Pickled Jalapeno Avocado Potato Salad

What do you serve with Mexican or Southwestern main dishes? Refried beans? Rice? Green salad? Or maybe something a little unexpected?

Now that warmer weather is here...for the moment again, anyway...I decided to accompany black bean tostadas with something just a bit more summery. Not potato salad, not even guacamole, but a fresh take on the old salad standby that's kind of a mashup of both. With a big kick of heat!

The idea came about by accident when I'd tried a batch of jalapeno pickled eggs. The results were okay, but not what I was looking for exactly. I had this big jar of pickled jalapenos and onions leftover that I couldn't bear to just toss in the disposal. So I got busy and came up with this spicy twist on a standard.

Just a bit of advice. Taste your pickled jalapenos before you decide what quantity to use in the potato salad. Some brands are hotter than others. I've found the Old El Paso brand is comparatively mild (to my heat loving tastebuds, anyway), so I used the full cup. If you like more cilantro, use more...if you don't like it at all, leave it out. Like it tarter? Use more pickling liquid or more lime juice. Let your own taste and preference be your guide.

You know, I'm pretty sure I won't be saving this just for a TexMex meal. The heat of the jalapenos, soft creaminess of the avocado, the zing of lime and the crunch of celery all work together for one especially crave-able summer salad. It's too good NOT to have it a lot more often than that!

The inspiration.

Pickled Jalapeno Avocado Potato Salad

• 2 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, cooked, cooled slightly, peeled and diced
• 1/2 C celery, diced
• 2 hardboiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 C - 1 C pickled jalapenos, drained and sliced across - reserve liquid (the amount of pickled jalapenos you use depends on how spicy you like things and how hot the peppers are. Some pickled jalapenos are hotter than others.)
• 1/4 - 1/3 C minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 C onion, finely minced
• 2 avocados, 1 very ripe, the 2nd not quite so ripe. The very soft one will be used in the dressing, the other diced for the salad.
• juice of 1 lime (2 T approx)
• 1/2 C mayonnaise
• 1/4 C reserved pickled jalapeno liquid
• 1 T Jane's Crazy Salt

In a large bowl, mix potatoes, celery, eggs, jalapenos, cilantro, onion, and the diced avocado. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mash the soft avocado with a fork and add mayo, pickled jalapeno liquid, lime juice and Crazy Salt. Mix well and pour over the potato mixture. Mix gently, but thoroughly.

Chill until serving time.

Spicy Smoked Corn Casserole

Oh, the excitement of a new smoker! Since our beloved stack type charcoal smoker bit the dust (ash?), I've had my eye on a Masterbuilt chest-type electric smoker. Amazon put the one I've lusted after on BIG sale (one day only) the Saturday before Father's Day...coincidence? I think not. 

Before I could give it a test run, Michigan beckoned. As I pulled out of the driveway, I glanced longingly behind at my yet-to-be-named smoky cutie and ahead at the prospect of time with those I love in Lansing. And hit the gas.

Not being the only family member with a yen for good BBQ, we all went to a favorite Q spot of Matt's called Meat Southern BBQ & Carnivore Cuisine. What a find! We started with Pickle Fries that are long shoestrings of dill pickles, breaded and fried and served with a side of homemade remoulade for dipping. Not content with just ONE appetizer from Meat's oh-so-tempting menu, we shared a basket of nachos mounded high with pulled pork, house-smoked bacon and chopped brisket, then topped with cheese, one of their own BBQ sauces, sour cream, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos and avocado. Transcendent. The nachos alone could have been a satisfying dinner and we only had a half order! 

Thank goodness we didn't stop with appetizers. The Meat platters came laden with perfectly moist, smoky brisket...sliced for me, chopped for Matt and Matthew's choice was the sweet n' smoky pulled pork. Mieke went with her favorite chopped brisket sandwich. Meat platters came with cornbread and 2 sides. And THAT is where I swooned. 

Nothing fancy at Meat Southern BBQ & Carnivore Cuisine...that's a GOOD thing!           BBQ beans on the left, succulent brisket and Spicy Cream Corn on the top. 

Now, it's been a while since I've recreated a dish I was particularly taken with, but the Spicy Cream Corn left me wanting MORE! Note that it's not called "creamed" corn. No, it bears no resemblance whatsoever to the loose, pale yellow, lumpy stuff from a can. This was CREAM corn. It had substance. It had heat. It. Was. Remarkable. So I came up with my very own version as soon as I got home.

