The Hatch chile harvest is underway, my favorite time of year. I always look forward to this, and buy a fairly large amount, and roast and freeze them for use through the year (I usually run out in a couple of months though, but it's all the room I have in the freezer). For 117 pictures in 2017, #96 "Sight for sore eyes" (which I take to mean something you miss that finally shows up and you're glad to see).

The smell of green chiles roasting is pure heaven.

We opened a section of our new intermediate MTB trail and these are some shots of staff riders enjoying the new area!

We opened a section of our new intermediate MTB trail and these are some shots of staff riders enjoying the new area!

We opened a section of our new intermediate MTB trail and these are some shots of staff riders enjoying the new area!

We opened a section of our new intermediate MTB trail and these are some shots of staff riders enjoying the new area!

I wish you could smell these. They are divine, roasting on our grill. I am a spice wimp so we buy mild for me and hot for everyone else. Yum! We bought about 20 pounds.

We opened a section of our new intermediate MTB trail and these are some shots of staff riders enjoying the new area!

We opened a section of our new intermediate MTB trail and these are some shots of staff riders enjoying the new area!

We opened a section of our new intermediate MTB trail and these are some shots of staff riders enjoying the new area!

We opened a section of our new intermediate MTB trail and these are some shots of staff riders enjoying the new area!

We opened a section of our new intermediate MTB trail and these are some shots of staff riders enjoying the new area!

A bowl of long green chiles, getting ready to be roasted. For 118 pictures in 2018, #06 "obsession" (and there are some people around here that would gladly testify that this is an obsession, lol).

With Green Chile

Reefer Green Chile

youpic.com/Kodak260

kodak260.nl/

Partially roasted green chile on a charcoal fire.

Crushed green chili is wonderful in soups and stews to give them a little kick.

estilo Brian

I had #ComfortFood on the brain today, so I made some when I got home.

Not the greatest shot, but with some cheese sprinkles, I'll eat it.

#WPP2019

"There is no food that cannot be improved by adding Green Chile to it" -rovingmagpie

It's the truth, even corporate America agrees. Everything tastes better with green chile in it, right down to the taste of that morning coffee after a bite of a breakfast burrito smothered in green.

I guess I'm just a New Mexican that was born in the wrong state.

A Classic!

www.bittersweetblog.com

I'm packing for my trip to Cornwall. to meet my first granbaby. She was due on September 24 but so far seems shy to make her appearance. Who's going to arrive first me or granbaby Fox? :)

Now, how do I pack some blue sky and sunshine?

Last morning in Taos. The green chile sauce from Michael's Kitchen is to die for! Little chunks of pork in it.

INGREDIENTS:

6 herb-flavored or plain flour tortillas (8 inch)

2 cups shredded Colby or Cheddar cheese (8 oz)

1 small tomato, chopped (1/2 cup)

4 medium green onions, chopped (1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons Old El Paso® chopped green chiles (from 4.5-oz can)

Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky Salsa or guacamole, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Sprinkle 3 of the tortillas with 2/3 cup cheese each. Top cheese with remaining ingredients except salsa. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake about 5 minutes or just until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges. Serve with salsa.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

2 1/2 lb chicken wings, cut apart at joints, wing tips discarded

2 medium green onions, thinly sliced including tops (about 2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cans (12 oz each) lemon-lime carbonated beverage

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles, drained

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix

10 lettuce leaves, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken wings and onions; sprinkle with pepper flakes. Cook uncovered 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned; drain.

2. Stir in carbonated beverage, green chiles and taco seasoning mix. Increase heat to high; cook uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken wings are completely glazed, small amount of glaze remains in skillet and juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut to bone (180°F).

3. To serve, line serving plate with lettuce; arrange chicken wings over lettuce. Serve immediately.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):

In step 1, cook 8 to 11 minutes.

With Green Chile.

I'm adding a little over a pound of beef to the onion and sauteed green chiles in my cast iron skillet. Boiling in the yellow pot are several red potatoes, carrots and stalks of celery that I cut up into small pieces. As soon as the beef has been browned, I'll turn off the heat under the skillet and dump the beef, onion, and green chiles into the simmering hard veggies. I call them hard veggies because they are harder and take more time to cook than softer veggies like tomatoes and mushrooms that I'll add later.

From start to finish, it took me a hour and a half to prep and cook my beef stew before I turned off the heat and loaded it into several containers. I took some of my stew to Leslie Anne's place for supper and stored the rest in the refrigerator. The way I cook and store food enables me to keep food for two weeks without spoiling.

I usually ask the butcher to cut up about a pound and a half of beef for my stew. It was late in the evening, so I had to make do with a sealed package with a little over a pound. I cut it up into very small pieces and removed all fat and gristle. The onions and green chiles have already been sauteed in the cast iron skillet, and potatoes, carrots, and celery are boiling in the yellow pot. More later.

My Green Chile's growing.

Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

August 29, 2014

Canon EOS REBEL T3i

18-250mm

Where Does The Green Chile Really Stand? www.city-data.com/forum/55470218-post159.html

038190620

Anybody with NM photos? www.city-data.com/forum/55871747-post945.html

282190807

INGREDIENTS

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (6 oz)

1/2 cup sliced roasted red bell peppers (from a jar)

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles

1 cup sour cream

1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso® enchilada sauce

1 package (11 oz) Old El Paso® flour tortillas for burritos (8 tortillas; 8 inch)

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, roasted peppers, chiles and sour cream.

2. Spread about 2 teaspoons enchilada sauce on each tortilla. Top each with 1/2 cup chicken mixture. Roll up tortillas; arrange, seam side down, in baking dish. Top enchiladas with any remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray; cover baking dish with foil, sprayed side down.

3. Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until hot. If desired, remove foil during last 5 minutes of baking time. If desired, serve with lettuce, tomato, avocado and additional sour cream.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles

1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso® enchilada sauce

10 corn tortillas (6 inch)

3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (12 oz)

Paprika

Chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1. In 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef, onion and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in soup and chiles.

2. Spray 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Spread about 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in bottom of slow cooker. Place 4 corn tortillas over sauce, overlapping and breaking in half as necessary to make an even layer. Top with 1/3 of beef mixture, spreading evenly. Drizzle with about 1/4 cup enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese.

3. Repeat layering twice, using 3 corn tortillas and half of remaining beef mixture, enchilada sauce and cheese in each layer. Sprinkle paprika over top.

4. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes.

5. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle individual servings with cilantro.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso® mild enchilada sauce

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles

1 3/4 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

1 cup Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Extra Sweet Niblets® frozen corn (from 12-oz bag), thawed

3 teaspoons dried minced garlic

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 soft corn tortillas (5 to 6 inch), cut into 1-inch strips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spray 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients.

2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 7 hours.

3. Remove chicken; shred with 2 forks. Return to slow cooker; stir well to blend.

Garnish bowls of soup with chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions or crushed tortilla chips.

Cooking the corn tortilla strips in the soup the whole time it’s cooking adds a traditional flavor similar to masa.

Earlier in June I brought a big Portabello mushroom to Leslie Anne's to grill along with some salmon. I cooked the leftover one at home. In either case, I slice the mushroom into pieces the thickness of my finger, place the slices into a plastic veggie bag, add a little olive oil and maybe some spices like pepper or Montreal Steak Seasoning), shake it up, and cook them. At home I put them into my little toaster oven and broil them for the same time as I toast garlic bread.

The Southwestern Chicken Stew is the same as my chicken soup, but I used less water this time. I rinse off a package of chicken thighs, throw them into a big pot of water, and boil the hell out of them. While the chicken is coming to a boil, I slice and dice a big onion and a half pound package of Hatch Green Chiles frozen from last August. By that time, I turn down the fire and make sure there is plenty of water. Then I add a package of soup mix by La Comida Loca from Albuquerque, New Mexico. If you can't find any mix at the store or online, try chile powder, ground comino, garlic powder, and a little sea salt. Then I add a can of sliced tomatoes and several sliced and diced yellow squash. When the chicken is tender, I pull out the thighs, remove and discard the bones and skin, cut the thighs into small pieces, and put the chicken back in the pot to let it simmer for another half hour or so.

The salad is the usual spinach, tomato, cucumber, mushrooms, broccoli, avocado, and olives. Yes, I like to cook and eat. I'm too poor to travel and take photos of my rail journeys and hikes like I used to. I haven't done any major model railroad improvements to photograph. Photography during a concert is rude and forbidden, and I'm not going to make intimate photos of my love life, so you get to see more food photos.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons Crisco® 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Pure Olive Oil

1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust

1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1 small)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 can (12 to 15 oz) black beans, undrained

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups cooked rice (any variety)

1 tablespoon LAND O LAKES® Unsalted or Salted Butter

1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles

1 cup fresh (refrigerated) salsa (any variety)

1 bag (8 oz) shredded Mexican cheese blend (2 cups)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

1 cup Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn, thawed, drained

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Brush 1 teaspoon of the oil on 15x12-inch cookie sheet. Unroll pizza crust dough on cookie sheet into 12x9-inch rectangle; brush with 2 teaspoons oil. Bake 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. Stir in undrained beans, cumin, coriander and pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in rice and butter. Stir in chiles. Remove from heat; set aside.

3. Using slotted spoon, spread thin layer of salsa over partially baked crust. Layer with 1/2 cup of the cheese and the bean mixture. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, the corn and remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese.

4. Bake 20 to 30 minutes longer or until edges of crust are golden brown and cheese is melted. Garnish with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro.

Hamburger Patties

Hot Green Chile and Lemon Pepper

Albuquerque, NM USA

© Michael P. D'Arco

AKA Martini Mike

"It's the time of the season for loving." That was the beautifully harmonized refrain from a 1960's hit by the Zombies. See: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfwFpRnOeGg&feature=related . In this photo, I am playing on Leslie Anne's carpet before snuggling up on her "comfy couch."

