What a fun day! Ericka my twitter bestie is featuring my egg rolls on Nibbles and Feasts! Kill two birds with one stone…. get the recipe and check out her amazing blog while your at it.

I celebrate life everyday, but when there is a party to behold not only will I be there with bells on, I intend to have a BALL!  This past weekend one of my cousin’s turned 25, and held a theme party (hence the pink Marie Antoinette wig).  I wanted to make something sweet, simple and fun since she was having a candy bar along with a tribe of other sweets that included cupcakes and cookie sandwiches.  Donut Poppity Pops…  You are the winner!  The perfect hybrid between a lollipop and something cakey sweet!

Photos taken by: Nicole Presley and Mando Lopez

Ingredients for Donut Pops:

24 – glazed donut holes (I used Winchell’s)

24- small marshmallows (I use Kraft)

24 – lollipop sticks

1 – 11.5 ounce bag of milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips or both (I use Nestle)

1 – cup dyed coconut…. any color you like

candy sprinkles

Take a small marshmallow and push it an inch down lollipop stick then place/push donut hole on top.  Repeat until all donut holes are prepared.  Set to the side.

In a double boiler, or in a pot with boiling water and a metal bowl sitting on top, add chocolate chips and wait until they get shiny, then mix with a rubber spatula.  Mix constantly until chocolate is melted smooth.

Then take a donut pop and dip it into the melted chocolate.  Then hold chocolate covered donut pop over a plate and decorate with candy sprinkles or coconut or whatever else your heart desires.

Line a flat surface with wax paper and place decorated donut pop down for chocolate to dry/harden.  Continue making the next one and so on.  Let dry for 3 hours depending on weather.  If it’s super hot in your kitchen place in refrigerator.

That’s it…your done!  Take them to a party or enjoy your Donut Poppity Pops at home!

LET THEM EAT DONUT POPS!

In my dream last night, I was the lead vocalist for a mariachi group that solely showcased at a drive-in theater.  I remember my outfit had to be immaculate, and shining bright because I was going to have Luis Bunuel’s “Los Olvidados” playing as my backdrop. Flickering in my memory all the headlights from the cars were blinding my view, it was like a thick fog that I couldn’t reach through.  I sang “Por Un Amor” over and over again. It was the only song we were hired to play, and even when we took requests, it was the only song people asked for.  By the time I made it home my shoes were torn and my trenzas were ragged, the drive-in must have made a prisoner of me.  But here’s the highlight of the dream…. When I arrived home there was a big platter of enchiladas wrapped in plastic waiting for me at my doorstep, my mouth watered, I sniffed over the plastic wrap trying to detect their scent.  I stumbled over my own feet giving all my concentration to the glorious plate, as I was about to sit down and enjoy my cheesy surprise…. I WOKE UP to my son holding my ear in one hand and touching my cheek with the other.  I couldn’t go into my day without fulfilling my craving.  I HAD to have those ENCHILADAS that I was about to ravenously devour in my sleep!

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Ingredients for Enchilada Sauce:

1 – large onion peeled

3 – garlic cloves peeled

3 – ounces new mexico dried chile

3 – ounces california dried chile

1 – large dried passilla chile

3 – tablespoons salt

7 – cups water

In a big pot add water, 2 tablespoons of salt, all chiles, onion, and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil.  Boil for 20 minutes. Water will turn dark brown.

Remove chiles and garlic cloves from water. Discard onion. Do not discard water, you will be using it in the next step. Remove stems from chiles, then add to a blender along with 2 cups of water from the pot, garlic cloves, and a tablespoon of salt.  Blend for 2 minutes.

Once blended get a big bowl and add 1/2 cup of water from pot into the bowl, then take the blended chile and put through a strainer. It will be thick. Add a little bit of water from pot to chile strainer and scrape with a spoon. Use up to 3 cups of water for the entire process. It’s time consuming but your enchilada sauce will be clean and super tasty. Set to the side.

Enchilada Ingredients:

1 – cup vegetable oil plus 3 tablespoons

2 – medium sized Idaho potatoes (peeled and cubed)

black pepper for seasoning to your liking

1 – cup onion (diced small)

6 – ounces pork chorizo or soyrizo (remove casing before cooking)

1 – pound grated colby jack cheese ( I use Tillamook)

2.25 – ounces Lindsay sliced black olives

10 to 12 – king size corn tortillas ( I use Guerrero)

6 – Eggs (I use Horizon Organic)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.

