A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Believe it or not, these delicious and delicate cookies only have 6 simple ingredients.  They are like little bits of the California sunshine in every bite.   Once you bite into them, they just melt in your mouth.  There are two minor negatives, however.  One, the recipe does not make very many, only about 1 1/2 dozen, which brings me to number two.  They do not last very long, especially since it is very hard to stop at just one.  Fortunately though, they are pretty easy to make.  They are the perfect little treat to go with high tea, or to serve beside a dish of sorbet, or even to just enjoy on their own.

 

This is all you need.

 

The process of making cookies.

Pistachio Lemon Drops

1 large egg white

pinch of salt

1 cup toasted, salted pistachios, finely chopped (about 4 1/2 oz) I chopped my nuts in the food processor, by pulsing them until they were finely chopped, but not completely ground up.

1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar

1 TBSP flour

1 tsp lemon juice

 

Preheat oven to 325*F.

Separate the egg.  You Are only using the white.  Add a dash of salt, and use a mixer at high speed to beat the egg white until it forms stiff peaks.  Add your chopped nuts and brown sugar.  Mix at a medium speed until everything is incorporated and blended together well.  Add your flour and lemon juice and mix again.

Use an ice cream scooper that is about 1 1/4 ” and scoop the dough out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, about 2″ apart.  Bake at 325* F for about 15-18 minutes, rotating them at about the half way point.  Let cool.  These can keep in an airtight container for about 3 days, assuming they don’t all get eaten by that time.

As far as cookies go, these are relatively healthy, since they are mostly chopped pistachios.

 

 

 

If a dish or recipe calls for pesto, chances are I am going to love it.  A good, garlicy pesto is one of my favorites.  I love pesto on just about everything.  I am also a good bread lover, so I am just in Heaven when combining both into a roll.  As far as breads go, this is pretty easy to make, although you still have to allow for at least 4 hours from start to finish to allow for the dough to have the 2 necessary rises.  The bread is a nice, soft dough that just kind of melts in your mouth.  This is like a pull-apart mini pizza, and if you wanted to make it more like pizza, you could also add some shredded chicken or pepperoni.  I made my own pesto, but store bought works just fine too.

After the first rising, add the pesto, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and shredded Parmagiano cheese.  If you prefer goat cheese or mozzarella, or another type of cheese, then use what you like.

Roll it into a tight roll and slice with a bread knife.

Arrange the sliced rolls into an 10″ cake pan (preferably with a removable bottom) that has been sprayed with cooking spray, and let rise again for about 45 minutes.

 

The Basic Pull-Apart Bread Dough

2/3 cup warm milk

1 TBSP sugar

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

3 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 tsp salt

The Filling

pesto

sun-dried tomatoes

Parmagiano cheese, or mozzarella or goat cheese, or cheese of your choice

In a mixing bowl, add the milk, sugar and yeast, mix together slightly and let rest for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture becomes frothy or foamy.  This is your starter.  Then add 1 cup of flour and mix at low speed until everything is just combined.  Add the melted butter and 1/2 cup of flour, beat until just combined.  Add the eggs, salt and remaining flour until the dough forms.  It is a soft dough, and will be a little sticky.   Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray, cover and let rise for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Once the dough is ready, on a lightly floured surface, roll your dough out to about 1/4-1/2″ thickness and let set for a few minutes.  Then add your pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and cheese.  Roll up tight and firm, but not to firm.  Then carefully slice with a serrated knife and arrange into a prepared cake pan.  Cover and let rise again for another 45 minutes, once again, letting the dough double in size.

Preheat the oven to 350*F and bake until golden brown or about 30 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for about 30 minutes.

 

*** As you have probably noticed by now, I am not into fancy designer brands of food.  Most often, I use generic brands or store brands.  My two favorites are the Kirkland Brand from Costco and the Kroger Brand from out local King Sooper’s Grocery store.   I have tried many different brands, and on some things I am very brand loyal, however, both of these brands are very good quality brands that are the same if not better than their more expensive counterparts.

