Tamal Azteca

TAMAL AZTECA Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours  Yield: 4 servings Sauce: 

• 1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, undrained 
• 1 can (4 ounces) roasted green chilies, undrained, chopped 
• 1/2 tablespoon canola or corn oil 
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped, 1 cup 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1 cup defatted chicken stock 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

Casserole: 

• 8 corn tortillas 
• 1 medium zucchini, diced 
• 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, thoroughly drained 
• 8 ounces fat-reduced Monterey jack, grated, 
• 2 cups 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

For sauce, combine tomatoes and chilies in a blender and make a coarse puree. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until lightly browned. Increase heat to medium-high, add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomato and chili mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced and thickened, about 8 minutes. Add stock, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in salt, remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Makes 4 cups.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread tortillas out on 2 baking sheets sprayed with non-stick vegetable coating. Lightly spray tops of tortillas and place them in heated oven 10 minutes. Turn over and bake 3 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside, leaving oven on.

Steam diced zucchini until just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from steamer and set aside.

To assemble casserole, lightly spray an 11- by 7-inch baking dish with non-stick vegetable oil coating. Spread a thin layer of sauce evenly over bottom. Cover sauce with two of the toasted tortillas. Evenly spread the chopped spinach on top of the tortillas. Top with 1/4 of remaining sauce and 1/4 the cheese. Place two more tortillas on top and press down. Spread the corn on top, cover with 1/3 of remaining sauce and 1/3 of remaining cheese. Top with two more tortillas, again pressing down. Top with zucchini, 1/2 of remaining sauce and 1/2 the cheese. Top with the two remaining tortillas and press down. Spread remaining sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle on remaining cheese. 

Bourbon Sangria

Bourbon Sangria

 

Makes one quart

 

10 ounces red wine

2 ounces bourbon

2 ounces orange juice

1 ounce orange Liqueur

 

 

slice of orange 

slice of lemon 

slice of lime

A few berries

 

stir with ice serve

 

 

More House Stuff

A damp, cloudy, cool Longmont morning. This is what I saw as I looked out the bedroom window. No mountains to be seen but the pond looks good.

Today I am working on a project for the back porch - a "grilling station". To me it is a rolling cabinet I can use for grilling item storage and a top for holding things as I grill. All cedar and it should look good. The plans I am using call for an open back and front, but I am closing the back and will add a door on the front.

Wednesday, finished except for a door and stain. Got the lumber, got the hinges, got the stain. Tomorrow! Let's hear it for my helpers.

Finished. Door on, jalapeño knob on, stained. The top is two pieces of 12" x 24" tile. They can stand up to heat and dirt and are removable. Now, back to kitchen cabinet slide out shelves. Only two to go. Then on to jewelry drawers for the master bedroom closet, a corner shelf for the half bath, kitchen drawer dividers, bathroom drawer dividers, a murphy bed, and the big one - cabinets and shelves in the office. 

 

Trump Tower Chicago

Living In Longmont

Some random thoughts on living in Longmont.

Utility expenses are much lower here than in Glen Ellyn. I just looked at our combined water, wastewater, trash and recycling, and electric bill for mid-July through mid-August. $148.00. We would have paid that just for water and trash in Glen Ellyn. Our gas bill was about $16.00. Granted, this time of year we are only using the water heater and stove, but this is very reasonable.

On the other had, how about getting cars registered? The Miata was under $100 - license and fees and new title. Not too bad. The new Jeep however was almost $750. The clerk at Boulder County said they stick it to you on new cars for about the first four years.

Weather? I have certainly enjoyed the weather here. I see the sun almost every day. This past week has given us clouds in the morning but then sunshine the rest of the day. Right now we can sit outside in the late afternoon and enjoy sun and cooling breezes at the same time. We have had one big rainstorm since we arrived, and a couple of smaller storms. Generally though, warm during the day, comfortable or cool at night and almost always sunny.

Longmont is easy to get around and Boulder is a short drive down the road. I would be happier if Whole Foods was open in Longmont now instead of in a few months. My shopping is spread between Sprouts, Natural Foods, and occasional trips to Safeway during the week. Whole Foods is a weekend trip.

We are finding restaurants we enjoy in Longmont, Loveland, Boulder and beyond.

Then yard looks good with our low maintenence rock and pots and pond. The interior is comfy in the living area and our designer bedroom. Our bedroom with a new bed and sidetables and comfy chairs looks and feels like a hotel room. I find it very nice. I've got art on the walls in the living area, the upstairs hallway, and the guest bedroom. Everything else is bare for now.

My workshop is a hodgepodge right now but I am getting things done. My first project of pull out shelves for the kitchen cabinets is moving along. And should be done in a couple of weeks. Then I move on to my other jobs.

All in all I would say we are settling in.