Ingredients of Mexican and Southwestern Cooking – 1

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Information

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
—–INFORMATION ONLY—–

ACHIOTE SEED: The dried reddish seeds of the annatto tree give food a bright
orange-yellow tint when they are cooked first in hot fat; then, the seeds
themselves are discarded. Sometimes they are ground to a powder and stirred
into such foods as butter for color. They impart a flavor that is gentle and
hard to describe; like that of saffron, it has an earthy quality.

ADOBO: A piquant sauce of tomato, vinegar and spices.

ANISE SEED: This small, elongated seed tastes sharply of licorice.

ATOLE BLUE CORNMEAL: This is blue corn that has been dried, roasted, and
ground specifically to be used in make ATOLE, a cornmeal gruel.
Blue corn, unlike ordinary field corn, is always dried and ground before use.
Cornmeal, blue, yellow, or white, can be used as a thickener.

AVOCADO: This fruit is ripe when the flesh under the leathery skin yields to
light pressure. A hard avocado will ripen if left at room temperature for two
or three days. The Haas or California type is smaller and darker green than
the emerald type grown in Florida, and some say it is more flavorful as well.
Keep avocado flesh from discoloring by brushing it with lemon juice as it is
peeled.

BEANS: It takes time to prepare dried beans, but the result is a tender bean
that is still firm. Canned beans are sometimes mushy, but they are convenient
to keep on hand and are packed in liquid that adds flavor to many recipes.
Dried beans keep almost indefinitely. Before cooking dried beans, rinse them
well and pick them over for stones or inferior beans.

TYPES OF BEANS:

BLACK BEANS: (frijoles negros, turtle beans) though small, have a hearty
flavor. South American cooking makes great use of them.

With their dramatic dark purple-blue color, they lend themselves nicely to
garnishes.

BLACK-EYED PEAS: (cowpeas) are the seeds of the cowpea, an annual vine.
They are tan with a blackish stain, hence “black-eyed”.

GARBANZO BEANS: (chickpeas) are Spanish in origin. These rounded beige beans
have a nutty flavor.

NORTHERN BEANS: are white, relatively large and mild.

PINTO BEANS: (frijoles) are charmingly speckled with brown on a pale or
pinkish background.

RED BEANS: are favorites in the southern states. Pinto beans may be
substituted.

BUFFALO: This commercially raised red meat is lower in cholesterol and fat
than beef. Unlike beef, it isn’t marbled with fat.
Accustomed as we are today to tender cuts of meat, buffalo is best enjoyed
ground rather than steaks.

CAPERS: These are the pickled, green buds from the prickly caper bush. They
are somewhat smaller than raisins and are bottled in brine.

CAYENNE: See Chile.

CHAYOTE: (christophine, mirliton, vegetable pear): Related to gourds,
chayote squash have none of their brilliant decoration. Light green skin
encases firm flesh of an even paler green. Chayote may be baked, steamed,
stuffed and sauteed. A 1 lb Chayote makes a nice serving for two or three
people.

CHEESE: Traditional Mexican cheeses were mad with goat’s or sheep’s milk.
The following cheeses are used in this style of cooking:

CHEDDAR: is a mild firm cheese of English origin that becomes more sharp with
age. It melts beautifully.

CHIHUAHUA: (Asadero Or Oaxaca) is white, creamy and tangy.
Sometimes it is sold braided. Mozzarella or Monterey Jack may be substituted.

CO-JACK: is an American invention. Block cheese marbled with Colby and
Monterey Jack.

COLBY: is a slightly sharp cheese with a flavor similar to that of Cheddar.
This American cheese has a rather soft open texture.

MONTERY JACK: is a mild cheese usually sold in blocks. It softens at room
temperature.

QUESO ANEJO: is an aged, hard grating cheese. It ranges from pale cream to
white in color and is quite salty. Romano or Parmesan may be substituted.

QUESO FRESCO: (Ranchero seco) can be compared to a very salty farmer’s
cheese. A reasonable substitute for this crumbly cheese is Feta Cheese.

