Pan Dulce: Polvorones {Mexican Shortbread Cookies w/ Rainbow Sprinkles}

While making my favorite pan dulce (Mexican pastry) earlier this week for She Made/Ella Hace, my kiddies suggested that I also make their favorite pan dulce: Polvorones.  Polvorones are Mexican shortbread cookies that are available in many different varieties: pink, chocolate, vanilla, tricolor, and topped with chocolate chips, chopped pecans, and/or powdered sugar, etc.  But the polvorones my kiddies always look for first at the panaderia (Mexican bakery) are the ones with lots and lots of rainbow sprinkles.

So yesterday, as a special after-school treat to celebrate surviving the first week of school, the kiddies and I made Polvorones with extra rainbow sprinkles.  Actually the kiddies did most of the work.  I just helped them roll out the dough, handled the oven, and took lots of pictures.

Polvorones
(recipe from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• Rainbow sprinkles (grageas in Spanish) 

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.  Using a potato masher, combine the butter into the flour mixture until no big pieces of butter are visible.  Continue to work the dough with your hands until the dough forms a ball.  Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Roll out the dough, between two sheets of plastic wrap, to 1/4-inch thickness.

Peel off the top layer of plastic wrap and cut out cookies with a 3-inch cookie cutter.  (You can use any shape cookie cutter you want. My kiddies chose to use the round cookie cutter so that their polvorones resembled the ones from the panaderia.) 

Spoon desired amount of sprinkles on top of cookies.  (We believe that you can never have too many sprinkles!)  

Gently press down on the sprinkles so that they stick to the cookie.

Carefully transfer the cookies to an ungreased baking sheet, placing the cookies about 1 to 2-inches apart.  Bake at 350F for 15 to 17 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet once, after 10 minutes.  Let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!!!

*Recipe yields about 24 3-inch cookies. 




I Heart Cooking Clubs theme: August Potluck

25 August 2012

Pan Dulce: Polvorones {Mexican Shortbread Cookies w/ Rainbow Sprinkles}

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Paletas de Jamaica y Limón {She Made/Ella Hace}

We're only two weeks in, but I am really loving summer vacation.  Sleeping in until 8am, hanging out all day with my 4 favorite people in the world (my kiddies), and spending time with visiting friends & relatives from the US...It really doesn't get much better!  Mid-morning, the kiddies and I walk downtown to do our grocery shopping for the day.  Once we're done, we sit in El Jardin (the town square/plaza) to do a little people watching.  Sometimes, when it's really hot, we'll stop at the paleteria (ice cream & popsicle shop) for agua fresca, ice cream and/or paletas (ice pops) to help us keep our cool.

In the afternoons, I'll sit out on the sidewalk enjoying the cool afternoon breeze while watching the kiddies play with all the neighborhood kids.   Again, when it's really hot, we'll buy an icy cool treat from whoever stops by first: the ice cream truck or the paletero (popsicle vendor).  But sometimes when it's too hot to walk the two blocks to the nearest paleteria and we don't even feel like venturing out to our sidewalk, the kiddies and I head into the kitchen to make our own paletas.  And that's just what Girlichef and I are making for this month's installment of She Made / Ella Hace.

Our favorite paletas to make this summer have been these Paletas de Jamaica y Limón (Hibiscus Flower & Lime Ice Pops).  The subtle floral taste and aroma from the dried hibiscus flowers combined with the tartness of the lime juice make for one tart and refreshing paleta.  And the color is just stunning.   

Paletas de Jamaica y Limón (Hibiscus Flower & Lime Ice Pops) 
(Recipe adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar; mix together until the sugar has completely dissolved.  Cook the dried hibiscus flowers in the sugar water over medium-low heat until  .  Let cool to room temperature.  Stir in lime juice.  Pour into paleta molds or small plastic/paper cups.  Let freeze for about 35 to 40 minutes before inserting sticks.  (Or if you're using plastic cups and are afraid you'll forget to insert the sticks, cover the plastic cups with a small piece of aluminum foil.  Pierce the center just barely with the tip of a knife.  Insert popsicle sticks or plastic spoons.)  

Freeze for 3 hours or overnight.  Enjoy!!! 

