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Chile Verde Chicken Tamales

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A couple weeks ago I was asked to whip up a tamale spread for the good folks at Municipal Wine Makers. This being the Christmas tamale season I jumped at the chance to share some masa love with friends.

These Chile Verde Chicken Tamales are like fluffy masa present waiting to be unwrapped; stuffed with tender poached chicken and mild green tomatillo salsa.

Chile Verde Chicken Tamales are a holiday classic; tender chicken stuffed inside a fluffy masa shell and drenched in green tomatillo salsa will bring just about anyone to the table and actually, my friends, go great with wine. Muni has some great options too (I’m especially fond of their sparkling selection) so check them out.

These Chile Verde Chicken Tamales are like fluffy masa present waiting to be unwrapped; stuffed with tender poached chicken and mild green tomatillo salsa.

If you’re new to the tamale game this recipe is a great place to start. They are no less labor-intensive (that’s why you should always make them with friends…and wine) but they are pretty straight-forward, chicken, salsa, masa, wrap. I like to make a double batch of the salsa so I’ll have more to serve the tamales with. Other garnishes can include Mexican crema or sour cream, crumbled Cotija, pickled onions, and/or radishes tossed with lime juice and salt.

These Chile Verde Chicken Tamales are like fluffy masa present waiting to be unwrapped; stuffed with tender poached chicken and mild green tomatillo salsa.

If you’d like a step-by-step tutorial on how to make tamales see this post for more photos and detailed description of each step.

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Chile Verde Chicken Tamales

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  • Author: Kate
  • Prep Time: 3 hours
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 4 hours
  • Yield: 40 tamales 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the chicken:

  • 1 (3-4 pound) whole chicken
  • 1 white onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns

For the chile verde:

  • 2 pounds tomatillos
  • ½ white onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 jalapeños, stemmed (seeds removed if you’d like it less spicy)
  • 1 tablespoons salt
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, tough stems removed
  • For the tamales:
  • 40 dried corn husks
  • 6 cups Maseca corn flour
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups lard or vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
  • 6–7 cups chicken cooking liquid or store-bought broth

Instructions

To Make the Chicken:

  1. Rinse chicken and remove any neck or giblets (save and freeze for later or discard).
  2. Place in a large stock pot with remaining chicken ingredients and cover by an inch or so with cold water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook until chicken is very tender and falling off the bone, about 1-11/2 hours.
  3. Remove chicken to a baking sheet and let cool. Strain broth into a clean stock pot, discard solids. Keep broth warm to use in the masa.
  4. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces removing any bone, skin, or fat, set aside.

To Make the Chile Verde:

  1. Combine tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapeños in a large saucepan. Cover with water by an inch or so and bring to a boil. Cook until tomatillos are soft but not falling apart, about 10 minutes.
  2. Drain and transfer vegetables to a blender, let cool slightly then add salt and cilantro and carefully blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt as needed.
  3. To make the Tamales:
  4. Soak corn husks at least 2 hours in advance in hot water. Use a heavy plate to submerge husks in water.
  5. Combine Maseca, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add cubed lard or shortening rubbing it into the dry ingredients with your fingers until it in very small pieces. Add 5 cups of reserved chicken cooking liquid and mix into a dough making sure all Maseca has been incorporated and there are no dry spots. It is best to mix together with your hands so you can feel any dry Maseca.
  6. Add more liquid if the masa is too dry, you want it to be easily spreadable but not runny, like fluffy mashed potatoes. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.
  7. Assemble:
  8. Fill a tamale steamer with water just until it reaches the rack where the tamales will sit. Use a few of the small or ripped soaked corn husks to line the rack. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, turn heat to medium and keep covered.
  9. Dry a soaked corn husk with a clean kitchen towel. Hold the corn husk with the wide end toward you. Using a large spoon or tamale spreader, evenly spread about 1/2 cup masa from the middle of the husk down leaving about 1/2-inch border on the sides.
  10. Place about 2-3 tablespoons of chicken and 1 tablespoon of chile verde down the middle.
  11. Fold one side of masa over the filling until the two edges of the corn husk meet, and holding onto one side of corn husk, pull the other side toward the middle to press the two edges of masa together. Fold the pointy end of the corn husk up over the large end, and place on a clean baking sheet. Repeat with remaining corn husks.
  12. Place tamales vertically, open-side up in the tamale steamer, keeping them snug in the pot so they don’t unravel during cooking. Make sure water is at a steady simmer and producing lots of steam. Cover tightly and steam until masa is cooked through and not doughy in the middle, about 45 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if the pot looks dry.
  13. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5 to 10 minutes before removing from the pot. Tamales can also be left in the pot, covered with a clean towel (and then covered with the steamer lid) for up to an hour before serving. They will stay warm and soft if you want to make them in advance.
  14. Serve with remaining chile verde.

 

Holiday Tamale Menu

Chimayo Cocktails

Mexican Goat Cheese Dip and Salsa Morita with Chips

Chile Verde Chicken Tamales

Easy Black Beans

Baby Kale, Avocado, and Pear Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette

Coconut Tres Leches Cake

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One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

 

Photos courtesy of David Mendoza

 

Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas with Coconut and Lime

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The idea for this recipe came from a double dose of inspiration. First from a restaurant dish made many years ago and secondly, a trip to Baja last year that changed the way I thought of tostadas forever.

A super easy, ultra healthy shrimp ceviche tostada recipe with fresh squeezed lime juice, coconut milk, chiles, cilantro, and thinly sliced scallions.

Back in my chefing days at Mustard’s Grill in Napa Valley we would frequently serve a ceviche very similar to this one made with scallops, coconut milk, an epic amount of lime juice, and lots of fresh herbs and chiles. Being a 80’s-raised, Midwestern girl I was new to the concept of eating raw seafood but this food was transformative. The lime juice “cooked” the scallops just so and the coconut milk added a buttery richness that calmed the chiles to a soothing hum.

I loved that ceviche and for as much as I think about it, you’d think I would’ve made it a million times by now, but alas, it took some subtle nudging from my partners at Guerrero Tortillas to get me to actually write it down.

When they asked me to collaborate with them on a recipe for their new Baked Tostadas with Sea Salt I immediately thought of that coconut milk ceviche and how delicious it would be piled high on their crispy tostada shells.

A super easy, ultra healthy shrimp ceviche tostada recipe with fresh squeezed lime juice, coconut milk, chiles, cilantro, and thinly sliced scallions.

Which leads me to my second source of inspiration. Up until last year I had only had tostadas (the flat, crisp corn tortillas) that were fried. I love them, they are deeply crunchy and have incredible corn flavor but then I took a little trip to Baja California and discovered the tostadas there were nothing like the ones I had eaten at home.

In Baja the tostadas are baked which gives the tortilla shells a completely different texture and flavor, one that is light as air, crisp, and subtle. Perfect for the delicately flavored seafood and fish they are known for. And this, my friends is what the Guerrero Baked Tostadas taste like. So good that you will eat them for their exquisite flavor, not because they are good for you—which they are, by the way, with less fat and calories than the traditional tostada shells.

A super easy, ultra healthy shrimp ceviche tostada recipe with fresh squeezed lime juice, coconut milk, chiles, cilantro, and thinly sliced scallions.

This ceviche makes a quick, easy meal during these busy holiday nights and is a great way to stay healthy during this indulgent season. It also is a chic appetizer for a cocktail party or sit down situation. Break the larger tostada shells into smaller mismatched portions and serve several on a larger tray. Bon Apetitos!

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Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas with Coconut and Lime

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A super easy, ultra healthy shrimp ceviche tostada recipe with fresh squeezed lime juice, coconut milk, chiles, cilantro, and thinly sliced scallions.

  • Author: Kate Ramos
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 15 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and diveined
  • 1/3 cup lime juice
  • 1/3 cup coconut milk
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped (seeds removed if you’d like it less spicy)
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 large radishes, sliced
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground chile de arbol
  • 4–6 Tostada shells, such as Guerrero Baked Tostadas with Sea Salt
  • ripe avocado slices, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until firm and opaque, about 5 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop cooking.
  2. Chop shrimp into small pieces and combine with lime juice, coconut milk, jalapeño, onion, cilantro, radishes, salt, and ground chile.
  3. Cover and let chill 1 hour. Taste and add more salt or lime juice as needed.
  4. Serve on tostada shells with slices of avocado on top.

This post was sponsored by Guerrero Tortillas, all opinions however are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! 

Menu

Honey Grapefruit Margaritas

Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas with Coconut and Lime

Oven-Baked Avocado Fries with Harissa Ranch

Vegan Mexican Chocolate Popsicles

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One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Coconut Christmas Cookies with Lime Icing

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Over the weekend we started in big time on the Christmas cheer. The Christmas tree went up and cookies were baked. Lights were strung on the eaves of the garage even though earlier in the week Armando swore we weren’t going to put up Christmas lights outside.  I believe there was a, “I don’t have time for that” and there might have been a “we don’t have the” …..name some random thing you might have to run to the hardware store to get in order to put up Christmas lights on the exterior of the house.

