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Baker. Cook. Gardener. Animal Lover.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Don't Be Fooled





It's not what it seems. John and I were both burnt out on poultry. So he says...why don't you make some enchiladas. We had some really good avocados that I had gotten up in Templeton at Nature's Touch..and they were perfectly ripe. So mexican night sounded good. Just so you know, I make the worlds worst enchiladas and have vowed time and time again to NEVER make them again. But I had a long Saturday alone..everyone was gone..and thought..why not..I'll give it another shot. So I asked myself..just why are my enchiladas so bad. The sauce. That's it. I use that canned stuff. You know the one. The Las Palmas Sauce. It is horrible. So, I thought...I'll cruise Epicurious and see how to make the real red chili sauce. Found a recipe from Gourmet..said you need dried red chilis. So I loaded up and headed to New Frontier..our local health food store.Got the dried chilis..came home..toasted them...soaked them in water..then boiled them to soften them for about 20 minutes. Got out the blender. Puree..puree..puree....whiz..whiz...whiz.. 3 batches..press it though the sieve..got out another cast iron skillet..made the roux of flour and oil...heated and thickend the sauce..and you know what..the sauce was good....but I still have the enchilada challenge ahead. So I grated a mountain of monterey jack cheese..the good stuff...heated another pan of oil..dipped in the tortillas..drained..rolled up the cheese in the tortilla..and they looked great. Ta Da...I think I did it. These look really good. John comes home all excited for his mexican night supper. We build a fire, picked out a nice wine..slipped the enchiladas in the oven..bake...bake...bake.. take them out..uh oh...pure mush...looked like a pile of cornmeal mush...Really, really bad.....so that's it for me..I'm done with 'em....next time we are going to Taco Bell.

Candy Cup Garland



I saw these paper garlands over at Katy Elliot and she saw them from blogger Pam Garrison. Things were quiet around Farmhouse on Thanksgiving Eve afternoon, so I got out some candy cups, some were white and some were silver. I had picked them up a few days ago just because they were so cute. Had no idea what I was going to do with them. Got some string and a crotchet hook, punched a hole in the flattened out paper cups and started stringing. I have them over the windows in my window seat downstairs here in the kitchen. They look cute at night when the lights shine through them. Would be a fun holiday project to do with kids. It's easy...