 

 

 

If you are over a certain age, then you grew up hearing “don’t play with your food”.   I love playing with my food.  I do it all the time, and come up with some pretty amazingly creative dishes while doing so.  When I get together with good friends who like to play with their food as much as I do, and who are as equally creative, adventurous and experimental as I am, I always have a good time.  You never know what is going to happen next, but almost always, the moments are magical.  We celebrated Cinco de Mayo with some good friends who are just like that.  My friend Janet loves to cook and create in the kitchen just as much as I do.  I made the side dishes and she made the pork adobado, which was out of this world.  It is a rich, bold, spicy pork dish made with a variety of chilies, and cooked nice and slow, giving all the flavors time to really come to life.  We were originally going to serve it over tortillas, but when I brought the pumpkin spice biscuits, we both decided to try it over those instead, then topped everything with avocados.  WOW!!!  It came out great!  We were all very impressed with the end result, and will definitely do that again.  I do not have her recipe for the pork adobado, but maybe one day soon I will be lucky enough to get it from her.  This just re-enforces what I’ve been saying all along.  Have fun in the kitchen and don’t be afraid to try something new or different.  You just never know what you might come up with, and you just might surprise yourself in the process.

 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Biscuits

These biscuits themselves were a creation of mine, inspired by another recipe for sweet potato biscuits.  I had some left over pumpkin puree, and thought “why not?”  I loved how they turned out.  Again, play with your food and be creative.

2 cups flour

1 TBSP baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cup milk

2 tsp cinnamon

 

Preheat the oven to 425*F.

Mix all the dry ingredients together.  Mix the shortening, pumpkin and milk together in a mixing bowl.  When well blended then add to the dry mixture and incorporate together.  Form into a ball and then on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/2″.  Cut out your biscuit circles with a round cookie cutter and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the biscuits are lightly browned and puffy.

They are also very tasty served with honey butter.

 

We are visiting with friends again tonight and I was always taught you never go empty handed.  It is a potluck and I am bringing one of  my favorite summer salads and a nice tropical dessert.  In the spring and the summer, we love to enjoy all the fresh produce of the season, and my corn and tomato salad is one of our favorite summer salads.  It is so easy and quick to prepare, and so full of flavor.  It goes anywhere, with anything.  Part of what makes this salad so refreshing is the fresh basil and lemon verbena that grows wild in my backyard.  It is just beginning to grow and has not yet taken over my back yard, but we are also just in early Spring too.  By mid summer, I will have way more than I know what to do with, so if anyone wants some, just let me know.   I try to add it to a lot of different things to give a fresh zippy, zesty, lemony flavor.  Anything lemon is just perfect for the warmer days of spring and summer.  It is also known as lemon balm, and  is a part of the mint family.  If not contained, it literally takes over your yard, as does mint.

Summer Corn and Tomato Salad

Frozen corn that has been thawed, but not cooked

grape tomatoes, quartered

red onion, diced fine

fresh basil, chiffonade (rolled and sliced very thin)

lemon verbena, chopped fine (optional)

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

Just mix everything together and chill.  Pretty easy-peasy and so delicious and very healthy for you too.

 

I was also asked to bring a dessert.  I had some left over cinnamon and powdered sugar mixture, and some left over toasted coconut, along with some fresh pineapple, so I went tropical and made a pineapple-macadamia tart with the toasted coconut.

Pineapple-Macadamia Toasted Coconut Tart

Make your dough or pate sucre dough first, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the dough set before using.

The Pate Sucre (Dough)

1 1/2 cups flour

6 TBSP COLD butter, cubed small

a pinch of salt

1 egg

6 TBSP heavy whipping cream

1-2 TBSP powdered sugar (I used mine with the cinnamon already mixed in)

In a food processor, add your flour, salt, powdered sugar and cold butter.  Blend until everything is well incorporated.  Then add your egg and heavy whipping cream and mix again until the dough forms a ball.  Remove from the food processor and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

 

The Filling

3/4 cup macadamia nuts, cut coarsely

3/4 pineapple (I used fresh pineapple, but canned or dry is fine too)

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup or 5 TBSP butter, melted

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup coffee liqueur (optional)

1/4-1/3 cup toasted coconut

 

Preheat the oven to 425* F

Once the dough is chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to fit an 11″ tart pan (preferably with a removable bottom).  Press the dough firmly into the tart pan and cut off all the excess dough from the edges.  Place the pan in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the heat to 375*F.

