Father's Day is just days away and I am getting calls for gift certificates...a great and personal way to honor your  Father.  Actually,  most agree that experiences top objects in creating lifetime joy and remembrance.  A person will remember what they learned and the fun they had learning long after a cooking class is over and the hints, tips, new friends and the joy of new learning will last a lifetime.  Another object generally will not!

To get  a personal gift certificate just contact us by calling 505-243-2622 or by  emailing us at info@ janebutelcooking.com.  We will  respond and create the certificate which will be good for one year with the potential of extension with known circumstances.  The certificate is emailed to you for printing.  Isn't that easy to give a "lifetime gift"? 

The certificates start at $95 plus tax for one person for a 4 hour full participation class, private classes are also available as are the weekend class for $1050 and for Father's Day is discounted to $787.50, 25% off until midnight Saturday, June 16, 2018.  Our week long class, July 16-20, 2018 is $1950 and is discounted 25% or to $1462.50,  also until Saturday 16 at midnight.  The   day and weekend classes are held regularly throughout the year--the week long class is only conducted one week a year.

Here's to all Father's on their Day!!!

Oaxaca was wonderful!  We toured, cooked, ate at 2 fabulous retaurants together and shopped!  We had our welcome dinner at the Los Danzantes, a beautiful space with delicious food and service--a great way to be introduced to the taste of the  Zapotecs,  who are the bulk of the native population.  Our final dinner was very special also--a Chef's Table 7 course dinner in the historic area near the Zocolo with Rudolfo  Castellanos at his restaurant, Origen....which was beyond fabulous.  Rudolfo himself even served us and each course was served with a  complimentary wine or ale.  We are already beginning our planning for next year--perhaps in March.

Following are two yummy brunch ideas to prepare for your Father. This recipe for Huevos Rancheros is most special prepared this way.  The other recipe is for our favorite Caramel Topped Cinnamon Rolls...no man yet has ever turned these down!

HUEVOS RANCHEROS WITH SONORAN SAUCE

Often found on Mexican restaurants’ menus, but usually made with the house Red or Green  Chile Sauce or a combination of the two,  which is usually not too special .    This Sonorran Sauce  is easy to prepare at home and  really makes  an outstanding , delicious and beautiful presentation.  This sauce can be made in advance so breakfast or brunch is simply a matter of poaching or frying the eggs.

Yield: 4 servings

1 recipe Sonoran Sauce (follows)

8 corn tortillas

8 eggs

1 cup shredded mixed Monterey Jack and Sharp Cheddar cheese

3 Tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, tops included

1 avocado, sliced into thin wedges

1 large tomato, cut into wedges

1. Prepare sauce and keep it warm. Either wrap the tortillas in foil and heat in a 325° F oven 15 minutes or heat 1 minute in a plastic bag in a microwave oven. Preheat an oven to 350 F. and place 4 serving plates in the oven.

2. Fry or poach the eggs. Assemble the dish by placing 2 tortillas on each plate; top each with an egg, then pour about 1/2 cup of sauce over each , dividing the sauce equally among the 4 servings.

3. Sprinkle ¼ cup shredded cheese and a few green onion slices over each serving. Place plates back in the oven only long enough to melt the cheese, about 5 minutes. Garnish each plate with avocado and tomato wedges. Pass warm tortillas separately, if desired.

Sonoran Sauce

Yield: 2 cups

1 Tablespoon butter

1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tablespoon flour

6 green chiles, parched, peeled and cut into 1-inch-wide slices

1 ½ cups chicken broth

½ teaspoon salt

2 medium-size tomatoes, cut into wedges (do not add if freezing--wait to add to sauce just before serving.)

1. Heat butter in a skillet.  Add onion and garlic, and cook until onion is softened. Stir in flour until well blended.

2. Add chiles, broth and salt. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is slightly thickened, then cook about 5 minutes to blend flavors. Add the tomato wedges and cook very slightly.  Serve as a sauce with burritos, or use as a sauce over poached eggs atop tortillas for Huevos Rancheros.

Recipe reprinted with permission from  "Jane Butel’s Southwestern Kitchen".

OUTRAGEOUS CARAMEL PECAN STICKY ROLLS

 This rich, moist dough is just perfect for any favorite cinnamon roll you might like to make. You can make traditional cinnamon rolls like the recipe directs with the caramel and pecans on the bottom or you can make a ring by keeping the dough uncut until you have joined the long roll of stuffed dough together into a ring. Then transfer the ring of dough to a very well greased baking sheet that is big enough to allow the ring to be round. Make slashes ¾ of the way deep into the stuffed dough and then pull each cut section and fan it out, making an attractive ring of cinnamon rolls.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Temperature: 375 F

Baking Time: 25 to 30 minutes

1 package or 1 scant Tablespoon active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water

¾ cup warmed milk (30 seconds in a microwave oven)

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 ½ cups to 5 cups all purpose flour, stirring the flour to fluff, then spooning into a dry measuring cup

Caramel Pecan Filling:

½ cup melted butter, divided

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed, divided

¾ cup pecan halves, divided

2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, sugar, salt, eggs, butter, and about half of the flour. Mix using a dough hook until a soft dough results. Continue to add flour about ½ cup at a time until a firm dough results. Place on lightly floured board and knead to develop the gluten. When well kneaded, the dough should be firm and satiny and a small pinch of dough when pulled apart result in strings.

2. Place the mixing bowl over dough and let rise until doubled. When dough has doubled, roll into a rectangle about 15 by 9 inches. Spread with ¼ cup of the melted butter allowing about a 1 inch margin with no butter on the far side of the longest side, placing the remaining butter in the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2 inch pan. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over the dough. placing the remaining sugar evenly sprinkled across the butter. Place half the pecans over the dough and the remaining half over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon. Roll the dough lengthwise and seal together by pinching the long edge tightly. Cut into 15 to 16 slices and place on top of the butter sugar mixture.

3. Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place and allow to double in bulk, then place in a preheated oven to bake until lightly golden. Immediately turn out of pan onto a platter and scoop out the remaining caramel over the top of the rolls. Enjoy the finger licking fun!