Spiced Nuts

This is an original Emeril Lagasse recipe that I modified to add wasabi powder and an extra step to bake the nuts until dry. Otherwise, I think the humidity in Costa Rica leaves the nuts a little too sticky.

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon wasabi powder (optional)

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 cups unsalted mixed nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and almonds

3 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Mix spices and reserve

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225°F. Heat nuts in a dry skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to toast, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.  Add the butter, sugar, water and spices to the hot skillet and cook, stirring, until a glaze forms, about 1 minute.  Return the nuts to the skillet and toss to combine with the glaze.  Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until the nuts are glazed and golden brown.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, separating with a fork. Bake about 30 minutes until the nuts are dry. Let rest until cooled and the sugar has hardened, about 10 minutes.  Store in an airtight container.

Snacks

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Artisan Sourdough Bread ~ No-Knead Method

This is a simple method for making delicious sourdough bread without kneading. It requires very little effort, but it does require a little pre-planning to have the bread ready when you want it.

The day before you want to bake, remove the starter from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Then feed it with ½ cup of flour and 1/3 cup of water and let it sit at room temperature for several hours. If you have an active starter, it should double or triple in size. Do not put the lid on too tight, the gases need room to expand. I usually take the starter out of the refrigerator around 7 AM, and then feed it about 10 AM.

In the evening I mix the dough and let it proof overnight.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (5 oz. by weight) whole wheat flour and 2½ cups (11 oz. by weight) white bread flour, or
• 3 ½ cups of white bread flour, or
• (3 ½ cups of all purpose flour with 1/3 cup of vital wheat gluten, or)
• (1 ¾ cups of bread flour + 1 ¾ cups of whole wheat)
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1½ cups purified water
• ¼ cup sourdough starter (The starter will have risen considerably, so stir it down before measuring. 

Directions:

• Mix together the dry ingredients.
• Dissolve 1/4 cup starter into the purified water
• Add water / starter to dry ingredients and stir until the water is incorporated.
• Cover with plastic and let sit 12-16 hours.
• Gently dump the dough out onto a floured board or counter top.
• Gently stretch the dough out into a rectangle about 12” by 9” in size. Fold 1/3 of the dough in on itself, and then fold the other 1/3 on top. Then fold it in half.

• Cover loosely with plastic and rest for 15 minutes.
• Gently transfer the dough to well floured towel or proofing basket or bowl. (I use parchment paper in the bowl to make it easy to transfer to La Cloche, or Dutch Oven.)
• Cover with towel and let rise about 1½ - 2 hours. NOTE: If you prefer to bake in a loaf pan, skip the proofing basket or bowl, and gently transfer the dough to the loaf pan, cover with a towel and let it rise 1½ - 2 hours
• Preheat the oven to 500°F about 30 minutes before baking. (If you use a loaf pan, place a small oven safe pan or crock in the oven and add water for steam just before you bake.
• Bake in covered La Cloche or Dutch Oven preheated to 500 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Remove cover; REDUCE heat to 450 degrees and bake an additional 25 minutes.
• Let cool completely on rack.

Eat bread, be happy!

Don’t forget to return the starter to the refrigerator with a loose lid. Starter needs to be feed every 2 weeks if not baking regularly.

Sourdough

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Homemade Greek Style Yogurt in a Slow Cooker

I had always heard it was easy to make yogurt, and you can find all sort of kitchen gadgets to help you make perfect yogurt. Guess what, you don't need anything but your crock pot/slow cooker and the basic tools you already have in your kitchen. My first attempt was a total success and I'm sure you can do it too, by following these easy instructions. Once you taste this stuff you'll never want the store-bought kind again.

The tools and ingredients you’ll need:

• First you need a Crock Pot, or Slow Cooker. I have a small 4 quart slow cooker, so I only used 3 quarts of milk to make this recipe. The same procedure will work with 3 liters of milk.
• Instant read thermometer
• Heavy beach towel
• Colander
• Cheese cloth, large dinner napkin, or large handkerchief
• 3 quarts of whole milk, or reduced fat milk 2%
• ¾ cup plain yogurt at room temperature, either from previous batch or store-­bought. (**The yogurt must have live cultures in it to work.)

