SOUTH OF THE BORDER

As I was stuck in traffic this morning in front of my favorite little neighborhood grocery, Comptons (mentioned in past posts for their superb meat department), I noticed that along with a great sale on split chicken breasts (always buy them on the bone, Thank You!) they have pork butts on sale for 98 cents a pound. This is not the cheapest I've seen them, but a very decent price and I'm always ready to go "Pork." So, I am putting the pork butt on my shopping list for the weekend and plan on making some Pork Adobada sometime soon. I have spoke about this recipe before , but it is definitely worth another mention. It is so easy and soooo GOOD! Great leftovers and if you need to, it freezes well, also. I love the taste of authentic Mexican food and this dish has all those deep, rich flavors that are so satisfying and just tastes like nothing else. "Nothing else" in my neighborhood, that is! (Ok, maybe those folks on the corner of Town Valley Court and Tea Garden may have a similar recipe, but I know I've got this convered on Pekoe Circle.)

So read the recipe below. Go find a good deal on a Pork Butt and try this dish. If you love Pork, you'll put this one in the recipe box and go back to it again and again. If you love complex, interesting, deep flavors, you'll love this. If you have a crock pot and want to razzle dazzle some company with something totally different and impressive and have time to sit and spend time with them instead of fretting over a stove...this dish is the one for you. Damn! Just try this dish! Don't be intimidated by roasting the peppers. It's good to learn a little trick every now and then, plus you'll feel like a million bucks and proud of yourself after you do it and wonder why you avoided any recipes that called for roasted peppers before. It is a whole new method to adding a lot of flavor to your cooking. It may not be the most complex of Mexican dishes, but it sure as heck isn't Taco Bell! After this you'll be ready to try the Chili Rellenos with Picadillo recipe. That one has some really interesting flavors going on...raisins, cinnamon, clove...I know the combination sounds strange to us gringos, but wow...it is delicious. For sure Chili Rellenos its a lot more more hands on than this, but they are both great ethic additiosn to your recipe box.

COMFORTCOOK -
"AT HOME ON THE RANGE CATERING"
Nashville, TN 615-525-8336
http://www.comfortcook@gmail.com/


PORK ADOBADA

Ingredients:

6 New Mexico Anaheim dried red chilies
4 dried Ancho peppers (These are the dark red dried peppers. Dried Poblanos, actually)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 medium onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-2 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 lbs lean pork, cut into bite-sized pieces (I use Pork Butt , but you could use a loin.)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Tear chili pods into pieces, removing steam and reserving seeds.
Place chili on baking sheet, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
When oven is hot roast the chili for 10 minutes.
Place the chili in blender container.
Bring the chicken stock to a boil, add cider vinegar and pour over chili.
Allow to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes to soften chili.
Add orange juice concentrate, tomato paste, brown sugar and cumin.
Blend into a smooth paste, add 1 tablespoon of the chili seeds and blend until smooth.
Warm olive oil in skillet, add onions and garlic.
Saute until onions begin to brown lightly then pour onions into crock pot.
Toss the pork with 1 tablespoon of flour.
In same skillet add pork cubes and brown stirring frequently.
May need to brown the meat in batches to ensure even browning,.
As meat is browned, transfer to crock pot.
When all the meat has been browned, pour 1/2 cup water into skillet, bring to a boil and scrape up browned bits.
Pour into crock pot along with chili sauce, stirring well.
Cover and cook on low 4 to 5 or until pork cubes are tender.
Serve with some great garnishes such as Cilantro, grated cheese or Queso Fresco, diced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, lime wedges, Sour Cream and flour and corn tortillas. Let everyone build their own combination. Have lots of Frosty, Cold, Barley Pops (BEER!!) on hand!! El- Schlurpo!

BIG TIP: The Pork Butt is a moister cut of pork than a loin and pork tenderloin would just disintegrate in a crock pot after that amount of time. Pork Loin would work but would be drier. Also, ANYTIME you are using your crock pot, add a layer of foil to the top before putting the crock pot lid on. And NEVER!!! take the lid off during the cooking time. I know it sounds like an exaggeration, but you lose 20 - 30 minutes cooking time each time you "peek" in your crock pot. Have Faith!!

WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

In past posts I've talked about the fact that I am a little obsessed when it comes to cookbooks, food magazines or any media pertaining to food and cooking. I have a few all time "GO TO" cookbooks and some of my all time favorites are the quarterly publications from Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens and Taste of Home. These tend to be specific to a season or to a cooking method, i.e. grilling or 225 ways to cook a chicken. I have found some of my family's favorites this way. Having said that, I refer to the fact that the other night I was on the deck with 3 cooking "magazines" in front of me and 4 Bone in, skin on, chicken breasts in the refrigerator. With chicken on my mind, I went to the grilling section in each one and then got more specific and began combing through the all chicken one by Taste of Home magazine,
"225 Chicken Dishes." It was there that I came across a picture of some White Chicken Enchiladas that looked ( and sounded) delicious. Let's see....Cream cheese? Check. Sour cream? Check, check. Cheddar cheese? You get the picture...this was hitting all the high notes for me. I had been healthy enough with all the grilling that had been going on. Time to get a little ooey- gooey goodness back on the table.
The following is the recipe from Taste of Home. We loved it and it was so easy. I made a couple of changes to the original, which I have duly noted. You are really gonna like this and if you think it's a little too heavy for this time of year...hang on to this recipe and make it in the fall. Do make it though...it's a "keeper."

WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

12 white or yellow corn Tortillas (6 in. size)
4 Oz. cream cheese
1 TBS plus 1 cup 2% milk, divided
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 Cups cubed cooked chicken breasts
1/2 C chopped green onion (whites and tops)
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
(NOTE:
I substituted 4 oz can of chopped green chillies for the red pepper )

1 Can(10-3/4 oz) Condensed Cream of Chicken soup, undiluted
1 C (8 oz) sour cream
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese ( or substitute Monterrey jack for spicier version)

Wrap tortillas in foil. Bake at 350 for 10 min. till softened. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 TBS milk and cumin until smooth. Stir in chicken. In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onions and red pepper until softened. Stir into chicken mixture. (If using canned green chillies, add directly to chicken mixture.)
In another bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, jalapenos, cayenne and remaining milk. Stir 2 TBS soup mixture into chicken mixture. Place 1/3 cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up.
Place seam side down in a 13x9x2 in. backing dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining soup mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and dish is heated through. Yields 6 servings.
TIP: Use reduced fat cream cheese sour cream and milk to cut back on the fat and calories. It's still a great dish.

http://www.myrecipes.com/
Southern Living recipe site

http://www.tasteofhome.com/
Taste of Home recipe site

contact me @
www.comfortcook@gmail.com

COMFORTCOOK CATERING
615-525-8336
Nashville, TN