I am still recovering from our fiesta last weekend. We did a much better job this year in not overbuying on food. I think we finally finished the tortillas my husband bought for last year's fiesta. We provided the main course and the drinks. Our wonderful guests helped with appetizers and desserts.
Carne Asada (From Tabrin)
flank steak
Pace picante sauce
Wishbone Italian salad dressing
You want to put the flank steak into a ziploc bag and cover it with equal amounts of picante and dressing until covered. I usually mix the two in a bowl and whisk them together and then pour it over the meat. I did 3-4 lbs of meat per bag and used two large picantes and two extra large dressings for about 14-16 lbs of meat all together. Let it marinate overnight, flipping the bag occasionally. Grill over medium high heat and then slice across the grain for burrito filling. We put out the usual fixings for the burritos. Fill them however you like. We also had rice and beans on the side.
Spicy Black Beans (my own recipe)
2 15 oz cans clack beans, drained and rinsed
1 11 oz can shoepeg corn
1 10 oz can Rotel chopped tomatoes with green chiles
2 4 oz cans chopped green chiles
1/4- 1/2 C Sofrito sauce ( I use Goya)
1 TBSP oil
Cumin, white pepper and black pepper to taste
Heat the oil and spices in a large saucepan until fragrant. Add beans and corn. Stir in chiles and tomatoes along with sofrito sauce until blended. Simmer until hot throughout.
I sometimes make this with pork as well. Just cube 1-2 lbs boneless, center cut pork chops. Cook thoroughly in the oil before adding the beans.
We also made margaritas. I do not believe in bottles of mix, but with a crowd, I'm not going to squeeze limes for each drink either. This is my compromise:
Margaritas (my plan)
1 can of Minute Maid Limeade
1/2 to 3/4 can of tequila
1/4 to 1/2 can tripe sec
ice
Dump the limeade and booze in the blender. Fill with ice. Blend. I drink mine with salt, but to each his own.
Instant party.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Dinner with the in-laws
My in-laws are in town and I used them as guinea pigs for new recipes. Thank goodness we had a happy ending.
Pork Milanese with Arugula Salad (from EveryDay Food magazine)
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lbs pork cutlets (1/4 inch thick)
2 TBSP vegetable oil, plus more if needed
3 C baby arugula
1 head radicchio or endive, or a combination, thinly sliced
1/3 C red onion, thinly sliced
1. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set dressing aside. Place flour in a small bowl (I used a glass pie dish). Season pork with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
2. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add cutlets, working in batches and adding more oil if necessary (do not crowd cutlets). Cook until cutlets are golden on bottom, 3 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, 3 minutes. Transfer cutlets to large platter.
3. In a large bowl, toss arugula, radicchio and onion with dressing. The top cutlets with salad.
I served this with pan fried gnocchi:
Prepare one package of store-bought gnocchi as directed. Drain well. Melt 2 TBSP butter in a skillet. When it is sizzling, add gnocchi in one layer. Cook over medium heat, undisturbed, until the bottom of the gnocchi are golden brown. You can toss the gnocchi with some cheese if you desire.
This was a really delicious meal and also pretty to look at. The bitter greens with the simple lemon dressing went perfectly with the pork and the gnocchi were a lovely anchor. I will certainly be making this again.
Pork Milanese with Arugula Salad (from EveryDay Food magazine)
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lbs pork cutlets (1/4 inch thick)
2 TBSP vegetable oil, plus more if needed
3 C baby arugula
1 head radicchio or endive, or a combination, thinly sliced
1/3 C red onion, thinly sliced
1. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set dressing aside. Place flour in a small bowl (I used a glass pie dish). Season pork with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
2. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add cutlets, working in batches and adding more oil if necessary (do not crowd cutlets). Cook until cutlets are golden on bottom, 3 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, 3 minutes. Transfer cutlets to large platter.
3. In a large bowl, toss arugula, radicchio and onion with dressing. The top cutlets with salad.
I served this with pan fried gnocchi:
Prepare one package of store-bought gnocchi as directed. Drain well. Melt 2 TBSP butter in a skillet. When it is sizzling, add gnocchi in one layer. Cook over medium heat, undisturbed, until the bottom of the gnocchi are golden brown. You can toss the gnocchi with some cheese if you desire.