Instructions:

• Pour the milk into a slow cooker set to HIGH and close the lid. It will take 2 to ­3 hours for the temperature of the milk to reach 180°F. Check it with an instant ­read thermometer, and when it reaches 180°F, turn the slow cooker off, close the lid, and let the milk cool down to between 110° and 115°. This could take another 2­ to 3 hours, so be patient. Once the temperature drops between 110° and 115°F, scoop out about a cup of warm milk and mix it with the plain yogurt you have at room temperature.
• Gently, but thoroughly, stir the mixture back into the milk in the slow cooker using left and right motion.
• Place the lid back on the slow cooker.
• Wrap the slow cooker with a large beach towel and let it sit undisturbed in a non-­drafty place at room temperature for 10 to ­12 hours, or overnight. The milk will have thickened and the whey will have started separating from the milk.
• Line a colander with a cheesecloth, napkin, or handkerchief, and set the colander over a large glass bowl. I used a large dinner napkin and it made the perfect strainer for thick yogurt.
• Now, pour the yogurt into the lined colander and let it strain at room temperature for several hours. The longer you strain it, the thicker the yogurt will become. I strained mine for 4 hours and it yielded 5 cups of perfect Greek style yogurt, and 7 cups of whey. I discarded the whey, but it could be used in other recipes.
• Refrigerate the yogurt in an air tight glass jar or bowl for up to 2 weeks.
• Be sure and save ½ to ¾ cup of natural yogurt from this batch before you add any flavoring. This way you’ll have your own starter culture, and can make it again in a week, or two.

Flavor your yogurt with whatever you like: vanilla, cinnamon, honey, nuts, fruits, sweeteners, etc.

yogurt

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Caesar Dressing Recipe (Egg free / Anchovy free)

This is a quick and easy Caesar salad dressing made with no eggs and no anchovies.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
1½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Salsa Lizano or Worchestershire sauce
3 garlic cloves, pressed
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1½ small lemons or 1 large lemon)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cups extra virgin olive oil
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Place all the ingredients, except for the olive oil and cheese, in a food processor. Press the garlic and juice directly into the food processor. Processes until all the ingredients are smooth and well blended. When everything is creamy, pour the cup of olive oil to the food processor very slowly. Continue to process until rich and creamy.

Add the parmesan cheese to the blended dressing and pulse 6 or 7 times.

Serve over a bed of lettuce with toasted croutons.

The extra dressing will store in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Prep time: About 10 minutes
Yield: About 1½ cups

Salad Dressing

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Pineapple Coleslaw

Many years ago I discovered this delicious salad when my dear Tica friend made it for a dinner party. This is a wonderful twist on an old staple.

Ingredients:
3 cups of shredded cabbage
1 cup of shredded carrots
¼ cup of finely chopped onion
1 cup of diced fresh pineapple
¼ teaspoon celery seed (optional)
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro (optional)
½ cup of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1½-2 teaspoons sugar (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients and chill for 30-45 minutes before serving

Serves: 6

Salad

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Canadian Bacon or Back Bacon

Our local Supermercado Coopeatenas has just started to carry Hormel Canadian Bacon. It has been reported to be selling for around $15 USD per pound, or ¢16,500 CRC per kilo. Now we love Canadian Bacon and we haven’t had it in years, but $15 per pound it just a little beyond our normal budget.

This got me thinking, that if we could brine a ham, we should be able to cure bacon. How hard can it be? I started searching the internet and found a couple of similar recipes that would work with the ingredients in my pantry.

So here you have it… A lean pork tenderloin is soaked in a salty sweet maple cure then smoked, sliced, and pan fried. The end result is better than we imagined and so much better than imported store bought. We will be making this frequently.

Ingredients:
1 gallon water, divided into 1 quart & 3 quarts
1 cup kosher or Himalayan pink salt, coarse grind
1 cup maple syrup (imitation maple will also work)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons pink curing salt (aka InstaCure or Prague Powder. This is called "Sal de Cura" in Costa Rica and I have found it at the Alajuela Central Market at vendor booth #34)
4 bay leaves
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon of peppercorns
1 boneless pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat (about 4 to 5 pounds)
1 to 2 large chunks of light smoking wood, such as lemon or coffee wood

Directions:
Make the brine by combining 1 quart of water, salt, maple syrup, brown sugar, pink salt, bay leaves, garlic, and peppercorns in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve all the salt and sugar. Boil for about a minute.

