Huevos Rancheros

"To hand-crafted beers made in local breweries

To yoga, to yogurt, to rice and beans and cheese

To leather, to dildos, to curry Vindaloo

To Huevos Rancheros and Maya Angelou!"

            --Rent

photo: Rent-SoCo.com

In Jonathan Larson's rock opera Rent, the last number of Act One is "La Vie Boheme", a love letter to all things bohemian. Handcrafted beers from local breweries, I can understand - but what exactly is bohemian about leather and dildos? I don't think real bohemians would even wear leather. Actually, now that I think of it, I can't figure out what's bohemian about half of what's mentioned in that song (Pee Wee Herman? Really?).

Anyway, whenever I hear anything that's mentioned in that song, I have the overwhelming urge to sing it. I never do, of course, but it does take out the seriousness of certain situations (for me).

Professor: "Today, we are going to watch a film by Kurasawa!"
My brain: "ANTONIONI, BERTOLUCCI, KURASAWA! CARMINA BURANA!"

Bartender: "What type of vodka would you like?"
Me: "What do you have?"
Bartender: "Well, we have Grey Goose, Stoli, Absolut..."
My brain: "TO FRUITS, TO NO ABSOLUTES! TO ABSOLUT! TO CHOICE! TO THE VILLAGE VOICE!"

Friend: "Boy, do I enjoy the musical stylings of Bob Dylan."
My brain: "GINSBURG, DYLAN, CUNNINGHAM AND CAGE! LENNY BRUCE! LANGSTON HUGHES! TO THE STAGE!"

Does it get annoying? Yes. That song never leaves my frickin' head. And now it's probably in yours.

Let's make some Huevos Rancheros!

HUEVOS RANCHEROS, courtesy of "Cook This, Not That"
YOU WILL NEED:
1 (16oz) can of whole peeled tomatoes, with juice
½ small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chopped chipotle pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 (16oz) can black beans
Pinch of ground cumin
8 eggs
8 corn tortillas 

mise-en-place

I couldn't find chipotle peppers for the life of me (I probably wasn't even looking in the right place), so I'm simply omitting them, and adding a half a teaspoon of chipotle pepper powder to the tomatoes instead.

1. Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle cilantro, and half of the lime juice in a food processor and pulse until well blended but still slightly chunky. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Mix the black beans, cumin and remaining lime juice in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Use the back of a fork to lightly mash the beans, adding a splash of warm water if neccesary (I found that a spoon was way more effective for mashing).

3. Coat a large nonstick skillet or saute pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Break the eggs into the skillet; cook until the whites have set but the yolks are still loose and runny.

4. On a seperate burner, heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the tortillas, 2 at a time; cook for 1 minute on each side, until lightly toasted.

5. To assemble the dish, spread the tortillas with the beans, top with the eggs, and top the eggs with the salsa. Garnish with more cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

¡Olé!

A beautiful plate, if I do say so myself. I was incredibly pleased with the end result. The chipotle powder did its job, which was provide some smoky heat to the eggs. Once the yolk was broken and it oozed onto the salsa, it was just incredible. The tortillas were absorbant enough to not make the dish into a runny mess.

The addition of the chipotle powder gave the salsa a little kick, but if you don't like spicy, or you're making it kid-friendly, it's fine to omit the spice (or the pepper, if you can find them).

Breakfast for dinner doesn't get any better than this! This is also a great meal to serve for brunch, or a late breakfast with close friends. It's easily multiplied to feed more than 4 people and takes very little time. Can I also add that the salsa tastes amazing on some Wheat Thins? All in all, this was one of my favorite meals that I've ever made.

Keep your eyes peeled for another dessert recipe: Margarita Cupcakes!

Until next time - eat, drink and be merry!

Garlic Lime Chicken Fajitas

So, on Thursday night, my fiance and three of his friends are going to a Johnnie Walker tasting event. I'm taking this opportunity to invite a group of friends over for a Mexican-themed fiesta para chicas. I'm pulling out all the stops: homemade tortilla chips with fresh guacamole, nachos, Quesadilla Casserole, arroz amarillo, black-bean stuffed peppers (for my vegetarian friend), and, to top it all of, margarita cupcakes! To go with the theme, I've also got a pitcher of Spanish sangria brewing in the fridge.

I know this is going to push back the much anticipated Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe, but I thought it would be fun to do a group of Mexican-cuisine inspired recipes leading up to my party. I'm going to post the recipes I have for the black-bean stuffed peppers and the margarita cupcakes, and a recipe for Huevos Rancheros. And, of course, this one that you're reading right now: Garlic Lime Chicken Fajitas.

