Chicken Chili Tamale Pie

As much as I would love to take credit for this recipe, I stole it from Food and Wine but I tweaked it a little.  It was amazingly good and really easy.  There are a couple of steps, but you basically cook the chicken, make the chili, make the cornbread and bake.  You can also use pre-cooked chicken if you have it on hand.

Chicken Chili Tamale Pie (serves 4-5):
Chicken:
4 chicken thighs, or 2 breasts
Mexican Spice Mix - equal portions of chili powder, coriander, cumin, oregano brown sugar, salt,  and pepper (should be about 2-3 tbsp)
canola oil

Heat oven to 400 F.  Sprinkle the spice mix on both sides of the chicken (if you have some left over, save it for the chili), drizzle a couple drops of oil over each thigh and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.  Let cool slightly and shred with two forks.

Chili:
1 tbsp canola oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn
salt and pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
few dashes of red chili flakes
2-3 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup (or a little more) of chicken broth
shredded chicken from above
chopped cilantro

In a large skillet, heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic and bell pepper.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the frozen corn and stir for a minute or two.  Add the spices (and any left over spices from the spice mix above), let toast for a minute.  Add the tomato paste and chicken broth.  Let cook on low for 5 minutes or so, add the chicken and the cilantro.  Taste for seasoning.  Keep on low while you make the cornbread.

Cornbread:
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1-2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
few dashes of red chili flakes
couple pinches of pepper
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp milk
1 tsp half and half
3 tbsp canola oil
1 large, or 2 small eggs, beaten
2 hand-fulls of shredded cheddar cheese plus more for sprinkling on top

In a bowl mix the dry ingredients with a whisk.  Combine the wet ingredients and pour those into the dry, whisk to incorporate.  Add the cheddar cheese, stir to combine.

Turn oven down to 350 F.  Coat a ceramic baking dish with non stick spray.  Transfer the Chili to the dish and top with the Cornbread.  Sprinkle a little more cheese on top and bake for 40 minutes, until the cornbread is done and has a nice color to it.  Let rest for 5-10 minutes to set and garnish with some more cilantro.

Baked Pasta and Veggies

This recipe appeared one night after facing a perfect storm of (1) lots of veggies and very little meat in my fridge (2) lack of inspiration, and (3) craving pasta.  Trying to convince yourself that eating pasta with "lots of veggies" somehow reduces the carb intake may be cheating a bit, but who cares.  This dish couldn't have been easier to make and The Boy and I were really happy with the turn out.  We may have even eaten it cold the next day.

Baked Pasta with Veggies

Veggies and Pasta:
oil
4 slices of bacon, cut into strips
left over cooked shredded chicken (if you have it) - optional
1 onion, sliced
6 - 8 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 bag of chopped kale
4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper

1/2 bag of penne pasta

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a dutch oven (like my fancy new Le Creuset), cook the bacon strips with a little oil on medium heat til crispy.  Remove with a slotted spoon.  Dump the onion, mushrooms and pepper into the pot and saute with the bacon fat for 4-5 minutes, until cooked a little bit.  Add the kale, garlic and optional chicken, continue to cook.  Season liberally with salt and pepper.  Return the bacon to the pot and keep everything warm on low heat

While this is cooking down, cook your pasta in salted boiling water until a few minutes before al dente.

Now onto the Bechamel Sauce.

Bechamel Sauce:
3 - 4 tbsp butter
3 - 4 tbsp Wondra flour
2 cups of non fat milk
1/2 tsp graded nutmeg
1/2 tsp powderd mustard
Salt and Pepper
1/2/ - 3/4 cup shredded cheese (I used gouda and white cheddar)
couple dashes of chipotle hot sauce

Melt the butter in a sauce pan on medium heat, add the Wondra and whisk for 2 minutes.  Add the milk, nutmeg, mustard and S&P and whisk until the milk thickens (a few minutes).  Add the cheese and hot sauce, let it all melt and get acquainted with one another, finally taste for seasoning.

Dump the pasta in with the veggies and add the Bechamel sauce as well. Mix to combine.  Shred a little bit of cheese on top if you wish and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Let rest for a few minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Gorgonzola and Honey Pizza

I made this pizza over New Years and it was delicious, if you love Gorgonzola.  Super easy to make and to eat.  I added some arugula on top to make it more "healthy."  To me it's similar to a dessert pizza but equally delicious.

