Feliz Navidead

by Ann Myers

  Dishes went around the table again, and I couldn’t resist a few more tastes. By the end of the meal, I’d discreetly loosened my belt by a notch. I leaned back in my chair, gazing into Flori’s living room, where her great-grandkids played with old-fashioned Lincoln Logs, and Winston snuggled up by the fireplace with Flori’s big orange cat and a niece’s shivery Chihuahua.

  Mr. Peppers and his friend Sidekick had returned home for the holidays, but not before taking an encore walk around the Plaza on Christmas morning. We’d all gone to see them off. Peppers had mostly behaved. He’d only stolen one hat and a croissant. Sidekick had eaten a wreath.

  “I’m so glad we did this,” Mom said, later, as some of us bundled up for a brisk walk around the block before tackling dessert.

  “Me too. Flori makes a wonderful holiday meal,” I said.

  Mom agreed that the meal was wonderful. “I meant, I’m glad we had this time together, Rita. Time to bond and share.”

  We’d bonded, all right, under the worst of circumstances. I started to apologize for the holiday that wasn’t filled with peace or goodwill or even a proper molded gelatin salad.

  Mom stopped me. “It’s been lovely. Let’s hope next time I visit, though, there’s less excitement.”

  “You’ll come back?” I asked, surprised.

  Mom smiled. “Of course. But I’ll need more of that oxygen. And I still can’t tolerate beans for breakfast or hot chile and you really should consider getting a larger place with a real guest bed and . . .”

  Ahead of us, Jake and Celia lobbed snowballs to Winston. Flori modestly pointed out a knit-embellished stop sign, and the adobe walls were iced with picture-perfect snow. I still hadn’t decided whether I’d seek out my wayward father. Part of me thought he didn’t deserve it. Another part was curious about the man who disappeared. What I did know was that I had some of the best Christmas gifts ever. Mom and Celia were safe, a murderer languished in jail, and I was the proud owner of a brand-new, hand-knit ski mask.

  Recipes

  Flori’s Holiday Posole

  Servings: about 6

  Ingredients

  1 onion, diced

  2–3 cloves garlic, minced

  1½ lb. pork, cut into bite-sized cubes (pork shoulder or loin, trimmed of fat)

  6 c chicken or vegetable broth or water

  1½ c frozen posole (rinsed several times in warm water) or canned hominy (rinsed)

  1 bay leaf

  1 c red chile sauce (recipe below)

  Red chile sauce

  1 T olive oil or lard

  1 T flour

  1 clove garlic, minced

  3 T powdered red chile, preferably New Mexican (start with mild and add heat as desired)

  1 c water

  Pinch of dried oregano

  ¼ t salt (or more to taste)

  Dash of red wine or cider vinegar

  Toppings

  Choose your favorites: Chopped cilantro, diced avocado, thin radish slices, crumbly Mexican cheese, sour cream or Mexican crema, toasted tortilla strips, lime wedges.

  Directions

  In a large soup pot, sauté the onions until tender. Add minced garlic and stir for a few minutes. Add the cubed pork, broth, rinsed frozen posole (if using canned hominy, wait until the final step and add with the chile sauce), and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, skim off any froth, and then lower heat and simmer until the pork and posole are tender, about 2 to 3 hours. Note that some stew meats may take longer, so it’s best to start early or a day ahead.

  While the pork and posole are cooking, make the red chile sauce. Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add flour and stir until it’s golden. Next, stir in garlic, then the red chile. Mix the paste around for a minute or two to bring out the flavor. Whisk in the water until smooth. Add oregano and salt and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in dash of vinegar. Set aside.

  When the pork and posole are tender, add the red chile. If using canned posole, add it now. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serve with warm tortillas and the optional toppings.

  Quick options: This stew can also be made with leftover rotisserie chicken or roasted pork. Use canned hominy and combine all ingredients. Simmer for about 15 minutes, season, and garnish as above.

  Noche Buena Salad

  Noche Buena, or the Good Night, refers to Christmas Eve and is often the night of the biggest feast in Spanish-influenced cultures. There are a lot of variations of this salad, so feel free to improvise with a colorful mix of fruits and vegetables.

  Servings: 4

  Ingredients

  2 oranges, sliced with pith removed as much as possible.

  1 crisp apple, sliced thinly

  1–2 firm bananas, sliced (slice and add to salad immediately before serving)

  1½ c jicama, peeled and cut into matchstick slices

  ½ c thinly sliced radishes

  1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced (optional)

  Dressing

  ¼ c fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime) and zest (about 1 t)

  3 T sour cream or yogurt

  3 T mayonnaise

  1 T honey

  Salt and pepper to taste

  Toppings

  3 T chopped cilantro

  3 T chopped salted or unsalted roasted peanuts (optional)

  3 T pomegranate seeds

  Base

  Bibb lettuce leaves, washed and dried

  Directions

  Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together. Taste for balance of tangy, salty, and sweet. Prepare the fruits and vegetables. The radish, jicama, pepper, and oranges can be prepared ahead. If preparing the apple in advance, dress with lime or lemon juice to prevent browning. Slice the bananas at the last minute. When ready to serve, arrange the fruits and vegetables on top of the lettuce. Drizzle with dressing. Top with cilantro, pomegranate, and peanuts.