Switch up your Holiday Cut-Outs with these Coconut Christmas Cookies. Made with coconut oil and coconut milk and even shredded coconut they are irresistible

Anyway, we’re feeling down right festive. I especially love the new addition to the Christmas cookie rotation. We typically make a traditional Christmas sugar cookie dough to roll and cut and decorate but I found these absolutely adorable ninja cookie cutters and I wanted to make a dough special for my little ninja in his favorite flavor.

Switch up your Holiday Cut-Outs with these Coconut Christmas Cookies. Made with coconut oil and coconut milk and even shredded coconut they are irresistible

He loves anything coconut and due to the butter Armando can’t eat the traditional dough anyway so I went full coconut with coconut oil, sweetened flakes of coconut, and even a dash of coconut milk to make the ultimate coconut cookie that can be rolled and cut into any shape you please–even ninja.

Switch up your Holiday Cut-Outs with these Coconut Christmas Cookies. Made with coconut oil and coconut milk and even shredded coconut they are irresistible

The coconut oil makes the dough a bit finicky so it will need to be chilled, but not for too long otherwise it becomes crumbly, so there’s a middle ground that just takes a bit of practice to get used to. Steer on the thicker side when rolling out the dough to make it easier on yourself.  The lime icing is subtle but is the perfect consistency for decorating and has a nice gloss when it dries. If you’d like more lime flavor add the zest of the lime as well, although then it won’t be perfectly white any more.

Switch up your Holiday Cut-Outs with these Coconut Christmas Cookies. Made with coconut oil and coconut milk and even shredded coconut they are irresistible

What’s your favorite Christmas cookie recipe?

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Coconut Christmas Cookies with Lime Icing

Switch up your Holiday Cut-Outs with these Coconut Christmas Cookies. Made with coconut oil and coconut milk and even shredded coconut they are irresistible
Print Recipe

Switch up your Holiday Cut-Outs with these Coconut Christmas Cookies. Made with coconut oil and coconut milk and even shredded coconut they are irresistible

  • Author: Kate
  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Yield: 3 dozen cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup extra-virgin coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 egg yolks (save whites for icing)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk

For the Icing:

  • 4 cups (1–1 pound box) powdered sugar
  • 2 egg whites
  • 5 teaspoons lime juice

Instructions

  1. Combine coconut oil, sugar, and flaked coconut in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse a few times until coconut is ground and mixture feels like sand.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute.
  3. Divide dough into two pieces. Flatten into disks and roll each disk about 1/2-1/4 inch thick between two pieces of parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  4. Heat oven to 375°F.
  5. Cut dough into shapes and place an inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather scraps and re-roll.
  6. Bake 10-12 minutes or until dry in the middle. Let cool completely before frosting.

For the Icing:

  1. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on low just until comes together then increase speed to high until smooth.

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation!  

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

How to Throw a Stress-Free Holiday Party

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The wonderful thing about the holidays is getting together with friends and family for Christmas dinner, a tamalada, Hanukkah, or my personal favorite–no reason at all. The holiday season allows us to gather at the drop of a hat, simply because. The downside of all this merry-making is it can be stressful if you find yourself with a houseful of guests and an empty fridge. But it doesn’t have to be that way, the Friends Who Fete crew are here to help!

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

As we do every so often, Meg from This Mess Is Ours, Aida from Salt and Wind and I gather together to throw a party, document every part of it, and share it with you so you can do the same thing with your friends! This time around we were also lucky enough to have Dennise from Le Petit Eats join us and we wanted to give you the tools you need to throw an elegant, but easy, party that can come together in an afternoon with the help of some store-bought ingredients, a few simple florals, and some items we’re pretty sure you already have in your pantry. We wanted to show you how to throw a stress-free holiday party.

Setting The Mood

Chances are you already have your Christmas tree lit and decorated and maybe a wreath or garland to brighten up the house, so you really need little more to make your place party ready. We picked up some greenery from the grocery store and placed a few flameless pillar candles on the table and bar to set the mood (check out how Meg created a festive holiday table centerpiece). A few strands of battery-powered string lights give the party a nice glow and look beautiful tucked inside mason jars or other containers.

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

The Bar

If you have the space, a bar cart or separate table away from the kitchen or food is ideal. This spreads everyone out and gets your guests mixing their own drinks. You know having a signature cocktail for the evening makes your life easier, this Cranberry Dark and Stormy that Meg whipped up is so good it will soon become your signature cocktail of the holiday season.

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

It is also nice to offer a non-alcoholic drink and we teamed up with Torani Syrup to create a Handcrafted Soda Bar that can go either way. With all their holiday-themed syrup flavors the options are virtually endless. Aida created an Eggnog Italian Soda, using the Torani Italian Eggnog Syrup and a Spiced Cranberry Cinnamon Italian Soda, using the Torani Cinnamon Syrup, that are delicious with or without alcohol.

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

The Menu

We opted to go with a app-heavy cocktail party instead of a sit down dinner. It’s a low maintenece (and easier clean up) way to entertain. Our menu focused on using high-quality store-bought ingredients, plus pantry staples to create recipes that can either be made in advance and have on-hand or made in under an hour.

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

The Plan

The idea behind this party is that you should be able to throw it at the drop of a hat because you will have already have your cupboards and freezer stocked with a few essentials. Here are the things you should have on hand:

Tableware

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

Food/Drink

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

How To Prep

The next step is to go shopping for the perishable items to round out the menu and pick up some flowers for decorating, then head to the kitchen and get prepping.

Up to 3 days in advance:

  • Butternut Squash Hummus

Night Before:

  • Fry the sage
  • Make the sauces for the meatballs
  • Bake the cupcakes
  • Make the hot honey and balsamic glaze
  • Arrange flowers
  • Set up bar
  • Set up buffet

An Hour Before

  • Bake Tartlets
  • Wrap Persimmons
  • Bake Brazi Bites
  • Arrange Cheese Board
  • Warm sauces for meatballs

As Guests Arrive

  • Bake meatballs and toss in sauce
  • Set food out on buffet

We hope this party inspires you to entertain and if it still seems too daunting, do what we did and invite friends over to help or instead of making the whole menu yourself share the duties among a few of your guests. Most importantly, have fun and we wish you a very happy holidays!

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

A big THANK YOU to This Mess Is Ours and Salt & Wind for all the photography!

Friends Who Fete are three gals (¡Hola! Jalapeño, Salt & Wind, and This Mess Is Ours) who love to throw parties big and small. Every season we do something new–find them all here!

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Peppermint Mocha Cupcake Bites

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Autumn can come and go and not a Pumpkin Spice Latte do I crave.  There isn’t a Christmas season that passes however, without at least one Peppermint Mocha stop. It’s usually at the Starbucks, inside the Target, while I browse the aisles for stocking stuffers and kid’s clothes. It’s a ritual I cherish—shopping alone with an indulgent hot chocolatey coffee—you’d think I was in the gilded halls of Harrods not the florescent-lit aisles of a box store attached to the mall.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcake Bites combine the flavors of a Christmas time coffee shop favorite, are super easy to make, and look stunning on any holiday table.

This holiday season I want to embrace my love of the peppermint-chocolate-coffee-whipped cream combo in a celebratory bite-sized cupcake. The recipe for these chic sweets came to me as I was searching for an easy dessert to add to our Friends Who Fete Last Minute Holiday Party. I wanted to make something in the classic festive style but also something that could be made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry in literally a matter of minutes.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcake Bites combine the flavors of a Christmas time coffee shop favorite, are super easy to make, and look stunning on any holiday table.

This chocolate cake batter is a throw back to the Great Depression when expensive ingredients like butter and milk were hard to come by so shelf-stable staples like mayonnaise were subbed in. The mayo flavor is undetectable, but it’s fat, in the form of oil and eggs, adds an undeniable richness and results in cupcakes that bake up tender and fluffy. Not to mention mixing in mayo takes little more than a few turns before these cupcakes are ready for the oven.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcake Bites combine the flavors of a Christmas time coffee shop favorite, are super easy to make, and look stunning on any holiday table.

Instead of frosting I opted for an easy dollop of whipped cream. Using a can of real whipped cream means that you can even make pretty florets on top of each cupcake. The only thing I would say about using canned whipped cream is that it doesn’t last long, so don’t top the cupcakes until you are ready to serve them, the cream tends to melt quickly. A fun little crumble of candy canes are the only other thing you need to make these bites Christmas ready.

For lots more easy entertaining recipes and ideas check out our Friends Who Fete Last Minute Holiday Party!

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Peppermint Mocha Cupcake Bites

Peppermint Mocha Cupcake Bites combine the flavors of a Christmas time coffee shop favorite, are super easy to make, and look stunning on any holiday table.
Print Recipe

Peppermint Mocha Cupcake Bites combine the flavors of a Christmas time coffee shop favorite, are super easy to make, and look stunning on any holiday table. Recipe Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.

  • Author: Kate
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 40 mini cupcakes 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
  • 1 cup hot coffee
  • 2/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • Real cream whipped topping, such as Reddi-Wip
  • Crushed candy canes, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F and arrange rack in the middle. Line 40 mini cupcake wells with paper liners or spray lightly with baking spray.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl, whisking to break up any lumps.
  3. Combine cocoa powder and chopped chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour hot coffee over cocoa mixture and stir until smooth; let cool slightly.
  4. Whisk mayonnaise, egg, and peppermint extract into cocoa mixture then stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined.
  5. Scoop 1-2 ounces of batter into each well (a cookie scoop works best) and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes.
  6. Let cupcakes cool completely then top each cupcake with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed candy canes.