What would go best with my version of Spicy Cream Corn? BBQ, of course. I loaded up the brand spanking new smoker with chicken...specifically 8 thighs, 3 breasts, 6 whole wings, 4 eggs (recommended by a BBQ'ing friend from Georgia - I'll be making deviled eggs with those!), and 5 ears of corn in the husk. Wouldn't smoked corn make the cream corn even better? It did!

Starting with smoky corn really made a difference in the finished dish. I decided to make the dish into a casserole (small individual cast iron skillets would make a wonderful presentation). For the heat (and creaminess) I used jalapeno cream cheese and a bit of chipotle powder; for color and flavor, sliced green onion and roasted red pepper; and for more smokiness, a "healthy" sprinkle of bacon crumbles across the surface. Nothing like reinforcing the smoke, right? 

Here you go...the recipe!

Spicy Smoked Corn Casserole

• 4 ears smoked corn, approx 2 C of kernels (you don't have to use smoked corn...you can use fresh, frozen or canned corn if you wish!)
• 4 oz. jalapeno cream cheese (1/2 of a tub) - if you want less heat, just use 2 oz. jalapeno and 2 oz. plain cream cheese. Don't want heat at all? Use all plain cream cheese.
• 2 T milk
• 1 green onion, sliced well into the green for color
• 1/4 C roasted red pepper, diced
• 1/2 t salt
• a hefty grinding of black pepper
• 1/4 t chipotle powder (this makes it smokier and hotter - use less if you don't like HEAT, more if you like the heat sweats)
• 2-3 T crisp, crumbled bacon
• softened butter - enough to grease the inside of your casserole dish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 1 quart casserole dish (I used a cast iron oval casserole).

In a medium saucepan, add the cream cheese(s) and milk. Stir over low heat until smooth. Add the corn, green onions and red peppers, stir well. Add salt and pepper, chipotle powder and stir well again. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish, top with bacon crumbles and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until bubbling. Serve with damned good BBQ!

NOTE: Next time I'm smoking some jalapenos to go into the mix!

One last thing....

Well, it wasn't actually "last." A Meat Bloody Mary WITH BBQ sauce is what I started with!

Fresh Corn, Potato, Tomato, Jalapeno and Bacon Chowder

Our weekly CSA box has been bursting with beautiful ears of corn! Just my small share has produced 4-6 ears every week - not a problem, right? Well...not unless you shouldn't be eating things like corn, nuts and seeds.

It's so frustrating to wait all year long for fresh and local corn season to roll around - so fresh that when you press a fingernail into a kernel, juice squirts so high you sometimes get hit straight in the eye - and then not be able to eat any. (You did know the fingernail test is the gold standard test for corn, didn't you? If a corn kernel doesn't squirt when you press a fingernail into it, just step away from the corn, ma'am.)

Having to miss corn season this year had me mentally scrambling for ways to still enjoy the sweet goodness of the season without encountering any of the unfortunate side effects of the whole kernels. Soup. Fresh corn soup. Specifically, fresh corn, potato, tomato and jalapeno chowder with BACON!

What if I cut the kernels off the cob, simmered them long and slow in a rich broth (WITH the kernel-naked cobs to infuse an even corn-ier flavor), then whirred the bejeezus out of them with my stick blender? Would I end up with a big pot of corn flavor without the dreaded whole kernels? 

Ladies and gentlemen, the experiment was a success. No, the resultant chowder base wasn't smooth as silk, but it didn't matter when nice chunks of potato, tomato, onion, jalapeno and bacon studded the chowder making for a good and hearty meal-in-a-bowl.

Gilding the lily, I topped each bowlful with a sprinkle of chopped tomato, diced avocado and crisp bacon pieces. Ahhhh, summer corn goodness!

Fresh Corn, Potato, Tomato, Jalapeno 

and Bacon Chowder

• 4 slices bacon - thick sliced, cut across into 1/2" lardons - reserve the cooked lardons for garnish
• 4 ears of fresh corn - cut the kernels from the cobs and transfer to a bowl, then take your knife and scrape the bare cobs over the bowl to capture all the last vestiges of corny goodness
• 3/4 C red onion, diced 
• 1/2 stick butter - unsalted
• 2 large jalapenos, seeds removed, minced
• 4 large red potatoes, scrubbed and skins left on - diced small - like hash brown size
• 72 oz. store-bought chicken stock - a good gluten-free one to make this GF
• 1 T Jane's Crazy Salt
• 3 large fresh tomatoes, diced small - same as potatoes, reserve the last tomato for garnish
• 1 avocado, diced - for garnish
• shredded cheddar - for garnish

Saute bacon until crisp in a heavy bottomed soup pot. Remove and reserve the lardons for garnish. Add corn kernels and onion. Saute until the onion is translucent and then add the chicken stock. Next add the naked corn cobs, bring the soup to a boil and immediately lower to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook until the corn is tender as can be, about an hour. 

