Wine Slushies!!!

We know that I like to recreate recipes at home that I find at restaurants. Remember the potato pizza? And the immaculate reception inspired pot pie? And crab meat rangoons? What about the restaurant style dark dinner rolls? So from the moment I tasted the wine slushie at Sleepy Creek Vineyards, I knew I needed a homemade version. I loved the taste but could not justify buying both the wine and the slushie mix... especially since I was certain the mix consisted of sugar and only a few other ingredients. As is my norm, I immediately google-ed "homemade wine slushie mix" when I got home and found myself a recipe. And y'all, it is so simple. I've already made it twice! I plead the 5th in answering your question of how long it took me to finish the first batch (it was >1 day, however). Then my parents were in town for Sunday and I made it again because I like to be a bad influence on my mom and introduce her to alcoholic beverages that I think she will enjoy (she doesn't like beer or wine and will only occasionally drink a margarita or daiquiri). I was correct. The tartness and ice-y-ness of the drink was perfect for her. My dad enjoyed it too.

Here it is important to appropriately pick your wine. If you use a sweet wine, then your slushie will be sweet; if you use a drier wine, then your slushie will be even more tart. I like the latter best. This recipe only requires 4 ingredients: sugar, citric acid, a lemon and wine (I guess 5, if you include the water). FYI: Citric acid can be found in the canning section of your grocery store or Lowe's/Home Depot/etc.

I cannot express my enthusiasm for this drink enough. It is perfect for the summer. Do the darn thing!

Homemade Wine Slushies (adapted from Celebration Generation)
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp citric acid
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
750 mL bottle of red wine*
3 cups water

Directions:
Combine the granulated sugar, citric acid and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for about 3-4 minutes until the sugar is processed and everything is mixed well.

Place a gallon size freezer ziploc bag in a bowl. Pour the sugar mixture into the bag. Add the wine, water and lemon juice. Gently mix with a spoon to dissolve. Place into the freezer and allow to freeze for at least 3-4 hours until it reaches your desired consistency.**

*Note: the sweeter the wine you use, the sweeter the slushie will be. Also, I have only used red wine, but I imagine you could use white wine as well.

**Note: This will keep in the freezer for multiple days but will take on more of a granita or flavored ice texture. This is no problem- eat it with a spoon. Or remove it from the freezer and squish the bag with your hands after it has been sitting on the counter for a few minutes.

Crab Meat Rangoons and Egg Drop Soup

Double recipe day!

And we're checking something off of that bucket list.

And I'm keeping my promise that I was going to utilize crab in honor of the Ravens' Super Bowl win.

What a big day :)

I was craving some Pi's the other week. Pi's is this great Chinese restaurant in my hometown that makes the best crab meat rangoons (no joke, best ever!) and a deliciously simple egg drop soup. Unfortunately with the restaurant 6 hours away I had to make different plans. So I decided to make it at home.

Overall, I would say it was a success. The crab meat rangoons were good (although Pi's are still better) and the egg drop soup was great. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I sure wasn't.

Crab Meat Rangoons (adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventure)
Ingredients:
4 oz neufchatel cheese (this is reduced fat cream cheese)
1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp Sriracha
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 green onion, green part only, thinly sliced
1 tsp garlic powder
dash of ginger
pinch of sugar
1/4 cup crab meat, picked over and shells removed
14-16 wonton wrappers


Directions:
Preheat oven to 415 F. Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Mix together the cream cheese, yogurt, sriracha, soy sauce, onion, garlic powder, ginger and sugar. Fold in the crab meat. Lay the wonton wrappers on a clean work surface (it is best to work with 4-5 at a time). Place about 2-3 tsp of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Then working with one at a time, use your finger to wet the sides with water and fold along the diagonal. Press around the filling to remove any air pockets and seal tightly. Place on your baking sheet and repeat until all the wrappers are filled and you are out of the crab mixture.

