Cinco de Mayo

You can't grow up in Southern California and not eat Mexican food--or what we call Mexican food. I imagine it's like everyone thinking teriyaki and tempura are staples of Japanese cuisine. That doesn't really matter-- I grew up eating tacos, salsa and guacamole, and later learned how to make chile verde, carne asada and cocido--deliciousness!

If you're looking for something to make for Cinco de Mayo, you might find a recipe here to use. 

I haven't learned how to make a collage that is clickable and will take you directly to the recipe (not yet!), so the links are provided below--beginning with carne asada in the upper left and going clockwise, finishing with the tostada dip in the center--and a couple of dishes I had forgotten--chile verde and flan.

Carne Asada

Fish Tacos

Taco Salad

 

Coco's Salsa

Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

Mexican Cocido

Spanish Rice

Guacamole!

Tostada Dip

And here's a couple more--I can't forget these!

Chile Verde 

The chile verde can make a tasty optional topping for the vegetarian enchilada casserole if you're serving meat eaters too.

And for dessert, Flan.

Bon appetit or, buen provecho!

***

Whenever we have a get-together, it's most likely you'll see any of the above dishes on the menu. The other day we had a family baby shower and part of the menu was chile verde, spanish rice, salsa and guacamole.

 Karen & Mitchell at the dessert table.

Kamryn (of Pear Delight and Santa Rosa Valley Salad fame), made a dessert table for all to enjoy. The chocolate cake is from Porto's, it's the Parisian, and it's so delicious!

The sweetest words to hear when I'm having a get-together are, "Is anyone making decorations? Can we do them?"

That's--seriously--music to my ears.

Kamryn, and my cousins Channie and Reiko made the decorations. 

The centerpieces were adorable. Kamryn loves to decorate like I like to cook. She can cook too, but I cannot decorate.

Kamryn also made a baby bunting, but sadly, I didn't get a photo of it.

Karen got baby tips from the family, here are a few:

"Take lots of pictures--you can never have enough baby pictures."

"Daddy cleans up the barf."

"When the baby cries, she's training the parents. Don't take it personal or get frustrated, just learn."

This tray of mochigashi came from Fugetsu-Do. My favorite manju--"the pink one"--was gone by the time I took this photo. I was too slow! 

Thank you, Tomoko & Brian, for the sweets!

Kamryn made Pear Delight.

She also made these little butterscotch nests made with chow mein noodles and chocolate eggs.

AND she made these cookie flowers--they have a Snicker's bar inside the cookie with marshmallow flowers--on a stick.

Thank you, Kamryn, Chan & Reiko for making the desserts and decorations. As always, you have great ideas that really added a special festiveness to the occasion. I am grateful & appreciate all your hard work! 

Thank you, too, to Rick.

I really appreciate all your hard work, Rick--you always come early to help cook and get ready, and stay late to help with the clean-up--so thoughtful of your momma.

Love you bunches, Rick!

More baby shower pictures in the next post.

***

No printable recipe.

Tim's Chile Relleno

Today we have a Guest Blogger!

My cousin Tim is showing us how to make Chile Relleno!

You might remember Tim from my post about all the fun I had with my cousins, spending time with them during family dinners and running around at Bachan's house.

This is Tim and his wife Teri.

Teri is my childhood friend--I was simply thrilled when they got together!

Here's Tim and Teri's son Bradford and daughter Caitlyn.

That's Teri on the right looking like she could be one of the kids.

Tim's a great cook, I'm sure he does a lot of cooking at his house!

When Tim was writing up his post, he said he followed my format and included a little bit about family at the end.

So you, dear readers, are in for a treat!


Thanks, Tim, for cooking up your fabulous Chile Rellenos for FOODjimoto!

***

 Chile Relleno

by Tim Hirahara

Many years ago, I volunteered at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles in the Rehabilitation Center. I was part of the patient activities program.

Once a week the patients and their families would prepare their own dinner. Once, one of the mothers, I cannot recall her name, made Chile Rellenos from scratch.

I loved chili rellenos and watched with much interest how she made it.

The following is how she did it.

Main Ingredients:

4-5 Pasilla chiles

4 eggs

4-5 oz. Monterey jack cheese

1 medium onion diced small

1 small 14 1/2 oz. can enchilada sauce

flour for coating chiles

1/2 inch deep vegetable or canola oil in pan heated to 350ºF.

Char the outside of the chiles thoroughly.

Once completely charred, wrap in a clean dish towel to steam off the skin.

You could also put them in a paper bag.

Dice one medium-sized onion for the sauce.

Saute the onion until it starts to get translucent.

Add the enchilada sauce and simmer to thicken.

Once the chiles have been steaming in the towel or in a paper bag, the charred skin can be peeled off easily.

Remove all of the charred skin.

You will be left with a whole chile without the skin.

Slice up your cheese into chunks to put inside the chiles.

*Relleno = filling or stuffed*

Separate the whites of the eggs and place in mixer bowl to be whipped.

Save the yolks, they will be used later.

Whip the egg whites until stiff but do not over mix.

Open up the chile by making a slit in the side from top to bottom.

Take out the seeds and membranes if you do not want too much heat.

Fill with the cheese.

Fold the egg yolks into the whipped egg whites to incorporate.

Roll the stuffed chile in all-purpose flour.

Place in egg mixture.

Thoroughly coat the chile.

Fry in pan in 1/2 inch of oil--or you can deep fry them if you have a deep fat fryer.

Cook until golden brown, this ensures the cheese inside has melted.

Drain on rack.

Itadakimasu!

***

I guess my appreciation for good food and making good food came from my father. When we went out to eat, we went dining--to Lawry's or Tam O'Shanter Inn. He continued the tradition with my children at the Dressing Room in Los Feliz.

I think my son Bradford has the same appreciation for food too.

Thanks to Grandpa.

That's Dad and me.

That's Dad and Bradford.

My dad passed away a year ago.

As Karolyn comments in her blogs, family, food and good memories go together.

This is a tribute to my dad for all the good food and all the good memories.

***

Ingredients:

4-5 Pasilla chiles

4 eggs

4-5 oz. Monterey jack cheese

1 medium onion, diced small

1 can-14 1/2 oz- enchilada sauuce

3/4 cup flour for coating chiles

1/2 inch deep vegetable or canola oil in pan heated to 350ºF

Wash, dry and char chiles completely on burner (BBQ grill or other grill).

Place charred chiles in a clean dish towel and roll up to cover. Some recipes say to put in a plastic or paper bag, both work. It is mainly to loosen the skin from the flesh of the chiles. Leave for at least 20 minutes.

Peel all of the skin off of the chiles but do not rinse them. That washes some of the flavor from charring off.

Cut a slit in the side of the chile so that you can cut out the seed pod and this is the opening you will put the cheese into. (If you like more spicy chiles, do not remove the pod.) Do not cut the stem off, aesthetic reason--for presentation--and so the cheese does not come out of the top while cooking.

Cut cheese into chunks to fit inside the cavity, do not overfill or you will have a little mess while cooking.

Separate the eggs and put the whites into a mixing bowl and whip to a stiff consistency. Make sure the bowl is very clean and cool (if there is any oil in the bowl, the whites will not fluff up as much).

Fold egg yolks into the whipped-up whites to incorporate.

Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet to about 350ºF.

Lightly coat the chiles with flour.

Place them in the egg mixture to coat the chiles.

Gently place them in the oil and cook to golden brown.

Drain on rack or paper towels.

You can eat them plain as a side dish or put any of your favorite sauces or salsas on them.

Enjoy!