When the corn gets to the tender point, remove the cobs, letting as much broth as possible drip back into the pot. Now it's time to get out the stick blender (aka, immersion blender). Whirr the hell out of the kernels until they are all pulverized and return the soup to a simmer. 

While the soup is simmering, melt the butter in a heavy skillet, then add the jalapenos and potatoes. Once they soften, add them to the soup as well, along with 2 of the diced tomatoes and the Jane's Crazy Salt. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked through and beginning to get a little mealy. (Be sure to put the lid back on the pot.)

Once the chowder comes together nicely, ladle it into bowls and garnish with healthy handful of shredded cheddar, topped with reserved chopped tomato, bacon and avocado. Enjoy!

Girlfriends, Girls' Night IN And One Sweet, Hot B*tch (Surprise...That's a Cocktail!)

Girls' Night with great friends is exactly what the doctor orders sometimes. Last Saturday night the physician writing orders wasn't quite the regular General Practitioner sort of doctor you might normally visit, but more of the kind who heals your spirit and soul.

While perusing the bottles of liquor on the shelves for our evening's indulgences, we began with impromptu tastings of Zaya rum followed by Patron XO Cafe in tiny stemmed glasses. Tres chic (not)! Judy and Stacey (mom and daughter, too, like Kimber and me) and my dear friend Marti (all three of them in from Maryland), lounged in our estrogen-charged living room swapping stories, catching up on all the latest happy, sad and mundane goings on in our lives and sharing both sweet and bittersweet memories we'd been blessed to have with Mark.

Chicken, beef and pork soft tacos (yay Verde Mexican Kitchen & Cantina (their catering menu is muy bueno)!!!!) and gluten-free Chipotle Brownies (yay Marti!!!!) provided sustenance as Kimber kept us happy with delicious and creative cocktails. Bourbon on the rocks for Marti, a cucumber and jalapeno gin & tonic for me and rum and Cokes for Judy and Stacey. Hmmmm...there maybe have been some experimental picklebacks mixed in there somewhere, as well.

For herself, Kimber came out of the kitchen carrying a martini glass with 2 pickle slices perched prettily on its rim. That little riff on a pickle-tini turned out to be everyone's favorite! (You know we were all sampling each cocktail that magically seemed to appear...quality control and all that.)

Zesty Bread and Butter pickle juice (with just a little muddled cucumber and jalapeno for zip) created a perfect combo of sweet and salty, hot and sour to cap off a "Girls' Night IN" to remember. (No drinking and driving here!) Somehow the name transformed from "pickle-tini" to "One Sweet Hot B*tch." (I can't imagine what could have influenced such irreverence. *wink*) And the cocktail shall forever remain named just that.

Here's the recipe so you can create a night of your own to treasure with your very BEST girlfriends, no matter how old you are. Remember, great girlfriends can get you through just about anything while holding your hand, simultaneously making you laugh...and sometimes shedding tears of their own right along with yours. Cheers, my friends!

One Sweet, Hot B*tch

• 2 cucumber wheels - save 1 for garnish
• 2 fresh jalapeno wheels - save 1 for garnish
• 3 oz. Bluecoat Gin (made right here in Pennsylvania!)
• 2 oz. Zesty Bread & Butter pickle juice (Vlasic!)
• splash of tonic (I use Fever Tree)
• ice
• 1 pickle slice for garnish, too

In a cocktail tin, muddle the cucumber wheel and jalapeno wheel. Add gin and pickle juice, then fill the tin 3/4 of the way with ice. Shake vigorously until the tin frosts and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with the cucumber, pickle and jalapeno wheels. Enjoy!

 

Krak The Wall Punch For A Roller Derby Tailgate Kinda Evening

Fellow bloggers, Jenn and Michael of 101 Achievements fame, invited me to tag along at last Saturday night's roller derby bout. Pittsburgh's Steel City Roller Derby teams, the Steel Beemers and Steel Hurtin', skated against teams from Indianapolis in a dizzying, seesaw scoring battle...what a showstopper!

Funny enough, the first showstopper of the evening wasn't on the oval track at all, but started with a tailgate. Yep, the back parking lot of the Romp n Roll skate arena in Shaler was the site of our first ever, high faloutin', roller derby tailgate. The menu for such an auspicious event? What else would you serve, but derby themed cocktails. And a lovely charcuterie board. Of course.

Michael crafted a gorgeous pink number, a riff on a Pink Lady he named "Gritty In Pink," using tequila and cynar in place of gin. A lady it wasn't. Smooth with a swagger, sweet with a throat punch attitude and perfect for the occasion.

