Fresh produce from the garden. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? SALSA!!
But first a little tomato trivia:
The U.S. Congress passed the Tariff Act of 1883 which levied a 10% duty on imported vegetables to protect American growers from foreign competition.
This same year they declared the tomato a vegetable, so it could be included in the tariff, and from that time on the fruit was converted to a vegetable.
Read More About Growing Tomatoes In Your Garden To Make Your Own Garden Fresh Salsa
This is a very hot 2014 summer. If you found a refreshing drink to cool you down great. But if your still looking we have an idea, Blackberry Mojito Tea Lemonade. Teavana is screaming at the top of their lungs, “Shake up your summer iced tea.” Of course you do that by making fresh lemonade and add one of their green or black tea concoctions. Do not under estimate Teavana, they know how to bring flavor’s together and mix them with tea leaves.
Did you know green tea has catechins that can trigger adominal fat loss? The antioxidents in green tea can protect against glaucoma and other common eye disease. The catechins in the green tea reduce the harmful oxidative stress in the eye. Green is also said to fight type II diabetes and LDL or bad cholesteral. Green tea also supports healthy skin.
Some of us buy bottled green teas, and energy drinks that contain green tea extracts, but all the above mentioned is really only possible when buy the tea leaves yourself and make the tea at home. Processing doesn’t always hold the integrity of the tea or in other words its full potential of benefits.
Here’s an info-graphic we made and used on our other website –Health News library–
Now for the featured lemonade: Blackberry Mojito Tea Lemonade. Here is what you will need.
1/2 cup sugar (optional to use Teavana’s rock sugar)
6 cups fresh water, boiled
Bring the fresh water to a boil in a large sauce pot. The boil point should reach 175 degrees. turn off heat and add the tea mixture, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain off tea mixture and add tea to a glass serving container. Stir in sugar, and add lemon juice and stir some more.
Image credit: Teavana
It is also worthy to note, the ingredients found in this tea are all natural. They have been dried and then re-hydrated by the hot water. As the tea is steeping you can smell the blackberries and raspberries as though they were fresh picked. There is also some dried apple in the tea mix.
Because they start with fresh ingredients and the finest tea leaves, the used tea mixture is still eatable. We did eat some, and it was really tasty.
Once the tea has cooled some, add ice to a tall glass and pour some Blackberry Mojito Tea Lemonade freshness, and enjoy!!
We are really excited to share this breakfast treat with you. It was our first attempt to make Eggs Benedict with homemade Hollandaise sauce.
Keep in mind this is a high protein breakfast, which will give you long term sustained energy. You should not find yourself snacking on junk food before you eat lunch around noon or 1 pm. Your body takes its time to digest protein, using every bit of it to give your muscles energy and making necessary repairs in other parts of the body.
What you will need to make Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce.
Prosciutto (Pork-Ham)
2 slices of 100% whole wheat English Muffin (per person)
Open the English muffin into two parts and place two slices of prosciutto on each half. As you can see the front prepared muffins look nicer, and the back two look messy. I learned on the second attempt that there is a special technique to pulling the meat off the special coated paper between each slice of prosciutto.
Place them in a preheated 200 degree oven for about 5 to 10 minutes , or until the meat and muffin are warmed. Here we used our counter top conventional Nu wave oven.
For the sauce to top the Eggs Benedict, this is what you will need.
This recipe is sufficient for 2 plates of Eggs Benedict.
You might have your own way to separate the yolk from the white, but this is our way of doing it.
Also the eggs should be at room temperature. Now that you have separated the yolks here is how you turn them into Hollandaise sauce.
In a 6 quart pot add water 1/4 way up. Bring water to a soft boil. Add yolks and lemon juice to either a large glass or metal mixing bowl. Place the bowl over the pot of soft boiling water and start to whisk the yolks over the simmering water until yolks become thick, about 2 to 3 minutes, removing from heat and putting back on. Do not stop whisking.
Remove from heat and add butter and whisk in. Next add sea salt and pepper to taste, whisk some more. If the sauce is to thick just add a few drops of water until you get a sauce again.
Using the same pot of water add 2 to 3 teaspoons of white vinegar. Next crack an egg into a small glass bowl and gently drop egg into boiling water for 2 minutes. Do this with each egg. Remove pouched egg with a slotted spoon and place one egg on each slice of muffin.
Once the pouched eggs are over the muffins, spoon on some Hollandisie sauce and enjoy!!
This isn’t a traditional Mexican dish, but rather a recipe out of New Mexico (USA).
New Mexican cuisine is the cuisine of the Southwestern US state of New Mexico, the region is primarily known for its fusion of Pueblo Native American cuisine with Hispano Spanish and Mexican cuisine originating in Nuevo México or New Mexico.
