Where in the world is that Chile Lady?

Some of you might be looking for me with my chile basket out at the Taos Gorge Bridge.  How I miss that place, my friends and you tourists that kept coming back every year. Yep, we sold our little cabin on the edge of the Carson National Forest and headed north.  It was going home for me....something that I had always planned to do finally crept up on me.  Moving ...and I'll keep this short.... is not for senior citizens..... but you can rest assured that I did not leave New Mexico without a car loaded with chile and my chile connections.  We moved into our garage, heated but still a garage and waited for renters to move out of the little house so we could move in.  Now we are situated along the bay in Bay View, Washington slowly  putting our lives back together.  My little  brother hauled my dad's John Deere riding mower over,  gave me a five minute lesson and I was re-initiated into the life of a Washingtonian.  That wasn't part of my life in New Mexico.   I managed to get the appropriate licenses and found a kitchen in the neighborhood so I'm in the chile business now in Washington.  Where will you find me?  On Saturdays I sell my Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix at the Anacortes Farmers Market.  Some of you may be familiar with this small town by the bay.  You can catch a ferry to Vancouver Island and the San Juan islands here.   Of course here I am at riograndechile.com as usual ready to take your orders for Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix.  I might come up with another idea too.  The wheels are still turning.

Winter Chile

Skies continue to be as blue as ever but the temperature is dropping and snow is beginning to threaten us from the north. Not to worry though.  We have plenty of roasted and dried chile from our Hatch, NM friends to keep things warm.  Be sure to stock up before the next cold front and be prepared when you have to shelter in place!

Also, as you're getting ready to place your orders for the holidays, you'll notice we've simplified our the process with the PayPal shopping cart on the right.  If you are already a PayPal user, you know the drill - and if you're not, feel free to sign-up.  But note, having a PayPal account isn't required.  For those of you with too many accounts and passwords to keep track of, you can simply check out with your name, address and credit card info.  And just a few days later, you'll have a freshly restocked cupboard full of Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Taos Pueblo Red Chile Gravy

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds coarsely ground pork or beef
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt for the meat
• 2 or 3 Tablespoons flour (approximately)
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup Rio Grande CHile Spice Mix (to taste)
• 2 to 3 cups water or meat stock, more to thin
• 1 teaspoon salt for the gravy, more to taste

In a deep pot or skillet, cook meat with garlic until no longer pink.  Do not brown.  SAlt.  Add flour to absorb grease, 2 tablespoons or more.  STir and cook flour with meat a few minutes.  Add Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix and stir rapidly to coat meat evenly.   Cook a few minutes as you stir.

Slowly add water or meat stock, stir and cook until gravy is bubbling.   Can thin with more water.  Salt again and taste.

Remove from heat, let stand a few minutes for flavors to absorb.  Reheat later if you wish and add more water if necessary.  Makes about a quart.

Big-Batch Veggie Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 large carrots
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 Tablespoons Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix (to taste)
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (15 oz.) cans great Northern beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 large zucchini, chopped
• 1 yellow squash, chopped
• 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn

 Toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, chopped green onions, shredded  Cheddar cheese, chopped tomatoes

1. Saute carrots and onion in hot oil in a 5-6 qt. Dutch oven over medium heat 7 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Stir in half of red pepper packet from chili kit; stir in all of remaining packets.  Saute mixture 2 minutes.  Stir in tomato sauce and next 7 ingredients.
2.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Serve with desired toppings.

Orange Simmered Pork Chops with Mango Relish

Ingredients:

• 1 mango, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced or chopped
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 1 small orange or clementine, peeled and segmented
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup chopped red oinion
• 1 small banana pepper, sliced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon finely shreded orange peel
• 4 4-oz. frozen bone-in loin chops, about 1/4 inch thick
• 1 Tablespoon Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoon honey 
• Fresh Cilantro

1.  For mango relish, in a medium bowl stir together mango, pineapple, orange segments, the 1/4 cup orange juice, red onion, banana pepper (if desired), and orange peel; set aside.
2.  Sprinkle pork chops with Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix, salt, and pepper.  In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add two pork chops; brown 3 minutes each side.  Remove from skillet.  Add remaining pork chops to skillet; brown 3 minutes each side.  Add first two pork chops back to skillet.
3.  In small bowl whisk together the 1/2 cup orange juice and honey; add to skillet.  Add 1/2 cup water.  Reduce heat to low.  Simmer, covered 5 minutes or until pork is done (145 degrees).  Spoon mango relish over pork.  Cover; simmer 1 minute more.  Remove pork and relish; cover to keep warm.
4.  Return pan to medium-high heat.  Simmer juices, uncovered, 5 minutes or until reduced by half.  .  Drizzle over pork.  Sprinkle with cilantro.  Makes 5 servings.

To use fresh or thawed pork chops, reduce browning time to 1 1/2 minutes each side.  Add liquid and chops to skillet.  Bring to a simmer; immediately add mango relish.

Beef and Corn Tacos with garlicky roasted peppers

Ingredients:

• 2 bell peppers, each cut into 8 pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 small onion
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 Tablespoon Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix (to taste)
• 8 corn tortillas, warmed
• Cut-up avocado, grated Cheddar, salsa, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges for serving 

 1. Heat oven to 450 degrees.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the bell peppers and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper.   Roast until tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the beef, corn, and Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef in browned, 6 to 8 minutes more.
3.  Divide the beef mixture among the tortillas and top with the avocado, Cheddar, salsa, and cilantro.  Serve with the bell peppers and lime wedges.

Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fresh or frozen whitefish fillets, about 1/2 inch thick
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch sticks
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning or seafood seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix (to taste)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

1. Thaw fish, if frozen.  Cut into 3x2 inch pieces.  Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels.  Cover and chill until needed
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with foil.  Lightly coat with nonstick spray; set aside.
3. For chips, pat potatoes dry with paper towels; place in a a large bowl.  Add olive oil, Old Bay season, 1/2 tsp. Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix, and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Toss to coat.  Arrange potatoes in a single layer on one half of the prepared baking sheet.  Bake 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, for fish, place milk in a shallow dish.  Place flour in another shallow dish.  In a third shallow dish combine bread crumbs, 2 tsp. Rio Grande Chile Spice Mix, paprika, and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper  Add melted butter; stir until combined.
5.  Dip fish pieces in milk; coat with flour.  Dip again in milk, then in bread crumb mixture. Remove baking sheet from oven.  Using a spatula, carefully turn potatoes over.  Place fish on the other half of the hot baking sheet; return to oven.  Bake 10 to 15 minutes more or until potatoes are golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork.  Serve with lemon wedges and parsley, if desired.  Makes four servings.