My own contribution was a little something I ended up naming Krak The Wall Punch. The odd name came from the use of Kraken rum, local Stone Wall rum (thank you Boyd & Blair) and (while not local, still a local favorite in Pittsburgh's Italian community and among craft bartenders here) Janamico Super Punch, an amaro. To that combo, I added a mint and jalapeno simple syrup and a hefty zip of lime. To quote the label of Super Punch, the cocktail was "refreshin."

Add to the cocktails Jenn's charcuterie board of fine meats, cheeses - I especially liked the one with volcano ash, gourmet mustards, a fine baguette, jellies and fruits and we had one classy ass, bang up, pre-derby feast. Oh...and I made a little dessert with layers of crushed chocolate cookies, cannoli cream and drunken Bing cherries in screw top jelly jars for a sweet ending before the derby began. What a fun and fabulous way to spend a summer Saturday night!

Krak The Wall Punch

4-6 servings 

• 3/4 C Kraken rum
• 1/2 C Stone Wall Rum
• 1/4 C Janamico Super Punch
• 6 oz jalapeno mint simple syrup - recipe below
• 1/4 C freshly squeezed lime juice
• crushed ice
• lime wheel and mint sprig garnish for each cocktail

In a small pitcher, stir well the rums, Super Punch, jalapeno mint simple and lime juice. Fill glasses with crushed ice, pour the punch over and garnish each with a wheel of lime and sprig of mint.

Jalapeno Mint Simple Syrup: 1/2 C demerara sugar (find it in the sugar section of the grocery store), 1/2 C water, 6 nice sprigs of mint and 1/2 half of a LARGE jalapeno, sliced across into rounds. (If you like less heat, use less...if you like more heat, use more!) 

In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil, lower heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Add the mint sprigs and jalapeno slices. Stir until the mint is wilted into the syrup and let the mixture cool completely. Strain the mixture into a jar and store in the refrigerator.

Roller derby action!

The One, The Only...True Blue Maryland Crab, Artichoke And Jalapeno Dip Pizza

A couple of weeks ago, a Facebook picture of a pizza grabbed me by the heart and made me miss my Maryland days big time! Pizza? Maryland? What's the connection? It was CRAB DIP pizza! Be still my pitter-pattering little mourning-being-near-the-best-crabs-in-the-country, Maryland-missing heart.

I'm not sure exactly who or what page I follow posted the pizza of my dreams, but I'm going to blame Steve Vilnit, Director of Fisheries Marketing - Maryland Department of Natural Resources - for the temptation. Yep, Steve gets the blame...er...credit...if for no other reason than we are as one when it comes to supporting the Maryland crab industry. 

You all know I've forever been an ardent supporter of authentic, honest-to-God, sweet, succulent, Maryland blue crabmeat and I wouldn't use anything else. Not exactly easy when you live this far inland from the beautiful Chesapeake Bay and the Eastern Shore of Maryland now, is it?

Except. That I had one last beautiful pound of REAL Maryland jumbo lump crabmeat stashed away in the freezer just waiting to become something spectacular. THIS was just what it was waiting for, THIS glorious Maryland recipe. I was going to duplicate sweet, creamy, decadent crab-dip-on-a-crust just like in the picture AND I could make it gluten-free to boot.

The big bonus of topping a store bought pizza crust with crab dip - even after piling the mixture of Maryland crab, 3 cheeses, marinated artichokes, jalapeno and just a touch of garlic up nice and high - is that there is a whole lot left over to scoop into a casserole dish for dipping with big, crunchy hunks of bread the next day (or later in the evening if you can't wait that long). What's better than a night of crab? TWO nights of crab! Oh sure, you could make half a recipe, but why would you? More Maryland crab is always better.

When you get to Maryland next time (notice I said when, not if), do like I do and make a local fresh seafood market the very last stop of your own trip. Be sure to take a cooler with you just for the purpose of bringing back pounds of heavenly, real Maryland crabmeat to tuck away in your own freezer. I can guarantee your fishmonger (crabmonger?) will be happy to fill your cooler with enough ice to keep your precious cargo cold. After all, one should always be prepared anytime a crab emergency strikes.

