Foods and Flavors of San Antonio

A Cookbook for Christmas

2011-11-25T02:25:00.000-06:00

Cookbooks are a perfect Christmas gift. Foods and Flavors of San A ntonio makes a wonderful gift for the Tex-Mex cook on your list.

I'm offering autographed copies for $15.00 plus $4.95 shipping. U.S. sales only. Let me know the inscription you'd like in the cookbook. Payments are processed securely through PayPal and we ship Priority mail.The cookbook is also available on Amazon for $19.95.

Top Chef San Antonio?

2011-07-01T12:27:00.010-05:00

There are rumors flying around that Top Chef, Season 9, will be filming in San Antonio. Tom, Gail, and Padma were sighted Wednesday night at The Esquire Tavern by SymiGoddess.

Burger Fest

2011-06-30T15:31:00.006-05:00

My favorite food in the whole world is hamburgers, and my favorite hamburger (which I had for dinner last nite) is EZ's black bean burger w ith guacamole.

So when I discovered that Fatty's Burgers is hosting the 2nd annual All-American Burger Festival on July 16th, I was so happy that I just had to blog about it. Activities include live music, art, kid's activities, a burger cook-off with competing restaurants, and one with Mayor Julian Castro, as well as a burger eating contest. This event is an all-day street party and is free and open to the public.

Culinaria Events

2011-05-09T12:01:00.003-05:00

Culinaria will be hosting a variety of events this week, May 11th through the 15th. Check them out for all the events and info. I'll be at the Burgers, BBQ, and Beer event on Sunday, May 15th, noon to 6 pm at the Pearl Brewery.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration

2011-05-06T09:23:00.005-05:00

Just because Cinco de Mayo was yesterday doesn't mean the party is over... it's just beginning. Come and celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Market Square this weekend with music, Mexican dancers, arts and crafts vendors, street food, and of course -- margaritas!! The festivities are from 10 am to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday. I'll be there selling my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio. Be sure to stop by my booth and say hi.

Taco Tour Kick-Off

2011-05-05T18:28:00.029-05:00

I was invited to a media lunch today at La Gloria to kick off the Asando Sabroso tour sponsored by McCormick Spices. We were treated to two delicious tacos... a Carne Asado Taco seasoned with Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning and a Chipotle Chicken Taco with Cumin and Garlic. To go along with that, I had hibiscus tea to drink (very refreshing) and tres leche cake was served for dessert.

Then I discovered the grilling tent that was serving up Ancho Adobo Tacos de Bistec with Grilled Corn and Tomatillo Salsa. These are the best tacos I've ever eaten!!

During the tour, the Carne Asada taco and the Chipotle Chicken taco will be served for a $1.00 donation that will be matched by McCormick for CIA scholarships for Latino chefs. The tour features a "tripped out" taco truck tour, making 26 stops in six Southwest cities. The tour begins in San Antonio on Thursday, May 5th at the HEB on 6818 Zarzamora Street from 4 to 7 pm, then travels to Dallas, Houston, Austin, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

McCormick graciously gave me two gift baskets... one for me and one to give away. For a chance to win, leave a comment saying what your favorite taco is and what spices you use to season it. Contest closes on May 12th at midnight. Only open to U.S. addresses.

For extra chances to win, blog about the giveaway (with a picture of the gift baskets) and link back to this post. Follow my blog. Like my Facebook page. Create an original taco recipe using McCormick spices and blog about it (include a link to your post in a comment).

Fiesta

2011-03-23T15:33:00.005-05:00

Fiesta is only two weeks away!!

I blogged about the major Fiesta events in April last year. Click the
link for the archive to find details about the events and the sponsor's website where you can find more information.

Culinaria

2011-02-09T13:10:00.013-06:00

Mark your calendars. Culinaria (formerly New World Wine and Food Festival) is getting ready for their upcoming events Wednesday, May 11th through Sunday, May 15th. They'll be hosting a variety of events including Sip, Savor & Shop; Burgers, BBQ, Beer & Texas Spirits; Winemaker Dinners; The Grand Tasting; The Best of Mexico; and Wine & Food Seminars. Visit their website for more info and become a fan of their Facebook page.

Totally Texas (previously held in May) will be on Sunday, October 30th at the Rio Cibolo Ranch. I'll
be there, signing copies of my Foods and Flavors
of San Antonio cookbook.

More details on all the events later...

Foods and Flavors

2010-12-26T14:51:00.006-06:00

Since this blog is all about the foods and flavors of San Antonio and I created it to promote my cookbook, Foods and Flavors
of San Antonio, I also wanted to offer autographed copies of my cookbook online. The cookbook is $14.95 plus $4.95 shipping. Also available on Amazon for $19.95.

Return of the Chili Queens

2010-05-21T14:08:00.002-05:00

The chili queens are returning to Market Square on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, May 29th, 30th, and 31st. YAY!!! If you remember from my posts last year around this time, the event was canceled and I was totally bummed by it... but they'll be here this year!

The CASI chili cook-off will also be happening and I get to be a judge again. YAY!!!

New World Wine and Food Festival

2010-05-08T13:23:00.008-05:00

The New World Wine and Food Festival is hosting a wonderful week of food and wine tastings all around San Antonio May 12th through the 16th. Check their website for dates, details, and prices.

I'll be at the Totally Texas event again on Sunday, May 16th, from 1 pm to 6 pm, at Rio Cibolo Ranch, signing and selling copies of my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio.

Be sure to come out for a great day sipping wines and sampling food. $35, all-inclusive.
See you there!

Cinco de Mayo Celebration

2010-05-01T22:28:00.000-05:00

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Market Square, Saturday and Sunday, May 1st and 2nd, noon to 6 pm. It's part of the Primer Sabado (first Saturday) event, held on the Plaza the first Saturday every month, featuring fun, food, entertainment, children's activities, arts and crafts, and much more. It's been extended to two days for Cinco
de Mayo.
I'll be there, signing copies of my cookbook,
Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, so be
sure to stop by and say hi.

Future dates for Primer Sabado will be the
first Saturday of June, August, October,
November, and December.

Oh, and did I mention it's FREE!

Viva Fiesta!

2010-04-24T08:00:00.009-05:00

Fiesta 2010 is winding down to
a close but that doesn't mean the party stops. Fiesta is a "Party With
a Purpose." Proceeds from all the official Fiesta events benefit many, many wonderful causes in our city. Click on the event links in my posts this month to visit the sites and see what they support. It will warm your heart and soul. The party is just starting for all the people who will benefit from all the funds raised. I love San Antonio! Viva Fiesta!

King William Fair

2010-04-23T08:38:00.011-05:00

The King William Fair invites you to celebrate the history and diversity of Texas' first historic neighborhood.
Stroll past stately Victorian mansions
as you enjoy a wide variety of drinks and ethnic cuisines. There will be lots
of arts and crafts vendors and a Kid's Kingdom for the kids. The fair kicks
off with a parody parade. Saturday, April 24, 10 am to 6 pm. $5.00;
children 12 and under are free.

I took my grandsons to this last year and we all had a good time (except for when I passed out from heat exhaustion). There are foot-long corn dogs (more like 16-inch), gorditas, funnel cakes,
and more. The rides and activities in the Kid's Kingdom include
an inflatable slide, rock-climbing wall, a kid's bungi jump where
you get strapped in and fly through the air, and lots more.

Fiesta Flambeau Parade

2010-04-22T10:28:00.007-05:00

The Fiesta Flambeau Parade is one of the highlights of Fiesta; it's also one of the largest illuminated parades in the nation. This year's theme is Legends
in Music, showcasing many local and mainstream celebrities.

The University of Texas Longhorn Band will lead the parade through the 2.6 mile route. Saturday, April 24th. Vanguard at 7 pm; parade begins at 7:45 pm. Free, but you can purchase seating at varying prices from $12 to $18. The parade will also be televised and shown on the web.

Pooch Parade

2010-04-21T07:09:00.011-05:00

The Fiesta Pooch Parade is Saturday, April 24th, 8 am to 1 pm
at the Alamo Heights Swimming Pool. Advance registration is $20
per one human and pooch or $25 per family and all the family dogs; $25 and $30 at the event. T-shirts and goody bags go to the first 500 pre-registrations.

Dress up your dog in Fiesta attire for the costume contest. The
5k parade begins at 9:30 am, winding through tree-lined streets along a tail-wagging route. There are also special exhibits and educational presentations for you and your furry friend.

Battle of Flowers Parade

2010-04-20T07:25:00.008-05:00

This is the event that started what we know as Fiesta today.
The first Battle of Flowers Parade took place in 1891 to honor the heroes of the Alamo and to commemorate the Battle of San Jacinto, April 21, 1836, where Texas won its independence from Mexico.

The Battle of Flowers Parade is Friday, April 23rd, a.k.a. Fiesta Friday. Vanguard 11:50 am; the parade begins at 12:45 pm.

R.O.T.C. units march ahead of the parade and delight spectators with precision drills. The parade arrives with an explosion of color as splendid cavalcades and flying flags announce the festivities to come. Spectacular floats carrying costumed Fiesta royalty are interspersed with flower-bedecked antique cars and carriages. Giant helium balloons fly through the air, accompanied by the music of military and high school bands.

The parade route begins at Broadway @ Josephine and travels through downtown to Martin @ Santa Rosa.

This is an event not to be missed. Practically the whole city of San Antonio shuts down as everyone congregates downtown to enjoy the parade. Free; tickets (prices vary ranging from $12 to $18) can be purchased for seating.

A Taste of the Northside

2010-04-19T07:17:00.005-05:00

A Taste of the Northside, Wednesday, April 21, 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm, offers
a night of fantastic food tastings from over 40 local restaurants, more than 40 international fine wines and beers, along with live entertainment under the stars
on the grounds of The Club at Sonterra. Tickets are $45 in advance; $50 at the door.

NIOSA... A Night in Old San Antonio

2010-04-18T07:41:00.009-05:00

NIOSA is one of the biggies of Fiesta. Mingle with 85,000 people in La Villita on April 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm, as you stroll your way through 15 heritage-themed areas while sipping on your margarita and trying to decide which of the 250 elaborately decorated food and drink booths you have a taste for while enjoying more than a dozen nonstop entertainment stages.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the gate; $2.00 for children 6 to 12; $1.50 in advance. Visit their Facebook Page for more info.

Check out their foods page to see what foods and entertainment are offered in each of the areas: Arneson Theatre, Chinatown, Clown Alley, French Quarter, Froggy Bottom, Frontier Town, Haymarket, International Walkway, Irish Flat, Main Street USA, Mexican Market, Mission Trail, Sauerkraut Bend, South of the Border, and Villa Espana.

Cornyation

2010-04-17T07:26:00.013-05:00

Want to attend the raunchiest, cheapest event of Fiesta? (Their motto, not mine.) Cornyation is
where you'll want to be on April
20, 21, and 22 at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre for
The Court of Magnificent Epic Failures.

Two shows nightly at 8:30 pm and 10:30 pm. Tickets are $25 for the orchestra level; $20 for mezzanine level; and $15 for balcony level. The show pokes irreverent fun
at politicians and the prominent and not-so-prominent citizens
of San Antonio.

Visit their Facebook Page to get a glimpse into this year's event.

Texas Cavaliers River Parade

2010-04-16T07:04:00.013-05:00

The Texas Cavaliers River Parade promises an evening of family fun on Monday, April 19th, 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the River Walk, with live music, celebrities, and lights. More than 40 festively decorated floats drift down the San Antonio River. King Antonio LXXXVII reigns over the festivities. Free, but you can purchase seats for $10 to $15.

The Investiture of King Antonio LXXXVIII, Saturday, April 17th, 7:30
to 8:30 pm at the Alamo Plaza. This
is one of the longest-standing Fiesta traditions and also honors the memory of the heroes who fell at the Alamo. Free.

Fort Sam Houston Fiesta

2010-04-15T07:14:00.007-05:00

Enjoy a day and a parade at Fort Sam Houston Fiesta, Sunday, April 18th, 1 pm to 9 pm. The Fiesta Country Fair begins at 1 pm and features food and drink booths, live entertainment, kiddy carnival, games, military equipment display, and novelty items. At 4:30 pm the U.S. Navy Parachute Team Leap Frogs will open the military ceremony at MacArthur Field. The
event will finish with the grand fireworks extravaganza around
9 pm. Free.

Earth Day Fiesta

2010-04-14T07:42:00.012-05:00

Celebrate Earth Day Fiesta at Woodlawn Lake, Saturday, April 17th, 10 am to 4 pm. In addition to live entertainment, vegetarian food, information booths, tree planting demonstrations, workshops and seminars demonstrating various energy and conservation ideas and techniques, enter a drawing to win one of 30 beach cruiser bicycles and a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. CPS Energy will be giving away 2,000 trees. San Antonio Water Systems will give away 1,500 xeriscape plants. Woodlawn Lake Community Association will give away more than 500 flower and vegetable seed packets. Free!

This is the first year that Fiesta is going green... Fiesta Viva Verde, so let's all do our part to keep San Antonio green. There
will be recycling bins at all the events where you can recycle your empty drink cups and beer cans.

Another event is the 5K Walk & Roll, 7:30 am. Registration is $15 before the 17th; $20 at the run. Trees will be given to the first 3 males and females to finish. Earth Day T-shirts and refreshments will be provided to all registered runners.

Fiesta San Fernando and Mariachi Mass

2010-04-13T10:23:00.009-05:00

San Fernando Cathedral honors
Fiesta Royalty, Commissioners, and participants with a Mariachi Mass, asking blessings on all of Fiesta, Sunday, April 18th, 8 am to 9 am.

A little later in the week, April 22nd through April 25th, enjoy Fiesta San Fernando, a celebration of family, food, and fun with live entertainment and arts and crafts booths. Thursday and Friday, noon to midnight. Saturday, noon to 8 pm. Free.

Paseo del Rio Children's Festival

2010-04-12T07:49:00.002-05:00

Fiesta is fun for kids, too!
The Paseo del Rio Children's Festival, Saturday, April 17th, 10 am to 4 pm at the River Walk in the Rivercenter Mall Lagoon area offers live entertainment, interactive games, face painting, clowns, story telling, and much more on the multiple staging areas with overlapping activities from an inflatable moon bounce to lively dancers and a putt-putt golf challenge. Free admission.

Chips 'n' Salsa Fiesta Casino Night

2010-04-11T08:07:00.003-05:00

Chips 'n' Salsa, held at the Sky Loft at the Casa de Mexico International Building, 318 West Houston Street, April 17th, 7:00 pm to 11 pm, offers a different kind of chips 'n' salsa... it offers casino games such as Blackjack, Texas Hold 'Em, Roulette, Craps, and slot machines while you dance to a salsa-merengue band and enjoy a complimentary buffet, casino chips, salsa dancing lessons and a commemorative Chips 'n' Salsa Medal, along with alcoholic beverages. Advance tickets are $50; $75 at the door.

