Merry Christmas Y'all!

 

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Mint Chocolate Chip Pie

 

24  Oreos

1/4 c butter; melted

  for the filling:

1 1/4 c heavy cream

8 oz cream cheese; softened

1 1/4 c powdered sugar

  green food coloring

3/4 ts vanilla extract

3/4 ts peppermint extract

1 c chocolate chips; plus more for garnish

1 c Andes mints; rough chop

  chocolate; melted for drizzling

 

Make Crust: In a food processor, pulse Oreos until they form coarse crumbs. Add butter and blend until completely combined.

 

Press crumb mixture into bottom and evenly up sides of a 9" pie dish. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before adding filling.

 

Make Filling: Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a bowl.

 

To bowl of stand mixer, add cream cheese and beat on medium-high speed, 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and food coloring and mix on low until smooth. Add vanilla and peppermint extracts and mix until combined. With a rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture, then fold in mini chocolate chips and chopped Andes mints.

 

Pour filling into prepared crust and smooth top. Sprinkle with more mini chocolate chips and chopped Andes and drizzle with chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, 5 to 6 hours.

 

Yield: 8 servings

 

 

** Exported from Now You're Cooking! v6.02 **

 

Is Mexico Safe?

Dedicated to those who ask

if Mexico is safe

Gringo: - Hi, where are you from?

Mexican: - Hi, I’m from Mexico

Gringo: - Ah! The land of Chapo Guzmán, narcos, marijuana, crime and extortion.

Mexican -I’m sorry, are you a drug addict or a TV junkie?

Gringo - No!!! Why?

Mexican -Because if you were an athlete or sports fan, you would have identified Mexico with Ana Guevara, Hugo Sanchez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Finito, Chicharito Hernandez, Canelo Alvarez, Rafael Marquez, etc.

If you were an educated person, you would have asked about the Aztec empire, the Mayan culture, the Olmecs or any other of the great mesoamerican cultures.

If you were a well traveled person you would have talked about our majestic archaeological sites, our tourist-friendly colonial cities, our megalopolis or our exotic beaches… the astonishing biodiversity of our rainforests, mountain ranges, deserts, conifer forests…

You could have identified Mexico with our great painters, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, Frida Khalo, José Clemente Orozco; our composers: Agustín Lara, Consuelo Velázquez, Armando Manzanero, Juan Gabriel, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, our writers and poets: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Juan Rulfo, Octavio Paz, Juan José Arreola, Elena Poniatowska, Amado Nervo, Jaime Sabines;

our inventors or scientists: Manuel Mondragón, Guillermo González Camarera, Luis Ernesto Miramontes; our cinematographers: Ismael Rodríguez, Emilio Fernández, Alfonso Cuaron, Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Emmanuel Lubezki, and even Luis Buñuel, who, being originally from Spain, chose to adopt the Mexican nationality...

If you were a gourmand, you would have asked about Tamales, Cochinita Pibil, Mole, Adobo, Chilaquiles, Chiles en nogada, Guacamole, Pan de Muerto, etc. Or our traditional beverages: Tequila, Mezcal, wines and beers.

However, I can see, the only thing you can relate to Mexico is the provider to American drug addicts...

I just want you to realize that México is a lot more than what ignorant people and fear-mongering media knows or chooses to propagate.

There are millions of honest Mexicans, who even without knowing you, will open the door to our homes, and that if you care to visit, you will love to get to know us and to visit us. Mexico is even more than I can possibly tell you!

VIVA MÉXICO!

Our Guanajuato Trip

 

The WHOLE Enchilada!!

Once you try this....

You will never buy that canned stuff again!!

I used to buy that canned rojo (aka red)  enchilada sauce all the time because I felt intimidated about making any at home.  My biggest concern was that I didn't have the necessary ingredients...but I was wrong.   This is the best and now I make a double batch and water bath can the extra for the pantry.  

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New Enchilada Sauce

3 tb butter

3 tb flour

2 1/2 tb chili powder

1 tb paprika

3 c chicken stock

2 ts garlic powder

1 ts onion powder

1 ts cumin

2 ts tomato paste

1/2 ts chicken bouillon

1 ts oregano

1/2 ts sugar

1/2 ts pepper

Melt butter and add flour. Stir continuously, until golden brown. 

Add chili powder, a little at a time, stir continuously. Add paprika, stir. Add 1 cup chicken stock, slowly and stir. 

Add garlic powder. Add onion powder. Add cumin. Add tomato paste. Add chicken bouillon. Add oregano and on more cup chicken stock. 

Add sugar and pepper. Add last cup chicken stock. Stir and continue with corn tortilla/and meat recipe of your choice.

Yield: 2 pints

** Exported from Now You're Cooking! v6.02 **

Ready for the Pantry

Hot Water Bath

Every Now and then.....

 Who am I kidding...it happens all the time and this quick one serving dessert fits the bill and you aren´t stuck with a bunch of leftover cake!!   LOL......

Enjoy!!!

Lemon & Blueberries!!!

 A Lemon Blueberry Pudding Cake.....

That everyone will enjoy ....guaranteed!    This recipe is so easy and you probably have all the ingredients on hand.  

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Lemon Blueberry Pudding Cake

Cakes, Desserts, Pudding

3 cups blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 tb cornstarch

  Cake Batter:

1/2 cup butter; room temp

3/4 cup sugar

2  eggs; room temp

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  dash of salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1  Lemon syrup:

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8 inch glass baking dish with shortening.

In a medium bowl, toss the blueberries with 1/3 cup of sugar and cornstarch. Place in the bottom of the glass baking dish.

For The Cake Batter: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating until well incorporated with each addition. Add the lemon extract and lemon zest, beat on low till just incorporated.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Always start with the flour and end with flour. Beating only until just incorporated with each addition. Spread the cake batter over the blueberries evenly. Set aside.

Lemon Syrup: In a small saucepan bring the water, lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar to a boil. Pour over the cake batter. Bake cake for 50 - 60 minutes until cake is firm to the touch, golden brown and bubbly around the edges. Cool slightly, serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Yield: 9 servings

** Exported from Now You're Cooking! v5.97 **

My First Mexican Farmers Market!

 A New Adventure!!

Today we were able to enjoy a new adventure going to the Farmer's Market in Ajijic, Mexico.  It was a real treat so see fresh  vegetables grown here that probably also end up in many American grocery stores.   Everything looked so fresh and wonderful.  

Here are some pics from all we were able to choose from.

We picked some great things for our first super supper cooked at our fully stocked B&B kitchen.  A tasty chicken roasted with garlic and spices.   Wonderful salad and stir fried vegetables.    Our dessert treat was nice green grapes!  

Bon Appetit 

and

Enjoy your Wonderful World