A homemade chile (chili) powder made from whole, dried, Mexican chiles.
Seed chiles. Place in blender and grind fine. Warning: Do not open lid and sniff until dust settles, unless you want your sinuses cleaned. Add rest of ingredients and blend well. Store in covered container in a dry place.
This recipe is here because Mom would sometimes throw together these ingredients to make a “homemade” snack, even though it was based on processed foods. I’m banking on the fact that cereals back in the 50s and 60s weren’t as laden with preservatives, sugar, and salt as they are these days.
Melt butter. Stir in steak sauce and salt. Add cereals, pretzels and nuts. Mix over low heat until coated. Place on cookie sheet or flat pan and heat in a very slow over (about 250 F) for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes or so. Spread on paper towels to cool.
Wash tomatoes. Chop and cook with onions until soft. Strain and put through sieve or food processor. Add the pickling spice, tied in a cheesecloth bag, the sugar and the vinegar. Simmer for about 1/2 hour and remove spice bag, unless you want a spicier ketchup. Cook for an additional 2 hours. Thicken with arrowroot as desired.
Discovered at El Castillo, Xilitla, Mexico and shared by Gabriela B.
Just outside of Xilitla, at Las Pozas in the state of San Luis Potosí, Mexico, is a singular garden created by Edward James, an English poet and great supporter of the Surrealist movement. The gardens and structures encompass over 80 acres of subtropical coffee-growing rain forest. The structures and winding pathways are magical, sometimes appearing like ghosts swirling out of the humidity-laden air, half-hidden by verdant ferns and dense vegetation. There are crumbling spiral stairways, arched bridges, gigantic painted concrete flower fountains, and sinuous paths overlooking waterfalls and jumbles of moss-covered boulders.
El Castillo, now a guest house in the town of Xilitla, was Edward James´ home during the construction of his dream. This salad dressing is a creation of the El Castillo kitchen and the Danzigers, who were managing the property at the time that our friend Gabriela visited and discovered the fabulous gardens..
Shake all ingredients together well and drizzle on a bed of mixed lettuce.
