Roasted Vegetables

Roasted veggies are so simple to make and are oh so good for you! They can be used in so many dishes. This past weekend we had dinner at a cousin's house, she served roasted veggie tortas. Man oh man were they so good! I'm a huge fan of roasted veggie soups and simply making them to accompany a main dish, like how I'm making them for tonight.

You can pick any combo of veggies you want. I suggest that you cut the veggies you do pick into similar sizes for even cooking. I had red bell peppers, brussle sprouts, broccoli and garlic cloves on hand. Mix and match your own combo and use up those veggies you have in you fridge!

Ingredients:
1 pound of various veggies
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
generous pinch of kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper

preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a baking pan coat veggies with 2- tablespoons of olive oil. Place in the oven and roast for 30 mins. Halfway through make sure to stir them so they don't burn. When finished and cooked through season with salt and pepper.

There you have it Folks! Simple and easy.

Baking Bread In A Dutch Oven

Baking bread is a job that is considered a labor of love in my book. I love to make various types of bread and breads that are baked in a dutch oven come out with a soft crumb and a crisp crust that crackles when you take it out of the oven. For this particular photo tutorial I used a basic recipe that consists of flour, salt, water and yeast. I added 6 cloves of garlic sliced and a large sprig of rosemary chopped.

I'll show you some different bread recipes from beginning to end in the near future, so keep a look out for them soon.

Take your dutch oven and place on the bottom rack and preheat for about 20 mins. On a piece of parchment paper, punch down and round out your dough after the initial rise. Cover with a cloth and allow to rest for half and hour.

When the dutch oven in heated place the dough parchment paper and all into the dutch oven, cover immediately and place into the oven and bake covered for 15 mins.

Remove the lid and lower the temperature of the oven to 450 degrees and bake for 15 mins longer.

When finished remove from dutch oven immediately and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least 1 hour.

Here it is, a loaf that has a crispy exterior and a soft crumb. Hope you try it soon!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

As I mentioned in my recipe for shrimp lettuce wraps, I am the queen of them. They are fast and easy to make and they taste yummy. You can serve these for and appetizer or a main course.

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground chicken or turkey, you can also use boneless skinless chicken breast diced up.
1 tablespoon of canola oil
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 scallions cut on a bias
on serrano pepper diced 
1 teaspoon of fish sauce
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon of siracha
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar

 Brown chicken on med/high heat with a tablespoon of canola oil.

Grate 4 cloves of garlic into the pan with the chicken.

Add hot pepper.

Then the fish sauce.

Chili Sauce along with the sugar.

And the Siracha

Finally stir in the scallions at the very end.

There you have it. I like to serve it with cilantro and shaved red onion as well.

Provecho!

Mel's Meatloaf

My Husband is a huge fan of meatloaf, we don't eat it that often but when we do its a night where we really don't talk during dinner if you catch my drift.  There is something to be said about a loaf of meat that is seasoned to perfection and topped with a tangy ketchup based glaze, its almost as if you are having a party in your mouth.

Now this isn't your Momma's meatloaf. No sir, this is MEL'S meatloaf. Its tender and moist and full of flavor. If you happen to have some leftover you can make a meatloaf sandwich that will make you smile when you take a bite into it. So go on ahead and make meatloaf!

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
2 slices of thick cut bacon chopped very small 
1 slice of bread crumbled (I use multigrain)
1/4 red bell pepper minced
1/4 spanish onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper

glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon Saracha or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce


Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

 Mix all ingredients for the glaze and set aside. 

 Mix all the ingredients for the meatloaf and allow to sit for 20-30 mins.

Mold beef mixture in a baking dish or in a loaf pan, then top with ketchup glaze.

Bake for 45 mins. to an hour until cooked through.

Serve it with your favorite side and ENJOY!

Stage 1 Baby Food

When your little one is ready to have something more that cereal, you can start them on stage 1 foods. Making them are very simple and you know whats going into your baby. All you need are a few items.

1. blender/hand blender or food processor 
2. breast milk, H2O, or formula for thinning
3. stage 1 fruits and veggies.
4. steamer basket
5. grater

Many Momma's start off with mashed bananas, most babies love them because they are so sweet and they are so easy to make, you simply just mash them with a fork. Or you can mash up a little banana and mix it with oatmeal/cereal.

Things like sweet potatoes, winter squash, pears and peas can be placed in a steamer basket and steamed.
Once the veggies are steamed, blend until its a coarse mash. Add a little of the steaming water a tablespoon at a time and blend until in the consistency of your liking. Store in a airtight container and it will last 2-3 days in the fridge. Thin out with breast milk, formula or water if desired before serving.

Hope your little one likes stage 1 foods like mine!

Provecho little ones!

Mel's Chicken Tacos

This a simple dish you can make fast. I had half a roasted chicken left over and even though they are not my favorite, a box of crunchy taco shells in the pantry. You can add any type of topping and make a little taco bar, but I prefer the traditional Mexian way of cilantro and minced onion.

Salsa verde gives the chicken a kick! I would to add Oaxacan cheese or queso fresco, but until my little man's allergies subside that won't happen. Try adding your own style to appease your own tastes and enjoy this low fat, simple dinner!

1/2 roasted chicken breast shredded
6 taco shells, or flour tortillas
1/2-3/4 cup of salsa verde, click here for my recipe for roasted salsa verde.
your choice of toppings, I chose cilantro and onion

 

In a skillet over a medium heat add shredded chicken.

