PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
¼ cup HEAVY CREAM

Blend cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press firmly over bottom and sides of buttered spring form pan (9-inch). Chill. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugars gradually, beating until well mixed. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin, beans and other spices. Add cream. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in 325-degree oven for 1 hour and 35 minutes. Add topping and bake 10 more minutes. Cool and refrigerate several hours.

Walnut Topping:
6 Tbsp. BUTTER
1 cup BROWN SUGAR
Mix until crumbly. Blend in 1 cup walnuts.

January 2009: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of you!! Hope your holidays were great.

Trent from Texas was kind enough to share a recipe with us for sweet cornbread that has been in his family for generations!


TRENT'S SWEET CORNBREAD

Trent ’s #1 rule above all others for making this cornbread a success - you need a 9" cast iron skillet with a little rust on the handle (OK, so the rust is a bit much, but you have to use the cast iron).

1 cup ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1¼ cup BLUE CORNMEAL
1 large EGG at room temperature
3 Tbsp. CLOVER HONEY
2/3 cup TURBINADO SUGAR(substitute white sugar if preferred)
1 tsp. salt
3½ tsp. BAKING POWDER
1 cup WHOLE MILK
1/3 cup OIL (corn or canola) + 2 Tbsp. for coating skillet
1/2 can CREAMED CORN(half of a 15 oz. can)
1/2 can HATCH GREEN CHILIES (mild or hot, whichever you prefer)
1/2 tsp. GARLIC POWDER

Set oven to 400 degrees – if needed, make adjustments so that bread can be baked on middle rack. In a medium-size mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add all other ingredients except milk -- stir well to combine. Mix milk in slowly -- you should have a firm yet pliable batter; if too firm, add milk 1 Tbsp at a time until batter is pliable again. Put 2 Tbsp oil in iron skillet, make sure oil coats entire bottom.

Pour batter into skillet and scrape bowl to get all that you can in the skillet. Set skillet on middle rack and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven -- let cool in pan 5 minutes. Slice into 8 sections. Add unsalted butter if you like.


Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 25 minutes
Cooling Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Enjoy!

December 2008: Southwest Holiday Recipes

December and the holidays are upon us once again! We went on the hunt for some southwest holiday recipes and came up with two great ones from the "Gourmet Gringo" by Mari Meyers. Permission to reprint the recipes has been granted by Golden West Publishers, 4113 N. Longview Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85014.

JALAPENO CORNBREAD STUFFING
1/4 cup BUTTER
2 cups chopped ONION
1 cup finely chopped CELERY
2 APPLES, large dice
8 cups stale crumpled JALAPENO CORNBREAD
3 cups cubed WHITE TOAST
2 EGGS, beaten
1 cup (maybe more) CHICKEN STOCK
SALT and freshly GROUND PEPPER
1/2 teaspoon SAGE
1/4 teaspoon POULTRY SEASONING
PARSLEY or CILANTRO (optional)

Use a large (10-inch) skillet to melt butter and saute onion and celery until soft. Place in a large mixing bowl along with apples, crumbled cornbread and cubed toast. Toss to combine all ingredients.

Blend in beaten eggs and moisten with stock. Add seasonings and toss to mix thoroughly. Stuffing can be made a day ahead to settle flavors, but only should be added to fowl immediately before roasting.

Makes 12 cups.



MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES
1/2 cup (1 stick) BUTTER
3 tablespoons POWDERED SUGAR (1st amount)
1 cup sifted FLOUR
1 cup finely chopped WALNUTS
1/2 cup POWDERED SUGAR (2nd amount)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter with sugar in medium-size bowl. Gradually add flour and mix thoroughly. The dough will be crumbly like the corn meal stage of pie dough. Stir in nuts and chill.

Form teaspoons of dough into marble-size balls using your fingers (the warmth of your hands will help shape the dough). Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Once shaped, cookies can also be flattened, if desired; they will bake in the same shape as formed before cooking.

Bake single cookie sheets at a time for 15 minutes each or until cookies are a pale golden color. Remove from cookie sheet with spatula. While still hot, roll in powdered sugar. Cool on wire cake racks.

Makes about 40 cookies.

November 2008: More Pumpkin Recipes

I've been munching on our home roasted & spiced pumpkin seeds all week long. If you're familiar with our blog you are probably aware that pumpkin is one of my favorite foods.

