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| © shoutingforha |
LOVES: The sound of a family member returning home and hearing the name of one of our dear friends. Either event will cause Brick to scamper around and bark his happy bark. He likes to greet people at the door by jamming his giant blockhead into their stomach.
HATES: Loud noises. Among Brick's least favorite are fireworks and the vacuum. Fireworks obviously don't pose a big problem but, thanks to Brick's constant shedding, I run the vacuum at least once a day.
Click here to see more Things Brick Loves/Hates.
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| © shoutingforha |
LOVES: Sleeping. The Beast can fall asleep just about anywhere but his favorite napping places are the middle of the boy's double bed, the sofa in the den and any one of the plush rugs scattered throughout the house. Brick is incredibly lazy and spends his days moving from one sleeping spot to the next.
HATES: Being wet. His water phobia includes swimming, wading in creeks, being bathed or having to go outside when it's raining. His response is always the same: head hung low, tail between the legs and sad look in his big brown eyes.
Click here to see more Things Brick Loves/Hates.
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| © shoutingforha |
When the hubby and I did our big kitchen renovation last fall, we installed a gorgeous Boos Block Blended North American Hard Rock Maple Countertop on the island. The countertop is, by far, my favorite thing about our kitchen.
As a rule, I try to do the bulk of my chopping on my Boos Block cutting board. I've had it for years and it seems silly to mar the countertop when I have an amazing cutting board at my disposal.
Both the cutting board and countertop are wiped down with hot, soapy water multiple times a day. As with any unfinished wood surface, I am careful not to leave any water or other liquids pooling on the surface as it can warp and age the wood prematurely.
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| © shoutingforha |
Once every week or two I give the cutting board and countertop a good scrubbing. The process is really quite simple. All you need is coarse salt, an old lemon or two (these gave their zest to a yummy dessert) and some mineral oil. Mineral oil can be found in the digestion help/laxative section at your local grocery store.
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| © shoutingforha |
Begin by pouring a generous amount of salt onto the wood surface.
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| © shoutingforha |
Cut the lemon in half and start scrubbing using one of the cut sides.
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| © shoutingforha |
The lemon juice combined with the abrasive quality of the salt will gently lift any dirt and grime from the wood grain without scratching. Don't be alarmed if the lemon juice/salt mixture starts turning a little gray. That just means it's doing it's job.
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| © shoutingforha |
When your lemon starts to look like this, it's time to toss it in the trash and grab the other half. Keep scrubbing until you have cleaned the entire surface.
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| © shoutingforha |
Use a damp sponge or cloth to remove all of the lemon juice and salt from the wood. Then give the cutting board and countertop a thorough cleaning with a little hot, soapy water.
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| © shoutingforha |
Now you're ready for the final step. Pour a small puddle of the mineral oil onto the surface and rub it in, following the grain, using a soft cotton cloth. The wood will remain a little oily until the mineral oil has a chance to soak in completely. This usually only takes an hour or two.
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| © shoutingforha |
Not only does the mineral oil keep the wood from drying out, it provides a barrier of protection and will keep your cutting boards and countertops looking like new.
As a side note, per the manufacturer's suggestion, I disinfect the cutting board and countertop with a bleach and water solution every so often. I also have a separate cutting board that I use exclusively for meat and poultry to prevent cross contamination.
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| © shoutingforha |
LOVES: Putting on his choke collar and leash. The sound of it being pulled off it's hook is enough to send Brick into a wagging frenzy.
HATES: Exercise. Our old dog will tolerate walking for approximately ten minutes and will play fetch exactly one time. Once he's had enough, Brick will lay down and refuse to get up. It's especially helpful when you find yourself a mile from the house with a stubborn 96 pound dog. For the record, he's been this way since he was a puppy.
Click here to see more Things Brick Loves/Hates.
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| © shoutingforha |
Today I am going to share a recipe for one of my all time favorite sauces… Chile Colorado. I first fell in love with Chile Colorado at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant that the hubby and I used to frequent when we first moved to Nashville.
I had searched for years to find a recipe to make at home but the flavors were never quite right. Then one day I stumbled upon Aaron Sanchez's recipe featured in Latina magazine. The tang of the tomatillos, the flavor and mellow heat of the chiles and the sweetness of the tomatoes and onions create the most amazing sauce. I dare you to find a recipe that comes close to equalling Sanchez's.
Chile Colorado
3 medium white onions, quartered
8 medium tomatillos, husked, washed and quartered
4 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
olive oil for drizzling
2 ancho chile, stemmed, seeded and deveined*
3 guajillo chiles, stemmed seeded and deveined*
1 quart chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste
* The ancho and guajillo chiles are both dried. Ancho chiles are usually easy to find but I have to buy the guajillo chiles at a Mexican or international market. If I can't find guajillos, I have substituted another long, red, dried chile with great success. The sauce seems to be very forgiving in that regard.
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| © shoutingforha |
Place the onions, tomatillos, tomato and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
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| © shoutingforha |
Broil until the vegetables start to get a little charred, approximately 6-8 minutes. Meanwhile soak the ancho and guajillo chiles in boiling water until soft. Drain and remove the stem, seeds and veins.
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| © shoutingforha |
Working in batches, place the charred vegetables, chiles and chicken stock in a blender and puree until smooth.
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| © shoutingforha |
Look at that gorgeous color.
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| © shoutingforha |
Pour the pureed sauce into a pot (I made a double batch), add salt and pepper to taste and let it simmer for a while to let the flavors meld. At this point you can either use the sauce, let it cool and store it in the refrigerator, or preserve it in jars following the instructions for your canner.
Chile Colorado Sauce makes a great marinade for beef, pork or chicken. I've even served it with eggs for a fun twist on huevos rancheros.
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| © shoutingforha |
My favorite way to use Chile Colorado Sauce is to make Carne Con Chile Colorado, basically beef in red chile sauce. There are only a handful of dishes that my fellas request over and over again. Carne Con Chile Colorado is at the top of that list.
For this recipe, any cut of beef will do. I like to use whatever I can find on sale. The cooking process will make even the toughest cuts tender and delicious. Start by cutting the beef into small cubes, discarding any large chunks of fat or gristle.
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| © shoutingforha |
Season the cubed beef with salt and pepper. Heat a pan over high heat, drizzle with a little olive oil and sear the meat in small batches. Set the seared beef aside in a bowl to catch all of the juices.
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| © shoutingforha |
Once all the meat has been seared, return it to the pan and add enough Chile Colorado Sauce to coat the meat. Let it hang out in the pan for a while to allow the meat to soak up all of the wonderful flavors.
Carne Con Chile Colorado is so delicious that you can eat it on it's own. I like to serve it with warm tortillas and a little cilantro and diced onion. The fellas prefer to add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cheese.
Give it a try. I have a feeling that Chile Colorado will become a favorite at your house as well.
