PICO DE GALLO

 

Justin loves my Pico De Gallo.  Kim also loves my Pico de Gallo, and both request it any time I ask what they want me to make.  Our 12 year-old neighbor Ellis couldn't get enough of it and after cleaning the bowl,  she used her spoon to drink the juice! Years ago when I was lucky enough to spend some time in Puerto Vallarta (thanks Janice!) the cook Mary Elena made the best pico.  I never could figure out how she got hers diced so tiny, but I try to dice mine at least very small.  Janice asked her for the ingredients, and of course there were no amounts.  Since I had been asked for my recipe I finally sat down and measured the ingredients as I went.  Obviously I have made it enough that I just eyeball the amounts, but here is an actual recipe for anyone who wants to make it yourself.  Honestly once you make it you will never be able to buy HEB's pre-made pico again.  It just doesn't come close.

2 c diced grape tomatoes*

1/2 c diced yellow onion

1/4 c diced fresh jalapeno, include seeds if you want more heat

1/4 c diced fresh cilantro

2 TB fresh lime juice

1 TB Worcestershire sauce

1 TB EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

1 t. garlic salt

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Dice everything as small as you can.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients and taste.  If it's not fabulous add a little more salt until it is!

*Grape tomatoes have the most flavor throughout the year.  If it's summer and you have access to some yummy tomatoes by all means use them.  Otherwise use the reddest grape tomatoes you can find.

SCOTT'S AUTHENTIC MEXICAN RICE

 

I love Mexican rice and have tried many recipes. A lot of them have been tasty, but when Scott made this one for us as a side for our Memorial Day meal, I decided this one is blog-worthy.  (No burgers for us -- we wanted a Mexican menu!) In fact I made it myself this past weekend and enjoyed it just as much as when he made it.  Of all the things I cook, rice is the biggest challenge for me.  It almost always sticks in the bottom of the pot.  I've washed it, bought different brands and varieties, turned it off early, added extra liquid -- you name it, I have tried it.  I think part of the problem is that my cooktop cooks hot, and it is always difficult to cook anything on extremely low heat.  Lauren's friend Lyna gave me an Asian rice cooker, and it works beautifully when I am making plain rice.  I have never tried to use it with flavored rice because of all of the steps and added ingredients.  Eric told me America's Test Kitchen says to finish rice in the oven.  That is one thing I have not tried but will do it next time for sure.  In the meantime I want this recipe on the blog because I love the flavors of it, and it makes such a large amount that I am happy to leave the stuck part on the bottom so I can still enjoy it. As long as the stuck part remains on the bottom of the pan it will not affect the flavor.   If I figure out how to make it without it sticking I will change this narrative later!  (Update: I did everything in a pan on the stove but then dumped it into my rice maker with the liquid and it turned out perfectly.)

1-1/2 c Mahatma Rice Extra Long Grain White Rice, rinsed*

3 TB neutral oil (Scott and I used Grapeseed oil)

1/4 onion, diced

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 TB Knorr chicken tomato bouillon (comes in a bottle)

1/2 t garlic powder

8 oz tomato sauce

2 c hot water

1/4 t salt, or to taste

3 sprigs fresh cilantro

1 fresh jalapeno, quartered lengthwise

Over medium heat, add the oil to a heavy-bottomed or good quality non-stick pan.  Add the onions and garlic and stir until lightly browned.  Remove them and set aside.  Add the rice to the pot and toast it in the oil, stirring it constantly for about 5 minutes or until it becomes slightly puffy and golden brown.

Stir in the bouillon and garlic powder.  Mix and continue toasting for another minute.  Add the tomato sauce and onion/garlic mixture, stirring it constantly for 30 seconds.  The color should change to a warm reddish orange color.  At this point watch the heat to make sure the bottom is not burning and adjust the heat if necessary.

Add the HOT water to the rice.  If the liquid isn't bubbling on the sides of the pot your water is not hot enough.  Stir in salt to taste.  Place the cilantro and jalapeno on top.  Continue boiling over medium-low heat until some of the water has evaporated.  Then turn the heat to low and cover for 20 minutes.  DO NOT lift the lid during that time.  After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and fluff the rice with a fork.  There will be a thin layer of tomato sauce at the top.  Just gently fluff and mix it into the rice to distribute evenly.  If you want softer rice, cover for another 10 minutes (with no heat).