On the left, BBQ Chicken/On the right, Gorgonzola and Honey sans Arugula

Gorgonzola and Honey Pizza:

1 whole wheat pizza dough ball
1/2 cup or so, of crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese
thinly sliced red onion
honey bear
arugula
thinly sliced scallions
salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
Parmesan for topping

Preheat oven to 450F.

Stretch out the pizza to make a circle.  I use a combo of my hands, rolling pin and sheer willpower to make this happen.  Make it fairly thin then move to a pizza transferring device (with cornmeal under it) or a baking sheet if you don't have a pizza stone.

Drizzle olive oil over the dough making sure to get the crust (it will help it brown).  Sprinkle the Gorgonzola and onion over the dough, add some salt and pepper.  Pop in the hot oven for 10-15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the dough in the middle is cooked.

Once out of the oven, drizzle with the honey add the arugula on top and then drizzle the balsamic vinegar on top of that adding a bit of olive oil too.  Cut up and serve warm.

Chili con Carne

I'm trying to make a conscious effort to not overbuy groceries and see how long I can make things last.  I don't know if it's a new year resolution, but it's going well and I've surprised myself with what I can create from simple pantry and freezer items.  I realized that I have so much stuff in both the pantry and freezer, it's a waste to go out and buy more groceries when with a little creativity, and maybe a quick run to the corner store, I can make a really delicious dinner fairly quickly.

Here we come to Chili, I always have most of the stuff to make this and it always is delicious.  Serve it with Corn Bread and a Kale Salad and you have a lovely, healthy meal.  I used the leanest ground beef I can find, and only 2 slices of bacon which gives the Chili a smokey flavor without a ton of fat.  Using a lot of spice is the key to make a delicious and flavorful chili.

Chili con Carne:
2 slices of bacon, sliced into thin strips
1lb of extra lean ground beef
EVOO or some neutral oil
salt and pepper (at least a Tbsp. of each)
2 tbsp chili powder - I used both regular and ancho
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano and/or marjoram
1 large onion, diced
1 bell peppers, diced (I used yellow, choose a pretty color and go for it)
1/2 jalapeno, finely minced
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1-2 tbsp flour
1/2 -1 beer, I used a lager
1/2 small can of tomato paste
1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce/puree
2-3 pinches of brown sugar
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1 can of Pinto or Kidney Beans (I used Pinto)
1 bay leaf
red chili flakes for heat if you want

Garnish:
Avocado
shredded cheese
green onion
diced red onion

In a Dutch oven (I used my new Le Creuset, that what a Christmas present from the lovely Miss J) one medium heat, add the sliced up bacon.  Let the fat render out and remove with a slotted spoon, keeping the bacon fat in the pan.  Drain the bacon on a paper towel.

Add the ground beef, break up with a wooden spoon and let brown in the bacon fat.  Add the spices and stir to combine.  Then add the onion, peppers, garlic and jalapeno.  Let the vegetables cook/sweat with the beef for 5 minutes.

Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Then add some beer, sip the beer, then add the rest.  Stir and let the beer cook off for 4 minutes.  Add the tomato paste, sauce, brown sugar, and broth.  Mix it up and taste for seasoning.  If you want more heat, add the red chili flakes, but it will probably need more salt and pepper.

Add the beans and cook for 30 minutes on medium low, longer if you want, but 30 minutes is enough time for the flavors to meld together and you to make your Corn Bread Muffins and some type of salad.

Serve in a bowl garnished with anything you want, slurp and enjoy.

Corn Cakes

First of all I am very sorry for the lack of posting lately.  My computer is currently broken which makes the whole typing and uploading pictures a bit of a challenge.  Working on it though.  Should be resolved shortly - I hope!

After work yesterday, I realized that I had very little in my fridge to cook with.  I'm talking no lettuce, a half an onion, some limes, frozen corn, and pink lemonade.  Needless to say, it had been awhile since I went grocery shopping.

I just got back from an amazing long weekend in Manhattan with the Boy.  We visited the Boy's college roommate and his girlfriend.  They were very generous in letting us stay with them, which in turn forgoes us spending money on a hotel, which forwards that money to drinks and dinners out.  We had a fantastic but very busy time.  Ate at Momofuku Noodle Bar, almost got struck by lightning in a massive downpour, played with kittens, ate at Mermaid Inn, went to Birreria - a beer restaurant on the top of a 15 story building, ate dumplings at Rickshaw, saw X-Men: First Class, brunch at Elephant and Castle, visited High Line Park, tried to get boys to have pedicures, and lastly went to the Chelsea Market.  That was all in three days.  I finally came home on Sunday night exhausted both mentally and physically, but happy to be sleeping in my own bed, not an air mattress.  New York is an unbelievable city; cabs are everywhere, their driving is some sort of art, everything is always open, their hipsters are different, nothing ever stops, it's hot and humid, even at night.  I loved visiting and can't wait to be back visiting my college roommate in a month or so.  There is something truly unique about Manhattan, a buzz that is hard to describe but is very infectious. 