Tejano Explosion

2010-04-10T08:51:00.005-05:00

Tejano Explosion jump-starts Fiesta and features ten days of music and partying, April 15th through April 24th, 5:30 pm to
2 am at Cattleman's Square, corner of West Houston and North Frio streets. Admission
is $3.00 before 5 pm; prices vary after 5 pm.

Band styles range from Tejano, 60s and 70s oldies, polkas, conjunto, cumbias, boleros, country, and rhythm 'n' blues. In addition to the music and merriment, you'll find Fiesta finger
foods and beverages to enjoy while you dance and party.

Fiesta Carnival

2010-04-09T18:10:00.011-05:00

What would Fiesta be without a carnival? We have one of the best...
26 rides, live music, a big top circus, and lots of food--nachos, hot dogs, sausages, cotton candy, and more at
the Alamo Dome Parking Lot C. Free admission. The carnival happens from Wednesday, April 14th through Sunday, April 25th. Dollar days are Wednesday, April 14th and 21st. Unlimited wristbands are $20, Monday through Friday, and $22 on Saturday and Sunday.

Fiestas Fantasias

2010-04-08T08:09:00.006-05:00

We know how to party Fiesta-style in San Antonio. We have a huge, FREE event every day during Fiesta, from 10 am to midnight, Friday April 16th through Sunday, April 25th. Fiestas Fantasias at Market Square celebrates with five stages featuring a variety of music including Tejano and Conjunto, Latin jazz, country western, and more.

Plus there are more than 30 food booths offering spicy Mexican cuisine (think gorditas, tacos, and quesadillas), Cajun shrimp, hamburgers, fresh fruit drinks, funnel cakes and lots (I do mean LOTS) more food. And if that isn't enough, you can shop at more than 100 novelty stores in Market Square, Produce Row, and El Mercado.

A Taste of New Orleans

2010-04-07T11:14:00.005-05:00

Have a taste for authentic New Orleans-style food and music? Then A Taste of New Orleans at the Sunken Garden Theater in Brackenridge Park is the place to be April 16th, 4 pm to 12 am; April 17th, 12 pm to 12 am, and April 18th, 12 pm to 11 pm. Tickets are $10 in advance; $12 at the gate. Kids 10 and under are free.

The "Taste" menu includes assorted gumbos, red beans and rice, shrimp Creole, etouffee, jambalaya, Cajun catfish, crab au gratin, fresh crawfish boil, beignets, and lots more. Listen to the sounds
of jazz, Dixieland, salsa, and brass bands as the kids enjoy rides, slides, a moonwalk, face painting, and more.

Fiesta Oyster Bake

2010-04-06T06:39:00.005-05:00

Fiesta Oyster Bake, held at St. Mary's University, is the heartbeat of Fiesta. Friday, April 16th; 5 pm to 11 pm and Saturday, April 17th; 11 am to 11 pm. Tickets are $16 in advance; $20 at the door. Children under 12 are free. Check out their Facebook Page for updates.

It's not just oysters! In addition to the 100,000 oysters, there will be 25,000 chicken-on-a-stick-with- jalapeno, 3,000 pounds of beef and chicken fajitas, 6,000 turkey legs, 6,000 hamburgers, 3,000 slices of cheesecake, 7,500 ears of corn, 2,500 pounds of sausage, and 21,000 gallons of drinks, plus musical entertainment, a carnival, and fireworks on Friday night.

Fiesta Fiesta

2010-04-05T07:34:00.005-05:00

Are you ready to party? Fiesta Fiesta (no... I didn't type it twice by accident) is the opening ceremony of Fiesta.

Fiesta officially starts at the Alamo Plaza on April 15th at 5:00 pm. It's free and features music, fun, and of course food! Come and savor the flavors with three courses of fun... a Salute to Fiesta showcasing the military contribution to Fiesta; a second course of Show Me Fiesta featuring the long-standing traditions of tie-cutting and breaking-of-the-heel to symbolize cutting loose for Fiesta; and a third course of Savor the Flavors of Fiesta, a conga line parade to a giant cazeula simmering with Fiesta activities.

Part of the fun is Pin Pandemonium where you can buy, trade, and swap Fiesta pins and medals. You can also get up close and personal with Fiesta royalty to shake hands and maybe find that a pin has made its way into your hand.

Did I mention that there's plenty of food? Hamburgers, barbecued rib kabobs, paletos, brats and sauerkraut, shrimp and chicken kabobs, sausage on a stick, kettle corn, Philly steak sandwiches, shaved ice, fruit cups, and much more. Be sure to stop by Cuervo Corner where you'll find margaritas, the official drink of Fiesta.

The Fiesta Store

2010-04-04T06:58:00.009-05:00

Be sure to stop by The Fiesta Store at 2611 Broadway for all things Fiesta, from colorful T-shirts and posters to cascarones and coffee cups, key chains and tote bags, and lots more Fiesta-themed merchandise. The Fiesta store is also the headquarters to buy tickets for all your favorite Fiesta events.

Fiesta Foodies

2010-04-03T08:33:00.009-05:00

Fiesta is all about the foods and flavors of San Antonio. We even have an official Fiesta Foodie! Tanji Patton, of Good Taste with Tanji, has been named the official Fiesta foodie this year. She has a page on her site devoted to Fiesta fun and food. Check it out for Fiesta videos and recipes.

Fiesta

2010-04-01T11:56:00.015-05:00

Fiesta is two weeks away. For those of you who don't live in San Antonio, Fiesta is a 10-day, city-wide celebration of all the foods and flavors in San Antonio. For those of you who do live in San Antonio, you know what I'm talking about! Get ready to party.

Fiesta is the 7th largest festival in the nation. I'll be blogging about Fiesta this month, sharing the flavors by offering a look into some of the major events--and the foods by showcasing recipes for the street foods that are offered during Fiesta. Check out the Fiesta Facebook Page for updates on all the events.

Cyber Bob's Best SA Blogs

2010-03-18T13:57:00.016-05:00

WooHoo!! This blog, along with lots of other great San Antonio blogs--from food to mommies, to geeky stuff, guy things, and
the Spurs--was featured on SA Living. Check out the video and
be sure to check out the best SA blogs.

Paella Cook-Off at Pearl

2010-03-13T09:21:00.007-06:00

The Paella Cook-Off, held
on the grounds of the Pearl Brewery and sponsored by Cocina de las Americas, will bring together chefs from all over the country and Latin America to compete in an Iron Chef-style Paella Competition on Sunday, March 14th, from 11 am to 4 pm. Tickets are $40 presale and $50 at the door.

The event will feature live music and also highlight the food and wine of Spain including Sangria (I'm so there!), Spain's famous hams and cheeses, and an array of Spanish tapas prepared by the CIA San Antonio students.

Taco Cabana will also be there, previewing and sharing samples of their new Brisket Taco.

Update: Just in case you missed the Paella Cook-Off, here's a video of the cook-off at Tanji Patton's site... Good Taste with Tanji.

Tuesday Night Tacos

2010-02-03T11:32:00.008-06:00

I went grocery shopping yesterday (before all the rain started)
and to my absolute delight (because I totally love tacos), HEB had another great Combo Loco sale... buy two pounds of ground beef, get taco shells, shredded cheese, sour cream, refried beans, and taco seasoning for free!

I did what any normal person would do after buying all the stuff
for tacos... I made tacos!! I also chopped up some green onions
and made The Best Guacamole... Ever! to go along with them.

So what am I going to do with the other pound of ground beef? I was thinking Beef and Cream Cheese Enchiladas with a Hatch Chile Sauce Smothered with Cheddar Cheese might be a really good idea.

All Things Texan

2010-01-09T11:36:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to let ya'll know there's a Facebook page for Texas... All Things Texa n. If you live in Texas, you can join. If you love Texas, you can join. If you have anything to share about something Texas-related, you can join and post your link. The creators of the FB page want to make this page the biggest, which only seems natural since Texas is the biggest state. So come on over and see what Texans have to offer.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T16:02:00.009-06:00

Black-eyed peas are eaten on New Year's day to bring you good luck and prosperity. I made this Hoppin' John recipe last year on the first day of 2009 and let me tell you--
2009 was a GREAT year, so I did
it again this year because 2010 is going to be even better.

No one is really sure how the Hoppin' John recipe came to be named, but there are several theories: One is the custom of inviting guests to eat at the dinner table with the phrase, Hop
in, John. Another is from a ritual on New Year's Day in which children hop around the table once before eating the black-eyed peas. Eating greens, especially collard greens, with this dish will enhance the flow of good fortune to you since green is the color
of money.

To learn more than you ever wanted to know about black-eyed peas, read this Wiki article. Whatever the origin of the recipe is, black-eyed peas are really delicious and can be made in a variety of ways. They can be served as a side dish, a soup or stew, in a salad, or made into a salsa. Many recipes include bacon, ham, or sausage, along with rice. My quick and easy version of Hoppin' John that I'm starting the New Year off with is Hoppin' John Kickin' Chili.

6 slices turkey bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
3 - 4 T. chili powder (to taste)
1 (14.5 oz.) can Mexican style diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles, with juice
1 (14.5 oz.) can collard greens, with juice
1 (15.5 oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 T. ground cumin
1/2 cup water, more or less, depending on how thick or thin you want your chili to be
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnishes: A handful of sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded, a dollop of sour cream, and some sliced green onions

Heat a 12-inch, deep chef's saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and onion. Saute until the bacon is crisp and the onions have softened. Add the garlic and saute for one more minute. Remove and set aside.

Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until done, seasoning
with chili powder to taste while the beef is cooking.

Add the tomatoes, chiles, collard greens, and black-eyed peas.
Stir to mix, then return the bacon mixture to the pan, sprinkle
with cumin, and stir again.

Add the water. (I put a little bit of water inside the cans and swirl
it around to get all the remaining goodies out of the can.) Bring to
a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes. Take
a taste and season to your liking with salt and pepper. Stir it one
more time, just for good luck, and also to distribute the salt and pepper.

Ladle into a bowl and top with Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Hope your Happy Hoppin' John New Year will be really wonderful. :)

Give a Gift of Groceries

2009-12-29T12:23:00.011-06:00

Christmas is over and the gifts have all been given and received, but there's one more gift you can give... and it will help feed people all year long.

Feeding America wants to fill 3.3 million bags of groceries to help feed hungry families. They need your help to reach their goal by December 31st. They still have 1,552,289 bags to fill and need to raise $390,000. A grant from Ameriprise Financial matches every $5.00 you give; it doubles to provide not just 10, but 20 bags of groceries. Let's help feed hungry people. It's only $5.00 and we can do it!!

If you want to support your local food bank to feed the families in your community, there's a food bank locator on their site.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T11:55:00.002-06:00

Hope everyone has a really wonderful Christmas!!

Holiday Farmer's Markets

2009-12-18T14:52:00.014-06:00

It's a beautiful day in San Antonio... the sun is shining and the temps are in the mid-60s... a really nice change from the gray, cloudy, windy, cold weather we've been having. It's a great day
to be outside and tomorrow is supposed to be just as nice.

Want to get away from the holiday crowds at the mall? Two great places to be this weekend are at the farmer's markets. I love living in San Antonio... we have year-round farmer's markets.

Saturday, Dec. 19th, Pearl Farmer's Market, at 200 East Grayson, is having a Holiday Festival with extended hours from 9 am to 4 pm. In addition to the regular vendors, they'll also have an artisan's gift market, arts and crafts for the kids, and I heard that Santa was going to be there. Tamales are a tradition here in San Antonio and Chef Johnny Hernandez will be making homemade tamales. Bunuelos are a wonderful treat; the CIA of
SA will be there making delicious buneulos for everyone to enjoy.

Want more fresh food and fresh air? Stop by the Legacy Outdoor Market, Sunday, Dec. 20th, from 10 am to 3 pm, at the Legacy Shopping Center,
NE corner of 281 and 1604, featuring fresh produce, and arts and crafts.

Totally Texas

2009-12-11T15:50:00.011-06:00

Just got an email from the really nice folks at the New World Wine and Food Festival announcing that the 2010 event is being moved to May to coincide with the Valero Texas Open.

A few posts back I mentioned that I had attended Totally Tejas, signing and selling copies of my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, and that I'd had a totally wonderful time and couldn't wait to do it again. YAY!! I don't have to wait another year... just five more months.

The NWWFF will be held May 9th - 16th, 2010, and Totally Tejas -- now changed to Totally Texas -- will wind up the event on Sunday, May 16th from 1:00 to 6:00 pm at the Rio Cibolo Ranch. Mark your calendars; this is one event you don't want to miss... lots of wonderful wine and food.

Silver Bells in the City

2009-12-02T18:55:00.006-06:00

Just got my electric bill and was reading the newsletter-blurby thing that accompanies it and discovered that CPS Energy has invited me (and everyone in San Antonio) to Main Plaza on Saturday, December 5th, from 4 pm to 8 pm to celebrate Silver Bells in the City.

They're offering cookies and hot chocolate while we're serenaded by a variety of holiday music performances, including the River City Ringers hand-bell choir. If you have kids, bring them for a photo with Santa. But the highlight of the evening is the Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

Photo Credit: My San Antonio

Wonderful Wine and Best Brisket

2009-11-16T12:17:00.026-06:00

I was at the New World Wine and Food Festival yesterday at the Totally Tejas event and I had a totally great time!! It was my first time there so I didn't know what to expect. What I found was the most wonderful wine (so many to choose from, but my favorite was the New Age Tincho Rose... which
I was told is available at HEB for under $10, and the best brisket I've ever eaten from Two Bros. BBQ, which was served with a side of potato salad. BTW, they won the brisket cook-off.

I was supposed to be selling and signing copies of my cookbook, which I did, but I also walked around sampling the wines (well... everyone else was doing it), munching the food, talking with the other vendors, and mingling with the people there. My table was next to the Knork people, who very kindly watched my table while
I wandered.

Everyone was given their own wine glass for all the wine tastings. My best guess was there were about 20 wine vendors all sharing their wonderful wine. You just simply walked over to their table, said hi, and held out your wine glass in which they poured their wine. After a few samples, I was a really happy girl.

HEB was one of the sponsors of this event and gave everyone a re-usable green tote bag for all the goodies that were given away (and which can also be used for groceries), as well as hosting a HUGE spread of really good food--everything from cheese and grapes and crackers to sushi and chicken wellington.

There were also plenty of other foods to sample from local restaurants--shypoke eggs (really good), pulled pork sandwiches (really good), brisket, chicken, ribs (all really good), plus lots of cheeses and some chocolate truffles (really, really, good).

I had a really wonderful time and can't wait to do it again next
year.