*Scott's housekeeper insists on this Mahatma rice so that's what we used!

GREEN SALAD WITH AVOCADO AND ALMONDS AND CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

                                                                        

 I have always referred to this as Electra's favorite green salad.  It is extremely light and delicate and complements a heavy entree perfectly.  The champagne vinaigrette isn't over-powering and is just perfect for the delicate lettuce.  The recipe came from a magazine clipping I tore out years ago but never blogged.  Every time I wanted to make it I had to search through my piles of recipes for it and that was annoying. Electra had printed a copy of it years ago and she sent me a pic of it.  I promised I would blog it immediately so here it is.  I sometimes add a little crumbled goat or feta cheese, but the original recipe doesn't have cheese. I know I shouldn't mess with perfection, but being a cheese lover, I oftentimes can't resist adding it to a green salad if I have it on hand.

2 TB nice quality extra-virgin olive oil

1 TB diced shallots

1TB Champagne vinegar

1 t diced fresh thyme

1 t Dijon mustard

1/8 t kosher salt

1/2 t cracked black pepper

4 c spring mix lettuce

1 diced, ripe avocado

3 TB toasted sliced almonds

Crumbled feta or goat cheese, optional

In the bottom of a salad bowl combine all the dressing ingredients.  Add the lettuce, avocado, almonds and cheese if you want cheese.  Toss and serve immediately.

ALMOND CRUNCH TOPPING

Eric sent me this recipe when he made it for July 4th.  He served it over grilled peach halves and ice cream.  I made it at Denise and Mark's and served it over our peach cobbler and ice cream.  We liked it so much we made another batch to eat with the rest of the cobbler.  You will want to make a double batch of it, which is now what we do.  It has just a nice amount of crunch and sweetness, and we love it over ice cream.  It stores well in an airtight container.  Denise requested that I blog it, so here you are Neecy!

1/2 c (71 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 c  sliced almonds

1/4 c packed (50 grams) light brown sugar

1/4 t. table salt

3 TB unsalted butter, melted

1 t. vanilla

1 t. water

Stir flour almonds, sugar, and salt in medium bowl until combined.  Add melted butter, vanilla, and water and stir until clumps form and no dry flour remains.

Transfer flour mixture to 10" nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until clumps break down into finer pieces and topping is fragrant and just beginning to brown, 7-9 minutes.  Spread topping on large plate and let cool and crisp, at least 15 minutes.  (Topping can be stored in airtight container for up to 3 days.)

ERIC'S CHEESY TACOS

 

Eric is a genius when it comes to easy but incredibly tasty recipes.  I normally wouldn't show the steps with pictures, but it will make it much easier to understand. The first picture is a breakfast version of these tacos, with an egg and garnishes of sour cream and Salsa Verde on top.  When Eric first made these for us at Christmas this year he was also putting pieces of rotisserie chicken in them and on top was just sour cream, pico de gallo and avocado.  We all fell in love with them and anytime anyone wanted a little bite of something we would make a different version of these.  One morning for breakfast we decided to forego the meat inside and put an egg on top, which is what I made for JT for breakfast this morning.  The last picture is the lunch/dinner version, and I was so into eating the deliciousness that I forgot to take a picture first.  It is the only picture I have of that version and wanted to inspire you to make one.  Sorry I didn't wipe the plate or make it prettier.  

If you will grate a block of cheese and keep it in your fridge and a container of refried beans, you can make one of these in 5 minutes tops.  Trust me this is one recipe that is addictive because of how quickly you can make them, and how much you will love the taste.  Experiment with your favorite flavors.  Thanks Eric for introducing us to these wonderful tacos!

Grated cheese (This was Colby Jack but I frequently use Sharp Cheddar.)

Refried beans -- pinto or black

Corn tortillas

Queso if you have access to bought containers (This was HEB Queso Blanco.)

