Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Grilled Steak Tips (Kebabs) (82 or 150)

Beef. It's what's for dinner. I was looking for something quick and easy to ease into another long weekend. The girls and I are headed to eastern Washington on Friday, and am not cooking tomorrow. So I made enough steak marinade for two nights worth. OR I'll have it for lunch tomorrow. 

This felt like a standard marinade to me. Same old stuff in it: soy, garlic, oil, something sweet. This one asked for Italian Seasoning  2 tsps of it! That was WAY too much Italian Seasoning for me. 

Grilled Steak Tips (Kebabs)
Recipe from Lemon Blossoms

Serves 6

For the Kebabs:
  • 1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin tips, top sirloin or flap steak, trimmed and cut into 1 or 1 1/4-inch cubes
  • 2 bell peppers, any color, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cut in half
  • 1 small red onion cut into 1-inch pieces (try to keep 3 layers of onion together.

For the Marinade:
  • 1/4 c soy sauce or Tamari
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 3 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 T honey or brown sugar
  • 2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the marinade.

Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Place the cut steak in a resealable plastic bag. Pour all but the reserved marinade over the meat, seal the bag and press out as much air as possible. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

About 30 minutes before grilling the kebabs, toss the bell peppers and mushrooms with the reserved marinade.

For Gas Grill
Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat to about 400°F. – 450° F. Grill to desired doneness.

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Creamy Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff (81 of 150)

I humbly believe I have the best stroganoff recipe on the planet. And yet, I sometimes think maybe there's a better one. So, tonight I made a new stroganoff recipe. My recipe is super simple and uses cream of mushroom soup. It's saucy and yummy. 

This recipe does not use cream of mushroom soup. You make the sauce from scratch basically and I gotta say, it is a close second to my Kick Ass recipe.

What I didn't like is the fettuccine. I really like butter noodles or rice in my stroganoff. Fettuccini just seems to big for stroganoff. I know that's a very personal thing. Not all pastas are created equal. 


Creamy Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff
Recipe from Cafe Delites
Serves 6

  • 1lbs egg Fettuccine (dry weight)
  • 4 T butter, divided
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
  • 1 pound sliced mushrooms
  • 24 ounces lean beef fillet steaks, seasoned with salt and pepper and cubed into 1 1/2-inch pieces (sirloin, tenderloin, eye fillet or scotch fillet)
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp paprika, (smoky or mild)
  • 1/3 c dry white wine, (or more if you like it stronger)
  • 2 c beef broth
  • 2 T flour
  • 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 c sour cream at room temperature
  • Freshly chopped parsley to garnish

Boil the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to packet instructions until al dente. Remove; strain and set aside.

While pasta is boiling, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Sear the steak in single layer batches until browned; transfer to a separate plate and set aside until all batches are done.

Melt the remaining butter in the pan; add the onions and sauté until transparent, then add the garlic and fry until just fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are tender and cooked through (about 4 minutes). Mix in the mustard and paprika.

Add the wine and cook for about 3 minutes while stirring occasionally to mix all of the flavors through, deglazing the pan while scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan with your spoon. Allow wine to reduce down to about half the amount (about 3 minutes).

While wine is reducing down, grab a small jug and whisk together the beef broth (or stock), flour and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Pour the beef broth mixture into the pan, mix well and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce begins to thicken.

Return the beef and any juices from the plate to the pan and season with any extra salt and pepper (if desired). Reduce heat down to low and mix in sour cream. Heat until hot (do not boil).

Add the pasta or noodles into the pan and garnish with parsley.

Birria (Recipe 80 of 150)

I have seen birria made so many times on the Food Network that I think I could make it by heart. Each recipe I've seen is slightly different, but tastes about the same. Basically, beef stew with Mexican flavors. 

This recipe was originally created using a Instant Pot. I don't have one of those (and don't want one) and so I did this in the slow cooker. Same results, just took 8 hours longer. 