Mist the top of the wontons with cooking spray. Bake for about 12-15 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

Egg Drop Soup (adapted from Tyler Florence)
Ingredients:
2 cups vegetable broth (homemade or low-sodium)**
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup diced mushrooms
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 green onion, chopped
salt and white pepper, to taste

Directions:

Whisk together 1 tbsp broth and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Bring the remaining broth, ginger, soy sauce and mushrooms to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the slurry of cornstarch and stir until thickened. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the egg slowly while stirring. Turn off the heat and add in the green onions. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serves 1-2.

**Feel free to substitute chicken broth or turkey broth here.

Greek Salad

Today was a "I put my boot on the wrong foot" day. Similar to a "I used conditioner before shampoo" day. Or a "I made my lunch but left it sitting on the kitchen counter" day. Or a "I burned my tongue on my morning coffee" day.

You know those days that I'm talking about. When you probably should have stayed in bed because something, or multiple somethings, just did not go right. Today, I literally pulled on one of my boots to realize it was on the wrong foot. To give myself a little credit, these boots don't have a zipper or laces or anything, they are just slipons so at first glance both feet look similar. Although I've had them for over a year and this was the first mishap. Ok, go ahead and laugh at my stupidity but only if you haven't done one of the aforementioned or something as equally dumb. Any stories you'd like to tell to make me feel better? Comment below!

What wasn't a dumb thing was this Greek salad-- refreshing, delicious and healthy. Guaranteed to take your "I knocked over a full glass of juice" day from dreary to bright.

Greek Salad (adapted from Cooking Light's The Complete Quick Cook)
Ingredients:
For dressing:
1 anchovy fillet
2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp worcesteshire sauce
1 tsp dried oregano (or 4 tsp fresh oregano)
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1/4 tsp dried dill)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, pressed

For salad (one serving):
2 cups torn lettuce (romaine, green leaf or red leaf)
1 small roma tomato, chopped
1 1/8-inch red onion slice, rings separated and chopped into quarters
2 tbsp pitted olives
2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
2 canned artichoke hearts, quartered
1/2 cup chopped cucumber

Directions:
Mash the anchovy fillet in a small bowl. Whisk in the remaining ingredients until completely combined. Store in refrigerator. Makes approximately 1/2 cup.

To assemble the salad, combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle in about 2 tbsp dressing and toss to mix completely.

Serves 1.

Refried Beans in the Slow Cooker

I was all prepared to deem this recipe "refried" beans because they are not fried and by no means are they RE-fried.


But then I looked up refried beans on Wikipedia and I learned that frijoles refritos actually means "well-fried beans" not re-fried beans. And they are typically baked and not always fried. The misnomer is just in the English translation. So there you go.

In all honesty though, these were great. I made them on a Monday and used them for multiple meals throughout the week because I can never eat too much Mexican. The first night I just did some bean tacos, later I ate them as a side to a taco salad, and just wait until tomorrow to see the winning recipe of the week. :) If you are making them for a large family and want to have extra for leftovers, you could double the beans and seasoning without any issues. Alternatively, if you are anti-pinto beans, I could imagine you could substitute black beans and they would be just as excellent.

Slow Cooker Refried Beans (adapted from Chef in Training)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans, rinsed and drained
cold water
1 chicken bouillon cube (or vegetable bouillon for vegetarian version)
1/2 tbsp garlic salt
1 small onion, skin removed and chopped in half
1-2 tbsp butter, optional*
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Place the rinsed and drained pinto beans in your slow cooker. Fill almost to the top with cold water. Add the bouillon cube, garlic salt and onion. Cook on low for 10-12 hours (or high for 5-6 hours). Test to make sure the beans are soft.

Strain the beans, reserving some of the liquid. Place the beans and onion in a large bowl, add the butter, and mash with a potato masher or fork until the desired consistency is reached. Add some of the cooking liquid if they begin to dry out. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 6 cups. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

*For a non-fat version, do not add butter.

