Burrito Bowls

After a week of some uninspired things-grabbed-from-cupboards-willy-nilly for lunch, I am back at organized prep.  Been craving tacos/burritos/chipotle/nachos/etc/etc so I made some sort burrito bowl analogs for the week.  4 servings, 430 cals, very little fat, lots of fiber, and 41g of protein. 

1lb ground chicken (I used 99% fat free)

2 servings brown rice, cooked

1 bag (12 oz) riced cauliflower/broccoli 

2 ears corn, fresh (or a small can of corn, but fresh is better), cut off cob

1 can/3 servings kidney beans

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped, seeded or not as you wish

3-5 cups some hearty green (I used arugula that was abt to die in the fridge)

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbl olive oil

cumin, coriander seeds, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, salt, pepper (I left this out bc arugula) to taste

Lime juice (also to taste)

Put cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a hot pan and toast till you can smell them, then add the oil, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes. When oil is hot add the corn and bell pepper.  Stir infrequently, you want a bit of char on the veggies, until the corn starts trying to pop on you.  Then add the rice, cauli rice, and greens and stir a bit.  When it is heated through, add the beans and a liberal squeeze of lime as well for an additional few mins, then take off heat and portion this out into your bowls/tupperwear.  

Put pan back on heat and add your chicken, jalapeno, garlic, cinamon, salt, and pepper. While chicken browns, add  your tomato to your bowls.  When chicken is cooked through portion it out as well.  Done and done.

Southwest Steak and Avocado Egg Rolls

This recipe looks more complex then it is because there are several components to make, but altho a few of the steps are time consuming it is really simple.

for steak component:
Heat up a pan (I vastly prefer cast iron) and season some room temperature flank steak with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder.  Cook about 3-4 mins on each side (set a timer or something do NOT poke at it, do not flip more then once).  Let it rest for at least 5 mins before you cut it up into very thin slices.

for veggie component:
Sautee 1 green bell pepper, 1 yellow onion, 1 tomato, 2-3 cloves garlic with salt, pepper, cilantro, thyme, and oregano until the pepper and onion are carmelized and the tomato is mushy.  Put the whole mess into the blender/food processor and process until you have a smooth sauce.

for sauce:
Smash up 2 cloves garlic, some salt, corriander seeds, and peppercorns in a morter and pestle.  Add one ripe avocado and smush together, then add about 1 cup sour cream to thin it out into a sauce.  Bonus points if you let your sour cream sit in the fridge for a few weeks so it is actually sour and has some flavor to add.

Gather a barely ripe avocado cut into bite sized pieces, a few handfuls of arugula or spinach (raw), and egg roll wrappers.  The back of the package for the egg roll wrappers should have a handy diagram showing you how to fold them up, because really trying to describe it with words wouldn't go very well.  In each egg roll, place a few tbl of the veggie component, several arugula leaves, 1 slice avocado, and 2-3 slices steak.  Roll as directed.  Do not stack your egg rolls all up in a container if you are going to cook them later, they will get all mushy from the veggies.  Lay them out on a cookie sheet that is coated in kitchen spray as you go, then brush the tops with some olive oil when you are done making them all.  Bake at 450 for about 15 mins.  (You can also pan fry them in batches or deep fry them if you are sure you have rolled them well enough to withstand frying.)   Serve with the sauce.  Hopefully they will all be eaten bc I don't think they reheat very well.

Black Bean and Chorizo Soup

1 lb dried black beans
12-18 oz of chorizo -preferably the already cooked through sort, cut up into small bits
10-12 baby carrots or 2-3 normal ones, chopped up
1 large yellow onion, also chopped
1/2 a poblano pepper, yes this is also chopped
3-5 cloves garlic, minced, to taste
1 small can diced tomatoes in juice
2-3 cups baby arugula or baby spinach - this is a good way to use up some that is a bit far gone for salad
coriander, cumin, cilantro, oregano, salt, pepper

Soak the beans overnight, or use the 'hot soak' method (this should be listed on the bag).  After your beans are soaked, remove them from the pan and drain them.  Preheat your oven to 250-300 and put a dutch oven or large heavy soup pot (I love my lecruset for this) on the stove with a little bit of olive oil.  Add the onion, carrot, poblano, and chorizo to the pan with a bit of salt (do not use much salt until beans are cooked through, it can interfere with their cooking process), pepper, and cumin seeds and cook them until the veggies are a bit caramelized and the chorizo has rendered out some of its fat. Add the garlic and the can of tomatoes and stir in several cans full of water.  Put the black beans back into the pot, making sure they are covered with the water.  Season with the coriander oregano and cilantro, and put the greens onto the top so that they will wilt in.  Boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 30 mins on top of the stove, covered. 