Add salsa verde to the chicken and heat through. At this time heat up tortillas and prep toppings.

Place chicken in shells or tortilla and place toppings.

There you go! Provecho.

Salsa Verde

The best salsa verde I've ever had was made by Lauro our cook/worker when I was working at the Barrio Oaxaqueno in Teotihuacan Mexico. Lauro was considered to be a Mountain Man of sorts. He knew how to use the native plants of Mexico for food, medicinal purposes and pigment.

Lauro specialized in "El Campo" style type of cooking, that meant that he was able to cook us meals over an open fire. He showed me how to make salsa verde, but instead of making it over a camp fire I'm making in my kitchen. This ones for you Lauro!

Ingredients:
8 medium sized tomatillos
4 cloves garlic
2 serrano peppers
1/2 of a small spanish onion
Handful of fresh cilantro chopped.
Kosher salt

Preheat your oven to a low broil and place the rack at it's highest setting. 

Remove the husks on your tomatillos and wash them well. Cut them into quarters, cut peppers in half. Place tomatillos, onion, garlic and peppers in a single layer in a baking dish. place in oven and broil for 8 min each side. 

 When finished, tomatillos should be charred and soft.

 Put all roasted veggies in a blender along with any juices that released in the pan.

 Wash a handful of cilantro and place in the blender.

 Add a generous pinch of kosher salt.

 There you have it, salsa verde. You can eat it with tortilla chips, make chilaquiles which I've shown a recipe for or my Mel's chicken tacos also on this blog.

 

Sloppy Joes

I really don't know anyone who doesn't like a good Sloppy Joe. I had forgotten my love for them until one day the Husband Person asked if I could make em' for him. I'm sure glad I did. Who needs to buy that canned crap that starts with an "M?" Not you, nevermore, nevermore.

I've made these with ground chicken and ground turkey, but it doesn't compare to the plain ol' ground beef. If you buy it lean it won't be greasy. I always brown my ground beef and rinse with water in a colander to get rid of any extra grease.

This is a simple, tasty meal you can whip up fast! Try grating carrots and cooking them into the meat to sneak in a extra veggie if you want! I can assure you this will be a favorite to little and big kids alike!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion chopped
1 small red bell pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
4 buns

1. Dice onion and bell pepper and saute over med. heat with a little olive oil, when fragrant add minced garlic. When onion in translucent set the mixture aside.
2. Brown and break up ground beef, when it's finished cooking place meat in colander and rinse to remove any extra grease, rinse the pan too.
3. Add all ingredients into the pan, cook on med heat until sauce thickens. Serve Immediately on buns.

Sorry for the lack of photos on the recent post. I've been so busy with little man that by the time I remember my camera dinner is being served or already eaten! I promise I'll try better getting the pics up.

Mel's Sausage n Peppers.

I learned to make sausage n peppers when I lived in a house with a bunch of my good friends.  I've taken the original recipe and tweaked it and made into my own. The sauce that is made with it is a sesame sauce made for Chinese Sesame Chicken. So if you ever want to make that particular dish try it with this sauce.

Ingredients:

1 pound good smoked kielbasa sausage.
1/2 sweet yellow onion sliced
1 bell pepper sliced

Sauce:
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/8 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon chile paste
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1/4 inch of ginger root grated

1. Slice sausage on a bias. Slice onion and bell pepper as well.
2. In a large skillet brown sausage. Then add onion and bell pepper and cook until fragrant yet firm
3. In a separate sauce pan, make sauce by mixing together sugar and cornstarch. 
4. Stir in chicken broth, water, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste, garlic and ginger.  
5. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. 
6. Pour sauce over sausage and veggie mixture and serve immediately. I recommend with rice.
   

Orange Chicken

I miss Hong Kong. The "Chinese Food" we have here in the states is nothing in comparison to the food that I've eaten in Hong Kong. I've have fab. dim sum in Chicago's China Town and Egg Foo Young... Again I've had nothing that compares to what my palate had experienced in China.

Now that we live in Rockford which is 20 mins away from the Wisconsin boarder, I am at a loss. There is no good places to get Chinese food here. I know that my fellow Rockford people think that standard fare is delicious... I can not say the same. Oh Chicago I miss you. China, I miss you more.

Here is a simple orange chicken recipe that you can make at home. I think it tastes better that what you can get round' these parts. This is very versatile recipe, that can be changed around to make other restaurant style dishes. If you don't want your chicken fried, saute it without any batter on it. I assure you that its still just as tasty!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

zest of 1 orange

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 3 hot dried chinese chilies smashed, tablespoon of Saracha works too!

2 cups veggies of your choice.

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Chicken:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut

into 1/2 inch pieces

1 teaspoons rice vinegar 

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 egg beaten

 Cut fat off chicken breast and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, place in a bowl with salt pepper.

 Add rice vinegar and egg.

• 
  
  
  In another bowl mix the flour and cornstarch then add to the chicken and mix the set aside for 20 mins.
  • Preheat oil to 375 degrees, cook chicken until golden brown, be careful not to over cook it or they will be dry.

•  Prep your veggies and cook in wok until veggies turn  a bright color yet still crisp and set aside. 

• Mix water and cornstarch together to make a slurry and set aside.

In wok saute garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar and bring to a boil. Add chilies and orange zest.  Add cornstarch slurry until thickened.

 Mix chicken and veggies together. 

 Pour sauce over them and serve with fresh hot rice! mmmmmm!

Enjoy!