Now go visit Girlichef's blog to check out her recipe for Paletas de Crema y Cereza con Tequila (Sour Cream, Cherry & Tequila Ice Pops)!  

If you're looking for more paleta recipes or have a popsicle recipe you would like to share, Girlichef is hosting The Summer of the Popsicle 2012.  Visit her blog for more details. 

Also sharing this post with:

IHCC Theme: Nieves!
The Summer of the Popsicle 2012

23 July 2012

Paletas de Jamaica y Limón {She Made/Ella Hace}

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Arroz con Pollo y Frijoles {Rice w/ Chicken & Beans}

It's I Heart Cooking Clubs time again, and this week's theme is Potluck!   As I was flipping through my Rick Bayless cookbook, trying to decide on what to make, I came across a recipe title that brought a few memories flooding back to my mind...Arroz con Pollo.   


The first and funniest memory of Arroz con Pollo being this clip of I Love Lucy, in which Lucy tries to explain to her suegra (mother-in-law), who doesn't speak or understand a word of English, what they will be having for dinner.


Arroz con Pollo also reminds me of Pappy, my grandfather.  He loved Arroz con Pollo!  It was his idea of the perfect meal, because you could make it in one pot, and add as much or as little of anything you wanted.  Pappy's recipe was constantly changing.  In all the years I lived with my grandparents, I don't think Pappy ever made his Arroz con Pollo the same way twice.  Sometimes he'd use chicken thighs, sometimes he'd use drumsticks, and sometimes he'd use a whole, cut-up chicken.  Sometimes he'd make it soupy.  Sometimes he'd make it in his trusty crockpot.  And sometimes he'd even make it with enchilada sauce.  The only constant with Pappy's Arroz con Pollo was that it was always delicious.

But my favorite memory of Arroz con Pollo is from back when Hubby and I were dating and only saw each other on Sundays.  After church, we'd drop my grandparents off at home, then head out for our weekly lunch date.  One of our favorite stops was the El Pollo Loco drive-thru, because we only had a few short hours to spend together, and we didn't want to spend those precious hours in a noisy, crowded restaurant.  Once our order was ready, we'd head to one of the local parks for a romantic picnic under the biggest tree we could find, where we'd eat our Pollo Bowls and stare into each other's eyes for hours.  (Sigh!)   Que romanticos!  I remember those Sundays like it was yesterday, even though it all happened some 19 years ago.  

As expected, Rick's recipe for Arroz con Pollo did not disappoint.  I did make a few changes, like adding tomatoes and cumin to the mix.  But what really helped bring it all together was topping it off with a little Pico de Gallo. The important thing to remember whenever making any Mexican rice dish is not to stir after adding the liquid, doing so hace que el arroz se bate which simply means it results in a soupy mess and that is not what we want.The kiddies loved it, and I'm pretty sure Hubby too was reminded of our Sunday picnics all those years ago, because as soon as he took the first bite of his Arroz con Pollo, he looked up at me from across the table and said, "You know, we really should go on a picnic soon."   

Total success, if you ask me.   

Arroz con Pollo y Frijoles
(Recipe adapted from Everyday Mexican by Rick Bayless)

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite-size pieces (1-inch cubes)
• 2-1/2 tablespoons ground chile powder, divided (Rick recommends ancho chile powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, cut in quarters
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2-1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth or water
• 1-3/4 cups of Cooked Beans, drained (You can also use a 15 oz. can of cooked beans) 
• Pico de Gallo 

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken; season with salt and 1-1/2 tablespoons of ground chile powder.  Cook until all of the chicken is well-browned.   Transfer the chicken to a heat proof-plate; set aside.

Heat an additional 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat in the same skillet the chicken was cooked in.  Saute the rice until golden brown, stirring frequently.  While the rice is browning, puree the onion, tomatoes, and garlic with in 2-1/2 cups of the chicken broth in a blender cup until smooth.

Carefully, pour the puree mixture over the browned rice.  Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of ground chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin.  Season lightly with salt.  Stir gently, just until everything is combined. Do NOT stir after this point! Cover skillet and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and let the rice simmer for 10 minutes.