True Blue Maryland Crab, Artichoke

 And Jalapeno Dip Pizza

• 1 pound MARYLAND jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through carefully for any shell or cartiledge - please don't break up those gorgeous big lumps, thank you.
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened well
• 1/2 C shredded sharp cheddar, plus extra for top
• 1/2 C shredded mozzarella
• juice of one lemon
• 2 - 4 oz. jars of marinated artichokes, drained, reserve liquid - you'll use 2-4 T reserved liquid 
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
• 1/4 C mayonnaise - yes, Hellman's
• 1 large clove garlic, pressed through your garlic press
• 1 store-bought pizza crust - I used an Udi's Gluten-Free Pizza Crust to make this GF. The Udi's crust is approx. 8" in diameter. Use whatever crust you like - Boboli, whatever floats your boat!

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the mayo and cream cheese together with lemon juice. Add the shredded cheeses and fold those into the cream cheese mixture. Add artichokes, minced jalapeno, garlic and mix well, but gently. Last, gently and lovingly fold the crab into the mixture being careful to keep the lumps as whole as possible.

Place your pizza crust onto a baking sheet. Place scoops of crab dip on top - I used a large (approx. 1/2 C) ice cream scoop - and for the 8" crust used 4-5 scoops that I spread out evenly (don't break up the lumps!) all the way out to the edge of the crust. Sprinkle the extra shredded cheddar over all.

Any crab dip that might be left (you'll use more if you use a larger diameter crust), scoop into a buttered casserole dish. Either bake it immediately with the pizza or cover and refrigerate it for the next night.

Bake about 20 minutes, turn up the oven to 450 degrees and bake until the cheese starts to bubble and slightly brown. Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Enjoy!

NOTE: Enjoying the surf and sand of Ocean City? Bring back Maryland crab. Sailing the waters of Annapolis or St. Michaels? Bring back Maryland crab. Hitting the hot spots of Baltimore's Fells Point? You get the idea.

And while you're in Maryland, be sure to frequent restaurants and fresh seafood stores that carry and serve only Maryland crab. Here's a link to the True Blue Maryland program and a list of awesome places to get your Maryland crab fix!  http://seafood.maryland.gov/true-blue-maryland-crab-meat/

Look for this logo to know you're buying the best!

Chorizo Jalapeno Shrimp 'n Grits

Ask anyone. Any menu anywhere I go, if shrimp and grits are on the menu, it IS my order. Every time. Every. Time.

This love affair started relatively late in my life on my very first trip to Charleston, South Carolina. I'd avoided grits all of my life having heard (from northerners, mind you) that they were tasteless, wallpaper paste glopped on a breakfast plate next to eggs and ham. 

On the other hand, I'd also heard from southern friends of the glories of grits...especially shrimp 'n grits. Could those northerners who never stepped foot south of the Mason-Dixon Line be wrong about a southern staple? I intended to do some serious investigation. 

And so in the midst of a South Carolina visit with friends, we took a jaunt to Charleston and the restaurant that first opened my eyes...and titillated my tastebuds. The site of my grits revelation was the restaurant 82 Queen on, where else(?) Queen Street. (Bet you can guess the street number of the restaurant, too.) 

Four of us arrived at the famed restaurant and were seated in the most beautiful walled and wrought iron fenced cobblestone courtyard at the rear of the restaurant. Palm trees and magnolias soared above the gathering of glass-topped, white-painted wrought iron tables and butterfly-backed chairs, while twinkles of floral color peeked from every green oasis around us. We settled in to order brunch. 

Three of us ordered BBQ Shrimp and Grits, I have no clue what the 4th (my husband, a non-fish/seafood eater) ordered. It simply didn't matter when I was on a grits quest, I was focused on the quarry.  

When the object of my eventual affection was placed before me - along with a beautiful Bloody Mary (it WAS brunch, of course) - I began to suspect those Northern opinions on grits were misguided. 

Upon my first taste it was obvious those lying sons-of-the-north were jealous the South had produced such a wondrous Southern delight. Sweet, local, wild-caught shrimp and smooth, creamy, cheesy, buttery grits...simple perfection on a plate. I was hooked. From then on, whenever and wherever Shrimp and Grits are on the menu, THAT is what I order. 

There are many other Northerners who have seen the light, of course. Steve Kish, one of the owners and the original chef at 82 Queen, is from Pittsburgh! Guess there are a few Northerners who appreciate - and MAKE - some of the best grits ever! 

Here's my little twist on classic shrimp and grits:

Chorizo Jalapeno Shrimp n' Grits

2 generous servings

• 1 1/2 C chicken broth - I use a good boxed variety
• 1 1/2 C whole milk
• 2 T butter
• 1 t salt
• 3/4 C Stone Ground Yellow Grits (I order REAL grits from down South - good stone ground grits make all the difference! Where to I order them? Amazon. See my current favorite brand below. Of course you can get acceptable stone ground grits around Pittsburgh, but they ARE hard to find.)
• 1 C cheddar cheese - use a good sharp one - and yes, I shred good cheddar by hand. Don't bastardize a great from-scratch dish with pre-shredded cheese...it just won't be the same.