But y'all...this was bomdiggity. The key really is making the sauce from scratch with the chiles. The flavor you get out of chiles is so amazing sometimes. 

This one is definitely a keeper. You can use the leftovers for tacos the next day. Or quesadillas. Or just eat the leftovers like I did. 


Birria (Mexican Beef Stew)
Recipe from Gimme Some Oven
Serves 8

ADOBO SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 dried ancho chiles
  • 3 dried guajillo chiles
  • 1 to 3 dried chiles de árbol (optional, see note below)
  • 1 T avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 large roma tomatoes, roughly chopped*
  • 4 c beef stock, divided
  • 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of ground cloves

BEEF STEW INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 to 3 1/2 pound beef chuck roast, roughly cut into 3-inch chunks
  • fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
  • 2 T avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • warm corn tortillas, for serving
  • recommended toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped white or red onion, diced or sliced avocado, lime wedges and/or sliced jalapeños


Core and toast the chiles. Slice the stems off of the dried chiles, then remove and discard the seeds inside.  Steep the chiles in a pot of hot water. Bring the water to a boil and then let them sit for about 10 minutes. Transfer the chiles only to a blender. No need to save the liquid. 

Heat a skillet to med-high, add 1 T vegetable oil. Sauté the onions for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and tomatoes and sauté for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Then transfer the entire mixture to the blender.

Add 2 cups of the beef stock, the apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, ginger, cinnamon and cloves to the blender. Cover and carefully blend for 1 minute, until the mixture is completely smooth.

Strain the mixture through a colander to remove all the "bits". This will make a smoother, silky sauce. You don't have to do this step, but the texture of the mixture will be gritty.

Season the beef with a few generous pinches of salt and black pepper. Put 1 T of oil in the pan you used for the veggies; add half of the beef and briefly sear it in the oil, turning the chunks occasionally so that they can sear on all sides. Transfer the first batch of beef to the crock pot, then sear the remaining beef likewise in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. 

Add the beef and the blended sauce into a slow cooker. Add bay leaves and remaining 2 c of beef stock. (Jenn Note: I didn't end up using the 2 remaining cups of broth. There was plenty of liquid from the chili mixture.)

Cover and set to low and cook for 8 hours. 

Remove and discard the bay leaves. Then you can either leave the beef in larger chunks for serving or shred the beef for taco. 

Serve. Serve the birria in bowls (the beef along with its broth) garnished with lots of your favorite toppings, with a side of warm tortillas, and enjoy!

Monday, May 22, 2023

Charro Beans (79 of 150)

Photo from Lemon 
Tree Dwelling
Tonight was Sunday Dinner. The theme was Burrito Bowls. Everyone brought something to add to the bowls. I made the Carne Asada from this taco recipe. And the chicken from this recipe.  On top of that I did these Charro Beans.

The flavor combination of these beans is amazing. They are so delicious and so much better than refried beans. They were a nice addition to the burrito bowls. 

Charro beans should not be confused with Borracho Beans. That said the only real difference is Borracho beans have beer in them. And are also delicious. 

I'm not sure why, but I didn't include the ham and bacon in my recipe. I had two types of chorizo I used and thought that would be enough pork. I think it turned out good. I'd make these again in a heart beat. 


Charro Beans
Recipe from Lemon Tree Dwelling
Serves 12
  • 4 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, undrained
  • 6 slices bacon
  • 7 ounces chorizo sausage
  • 1 c diced ham steak
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 c cilantro, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Prepare the vegetables by dicing the onions, tomatoes, and cilantro and mincing the jalapeño and garlic. Prepare the meats by dicing the ham and bacon.

Add the diced bacon, along with the chorizo, to a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, crumbling the chorizo as you go, until the bacon is crispy.

Add in the prepared onions, garlic, and ham. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are translucent.

Add in the remaining ingredients, including the liquid from the beans, and simmer uncovered 15-20 minutes. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro as desired.

