Well, true to form, I have a paper to be working on but instead I'm posting some recipes. I was craving Mexican food a few weeks ago, and this was a good make-ahead meal that lasted for days. Adapted from over here.
Ingredients
1 package medium flour tortillas (8-10)
1 bag shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
Salt and black pepper
Cumin, ancho chile powder, chipotle powder
Olive oil
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
4 oz. can diced green chiles
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, cumin, ancho chile powder, and chipotle powder. Saute until cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In the skillet you cooked the chicken in, melt 3 tbsp. butter.
3. When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
4. Add the chicken broth and whisk until smooth.
5. Continue cooking until the mixture is bubbling and thick, then add the sour cream and the diced green chiles. Set aside.
6. When chicken is cooled enough to handle, shred either by hand or in the bowl of a stand-mixer with the paddle attachment (the latter is my preferred method!)
7. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9x13" baking dish with butter and set aside.
8. Separate the flour tortillas on a clean surface. Divide 1/2 of the shredded cheese among each tortilla. Then add the shredded chicken.
9. Roll the tortillas by tucking in the ends and rolling over. Snuggle tightly into the baking dish.
10. Pour the sauce over the top of the tortillas and sprinkle with the last 1/2 of the shredded cheese.
11. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and bubbly. Enjoy...they're just as good left
over!
When it comes to salads, I can tire easily. But one type of "salad" that can keep my interest is the variation on lettuce-free salads with hearty ingredients and a bold dressing or vinaigrette. This is one version I threw together when I could no longer resist those cans of hearts of palm at the grocery store. You can eat this on its own (like I prefer) or throw it onto a bed of lettuce.
Ingredients
1 can black beans
1 can chick peas
1 can whole kernel corn
3-4 hearts of palm, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers, diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 small red onion
For the vinaigrette:
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (you can also substitute sherry vinegar for a different flavor)
1/4 cup olive oil
Directions
1. Drain and rinse the beans, chick peas, and corn. Place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Thinly slice the hearts of palm and add to the bean mixture.
Note: you can store the rest of the hearts of palm in an airtight container and use within a couple days.
3. Seed and dice the bell peppers and tomatoes. Add to the mixture, along with diced red onion.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and black pepper, minced shallot, and minced garlic.
5. Add to the mixing bowl and stir. Let sit for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Pasta is, without a doubt, my favorite comfort food. Throw in tomatoes and a spicy sausage and you've got a pot of dinner that I can't resist. And coming from someone who doesn't have the gusto to eat through leftovers for days on end...well, let's just say that these leftovers go quickly. Thanks to my fave, Ina Garten, for this one, which I tweaked ever so slightly.
Ingredients
Olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage, ground or links with casings removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
28 oz. can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1 1/4 cups dry red wine (optional)
2 tbsp. tomato paste
Salt and black pepper
3/4 lb. dried pasta
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet, and cook the Italian sausage until browned, crumbling as you go with a wooden spoon.
2. Meanwhile, mince the garlic. When the meat is cooked, add it to the skillet, along with the oregano or seasoning and red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute.
3. Add 1 cup of wine to the skillet in order to deglaze the pan.
*Note: this step is optional. You can keep the wine out all together, and the dish still tastes fantastic.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and black pepper.
5. Stir to combine and bring to boil.
6. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions.
*Note: make sure you salt the water generously to flavor the noodles.
8. Drain and set aside as you finish the sauce.
9. Add the nutmeg, fresh basil, cream, and 1/4 cup of wine (optional ) to the sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
10. Add the pasta into the skillet, along with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Cook for another couple minutes so the noodles can absorb some of the flavors.
11. Serve, topped with fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese.
I had the privilege of nannying for a great family back in Chicago, and I've been blessed to be able to keep in touch with them since I moved. They have two adorable children who I love so much and miss all the time. They even come out to LA once in awhile because they have family that lives here, and they are generous enough with their vacation and family time to let me join them for lunch and playtime with the kiddos. Last month, they were in town and I got yet another privilege: helping them cook a traditional Korean meal. And they even shared their recipe for korean bbq. The measurements are my own, because they just eyed everything as it was going in, but when I tried it at home a few weeks ago, I have to say...it turned out pretty good!
Ingredients
1 large flank steak
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. brown sugar
3 green onions
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp. fresh ginger
1 kiwi
Salt and black pepper
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and brown sugar.
2. Slice the green onions, and shred the fresh ginger on a microplane. Also shred the garlic cloves.
3. Add to the mixing bowl.
4. Peel the kiwi and then process until smooth in a food processor. Add to the mixing bowl.
5. Add salt and black pepper to the mixing bowl. Whisk all ingredient until well combined.
6. Place the flank steak in a large Ziploc bag, and pour the marinade over the steak.
7. Marinate for six hours.
8. When you're ready to start cooking, brush vegetable oil on an indoor (or outdoor) grill, and heat until very hot.
9. Remove the steak from the marinade and place on the hot grill.
10. Cook for 5-8 minutes and flip, cooking for another 3-5 minutes (depending on how you like your steak cooked).
11. Remove from the grill to a cutting board and cover will foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, place the leftover marinade in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil (to kill germs from the raw meat). Let boil for a couple minutes until sauce is slightly reduced.
13. Remove from heat and transfer into a serving dish.
14. When the steak is ready, cut it into very thin strips with a sharp knife.
*Note: make sure you cut against the grain, rather than with it, so that your steak is tender and not tough.
15. Serve over brown rice with extra marinade poured over the top.
