Juanita’s Taco Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 lg can (27 oz) El Pato salsa de chile fresco
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients
Grandma Honey’s Cream Puffs
INGREDIENTS
Pâte à Choux Pastry
1 cup water
½ cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
4 eggs
Custard Filling
½ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks (or 2 eggs), beaten
2 tsp vanilla (or other flavoring)
Chocolate Icing
1 square unsweetened chocolate (1 oz)
1 tsp butter
1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
2 tbsp boiling water
DIRECTIONS
Pâte à Choux Pastry
Preheat oven to 400º. In saucepan, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Add flour in one installment; stir vigorously over medium heat until mixture no longer sticks to the side of the pan and forms a ball (about 1 minute). Remove from heat. By hand, beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until mixture is smooth and velvety. Drop from spoon onto an ungreased baking sheet.1 Bake until dry (approximately 45-50 minutes). Allow to cool slowly. Makes eight puffs.
Cut cooled pastries, fill with Custard Filling and ice with Chocolate Icing.
Custard Filling
In a saucepan, mix sugar, salt, and flour; stir in milk. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir a little more than half of this mixture into beaten egg yolks. Blend into hot mixture and bring just to boiling point. Cool and blend in vanilla.
Chocolate Icing
Over a double boiler, melt together chocolate and butter. Remove from double boiler; blend in sugar and water. Stir until smooth but not stiff.
Notes:
1 For Éclairs, place pâte à choux pastry dough in a pastry bag and pipe 12 fingers approximately 1-inch wide and 4-inches long. Bake as above; fill with custard and frost with chocolate icing.
Brown Sugar Blondies
INGREDIENTS
2 cups brown sugar
1 ⅔ cups flour
½ cup butter, melted
3 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients and spread evenly into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Bake at 350º until the top is dry and edges begin to pull away from the sides (25 minutes). Remove from oven and cool completely before slicing.
Ginger Cranberry Bars
½ tsp ginger powder
¼ cup crystallized ginger, chopped
¾ cup dried cranberries, chopped
8oz white chocolate chips
Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup pineapple juice
¼ cup mirin
1 cup brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
¼ tsp MSG
Combine all ingredients.
Pork Chile Verde
INGREDIENTS
1 picnic pork shoulder
1 recipe salsa verde
cumin
salt
pepper
DIRECTIONS
Cut pork into 2-inch chunks. Spread out and sprinkle liberally with cumin, salt, and pepper; massage into meat. In large porcelain or stainless steel Dutch oven, brown pork in small batches so as not to overcrowd pan. Return all pork to pan and cover with salsa verde. Simmer until tender.
Serve with tortillas, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, pickled jalapeños, refried beans, and cilantro lime rice.
Rick’s Salsa Verde – the Real Deal
Taquitos are high on the list of Huggins Family most loved foods. And, our favorites come from the little stand on Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles, Cielito Lindo, where taquitos were invented in the mid 1930s. Every trip home to Southern California includes a trek downtown for Combination #1: 3 Taquitos, Beans and Cheese. The taquitos are smothered in “guacamole”. Cielito Lindo’s version of guacamole is a delicious green salsa that you can’t help but dream about. This recipe is the closest I’ve come to replicating its flavor.
INGREDIENTS
1 can (28 oz) tomatillos
1 bottle (40 oz) roasted green chiles, mild
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1-2 avocados (optional)
½ onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro
2 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients and blend with emersion blender. Serve with tacos, taquitos, or chips; or to make chile verde.
CIELITO LINDO’S HOME VERSION
After working for some time to recreate Cielito Lindo’s, I learned from Pam that Cielito Lindo published a home version of their guacamole. The recipe is below, with some minor alterations.
INGREDIENTS
8 fresh chiles gueritos (yellow chiles), seeded and deveined
5 cloves garlic, chopped
15 medium tomatillos, peeled and halved
2 1/2 cups cilantro, chopped
6 cups water
2 medium avocados
4 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
In a large pan, combine chiles, garlic, tomatillos, cilantro, and water; bring to boil. Lower heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Remove mixture from water and place in blender; reserve water. Add avocado and salt to blender. Blend, adding water in small installments and blend until smooth. Place in refrigerator overnight to allow flavors to meld. Adjust salt, if necessary.
