Green Corn Tamal

Uchepos, Green Corn Tamal & Chipotle Salsa

Posted: Oct 05, 2015 1:29 PM MST

Courtesy of Jeff Smedstad, Executive Chef, Elote Cafe

Uchepos
This special tamal is all about pure corn, based on a specialty of Michoacan I have adapted a recipe that uses our tasty sweet corn. These little treats are made using the fresh corn husk instead of the usual dried corn husk and it imparts a special flavor as well as giving them a distinctive presentation. I use a food processor to make these, an unusual step but it makes them quick and easy.

4 cups of fresh corn cut from the cob, carefully remove the husk leaf by leaf trying to keep them as whole as possible for wrapping the tamales

1 cup milk
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup lard
2 cups masa

Put the milk, salt, sugar, baking powder and 2 cups corn in a blender and puree until smooth. Put the lard and masa in a food processor and blend while the machine is running slowly add corn puree and leave running until dough is smoth, transfer to abowl and fold in remaining whole corn. The dough will seem loose, dont worry put in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest and firm up a bit. When dough is well chilled take the fresh husks and put about 2 tablespoons in each, roll up wrap in foil and steam for 1 hour. Serve with crema and salsa corriente.

Green corn Tamal
My favorite tamal, after 15 years of making these babies I could still eat one everyday and that is the truest test  of a classic which for me I believe this to be. This is great intro to tamales as they are easy to form and the prep is minimal. In the southwest where I live these are always the crowd favorite. In all my years of making tamales I have yet to meet anyone that doesn’t like them. If you make carnitas or just pork roast save the fat and use your own homemade lard, it makes a difference as well. 

Makes 12 tamales

2 1/2  pounds masa
1 pound lard
1 1/2 tbsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups corn
2 cups cheese
2 cups roasted diced poblano Chile

Use a stand mixer for this one, beat the lard with the salt, sugar and baking powder then add the masa and beat until smooth adding the milk bit by bit then fold in corn, cheese and chiles. Divide dough evenly on 12 large corn husks or 24 small husks, roll and steam for 1 hour.

#2 Chipotle Salsa

6 Tomatoes

5 chipotles en adobo

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups water

8  garlic cloves toasted

Simmer for 10 minutes then blend.

Borrowed and Sharing

Microwave Oven Cleaner

Borrowed and Shareing

Pam Dye Marcum 

Microwave oven cleaner

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Go to -> Microwave oven cleaner

Cleaning microwave ovens method 1:
Place 2 cups of water in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons baking soda. Pop it in your microwave and cook it on high for about 90 seconds. Any dried food will then wipe off with a damp cloth, or

Cleaning method 2:
Place 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon baking soda in a bowl. Heat it in the microwave till it boils. Leave in there for a few minutes by which time the food spills will have softened and should wipe off with a sponge.

Cleaning method 3:
Make up a mixture that is 50% vinegar and 50% water. Heat in the microwave until it boils. The steam in the microwave will loosen the dried on food and a sponge dipped in the mixture will rub off the remainder.

Cleaning method 4:
Place a tablespoon of lemon juice in a mug and top it up with water. Heat in the microwave until boiling point and then let it sit there for 10 minutes. Gunge will wipe away fast and the microwave will smell fantastic.

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Au Gratin Potatoes from Queen of Clean

Queen of Clean Linda Cobb

Borrowed and Sharing

It's getting to be that time of year, the time to break out the soup and stew recipes and think about some ham or pork chops and
Au Gratin potatoes. Here's a delicious and easy recipe to impress your family and friends. Note to you in Arizona.....we may have to give it another week or two to get to this weather! You remember.....when it is below 90 degrees!

Simple Au Gratin Potatoes

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 1-1/2 hours YIELD:6-8 servings 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 5 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes (about 6 medium)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion 

Directions

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. Add potatoes and onion.
• 2. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake 1 hour. Uncover; bake 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Yield: 6-8 servings. 

I believe this is a Taste of Home recipe.

Don't forget to LIKE this page and SHARE! Thanks for Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean!