New World Wine & Food Festival

2009-11-08T10:12:00.022-06:00

The New World Wine & Food Festival is happening this week, November 10th through the 15th with lots of wine and food events to enjoy. Check out their schedule of events. They have something for everyone, from Burgers and Beer at BIN 555 to the Texas Vitner Cruise at Hotel Valencia, to wine tastings and food pairings, to strolling the River Walk and enjoying a high-end evening of food and wine.

The festival culminates with Totally Tejas, Sunday, Nov. 15th, 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Rio Cibolo Ranch, $35 per person, kids under 5 free. Here's the blurb from their site: Bring the family and spend a fun afternoon discovering exotic recipes and sampling cuisines from some of the most exciting restaurants. Culinary, Wine, and Lifestyle seminars are offered throughout the day for those who want to know more. Beer and Barbecue play a large role too!

All ages are welcome with family friendly activities like hayrides, barge rides, storytelling, and more. A new event this year is the Texas Regional Barbecue Showdown which will pit San Antonio restaurants against amateur barbecue teams. They will battle it out for bragging rights for the best brisket, ribs, and chicken. Totally Tejas attendees will get to sample as these grillmasters cook! Live entertainment keeps things festive as Texas vendors join in to celebrate the unique and amazing products Texas has to offer. It’s the perfect finale to the festival where the beauty of a Texas ranch serves as the backdrop to sample all the best food and wines we have to offer.

I'll be there, signing and selling copies of my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio.

The New World Wine & Food Festival is
a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the growth and education
of San Antonio students in culinary arts through scholarships and supporting local food related charities.

Come on out and have a great time! And be sure to stop by my booth and say hi.

It's My Blogoversary!

2009-10-29T08:01:00.014-05:00

WooHoo! It's my blogoversary today.

I started this blog a year ago to promote my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, and to share the "foods" and "flavors" of San Antonio. It's been a fun year, especially when my cookbook was published in March and I did a month-long Fiesta of Foods and Flavors foodie event to celebrate.

And now, a year after beginning this blog, my publisher has asked me to write another cookbook, A Fiesta of Foods and Flavors. WooHoo!

I'm looking forward to another year of blogging and bringing you a Fiesta of Foods and Flavors. :)

Hatch Chile Cookbook Winner

2009-10-20T21:33:00.006-05:00

When I posted the Hatch Chile Recipe Round-Up, I asked everyone to choose the winner by voting for your favorite recipe. Well... some of you liked one recipe and some of you liked another recipe, but none of you liked the SAME recipe!

So, even though I loved all the recipes (and will be including them in my Hatch cookbook that I'm writing), I've decided to award The First Ever Un-Edited & Un-Tested Hatch Chile Pepper Recipe Book to Hornsfan of Bytes from Texas because she posted seven Hatch recipes during her Hatch Chile week and she obviously loves Hatch chiles and I know she'll enjoy and make good use of the cookbook. :)

Hatch Chile Contest... Recipe Round-Up

2009-10-06T08:41:00.034-05:00

Who loves Hatch Chiles? A while ago, I thought it would be fun
to have a Hatch Chile Contest and Cookbook Giveaway and asked other Hatch Chile lovers to create recipes using Hatch chiles. If you love Hatch chiles, you'll love this round-up. And be sure to vote for your favorite because your vote determines the winner.

Dee, Texas-to-Mexico, is totally in love with Hatch chiles, maybe even more than me, and she's hatched up some spicy food for all of us to enjoy. In fact, she was the very first visitor to my new Hatch Chile Heaven blog that I created and left a comment that shows she's in Hatch Chile Heaven... Be still my heart, Gloria!! I have been stalking the Hatch Chile Roasting team in our town at the local HEB Plus. I can't wait to post the recipes we've been trying! I've been in Chili Pepper heaven. (sigh....). She's made three really delicious recipes with her stash.

First on the table is her Hatch Green Chile Stew, made with
pork loin, red bell pepper, apples, and of course Hatch Chiles!

To go along with her stew, she made
Hatch Green Chile Corn Bread.

A few days later, Dee made Crockpot Roasted Chicken
and Vegetables with spicy hot Hatch chiles to warm her
for the cold days to come. She also made Green Chile
Mashed Potatoes to serve with her chicken.

As they say, "like mother, like daughter." Hornsfan, Bytes From Texas, who many of you know is Dee's daughter, totally loves
Hatch chiles and decided to have a Hatch Chile Week, featuring
a new Hatch chile recipe every day. To start off the week, she made Hatch 'al Pastor' Tacos. She also included some Hatch history and info with each post.

On the second day, she made Hatch Mac 'n' Cheese, a true
comfort food to warm the Hatch chile lover's heart. It was
so good that everyone had second helpings.

The third day, Hornsfan offered us Hatch Chicken Stew, another comfort food that should be eaten during the cold winter months, but she loves Hatch chiles so much that she braved the heat from the chiles in 100 degree weather.

The fourth day, she presented us with Beer Braised Pork
Chops and Hatch Chile Stuffing, explaining that stuffing
isn't just for holidays.

The fifth day, Hornsfan made Cream Cheese Hatch Enchiladas and Calabacitas, stuffing the enchiladas with fajita chicken.

Day six, she brought back an oldie but a goodie:
Hatch-Hefewisen Chile.

To end her Hatch Chile Week, which I totally loved--her blog
was the first one I visited every day to see what she'd cooked up--she presented us with Hatch Chilaquiles.

Natasha, Five Star Foodie, had never heard of Hatch chiles
until she read about them in an earlier post I made. Being a 5-star foodie, of course she had to get some. Her first entry into Hatch chile cooking was a Hatch Chile Gazpacho.

She enjoyed the Hatch chiles so much, she also made
Hatch Chile and White Cheddar Mini Corn Muffins,
which became an instant family favorite.

Gaby, What's Gaby Cooking, made Southwestern Turkey Burgers with Hatch Chiles and Queso, using green, red, and orange chiles.

Alex, Recession Recipes, scored more than a bushel of Hatch chiles from his local grocery store. He was so excited about finding them, he rushed right home and made Hatch Chile Huevos Rancheros.

David, My Year on the Grill, made one of his favorite appetizers, Crispy Garlic Pepper Parmesan Cheese Appetizer, using a poblano pepper cause he wasn't lucky enough to find Hatch
chiles. David... you have got to get yourself some Hatch!

I only discovered Hatch chiles in August when Central Market
sent me a press release about the Hatch Chile Festival they were having for two weekends. The first time I ate a Hatch chile, I was in heaven and professed my love for them. I love them so much that I created a Hatch Chile Heaven blog and a Hatch Chile Heaven Facebook page. If you've ever eaten Hatch chiles, then
you know that this was a very reasonable thing to do... not a going overboard, crazy type of thing. I have 20 pounds of roasted Hatch chiles in my freezer (well, a bit less than that because I've been using them in lots of recipes) which should hold me for a few months.

To celebrate the Hatch, I made
Hatch Chile Cheesy Chicken Fajitas.

When the first cold weather hit here in San Antonio about
two weeks ago, I made Hatch Chile Chili and Cornbread.

All these recipes were entered in the Hatch Chile Contest; the winner receives a copy of Central Market's The First Ever Un-Edited and Un-Tested Hatch Chile Pepper Recipe Book.

You're going to choose the winner! Please vote for your favorite recipe by leaving
a comment. (No anonymous comments allowed.) If you've submitted a recipe, ask all your friends and blog visitors to vote for your recipe. The winner will be announced on October 20th, so you have two weeks to choose your favorite. May the best Hatch Chile Recipe win!!

Hatch Chile Cheesy Chicken Fajitas

2009-09-02T23:36:00.015-05:00

I've been planning on making fajitas for a while, ever since I got my new Fajita Sizzler Set which promises to make every day a Fiesta. I'm all for that. Then I got a little sidetracked with Hatch chiles, which is a really good thing. To celebrate the Hatch harvest, and to break in my Fajita Sizzler Set, I made Hatch Chile Cheesy Chicken Fajitas. Some people put cheese on fajitas; others don't, but we are a cheese-loving family, so cheesy fajitas it is.

1/2 (26 oz.) package frozen, pre-cooked Fajita-seasoned chicken breast strips
1 T. ground cumin, divided
1 T. fajita seasoning, divided (Yes, I know the chicken is already seasoned for fajitas, but we like lots of flavor.)
1 - 2 T. butter, or margarine, if you prefer
1 large onion, cut into slices
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 hot roasted Hatch chile, char removed, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
Squeeze or two of lime juice
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
The Best Guacamole -- Ever!

Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in
1/4 cup water and half the package of chicken strips (to feed four). Sprinkle with half the cumin and half the fajita seasoning. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is browned and the water has evaporated. Or, get involved in the Beatles Anthology on TV like I did and ignore the chicken. It will burn nicely. You'll smell it before the smoke detector goes off. Actually, I was going for an authentic, smoky flavor. I rescued the chicken by adding a little water to the skillet, then stirring the chicken in the sauce. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the butter to the hot skillet. When it sizzles, add the onion slices and both the green and red bell peppers. Sprinkle with the remaining half of the cumin and fajita seasoning. Saute until the bell peppers are limp and the onions are a nice color of brown. If they're giving you a bit of trouble and staying crunchy when they're supposed to be going soft, add a little water to the skillet, cover, and let the veggies sweat. (You're not being mean to the veggies; you're just helping them soften.) Add the garlic and saute for one minute, then stir in the chopped Hatch chile and heat through.

How good are you at multi-tasking in the kitchen... doing three things at once? While you're sauteing and maybe or maybe not sweating the onions and peppers, depending on how they behave for you, warm up a separate, 10-inch skillet or comal on medium-
low heat, warm the tortillas and place them in a tortilla warmer. Mix the Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses together in a bowl.

In between sauteing the veggies and warming tortillas, return the chicken to the veggie skillet, toss to mix and heat through. Place the chicken, onions, and bell pepper mixture on the fajita skillet. Squeeze a little lime juice over everything to add some zip to your fajitas and to accent the flavor.

Put the fajita mixture into warmed tortillas, smother with cheese, and enjoy with a side of the best guacamole -- ever!

These were the best fajitas--ever!! Really. The Hatch chile added the perfect zing and the very-well-done chicken was brown and smoky. This is one
of my entries into my Hatch Chile Contest and Cookbook Giveaway. There's more; I'm hatching up lots of recipes in my head. I figure it's okay to enter my own contest, because at least this time, I'm sharing my recipe. If you're hot for Hatch, enter your recipe(s) and you could win a Hatch Chile cookbook. Click the link for details.

Hatch Chile Cook-Off

2009-08-30T16:17:00.045-05:00

WooHoo!! Just got home from the Hatch Chile Cook-Off at Central Market. I didn't find out about it (why am I always the last to know?) until 1:00 this afternoon and it was happening at 2:00. So I did what any foodie would do... rushed right over... no make-up, forgot my camera (which turned out to be a good thing because I met a new foodie friend, Nicholas Mistry, who blogs at Savor SA, who did have a camera and he agreed to share his pictures or at least, to let me copy them, with credit, to use on my blog... and no business cards (to prove I was a Foods and Flavors of San Antonio foodie). For all anyone knew, I was just a Hatch-happy person in a Hatch-happy world, looking at all the Hatch-inspired food. But I did have a pen and paper (being a writer, I ALWAYS have pen and paper, so never mind that I was writing notes on the back of the recipe cards... it still counts as paper.)

Anyway, back to the cook-off... There were six contestants with absolutely wonderful Hatch recipes. My new foodie friend's wife was one of the contestants with a delicious-looking Flourless Chocolate Cherry Hatch Cake. It just so happened that I was sitting right
next to where the eventual winner, Bruce Bray, was setting up his food--a really yummy-looking No Place Left to Hide Hatch Fudge Sundae--and got to talk to him a bit. I think I was kind of bothering him, but I was just doing what any foodie would do... talking food. He was nice enough to give me his email as he was preparing his food and agreed to an interview on my blog. Then, he WON the cook-off!! More details in a later post.

Here are the San Antonio Hatch-Happy foodies who were finalists
in the cook-off:

Marisol Martinez, Open-the-Hatch Green Chile Stew
Bea Nekrosius, Hot Potato Salad
John Harrison, Chilly Hatch Chile & Yellow Pepper Soup with Ceviche
Kristina Mistry, Flourless Chocolate Cherry Hatch Cake
William Shipley, Caramelized Plantains with Raspberry-Hatch Coulis
**Winner** Bruce Bray, No Place Left to Hide Hatch Fudge Sundae

Contestants, photo courtesy of Laura Bray

Being a good foodie, I did manage to collect the recipes from the cook-off, but since they're the property of Central Market, I need to get permission to share them. Don't you hate when someone does that (!?)... tells you about delicious recipes and then doesn't share them? I bet you thought I was going to give you the recipes.

And speaking of not sharing, I know I promised in two of my recent posts that I'd share my Hatch Cheesy Chile Chicken Cutlets recipe (which is possibly the best thing I ever ate) that I made last week, but after attending the cook-off, I'm going to enter my recipe in next year's CM Hatch Chile Cook-Off, so I'm not sharing that recipe either. But I will show you a picture. (I know I need to improve my food photography skills... or lack of skills, as the case may be.) Oh, and I should probably mention that while I was at Central Market today, I picked up 20 pounds of hot roasted Hatch chiles and will be making lots of recipes with them, and I will share those... maybe.

To make up for not sharing all these absolutely wonderful Hatch recipes, I will share a link to Ten Ways to Use Those Chiles, from Savor SA. That should keep you in Hatch Chile Heaven for a while.

If you have any Hatch recipes, and you do want to share, please enter them in my Hatch Chile Contest and Cookbook Giveaway.
I love Hatch chiles so much that I started a new Hatch Chile Heaven blog last week and I also created a Hatch Chile Heaven Facebook page a few days ago, and I'm writing a Hatch Chile Heaven cookbook.

And I'm trying my best to wrangle out of a booksigning scheduled for next weekend so I can go to the Hatch Chile Festival in Hatch, NM.

A Hatch Love Affair

2009-08-27T15:48:00.007-05:00

I'm totally, completely, absolutely in love with Hatch chiles. I just couldn't help myself. I'm so in love with this beautiful green chile that I created a Hatch Chile Heaven blog a few days ago.

Then, today, with dreams of what to make for dinner with my Hatch chiles, I created a Hatch Chile Heaven page on Facebook.

If you love Hatch chiles as much as I do, follow my new blog and/or (both!) become a fan of Hatch Chile Heaven on Facebook.

I know I promised that I'd post my Hatch chicken recipe from a couple of nights ago, but I got caught up in the heat of the moment with chasing Hatch chiles all over the web. Tomorrow, I promise!

Chuy's Green Chile Festival

2009-08-26T11:47:00.000-05:00

To celebrate the Hatch harvest, Chuy's invites you to be their extinguished guest August 24th through September 13th at their 21st Annual Green Chile Festival: Feeding the Fire.