Pour 3 quarts of very cold water into a large container (I use an inverted plastic cake safe). Add the brine mixture and when it is completely chilled, submerge the pork into the cure. If the meat tries to float, place a heavy weight on top of it to keep it in the brining solution. Place the container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Turn the pork over every day to make sure it cures evenly.

Remove the pork from the cure and dispose of the brining solution. Fill the container with fresh cold water and submerge the pork again for a minimum of 30 minutes. Remove pork from the water and pat it dry with paper towels.

Heat your smoker or grill to about 225°F and when it's at temperature, add the wood chunks for smoke. When the wood starts smoking, you ready to add the pork. It is best to use indirect heat for this process. When the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat reaches 140-145°F, it’s done. This should take about 2 or 3 hours.

Let the bacon rest for about 30 minutes before slicing. Pan fry and enjoy!

We had Eggs Benedict for breakfast this morning. What a treat!!

Pork

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Delicious Homemade Ranch Dressing Dry Mix

Here is a quick and easy substitute for Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing dry mix you can make at home in about 5 minutes. This is handy to always have on hand for a quick dressing or dip.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup powdered milk
1/3 cup of dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients together with a fork until blended.

You can store the dry ingredients in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a year, or in refrigerator for up to 3 months.

TO MAKE RANCH DRESSING:
Combine 1 tablespoon of seasoning mix with 1/3 cup mayonnaise and 1/3 cup of buttermilk, and whisk to combine. You can also substitute plain yogurt for the mayo.

If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use regular milk with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Mix well and let stand 5 minutes before using.

Note: 2 tablespoons of this dry mix is the equivalent of one package of store bought mix.

Salad Dressing

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Taco Mac & Cheese

When my boys were small, and money was tight, we ate our fair share of "Hamburger Helper" as it got closer to payday. These comfort foods are still a treat now and then, but instead of buying a mix of who knows what chemicals, I make my own from scratch.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tbs taco seasoning --- Click on link for recipe.
3/4 cup picante sauce (mild, medium, or hot, according to your preference)

1½ cups milk
¾ cup cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
2 cups grated Mexican 4-cheese blend

1 lb. dry pasta shells (you can use elbow macaroni, penne pasta, or whatever you have on hand)

1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro

Directions:
Cook pasta until al dente and drain.

Cook meat and onions together and drain grease. Stir in taco seasoning and simmer for another minute. Add minced garlic and picante sauce, and cook another minute or two. Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt cream cheese and sour cream with milk, then add the grated cheese and stir over low heat until everything is melted.

Add meat and melted cheeses to pasta, mix well, top with cilantro and serve.

Yield: 6 generous servings

Pasta

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Taco Seasoning de la Casa

This is my go to recipe whenever I need Taco Seasoning mix

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground smoked Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 tablespoon Chili Powder de la Casa (click on link for recipe)

Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients and store in an air tight jar for up to 6 months.

One tablespoon of this mix is the equivalent of a package of store bought Taco Seasoning.

Tex Mex

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Limoncello de la Casa

In 2008, our daughter Jenny stayed in our Casita for several weeks with some friends. While they were here, they planted a couple of citrus trees and a mango tree as "gifts" for us. One of the citrus trees did not survive, but the other two are having bumper crops this year. The citrus tree that did survive is a lemon tree that goes by several names here in Costa Rica. It is called Limón Real, Limón Limón, Limon Arrugada (wrinkled lemon,) and in Venezuela it is call Limón Francés.

This lemon has a very thick wrinkled skin and an unbelievable amount of juice. I'd have to say, these are about the best tasting lemons I have ever had.

Since we have this bumper crop, I've been coming up with ways to use all these lemons and this time I decided to try my hand at making Limoncello. Oh my!!! This stuff is awesome and so easy to make!

