Potato Soup with Green Chillies and Cheese

A Big thanks to my friend Audrey...

My friend posted this recipe to her FB and i just had to try it. especially with this cold weather fall/winter weather. I checked for the ingrediant and I had everything, so this was our dinner and it was delicious. I addred real crunchy bacon pieces to the end of the cooking. Im surprised it was a hit with the whole family...kids and dad included.

When i was little my grandma used to make potato cheese soup and it was (is still) my favorite. Our version was different and more tomatoey than creamy. But this version is definetly a HIT!!!
Thank you Audrey!!!

2 tbsp. veg. oil 1 med. onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 c. chopped unpeeled potatoes 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 1/2 c. chicken or veg. broth 2 c. milk 1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies, undrained 1/2 tsp. celery salt 1 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese (shredded) White or black pepper

Heat oil in 3-qt. pan over medium heat.  Add onion & garlic; cook until onion is tender.  Stir in potatoes; cook 1 minute.  Stir in flour; continue cooking 1 minute.  Stir in broth.  Bring to boil.  Cover; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Stir in milk, chilies, & celery salt; heat until simmering. Add cheese; stir & heat just until cheese melts. DO NOT BOIL.  Add pepper to taste.

Pollo en Pato

A few days ago, we went out to eat with my dad to a restaurant that my husbands co-worker kept telling him about. usually i love going to the same resturants that i know and love...but i thought id give this a try.

to my surprise, it was actually pretty good and perhaps better than one of my other favorite mexican restaurants...

My husband ordered "cordoniz en salsa" (quail in sauce), i ordered something familiar to my liking "chile relleo and enchilada" and my dad ordered "pollo encebollado con jalapeno" (chicken with onions and jalapeno). His dish looked super yummy, but because we are barely getting acquainted again, i didnt dare stick my fingers in his plate and he is a big eater so i didnt ask him for a taste either...

instead i went home and 2 days later, i made my own version. not sure how his tasted, but my version was amazing, if i must say so myself lol

i cut chicken breast pieces (bone in),  browned for a few minutes in oil, added a can of chile pato sauce (the yellow tomato sauce can with the duck, it has a spicy kick to it), chopped up oinion slices and bell pepper, salt and pepper. I covered the pot and let it simmer and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes or so or at least until chicken was done. I served over white rice with lentils on the side and mmmmm!!!

Anisa even had 2 servings, thats how i know that its good sometimes....when the kids ask for more!

the lentils i make by boiling until they are done about 30 minutes to 40minutes. finely chop onion, garlic and fresh jalapeno. add goya seasoning-cilantro and tomato, salt and let simmer a few minutes until all flavors have incorporated!

Eggplant, Basil & Garlic Pesto with Fettuccini and Scallops in Garlic Butter and Parsley

OK i have to admit my side dish is not mine. I went to Trader Joes and saw these in the freezer section and thought they looked super delicious. Its my easy way out side dish....hey we all need some of those!!!!

The main course was Eggplant, basil, and garlic pesto with fettuccini.

I diced up in bite size pieces half of a large eggplant (enought more hubby and i), sauteed in grapeseed oil (hubby's new found healthy love), until golden brown. In my food processor (cuisinart, not the ninja), i put fresh basil (courtesy of my cousin Leticia), 2 garlic gloves, a pinch or 2 of salt and a dash or 2 of oil. Too cooked fettucini, i added a handful or 2 of parmesean cheese, tossed then added eggplant and basil. tossed some more. It'd be great with not so noodlely noodles also, maybe smaller ones.

The original recipe i saw on giada de laurentis' show. Her recipe called for pine nuts into basil and spiral noodles. but as always, i love doing my own version... :)

Shrimp Ramen and Asparagus

Steamed Asparagus with butter

Shrimp Ramen with Bellpeppers and Water Chesnuts

When ever i dont know what to cook, i pretty much just look ing my fridge and cupboards to see what i have and what is easy to make.

 I boiled some Top Ramen noodles, then drained when they were soft and transferred them over to a pan to finish cooking with the sauteed bellpeppers and water chesnuts and shrimp. I added cajun spice season and a little bit a black pepper. When it was done "meshing" together, it was done and to my husband's surprise, it was mighty tasty!

Torta de carne asada and bruschetta

We needed a perfect meal to watch the Giants game on Saturday night...we decided on Tortas de Carne Asada!

