Creamed Garlic Asparagus

This one is based somewhat on a recipe we got from the waiter at the restaurant in the Renaissance Hotel by market center in Dallas.

Saute in an iron skillet until the garlic is hot (about 1 minute):

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 clove garlic - minced

add to the skillet and saute another 2 minutes (or maybe only 1 if you like your vegetables a bit crunchier)

• 1 lb fresh asparagus - clean and cut the soft part into 1 inch lengths.(You can partially peel the tougher part and cut that into lengths too.
• 15 whole greek olives (pitted work best)

Remove from heat wait about 20 seconds (or so) while you get the following and add it to the pan.

• 1 pat of butter
• cream - enough to fill the bottom of the pan without covering the asparagus

Sprinkle on top

• Parmesan cheese (or romano or asiago) - freshly grated

Broil in the oven for just long enough to brown the cheese. This should take no more than 1 or 2 minutes.

Feeds 4 a little.

New Mexico Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

Just like Mama used to make.

Sauce:

8-10 dried red peppers (New Mexico, Ancho, Cascabel, etc. dried red peppers)
- break off the stems, remove loose seed, toast in frying pan over med heat 2-3 minutes, put in glass bowl
2 cups hot water
- soak chiles in hot water in glass bowl for 10 min
- move chiles to blender, add half the water and blend out all the large chunks (set aside for a bit)
1 Tbsp oil (olive, vegetable)
- heat in saucepan over med heat
1/2 small onion - chopped finely
- reduce to low heat and add onion to pan
1 Tbsp flour
- add to pan and stir until onions are soft and flour is beginning to color
- remove pan from heat, strain chile mixture into pan to remove seeds, stems, and fibers
- bring to a boil and simmer on low for 4 minutes stirring constantly. Chile will scorch easily.
1/2 tsp oregano (Mexican oregano is best)
1/2 tsp salt
- add and simmer 2 more minutes, remove from heat

Build enchiladas in a casserole pan.

18 corn tortillas
vegetable oil
1 very large red onion or 2 small red onions - chopped
4 green chiles/peppers (ancho, poblano, anaheim or green bell peppers work)
- You can use 8 oz of canned green chile but it is very mild like the bell peppers
16 oz sour cream
16 oz monterey jack cheese (mozzarella will work)
8 oz cheddar

- Toast the green chiles or peppers over a flame, a grill or under a broiler. This works best when they are charred all around.
- Toss into cold water.
- remove loose skin
- cut open and remove stem, vein and seeds (You can leave a few seeds if you want.)
- chop into 1/2 inch pieces.

- heat vegetable oil in flat pan
- dip each of 6 tortillas in hot oil, turn over once, remove quickly and arrange in casserole dish. 6 should cover bottom of pan.
- spread 1/2 of the chopped onion over the tortillas in the pan
- spread 1/2 of the green chile over the onions.
- spoon 1/2 of the sour cream around over the onions
- spread the cheddar cheese over the sour cream

Create a 2nd layer using those same ingredients: 6 tortillas, onion, sour cream but with 1/2 of the monterey jack cheese

- pour a thin layer of chile sauce over the cheese

- add another layer of tortillas (just as with the other, dipped in hot oil)
- pour on another thin layer of chile sauce
- spread the rest of the cheese over the top.
- sprinkle a bit more oregano and/or parsley over the top to make it look pretty

bake at 350F for 1 hour.

Serve with shredded lettuce, diced tomatos and additional sauce.

Some people like a fried egg added on top of their serving (on the plate not in the pan).

BBQ Brisket Rub

I've been playing with this for years and I like this one pretty well. It is the right amount for one brisket.

4 tsp salt
4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp New Mexico chile powder

Stir or shake well, crush any lumps. Spread the whole mixture over the surface of one whole brisket before cooking. Top and bottom and all sides.

Cook with the fat up. I like to cook it at 233 degrees F for around 10-12 hours.

Some options that work and you might like the taste. Try them one at a time or on combination. These are the right proportions by my taste.

1 tsp dry mustard
4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp thyme

Don't ever add sugar, pineapple, other fruit, tomato, honey or molasses before cooking. It can be spread on for the last hour if you like it sweeter. I prefer to put the sweetness in the sauce.

Happy Mouth Ice Tea

You may have noticed there is no "d" in "ice tea." That's the way we roll in Texas.

I've been making the raspberry tea for my wife for years but adding the lemon and mint take it to a whole 'nother level.

A Good Raspberry Tea

Steep the tea in 4 cups of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. It gets pretty dark when it's ready.

• 3 regular tea bags (decaf or caffeinated)
• 1 raspberry tea bag ( I use Bigelow Raspberry Royale and there might be a decaf variety.)

Remove the tea bags and add

• 1/2 cup raspberry syrup (I get it at the middle east grocery)
• 1/4 cup sugar

Stir and move to a pitcher with

• 4 more cups of water (unless you are going add the ice while it is still warm)

Chill--maybe overnight. If you don't chill, you should have put less water in with the brewed tea and you will need more ice when serving.

Add to a tall glass in this order

• Ice
• 4 fresh mint leaves, bruised
• 1/2 tsp (or so) lemon juice (juice of 1/4 lemon)
• chilled tea from above

Stir well and enjoy. Makes 8 glasses. Serves 4 people

Classic Margarita

I'm not much of a drinker. But now and then I'm in the mood for a Margarita--always on the rocks. This recipe reflects my reluctance to buy some Triple Sec or Margarita mix since it would take years to use it up at my rate of imbibing.

I have to explain my Margarita motivations. Once I went to Garduno's Mexican food restaurant. I asked for a Margarita. The waitress wondered what kind I wanted--premium, super-premium or whatever. I asked about the difference between the choices. She said the expensive ones were "smooth." I replied, "If I wanted smooth, why would I be drinking Tequila?"

A Margarita is supposed to be sort of rough, by my way of thinking. This recipe has just enough of that.

Serves one drink each for two people.

Put these in a small bowl:

• 1 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
• zest from 1/2 orange (optional: substitute some lime zest but don't replace all the orange zest). About 1 tsp.
• 2 Tbsp tequila (or vodka)

Microwave for 30 secs and set aside to steep for as much as 30 min. (Or sooner if you are in a hurry.) These add the bite to the drink with the bitterness in the zest.

In a measuring cup add together:

• 1 cup tequila (I used Milago Silver brand.)
• 1/4 cup lime juice (the juice of two limes if they are big enough)
• 1/3 cup corn syrup (or 1/2 cup white sugar)

When the steeping is over, strain the orange stuff into the measuring cup with the above ingredients. (I used a tea strainer.)

Note that if the ingredients are not room temperature or if you skip the ice, there will not be enough melted ice in the drink. In that case you will need to add a small amount of water to keep the flavors under control.

Prepare the two glasses by getting the rim wet with lemon or lime juice and then coat with coarse salt. (Regular salt works, too.)

Fill the glasses with ice cubes. Stir the liquid well and pour carefully into the glasses making sure not to mess up the salt stuck to the rim.

Drink and enjoy.