Rotisserie chicken or any other cooked meat (Beef fajita or Pork fajita meat would be great.)

Mashed potatoes? (an idea that just came to me that would be delicious)

Toppings suggestions:

Sour cream

Pico de Gallo

Salsa

Avocado

Spread a little refried beans onto one side of a corn tortilla.  Sprinkle some grated cheese into a small nonstick skillet.  It will immediately start to melt so have your tortilla ready and lay it on top of the cheese.  Drizzle a little queso on it or possibly sprinkle a little cheese on it.  If you are doing a lunch/dinner taco lay small pieces of meat on top. (OR if you also like the idea of a potato taco, dollop some mashed potatoes on the tortilla and either drizzle queso or sprinkle cheese on them.  I might even have to make some mashed potatoes just to have leftovers so I can have one.  I love potato tacos and have only had them in LA while visiting Eric.)

Once you can see that the cheese underneath is starting to brown flip one side of the tortilla onto the other side.  You can gently press it to be sure the top adheres to the bottom to keep the ingredients inside.  Let it cook another minute to be sure the cheese on the bottom begins to lightly brown then flip it over and let the other side brown a little.

Serve it immediately with any choice of toppings.  If you are doing the breakfast version you can cook the egg in the same skillet.  It didn't fit well inside the taco so we just serve it on top and then add our favorite toppings on top of the egg.

NO MAYO COLE SLAW

 

Normally I love cole slaw made with mayo, but sometimes one without mayo is a better option.  Logan smoked a pork butt roast, and I decided this was a good time to try a no mayo recipe.  This Spring Lauren did a book-signing event for Camila Alves McConaughey's children's book Just Try One Bite.  I got to visit with her, and she is such a lovely, down-to-earth lady!  Since her book was about cooking I decided to look up some of her recipes on-line, and I found her No Mayo Cole Slaw recipe.  Her recipe called for a whole head of green cabbage, but since I had on hand a package of shredded cabbage I reduced her ingredients to half except for the apple.  So if you decide you want to shred a whole head of cabbage, just double all the ingredients.  I am so happy to have found a cole slaw that is so tasty and healthier than the ones I usually make!

10 oz. pkg. Angel Hair Coleslaw

1 red apple, skin on, julienned or even grated

1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced

1-1/2 TB chopped fresh mint

1 TB fresh lemon juice

1 TB olive oil

1 t. apple cider vinegar

1 t. white wine vinegar

Salt to taste

If you decide to use a head of cabbage instead of the Angel Hair package, shred the cabbage finely with a mandoline or a sharp knife.  The thinner the cabbage, the better this will taste.  Combine all the ingredients and mix together in a large bowl.  Taste as you go to see if it needs any more acidity, moisture or salt.  It can be served immediately, but it gets better refrigerated for a few hours or overnight.

CHOPPED SALAD

The secret to this salad is having equal portions of all its ingredients AND sparingly using the Jalapeño Ranch Dip that was previously blogged as the dressing.  Obviously I don't measure things equally, but don't overdo it with lettuce.  In fact the first time I made this salad I didn't put any lettuce in it, and Lauren immediately wanted the recipe for it.  The Jalapeño Ranch Dip makes tons so I generally make this salad any time I have made that dip for a gathering.  The dip always gets rave reviews so don't hesitate to make it. Update -- I now make 1/3 of the dip so that I can use it as a salad dressing.

Canned black beans, rinsed and drained*

Corn on the cob*

Grape tomatoes, sliced in half

Romaine lettuce hearts, diced

Avocado

Jalapeno Ranch Dip (on blog)

Cotija cheese

Tortilla strips, optional

Rub the corn with oil and season with your favorite seasoning.  Grill it, turning it frequently til some of the kernels are somewhat charred.  Cool and slice off the cob.

In the bottom of your salad bowl, put the beans, corn and grape tomatoes.  Top a small amount of romaine, cover with saran and refrigerate.

When ready to serve, dice the avocado, drizzle with a small amount of the dip and toss well.  Top with cortina and tortilla strips if desired.  (I didn't this time because we had tortilla chips with appetizers, but they do add a nice crunch and can be bought in a bag.) 

