Chicken Stock

2 chicken carcasses,

wing tips
1 large onion, quartered
4 carrots,
2 jalapenos
1 Serrano pepper
10 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
8 to 10 peppercorns
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled
8 cups all natural sodium free chicken broth
4 cups water


Place chicken, vegetables, and herbs and spices in large stockpot. Cook on high heat until boiling. Turn heat down to medium low so that stock maintains low, gentle simmer. 

Skim the scum from the stock with a spoon every 30 minutes. Add hot water as needed to keep bones and vegetables submerged. Simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 hours.







Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer.

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Sopa de Crema de Poblano y Papas (Cream of Poblano and Potato Soup)

4 lg poblano chiles
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium sweet onion, grated
2 lg garlic cloves, crushed
3 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 cup chicken stock**
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (thawed) 
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt

** I recommend a stock simmered with chiles.   My recipe is in my blog

1. Roast the chiles directly over a gas flame or under a preheated broiler, turning frequently with tongs, until charred all over, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Watch carefully to prevent charring too much or the chiles may get too soft.  Place in a plastic bag and steam about 5 minutes.  Scrape off the charred skin.  Cut the chiles open, remove the seeds and veins.  Chop coarsely and reserve.

2. In a large heavy saucepan, heat the butter and oil over medium heat.  Cook the onion stirring frequently until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the potato, water, garlic cloves and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the potato is very tender, about 15 minutes.

3. When the potato is done, either use a stick blender to blend the contents of the saucepan, or use a blender or food processor.  Add the reserved chiles, cilantro cream and salt.  Puree until smooth.  Return the soup to the saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.  Divide the soup among four bowls.  Garnish with about 2 tablespoons of corn, and sprinkle with cilantro

Spit Fire Shrimp

For the seasoning:

1 lime zested and juiced

1/2 cup hot cayenne pepper sauce

1 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning

Shrimp:

4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

2 shallots, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil  

2 tbsp butter

2 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

12 blades fresh chives, chopped for garnish

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Combine lime juice and zest, hot sauce, cumin, red pepper flakes, and Old Bay.  Quickly saute garlic and shallots in oil and butter for 1 minute.  Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink.  Dump shrimp into bowl with seasoning, toss to coat evenly. Garnish with chopped chives and cilantro.  Serve warm or chilled.

Mom's Chili

I know there are a lot of chili recipes out there, but you have to give this one a try.  This chili is spicy and savory.  I guarantee this will be your new go-to chili recipe. 

2 lbs course ground beef 
1 lb sweet Italian sausage
1 lb hot Italian sausage 
1 large can chili beans
1 small can kidney beans (lightly mashed) 
1/2 can diced jalapenos 
2 cans rotel 
2 cans stewed tomatoes, cut up in the can
2 cans tomato sauce w/celery and green peppers
1 large onion chopped
1 can tomato paste 
3/4 can beer 
1 packet chili seasoning 
1 tbsp ginger


Brown hamburger, sausage and onion until crumbly, add garlic, drain grease.  Add beans, jalapenos, rotel, tomato sauce, tomato paste, seasoning mix and ginger.  Simmer for 1/2 hour, add beer and simmer until ready to eat. 


Top with shredded cheese, onions, sour cream and fritos.

Back to the Basics

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. As most women were swooning over their dozen roses, chocolates and jewelry, I was admiring my Valentine's Day present - Cookbooks :) No, I didn't get the normal gifts, and I didn't want them. On a holiday based on passion, my husband got me something he knew I was passionate about, cooking.

Now I have specialty cookbooks - Mexican, Spanish, Caribbean, Slow cooker, Tapas, Appetizers. But I don't have that resource cookbook to teach you how to do everything from poach an egg to cut up a chicken. That's what the Internet is for right? When decide what to cook, I tend to fire up my computer or go on to my Epicurious app on my phone; I rarely open up my cookbooks. It's just quicker. Well I am done with quicker, I want the feeling of a real book in my hand and the luxury of thousands of recipes in my hand. Now I know it's still easier for the Internet, but I've gotten burned so many times by recipes that were horrendous.

