Almost two winters ago, I exchanged comments on food photos of several dishes shared by a man named Dirk from Germany on Google+. He commented on photos of the foreign foods I shared and mentioned that many of the ingredients I posted were unavailable to him. Thinking back to my penpal days as a child, in which…
Tag: chiles
How to Roast Hatch Green Chiles
It was a bittersweet weekend around our household. We lost a dear furry friend, but also spent days surrounded by loving friends and family – much of that time was spent cooking and eating. Food is comfort. Food is love. And, preparing food is therapy. So I got my hands dirty cleaning sweated Hatch chiles…
Reinventing Chiles en Nogada Soup-Style
Deconstruct: To break something down into its component parts. For a recipe, this means looking at the recipe and determining the essential ingredients – the ones that make the dish unique, satisfying, and flavorful. Deconstruction is one of my favorite ways to reinvent a dish when I want to experience its flavors AND tailor the…
The Original Paleo Chipotle Chicken Cauliflower Bake / Casserole
Many moons ago, when gluten and dairy were not an issue for me, I used to love making a chili cheddar pasta dish I’d found in Cooking Light. It was awesome – filled with noodles, milk, butter, and cheese. But, alas, no more. As I transitioned to a whole foods way of cooking, I realized…
Key Lime Bars and Mayan Brownies with a kick
One of the reasons I, and many other people, love traveling is the opportunity to savor local foods. To taste fruit ripened on the branch/vine the way it should be. To experience the bustle, sounds, and sights of an open-air marketplace. To smell a meal prepared with fresh herbs and spices. To toast a new…
High-energy Burrito Soup
This week, we have had more sun in Salt Lake City than we had in most of January. Unfortunately, we also have below-freezing temperatures, and the combination is messing with my head. I sit in the window and feel the warmth of the sun through the window, but when I walk outside, my disappointment that…
Highlighting Native Foods: Three Sisters Chorizo Casserole
Kabocha, a Japanese winter squash that can often be found at Asian grocery stores and sometimes at your local grocer’s, is beautiful, with creamy, deep-orange, and sweet meat. It is also my all-time favorite squash. I like them so much that within two days, I had bought two of these suckers at two separate…
Cocoa Iron Chef Night: Chicken Mole Poblano
Last week presented a new Iron Chef Night (ICN) challenge, and a good reason to finally make mole (pron: mo-lay), something I’ve shied away from for years because of a childhood memory. I don’t actually know if I ate mole that didn’t taste good or if the combination of flavors just sounded horrible to my…
“Quick” Chile Walnut Hash (a la chiles en nogada)
The title may not inspire confidence, but the dish is delish, so bear with me. This recipe is inspired by traditional Mexican stuffed chiles with walnut sauce. I say inspired, because I offer up a version that is easier to prepare, but maintains the essence of the dish. In a nutshell, the difference between typical…