*For 4 of us I used half the can of black beans, half of 3 ears of corn and saved the other half of each for a salad the next day.

SHRIMP DIABLO

 Every now and then the stars align, and dinner is wonderful.  For those of you who know me, this was a "moaner" meal.  JT said it would be on the list for his "last meal".  Scott said it was the kind of meal that is so good you wiggle in your seat in delight as you eat!  Logan ate his fill of everything and complimented each component.  Why was it so special?  Was it because I had met the shrimp boat in Port A to get fresh shrimp or because I had gone to Fiesta earlier in the week and bought fresh Queso Fresca for Chile rellenos or because I carefully picked through all the center cut bacon to find the leanest?  I'm sure all those things contributed to it, but whatever the case I knew I had to blog this meal.  The Green Rice was out of an old Fonda San Miguel cookbook, and I will blog it as well because all my boys loved it.  The Chopped Salad was my own creation, and the use of the Jalapeño Ranch Dip (already on the blog) sparingly used as the dressing pushed it over the top.  Scott even ate seconds of the salad, and that is very unusual for my favorite carnivore.  Justin couldn't bear to waste it and actually ate out of the salad bowl at the end to finish it.  I know I am sounding like I am bragging, but this was a memorable meal.  Sometimes things just come together to create a dining experience that lingers in your mind for days -- especially if you are foodies, like the bunch I feed regularly.

Jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, 4-6 per person

Fresh jalapeños, bigger than your shrimp, a few more than the number of shrimp*

1/2" thick slices of cheese, slightly shorter than jalapeños **

Center cut bacon (HEB brand is thin and cooks faster), pick the leanest 1-1/2 to 2 slices per jalapeño

Make a cut lengthwise in the jalapeño down the middle slightly below the stem and above the tip.  Wearing gloves, carefully use your finger or a thin knife to scrape out the seeds and the veins, because that is where all the heat is in a jalapeño.  If it tears too much then use one of the extra jalapeños and try again. Rinsing them out inside will help get all the seeds out once you have loosened the seeds.  Press the cheese into the back of the jalapeño.  Gently add the shrimp on top of the cheese, being careful that all of the cheese is covered by shrimp so that it doesn't ooze out when cooking.  Wrap the bacon around each jalapeño, being sure to cover all the open areas with the leanest part of the bacon, especially on each end.  If there is a jalapeño that tore a little at the top use a toothpick to keep it closed.  Cover with saran and refrigerate until ready to grill.

With the grill at about 400 degrees, brush the grate with oil and space the jalapeños at least 1" apart.  Close the lid and let them cook until the bacon on the bottom looks done.  Continue turning them until all sides appear done or even slightly charred.  They will hold the heat inside so be careful of that first bite or two!

* I was concerned that the jalapeños might be too hot for Justin, so I used the small red, yellow and orange peppers that come in a bag for a few of them.  They were tasty but Justin agreed that the jalapeño flavored ones were better, and by cleaning out the seeds and veins, they weren't too hot.  Of course you never know from one jalapeño to the next how hot it will be, but the big ones at HEB generally aren't too hot.

**You can use a variety of cheeses here, just nothing too firm.  Fresh Queso Fresca worked beautifully because that is what Mexican cooks generally use in their Chile rellenos.  However, the packaged Queso Fresca we can get at HEB is the kind that crumbles and not the best to use.  Monterrey Jack, Quesadilla, Oaxaca, or Chihuahua cheeses will also work and can be found easily.  In fact I used Oaxaca in some of these jalapeños since I had some on hand.

