Well - welcome back - and I must say I am thankful to be back! After the fiasco last Wednesday night - I was discouraged - but I was taught one important lesson - SAVE - SAVE - SAVE!!
Before I was so rudely wiped out - I had given you a recipe that sounds like a fun - and delicious salsa -- so early on, I am going to try it again!!
TOMATILLO AND APPLE SALSA
1 lb. tomatillos, husks removed ( tomatillos can usually be found at Brookshires or Walmart - but I like to buy them at the Mexican Food Store -Monterey - in the Wedgewood Shopping Center at the West Loop and Hwy 31. They are fresher there and always less expensive -- in fact -- I love to go there and buy lots of my Mexican food!!) Take the husks off the tomatillos wash them (really good), and quarter them - about 14 medium tomatillos is what you will need!!
1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and quartered
1 Chile pepper, serrano - deveined and seeded - a good hot jalapeno will work too!
1/2 cup cilantro leave -- washed and cut off lots of stem
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (You can also buy wonderful lemon and lime juicers --e kind Rachel Ray uses-- at the Mexican food store too!)
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice -- juice of about 1 whole lime!!
Boil quartered tomatillos in water for about 5 to 7 minutes, until fork tender. Drain and cool. Place all ingredients in the blender or (what I prefer) food processor and puree until smooth. Place in tightly covered container and store in refrigerator for up to 1 week. --
LET ME TELL YOU -- this recipe needs some garlic and salt and pepper. Then you will have a recipe you can serve with pride. Serve with grilled chicken, pork or fish. Makes about 2 cups!!
Bet you have never read a recipe with so many comments unless you have read one of mine before. Well - here is another one!!!
CHICKEN STIR FRY -- Original by Jon Carole
Tonight -- I had four limp, thawed out chicken breasts - and didn't know what to do with them. I didn't want to grill them, boil them, or fry them. SO -- I cut them up in diagonal strips and then half the strips! I sprinkles them, rather heavily, ith Pensey's Chinese Five Spice (a wonderful spice full of "Chinese Five Spice Powder" which is China Cassia Cinnamon, star anise,anise seed, ginger, and cloves -- a wonderfully flavorful and sweet spice, about 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce - which isn't really necessary) some black pepper, 2 tablespoons Pensey's minced garlic, several dashes of black pepper, about 2 tablespoons white wine, 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar, a dash of sugar, -- ok I was making it up as I went. Anyway it marinated for about 30 minutes and then I sauted chopped onion, about 3 very small ones and about 4 cloves of garlic, and three very small bell peppers (that I grew, and a half of a jalapeno that was very hot. I let this cook about 3 minutes and took it up. I added a little more oil (ran out of olive oil) and then : Took 3 tablespoons of corn starch, a tad of salt, dash of black pepper, and put in plastic bag. Took the chicken out of the marinade (but did not dry off) and put in bag and shook really hard to semi-coat he chicken. Added to hot oil and then turned heat down as chicken started to try to fry. I let cook until done and then turned it down for a while. I added the garlic, onion, and pepper I taken out of pan, and one bag of Minute Maid Steamable veggies - carrots, brocoli, carrots,and water chestnuts. I let cook about 2 minutes and added one chopped up fresh mango -- let that cook for abut 1 minute on low, low heat. (Wanted pineapple chunks but didn't want them bad enough to go to the store!!!)
Travis said he loved the chicken -- that is wonderful and amazing!!! I served it with fresh boiled corn, brown rice (which MR. T shunned -= saying if you have corn - you don't need rice!) I also make blue corn bread -- but when I stirred it up according to the recipe on the bag, I knew it was "WRONG!!!" I added jalapenos, green chiles, and fresh corn -- but still no taste. We had wonderful "blue corn muffins" at a restaurant in Santa Fe and I, could not wait to buy blue corn meal. Well - don't buy the blue corn meal in a sack and go by the recipe on the box -- just doesn't do justice to what it could be!! I plan to buy some more and create the muffins on my own!!
My sister, Michelle, and my precious niece, Maura, went to Dallas on Saturday and had a great time. That Maura makes a great time of whatever you are doing. At one time she was singing "I am a hungry girl, please feed me, Yum, Yum, I am starving" to a tune on the radio and we were amazed at how her words fit ever note!(The music and song was by Mily Sirus` Smart and wonderful little eight year old!! SHe also told her grandmother she needed to learn Spanish so she could "communicate" with the painter! I don't think I even knew that word at 8 years old!!!
We were late getting to Penseys and I was so disappointed - so disappointed that Travis took me after church on Sunday! I bought so many new and wonderful spices and I will try to introduce each one to you! Besides the Chinese Five Spice Powder, I love the Black and Red Spice we bought. It is Tellicerry black pepper and Cayenne Red Pepper! I put it on my sandwich today and it is wondrful -- with just the right bite!! (I will even try to remember to tell you about the great sandwich I made today -- based on my nephew's trainer's advise!!
Have a great evening -- what is left of it -- an even better tomorrow - and the best way to have a great tomorrow -- is to make it that way for someone else! God bless each of you!!!
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