Pico de Gallo aka Salsa Fresca

This is also from Pioneer Woman's website. I can't help myself, but this is just 'it'. I've tried to make pico and fresh salsa for years, and it was never quite right. This recipe finally gets the ratio of tomatoes to jalapeno to onion jussssst right, in my opinion. When I make this I have to quadruple the recipe, at the very least. I'm not kidding. It turns people into pigs. Pico-eating pigs. I hope you have enough chips. I have even made this and used it to marinate leftover grilled flank steak overnight. Then the next day, I sear the leftover marinated steak in a cast iron skillet, just long enough to heat it up, and make steak fajitas with portabello mushrooms, mushrooms, onions and red/yellow/orange bell peppers, sauteeing the vegetables in olive oil and Sal con Chile y Limon before heating the steak. YUM!

 

 

Pico De Gallo

5 Roma tomatoes (firm, not soft)

1/2 large or 1 small onion

3 jalapeno peppers

1 bunch cilantro

2-3 limes

Kosher Salt

*These quantities are approximate

Dice tomatoes, onion, and jalapenos. (I quarter my tomatoes lengthwise, then scrape the seeds and tomato goo out with a paring knife. I also remove the seeds and white membrane from inside the jalapenos.) Mince cilantro. Toss together in a bowl. Squeeze lime juice over chopped vegetables, add cilantro, toss again. Add salt to taste. Toss again.

***To make wonderful guacamole, just add some of this pico to mashed avocado.

Red Chile Short Rib Tacos aka Taco Toppings

A recent issue of Food Network Magazine contained a feature on tacos, with recipes presented by various popular chefs.  I decided to try Bobby Flay's Red Chile Short Rib Tacos.  I did some research and decided to substitute brisket for the short ribs I had difficulty locating at my local Kroger.  Perhaps my substitution of meat greatly affected the flavor, but I wasn't fond of this dish as a whole, though some portions of it I'll carry to other Mexican cooking recipes that I've tried and love.  The recipe consists of several parts--you make the meat, then you also make a homemade queso sauce, pickled red onions and green chile relish to top the tacos.  

I felt that the port overwhelmed the pepper flavor I expected to shine in the meat part of this dish, making the meat seem very heavy and pot-roast-flavored.  The queso sauce just wasn't what I was looking for (though the cheese lovers who tried the dish really liked the queso--personally I prefer some good Crema Mexicana on my tacos as opposed to cheese).  Now, onto the pickled red onions and green chile relish.  I loved the flavor of both these taco topping and will definitely make both again.  The only change I'll make is to reduce the canola oil to 1 teaspoon in the green chile relish.  I could taste the oil and felt the amount imparted an oily texture to the relish that I could easily eliminate.

 Preparing the brisket

 Infusing broth with red chiles

 Red chile brisket

 Red chile tacos with pickled red onions, green chile relish and fresh cilantro

Ramps, y'all! Again!

What's

She

Gonna

Do

With

ALL

THOSE

RAMPS

?!?!?

Green Beans and Zucchini with Sauce Vert from Bon Appetit

Green Beans and Zucchini with Sauce Vert

I followed this Bon Appetit recipe to a T. I'd absolutely make it again with no changes. BUT! It's nearing the start of zucchini AND squash harvesting in my little garden and I thought the zucchini absorbed the sauce vert flavor a little better than the green beans. So, I'll make it again with zucchini and squash spears, most likely.

The sauce is fantastic. The recipe says leftover sauce is good stirred into cous cous. I made a bowl of rice the other evening (Trader Joe's frozen--I am SO lazy sometimes for someone who loves to cook) and stirred some of the sauce in. Terrific! I'll be thinning some with olive oil as a marinade for chicken before grilling. I think it would make a great pasta sauce as well. Think pesto with more of a kick.

Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad from Bon Appetit

Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad from Bon Appetit

1. This gave me a huge "DUH" moment when it comes to roasting fingerling potatoes. Seriously people, follow the directions from this recipe. Each time. Every time!

