Pupusas

I uploaded an updated spreadsheet.  Go here to download it.

I enjoyed eating pupusas regularly when I lived in New York.  Unfortunately, I've had trouble find good ones anywhere else, and I have missed them.  Finally I have learned how to make them.   It took some experimenting because none of the recipes I found online tasted like the ones I had in New York.  All of those recipes called for the dough to be made with only instant masa and water.  This resulted in a dry, tough exterior not the soft exterior of the pupusas I remember.

Some internet research led me to believe that the difference is made by using instant masa instead of fresh masa.  I don't know of a place to purchase fresh masa and I don't have the equipment or inclination to make it myself.  After some experiments in adding butter and baking power to the dough with the instant masa I got very close to the soft pupusas I enjoyed so much in New York.  I realize this may not be an authentic way to make them, but they taste pretty authentic and delicious!

Corn Crepes

We finished off the last of these tasty corn crepes a couple nights ago.  In fact the freezer is starting to look a little sparse.  I'm gearing up do my once a month cooking over the next couple days.  The grocery shopping is done and I will be doing the chopping, shredding and mincing this afternoon.  I'm looking forward to having some new variety in our meal rotation.

Difficulty: Moderate
Category: Simple Side
Recipe Column: AF

Get the recipe at Smitten Kitchen.

To freeze:
Cool the crepes and divide into dinner-sized stacks.  I generally plan on two to three crepes per person.  Wrap each stack tightly in plastic wrap or place in freezer bags and freeze.

To serve:
Thaw the crepes overnight in the refrigerator.  Remove from the plastic wrap or bag and place on a plate.  Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of water on a clean kitchen towel and cover the crepes.  Microwave in 2 minute bursts at 70% power until hot.  The recipe linked above has a few serving suggestions.  I initially tried the crepe cake with the mayo and queso fresco because I love Mexican corn.  I found the mayo and cheese overpowered the delicate corn flavor of the crepes.  My preferred serving method is just to fold them up and serve with a little sprinkle of queso fresco.  We had it with avocado cucumber salad.  I also think it would be good with a fresh tomato salad.

Peanut Chicken Noodle Bowls

I wrote previously about smoking, shredding and freezing whole chickens.  These noodle bowls are one of our favorite ways to utilize our pre-cooked chicken.  They're delicious and very refreshing for hot summer days.  We have these regularly when we have guests as they are always a big hit and each person assembles their own bowl and can customize it to their specific tastes.  The peanut sauce is easy to make and freezes well, so you can make up a big batch and freeze it in smaller portions to save you the work the day of or you can easily whip it up when you're getting your bowls ready. This is a "Some Assembly Required" meal, but it is very easy to throw together.

Adapted from: Smitten Ktichen
Difficulty: Easy
Category: Some Assembly Required
Column: BN

Creamy Chicken and Spinach Tacos

I wrote previously about how I cook, shred and freeze several chickens at the beginning of summer.  Throughout the summer I am finding uses for all this chicken.  This is a simplified version of a dish I used to make quite regularly.  It's delicious, but with the roasting, peeling a dicing of the peppers it eventually fell out of our rotation.  I am glad to have it back even in a different form, and it is still delicious.

Difficulty: Easy
Adapted from: Rick Bayless

Component: Smoked Chicken

At the beginning of the summer I watched my grocery store flyers until whole chickens went on sale.  I then went out and bought seven chickens, smoked them, shredded them, bagged them in dinner-sized portions, and froze them.  I ended up with fifteen meals worth of chicken and now spend the summer coming up with ways to use them.

I generally prefer to make freezer meals that require little work on the day of to serve.  I find they're more likely to be used this way.  Plain shredded chicken requires that I do something more with it than take it out of the freezer and sticking it in the oven.  It is more work to serve than many of the other freezer meals I make, but it has advantages too.  Precooked chicken allows me to make a large variety of meals with less effort than having to cook everything the day of and makes for tasty and easy summer meals.  I prefer lighter food during the summer and a lot of  heat and eat freezer meals are heavier and more suitable for winter.  Plus this allows me to take advantage of the wonderful fresh produce available during the summer to round out the chicken out into a full meal.

Chicken Wraps

These are a pretty tasty summer meal.  One big advantage for this dish is that it already has a lot of vegetables cooked into it before freezing. They're easy to prepare and easy to reheat and serve.

Difficulty: Easy
Category: Simple Side
Recipe Column: AI

Get the recipe here:

Asian Lettuce Wraps

To freeze:
Cool the chicken mixture and divide between desired number of containers or bags.  Freeze.

To serve:
Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight.  Reheat to 140 degrees in a frying pan.  Serve with rice and Boston butterhead lettuce leaves.