5.08.2018

Miguel's Jalapeno Cream Sauce

This is a copycat recipe of a white queso dip from a yummy little restaurant called Miguel's on Coronado Island in CA.  It's pretty much the best thing ever created to dip tortilla chips in or pour over any Mexican dish. 

2 c. whipping cream
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. chicken boullion
2 TB clarified butter (I just used regular butter and it was fine.)
1 TB flour
1 jalapeno, minced (seeds and ribs removed)
1 TB jarred jalapeno juice
1 ounce Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat whipping cream over high heat.  Stir in sour cream when it's ready to boil.  After sour cream dissolves, reduce the heat to medium.

Stir in boullion and jalapeno juice, and simmer.

Meanwhile, make a roux by adding the flour to melted butter in a small sauce pan.  Whisk until the mixture turns a pale gold.

Increase the heat on the cream mixture until almost boiling and add the roux.  Whisk briskly and constantly until the roux is incorporated. 

Remove from heat and stir in minced jalapeno and the cheeses.

Notes:  I added about double the jalapeno juice than the recipe calls for (depending on how hot your juice is) and some chopped up jarred jalapenos too.  Just play with it until it's as spicy as you like. 



Beef Brisket

3-4 lbs. beef brisket (Costco)
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
2 TB. beef bouillon

Sprinkle or rub the boullion and soup mix on both sides of the brisket.  Double wrap the roast in foil and place in a baking dish.  Cook at 250 degrees all night or about 8-10 hours.  Take the brisket out of the foil, save all the juices, and let the meat rest.  Remove fat, and slice against the grain.  Return the meat and juices to the pan and keep hot.  Serve with mashed or baked potatoes.


Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes (about 2 c. chopped)
3 tbsp. butter
1 c. diced white onion
2 tbsp. flour
4 c. chicken stock
2 c. water
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. instant mashed potatoes
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. thyme
1 c. half-and-half

Garnish:
cheddar cheese
cooked, crumbled bacon
green onions

Preheat oven to 400 and bake the potatoes for an hour or until done. When the potatoes have cooked remove them from the oven to cool. As the potatoes cool, prepare soup by melting butter in a saucepan, and saute onion until light brown. Add flour to the onions to make a roux (similar to a thick paste). Transfer to a large pot. Add stock, water, cornstarch, mashed potatoes, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the contents with a large spoon (or just peel the potatoes). Discard skin. Chop baked potato with a large knife to make chunks that are about 1/2 in. in size.  Add chopped baked potato and half-and-half to the pot. Bring soup back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes or until it has thickened. Spoon about 1 1/2 c. soup into a bowl and top with shredded cheddar cheese,  crumbled bacon and chopped green onion (if desired).