red or green?: February 2013

Monday, February 25, 2013

green chile & olive oil biscuits

i have been craving comfort food for the past week. i told you i was recovering from pneumonia and soups, chili, stews and pasta have been on my "must eat" list. of course, now that i live in new mexico, southwestern comfort food is also a mainstay. beans, tortillas, red & green chile, breakfast burritos...this makes me happy and helps chase away the sick time blues.

i was happy to see that it is biscuit week at food network's comfort food feast. i love biscuits and make them all the time. my basic recipe is fast and easy...made with extra virgin olive oil instead of butter...and, because they are dropped not rolled and cut, they can be made in minutes. i decided to take the "breakfast as dinner" approach today and make the biscuits with diced green chile. topped with a slice of ham and a couple of poached eggs, this makes me very comfortable....and is perfect for a chilly winter's eve. enjoy!

green chile & olive oil biscuits

1 1/2 cups organic unbleached flour

1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour*
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp alum free baking powder
2 tsp organic honey (optional)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup milk...any kind...i use unsweetened almond

1/2 cup chopped green chile, drained if from frozen (see resources)

poached eggs

ham

1 tbsp chopped chives

preheat oven to 400 degrees. you will need a non-stick baking sheet...or use silpat or parchment paper on a regular sheet.

in a large bowl, sift together the flour with the rest of the dry ingredients. add the honey and olive oil and stir using a fork. large lumps will form and the flour will not be totally mixed into the dough. gradually add the milk a little bit at a time just until all the flour is incorporated into the dough...**note you may not need all the milk. add the green chiles and stir just to combine.

the biscuits are formed by placing forkfuls of dough onto prepared sheets. place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. i use approximately 2 forkfuls of dough for each biscuit (about 2 tbsp)...but you can make yours as small or large as you like. baking times will vary depending on size. serve immediately.

for dinner today i placed 2 poached eggs, ham and a couple of biscuits on each plate and sprinkled grey salt, freshly cracked black pepper and some of the chopped chives over everything...pretty and delicious...

** i love unbleached white whole wheat flour, whole wheat which has been milled from the lightest wheat kernels...so light they are almost white. contains all the fiber and nutrients of regular whole wheat but lighter in color and taste. note...this is not white flour...the color is light brown when baked. i like the king arthur brand**

do you have a favorite biscuits recipe you would like featured? feel free to post or link in the comments section of this post. and please check out my cheddar cheese and roasted garlic version over at my sister blog napa farmhouse 1885.

it is biscuits week at food network's "comfort food feast". check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends:

What's Gaby Cooking: Cheddar-Bacon Buttermilk Biscuits Jeanette's Healthy Living: My Mom's Beijing Biscuits "Shao Bing"
The Cultural Dish: Pineapple Biscuits
And Love It Too: Coconut Flour Country Biscuits
Red or Green?: Green Chile and Olive Oil Biscuits
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Drop Biscuits With Cheddar and Garlic
Made By Michelle: Swiss Chard and Feta Fritters
Devour: The Best Mix-Ins for Your Biscuits
Virtually Homemade: Strawberry-Tangerine Shortcakes With Bisquick Drop Biscuits Daily*Dishin: Quick Cream Biscuits and Slow Bacon Jam
The Heritage Cook: Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuits
Thursday Night Dinner: Winter Shortcake Stuffed With Jam and Whipped Cream
FN Dish: 15 Takes on Biscuits

my best,
diane
red or green
napa farmhouse 1885

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

meatloaf with green chile

it feels so good to be back! i have been away from blogging for 4 weeks. first, my hard drive exploded and i was without a computer for a week, then i got really sick. it actually turned into pneumonia and i have been bedridden for three weeks. what a nightmare.

in any case, i am feeling a bit better and have been dying to cook. happily this is meatloaf week at food network...the perfect "comfort food feast" item to get me back in the kitchen. my recipe mimics the one my mom has made my entire life, but i added roasted green chiles for a bit of heat. delicious.

this recipe makes a huge meatloaf...enough for a big family dinner and lots of sandwiches for the next few days. i still get pretty tired, so a dish with leftovers works really well this week. normally, i would serve this with garlic smashed potatoes, but i decided to go with roasted sweet potato fries and a large green salad. sound good?

meatloaf with green chile
(serves 6 with plenty of leftovers for sandwiches)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for greasing pan
1 medium white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz diced green chile (if from frozen, defrost and drain excess liquid.)
1/4 cup italian parsley, minced 8 oz tomato sauce, divided
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups dried whole wheat bread crumbs (homemade or store bought)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs ground beef
1 1/2 lbs ground pork

preheat oven to 375 degrees. using olive oil, grease a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. set aside. in a medium saute pan, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil until it just begins to shimmer. add onion, garlic and green chile and large pinch each salt and pepper. saute for 4 minutes. set aside and allow to cool.

in a large mixing bowl add the parsley, 4 oz tomato sauce, eggs, bread crumbs and large pinch each salt and pepper. add cooled onion, garlic chile mixture and combine. add ground beef and pork. gently, using your hands, mix meat into other ingredients until just combined. do not overmix. form into a loaf shape and add to prepared baking dish. spread remaining 4 oz. tomato sauce over meatloaf.

bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. the interior temperature should be at 165 degrees so check with an oven thermometer. continue cooking if necessary until meatloaf reaches proper temperature.

do you have a favorite meatloaf recipe you would like featured? feel free to post or link in the comments section of this post.