Gently stir in the cooked chicken and beans.  (I used Pinto beans, but Rick recommends using black beans.)  Cover and continue to simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed. If the rice still looks uncooked, add a splash more of water and continue to simmer until fully cooked. (Remember to resist the urge to stir!) Remove from heat. Let set for about 10 minutes before serving.

Top with Pico de Gallo or your favorite salsa and serve with warm flour tortillas.  Enjoy!!! 

*FYI: Arroz con Pollo also makes a great filling for burritos! 

IHCC Theme: Potluck!

18 July 2012

Arroz con Pollo y Frijoles {Rice w/ Chicken & Beans}

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Cheers to Summer! {Banana Daiquiris}

Even though Hope's & Nick's graduations have come and gone, I still feel like celebrating.  I mean, it is summer vacation, after all!  That in itself is a huge reason to celebrate.

No more waking up before the sun comes out.  No more kiddies to send off to school.  No more rushing to pick them up on time.  No more graduation planning committee meetings to attend.  And no more stress or worries about it all to keep me up at night.

And best of all, my life will finally return to some kind of normalcy.  (I hope!)  I couldn't be happier!

So, to celebrate I am jumping right back in with my friends at I Heart Cooking Clubs.  This week's theme is "Salud!" (Cheers!)   I chose to make Rick's Banana Daiquiris.  They're sweet, cool and creamy.  And the bright color is so bright and cheery.   Banana Daiquiris are wonderful way to toast to family, friends and just about anything else on a sunny, summer afternoon.

Salud! 
  

Banana Daiquiris
(Recipe slightly adapted from Rick Bayless)

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 ripe banana, peeled
• 1/2 cup orange juice 
• 1/4 cup white rum
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• A splash of vanilla extract (optional) 
• Orange slices, for garnish

Directions:

Puree the ice cubes, banana, orange juice, rum, sugar, and vanilla in a blender until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses.  Garnish with orange slices.  Enjoy!!!

* For a sweet & fruity Strawberry Daiquiri substitute 1 cup of sliced fresh strawberries in place of the banana; omit the vanilla extract.  




IHCC theme: Salud!

08 July 2012

Cheers to Summer! {Banana Daiquiris}

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Breakfast with Rick Bayless {Mango Stuffed French Toast}

When I first joined I Heart Cooking Clubs and signed on to cook with Rick Bayless once a week from April to September, I had a feeling that Rick and I would get along pretty well.  We both love Mexico, Mexican food, and all of the delicious ingredients Mexico has to offer.

As the weeks passed by, I found myself liking him more and more.   Then like turned into something else and I developed a bit of crush on Rick.  How could I not?  We've had drinks.  Flirted over a light lunch.  Shared a sweet moment.  And gotten a little more serious over dinner.  So I decided it was time to take our relationship to the next level, and invited Rick over for breakfast.

Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious!  Had me feeling a little like Meg Ryan in that deli scene in When Harry Met Sally.  And all because of a plate of French toast.  But not just any ordinary French toast.  Oh no!  This French toast was stuffed with cream cheese and mango.  (Sigh!) What an amazing combination of flavors! It was absolutely divine.

And now I'm pretty much head over heels in love with Rick.

Mango Stuffed French Toast
(recipe from RickBayless.com)

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 large mangoes, peeled and thinly sliced 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 12 oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 12 to 18 slices sandwich bread* (I used white bread) 
• 6 large eggs
• 1 can evaporated milk 
• 1 cup regular milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar 
• Warm maple syrup

Directions:
Melt the butter in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat.  Add the mango, 1/4 cup of the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon and cook for about 10 minutes until the mango has cooked through.  (My mangoes were a little on the ripe side, so I ended up with more of a mango puree.  The results were still absolutely delicious.)

With an electric mixer on medium speed, whip the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar with the cream cheese until the sugar dissolves.

Spread the cream cheese on 12 slices of sandwich bread. Arrange 6 of the slices, cream cheese side UP, in the bottom of a generously buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the mango puree onto each slice of bread, making sure to spread it all the way to the edges.

Top with the remaining 6 slices of sandwich bread, cream cheese side DOWN.  *This is where Rick's recipe ends.  BUT...I still had half of the cream cheese mixture leftover and lots of mango puree, so I  decided to add another layer.  Spread more of the cream cheese on top of the bread slices.