  Note: The ingredients are flexible. Try red grapefruit in addition to orange, or add thin slices of red onion or juicy mango.

  Mom’s Monkey Bread

  One bread, two flavor options: savory mustard herbs and cheesy green chile

  Makes one big Bundt loaf

  Ingredients

  Bread

  4 T butter

  1½ c milk (any sort) or water

  1 T honey or sugar

  1 envelope active dry yeast (2¼ t)

  1½ t table salt

  ~3½–4 c all-purpose flour

  Cheesy green chile flavoring

  ~½ c roasted green chiles, diced. You can use freshly roasted, frozen (thawed), or canned (drained; use one 4½ oz. can). If using whole roasted chiles, remove charred skin and seeds before chopping.

  3 T butter, melted

  2 c shredded cheese (a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack works well)

  2 cloves garlic, minced (or more or less to taste)

  3 T chopped cilantro (optional)

  2 T chopped chives or green onion (optional)

  1 t dried oregano

  Savory mustard and herbs flavoring

  4 T butter

  1 small onion, finely diced

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  2½ T whole grain mustard

  1 T chopped fresh parsley OR 1 t dry parsley flakes

  1 T chopped fresh sage OR 1 t dry sage leaves

  ½ T chopped fresh rosemary OR ½ t dry rosemary leaves

  ½ T chopped fresh thyme OR ½ t dry thyme leaves

  Directions

  Make the dough first so it can start rising. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add milk and gently warm. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Test the temperature. The milk should be warm, about 95–115°F, or comfortable to touch to the inside of your wrist. (If the milk is too hot, it could kill your yeast). Sprinkle in the sugar and dry yeast. Whisk and set aside. In five or ten minutes, the yeast should be bubbling and frothing on the surface. If nothing happens after 15 minutes, your yeast could be dead. Start over with a fresh batch.

  Next, sti
r in salt and then half of the flour. Keep adding flour until you have a soft, shaggy dough. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the surface. The amount of flour can vary depending on the humidity of your kitchen. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is elastic and supple. You can also knead using a KitchenAid with a dough attachment.

  Clean and butter the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it over once to coat in butter. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, humid place to proof. A good proofer is your microwave. Boil a mug of water, then push it to the back of the microwave and tuck in the dough bowl. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

  While the dough is proofing, make the flavoring mixture of your choice.

  Cheesy green chile flavoring: Make sure the green chiles are drained and as dry as possible. Keep butter aside. Mix all other ingredients in a low, flat bowl (such as a pie plate). Store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble.

  Savory mustard and herbs flavoring: Melt butter in a skillet. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Mix in garlic and stir for a minute or two. Stir in mustard and then herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. When ready to assemble the bread, reheat slightly to melt again, if necessary.

  To assemble and bake: Prepare a tube or Bundt pan by coating in oil or butter. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into quarters. Roll each quarter out into approximately 1½-inch-wide, 12-inch-long logs. Then cut into approximately equally sized pieces (about the size of a large walnut). You can either form the pieces into balls or use them as they are. For the cheesy green chile option, melt the butter. Roll each dough ball in butter and then the cheese mixture. For the savory herbs option, roll each piece in the mustard, onion, and herb mixture. It’ll be a little messy but worth it.

  Arrange the coated dough in the pan. Don’t worry if the level or coverage is a bit off; the dough will fill in gaps as it rises. If it looks like you’re going to have extra flavoring mixture, sprinkle it on top of the dough balls as you go. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes. Toward the end of the proofing, preheat the oven to 375°F.

  Bake approximately 35–40 minutes, until golden. Let rest in the pan for about 15 minutes. Tip upside down onto a rack. If you like, you can then flip the bread right-side up. Cool for at least half an hour before serving. Serve on a plate and let guests tear off individual pieces.

  Note: If you don’t have a Bundt pan, you can use regular bread pans or baking tins and adjust the baking time (a little less time for thinner or smaller breads). This is a great bread to take to potlucks since it’s so pretty and diners can serve themselves.

  Bizcochitos

  Bizcochito traditionalists swear by lard for proper flavor and texture. If you don’t have lard or prefer not to use it, shortening or butter can be substituted. You can also spice up your cookies by adding some chile powder to the cinnamon sugar.

  Makes approximately four dozen cookies (depending on size)

  Ingredients

  1½ c lard (or substitute shortening or butter)

  ¾ c sugar

  1 egg

  1–1½ T anise seeds, crushed lightly

  3 c all-purpose flour

  1½ t baking powder

  ½ t salt

  ¼ c brandy, sherry, or other sweet wine or anise-flavored liqueur, OR apple or orange juice

  Cinnamon sugar topping

  5 T sugar

  3 t ground cinnamon

  ¼–½ t powdered red chile (optional)

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the lard, shortening, or butter until it is light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue to mix. Next, mix in egg and anise seed.

