Southwest Feasting

Food in the Southwest to me was great. Good steaks and good Mexican and Tex-Mex food.  Lower transportation costs is perhaps why the food is much cheaper. One of our bargains was an all you can eat buffet at Sirloin Stockade in Kingsville, Texas. For only $8.59 you could you fill your plate from 4 tables of vegetables, salads, fruit salads, desserts, meats, including sirloin. The food was very tasty.

At the Lodge in Big Bend National Park, the view was spectacular.

I was really happy with their Huevos Rancheros. The eggs were served on a tortilla, scrambled perfectly with green chile sauce, and garnished with sour cream, shredded cheese and salsa.

 

Huevos Rancheros at Chisos Mountain Lodge in Big Bend Narional Park

Recipe coming soon.

Weird Name for a Town, Good Green Chile Apple Pie
The specialty in Pie Town, New Mexico is Green Chile Apple Pie, made with green chiles and piñon nuts.

               Green Chile Apple Pie

 

         Green Chile Apple Pie at Daily Pie

Apples
4 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 c. sugar
4 T. flour
2 t. cinnamon
3/4 t. nutmeg
2 ounces of New Mexican (Hatch) green chili, hot or mild (canned or frozen chiles are okay)
2 ounces of pinon (pine) nuts (toasted in a skillet)
1 T lemon juice
Peel, core and put apple slices into large mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients mix well. Set aside to blend flavors while the crust is being prepared.

Crust
3 cups of flour
1/4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 c. salted butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 egg
1 T. white vinegar
1/2 c. ice cold water

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter and shortening to pea sized pieces with pastry knife or fork and knife(do not use your hands yet). In separate bowl, mix egg, vinegar and water. Add wet mix to flour mixture small amounts at a time and blend with spoon or pastry cutter until dry ingredients are moist and form a ball (more or less water may have to be added depending on moisture content of flour).
Roll into a ball wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Divide dough into four sections. Roll out one section on a floured board to fit 9” pie pan. Put crust into pan. Place apple mix, mounded in the center. Top with one rolled section of crust. Flute edges, cut vent holes into top crust. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle natural sugar on top (optional). Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, turn, then 400 degrees for 45 minutes to an one hour. Pie is done when golden brown and juices bubble thickly around the outer edge. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Source: Daily Pie in Pie Town, New Mexico
posted at http://northernnewmexicoranchito.blogspot.com/2011/04/pietowns-new-mexican-apple-pie.html accessed December 21, 2012

Supermarkets!
Shopping all over the Southwest was a joy. So much first class produce at very low prices. They had good sandwich shops in the stores too. If you wanted to practice your Spanish, go ahead, the friendly (and patient) clerks all speak Spanish!

Prices are low and the produce is fresh and top quality in the Southwest.