Fill the bottom of the pan with the macadamia nuts, pineapple and coconut.

Mix all the other ingredients together in a mixer and mix until well blended then pour over the nut mixture and bake for about 30 minutes or until the tart filling is set and does not jiggle.  Let cool completely, then carefully remove the bottom of the pan, making sure to hold it securely with your hand spread out completely on the bottom of the pan.  You might need to scrape the edges of the fluted top part of the pan with a knife to make sure to remove all the spilled over filling first.  Once the tart is completely cooled, top with whipped cream (again, I used my cinnamon powdered sugar) and toasted coconut, if desired.

 

 

 

Everyone eats tacos, fajitas, salsa, pico de gallo and guacamole for Cinco de Mayo, and I love and eat all of those all the time.   But I thought I would do something a little different, while still sticking with a Mexican theme, in honor of the American version of the Cinco de Mayo celebrations.  We are going over to some friends’ house for dinner, and we both made parts of the meal.  She is making the main dishes, and I made the side dishes.  We both love to cook and experiment with different foods and recipes, so no matter what, it will be a very festive, delicious meal.  The dishes I am bringing are Mexican rice with black beans and corn, yams con mole dulce (or yams in a sweet, rich chocolate sauce), pumpkin biscuits and some polvorones de canele (Mexican cinnamon cookies).

 

Mexican Rice with Black Beans and Corn

3 TBSP olive oil

1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 onion, chopped small

4 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 TBSP chipotle chilies with adobo sauce, chopped fine

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground corriander

1 tsp oregano

salt & pepper to taste

1 can black beans, rinsed

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup rice

12 oz cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered

6 green onions, chopped fine

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine

1 TBSP lime juice

 

Saute the corn, garlic, and the onions all together in olive oil, cooking until they are tender and translucent.  Add the black beans, rice, spices and chicken broth.  Mix everything together well.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.  Combine the green onions, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice, mixing well, then add to the rice mixture.

Yams con Mole Dulce

2 lbs yams, cut into large chumks

1 stick butter

1/2 cup Karo light corn syrup

2 TBSP cocoa powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

1/3 cup Grand Marnier

1/3 cup chopped pecans

 

Brown the yams in butter and salt.  Mix all the other ingredients together except the nuts, and pour over yams, coating them well.  Add the chopped pecans.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

 

Polvorones de Canele (Mexican cinnamon cookies)

For the cookie dough

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

The topping to roll the dough in

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

 

Preheat the oven to 350*F or 175* C.  Spray your cookie sheets with cooking spray.

Cream together the butter and powdered sugar.  Then add the vanilla.  Once those are all combined, incorporate the flour and cinnamon, 1/2 at a time and mix until just blended.  You want a stiff dough.  Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in size.  Once your dough balls are rolled, then rolled them all in the powdered sugar and cinnamon mixture.  Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until they are nicely browned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here in the United States, particularly in areas with large Hispanic populations, Cinco de Mayo is a big annual celebration.  It has become a very fun and festive day, celebrating the foods, music and culture of Mexico.  It has also become a big drinking “holiday”, equivalent to St. Patrick’s Day.  On March 17, everyone, no matter what their background, becomes Irish for a day.  The same is true on Cinco de Mayo, where everyone becomes Mexican for a day, on May 5th.  The Cinco de Mayo traditions started in California, in 1863, in response to the resistance to the French rule in Mexico.  Miners up in Columbia (now known as Columbia State Park) started firing guns and setting off fireworks, as well as singing patriotic songs and making speeches upon hearing the news of the victory.  However, celebrating the day really started to come become popular in Los Angeles, CA around the 1940’s, during the rise of the Chicano movement.  From there it started to move around the country, but did not really become a mainstream day of celebrations in the United States as a whole until the 1980’s when marketing started popularizing it, and associating it with drinking beer.

