Navajo Taco Sliders

Every single bite is perfect!

Ingredients:

12 Frozen Rhodes dinner rolls, thawed according to manufacturer instructions
1 lb lean hamburger
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
McCormicks Hamburger seasoning
Salt/Pepper to taste
1 cup Hatch’s green chile
Pepperjack or medium cheddar cheese slices

Mix worcestershire sauce, hamburger seasoning, Salt and Pepper with the hamburger and mix well. Shape into jawbreaker sized balls and flatten. Fry until cooked. Lay pepperjack or cheddar cheese on top of each patty and let melt.

Split each individual roll into 4 equal pieces and roll flat with rolling pin. They are going to be small and roughly the size of your palm. Fry in vegetable or canola oil until brown and bubbly. Remove to a paper towel.

Build your sliders by using two tiny fried breads with the cheesy patty and a heaping teaspoon of green chile. Serve while hot.

 

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Froggie’s Pineapple Mango Red Chili Pepper Salsa

pineapple mango sweet chili pepper salsa

I love serving the traditional pineapple mango salsa with my fish foods, as well as my Mexican if the situation calls for it.  I have used the same recipe for years.

Well, I stumbled on a Red Chili Pepper spread by a company called Something Special.  Costco currently carries it.  It is absolutely delightful in its blend of sweet and spicy.  I used some for a dinner party, serving with cream cheese and crackers and had about 1/2 of a cup remaining in the jar.   So when I brought a fresh catch four pound halibut filet from the market and started making my pineapple mango salsa I just knew this red chili pepper spread would tie the flavors together.

Boy, was I right.  Best pineapple mango salsa ever.  Give it a try!

  Ingredients

1 whole small ripe pineapple, peeled and diced
1 whole large ripe mango, diced
1/2 whole medium Red Onion, finely diced
1 whole jalapeno, seeded (if you want to control heat) And diced
1/2 cup Red Chili Pepper spread
Fresh cilantro, chopped
1 whole lime, Juiced
Dash of kosher pink sea salt

Add all ingredients, stirring to combine. Chill to let the flavors mesh. Serve over your favorite fish or chips!

fried halibut and pineapple mango pepper salsa

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Machaca Rolls and Frijole Wontons

There is a thing called Fusion Cuisine wherein you combine a variety of different culinary traditions.  This dish is Mexican filling fried up in Chinese wraps.  It  is rather delicious.  I served both up with spanish rice, sour cream, fresh guacamole and salsa.

I used my regular beef filling for the rolls.  They take a little while because you cook the roast in the crock pot for 6-8 hours.  But it is totally worth it.  Plan accordingly.

 

Machaca Rolls

2.5-3 lb chuck roast
2 cups Pace picante sauce (your choice of mild,medium,hot)

Cook in crockpot on high heat for 6-8 hours.  Turn off heat, remove from pot, and let cool until it can easily be shredded with fork.  Reserve juice.

1 green pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped

Heat 1 cup of reserved juice from meat until very high.  Add peppers and onions and stir on high heat for 2-3 minutes until they begin to tenderize.  Add shredded beef and cook another 2 minutes or so.  Let sit for about 5 minutes and then drain juice with a strainer.

Use as filling in egg roll wrappers, using instructions on wrapper package.  Fry, drain, and let cool.  Serve with desired mexican garnishes.

 

Frijole Wontons

2 cup canned refried beans
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Mix, spoon approximately a teaspoon onto wonton wrap, fold over and create a seam with fork.  Fry according to wonton package directions. 

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Beer Bacon!

Beer Bacon

You’ve heard of bacon beer, now you can have your beer bacon!  It’s a beautiful symmetry for the real bacon lover.  I mean, you can never have too much bacon, can you?

I am posting two different appetizer bacon recipes I cooked for a party. While these are best served freshly made, both can be made ahead of time and placed in a plastic bag. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to use and then microwave on high for 30 seconds to one minute.

Beer Bacon

8-10 slices thick cut hickory peppered bacon
1 c beer (I used Squatters Orphan Abbey Belgian Style Ale)
1/2 c dark brown sugar

Place bacon in a bowl and poor beer over until submerged.  Marinate in refrigerate for 1/2 to an hour. 

Preheat oven to 375.  Pour out beer and dredge each piece of marinated bacon into the brown sugar, rubbing on til covered. Place wire metal rack on top of a cookie sheet and bake 20-25 minutes, rotating once. Cool on paper towel for a few minutes and eat.

 

Candied Bacon

8-10 slices thick cut hickory peppered bacon (you can get unpeppered if you prefer)
1/3 c brown sugar
1/4 c maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375. Place metal wire rack on top of a cookie sheet. Combine brown sugar and syrup until you have a thick glaze. Place bacon in oven for 10 minutes, remove and brush glaze on top of bacon with a silicon brush. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes. Remove and flip, brushing more glaze on. Cook for another remaining five minutes. Cool on paper towel for a few minutes and eat.

*Variation Candied Cinnamon Bacon, add 1 tsp to the brown sugar/syrup glaze before brushing on the bacon.

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Jalapeno Poppers Deluxe

Jalapeno poppers stuffed with cream cheese, bacon and chocolate

This is not a recipe your momma ever cooked. These jalapeno poppers are filled with cream cheese, bacon, and chocolate. The chocolate does a nice job of enhancing both the bacon and cream cheese flavor.

8 ozs cream or neuftchatel cheese, softened
1/2 c shredded monterey jack and cheddar cheese
1/4 c bacon bits
1 Tbsp parsley
1 Tbsp of chipped chocolate, Cadbury’s dark chocolate bar
12 jalapeno peppers, seeded (you can keep as whole with top removed, or cut them in half)
2 eggs
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 quarts oil for frying

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, monterey and cheddar cheese, chocolate bits, parsley and bacon bits. Spoon this mixture into the jalapeno pepper.

Whisk the eggs and place eggs and flour into two separate small bowls. Dip the stuffed jalapenos first into the egg then into the flour, making sure they are well coated with each. Allow the coated jalapenos to dry for about 5 minutes.

Dip the jalapenos in egg again and roll them through the breadcrumbs. Allow them to dry.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil to 365 degrees. Deep fry the coated jalapenos 2 to 3 minutes each, until golden brown. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.

Serve hot by themselves or with the jalapeno jelly of your choice.

ALWAYS USE GLOVES WHILE HANDLING HOT CHILI TO PREVENT BURNING OF YOUR HANDS, FACE OR EYES.

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