Monday, May 15, 2023

Teriyaki Chicken and Spinach Salad (78 of 150)

It's hot. Boy is it hot. And because it's hot, I am not turning on the stove in any way. So I made this Huli Huli Chicken to pair along with this Spinach Salad. 

I did make some modification. I didn't have almonds so I used walnuts. And that, my friends is it. 

The Vinaigrette was AMAZING. I'll be putting that on the favorites list for sure. It made about 1/2 cup and you need very little to dress the salad. I used Yoshida's Teriyaki sauce - I couldn't find any sugar free teriyaki that taste remotely good. 


Teriyaki Chicken and Spinach Salad
Recipe from Recipe Runner
Serves 6

  • 10 ounce bag baby spinach
  • 2 chicken breasts (see Huli Huli chicken)
  • 1/4 c teriyaki sauce
  • 10.5 ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
  • 1/2 c slivered almonds, toasted
  • 1/2 c dried cranberries

Teriyaki Vinaigrette
  • 1/4 c teriyaki sauce
  • 1/4 c rice wine vinegar
  • 1 T honey
  • 1 T water
  • 2 tsp dark sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Marinate the chicken breasts in a 1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Cook the chicken breasts then cool them slightly before dicing them into 1/2 inch pieces.

In a large bowl add in all of the spinach.

Top the spinach with the diced chicken, toasted almond, mandarin oranges, and dried cranberries.

In a glass measuring cup whisk together all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette.

Pour enough of the vinaigrette over the salad to coat it, then toss everything together.

The vinaigrette can also be served on the side.


Grilled Huli Huli Chicken (77 of 150)

Lord it's hot! Us PNWesterners just aren't every happy. We complain when its rainy all the time and complain when hell has come to town. 

When it's this hot turning on the stove is just not an option. So I decided to make this Huli Huli chicken on the grill. Overall it was ok. The problem for me, and it's just me most likely, is it was too Pineapple-y. I could really taste the pineapple and it's not my favorite cooked flavor. 

To make this lower in the carb count, I swapped the ketchup for sugar free ketchup (it's the only kind I use these days - can't even tell) and I swapped the brown sugar for Swerve Low Carb Brown Sugar.

I served it alongside this Spinach salad - which I will make again in a heartbeat. Sooo good. 


Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
Recipe from Six Sisters Stuff
Serves 6
  • 1/2 c pineapple juice
  • 1/2 c brown sugar
  • 1/3 c ketchup
  • 1/3 c low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

In a mixing bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger and garlic.

Pour marinade into a large resealable plastic bag and add chicken.

Seal bag and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

Remove bag from fridge, drain and discard marinade from chicken.

Grill chicken over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F.

Sunday, May 14, 2023

Chipotle-Lime Flank Steak Street Tacos (76 of 150)

Happy Mother's Day every one. I didn't make my Mom's favorite meal (chicken fried steak) cuz it's too damn hot. I opted for my favorite meal, street tacos (or any taco). Plus it had the added bonus of using the grill instead of the stove on this extraordinary hot day.

I couldn't find flank steak for this marinade. I know. You'd think you could find it anywhere. I shop so early in the morning I suspect they just hadn't restocked from the day before. So I grabbed some thin cut sirloin steaks. My train of thought was how thin carne asada steaks are when you get that at a Mexican restaurant. I'm not convinced this was the best choice of meat. I think it would have been WAY better with flank steak. 

My store does finally have small corn street taco tortillas though. I've been experimenting with how to get these soft without getting them crisp. I did some research and I think I've found the answer. 

Last time I made street tacos with corn tortillas, I heated them on the grill. It worked OK, but I had to nuke them to get them softer. So this time I took a page from my mom's cookbook of how she made her enchiladas. AND Simply Mama Cooks does this as well... I dipped them in a little hot oil. I put about 3 T of veggie oil on a griddle on the stove. I ran the tortilla on both sides through the hot oil. THEN I popped them on the grill to get some charring. Perfection. That is the answer. 

