Spicy Beef Tacos

This is a step above tacos made with a package mix and almost as easy. It can be made with beef or try ground lamb or pork for a change.

Ingredients
3 cups thinly sliced cabbage (about 1 meduim)
1 bunch radishes, sliced into half moons
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
3 tsps lime juice
Salt
1 lb ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced or 2 frozen cubes
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp chipolte chili powder
1/4 cup beer
1 tsp cider vinegar
8 warm tortillas
Toppings such as cheese, sour cream, guacamole, avocado slices or lime wedges

Directions
1.  Combine cabbage, radishes, cumin, cilantro and lime juice in a large bowl. Add salt to taste.
2.  Sauté beef, garlic and oregano in a large skillet over medium high heat breaking up meat until no pink remains.  Drain excess fat. Add chile powders, beer, vinegar and salt.  Cook until liquid has evaporated about 2-3 minutes.
3.  Set out tortillas and cabbage and any other toppings and let everyone make their own tacos.

Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Gochujang has become one of my favorite condiments. Think of it as Korean steak sauce. Goes with beef, chicken or pork. Adds a sweet and spicy flavor to marinades and sauces.  I found this recipe in Cooking Light and the one change I made was to double the marinade, add a little rice vinegar and use it as a sauce for the wraps.

Ingredients

2 1/2 tbs low sodium soy sauce

2 tbs brown sugar

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tbs gochujang sauce

1 tbs minced garlic

(I make the above to use as a marinade. Than I double it plus 1 tbs rice vinegar to use as a sauce.)

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast thinly sliced

1 cup uncooked rice

2 tsp canola oil

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

12 Bibb or iceberg lettuce leaves

1 English cucumber

(I slice the cucumber and season it with garlic salt and rice vinegar)

4 green onions, sliced

Directions

1.  Combine first five ingredients in a large zip lock plastic bag. Double the same ingredients and add 1 tbs rice vinegar and set aside to serve with the wraps.  Add chicken slices to soy sauce mixture in the bag and seal.  Refrigerator at least two hours.

2.  Cook rice according to package directions.

3.  Remove chicken from marinade. Discard marinade.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. And oil and swirl to coat pan. Add chicken and stir fry until chicken is done. Sprinkle sesame seeds over chicken. Could also grill chicken or cook on a grill pan. 

4.  Place rice in bottom of lettuce cup, add chicken, cucumber slices, green onions and sauce. 

Artichoke Dip

I don't make this too often but it's a must for any major family get together. Both my daughters have requested this recipe to make for friends. I found it in one of the Nordstrom cookbooks that automatically opens to the page since I have made it so many times. 

Ingredients
1 cup mayo
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 tbs cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp salt
2 cans (13 1/2 ounces each) halved or quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained and coarsely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350
In a bowl combine mayo, sour cream, 1 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the vinegar, and garlic. Stir until well combined. Fold in artichokes. Transfer to oven safe dish. Smooth surface. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over the top. 

Bake uncovered until lightly browned and gently bubbling around the edges, about 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

Gingerbread cookies are not just for Christmas time.  Just cut them out in squares or circles and frost with royal icing. 

Gingerbread Cookies Ingredients 3 cups flour 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon  1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup molasses  1egg 1tsp vanilla Directions Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla;mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up

Gochujang Pork

I found this recipe in Bon Apetit. Gochujang is a Korean sweet chili paste which is good on its own and gives this marinade a great flavor that is absorbed well by the pork. I served it over rice with some grilled bok choy.  Save a little extra marinade besides that for basting.  Cook to heat off the alcohol and strain to serve as a dipping sauce.  This also works well on chicken.

Gochujang Pork
Ingredients
8 garlic cloves, peel and crushed
1 2" piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
1/2 c dry sake
1/2 c gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1/2 c sweet mirin
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb skinless, boneless pork shoulder sliced 3/4" thick

Directions
1.  Purée garlic, sake, gochujang, mirin and vegetable oil in blender.  Set 1/4 c marinade aside, chill.
2.  Transfer remaining marinade into large dish or plastic bag.  Add pork.  Chill, turning occasionally, at least 2 hours.
3.  Prepare grill. Remove pork from marinade and grill, basting with reserved marinade, turning as needed until cooked to desired doneness.

Cavatelli with Spinach, Caramelized Fennel. and Poached Eggs

This is from Martha Stewart but I used a poached egg on top in place of the fried egg. I plated the fennel and spinach mixture on the bottom of a broad based bowl, layered the pasta on top and than topped it off with the egg.


Cavatelli with Spinach, Caramelized Fennel and Poached Egg

Ingredients

• • 2 lemons, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 1 large bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 6 cups baby spinach (about 5 ounces)
  • 1 recipe Homemade Cavatelli
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan, finely grated

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle lemons and fennel with 1/4 cup oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until caramelized and tender, flipping halfway through, about 25 minutes. Stir in spinach. Return to oven and roast until just wilted, about 2 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook cavatelli in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to baking sheet with vegetables; toss to combine and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry eggs in batches until whites are set and yolks are still loose, about 4 minutes.  Or poach in simmering water for about 3-4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. 
4. Top each serving with egg (fried or poached) and sprinkle with Parmesan.  

Blueberry Crostata

Crostata's are one of my favorite quick dessert to make.  I use a pillsbury refrigerated rolled crust. Unroll it and place it in a pie plate. Add whatever fruit is in season and fold the edges over. Bake until the fruit is caramelized and the crust lightly browned. I'm a big fan of using lime with many fruits.

Blueberry Crostata
Ingredients
3 c blueberries, washed and drained and picked over
1 lime or lemon
3 Tb sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 pie crust

Directions
1.  Wash and drain blueberries. I like to use a salad spinner.
2.  Mix the berries with the grated lemon/lime rind and 1/2 lemon/lime juice.
3.  Mix cornstarch and sugar together.  Add to berries and mix well.
4.  Unroll pie crust and lay in pie plate.
5.  Add berries to crust. Fold over edges.
6. Bake at 350 for about 45-50 minutes or until berries are caramelized and crust is lightly browned.   Watch and cover with foil if needed for the last 10 minutes.