Cornbread Redux

Thanksgiving was over in a flash, but what to do  with all of that leftover cornbread dressing?  I decided to make a breakfast/brunch dish that I think turned out to be a winner.  Here is my recipe.


My dressing already had green onions and sausage so I added a can of green chilies and a cup of corn. I formed the dressing into individual patties or cakes and sauteed them in butter until browned on both sides. Then I topped them with eggs and some salsa
verde.  The eggs can be fried or poached depending on your taste.  The remaining cornbread cakes can be frozen before cooking.

So easy and delicious. Some things are just better the second time around.

Autumn in New Mexico

  
Here are some photos taken earlier this month on a trip to Santa Fe. Although I've been several times, this was the first time that I have visited in the fall. It was the perfect time to see the rugged landscape dotted with golden aspens, and enjoy the cool, dry desert air.

     It's that time of year when the dried pepper ristras have been strung and are hanging in the markets.      
                        

The first morning in Santa Fe we headed for Albuquerque early in the morning to see the balloon festival. We were in luck because the ascension of the balloons had been canceled for the two previous days due to winds.

Next on the list was a day trip to Taos which is a beautiful ride. About 30 minutes north of Santa Fe is the tiny village of Chimayo, where a chapel was built in 1816. It is now called el Santuario de Chimayo and is visited by thousands of pilgrims who come for physical and spiritual healing.

Taking the High Road back to Santa Fe offered some beautiful valley views.

There is so much to do and see in this large artist community with its rich cultural heritage. I had never been to the International Folk Art Museum and of course a trip up Canyon Road was a must.

Just a couple of pieces of folk art in the musem

I could spend hours along Canyon Road dipping in and out of the galleries. Here are a few shots I took along the way.

The next day we drove out to Tesuque to the Shidoni Foundry to see the bronzes. If you love sculptures, put this on your "to see" list.

Brent sketching in the sculpture gardens

           

Old mixing cauldron inside the foundry. Saturdays are the best time to go if you want to see the pourings.

Back in Santa Fe we stopped by the Loretto Chapel with its mysterious staircase where my son and his wife were married. Just inside the foyer is this beautiful holy water fountain.

The smell of pinon, adobe architecture and the Sangre de Cristo mountains-it is indeed the "Land of  Enchantment".

Guerilla Art

On Baylor, between 10th and 12th Street, is a growing collection of guerilla art that is drawing a lot of attention. I've been watching it evolve over time and regardless of how you feel about graffiti art, it seems to have become a permanent part of our urban landscape. 

Sometimes the art has a message, sometimes it's purely humorous, but it's often mysterious and provocative. 

It's kind of amazing when you consider that for the most part this is all done undercover in the wee hours. It would be fun if you could actually see the artists at work. On second thought, anonymity is part of its outlaw appeal.

Now that the mornings have turned cooler, it's fun to wander through the downtown farmer's market. They seem to have sprung up everywhere these days fueled by the growing interest in local, organic and sustainable food. There are always the regulars who bring their fresh-off-the-farm harvest, as well as the artisan food vendors who make their products by hand. For most it is a labor of love, and they are eager to share the stories of their boutique businesses. Half the fun of going to the farmer's market is sampling new foods and getting to know the people behind the products.

After nearly ten years, the Texas Olive Ranch in Carrizo Springs bottle the first Texas-made olive oil from their 60 acre orchard. At the Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition in February, they won four medals for their olive oils, competing against 481 extra virgin olive oils from 13 countries. Who said South Texas was only good for growing grapefruit.

I had never heard of Russian kale before, but this farmer sold me on trying it. Below, top chefs check out what will be on tonight's dinner menu.

 

                                                        

Cake and Spoon makes hard to resist super-sized scones, mini quiches and cinnamon rolls

 A chair under the trees was the perfect place to stop and
listen to the lively zydeco band

Saturday and Sunday
Republic Square Park

400 Guadalupe St.
9:00-1:00   Limited free parking