HOWDY FRIENDS….from Mexican Food & Gifts To Go
Newsletter, May 2006
www.texmextogo.com
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May begins again…We hope you’ve planted an amazing garden again this year and added pepper plants as well! I know, I remind you every year, but more and more of you are finding how much fun pleasure can be derived from such a plentiful garden, or balcony! You can begin making your homemade salsas by next month! We have flavorful salsa recipes on the website for both, vegetable or fruit salsas that will bring cheers from everyone at your table: http://www.texmextogo.com/SalsaFacts.htm  May is the official salsa month!
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New Products:
These past few weeks, I been enamored by new cooking tools, bunt pans(!) and cooking gadgets out on the market…and of course, after trying them out, you know we’ve brought them into the online store to share with ya’ll!

We decided to have a silicone kitchen gadget party! Who knew a flat whisk would become a fixture at the stove especially when trying to scrape corners…and a two sided spatula, just like twirling a baton really except in the kitchen this means only one spatula rather than two! Please visit our gadget party page, and decide you yourselves if you can live without these cooking tools: http://www.texmextogo.com/store/PPF/parameters/143_2/more_info.asp 

In Texas, we never put our grills away however for our northern buddies we know you can’t wait to start grilling! Take a look at our Texas griddle and bean pot…these cast aluminum pots can be placed over the coals, then onto the table as a perfect serving dish:
http://www.texmextogo.com/store/PPF/parameters/147_2/more_info.asp 

Here is an unexpected treasure: tweezer tongs! No more clumsy tongs laying in the serving platters: http://www.texmextogo.com/store/PPF/parameters/145_2/more_info.asp

And finally someone (not I) thought of making spice jars with varied sides so they fit anywhere including side-by-side: http://www.texmextogo.com/store/PPF/parameters/149_2/more_info.asp 

Now ya’ might be surprised at these next items, bakeware pans, oh they are not only new shapes but now we use them for Mexican layered dips, rice molds, I even made jalapeno cornbread in the mini rosette mold – such a beautiful presentation, out-of-the-ordinary:
http://www.texmextogo.com/store/PPF/parameters/151_2/more_info.asp

Nordic Ware was the manufacturer of the original “bunt pan”, their cake mixes are wonderful as well however it is these new bakeware shapes that open new avenues to old recipes. We’ve even made a layered sandwich in one of the bunt pans!

What a wonderful idea for a gift for Mother’s Day – who are the best bakers in the world? Our mums of course! Giving bakeware as a gift is always welcomed!
For more great ideas... http://www.texmextogo.com/store/PPF/Category_ID/2/products.asp
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New Recipes – We’ve got some great low-fat dishes this month!

Old Fashion Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread – Here’s a simple, good basic Texas cornbread, get that favorite old cast iron skillet out! Great with fresh salads, fruits and salsas in the summertime.

Ingredients
1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
½ cup flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
Vegetable cooking spray

Directions:
Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. Combine egg & buttermilk, and mix with the dry ingredients. Heat 2 small cast iron skillets or 2 cast iron cornbread molds in the oven at 450F. When hot, remove from the oven, and coat with the cooking spray. Spoon the batter into the hot pans, bake at 450F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tip: cast iron pans MUST be HOT before pouring batter!
Yield: 6 servings. 1gram of fat per serving.
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Y’all’s Texas Chicken-Spinach-Rice Ring – The name alone will make you want to try this great recipe! We originally found this recipe 10+ years ago in a “New Tastes of Texas cookbook” – 10 years later, we’re still making it! Now we’ve molded it into the heart bunt mold pan with bite-size fresh veggies in the center – great looking, great tasting too! Besides, we love to just say the name!

Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth, no salt added
1 1/3 cup uncooked long grain rice
Vegetable spray
1 tsp margarine
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
½ cup chopped green onions
½ lb fresh baby spinach, loosely torn
4- 4oz chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
1/2 tsp Cowboy trail dust
http://www.texmextogo.com/store/PPF/parameters/101_3/more_info.asp

Directions
Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in the rice, simmer for 25mts or until the rice is tender and water is absorbed; set aside.
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray, add margarine. Once melted, add mushrooms & onions and sauté until tender. Add spinach, cover & cook 5mts. Drain well!
In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, rice, spinach mixture, and seasoned spice; toss well. Pack into a 5-cup ring mold that has been coated with cooking spray, pressing down firmly with the back of a serving spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 5mts. To keep it warm for a longer period, set the mold in a pan of hot water. Invert onto a serving platter, garnish with cilantro, fresh spinach leaves and hot or cold bite size veggies in the center.
Yield: 7 servings. 4grams fat per serving.
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Avocado & Shrimp Delight – ‘Tis the season for freshness, so let’s take advantage of it! One of my favorite dips served with veggie sticks, toast points or tortilla chips. It doubles beautifully as a side dish to grilled chicken or fish…so you best double this one at the start!

Ingredients
2 tsp fresh lime juice
3 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
Fresh cilantro
1 tsp minced garlic (optional)
1lb cooked shrimp, chopped
1 avocado, chopped

Directions
In a bowl, combine the lime juice, olive oil, peppers salt, pepper, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic. Mix well, let sit for 10mts to allow flavors to blend.
Mix in the shrimp and avocado. Serve right away.

Take a stroll through our recipe section.. http://www.texmextogo.com/Recipes.htm  you'll be there a while!
Watch for our e-books coming very soon on this page! More exciting Tex-Mex and Mexican recipes you'll be able to download!
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Did You Know...
- Storing chili powder at room temperature, in the pantry or spice rack, will eventually deplete its beneficial natural beta-carotene. Best to keep chili powder in a dark, cool place, such as the freezer.
- When grinding or crushing dried hot peppers, wear a dust mask and goggles as the "pepper dust" can get into the eyes and throat.

- One red chili pepper packs 3mg of beta-carotene, 30-50% of the daily recommended allowance.

- Hot chili peppers have long been used as natural remedies for coughs, colds, sinusitis and bronchitis.

- New evidence is surfacing that peppers can help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
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We wish for you the best of May and to those amazing women in our lives, also known as Mom, we wish them all a Happy Mother’s Day!! Visit our gourmet Mexican gift box page, choose the price rage you have in mind and give us a call, we will personalize the items of your choice or just place your order online; don’t forget to add your message which we will hand letter and place inside your gift. You’ve got 2 weeks ‘till deadline, considering 1 week for shipping, you’ve got one week to place your order! If your Mom is still the greatest cook on the earth, she just might enjoy the newest cooking tools mentioned at the start of this letter.

If you think your friends and family might enjoy our information and recipes contained in this newsletter, by all means, pass it on....we love to spread the word about Tex-Mex style Mexican food, cookware and gifts…..we’ll find more to talk to you about next month.

We’re always glad to hear from ya’ll….we’ll be back…

Chef Annie