DENNIS'S FIRECRACKER CHICKEN

                            
Scott has a long-time friend who frequently sends him recipes that Scott shares with me.  I made this chicken last night because it was the first night of NFL football, and the idea of having Buffalo Hot Sauce was appealing to me.  Of course, the fact that this is an extremely easy meal pushed it over the top (so I could be ready to watch the game!)  It reminds me of Asian dishes but with a slightly different flavor.  I especially loved how light the batter is on the chicken, almost like a lighter version of a tempura batter.  The sauce was so yummy that my boys told me they wish they had more sauce to eat over their rice, so I went to my handy conversion table that I blogged recently and am blogging 1-1/2 times the amount of sauce. Justin told me to "put this on the regular rotation" which is saying a lot these days of his palate.  Once I make it this way if the boys still want more sauce I will edit the recipe and double the sauce.  It's not as hot as you would think, because Justin has become a bit of a "titty baby" lately in eating spicy dishes and he didn't complain at all about the heat of this dish.  He loved it just the way it is, and so did I.

1-1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 c. cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
3 TB vegetable or canola oil
1/2 c. Buffalo Hot Sauce
3/4 c. brown sugar
1-1/2 TB rice vinegar
1/4-1/2 t. red pepper flakes, or more 
1/3 c. sliced green onions
Cooking spray
Cooked rice for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 9X13" pan with cooking spray.

Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle the cornstarch over the chicken and toss to coat evenly.  Dip each piece of chicken into the eggs.

Heat the oil, over high heat in a large heavy pan.  Place the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown, working in batches. The chicken will continue to cook in the oven so it isn't necessary for it to be done, just browned. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the 9x13" pan.

In a small bowl whisk together the Buffalo Sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar and red pepper flakes.  Pour the sauce over the chicken. Stir to cover all pieces of the chicken with sauce.  Bake for 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through to again coat the chicken with the sauce.  Remove from the oven and let sit a few minutes so the sauce will thicken up a bit.

Serve over white rice and top with green onions.

DENISE'S CROCKPOT CANDY

                        
Denise made this chocolate goodness and brought it to a girls' weekend a couple years ago.  I have made it several times but finally remembered to put it on the blog.  To be as simple as it is, it is extremely yummy.  It makes so much that I froze quite a bit of it, and we like it frozen as well as room temp.  So make a batch and refrigerate some, freeze some, and you have a delicious treat any time you have a chocolate craving.

2 lbs. salted dry-roasted peanuts
4 oz. German's sweet chocolate
12 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
2-1/2 lbs. white almond bark

Put the peanuts in the bottom of a 4 qt slow cooker.  Layer the chocolate over the peanuts, beginning with the sweet chocolate, followed by the semisweet chips and then the almond bark.  Set the temperature on low and cook for 2-3 hours, checking it periodically.  Once it all melts, stir it with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Drop the candy into mini cupcakes liners using about 2 TB per liner.  Allow the candy to cool completely before removing the cupcake liners.

Store in the fridge or freezer.  Keeps several months in the freezer.

SEEDLESS DEWBERRY/BLACKBERRY COBBLER

                         
                                 
Picking wild dewberries in the Spring has become a family tradition. My grown children love to ride four wheelers through the pasture looking for the ripest dewberries (all while wearing snake boots I might add!)  I picked them with my mom when I was a child, and once she was too busy teaching school and all the other multitude of things she was doing my dad would come home with enough of them for her to make a cobbler.  None of us liked the millions of seeds so she made a seedless cobbler.  It was heavenly, especially with the dollop of homemade vanilla ice cream she would always pair with it.  Yes, I was spoiled by delicious food, and I have managed to pick up where my mama left off.  My children are following that lead as well and are all excellent cooks and definitely lovers of good food -- hence Eric naming this blog Bella Vista Food Snob, since we live on Bella Vista Trail! So, now that it is past dewberry season I decided to use the recipe and make blackberry cobbler, especially since I had forgotten to take a picture of the dewberry cobblers I made this Spring.  Blackberries are a little sweeter than dewberries so I adjusted the amount of sugar, but otherwise the recipe is the same.  Our HEB had the biggest, juiciest, sweetest blackberries I have ever found, and it was hard not to eat them instead of using them in the cobbler, so I asked Logan to back to the store and get some more so we could just eat them! I think this cobbler is "moanable" -- especially if you put a dollop of Blue Bell vanilla on it.