Dinner Rolls
INGREDIENTS
2 cups water, near boiling (or 1 water, 1 milk)
½ cup butter
2 tbsp yeast (instant)
½ cup sugar
2 tsp salt
4 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten with fork
8-10 cups flour
DIRECTIONS
Pour water (or water/milk mixture) into bowl of stand mixer; melt in butter. Add sugar and salt; mix to dissolve. Mix in 4 cups of flour; check temperature (should be approximately 99°). Mix in yeast; add eggs. Mix in 4-6 cups flour, until is elastic, and not sticky. Knead for 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove dough to an oiled bowl; roll dough over to coat and allow to rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size. Punch down, form rolls and let rise a second time in two 9×13 baking dishes covered with a moist cloth. When doubled, bake at 365° for 10-15 minutes. Rub tops with butter.
Chocolate Pecan Strata
Crust
2 cubes butter, melted
1½ cups flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
Combine ingredients and spread in 9×13 cake pan; bake 20 minutes at 400º, cool.
1st layer
1 pkg (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cool whip
Fold together and let set for a few minutes; spread carefully on crust.
2nd layer
1 pkg (6 oz) instant chocolate pudding
2 cups milk
Mix as per instructions on box. Be sure to use only 2 cups milk; spread on first layer.
3rd layer
1 pkg (6 oz) instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
Mix as per instructions on box. Be sure to use only 2 cups milk; spread on first layer.
4th layer
1 cup cool whip (or more)
Spread Cool Whip vanilla layer; top with shavings from Hershey’s chocolate bar. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
Cilantro Lime Rice
INGREDIENTS
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
2 tsp olive oil
1¾ cups chicken broth
1 tbsp butter
Zest of 1 lime
1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
Place rinsed rice to a hot sauté pan and sauté in olive oil until it begins to brown. Place rice in rice cooker and combine with chicken broth. Cook rice; unplug cooker when complete. Leave rice undisturbed for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Tamales
INGREDIENTS
1 lb cornhusks, soaked
Meat
3 lb chicken or pork shoulder, cooked and shredded
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
½ cup flour
½ cup vegetable oil
5 cans (8-oz each) tomato sauce
1 can (28-oz) Los Palmos red enchilada sauce
Masa
2½ lbs yellow corn masa
chili powder
1 tsp salt
2½ tsp baking powder
½ cup Crisco shortening
DIRECTIONS
Soak cornhusks in water.
Place meat in a large pot; add water to cover meat plus about 3 inches. Add garlic, salt and pepper; boil until meat is tender and fully cooked (olives can also be added). Remove meat from pot, reserving liquid.
In a large pan, lightly brown flour in oil; add tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, and cooked meat. Bring to a boil.
Mix masa, salt, baking powder, and enough chili powder to change the color of the masa mixture light pink (2 tbsp). Melt shortening and add to masa mixture along with enough of the reserved liquid (approximately 7 to 8 cups) to moisten the mixture. Masa should be moist enough to stick together when rolled into balls and/or patted out.
Lay out cornhusks. Place an egg-sized scoop of masa on each cornhusk and pat flat. Masa should be about ¼” thick. Place approximately two large tablespoons of meat mixture in the center of the masa; roll cornhusk from the sides until ends of masa touch. Flatten corn husk and fold up from bottom and in from sides; place in steaming pan. Steam for approximately 1 hour; check for doneness.
Remove cornhusks and serve with remaining red sauce.
Aunt Laurie’s Salsa
Aunt Laurie’s mom, Janet, and her step-dad, Monty, have always been two of our favorite people! Family holidays and get togethers are even more fun because of the time we spend talking with Laurie’s parents. I’ve always had a special spot in my heart for Laurie’s mom!