In a large frying pan, over medium high flame, add 2 tablespoons oil. Allow to get hot and add cubed potatoes. Season with black pepper to your liking. Fry Idaho potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup of chopped onion and fry for 3 to 5 minutes. Then add chorizo or soyrizo. Remember to remove casing. Break up chorizo/soyrizo with a spatula, and mix into Idaho potato onion mixture. If you are using chorizo, fry for 10 minutes. If you are using soyrizo fry for 5. Then take off flame and set to the side in a bowl.

Take two large frying pans.  Fill one of your frying pans with 1 cup vegetable oil and heat over a med-high flame.  Allow to get hot. In the other frying pan, fill with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over a medium flame and wait till it gets hot, then pour in 3 to 4 cups of your enchilada sauce. Let the oil and chile combine then lower your flame very low, so that your chile will simmer.

Dip your corn tortilla into the (Oil) frying pan, and let it fry on each side for 30 seconds. You don’t want your tortilla to be too hard that it ends up looking like a tostada, but you don’t want it to rip in the rolling process either. What you’re looking for is a tortilla that is slightly hard but still bends.

Then with tongs… take your fried tortilla and immerse it into the enchilada sauce.

Then take it out and place it on a plate to fill with the fillings.

Start with a tablespoon of the Idaho potato chorizo/soyrizo mixture and a small spinkle of onions.

Then add a few Lindsay olives and a small handful of cheese.

Gently roll into a tube shape.

Then place in a 9×13 baking dish. Then start the frying process all over again until you fill your baking dish with as many enchiladas as you can.

Once they are all settled in, take remaining enchilada sauce from hot pan and spoon over top. Then sprinkle cheese and a few Lindsay olives on top as well.

Place in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and slightly crunchy!

🙂 For estilo New Mexico, fry an egg sunny side up and place it on top of two or three enchiladas. In my opinion…. that is absolutely worthy of a dream!

YOLK TIME!

Not only is this salad rapturous to my tongue, it’s complete fantasy to my eyes.  With a kaleidoscope of color that allures me to the bowl.  It looks like food that should appear in a Hayao Miyazaki film (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle), and heaven knows I’m a fan.

Radish and cauliflower in the same salad?  Sign me up!  I make this salad for my family and friends that are hard to please, and they always walk away CHARMED!

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Ingredients for Charming Cauliflower Salad:

4 – cups cauliflower (heads only)

2 – cups baby heirloom tomatoes (sliced in half)

3 – cups persian cucumber (sliced)

1 1/2 – cup radish (sliced)

2 – cups feta cheese (crumbled)

3 – cups pita chips

To your liking – Trader Joe’s Greek style feta dressing (Optional)

In a large pot  bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower heads and boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Then take off flame, drain and place in an ICE bath or run under cold water.

Drain cauliflower from ice bath and set to the side.  Meanwhile slice the other vegetables.

In a big mixing bowl add all ingredients.

Then mix with your hands or a spoon, until combined.  That’s it…you’re done.

I like to use feta dressing on top, but my mom likes to use Italian.  Either way, here’s a photo of the dressing I use. 🙂

Nice to meet you!

With summer creeping it’s way into our weather…  I thought it would be the perfect time to start my salad series.  Once a week I will be posting salads I make for my family in the hot months, when all you want is something fresh, delicious, and light.  Let’s start with Coleslaw.  I’m on a constant hunt for yummy coleslaw, and to be honest, rarely do I come across a good one.  Usually it doesn’t have enough crunch or it’s drenched in something tasteless.  You know the old saying, “If you want something done, do it yourself.”           SWEET.  CRUNCHY.  TANGY.  MINE.

Ingredients for slaw:

2 – cups red cabbage (thinly sliced)

1 – cup grated carrot

1 – cup grated green apple

1/2 – cup dried cranberries

3/4 – cup blue cheese dressing (I use Bob’s Big Boy)

1/2 – cup coarsely chopped almonds

In a large bowl, mix together cabbage, carrot, green apple, and cranberries.

Then add in the blue cheese dressing, and mix to distribute evenly.

Lastly add chopped almonds, and mix well.

Serve this coleslaw as a side at your next bar-b-que, or just eat it all on it’s own!

Mmmmmm!

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, I decided to post this guacamole recipe along with  flour tortilla chips.  This is the snack my family serves at every gathering.  Traditionally guacamole is served with corn tortilla chips, but oh my word it taste like heaven with flour.  Who doesn’t love a flour tortilla stuffed with avocado?  This is the perfect way for every one to enjoy this yummy combo.  Believe me it’s well worth the short time it takes to make the chips.  You’ll be lovestruck and so will your guests!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 – tablespoons minced jalapeno

5 – ripe Avocados from Mexico (cut in half)

1/4 – cup torn cilantro leaves

1 – teaspoon salt

1/2 – teaspoon black pepper

3/4 – cup chopped tomatoes

2/3 – cup chopped onion

1/2 – teaspoon chili flakes

1 – lime (juiced) (optional)

1 – cup vegetable oil

5 – flour tortillas (cut into 1 inch width long strips)

First start with the jalapenos, cut in half, discard stem and deseed. Mince.