But back to the fact that there is no food in my fridge.  Here is my dilemma - I'm exhausted from my trip and working all day, don't have the energy to walk to Trader Joes and then up my hill back home, and it's hot (San Francisco is having some record breaking temperatures right now high 80's and low 90's - very un-San Franciscian like).  I figured I have to fashion something together to feed my grumbling belly.  I look into my freezer hoping there would be an amazing 5 course meal ready for me to eat but sadly that doesn't happen.  I see some frozen corn and remember a recipe I saw on Generation Y Foodie these Corn Fritters.  Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma'am - that's what I'm going to make.  Throw whatever I have in my stark fridge into them, serve with a Chipotle Aioli and I had a refreshing vegetarian dinner.  Now that I think about it, I could have added some Pancetta or Bacon to it to make it a little heartier but whatever it was damn tasty and I was very happy with the result.

Corn Cakes:

1 heaping cup of frozen corn, thawed
1/4 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
1 egg lightly beaten
zest of 1 lime - save the juice for the Aioli below
pinch red pepper flakes
few pinches of chili powder
few pinches of garlic powder
2 tbsp flour
1/4 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp- 1 tbsp peanut oil

Chipotle Aioli:
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 tsp chipotle paste
dash of garlic powder
salt and pepper
chopped cilantro

Green onion for garnish.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

In a large bowl combine the egg, lime zest, and seasonings together.  Add the flour and stir to combine.  Add the corn, onion, garlic and tomatoes.  Add the breadcrumbs until the batter is combined but not too dry.  On a plate sprinkle some of the breadcrumbs, enough to coat the cakes and season with salt and pepper.  Separate the batter into 4 sections and make 4 pattys.  Coat with the breadcrumbs on both sides.  In a large skillet heat the oil and add the cakes, you should hear a sizzle.  Cook on each side about 3 minutes till golden brown and transfer to the oven for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile make the Chipotle Aioli by combining all the ingredients and stir to combine.  You may want to add more lime juice or more chipotle paste to accommodate your liking.

Parsnip Puree

I learned how to make this dish from a friend of mine that is the executive Sous Chef at Volt in Frederick, MD.  He made this amazing dish of Seared Scallop over a Parsnip Puree with a Watercrest Salad.  It was one of the tastiest meals I've ever seen made at a small college kitchen.  After asking him how he made it, I was awed to learn that he boiled the parsnips in heavy cream and then pureed them.  As much as I love food, there are certain things that I won't indulge in, boiling anything in cream is one of them.  I figured I could use non-fat milk with a small slab of butter and result in something similar, I was happily surprised when my family and I had an Easter Dinner with Duck.

It tastes sweet, a bit nutty, and most defiantly creamy.  I add some nutmeg, salt and pepper to the parsnips and that's all you need.

Parsnip Puree:

4 parsnips, cut into 2 inch pieces
quart of skim milk, or 4 cups
1 - 2 tbsp butter
1 tsp - 1 tbsp salt and pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg

In a sauce pan, add everything and turn on the heat.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Cook for about 20 minutes, until the parsnips are tender.  Then use a spider (or a slotted spoon) and put all the parsnips in a blender or food processor.  Add a bit (maybe half a cup) of the cooking liquid and puree.  You may need to add more or less liquid depending on how you would like your consistency, should resemble a more liquidy mashed potatoes.  Taste and adjust for seasoning.  Serve warm!

*You can top with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley as well.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

My boy is sick, 'nuf said.  I don't know if it's the plague or strep throat, but he's not feeling well and suggested having soup and watching a movie.  I'm not the biggest fan of soup, it's kinda one flavor for the entire meal.  I like having options on my plate, going from a savory rich steak to a tangy salad to a sweet, well, sweet potato.  Tortilla soup is the only soup I really like.  I think because there are so many options with toppings it doesn't make it one note and enjoyable for me.