They're offering five new food items to feed your fire: Stuffed Jalapenos with Panko Breading, Beef Tacos Nortenos with Mexican Slaw, Green Chile BBQ Chicken, Sour Cream Enchiladas Blancas, and Steak Tampiquena. If it's too hot to handle, try their new drink to quench your fire--a Mexican Mojito, made with Curevo Tradicional Tequila. In addition, you can try their new warm salsa made with green chiles. They'll also be offering limited edition T-shirts and giveaways.

To honor the Fire Department, all firefighters in uniform will receive a 50% discount (year-round) and fire department themed merchandise will be available for purchase.

This event is happening at most of Chuy's restaurants. Here in San Antonio, you can enjoy the food at 18008 US Hwy 281 at Loop 1604.

Hatch Chile Heaven

2009-08-25T18:04:00.009-05:00

To celebrate and honor Hatch chiles, I created a Hatch Chile Heaven blog this morning... cause when you eat Hatch chiles, you feel like you're in heaven. I just couldn't help myself; it was love at first bite. I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven, and I got caught up in the Hatch fever with all the festivals, plus everywhere you look on the web, people are talking Hatch chiles (at least where I was looking on the web).

I'll be featuring lots of Hatch chile recipes and other things Hatch-related. Come on over to Hatch Chile Heaven and visit. I've only got one post up so far, but I'm making Hatch Cheesy Chile Chicken Cutlets tonight and I'll be posting the recipe tomorrow.

And speaking of recipes, don't forget to enter my Hatch Chile Contest and Cookbook Giveaway. If you have any Hatch recipes, share... I'll feature them in the round-up and on my new blog. Oh, and I should probably mention I'm having visions of a Hatch Chile Cookbook dancing in my head.

Hatch Chile Contest and Cookbook Giveaway

2009-08-23T13:43:00.030-05:00

Of course I went to the Hatch Chile Festival yesterday at Central Market. Did you have any doubt, that as a San Antonio, Tex-Mex foodie, I would be there?

The first thing I smelled when I got out of my car was the wonderful aroma of roasting chiles, combined with the BBQ happening outside the front of the store where Hatch hamburgers and sausages were being grilled.

Inside the store, I found
The First Ever Un-Edited & Un-Tested Hatch Chile Pepper Recipe Book, which of course
I bought... it goes without saying.

Then I wandered around the store, sampling lots of Hatch-inspired foods, and got down to the serious business of grabbing my bag of hot roasted Hatch chiles, along with some jarred Hatch salsas and pre-made Hatch hamburgers, which I had for dinner last night, topped with Cheddar cheese, sliced tomatoes, and avocado. It was hugely wonderful with the perfect amount of heat.

Here's my stash from Central Market yesterday. I cleaned some
of the peppers and left some with the char on to show you how awesome they look.

After I got home and looked through the cookbook, which is 256 pages and filled with un-edited and un-tested (as the title says), mostly handwritten recipes along with some charming and hilarious Hatch stories from people who totally love their Hatch chiles, I thought it would be really fun to have a Hatch Chile Contest and Cookbook Giveaway to honor the Hatch.

The cookbook is currently unavailable
and Amazon doesn't know when or if it will be back in stock. But I have some; I bought several copies yesterday and I'd like to give you one.

Make a recipe (you can make more than one recipe) using Hatch chiles, post it on your blog, along with a link to this post, then email me the link to your post at gloriachadwick@gmail.com. If you can't find Hatch chiles, you can substitute an Anaheim or a Poblano pepper or you can order them online. If you don't have a blog and want to enter the contest, just send me an email with your recipe. The contest will run through September 14th. I'll post a round-up
on the 15th and everyone can vote for their favorite recipe. The winner receives a copy of the cookbook.

Hatch Chile Festival

2009-08-19T17:08:00.018-05:00

Central Market, at 4821 Broadway in San Antonio, is celebrating its Annual Hatch Chile Festival on August 21 - 23 and August 28 - 30. Truckloads of Hatch chiles are being shipped in from Hatch, New Mexico. There will be chile demos, all sorts of specials, and tasting samples. The festival is happening at all Central Market locations: Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Houston, Plano, Dallas, and Southlake, TX.

Some of the items Central Market will be offering during the festival are: Hatch Sausages, Hatch Hamburger Patties, Monterey Jack Cheese with Hatch Peppers, Hatch Pepper Tortillas, Turkey Chile Meatloaf, and Native Texan Hatch Chile con Queso, to name
a few.

There's even a Hatch Recipe Contest. Submit your best Hatch chile recipe by 12:00 P.M., August 20th. (I know that's tomorrow, but I just heard about this today.) Winners receive a $100 Central Market Gift Card and a year's supply of roasted Hatch chiles. Check out the Hatch Recipes that Central Market has to offer.

Then there's the REAL Hatch Chile Festival, held in Hatch, New Mexico, over Labor Day Weekend, September 5th and 6th. Events include a chile cook-off, chile roasting, a parade culminating with the coronation of a Chile Queen, a chile pod competition, and more. Hatch is known as the Chile Capital of the World and rightly so; they produce the best chiles.

Taking a Bloggy Break

2009-08-08T12:16:00.004-05:00

This was me, yesterday, when my computer crashed because of something in Blogger or because of how Blogger was reacting to something evil that had been downloaded into my computer. Whatever it was, it was completely blocking Blogger and I couldn't access any of my blogs... couldn't even see them. I could access everything else except Blogger. Ended up that I had 133--that's right--133 viruses planted on my computer. Thank God I've got a great Internet security service and they cleaned up my computer.

Just wanted to let all my blogging buddies know about this. Some evil person is placing malware on blogger cookies. The first hint you'll get that someone is messing with your cookies is when you click to publish a post, Blogger will tell you that your cookies are disabled and instruct you to enable your cookies to access Blogger. Things will go along fine for a day or two, then you'll get a "We're sorry..." screen that informs you "your computer or network may
be sending automated queries..."

Anyhoo, I'm taking a bloggy break for a while... not just cause of the crash; I've been ignoring my writing for the past year to blog. Blogging has been fun, but I've been really missing writing books and I'm working on a new book now. I'll be back sometime... even writers have to eat.

Mix it Up for MDA

2009-07-29T13:53:00.021-05:00

Carrabba's Italian Grill is hosting a Mix it Up for MDA event at
all their restaurants on Thursday, July 30th, from 5 PM till close. Click here to find a Carrabba's near you. $15 per person includes
a sampling of four new appetizers and one of their three new signature drinks created especially for this event.

Proceeds will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Carrabba's will also donate $1.00 for each of their three signature drinks--Blackberry Lemonade, Italian Lemon Drop, and Blackberry Field's Martini--sold from July 30th through August 6th.

If you can't attend the Mix it Up for MDA event, please consider making a contribution to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This is a wonderful cause and you'll be helping people.

Every May firefighters in San Antonio have a Fill-the-Boot weekend where they hit the streets and people can "fill the boot" with money for MDA. Last year, San Antonio was 4th in the nation for raising the most funds. Fill-the-Boot happens at various times in other cities.

Carrabba's has really GREAT food. See you there tomorrow night!

El Papalote Taco & Grill

2009-07-22T14:44:00.006-05:00

WooHoo! We have a new Mexican restaurant, El Papalote Taco & Grill, opening in San Antonio on Friday, July 24th. They're offering free nachos from 3 to 8 pm, along with free gifts and coupons to celebrate their grand opening at 203 North Loop 1604 West.

It looks like they have a very happy Happy Hour... all day Sunday and Monday, and from 3 to 8 pm Tuesday through Saturday. Kids eat free Sunday through Thursday from 4 pm until closing.

See you there on Friday!!

Second Sunday San Antonio... July Round-Up

2009-07-12T19:05:00.021-05:00

It's Second Sunday San Antonio... again, a Tex-Mex foodie event where we all cook the same recipe from my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, and compare notes in the monthly round-up. Whoever posts the recipe first on his/her blog gets to choose the recipe for next month. Last month's recipe was San Antonio Chicken, chosen by yours truly.

Spryte, at Spryte's Place, was the first foodie to make and post the recipe so she gets to choose the recipe we'll all make this time. The recipe she wants all of us to make is at the end of the post.

I made San Antonio Chicken, too. It tasted a whole lot better than it looks.

Heather, GirliChef, is getting herself back in whack by making Tex-Mex food.

Spryte chose Huevos Rancheros (which means eggs and sauce)
for this month's Second Sunday San Antonio recipe. It's not just
for breakfast; it makes a great lunch and is also wonderful in
the middle of the night when you have the munchies.

2 cups cubed tomatoes
1 to 2 T. butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 clove garlic, minced (Spryte, I know you're going to add an extra clove or two.)
Salt to taste
Vegetable cooking spray
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 to 3 T. butter
6 large eggs
Salt and black pepper to taste

Put the tomatoes in a food processor or a blender and process until almost smooth.

Heat the 1 to 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. When it sizzles, add the onion, serrano pepper, and garlic. Saute until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and heat to boiling. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, about 5 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

While this is cooking, spray both sides of the tortillas lightly with cooking spray. Cook in a separate 12-inch skillet over medium heat until browned, about one minute on each side. Place on serving plates and set aside.

Add the 2 to 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet. When it sizzles, add the eggs and fry. Place on top of the tortillas. Spoon the sauce over.

This recipe just begs for you to change it. And that's part of what Second Sunday San Antonio is about... changing the recipe to suit your taste. I've already got several changes I'm planning to make.

We'd love to have you cook with us for Second Sunday San Antonio. The round-up will be posted on August 9th. Make the recipe (tweak it if you like) and post the picture of the dish on your blog, along with the badge and a link to this post, then send me an email with the link to your post. If you're the first to make and post Huevos Rancheros, you get to choose the recipe we'll all make next month.

San Antonio Chicken

2009-07-08T08:28:00.014-05:00

San Antonio Chicken is the recipe chosen for this month's Second Sunday San Antonio, a monthly Tex-Mex Foodie event where we cook the same recipe from my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, and compare notes at the round-up.

It tasted sooo much better than it looks and it's really easy to make. Click the link for the recipe. The only change I made was
to omit the picante sauce.

We'd love to have you cook with us for Second Sunday San Antonio. The round-up will be posted July 12th. Make the San Antonio Chicken recipe (tweak it if you like) and post the picture of the dish on your blog, along with the badge and a link to the recipe (you don't need to include the recipe), then send me an email at gloriachadwick@gmail.com with the link to your post.

Happy Independence Day

2009-07-04T08:19:00.012-05:00

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

I bet almost everyone is barbecuing today. Want to share your barbecue, along with the drinks and sides?
You're all invited to a BBQ
at Cookbook Cuisine.

Share your food, fun, and festivities. There's a chance you could win a BBQ cookbook.

It's My Party... Guest Post

2009-06-30T18:07:00.034-05:00

Hi, I'm Lindsey Reese, foodie-in-the-making because I LOVE food. My Grandma offered to let me write a guest post about my birthday party, so here goes...

I was born on June 23rd and I'm one.
My family had a birthday party for me
last Sunday. Lots of my little friends came
and a bunch of mommy's big friends were
there, too, plus lots of aunts and uncles
and cousins and grandmas and grandpas,
but since it was my special day, my Grandma
took pictures of mostly me cause she loves me.

Mommy and me.

Come and play with me.
Birthday parties are supposed to be fun.

I'm playing with my big sister, Hannah.

Playing with my cousin, Antonio.

It's fun to get presents. Lots of presents.
I let my mom and my sister help me open them.

Did someone say cake?
The presents were nice,
but I'm here for the food.

Still waiting for cake. C'mon people.
Let's get this show on the road.

You said we were going to have cake!
Where is it? I want my cake. I want my cake now!
And I want what you're drinking. I see you sipping
those mimosas and all you offer me is water.
It's my party and I'll cry if I want to.
What do you mean, I have to get
naked before I can have cake?

This is my ladybug cake. I feel so special.

Hey, this is good! Thanks, mom!

Oooh. This is good cake. Really, really good cake.

I'm in foodie heaven. That's my daddy smiling at me.

There's another cake over there?

You mean this one is all for me? WooHoo!

Don't talk to me when I'm eating. You're
distracting me. Let me focus on my food.

This was worth waiting for.

You can tell I'm going to be a foodie when
I grow up cause I like to play with my food.

Hey! Quit playing with my toes!
Can't you see I'm still eating!?

I'm a happy birthday girl!!

What do you mean, the party's over!?

Thanks for coming to my birthday party!! :)

Cookbook Giveaway Winners

2009-06-28T13:14:00.003-05:00

The winner of the latest cookbook giveaway hosted by Foodie Giveaway is Val; she doesn't have a foodie blog, but I hope she enjoys the cookbook. Val will also receive a San Antonio refrigerator magnet.

As promised, I chose another winner at random for the second fridge magnet. And the winner is... Ginger of Once Upon a Gourmet Gin. Please send me your address so I can get that out to you.

It's been a blast promoting my cookbook and giving away lots of copies over the past four months. I don't have another giveaway planned at the moment, but if you love Tex-Mex food, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio is available in bookstores and on Amazon. And be sure to visit one of my other blogs, Tex-Mex Recipes, for lots more San Antonio-style recipes from all over the blogosphere.

Tongue Tacos

2009-06-25T09:53:00.006-05:00

Have you been watching Top Chef Masters on Bravo TV on Wednesday nights? Last night, Rick Bayless, Master of Mexican cuisine, won the challenge with his Tongue Tacos.

Have you ever eaten tongue before? I haven't, but I'd try it if Rick made it. You rock, Rick!

I thought it was hysterical that Ludo, a French chef, tried to make quesadillas and Rick wondered if he'd ever made a quesadilla before since he was having so much trouble with it. LOL.

Fun at the Farmer's Market

2009-06-20T14:27:00.025-05:00

I went to the Pearl Farmer's Market this morning for the los sabores del mercado Venza event. I had so much fun meeting some of the chefs and vendors, talking with them and sampling
the food that local San Antonio chefs prepared using some of the vendor's fresh ingredients. The food was absolutely delicious and the tastings were generous. (I didn't take any pictures because my camera doesn't work in daylight even though I changed the settings; the pics are whited out.) But, I am trying to get recipes for all the wonderful food I sampled and will share them when I do.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I didn't buy anything at the farmer's market today because I was so busy running around sampling the delicious food, talking to the vendors, and having great conversations with fellow foodies while we stood in the long lines. My plan was to meet and chat with each chef and vendor, then make another round to buy everything I wanted, but I ran out of time!! There's always next Saturday and Pearl is my new favorite place to be on Saturday mornings.