• 1 link Mexican chorizo - the uncooked, raw chorizo, not the smoked, dried Spanish kind
• 1 large jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 9 cherry tomatoes, sliced in thirds
• 12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on

• lime wedges
• fresh cilantro, chopped

First, start the grits: In a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the chicken broth and milk to a boil. Sloooooowly pour the grits into the boiling liquids while stirring constantly to prevent any lumps. When the grits are all stirred in, add butter and salt and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir frequently to prevent sticking, burning and/or lumps. (Caution...grits bubble and spit so be on the lookout and don't get burned!)

When the grits are silky, creamy and thick, remove from heat and stir in the cheese thoroughly. Cover the pan and set aside.

Shrimp: In a skillet over medium heat, saute the chorizo, breaking it up into small crumbles as it cooks. When it's browned completely, add the jalapeno and onion. Continue cooking until softened and then add the tomatoes. Stir until the tomatoes start to give off their juices. THEN add the shrimp, cooking until just opaque - please don't overcook your shrimp into rubber. Thank you.

Assembly: Take 2 nice flat bowls and pile those gorgeous grits into the center of each. Spoon the shrimp mixture over the top of the grits, dividing evenly. Garnish with a sprinkle of cilantro and a nice squeeze of lime. Enjoy, y'all!

Jalapeno Chipotle Pork Chops with Tomato Quinoa

Good old fashioned pork chops and tomato rice (like we made back in the 60's when we thought they were gourmet) just got a makeover. In my kitchen. No, they're still not a fancy dish by any means, but they're still some doggone good eating.

The old version consisted of pork chops, canned tomatoes, onion, green pepper rings and instant rice. Period. 

The makeover? A little heat of jalapeno and chipotle, a bottle of beer (gluten-free in my case, maybe a nice Mexican beer for you?), a little accent of cumino and cilantro, some roasted sweet corn and instead of rice (confession time, I only had black, red and arborio and didn't want to use any of those), quinoa stood in to get a whole new thing going on. There's something to be said for a jazzy new dish that's still familiar.

You might want to add a green veggie or a salad, but with peppers, onions, tomatoes and corn already in the mix, if time is short what's in the skillet is really all you need. On top of that, it's so easy I'm putting this one into the "quickie" category...after all, it goes together quickly AND it's a one dish diner!

Jalapeno Chipotle Pork Chops 

with Tomato Quinoa

• 2 T canola oil
• 4 nice sized, thick, bone-in pork chops - I like center cut loin chops
• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 large jalapeno, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes, UNdrained
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 t dried basil
• 3/4 t chipotle powder (seriously, if you haven't gotten yourself a bottle of this smoky wonder-spice, get ON it!)
• 1 1/2 C quinoa - rinse well in a sieve under running water before adding to the skillet
• a 12 oz bottle or can of your favorite beer - gluten-free, of course, to make this GF
• 1 C roasted corn kernels (if you're roasting these yourself, dry fry in a skillet or buy already roasted corn in the freezer section of Trader Joe's (yep...MY choice!)
• a handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

In a large skillet (I use my trusty electric skillet), heat the oil. Season the chops liberally with salt and pepper and brown them on both sides. 

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl mix the onion through quinoa together thoroughly. Once the chops are browned, spoon a pile of the mixture on top of each chop and then distribute the rest of the mixture around and between the chops.

Carefully pour the beer between the chops, cover, reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 45 minutes to an hour until the chops are tender and the quinoa is cooked. Check occasionally to be sure the liquid hasn't dissipated. If it's getting dry, add a little water (or more beer) and keep an eye on it.

Serve with a sprinkling of roasted corn and chopped cilantro.

Black Beans And Rice With Chunky Avocado Salsa And Crispy Plantains

Once in a while a basic, staple recipe gets a little gussying up, a little freshening to make it something altogether new...a makeover per se. Beans and rice certainly qualify as one of those basics. 

Cuban beans and rice, Jamaican beans and rice, New Orleans beans and rice...black beans, red beans, pinto beans...white rice, black rice, brown rice...all the classic ingredients in almost infinite combinations still have the same culinary bones. There's a reason the combination is a favorite in so many cultures - actually, there are a couple of reasons. Beans and rice are easy to make, cost smart and a real comfort food. 