This recipe came to us from Monty’s good friend, George. Laurie begged for the recipe after enjoying it for years . George came up with the recipe and entered it in many Salsa contests . The salsa won just about every time it was entered. In 1981, Laurie and family were at a chili cook off in Arizona where George entered the salsa plus his chili. He won in both categories yet again. George gave Aunt Laurie his secret recipe at that chili cook off. She grabbed a piece of paper and jotted it down, and still has the original paper to this day!
INGREDIENTS
1 lg can peeled petite diced tomatoes with juice
½ to 1 bunch green onions, chopped
½ brown onion, diced
2 jalapeño peppers, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp cumin
½ tbsp oregano
¼ bunch cilantro (to taste)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper pepper
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients.
Wheat Waffles
This, our favorite wheat waffle recipe, comes from Grandma Honey. When our kids wake to the sound of the wheat whirling in the blender they know that Grandma Honey’s wheat waffles will soon be on the table.
INGREDIENTS
3⁄4 cup whole wheat
1 1⁄2 cups milk
2 tbsp corn meal
2 tbsp oat meal
2 tbsp oat bran
2 eggs
1 tbsp raw sugar
1⁄4 cup butter
1 tbsp baking powder
DIRECTIONS
Blend whole wheat and milk in blender for 3 to 4 minutes. While still blending, add corn meal, oat meal, oat bran, eggs, raw sugar and butter. Turn off blender and add baking powder. Blend for 3 to 4 seconds. Cook in waffle iron. If batter rises too much, stir with spoon.
Grandma’s Popcorn Balls
Halloween is one of our favorite holidays, and our neighborhood on Tudor Street knew how to do Halloween right. Each year the parents got together to organize a haunted celebration for the kids. The annual party included a spook alley, games, and traditional neighbor treats–we all have great memories. Grandma’s homemade popcorn balls were a big hit every year!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup white corn syrup
⅓ cup water
¼ lb butter
¾ tsp vanilla
¾ tsp salt
3 to 4 quarts popcorn, popped
DIRECTIONS
Boil until soft ball stage (in cold water); add vanilla and pour over pepped corn and make into balls. Wrap balls in wax paper and put in brown paper bag to store.
Fresh Cranberry Relish
INGREDIENTS
1 pkg (12 oz.) fresh cranberries
1 orange, peeled
1 cup sugar
DIRECTIONS
Wash cranberries and place in food processor. Pulse until cranberries are in small, approximately equal pieces. Place in cranberries in a mixing bowl; cover with sugar. Place orange in food processor and process until liquefied. Pour orange juice and pulp into cranberries and mix well. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Chicken Gyro
On vacation in Corfu, Greece, we visited a small waterside restaurant where we ate the most amazing gyro. Moist and tender, this true Greek gyro was nothing like the meatloaf-like gyro we find in the US. This chicken version is a delicious reminder of our experiences on this family vacation.
INGREDIENTS
4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Marinade
2 tbsp garlic, minced
⅓ cup lemon juice
⅓ cup plain greek yogurt
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp salt
pepper
Sauce
2 English cucumbers, diced with water squeezed out
2½ cups plain greek yogurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
pepper
Salad
1 English cucumber, diced
4-5 tomatoes, seeded and diced
½ large red onion
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
Flat bread or pita (Omit for GF)
DIRECTIONS
Combine marinade ingredients in a gallon Ziploc bag; add chicken and marinate in the refrigerator (3 to 24 hours[overnight is best]). In a medium mixing bowl, stir together sauce ingredients a minimum of 30 minutes prior to serving. Next, combine all salad ingredients in a separate bowl. Refrigerate sauce and salad until ready to serve.
Grill marinated chicken.
To serve, place some of the salad mixture in the center of flat bread; top with chicken and sauce.
Peanut Sauce
I learned to love peanut sauce (pindasaus) while living in The Netherlands. An Indonesian meal just isn’t right without it! This delicious sauce is a favorite of every member of our family. We use it most often to smother skewers of chicken (Satay Ajam) or pork (Satay Babi), over vegetables (Gado Gado), or with mayonnaise and diced onions to top frites (Patatje Oorlog). There are two kinds of people in the world; those who love peanut sauce, and those who haven’t eaten it often enough to crave it… yet!
