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 a Happy Father's Day from Kokopelli!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

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
  
  • 3 ounces (3 squares) CHOCOLATE (blended such as semisweet or bittersweet), grated or finely chopped
    
  • 1/2 cup WHIPPING CREAM
    
  • 3 tablespoons BUTTER
• 2 or 3 tablespoons BUTTER
  
• 2 (8-inch) fresh, flaky and thin flour TORTILLAS
  
• 1 large ripe, firm BANANA

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.

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 Kitchen". 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.