Last Minute Holiday Party Menu

Spiked Eggnog Italian Soda

Spiced Cranberry Cinnamon Italian Soda

Habanero Mango Meatballs

Honey Chipotle Meatballs

Butternut Squash Hummus with Brazi Bites and Veggies

Pear Cranberry and Mini Brie Tartlets with Hot Honey Drizzle

Speck-Wrapped Persimmons with Balsamic-Honey Glaze

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One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

 

Photos courtesy of Salt & Wind and This Mess Is Ours

Butternut Squash, Kale, and Walnut Stuffing

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Thanksgiving’s when we go all-out right?!

I was thinking about it this morning while putting the finishing touches on my menu. I mean when else do we think 6, 7, 8 side dishes are acceptable? Christmas Dinner doesn’t even see such a spread. I mean it’s nice but by the 25th we usually put a kibosh on the fourth side dish.

Thanksgiving isn't complete without the stuffing. This Butternut Squash, Kale, and Walnut Stuffing combines all of fall into a delicious vegan version.

No matter, this year we’ll be having olive oil-garlic mashed potatoes, maple and sage sweet potato gratin, fluffy warm biscuits, cranberry sauce, gravy, green salad with pomegranates, and green beans almondine. We will of course be having stuffing too!! I mean Thanksgiving just isn’t Thanksgiving without the stuffing.

Thanksgiving isn't complete without the stuffing. This Butternut Squash, Kale, and Walnut Stuffing combines all of fall into a delicious vegan version.

I first made this rustic stuffing two years ago at a Thanksgiving that started off fancy AF and ended up chaotic AF when Louisa tripped Hiro, he slammed his forehead into the corner of the wall, and ended up in the emergency room. They were playing “Make You Trip”. Louisa won.

This stuffing though, was also a winner that evening. So earthy and full of autumn, with roasted squash, sage, and toasted walnuts. I think I put chorizo in that first version but I kind of like it better without. It’s nice to have a vegan side that is so robust and absolutely killer with cranberry sauce.

Thanksgiving isn't complete without the stuffing. This Butternut Squash, Kale, and Walnut Stuffing combines all of fall into a delicious vegan version.

Oh, and don’t do like I did and leave the crust on the bread. It is MUCH better with the crusts removed. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!!

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Butternut Squash, Kale, and Walnut Stuffing

Thanksgiving isn't complete without the stuffing. This Butternut Squash, Kale, and Walnut Stuffing combines all of fall into a delicious vegan version.
Print Recipe

Thanksgiving isn’t complete without the stuffing. This Butternut Squash, Kale, and Walnut Stuffing combines all of fall into a delicious vegan version.

  • Author: Kate
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 40 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 55 mins
  • Yield: 8-10 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 loaf multigrain artisan bread (about 1 pound), crust removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 small butternut squash, about 2 pounds, peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • 2/3 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 (10 bag) chopped kale, tough stems removed
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage
  • 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup walnuts, toasted

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 450°F. Bake bread in a single layer until dry, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Place squash on same baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until just tender, about 20 minutes. Squash will continue to cook in the stuffing so its better for it to be a little underdone.
  3. Reduce oven heat to 350°F.
  4. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a pan. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add kale, garlic, and sage and cook until kale is wilted, about 10 minutes.
  5. Transfer mixture to bowl with bread. Add squash, broth, walnuts, and remaining oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, taste and add more salt as needed.
  6. Grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Transfer stuffing to pan, cover with foil, and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 30 minutes more or until crisp and browned on top.

 

A Thanksgiving Menu

Bay-Brined Roasted Turkey

Whiskey Cream Gravy

Jicama Slaw with Ginger Molasses Vinaigrette

Butternut Squash, Kale, and Walnut Stuffing

Fluffy Biscuits

Cranberry-Walnut Jell-O Salad

Roasted Carrots with Chipotle Honey Butter

Pumpkin Pie with Pepita-Gingersnap Crust

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One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

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Three Kings Bread {Rosca de Reyes}

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Thanks to La Lechera for sponsoring this holiday post. All ideas and opinions are my own.

Three Kings Bread Recipe {Rosca de Reyes} from @holajalapeno

Rosca de Reyes or Three Kings Bread is a brioche-like buttery bread eaten in Mexico, Spain, and in many parts of Latin America on January 6 or Three Kings Day, a day which commemorates the biblical story of the arrival of the Three Kings or Wise Men.

Three Kings Bread Recipe {Rosca de Reyes} from @holajalapeno

I was fifteen the first time I had Rosca de Reyes. I was studying abroad and living in a small coastal village in the south of Spain. It had been a difficult Christmas season away from my family and adapting to new holiday traditions. Even at fifteen I was confused by the lack of gift giving on Christmas morning, those were reserved for January 6, the day the Reyes Magos or Wise Men brought gifts to Jesus. Instead of stockings children left their shoes at the foot of their beds on January 5th, in hopes they’d find them filled with gifts in the morning. After the unwrapping of gifts the day was filled with a beautiful mid-day meal with a colorful, candied-fruit studded Rosca de Reyes as the grand finale.

Three Kings Bread Recipe {Rosca de Reyes} from @holajalapeno

In Mexico glorious, shiny Rosca de Reyes fill bakeries and markets from Christmas onward and are enjoyed with cups of steaming hot chocolate for dipping. A small porcelain or plastic baby is hidden inside the bread and whoever finds it gets the honor of throwing the season’s next celebration, Día de la Candelaria, or Candlemas on February 2 with tamales and atole and botanas or little Mexican party snacks. I couldn’t find any babies to stick in my bread but I found some foil-wrapped bubble gum coins instead (a dried bean or any foil-wrapped candies are also traditional).

Three Kings Bread Recipe {Rosca de Reyes} from @holajalapeno

This is my first year making the bread at home and it was fun for Armando and I to share our different Rosca de Reyes memories with the kids—my solitary Spanish experience and his eating Rosca de Reyes with neighbors and family every holiday.

Three Kings Bread Recipe {Rosca de Reyes} from @holajalapeno

How To Make It

This recipe turns the traditional round loaf of bread into a luxurious, grand dessert, topped with rings of homemade candied citrus and filled with fluffy whipped cream sweetened with creamy La Lechera Sweetened Condensed Milk. Filling the bread is simple; you just slice the entire loaf in half as if you were making a sandwich.

Three Kings Bread Recipe {Rosca de Reyes} from @holajalapeno

Evenly spread the sweet cream on the bottom half.

Three Kings Bread Recipe {Rosca de Reyes} from @holajalapeno

Then gently place the top back on.

Three Kings Bread Recipe {Rosca de Reyes} from @holajalapeno

The dough is flavored with more fresh citrus zest of lemon and orange and speckled throughout with anise seed. It is beautiful interpretation of a bread fit for kings.

Three Kings Bread Recipe {Rosca de Reyes} from @holajalapeno

Did you love this recipe? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

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Candied Citrus Three Kings Bread with Sweetened Whipped Cream Recipe {Rosca de Reyes}

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Homemade candied citrus and sweetened whipped cream turn this traditional bread eaten on Dia de los Reyes (January 6th) into a grand dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Bread:
  • 2/3 cup warm water (between 100˚-110˚F)
  • 1 packet (1/4 oz. or 2 1/4 teaspoons) active-dry yeast
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • Zest of 2 large Navel oranges
  • Zest of 1 large lemon
  • 1 teaspoon anise seed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • A small figurine, dried bean or coin wrapped in wax paper
  • 1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon of water for egg wash
  • For the Candied Citrus:
  • 1 mandarin orange
  • 1 lime
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • For the Sweetened Whipped Cream:
  • 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup NESTLÉ LA LECHERA Sweetened Condensed Milk

Instructions

  1. STIR the water and yeast and let stand for 10 minutes in a warm place.
  2. COMBINE flour, sugar, orange zest, lemon zest, anise seed and salt in large mixer bowl. Add eggs, butter, yeast mixture and vanilla extract. Mix together with dough hook or by hand until a soft, smooth dough is formed.
  3. PLACE dough on lightly floured surface; knead gently for about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball. Place in large greased bowl; turn over. Cover with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size. (THIS IS WHEN THE CANDIED CITRUS SHOULD BE MADE)
  4. PUNCH dough down. Form the wreath by rolling dough into a disk, and then use your hand to make a hole in the center. Place on large, parchment lined baking sheet (may need to use it upside down) and continue to shape the wreath. Lift up one area and insert the figurine, bean or coin that has been wrapped in wax paper by pushing it up through the bottom. Smooth out lumps or tears from surface of dough. Cover with greased plastic wrap. Allow to rise in warm place for another 45 minutes until almost doubled in size.
  5. PREHEAT oven to 350º F.
  6. BRUSH wreath with egg wash. Decorate it with candied citrus.
  7. BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. (AT THIS POINT PREPARE THE WHIPPED CREAM)
  8. WHEN completely cooled, use a bread knife and carefully slice through the wreath horizontally. Spread whipped cream evenly on bottom piece of wreath. Top gently with top half. Best served immediately after adding whipped cream.
  9. TO MAKE THE CANDIED CITRUS:
  10. SLICE mandarin, lime and orange thinly (should have about 18 slices). Carefully remove any seeds.
  11. PREPARE a large bowl with ice and water.
  12. BRING a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add sliced citrus and boil for 90 seconds. Remove slices from saucepan and place in ice water for 3 minutes. Drain.
  13. PLACE sugar and water in a medium skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add citrus slices in a single layer and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, turning occasionally, for 1 hour or until skin is translucent. Remove slices and allow to cool on a wire rack.
  14. TO MAKE THE SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM:
  15. BEAT cream in a chilled bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold in sweetened condensed milk.