Ingredients:
10-12 large lemons
750 ml bottle of 80-100 proof vodka, or clear rum
1-4 cups of sugar
1-4 cups of water

Directions:

1. Peel the lemons with a potato peeler. Try to only peel the zest from the lemons with a little pith as possible.
2. Pack the lemon zest peels in a quart jar and completely cover with the vodka or rum. Place a lid on the jar to seal it.
3. Infuse the alcohol with the flavor of the lemon by storing the jar in a dark place for 3-4 weeks. The longer you let it sit, the more lemony the Limoncello.
4. Strain the lemon zest out of the alcohol by pouring it through a large coffee filter into a clean pitcher. Discard the zest
5. Make a simple syrup with equal portions of sugar and water. Heat the sugar in the water until the sugar is completely dissolved, and then let the syrup cool completely.
6. Add syrup to taste to the infused alcohol. I found that 1½ cups of syrup is perfect for our taste, but feel free to experiment to get it the way you like it best.
7. Use a funnel to transfer the Limoncello into a clean liter bottle, and store it in the refrigerator for about 4 hours before serving.

Use it as an after dinner treat to cleans the palate, over ice cream, or just for sipping. The Limoncello should keep well in the refrigerator for a couple of months, or up to a year in the freezer.

¡Buen Provecho!

Miscellaneous

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Pineapple Salsa ~ Salsa Piña (modified from a Cafe Red Onion recipe)

When we lived in Houston, Texas, one of our favorite places to dine was at an upscale Latino restaurant, called the Cafe Red Onion. They have an amazing menu of Latin fusion meals representing the best of Latin American cooking. Like most TexMex restaurants, they too serve chips and salsa when they take your beverage order, but their salsa is probably unlike any salsa you've encountered in the past.

Since we have been here in Costa Rica for almost 4 years now, I was really craving some of Red Onion's salsa, so I began my internet search. I found the Houston Chronicle had actually published the recipe years ago from one of their readers. She got the recipe in a cooking class taught by Cafe Red Onion owner Rafael Galindo.

The key ingredient calls for canned pineapple! Since we live here in the land of abundant fresh pineapple, canned pineapple would never be acceptable. So I set about tweaking the recipe just a bit to take advantage of our fresh ingredients. 

We served this salsa to dinner guests last night and received rave reviews. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 large fresh pineapple cut into chunks, with juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup cilantro leaves, with the woody stems removed
Juice of 1 juicy lime
1 fresh Jalapeño pepper seeded (more, or less to taste)
Salt to taste
1 packet of Splenda (optional)

Directions:
Combine 1/2 the pineapples and all the other ingredients, except the salt and Splenda, in a blender or food processor. Pulse the blender until the cilantro and Jalapeño is well chopped and mixed with the pineapple. Empty contents of blender into a bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 of the pineapple to the blender and pulse just until you have small chunks/tidbits. Add this to the bowl with the other ingredients, Mix well. Season to taste with salt, and with Splenda if the pineapple needs additional sweetness. Serve with chips.

¡Buen Provecho!

Snacks

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Orange Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

We have a tree loaded with Valencia Oranges, so I've been coming up with more uses for the juice, in addition to the delicious glass of sweet OJ. This is my latest creation.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 juicy orange
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon fresh coarse ground pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Serve over your favorite salad. I like it poured over a chilled salad of sliced cucumbers, scallions, shredded carrots, diced sweet peppers and chopped almonds. It's also great over fresh spinach with mandarin slices and pecans. Use your imagination.

Salad Dressing

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Home Cured Corned Beef Brisket

Next week will be Saint Patrick's Day and for the first time since we've been in Costa Rica, we have a corned beef brisket ready to cook to celebrate this American Irish holiday. I had been hungry for some corned beef brisket for a few years now, and decided a couple of weeks ago we really needed to try our hand at making a brine and home curing a brisket. This is amazingly easy if you have the 10 days of preparation time. This is not something you decide to make from one day to the next.

The first challenge was to locate all the spices I would need for the brine solution. I had enough Prague Powder #1 (InstaCure Pink Salt) on hand that our daughter had brought from the States, so I just needed to track down the rest of the spices. It turned out most of the ingredients can be found at our local spice vendor's booth at our Feria (Farmers' Market) every Friday morning. I was able to find a couple of the spices he didn't carry at the Mercado Central (central market) in Alajuela, including a new local source for the Prague Powder #1, called "Sal de Cura" at vendor booth #34. The only spice I couldn't locate was juniper berry. With just a little research I found sprigs of Rosemary make an acceptable substitute, and the Rosemary will impart the same earthy pine flavor and scent as a juniper berry.