With all the celebrations that occur in the United States, however, Mexico does not really celebrate it much.  To most Mexicans, it is just another day.  The only places in Mexico where Cinco de Mayo is really celebrated on a large scale are Puebla, Veracruz, and sometimes Mexico City.  It is observed and celebrated in Puebla, where the victorious battle between the Mexican army and the French army took place, on May 5, 1862.  However, the celebrations are vastly different in Puebla than they are here in the United States.  In Puebla and Veracruz, the celebrations are more ceremonial and are honored with military parades and re-enactments of the Mexican-French battle.  The event leading to the Mexican and French revolution was when Mexican President Benito Juarez issued a moratorium stating that all payments of all foreign debts would be suspended for 2 years because the Mexican Treasury was nearly bankrupt.  Britain, France and Spain all sent their naval forces to Veracruz demanding payment.  Britain and Spain negotiated with the Mexican Government and withdrew, but France saw this as an opportunity to establish a French empire in Mexico.  On May 5, 1862, The Mexican army, which was less than half the size of the French army, and was not well equipped, defeated the heavily armed and much larger French army.  Hence, the celebrations on that day, although the victory was very short lived.  A year later, the French came in again, with 30,000 troops and once again defeated the Mexican army.  This victory was also short lived though.  In 1867, President Benito Juarez entered Mexico City and installed a new government.  The significance of Cinco de Mayo was more for helping shape the United States though than it was for Mexico.  If Mexico had not won in 1862, France would have aided the Confederacy in the U.S. Civil War, and the United States would be very different than how we know it today.

I will honor the day with Mexican food, but then I celebrate most things with food.  That’s just what I do.  I feed people.

We are dining on a spicy, blackened pork roast, with Mexican spices, Mexican street corn, pumpkin biscuits and garlic mashed potatoes (not Mexican, I know, although potatoes are originally from South America), and a bold red blend as my wine choice to complete the meal.

The dry rub for the pork was a mixture of cumin, crushed Aleppo chilies, ground Ajo Amarillo chilies, oregano, thyme and paprika.  I had the rub on the pork for about 8 hours before we seared it and roasted it.  It came out very flavorful, moist and tender.

Mexican Street Corn

I grilled the corn on the cob and rolled the cooked corn cobs in the spicy, creamy mixture.

2 oz of either cotija or Parmagian cheese

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 TBSP sour cream

3 TBSP cilantro, chopped fine

4 tsp lime juice

1 large clove garlic, minced fine

2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste

4 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

Mix everything together except the cheese and roll the hot corn cobs into the creamy mixture.  Once the corn cobs are coated, then roll into the cheese.  This mixture would also be very tasty as a marinade for chicken as well.  Desfruitas y que tengas un buen celebracion grandiote.

 

*** The crushed Aleppo chilies, ground Ajo Amarillo chilies are from Savory Spice, a locally owned and operated spice shop here in the Denver Metro area.

 

 

 

Today was a special day in the kitchen.  My beautiful niece Kalani was my sous chef for the day.  We were working on a project for her HUG class, otherwise known as human geography.  I remember it as social studies, but I guess I am dating myself though.  Her project was to make some ethnic food to share with her class and write a report on it.  I did this for my students too way back when I taught 2nd grade, many moons ago.  We decided to make dishes that could either be served cold or at room temperature.  Plus she is vegan, and since she was the one doing all the work, we wanted to make something she could enjoy as well.  We decided on tabbouleh and hummus with baked pita chips.  She did a great job.  She can be my sous chef anytime she wants.  Besides it gives us time to have a little fun together as well.

My Sous Chef Kalani hard at work, making her tabbouleh.

Every good chef has to sample their end results.

Kalani displaying her tabbouleh.

 

And her hummus.

