Category : Entrees

Birria tacos

Amounts are still being tested for this recipe. Superscripts refer to notes at the bottom of the post.

Ingredients

  • 2-3 pound chuck roast
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tbsp Tomato paste1
  • 2 tbsp Chipotle paste or 8-15 dried chiles2
  • 4-6 cloves garlic3, peeled
  • Taco seasoning OR homemade seasoning with the following ingredients:4
    • Salt
    • Pepper
    • Cumin
    • Smoked paprika
    • Pinch of cinnamon
    • Bay leaves
    • Cloves
  • For final preparation and toppings:
    • Olive oil
    • Corn tortillas
    • Shredded cheese
    • 1-2 limes
    • 4 tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Sear chuck roast in a pan until there is a good crust on all sides.
  2. Place roast in crockpot / slow cooker.
  3. Add broth, tomato paste, chili or chili paste, garlic, and seasoning to the crockpot / slow cooker.
  4. Cook on low until the meat is tender, 6-8 hours.
  5. Hand shred the meat and remove gristle and fat.
  6. Strain broth to remove debris.
  7. Heat oil in a pan.
  8. For each tortilla, dip in the broth mixture from the slow cooker, place in oil. Top with cheese and the shredded meat. Squeeze fresh lime juice on it. Add cilantro. Fold over and cook until the outside is crispy.

General Notes

  • If the broth comes out too salty or too thick, add water and heat back up.
  • Traditionally there is also one onion in the broth with the meat, and extra raw onion is used as a topping at the end, but we don’t eat onions in this house.
  • Use leftover broth to dip the birria tacos in.

Ingredient measurement notes

  1. First time we made this, we used a full can, which was way too much.
  2. The listed amount of dried chiles is good, gives quite a kick. Could use less for milder flavor. If using paste instead of dried chiles, suggested portion is an untested guess.
  3. Untested amount; did not add first time.
  4. Used 1 packet of taco seasoning first time. No suggested portions yet if we mix our own.

Comments

Source: word of mouth from a friend

7-18-2024 |

Thanksgiving Turkey

Ingredients

  • 5 tbsp butter, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp each rosemary, sage, thyme
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 whole turkey (about 12 pounds), thawed, rinsed, and patted dry
  • 4-6 large carrots, cut in half lengthwise
  • 2 large onions cut into wedges
  • 2 stalks celery, cut in half lengthwise
  • 2 cups water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lowest position.
  2. Make herb butter by mixing 4 tbsp butter with the herbs in a bowl.  Season generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Loosen turkey skin from neck end, sliding fingers under the skin until you reach the end of the breast, careful not to tear the skin.  Rub the herb butter under the skin.
  4. Fill the neck cavity with stuffing, then fold the neck skin over and fasten with skewers.
  5. Turn the turkey over and tuck the wings underneath.
  6. Fill the large cavity with stuffing.
  7. Tie the legs with cotton kitchen twine so the bird will retain its shape and moisture during cooking.
  8. Put carrots, onions, celery, and water in large roasting pan.  Set rack over vegetables in pan.  Place turkey on rack.
  9. Rub turkey with remaining butter and season generously with salt and pepper.
  10. Tent the turkey loosely with foil and roast 1 hour.  Baste every 30 minutes with pan liquids until thermometer in thickest part of thigh (avoid the bone!) hits 125 degrees.  (This should take about 3 hours.)
  11. Remove foil.  Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Continue roasting, basting occasionally, until thigh reaches 180 degrees, about 45-60 more minutes.  Tent turkey with foil if it’s browning too quickly.  Add more water if pan becomes dry.
  12. Transfer turkey to serving platter, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

 

Comments

Source: Martha Stewart’s website

11-27-2017 |

Beef Ragu

Ingredients

  • 2.5 pounds chuck beef or other slow cooking beef cut, cut into 4 equal pieces
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • Black pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, separated
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 28 oz crushed canned tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 beef bouillon cubes
  • 1 cup full-bodied red wine (or substitute beef broth)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 3/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 3 dried bay leaves

Instructions

  1. Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat.  Add beef and sear each piece on all sides until browned (about 3 minutes total).  Then place in slow cooker.
  3. Turn stove down to medium low and add remaining 2 tbsp olive oil.  Saute garlic and onion for 2 minutes.  Then add carrots and celery and saute for additional 5 minutes.
  4. If using wine, add to slow cooker and let it cook out (simmer rapidly until alcohol smell is gone).
  5. Add all remaining ingredients to slow cooker.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
  6. Shred beef with two forks.  Return beef to pot and simmer for additional 30-60 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickened.

Serve with a thick pasta (we love gnocchi!), fresh parmesan, garlic bread.

 

Comments

 

Adapted from this source: recipetineats.com

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Thai Yellow Curry with Meat and Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinnless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1/3 cup yellow curry paste
  • 10 potatoes, cubed (or two cans of potatoes)
  • 14 oz can coconut cream (coconut milk works fine if you can’t find coconut cream)
  • Optional: 2 tsp fish sauce and 2 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Saute chicken and curry paste for 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add potatoes and stir to coat.
  3. Add coconut cream (and fish sauce and brown sugar, if you’re including them).  Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until fully cooked.  Add water if too thick.

