Chile Coban Pecans (Pecan Crack)

This recipe, as most of my recipes, has a story behind it...

A Chef friend came to stay with me last summer for a few days because we both were attending the same conference in my town. We could catch up, show him around town, hang out...and of course attend the conference together. It just so happened that he brought me some gifts. One gift was several pounds of pecans.

A short time later another friend came back from a trip to Guatemala and gave me a package of Chile Coban, a very specific tasting dried pepper with a bit of smoke flavor. 

[Fast Forward a bit in time...]

Around the Fall holidays I was using a spiced nut recipe because I wanted to create some Christmas gifts and snacks that had a personal touch. But I was very unhappy with the results I was getting from a highly rated internet recipe. BAM! I had a stroke of genius, "Tyrone, why don't you just create your own recipe and use what you have on hand?!". [You won't ever convince me talking to yourself doesn't have its benefits!] And that's how this recipe came to be! 

A personal "Thanks!" goes out to Gary H. and PW. (aka - Pastor Will). This recipe has been tested by hundreds of palates by now with great reviews. The "heat" in this recipe is only noted in taste, not burn.

PS. To all my food service friends, this makes a full sheet pan (2 or 3 of the home cookie/sheet pans) These are best a couple days after making, they get a little crunchier and taste seems to "mature".

Ingredients

3 egg white
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground cloves
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Chile Coban

Or use cayenne, chipotle powder, something with some heat you like.

3 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 pounds pecan halves

Or walnuts, mixed nuts, BUT pecan is my favorite for this.

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or parchment paper.

In a large bowl beat egg white until foamy. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, salt, Chile Coban, (or substitute), and vanilla.

Whip to "melted marshmallow consistency" Add nuts, and stir to coat. Spread evenly onto prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, until well toasted and golden brown. Remove from oven, and cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

The end result...

And it's delicious!

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Grilled Chicken Tortilla Soup

On the Anastasis & Africa Mercy we served chicken tortilla soup with fresh chips (corn tortillas cut in wedges, fried, & salted) and salsa, often serving rice as well. On the Caribbean Mercy we bought the chips, there were no fryers on board. This recipe tastes so much better just grilling the chicken but I have a few other options I think you should try as well.

I won't bore you with the bulk preparations from the galley but walk you thru a recipe that's close to mine (for home use) that is from allrecipes.com: chicken tortilla soup -->

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chili powder

I omitted the chili powder and use chipotle peppers or roasted cumin instead -- much better taste. Chipotle peppers are smoked & dried Jalapeno peppers, not as hot and adds great smoky taste. Next, use a dry non-stick for toasting some cumin seeds. Then grind up(electric coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, or ziploc bag and hammer! LOL)...this develops a greater, more complex taste to the soup than chili powder.

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Here I would suggest a good brand of Fire Roasted Tomatoes.

• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
• 1 cup white hominy

If you are not a hominy person, leave it out

• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces

Let's grill these chickens, its going to add another dimension of flavor that will make your soup stand-out. Or another good fast option is buying the rotisserie chicken at the grocery store or Sam's/Costco Club and picking the meat off. ***Or if your in California Bay Area Mi Pueblo has an awesome grilled chicken done in front of the store on certain days! (I think the one close to San Jose on Story Road or maybe Capitol) If anybody can get that marinade/rub they are using for THAT chicken I would love it! Been trying for years!

• Fresh tortilla chips

If you can't make fresh chips Chili's chips are a good pickup option without costing much and being 'same day' fresh. Order them to-go.

• sliced avocado
• shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• chopped green onions

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in corn, hominy, chilies, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion.

The way I like to eat it is to put some chips in the bottom of the bowl, put the soup on top, a little cheese, slice of avocado, then (if you have limes) a fresh squeeze of lime juice over the top.

What's the best chicken tortilla soup you have ever had? Recipe or Restaurant?If you have enjoyed this post please help by sharing! (Pinterest buttons also appear on post pictures)
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Packed Lunch

People, feed your children good food.

Over the years I have really paid attention to how kids eat and what's in their packed lunch and I have to say, it's getting bad.

Most meals are carb heavy w/(fattening rich) sauces galore, skinny kids bring lean cuisine and weight watcher meals, and for the parents we know don't cook...yes, we can tell you packed your kids lunch with leftovers from whatever restaurant or take out joint you ate at last night, night after night after...

It's Summertime! If your not going to purchase school lunch this year then lets get a "game plan" together! Start trying out foods this summer to see what your children like. Watch the trash can, it doesn't lie! Start cruising Pinterest like a PRO. Build up a menu of choice you can shop for and throw together quick once school starts. Lets get ahead of this!

Here, let me start you off with some IDEAS!

Once again, I paraphrase a great quote from my friend PW, "Never saw anybody get fat from eating school lunch!".

Recipe is an "Idea"

Jacque Pepin describes it best in this video. Watch it! It's a small investment of time. [3:55]

"Have you ever had a dish turn out wrong no matter how closely you stick to the recipe? According to legendary chef Jacques Pépin, recipes describe a process that can never be duplicated exactly; what you need to understand is the “idea” behind the recipe, and use it as a point of departure."

Who is Jacque? One of the greatest! (at least in my opinion) He was on PBS in the early days with Julia Child.

But Tyrone, you just sent me a recipe for joining your family newsletter! Yes, I did. And will probably include more in future newsletters. People love recipes, and I love to cook and create. We can argue that there are no "original" recipes left and I am ok with that. But I want to give you a starting point in which to find a dish you love to make. A dish you will create yourself and change, tweak, and diversify to make it your own.

For years I never wrote down any recipes. I actually didn't care to do it. I cook from my head and often did the same thing Jacque talked about in this video, using a recipe as a starting point. But it helps to find good starting points. Some of the recipes I will share you may not care for, or, maybe something that is not part of your diet. And that's OK. I get it. I can't reasonably think that you would love everything I put out.

Do your own thing, create.
[For some excellent video on cooking, Jacque Pepin - Fast Food My Way]