I roasted a chicken breast with some spices, shredded it up and threw it in.  Pretty simple and soothing to my sickly boy.

Chicken Tortilla Soup:

1 chicken breast, skin on (or a few chicken breasts)

1 small/medium onion, finely chopped

1 small bell pepper, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

splash of tequila

1/2 cup white wine

1 tbsp. chipotle paste, or 1 chipotle chopped

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 box of chicken stock

1 can of chopped tomatoes (optional, I don't use it)

1 cup frozen corn

1-2 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1-2 tbsp. garlic powder

few dashes of red pepper flakes

1 tsp. oregano

salt and pepper

olive oil

Serving Toppings:
chopped onion
cilantro
avocado
shredded cheese (jack or cheddar)
crumbled tortilla chips
lime wedges

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Drizzle some olive oil over the chicken and sprinkle with the seasonings.  Roast for 25-40 minutes, depending on how thick your chicken is.  Shred with a fork, or if you're brave, your dainty fingers.

While your chickadoos are cooking, bring a bigger pot with some olive oil up to medium high heat and saute the onion, pepper and garlic for a few minutes.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and some seasonings (your choice of how much you want to add in there).  Add the chipotle paste and tomato paste and stir to combine.  Add the tequila and white wine, and let cook off for a few minutes.  Finally add the can of chopped tomatoes (optional) and the chicken stock, let simmer for 30 minutes or so, till everyone is begging you for a bowl.

Serve and garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, avocado, salsa, cheese, and crumbled tortilla chips.

Fish Tacos

I am and will forever be a California girl.  Not the Katy Perry version, but the version that I know; consisting of Rainbow sandals year round, "California Stops," spending the summers at the pool or beach, running the Dish, family Sunday BBQ's, April Showers, and avocados.  Along with all of that comes Fish Tacos.  I grew up eating them, they were at every taquerilla I knew in San Diego, and I learned how to make them fairly quickly from my mother.  I choose the healthier option of grilling or broiling them rather than deep frying, and sometimes (most every time) I add unconventional toppings, like my Black Bean and Corn Salsa.

The boy and I were having a quick dinner one night and decided to opt for Fish Tacos.  They're extremely quick and easy, I think the total time took me to make dinner was 20 minutes for everything.  You marinate the fish for a few minutes (don't marinate the fish longer than 30 minutes or the acid will start cooking the fish and you have ceviche, while it is a very tasty dish, it's not so much the point of this recipe), cook it up in grill pan or broiler, add some toppings and enjoy.  It is really that simple.

Fish Tacos:

4 fish fillets, use any white fish such as Mahi Mahi or Tilapia

shredded cabbage

chopped scallions

chopped cilantro

slices of avocado

corn tortillas

Lemon Chipotle Crema - recipe see below

Marinade:

1/2 cup champagne or white wine (I used prosecco because I had it in my fridge)

juice of 1-2 lemons, I like Meyer Lemons

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 jalapeno or Serrano Chile, chopped AND/OR red pepper flakes

few cilantro leaves
chopped scallions

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Let everything marinate in a shallow dish for 10-15 minutes while you chop the toppings you want on the tacos and make the Lemon Crema.

Lemon Crema:

2 tbsp light mayonnaise

juice of 1/2 a lemon

pinch of salt

pinch of black pepper

few dashes of garlic powder

1/4 tsp chipotle sauce or paste (optional)

Mix everything in a small bowl and set aside to drizzle on top of the tacos.

Heat a grill pan to high heat, spray with non stick cooking spray.  Sear the fish fillets 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the fish.  Take off the heat when the fish flakes with a fork.

Look at that flakey fish with those grill marks

Assemble your tacos:  Corn tortilla, top with fish, add avocado, cabbage, salsa, scallions, drizzle with the crema, garnish with chopped cilantro.  You're done!  Dinner in 20 minutes at the most.

St. Valentine's Filet Mignon

The boy and I are going to Sociale on actual Valentine's Day.  However, all wouldn't be right in Whoville if I wasn't able to cook him a meal for Valentine's Day.  I figured some steak would be a great jumping off point to start planning our menu.  I created this marinade a log time ago and LOVE it!  It makes the beef slightly sweet and tangy but always tender.  Let marinade for at least 2 hours before cooking.

Since it is Valentine's Day, this post is dedicated to the boy.  He puts up with me, my family, my lack of know right from left when driving, and my snoring at night. 