2. I will just say no to tarragon the next time I make this recipe. I really don't care for the licorice-y taste and I didn't like the taste with roasted potatoes one little bit. The rest of this recipe really shined as good enough to think of a substitute. Next time I make this I'll be using fresh thyme.

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus Spears

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus Spears

1 bunch fresh asparagus spears, with ends trimmed

sliced prosciutto

olive oil

Wrap sliced prosciutto (I cut each slice into 1/2s or 1/3s) around center of each asparagus spear. Line up on cookie sheet and drizzle tops of asparagus with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Good hot or at room temperature.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

fresh brussels sprouts

olive oil

kosher salt

Cut sprouts in half lengthwise. Toss with olive oil and kosher salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes (when tender and just starting to caramelize).

Cowboy Caviar

I found this recipe in Annie's cookbook and made some adaptations. It was a HUGE hit at our party :-) --edited 1/12/08, reducing oil by 1/4 cup and adding 1/4 cup vinegar--

Cowboy Caviar

1 1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup oil (I used Canola Oil)

1-3 jalapenos, seeded and minced (I use 3)

3 red bell (sweet) peppers, diced

3 yellow bell (sweet) peppers, diced

2 cans white shoe-peg corn, drained

2 cans black-eyed peas, drained

2 cans pinto beans, drained

1 small onion, diced

Bring vinegar to a boil. Remove from heat and add oil, sugar and minced jalapenos. Cool dressing mixture. Mix together remaining ingredients. Pour dressing mixture over vegetable/bean mixture and marinate overnight. Strain off marinade before serving (this is important or the dish will seem soggy and oily). Store leftovers in the refrigerator; keeps well for up to two weeks. Serve with Scoops tortilla chips.

Potluck Potato Casserole

Potluck Potato Casserole

From Cooking Light

The crunchy topping on this side-dish casserole gives way to a cheesy interior, resulting in a comfort food winner. A bonus with this dish is that you can make the casserole ahead--assemble and refrigerate it until time to bake. Sprinkle the cornflakes over the casserole just before baking.

1 1/2 cups fat-free sour cream

1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) finely shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

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

2 tablespoons minced fresh onion

5 teaspoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 (30-ounce) package frozen hash browns, thawed (such as Ore-Ida)

1 (10.75-ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup (such as Campbell's Healthy Request)Cooking spray

1 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl; spread evenly into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cornflakes over potato mixture.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until bubbly. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Yield: 10 servingsCALORIES 194 (30% from fat); FAT 6.4g (sat 3.7g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 7.9g; CHOLESTEROL 21mg; CALCIUM 166mg; SODIUM 283mg; FIBER 1.5g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.1g Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005

German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad
(adapted from Boy Meets Grill, Bobby Flay)

3 lbs. new potatoes
1 yellow onion, quartered
½ lb bacon, diced
1 large red onion, diced
¾ cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp mustard seed
¼ cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Place potatoes in a large pot with the quartered onion and cover with cold water. Allow water to come to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. Drain, discard the onion. Cut the potatoes into cubes when they are cool enough to handle. Place potato cubes in a large bowl and cover to keep warm.

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the red onions to the rendered bacon fat in skillet and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully add the vinegar and mustard seeds and cook for 2 more minutes. Whisk in the canola oil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the hot dressing to the potatoes and toss gently to coat. Fold in the green onions and parsley. Season again with salt and pepper, to taste.

Garden Rice

I came up with this over the summer when I was trying to make something for a family picnic without going to the grocery store, using produce from my/my neighbor's garden.

Garden Rice

4 bags quick-cook 10 minute rice, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ small onion, minced
1 small-medium zucchini, grated
2-3 diced fresh tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 packet powdered Italian Dressing
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch fresh-ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, to taste (I use a palm-full)

Heat butter, oil, minced garlic and onion until slightly sizzling. Add zucchini and tomatoes. Cook until just getting soft. Add remaining ingredients, stir and allow to simmer at very low heat until flavors combine. Stir together with cooked rice and allow to stand so sauce soaks into rice.