Notes

To encourage your dough to rise, heat your oven to warm and turn off. Then place your covered dough inside.
Any citrus can be candied. Experiment with oranges or grapefruit for a flavor variation.
Bread can be made one day ahead and tightly wrapped in plastic. Add whipped cream immediately before serving.

 

Friends Who Fete: How To Throw A Christmas Tamalada Party

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Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

Shortly after Armando and I first got married we started hosting what has now become our infamous Tamalada Party. The idea was simple, we wanted tamales, but didn’t want to do all the work ourselves, so why not gather friends for an afternoon of chisme and good food, and when it’s over everyone gets a dozen or so tamales to take home!

Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

This being our first Christmas back in California we wanted to keep the tradition going so invited our partners in merry-making crime, Meg and the whole Beard + Bonnet crew and Aida and her Salt + Wind gang over for a tamalada party that, unlike year’s past, could actually happen in our backyard!

Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

Here was the plan:

Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

To pull off your own tamalada party here’s what you’ll need:

  • About 100 soaked corn husks. This will depend on how many tamales you want to make. Each of our recipes makes about 2 dozen tamales. The husks need to soak a few hours in hot water.
  • About 12 cups of masa. This will make about 4 dozen tamales. You can make it using Maseca (special ground cornflour used for making tamales and tortillas) using this recipe, or buy pre-made masa made from fresh ground corn at a Mexican grocery store.
  • At least one type of filling.
  • A large surface for assembling. We pushed our picnic table and a folding table together and covered them both with a long piece of Mexican oil cloth.
  • A tamale steamer or large lidded pot fitted with a strainer or rack (like a big pasta pot with a strainer liner). This is also a good tamale-making starter kit.
  • Lots of drinks and snacks; tamale-making is hard work! Along with Aida’s delicious cocktail I made my Cranberry Agua Fresca for the kiddos to drink too.

Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

Tamalada Party Menu

Follow the links for all the instructions on how to make and assemble each tamale.

Pomegranate Ginger Apple Cider Punch

Cranberry Agua Fresca with Mint and Lime

Cocoa-Chile Sweet Spicy Snack Mix

Dunk and Slather Board

Avocado Bruschetta

Spicy Black Bean and Cheese Tamales

Chicken and Roasted Pumpkin Tamales with Manchamantel Mole 

Sweet Potato Tamales with Chocolate Sauce

Tamalada Party @holajalapeno

 A big thank you to Salt + Wind and Beard + Bonnet for taking all the beautiful photos!

Avocado Bruschetta with Bacon and Jalapeños

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The holidays are here! Time for gift-giving and evergreen-scented homes and holiday cocktail parties full of nibbles!! I know the season just started but there is no time like the present to dive right into holiday appetizer recipes like these avocado bruschetta.

Avocado Bruschetta Recipe

The good news is they don’t all have to be heavy cheese bombs or bbq cocktail wieners.

Take this avocado bruschetta recipe for example, it is dairy-free but still tastes indulgent with bits of crispy bacon, rich hunks of ripe avocado, and spicy thin slices of jalapeño—basically all you’ve ever wanted from an avocado toast but in a handheld miniature size.

Avocado Bruschetta Recipe

I made these for a tamalada (tamale-making party) we had with my partners in merry-making crime, Aida and Meg. I’ll be bringing you all the details on how to throw your own tamalada next week, but for now I wanted to give you this recipe in case you’ve already got holiday party plans this weekend (you social butterfly, you} and you need to bring something delicious to share.

Avocado Bruschetta Recipe

Here’s what I’d do if I were you.

I’d make the toasts the night or morning before and bring those in a Ziplock, then I’d mix up my avocado bruschetta topping about an hour or so before leaving. I’d take a piece of plastic wrap and press it directly on the surface of the avocado mixture and refrigerate it until you leave. Then assemble on the toasts once you get where you are going. This will keep the avocado from turning brown.

Avocado Bruschetta Recipe

Let’s set forth to this time of year with as much warmth and joy in our hearts as we can muster and enjoy the beauty of gathering together. After all, what good is Christmas spirit if it’s not shared?     Abrazos Amigos, Kate

All photos by Salt and Wind

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Avocado Bruschetta Recipe

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Think of these like mini avocado toasts….but with bacon and jalapeños and lots and lots of fresh herbs. Basically everyone’s dream appetizer.

The baguette can be sliced and toasted up to a day in advance. Let cool and keep in an sealed Ziplock bag until ready to use.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 baguette
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 3 ripe (but still firm) avocados, peeled, pitted, and cubed
  • 1–2 jalapeños (depending on how hot you like things), thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red onion, minced
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cut baguette into 1/2-inch thick slices and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush both sides with coconut oil and bake until crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. Combine remaining bruschetta ingredients in a medium bowl, season with salt and pepper, and gently stir to combine. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if needed.
  3. Top each slice of bread with a spoonful of avocado mixture and serve.

Did you love this recipe? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram! Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. Besos!

Fluffy Apple Chili Biscuits {Dairy Free}

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¡Happy Thanksgiving Mis Amigos!

I hope you are having a wonderful day doing whatever makes this day special for you. I am continually amazed and grateful to have you all in my life as readers and makers of my recipes. I feel especially honored that you take the time to leave me comments and share your personal stories. It is incredible to me that I can have this platform to do what I love and that you actually love it too. I am a grateful woman indeed. Thank you. Now let’s make some apple chili biscuits!

Chili Apple Biscuits Recipe {Dairy Free}

As for us, we are currently lazing around in our pjs, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, and getting ready to head to the beach for our first ever Thanksgiving Day beach walk. It is quite a change from last year’s North Dakota Thanksgiving but you won’t find me complaining. Before we head out I wanted to leave you with this easy biscuit recipe, just in case you needed one more thing to make today (wink, wink).

Apple Chili Biscuits Recipe {Dairy Free}

Apple Chili biscuits bake up nice and fluffy with the slight spice of chili and sweet grated apple.

We are going to have them with cider-glazed Cornish game hens and the rest of the fixings for dinner tonight but I think they would be pretty dang delicious with sausage gravy for breakfast.

Apple Chili Biscuits Recipe {Dairy Free}

How to make dairy-free biscuits

A few quick details about making these biscuits; I use extra-virgin coconut oil instead of butter to make them dairy-free. Freeze the coconut oil until it is hard and then use the large holes of a box grater to grate the oil into small pieces. This technique also works with butter if you didn’t want to make them dairy free.

Secondly, when you cut the biscuits out with the round cutter, make sure you don’t twist the cutter, this seals the dough together making it hard for them to rise. Just push the cutter straight down then bring it back up.

And lastly, I use self-rising flour for biscuits but if you don’t have any you can use the same amount of all-purpose flour plus 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt.

Apple Chili Biscuits Recipe {Dairy Free}

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and long lazy weekend! xoxo, Kate

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Apple Chili Biscuits Recipe {Dairy Free}

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Fluffy, dairy-free biscuits speckled with chili and fresh grated apple. They go great with turkey for Thanksgiving or with gravy for breakfast.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 14 (3-inch) biscuits 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 cup cold extra-virgin coconut oil
  • 1 cup grated fresh apple (about 1 medium apple)
  • 3/4 cup cold soy milk

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 450°F.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, and chili powder in a medium bowl. Grate cold coconut oil on the large holes of a box grater into the flour mixture. Add grated apple and toss the two into the flour mixture to coat.
  3. Pour milk over mixture and stir into the flour. Gather dough together and place on a lightly dusted counter.
  4. Knead dough into a ball then flatten into a disk. Roll out into a 1/2-inch thick circle. Cut into biscuits using whatever size cutter you’d like (I used a 3-inch cutter). When you cut the biscuits, push the cutter down without twisting, this will let them rise higher in the oven.
  5. Place biscuits in a cast iron skillet or on a lined baking sheet. You don’t need to space them apart. Re-roll remaining dough and repeat until all dough is used.
  6. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the bottoms are browned and the biscuits are cooked through.

Cranberry Agua Fresca with Mint and Lime

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Hi There! How’s your Thanksgiving planning going? Have you made your Cranberry Agua Fresca yet?

No? Not that I want to stress you out, but you should.

Cranberry Agua Fresca with Fresh Mint and Lime Recipe

Let’s Make Cranberry Agua Fresca

Lucky for you it is a very easy drink for the kiddos, and non-drinkers, and pregnant ladies.

It is very festive—made with fresh cranberries. You are essentially making homemade cranberry juice—pretty cool, right?

But it is much easier than it sounds.

  1. Just combine fresh cranberries with water and cook until they release their juice (even better if you can let this mixture sit overnight).
  2. Strain out the cranberries, add sugar, and your done!

