MOONO'S KITCHEN

I'm more of a chicken chasseur kind of person. Is cordon bleu more like kitchen kiev? My son doesn't mind that but it comes out of a frozen Steggles packet. Share the recipe though Sin!

LOL close.

*FOR KATE, WHO CAN'T COOK, PLEASE REMOVE THE TOOTHPICKS BEFORE SERVING!!!*

it actually doesn't take very long either. maybe 20 minutes for prep and the cooking time is all. you can make a deconstructed version too, with chicken cutlets that's even faster.

Yum, that sounds really tasty. Might try it next time I get a 1/4-1/2 a pumpkin.

You'd better have a word with Flashie, but they may be a bit on the small side.

I made my own creole seasoning today using this recipe

healthiersteps.com/recipe/creole-seasoning-recipe/



I plan on making dirty rice tomorrow night which I've never had before. I'm not planning on using chopped chicken livers. Erk. Okay in a pate but that's about it.

Do you ever have this Sin or is it just certain areas, and do you wash the rice first or do you need the starch? I prefer washed rice in a paella and arborio in a risotto so not sure. I'm just using lean beef mince.

All sounds good Sin and very helpful. I love basmati so I'll be using that and good idea with the portobello mushrooms too, except I used a ton of them last night. I'm a bit of a mushroom freak.

I'm going to give this a go

It was okay. I love rice dishes but I think it was my least favourite. So many different recipes I looked at and it seems like whatever you've got, chuck it in, but it must include that "trinity".

I used beef mince, some smoked pork belly I found at the supermarket and some chorizo. I can't get andouille or kielbasa here so I thought maybe chorizo would work instead. I probably won't make it again as Jambalaya is more my style but the spice mix was really tasty so I will still use that and keep making it.

My son loved it so that was good. Plenty of left overs so he can have it for lunch too.

no offense, but chorizo is totally wrong for this, the spices in the sausage don't mesh at all. it was worth a shot though, especially if your son liked it, right? :)

really? that's definitely a twist on a traditional favorite, i think i'll suggest it to my cajun loving friends. i'd bet they'll at least try it in jambalaya...it could work in gumbo too, maybe.
and i did forget that you've never had dirty rice before. i kinda like recreating a recipe for something i've never had with what's available( LOTS of stuff not available in kansas that i grew up using on the east coast), and for adding that little twist that makes an old fave your own.
like , i use smoked provolone instead of swiss in chicken cordon bleu, and toss in some shredded cheddar and bacon bits, it's a whole different flavor profile!

thank you! so, here's a few recipes for our friend joey, at her request. this first one is what i used at work, it's " americanized".

TEXMEX CHILE GRAVY
1/4 cup of salted butter
1/4 cup of AP flour
1 teaspoon each of ground black pepper, kosher salt,granulated garlic and onion powder
1tablespoon each of ground cumin and chili
powder
1 teaspoon of cilantro( you can use oregano if cilantro tastes like soap to you, i can't remember if it does )
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
2 cups of low sodium beef broth, if you don't make our own stock.
melt the butter, add the flour and make a tan roux, then add the spices to make a good thick paste. you can make this part way ahead and freeze it, btw.
add your tomato paste and broth, and stir well, then simmer it until slightly thickened, to where it coats the spoon, but still pours well.
this can be your enchilada sauce of course, but here's one for SERIOUS enchilada sauce.

Authentic enchilada sauce , courtesy of my old neighbor affectionately known as nutjob

1- 8 oz. can of no salt tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons of smoked chili powder
2 tablespoons of AP flour
2 tablespoons of pork lard
1 teaspoon each of cumin,garlic powder,onion powder,fine ground black pepper and table salt.
1/2 cup of tomato juice( more if you prefer a thinner sauce)

melt the lard and add flour and chili powder to make a deep red roux, then add your other spices& the sugar and stir for a few minutes on low to" toast" them. again, at this point, you can freeze this base for later use.
next, add your tomato sauce and juice. simmer about 45 minutes to layer the flavors, adding more juice to get the thickness to your liking. this is what i make at home.

now, on to the enchiladas themselves. i have no real measurements, but i'll try to give you an educated guess.

you'll need a dozen small corn tortillas, about a cup of machengo cheese(grated) , a large yellow onion,1/4 cup of pork lard, a couple of tablespoons of beef broth, and about 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, garlic powder, salt and cracked black pepper. oh, and your choice of the gravy or the serious sauce.

first thing is to caramelize your onions. chop up your onion to the size chunk you prefer while your lard melts. then add the onion and stir frequently until your onions go clear and start getting soft.
then add your broth and your spices and cover, simmer on low for about 10 minutes until onions are really soft.
uncover and simmer until most of the liquid is gone, and you have a basic onion jam.
now warm up your tortillas in damp paper towels in the nuke box until they're supple. ( before this, grease a glass baking dish liberally) dip each one in the sauce and shake well, then add about a tablespoon of the onions topped with a couple of teaspoons of the cheese.
yes, this is messy, wear gloves, lol! roll them tightly and place seam side down in your pan,top with the rest of the sauce and any remaining stuffings, then bake at 325 about 20 minutes and serve.
and remember, i love you enough to give up VERY secret recipes, lol! even my girls don't have the last 2!

It's an easy go to when you can't think of what to cook pleased

you like it.

If I have too many tommies hanging around I slice them up over the top

with some fresh basil which is nice as well.