Marinated Filet Mignon:

2 Filet mignons
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup dry white wine
splash Tabasco
zest and juice of 1 orange
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp. brown sugar or some honey
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 shallot, roughly chopped into a few pieces
1 knob of ginger, roughly chopped
1 scallion, roughly chopped
1/2 jalapeno, roughly chopped
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
bunch of cilantro or parsley (optional)
1 tsp. - 1 tbsp. canola oil

Put all ingredients (minus the oil) in a zip lock bag and marinate for a few hours, or overnight.  Let come to room temperature when ready to cook.

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Heat a pan to medium high, add oil.  When the oil is hot, sear the meat on both sides for about 4 minutes.  Pop in the oven for 5-10 min.  Take out when medium rare.  Serve with a baked potato and some vegetables.

Butternut Squash Triangoli

It has been one hell of a week. Work was crazy, the boy is out of town, and I have one really nasty flu. I'm doped up on Sudafed, Advil, and lots of tea. It's times like these where, if I am even hungry, I need something quick and homey that doesn't take a lot out of me to make. I had some Butternut Squash Triangloli that Trader Joe's now carries and figured I'd add some vegetables to my vitamin lacking body. You can substitute the peas with spinach, kale, green beans, really any dark vegetable would suffice.

I know I have posted a previous butternut squash pasta recipe before but this is a nice tweak on it. I add pancetta, shallots and peas and also make it lighter without the brown butter sauce. I add some of the pasta cooking water and along with the vegetables, makes a nice and light sauce.

Butternut Squash Trangoli with Peas:
1 Package of TJ's Butternut Squash Triangolini
2 oz. Pancetta
1 tsp butter
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup frozen peas
5 springs of thyme, leaves picked
Salt and Pepper


Bring a large pot filled with water up to a boil. While the water is heating up in a sauté pan, start cooking the pancetta over medium heat with the olive oil. Once the pancetta is crispy, take out with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel. Add the shallot and garlic to the pancetta fat and let sweat.

Once the water is boiling, add a hand full of salt and add the pasta. Cook for 4 minutes.

Once the shallot has cooked a few minutes, add the frozen peas, butter, the thyme leaves a touch of salt, and some cracked black pepper. Once the pasta is cooked, add it to the sauté pan with 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Gently stir to combine everything.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve with a caprese salad.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers



I saw this recipe in YumSugar and I really like the idea of making a healthy Poblanos Stuffed with Cheddar and Chicken,  I've been house sitting for my parents for the past two weeks and the fact that they have a granite covered kitchen completed with a Viking range and a Bosch dishwasher makes their kitchen a lot more enjoyable to cook in.  I've been cooking up a storm and found a great recipe that I love.

Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers:

4 Poblano Peppers

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded (bake in a 400 F oven for 35 minutes with olive oil, salt and pepper)

salt and pepper

1/2 white onion, finely chopped

1/2 Fresno Chili pepper, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tbsp. coriander

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

 3 tbsp. tomato paste

1-2 splashes of water

2 cups of white cheddar cheese, shredded

If you have a gas stove, place the Poblano Peppers directly on the flame to char the skin on all sides of the pepper.  If you have an electric stove, turn on the broiler and put the peppers on a baking pan, char the peppers on all sides.  Once the peppers are well charred, place in a paper bag or glass dish with enough room to cover with saran rap to steam them for 15-20 minutes.  Once cool, remove the skin of the pepper (it should come off fairly easily, use some cold water if necessary.  Slice one side of the pepper and take out the stem and all the ribs and seeds from the pepper.  Place on a aluminum foil lined sheet tray face up.

In a saute pan, sweat the onions, garlic and Fresno Chili with some salt and pepper.  Once softened, add the chili powder, coriander, oregano and cumin, stir to combine and toast the spices a bit.  Add the chicken and the tomato paste along with a few splashes of water.  Stir to combine and taste for seasoning, adjust to your liking.  Add 3/4 cup of the cheese to the mixture and stir to combine, it will melt a bit.  Toss in the scallions and chopped cilantro at the very end.

Add the chicken and vegetable mixture to each pepper equally and then put the remaining cheese on top of the mixture in the pepper.  Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes till the cheese is bubbly and gooey.

Christmas Roast

Christmas this year was a little out of the ordinary, we had the boy, his roommate, my college roommate and her mother all over for Christmas Dinner.  Every Christmas we either do a Duck or a Standing Rib Roast.  This Christmas because we had so many people a Roast was not only requested but required.  This year I decided to do something different and add a breadcrumb crust.  It came out juicy on the inside, and crisp on the outside, most of all, everyone loved it.