Cranberry Agua Fresca with Fresh Mint and Lime Recipe

Let’s Make Fun Ice Cubes

The ice cubes make this drink for two reasons:

1. They look super fancy and red carpet.

2. When the ice starts to melt into the drink, the flavor of the fresh mint and lime seeps in to the agua fresca, so it’s perfectly okay, and, actually better, to put the ice in the pitcher and fill it with the agua fresca before guests arrive so the ice has a chance to melt a little bit.

All you do is slice some limes really thin. It’s best if you use little key limes but regular limes work too, you might have to cut them in half to fit in the mold.

Layer the lime slices and fresh mint leaves in the wells of a muffin tin. Fill the wells with water and freeze until solid.

Pop the frozen “ice cubes” out of the muffin tin and you’re ready to go!

Cranberry Agua Fresca with Fresh Mint and Lime Recipe

Let’s Make It Sparkle

To make it even more special you can make it sparkling by filling each glass halfway with the cranberry agua fresca and then topping it off with sparkling mineral water.

We are a Topo Chico house but you can use any sparkling water you’d like.

Cranberry Agua Fresca with Fresh Mint and Lime

Let’s Spike It!

Cranberry Agua Fresca can really do double duty by also being the base for your signature Thanksgiving cocktail. There’s a few different drinks you can make with it:

  • Shake up with 2 ounces vodka and a squeeze of lime juice
  • Serve over ice with a shot of gin and a sprig of thyme
  • Make a Holiday Mule by adding vodka and a splash of ginger beer.

Okay, that’s it! As my kids would say, easy peasy lemon squeezy! Now go out there and crush Thanksgiving you turkey maven, you!

Photos courtesy of This Mess Is Ours

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Cranberry Agua Fresca with Fresh Mint and Lime Recipe

Cranberry Agua Fresca in a pitcher
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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

A fun, non-alcoholic drink made with fresh cranberries and festive lime and mint ice cubes.

For a sparkling version, fill a cup two thirds of the way with ice and agua fresca, top with sparkling water and serve.

  • Author: Kate Ramos
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: drink
  • Method: simmer
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 (12-ounce) bags fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar

For the ice cubes:

  • 2 key limes, or regular Persian limes, sliced
  • the leaves from 1 small bunch mint

Instructions

  1. Wash cranberries and combine them in a pot with the water. Bring to a boil and let gently boil until all cranberries have popped and softened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
  2. Strain the cranberry juice into a clean pot, discard cranberries. Add sugar to the juice and bring to a boil again, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat, let cool, then refrigerate until cold.
  3. To make the ice, divide lime slices and mint leaves between the wells of a muffin tin. Fill each tin with water and freeze until solid.
  4. To serve, pop the ice cubes out of the tin by running the bottoms under warm water until they loosen. Place in a pitcher and pour agua fresca over the top.

Keywords: cranberry agua fresca

Blistered Sweet Potatoes with Serranos and Lime

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I romanticize Thanksgiving.

In my mind Thanksgiving is a crisp fall day where family gathers around, happy to be with one another, and share in a glorious day of cooking and eating together. I feel like I had such Thanksgivings as a child but when I think back on it, I was probably too young to notice any tension between adults and only ate my favorite things, shunning the oyster stuffing and other offerings I thought looked or smelled weird.

Blistered Sweet Potatoes Recipe

In reality this day is usually not everything we hoped it would be; too much family, or not enough. Guest’s palates don’t reflect your own and favorite dishes are missed or worse than that, the meal is a flop and nothing is good at all. Or even worse than that, everything is completely perfect but you are too tired from refining every last detail that you could care less about the meal and would much rather drink a glass of bourbon…I mean wine and go to bed.

Blistered Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Jenny Rosenstrach writes about it beautifully in her newest book How to Celebrate Everything. She gives it a name in fact: Empty Celebration Syndrome, which perfectly describes the feeling (especially at Thanksgiving) that something is, I don’t know…..missing.

This year, even though it will be just the four of us, I will try to make the dinner seem special and hopefully, unlike every other family dinner we have at 6pm on a Thursday night. I will make pumpkin pie even if Louisa and I are the only ones who will eat it. I think I will make little Cornish game hens instead of a big turkey, although it really doesn’t matter— Hiro devours the drumstick of any poultry—and I will make these spicy candied sweet potatoes for Armando (although maybe just half a recipe, these make a ton).

Blistered Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Tips for success

If you want to add this recipe to your Thanksgiving menu (which I highly encourage) here’s a few tips: The sweet potatoes can be slow roasted the day before and kept covered in the refrigerator. The lime syrup can also be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge overnight. When you are ready to eat, drizzle the syrup over the sweet potatoes and roast until caramelized and blistered in a few spots. Sprinkle with chives and salt and serve.

More Sweet Potato Recipes

Sweet Potato Nachos with Smoked Cheddar and Black Beans

Sweet Potato Nachos

Sweet Potato and Sprouted Lentil Tacos

Sweet Potato Tacos

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Blistered Sweet Potatoes with Serranos and Lime Recipe

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A candied sweet potato dish that defies all cliches; slow-roasted sweet potatoes drizzled with a spicy lime syrup and blistered in a hot oven until brown and caramelized. Dairy and gluten free!

The sweet potatoes can be roasted up to a day in advance and the lime syrup can be made the day before as well. Drizzle syrup over potatoes and roast just before serving.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 2 thinly sliced serrano chiles
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons minced chives
  • sea salt flakes for sprinkling, optional

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 300°F. Scrub sweet potatoes and poke all over with a fork. Place in a roasting pan large enough to hold all the potatoes with a few inches in-between (I used a 12 x 16-inch roasting pan).
  2. Cover with foil and bake until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, but not mushy, about 60-70 minutes. Unwrap and let cool slightly. Raise oven temp to 450°F and arrange a rack to the top of the oven.
  3. Meanwhile, combine serranos, coconut oil, lime zest and juice, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the oil is melted and the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
  4. Smash potatoes with the palm of your hand. Pour syrup over the top and roast in the top of the oven until blistered and browned, about 20-25 minutes. If you’d still like them a bit more brown you can stick them under the broiler for a few minutes more.
  5. Sprinkle with chives and sea salt and serve.

Polvorones: Four Ways

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If you’ve ever visited a Mexican Panaderia you already know the joy of the buttery, chewy, sometimes crumbly Polvorones Mexicanos. 

Sprinkle cookies sitting on a baking mat with black circles on it.

As with most things in the Mexican gastronomic realm, this name can mean many things so let me clarify what I’m talking about. Occasionally Polvorones refer to the snowy, powdered sugar-covered nut cookies we know as Mexican Wedding Cookies but that’s not what I’m talking about here.

6 light brown cookies stacked on each other sitting on a white table.

Polvorones are what we think of as a sugar cookie, a vanilla-laced dough that stands up on its own and can be the base for any number of variations. If you bake at all, this is a dough I’d like you to memorize—consider this very delicious homework. This ratio of flour to fat to baking soda to salt will work for any number of cookies and can be the base for just about anything.

Four different kinds of cookies stacked on each other sitting on a blue background.

The easiest variation on this dough would be to mix in ingredients: a bag of chocolate chips, dried cranberries, walnuts, toffee, lemon zest, poppy seeds… spraaankles. Or you can get slightly more complicated and follow the variation recipes below.

A plastic measuring cup full of sprinkles sitting on a wooden table.

Vanilla Spice Cookies

Up the vanilla amount and adds ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg.

Several golden brown cookies leaning on each other in a blue tray.

Sprinkle Cookies

Add sprinkles to the dough plus an extra layer to the top by dipping the flattened balls of cookie dough into a plate of sprinkles before baking them in the oven.

Two trays of sprinkle cookies with a metal spatula. The top one is on a baking mat.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Add cocoa powder to the dough and a sparkle of sugar on top.

Chocolate Sugar Cookie dough balls sitting on a baking mat ready to bake.

Whole Wheat Thumbprints

Swap some of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour then a “thumbprint” of your favorite jam (I used strawberry) or dulce de leche gets added after baking.

Whole Wheat Thumbprint Cookies filled with dulce de Leche and jam sitting on a wire rack.

More Mexican Sweets We Love

What About The Clean-Up?

Baking is fun, cleaning up afterward is definitely not. Check out my 6 kitchen cleaning hacks that’ll make it a little bit easier.

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Polvorones: One Recipe, Four Cookies

A little boy eating a chocolate cookie
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★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

A Mexican cookie recipe with endless possibilities. Make vanilla spice, thumbprints, sprinkle cookies, chocolate sugar and more!

  • Author: Kate
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 3 dozen (2-inch) cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup fat (I used butter, vegan butter, vegetable shortening, and extra virgin coconut oil and all worked great)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F and arrange rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
  2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to mix and break up any lumps.
  3. Combine fat and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add eggs one at a time, letting the first one incorporate completely before adding the second. Add vanilla and beat another minute.
  5. Add flour and mix on low until fully incorporated. Add any mix-ins like chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, and mix on low until combined.
  6. Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet and space about 1-inch apart. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges but still soft in the middle. Let cool on the baking sheet about 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

For Spiced Vanilla Cookies:

  1. Increase vanilla extract amount to 1 tablespoon
  2. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

For Whole Wheat Thumbprints with Jam or Dulce de Leche:

  1. Change flour amount to 1 cup all-purpose and 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour. Chill dough for at least 1 hour then roll dough into balls and bake as directed above. When they come out of the oven, immediately press a indentation in the middle with a round wooden spoon handle. Fill each hole with a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of your favorite jam (I used strawberry) or dulce de leche.