I wish I didn’t have to be in this one, but that was part of the assignment.  The Chef had to be in at least one picture with the Sous Chef.   So if her teacher has to see it, I guess all of you do too.  It’s only fair.  My apologies.  Just focus on Kalani and her dishes, not me.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a dish found all throughout the Arabic countries and the Mediterranean.  It is a very essential part of any classic mezze spread.  Traditionally, it used to be only made by and eaten by women.  Today though, this has changed.  This dish is very healthy and low calorie and is eaten by everyone.  Here in the United States, we serve it with pita bread and hummus, but in the Middle East, it is usually eaten wrapped either in lettuce or grape leaves.  Every region has its own version.  Some versions have more cous cous and others have more parsley.  Some use cumin, others don’t.  As with all of my dishes, make it how you like it and enjoy.

4 cups finely chopped parsley

3 tomatoes, small dice

1 red onion, chopped fine

3 TBSP fresh mint, chopped fine

salt & pepper to taste

2/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

3/4 cup cooked bulgar wheat or cous cous (I used cous cous)

1 heaping TBSP garlic

toasted pine nuts (optional.  I love pine nuts, so I always use them when making tabbouleh).

Toss everything together and serve either chilled or at room temperature.

 

Hummus

Hummus is another essential dish found in any mezze spread.  We used canned garbonzo beans or chick peas rather than the dried beans.  It is a huge time saver, and the boiling time can make or break how your hummus turns out.  Besides the boiling time, you must be fearless with your use of garlic and lemon juice.  Make it as bold as you dare.

2 cans garbonzo beans, drained and rinsed or you use and can cook the dried ones if you prefer

2/3 cups tahini (sesame paste)

1 cup lemon juice or to taste

5 cloves minced garlic or to taste

salt to taste

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more to drizzle on top

chopped parsley, paprika and/or cumin for topping (optional)

 

Put everything together in the food processor and blend well until everything is smooth and creamy.  Top with parsley, paprika and/or cumin and drizzle with a little additional olive oil.

 

Baked Pita Chips

I cut pita bread in triangles and coated with olive oil, then I baked them at 350* F for about 15-20 minutes, turning them over half way.

 

 

 

 

 

I always thought that sweet potatoes were part of the potato family.  I mean they look like potatoes and have a lot of similar characteristics as potatoes, and they can be used and cooked in a lot of recipes that call for regular potatoes.  I often cook them together too.  But they are actually NOT part of the potato family at all.  There are a starchy root vegetable from the bindweed family.  Potatoes are part of the nightshade family.  Who knew?  They are very healthy, containing a bunch of vitamins and minerals including calcium and selenium, as well as vitamins B and C.  They are also full of the antioxidant known as beta-carotene, which converts vitamins to energy once they are consumed.  It is believed that sweet potatoes, as well as their cousin the purple potato (which we learned about earlier), help defend the body against free radicals, which may in turn, reduce the risk of cancer, particularly lung cancer.  Although the research studies are still inconclusive at the moment.   It is also believed that eating sweet potatoes can help prevent gastric ulcers, and they can also help improve blood sugar regulation for people with Type 2 diabetes.  However, on the down side, if people are prone to kidney stones, they may want to limit their intake of the sweet potato, since they contain oxalates which bind calcium and other minerals together that could cause kidney stones.   Overall though, eating sweet potatoes is a very good, healthy thing to do.

Sweet potatoes are very versatile and can be found all over the world.  I cook with sweet potatoes a lot.   I often use them when I make my dogs’ food as well.

Today, I made sweet potato latkes, which are very similar to their cousin potato latkes, only they have a bit more pizzazz.  Both are equally delicious, they just have a different style.

Frying them up.

The ingredients.

Putting everything together.

Sweet Potato Latkes

1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded

2 jalapenos, chopped fine

1 heaping TBSP ginger, fresh or from a jar

salt, pepper & red pepper flakes to taste

cilantro, chopped fine

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs

cooking oil for frying

I use my food processor all the time, and I have an attachment that shreds, so I use this all the time as well.  Mix all your ingredients together.    The best way to mix them is with your hands.  Yes, you are going to get your hands dirty and sticky.  Sorry about that.  You want the mixture to be thick enough to form a ball and keep it’s shape, but not to firm or stiff.  Form into balls and press slightly to flatten them out.  I made mine about the size of a tennis ball, but you can make them any size you like.  Line a baking pan with parchment paper and place your sweet potato balls on the paper.  I like to refrigerate mine for at least 1 hour before cooking, so everything sets.  You don’t need much oil, but you do want it very hot before placing your sweet potato balls in the pan.  Brown them to a nice golden brown on both sides, for about 5-7 minutes per side.   I had some leftover chili-lime dressing that I put on top, but sour cream and chives would work well too.  I served these as a I side dish to my Thai basil-coconut shrimp.