  In separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture and brandy or orange juice to the creamed egg mixture until you have a soft but not sticky dough. If you’re baking in a dry region and the dough seems too stiff, add a little more orange juice or brandy.

  Knead gently and form the dough into a disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about an hour (or longer) for easier rolling. When ready to bake, mix the cinnamon, sugar, and powdered chile (if using). Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thick.

  Cut the cookies using your favorite cutter. Round or rosette shapes are popular. You can also simply cut the dough diagonally to form diamond shapes. Excess dough can be re-rolled; try to handle it as little as possible to keep the dough tender.

  After cutting, press the top of each cookie into the cinnamon sugar and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little extra cinnamon sugar.

  Bake until lightly golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on a rack. Bizcochitos store well in a sealed container, if you can resist eating them all.

  Lorena’s Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

  Makes one pie

  Ingredients

  Crust

  1⅔ c gingersnap cookie crumbs (whirl in a food processor, or place in a bag, cover with a tea towel, and pound lightly with a rolling pin)

  5 T melted butter or margarine

  1 T sugar

  Pinch of salt

  Pie

  15 oz. can of pumpkin

  1 c dark brown sugar

  2 t ground ginger

  2 t cinnamon

  ¼ t freshly ground nutmeg

  ¼ t allspice

  ¼ t ground cloves

  ½ t salt

  ½ c heavy cream

  ⅔ c milk (any kind)

  4 eggs, whisked

  1 t vanilla extract

  Crust: Mix all ingredients and press into a pie dish (use the back of a spoon or metal measuring cup to press in the buttery crumbs). Chill until firm. Heat oven to 375°F. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.

  Raise oven temperature to 400°F. Make sure a rack is available at the lower third of your oven. Prepare filling.

  Pie filling: If you have a food processor, whirl the pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt together for a minute or two. Alternatively, use a blender or whisk. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and warm to a simmer (be careful of sputtering pumpkin, and don’t bother to clean the mixing bowl since you’ll reuse it). Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Whisk in cream and milk and gently warm. Remove from heat.

  In the mixing bowl, blend eggs and vanilla. Add a little of the warm pumpkin mixture to the eggs to temper them. Then add the rest of the pumpkin (or half if you’re about to overflow your food processor bowl) and blend. Combine all the filling if you haven’t already.

  Place the pie pan on a cookie sheet for easy handling. Pour the warm filling into the crust and bake on lower rack for about 40–45 minutes, until edges are puffed and set and middle is still a little jiggly. Turn halfway through baking. Be careful not to overbake, or you’ll get cracking (though whipped cream can cover that!) Let cool for several hours. Serve with whipped cream.

  Southwest Spice Mix

  Use as a dry rub for poultry, a seasoning for roasted potatoes, or a spice for soups.

  Make a big batch and put in small spice bottles for holiday gifts.

  Makes about ⅓ cup

  2 T red chile powder (mild, medium, or hot, to taste)

  1 T coriander

  1 t cumin

  1 t garlic powder

  1 t dried oregano

  1 t kosher salt

  1 t cracked black pepper

  Mix all ingredients and store in a sealed jar or plastic bag. When using for turkey or chicken, carefully loosen the skin and rub spice mixture and butter under and over the skin before roasting. If using hot chile, be sure to wear plastic gloves.

  Acknowledgments

  I wish to thank all those who helped and supported me in writing this book. Many thanks to my wonderful agent, Christina Hogrebe, and the Jane Rotrosen Agency for believing in the Santa
Fe Café Mystery series and finding it such a wonderful home at William Morrow/HarperCollins. To Emily Krump, my fabulous editor, thank you so much for your insight and guidance. I am humbled to have an amazing team from HarperCollins behind me, including publisher Liate Stehlik; marketing director, Shawn Nicholls; Karen Davy and Greg Plonowski in production; and publicist, Emily Homonoff.

  I am forever grateful to my family, my most enthusiastic and steadfast supporters, especially my husband Eric, for everything, and my grandmother Mary, who still has a kid’s love for Christmas.

  Rita, Flori, and their friends, as well as some aspects of their Las Posadas performance, are flights of fiction. Like Rita, however, I am entranced by Santa Fe, a truly special place. Thanks to friends and acquaintances in New Mexico who have made it even more special.

  About the Author

  ANN MYERS, her husband, and extra-large housecat live in Colorado but, like Rita, feel most at home in Santa Fe. Follow Ann’s writing, cooking, and Southwest adventures at www.facebook.com/AnnMyers.writer.

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  By Ann Myers

  Bread of the Dead

  Cinco De Mayhem

  Feliz Navidead