Easy-sleazy Pozole

My new favorite soup! Pozole! Mexican flavors and super easy to make, this is totally going into the permanent rotation. I want to try out other recipes just to explore what can be done with this dish, but for now I have yet another reason to love my Williams-Sonoma "Soup and Stew" cookbook, where I got this one. Here it is for you! Enjoy!

Pozole
(makes 4 servings)

2 tbsp canola oil
1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 cups chicken stock or prepared broth
1 15-oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with juice
1 15-oz can white hominy, rinsed and drained
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
salt and freshly ground pepper
Avocado slices & sliced green onions for garnish
Lime wedges and warm tortillas for serving

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium, and sauté the pork until opaque on all sides but not browned, working in batches if necessary, about 3 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside.

Add the onion to the pot and sauté until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin & oregano and stir a minute longer.

Add the stock, tomatoes, hominy, jalapeño, sautéed pork with any juices, and s+p to taste, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low, cover and simmer until the pork is cooked through and the soup is fragrent, about 15 minutes.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with the avocado slices and green onions; serve with lime wedges and warm tortillas alongside.

Update: Mom's Party!

A few weeks ago we posted a teaser about the surprise party we were about to throw for our mom's 60'th birthday. Well, great news, it was a huge success!! Our little mommy was so surprised, and so happy!! AND, the food was a big hit. We went with a Spanish theme with red decor, and made red sangria and lots of tapas... perfect little nibbles for a party!

Wait, first of all, before I talk about tapas, we need to have a moment for the cake Siobhan made - the cake you may have noticed in the aforementioned post. It was a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, and man alive, it was delicious. After Mom blew out her candles, it was gone within minutes. Maybe if you are lucky Siobhan will talk about the recipe soon...

...She also made these tiny chocolate cupcakes, which were adorable as well as yummy.

By the way, they are displayed on the cupcake stand our step-dad made for Siobhan for Christmas. Isn't it pretty?

So, in all of the excitement we didn't get pictures of all the tapas. For example, we made some really amazing tiny meatballs (recipe here) that got eaten up so quick that we didn't have a chance to snap a photo. There was also a delightful orange and fennel salad, some really great marinaded olives involving cumin and fennel seeds (which I am for SURE making again soon so stay tuned), and these paprika-spiced almonds: 

Basically, you blanch about 1 lb raw almonds, remove their skins then toast them for about 7-9 minutes at 400°F, stirring occasionally, until golden and aromatic. Toss them with a tbsp of Spanish olive oil, then sprinkle with a mixture of coarse sea salt and smoked Spanish paprika, which has been ground in a mortar and pestle to a fine powder. Stir again and serve. 

We also made prosciutto wrapped asparagus, a Spanish tortilla, homemade hummus, and the cutest dish by far, these tasty little cheese & olive empanadillas:

These were particularly fun to make, so here's the full recipe for you: 

(makes 26)

3 oz firm or soft cheese (we used feta), diced

1/2 cup pitted green olives, diced

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained & diced

1¾ oz canned anchovies, drained & diced

pepper

2 tbsp sundried tomato paste (I think we just used regular tomato paste)

plain flour, for dusting

1 lb 2 oz ready-made puff pastry, thawed if frozen

beaten egg, to glaze

fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, to garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F. Put all the chopped ingredients in a bowl, season with pepper to taste and gently mix together. Stir in the tomato paste.

On a lightly floured work surface, thinly roll out the puff pastry. Using a plain, round 3¼-inch cutter, cut into 18 circles. Gently pile the trimmings together, roll out again, then cut out an additional 8 circles. Using a teaspoon, put a little of the prepared filling in the center of each circle.

Dampen the edges of the pastry with a little water, then bring up the sides to cover the filling completely and pinch the edges together with your fingers (I used a fork) to seal them. With the tip of a sharp knife, make a small slit in the top of each pastry. Store the pastries in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them.

Place the pastries onto dampened baking sheets and brush each with a little beaten egg to glaze. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, crisp and well risen.

Serve the empanadillas piping hot, warm or cold, garnished with parsley sprigs.
Enjoy!

And Happy Birthday again Mom, we love you!!!!! xoxox

Chia Seeds

These little guys are growing more and more in popularity recently due to all of their great health benefits.  They even sell them in Whole Foods now, and I would bet that Trader Joe's is not far behind. Chia seeds have been a staple food source for American Indians for centuries.  Here is a brief list of these benefits:

• Chia Seeds are high in Omega 3s.
• They absorb about 8 times their weight in water, and so athletes like them because they can help hydrate the body.  This can also help with dieters since they make you feel fuller longer.
• They are a complete source of dietary protein, providing all the essential amino acids
• The gel-forming properties of Chia Seeds help to slow digestion and sustain balanced blood sugar levels, which can be helpful in preventing and controlling of diabetes.
• They help facilitate growth and regeneration of tissue during pregnancy and lactation, as well as regeneration of muscles for athletes and bodybuilders.
• They are an excellent source of fiber.
• There has been promise with cancer research and Chia.
• They contain large amounts of B vitamins and calcium.

You can eat Chia Seeds in a variety of ways - mix them with water or juice and just drink them, mix them into your daily yogurt or oatmeal, or you can bake them into breads or muffins.  Here is a recipe for a Chia Seed "pudding" that I recently made:

Mix 1/4 cup of Chia Seeds with 1+1/4 cups Almond Milk and mix well.  (I use Organic Vanilla Amond Milk that is slightly sweetened.  If you use unsweetened Almond Milk, then you can add a squirt of Agave Nectar to the mix).  Add about 1 teaspon of finely grated lemon zest and stir in.  Let sit in the refrigerator for at least a couple hours to let the seeds form their jelly shells and so the mixture is tapioca-like.  

Serve with sliced fruit on top.  I ate it with bananas, but it would also be good with citrus fruits or mango.  

Makes about 2 servings.