Happy Mother’s Day to every mom out there! I’ve been saving this recipe from Ina Garten for a special occasion and thought it would be perfect for Mothers Day. This is my first time trying it and it turned out so light and moist. The streusel with cinnamon and pecans add to the flavor and texture. It’s delicious and a bit sinful with all the butter and sugar but it’s Mother’s Day so I’m giving permission to indulge and enjoy a slice. It is the perfect companion to your morning coffee, afternoon tea or after dinner dessert. I wish you all a fun weekend and Happy Mother’s Day!
It’s that time of year when Joe and I come out of hibernation to spend our free days finding new adventures in New Mexico. We decided to travel down south with our first stop being White Sands National Park. Our day at White Sands was one of the most memorable days ever. Located in the Tularosa Basin lies the world’s largest gypsum dunes. Over millions of years wind and water have eroded the gypsum into fine grains of sand. You will find soft pillowy sand dunes as well as hard packed areas. There are sculptures formed around hearty vegetation that grows here. What I especially loved was the swirly patterns in the sand created by the wind. The path is marked by footprints and markers along the way to keep you on trail. When you arrive at one marker you will see another marker in the distance so you know which direction to follow. Walking through soft sand is not easy. Always take enough water as there are no water stations to refill except at the visitor center which is several miles away. Wear light colored clothing and use sunscreen as the temperature can feel much warmer than the actual temperature. Make sure you are prepared to walk in sand, it is a slow trek and difficult to climb the numerous dunes with one step forward while sliding a half step back. But hiking down hills are so much fun, Joe and I held hands and ran down the dunes like little kids. Every step down would sink up to our knees filling our shoes with sand, but it was a small price to pay. I wish everyone could experience White Sands at least once, the stark beauty will take your breath away. I know that Joe and I are already planning our next trip to White Sands where you can’t feel anything other than awe and wonder!
It was just a year ago, almost to the day that we visited Ghost Ranch and hiked up to the top of Kitchen Mesa Trail. There are many trails to hike in and around Ghost Ranch, a place that Joe and I love so much. We plan to come back and explore more hiking trails any chance we get. This time we chose one of the more popular trails, Chimney Rock Trail which is about 3 miles out and back. It’s an uphill hike which can be a challenge but take your time, gather your breath, take lots of pictures, always bring an energy bar and enjoy the view. We had perfect hiking weather with full sunshine, a slight breeze with the temperature just about 60 degrees. There were many other hikers of all ages enjoying the day as well. It’s always a sign of Spring when you see so many people enjoying a hiking trail with their family this time of year. No matter your age, try to get outdoors and enjoy nature around you. It fills your soul and will inspire you to explore more places that make you happy.
Pecan pie is a classic and one of our favorite desserts. Combining the flavors of pecan pie with bread pudding is pure bliss. The croissants were an impulse buy at Costco. They were huge and still warm in the container; I couldn’t resist. There were a dozen in all, way too many for just Joe and I. Since we couldn’t eat them all before they expired, our best choice was to freeze some or make bread pudding. Joe voted for bread pudding! Croissant rolls give the top a crispy flaky crust while the center cubes are soaked in custard and baked to make a warm creamy center. And don’t forget the pecans that are sprinkled throughout. It’s one of those desserts that appeals to your eyes as well as your taste buds. This makes enough for a large gathering but any leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen for another day. Anytime you have leftover French bread, brioche or croissant rolls that are going stale; don’t throw them out, make bread pudding. You’ll be happy you did!
If you’ve never heard of a smoked pulled ham you’re not alone. Neither had I until I started looking for a new way to prepare a ham. I came across some pellet smoking blogs and found that you can smoke a ham the same way you would a pork butt roast to make pulled pork. Even though the ham is already cooked, you can smoke it so that it will pull apart and shred like pulled pork. The recommended choice is a shank ham or picnic ham. Spiral ham should be avoided if you plan to shred it. I’ve never been one to eat ham very often but I definitely enjoyed this one. These salty tender shredded pieces are unlike any ham I’ve ever tasted. We prepared it a few days before Easter as the total smoke time would take approximately 11 -12 hours. It reheats nicely and tastes just like it was smoked that day. We saved 1 pound out for our meal and vacuumed sealed the rest in 1/2 pound packages to make future meals with. I have visions of making ham salad sandwiches like Joe grew up on or maybe make a fruity glaze or a mustard sauce to go with it. And don’t forget breakfast, can you just imagine pulled ham in your favorite breakfast dish? For Easter I made a pineapple sauce to pour over the pulled ham which was quite delicious. If you have a smoker, you really need to try Smoked Pulled Ham, it’s unlike any ham you’ve ever had before.