What makes today's recipe different from the tried and true versions? Beans and rice are rich with earthy flavors, deep, creamy and smooth. Why not brighten it up with cool cubes of avocado tossed with citrus-y fresh lime, spicy and crunchy jalapeno, colorful sweet cherry tomatoes and just a teensy bit of cilantro for an extra fresh kick to a chunky counterpoint salsa? And what the heck...as long as we're doing a makeover, might as well gild the lily with  a garnish of plantains fried crisp in coconut oil that really takes the redo over the top!

Presentation? A bowl of beautiful black beans, topped with a healthy scoop of brown rice, then a pile of sassy avocado salsa with a couple of crispy sweet and salty, coconut-y golden plantains for good measure. I'm guessing even Clinton and Stacey would approve of this makeover!

Black Beans and Rice 

With Chunky Avocado Salsa and Crispy Plantains

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 large green pepper, seeds removed, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
• 3 cans black beans, drained
• 1 cup chicken stock - a good store bought one is just fine
• 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 ½ t. salt
• pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups cooked rice (white, black, red, brown - or whatever cooked rice you have tucked in the back of your fridge) (confession....I used Trader Joe's frozen brown rice - so good, so easy!)

In a large pot, add 2 T. olive oil and heat. Add the chopped onions and green pepper. Saute until soft, add garlic and cook another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the drained black beans and stir into veggies. Cook another 10 minutes to meld flavors.

Add chicken stock, vinegar, bay leaf and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, lower heat immediately. Cover and simmer about half an hour or until it’s not too runny, not too dry. If it’s too runny/soupy, let some of the liquid cook off; if it’s too dry, add more stock. Mash slightly with potato masher to thicken a little. Taste and adjust seasonings.

To serve: Ladle beans into individual bowls, top with a good scoop of  rice and crown with avocado salad and a sprinkling of cilantro. Serve with fried plantains.

Avocado Salad

• 1 avocado, seeded and cut into ½” cubes
• ½ cup quartered yellow grape tomatoes - I bought the heirloom kind with nearly all the colors of the rainbow!
• 1 small garlic clove, finely minced or pressed 
• 1/2 t. finely minced jalapeno
• 3 T freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ t. salt
• 1 T olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 T finely minced cilantro - or more if you really like cilantro...I do!

Mix lime juice, salt, oil and cilantro well. Set aside. Mix the avocado, tomatoes, garlic and jalapeno well. Pour dressing over, mix and serve.

Fried Plantains

• 2 plantains, cut across into 1 ½” sections
• canola oil

Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Saute plantain sections on each side until browned. Remove from skillet to paper towels. (You can do this earlier in the day.) 

When you’re ready to eat, heat oil in skillet again. Put in each precooked section and smash it down with a spatula to flat disks. Brown and turn over to brown on the other side. Remove to paper towels again and salt immediately. Serve.

Jalapeno Cheese Grits and Sunnyside Eggs

This recipe and breakfast is all YOUR fault, Mr. Blanton! You can't go telling and tantalizing folks with the wonders of your Jalapeno Cheese Grits withOUT giving us the recipe. So I went ahead and came up with my own version which, I'm sure, isn't as wondrous as your own, but still damned good...I AM being humble here.

Although I didn't use instant grits - they've never crossed my doorstep and never will - this is a relatively quick and easy recipe. The most difficult thing was stirring to make them smooth and creamy. 

I cheated and used shredded cheese, though. If you're a purist, go ahead and shred the cheese yourself if you have nothing better to do in the morning than run the simultaneous risk of shredding your knuckles. (This is especially a dangerous move if you tackle the shredding chore pre-coffee!)

The colors of green and red hot sauces and the essential Bloody Mary accompaniment tells me this dish is perfect for a casual, Southern-inspired Christmas morning. HO HO HO, y'all!

Served with the perfect side...a Bloody Mary!

  Jalapeno Cheese Grits and Sunnyside Eggs

 

• 3 tablespoons butter, plus 2 more to finish the dish
• 1/2 large jalapeno chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
• 1 cup yellow grits, coarse ground is my fave (wish this Yankee had access to some authentically legendary Southern grits)
• 2 cups chicken broth, I like unsalted to control the saltiness...especially when using cheese in grits
• 1 cup heavy cream, or half and half
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, I used a Mexican blend cheese with cheddar, colby and hot pepper jack cheeses
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce, the GREEN variety - plus additional to garnish
• Tabasco sauce, the CHIPOTLE variety to garnish

• some pretty, sunnyside up fried eggs

Melt 3 T of the butter in the bottom of a deep saucepan - a deep one helps keep the bubbling grits from decorating your stovetop! 