SIERRA: is another rather dry sharp cheese that grates easily. Romano or
Parmesan may be substituted.

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OAT BRAN MUFFINS

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Diabetic Quickbreads
Breadmaker

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 1/4 c Oat bran Cereal — uncooked
1/4 c Nuts — chopped
1/4 c Raisins
2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
3/4 c Skim milk
1/4 c Honey
2 Eggs, beaten
2 tb Vegetable oil

Pre heat oven 425. Coat 12 medium-size muffin cups with vegetable
oil or line with paper baking cups. In large bowl combine Oat Bran
cereal, nuts, raisins, baking powder, and salt. Add remaining
ingredients; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fill
prepared muffin cups almost full. Bake 15-17 minutes or until golden
brown. Serve warm.

Food Exchanges per serving: 1 STARCH EXCHANGE + 1 FAT EXCHANGE

CHO: 14; PRO: 3g; FAT: 5g; CAL: 114; Low-sodium diets: Omit salt.

Source: The Art of Cooking for the Diabetic by Mary Abbott
Hess,R.D.,M.S. and Katharine Middleton

Brought to you and yours via Nancy O’Brion and her Meal Master

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Title: POTATO CREOLE
Categories: Diabetic, Side dish, Vegetables
Yield: 4 servings

1/4 c Vegetable oil
3 Potatoes; peeled and sliced
1 Onion; sliced
2 c Tomatoes; chopped
Salt and freshly ground
Black pepper to taste
1 ts Dried thyme
Pinch cayenne pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add
the potatoes and onion and saute for 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, thyme and cayenne.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and
simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are
tender and the sauce has thickened. Source: Fast
Fresh by Lucy Waverman

From the collection of Karen Deck

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Title: Pumpkin-Raisin Bread
Categories: Diabetic, Breads/bm
Yield: 15 servings

1/3 c Vegetable oil 1 tb Baking powder
2 tb Sugar 1/2 ts Baking soda
2 Eggs 1/4 ts Salt
3/4 c Cooked or canned pumpkin 1 ts Ground cinnamon
1 c Unbleached enriched wt.flour 1/2 c Raisins
1 c Whole wheat flour 1/4 c Lowfat milk or orange juice

Beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin until light and
fluffy. Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt,
cinnamon and raisins in a bowl. Stir into the creamed mixture with
the milk or orange juice.

Pour into an oiled 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 F for 40 to 45
minutes.

1/15 recipe – 153 calories, 1 bread, 1/2 fruit, 1 fat 23 grams
carbohydrate, 3 grams protein, 6 grams fat 122 mg sodium, 117 mg
potassium, 37 mg cholesterol

Source: Am. Diabetes Assoc. Holiday Cookbook by Betty Wedman 1986
Shared but not tested by Elizabeth Rodier, Nov 93

MMMMM

Title: ASPARAGUS SOUP #2
Categories: Vegetables, Microwave, Soups/stews
Yield: 6 servings

1 1/2 lb Fresh asparagus washed and
-tough/dry ends removed
1/4 c (1/2 stick) unsalted
-butter
1 c Carefully washed and chop
-leeks white part only
1/2 c Chopped onion
1/2 c Chopped celery
1 sm Baking potato (about 1/2
-lb) peeled and cubed
3 1/2 c Chicken stock
1 ts Lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika, optional
1/2 c Half-and-half
Creme fraiche/whipped cream
-for garnish

Snap off asparagus tips and set the stalks aside. Melt butter in a deep
skillet with a cover. Add asparagus tips, onion, leeks, celery and potato.
Cover lightly and cook over the very lowest heat until vegetables are soft,
20 minutes or more.
Meanwhile, place chicken stock in a large saucepan with the reserved
asparagus stalks, cut into large pieces. Bring to a boil and simmer,
covered tightly, for about 30 minutes. Discard stalks and set stock aside.
In a food processor, puree softened vegetables and add to the asparagus
stock. Season with lemon juice, salt, white pepper and paprika, if desired.
Allow to cool and refrigerate. Stir in half-and-half and serve garnished
with a dollop of creme fraiche or whipped cream and a sprinkling of
paprika, if desired.