Then put the whole pot in the oven for at least 2 hours, longer if you like your bean soup really mushy.  Check the water level periodically, adding more if the beans have soaked up too much of it.  You can process about 1/2 of the soup in a food processor or go at the whole thing with a potato masher to make the texture thicker if you like when it is done cooking.  At the end, taste for salt and add to your liking, as well as adding some more garlic and herbs if they are needed. 

Serve on its own or over rice or tortilla chips with avocado, tomato, hot salsa, limes, cheese, sour cream, etc for people to customize their dish with.  This soup has a complex flavor but is really mild, so your guests can really tweak it to suit themselves.  Or, if you have no guests you can have it a different way every night until it is gone so you don't get sick of it.

Short-rib Chili

This is an easy recipe but not a fast one.  Most of the 'time' involved does not require you to be in the kitchen, so don't let the times make you think this is hard to make.  This is a mild chili - you can add more heat if you like. Personally I like to make it mild and add hot salsa to my bowl so that people who do not like heat can still enjoy. (especially since it makes a giant pot, you will want to share this!)

Start out by soaking a 1 lb bag of dried red beans overnight (or doing the 'hot soak' method listed on the bag which only takes 1-4 hours).  Please start with dried beans, adding your own flavoring to the beans adds another layer entirely to the dish + buying dried beans is super super cheap.  After they have soaked, drain them and put fresh water into the pot to cover.  Add a bay leaf or 3, about 6 cloves of garlic (you don't have to chop it but you do have to skin it) a handful of peppercorns (you can put these in a piece of cheesecloth to save fishing them out one by one later) some dried oregano and some dried cilantro.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Cook for about 1-1.5 hours, you want the beans to be cooked through but not mushy.  Now add some salt to the water they are in and let them sit while you start the short ribs.

Get out a deep wide bottomed pan, if you have something like a lecruset oven or a dutch oven that would be perfect for this.  Season 5-6 short ribs (can be boned or boneless, boned gives more flavor but is harder to clean/shred later) and add them to the oil.  You want to brown them on all sides and then remove them from the pan.  While the meat is browning, chop up 1 medium onion, 1 green bell pepper, a big handful baby carrots/or 1-2 normal carrots, and about 1/2 of a pablano pepper.  Add veggies to the pan with a dash of salt and pepper and let them cook awhile, you want them to get a little browned and caramelized.  While they are cooking, chop up 4-5 cloves of garlic and about 6 oz of chorizo and toss them into the pot as well.

Once the veggies are browned and chorizo renders a bit, add in some oregano, cilantro, chili powder and cumin to season.  Pour in a bottle of beer, a large can of diced tomatoes and the liquid they came in, and about 1-2 cups of water.  If you are using boneless ribs, add a beef bullion cube to add back some flavor.  Put the ribs back in.  They should be covered by the liquid.  Bring to a simmer then turn the oven on to 250/300 and place the whole pot with the lid on in the oven for at least 1 hour, preferably 2.  After 1-2 hours, add 3/4ths of the beans (drained and de-peppercorned) and put it back in the oven for another hour with the lid ajar so some of the steam can get out.

Pull it out of the oven and taste the broth for seasoning.  Also check for thickness, if it is too thin for your liking you will want to simmer it a bit (carefully so as to not burn the bottom) to reduce the liquid.  Remove the ribs from the pot, they should be falling off of the bone by now.  Shred them and stir the meat back into the chili.

Serve with sour cream, fresh chopped cilantro, hot salsa, pickled jalapenos, cheese, avocados, fresh tomato, lime, chips, rice etc to garnish.  Makes a huge pot so if you don't have dinner guests you will be eating this for a week, but that is ok as it will taste even better tomorrow out of the fridge.

