Mexican fusion: Chili con carne, Mexican pickled carrots, Corn-bread Poblanos, Lime pie

I had book-club over for dinner.

We just finished reading "Still Alice", a powerful account of Alzheimers.
The best thing about hosting book club is that I get to pick the next book! So I chose "The Elegance of the Hedgehog", a book my mother brought for me from Italy (translated in Italian, yeah!) last time she visited. It has been a great success in Europe and is now conquering readers also in the US. Can't wait to start!

It's typical for the book-club host to serve soup, salad (or side) and dessert.
I thought about something with a theme and since I JUST recently had made chili and saved some of my spice mix, I went with a pseudo Mexican dinner:
Chili con carne, Mexican Style Pickled Carrots, Corn-bread stuffed Poblanos, and Lime pie.
I am uually not one to use short-cuts, but for this dinner I used a few (using the cornbread mix for the poblanos and the condensed milk for the dessert). And it was great! :)

Chili con carne
Refer to my previous post for the recipe.
Note that I kept the soup hot on the stove and allowed everyone to serve themselves.
I also set on the counter a few bowls of various toppings that everyone got to choose from: avocado slices, cilantro, lime wedhes, Mexican cheese blend, sour cream and salsa.

Mexican Style Pickled Carrots
I made extra of these and saved them in a jar in my refrigerator, to allow them to marinate a few more days.

Adapted from the "Fresh approach cooking" blog
Makes 1-½ cups
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced on an angle
1-2 large jalapenos, sliced into thick rounds
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 small white onion, minced
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
Toss together the carrots and jalapenos and fit into a large glass container (with a lid). In a large sauce pan, combine the garlic, oregano, onion, vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer for two minutes. Carefully pour the vinegar mixture over the carrot mixture until it covers all the vegetables, and allow to cool on the counter top. (Leftover liquid should be discarded) When cool, cap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Can be kept for up to two months.

Corn-bread filled Poblano Peppers

This recipe is from Quick Fix with Robin Miller
Serves 6
1 (7 ounce) box corn muffin mix
1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 (7 ounce) jar chopped pimiento
3 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
6 poblano peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
Prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions, adding cheese, pimentos and cilantro when you add other ingredients.
Arrange poblano pepper halves on prepared baking sheet and fill each pepper with an equal amount of corn muffin mix.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in 1 muffin comes out clean. Serve and enjoy!


Lime pie (eeeeasy!!!)

This is a recipe adpted from Nestle.
1 package (6 ounces) Maria cookies (or Graham crackers), crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 C. about 3 fresh limes, lime juice
1 tsp. grated lime peel (plus more to decorate)
2 c. sweetened whipped cream (or frozen non dairy whipped topping, thawed)
Mix cookie crumbs, butter and sugar in ungreased 9-inch springform pan (or use individual forms – which is what I did); press firmly onto bottom.
Beat sweetened condensed milk and lime juice in small mixer bowl until combined; stir in lime peel.

Pour into crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.
Top with whipped topping and lime zest.