Not Your Usual Nachos.

Nachos are, according to the Webster dictionary, "a tortilla chip topped with melted cheese and often additional savory toppings (as hot peppers or refried beans)". A good number of people have eaten them in Mexican restaurants or fast food chains; maybe even made them at home for a main meal, or to be enjoyed during a movie or sports game. Guess what though, the recipe for nachos is not written in stone and you are allowed to play with this finger food.

Sometime ago I had made Sloppy Joes for dinner; and there were leftovers. A couple of days later we were in the mood for nachos, but out of ground beef which I had used up for the sloppy joes. Hold on I thought, sloppy joes has ground beef, tomatoes, chile peppers; all I really need to make nachos is to add beans, mix and pour over the tortilla chips. One big difference, instead of Mexican seasoning, there was barbecue sauce and it was delicious! The barbecue sauce was zesty and smoky; but the beans, cheese and sour cream gave the illusion of chili.

So I started to think of other ways to have nachos, like using the filling for my Chicken Enchiladas; or what about shredded pork barbecue with cole slaw layered over chips; or a seafood salad and roasted corn mixture; what about tuna salad with zesty pickles or sweet, sliced peppers, or both!  Are you seeing the big picture here?  You don't even have to use flat chips and worry about heating up cheese on the ingredients to hold it to the chips.  Use the scoop type to hold the ingredients and pop into your mouth for a one bite munchy.

Next time you're thinking nachos, but maybe the rest of your family and friends have other cravings, think about combining them for a new type of snack.  Remember, football season is here, so the combinations are endless....hmmmm, little smokies in a spicy onion sauce in those tortilla scoop chips.  See what I mean?

Mary Cokenour

American Recipe Sings Italian Opera.

Tetrazzini is strictly Italian, that is if you're the opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini who had a recipe created for her back in the early 1900's.  While Tetrazzini enjoyed a lavish career from 1890 to 1920; her life ended in poor health and poverty.  Now two sources claim to be the creators of this recipe named after the famous opera star, the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, CA and the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York, NY.  Just another version of the West coast versus the East coast; but whoever invented it, I bet, didn't foresee the casserole becoming such a hit with the home cook. 

Basically, Tetrazzini is a casserole made with some type of cooked poultry, canned tuna or raw shrimp which is mixed with diced vegetables, cooked spaghetti and baked together in a luscious, buttery cream sauce.  It's one of those recipes that can incorporate all the food groups in one sitting; if you add diced tomatoes, well there's your fruit group right there.  One thing I know for certain, there will be no leftovers for this casserole.

Tetrazzini

Ingredients:

5 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp dry sherry
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb spaghetti, cooked and drained
½ cup roasted red bell pepper, diced
3 cups turkey breast, cooked and cut into ½ inch cubes **
3/4 cup dry, unseasoned bread crumbs
3 Tbsp melted butter

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9” x 13” baking dish with nonstick spray.

Make a roux by melting 3 Tbsp butter, on high heat in a large saucepan; whisk in flour until smooth. It is important to keep whisking, or roux will burn; and the process will have to be started over. Continue whisking while adding chicken broth; sauce will thicken. Whisk in cream, sherry, cheese and black pepper; remove from heat when mixture is smooth.

In a small nonstick skillet, on high heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter; sauté mushrooms and onions until softened; about three minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the spaghetti, roasted peppers, turkey, sautéed vegetables and sauce; spread evenly into the baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle evenly over the mixture in the baking dish. Bake, uncovered for 20-30 minutes, or until bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

Makes 8 servings.

