Chocolate chip pecan cookies...with bacon grease

Does the world really need another chocolate chip cookie recipe? I’d say probably not. But when someone mentioned to me that they made their chocolate chip cookies with bacon grease, well, my curiosity was piqued.

Do you cook with bacon grease? I use it all the time for savory applications—in my refried beans, in my cornbread, in my cream gravy and in my okra, to name just a few places this fat is most welcome. Why do I use it? Well, I just love how with just one dollop you can propel a dish from mundane to magical. But using bacon grease for something sweet? For some silly reason, this had never crossed my mind.

Now, if you’re not already saving your bacon grease and you’re a bacon eater—I highly recommend this practice. You know that coffee can your great-grandmother always kept by the stove? Yep, that’s where she stored her bacon grease, within easy reach for cooking. I’m not so brave, however, so I keep my bacon grease in a Mason jar in the refrigerator; I recommend you do the same. I reckon it keeps for a few months, though I use it so often I’ve never had the chance to test this theory.



As for the cookies, I’d wanted to make a recipe that I found in my great-grandma Blanche’s collection that called for buttermilk, which also seemed like an unusual ingredient. And as our great-grandmother’s were the arbiters of thrift, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that perhaps she made cookies with bacon grease as well.

After taking all sorts of liberties with the recipe, I ended up with a very interesting cookie. It’s full and round, which I attribute to the bacon grease, which burns at a higher temperature than butter so it’s less likely to spread and become crisp. And the center is almost cake like, which probably comes from the buttermilk. (Though I’m no scientist so please don’t hold me to these theories.)

I baked the first batch with chocolate chips and pecans, which was a classic combination. The second batch, however, I was out of pecans so I substituted crunch peanut butter instead and I think I liked this version even more.



So yes, this is a darn fine cookie, but I know what you’re really wondering: does it taste like bacon? Actually no. If you concentrate really hard you might detect some smoked-pork undertones, but for the most part it’s simply a soft, luscious cookie in search of a hungry mouth and a tall glass of milk. And I’m good with that.

Do you ever make sweet things with bacon grease?

Chocolate chip pecan cookies...with bacon grease
Ingredients:
1/2 cup bacon grease
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup roasted chopped pecans
2 cups chocolate chips

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a cookie sheet.

Cream together the bacon grease, butter, sugar. Add the egg, buttermilk and vanilla and beat until fluffy.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cayenne and add to butter, sugar and egg mixture. Beat until well incorporated and then stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. 


Roll dough into walnut-sized balls, place on parchment-sheet lined cookie sheets and bake for 17 minutes.

Yield: about 40 cookies

Variation: You can swap out the pecans for 1/2 cup peanut butter. Also, if you want a flatter cookie, press down on the dough ball with a fork before baking.

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Chipotle chicken taco recipe

If you’re like me, you’ve been sneezing nonstop the past few days. I thought I had a cold until I looked at the calendar and realized what was really happening with my nose—it was an attack of the histamines. Howdy seasonal allergies, you’re right on schedule! And that means it’s time for chipotle chicken tacos.

I’ve had bad allergies all my life. When I lived in Houston it was the spring that made my nose explode and eyes water for two weeks. My mom would provide me with those little purse-packs of tissues, but that was never enough and you’d soon find me walking around with a roll of toilet paper that I’d grabbed from the school bathroom. I concede that wasn’t very ladylike but at least the toilet paper was softer than the lunchroom paper napkins.

When I lived in Austin, I got slammed in the winter with the dreaded cedar fever. It affected me so badly that one day my boss thought I had the flu and told me to go home. “But it’s just allergies from cedar pollen. I’m not actually contagious,” I said, but she insisted I leave, which was a very kind thing to do.



I thought when I moved to New York that I would finally escape the plight of allergies and for a few years I did. But a few years ago one fall morning I woke up almost unable to breathe and it’s been an annual curse of autumn allergies ever since.

Now, if I told you that I’d found a cure for seasonal allergies, would you believe me? Of course not! You can only suppress the symptoms until whatever it is that’s making you sneeze goes away. But two things always help me feel better when I’m in this state—chicken and chiles—and so I made a batch of shredded chipotle chicken tacos to help fight the histamines and make the allergy invaders go away.

Why does this work for me? Well, there’s plenty of chicken, which has been proven to help reduce congestion. And there’s enough fire from the chipotles to help clear your head. An added bonus is that I use a whole chicken so there’s plenty of leftover broth to sip until your allergies have finally gone away.