Spoon the remaining mango puree on top of the cream cheese.  Spread the last of the cream cheese mixture on an additional 6 slices of sandwich bread.  Arrange the bread slices, cream cheese side DOWN on top of the mango puree.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs with the evaporated and regular milk, the ground cinnamon, and the vanilla extract until well combined.

Slowly pour the egg mixture over the bread.  Press down on the bread gently so that the top slices of bread absorb some of the egg mixture.  (Don't worry if some of the filling spills out.)

Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes or until the bread has turned a light golden brown and the egg custard no longer jiggles.

 Sprinkle the top of the Mango Stuffed French Toast with powdered sugar or drizzle with warm maple syrup.  Serve with a couple slices of bacon.  Enjoy!!!  

IHCC theme: Potluck

Also sharing this recipe with The Food of the Month Club.

26 May 2012

Breakfast with Rick Bayless {Mango Stuffed French Toast}

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Sopa Azteca {Tortilla Soup}

Even after having lived in Mexico for 11 years, this Gringa still gets a little homesick for the U.S.  It happens mostly around the holidays.  Especially around the holidays that aren't celebrated in Mexico the same way as they are in the States.  Holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, and Cinco de Mayo.

I can't tell you how heartbroken I was to learn that there weren't any big fiestas here in Mexico with mariachis and margaritas for Cinco de Mayo.  Don't get me wrong, Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday.  It's just not celebrated with the same enthusiasm.

That's why I was happy to learn that this week on I Heart Cooking Clubs we're celebrating Cinco de Mayo!  Because I'm always looking for an excuse to celebrate a fun holiday.

And what better way to celebrate than with a festive Sopa Azteca (Tortilla Soup)?  A spicy, flavorful soup, with tender pieces of chicken,  topped with cool Mexican crema, cheese that melts the instant it touches the steaming red broth, creamy melt-in-your-mouth-like-butter pieces of the avocado, and crispy fried tortillas.  It's a fiesta any time this soup comes to the table!

Sopa Azteca (Tortilla Soup)
(Recipe adapted from RickBayless.com)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. bone-in chicken breast
• Cilantro
• 2 medium onions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 dried ancho chilies
• 4 large roma tomatoes, cut in wedges
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cups chicken broth

Garnishes:

• 1 cup Mexican crema
• 8 oz. shredded asadero cheese (or Chihuahua cheese)
• 3 large avocadoes, cut into bite-size pieces
• Fried (or baked) Tortilla Strips
• Limes, cut in wedges

Directions:
Place the bone-in chicken breasts in a 4-quart stockpot with 10 cups of water.  Add 1 of the medium onions, cut in half, 1 clove of garlic, and a couple of sprigs of fresh cilantro; season generously with salt and pepper.  Cover the stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the chicken is done cooking.  (About an hour.)  Let the chicken cool slightly.  Shred the chicken, or cut it into bite size pieces.

Once the chicken has finished cooking, toast the dried ancho chilies over an open flame for a few seconds on each side.  Soak the chilies in 1 cup of hot chicken broth or water.  Remove the stems and seeds from chilies, set aside.  Heat a comal, griddle or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Toast the tomatoes turn soft and black spots have started to form on the skin; set aside.

In a large 4-quart pot, heat the olive oil.  Slice the remaining medium onion into 1/4-inch slices.  Add the onions and garlic the pot and saute, stirring occasionally, until they just start to caramelize; remove from heat.

Transfer the onions, garlic, tomatoes, ancho chilies and the broth/water they were soaked in to a blender cup.  Puree until smooth.  Return the 4-quart pot to medium-high heat.  Carefully pour the puree into the pot.  Let the puree simmer until the color starts to darken and the sauce starts to thicken.  Stir in the remaining 7 cups of chicken broth and add the chicken.  (I used the broth the chicken was cooked in.)  Let simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes for the flavors to meld together.

Garnish with Mexican crema, shredded cheese, chopped avocado, and fried (or baked) tortilla strips.  Finish it off with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.  Enjoy!!!

IHCC theme: Cinco de Mayo

04 May 2012

Sopa Azteca {Tortilla Soup}

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