Quinoa and Nut Granola

Saturday was an up-and-down type of a day. I was invested in two very important sporting events. Duke basketball vs cross-triangle rivals NC State and Ravens vs Broncos football playoff game. Unfortunately only one of those had the outcome that I desired. The Ravens are moving on to the AFC championship this coming Sunday night. Bdddddd (in case you are wondering, that is a bird sound). Both games were up and down, nail biting, pacing the living room types of games. I will spare you all my thoughts on the Duke loss and just take a moment of silence for R. Kelly and Spice to heal rapidly and get back on the floor (for a detailed recap of the game and my thoughts on how the team is doing this year, feel free to email me). 

Since I knew I was going to be spending the majority of the afternoon yelling at the TV, I figured I would treat myself to a nice breakfast. I debated pancakes or waffles or eggs but I decided instead on homemade granola. I always enjoy yogurt topped with granola and since I had seen one my regular food bloggers post about quinoa granola, I knew I had to try it out. I changed around a few things to use what I had on hand. You could certainly use any combination of nuts and dried fruit that you like the most. I think the quinoa gives it an extra crunch (and a boost of protein) over "normal" granola, and the sweetness of the sugar combines well with the tartness of the applesauce. I have been enjoying it all week so far.

As I've told you with many of my DIY recipes, I enjoy making things at home that you can easily purchase at the store. Sometimes it takes about the same amount of time as a trip to the store; others may take a little bit of effort, but the ability to customize to your likes and dislikes and to control the additives (salt, MSG, etc) wins out for me. Many times it will also save you some money (especially when it comes to granola which I find is over-priced). I'm not strict about my homemade things because sometimes I'm lazy or in a rush or craving something that mass production just does better, but I would encourage you to try out a new homemade thing or two this year.

Anything in particular you want to see "homemade"? Let me know, I'll add it to my list!

Quinoa and Nut Granola (adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa (I used a combination of white and red)
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup pepitas
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup applesauce (I used granny smith flavored)
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Rinse and drain the quinoa. Combine the quinoa, oats, pepitas, sunflower seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Toss to mix.

Melt the butter in a small bowl. Whisk in the applesauce, honey and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix to coat completely. Dump out on the prepared baking sheet and spread in an even layer.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, mixing every 10 minutes, until everything is golden brown. Remove from the oven and mix in the cranberries. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Homemade Basil Fettuccine

I have a problem. I have literally been listening to the Pitch Perfect soundtrack on repeat in my car since December 30. I cannot get enough of it. Unfortunately it has not been removed from CD player so it hasn't been synced with my iPod so I cannot rock out to it everyday all day. I think the people on my floor would thank my car for holding it hostage right now because I'm not sure if I would be able to refrain from dancing and singing along. Or putting my hands up when they sing "Party in the USA". I'm loving it. There is just something great about acapella, right? In case you need more explanation, Scott got me the CD for Christmas which meant that I opened it when we were in St. Louis before New Years. And it was put directly into the CD player. It has not even made a trip to my apartment yet.

However, one of my other Christmas presents has been thoroughly vetted in the apartment. Actually two of them-- Santa got me a red Kitchenaid Mixer (Thanks to the best two Santas in the world!) and Scott got me the pasta roller and cutter attachment. As you know, one of my bucket list to-dos is homemade pasta. These two presents allowed me to check it off the list... and want to do it over and over and over again. I have visions of spinach pasta, whole wheat pasta, beet pasta, squash pasta and etc etc etc. Don't worry, I'll share them with you. :)

I was surprised about how easy this came together. Step 1- Make the dough. Step 2- Rest the dough. Step 3- Roll the dough. Step 4- Cut the dough. Step 5- Boil the noodles. Okay, so maybe I'm belittling it slightly; it does take a bit of time but it is totally worth it. I made this quick garlic butter basil sauce to enhance the dried basil I put into the pasta and to let the pasta really speak out. I cooked up all I needed for dinner on that first night, tossed the rest of the uncooked noodles with flour and kept it in the fridge for later. They held up well to jarred spaghetti sauce and later cooked, refrigerated and reheated in the microwave worked out well.