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Title: Cherries – Whole (Sweet or Sour)
Categories: Fruits, Canning
Yield: 1 recipe

Quantity: An average of 17-1/2 pounds is needed per canner load of 7
quarts; an average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A
lug weighs 25 pounds and yields 8 to 12 quarts–an average of 2-1/2
pounds per quart.

Quality: Select bright, uniformly colored cherries that are mature (of
ideal quality for eating fresh or cooking).

Procedure: Stem and wash cherries. Remove pits if desired. If pitted,
place cherries in water containing ascorbic acid (See “Ensuring
High-Quality Canned Foods”) to prevent stem-end discoloration. If canned
unpitted, prick skins on opposite sides with a clean needle to prevent
splitting. Cherries may be canned in water, apple juice, white-grape
juice, or syrup. If syrup is desired, select and prepare preferred type
as directed.

Hot pack–In a large saucepan add 1/2 cup water, juice, or syrup for
each quart of drained fruit and bring to boil. Fill jars with cherries
and cooking liquid, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Raw pack–Add 1/2 cup hot water, juice, or syrup to each jar. Fill jars
with drained cherries, shaking down gently as you fill. Add more hot
liquid, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Processing directions for canning cherries in a boiling-water, a dial,
or a weighted-gauge canner are given in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3.

Table 1. Recommended Process Time for Sweet or Sour Cherries, Whole in
boiling-water canner.

Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Pints.
Process at Altitudes of 0 – 1,000 ft: 15 min.
1,001 – 3,000 ft: 20 min.
3,001 – 6,000 ft: 20 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 25 min.

Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Quarts.
Process at Altitudes of 0 – 1,000 ft: 20 min.
1,001 – 3,000 ft: 25 min.
3,001 – 6,000 ft: 30 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 35 min.

Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Pints or Quarts.
Process at Altitudes of 0 – 1,000 ft: 25 min.
1,001 – 3,000 ft: 30 min.
3,001 – 6,000 ft: 35 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 40 min.

Table 2. Process Times for Sweet or Sour Cherries, Whole in a Dial-Gauge
Pressure Canner.

Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Pints, Quarts.
Process Time: 8 minutes for pints, 10 minutes for quarts.
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 – 2,000 ft: 6 lb.
2,001 – 4,000 ft: 7 lb.
4,001 – 6,000 ft: 8 lb.
6,001 – 8,000 ft: 9 lb.

Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Pints or Quarts
Process Time: 10 min.
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 – 2,000 ft: 6 lb.
2,001 – 4,000 ft: 7 lb.
4,001 – 6,000 ft: 8 lb.
6,001 – 8,000 ft: 9 lb.

Table 3. Process Times for Sweet or Sour Cherries, Whole in a
Weighted-Gauge Pressure Canner.

Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Pints.
Process Time: 8 minutes for pints, 10 minutes for quarts.
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 – 1,000 ft: 5 lb.
Above 1,000 ft: 10 lb.

Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Pints or Quarts.
Process Time: 10 minutes.
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 – 1,000 ft: 5 lb.
Above 1,000 ft: 10 lb.

=============================================================
* USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994)

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FRENCH ONION SOUP – COUNTRY LIVING

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soups Microwave

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 tb Butter
1 lg (about 1/2 lb) onion, very
-thinly sliced
1 tb Brown sugar
1 cn (10 1/2-oz) condensed beef
-broth
1 1/2 c Water
1/2 ts Ground black pepper
4 1-inch-thick slices French
-bread, toasted
1/4 c Coarsely grated reduced-fat
-Jarlsberg cheese
1 tb Chopped fresh parsley leaves

NOTE: For best results, use a sweet onion, such as
Vidalia or Texas Sweet, in this classic soup recipe.
When microwaved, these high-sugar onions cook more
quickly and are less bitter than more pungent
varieties.

1. In 2-quart microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter on
high (100 percent) 20 seconds or until melted. Stir in
onion and brown sugar. Cover with waxed paper and
microwave on medium (50 percent) 5 minutes.