It is late summer on the Texas Gulf Coast, a time of blazing heat and torrential rain. The juicy peaches from several parts of Texas are gone along with our canteloupes, plums, and sweet corn, but I can still get them from other parts of the country. Fresh squash, okra, tomatoes, and watermelons are still available locally. All of these are symbols of summer, especially in June when they are just starting to arrive. Growing up I took fresh fruit and veggies for granted because our nation grows just about everything and ships them by rail and truck all across our land.

Looking back 50 years, I remember how special it was in June when school was out for the summer, swimming pools were open, and my grandparents would take us to visit kinfolks in Central Texas. Besides Texas produce sold at the outdoor fruit stands along the roads, my grandparents, aunts, and uncles grew their own tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, okra, corn, peaches, plums, and cantaloupes. Seeing the rolling hills of Texas and my kinfolks after spending a nine month schoolyear in flat Houston was always a treat. If our visit included the Fourth of July, there would also be fireworks, a military parade from nearby Fort Hood, a big outdoor rodeo featuring local cowboys and cowgirls, plus swimming in the creeks, watermelon, and fresh homemade peach ice cream to cool down after 100 degree days. Twenty years later, Fort Hood was one of the places I spent blazing summers maneuvering my tank and firing my cannon day and night. Before it was banned, we had beer out on the firing ranges after we completed our tank crew qualification runs.

The angle of the sun at a certain time of the day and season of the year can bring back memories. This is the time of the year when most of the summer's adventures would soon be over. Not the heat: besides the remainder of August, September is mostly a hot month, and so can October. The stores are already full of school supplies and back-to-school clothing. School no longer has any bearing on my life, although with the fall fashions arriving, summer clothes are on sale. If only I could afford them! Oh well, I'll still be swimming, sunning myself, and wearing skimpy summer clothes for another two months.

Another sign of the season: green chiles from Hatch, New Mexico! Two weeks ago I used the last of the 2011 green chiles in a pot of frijoles, and a few days ago, I fixed a pot of chicken soup with some 2012 green chiles. It is a very good year (like last year) for green chiles!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans (4.5 oz each) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles

1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso® green enchilada sauce or other green chile enchilada sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

12 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into 3/4-inch strips

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 can (15 oz) Progresso® black beans, drained, rinsed

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)

2 large tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)

2 cups chopped lettuce

1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, spread 1 can of the green chiles. In medium bowl, mix remaining can of green chiles, the soup, enchilada sauce and mayonnaise.

2. Arrange 1/3 of the tortilla strips over chiles in cooker. Top with 1 cup of the chicken, 1/2 cup of the beans, 1/2 cup of the cheese and 1 cup of the enchilada sauce mixture, spreading to edges of cooker to completely cover tortilla strips. Repeat layers twice, reserving last 1/2 cup of cheese.

3. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 7 hours.

4. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover; cook about 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream.

Rotisserie chicken works well for this recipe. Just remove the skin and bones, and shred the meat with 2 forks. One average rotisserie chicken yields about 3 1/2 to 4 cups cooked chicken.

Red enchilada sauce can be used. It will give a pink tint to the finished recipe.

You could serve this recipe with tortilla chips as an appetizer.

The best ice cream in Santa Fe has to be the fresh and flavorful combinations at La Lecheria. You can even get a beautifully-presented flight of four scoops if you want to taste multiple flavors. I went with the chocolate sea salt, boozy egg nog, green chile, and Iconik Coffee.

La Lecheria. Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Hatch, New Mexico

My new squash casserole turned out to be pretty good, but I also downloaded several other squash casserole recipes which I may try. I am eating it along with my usual mixed green salad.

.On the Saturday before Easter, Leslie Anne fixed grilled salmon and some noodles. I steamed some cauliflower and poured a chile con queso sauce over it. I had made the chile con queso on Friday night from a two pound block of Velveeta cut into one inch cubes and melted in a glass double boiler with a can of Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Hatch Green Chiles. Chile con queso is good for eating with tortilla chips and as a sauce for broccoli and cauliflower.

We used the same technique of grilling the salmon as before. The cedar plank from the previous week's pyrotechnics display got one more use out of it but no fireworks, and we used cherrywood chips to provide smoke flavor.

The wine is Mouton Cadet from France. It is on sale but not for the "3 bottles for $5.00" price I paid back in 1975 when the Common Market was having a wine glut, and America was just starting to appreciate and consume a lot of wine. My own experience with wine back then was mainly German whites from my Army tour of duty. With cheap prices, I decided to try more French wines beyond the ones I had in Paris. These days my budget limits me to decent but inexpensive wines from Texas, California, Slovenia, and sometimes Germany, Spain, and Australia. Leslie Anne likes bargains but can afford better ones from California, France, Chile, Australia, and whatever catches her attention at the store. She also samples a lot of wine on her travels.