Also, this recipe incorporates one of my most favorite little kitchen helpers: McCormick Recipe Inspirations (I've used them in two prior recipes and I'm eventually going to try all of them). As I've said before, I love citrus in my foods. Lime, lemon, orange - it's all good. Garlic is also a love of mine (the more the better and damn the consequences! That's why breath mints were invented right?).


GARLIC LIME CHICKEN FAJITAS, courtesy of McCormick Recipe Inspirations

Makes 8 servings

YOU WILL NEED:

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips.

1 medium green or red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

8 flour tortillas (8-inch)

1 tsp minced garlic*

1 tsp minced onions*

3/4 tsp ground cumin*

3/4 tsp oregano*

1/2 tsp cilantro*

1/2 tsp black pepper*

*included in Spice Pack

mise-en-place

I almost could not fit all of these ingredients in one picture. It took a lot of strategic placement. You will also need a large skillet, a small mixing bowl, and either a large zip-close bag or a bowl with a fitted lid.

1. Mix lime and orange juices, oil, all of the spices and salt in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade. Place the chicken strips in the plastic bag or in a bowl with a fitted lid. Add the remaining marinade; turn to coat the chicken well. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor.

2. Cook and stir chicken in large heated skillet on medium-high heat 3 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Add bell pepper, onion and the reserved 1/4 cup of marinade. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender.

4. Return chicken to skillet. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.

5. Spoon chicken minutes into warmed tortillas. Serve with assorted toppings, if desired.

And there you go! Yeah, yeah - paper plates. I copped out. I was feeling lazy, what of it?

Man, I really need a bigger skillet. I think it's time I go and buy one bigger than 10" (insert sexual innuendo joke here).

This was a great recipe to make for having friends over. If I had thought more ahead of time, I probably would have had sour cream and cheese to add onto these fajitas, but I decided to make them at the last minute and kind of, well, forgot. But they were delicious anyway, even without added toppings. Omnom!

You know what I realized? This recipe would totally be awesome using strips of steak instead of chicken. Man, I can't wait to try that out!

Okay, the next entry is Huevos Rancheros - traditionally a breakfast dish, but there's nothing wrong with having it for dinner either! Then, I'm going to be making margarita cupcakes, and then Black Bean Stuffed Peppers (made in the crock pot)!

Until next time: ¡coma, beba y sea alegre!

Tomato & White Bean Pasta

You really can find recipes anywhere, not just in cookbooks. Magazines, for example, are always printing recipes for this diet fad or that, or for holidays and special events and get-togethers, for kids and for teenagers, for beginner and advanced cooks.

I don't subscribe to any magazines, but in your daily life, magazines can be found everywhere. On line at the supermarket, who doesn't pluck up a magazine while the person in front of you pays in pennies? Waiting for the doctor or the mechanic, there are always a ton of magazines laying around. More often than not, those magazines have been sitting there for weeks. If you find a recipe that you particularly like and want to remember and you do not have a pen and paper to copy it down with, ask the receptionist if you can take the magazine home.

This recipe came from a magazine. I can't remember when I found it or what magazine it came from. All I know is that I'd copied this recipe down some time ago, probably while I was still in college (it was found in an old notebook of mine with "Film as a Medium" written on the cover, which was a class I'd taken). I know I said it would be awhile before I posted another pasta recipe, but this was requested by none other than the fiance. It's one of his favorite pasta dishes and rightly so. It's a relatively healthy one, and vegetarian to boot!

TOMATO & WHITE BEAN PASTA (origins unknown)

YOU WILL NEED:

1 box of tri-color pasta

4 Roma tomatoes

1 tbsp olie oil

3-4 peeled garlic cloves

1 can white beans (white kidney, cannellini, etc.)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

salt and pepper to taste

mise-en-place

You will also need a large or medium skillet and a pasta pot. Also - return of the basil plant! This one is holding up quite well so far, as opposed to the last one that only lasted two weeks.

1. Cook the pasta in salted water. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Cover to keep warm.

2. Cut the tomtoes in half, scrape out the seeds with a spoon and cut into 1-inch pieces.

3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and garlic cloves. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove garlic and set aside.

4. Drain and rinse the beans, Add them to the skillet and then remove from heat. Smash the reserved garlic with a fork and add to drained pasta.

5. Add the tomatoes, beans and basil. Stir well, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

The end!

This pasta dish makes a great weeknight meal that's healthy and causes very little fuss. The garlic gives the tomatoes a great flavor and the beans are still firm to the bite. Of course, the tri-color pasta gives added nutrition, but if you can find the whole grain tri-color pasta, that's even better. Otherwise, it doesn't get any better than this!

Sorry for the delay in posting, we've had a crazy few days here. But I promise there will be more to come! Until next time: eat, drink and be merry!