This was a really delicious meal and also pretty to look at. The bitter greens with the simple lemon dressing went perfectly with the pork and the gnocchi were a lovely anchor. I will certainly be making this again.
Dinner, all wrapped up
I'm always looking for good, light meals for the summer months. This one fit the bill.
Stir-Fried Turkey in Lettuce Wraps (from EveryDay Food Magazine)
1/4 C soy sauce
4 tsp fish sauce
4 tsp sugar
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 TBSP minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 lb. ground turkey (you can use chicken, pork or beef as well. I used chicken.)
2 large heads Bibb, Boston or iceberg lettuce, leave separated
1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves and set sauce aside.
2. Heat a large skillet or wok over high until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add shallot, ginger, garlic and chile and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add half the sauce to skillet and stir until meat is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve in lettuce leaves with remaining sauce. Serve with thinly sliced scallions, shredded carrots and lime wedges.
I served these with rice on the side. It was a light and delicious meal. It was quick to prepare and my son even really liked the meat prepared this way. He ate his with his rice instead of in a lettuce leaf. Despite the jalapeno, they were not especially spicy, just flavorful. These would even be pretty good for a buffet table since they require no utensils to eat. I great low-carb option for dinner.
Stir-Fried Turkey in Lettuce Wraps (from EveryDay Food Magazine)
1/4 C soy sauce
4 tsp fish sauce
4 tsp sugar
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 TBSP minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 lb. ground turkey (you can use chicken, pork or beef as well. I used chicken.)
2 large heads Bibb, Boston or iceberg lettuce, leave separated
1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves and set sauce aside.
2. Heat a large skillet or wok over high until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add shallot, ginger, garlic and chile and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add half the sauce to skillet and stir until meat is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve in lettuce leaves with remaining sauce. Serve with thinly sliced scallions, shredded carrots and lime wedges.
I served these with rice on the side. It was a light and delicious meal. It was quick to prepare and my son even really liked the meat prepared this way. He ate his with his rice instead of in a lettuce leaf. Despite the jalapeno, they were not especially spicy, just flavorful. These would even be pretty good for a buffet table since they require no utensils to eat. I great low-carb option for dinner.
Monday, May 3, 2010
A Different Kind of Salad
I had some leftover french bread that was going to go stale. I realized I had a perfect recipe to solve my problem.
Panzanella (from Julie O.)
2 tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 C fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
3 TBSP balsamic or red wine vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper
6-8 thick-cut slices of crusty baguette bread
In a bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion and basil. Drizzle with oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper and toss well. Place half the bread in a wide, shallow bowl. Spoon half the vegetables over bread. Layer remaining bread on top and then remaining vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Toss salad and adjust seasonings as needed. If bread is dry, add a little oil or vinegar. Serve immediately.
I serve this with the orecchiette with bacon and tomato sauce. I did not have fresh basil (and my husband doesn't really care for it), so I substituted dried basil and added a little oregano too. It's better with fresh, but dried works in a pinch. Very tasty and would be nice with any grilled meat or light Italian dish.
Panzanella (from Julie O.)
2 tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 C fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
3 TBSP balsamic or red wine vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper
6-8 thick-cut slices of crusty baguette bread
In a bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion and basil. Drizzle with oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper and toss well. Place half the bread in a wide, shallow bowl. Spoon half the vegetables over bread. Layer remaining bread on top and then remaining vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Toss salad and adjust seasonings as needed. If bread is dry, add a little oil or vinegar. Serve immediately.
I serve this with the orecchiette with bacon and tomato sauce. I did not have fresh basil (and my husband doesn't really care for it), so I substituted dried basil and added a little oregano too. It's better with fresh, but dried works in a pinch. Very tasty and would be nice with any grilled meat or light Italian dish.
We Even Talked About the Book
I hosted book club at my house on Thursday. So I tried out a bunch of new recipes on my unsuspecting ladies. They were an overwhelming success. We ate and laughed and even talked about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (which I very much enjoyed, by the by).
Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares (from EveryDay Food magazine)
13 graham crackers
1 bag (8 oz) toffee bits
1 1/2 C coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
1/2 C sugar
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 C (4 oz) bittersweet chocolate chopped or chocolate chips
3/4 tsp coarse salt
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching. Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.