The meat needed more salt. I didn't put enough into the marinade I don't think. If I made these again, I'd salt the steaks before I grilled them. 

Chipotle-Lime Flank Steak Street Tacos
Recipe from Butter Your Biscuits
Serves 4

Marinade
  • 2 lbs flank steak
  • Juice of 4 limes
  • 4 chipotle peppers diced plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
  • 1/2 c chopped cilantro
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves diced
Pica de Gallo
  • 1/2 c diced red onions
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
  • 3 Roma tomatoes diced
  • 3/4 c chopped cilantro
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • corn tortillas or flour tortillas
  • Cotija cheese

In a small bowl add lime juice, chipotles and adobo sauce, salt, garlic, cilantro and olive oil mix until combined. in a large Ziplock bag add flank steak and pour marinade in. Refrigerate for 4-8 hours. [JennW Note: I marinaded mine for 5.5 hours]

Heat the grill on high. Remove the steak from marinade and place it on the hot grill for about 4-5 minutes then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes for medium rare. Or until desired doneness. [JennW Note: You're gonna want to get the steak out 30 minutes before to let it come to room temperature before grilling.]

Let steak rest 10-15 minutes. Then slice in thin slices against the grain.

Pica de gallo
Combine onions, jalapeños, tomatoes and chopped cilantro in a large bowl. Squeeze in the juice of 2 limes and add the salt. Mix until combined Add more salt to taste

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Zero Carb Chips (75 of 150)

I'm not sure this counts as a new recipe, but I'm going with it. It was at least something "new" to me. 

I love chips. And trying to eat healthier chips are not an option. I saw this recipe on Instagram and thought I'd give it a try. There are actually a million recipes similar to this one. Let me just say, these do not replace chips in any way, shape or form. But the crunchy cheese does scratch that itch for something savory and crunchy. 

I used Pepper Jack and Sharp cheddar for this. I didn't' put any seasonings on it since I feel like the cheese is already pretty salty. The pepper jack was the winner for me. 


Zero Carb Chips
Recipe from Instagram

Thinly sliced coby jack cheese
Seasoning of your choice

Start with some thinly sliced Colby jack cheese and slice diagonally into triangles and place on parchment paper and bake at 250 degrees for 35 minutes.

Sprinkle seasoning of your choice on top, I used a Ranch seasoning and a Taco Seasoning both by Flavor God.

If you have gone low carb and want to see more recipes like this be sure to follow.

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Shish Tawook (Grilled Chicken Skewers) (74 0f 150)

My favorite Shish Tawook is from a local favorite the Mediterranean Kitchen. I'm pretty sure they dip the chicken in crack. But it's the yellow rice they serve with it...oh lord. And their hummus is so yummy I usually by extra to bring home to feast on. 

This was a good recipe. I like most of the flavor combos. I was just not a fan of the cinnamon flavor that small 1/4 tsp had. I was surprised how pronounced it was. 

This is no Mediterranean Kitchen, but it was good. 


Shish Tawook (Grilled Chicken Skewers)
Recipe from Big Oven who got it from Half Baked Harvest
Serves 4
  • 1/4 c lemon juice
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 1/2 c Greek yogurt
  • 3 cloves garlic ; minced or grated
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger ; grated
  • 1 T tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast ; cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 large red bell pepper ; cut into chunks
  • 1 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley ; plus more garnish
  • 4-8 pitas ; warmed
  • 2-4 ounces goat cheese ; crumbled
  • French fries ; for serving

In a bowl combine the lemon juice, olive oil, Greek yogurt, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, salt, oregano, paprika, pepper and cinnamon. 

Add the chicken to a Ziplock bag and pour the sauce over the chicken. Seal the bag and place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Thread the chicken, and peppers onto metal skewers (or wood skewers that have been soaked in water). 

