I Love Food

I've had lots of company over the past week, which means I've done lots of cooking. I don't mind doing lots of cooking because that means I get to do lots of eating. Eating good food is one of my favorite activities. Let me share a few highlights:

Brisket. Slow-cooked in the oven, this is hard to beat. My secret ingredient was my choice of BBQ sauce. I'm sorry to say that the kind of sauce I used is amazingly delicious and also impossible to buy. Cody's parents' long-time friends' son created, marketed, and sold a certain number of bottles of his family's special recipe BBQ sauce. It was only available for a short time and is no longer in production. Cody's mom gave me a few bottles, which I only use on special occasions. I used it on my brisket last week and almost cried because I know my supply is quickly coming to an end. That stuff is so good. Maybe I can get the family recipe...if it isn't a top secret.

Now here's where things get really interesting. I shredded the left over brisket and used it to make brisket nachos the following night. Spread refried beans on tortilla chips. Lay them out on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle heavily with shredded brisket, cheddar and monterey jack, jalapeno and whatever else sounds good. Broil. Serve with guac and sour cream. Then make another cookie sheet full because these are addictive.

I purposefully made many Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes while my friends from Seattle were here because I wanted to give them a taste of the South. I served fajitas one night, which were delicious. But the best part of the meal was the appetizer I made to go with the fajitas. I first tasted this Mexican Corn Dip at my in-laws' house. I was sure not to leave without getting the recipe because it was one of the best things I have ever tasted. Seriously, if you only try to make one thing from this blog post, let this be it.

Mexican Corn Dip

Mix together:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
2 TBS picante
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin

Add:
12 oz drained can of Mexicorn
3/4 cup grated cheddar
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 (4oz) can chopped green chilis
2 finely chopped jalapenos (I only put in one and thought it was plenty.)

One morning I made migas for breakfast. This traditional Mexican breakfast is a hearty meal. Heat oil in a skillet. Coarsely chop 12 corn tortillas and brown in oil. Stir in chopped green onion, or green chilis, jalapeno or whatever sounds good. Add 4-6 beaten eggs. After the eggs are almost set, add cheddar or monterey jack cheese. Just flip it all around until everything is cooked. Serve with salsa and/or avocado.

Another night, I used a recipe from the BAD Girls recipe blog. I turned a side dish of Rachel's into a main dish. Just double the recipe for the Garlic-Zucchini Orzo and add about a pound and a half of grilled chicken. I bought garlic pesto marinated chicken from Central Market. It was a big hit. Serve with a salad and some good french bread.

I had a lot of fun planning the menu and cooking for my friends. We ate really well. So well, in fact, that the jeans that were getting loose on me are now snug again. Dang it.