New Mexico like Texas, uses a lot of traditional Mexican ingredients, but they make their own culinary inventions.
The cuisine of New Mexican over theyears had developed in fairly isolated circumstances, which has allowed it to maintain its indigenous, Spanish, Mexican and Latin identity.
The recipes and dishes prepared in New Mexico is not like any otherLatinfood recipe originating in the rest of United States.
My San Antonio (a news outlet that writes reviews on Food & Drink – Entertainment – Sports and the like for the San Antonio, N.M. area) describes a Mexican Chicken Tortilla Pie as……
“Whether it’s rolled or stacked, an enchilada suits the San Antonio aesthetic. Santa Fe’s enchiladas with their pancake stacks of tortillas, allow for layers of texture and layers of flavors, like lasagna or moussaka or shepherd’s pie.“
New Mexico has had a great influence on American eating.
Any dish made in New Mexico are exotic without being foreign, with an aura of freshness.
The cuisine of New Mexico looks and sounds a lot like Mexican, born of Spanish influence, much like this Mexican Chicken Tortilla Pie.
It looks like a Mexican dish and even taste like one, but the recipe originated in New Mexico, were the cuisine is loved by all who visit the state.
5 mini-sweet peppers, different colors, thinly diced
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
11 ounces frozen whole kernel corn
2 tablespoons taco Seasoning
2 cups shredded Rotisserie chicken
1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
3/4 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sweet peppers and saute, stirring until they are tender.
Then add the diced tomato, black beans, corn, and seasoning and mix together until well incorporated.
Let simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes.
We use kitchen shears to cut the cilantro, making it easy and convenient. It is cut up just before use, never before.
The oils that flow from the cut leaves start deteriorating after cutting into the leaves. For maximum flavor, prepare the herb just before you need it.
Now that the mixture has simmered for 10 minutes, add the shredded chicken and cut cilantro, and stir in and cook until hot.
Now to prepare the pie, line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch spring-form pan.
Position one tortilla on the bottom of the lined pan and spoon on mixture until if spreads even over the surface of the tortilla.
Repeat this three more times, using the other three tortillas.
After placing the last tortilla on the top, spread the cheese out over it.
Place into the heated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until browned lightly.
Remove and let stand 5 minutes.
Remove the ring from the spring-form pan as well as the paper around the pie, and slide pie onto a platter and serve.
It may not be a Mexican original culinary dish, but for the sack of argument, let’s say it is.
Enjoy your slice of Mexican Chicken Tortilla Pie.
What Others are Saying About Mexican Food with Chicken:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil for a water bath.
Wash mason jars in hot soapy water. Let air dry.
Meantime, crush gram crackers in a plastic bag to equal 1 ½ cups (about 8 to 10 crackers). Fill each jar with ¼ cup of cracker crumbs, set aside.
Cream sugar and cream cheese together, using a food processor. Next add eggs, one at a time mixing in after each addition. Mix in lemon zest and vanilla extract. Add Greek yogurt and mix in till well incorporated.
Divide the cream cheese filling among the jars (about 1 cup per jar) and smooth the tops. Top with 7 to 8 blueberries.
Place the filled jars in a roasting pan and place pan in the oven. Pour hot water into roasting pan to come about 1/2 inch up the sides of the jars, taking care not to get any water into the jars.
Bake until the cheesecakes are set but still jiggle slightly in the center, 35 to 40 minutes for the taller jars, 40 to 45 minutes for the rounder jars.
Remove the jars from the water bath with tongs and let cool to room temperature. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
*use a food processor on chop for a few seconds or other means to chop blueberries. I personally use a Progresso food chopper. Link here for another recipe by Splendid Recipes that shows using the Progresso chopper: Smoked Turkey Black Bean Bell Pepper and Corn Salad
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
In a small bowl mix the goat cheese and blueberries together. Set aside.
Measure out bread crumbs and place into a large bowl. Mix in ½ teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
Line the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with fowl and set aside.
Trim fat from breasts, and cut a slit in the middle, not cutting through completely, just enough to make a pocket. To stuff with cheese mixture.
Pull back the top side pocket of each chicken breast and stuff with ¼ cup of cheese mixture and cover. Making sure mixture is packed well into pocket.
Next brush the tops of the chicken breasts with olive oil. Grab chicken breast with one hand at opening side and lift brushing the underside of breast with olive oil.
Place each breast separately into bowl with crumbs and bread meat on both sides. Place meat, bottom down into prepared baking pan.
Place pan into oven and bake for 29 minutes. Turn oven to broil and place pan 5 to 6 inches from element for 1 minute to toast the crumbs lightly. Chicken should be 165 degrees internal temperature to be done.