I certainly can’t make any guarantees that chipotle chicken tacos will help you stop sneezing, but they certainly can’t hurt and as well, they simply taste good, too. And hey, if you’re fortunate enough to not have allergies, don’t feel excluded—these tacos can be enjoyed by anyone! But if you are suffering from allergies right now, I hope that you feel better soon.

Chipotle chicken tacos

Ingredients for the chicken:
1 whole chicken, cut into quarters
4 cloves garlic, peeled and whole
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into quarters
1 stalk of celery, cut in half
1 leafy stem of cilantro
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of peppercorns
1 tablespoon of salt

Ingredients for the chipotle salsa
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups crushed canned tomatoes
2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo
1/4 medium yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground allspice
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Tortillas, lime wedges and salsa for serving

Method:
Place the chicken in a large pot along with the garlic, onion, celery, cilantro, bay leaf, pepper and salt. Cover with water (about a gallon), bring the pot to a boil and then simmer 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the pot and when cool enough to handle, remove the skin and shred either with your hands or two forks.

Meanwhile, strain the cooled broth, throwing out the vegetables. Remove the fat from the broth with a gravy separator. Or you can take a quart-sized plastic storage bag and pour some broth into it. Snip a bottom corner of the bag and drain the broth, stopping when you get to the fat layer that is on top. (You will probably have to do this in batches).


Place 1/2 cup of the chicken broth into a blender, reserving the rest for another use. Add to the blender the tomatoes, chipotle chiles, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, allspice, cilantro and lime juice. Blend until smooth. In a medium-sized pot, heat up the oil on medium low heat. Pour the chipotle salsa into the pot and cook while occasionally stirring for 15 minutes. It should be a bit darker in color and a bit thicker. Add salt and black pepper to taste and adjust seasonings. With the heat still on, add the shredded chicken to the pot and stir until the chicken is well coated and has been re-heated, about 5-10 minutes.

Serve shredded chipotle chicken with warmed-up corn or flour tortillas, limes and any of your other favorite taco toppings and your favorite salsa. I like to use this tomatillo salsa verde.

Yield: 4 servings

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Chiles en nogada

I used to be scared of chiles en nogada. Not to eat them—heck, I’d devour this dish anytime it was on offer. But making chiles en nogada seemed like a very frightening proposition. I’d read stories about people spending days soaking the fruit for the piccadillo filling. I’d hear tales about how difficult it was to peel the walnuts for the sauce. And I’d see people argue about how one’s interpretation of chiles en nogada wasn’t nearly as authentic as another’s version of the dish. It was enough to put me off from ever making it.

If you’re not familiar with chiles en nogada, it’s a Mexican dish traditionally served in late August and early September that’s said to have been created by Pueblan nuns back in the 1820s. The dish is comprised of a poblano chile that's stuffed with a sweet and savory pork picadillo that’s studded with nuts, in-season fruits and dried fruits as well. And then the filled chile pepper is draped in an elegant walnut-cream sauce and garnished with pomegranate seeds that sparkle like rubies.

Because of the dish’s seasonality, gorgeous presentation and its Mexican-flag color scheme of red, green and white, it’s the traditional dish served on Mexico’s Independence Day, September 16 or as its known in Spanish, Diez y Seis de Septiembre. And this year’s celebration marks Mexico’s bicentennial, which means it’s a very big day.



Even though Texas successfully fought for its own independence from Mexico, we were once a part of this splendid country and so I definitely plan on celebrating this momentous holiday. And, well, because a bicentennial is quite an anniversary, I decided it was time to take a stab at Mexico’s national dish.

Now, let me preface by saying that my version of chiles en nogada, which was adapted from a Zarela Martinez recipe, takes very little time, which I think is a good thing although others may argue that it’s too simple. But I don’t mind, as my picadillo is flavorful, my walnut sauce is creamy and the ripe pomegranate seeds glisten and pop. And if you’re busy, you can get this version on the table in about an hour.

I wish I were going to be in Mexico on September 16 as I reckon it’s going to be a fine, fine party. But since I can’t be there, I will at least be there in spirit with plates of chiles en nogada on the table—a wonderful way to mark Mexico’s 200 years.



Are you having a Diez y Seis celebration? What are your plans? And if you make chiles en nogada, please feel free to share how you make this stupendous dish!