So not only did I get one how to do everything cookbook, but three. Three cookbooks that will be my go to from now on, The Joy of Cooking, How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

I spent hours and hours looking through these cookbooks just admiring the recipes. Deciding how I was going to use them, and what changes I could make so that they were mine. I am not a recipe follower, but now if I want to experiment with something I haven't done before, I have the how to's in my hands.

My husband was just as excited. He loves to help me cook, and pick out what we eat. We can cuddle on the couch and page through the pages for inspiration together. It is definitely more personal than the computer.

I guess it's kind of ironic that here I am blogging about getting back to the basics, but that's the luxury of it all. I can.

Seared Scallops with Sweet Chili-Lime Butter

2 lg limes
3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp Asain sweet chili sauce
12 sea scallops, patted dry

Using a microplane, finely grate enough peel from limes to measure 2 teaspoons. Cut one lime into wedges and reserve.

Mix butter, chili sauce, and lime peel in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper .

Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Sear scallops in hot pan , about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Place scallops on platter and drop butter mixture in small dallops over scallops and squeeze lime wedges over.

Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

Combine in a large plastic bag:1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

Add and shake until completely coated:1 whole chicken, sectioned

Heat in a large heavy pot over med. heat:4 tbps vegetable oil

Brown the chicken pieces on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove to a platter. Set the pot aside.
Heat in a medium heavy saucepan:1/2 cup vegetable oil
Whisk in:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon over medium heat until the roux turns dark mahogany brown, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile combine in a small bowl:1 cup sliced okra
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red pepper

Remove the roux from the heat and stir until it stops bubbling, 1-2 minutes. Very carefully add the roux and the vegetable mixture to the stock pot. Whisk in :8 cups chicken stock
1 jar clam juice

Bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce the heat and add the chicken. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 mins. Remove the chicken from the pot.
Stir into the pot:12 oz andoullie sausage, cut into slices
1 tbsp chopped garlic

Simmer until the sausage is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Discard the chicken skin and bones, and shred the meat. Stir the chicken into the pot along with:1 1/2 pounds shrimp (uncooked), tailed and deveined
1 tbsp file powder
Salt to taste
Hot pepper sauce

Serve over cooked rice

Chocolate Coffee Mousse with Orange Whipped Cream and Rasperries

6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 tbsp unsalted butter
5 tbsp coffee, extra strong
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, separated into whites and yolks
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
Whipped cream (recipe below)
Raspberries (for garnish)


Heat 1 inch of water in large skillet over low heat until bubbles form along bottom; adjust heat to maintain temperature.


Combine chocolate, butter and 2 tbsp coffee in large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl in the water bath and stir until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the water and set aside.


Whisk the 3 egg yolks, 3 tbsp coffee and 3 tbsp sugar in another heatproof bowl. Whisk together. Set the bowl in the water bath and whisk constantly until thick and puffy, like marshmallow sauce. Remove from the water bath and whisk thoroughly into the melted chocolate. Let cool to room temperature.


Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer until foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until the peaks are stiff but not dry.


Using a large rubber spatula, stir one quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold in the remaining whites.


In stand mixer, beat 1/2 cup cold heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the cream into the chocolate mixture.


Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.


Serve with Orange whipped cream and fresh raspberries.


Orange Whipped Cream
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tbsp agave nectar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest


Beat cold cream in chilled bowl with chilled beaters at high until thickened.


Add nectar, vanilla, juice and zest and beat until desired consistency.

Mac and Cheese Carbonara

Unsalted butter, for the baking dish
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1-inch-thick slice bacon, cut into small dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk, or more if needed, hot
4 large egg yolks, lightly whisked
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) grated asiago cheese, plus more for the top
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for the top
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Monterey jack , plus more for the top
1 cup (4 ounces) grated pepper jack cheese, plus more for the top
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for the top
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked just under al dente
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-by-10-by-2-inch baking dish and set it aside.


Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
Add the garlic to the fat in the pan and cook until lightly golden brown, 1 minute.


Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk, raise the heat to high and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 3 to about 5 minutes. Whisk in the eggs until incorporated and let cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cayenne and all the different cheeses until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper. If the mixture appears too thick, add additional warm milk, 1/4 cup at a time.


Put the cooked macaroni in a large bowl, add the cheese sauce, reserved bacon, and the parsley, and stir until combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.


Combine an additional 1/4 cup of each cheese in a bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake until the dish is heated through and the top is a light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.