Then chop tomato and onion and set to the side.

In a big mixing bowl add minced jalapeno, and avocado halves mash with a masher. Then add salt and black pepper and mix in with spoon.

Then add cilantro leaves, and mix in with spoon.

Now add chopped tomatoes and chopped onion. Mix in with spoon.

Lastly add chili flakes, and (optional) squeeze lime over top.  Then mix with spoon. You have yum yum guacamole!

Let’s make the chips!

Slice flour tortilla into 1 inch width long strips.

In a large frying pan, over a high flame add vegetable oil and allow to get hot.  Then add strips and let fry on each side for 30 seconds or until golden brown.

Take out of oil and let drain on a paper towel lined plate. Salt to taste.

Dip your warm chip into the guacamole and you are all good to GO!

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY: NICOLE PRESLEY

FELIZ!!!!!

* For the margarita please refer to my “Lime–Orange POW POW Margarita” recipe posted on March 21st.

This is the recipe my friends have been requesting since before I even started this blog. This is the one I turn to when I wanna overindulge.  This recipe has a way of making you feel like you just chatted with your oldest friend.  Pure comfort.  This is what I pull out of my hat when I’m feeling a celebration or my mood is just too happy for words to express…..  I’d much rather let my mac and cheese tap dance for me, and it does.

Through a friend, I was invited to an intimate dinner for a party of 7 at a strangers house, who happened to be a famous guitar player from one of my favorite bands as a teen.  I had no idea what was being prepared for the gathering, but I didn’t want to show up empty handed.  I know I could have easily picked up a bottle of wine, but I wanted to contribute to the meal.  I settled on mac and cheese…. I thought “how can you go wrong?”  Except I had never attempted to make it before that day.  I thought it over for a couple of minutes and wondered what I could do to make it a  step above scrumptious.  I decided to spruce mine up with some honey baked ham, tomatoes, mushrooms, and gruyere cheese.  Now for the topping….  I didn’t want to use regular bread crumbs, because they sometimes tend to get soggy, and I was really shooting for crunchy.  I flirted with the idea of using crumbled potato chips, but once panko crossed my mind it was a done deal.  The rest of the recipe came together quickly, and when we all sat down for dinner that night, my mac and cheese was given so much praise…  all I could do was smile and blush.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 – tablespoons olive oil

1 – pint cherry tomatoes (cut in half)

1 – tablespoon Lawry’s seasoning salt plus 1 teaspoon

1 – tablespoon black pepper plus 1 teaspoon

1 – pound pasta shells or macaroni (I use Barilla)

8 – ounces sliced mushrooms

2 – cups chopped ham (I use honey baked ham)

1/4 – cup chopped green onion (white part only)

1/4 – cup torn pieces of fresh basil

2 1/2 – cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 1/2 – cups shredded gruyere cheese

1 – teaspoon chili flakes

1 – stick butter plus extra to butter your baking dish.

1 – tablespoon minced garlic

1 – quart half and half

1 – tablespoon spicy brown mustard

1 – cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 370 degrees fahrenheit.

In a large pot boil some water and cook pasta according to package.  Drain and set to the side.

In a frying pan, pour in olive oil over a medium high flame and allow oil to get really hot, then toss in cherry tomatoes with 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.  Saute on each side for 4 minutes.  Then take off flame and set to the side.

In a big bowl combine sauteed cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, ham, green onion, fresh basil, and cooked drained pasta.  Mix until all ingredients are combined.

Next add in both the cheddar cheese and the gruyere cheese.  Mix to distribute evenly.

Transfer pasta and cheese mixture to a 9 x 13 glass buttered baking dish.  Then sprinkle seasoning over the top with 1 tablespoon Lawry’s, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and chili flakes.

Making the cream is easy.  In a big pan, over a medium flame, add butter and melt down.

Then add garlic to melted butter, along with half and half, and spicy brown mustard. Mix well and make sure to really  mix the mustard in.

Bring butter/cream mixture to a slight boil. Then pull off flame and pour into your cheese and pasta mixture.

Then sprinkle the top with panko bread crumbs. Then gently press down on the top of the bread crumbs.

Place in the oven for 50 minutes, or until golden brown.

How you choose to eat it…. is up to you. If you’re like me you will dig into it the second it is out of the oven. Expect it to fall apart with crunchy bits all around.

But if you have the patience to wait for 30 minutes while it cools down…. then it should look like this.

Photos by Nicole Presley

Where’s my fork?