Kentucky Hot Browns

In honor of the 136th Kentucky Derby this coming Saturday, I thought I would pull this post from the 2009 archives of my life.

If you visit Louisville, Kentucky in the winter, stay at the Brown Hotel if you can swing it. The city’s legendary hotel knows how to beat away the endless dark and cold of Louisville’s winter with luxurious down bedding and hot warm-your-bones comfort food.

The Brown Hotel is famous for the Hot Brown Sandwich. Bubbly cheese sauce drenches bacon and turkey piled on thick white toast. Tart tomatoes add balance to the overwhelmingly rich dish.

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Tags: Brown Hotel, Kentucky Hot Browns, Louisville

Cajun Shrimp Boil

And today’s post is brought to you by August 2009. Shall we travel in time to the inferno that was last summer in Austin, Texas?

I am kicking myself that I did not post this sooner. Why? Because some of the details have since slipped my mind, and I didn’t have the good sense to write it all down.

Last year I walked in to my local H-E-B market to see a large tank full of creepy crawly crawfish, alive and well. Not sure what on earth about those beady-eyed buggers said “dinner” to me, but for some reason it birthed in me this insatiable desire to try a crawfish boil.

Well, that is one dinner with an expiration date. We waited too long and discovered crawfish in Austin have only a seasonal performance. If you miss the show, you’re out of luck.

So we opted for the next best thing – a Cajun shrimp boil.

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Tags: Cajun Shrimp Boil

Mexican Hot Chocolate Throw Down

After some lively banter and a meaningless wager, I found myself owing a friend a Mexican Hot Chocolate. He owed me one too.

In Texas we like everything big. We even like to talk big. So after a few more big ego, loud-mouthed, witty exchanges, our Mexican Hot Chocolate swap escalated to a Food Network Style Throw Down.

We set a date and invited our spouses and a couple of mutual friends to judge.

In the quiet after the adrenaline-induced smacktalk, I realized: “What IS Mexican Hot Chocolate? And why do I think I can beat Jonathan Rosales at a Mexican Hot Chocolate Throw Down?”

While I spent hours on the web learning about Mexican Hot Chocolate, Jonathan and Julee merely had a chat with Jonathan’s grandma. (Oh yes people…I was taking on the Rosales Mexican Hot Chocolate family recipe. Did I mention we have big egos in Texas?)

More smacktalk, a bit of practice and a lot of chocolate later, the results are in from the judges. Looks like the world wide web knows how to make a Mexican Hot Chocolate. AND it looks like Grandma Rosales also knows how to make a Mexican Hot Chocolate.

Ding ding ding. We have a winner!

Me! I’m a winner for a my world wide web recipe. AND I’m a winner because I got to keep all the leftovers from Jonathan’s recipe.

Thanks guys! It was a lot of fun.

Do you want to make Mexican Hot Chocolate too? Here’s how:

GRANDMA ROSALES STYLE (WITH JONATHAN AND JULEE’S ADAPTATIONS)

1 Cup Chocolate Milk

1 Disk Mexican Chocolate

3 Teaspoons Drinking Chocolate Powder (found at specialty food stores)

1 Small Pinch of Chipotle Powder

1 Cinnamon Stick (Optional)

Warm the milk, chipotle powder and cinnamon stick, stirring constantly. Add the chocolates and stir constantly until melted. Bring nearly to a boil. Pour into a mug and froth with a hand frother. Serves 1.

WORLD WIDE WEB STYLE (WITH SARA’S ADAPTATIONS)

2 Cups Whole Milk

1 Disk Mexican Chocolate (I used the Nestle Abuelita brand.)

1 Stick of Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla

1 Egg

Chop the disk of Mexican chocolate. Place in a saucepan with the milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Heat through, whisking constantly, until nearly boiling. Remove from the heat. Crack the egg in a bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add a spoonful of the hot mixture to the egg whisking together constantly.  Then add the whole egg mixture to the hot chocolate whisking constantly. Return to the heat and cook for 3 more minutes, whisking constantly. Remove the cinnamon stick. Pour the mixture in a blender and carefully blend for about 30 seconds. Pour into mugs and enjoy. Serves 2.

Tags: Mexican Hot Chocolate

Kentucky Derby Pie

When I was young my family lived in Louisville, Kentucky. I wanted to race in the Kentucky Derby. I had a rather vivid imagination, so I named my horse and painted pictures of my silks. Too bad I was already taller than most jockeys. Oh…and did I mention I have no idea how to ride a horse?