INGREDIENTS
½ cup peanut butter
½ tsp garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp ketjap manis
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
3 tbsp brown sugar
⅛ tsp hot curry powder
¼ tsp sambal oelek (or to taste)
DIRECTIONS
In saucepan, melt peanut butter; add garlic. Heat until texture is creamy. Add lemon juice and ketjap manis. Sauce will become quite thick. Stir in coconut milk, brown sugar, curry powder and sambal.
For a slight variation, I will often add a couple of teaspoons of fresh ginger, or even a little lemon grass.
Belgian Frites
Ok, my friends, don’t get me started! Just believe me when I say, Fries are NOT French! Whether it be because of the style of the cut (frenched) or the native language of many of their early purveyors, french and fries have been erroneously linked as the name of a true Belgian creation, Frites! Calling these spears of deliciousness French is, well, just wrong.
Real frites are double fried, delivering a soft and fluffy interior and crisp exterior. They are traditionally salted and served with mayonnaise. But, if you are feeling a bit more adventurous, try some of the typical toppings for Frites from the Netherlands and Belgium found under Serving Suggestions at the end of the recipe. My personal favorite… Patat Speciaal!
INGREDIENTS
Large potatoes
Water
Oil
Salt
Pepper (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Wash and slice potatoes (either peeled or unpeeled) into thick strips; place in a large bowl of fresh cold water and soak for 20 minutes or more. Heat oil to 275° to 300°. Line a large paper bag with paper towels. Fry sliced potato fries in batches for +/-5 minutes per batch being careful to keep oil temperature in range. Place fried potatoes in prepared paper bag and allow to cool. Increase oil temperature to 375° to 400°; fry in batches a second time for +/-5 minutes per batch. Place fries on a baking dish lined with paper towels and sprinkle with salt (and pepper, if desired) immediately. Devour.
Real Belgian frites (french fries) are always pre-soaked in water and then fried twice. This results in a crisp outside and fluffy interior.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Patat Met – Fries with mayonnaise
Patat Speciaal – Fries with mayonnaise, curry ketchup, and topped with onions
Patatje Oorlog – Fries with mayonnaise, peanut sauce, sambal oelek, and topped with onions
Patatje Joppie – Fries with mayonnaise mixed with yellow curry spices, and topped with onions
Frieten met Stoofvlees – Fries with Belgian stew
Carne Asada Tacos
INGREDIENTS
Sauce:
½ cup lime juice
2 cans (220g each) El Pato jalapeño sauce
1 tbsp chicken Better than Bouillon
2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp liquid smoke
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
¾ tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp cumin
Meat:
5 lbs carne picada (diced beef)
1 cube butter
Finishings:
1 white onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped
100% corn tortillas
limes, cut into wedges
In a saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients; bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat until hot; melt butter, add carne picada and brown. Once beef is sufficiently browned, turn off burner and stir sauce ingredients into meat. Allow the heat from the pan to evaporate most of the moisture from the sauce. In a separate bowl, stir together onion and cilantro.
Serve carne asada on corn tortillas topped with onion mixture and a wedge of lime.
Good Chocolate Bundt Box Cake
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
1 pkg chocolate cake
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
½ cup water
½ cup oil
1½ cups chocolate chips
Frosting:
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
1½ cups powdered sugar
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Mix all cake ingredients except chocolate chips. Stir in chocolate chips and pour into a greased bundt cake pan. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes. Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing.
Apple Barbecue Sauce
This is a work in progress…
INGREDIENTS
2 cans (6-oz ea) tomato paste
3 cups apple juice
½ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup apple sauce
1½ cups brown sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1½ tsp salt
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chili sauce (1 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder)
2 tsp liquid smoke
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mustard powder
½ tsp onion powder
2 tsp Tahitian vanilla
½ tsp ginger powder
½ tsp galangal powder (or more ginger powder)
(1 tbsp honey)
DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and simmer until reduced to desired consistency.