Hershey’s S’mores Cupcakes

Hershey S’mores Cupcakes

Author: OMGChocolateDesserts.com

Prep time:  1 hour 15 mins

Cook time:  25 mins

Total time:  1 hour 40 mins

Serves: 16

Hershey’s S’mores Cupcakes - delicious chocolate cupcakes with a graham cracker crust, filled with light and fluffy marshmallow filling and topped with milk chocolate ganache

Borrowed and shareing

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1⅓ cup graham crackers crumbs
• 5 Tablespoon sugar
• 5 Tablespoon unsalted butter-melted

For chocolate cupcakes:

• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons Hershey's Cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk- room temperature
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg-lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup boiling water

For marshmallow filling:

• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tarter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For milk chocolate ganache:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 10 oz. milk chocolate-finely chopped
• ½ Tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions

To make the crust:

1. Place rack in center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 F, line cupcake tins with 16 cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter and mix well with a fork.
3. Press about 1 ½ Tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liners and bake 6 minutes, then set aside to cool.

To make the cupcakes:

1. In a large bowl combine cocoa, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Add oil, milk, egg, and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes with a hand-held electric mixer on medium speed, then add boiling water and beat to combine (batter will be thin). Divide batter evenly between cupcake liners over the crust (it should be ¾ full)
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Set aside to cool in pan, then using a sharp knife or cupcake corer hollow out the centers of each cupcake(cut the top of each center and save for later to place it back onto the fillin).

To make marshmallow filling:

1. In a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water whisk together egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar, until sugar dissolves (be careful, the water shouldn’t touch the bottom of the bowl). Continue whisking over simmering water until egg mixture is warm to touch, then remove from heat and continue beating with the mixer until still peaks form. At the end add vanilla and mix well.
2. Transfer the filling to a piping bag with round tip or use plastic bag and cut off the corner and fill the cupcakes. Place back the tops from centers of cupcakes.

To make the ganache:

1. On a low heat in a small sauce pan melt chopped milk chocolate with ½ Tablespoon vegetable oil, stirring until it’s completely smooth. Remove from heat and add cold heavy whipping cream, stir well until it’s evenly combine. Using a spoon spread the ganache onto the cupcakes. If the ganache is to runny place it in the fridge briefly to set before top the cupcakes.
2. Store in the fridge.

Spiced Applesauce Sheet Cake with Divinity Frosting

Anyways, give this a whirl today! Have a great day, friends 

Spiced Applesauce Sheet Cake with Divinity Frosting

Yield: 24 servings 

Ingredients:

for the sheet cake-
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup butter flavored crisco
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks {save the whites for the frosting!}
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste {or 1/2 teaspoon extract}
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup milk

for the frosting-
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup cold water
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
2 egg whites
1 large pinch cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped & toasted pecans, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a half sheet pan with non stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and crisco with sugars. Stir in eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and apple sauce. Scrape sides and whip until light and fluffy. In another large bowl stir flour, leavenings and spices together using a fork or whisk. With the mixer on low, alternate mixing in dry ingredients with milk, starting and ending with dry. Once ingredients are all incorporated, mix the batter together by hand to ensure everything is mixed evenly. Pour cake into prepared pan and smooth the top. Place into hot oven and reduce temperature to 325. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean after being inserted. Set aside to cool.

For the frosting, place brown sugar, granulated sugar and water into a small pot. Stir to moisten sugar and place over medium high heat. In a large bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Once the sugar dissolves in water and starts to bubble {not too violently} time 1 minute. After this, remove from heat and stir in marshmallows. Once those have melted, slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites while whipping with a hand mixer on medium to high speed. Continue whipping for 3-5 minutes or until frosting becomes very thick and holds its shape. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Immediately scoop this frosting into a piping bag and frost all cupcakes. Top with chopped and toasted pecans, if desired.

Zucchini Cake

A delicious spiced zucchini cake topped with thick cream cheese frosting.

Borrowed and Sharing
Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup applesauce
• ¾ cup white sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded zucchini

Frosting:

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Beat eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg and mix well. Fold in zucchini and stir until completely mixed in. Pour batter into prepared 9x13" pan.
3. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. While the cake cools, mix together frosting ingredients and spread over the top of the cake. If desired, sprinkle the top of the cake with cinnamon and sugar.

How To Make Delicious Southern Apple Dumplings

Fall is the perfect time for this mouthwatering recipe that is not only easy to make but absolutely delicious. Kristi shows step by step how to make Southern Apple Dumplings, and by the time she’s finished, you can almost smell the delicious aroma of them.

All that’s needed is an 8 ounce tube of refrigerated crescent roll dough, one large Granny Smith or Gala apple cored,1/2 cup of butter, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 6 ounces of Mountain Dew soda. Optionally as a final treat, some vanilla or cinnamon ice cream goes together with it perfectly. Her easy to follow directions make this a fall dessert that is sure to be a winner in your home. Absolutely delicious! Less