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Daughter of two professional chefs provides a young adult's perspective on food, restaurants, and eating!! follow us on facebook @Francis Xavier

Author: Chef Francis Xavier

Road Trip … ‘for the scenery, but also the food’ part 2

Road Trip … ‘for the scenery, but also the food’ part 2

The road trip riding through the Monsoon edge continued… the route is second star on the right and straight on until morning (” translation … head south to Arizona and turn right“). The open road is a delight after being in Covid lockdown for the […]

Road Trip ‘Head out for the scenery, but also for the food’.

Road Trip ‘Head out for the scenery, but also for the food’.

Life and Culture, Wednesday July 2021 wrote about heading out to Jackson Hole for the scenery, but also for the food. Well this road trip 2021 was not destined … still to make it to Jackson Hole. As destiny had it we were on the […]

Peaches .Presidents of the United states.

Peaches .Presidents of the United states.

…move to a country where the presidents of the united states can “eat alot of peaches” is the inspiration.

Pie? Check. Cobbler? Check. But our favorite peach recipes go way past dessert: to salads, sandwiches, grilled entrées, and beyond. by Epicurios Sam Worley June 26 2020

some of the Epicurios inspirations include:

Peaches and Shaved Fennel Salad with Red Pepper

3-Ingredient Peach Crisp with Granola Topping

Peaches and Tomatoes With Burrata and Hot Sauce

3-Ingredient Pesto-Grilled Chicken with Peaches

Savory Peach and Cucumber Salad

Peach-Plum Galette

Southern “One-Cup” Peach Cobbler

and the one that i thought is ‘inspiring’ is Peach Caprese.

‘Movin’ to the country, Gonna cook me a lot of peaches’

Corn

Corn

Get Cooking by Bill St john of the Denver Post writes Corn is that sweet comet of summer meals 2021-07-07. A historical reference is included in the prelude and the durability of corn. 4 methods of cooking include boiling, roasting microwave and grilling. I prefer […]

MLB ALL_STAR GAME ‘affordable eats near Coors Field’.

MLB ALL_STAR GAME ‘affordable eats near Coors Field’.

Life & Culture from Wednesday July 7th 2021 finds these hometown restaurants during your visit. Really. The Covid is a memory marked in time. Pre Covid, during and after. The finding restaurants is trying to find ones still open, with out vendor issues and (#finally) […]

What I Cook When I Don’t Want to Cook Anything

What I Cook When I Don’t Want to Cook Anything

what i cook When is inspired from Bon Appétit executive editor Sonia Choppa in July 2021. Her list of five are the inspiration seeds. What to Cook when you don’t wanna cook. There it is. Trying for big flavor with little time.

What is the answer?

Cook with what you have. This week for me is chicken enchiladas.

Enchiladas

Cook with what you have … (# inspired by the fridge being completely empty except condiments)
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican

Equipment

  • small frying pan

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ea Fresh Corn Tortillas
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded chicken
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup corn oil
  • 1/2 cup sweet white onion

the Sauce

  • 3 large ancho chilies roasted. seeds removed, peeled.
  • 8 ea almonds toasted, crushed
  • 1/2 ea ripe plantain fried golden brown
  • 2 medium tomato roasted
  • 1/4 stick cinnamon
  • 2 ea cloves whole
  • 1 toe garlic

Instructions
 

the Enchiladas

  • fry the tortillas for a few seconds. remove and cover with a thin layer of sauce.
  • add shredded chicken and roll up.
  • place side by side into the serving dish.
  • place the remainder of the sauce over the enchiladas and bake covered @ 350F until sauce is bubbly (about 20 minutes). garnish with cheddar cheese and gratinate.

the sauce

  • puree the crushed roasted almonds, plantain and roasted tomato in the blender and set aside. Cook for about 5 minutes
  • puree the chilies, spice, oregano and garlic with a bit of water in the blender and set aside. Cook over a medium flame for about 5 minutes
  • add the tomato / plantain mixture to the chilli mixture (caution it will splatter). turn the heat off and continue to stir. Push through the strainer and add white stock if needed. Return to the flame for about 15 minutes.

Notes

use what you have. 
From the Chefs Notebook during pandemic == Rhubarb Cobbler and Burnt Ends

From the Chefs Notebook during pandemic == Rhubarb Cobbler and Burnt Ends

The recipe of the day is roasted Rhubarb Cobbler and burnt pork ends Today’s note comes from the Denver Post 2021-04-28. ‘What I had learned from my parents’ from Bill St. John – caught my eye. I guess that is the spark for writing. What […]

Brussel Sprout Stalk

Brussel Sprout Stalk

Trader Joe has stalks of Brussel Sprouts. Love it!. the card says roast it on the stalk.. taking roasted vegies to the next.

New Years Resolution. a better year

New Years Resolution. a better year

The only resolution I have is to have a better year. 2020 hindsight it is easy to look back. Bringing in the New Year the top 10 from RMNews food stories is a good summary of the year.

The TOP 5 are listed. The story is the sense that the local restaurants that serves our community… has been served a last call.

#1 PANIC on March 23rd as the Mayor closes liquor stores as being ‘Non essential”.

#2 Gov. Polis closes bars again after amid rising coronavirus cases – just a week and a half after businesses were given the go ahead to welcome back customers inside. Bars that dont serve food have remained closed.

#3 As restaurants began to reopen after memorial day, it is apparent which ones will remain closed. Fast food operations stay open. Restaurant that are too small to manage re-opening under new guidelines were not coming back.

#4 Last Call Changed again to 8pm. Just in time for the holidays.

#5 Denver Restaurants that have closed permanently during the corona pandemic on the obituary list. Market 42 years, Racines 35 years, Rialto Cafe 23 years, Zaidy’s 23 years.

A stalk of Brussel Sprouts

A stalk of Brussel Sprouts

Roasted vegies for Christmas dinner this year is raised up a notch from Trader joe’s. TJ’s thought is to roast the whole stalk. A simple idea became a fun part of the stay safe at home holiday celebration. Sprouts are salt, peppered, maple syrup and […]