**Options: Use the equivalent of cooked chicken, canned tuna or shrimp (raw, peeled and deveined)

Mary Cokenour

Rice Krispy Treats - Spoil your Inner Child

Sometimes, no matter how you try and repress childhood memories, well the bad ones at least, they still come back to haunt and intimidate you.  The good memories I have which are few and far between seem to mostly center around food.  One of these was the first time my mother made rice krispy treats for me.  They were so gooey, but crunchy and deliciously sweet; but she only made them once as she felt the "mess in the pan" wasn't worth the effort.   As I grew older, I was able to obtain these treats in stores, and eventually learned to make them myself once I adopted my son.  I don't understand why the big fuss over the "mess in the pan" as it easily cleans out with hot soapy water and a sponge.

Anyway, a little history about this childhood treat; it was invented in 1939 by Malitta Jensen and Mildred Day, and the Kelloggs Company of course, to help raise money for the Campfire Girls Foundation.  It was a simple recipe of melted butter and mini-marshmallows mixed into rice krispies, allowed to cool, cut up into squares and enjoyed.   Nowadays, this simple recipe can include any manner of mixture from different types of cereal, toasted oatmeal, crushed granola, nuts, dried fruit and mini-candy pieces.

Making treats nowadays might take a little more calculation too, depending on the density of the cereal used plus any other added ingredients, and the size of the pan used as well.  Normally it is 1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons), 1 (10 ounce) package of mini-marshmallows (they melt quicker) and 6 cups of rice krispy cereal.  It is all pressed into a greased (with butter) 2 quart rectangular baking dish; cooled for an hour and then cut into squares.  While the butter and marshmallows can be melted in a stovetop pan, nowadays a microwave is more convenient and makes it easier to control the melting process to avoid burning. 

I made peanut butter treats just yesterday and while you might think I made them too thin; as far as I'm concerned, that means I have a lot more to enjoy.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients:

7 cups rice krispy cereal
1 stick (8 Tbsp) salted butter plus 1/2 Tbsp for greasing dish
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 (10 oz) bag mini-marshmallows (make sure they are fresh!)


Preparation:

Into a large mixing bowl, measure out 7 cups of rice krispy cereal; lightly grease a 13" x 9" baking dish with butter.

Into a medium mixing bowl, melt the butter and peanut butter in the microwave for 45 seconds; add in the marshmallows and toss to coat. Microwave for 60 seconds, mix thoroughly; microwave another 30 seconds, mix and pour over cereal. Using a sturdy spoon, mix together so the cereal is thoroughly incorporated. Put the mixture into the baking dish and press out to the sides as evenly as possible; cover with plastic wrap and let cool on counter for one hour. Cut into squares and enjoy.

Do yourself a favor and spoil your inner child once in awhile; you deserve it.

Mary Cokenour

Wrapped and Deep Fried, Maybe.

Deciding to do a post on spring rolls, I did not anticipate the variety of such an item between, not just Asian countries, but Mexico and South America also. I mean sure, you get an appetizer in many places called Southwestern Spring or Egg Rolls, but are they really?

So what is the difference between a spring and an egg roll? Mainly the ingredients, size and texture of the wrappers; spring roll wrappers are paper thin, more pliable, smaller and made of rice flour, water and salt. Egg roll wrappers are thicker and made with all purpose flour, water, cornstarch and egg; they are very similiar to a cannoli shell. Spring rolls can be deep fried or not, egg rolls are normally deep fried; and the ingredients wrapped up in both of them can be endless combinations.

Spring rolls typically refer to the fresh, young vegetables available in spring time; cut or chopped into small pieces, perhaps mixed with marinated meat or poultry. The fillings might be mixed with a sauce, or the sauce served on the side for dipping. In Mexico, spring rolls are called Rollos Primavera and served with a dipping sauce of ketchup mixed with a spicy, hot mustard. Argentina and Brazil have their own versions of spring rolls, and the dipping sauce is typically sweet and hot. Of course there is the eggroll which usually has a spicy beef mixture with beans; maybe rice, corn or both included. Similiar to a taquito, but using a traditional Chinese eggroll wrapper and wrapping technique instead.