I've been cooking up a flavor idea that I wanted to share on this blog; I haven't mentioned it before because it's been simmering
in my mind and I also needed to see if flavorful people wanted to participate. On Fridays, I'll have a Friday Flavor post featuring some of the local flavor here in San Antonio... maybe a chef interview, hopefully with recipes, maybe a restaurant review, maybe a farmer's market vendor interview to let you get to know the food and the people behind the food, and lots of other flavor that makes San Antonio so special. In addition, I'll be creating
new recipes with the food I buy at the farmer's market, and will be including those recipes in the new Tex-Mex Cookbook I'm writing.

Cookbook Giveaway

2009-06-19T10:30:00.017-05:00

Would you like to win a copy of my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio? Head over to Foodie Giveaway for four chances to win. The giveaway is open until next Thursday and the winner will be announced on Friday, June 26th.

I'll also be giving away two San Antonio refrigerator magnets... one
to the cookbook winner and another to one of you who leaves a comment on this post. Good luck. I hope you win.

Pearl Farmer's Market... Special Chef Event

2009-06-17T15:35:00.010-05:00

This Saturday, June 20th, Pearl Farmer's Market, is having a special chef event, with the market vendors pairing up with San Antonio chefs who will prepare tastings inspired by Latin American cuisines while showcasing their partner farm's fresh ingredients. I got a press release about this last week and it sounds like a really wonderful event. I'll definitely be there!

Visitors will have the opportunity to sample the chef's creations while also learning more about the market vendors, their products, and how to buy and eat seasonally and locally. This event, called los sabores del mercado Venza, is sponsored by Toyota.

Visitors will be able to sign up to receive a los sabores del mercado Guide to Eating Seasonally in San Antonio, a month-by-month book featuring seasonal fare and recipes by the participating chefs. The guide will be available in English and Spanish. Market-goers will
also be invited to pick up complimentary potted herb plants at the Mobile Garden Venza, and can enter for a chance to win a unique culinary prize package. (The press release didn't say what this "unique culinary prize package" is.)

In addition to all the wonderful fresh food available at the market, you'll also get to meet some local San Antonio chefs and the food vendors. Here's the line-up:

Tent 1:
9 - 10 -- Chef Melissa Guerra/Melissa Guerra-Tienda de Cocina with farmers Rob and Lori Hartman
10:15 - 11:15 -- Chef Andrew Gutierrez/Las Ramblas with Shape Ranch
11:30 - 12:30 -- Chef Rene Fernandez/Azuca with Braune Farms

Tent 2:
9:15 - 10:15 -- Chef Johnny Hernandez/True Flavors Culinary Planning with Oak Hill Farms
10:30 - 11:30 -- Chef Ernie Estrada/Francesca's at Sunset, The Westin La Cantera with Wheeler Farms
11:45 - 12:45 -- Chef Heather Nanez/Bohanan's with Alligator Creek Farm

Tent 3:
9:30 - 10:30 -- Chef Flor Maria Pozo/Picante Grill with My Father's Farm
10:45 - 11:45 -- Chef Javier Flores/La Fonda on Main with L&M Ranch
12:00 - 1:00 -- Chef Diana Barrios Trevino/Los Barrios with Alligator Creek Farm

Tent 4:
9:15 - 10:15 -- Chef James Sanchez/Acenar with Kitchen Pride Mushrooms
10:30 - 11:30 -- Chef Cynthia Rodriguez/CIA, San Antonio with Braune Farms
11:45 - 12:45 -- Chef Romulo Mendoza/Paloma Blanca with Marrs Garden

See ya at the farmer's market on Saturday!!

Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream

2009-06-16T12:49:00.049-05:00

You never know what you'll find when you open your email in the morning. I found lots of wonderful things this morning: Spryte made San Antonio Chicken for next month's Sec ond Sunday San Antonio. My publisher agreed to another cookbook giveaway for Foods an d Flavo r s of San Antonio, which I'll post about on Friday. Chow sent me a recipe for Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream which features two of my very favorite things: Chocolate and coffee-flavored liqueur. They suggest using Patron XO Cafe, which is a coffee-flavored tequila liqueur and say that if you can't find it,
you can substitute Kahlua. Oh yeah! I have Kahlua. I love Kahlua.

Anyway, I've had ice cream on the brain for the past several days. It's been so HOT here... temps in the 100s with the heat index at 105 or higher... that all you can really do is stay inside in the air conditioning (wonder what my electric bill is going to look like?), go to the pool, or eat ice cream. I've been doing all these things, with the emphasis on ice cream. When I got together with my family on Saturday for our weekly family dinner, it was my turn to cook so I bought all the ingredients for make-your-own-pizza (I was lazy and didn't feel like cooking). When it's your turn to make dinner, you also have to bring dessert. I brought chocolate ice cream and hot fudge sauce for make-your-own chocolate hot fudge sundaes.

Then, a few days ago, Karen, of Karen Cooks, made Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. YUM. A few days before that, she made Ricotta Cheese. Equal YUM. And hey, if you're on a diet and want a substitute/pretend ice cream, just mix some ricotta cheese with vanilla extract flavoring and a sprinkle of Splenda sugar substitute and you have a fake vanilla ice cream, which is actually really good.

On Sunday, I hung out with my grandsons because my daughter, Jennifer, is a firefighter and works 24-hour shifts. I watch my grandsons while she works, and since it's so hot, we went to the pool.

I thought about ice cream all day and took my grandsons to Dairy Queen for hamburgers (my favorite food... should I really admit that since I'm supposed to be a Tex-Mex foodie?) because I didn't feel like cooking (again!) and wanted ice cream. Anyway, the food at DQ is awful but the ice cream is really good. Think brownie batter blizzard. I love their French Vanilla MooLattes because French Vanilla is my favorite coffee.

I know I'm rambling, but I so want ice cream with KAHLUA right now! I clicked on the links that Chow provided in the email (which are also given on their site along with the recipe) and discovered that there's a French Vanilla flavored Kahlua. So, with their recipe for Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream, I'm thinking along the lines of a Chocolate French Vanilla Flavored Kahlua Frappuccino. I usually drink my Kahlua as a King Alphonse, which is equal parts Kahlua and cream served over ice, but I'm planning to put that in the blender and have a Kahlua Frappuccino sometime before or after I make the ice cream. I have Kahlua, I have cream, and I have ice... so why not?

After I run out to the store (after the sun goes down if I can wait that long) and buy all the ingredients for Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream, along with an ice cream maker which I don't have, I'll make a Mexican Chocolate Kahlua Hot Fudge Sundae, but you can bet I won't be sharing this with my grandkids. It's all for me! And NO, Teresa, I'm not sharing with you, either, because I know you too well and you'll steal my Kahlua again.

I have no idea how much an ice cream maker costs but luck may be on my side. When I was walking my dogs last night (after the sun went down because it's just too hot when the sun is up), I found $25.00 blowing in the breeze. I think there's an ice cream maker and a Kahlua Frappuccino in my near future.

And there could be
a cookbook in your future. Check back on Friday for details about the Foods and Flavors of San Antonio giveaway. If you're in the mood for Tex-Mex food instead of Kahlua-flavored ice cream or hamburgers, check out Spryte's post on San Antonio Chicken.

Second Sunday San Antonio... June Round-Up

2009-06-14T08:34:00.021-05:00

Since it's the second Sunday of the month, it's time for Second Sunday San Antonio, a Tex-Mex foodie event where we all cook the same recipe from my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, and compare notes in the monthly round-up. Whoever posts the recipe first on his/her blog gets to choose the recipe for next month. Heather, GirliChef, had the honors last month and chose Chicken Chimichangas.

I was first this month with my version
of Chicken Chimichangas so I get to choose the recipe for next month, which I'll post at the end.

Heather, GirliChef, made her own variation of Chicken Chimichangas with the ingredients she had on hand. Actually, she came up with an entirely new recipe which sounds really delicious.

I'm choosing San Antonio Chicken for next month's Second Sunday San Antonio. It's quick, easy, and you don't have to heat up your house by turning the oven on.

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 (1.25 oz.) package taco seasoning
3 T. water
2 - 3 T. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 (2 oz.) jar pimientos
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups hot cooked white rice
1 cup picante sauce

Place the chicken in a saucepan and cover with water. Let
simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked
through. Remove to a cutting board and coarsely chop the
chicken.

In a medium-size bowl, toss the cooked, chopped chicken with
the taco seasoning mix and water. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add
the onion, green bell pepper, and corn. Saute until tender.

Add the pimientos, black beans, chopped chicken, rice, and
picante sauce. Stir to mix and heat through.

We'd love to have you cook with us for Second Sunday San Antonio. The round-up will be posted on July 12th. Make the recipe (tweak it if you like) and post the picture of the dish on your blog, along with the badge and a link to this post, then send me an email with the link to your post. If you're the first one to make and post San Antonio Chicken, you get to choose the recipe we'll all make next month.

Texas Folklife Festival

2009-06-12T18:34:00.018-05:00

Looking for something really fun and interesting to do this weekend? The
Texas Folklife Festival is the place to be. This 3-day event is held on the grounds of the Institute of Texan Cultures on the UTSA HemisFair Park Campus and is happening today through Sunday, the 14th.

More than 40 different cultural groups in Texas, offering over 150 ethnic foods, are represented at the festival which showcases the Lone Star State's diversity and rich heritage through a wide variety of ethnic food, music, folk dances, and arts and crafts.

Habas Grandes Crockpot Chili

2009-06-11T16:24:00.010-05:00

Picture a lazy Sunday and me not wanting to cook, so I decided to make chili in the crockpot and let my crockpot cook for me all day while I vegged. I wanted to make an easy chili, but not just any chili... I wanted large lima beans, aka butter beans. This was the chili my mom would make when I was growing up and of course I tweaked the recipe. I decided to call it Habas Grandes Crockpot Chili instead of Large Lima Crockpot Chili because it sounds more Tex-Mex and that's what the package said it was.

1 (16 oz.) package dry large lima beans--Habas Grandes--soaked overnight, then drained and rinsed
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
Generous amounts of chili powder
Lots of cumin
A little bit of dried minced garlic
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles
3 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 cup water

Heat a deep, 12-inch chef's saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onions, and green bell pepper. Sprinkle generously with chili powder and cumin. Cook, stirring to break up the meat. Season again with chili powder and cumin, then sprinkle on a little dried minced garlic.

When the meat is cooked, add the chopped green chiles, the tomato sauce, and water. Season again with the chili powder and cumin to taste. Be generous with the seasonings because the limas aren't seasoned at all and they'll soak up the spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes or so.

Spoon the meat mixture into the crockpot. Stir in the drained limas, then sprinkle with more chili powder. Cook on high for 3 hours, then turn the heat to low and cook for 5 or 6 more hours
or until the beans are tender, stirring once or twice during the cooking process.

This makes a thick chili, which I served on a plate instead of in a bowl and ate it with a fork instead of a spoon. If you prefer your chili to be a bit soupy, just add more water and/or another can of tomato sauce or a can of diced tomatoes with juice.

I served my chili with a simple curly leaf lettuce and tomato salad, dressed with Ranch, and a cheese quesadilla.

This is my entry for this month's Chili Cook-Off Challenge.

If you'd like to participate in
the chili cook-off, please click
the link to read the rules.

Cheatin' Cheddar 'n' Salsa Chicken

2009-06-09T16:38:00.008-05:00

As a foodie, I probably shouldn't admit this, but sometimes I
don't like to cook. {{gasp}}

Sometimes I like to re-heat leftovers; other times I like doing take-out or making convenience foods from a bag or a box, and every once in a while, I use ready-to-make frozen food. The past week or so (that I haven't been blogging), I've been doing a lot of this and I thought I'd better post something so you wouldn't think
I disappeared from the blogosphere.

1 frozen breaded chicken breast patty
Sliced cheddar cheese
Salsa from a jar

Heat the chicken breast patty according to directions... 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Top it with the cheddar cheese and return to the oven to melt the cheese. While the cheese is melting, warm the salsa in the microwave. Take the chicken patty-with-the-melted-cheese-on-top out of the oven and spoon the hot salsa over.

I steamed some broccoli to serve with this and nuked some leftover mashed potatoes. I drizzled some of the salsa over the broccoli and sprinkled some shredded Mexican blend cheese on top. Ditto for the potatoes.

My Cheatin' Cheddar Chicken isn't much to look at, but it was a quick, easy dinner that practically cooked itself and it was good.

So tell me: How many of you foodies cheat on dinner from time
to time?

Winners of the Chili Queens Cook-Off

2009-05-31T16:19:00.014-05:00

We have two winners this month for the Return of the Chili Queens Cook-Off Challenge.

Heather, GirliChef, made Sweet and Spicy Chili flavored with pomegranate juice.

Reeni, Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice, made Avocado Chicken Chile de Arbol and thickened the sauce with pureed avocado.

Congratulations to Reeni and Heather, Chili Queens of the Foodie Blogosphere! Here's your winner's badge to proudly display on your blog. And thanks to everyone for participating in the chili cook-off. All the recipes are winners in my book and are going into my new chili cookbook.

We do the chili cook-off challenge every month. Make an original chili recipe and post it on your blog by the 20th, along with the badge and a link to this blog, then send me the link to your post. The round-up is posted on the 21st.

Pearl Brewery... Farmer's Market and Flavors for Foodies

2009-05-30T14:30:00.029-05:00

I'm a little upset that I missed out on a fun foodie event. No one told me about this until last night when I heard it on the news or
I definitely would have been at Pearl Brewery today for the grand opening celebration of the San Antonio Museum Reach featuring a farmer's market, cooking demonstration from the Culinary Institute of America (which is housed on the grounds of the Pearl Brewery), chef's table, featuring lunch prepared with the season's freshest local ingredients from Texas farms, and the Texas Farm to Table Cafe for the food--Bison Burgers, Tacos, and more--as well as all the other fun festivities!

The farmer's market will be held every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. and will feature cooking demonstrations, a chef's table for lunch ($20.00), and of course, food! Want to take
a guess where I'll be next Saturday morning?

Return of the Chili Queens Chili Cook-Off Challenge

2009-05-21T20:08:00.011-05:00

Even though the Return of the Chili Queens Festival at Market Square has been downsized, that didn't stop the Chili Queens of the Foodie Blogosphere from returning and making chili for the monthly Chili Cook-Off Challenge here.

Karen, the chili queen of Domestic Muse, made Calypso Chili
last month, but since we didn't have the cook-off last month, we're including it in our special Return of the Chili Queens Cook-Off this month.

Karen also made spicy Chipotle-Cheese-Fries Chili, solving the dilemma of what to do when your taters get soggy.

Heather, GirliChef, chili queen and true Tex-Mex foodie, made Sweet and Spicy Chili with Pom Wonderful juice. But not before chugging a few.

I made Chili Carnitas to honor the heritage of the Chili Queens.