So yummy. You should definitely do it!

Homemade Basil Fettuccine (adapted from Better Homes and Garden Cookbook)
Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp dried basil
2 eggs
1/3 cup water, plus more if needed
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
In the bowl of your stand mixer equipped with the flat beater, combine the flour, basil, eggs, water and oil. Mix on speed 2 for 30 seconds. Change the flat beater for the dough hook and knead on speed 2 for 2 minutes. Remove dough and hand knead for an additional 1-2 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes. Divide into four pieces.

Flatten each piece to about 1 cm thickness. Connect your pasta sheet roller to the mixer and set to thickness 1. Turn on mixer to speed 2 and feed through the rollers. Fold in half and continue to knead until the dough widens to width of the roller. Lightly dust with flour as necessary. Continue to roll pasta increasing the knob from 1 to 2 and such until you reach 5. Repeat with the other 3 pieces.

Cut the dough with the fettuccine roller. Lay out flat, separating with your hands. Let dry for up to 1 hour. Cook immediately or after dried. To store in the fridge, toss in flour and refrigerate in an air tight container.



Garlic Butter Basil Sauce
Ingredients:
Per serving:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp garlic infused olive oil
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 cup fresh pasta (from above)
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil.

In a small pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir and cook until browned. Add the oil and reduce heat to low.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2-6 minutes (depending on how dry your pasta is) until al dente. Drain.

Add the basil to the butter and oil and stir to wilt. Toss the pasta with the sauce and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Serves 1.

Mushroom Pizza (with homemade pizza dough)

Raise your hand if you like pizza.

So everyone has their hand in the air, right?

Me? I definitely enjoy pizza. I won't turn down a stuffed crust slice from Pizza Hut or a thin and crispy Dominos. That super thick Chicago style pizza? Delicious! New York floppy and greasy? I'd fold that baby in half and eat that too. $5 from Little Caesars? Pizza! Pizza! I say. I especially like local places with different pizza specials. Whether it be thick or thin, you'll bet your bottom dollar I'll eat it.

When you're living alone, ordering and consuming an entire pizza yourself is not the best idea. For that reason, and to play around with yeast some more, I started making homemade pizza dough. And I'm telling you, best decision of my (culinary) life! I have made the following dough at least three times since I've lived in IL and another time I made it with half whole wheat flour.

This dough is great for a couple reasons. One- it is very easy to put together. Two- it freezes beautifully. That means you can whip up the dough and freeze it into individual sized portions to use whenever you have a hankering for pizza. It works great for calzones and as a vehicle for any combination of toppings you can come up with. This week I went with a simple tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese and mushrooms.

Just look at that cheese!

Homemade Pizza Dough (from Annie's Eats)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 cup room temperature water
4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Combine the warm water and yeast in a small bowl. Let sit for a few minutes. Add the room temperature water and olive oil and mix. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Mix in the wet ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon until you cannot stir anymore. Then turn out the dough on a floured surface and knead to mix in the rest of the flour. Keep kneading until the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Place it into a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 90 to 120 minutes (the timing will change depending on the temperature of your house).

Lightly punch down the dough. Separate into 5* equal pieces. Form each into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, place in a freezer safe bag, and freeze until ready to use.

*The 5 portions will give you individual sized pizzas, if you want to do large family style pizza, separate the dough into 2 portions.


Personal Mushroom Pizza
Ingredients:
1/5 of pizza dough (from above)
1/3 cup tomato pizza sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
cornmeal

Directions:
If your dough is frozen, thaw in the fridge over the course of the day.

Preheat oven to 500 F. Place a baking stone or upside down baking sheet in the oven during the preheating process.

Remove the dough from the fridge (or use non-frozen dough from above). Place the ball on a clean surface and cover with a damp cloth. Let sit for 10-30 minutes while the oven reaches temperature. Prep your pizza sauce, cheese and mushrooms.

Stretch the dough into a flat shape. Remove the baking sheet or stone from the oven and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place the dough on top of it and moving quickly spread your sauce over most of the dough. Top with the cheese and mushrooms.