 

Basic Spring Roll Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp canola oil
1 large carrot, shredded
1 cup Chinese (Napa) cabbage, shredded
2 green onions, diced
1 cup bean sprouts
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
12 spring roll wrappers
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water
4-6 cups canola oil (dependent on use of Wok or deep skillet)

Optional ingredients: 1/2 lb of shredded pork, chicken or beef; or chopped shrimp. Mix with 1 Tbsp oyster sauce and 1/2 tsp baking soda; marinate for 1/2 hour.

Preparation:

On high heat in either Wok or deep skillet, stir fry carrot, cabbage, green onion and bean sprouts for one minute; add oyster sauce and sesame oil; toss and remove from heat. If using an optional meat, poultry or shrimp; add 2 more Tbsp of oil; when hot, stir fry until ingredients just begins to turn color; remove from heat and mix with vegetables.

Into Wok or skillet add, cups of oil to 1 1/2 inches; while oil is heating (to 375F), prepare rolls. Place wrappers in diamond shape position; combine cornstarch and water. Place a tablespoon of stir fried mixture in center; coat all edges of wrapper with water mixture. Fold top and bottom of "diamond" slightly over filling; begin rolling from left to right and seal with extra water mixture if needed. Fry rolls 3 at a time until golden brown; drain on paper towels.

Makes 12 spring rolls.

Of course spring rolls do not have to be deep fried, just roll them up, but only use water to seal the edges.   Make sure, when stir frying the meat, poultry or shrimp that they are cooked thoroughly before adding to the vegetable mixture.

Mary Cokenour

Tuna Sandwich that aims to Cheese.

Usually when having a sandwich, it might come accompanied by a side such as potato chips, french fries, cole slaw, etc. Then again, since I was a little child, I've always taken my potato chips and put them inside my tuna salad sandwich. The crunch factor was awesome and it just made the two separate items taste so good together. Oh sure, lots of folks add a crunch factor to their salads with chopped up bell peppers, onions or celery, but they can't beat good old fashioned potato chips.

Then there is the grilled cheese sandwich which can be just plain cheese or include any numbers of taste additives such as bacon, ham, or dare I say it....tuna salad. On a diner menu, you would see this item listed as a tuna melt, but who are we kidding, it's a grilled cheese sandwich with tuna salad added in. Simple comfort food goodness! Now a typical side for a grilled cheese is tomato soup, but macaroni and cheese is very welcomed.

Now the point to all this? How about if we took an old fashioned tuna melt and put the macaroni and cheese inside before grilling it? Have I gone nuts? Well I hope so, and so does my family, since they love this goody from the sandwich realm.

Now for the macaroni and cheese, here's a tip: after cooking it up, place it inside a buttered loaf pan and cool it in the refrigerator for a half hour. It will be easier to make slices that fit into the sandwich itself.

Simply put, have your tuna salad and macaroni and cheese made up before hand. My tuna salad is a mixture of albacore white plus chunk light; two (5 ounce) cans of white to one (5 ounce) light; two tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper and one tablespoon of diced onion. If you're not in the mood to make a homemade macaroni and cheese, a packaged brand like Velveeta works best, since it has the liquid cheese sauce, not a powdered mix.

If you have a square flat top griddle for the stove top, heat it up on medium-high heat and melt a couple of tablespoons of butter on it. While that's heating up, take 4 slices of bread and generously butter one side of each slice. Place them butter side down on the griddle; place a slice of American or cheddar cheese on each slice.

Wait one minute before placing a slice (about one inch thick) of macaroni and cheese on one slice of bread, and a half cup of tuna salad spread out on the opposite slice. When you start to hear sizzling in the pan, time to put the sandwiches together.

With a wide spatula, quickly and gently lift up the macaroni and cheese side of the sandwich onto the tuna side. Use a spatula to press the sandwiches down lightly; you want to make a seal with the cheese, but not squeeze out the insides. Wait 30 seconds and flip the sandwiches over; wait another 30 seconds and remove to a plate. Cut and enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

Cafe in the Bluff.