For Sprinkle Cookies:

  1. Add 1/2 cup sprinkles (I like nonpareils but jimmys also work) to the dough with the flour. Pour another 1/2 cup of sprinkles in a shallow dish. Chill dough for at least 1 hour. Roll into balls and then flatten slightly. Dip the top of each cookie into the sprinkles pressing gently to adhere. Bake as directed, adding more sprinkles right after they come out of the oven if you want them completely covered.

For Chocolate Sugar Cookies:

  1. Add 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the flour mixture. Roll dough into balls as directed then roll each ball in granulated sugar before baking. Bake as directed.

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Knowing that this recipe worked for you is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

This post was sponsored in conjunction with Coaction PR. All recipes and opinions are my own. 

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A photo collage of two different cookie images and a text overlay.

Surf and Turf Nachos

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How was 2015 for you? Kinda shitty? Super great? I’m guessing a mix of both? Even though I put off an air of perfection (lol) I’m gonna be honest and say I had some rough spots this year. Things got dark for a while. There were tears and desperate texts to sweet friends who didn’t write me off (you know who you are and I love you). Why don’t things ever go as I plan them anymore? Maybe planning is overrated. Either way, I’m ready to say sayonara and move on.

But not before…..NACHOS!!!

surf and turf nachos recipe

Not often does a nachos recipe start off with, Day 1: but this is New Year’s and we know how to have fun!

I know, I know nachos are a dish best slap-dashed together….sometimes.

surf and turf nachos recipe

Nachos for New Year’s however takes precision, takes planning, takes soaking a big hunka beef in sour achiote sauce and roasting it real slow for at least 4 hours until the meat and onions are soaked in a burnt sienna hue and falling apart at the seams.

surf and turf nachos recipe

Therefore, nachos for New Year’s must be started on Day 1 and completed on Day 2 or at least have a very long Day 1 where you roast the beef all day and finish the nachos for dinner that night. I mean to-night, because what better way to say good-bye to 2015 than crunchy tortilla chips topped with aforementioned succulent beef, fresh chunks of crab meat, goat cheese, and as many flurries of scallions and cilantro as one can handle?

surf and turf nachos recipe

Wanna make it a New Year’s Fiesta to remember? Here’s some other ideas to go along with your fancy nachos! Be safe, have fun and I’ll see you in 2016!

New Year’s Fiesta 2016

Spicy Mango Margaritas 

Chimayo Cocktails

Cold Beer and Sparkling Wine

Green Grape and Almond Gazpacho Shooters

Bacalao a la Mexicana

Mexican Rarebit Toasts

Chocolate Covered Cider Rum Caramels

Coconut Pumpkin Seed Brittle

surf and turf nachos recipe

 

 

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Surf and Turf Nachos Recipe

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The fanciest nachos recipe you ever did see—crunchy tortilla chips loaded with fresh crab, slow roasted achiote beef, caramelized onions, and goat cheese. The slow roasted beef will take 4 hours to cook before you can make the nachos. It’s best to make the beef the day before, cover, and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the nachos. The recipe will make more beef than you’ll need for this recipe, but any leftovers make excellent tacos. Achiote paste is a combination of bright red annatto seeds, chiles, and spices. It is popular in the Yucatán and comes in a thick block. You can find it in most Mexican markets and online here.

  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 45 mins
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Slow Roasted Beef

  • 1/2 cup achiote paste
  • 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast

For the Nachos:

  • 1 bag tortilla chips
  • 4 ounces fresh crab meat
  • 6 ounces fresh goat cheese

To Garnish:

  • thinly sliced jalapeño peppers
  • thinly sliced scallions
  • fresh cilantro leaves
  • quartered cherry tomatoes
  • 1 avocado, cubed
  • lime wedges

Instructions

For the Slow Roasted Beef:

  1. Heat oven to 300°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Combine achiote paste, lime juice, and salt in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  2. Place onion and garlic slices in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat then spread into an even layer.
  3. Place beef on top of the onions and pour achiote sauce over the beef. Rub to coat the entire surface of the beef in sauce.
  4. Cover the dish with foil and roast for 3 hours. Remove foil and roast for an hour longer. If using right away, remove from oven and let cool 15-20 minutes. Transfer beef to a cutting board and chop into small pieces, removing any gristle or fat. Save the onions and sauce for the nachos.
  5. If saving for later, let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Beef will keep for up to 5 days covered in the refrigerator.

For the Nachos:

  1. Heat broiler to high. Pile the chips on top of a oven-safe platter. Top with beef and onions, then crab and goat cheese. Broil until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 3-4 minutes.
  2. Carefully remove and top with any or all of the desired garnishes. Enjoy!

 

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Marble Chocolate Bark with Cashews and Ginger

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This week our house has been buzzing with the positive sparkle that surrounds Christmas. I’ve felt a bit like the Grinch—cursing as I stuff the tree into the car then feeling my heart grow three sizes as the kids put on the ornaments.

Dark and White Chocolate Bark Recipe

It never gets old, their excitement this time of year. I’ve been known to complain about them in the past but despite what I’ve said, the kids aren’t just in it for the presents, they love all of it. Everyday brings a new wish that can only be granted between December 1st and 25th—decorate the tree, hang the lights, watch Charlie Brown, decorate cookies—and I say yes to all of it.

Dark and White Chocolate Bark with Cashews Recipe

Yesterday I was wrestling with some garland when I noticed the house was eerily silent. Usually when Hiro is not making an obnoxious amount of noise it means he’s coloring on a piece of furniture or filling my dish gloves with water but yesterday he was stuffing all our stockings full to the brim with whatever he could find then hanging them from the bottom rungs of their bunk bed like ‘Ol Saint Nick himself.

Dark and White Chocolate Bark with Cashews and Candied Ginger Recipe

I try not to shove too much into this time of year but I do like to make special treats to share (and of course to eat!!!). Sometimes, however, actual baking can be too much which is why I’ve been pumping you full of sweets recipes that require little time and no oven. Homemade bark is quite possible the ea-seeee-ists. It requires little more than melting some chocolate (Trader Joe’s sells excellent, inexpensive chocolate by the pound in varying degrees of bitterness) then topping the chocolate with whatever floats your boat. Crushed candy canes are a popular option but my favorite combo is roasted, salted cashews and thin little slices of candied ginger.

White and Dark Chocolate Bark Recipe

To score some serious points with your friends or postman, melt dark and white chocolate in separate bowls then swirl them together.

White Chocolate Bark Recipe

As far as the melting goes, the microwave is probably the easiest way to do this, but I don’t have the counter space for that business so I just use the old fashioned bowl over boiling water method. Just be careful that the water is at a low simmer, not boiling and that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. White chocolate is especially sensitive and will seize up on you if it gets too hot.

See for yourself how easy this bark is right here!

Dark Chocolate Bark with Cashews Recipe

One last thing, if you’ve been following me (@holajalapeno) on Instagram then you know about the beautiful Siestas for Fiestas blanket we gave away. Siestas for Fiestas is a wonderful charity organization that gives a Christmas dinner to a family in need for every blanket they sell. Their goal is to provide meals to 146 families this year and to help the cause they’ve been generous enough to give 15% off to you, my readers, to buy your very own blanket! Use the promo code WELOVEMEXICO when you make your purchase, then snap a picture of your blanket and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #SiestasForFiestas146!  Merry Christmas!

 

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White & Dark Chocolate Bark with Cashews and Candied Ginger Recipe

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Homemade chocolate bark recipe with swirls of dark and white chocolate topped with roasted cashews and candied ginger. Feel free to experiment swap the dark chocolate for milk chocolate or mix up the toppings; dried cherries, chopped dried mangos, or roasted, salted macadamia nuts would be equally as good.

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 15 mins
  • Yield: 6-8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
  • 4 ounces white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted, salted cashews
  • 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger

Instructions

  1. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
  2. Melt dark chocolate in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until smooth. Pour chocolate out onto the lined baking sheet and spread into a thin layer.
  3. Melt white chocolate in a separate bowl until smooth. Dollop white chocolate over dark chocolate then swirl into the dark chocolate with a toothpick or skewer.
  4. Sprinkle cashews and ginger over the top and let harden, about 30 minutes.
  5. Break into bite-sized pieces and serve or wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Chile Almond Christmas Crack

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The traditional saltine cracker toffee with a Mexican twist; this Chile Almond Christmas Crack has a dark chocolate layer with chile powder and almonds.

There are so many things I look forward to every holiday—decorating the tree, the town aglow with lights, Christmas cards, eggnog,  crack.

No, no, not that kind.

Almond Chile Christmas Crack Recipe

Christmas crack is cheaper, healthier (slightly), and Santa-approved and in the spirit of Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer and cookie salad, it follows a long line of redneck holiday favorites.

Chile Almond Christmas Crack

If you run in a more boojee crowd you may not be familiar with the brittle, buttery candy comprised of saltine crackers, sugar, and chocolate, but you should be.

