Mexican

Juan’s Flan

My husband happens to be my biggest supporter. You may have noticed his regular comments on Sadie’s Nest as Owen. He also promotes my blog amongst his colleagues. How nice is it that they positively respond with kind words and even recipes! I am truly flattered, and at the same time extremely frightened! I don’t want to disappoint you Juan!! My flan did not turn out pretty…  I am secretly referring to it as Frankenflan. Just keeping it real: a day in the life of an experimental home cook. But that’s what it’s about, trying new things! Thank you so much for sharing a family recipe with me, “a traditional Mexican dessert that originated in Spain.” In spite of its (my flan’s) appearance, it was amazingly delicious!

For the syrup:

  • 1 cup sugar

First you have to make the syrup, which is made by melting the sugar in a pan until it turns into a mustard-like color. Then you spread it over the mold carefully because it gets really hot. (And in Sadie’s experience it cools and hardens quickly- so work fast!)

For the custard:

  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • 1 can condensed milk
  • 6 whole eggs
  • 1 – 8 oz. bar Cream cheese

 

Mix all of the ingredients in a blender. After mixing, pour the liquid contents in the mold that already has the syrup. (Because I don’t own a cool flan mold, I used a traditional glass pie dish.)

In a preheated oven at 350 degrees, you place the mold inside another larger mold (or as Sadie did, place the pie dish in a larger rectangular baking dish)  and pour room temperature water at the same height as the flan mixture in the mold. Bake for 45 min. 

*Please note: Perhaps because Sadie doesn’t have a traditional flan mold or one to place it in for its water bath, I needed to add another 10-15 minutes of carefully watched time until my flan was set.

Let it cool, then remove it from the mold, and place in a refrigerator for a couple of hours. Serve and cheers to Juan! 😉

Guacamole Salsa

Guacamole is a perfect summer dip. It’s a guilt free creamy indulgence. When combined with other bold fresh flavors and piled high on a salty corn chip it screams “fiesta!” Of course don’t limit yourself to corn chips; it also makes a great sandwich spread. For an even healthier treat, stack it tall on cold crunchy leaves of romaine or roll it in cool pockets of iceberg lettuce.

Serves 8

As organic as possible:
1 small onion diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced small

3 small tomatoes, seeds and juice discarded (as much a possible, don’t work too hard)

œ tsp coarse salt

1 dash cayenne pepper

4 ripe avocados; pitted, diced and scooped out of the skins
Juice of 2 medium limes

Place the onion, garlic, jalapeno, tomato, salt,  and cayenne in a bowl. If you’ve never worked with avocados, don’t worry; I’ll step you through it. On a ripe avocado, one with a little give when pushed, the skin may appear tough, but isn’t. Using a chef’s knife, cut lengthwise (top to bottom) all the way through to the pit. Continue all the way around the avocado until you have cut a full circle. Set down the knife and hold the fruit in your hand. Twist half of the avocado at the cut, holding the other half steady in your hand. Once it gives, separate the two halves. One of the halves should have retained the pit. Use the chef’s knife (being very careful not to cut yourself) and give the pit a little whack, just enough to get an edge of the knife inside. Then holding the avocado twist the knife enough to loosen and remove the pit. Carefully pull the pit off of your knife and discard. While the fruit is still in its skin, I like to cut a diamond pattern (dicing it) in the flesh and use a tablespoon to scoop it out along the skin.
Place the diced avocado in the bowl, and add lime juice. Gently toss, just mixing until combined, not to mash the avocado. (I like big chunks.)

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Serve immediately (pool side if possible) as avocados have a tendency to turn brown when left in open air too long. If juice settles, feel free to re-toss. Happy Eating!

Side note: If you need to store it in the refrigerator, gently press plastic wrap against the guacamole to eliminate as much air as possible from contacting the avocados… and the lime juice will help.

Mexican Goulash

I grew up eating goulash. It’s a hearty and relatively inexpensive meal that’s flavorful and colorful. I also love Mexican food. So when I had ingredients to suit both, I got creative. This is one of the first recipes I ever made. It’s still a favorite.

Serves 6

12 oz pasta (rotini, macaroni, whatever you have)

4 cups vegetable broth (divided)

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic minced

1 small onion diced

1 hot pepper diced

1 lb ground beef

1 taco seasoning packet

2 Tbsp butter

8 oz cheddar cheese

5 rounded Tbsp salsa (or can of diced tomatoes, drained)

œ tsp paprika

Bring 3 ÂŒ cups of vegetable broth to a boil. Add and cook pasta (stirring often). In the mean time, heat olive oil in a large skillet. SautĂ© onions 1-2 minutes until they soften. Add garlic and pepper, sautĂ© 1-2 minutes more until onions are translucent. Add beef, brown and drain excess fat. In a medium sauce pan heat remaining Ÿ cup of broth and butter. Add and melt cheese and paprika (because this dish is partially Hungarian! And it gives pretty flecks of color to the cheese sauce.) Remove from heat.

Check your pasta for doneness and remove from heat if necessary, it should have absorbed the liquid, so no need to drain. Then add pasta and cheese sauce to meat mixture in the skillet. Toss until all components are mixed together. Then take pleasure in the opportunity to bring two diverse cuisines into one yummy dish!