Place the chicken on the grill until the chicken is golden and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes each side. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the skewers. You may also cook the chicken in a skillet if needed.

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Chicken Tacos (73 of 150)

One of my fondest memories of living in Guadalajara are the street tacos. Literally buying tacos on the street by a sketchy looking vendor who's tacos are the best I had ever tasted. I look back on those days and shake my head in disgust. Who knows what meat we were eating? Or how clean the making of the tacos were? We didn't care. They were delicious. 

I've tried for years to duplicate that flavor. I finally found a restaurant that has come close with their carne asada tacos, Taqueiria El Rinconcito. I'm not a huge fan of their chicken street tacos, thus me being on the search for good taco street tacos. 

The ones I made here were THE BOMB. They made the favorites list. 

This recipe was good, and very well could make the favorites list, maybe. I'm still thinking the others were better. 

This has seasoned, grilled chicken marinated in traditional flavors and seasonings. It didn't exactly make me feel like I was standing on a gritty corner in Guadalajara forking over a couple of pesos for some greasy street tacos with questionable meat, but they were good. 

I especially appreciated the grilling of the chicken instead of pan frying. Though pan frying does allow from crispier sides of the chicken, still, it's hot out so the grill must be on. 

Chicken Tacos
Recipe from Amanda's Cookin
Serves 5
  • 1.5 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 20 mini white corn tortillas
  • Fresh limes cut into wedges (2 wedges per person)
  • For the Marinade:
  • 4 T orange juice
  • 2 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 T lime juice
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 T ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder
  • 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large Ziplock bag.

Add chicken thighs and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Oil the grill with canola oil (wad up some paper towel, add some oil, and rub grates using tongs to hold the paper towel).

Remove chicken from the marinade and gently dab off excess liquid with paper towel.

Place chicken on hot grill.

Makes 10 tacos

Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, flipping once (thickest part of the chicken thigh should register about 165 degrees).

Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before chopping into bite-sized pieces.

Warm tortillas in a skillet. Layer two warmed mini corn tortillas together.

Top with chopped chicken and your choice of toppings. Serve with fresh lime wedges.


Sunday, May 7, 2023

Filipino Pork Bistek (72 of 150)

I am not sure what I expected from this recipe. I love Filipino food (well, pancit and lumpia - I've not really had other Filipino food). 

This was a good recipe. Salty though. You do NOT need to add any salt. I use low sodium soy and it was still quite salty. 

What I'd change:
  1. I doubled the marinade because it didn't seem like it would be enough to marinade the pork. It would have been fine. 
  2. Use low sodium soy sauce
  3. If you want crunchier onions, I'd put them in the pan later. Letting this cook for 45 minutes means the onions got very soft. I was hoping for crunchier onions.
  4. Use half the soy sauce for the cooking. You are tossing in the marinade which already has soy in it, so I'd use half soy and half water

Filipino Pork Bistek
Recipe from Low Carb Yum
Serves 4

MARINADE :
  • 3.5 T soy sauce more or less
  • 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  • ⅓ c lemon juice
  • Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste
For cooking:
  • 2.2 pounds Boston Butt pork steak cut about 1/3 inch thick
  • 4 T soy sauce more or less
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 small red onion
  • 1 small white onion
  • 4 c chicken bone broth
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 3 T olive oil for frying


Saturday, May 6, 2023

Pan Seared Steak in Blue Cheese Sauce (71 of 150)

Weekends are for steak in our family. Either Friday or Saturday night dad would start up the grill and we'd have steak of some sort. So naturally, when the weekend comes around I crave steak. I stopped doing this every weekend because, well too much beef. 

This recipe is a decent recipe. It's easy to throw together and it's a nice accompaniment to the steak. I felt like the base of this sauce could easily have brandy to it instead of blue cheese. 

I didn't pan sear the steak because, who does that? Grill. Grill. Grill. 