Super Sidekicks: Chunky Ranch Potatoes

In an earlier entry, I mentioned that I had compiled all of my recipes into a spreadsheet so that I would be able to keep track of which ones I've done. Turns out this actuallly complicates the What's-For-Dinner process. I would just stare at that recipe list for several minutes, flipping through its pages, trying to decide what to make. So, now what happens is, every other week or so I pull the pages off the refrigerator, hand them over to Matt and tell him, "Pick three or four things off this list and I will make them."

So, that's what's been going on. This time around, Matt pointed out that I hadn't made any side dishes or desserts lately. I realized he was right! My last side dish was months ago and the last dessert was on Superbowl Sunday. I asked him to pick a few side dishes for me to make, and this was one of them! I was really craving some meat loaf, so this side dish was made to accopany that. But I think it would be great with some pork chops or even a nice steak.

CHUNKY RANCH POTATOES

YOU WILL NEED:

3 pounds medium red potatoes, unpeeled and quartered

1 cup water

1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Cheddar cheese (optional)

1/4 cup minced chives 

mise-en-place

You will also need your crock pot. That's it!

You can find chives in the produce section of your supermarket. They are supr easy to mince. Just grab a handful and have at it with your knife!

Don't forget that you must wash your potatoes and dig out any eyes before you place them in your crock pot. Make sure you give them a good rinse in some cold water after they're quartered too!

1. Place potatoes in crock pot. Add water. Cover; cook on LOW 7 to 9 HOURS or HIGH 4 to 6 HOURS, or until the potatoes are tender.

2. Stir in ranch dressing, cheese (if desired) and chives. Use a spoon to break potatoes into chunks. Serve hot or cold!

And they're done! This ain't your mama's meat and potatoes! I thought that the water that was used to steam the potatoes would make the ranch dressing very runny. However, I found the opposite was true - the water worked with the ranch and the cheese to make a thick, creamy sauce

Now, I'm usually skeptical of recipes that say "serve hot or cold", because it's not always true. But, this afternoon, as I was heating up some potatoes and meatloaf for lunch, I took a taste of the cold potatoes - WOW! They are rockin' when cold! I could definitely see this being served at an outdoor picnic alongside hot dogs and hamburgers.

Well, as for that dessert entry, that should be posted tomorrow! Chocolate pecan pie courtesy of Paula Deen, y'all!

Until next time, eat drink and be merry!

New England Clam Chowder

...or, as my fiance describes it, "the only thing that New England does better than Manhattan!" I'm inclined to agree.

Nice little break I've taken here. I had one week of no cooking and I did a little side job so I made extra income. Which means I'm going food shopping soon! Also, I think I've finally found a career path that I'm psyched about and currently actively persuing. But I don't want to talk too much about it lest I jinx it. But in any case, cross your fingers for me!

Okay. Let's get down to business. The business of soups. Soups are the easiest type of meal to make - they can include several food groups in one bowl, they don't take much time or effort and there are countless amalgamations. This particular recipe delivers creamy New England clam chowder in only THREE easy steps! And, if you use low-sodium bacon and fat-free evaporated milk, you can really cut your calorie count, making this a healthy option!

A quick tip from the cookbook, "The Crock Pot Recipe Collection": Shellfish and mollusks are delicate. They should be aded to the crock pot during the last 15 to 30 minutes of cooking time if you're on the high heat setting, and during the last 30 to 45 minutes if you're on the low heat setting. This type of seafood overcooks easily, becoming tough and rubbery, so watch your cooking times and cook only long enough for foods be done.

Wise words for us noobs! Now, unfortunately, during picture uploading, some of the files were corrupted and I have some snapshots missing. But I think the ideas will still get across.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER, courtesy of the Crock Pot Recipe Collection

makes 6-8 servings

YOU WILL NEED:

6 slices of bacon, diced

2 onions, chopped

5 cans (6.5oz each) clams, drained and liquid reserved

6 medium red potatoes, cubed

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cans (12oz each) evaporated milk

Salt, to taste

mise-en-place

You will also need a crock pot, at least 4.5 quarts, and a medium skillet. If you can't find whole clams in the can, you can get them chopped or minced. They aren't too small or too large, easier to eat. I used a combination of both. 

1. Cook and stir bacon and onion in medium skillet until onions are tender. Place in crock pot.

2. Add enough water to reserved clam liquid to make 3 cups (put the clams in a plastic bowl with a cover and refrigerate until ready to use). Pour into crock pot, add potatoes, garlic and black pepper. Cover; cook on LOW 5 to 8 hours or HIGH 1 to 3 hours.