Photo courtesy of the boy's roommate...

Standing Rib Roast:


1 4-5 pound rib in roast
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
1 tbsp. salt and pepper
1 tsp. sugar
few pinches of red pepper flakes
1/2 - 1 tsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. freshly chopped thyme
1 tbsp. freshly chopped rosemary
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil


Take out the roast 1 hour before cooking, pat dry with paper towels, and let come up to room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 425F.
 Combine the breadcrumbs and all the herbs and spices together.  Add the olive oil in till the breadcrumbs will "paste" together or so.  Once combined thoroughly, press all over the roast firmly so it sticks to the meat.

Place on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side down, and put in the oven.  Roast for 45 minutes, turn the pan around, and check temperature of the meat.  Continue to roast the meat till it is medium rare (about 1.5 hours), you should take out the meat at 140 F.  Let the meat rest for at least 20 minutes (it will still stay warm) and slice thinly after resting, then serve.

Carne Asada Fajitas

This past weekend the boy and I went down to my parents house to help decorate their Christmas Tree.  Needless to say, we were both tired when we returned to San Francisco.  The boy was craving Mexican food and instead of him getting a burrito at a questionable Taquerilla, I convinced him that I would cook Fajitas and we could relax and recover together in the comfort of our own home.  That settled, we dropped in on our local Trader Joes and picked up some ingredients.  I was set on making Carne Asada and was looking for the right cut of meat at TJ's.  They didn't have anything I wanted (Filet Mignon is not ideal here) so (Mom - don't hate me) I grabbed the TJ's marinated Carne Asada steak.  I came home and started to make another marinade for the meat because I wanted to add a bit more flavor to it.  Once the meat marinated for about 20-30 minutes, I grilled it on an indoor grill pan, served it with sauteed vegetables and some cheese and voila, Fajitas!

Carne Asada Fajitas:



1 package of pre-marinated Carne Asada steak from Trader Joes (make sure you slice the pieces into more manageable sizes, roughly the size of your hand)

1 small shallot, chopped roughly

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ancho chili powder (optional, if not add a bit more chili powder)

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

1 tbsp honey

2 limes, zest and juice

1 orange, zest and juice

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tbsp peanut oil - or any neutral flavor oil





Indoor Grilling



Mix all the marinade ingredients and add the Carne Asada and let sit for at least 20 minutes room temperature.  Heat a grill or your grill pan to high.  Sear the meat for 3-5 minutes on both sides until medium rare and tender.  The time will depend on the size of your meat and the hotness of your grill/grill pan.  Serve with a whole wheat flour tortilla, shredded cheese, sauteed peppers and onions and some salsa and you have yourself a rocking fajita.



Peppers and Onions



Linguine alla Carbonara

Thehave made the playoffs!!! This is very exciting news for the Bay Area and calls for a celebration. They play in their first playoff game for the first time in 7 years on Thursday, October 7th at 6:30pm and to celebrate I'm going to make a deliciously tasty dish that is saved for special occasions, well at least for me it is. I'm making Linguine alla Carbonara. My version isn't awful for you, I use whole wheat pasta, it doesn't have cream or butter but it does have eggs and lots of Parmesan cheese (ehh give and take right?). I add some vegetables also, and today I used bacon rather than pancetta because I had it in my fridge. I did tweak it a bit by adding some lemon zest at the end because, well, it sounded delicious and I had some lemons from my parent's lemon tree.

Linguine alla Carbonara

(2 dinner portions)

1/2 pound of whole wheat linguine pasta
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas
3 slices of bacon, chopped into slices or 1/3 cup of pancetta
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
salt and pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
zest of 1/2 a small lemon

In a large pot, bring a lot of water to boil. Salt the water with 1/3 cup of salt (a nice big handful) and place the pasta in the water, stir to make sure they don't stick to one another.


In a bowl, take the egg, 1/2 cup of the graded Parmesan and some freshly ground pepper, and whip together for a few minutes. Make sure there are no lumps in the egg mixture. *If you want you can add a splash of cream to make it extra creamy.