If you’ve ever had a taco salad at a restaurant, it’s usually served in a flour tortilla bowl that has been deep fried or baked. It’s filled with salad and topped with seasoned ground beef, chicken, steak or pork, followed by grated cheese, salsa and a spicy ranch dressing. Sometimes I make a vegetarian version with black or pinto beans with roasted corn and avocado. I don’t have a mold to make flour tortilla bowls but I do have an alternative. I take a flour tortilla, cut it into triangles and pan fry them. They turn out light and crisp and seasoned perfectly with a sprinkle of red chile salt. I have a hard time not eating them all before they go into the bowl; they are so addictive! But with that said, fill your bowl with as many crispy fried tortillas as you wish and then top them with the rest of your salad fixings. Your going to love it! And if you want to make it healthier, just add some beans, corn, avocado or any other veggie to your salad, it’s up to you what you put in it.
Posted at 8:57 am by NativeNM, on February 13, 2024
Valentine’s day is a day to show the ones you love how much they mean to you. This year I’m making Joe some cupcakes infused with cocoa and coffee that are moist and decadent. They are topped with a buttercream chocolate frosting and sprinkled with toffee bits. This recipe comes from the Decadent Dark Chocolate Cake that I made a few years ago. I couldn’t imagine finding a better mocha base that would have the moistness and dark chocolate flavors than we enjoyed in that recipe. At the end I added some mini chocolate chips in the cake batter to add some chocolate texture in each bite. I cheated with a store bought chocolate buttercream frosting but I will include the frosting recipe I’ve made in the past just in case you want to make your own. For all the dark chocolate lovers, these Valentine cupcakes are hard to resist!
Posted at 10:17 am by NativeNM, on January 26, 2024
Today I’m going back to our Kansas days when Joe and I used to frequent one of our favorite restaurants, Corner Bakery Cafe. This chain has a number of locations across the country, however there is only 1 location in NM and it’s a long way from Albuquerque. If you’ve ever visited one of their locations you’ve probably tasted some of their creative sandwiches, salads as well as breakfast and pastry items. The first time I ordered the Chopped Salad it came with all the listed ingredients but there was a bonus sprinkle of quinoa. It was obviously added by mistake but I enjoyed those tasty little pearls of quinoa that soaked up the vinaigrette with a burst of flavor in every bite. This inspired chopped salad is loaded with cooked chicken, bacon bits, romaine lettuce, tomato, avocado, green onions, cucumber, red bell pepper and goat cheese crumbles, plus a sprinkle of quinoa over top. I experimented making a vinaigrette that would capture the taste of a house dressing with sweet and spicy tones like Corner Bakery. I think I nailed it with a simple red wine vinaigrette with a hint of maple syrup and shallot and garlic flavors throughout. Once I had the dressing, the rest of the salad was a breeze. It’s just my opinion but it tastes very close to the chopped salad I used to order at Corner Bakery plus a little quinoa sprinkle over top, because it tastes so good and is good for you.
Posted at 10:36 am by NativeNM, on January 19, 2024
One day I was flipping through the news feed on my phone when I came across a recipe for a thick cut candied bacon sandwich. It looked so good and ever since I’ve been craving one. I didn’t save the article and had to do a bit of research to find a recipe that would hold the flavors that I had in mind. What I found was a great recipe from The Merchant Baker that was easy to prep and very flavorful. I added some red chile flakes to the mix to add some heat which rendered the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. My turkey, bacon and avocado sandwich was so delicious. The candied bacon was a difference maker. You can also elevate any salad with a sprinkle of candied bacon bits. This BLT side salad was so good with bits of candied bacon on top. Whatever you make with your candied bacon, I know it will taste fantastic!
Posted at 12:13 pm by NativeNM, on January 12, 2024
When you need a warm brothy bowl filled with noodles and endless vegetables, look no further than a Ramen Noodle Bowl. This has become one of my favorite things to have for lunch during this winter cold spell. It’s also a way to add some veggies to my diet which can be a challenge living with a man who doesn’t care much for vegetables. Actually Joe will eat ramen if I add some cooked chicken and an extra dollop of spicy chili crisp to his bowl. Anything to get a few veggies in him is a win in my book. I like my ramen with spinach, carrots, green onions, cilantro, mushrooms, garlic and ginger. But there are so many other veggies that you could choose from such as zucchini, snow peas, Bok choy, sliced jalapeno, asparagus or anything else that sounds good to you. It will warm you up on a cold day and taste really good too.