Red Chile Sauce

October8

Cooler weather makes me crave things that are warm and spicy… like this tangy rich Guajillo Chile Sauce made from beautiful dried red chile pods.

Salsa de Guajjillo

The earthy guajillo (pronounced gwah-HEE-yoh) chile makes a wonderful sauce because it’s got a complex fruity flavor that delivers a subtle kick at the end without setting your face on fire.

This chile sauce really lets you live a little: put a warm spoonful on scrambled eggs, marinate skinless chicken breasts, rub it into a steak or swirl it into some hummus… an easy way to elevate any flavor profile.

And, yes, it is the perfect Enchilada Sauce.

Salsa de Guajillo

You can find these chilies in ethnic food stores or larger supermarkets. If guajillos aren’t available, dried anchos chilies are a nice substitute… but your sauce will be a little bit spicier.

Here’s a fun fact: in Spanish, guajillo means “little gourd” because the seeds rattle around inside the dried pepper. I know, I know… I’ve got too much useless information rattling around inside MY head.


Plated + Served: Puff-Pastry Straws

April5

Here’s a fun and familiar recipe for your weekend celebration.

But first, a question: Are Puff-Pastry Straws a light snack to enjoy before dinner? Or do you serve them with the meal as the bread pairing?

Regardless, this Puff-Pastry Straw recipe is so easy to make you should enlist one of the older kids (or a volunteer) to do the honors. (I will admit that these directions are very detailed because Mama ALWAYS has issues making any kind of bread and I want to spare you that pain.)

But who ever is tasked with making the Straws, you might ask them to double the recipe… everyone seems to devour these right out of the oven, before they ever get to the dinner table!

 

 

Hi…
I’m Christina Chavez

I was a TV journalist for many years, but with a house full of kids I decided to come off the road, go to culinary school and follow my passion for cooking. Mama’s High Strung is all about food… everything from creative recipe ideas to some really cool kitchen gadgets and cooking tips. I live in Chicago, but I love to travel and write about my food discoveries! You can reach me by email: mamashighstrung@gmail.com