6 generous cups of dewberries or blackberries, rinsed
1-1/2 to 2 c. sugar *
4 TB flour
1/2 stick unsalted butter
pinch of Kosher salt
3 TB cornstarch
2 pie crusts **
1 egg white

Put the berries in a medium sized pot and barely cover with water. With the smaller dewberries it took about 2 cups water, and with the huge blackberries it took 3 cups water.  Bring the water to a boil and let them simmer to make juice.  Press on the berries with a potato masher or the back of a spoon periodically to release the juice.

Pass the berry mixture through a fine mesh sieve to removed the seeds and pulp, stirring and mashing the berries to squeeze out all the juice.  Discard the seeds and pulp.  Return the juice to the pot and add the sugar, starting with the least amount and with a small spoon tasting the juice until you like the sweetness.   Put the flour in a small container with a lid and add just enough juice to be able to shake it up until all the flour is mixed into it and then add it to the juice in the pot.  Be sure to scrape all the flour mixture out of the container.  Add the butter and salt.  Whisk well to be sure there aren't any lumps.

Bring to a slow boil.  Mix the cornstarch in 1/3 cup of water and add to the boiling mixture.  Whisk until thickened and glossy, only about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heavily grease a 9" square baking dish with butter.  Cut the pie crusts into approximately 1" strips.

Smear a little of the berry mixture on the bottom of the dish.  Criss-cross pie crust on it.  Pour half of the berry mixture on it.  Count your strips of pie crust and determine how many you need for the top. Put the rest of them on this layer, but you probably won't have enough to criss-cross on this layer.  Pour the rest of the berry mixture and then criss crops the last of the pie crust on top.  

Mix the egg white with 1 teaspoon water and gently brush the top crust.  Sprinkle the crust lightly with sugar.  

Bake for about 45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.  Let cool about 30 minutes before serving.  Serve with heavy cream or vanilla ice cream, if you prefer your cobbler ala mode, like we do.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator, if there are any!

*For the dewberries I ended up using 2 cups of sugar, and for the sweet blackberries I only used 1-1/2 cups of sugar.  You definitely want to taste as you add sugar to the juice to determine your level of sweetness.

**You can make your own crust, but I use the Pillsbury pie crusts in the long red box that is sold in the refrigerated biscuit section of the grocery store.  There are two rolls of crust in each box.  Lay them out about 15 minutes or more to soften before using them.

CRaye’s BANANA BREAD

My best friend growing up was Carla Raye, and my name is Carolyn Rae, so we have always called each other CRaye or CRae.  CRaye gave me this recipe at the beginning of quarantine because we were both getting so many bananas delivered that were past their prime.  I have never had so many frozen bananas in my freezer in my life!  I have another banana bread recipe on the blog that has been requested for years because it is so yummy.  It has a glaze over it that makes it sweeter, and honestly it is more like a banana loaf cake.  This recipe is a traditional banana bread, and my boys love it because their sweet tooth isn’t as strong as mine.  With the addition of sour cream it stays very moist and will definitely satisfy your hankering for banana bread.

1 c. mashed bananas (3-4 bananas, if it goes over a cup it’s fine, just not less)*

1 c. sour cream

¼ c. unsalted butter

1-1/3 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 c. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

¼ t. salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 7x3” loaf pans.

Combine the bananas and sour cream and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Stir in the vanilla and the banana/sour cream mixture.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Stir into the banana mixture.  Spread evenly into prepared pans.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

*To freeze bananas I cut them in chunks and spread them on a cookie sheet until frozen; then drop them in a freezer bag.  Thaw them and they are honestly pretty nasty-looking once they thaw and you begin to mash them, but they work perfectly in banana bread.  “Waste not, want not!”

COCONUT LOAF CAKE

                         
When I saw this I knew all my coconut lovers would enjoy this cake, but I didn't realize they would become obsessed with it.   I made it to take to Palm Springs for our 40th anniversary celebration.  Eric joined us from LA, and we rented a house with a wonderful pool and spent the week in the pool and cooking together.  This cake was gone by day two, and Lauren immediately wanted us to get the ingredients to make another one.  I have given the recipe to everyone I know who likes coconut, and everyone loves it.  If you are one who likes desserts less sweet you might want to cut back a little on the glaze, but I like it the way it is.

