Breakfast Sausage Roll

Breakfast Sausage Roll

This wonderful breakfast treat recipe is courtesy of my sweet husband Ronnie Petree!

1 frozen loaf bread dough, thawed.

1 lb Jimmy Deans Sausage, or spicy sausage...browned

1/4 lb chopped green chili or peppers of your choice.

1/2 lb cheddar cheese grated

Roll out bread dough into rectangle shape. Sprinkle sausage, chili and cheese over dough. Roll up, jelly roll style, and place  into greased bread pan. Let rise for about 30-45 min. Place in pre-heated oven at 350 for about 45 minutes, until done. Let stand to set. Slice and serve with eggs!  

Smoked Green Chili Pork Shoulder

Smoked Green Chile Pork Shoulder

This is from my Brother Jim Varner

Smoke a pork Shoulder, 4 hours, or purchase one from Costco! Easy Peasy!

Shred shoulder in large pan and add 3 jars of Green Chile Sauce. He recommended El Pinto.

But if live anywhere else, you can find Herdez. Add 1/2 lb chopped green chili and 1 Tbs chopped garlic. Mix well and simmer for 2 hours. Serve in warm corn tortillas with shredded cheddar cheese!

Kitchen tip of the day

Kitchen Tip of the Day

When purchasing Red peppers for Pico de Gallo or Thai Spice Rub,

or any other sauces like Red Panang Curry,

Purchase extra and store in a freezer bag

in the freezer. You can use these peppers 

all winter!

Make sure that they are Red Sorranos or Red Thai peppers.

If they are not quite red, leave them out for a bit and they

should turn red.

Orzo. Basil, Mint and Tomato Salad!

Orzo Pasta Salad With Tomatoes, Basil & Mint

1 C Orzo Pasta

4 C Chicken, or Vegetable broth or water

1/2 Purple onion

1 Pint Cherry Tomatos

1/2 C Chopped Basil

1/2 C Chopped Mint

1 Can Garbanzo Beans

Red Wine Vinegarette

Cook Pasta in Salted water, or Broth, drain well

Slice tomatoes in half.

Dice purple onion.

Mix all ingredients together in bowl, add drained Garbanzo beans and toss with Red wine Vinegarette.

Red Wine Vinegarette

1 C Red Wine Vinegar or Pomagranite Vinegar

1/2 C Olive Oil

2t honey

1/4 c lemon juice
2 t salt

Fresh cracked pepper

Whisk all ingredients and toss with salad! Serve at room Temperature. Great for picnics!

The whisk below is great to make the vinegarette! Click on the whisk for more information!
This recipe is adapted from a cook book by Giada Di Lorentis!

Check out this cute Rainbow whisk and the wonderful bowl below! The bowl makes a perfect back drop for this colorful salad!

Silicone Rainbow Whisks, Balloon Whisk, 10" (Google Affiliate "Elixyr White Bowl" (Google Affiliate Ad)

Watermelon, basil and tomato salad

Watermelon, Basil and Tomato Salad.

1 watermelon. Preferably seedless. Cubed.

1 small crate of cherry tomatoes or about 5 large tomatoes, red, yellow or orange.

A large bunch of Basil

1 C White Balsamic Vinegar, or Dark balsamic Vinegar

1/4 C Sugar. This will make a reduction.

Simmer vinegar and sugar for about 7-10 minutes until a bit reduced and thickened. 

Toss watermelon, tomatoes and basil together. Serve with
The vinegarette reduction.

 You can also skewer this salad, alternating watermelon, basil and tomatoes. Makes a beautiful presentation.

Great for a late summer salad as watermelon and tomatoes are in abundance at this time! Enjoy!

This is adapted from Giada DiLorentis.

Red Chile Enchaladas, New Mexico Style

NM Red Chile Enchaladas

This recipe is a family favorite of my Husband, Ron Petree

It comes from his Mother Evelyn Petree of Capitan, NM

1 lb Ground beef, or beef substitute

1 Onion, Chopped

2 Jars Red Chile Sauce, or 1 Quart Home Made Sauce, or frozen red chile sauce (Add a t of fresh lemon juice to the frozen)

Corn Tortiallas

1 C Chicken Broth or Veg Broth

1/2 C Veg oil

1 lb Grated Cheddar Cheese, or vegan cheese product

Eggs for Frying

1 Clove Garlic, minced

1 tomato diced

Lettuce shredded, about 3-4 leaves

Have ready, minced onion, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheddar cheese for layering and garnish. 

Brown ground beef,  (or beef substitute) add 1/2 the onions until cooked through. Add chile sauce, and cook down somewhat, adding broth as needed, until a smooth sauce is formed. Fry Tortiallas  in oil, one at a time for only 10 seconds each over medium heat, turning after 5 seconds. Usually a serving on a plate can be 1-3 tortillas  depending on preference. Place tortilla on paper towels to drain. Arrange Enchaladas on plate by layering a tortilla, sauce, onion, and cheese. Finishing with cheese, add a fried egg or two to the top of the stack. Garnish with onion, lettuce, tomato. Beautiful and colorful! Enjoy! Happy Cooking! This takes about 1 hour start to finish. I freeze left over sauce to make very quick dinner next time!
My Husband and his family love to eat these with saltines....I like to dip the saltines in the sauce! Yummy!

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash soup

Today is September 1st.

The beginning of the beginning of Fall!

Fall is my favorite time of the year in New Mexico..... for many reasons. First off, there is little or no wind. 
The skies

are blue and clear. The aroma of roasting chili not far away.

The growers markets are in full swing, and the crisp cool fall 

air is on the way!

1 large butternut squash, cooked, baked or steamed

until soft. 2T butter or olive oil

1C milk or half and half,

or broth or water for thinning.

1 Shallot minced, and sautéed

Sage for garnish ( I like to fry the sage leaves for 

just a minute in a little olive oil to crisp them)

To add some extra flavor to this wonderful soup, try carmelizing

the squash somewhat in a hot oven on a cookie sheet, just browning the edges..

In a stock pan, melt butter or use olive oil.

Sauté onions,

Place squash in blender, or you can also get out your

Immersion blender for this one!

Blend until smooth adding cream or milk last.

Do not boil cream. If using broth or water to thin,

you can boil just a little bit. So not place hot liquid in
blender, it will explode!!!! Serve warm with croutons and sage on top!
Happy Cooking! Happy Fall!