Reeni, Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice, a chili queen at
heart, made Avocado Chicken Chile de Arbol.

Who's your favorite chili queen this month? Please visit these foodies to check out their chili recipes, then come back here and vote for your favorite. The winner receives this winner's badge to proudly display on her blog.

The Chili Cook-Off Challenge happens every month. Make an original chili recipe, post it on your blog by the 20th, along with the badge and a link to the rules, then send me the link to your post.

Speaking of chili cook-offs, CASI is having a chili cook-off on Sunday, May 24th, beginning around 11:00 A.M. next to Mi Tierra's restaurant. I'll be one of the judges so I'll get to taste some great chili and hopefully collect more chili recipes for the chili cookbook I'm in the process of writing.

Chicken Chimichangas

2009-05-20T22:15:00.013-05:00

The recipe for this month's Second Sunday San Antonio -- Chicken Chimichangas -- was chosen by Heather, Girlchef, since she was the first to make and post last month's recipe. Second Sunday San Antonio is a Tex-Mex foodie blog event where we cook a recipe from my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, once a month. Whoever makes and posts the recipe first gets to choose the recipe we'll all make next month.

If you know me, you know I can't resist making changes to my own recipes. I've noted the changes I've made in blue.

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 chipotle chile, seeded
1 tbsp. vegetable oil (I used butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray.)
2 small onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 (16 oz.) can tomatillos, drained and chopped (I used 6 fresh tomatillos, boiled for 15 minutes to soften.)
2 (15.5 oz.) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I used one can.)
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup oil, for frying (I baked my chimichanges instead of frying. I lightly sprayed the bottom of a baking pan with butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray, then sprayed the top of the chimichangas, placed them in a 350 degree preheated oven and baked them for 20 minutes.)

Place the chicken breasts in a large saucepan, cover with water
and add the chipotle chile. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the chile has softened.

Remove the chile and chop it finely. Set aside.

Remove the chicken breasts and put them on a plate. Let cool slightly, then shred with two forks. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until soft, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves. Cook for 3 more minutes, stirring.

Add the tomatillos and pinto beans. Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring constantly to break up the tomatillos and some of the beans.

Add the chopped chipotle chile. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Add the shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stack the tortillas together and cover with plastic wrap. Place in
the microwave and cook for 30 seconds.

Spoon the filling into the center of each warmed tortilla. Add the cheese. Fold in both sides, then fold the bottom of the tortilla up and the top down to form a square packet. Moisten with water around the edges to seal.

Heat the 1/4 cup oil in a 2-inch deep skillet and fry the chimichangas in batches until crisp, turning once. Remove with
a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

I served my Chicken Chimichangas with torn Romaine lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream.

We'd love to have you cook with us for Second Sunday San Antonio. The round-up will be posted on June 14th. Make the Chicken Chimichanga recipe (tweak it if you like) and post the picture of the dish on your blog, along with the badge and a link to this post (you don't need to include the recipe), then send me an email at gloriachadwick@gmail.com
with the link to your post.

Since I was the first one to make and post the recipe for Second Sunday San Antonio this month, I get to choose the recipe we'll
all make next month. The recipe will be posted at the round-up.

I'm also sending this over to Heather at GirliChef for her Chile Contest and Cookbook Giveaway.

Taco Tuesdays... May Round-Up

2009-05-19T07:39:00.007-05:00

It's that time of the month again... time for tacos. Taco Tuesdays is a monthly Tex-Mex foodie event featuring tacos in all their many delicious and wonderful shapes and sizes. Sometimes they show themselves as tacos,
at other times they appear as quesadillas, flautas, taquitos, tostadas, or burritos, but they always appear dressed in a tortilla.

I made Turkey Lettuce Wrap Tacos, which directly contradicts what I just said about tacos always appearing wrapped in a tortilla. Some tacos have a mind of their own and deserve to be different. They were absolutely delicious and perfect for summer or any other time.

I also made Turkey Tacos with the leftover meat from the lettuce wraps, spicing them up with pepper jack cheese. Equally delicious.

Dee, Texas-to-Mexico, made Spicy, Sweet Veggie Tacos, using
up the food she had on hand before moving back to Texas from Mexico. Maybe she should change her blog name to Mexico-to-
Texas. We're happy to have her home in Texas.

Debbie, The Friday Friends, made Shrimp Tacos, saying that you can put practically anything in a taco and you don't need a recipe to create a delicious taco.

Heather, GirliChef, is trying to send us over the edge with her Puerco Pibil Tacos with a not-so-optional splash of tequila, inspired by Once Upon a Time in Mexico.
Want to participate in Taco Tuesdays? Make tacos or any
of their cousins or relatives--tostadas, taquitos, quesadillas, burritos, flautas, or practically anything that involves a tortilla, post them on your blog, along with the badge and a link to Taco Tuesdays, then email me at gloriachadwick@gmail.com with the link to your post. The round-up is posted on the third Tuesday every month.

Appreciating Chili

2009-05-18T15:52:00.008-05:00

The Return of the Chili Queens Festival at Market Square, May 23rd through the 25th, has been downsized. The Chili Queens won't be there, but CASI -- Chili Appreciation Society International -- will be there. They're having a chili cook-off on Sunday, May 24th, beginning around 11:00 A.M. next to Mi Tierra's restaurant. And I get to be one of the judges. YAY!!

From what I hear, they're planning to put on a colorful show. In addition to tasting some great chili, I'll be taking pictures of the cook-off and interviewing the chili cooks and some of their foodie followers, and hopefully getting some really good chili recipes.

I'll also be there on Saturday, May 23rd from 10:00 A.M. to Noon on the stage in Market Square, signing copies of my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio.

There will be vendors, who may or may not dress up as chili queens, selling Tex-Mex food, such as gorditas and quesadillas. And CASI will be offering chili samples.

I'm still doing the Return of the Chili Queens Chili Cook-Off Challenge this month here, so if you've ever wanted to be a chili queen, make some chili, post it on your blog, and send me the link. I'll be posting the round-up on Thursday.

Dog Days

2009-05-16T11:38:00.017-05:00

It gets hot in Texas. Really hot. Normally the dog days of summer are in August, the hottest time of the year. In Texas, the dog days are here and I almost lost my dog, Jodi, to heat exhaustion yesterday.

I took her out for a walk about 2:00 in the afternoon. It was in the mid-90s and very humid. After only ONE minute, she started panting heavily with a loud rasping noise, then vomited... the white foamy stuff. (Sorry to be gross.) Then she became lethargic and laid down on the ground.

I just thought she was having trouble breathing. She's had the rasping noise before when we've gone on long walks but it always subsides when we come inside and she rests. I had no idea she was in the beginning stages of heat exhaustion. I scooped her up in my arms, brought her inside, gave her a drink of water, but she kept panting, with the rasping noise, as if she couldn't get enough air.

I rushed her to the vet and they put her on oxygen, gave her a shot of subcutaneous fluid, and wet her fur to help her cool down. Her temperature was 104 degrees. She's all better now, to the tune of $112.00. If her temperature had been 105 or above, she could have gone into heat stroke, collapsed, and died.

It happened so fast. I've taken her out for walks on hotter days
and she's had no problems. I have another dog who I took for a
walk at the same time and she was just fine. The vet explained that since Jodi has so much fur, that was part of what caused the heat exhaustion. Most people associate heat exhaustion and heat stroke with dogs being left in a car, but it can happen any time the temperature and humidity are high.

The dog days are here, folks. Please take care of your beloved
pets. This link for heat exhaustion in animals tells you about
the warning signs and offers instructions for what to do if your
dog experiences heat exhaustion.

Chile Rellenos Casserole

2009-05-15T12:19:00.010-05:00

I was in the mood for Chile Rellenos, but didn't feel like frying, so
I created a Chile Rellenos Casserole, baking it instead of frying.
I also wanted a quick, easy recipe to feed two.

2 poblano peppers, roasted
1 (8 oz.) block Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely shredded, divided
1 (14.5 oz.) can Mexican style diced tomatoes

Roast the peppers over an open flame (I have a gas stove, so I roasted mine on top of the burner), turning with tongs until they are evenly blackened. Put the roasted peppers in a plastic zip-lock bag, seal, and let steam for 20 minutes.

While the peppers are steaming, shred the cheese and open the can of diced tomatoes. Pull out an 8-inch round casserole dish from your cabinet and set it on the counter top.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I used my toaster oven because it was just too hot (95 degrees) the other day to turn the oven on.

Gently, with your fingers, peel the blackened parts off the peppers. With a sharp knife, cut a slit from top to bottom, being careful not to cut all the way through. Remove the seeds.

Gently mold some of the shredded cheese into logs and place inside the peppers. Overlap the cut edges of the peppers to enclose the cheese filling.

Put a couple spoonfuls of the diced tomatoes in the bottom of the casserole dish. Place the stuffed peppers on top of the sauce, then pour the remaining diced tomatoes over. Scatter the remaining cheese over the top, place in the oven, and bake for 30 minutes.

How's that for quick and easy? Only three ingredients... a quick easy meal on a busy weeknight. I served mine with brown rice
and pinto beans.

I'm sending this recipe over to Heather at GirliChef for her Chiles in May Giveaway contest. What's she giving away? A copy of my new cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, dried chiles, and chile pepper refrigerator magnets. There's still time to enter through the end of this month, so head on over to her blog and check out the contest.

Update on the Return of the Chili Queens Festival: Just got some good news. The CASI chili cook-off part of the festival is still on for the 24th, but haven't heard yet on the other activities.

Return of the Chili Queens Festival... CANCELED

2009-05-14T16:15:00.018-05:00

Bummer! Total Bummer! I found out today that the Return of the Chili Queens festival (scheduled for May 23rd through the 25th) at Market Square was canceled. Bummer! The El Mercado Merchants Association, who sponsor the event, decided to cancel it because the price of police protection for the event was too high. Bummer!

Did I mention that I'm so bummed by this!? When I get bummed out about something, I cook. And I eat. I made this Chipotle-Mole Chili a while back. This recipe makes a lot of chili, a lot of really good chili, with leftovers. It freezes well, so on my search for food to make me feel better, I found some of this chili in the freezer and am nuking it as I type this.

We're still doing the chili cook-off this month on this blog, but now I'll have to change the theme from The Return of the Chili Queens Chili Cook-Off to something else. Let me eat first, and brood over my chili, then I'll let you know.

UPDATE: Lots of people are totally bummed about this, too. I got an email yesterday from a writer for Lonely Planet magazine who
is coming all the way from the UK to cover this event. He's really bummed that it's been canceled. CASI--Chili Appreciation Society International which sponsors over 500 chili cook-offs each year--has a chili cook-off scheduled on the 24th next to MiTierra's Restaurant during the Return of the Chili Queens festival and they're working on getting the Merchant's Association to change their mind and reinstate the festival. So there's a ray of hope! I'll keep you posted.

Second Sunday San Antonio... May Round-Up

2009-05-10T08:07:00.008-05:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Welcome to the second round-up for Second Sunday San Antonio, a Tex-Mex foodie blog event where we cook a recipe from my new cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, once a month. Part of the fun of this is to see what the same recipe looks like when it's prepared by different people and how people may have changed it to suit their tastes.

The recipe we made, chosen by Chef Bliss, was Pork Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce.

Heather, GirliChef, loves a good competition and jumped right on the recipe. She was the first to make and post the recipe, with a few tweaks.

I made the recipe with a few tweaks of my own.

Debbie, The Friday Friends, a self-proclaimed procrastinator who also became a grandma of twin preemies, Eli and Emerson, two days ago, followed the recipe word-for-word and said it was so GOOD!! Since she'd never worked with serranos before she had to make margaritas to go with dinner. Or maybe it was before dinner.

Tiersa, Chef Bliss, who chose the recipe this month, waxed poetic about the recipes in my cookbook and added her own healthy flair to the recipe.

Since Heather, GirliChef, was the first to post for this month's Second Sunday San Antonio, she gets to choose the recipe we'll
all make next month. She chose Chicken Chimichangas.

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 chipotle chile, seeded
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 (16 oz.) can tomatillos, drained and chopped
2 (15.5 oz.) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1/4 - 1/2 cup oil, for frying

Place the chicken breasts in a large saucepan, cover with water
and add the chipotle chile. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the chile has softened.

Remove the chile and chop it finely. Set aside.

Remove the chicken breasts and put them on a plate. Let cool slightly, then shred with two forks. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until soft, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves. Cook for 3 more minutes, stirring.

Add the tomatillos and pinto beans. Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring constantly to break up the tomatillos and some of the beans.

Add the chopped chipotle chile. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Add the shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stack the tortillas together and cover with plastic wrap. Place in
the microwave and cook for 30 seconds.

Spoon the filling into the center of each warmed tortilla. Fold in both sides, then fold the bottom of the tortilla up and the top down to form a square packet. Moisten with water around the edges to seal.

Heat the 1/4 cup oil in a 2-inch deep skillet and fry the chimichangas in batches until crisp, turning once. Remove with
a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

As I was typing this post, I was simultaneously thinking about the changes I'd make to this recipe. One of the changes I'll be making
is to use fresh tomatillos instead of canned. Another change I'm planning to make is I won't be frying these chimichangas since I'm not real keen on frying. That's all I'm going to say for now. You'll have to wait to see what I've done when I post my Chicken Chimichangas later this month.

We'd love to have you cook with us for next month's Second Sunday San Antonio. The round-up will be posted on June 14th. Make the recipe (tweak it if you like) and post the picture of the dish on your blog, along with the badge and a link to this post (you don't need to include the recipe). Send me an email at gloriachadwick@gmail.com with the link to your post. If you're the first one to make and post Chicken Chimichangas, you get to choose the recipe we'll all make next month.

As an added bonus, if you make the recipe before the end of May, you can also submit it to Heather at GirliChef for her Chile Contest and Cookbook Giveaway. One
of the ways to win is to make a recipe
with chiles in it and this recipe qualifies because there's a chipotle chile in it. The prizes are a copy of my cookbook, dried chiles, and chile pepper refrigerator magnets.

Since Debbie and Tiersa posted their versions of Pork Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce this month
(which has chile peppers), they can also send it to Heather for her chile round-up. Procrastination can be a good thing sometimes.

Chili Carnitas

2009-05-08T12:39:00.011-05:00

Since San Antonio is the birthplace of chili (it's our state dish), and the Return of the Chili Queens Festival is at Market Square, May 23rd through the 25th, and I'm writing a chili cookbook, in addition to the fundraising Tex-Mex cookbook, and the Chili Cook-Off Challenge was sort of forgotten last month, I thought it would be fun to make a lot of chili recipes this month to honor the heritage of the Chili Queens.