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 c. sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 t. coconut extract

1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/2 c. canned unsweetened coconut milk*

1 c. sweetened shredded coconut

Coconut Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Line the bottom of a 9x5" loaf pan with parchment paper.  Spray parchment with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 4-5 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in coconut extract.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with coconut milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.  Beat in coconut.  Spread batter into prepared pan and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 80 minutes.  With a knife loosen the sides and then remove from pan and spread Coconut Glaze onto warm cake.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Store leftover in Saran Wrap.

COCONUT GLAZE

1 c. confectioner's sugar

1/4 c. canned unsweetened coconut milk

1/4-1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut

In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and milk until smooth.  Stir in coconut.

*Canned coconut milk is found in the Asian section at the grocery store.

CHILE DE ARBOL SALSA

When I was visiting Eric in LA a couple weeks ago he bought a salsa from Super King, the Armenian grocery store near his house.  They also have other Ethnic foods there as well, and we fell in love with this salsa!  I brought a couple containers home in a small insulated bag with a blue ice pack, because I was so determined to try and duplicate it.  JT loves it as well, so I read the ingredients on the container and got to work.  We sampled both the bought version and mine with tortilla chips and decided this was a pretty close duplicate.  This only makes about 12 oz. so you might prefer to double it.  I will cut back on the chiles because it is too hot for JT again (Sissy), but it hasn’t stopped him from eating it!

3 Roma tomatoes

3 lg. garlic cloves
5 chiles de arbol (dried in a package)
½ t. kosher salt
1 t. apple cider vinegar
¼ c. water

Wrap the tomatoes and garlic cloves loosely in foil, making sure to seal the foil so the veggies will steam.  Set them on a comal (or black skillet) over low heat for about 20 minutes.  About every 5 minutes unseal the foil and turn the veggies as they begin to blacken on the bottom; reseal the foil.  After about 15 or so minutes set the chiles on top of the tomatoes so they can steam and soften a bit.  You don’t want them to get black so don’t let them come into direct contact with the pan.  Once everything has softened a bit, take them off the stove.  Cut off the ends of the chiles and shake out the seeds.  Put all the ingredients into a blender, including any juice that might have been created from the tomatoes.  It's not necessary to peel the tomatoes.  Add salt, vinegar and water and barely blend until all ingredients are well blended.  Refrigerate until ready to eat and store in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

COLLARD GREENS

I made these for New Year’s Day along with black-eyed peas, and they were devoured.  I like to mix greens sometimes (see Winter Greens), but my favorite greens are collards.  I also posted another recipe for collards that are not cooked long, which I love.   In this recipe the collards are cooked longer and get much softer, similar to the ones the old-time country cooks used to make.  Both are good, and the more I make these and tweak them the better I like them.  My friend Scott tells me these greens would be on his "last meal" list.  What a compliment!!

Olive oil

4 slices center-cut bacon, diced, optional
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 ham hock
About 2 cups chicken broth

1-2 diced fresh tomatoes
2 TB white, red wine, apple cider or balsamic vinegar*
2 TB light brown sugar
1 TB red pepper flakes
3 bunches collards, rinsed, center vein removed, and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

In a Dutch oven heat a small amount of olive oil.  If using bacon, cook it until it is shriveled but not crispy.  If trying to be healthier skip the bacon, but the bacon does add another layer of flavor.  Add the onion and sauté it until it is carmelized, adding the garlic in the last couple of minutes.  Put the ham hock in the pan and then deglaze the bacon remains with the chicken broth.  Add tomatoes and stir in the vinegar, sugar and red pepper until the sugar is dissolved. 

Add the collards a little at a time, stirring until they begin to soften enough to be able to add more.  Once all the collards have been added, season with black pepper and lightly season with salt because the chicken broth is somewhat salty.  At this point you may need to add more broth but you just want about an inch and half of broth – you don’t want it soupy at all.  Cook the collards about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more broth if they are running out of liquid.

*I have tried all the different vinegars.  Experiment to see which you prefer!  I like them all but lately I have preferred red wine or apple cider vinegar.