Bake for 7-8 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is hot.

Serves 1.

Turkey Stock

Question--- what's the difference between stock and broth?

I did some googling (side bar: can you believe that google is in the dictionary as both a noun and a verb? Google wasn't even started until the late 1990s and now we use the word so often; it is crazy.) and found a few answers. First, I think in order for something to be a "stock", it needs to have been made with bones. But then how can there be vegetable stock? I dunno. Broth, on the other hand, is typically made with more meat pieces, salt and other seasonings that make it something you could eat directly from the pot. Most places that you look, however, say that chefs tend to use the words interchangeably, especially when they are homemade. Since I don't add any salt to either stock or broth, I wouldn't suggest eating them directly from the pot without seasoning. But regardless of what you call them, I would definitely encourage you to make them at home. My parents and I made this turkey stock on Thanksgiving because why throw away the carcass without getting a little something extra from it? Play around with the vegetables and seasoning and use what you have in your fridge (or even scraps from your freezer would work). Alternatively, just sub bones and skin from a chicken to make chicken stock.

Turkey Stock (adapted from Vegetable Broth)
Ingredients:
1/2 to full carcass of roasted turkey, plus skin
1 medium onion, cut into quarters
2-3 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
8-10 baby carrots
1 bay leaf
large handful of fresh parsley
4-5 fresh sage leaves
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2-3 peppercorns
Cold water

Directions:
After you have carved your turkey and picked off most of the meat (you don't need to pick it clean, some meat will help to flavor it), break down the bones and add them plus any skin and fat to a large pot. Add all of the vegetables and seasonings. Cover with cold water. Turn on the stove and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3-8 hours.

Pour the liquid through a small mesh strainer and remove all of the solids. Let cool to room temperature (or you could cover it and put it outside if it is colder out there); you don't want to put it directly into your fridge because the heat will warm up the inside of your fridge and it may not be at the correct temperature for everything else you have in there. Once it has cooled to room temperature, place it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, skim off the fat using a spoon or fat skimmer (you can leave some fat if you would like, if you remove it all, you have fat free broth!). Portion into 1 cup and 2 tbsp (ice cube tray) aliquots and freeze.

Thaw and use in place of chicken stock or broth for whatever recipes you desire!

Remember when you use this that you will want to taste your dish and salt generously. Unlike the stock/broth that you buy in the store, this is salt free!

Homemade Vegetable Broth

A couple of weeks ago Meijer failed me... in three consecutive trips. For some reason, completely unknown to me, the chicken/vegetable/beef broth/stock shelves were completely empty. I mean no expensive organic kind, no fully sodium-ed store brand, nothing. It was so weird. It was at this point that I thought, I gotta make some homemade broth/stock for my freezer so I never have this problem again. I also thought to myself, why purchase a whole bunch of extra veggies to use up in stock when every day when I cut up vegetables for recipes, I end up throwing parts of them away. So at this point, I started collecting my vegetable scraps in the freezer. I collected a whole gallon sized freezer bag of potato skins, onion skins, mushroom stems, carrot ends, celery pieces and such. Then I threw them all into a big pot, covered them with water, added some herbs (thyme, parsley and peppercorns), and simmered away for 1 hour. After straining and cooling I had myself a bunch of vegetable broth to be used in so many dishes.

This is so easy that you should really do it! The skins of the onion give it the beautiful brown color, so make sure not to skimp on them. Also make sure that you do include carrots and celery (potentially cut up some extra to add in) because they will make the broth more hearty. I wouldn't suggest using any super strongly flavored vegetables like cabbage or brussels because they will probably take over the flavor. Also, make sure that you do not include any vegetables that have become rotten!