 

 

 

 

I love seafood of all kinds, but shrimp has always been one of my favorites, and it is so versatile too.  You can do just about anything with shrimp, and it can be interchanged into a lot of recipes that call for chicken as well.  Different sizes and varieties of shrimp and prawns are found all over the world, so there are many different ethnic ways of preparing it as well.  When I was a little girl, my grandfather had a marina right on the Sabine River, separating South East Texas from Louisiana, and he had live shrimp tanks there.  They would go out shrimping and fishing all the time.  But they didn’t just catch regular shrimp.  He and his fishing buddies caught the huge giant prawns that were almost the size of small lobsters.   Today, those giant prawns are hard to find, especially inland and in Colorado, but I still love, love, love shrimp, and we eat a lot of it.

I served my Thai basil-coconut shrimp over rice with green beans and sweet potato latkes. I served it with a light chardonnay with hints of apricots and honey, but a dry, semi-sweet Riesling or even a light Gerwertztreminer would go nicely with the meal as well.  The lighter, slightly sweet wines go really well with spicy dishes.  I served chardonnay because that is what I had, plus it is my favorite wine, but you can serve it with anything you like.

You can substitute chicken, scallops, or mix and match however you like.  You can even use tofu for vegetarians.

Putting it all together.

Thai Basil-Coconut Shrimp

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

cooking or olive oil

3/4 cup toasted coconut

1 TBSP black sesame seeds

1 cup basil, chiffonade or rolled and sliced very thin

3 TBSP candied ginger, chopped fine

2 jalapenos, diced fine

1 can coconut milk

garlic

1-1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined

red chili flakes to taste

1-2 TBSP chili lime dressing

salt & pepper to taste

Toast the coconut in a small pan until it is golden brown and set aside.  Pan-fry the sliced shallots, ginger and garlic in just a little oil until the shallots are crispy and set aside.

Saute the shrimp.  Once cooked, remove from the heat and set aside.  Pour your coconut milk into the same pan you cooked your shrimp and shallot-ginger mixture in, making sure to incorporate all the bits at the bottom of the pan.  Add the chili lime dressing and mix well.  Add the shrimp and the rest of the ingredients except the toasted coconut and the basil.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add the basil chiffonade, saving some for the topping when serving, and mix well into the dish.  Plate your shrimp, serving it over rice or noodles, and top with the toasted coconut and basil.  Delicious!

 

 

 

I use roasted peppers and chilies in a lot of my dishes and recipes.  I love the flavor of fire roasted chilies and peppers.  For some reason, people think they are difficult to do, when in fact, they are actually very east to roast.  I have a gas stove, and would not trade a gas stove with open flames for anything.  I personally, am not a fan of electric stoves at all (most chefs I know also feel the same about electric stoves).  One of the many reasons, is because of the open flame.   I can put foods I want to fire roast directly on the flame, so they get nice and charred on the outside, and soft on the inside.  You can also put your peppers, chilies and whatever other foods you are fire roasting on a grill as well, especially if you are making them in larger batches.  Usually I only do 1 or 2 at a time, so it is real easy to do on the stove.  Make sure the whole pepper is completely blackened on the outside, which will take about 10-15 minutes or so.

Once the pepper is thoroughly blackened, remove it from the flame and wrap it in a plastic bag to let it cool and sweat for at least about 30 minutes.  This will loosen the skin which will make it very easy to remove.

After the pepper has been sweated, it is real easy to peel the blackened skin right off with your fingers.  If the pepper is not completely cooked, the skin will be a little tougher, and may stick a bit, but it still comes off pretty easily.  Once you have removed all the skin, rinse off and use in your recipes as you like.