Sour Tamarind Concentrate

There's no recipe. I just needed some Tamarind Concentrate so here we are. I don't know if this is the correct way to make this, but it is the way I do it and my mom helped me so. I'm right, you're wrong. Just kidding, you do you.

 

Most important thing is that you have Sour Tamarind's not sweet ones.

Peel them, and add them to a pot with a disk or two of palm sugar if you want. Next time I am leaving the sugar out only because I can control the amount of sugar when I am cooking easier.

Cover with water, about 1 inch above the fruit, and then bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down and simmer. Stirring. The seeds and the stringy bean stuff will separate from the fruit. Keep simmering until the fruit has dissolved into the liquid.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve and discard the stringy bean stuff, and the seeds. Let cool and keep covered in the refrigerator. I use it for soups and papaya salad.

Rosemary Fig Preserves

We're blessed that the house we're in came with a fig tree. The problem is only two of us eat fresh figs and not a lot at that. I decided to use them up this year. Some are chopped in the freezer to make bread later and some I made these preserves with. The thing about these preserves is that they have converted two fig "haters" sure they still don't like them off the tree but they do like them prepared this way.

Sous Vide Garlic Confit

This is so very simple but a jar of this in your refrigerator is great to have. Both the garlic cloves and the infused oil can be spread on bread, used in stir fry, fried rice, in dressings and marinades, on steaks, grilled vegetables, in mashed potatoes, and so much more.

Chile de Arbol Salsa

This spicy salsa was posted on Facebook in a group I belong to, well the ingredient list and basic method. It's really yummy. I wanted a more smokey flavor so broiling the veggies for some char gives it that flavor. I also added dried Thai chiles. Very spicy. 

I'm going to write the recipes both ways, the original method and my way, you can try whichever you'd like.

Chili Oil (Jeaw Mak Phet) and Shallot Oil

I love using Chili Oil and Shallot Oil as condiments. They are often seen in many Asian restaurants. They are used for Dim Sum, Congee, in Noodle bowls such as Ramen, Khao Piek Sen, Pho, etc. Just about anything you want to add spice or garlic/shallot flavor to. They are also used in cooking, for stir fry and soup bases. In Laos this would be called Jeaw Mak Phet.

As with a lot of cooking there are no set measurements for these oils.  Play with the flavor combinations to come up with your favorite. In Chinese Chili Oil there is often bay leaf, star anise, sesame seeds sometimes cinnamon. I know the local Ramen place near me adds Sichuan peppercorn which I love and add to mine.  

Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

It's the warmer weather that's got us eating more salads! I love fresh crisp salads. I don't use a lot of dressing, I used to drench my salads in dressing as a kid. Now I like just a little for flavor. Because I don't use a lot I like the flavors to be bold. This Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette is just that, bold, spicy, and flavorful.
It is whole30 compliant so it has no added sugar, no dairy, no soy, no gluten, no grains. It keeps well in the fridge and if you get the emulsion right it's nice and creamy. If you like a thinner dressing, add a little more vinegar or water.

BLT Salad With Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

I love when the weather gets warmer, I tend to crave crisp lettuce greens and fresh vegetables more. I call it salad weather. I'll eat salads in the winter, I just crave them less when it's cold out. This BLT salad is simple and the vinaigrette can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator.  The whole salad is a great for meal prep, keep all the vegetables washed and ready, the bacon can be made ahead of time, the steak is optional but it can also be made ahead.

All The Ranch Dressings

Whole 30 and Paleo compliant Ranch Dressing.

There are so many versions of this Ranch dressing out there that it's hard to pick just one. Here is my version for a basic Ranch that is Whole 30 compliant, and some variations. Avocado, Peppercorn, Spicy Chipotle, and Greek. This is a perfect option for when you want a little more than oil and vinegar, or a wedge of lime or lemon and salt and pepper on your salad. By the way, a wedge of lime squeezed over a salad with salt and pepper is so yum.

Jambalaya

Seafood Jambalaya.