Homemade Vegetable Broth
Ingredients:
Gallon ziplock bag of vegetable scraps such as potato skins, celery, carrots, onion (red or yellow with skin), bell pepper, mushroom stems, corn cobs etc.
2-3 garlic cloves, whole and peeled
Fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, basil, oregano, etc.
3 whole peppercorns
Cold water to cover vegetables

Directions:
Collect vegetable pieces over the course of a few weeks to months in a ziplock bag in the freezer. When the bag is full, dump it into a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Add the garlic, herbs and peppercorns. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, uncovered.

Strain the broth and cool to room temperature. Aliquot into freezer bags and ice cube trays and freeze.

Use in place of chicken or vegetable broth in whatever recipe you desire.

Homemade Pumpkin Puree (a how to)

I know I've said this a number of times, but sometimes spending the time and effort to make things at home instead of buying canned or prepackaged is great.

This weekend I made pumpkin puree. Yeah, that stuff you normally get out of a can. I spent $3 on two pie pumpkins and got around 5 cups of puree. I think that is maybe about equivalent to what it would cost you from the store. But the great thing is I also got some toasted pumpkin seeds out of the deal. And I supported a local farmer. If you've got the time you should do it; doesn't take a lot of effort, just follow the 6 easy steps below.

Step 1. Go to the farmer's market (or grocery store) and pick out some pie pumpkins. Clean the outsides. And get out a giant sharp knife.

Step 2. Cut the pumpkins in half and scoop out the insides. Place them cut side down on baking sheets. Roast in 400 F oven for 40-60 minutes (give or take some time depending on the size of your pumpkins).

Step 3. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Step 4. Peel off the skin and put the flesh into a food processor.

Step 5. Puree until you get the desired consistency.

Step 6. Use in recipes!!

So simple. Do the darn thang!


Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients:
Pie pumpkins (also known as sugar pumpkins)*

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.

Clean the outside of the pumpkin(s). Cut the pumpkin(s) in half using a sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds and strings. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on baking sheet. Bake for 40-60 minutes (cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pumpkin) until the flesh is cooked completely.

Let the roasted pumpkins cool completely. Peel off the skin and put the flesh into a food processor. Pulse until a smooth consistency is reached.

Use in place of "canned pumpkin puree" for any recipe.

Freeze in freezer safe ziploc bags.**

*I used two pie pumpkins (Sorry I don't know how much they weighed because I got them from the farmer's market) and got around 5 cups of puree. Use as many pumpkins as you want :)

**I packaged some of mine in 1 cup aliquots in quart sized bags. I froze the rest in ice cube trays (about 2 tbsp per cube) then cracked the cubes out and put them in a gallon sized bag. The different amounts will allow me to thaw whatever I need, when I need it.

Easy Baked Tortilla Chips

Happy Monday!

I think you should make some nachos.

Or salsa.

Or guacamole.

Enjoy any and all of them atop some fresh-from-the-oven tortilla chips.

They will wipe away all the Monday blues.

They are so easy you will not have to stress your tired brain at the end of the day.

You can add whatever flava-flave you would like. I would suggest salt and peppa. Or maybe chili powder for a little kick. Or cinnamon sugar if you desire something sweet. So adaptable depending on your mood.

Baked Tortilla Chips
Ingredients:
4-8 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
Cooking spray
Salt, about 1-2 tsp
Additional seasonings (such as black pepper, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon sugar, etc), as desired

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay the tortilla quarters on the sheet without overlapping. (I can fit about 4 tortillas per sheet, but this'll change depending on the size of your sheet). Spray the tops of the tortillas with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and additional seasonings as desired.

Bake for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the tortillas are browned. Watch carefully to make sure they do not burn.

Guacamole

I'm not one of those people that has a go-to guacamole recipe. Like with many things that I make, I simply go with whatever I have in the fridge and pantry. Sometimes I'll pick up those guac seasoning packets from the store and mix it with the mashed avocado and a little bit of tomato. However, as with store-bought taco seasoning, the packets are full of sodium and do not really allow you to adapt the size of your dish. And because avocados don't last long once you open them up, it is always better to make only what you will eat in a day or two.