3. Stir in reserved clams and milk. Cover; cook on LOW 1 hour. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.

YUM. This soup had such a great flavor to it, but I was slightly disappointed. I think the usage of fat-free as opposed to whole evaporated milk made the soup come out thinner rather than the thick, creamy New England clam chowder we know and love. Also, instead of white, the soup had a beige tint to it. I think that was also a result of the fat-free milk. Next time around, I'll use whole milk and see if there's a difference.

The worst part of this recipe was trying to dice the raw bacon. Ew. Slimy. I love bacon, but only after it's been cooked. Otherwise, I don't like handling it, especially since I was out of my trusty rubber food-handling gloves. I found it was easiest to dice when I piled the 6 slices on top of one another, cut them in half and then diced. It's not easy to do this, so please be careful and take your time.

Well, that was a nice long break I took from cooking! I also decided that I will only be posting three times a week. That way I can strech out my recipe collection and I don't make myself nuts with trying to post nearly every night. Also, I will be featuring only one (if any) crock pot recipe a week. I just have so many of those recipes and I know not everyone who reads this has a crock pot.

So, on that note: what's coming up this week? Chicken cordon bleu (in the crock pot), huevos rancheros (a delicious healthy egg dish - I love breakfast for dinner!), tomato & white bean pasta and my second ever dessert post: chocolate pecan pie! I was craving some chocolate pecan pie a few weeks ago and, of course, instead of buying one, I sought out a recipe (it's always healthier and sometimes cheaper to make it yourself).

Keep your eyes peeled. By the way, have I mentioned I love getting comments? ;-)

Eat, drink and be merry!

Chicken Piccata with Lemon Orzo

Piccata. I like that word. Piccata. Rhymes with hotta...or the Spanish Armada.

"House Bunny" anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Forget you. "The House Bunny" is one of the funniest movies ever.

I have noticed, as I get older and my taste buds evolve over and over again, that I really love citrus in my foods, especially in my entrees. I love a strong, lemony flavor. Lemon over pasta, over fish, over calamari, over chicken - especially over chicken. I have TWO containers of lemon pepper seasoning. Chicken piccata definitely quenches my desire for lemony foods - paired with a great dry white wine and capers, it pleases my taste buds.

Usually chicken piccata is prepared with the chicken dredged in flour before its sauteed, but this is actually a healthy version of the dish - minus the flour and using low-sodium chicken broth in the sauce. It tastes just as good without it, I promise!

CHICKEN PICCATA WITH LEMON ORZO, courtesy of MyRecipes.com

Serves 4

YOU WILL NEED:

1 cup uncooked orzo

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

4 (4oz) chicken cutlets (thin boneless/skinless breasts will also do)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup white wine (a dry white wine, like a Chardonnay or a Pinot is preferable)

1/2 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon capers

mise-en-place

I don't have any parsley, so I just did without. No big deal. You will also need a large skillet and a pasta pot. You will also need a wooden spoon or any other cooking instrument good for stirring in a hot pan (nothing that will melt or scrape the Teflon in a nonstick pan).

Orzo is a delicious little type of pasta, shaped like grains of rice (orzo actually means "barley" in Italian). It's usually used in casseroles or soups. It's not hard to find, a lot of pasta companies make orzo. Fun fact: "piccata", in Italian, means "pounded flat". Traditionally, the chicken breast would be pounded flat efore being cooked. However, by using thinly sliced chicken instead, it is unneccesary.

Quick note: zesting (or grating) a lemon is a pain in the @$$ process. It's a lot of work for very little rind. It's a good thing that the recipe only calls for two teaspoons of rind, because that's about all you can get from an average sized lemon. Just make sure you don't grate the white part underneath the zest - that's the most bitter part. So bitter it doesn't even taste good.

In my opinion, before you do anything else, zest your lemon. You'll thank me later.

1. Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain. Stir in lemon rind.

2. While orzo cooks, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan.

4. Keep pan warm. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits.

5. Add chicken broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes for until reduced to 1/2 cup.

6. Remove from heat; add butter, stirring until butter melts.

7. Stir in parsley and capers. Serve over orzo, topped with sauce.

Done and done! I served cauliflower and broccoli on the side.

This is my second time making this recipe. Last time, I was happy with the chicken but not with the sauce. This time, it was the other way around. I thought the chicken tasted dry and overcooked, but my fiance disagreed and said it was perfect. I am my own harshest critic after all. I don't think my chicken was flat enough to be cooked properly, my bad. I also forgot what a true pain this recipe is. I'll cook it again just one more time in the future, just to see if I can get it 100% right (to my standards), and if I can't, I'm going to look out for another piccata recipe - which I will, of course share.

I've got only one more recipe to post before I'm gone for a week - New England clam chowder, from the crock pot! It's actually in the crock pot as we speak and I'll post the recipe tomorrow.

Until next time - eat, drink and be merry!