Christmas

Everyone knows the combination of crunch, plus salt, plus chocolate, plus caramel is the shit. Now add an underlying layer of heat from cinnamon and cayenne pepper topped with toasted slivers of almonds and you’ve got something insanely good.

Unfortunately, this holiday candy is ridiculously easy to make but if you can keep your paws off the stuff it makes excellent hostess gifts, teacher gifts, postman gifts, you name it. Or you can just ration it off in little baggies and hoard it in a secret hiding place…. you know like the real stuff.

Here’s how you make crack….. (that joke never gets old). Make a single layer of saltines on a foil-lined, very well sprayed baking sheet. If you don’t do those first two steps you will curse me and I don’t like profanity.

Christmas Crack

Now we are going to cover the crackers with a super simple toffee… loads of butter + dark brown sugar (oh, and vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to gussy up our crack).

Almond Christmas Crack

Pop this in the oven for a few minutes until the crackers and caramel have merged into crispy toffee heaven. Now sprinkle on the chocolate.

Almond Chile Christmas Crack Recipe

Let that sit a couple of minutes until the chips start to melt then spread it evenly to cover the crackers. Sprinkle a few toasted almond slices into your mouth then use the rest to decorate the crack. The flaky salt goes on last and then the hardest part—wait until it hardens. After a couple hours at room temperature or an hour in the fridge, break into pieces and eat the whole damn pan! Just kidding, don’t do that, that’s what they call OD’ing in certain circles.

Almond Chile Christmas Crack Recipe

Don’t forget: Head over to Instagram for a chance to win some really lovely gifts this Christmas. Follow @holajalapeno to find out how!

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Chile Almond Christmas Crack Recipe

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This addictive candy is easy to prepare but takes a few hours to harden, so plan ahead.

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Yield: 12-14 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 35–40 saltine soda crackers
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 14 ounces dark chocolate chips or finely chopped dark chocolate
  • 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray foil well with pan spray.
  2. Make a single layer of saltines on the bottom of the baking sheet.
  3. Combine butter and sugar in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Gently boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add cinnamon, vanilla, and cayenne and stir until completely dissolved.
  4. Pour toffee over crackers and spread to coat as evenly as possible. Bake 7 minutes or until bubbly.
  5. Sprinkle chocolate over toffee and wait a few minutes until it begins to melt. Smooth chocolate creating a even layer that completely covers the crackers.
  6. Sprinkle almonds and salt over the top and let cool completely (this might take up to 2 hours depending on how cold your room is). You can place in the refrigerator or freezer to speed up the cooling.
  7. Break into pieces and serve or store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 4 months.

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Almond Buñuelos with Orange-Meyer Lemon Sugar

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Happy Thanksgiving Week! 
 
This is my favorite week of the year and I’m celebrating by having something new for you today!  
My fried Susana is here! And she brought buñuelos!!!! Susana is the extraordinarily talented chef behind the holasus instagram feed if you are not already following her, you are going to want to. She also shares her jaw-dropping Mexican recipes as a contributor for Meeexiiicooo, so after you salivate all over your computer here go check her out over there! I’m super delighted that she wanted to share her talents with us today, Thank You Susy!
Almond Bunuelos
A little bit about myself, I’m Mexicana and I currently live in New York City.  I went to culinary school in Monterrey and graduated from the Instituto Culinario de Mexico.  I met my English husband and, after we got married, I moved to London where I worked in catering and I started my little family.
My family now is my priority and I love cooking for them.  I would say my food is mostly Mexican-inspired and I love cooking with local seasonal ingredients and trying new flavors and different combinations.  I love that in NYC there is a big Mexican population and that you are able to get most authentic ingredients to recreate some of my favorite dishes.
Almond Buñuelos
Around Thanksgiving in the US is the time when we start having Posadas in Mexico (traditional get-togethers in advance of the celebration of Christmas) and where we normally drink ponche, eat tamales and buñuelos.
While living in the U.S I like blending my Mexican traditions with Thanksgiving and buñuelos have always been a favorite around this time of the year.  I have so many memories at my abuela’s house of having buñuelos with my cousins, we would eat too many of them and leave a sugar crumble all over the kitchen.  That’s why I thought that they would make a perfect dessert for Thanksgiving by adding almonds to the dough and evoking citrusy flavors with the Meyer lemon-orange sugar and then be drizzled with a rich chocolate sauce (with some alcohol if you like) for a more festive feeling.
Almond Bunuelos with chocolate sauce

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Almond Bunuelos with Orange-Meyer Lemon Sugar & Amaretto Chocolate Ganache Recipe

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Recipe by Susana Villasuso I love to serve this on the dessert table on a big platter with the chocolate sauce on the side so that everybody can help themselves and have as many as they want, make more bunuelos or sauce depending on how many guests you have. If you have a more formal Thanksgiving party I also suggest serving individually with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream, the bunuelo crumbled on top and a drizzle of the amaretto chocolate sauce.

  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
  • Yield: 12 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the buñuelos:

  • 1 1/2 cup of organic all-purpose flour
  • 1 cage free egg
  • 45gm (3 tablespoons) butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground pure vanilla.
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract.
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped blanched almonds
  • Canola oil for frying

For the citrusy sugar:

  • 1 cup of Demerara sugar
  • 1 cup of caster sugar (or superfine sugar)
  • zest of 1 orange
  • zest of 1 Meyer lemon

For the Amaretto chocolate ganache:

  • 200 gm (8 ounces) semi sweet organic chocolate
  • 200 ml (1/4 cup) heavy cream
  • 1–3 teaspoons amaretto liquor

Instructions

For the buñuelos:

  1. Start by sifting the flour directly into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the egg, butter, ground vanilla, almond extract and sugar; beat your ingredients on a low speed until combined.
  2. Then change the paddle for the hook attachment and start adding your water little by little (you might not need all the water), kneed your dough on a higher speed for a good couple of minutes until you get an elastic soft dough.
  3. Remove the dough from your mixer and add the almonds and knead a little bit by hand just enough to integrate the almonds into the dough, form a ball with your hands and place it in a bowl cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.
  4. Cut 12 same-sized chunks out of your dough and roll them to form small balls, add flour to your surface and stretch each ball with the help of a rolling pin into a tortilla shape (I recommend stretching quite thin to get crispier bunuelos). Don’t worry if they are not perfectly round they’ll still taste pretty amazing, repeat the same with the rest of the dough balls and lay them flat on your kitchen surface. I like giving them another 15 minutes rest – according to my abuelita they crisp up quicker if you let them rest a bit before frying.
  5. Prepare a frying pan and add the canola oil, enough to cover your bunuelos while cooking. Heat up your oil, you’ll know it’s ready for frying when you add a piece of dough and it starts bubbling quite quickly. Fry your bunuelos one by one until golden crispy; once ready remove from the oil and place them on to some paper towels to absorb the excess oil, then while they are still hot coat them with the citrusy sugar.

For the orange-Meyer lemon sugar:

  1. In a bowl add Demerara sugar, caster sugar, Meyer lemon zest and orange zest, mix them all with your hands or a spoon, then place the citrusy sugar on a plate or bigger container where you’ll coat your bunuelos.

For the Chocolate Amatetto Ganache:

  1. Melt your chocolate in a bowl over a hot water bath. Once it is melted remove from the heat and add your cream, mix with a spatula until you get a dark chocolate sauce, add your liqueur little by little to taste (according to how boozy you like it).

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Mexican Lime-Poached and Roasted Turkey

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Behold! I give you quite possibly the easiest Thanksgiving turkey recipe ever.

Mexican Turkey

Keep in mind I did not say the fastest but the easiest one I’ve ever made, and I’ve made my fair share of turkeys like this one, and this one, and even this one. They were all good but they all took the kind of effort you’d expect for the centerpiece of the year’s most important meal.

Let’s go back to one year ago today when I was eternally washing dishes and listening to turkey roasting tips from Ariane Daguin when she said she poached her turkey before roasting it. What the what?!!! In her beautiful French accent she explained how briefly poaching the turkey the night before in a rich broth infuses the turkey with loads of flavor and not only that, you are pre-cooking it ever so slightly which cuts down significantly on the roasting time, resulting in a juicier bird.

Mexican Lime Turkey

Well, I knew that was the turkey for me. I was willing to go the extra mile for such a glorious-sounding bird but to my pleasant surprise it turned out to be so much easier than your average Thanksgiving roasting affair.

Mexican Lime-Poached Turkey

There are no special bags, no brining, no basting, it takes about a quarter of the time and bonus, you are left with boatloads of delicious turkey broth that you can use to make soup with the leftovers! The only, ever-so-slightly, annoying thing is that you do have to let it sit in the broth overnight. So you will need to A: Have a lidded pot big enough to fit the turkey in. And B: Have enough room in your refrigerator for the pot. Or if you live in a cold enough climate (like me) you can put it on your front porch or non-heated garage, as long as it is 30°F or colder outside.

Mexican Lime-Poached and Turkey

Then the next day you place that baby in a roasting pan and roast it at a pretty high heat for only—get this— 30 Minutes! That’s it! And then turn your oven off and leave the turkey to finish gently cooking from the residual heat.