We went to the bakery, bought some bolillos and then to the market, to buy some carne and avocado.

Hubby grilled the meat  and bread

 I made the salsa de molcajete

-jalapenos and red tomatoe grilled on the burner, then put in the ninja, add some salt

Prepared the tortas by spreading some mayonaise on one side, refried beans, carne asada, salsa, avocado slices, white onion slices and queso cotija and the chow down!!!!

The next morning we woke up and had left over bolillo and frijoles. I decided to make a mexican version of a bruschetta...beans, queso, and salsa...it was a definite hit for the little 2 year old, if i may say so myself!!!

Chicken Mole

ive never ever been a mole kind of gal...but my comadre gabby had invited my husband and I over one day for her little brother's birthday and her mom had made some awesome turkey mole.

This mole that my comadre's mother had made was not out of a jar like that of which i grew up knowing, but really was from scratch and had a very nice spicy kick to it.

every so often when i fall in love with a dish, i love to attempt it at home.

My dish was no where close (well maybe just a tad), as to the delicious one i had tasted,  but nonetheless as a good attempt

first i must say that my spanish rice came out perfectly awesome this time. My rice is never the same and i love that. everytime it is different and everytime it is delicious.

but this time my rice came put perfectly fluffy!!!!

in a pan i toasted some calrose rice until golden brown with a little bit of oil,

added chicken broth (or water and chicken boullon), tomato sauce, black pepper, la goya-cilantro/tomate seasoning and onion slices. i added enough liquid just to cover rice and covered with a lid on low heat stirring occasionally.

whenliquid had evaporated, i added more broth and stirred and let it finish cooking for about another 20 minutes and continuing to stir. nice and fluffy and perfect!!!

For the mole, i boiled chicken breast (chicken thighs may work better because its juicer). i shredded chicken  and set aside. In the same pot with chicken broth, i boiled chile pasilla, chile de arbol and chile colorado, until soft. i added it all to my handy dandy ninja food chopper (same as processor) and liquified. added it back to the pot and let boil. added chicken and let the whole pot simmer. added salt to taste and voila!!!!

i will never buy mole in a jar again!!! I still need to know Gabby's mom's recipe but until i do, this will have to do!!!

Spam Masubi

Ever since I was in San Jose and one of my friends took me to Hukilau Resturant for the first time and introduced me to this tasty dish, I fell in love!!!

After I moved back to my super small hometown, I craved this like crazy, especially during my pregancies....

One day I looked up the recipe and saw that it wasnt too hard to make...at the the time (and still when I made this batch), I didnt have a spam masubi maker (which is a small rectangle glass box to form the masubi). When i first made it, i didnt think that I'd be making it as often as i have so i used to use the spam can and cut the top and bottom out to use as a masubi maker.

One can of spam should be cut into 8 thin pieces.

To cook the spam, mix soy sauce and sugar in a pan on low heat. cook spam for a few minutes on each side and take off heat.

each nori piece needs to be cut in half down the center the length of the spam. place the masubi make on top of nori, add a thin layer of steamed white rice (i use calrose, long grain is too dry and separates quickly), add one piece of spam, another layer of rice then take off masubi maker and fold nori. cut in half and enjoy with tabasco sauce and soy sauce or without!!!

Fresh Cherry Tomato, Roasted Garlic and Fresh Basil Pesto

I had no idea what to make for dinner but I knew it'd be something with chicken. I was watching my fave channel "Food Network" and one episode was making a cherry tomato, garlic, and basil pesto. My Nino had given me a bag of Cherry tomatoes that I really didn't know what else to do with them except for putting in salad which I did the night before, and I'm not much of a fan of cooked tomatoes n food unless its a sauce...so i figured this would be a good way to put them to use...I roasted the cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper in the oven at 375 and in a separate container i roasted garlic covered in olive oil at the same time...about 20 minutes.
when they were all done, i blended tomatoes with olive oil, garlic with half of oil, a little more salt, Parmesan cheese and a handful of fresh basil. My cousin had given me a plant for my birthday and I'm not too good at keeping plants alive and every now and then forge to water it, just earlier that day i took off a lot of dead leaves :(
I blended all together and it was delicious...
poured it over some pasta (your choice) and grilled chicken, served with broccoli and romaine salad and a glass of wine!!!

(with the left over Olive oil from the garlic you can saute the chicken in it and serve or saute some shrimp would be delish!!!)