Caramelized Plantains with a Chocolate Tequila Sauce

In March during my trip to Cozumel, I spend a day with Chef Luis.  He taught me several new dishes that were absolutely wonderful and well worth sharing.  So, (with his permission), today I am sharing a dessert that we made.  This dish is so inexpensive, requires few ingredients, is very quick to make, yet looks like you spent hours preparing.  It was so delicious!!  This recipe serves four, but can easily be doubled, tripled, or halved.

You will need the following ingredients:
1/2 large plantain (cut into 2 pieces, then sliced into half lengthwise)
8 oz butter
1 Tabs sugar
1 teas cinnamon
5 oz chopped dark chocolate, roughly chopped.
1/4 cup milk, (whole milk works best)
4 Tabs tequila

After you have cut your plantain pieces into half lengthwise, sprinkle the sugar and the cinnamon over the cut sides of the plantain, (to taste).

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  When the butter is melted, add the plantain pieces, (cut side down).  Cook until slightly browned, (a minute or two).

 Flip the plantain slices over, and cook the peel side also.  The plantain will be very soft to the touch of a knife tip.

Once the plantain is nicely browned, remove from pan and set aside.

In the same saucepan, slowly add the milk, and adjust the heat to medium low.

Add the rough chopped dark chocolate.

Stir the milk and chocolate until the chocolate has melted and the sauce is smooth.

 Now take your tequila, and slowly add it to the chocolate milk mixture.  (any kind of tequila is OK to use, your going to burn off the alcohol, or you can omit the tequila - but try it with the tequila, it's very good!!).

Now adjust the heat back up to medium high, cook, (stirring continuously) for a couple of minutes until the mixture thickens.

Once the mixture has thickened, remove from heat.

 Peel the skin from the plantain.

Place the peeled plantain on a plate, and pour your chocolate tequila sauce over your plantain.

You can store your dessert in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve, (even add a small amount of whipped cream on top), or serve immediately.

This is absolutely delicious!!

We will be serving this dessert at our house for sure.  It's a new one that I'm adding to my list.

Enjoy!

Fajitas

Whenever there's not quite enough meat for a complete meal, you can always make up a big pan of fajitas and everyone is filled and satisfied.  Today, I am going to make shrimp fajitas, but this recipe can be easily adapted for chicken or beef.  This recipe makes 12, and will easily feed 4 to 6 people.
  You probably have everything you need on hand already.

If you don't have any tortillas on hand you can easily make some, with these few ingredients:
2 cups flour (all purpose is fine to use)
1/2 teas salt
1/2 cup lard
2/3 cup water

In a medium bowl combine salt and flour, then stir together well.

Now add the lard

Work the lard into the flour, (I find that my fingers are the easiest way to accomplish this).  It's just like making a pie crust.

You want a cornmeal consistency.

Now add the water and stir it into the flour.

Work the water into the flour until the dough comes together.

Divide the dough into 9 or 12 pieces. (the more pieces the small the tortilla will be).

If you have a tortilla press, that's great, (it makes easy work flattening the balls).  If you don't have one, then just use a well floured rolling pin.  I like to use parchment paper between my tortilla flats, so the dough doesn't stick.  Place one ball in the center of the bottom half

Close the top of the press, and press down with the lever.

Just like that your tortilla is flattened and ready to cook.  If you decide to hand roll with a rolling pin, make sure you roll the dough very thin.

While I was pressing all my dough balls, I placed my tortilla pan on the stove over medium high heat, (any pan will work, a cast iron pan is the best, but not necessary).

Now cook your tortilla for a couple of minutes on each side, just until it starts to brown.

If you have a tortilla warmer, place the cooked tortillas in there to keep them warm.  Or you can wrap them in a dish towel on a flat plate.


If you decide to purchase your tortillas, then just start from this step.  Warm your tortilla and place them in a tortilla warmer.