Pan Seared Steak in Blue Cheese Sauce
Recipe from Closet Cooking
Serves 4
  • 2 T oil
  • 1 pound steak (such as rib eye, t-bone, striploin, etc.)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 T butter
  • 1 shallot, finely diced (or 1/4 cup onion)
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 c beef broth
  • 1/2 c heavy cream
  • 1/4 c blue cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the steaks, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste, and sear until lightly browned on both sides and cooked to the desired level of doneness (about 2-4 minutes per side for medium-rare), before setting aside.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and let it melt and start to foam before adding the shallots and garlic and cooking until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the beef broth and deglaze the pan by scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon as the broth sizzles.

Add the cream, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, add the cheese and cook until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens a bit, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the worcestershire sauce, season with salt to taste and enjoy the steak smothered in the blue cheese sauce!

Option: Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice!

Option: Replace some or all of the broth with a dry white wine.

Thursday, May 4, 2023

Flank Steak in Adobo (70 of 150)

Y'all...this recipe was amazing. It is definitely going in the favorites list for 2023. First, there's nothing like meat that has been cooked (braised) in a sauce for hours. The tender beef chunks that just melt in your mouth are what makes this recipe so amazing. 

The sauce, I mean...it has it's place too.  The savory, slightly acidic sauce with a little punch to it, had so much flavor in it. The first time I tasted it as it was cooking I was taken back a little. A little "vinegary" without having vinegar in it. Then I remembered the citrus in it. I felt like it wasn't balanced and it needed something. But as it cooked, it got more and more complex and so incredibly yummy!

I served this with my new "tomato rice" recipe (rice in a rice cooker with a tablespoon of tomato bouillon - the lazy mans or woman's Mexican rice. )

I didn't use Flank steak...way too expensive in all honesty. I used good old fashion stew meat. 

Make this recipe. You won't be disappointed.


Flank Steak in Adobo
Recipe from Cook's Country TV Show Cookbook
Serves 4

1 ½ ounces dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 ounce dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
¾ cup salsa verde
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup orange juice
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Flank Steak
2 ½—3; pounds flank steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
12 (8-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (1 cup)
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

FOR THE ADOBO: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange anchos and pasillas on rimmed baking sheet and bake until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer chiles to bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let stand until chiles are softened and pliable, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Process salsa verde, broth, orange juice, sugar, lime juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and drained chiles in blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

FOR THE FLANK STEAK: Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned on all sides, 6 to 9 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to large bowl. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining beef.

Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt to now-empty pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. 

Add garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in adobo, beef, and any accumulated juices until well incorporated and bring mixture to simmer.

Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook until beef is tender and sauce has thickened, about 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with flour tortillas, sprinkled with queso fresco and cilantro.


Monday, May 1, 2023

Chicken Fries in the Air Fryer (69 of 150)

Anything fried. That's my jam. You can take your sweets all you want. I crave carby, fried, goodness. Now, when you're trying to eat healthier, fried food isn't a friend. 

Enter pork rinds and an air fryer and you have crunchy, fried goodness. 

I broke away from this recipe a little. I didn't have any eggs so I improvised. I slathered the chicken nuggets in mayo first then dredged it in pork rinds. Really a nice combo. 


Chicken Fries in the Air Fryer
Recipe from Jennifer Banz
Serves 4
  • 1 pound Chicken Breast-cut into thin strips, lengthwise
  • 3.5 Ounces Crushed pork rinds
  • ¼ tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 2 Large eggs, beaten

Preheat the air fryer to 400F

In a shallow dish, mix the crushed pork rinds with the seasonings. In a separate shallow dish, add in the beaten eggs. Take one of your chicken strips and coat it in the egg, then your pork rind mixture. Set on a plate. Repeat this process with each piece of chicken.

Spray the air fryer basket with oil spray. Place the chicken fries in the air fryer basket and air fry for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. This will probably need to be cooked in 2 batches and the second batch will cook more quickly.