We always serve it with rice (jasmine or basmati) and toasted naan.

Comments

Original recipe also calls for half an onion, sliced and sauteed, as a first step.  But Hank & I hate onions, so we always skip that.  Sometimes we add julienned carrots instead.  We almost always make with canned potatoes, but (of course) the fresh potatoes taste better.

The homemade curry paste is time consuming, but once that is made, the curry itself is fast and easy!

The leftover curry thickens up nicely in the fridge and tastes EVEN BETTER than when it’s fresh.

Source: pinchofyum.com

8-14-2016 |

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

Ingredients

  • 2 large sweet onions cut into ½ inch slices
  • 5-6 lb boneless pork shoulder
  • 2 tbsp garlic-oregano-red pepper seasoning blend (McCormick Grill Mates Backyard Brick Oven Seasoning will work)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 10.5 oz condensed chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Place onions in lightly greased 6 qt slow cooker.
  2. Rub roast with seasoning and salt. Place in slow cooker on top of onions. Pour broth over roast. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
  3. Transfer roast to cutting board or serving platter. Shred with 2 forks, remove any large pieces of fat.
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Smoky Chipotle Chicken Chili

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
  • 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped
  • 1 poblano pepper, roughly chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 red onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 2 chipotle chilies, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 16 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
  • Optional toppings: cheese, scallions, guacamole, sour cream, fritos, chives

Instructions

  1. In a large heavy bottom pot, add the olive oil over medium high heat.
  2. Add the red and orange bell pepper, poblano pepper and yellow and red onion and saute for 10-12 minutes until the vegetables start to cook down. Add the garlic and chili powder and saute for 1-2 more minutes.
  3. Next, add the ground chicken. Break it up into pieces with a wooden spoon and saute until golden brown. You don’t want any pink pieces of chicken left.
  4. Once the chicken is cooked, add chopped chipotle chili peppers, adobo sauce, crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Stir to combine and reduce the heat to medium. Add the drained black beans and simmer for 1 hour until the chili thickens.
  5. Once the chili has thickened, you can reduce the heat to low and keep it on the stove until you are ready to serve. Optional: stir in 1/4 cup of sour cream to give it a little bit of a silky texture.
  6. Serve it with toppings of your choice and enjoy.
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Skillet-Toasted Penne with Chicken Sausage

Ingredients

  • 6 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
  • 1 cup sliced sweet onion
  • 13 ounces Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced Calabrian chiles or hot red chiles
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 0.5 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 2 tablespoons)
  • Oregano leaves (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat.
  3. Add pasta; cook 5 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Remove pasta from pan.
  4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, and sausage to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.
  5. Remove sausage mixture from pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Return pasta to pan.
  6. Add stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of stock is nearly absorbed before adding the next (about 35 minutes total), stirring frequently. Stir in sausage mixture, juice, chiles, salt, and cheese. Garnish with oregano, if desired.
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Homemade Chili

Ingredients

  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup bottled steak sauce
  • 5 slices bacon
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 (1.25 ounce) package chili seasoning mix
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. In a large pot over medium-low heat, combine tomatoes, tomato paste, carrot, onion, celery, wine, pepper flakes, bell peppers and steak sauce.
  2. While tomato mixture is simmering, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels. Cook beef in bacon drippings until brown; drain. Stir chili seasoning into ground beef.
  3. Stir seasoned beef, cumin and bacon into tomato mixture. Continue to simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors are well blended.
  4. Stir in beans, cilantro and parsley. Heat through and serve.

Comments/Notes

This recipe won a chili contest.  In Texas.  So you know it’s good!  The fact that it’s full of fresh veggies makes it the best chili I’ve ever had.  I also like to add a few peppers to give it spice (jalapeno, poblano, whatever).  It’s not bland without adding peppers, but it’s not at all spicy if you prepare it as-written-above.

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Asian Veal Meatballs with Noodles

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground veal
  • 1 cup soft bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
  • 2 cups cooked Oriental noodles or fettuccine
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Combine ground veal, bread crumbs, mushrooms, egg, 2 tablespoons green onion, soy sauce, ginger and 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.  Shape into 12 meatballs.  Place in greased 15 x 10-inch baking pan.  Bake in 350°F oven 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned and not pink in center.
  2. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 cup water in medium skillet; add bouillon granules.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened.  Stir in 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.
  3. Add meatballs. Serve over noodles. Sprinkle with green onion.
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Stove Top Easy Chicken Bake

Ingredients

  • 2 pkg Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts, cut into bitesize pieces
  • 1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1 can (or a little less) chicken broth
  • 16 oz frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Prepare stuffing as directed.
  3. Mix remaining ingredients in 13×9 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
  4. Top with stuffing and bake 30 minutes or until chicken is done.
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