During the 1880s, the Chili Queens would gather at dusk at Military Plaza to sell their bowls of chili. They made the chili at home, then loaded it onto colorful chili wagons, and transported the wagons and chili to the plaza. They built mesquite fires on the square to keep the chili warm, lit their wagons with colored lanterns, and served their chili. In those days, a big plate of chili and beans, with a tortilla on the side, cost a dime. A night in San Antonio was not considered complete without a visit to the chili queens.

I had some leftover pork from making Pork Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce for Second Sunday San Antonio, so I decided
to make Chili Carnitas.

1-1/2 cups leftover seasoned, shredded pork for carnitas
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
4 slices turkey bacon, chopped
Various amounts, to taste, of chili powder, cumin, and Mexican oregano, divided
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (15.5 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
Toppings: Shredded pepper jack cheese, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber, and white corn tortilla chips.

Spray a deep, 12-inch chef's saute pan with nonstick cooking
spray. Heat over medium heat.

Add the pork, onions, jalapeno peppers, and chopped bacon. Season to taste with chili powder, cumin, and Mexican oregano. Saute until the onions are limp, the peppers are soft, and the
bacon is crisp.

Add the garlic and saute for one minute.

Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and water. Stir to mix.

Season the sauce with the chili powder, cumin, and Mexican oregano, to taste. Stir to mix. Bring to a boil, then reduce the
heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Top with the pepper jack cheese, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and chopped cucumbers. Tuck the tortilla chips around the edges
of the bowl. (I know that a bowl doesn't have edges and I debated whether to say "tuck the tortilla chips around the sides of the bowl" but a bowl doesn't have sides either. I'm at a complete loss as to how to phrase this properly. Maybe my mind isn't working today. Any suggestions?)

This was a quick, easy, and very delicious chili. I'm sure the chili queens would be proud of me.

We're having a special Return of the Chili Queens Chili Cook-Off Challenge in May. If you'd like to participate, make an original chili recipe (which will be published in a new cookbook I'm writing), post it on your blog by the 20th, along with the badge and a link to the Chili Cook-Off Challeng e, then send me an email at gloriachadwick@gmail.com with the link to your post. The round-up will be posted on the 21st. Voting will determine the winner.

If you live in San Antonio and are planning to come to the Return of the Chili Queens Festival at Market Square, I'm doing a booksigning there on Saturday, May 23rd, 10:00 A.M. to Noon.

I'm also doing a booksigning tomorrow, May 9th, at Barnes & Noble from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. at The Shops at La Cantera, so if you get a chance, please stop by and say hi.

I'm sending this recipe over to Heather at GirliChef for her Chile Contest and Cookbook Giveaway. Cook something with chiles this month and you have a chance to win. One of the prizes is a copy of my new cookbook. Heather is also offering some dried chiles and I'm tossing in San Antonio chile pepper refrigerator magnets. Check out her post for all the details.

Margaritas and Cinco de Mayo... A Day Late

2009-05-06T15:26:00.031-05:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo... a day late. I really was planning a post for yesterday, complete with the history of Cinco de Mayo and some delicious Tex-Mex food to celebrate, but I just didn't have the time. Want to hear my excuses? They're good and they're true. I'm not making them up.

My daughter, Jennifer, is a firefighter (she works 24-hour shifts) and I watched my grandsons all day Sunday and Monday because she picked up an overtime shift on Monday. I didn't cook anything special because my grandsons only like quesadillas and beans. And then the Cinco de Mayo celebration at Market Square
in San Antonio was canceled (probably because of the swine flu),
so I couldn't really get into the spirit of things. And then, before I knew it, it was Tuesday and you know I have this thing for tacos on Tuesday. It's probably good that I didn't go downtown on Saturday to celebrate because I might have passed out from the heat or from too many margaritas I would have been drinking to keep myself hydrated, not to mention intoxicated.

Yesterday I was doing research for the new fundraising cookbook I'm writing, cruising the web for info on margaritas (yes, there's going to be some good margaritas in the new cookbook. I know how much all of you enjoyed the margaritas at my cookbook's birthday party) and I found Margarita Texas. Oh happy day! I love this website. A young couple created this site to document their journey through restaurants in Texas
to find the best margarita.

So, to make it up to you for not posting anything for Cinco de Mayo, I'm offering you margaritas from Margarita Texas... lots
of margaritas... 52 to be exact. But please don't drink them all
at one time. Pace yourself.

Or not. If you love margaritas and you're really thirsty, maybe
you'd like to drink the world's largest margarita... the Big Rita.

Big Rita is 18 feet high and 12 feet wide. Big Rita weighs 64,000 pounds. That's 32 tons of margarita... 44,800 20 oz. drinks. That should last you for a while.

Let's have a drink to celebrate Cinco de Mayo a day late. There's enough margaritas to last us for the rest of our lifetimes. Meet
you in Margaritaville!

Oh, you want some food to soak up all the tequila? Okay. Recipe Girl made Margarita Cupcakes for Cinco de Mayo.

Enjoy! BTW, I don't want you guys to think I'm a lush; actually I'm not a drinker. I never touch the stuff. NOT!

Turkey Tacos

2009-05-05T11:04:00.005-05:00

Since I had some leftover meat from the Turkey Lettuce Wrap Tacos I made last week, I decided to wrap them in a flour tortilla and make some changes to the toppings to vary the taste a bit. They were a little bland the first time around so I added pepper jack cheese to give them a little more spicy heat.

I warmed the flour tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-high
heat. After the first side browned and the tortilla puffed up, I flipped it over and added warmed refried beans, a sprinkling
of Mexican Blend cheese, the warmed, seasoned turkey, and a generous sprinkling of pepper jack cheese. Additional toppings included sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and chopped Romaine lettuce.

These were perfect with the extra bit of heat from the pepper
jack cheese.

Do you love tacos? Want to make tacos, or any variation
of tacos, for Taco Tuesdays?
The rules are easy because tacos are easy. Post your tacos on your blog with the badge and a link to Taco Tuesdays, then send me the link to your post at gloriachadwick@gmail.com. The round-up is posted on the third Tuesday each month.

Chile Contest and a Cookbook Giveaway

2009-05-01T15:39:00.016-05:00

Yesterday, I mentioned that Heather at GirliChef and I had cooked up a giveaway contest for the month of May. I'm still not going to tell you what it's all about; you'll have to visit GirliChef to find out the details, but I will tell you that it involves cooking with chiles and winning a copy of my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio.

Heather made Chile Rellenos with Sauce to start the contest. These look so good that I'm going to make them this month, and probably a few more chile recipes. If you've never made Chile Rellenos before, you don't know what you're missing (they're absolutely delicious) and Heather walks you through it, step-by-step, with instructions and photos.

Heather is also giving away some chile prizes so I thought I'd toss in a few chile pepper refrigerator magnets to the winners on her blog.

GirliChef and her hubby, MexiChef, are both fantastic Tex-Mex cooks. She has a lot of really wonderful recipes on her blog, so click on over and check them out. We'll have you cooking with chiles
in no time. And you could win a copy of my cookbook and chiles!

Want more chances to win my cookbook? Teresa, Mexican American Border Cooking, is giving away two copies of my cookbook and will draw the winners tomorrow. She's been
making recipes from my cookbook every day this past week.
All you have to do is visit her blog and leave a comment.

Fiesta T-Shirt Winners

2009-04-30T13:44:00.016-05:00

To celebrate San Antonio's Fiesta, I announced earlier this month that I'd be giving away some Fiesta T-Shirts. There were several ways to win; one of the ways was to leave comments on my posts this month.

The winners are two of my favorite Fiesta Foodies:

Reeni, Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice, left 15 comments this month. Reeni also hosted the first week of my Foods and Flavors of San Antonio cookbook giveaway for April.

Heather, GirliChef, also left 15 comments this month. Heather and I have cooked up a special cookbook giveaway for the month of May. I can't tell you what it's about; you'll have to visit GirliChef tomorrow for all the details, but I can tell you that it will be a fun contest and it involves cooking.

Turkey Lettuce Wrap Tacos

2009-04-28T22:48:00.000-05:00

I love tacos. I love tacos wrapped in corn tortillas. I love tacos wrapped in flour tortillas. My new taco love is tacos wrapped in Romaine lettuce leaves. I saw a recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen for
tacos wrapped in lettuce and they looked so good I had to make them, changing the recipe to suit my taste. Kalyn loves cilantro;
I don't. Her recipe called for 1-1/4 cups of chopped cilantro. Not happening in my kitchen.

I rolled them after I took the picture because if I took the picture after I rolled them, all you would see is round packages of Romaine lettuce.

Here's my recipe for Turkey Lettuce Wrap Tacos:

1 pound ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 T. dried minced garlic
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
2 T. lime juice
8 leaves Romaine lettuce, washed and root ends trimmed
1 tomato, chopped
Guacamole

Heat a deep, 12-inch chef's saute pan over medium heat. Add the turkey, onion, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring, until the turkey is brown and the onion is limp.

Add the green chilies to the turkey mixture in the pan, stir to mix them in, then let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While this is cooking, prepare the guacamole.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lime juice.

Spoon equal amounts of the turkey mixture into the center of
the Romaine lettuce leaves. Top with chopped tomatoes and guacamole.

Wrap and enjoy. You can also serve this in a corn or flour tortilla (which I did with the leftovers), but a lettuce wrap makes a nice change and the crunch is good.

These were really good, but a bit mild. The only thing I'd do different is to add more chili powder and cumin. Lots more chili powder and cumin, maybe even some chipotle powder or crushed red pepper flakes.

Do you love tacos? Want to make tacos, or any variation
of tacos, for Taco Tuesdays? Post your tacos on your blog with the badge and a link to Taco Tuesdays, then send
me the link to your post at gloriachadwick@gmail.com.
Round-up is posted on the
third Tuesday each month.

Cookbook Giveaway... Week Four

2009-04-27T16:01:00.006-05:00

All month, four of my favorite Fiesta Foodie friends have been giving away copies of my new cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, each week on their blogs.

This week, Teresa, Mexican American Border Cooking, is giving away two copies of my cookbook and is offering you lots of chances to win every day from now until May 2nd. But that's not all. She's giving the winners of my cookbook something special; they'll also receive a copy of her e-cookbook, Mi Chita's Mexican Chocolate Recipes.
I have this e-cookbook and can vouch
for how delicious all the recipes are.
But you don't have to take my word for it. Visit Teresa's Mexican Chocolate Lore and More blog to see for yourself.

This is just too good to miss. If you love Tex-Mex food and chocolate, click over to her blog right away. She's got Kahlua
Coffee and Kahlua Cookies waiting on the table for you.

Be sure to stop by Mexican American Border Cooking every day
to see what Teresa has cooking and for extra chances to win my cookbook and her chocolate e-cookbook. For those of you who haven't met Teresa yet, she and her husband, Bob, are the authors of Aprovecho: A Mexican American Border Cookbook, a completely delicious Tex-Mex cookbook filled with family recipes and so much more. If you love Tex-Mex food, you're gonna love her blog.

Too Hot to Handle

2009-04-26T10:48:00.019-05:00

I took my grandsons, Antonio and Jordon, to the King William Fair yesterday. It's a huge street fair and
is part of the Fiesta events. It's filled with vendors selling awesome stuff and there's lots of food: Foot-long corn dogs, gorditas, brisket tacos, corn on the cob, dorito pies, turkey legs, sausage on a stick, quesadillas, funnel cakes, and so much more.

We got there about 11:00 A.M. (missed the parody parade) and walked around for a while, searching for the Kid's Kingdom. While we were walking around, we got hungry. I told Antonio and Jordan they could have whatever they wanted so of course they chose the foot-long corn dogs (I knew they would). These things are huge.
(I didn't take my camera so I don't have pictures, sorry!) I had a gordita piled high with pico de gallo.

After we walked around for a while longer, finally gaining sight of the Kid's Kingdom (yay!), we decided to have a funnel cake and it was really good! Worth every penny of the $5.00. (It probably cost the food vendor about 23 cents to make.)

We'd been walking around in the heat (90 degrees) and humidity for a couple of hours and finally arrived at Kid's Kingdom. I bought $40 worth of tickets for the kid's rides and games, and we're walking over to the climbing wall and the bungi jump when I started to feel really dizzy. Next thing I knew I was on the ground and a dog was licking my face. (Dogs love me and I think this dog helped me to wake up.)

It happened so fast; I had no warning. Just felt really, really dizzy, then passed out from the heat. I think some really nice people must have caught me and laid me gently on the ground. When I opened my eyes (I don't think I was out very long), there was a really nice, very cute, guy asking me if I was okay. He said he was a physician and would stay with me until I felt better. He asked me a couple of questions, wanting to know if I had diabetes, when did I eat last, was I on any medications, and could I sit up. I remember thinking that he was really nice and wondered if I could set him up with my daughter (she's divorced).

I still felt too dizzy to sit up, so I just laid there on the ground looking up at all the people who were looking at me laying on the ground (so embarrassing!). The doctor and some other really nice people helped me stand up, then walked me to the first aid station where they gave me ice to put on my neck and a bottle of water.

I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all the people who helped me. Don't know if they'll ever read this blog, but there are really nice people out there who helped me and stayed with me until I
felt better and I'm very grateful.

After about a half hour of cooling down, I decided that since my original intent was to have a really good time with my grandsons,
I wasn't going to let a little thing like heat exhaustion ruin our
good time at the fair. Besides, I had just spent $40 on tickets
and wanted the boys to enjoy the rides and games.

Heat exhaustion can happen to anyone, at any time. It is NOT a little thing; it can turn serious and deadly if you don't take care of yourself (or have someone else take care of you) right away. If you're going to be out walking around in the heat, check out this article on Heat Stress and Heat-Related Illness.

After we finished our fun at the fair, I called my daughter and she came to get us. When I got home, I turned the air conditioning way down to about 50 degrees, took a cool shower, and just relaxed for the rest of the day. I got a good night's sleep last night, but today,
I still feel hot and somewhat dizzy, so I'm going to stay cool today and have a relaxing Sunday at home.

Heat exhaustion can happen to anyone. I'm not that young (pushing 60), but I'm really healthy, and I had already guzzled two bottles of water, so I had kept myself hydrated, but I still passed out from the heat. It gets really hot and very humid in San Antonio (and in lots of other places), so please take care of yourself. Summer is coming and heat exhaustion can affect anyone.

Pork Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

2009-04-22T19:35:00.004-05:00

Pork Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce is the recipe we're all making for Second Sunday San Antonio in May, a Tex-Mex foodie event where we all make the same recipe from my new cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, and compare notes. The recipe was chosen by Chef Bliss. Here are my enchiladas before I dressed them up.

The finished dish, all dressed up with the delicious sides.

Since I can't resist making changes to my own recipes, I've noted the tweaking I've done in blue.

