Thinking about a fall getaway?  If you like to cook Southwestern, especially traditional New Mexican dishes and love fall foliage--take advantage of our Super Special Half Price Labor Day special on our fall weekends.

If you come this month to our September 13-15 weekend, you will be able to take in our great State Fair with tons of interesting exhibits, rodeos, stock shows, entertainment, contests and carnival rides.  Some zany foods always make their way into the fair also.

The November 9-11 will still have some foliage display along our Bosque or Rio Grande river.  A favorite in the fall are our famous Balloon rides, which are very available as is a brand spanking new restaurant on top of Sandia Peak--which overlooks Albuquerque.

If you buy before Tuesday, our September and November weekend classes are half price which is such an amazing value.  You get three full participation classes featuring the favorites of New Mexican cuisine, which is perhaps the oldest in all of the Americas.  And, if you are so inclined--wine and beer is available for sipping as you cook.  And Friday night we make Perfect Margaritas! 

In our little village and surrounding area are lots of wineries featuring tastings.  Did you know that before prohibition, New Mexico was the largest wine producing state.  Being in the land of manana--the wineries were very slow to get going again, and California and other areas beat New Mexico to the punch.  

This past Tuesday, we conducted a special private,  full participation class for a fun, fun group of women attending the national "Beer Can Collectors"  Highlights of the class were they made a chorizo-pinon stuffed loin of pork with a Jalapeno Jelly Glaze, Calabacitas and the Tres Leches Cake among several other yummy dishes--all the while, sipping Sauvignon Blanc wine--no beer!  For your near and dearest--create your very own private class--they are loads of fun.  Just email  us at info@janebutelcooking.com or call us at 505-243-2622.  

Here's two of the recipes.

Here's the pork loin recipe and the Tres Leches cake recipe--

CHORIZO AND PINON NUT-STUFFED LOIN OF PORK

Glorious to behold! The red-hued, chile-laden chorizo (Mexican sausage) rolled inside the silken pink -white of the pork roast-crusty with a jalapeno jelly glaze-makes for an inimitably elegant entrée.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

3 ½ to 4 pounds boneless, butterflied loin of pork
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pound chorizo (see Note)
½ cup pinons (pine nuts)
8 ounces Jalapeno Jelly, hot or mild, depending on your taste 

1. Lay the pork roast out flat, with the inside (side from which bone was removed) facing up. Sprinkle with the salt. Remove the casings from the chorizo and place the sausage meat in a bowl. Mix the pinon nuts evenly into the chorizo. Then lay the chorizo in a long roll on the inside of the roast. (If using Italian sausage, or pork sausage, blend in the seasoning first, before adding the nuts.)

2. Bring the two sides together lengthwise. Tie every inch with white cotton twine. Place on a baking pan.

3. Put in the oven and turn to 350F. After the first hour, spread jalapeno jelly on the outside of the roast. Return to the oven and roast and baste every 15 minutes Continue roasting for 1 ½ to 2 hours more, or until 165F on a meat thermometer. Reserve the juices and serve on the side.

Note: If you can't find chorizo, substitute hot Italian sausage and add ½ teaspoon ground cumin and ½ teaspoon crushed Mexican oregano. If hot Italian sausage is not available, use fresh pork sausage and add an additional 2 to 4 tablespoons caribe, or other crushed dried red chile.

TRES LECHES CAKE

(Three Milk Cake)

This very popular cake has many versions. No one is exactly sure about the origin. It can be served many ways, with whipped cream and fresh fruit or a meringue.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking power

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups white sugar (divided)

5 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided)

1 cup milk

1/2 of a 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 of a 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1/3 cup coconut liqueur, Frangelico, Brandy or Chambord 

1-1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

Fresh strawberries, raspberries or other berries

1. Preheat oven to 350° F degrees. Grease and flour a 2-inch-deep round baking pan.

2. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. Cream the butter very thoroughly, until fluffy, then add 1 cup of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy using medium to high speed of electric mixer. Add the eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla. Beat well using high speed of mixer. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well until blended on lowest speed of mixer. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bang cake batter in pan against the counter to remove bubbles in batter. Bake for 30 minutes, or until firm when pressed.

3. When cake has finished baking, cool 15 minutes then remove from pan. Let cool completely. When cake is cooled, cut in half horizontally with a long bladed knife.

4. Combine the milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk with the coconut liqueur, Frangelico, Brandy or Chambord in a large mixing bowl or blender and blend well.

5. Lift the top half of the cake off and set aside. Place the bottom half of the cake on a large serving dish with a rim. Pierce it several times, then slowly pour enough of the milk mixture onto the bottom half of the cake until well saturated. Replace the top half of the cake onto the bottom half, pierce it and carefully pour the remainder of the milk mixture over the top. Pour slowly so that the milk mixture has time to soak into the cake.

6. Soak and chill the cake for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) in refrigerator. Using a whisk or an electric mixer on medium-high speed of electric mixer; whip the cream until foamy, then gradually add ½ cup of sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat on highest speed until stiff. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with fresh fruit.

Note: A 3 egg white meringue could be substituted for the whipped cream. Reduce sugar to 1/4 cup.

See the entire archive of Southwest Recipes to learn more about Cooking with Chiles.