 I have been making this same Jambalaya recipe for a couple years now. I got it from a friend online. It's fairly easy to make. I never posted the recipe because there is a bit of eyeballing and tweaking when doing this on the stove top for me. Sometimes I need more water, sometimes less. It's got a lot to do with how tight fitting your lid is on the pot, how much evaporation happens each time, stuff like that. It's not that it's a hard dish to make, it's that it's a hard dish to give concrete measurements for. You'll find that the more you make this the easier it is to tell just by looking in the pot how much stock or water is needed for  rice that isn't too wet. You also don't want it to be crunchy. The plate above I made on the stove top with a medium grain rice. The plate below I made in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot. Both methods take about the same amount of time, maybe a bit less time in the Instant Pot.

Pumpkin Butter and Pumpkin Butta (Instant Pot)

Pumpkin Muffins slathered with Pumpkin Butta? Yes, please.

PUMPKIN SEASON IS UPON US! I love pumpkin. Love seeing those cute little sugar pumpkins pop up in stores and at the Farmer's Market. Not that I go to the Farmer's Market a ton. I love sweet pumpkin treats and like to have them year round. These two recipes can be made during peak pumpkin season and kept in the freezer to be enjoyed later.

Quick Vanilla Lemon Curd with Vanilla Bean Yogurt

Let me start off by saying that I will never never make Lemon Curd any other way as long as I have an Instant Pot. It's so ridiculously easy. There's no standing over the stove making sure this doesn't scorch on the bottom. It only takes like nine minutes of cooking time. I keep using my Instant Pot more and more. The yogurt was also made in the Instant Pot. Both were pretty hands off, other than the straining bit for the yogurt.
If you like a certain yogurt that's sold in what looks like deli containers, that's starts with the letter "N". I'm telling you this is better. Granted it's not as sweet, but I prefer not as sweet.
The Lemon Curd is perfect for scones, on top of ice cream, yogurt, in between layers of sponge cakes, on top of cheesecakes. I've eaten it off of a spoon. It also freezes well if you ever need to use up a bunch of lemons.

Pressure Cooker Hatch Green Chile Sauce

It's Chile Season y'all! The girls and I went and picked up our annual stash of Hatch Green Chile this year. We have been so blessed to have a couple of local grocery stores that stock them.Two of which will roast them in big roasters like they do back in the 505. That's New Mexico. This year my oldest chose "hot", we ended up with 40 pounds. The girls helped me peel and deseed them all. 

Greek Salad Dressing

This Greek salad dressing can be made vegan or paleo.

This Greek Salad dressing. I can drink this dressing up. It's very simple to make, the kids can do this one on their own, just some supervision with the blender! It's tangy, flavorful, and easy to make with ingredients you have on hand. To make this a vegan dressing use sugar instead of honey.
I serve this drizzled on a salad with Greek Chicken. I forgot the goat cheese in this picture! Feta would be awesome also.
You can also use it to marinate chicken.

Hatch Green Chile Sauce

New Mexico Hatch green chile makes the best sauce to smother over just about everything. But other roasted peppers can be used too, like poblanos.

Fall isn't just pumpkin season, fall is also Hatch Green Chile season and it's right up there with pumpkin to me! This sauce is versatile. I use to for eggs, enchiladas, dipping sauce, on steaks, shrimp tacos, on burgers, on chicken...
If you can't find Hatch Green Chile use Anaheim, Poblano, most any big green chile that is fresh.  This sauce can be made grain free, check the notes section.

Use this sauce for these amazing Green Chile Pepper Jack Enchiladas.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

It's almost here! Fall! I'm so excited. I love fall weather, gorgeous fall leaves, boots, and pumpkin, pumpkin, PUMPKIN! I'm finally getting around to sharing how I make my Pumpkin Pie Spice with you! I love mixing my own spice seasonings, I can tweak them to our liking.
This pie spice is fragrant and flavorful. I used some whole spices, but pre ground works great. Sometimes I add powdered vanilla to this mix also.