So, since my racing career never made it out of the starting gate, I now opt for the next best thing. Every May on Derby weekend I make a Kentucky Derby Pie.  My recipe is courtesy of an old Southern Living clipping. Although I cheat and use a refrigerated pie crust, the filling is rich with Kentucky’s Maker’s Mark bourbon and the chocolate and pecan topping is decadent.

Is it a winner? You bet.

Tags: Kentucky Derby Pie, Maker's Mark Bourbon

Making Marmalade

I saw a sale on oranges the beginning of November. “Fifty cents a pound!” the sign teased me. The only problem? I had to commit to the fourteen pound bag.

A few weeks later I noticed Kenny was turning into an orange. He was doing his best to work his way through the massive bag hogging prime real estate in the third shelf of our fridge. I tried one and decided I didn’t like them. Difficult to peel, quite seedy and a little bland on flavor – these were not oranges for eating.

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Tags: Texas Oranges

Where’s My Fairy Godmother?

I think I just turned into a pumpkin. The clock did strike 12 but only 12 noon, not midnight!

Do you buy pumpkins in the fall to decorate your house? I do. One small one every year. I just feel sad to spend my money on a perfectly good pumpkin I’ll throw away in a few months.

I’ve considered fake pumpkins so I can keep them from year to year, but they’re fake. They look fake and I have to find a year-round home for them in my garage. Not gonna happen.

So as promised – I’m telling you how I’m learning to waste not, want not. This year I decided to put my pumpkin to good use.

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Tags: Canning Pumpkin Butter, Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

Post Script to the Spinach Enchiladas

For all of you who are following the spinach enchilada story, remember I wanted a substitute for ricotta? Something a little more Mexican? My friend Danielle asked her neighbor who we’ve officially crowned the expert in all things food and she had answers for us. She got her answers from her own personal cheese dictionary. (No I’m not kidding!)

Which brings me to this conclusion…Danielle…your friends like food. And officially your neighbor has me beat. I do not have my own personal cheese dictionary.

Okay, so here’s the scoop from the cheese dictionary if you too want to be more authentic. I cannot vouch for the success of these cheeses in the enchiladas because I’ve not tried them. If you try them or have hints for working with them, please inform us all!

Queso Fresco – “Fresh curds pressed in round molds; soft, crumbly, slightly grainy and salty; similar in flavor to Ricotta or farmer cheese; softens but does not melt when heated; crumble, slice, or dice to top or fill tacos, chiles rellenos, enchiladas, burritos, etc.” I think I’ve even seen this cheese at Walmart.  Alternatively,

Requeson- “Fresh; similar to Ricotta; soft and spreadable with a fresh, milky taste; use as a filling for enchiladas and pasta or with jam as a spread for crackers or bread.”

Happy cooking!

Tags: Queso Fresco, Requeson, Spinach Enchiladas

Spinach Enchiladas

At last! The spinach enchilada recipe. I made these a few weeks ago. I blogged these a few weeks ago. I’ve been too quiet and lazy to add the photos to the blog and post it for your lovely eyes to read.

Which brings me to a very important lesson I just learned: when sharing a camera with your spouse, make sure all your pictures are off of it before it is his turn to use it. Since this recipe is somewhat complicated I took a ton of pictures for you. Oh yeah…they’re gone. Gone baby gone. Written over by Texas Longhorns chasing pigskin balls.

Oh well. I’ll give you the recipe anyways. I don’t have pictures for half the recipe. Sorry!

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Tags: Chipotles, Spinach Enchiladas

Prickly Pears

Since moving to Texas I’ve seen prickly pears on the occasional Tex-Mex menu. I really didn’t know much about them.

Do you know what they are? They are a type of cactus.

This past week they were on sale in the grocery store. I found the produce clerk and asked for the full run-down on prickly pears.

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Tags: Prickly Pear

I Have a New Job!

Sara. Let’s talk business, what is going to be the number, in dollar bills, for you to pack a third lunch for each work week. – Paul

When I read this in my Facebook inbox I laughed outloud. Since our move to Austin, Kenny and I are making a greater effort to not eat all our income. We really love to eat out, and if we aren’t careful, before we know it, we’re out of control.

So, I’ve been making lunches for Kenny. Since our friend Josh is living with us this summer, I throw one in for him too. Apparently, their co-worker Paul noticed and now he wants a lunch.

He and I struck a deal yesterday. $2 a day will buy him a Dixie-Gypsy-hand-prepared lunch. I know, I know. For business purposes, I definitely undercharged him, but he is becoming a family friend, and he is young bachelor recently out of college, and he does work at a church…so I opted to go the cheap route and basically charge him cost.

“I’ll cut you a check in your name every week. I don’t want Kenny spending your money.” he promised.

So, today, I’ll be the big earner, since I’ll only make him one lunch this week.

Today I’ll make $2.