Mexican Lime-Poached and Roasted Turkey

I tell you that skin was so shatteringly crisp and gorgeous I think I shed a tear. And the meat was tender and soaked with lime and garlic and pepper and bay. I went with Mexican-inspired flavors but you could add anything you want to the broth. Basic carrots, onion, celery are gorgeous or you can go really exotic and add cinnamon stick, dried chiles, or saffron. Have fun with it but just remember, no recipe will make up for a crappy turkey so make sure you buy one that hasn’t been jacked up with saline solution or any other weirdness. In my opinion, organic, free-range is best.

 

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Mexican Lime-Poached and Roasted Turkey Recipe

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★★★

3 from 1 reviews

Recipe inspired by D’Artagnan This recipe works best, logistically, for smaller birds. Anything bigger than 14 pounds becomes a bit cumbersome unless you are blessed with an enormous fridge. If you’d like to make the roasted butternut squash and charred scallions as seen in the pictures, lay thick slices of squash on a baking sheet, toss with oil and salt and roast at 425°F for 20 minutes then place under the broiler for a minute or two to brown. For the scallions, toss with oil, salt, and pepper and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until lightly charred.

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 onions, sliced
  • 3 jalapeños, stemmed and cut in half
  • 2 heads garlic, cut in half
  • 2 tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • Juice of 4 limes
  • 10 fresh sprigs oregano
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1 (10-12 pound) whole fresh or defrosted turkey, neck and giblets removed

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients except the turkey in a pot large enough to hold the turkey. Fill halfway with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the turkey and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, then remove pot from heat and let turkey cool to room temperature (about 4 hours). Refrigerate turkey in broth overnight.
  3. Heat oven to 400°F. Take bird out of the pot and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes then turn oven off and leave turkey inside for 1 hour.
  4. Remove turkey, let rest for about 15-20 minutes, slice and serve.

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Poached in a lime and cilantro broth and then roasted to crispy perfection. #turkey #thanksgivingturkey #easyturkeyrecipe #easythanksgivingturkeyrecipe

Candied Orange Peel {The Best DIY Christmas Gift}

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Bright orange flavor shines in these picture perfect candied orange peels. Covered in sparkly sugar they look like icicles and taste like a sweet jellied orange candy. They pack and ship like a dream, making them the best DIY Christmas gift.

Candied Orange Peel {The Best DIY Christmas Gift}3

I have three Christmas desserts I make every year; Orange Cookies for my dad, Candied Cayenne Pecans for my mother-in-law, and Candied Orange Peel for my father-in-law. Without fail, come December I’ve got cases of oranges, 10-pound bags of sugar, and limitless pecan halves waiting in the wings to be fried, caramelized, and baked into a sweeter version of themselves.

Candied Orange Peel {The Best DIY Christmas Gift}

This candied orange peel recipe is a throw back to my days at Mustard’s Grill where we would candy cases of lemon peel to garnish their epic Lemon Meringue Pie. The same technique can be used for lemons, oranges, or even grapefruit, though oranges and lemons work best.

Candied Orange Peel {The Best DIY Christmas Gift}4

Here’s how it works. First you need to remove the orange and white part of the orange peel. The white pith turns chewy and delicious after it has been candied.

Peeling the oranges

Then cut the peel into 1/2-inch thick strips.

Cutting the peel

The next step is to blanch the peel three times in cold water. this removes a lot of the bitterness hidden in the pith.

Blanching the peel

After the strips have been blanched it is time to combine them with equal parts sugar and water.

Candying the peel

Then bring that to a vigorous boil until the strips are soft and the white pith is mostly translucent. This takes some time, about an hour.

Candying the peel1

Once the strips are cooked, drain off the syrup into a heat-proof bowl. This syrup makes for a killer margarita and also gets really thick when cool, so it’s not a very good idea to pour it down the drain.

Draining the peel

The last step is to toss the strips in sugar, a few at a time, until they are thoroughly coated. Save any leftover sugar for baking, it will have a delicious orange essence. I made orange cookies with the leftover sugar this year and they were pretty outstanding.

Sugaring the peel

Let the strips lay out at room temperature in a single layer until they are dry. Then store in an airtight container for up to two weeks, or pack them up and give as gifts to friends near and far.

Candied Orange Peel {The Best DIY Christmas Gift}2

Looking for some other DIY Christmas Gifts? Here are a few more ideas:

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Candied Orange Peel {The Best DIY Christmas Gift}

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Make sure to cook the peel in the sugar long enough, it takes at least 45 minutes to an hour. If you remove them too soon the strips won’t properly dry out when tossed in sugar; when in doubt, cook them a little longer.

  • Author: Kate Ramos
  • Yield: 3 cups of Candied Peel 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds oranges (about 6 oranges)
  • 7 cups granulated sugar, divided
  • 4 cups water

Instructions

  1. Remove zest and pith (the white part) from the oranges with a sharp pairing knife in large strips.
  2. Slice the strips into 1/2-inch thick widths and place in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, drain and repeat two more times.
  3. Return to the pot and add 4 cups sugar and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook vigorously, stirring occasionally, until syrup is thick and peel looks translucent, about an hour. If syrup is bubbling violently, turn down heat.
  4. Carefully drain peel in a fine strainer set over a heat-proof bowl (save this syrup for cocktails).
  5. Put 3 cups sugar in a medium bowl. Place 1/3 of the peel in the bowl and toss in the sugar until thoroughly coated. Spread peel out on a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining peel, doing 1/3 at a time.
  6. When dry, store in a tightly-covered container for up to 2 weeks.

Buñuelos {Mexican Sugar Crisps with Anise Seed}

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Christmas is coming up and you know what that means….

PRESENTS!!!—say my kids.

EGGNOG!!!—says me.

Buñuelos {Mexican Sugar Crisps with Anise Seed}

In all seriousness, my children have no idea why we celebrate Christmas. Not that I’m all religious and stuff (clearly I’m not, otherwise my kids might have a clue about the Christ part) but how did I raise such jackanapes whose only concerns are the bazillion presents they asked Santa for (including an IPAD, an IPOD, and a horse—sorry Suri Cruise, not gonna happen).

Buñuelo Dough

I found a lovely Christmas book by Margaret Wise Brown at the library last week and brought it home for the children. Margaret Wise Brown, of Goodnight Moon fame, knows a thing or two about retelling a tale in a way kids can understand so I thought it would be a good introduction to the nativity story. After reading the book we talked about how Christmas is like a birthday party for Jesus and we give each other presents to celebrate his birthday and to honor him. And then I patted myself on the back for a job well done and checked “teach kids about the real meaning of Christmas” off my to-do list.

Buñuelo Dough

The next day the topic came up again as the four of us were eating lunch when the Professor mentioned something about church, or God, or I don’t know something religious (I wasn’t really listening) and Louisa said in a shocked manner, “Is that why you picked out that book? Cause it’s about Jesus?” “Christmas isn’t about Jesus, it’s about Santa Claus!”

Buñuelo Dough

I don’t know where I went wrong but it has taken a very dramatic turn for the worse because I’ve actually heard myself saying things like, “If you guys don’t start behaving, Santa’s not going to bring you any presents! I mean none!!” Which is a total freakin’ lie because everyone knows the only folks Santa doesn’t bring presents to are lonely adults and poor people. Santa’s nothing like Jesus, I’ll tell you that much.

Buñuelos {Mexican Sugar Crisps with Anise Seed}

This would be much easier if Christmas could be a little more like Thanksgiving and center itself around food. Now that I can talk about. Take these crispy little buñuelos for example. In Mexico these are a Christmas staple. You’ll see stacks of these puffy fried pastries on food carts and in vendor’s stalls ready for shoppers to scoop up for their Christmas parties or simply to snack on as they stroll.

Buñuelos {Mexican Sugar Crisps with Anise Seed}

Most of the time they are served drenched in a sweet piloncillo syrup but these I’ve loaded with crunchy sugar and toasted anise seed. They are a crumbly, delicious mess and you must make them this holiday season. They may take a bit of a commitment but they are, without question, much easier than explaining Christmas to your children.

Buñuelos {Mexican Sugar Crisps with Anise Seed}

 

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Buñuelos {Mexican Sugar Crisps with Anise Seed}

Buñuelos are popular Mexican street food during the holidays. They are crispy, fried dough, kind of like a funnel cake, but with anise seed and sugar.
Print Recipe

Buñuelos are popular Mexican street food during the holidays. They are crispy, fried dough, kind of like a funnel cake, but with anise seed and sugar.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup lard, cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon toasted anise seeds
  • 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine flour, the 1 tablespoon of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the orange juice and eggs.
  2. Begin mixing on low for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add pieces of lard, a couple at a time. Once all the lard has been added, increase speed to medium and knead 10-12 minutes.
  3. Butter a large bowl and add the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 1 hour.
  4. Remove dough from bowl and divide into 12-15 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and cover them with a clean kitchen towel.
  5. Roll each ball into a circle as thin as possible. Try to get them the width of construction paper without tearing. Let the circles sit out on the counter to dry slightly, about 30 minutes.
  6. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. Heat oil in a large frying pan until hot, but not smoking. Add one dough circle at a time to the oil and fry until brown on one side, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip and brown the other side. Transfer buñuelo to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with about 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of anise seeds while still warm. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  7. Eat immediately or let cool completely then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

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