Simply Stinking Good Hummus

Sometimes things can be simplified and it's just better. This hummus is one of those dishes- for me. It used to be that when I wanted to make hummus I had two problems

1. I had to go out and buy tahini because I didn't have any.

2. I had tahini but it was expired. 

After I made hummus, I had tahini sitting in the fridge and there's TWO things I use tahini for. Hummus and Sukiyaki Sauce- which is awesome, but that's another post. I just don't use tahini enough. So I decided to make hummus without it. I add a little something to give it that tahini flavor, it's an ingredient I always have  on hand, AND it has a longer shelf life. Perfection. Simple. Easy. Still stinking good.
If you'd like some Pita bread with your hummus, I've got you covered HERE.

Let us go forth and maketh hummus.
Greek Chicken Kabobs
Perfect Pita Bread

Simply Stinking Good Hummus

Simple Roasted Garlic Hummus

Give Peas A Chance Simply Stinking Good Hummus

1- 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained, or one can of chickpeas rinsed and drained

1-2 cloves of garlic, grated (or mashed into a paste with a little salt)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 teaspoons sesame seed oil

1 Lemon, reserve zest

Water

Kosher salt

Cayenne pepper (to taste, optional)

Top with-

Olive oil

Paprika

Flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. Place chickpeas in the food processor or blender.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil to the food processor, processes until smooth. 
3. Add lemon zest (optional) and juice from half the lemon and process.
4. Add remaining oil to the chickpeas, if needed to get the consistency smooth. 
5. If the hummus is not as smooth a consistency you like, add a tablespoon of water at a time and process.
6. TASTE.
7. Add salt, lemon juice, and sesame oil to adjust seasonings as needed.
8. Transfer hummus to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and top with paprika and or flat leaf parsley.

-Roasted Garlic can be used

-I usually double this recipe.

-It's not traditional but curry powder, or cumin are good in hummus also.

Tilapia With Cilantro Ginger Sauce

This may be the best way to have Tilapia fillets. Granted I'm not  fish expert. I assess things by how my family eats and Pixie will eat 2/3 of a fillet - which is three servings for her. She isn't a big eater, so this is pretty much crazy, have to stop her stuff. Piglet and Diva have seconds usually also. Certainly a go to dish for me to make, it doesn't take long either.
I put together this Cilantro Ginger Sauce because every time we go to a certain Chinese restaurant (China Express, you can read the review through that link) in Chinatown here we puffy heart the ginger sauce. So I decided to make something like it. It's not the same because theirs has no lime and it's got a lot of vegetable oil in it. It's so good though. We stir it into stir fry, dip dumplings into it, stir it in to bowls of hand stretched noodles. YUM.

Green Goddess Goodness

One of my favorite things at the Melting Pot is their Green Goddess Dressing. It's so good. I love stuffing the mushrooms with it, dipping the veggies in it, eating it off of a spoon. It's embarrassing, but not enough to hide it from you all. The thing about making it at home is that I can do all of that stuff and no one sees me.
This goodness is great stuffed into mushrooms, celery, used as a dip for vegetables. It's also very easy to make. So enjoy!

Give Peas A Chance Green Goddess Dressing/Dip/Goodness

8 ounces cream cheese
1/4-1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped or minced  parsley
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Milk for thinning
Kosher salt
Pepper

Mix it together. Season with salt and a little pepper to taste. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for a good 4 hours or more.
*I use less fresh onion usually because I just don't like raw onions much.
*dried chives are fine, just use less
*sometimes I add Summer Savory too

Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

One of my favorite salads is this Asian Sesame Chicken salad. The dressing has a little tang, some kick from the jalapenos. Not a lot, but you can leave the Jalapenos out if you like. The dressing can be made ahead of time, leave the cilantro out and toss it in the salad at the last minute.
Since there's no egg or mayonnaise, this salad is great for picnics, I hope you'll try it.
I always make extra wonton strips because everyone keeps eating them off the plate!

Popovers with Strawberry Honey Butter

Yummy. Really yummy. Strawberries are coming in season too, so you must try these! Perhaps tomorrow for Mother's Day?
I based this popover recipe on the Dutch Baby we like so much. I used to make these in a muffin tin, same with my Yorkshire Pudding. Then I went to Zulily one day and Chicago Metallic was on there, so I got this little pan. But if you don't have a pan just use a muffin tin.