To make the fajitas you will need:
1 pound of shrimp, (1/2 # chicken or beef)
1 lime
1/2 teas each of salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder
1/4 teas cayenne pepper
2 Tabs oil
2 peppers, (I like to use 1 green and 1 red)
1 small/medium sized onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tomato (I like to use Roma)
Garnishes:  cilantro, green onions, sour cream, guacamole lettuce

In a small bowl I make my universal chili seasoning.  This can be used on so many things, (tacos, enchilada meats, chili Verde meats, etc., )

1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas cumin powder
1/2 teas oregano
1/2 teas chili powder
1/2 teas garlic powder
1/4 teas cayenne pepper
Mix together well

I have 1 pound of medium shrimp. (you could easily use 1/2 pound of chicken or beef cut into bite sized cubes - you don't need much meat).  Remove the tail shell, and check that all the intestinal tract has been well cleaned.  Place the meat into a plastic bag.

Note:  If you are using the larger size shrimp, you will probably want to cut the shrimp in half.

I save my shrimp shells in a small bag, then freeze them, so that when I make a seafood stock I can add them to flavor the stock.

Add the juice of 1 lime

Add the spice mixture

Seal the top of the plastic bag and massage the juice and spices until all the meat is well covered.

Let this set aside for 10 minutes

While the meat is marinating, chop and slice your vegetables:
peppers, (1 red and 1 green - or use yellow for more color) - sliced into strips
1 onion - sliced into strips
1 tomato - sliced into stripes
2 cloves of garlic

In a large pan, over medium heat, heat the 2 Tabs of oil

While the oil is heating you can chop your garnishes:
a handful of lettuce and 1 tomato chopped
3 or 4 green onions
a few slices of cucumber
a few slices of jalapeno pepper
homemade guacamole
sour cream

Once the oil is hot, add the meat and the marinade.  Cook for a minute or two.

Next add the chopped peppers, onion, and garlic.  Stir well and continue cooking - stirring every so often so it doesn't burn.

Since my husband like a little heat, I am adding one chopped chili pepper.  This is simply a choice and not required.

After about 4 or 5 minutes, put a lid on the pan and allow the steam to cook the peppers and onion for 2 or 3 minutes.

Add the sliced tomato, stir well.

And there you now have the filling for your fajitas.

I'd better do a "quality control check!"  Yup, that's just right.  Doesn't need any more salt or pepper.  Tastes yummy.

Tonight, I'm serving my fajitas with homemade Mexican rice, re-fried beans, and garnished with a side of lettuce/tomatoes cucumber slices, and sliced green peppers.

And the leftover filling makes a excellent lunch the next day.  Just wrap 2 tortilla in a paper towel, heat them for 40 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave, fill with heated fajita filling and enjoy!

Enjoy!

Grandma Barbara's Granola Bars

As the grand kids were growing up, they would look through the kitchen and then ask "where's grandma Barbara's granola bars?".  That's how these delicious granola bars got their name!  They are easy and fast to make, and they don't last long around our house.  I get 12 bars out of each recipe, and when you compare that to the cost of one or two store bought granola bars, it's a major savings!!

You will need:
2 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups crispy rice cereal
1/2 cup peanuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teas vanilla extract
dash of salt

 First you will need to line a 8" X 8" pan with parchment paper, (leaving some over hang, this will aid in lifting the granola out).

In a large bowl, combine oats, peanuts, crispy rice cereal, dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips.  Stir well.

In a medium bowl combine the peanut butter, brown sugar, salt, and honey.  

Stir mixture, then microwave on high for 1 minute.

Remove from microwave, stir well and microwave again for 1 minute.

Remove from microwave, add vanilla extract and stir for 30 seconds.

Caution:  This caramel sauce is very hot.  Be careful.

Pour the caramel sauce over the oat / cereal mixture.

Be careful not to get any on your fingers, it will burn.  Do NOT try to lick the spoon!  It will burn!

 Stir the caramel sauce into the oat mixture.  Be sure to stir the bottom contents up to get all the ingredients well coated with the sauce.

Pour the granola into the parchment lined pan.  Press down to form an even layer.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips on top of the granola mixture and press into the granola mixture.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set up the granola.

 After 30 minutes remove the granola

Now you can cut your granola into bars, (or squares if you want) .  I like to cut mine into 12 bars.

And there you have a delicious granola bar.

I just store mine in a foam container on the counter, so everyone can easily grab one when they want one.  When I pack them for road trips or lunches, I just wrap one in a piece of plastic wrap and it's ready to go.

You can change up the ingredients, add shredded coconut, cashews, pecans, leave out the chocolate chips or dried cranberries.  Make it your own version of whatever you like in a granola bar.

Enjoy!