2. Stir in undiluted broth and water; cover with paper
and microwave on medium 10 minutes, stirring after 5
minutes. Stir in pepper. (Soup can be made ahead up to
this point and kept refrigerated; reheat before Step
3.)

3. Place bread slices on microwave-safe plate; divide
cheese among slices. Microwave on high 20 seconds or
until cheese is just melted.

4. To serve, divide soup among 4 small soup bowls;
place one cheese-topped bread slice in each bowl and
top with parsley. Serve immediately.

Country Living/November/1994 Scanned edited by Di
Pahl

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Title: MUSSELS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH PESTO
Categories: Shellfish, Appetizers
Yield: 40 Mussels

1 c Dry white wine
1 c Water
1/4 c Chopped shallots
2 tb White wine vinegar
4 Garlic cloves, crushed with
-side of knife
40 Fresh mussels, scrubbed,
-debearded

———————————–PESTO———————————–
4 c Fresh basil leaves
4 Garlic cloves, chopped
3 tb Olive oil
6 tb Freshly grated Parmesan
-cheese
2 tb Low-fat mayonnaise

Bring first 5 ingredients to boil in large pot. Working in batches, add
mussels to pot. Cover; cook until mussels open, about 4 minutes. Using
slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large bowl. Discard any that do not
open. Cool mussels. Strain cooking liquid; reserve 1 cup.

Remove mussels from shells, reserving half of each shell. Transfer mussels
to medium bowl and refrigerate.

Finely chop basil and garlic in processor. With processor running,
gradually add reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and oil and process until well
blended. Blend in cheese and mayonnaise. Transfer pesto to large bowl.
Season with salt and pepper. Add mussels and toss to coat. Chill at least 1
hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate reserved shells.)

Spoon mussels and pesto into reserved shells. Arrange on platter.

Per Mussel: calories, 41; total fat, 2 g; saturated fat, 0; cholesterol, 9
mg Bon Appétit February 1996

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TAMPA’S OWN FISH CHOWDER*

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Seafood Soups/stews

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 lb Fish fillets (snapper or
Grouper)
1/2 c Boned and diced cooked
Chicken (skinles)
2 Slices of bacon
1 c Diced potatos
2/3 c Chopped onion
1 cl Garlic minced
1/4 c Diced carrots
1 tb Dice celery
1 ea Lemon- juice of
1 t Salt
1/4 ts Black pepper
1/8 ts Paprika
1/4 ts Ground dill
2 c Half Half
2 c HOT water (not quite boiling)
1/4 ts Ground cumin
1/4 ts Ground ginger

Fry bacon remove from pan. Add onions garlic to
drippings. Saute’
until tender but not browned. Add the water,
potatos, carrots, celery, and
paprika. Cook until the potatos are almsot done.
Cut fish into 1 inch
squares. Add seasonings and fish at the same time.
Cook until fish becomes
flaky. Pour in the Half Half and stir well.
NOTE*….you may add 2 Tblspns of a dry white wine
to this as well.

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Title: GINGER TOFU WITH VEGETABLES
Categories: Chinese, Vegetarian
Yield: 1 servings

1 lb Soft tofu
1/4 c Sliced green onion
1 tb Minced fresh ginger
1 Clove garlic, pressed or
-minced
1 tb Oriental sesame oil
2 tb Soy sauce
1/4 ts Cayenne

About 6 cups raw vegetables such as cucumber slices,
carrot sticks, red or green bell peppers strips, small
celery stalks, sugar snap peas, and cherry tomatoes.

Rinse tofu under cool running water, let drain, then
drop into a blender or food processor. Whirl smoothly
with onion, ginger, garlic, oil, soy sauce, and
cayenne. If made ahead, cover and chill up to 3 days.
Pour into a small bowl; accompany with vegetables.
Scoop onto vegetables to eat. Makes about 1-3/4 cups,
7-9 servings of 3-4 tb each.

Origin: Cookbook Digest Nov/Dec 1991. Shared by:
Sharon Stevens.

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