In a saute pan, add the bacon or pancetta on medium low heat and render the fat from the bacon. When the bacon is cooked and crispy, take out with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In that same saute pan, add the garlic and shallot and saute on medium heat till the shallot is tender and translucent. Add some cracked pepper, red pepper flakes, and frozen peas (it's going to be salty from the bacon so hold off on the salt for now) and stir to combine. When the pasta is almost done, add it to the pan with 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Turn off the heat and wait 1 minute. Add the egg and Parmesan mixture and quickly toss everything together making sure the eggs don't scramble but thicken a bit. Add the rest of the Parmesan cheese and the lemon zest and combine everything one more time. Taste for seasoning.

Garnish with some flat leaf parsley and some basil. FYI I'm enjoying this right now.

Mushroom And Thyme Risotto

This is a great twist on the classic risotto recipe. I paired it with the Pork Chops and a salad, it made a really nice meal.

Mushroom and Thyme Risotto:

1 cup of sliced crimini mushrooms

5 springs of thyme, leaves pulled off

1 shallot, sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup aborio rice

extra virgin olive oil

3 cups of chicken/mushroom stock

salt and pepper

I tweaked the 3 cups of chicken stock by adding the ends of the mushrooms and some thyme leaves to infuse the flavor. I let it simmer for 20 minutes or so to have the mushroom flavor really come out.

In a wide saucepan heat the olive oil and saute the mushrooms with just pepper. Once you add the mushrooms to the oil, don't touch them. Let them sear on one side really well before stirring. After a few minutes of cooking the mushrooms, add the salt and the thyme and stir to combine. With a slotted spoon take out the mushrooms and set aside. Saute the shallot for a minute or so with salt and pepper. Add the aborio rice and toast for a minute or two. Add the wine and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring and adding a ladle full of stock every 2-3 minutes till the rice is done, about 18 minutes. Right before the rice is done, add back the mushroom and one last ladle full of stock and finish cooking.

Pork Chops with an Apricot and White Wine Glaze

Almost every weekend, I ask the boy what he's craving for dinner on Sunday night. It usually turns out to be a discussion of what we've had in the past week and what we're both sick of. That said, I've been wanting to make this pork dish for a couple of weeks and thought it would be a great Sunday night dinner. I created this in my mother's kitchen with much advice from her, the end result is pretty damn tasty.

You sear the pork on both sides with DUCK FAT (I know, really tasty and enjoy), take them out of the pan, cook the tasty goodness at the bottom the pan with some shallots, white wine, apricot jam and stock. Coat it all and bake it for a few minutes. Done.

Pork Chop with Apricot and White Wine Glaze:

3-4 pork chops

1 shallot, sliced thin

1 tbsp apricot jam

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chicken stock (optional, or you can add some water or more wine)

salt and pepper

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp duck fat or bacon fat

Preheat oven to 375 F. Season both sides of the pork chops liberally with salt and pepper. In a saute pan, heat up the olive oil and duck fat on medium high heat. Sear the pork chops on each side for about 4-5 minutes, depending on how think the chops are. Once the chops are seared on both sides take them out and let them rest on a plate, cover in aluminum foil.

Add a little more olive oil to the pan if it's dry, saute the shallots with some salt and pepper for a minute or so, till a little soft. Add the wine and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the apricot jam and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and return the pork chops to the pan, with any of the juices on the plate. Coat the chops on both sides with the sauce and put the pan in the oven. Bake for 4-5 minutes, till the chops are medium well, a little pink in the chop is ok.

ENJOY!

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage

For the first time in a long time I didn't feel like cooking. I went around the corner to try and pick something up that I could warm up and eat quickly. I stumbled upon this Butternut Squash Ravioli and immediately wanted to make it with a brown butter and sage sauce. I'm aware that this recipe is not good for you, but what the hell, it's god damn tasty and everyone deserves a little indulgence once in awhile. This is a super easy dish to make and took me maybe 12 minutes from start to finish. Add a salad and you have a complete meal.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage

1 package of butternut squash ravioli

4 tbsp butter

7 whole sage leafs

salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg

Parmesan cheese and pine nuts for sprinkling on top

Bring a pot of water to boil and salt heavily (grab a fist full of salt and add it to the water). Boil pasta till they float and are almost cooked, about 6 minutes.

While pasta is boiling, take a saute pan and melt the butter and the sage leafs. Keep an eye on the butter and make sure it starts to brown but not burn. When the pasta is almost cooked take it out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon and add directly to the pan. Cook the rest of the pasta in the brown butter and sage for a few minutes and coat all the pasta, season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add a little bit of the pasta water if you would like more sauce. Serve with a sprig of fresh sage, freshly graded Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Enjoy!