Did you ever wonder why your guacamole turns brown so soon after making it? It's all about the science! Fruits contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase is capable of oxidizing the phenols in the fruit when exposed to oxygen in the air. The oxidases can be inhibited (stopped from doing their function) temporarily by the addition of acid such as lime juice. Alternatively, if you store the pit of the avocado (see picture below) in an air-tight container with the guacamole, it will consume the oxygen in the bowl and prevent browning. Since there are a large number of these enzymes within the fruit, these things are only temporary fixes and without a doubt eventually the green color will turn to brown. Don't ask what they do to the guacamole in grocery stores to keep it a fluorescent green color; I don't wanna know.

Anyway, this is the guacamole, Scott and I whipped up for the fajitas last weekend. It was quite flavorful and delicious and I would definitely recommend it.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

1 large avocado

10 grape tomatoes, halved

1 tbsp parsley, chopped

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Mash the avocado in a bowl. Add the tomatoes, parsley, lime juice and cumin and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate, covered with the pit, until ready to serve. 

Makes approximately 1.5 cups.

P.S. Thanks for sitting through the science lesson :)

Homemade Salsa

Salsa may be one of my favorite foods.

I love the salsa that you get at Mexican restaurants as soon as you sit down. I like the large jugs of Pace salsa that accompany departmental events and parties. I prefer the fresh salsa you can pick up from the vegetable section of the grocery store. And, no surprise I'm sure, I really enjoy making homemade salsa.

I love that you can make just about any fruit and vegetable into a "salsa". Take for example the cucumber and mango salsas that I've already shared with you. Just chop your ingredients up and serve them atop some crispy tortilla chips or as a garnish for a burger or fish and you've successfully created a "salsa". Of course, some meals, like our steak fajitas, call for a more traditional salsa-- tomatoes, onions and jalapenos. Simple enough. I always add a little bit of red wine vinegar and lime juice to deepen the flavor and give some more acidity to the tomatoes. Depending on how acidic your tomatoes are, you may need to adjust the flavors to your own taste. Feel free to add cilantro, if you can stomach the flavor, as that is typically found in salsa as well. Me, I skip it... just the beauty of flexibility when creating recipes at home.

Homemade Salsa
Ingredients:
4 roma tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 small onion, cut into large chunks
1-2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno pepper, cut into quarters (seeded if desired)
juice of 1/2 lime
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeno and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add lime juice, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Pulse until the desired consistency is reached. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Chill until ready to serve.

Makes approximately 4 cups.

Homemade Taco Seasoning.

I know, I know. Why make something at home that is super simple to pick up at the grocery store? Well, I can give you a few reasons why homemade taco seasoning is worth the effort (truthfully, it isn’t much effort at all):

1. You can control the amount of sodium.

2. You can control the amount of spice.

3. You can control the portion size.

For me, the biggest draw is #3. Since I’m cooking for myself most days, I’m not browning up a pound of ground beef to mix with one of the pre-packaged taco seasonings. If you only use a quarter to a third of the package, you have to wrap up the rest of it and wait until you’re ready for tacos again. So much effort, right? Ok, not really. Additionally, I don’t know about you, but I never know when I craving for tacos (or something Mexican inspired) will hit me, so having a jar full of taco seasoning at the ready is perfect. It is super simple--- just combine your spices and keep it in an airtight container. Then when you’re ready for tacos, combine the same amount of the seasoning with cornstarch in your pan with your ground beef (or ground turkey or pulled pork or black beans or whatever) and a little bit of water and you are all set.

I used it the other day to doctor up some leftover pulled pork to make a great taco salad. I loaded up the lettuce with tomatoes, cheese, avocado, celery and the pork. Served alongside some tortilla chips and it was perfect.

Try it out. You’ll like it.

Side note: I think I added closer to 2 tsp of CRP (crushed red pepper) because I love the spice. Feel free to experiment with what fits your taste buds.

Homemade Taco Seasoning (Adapted from All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container. To use, combine equal parts seasoning mix and cornstarch with cooked meat or beans and water (approximately 2 tbsp of each for a pound of ground beef).