While we separate out pumpkins from squash in our thinking, the Indians thought of pumpkins as squash. Recipes can be interchanged between winter squash and pumpkins. Although most people use canned pumpkin (available year-round), now is the time to experiment with the real thing!

Check out these interesting recipes we found for winter squash (aka pumpkins) - get out to your farmer's market and buy some pumpkins to experiment. The following recipes are from “Foods of the Superstitions” by Don Wells and Jean Groen. Permission to reprint the recipe has been granted by Wells/Groen Publishing, 1375 S. Mountain View Rd., Apache Junction, AZ 85219.


WINTER SQUASH WITH ORANGE SAUCE
4 cups cooked & mashed WINTER SQUASH
2 Tbsps. BUTTER
2 Tbsps. CREAM
1/2 tsp. SALT
PEPPER to taste
2 large ORANGES, grated rind & juice
1 Tbsp. CORNSTARCH
1/3 cup BROWN SUGAR
1/4 cup BUTTER

Mix the squash, butter, cream, salt & pepper well and pour into buttered casserole.

Combine oranges, cornstarch & brown sugar and stir over low heat until thickened. Add butter, stirring well. Pour over squash mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.



WINTER SQUASH DOUGHNUTS
1 1/4 cups SUGAR
2 Tbsps. SHORTENING
2 EGGS, beaten
1 cup mashed cooked SQUASH
1/2 tsp. VANILLA
3 cups FLOUR
3 tsps. BAKING POWDER
3/4 tsp. SALT
1/2 tsp. fresh ground NUTMEG
1/2 tsp. CINNAMON
1 cup MILK
OIL for frying

Combine sugar & shortening and cream together. Add eggs, squash & vanilla and mix well. In the meantime, sift together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately. Chill for at least 2 hours. Roll or pat 1/4 inch thick.

Heat oil to 365 degrees. Fry doughnuts until brown, turning once. Drain. Dust with powdered sugar.

October 2008: Happy Halloween!

October has always been my favorite month! The air is cool & crisp and fireplaces are starting to crackle. But best of all…..Halloween falls at the end of this month. It’s hard not to love this magical day that brings out the youth in us all.

It’s a great night to party with your adult friends – heck, when I was in college we would go out trick-or-treating! But being able to introduce a youngster to his/her first Halloween is one of the best highs available. Decisions of the utmost importance must be made…..and those decisions are difficult with all of the choices nowadays. The kids are intent upon finding the best costume to wear while the adults are searching for the ideal treat to hand out. And everyone’s trying to find the perfect pumpkin for carving (be sure to save those seeds for roasting!)

Needless to say, many adults become just as excited as the kids as evening approaches. In fact, chances are they’ve spent some time & money to make their home look haunted for the night…..some adults will even answer the door decked out in their Halloween finest.

When selecting your pumpkins for carving, be sure to pick up a few extra…..they make great foodstuff! Everyone’s familiar with pumpkin pie, and many with pumpkin bread. For those of you wanting to experiment with the wonderful world of pumpkins, the following recipes are from “Foods of the Sonoran Desert and Their Many Uses” by Don Wells and Jean Groen. Permission to reprint the recipe has been granted by Wells/Groen Publishing, 1375 S. Mountain View Rd., Apache Junction, AZ 85219.

PUEBLO SQUASH PIÑON NUT SWEETBREAD
1½ cups FLOUR
1 cup PUREED PUMPKIN or SQUASH
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. BROWN SUGAR
2 EGGS, beaten until foamy
1 tsp. BAKING POWDER
1 tsp. CINNAMON
1 tsp. grated NUTMEG
½ tsp. SALT
¾ cup PIÑON NUTS
Preheat 350° oven. In bowl, mix dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix pumpkin, eggs, and butter. Combine. Stir nuts into batter. Put in greased 9x6 loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until done. Cool. Can be used with soups or can be made into dessert by slicing and putting yogurt or applesauce on it.

HOPI STEW
2 cups GREEN CORN shelled from cob
1 cup finely chopped BEEF or GOAT
1 cup chopped SQUASH
1 Tbsp. FLOUR
SALT and PEPPER to taste
Fry meat in lard until brown. Add squash and corn. Put enough water in to cover. When squash is nearly done, add a paste of the flour and a little water. Stir in and stir well. Cook an additional 5 minutes.