2. In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes. Immediately pour over graham crackers. Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2 inch squares. Let cool completely on sheet on wire rack. (Store in an airtight container, up to one week.)
This one was the biggest hit. It's very simple to make delicious. I was only able to fit 12 crackers onto my cookie sheet. I used slivered almonds that I toasted a bit in the oven before using. I also used Hersey's Special Dark chocolate chips. I would sprinkle the salt by hand so it is fairly even.
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies (from EveryDay food magazine)
2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 C sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 400, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 C of sugar on medium speed until light a fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.
2. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 C sugar, cinnamon and chili powder, if using. Using heaping tablespoons, form balls, of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place about three inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. (Store in an airtight container, up to one week)
These were also terrific. They make really big cookies, so limit yourself to 8 to a sheet. It makes 32. I used the chili powder and it is very subtle, but adds a great balance. My son loved these. A word of warning, the dough was stickier than I expected. Roll lightly between your palms and get them into the cinnamon-sugar quickly.
White Bean Dip (from EveryDay Food magazine)
2 cans (15.5 oz each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 TBSP red wine vinegar
1/4 C water
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
coarse salt and ground pepper to taste
In a food processor, combine beans, olive oil, vinegar, and water. Process until smooth, adding more water if necessary. Add rosemary and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl and drizzle with a little oil.
This was very tasty, though no match for the toffee bars. I served it with french bread.
Chili-Lime Cashews (from EveryDay Food magazine)
2 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
2 TBSP dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 large egg white
3 C raw cashews
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, using the back of a wooden spoon, grind salt and lime zest. Add brown sugar , red pepper flakes and egg white and whisk until frothy. Add cashews and toss to coat.
2. Spread cashew mixture in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake until golden, 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
These were delicious. Spicy and salty and citrusy. So yummy. Perfect for all of your noshing needs. I got my cashews at Trader Joe's, but I'm sure you could find them at Whole Foods or other upscale market. I couldn't find raw ones at my regular grocery store. The bag I bought was one pound and it was just more than 3 cups. Perfect.
Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares (from EveryDay Food magazine)
13 graham crackers
1 bag (8 oz) toffee bits
1 1/2 C coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
1/2 C sugar
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 C (4 oz) bittersweet chocolate chopped or chocolate chips
3/4 tsp coarse salt
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching. Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.
2. In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes. Immediately pour over graham crackers. Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2 inch squares. Let cool completely on sheet on wire rack. (Store in an airtight container, up to one week.)
This one was the biggest hit. It's very simple to make delicious. I was only able to fit 12 crackers onto my cookie sheet. I used slivered almonds that I toasted a bit in the oven before using. I also used Hersey's Special Dark chocolate chips. I would sprinkle the salt by hand so it is fairly even.
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies (from EveryDay food magazine)
2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 C sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 400, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 C of sugar on medium speed until light a fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.
2. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 C sugar, cinnamon and chili powder, if using. Using heaping tablespoons, form balls, of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place about three inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. (Store in an airtight container, up to one week)
These were also terrific. They make really big cookies, so limit yourself to 8 to a sheet. It makes 32. I used the chili powder and it is very subtle, but adds a great balance. My son loved these. A word of warning, the dough was stickier than I expected. Roll lightly between your palms and get them into the cinnamon-sugar quickly.
White Bean Dip (from EveryDay Food magazine)
2 cans (15.5 oz each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 TBSP red wine vinegar
1/4 C water
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
coarse salt and ground pepper to taste
In a food processor, combine beans, olive oil, vinegar, and water. Process until smooth, adding more water if necessary. Add rosemary and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl and drizzle with a little oil.
This was very tasty, though no match for the toffee bars. I served it with french bread.
Chili-Lime Cashews (from EveryDay Food magazine)
2 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
2 TBSP dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 large egg white
3 C raw cashews
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, using the back of a wooden spoon, grind salt and lime zest. Add brown sugar , red pepper flakes and egg white and whisk until frothy. Add cashews and toss to coat.
2. Spread cashew mixture in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake until golden, 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
These were delicious. Spicy and salty and citrusy. So yummy. Perfect for all of your noshing needs. I got my cashews at Trader Joe's, but I'm sure you could find them at Whole Foods or other upscale market. I couldn't find raw ones at my regular grocery store. The bag I bought was one pound and it was just more than 3 cups. Perfect.
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