If you have the time to brine, and you're ready to try your hand a making a home cured corned beef brisket, here's how to do it.

Ingredients:

Spice Mix:
4 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces (canela)
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (semillas de mostaza)
1 tablespoon black peppercorns (granos de pimienta negra)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds (semilla de culantro)
2 teaspoons Star Anise (estrellas de anís)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (hojuelas de chile rojo)
24 whole cloves (clavo de olor)
24 whole allspice berries (granos de Jamaica)
24 whole juniper berries or 8 sprigs of rosemary (ramitas de romero)
6 bay leaves, crumbled (hojas de laurel)

Thoroughly mix all the spices together and store in an airtight jar.

Corned Beef Brine:
3 quarts of water
1½ cup kosher salt (we use swimming pool salt because it is pure with no iodine or floride)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 ounces Prague Insta-Cure #1 (by weight, not by volume) (Sal de Cura)
5 tablespoons of Spice Mix
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger (jengibre molido)
4 sliced cloves of garlic (optional) (clavos de ajo)
2 pounds ice
1 (6 to 7 pound) beef brisket, trimmed (pecho entero)

Directions:

Curing the Meat:
Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, Prague powder, and all the spices. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon container (or zip top bag) and add the brine. Seal the container, and refrigerate for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged, turn it over as necessary and stir the brine.

After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water and remove the old spices. I recommend the brisket be soaked in cold water for 2 hours to remove some of the saltiness. At this point you can freeze the brisket in a vacuum sealed package, or cook it.

Cooking:
When you are ready to cook, place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, cover with water, bring to a boil and reduce to low for 30 minutes to remove salt. Pour off all the salty water, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. If you like additional spice, add 1 tablespoon of the leftover mix. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender. If you want, you can add cabbage and potatoes during the last 45 minutes of cooking. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

(Modified from Alton Brown’s recipe on the Food Network, 2007)

Spice

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Tico Taco Soup

Lately we have been craving some of the Taco Soup I used to make in Texas. Almost all of the ingredients were prepackaged and it was simple to pull together. Today, I decided it was time to check out the local supermarket and see just what is available in prepackaged foods for substitutions. I found workable replacements, but I had to come up with my own "Taco Seasoning Mix." I used our house chili powder as the base, since this is the recipe that won the People Choice Award in a Chili Cook-Off just a few days ago.

Ingredients:
½ kilo, or 1 pound of ground beef
1 medium onion diced
1 medium sweet pepper diced
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground smoked Spanish paprika
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon Chili Powder de la Casa (click on link for recipe)
1 - 15.5 ounce can of white beans
1 - 20 ounce can of black beans
1 - 20 ounce can of red beans
1 - 20 ounce can of chick peas (garbanzo beans)
1 - 15.5 ounce can of corn kernels
1 - 15.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Yield ~ 8 servings

Directions:
Brown meat with onions and peppers in a fry pan and drain grease. Add all of the spices and mix well. Transfer the seasoned meat to a stock pot. Add all the canned beans, corn and tomatoes. Stir until well blended. Heat over medium/low temperature until thoroughly heated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and grated cheddar cheese. This is also great with a little "Pico de Gallo" and chopped cilantro. Try making some Corny Jalapeño Skillet Corn Bread to serve on the side.

Tex Mex

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Chili Powder de la Casa

This is my chili powder recipe that we used in the 2015 Atenas Chili Cook-Off. Out of 22 teams, we won the Peoples Choice Award!


Ingredients:
4 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili de árbol powder (Tree chili is a small Mexican Chili with a woody stem that are sometimes called bird’s beak chili.)
2 whole chipotle chili peppers with stems removed, minced and ground to a powder (Chipotle chili is a smoked Jalapeño chili pepper used primarily in Mexican and TexMex cooking.)
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons smoked Spanish paprika
2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons fresh finely minced oregano
1 tablespoon fresh ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground clove
4 tablespoon Hot Chili Powder (MySpiceSage.com brand. Ingredients: Chile Pepper, Salt, Cumin, Oregano, Garlic, Cayenne Pepper and Crushed Red Pepper)

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together until well blended. Store in an airtight jar for up to 6 months.

Yield ~ 1½ cups

Tex Mex

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