Matcha Honey Simple Syrup

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Matcha Honey Simple Syrup

Ah matcha, the Japanese green tea powder that was once reserved for sacred and special occasions. Now every food and mommy blogger from here (wherever "here" is for you) to Tokyo has bastardized this once special ingredient. Mixing it into everything from cupcakes to dog treats. So I decided to jump on this bandwagon of cultural appropriation through food and make my own matcha recipe. 

I'm all for exploring other cultures through food and regional ingredients, but this matcha thing has gone too far people. We get it, you enjoy mixing some into your kale and unhappiness smoothies every morning, but that doesn't mean you get to put it in everything. Once the TODAY show highlights an ingredient, it's no longer relevant to food culture, the ingredient has reached maximum cultural saturation. 

"But Brian! If you're so upset with so many people using matcha like goddam vanilla extract why are you making something with it?" Because, it gave me excuse to act like a typical blogger and use matcha as a vehicle to be upset at a bunch of people who technically did nothing wrong. 

Matcha Honey Simple Syrup

  • 2 teaspoons Matcha
  • 1/2 cup Artisan Water (nah just kidding cold tap water is fine)
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Honey
  1. Add all the ingredients to medium sized sauce pan.
  2. Bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. 
  3. Take off heat, and let cool. Store in an airtight container. 
  4. Mix into a cocktail of your choosing or making of your choice (I can't come up with all the ideas here). Enjoy!

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Red New Mexico Chile Sauce

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Red New Mexico Chile Sauce

You know they old saying, when life gives you a giant bag of dried Red New Mexico Chiles, make a delicious pureed sauce. Though this looks so spicy it'll burn off even Mark Twain's undead eyebrows, the taste is slightly smoky and mild. It's a great addition to a variety of dishes. 

WARNING: EXPLODING CHILES AHEAD!

Fresh oregano from my own personal garden!

Not knowing much about dried chiles and making sauces with them I went ahead and just worked from a solid recipe from Diaz Family Farms.  I followed their recipe step by step, except I used a stick blender that resulted in a courser sauce that if I had used a traditional blender. 

When making your chile sauce don't throw out the chile water! It's perfect for marinating or a great addition to a Bloody Mary mix, both are potential options for upcoming blog posts!

If you want a thicker sauce follow their recipe to make a chile sauce roux. Use as an ingredient in any Mexican dishes or just put a bit on a tortilla and enjoy!

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Bumble Bee Sting Cocktail

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Bumble Bee Sting Cocktail

It's summer once again, which means heat waves and drinking enough to forget how hot it is. The perfect summer drink, if you ask any retiree, would be the Arnold Palmer. Except the Arnold Palmer doesn't have any booze in it, but there's a simple solution to that. 

Tea infused Vodka is the answer to our sober dilemma. All it takes is some cheap vodka, loose leaf tea, a strainer and 30 minutes. Seriously that's it. 

Bumble Bee Sting

  • 1 shot Tea Infused Vodka
  • 1 shot Pink (or regular) Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Honey Simple Syrup
  • Ice
  • Slice of Lemon for garnish
  1. Add the ice, vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker and shake for a bit longer than you think you need to shake for. 
  2. Pour in glass serve with lemon slice. Enjoy!

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Stuffed Mirliton Topped with Pecans

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Stuffed Mirliton Topped with Pecans

So what the hell is a Mirliton? Also known as Chayote,  a type of squash that's used in dishes all around the world. Though you might know it as a popular dish in Louisiana. My wonderful girlfriend turned me on to these delicious vegetables. Okay, they only really become delicious when you stuff them with crab, shrimp and butter. 

Oh you want a straight-forward Stuffed Mirliton recipe? Well by now you should know that's not what I do on this blog. If you want a "normal" mirliton I recommend checking out Chef John D. Folse's recipe. 

Not a pear, nor an avocado, but a chayote. 

The healing powers of Crystal's Hot Sauce. 

Stuffed Mirliton Topped with Pecans

  • 4 Mirliton sliced lengthwise
  • 5 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1/4 cup Crab Meat
  • 1/4 cup Shrimp Meat raw, cubed
  • 1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper diced
  • 1/4 cup Celery diced
  • 1/4 cup Onion diced
  • 1/4 cup Pecan ground 
  • 1 Tablespoon Basil chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
  • Bonito Flakes
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  1. Preheat your oven to 375.
  2. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the mirlitons. Cook until tender.
  3. Saute 2 Tablespoons of the butter with the onions, celery, and bell peppers. 
  4. Remove the mirlitons from the water. Scoop the meat of the mirlitons and discard the seeds. Be sure to keep some meat around the edges of the mirlitons. 
  5. Add the shrimp to the vegetables. Cook until pink. Add the mirliton meat, hot sauce, salt and pepper, a pinch of bonito flakes and the crab meat.  Stir together. Add the breadcrumbs. 
  6. Add the stuffing to the hollowed shells of the mirlitons and place in a casserole pan. Top the mirlitons with pecans and a pat of butter. 
  7. Bake for about a half hour or until the tops turn golden brown. 
  8. Top with bonito flakes and enjoy! 

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Ham Bone Black-Eyed Peas

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Ham Bone Black-Eyed Peas

That's right Fergie is back. Okay it's not The Black Eyed Peas, it's just black-eyed peas. I rarely see black-eyed peas anywhere, not in restaurants, recipes, no where. I mean come on, Where is the Love?

Easter is coming up and that means one thing. No not Jesus, not chocolate bunnies, but ham. The best part of any holiday. Odds are you'll end up with a ham bone and not know what to do with it. Instead of making stock try making some black-eyed peas with it. 

Ham Bone Black-Eyed Peas

  • 1 Ham Bone ideally with some meat still on it
  • 2 cups Black eyed peas soaked for at least one hour
  • 1/4 cup Ground Spicy Pork Sausage
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Chipotle
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/2 Medium Onion diced
  • 3 Garlic Cloves sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil
  • Avocado
  1. In a Dutch Oven roast your ham bone at 375 uncovered, until your kitchen starts to smell like pork.
  2. Add the onions, avocado oil, and garlic to the ham pot. Let roast for about 10 minutes. Add the sausage let it roast for another 10 minutes. 
  3. Remove the dutch oven from the oven and place on the stove top. Add the strained black-eyed peas, the water, spices, and bay leaves. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes or until the peas are tender. 
  4. Remove the bone and any cartilage floating around in the peas. Oh and don't forget to take out those bay leaves. Serve with sliced fresh avocado! Enjoy!

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