1-1/4 lb. pork shoulder, diced (I used a 3-1/4 pound boneless pork for carnitas; I used about half of it and saved the rest to make chili later in the week.)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil (I used butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray.)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
2 cups drained canned tomatillos (I used 6 fresh tomatillos, husks removed, washed and gently boiled for 15 minutes to soften.)
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed (I was able to fit 10 enchiladas into the pan.)
3/4 cup grated Mexican blend cheese

Add the diced pork to a medium-size saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Drain, let cool, then shred with two forks. I seasoned
the shredded pork with salt, freshly ground black pepper, chili powder, and cumin.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 13 x 9 baking
dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the serrano peppers and the tomatillos. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatillos begin to break up. Reduce the
heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. Let cool slightly, then
puree in a blender.

Spoon equal amounts of the shredded pork on the center of each tortilla and roll it up. Place it seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Warm the corn tortillas by steaming them in the microwave.

Pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese bubbles. I baked it for 45 minutes
to brown the cheese. I love slightly-burnt cheese.

I served it with sour cream, refried beans, shredded Romaine lettuce, and chopped tomatoes.

We'd love to have you cook with us for May's Second Sunday San Antonio. The round-up will be posted on May 10th. Make the recipe (tweak it if you like) and post the picture on your blog, along with the badge and a link to Second Sunday San Antonio, then send me an email at gloriachadwick@gmail.com with the link to your post.

The first foodie to make and post the current month's recipe gets to choose the recipe we'll all make next month. GirliChef was the first to post this month so she'll be choosing next month's recipe which will be posted at the round-up.

Taco Tuesdays... April Round-Up

2009-04-21T08:18:00.011-05:00

Welcome to the first round-up of Taco Tuesdays, a monthly Tex-Mex foodie event. Tacos are my all-time favorite Tex-Mex food. There are practically infinite ways to make tacos or any of
their relatives.

Tacos come in all shapes and sizes. A
taco called by any other name--such as tostadas, taquitos, quesadillas, flautas, burritos, nachos, chiliquiles, chimichangas, and so many more--
is still a taco at heart.

I made Tuesday Tacos, doing one each of a tostada and a taco. The only difference is in whether you fold your tortilla in half or leave it open.

Heather, GirliChef, loves tacos as much as I do. She made three variations of a taco. First up is her Seasoned Turkey Flautas, made with the help of her mexichef.

In the middle of moving from one house to another, Heather still had time to make some Quick Quesadillas consisting of shredded beef with black beans and cheese.

Heather, being on a roll with tacos, also made Flautas de Pollo with Salsa Verde, sharing her long-running love affair with
Mexican food.

If you haven't visited Heather at GirliChef, be sure to go over and say hi. She's a girl after my own Tex-Mex heart and has a totally awesome blog that you'll love. She's a wonderful cook and a really nice person. We're cooking up a special surprise for everyone on May 1st.

Heather awarded me the Premio Meme award, wanting to know seven things about my personality. You're supposed
to share seven things about yourself, then pass the award and meme on to seven other bloggers who share seven things about their personalities then pass it along to seven other bloggers who share seven things about themselves, etc., so and so forth, for forever, until everyone in the world knows seven things about everyone.

This is probably more than you want to know about me, but here are seven things about my personality:

1. Passionate. GirliChef listed this as her #1 personality trait, too, so we have a lot in common. :) You have to put your whole heart and soul into whatever you do.

2. Determination. Some people call this stubbornness, but I prefer to think I'm persistent and determined in everything I do. It walks hand-in-hand with passion.

3. I'm a perfectionist. I can't help it; it's just in my nature. Some people call this nit-picking, some people find it really irritating, editors love it, and I prefer to think I'm just very, very thorough and want to do everything right; it has to be perfect, IMHO, or I won't put it out there.

4. Gullible. Tell me anything, even something absurdly untrue that everyone else knows is a lie, and I will totally believe you. This has gotten me into trouble more times than I can count.

5. Soft touch. Fits right in with my gullibility. Tell me a sob story and I'll give you the shirt off my back. Or take in homeless strays. That's why I have five animals (the furry kind) that live with me.

6. Positive. I always see the bright side
of things and can always find the good in everyone and everything.

7. Happy. The credo that I live by is to
Just Be Happy.

Okay, now that you know more than you probably wanted to know about me, here are seven of my blogging buddies I'd like to know seven things about... if they're willing to share.

Teresa, Mexican American Border Cooking
Tiersa, Chef Bliss
Reeni, Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice
Meg, Megan's Munchies
Hornsfan, Bytes from Texas
Natasha, Five Star Foodie
Colleen, Colleen's Recipes

If you'd like to do the meme, and I haven't called you by name, please feel free to enjoy the award and do the meme. There are thousands of bloggers out there I haven't met yet; if you've found my blog, please leave me a comment and let me find yours.

Back to the food... If you want to do Taco Tuesdays with us, make tacos or any of their cousins or relatives--tostadas, taquitos, quesadillas, burritos, flautas, or practically anything that involves a tortilla, post them on your blog, along with the badge and a link to Taco Tuesdays, then email me at gloriachadwick@gmail.com with the link to your post. The round-up is posted on the third Tuesday every month.

Monterey Pepper Jack Chicken

2009-04-18T06:12:00.003-05:00

Monterey Pepper Jack Chicken is one of the 261 recipes in
my new cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio. It's San Antonio's version of Chicken Parmesan. Instead of tomato sauce, salsa is used. Instead of Mozzarella cheese, Monterey Pepper Jack cheese is used. Instead of serving it over pasta, it's served over rice. The cornmeal coating adds a nice crunch and texture.

2 large eggs
2 tbsp. water
1 cup cornmeal
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups salsa (I used a 16 oz. jar of Lime & Garlic Salsa Picante)
1 cup shredded Monterey Pepper Jack cheese
3 cups cooked white rice, hot (I made Mexican rice)
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray a 13 x 9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and water until frothy.

On a dinner plate, combine the cornmeal, Parmesan cheese, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.

Dip the chicken breasts in the egg, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture, coating evenly. Shake off the excess.

Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and cook for 30 to
35 minutes or until the juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife.

Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the salsa over. Sprinkle with the cheese. Return to the oven for 10 minutes
or until the cheese melts.

Serve over rice with sour cream on the side.

I served mine with a side of pinto beans. Delicioso!

It's Fiesta!

2009-04-16T08:56:00.017-05:00

Fiesta starts today and runs through the 26th. For 11 days, San Antonio parties day and night with over 107 activities.

An extra day was added this year for Fiesta Fiesta, April 16th, 5:00 P.M. to 10:30 P.M. at the Alamo to begin the festivities of Fiesta.

In addition to all the fun and food you can enjoy downtown around the Market Square area, here's a run-down on the major activities and events.

Fiesta Carnival. April 15th through the 26th at the Alamo Dome.

Fiesta Oyster Bake, Friday, April 17th, 5:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M. and Saturday, April 18th, 11:00 A.M. to 11 P.M., St. Mary's University. This is known as the heartbeat of Fiesta and is the official kick-off of the party. In addition to over 100,000 oysters, there's plenty of Tex-Mex food, music, fun, and fireworks.

A Ta ste of New Orleans, April 17th through the 19th (various hours) offers family fun with a "taste" of New Orleans food and music. New Orleans is our sister city and we're now home to thousands of Katrina evacuees.

Paseo del Rio Children's Festival, April 18th, 10:00 A.M. to
4:00 P.M., at the River Walk is for children of all ages and features interactive games, face painting, clowns, mascots, story-telling, a moon bounce, food, and much more.

Texas Cavalier River Parade floats along the San Antonio River through the heart of the city on April 20th, 7:30 P.M.

NIOSA -- Night in Old San Antonio (pronounced knee-oh-sa) is a four-night event held in La Villita that celebrates San Antonio's diverse cultural heritage with 15 ethnic areas and 250 food booths serving every kind of food you can imagine. April 21st through the 24th, 5:30 P.M. to 10:30 P.M. This is mostly for the younger folks; there's a lot of drinking and partying going on. I babysit my four grandchildren while my daughters go and party.

Battle of the Flowers Parade is the founding event of Fiesta; it began in 1891 to honor the memory of the fallen heroes at the Alamo and to commemorate the victory at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, where Texas gained its independence. Friday (aka Fiesta Friday), April 24th, 12:45 P.M. The Battle of the Flowers Parade is a really big deal. Banks close. Schools close. Businesses close. Millions of people converge on downtown San Antonio to enjoy all the fun of Fiesta. The theme of this year's parade is Hats Off to Texas.

Pooch Parade, April 25th, Alamo Heights, 8:00 A.M. to noon. Even dogs get to Fiesta!

King William Fair, April 25th, 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M., offers a parade parody to start the day off that's filled with lots of fun, entertainment, a Kid's Kingdom, arts and crafts vendors, and of course, food!

Fiesta Flambeau Parade is a night-time parade through the streets of San Antonio. The floats are illuminated with thousands
of lights. The fun happens on April 25th at 7:45 P.M. when the sun goes down.

If you're not in San Antonio and can't be part of the foods and flavors of Fiesta, be sure to enter my giveaway to win a San Antonio Fiesta T-Shirt this month.

Cookbook Giveaway... Week Three

2009-04-15T22:00:00.001-05:00

Do you love Tex-Mex food? Would you like to win a copy of my new cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio? This month, four Fiesta Foodies (see the sidebar) are giving away a copy of my cookbook each week on their blogs.

Tiersa, Chef Bliss, is hosting the third week of the cookbook giveaway. She's blissfully giving you six chances to win
this week, from April 15th to the 21st.

Be sure to visit Chef Bliss. You'll love her blog for many reasons; winning my cookbook is just one of them. Since I'm in a Fiesta mood and I want you to win, I thought it would be fun to offer you
a 7th chance this week. Leave a comment on this post as well as on Chef Bliss. I'll send your names over to her for the random drawing. Plus, I'll toss in a San Antonio refrigerator magnet to the winner this week. Plus, there's more! Chef Bliss is cooking up a surprise and will share it later this week.

Cascarones

2009-04-15T11:30:00.001-05:00

It's almost time for Fiesta! Are you ready to party?

One of the traditions of Fiesta is Cascarones, confetti-filled eggshells, which, when cracked over your head, bring you good luck. This isn't just for kids. Adults of all ages are cracking cascarones during Fiesta.

What are Cascarones? They're part of the Fiesta fun!

Want to pretend you're at Fiesta and play a cascarones game?

Tuesday Tacos

2009-04-14T07:43:00.005-05:00

I totally love tacos! During the Fiesta of Foods of Flavors event
last month to celebrate the birth of my new cookbook, Foods and
Flavors of San Antonio, we had tacos, or a variation of tacos,
every Tuesday. Since tacos are so good, and because you can make
them so many ways, we have a new monthly Tex-Mex Foodie event:
Taco Tuesdays.

Of course I made tacos for this event. I'd make them even without this event. I also made tostadas, which is basically an open-face taco. Here's my Tuesday Tacos.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
Various amounts of chili powder and cumin, to taste
1/4 cup water
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 cup prepared salsa (I used Herdez Salsa Casera, Medium)
1 (8 oz.) package Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/2 small cucumber, chopped
Chopped tomatoes
Ranch dressing
Shredded lettuce

Brown the ground beef and onions in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chili powder and cumin to taste
while the meat is browning.

Add the water, stir to mix, then reduce the heat and let simmer
for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Just before you're ready to start assembling the tacos, put the refried beans in a bowl and place them in the microwave; warm them for about 45 seconds. This makes spreading the beans on
the tortilla easier.

In a separate 10-inch dry skillet, warm the corn tortillas, one at a time, over medium heat. When the bottom is browned, flip it over and let the other side brown.

While the second side is browning, spread on some refried beans, some of the meat mixture, a spoonful or so of salsa, and some of the cheese.

Remove to a plate and add the chopped cucumber, tomato, Ranch dressing, lettuce, then more cheese.

Depending on whether you want a hand-held taco or an open-faced tostada, fold the tortilla in half for a taco or leave it open-face for a tostada.

Want to do Taco Tuesdays with us? The rules are easy because tacos are easy. Post your tacos (or their cousins--tostadas or taquitos; or their relatives--flautas, quesadillas, and burritos) on your blog, along with the badge and a link to
this post, then email me at gloriachadwick@gmail.com
with the link to your post. The round-up will be posted on the 21st, the third Tuesday this month.

Easter Sunday Pot Roast

2009-04-13T08:33:00.003-05:00

Here in San Antonio, we tend to turn traditional meals, like an Easter Sunday dinner, into a Southwestern-style meal. I made
a not-so-traditional pot roast. I added a taste of Tex-Mex by tossing in some chipotle peppers. The sweetness of the carrots melded perfectly with the zip of the peppers. It's so easy to turn
any recipe into a Tex-Mex recipe. :)

1 2-1/2 pound bottom round rump roast
6 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
8 carrots, cut on an angle
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
Salt, coarsely ground black pepper, and dried Mexican oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle peppers, finely chopped
1 (0.87 oz.) package brown gravy mix
1-1/4 cups water, divided
1 (14.5 oz.) can Italian diced tomatoes
8 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
Fresh or frozen broccoli florets

Heat a deep, 12-inch, chef's saute pan over high heat. Rinse the roast and put it in the hot pan to sear. When the bottom is seared, turn it over and sear the other side. When that's seared, sear both the sides. (I used tongs to hold the meat upright while the sides seared.) Remove to a plate and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the celery, carrots, and onions to the pan. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and oregano. Let cook for about 5 minutes, then stir and let cook again for 5 minutes. (Not much stirring involved and no need to add any oil; the veggies release their juices when sprinkled with salt so there's just the right amount of moisture to begin softening the veggies. Plus they pick up the flavor of the seared meat.)

During the last 2 minutes of sort-of softening the veggies, stir in the garlic and chipotle peppers. About a minute later, stir again.

Make a well in the middle of the pan (move the veggies to the
side) and return the roast to the center of the pan, along with
any accumulated juices.

Pour the gravy mix into a 2-cup measuring cup. Add one cup water, then stir with a fork to get out all the lumps. Pour this over the meat and veggies, letting some run under the meat, then add the diced tomatoes, along with about 1/4 cup water. (I put the water
in the can of diced tomatoes and swirl it around to pick up all the remaining tomato bits and juices from the can.) Stir.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and let cook for 2 hours or so, stirring the veggies and turning the meat occasionally.

About 20 minutes before the roast is done, cook the potatoes in salted boiling water in a separate saucepan.

About 5 minutes before the roast is done and the potatoes are happily cooking, put the broccoli florets in a medium-size bowl, cover with a wet paper towel and steam in the microwave for
about 3 to 4 minutes or until tender-crisp.

This was a simple, very delicious, Easter Sunday Pot Roast,
nothing fancy, just basic ingredients with an added taste of
Tex-Mex. It practically cooked by itself and my house smelled
wonderful.