Bluff City Cafe

281 East Main
Bluff, Utah, 84512

(435) 672-9956

Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bluff-City-Cafe/352932808118811

Reed Sampson of Fattboyz Grillin fame has once again been able to take over one of the many failed restaurants of his area, and turn it to his advantage. The former San Juan River Kitchens is now the site of the new Bluff City Cafe; featuring a scaled down version of the menu from Fattboyz, but new recipes are in the works to attract the tourists, and artists group known to frequent the Bluff area. The addition of a liquor license will allow the Cafe to serve beer and wine to its diners; a much asked for commodity in this rather "dry" area encompassing the strict "NO alcohol" policy of the City of Blanding; and its influence on the eateries of Monticello also.













The Cafe includes diner type seating with a counter and stools; while tables allow for intimate two person seating to larger groups. Works from local artists decorate the walls; and the dining area itself is open and airy.



We started off our meals with BBQ Chicken Wings; fried crispy texture on the outside with tender meat inside; a delicious, tangy barbeque sauce coating the chicken, but not overwhelming it. Most meals come with a choice of soup or salad; and we chose the salad which is generous in portion for a side.



My husband stayed with a chicken theme for the evening by ordering the Fried Chicken dinner. Three pieces of single batter dipped chicken; the coating so light and crispy, it could be its own appetizer. The chicken pieces were large and meaty, perfectly cooked, juicy and let me stress this...NOT greasy! The side of mashed potatoes were Fattboyz own signature garlic red skinned potatoes.





I enjoyed the special for the evening, the Ribeye Steak dinner; a large, tender steak with a wonderful charcoal flavoring. I ended up taking half the steak home and my hubby got to enjoy a lovely steak and eggs breakfast the next morning. I too had those yummy mashed potatoes.


We treated ourselves to a slice of raspberry cheesecake and wonderful conversation with Juelz Sampson (Reed's sister) and her husband Yock.

Coming back from a trip to Monument Valley or Arizona; looking for a good meal, welcoming atmosphere and friendly people....don't look further than the Bluff City Cafe.

Mary Cokenour


UPDATE:  Owner announced that this restaurant is out of business as of August 23, 2013.

More to Corn than just the Cob.

Corn is that versatile vegetable that can be used to make a variety of food stuffs such as grits, polenta, tortillas, bread; nevermind side dishes such as corn pudding, succotash or an added ingredient to casseroles. Roasted or boiled on the corn is one of the most popular summer time favorites for a barbequed feast. Don't forget popped corn as a snack for movie watching, but what about as a batter dipped, deep fried goodie. No, I'm not talking about corndogs; I'm talking about corn nuggets.

Creamy, corny goodness encased in a deep fried coating similiar to that on a corndog, but without the meat. I've had them in a restaurant as an appetizer; they can just be a great snack food; or served as a side dish for a simple meal such as burgers, even at a barbeque. While you might be able to find them in the frozen food section of a supermarket, you're better off just making them fresh at home. Give them a try!

Corn Nuggets

Ingredients:

1 (14 ¼ oz) can creamed style corn
1 (14 ¼ oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
¾ cup cornmeal
¾ cup flour
2 egg whites
3 Tbsp milk
¼ tsp each salt
Canola oil for frying

Preparation:

In a small bowl, mix together both cans of corn; line a jelly roll pan with wax paper; spoon tablespoons of mixture onto wax paper and freeze until firm (about 3 hours).

Fill a deep fryer to fill line, or a deep skillet to one inch, with oil; bring temperature up to 350F. While oil is heating, in a medium bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, egg whites and salt thoroughly. Dip frozen corn into the batter and then deep fry, 4-5 at a time, until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain; serve as is or with assortment of sauces.

Makes about 2 dozen.

Options: before freezing, add to corn mixture, ¼ cup of crisp, crumbled bacon; petite diced bell peppers, chile peppers or onions; or a combination of ingredients.

Mary Cokenour