Lamb Tacos

This weekend my parents came up to the City for a BBQ. We made enough food for 17 families but devoured a ton of it ourselves. We made a boneless lamb leg, butterflied and marinated in garlic, rosemary, orange and lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and a ton of olive oil. It was delicious and I snagged myself some for leftovers. I decided I wanted to make a taco/fajita with the lamb for dinner tonight, it was really tasty. I pickled some onions and added a few condiments and it actually was one really delicious meal.

Lamb "Tacos"

slices of warm lamb

pickled red onion - see below

cucumber slices

sun dried tomatoes

shredded cabbage

crumbled feta cheese

Tzatziki sauce - see below

corn tortillas

Tzatziki Sauce - My Way:
1 small package of Nonfat Fage Greek Yogurt
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 large lemon, maybe more depending on how thick you want your sauce
splash of orange juice or a touch of orange zest
8 mint leaves, minced
3 chives, minced
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Combine all in a bowl and drizzle over tacos at the end. Top with Feta Cheese. This can also be used as a dressing for cucumber slices.

Pickled Red Onion:

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup vinegar (I also added a splash of red wine vinegar)
3 tbsp white sugar
2 bay leaves
5 whole peppercorns
5 allspice berries
5 whole cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coriander
6 celery seeds
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or 1 dried chili
1 garlic clove, smashed

In a sauce pan, bring everything but the onion to a boil and make sure the sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low and add the sliced onion. Cook for 20-30 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want your onions. Let cool and serve with the lamb tacos. Store in a metal jar, with the pickling juice, in the fridge and it can last for months.

Sweet Potato Fries

Another side dish to the asparagus that I made were Sweet Potato Fries. Technically they're Yam Fries because we used yams instead of sweet potatoes but that's just a technicality. You cut up the potato into thin fry like strips, coat with olive oil and some seasoning and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. They're super delicious and extremely good for you.

Sweet Potato Fries

2 large sweet potatoes, cleaned and cut into thin match like strips
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder (you can use regular or ancho depending on your preference)
1/2 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 400 F. On a lined baking sheet (I used foil) coat the taters in the olive oil and the seasoning, use you hands, get down and dirty and mix it all up. Bake for about 20-30 minutes till the potato is cooked and they're a bit crispy. Keep and eye on them and don't let them get too mushy, you may need to add some olive oil in the middle of the cooking process.

Sunday Night Dinner, Kinda

Roast Chicken, need I say more? I have been craving one of these for a very long time and finally took the time out of my busy day to go for it. I had the boy over, it was delicious, the entire apartment smelt like chicken for a day or so but it was glorious! I am a huge fan of the crispy skin afterwards and the meat turned out to be sooo moist! I even made a chicken salad afterwards. I usually make this dish on a Sunday Night, it takes a bit of time and to me feels like a great way to start off the week. However, nothing ever goes as planned so we did a Monday Night Dinner.

*Make sure to take out the chicken and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour. Placing a cold chicken in the oven results in uneven cooking.









Roasted Chicken


1 whole chicken, 5-6 pounds
1/2 lemon, cut up into wedges
1/2 small onion, cut up into wedges
2 garlic cloves, smashed
6 springs of rosemary
2 springs of thyme
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp each of salt and pepper + more for seasoning inside the bird
pinch of red pepper flakes
Kitchen Twine



Preheat oven to 400 F. In a bowl combine the olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl and set aside. Separate the skin from the meat with you fingers and go as far down the bird as you can. Take the olive oil mixture and rub the meat under the skin with it. You can also substitute butter pad for this as well. Stick a sprig each of rosemary between the skin and the meat (where you just massaged) and stick it as far down as you can. Season the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper and then stuff the cavity of the chicken with the onion, lemon, garlic, thyme and rosemary. You want the cavity to have some aromatics in it but not completely stuffed full.


Tuck the wings of the bird underneath it's body and use some kitchen twine to tie the legs together. Place on a lined baking dish and stick in the oven for about an hour to an hour and a half depending on the size of the bird. Cook till the bird is about 160 - 165 F and the juices run clear when poked. Once at that temperature, pull out the chicken and tent with tin foil and the bird will continue to cook for a few more minutes out of the oven.

Let rest for about 15 minutes, carve her up and serve. You can also season the skin with a little salt at then end if you like. If you don't end up using all the chicken, save it and make Chicken Salad with it later in the week.