Chiles en nogada (Stuffed chile peppers in a walnut sauce)
For the chiles:
4 medium-sized poblano chiles
2 teaspoons lard or vegetable oil
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 Roma tomato, cored and chopped (or 1/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes, drained)
1 medium green apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 cup raisins, chopped
1/4 dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste

For the walnut sauce:
1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts
1/2 cup sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk, plus more if desired

For serving:
Seeds from 1 ripe pomegranate
Chopped cilantro

Method:
Roast the poblano chiles under the broiler until blackened, about 5 minutes per side. Place chile in a paper sack or plastic food-storage bag, close it tight and let the chile steam for 20 minutes.

While the chiles are steaming, in a large skillet, on medium, heat up the fat and then add the ground pork. Cook until lightly browned (about 5 minutes) and then add the onions. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes and then stir in the garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme and allspice. Add the chopped tomato, apple, raisins, dried apricots and pecans and add salt to taste. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Take the chiles out of the bag and rub off the skin. Cut a slit into each chile, lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds and pith. Stuff each chile with one fourth of the picadillo filling.

To make the sauce, place the walnuts in an oven set at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove the walnuts, allow them to cool and then rub them to peel off the skin. (Even though it’s traditional to completely peel the walnuts, I wouldn’t stress too much if bits of skin stay on the nuts.) Place the walnuts in a blender along with the sour cream, cream cheese and milk and blend until a smooth, slightly thick sauce forms. Add the cinnamon and salt to taste. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add more milk.

To serve, place a stuffed chile on each plate and pour over it some of the walnut sauce. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and cilantro for garnish.

Serve at room temperature.

Yield: 4 servings

Notes: It’s traditional to add peaches, pears, bananas, potatoes and candied citrus dried fruits to their filling, as well, but to save time I did not. Other variations: For the picadillo, some use shredded pork, while others use ground beef; for the sauce, some people add sherry while others add Worcestershire; and finally, some believe that the chile should be battered and fried.

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Apple dutch baby with green chiles

There’s something about this time of year that makes me feel fresh and crisp, like a first-of-the-season apple. Perhaps it’s the cooler air or perhaps it’s the shorter days, but I feel an urge to get things done

I used to have a high school teacher who would always say to us, “Don’t squander your time!” Of course, when you’re 16 you feel like you have all the time in the world so we’d just laugh at him. But these days, with a serious manuscript deadline pointing at me, I finally understand—make every moment count.

The day after Labor Day was always the first day of school when I was a kid. I miss the anticipation, hope and joy that always came with a return to class. And even though these days most kids have been in school since August, I still think of Labor Day as summer’s last hurrah. It’s a time to slowly slough off the longer, lazier days of the season so you can reveal something more direct and purposeful.



The farmers market reflects this transition with its bounty of both late-summer chile peppers and early arrival autumn apples; it’s a time of two seasons. And while you might not usually associate chile peppers with apples, this is the reason why I think that two go together so well.

If you’re like me, you probably want a heartier breakfast in the cooler months, though if you’re busy you may not have the time to cook an intense morning meal. That’s why I like Dutch babies—a baked pancake that comes together with little effort, yet tastes like you spent hours preparing it.

Apples are a traditional fruit included in this dish, but I think you’ll like it with the addition of green chiles as well. I use jalapeños for their bright heat, but if you’re in Texas and have access to some Hatch chiles, I think they would be a dandy complement to the apples.



I find that Dutch babies keep for a day or so in the refrigerator (I like to eat them cold sometimes). And they travel well. So if you’re visiting friends you haven’t seen for a while, a green-chile apple Dutch baby is a super thing to share when you ask the question, “Say, how was your summer?”

Apple dutch baby with green chiles
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
2 firm cooking apples such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and cut into thin slices
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 jalapeño chile, seeds and stems removed, diced
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, preferably cast-iron, melt the butter on low heat. Add the apples, sugar, cinnamon and salt and while occasionally stirring, cook the apples until soft, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender add the eggs, milk, flour and vanilla and mix until a smooth batter is formed. When the apples are done, sprinkle on top of them the diced chiles and then pour over the apples the batter. Bake uncovered in the oven for 15 minutes or until it’s puffy and an inserted knife pulls out clean.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Yield: 4-8 servings

Note: You can substitute Hatch green chiles or poblano chiles if you like. Just be sure and roast them under the broiler until black, place in a sealed plastic or paper bag for 15 minutes and then peel before chopping. I’ve also substituted half-and-half and buttermilk for the milk on occasion, with delicious results.

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