Add the diced jalapeno and cook a minute or 2 to soften. Add the broth and the cream and bring to a boil. Slowly add the grits in a steady stream continuously whisking like mad. Use a long handled whisk to prevent being hit by the bubbling grits as they cook. Boil and stir for about a minute, then lower heat to medium low and continue whisking until they are thick and silky...maybe 15-20 minutes. Be patient, the stirring is worth it. Seriously.
 
Stir in the rest of the butter and incorporate completely. Add the cheese and 1 1/2 T. of the GREEN Tabasco; stir in thoroughly. Taste and add salt to taste, if needed.
 
Set the grits aside, fry up eggs - I like mine with a runny yolk to make the grits even better than they already are! Spoon the grits into a shallow bowl, set the sunnyside up eggs on top, add a few dollops of green Tabasco and a few of chipotle Tabasco and serve!
 
P.S. I'd enjoy these for dinner in a heartbeat!


NOTE: Mr. Blanton (Greg) is a kick-ass cook and BBQ genius from Georgia. And a good friend to boot.

Tomato Queso Tart (Gluten-Free, Too!)

Summer's bounty of tomatoes is here! (Did I just hear a cheer go up from the crowd?) 

This is the season of tomato sandwiches graced with only a simple sprinkle of salt and pepper and a smear of mayo, of the best BLT's of the whole doggone year, of my favorite fresh summer tomato sauce made in big batches and frozen for the winter and of...of...well, whatever your little heart (and imagination) desires.
 
Those big, bright red and juicy Maryland tomatoes I brought back from vacation still had a few left in the peck basket and our neighbor, Ralph, had just given us a few beauties from his garden. 

Not enough tomatoes for more sauce, but too many to use in sandwiches, I decided on a tomato tart for dinner. Of course a normal tart crust would be a flaky, buttery pie crust, but there's no such thing as an acceptably flaky gluten-free pie crust (if you know of one, SEND IT MY WAY, please!).

Instead, I settled on a crushed tortilla chip crust. That led to the idea of a few south-of-the-border influences which, naturally, led to thoughts of roasted (leftover) corn, jalapenos and a little cheese. Thus the Tomato Queso Tart was born.

Fresh and bright with tomato, sweet with corn and just a bit of cheesy custard to hold everything together, cradled in a crunchy, salty crust and lightly sprinkled with bright, green cilantro, the tart hit all my favorite notes. 

Okay...confession time. I bought the yellow cherry tomatoes to make an especially pretty presentation of red and yellow tomatoes with bright green cilantro. It was worth it! Not only was it beautiful, it was quite the end of summer treat!

 Tomato Queso Tart

• 1 corn chip tart crust, baked - see recipe below

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• pinch kosher salt
• 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1 cup cheese, Mexican blend - I used 365 (Whole Foods) blend with pepper jack, colby and muenster) or your own favorite Mexican blend - plus about 1/2 a cup or so to top tomatoes with at the end

• 2 ears of corn, leftover, cut from cob - roasted or steamed or boiled - they all work well!
• 2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper, minced finely

• 2 large, red tomatoes, sliced very thinly
• 18-20 yellow cherry tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

CRUST: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, process tortilla chips until fine - you'll need 2 cups. Melt 3 tablespoons butter and add to processor with chips - process until well combined. Set aside. 

Butter the bottom and sides of a tart pan with a removable bottom - about 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons of softened butter. Dump the buttered tortilla chip crumbs into the tart pan and press them evenly across the bottom and up the sides. Tamp them down well. Bake 20 minutes. Remove and cool slightly.
 
CUSTARD: In a heavy bottomed saucepan, add the cream and milk. Smash the garlic and add along with salt and pepper. Warm the mixture. 

Beat the egg in a small bowl. When the cream mixture is warm, add a little at a time to the egg while beating the entire time...about 3-4 tablespoons of the warm mixture should do it. 

Gradually add the egg/cream mixture back into the saucepan, whisking until all the egg mixture is incorporated. Gently stir until the egg/cream mixture begins to thicken. 

Remove from heat, remove the garlic with a fork or slotted spoon. Set aside.
 
ASSEMBLY: Once the crust is ready, sprinkle the corn and jalapeno across the bottom of the crust, pour the egg cream mixture evenly over the top. Sprinkle one cup of cheese evenly over the top. 

Lay the tomato slices evenly over the top and add the yellow cherry tomato halves decoratively around the edge and in the center of the tart. Sprinkle the tomatoes with a little more cheese.
 
Bake the tart for 30 minutes until the custard sets. Remove from oven carefully. Let sit for 10 minutes to set before removing the edge of the tart pan. 

Sprinkle the top with chopped cilantro and cut into wedges.
 
So good!


NOTE: Makes a great vegetarian main dish, appetizer (cut into thin slices) or brunch dish!