Chicken Empanadas

empanada wrappers (goya makes them, can find them in the freezer section) or eggroll wrappers cut into circles
2 lbs ground chicken
1-2 cups chopped green olives
1 yellow onion
8oz can diced tomatoes
4-6 cloves garlic, diced
cumin, salt, pepper to taste
egg wash for wrapping

Saute onion until caramelized.  Add ground chicken, olives, seasonings and cook until chicken is almost done.  Drain off the fat and add the tomatoes and garlic.  Cook until done and taste for seasoning.  Allow to cool slightly.  set up your egg wash and empanada wrappers and a cookie sheet or several plates to rest them on.  Fill each wrapper with about 1/4th of a cup of the meat filling and fold into a half moon shape (using egg around the edge to keep it sealed) and crimp with a fork.  Continue until you have them all folded.  (You can do this up to a day ahead.)  Either fry the empanadas or brush with olive oil and bake at 400 until skins are golden and crispy.  Serve with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

chilli lemon garlic shrimp

about 1/2 lb shrimp per serving
1 or 2 cups chicken stock per serving
1 tsp to 1/2 tbl butter per serving
1-2 cloves garlic per serving
splash lemon juice
salt (if and only if stock is not salty!) pepper, and red chilli flakes to taste


put stock into a small pan (if cooking for one i recommend an omelet sized skillet) that all the shrimp will fit in in a single layer. add garlic, chilli, pepper, lemon to the pan. when it comes to a boil, turn down to a simmer and add shrimp. it cooks fast so watch it and flip when it starts to curl up. don't overcook. pull shrimp out when done. turn up heat and reduce stock to about 1/4th cup/serving, adding butter at the end. pour resulting sauce over shrimp.

serve with a tomato/avocado salad or mild pico de gallo, and brown rice cooked with cumin seeds. or some other mild/cooling things because if you are at all like me you probably put in a few many chilli flakes and need something to put out the fire, lol.

death by cornbread

(background. my father came up with this on the last day of a camping trip, all he had left was leftover roast corn salad, a box of cornbread, and a pound of bacon.. and about 10 people to feed breakfast too. i have tweaked it a bit since)

2 boxes cornbread mix
whatever they say to add to them
1 lb bacon
3-4 ears corn
1 yellow onion
1 bell pepper
1/2-1 jalepeno, diced
some cheddar or montaray jack cheese
garlic, pepper, salt, cumin seeds if you like em, and some fresh herbs (if your grocery store sells ''poultry mix" of thyme/sage/rosemary together this is perfect. or use whatever you have on hand, or throw in a tiny bit of dried herbs (you want a mix, not just one strong flavor)

cook bacon, i like to do it in the oven so i don't have to poke at it and can work on other things at the same time. reserve the fat when it is done, and chop the bacon up.
roast the veggies in a big saute pan with some olive oil. you want them to have a lot of contact with the bottom of the pan so that they caramelize, if you don't have a big pan then do it in batches. add the herbs and spices towards the end. veggies are done when they are fully tender and have some nice browned bits on them. do not have your head directly over the pan if you are using the jalapeno, or you will be coughing.
mix up the cornbread according to the package directions, and preheat the oven (also according to its directions).
fold the corn salad and chopped bacon into the cornbread, along with a handful or 2 of cheese.
put a bit of the bacon fat into the bottom of the pan you will cook the cornbread in. sit it in the oven a few mins to preheat that as well, then pour in the cornbread. you should hear a sizzle when it pours in.
cook according to package directions, maybe a few mins longer.

steak tacos for sleepy houseguests

take some flank steak, and rub it with cumin, salt, pepper, garlic powder. wrap and put in the fridge for at least 2 hrs.
get out your mortar and pestle (or a baggie and a meat tenderizer hammer, or a food processor, whichever you have). put 6-7 cloves of garlic and a few tablespoons kosher salt in. grind away until it is paste. add a big handful cilantro and repeat.
cut up 4-5 tomatoes and put in a baggie with a few tablespoons salt.
cut up 1 yellow onion, and one green pepper, into small bits and add to baggie with tomatoes.
put 3/4ths of the paste from your mortar into the baggie. add juice from 2-3 limes. put int he fridge at least 2 hrs.
after 2 hrs and/or whenever people finally wake up and start asking you what is lunch (bc they slept through breakfast time entirely)
get out steak. heat a DRY pan up. put steak fat side down into the pan and DO NOT POKE AT IT for 3-4 mins depending on how done you like your steak.
(i suggest making a drink for yourself while the steak is working)
flip steak. again, set a timer and don't freaking poke it. 3-4 mins again.
while steak is cooking on 2nd side, get out 2 avocados and mash them into the remainder of your paste. add a bit of lime juice, a few spoonfuls of your salsa, and possibly some jalepenos. (or just serve a jar of pickled ones on the side if you have ppl who wont eat spicy things like grift >.>)
pull steak out of pan. put on cutting board. do NOT cut for at least 5 mins.
if you are bored while waiting for steak to rest, open and drain a can of pinto beans. put it in the pan the steak was in. add some olive oil, some of your salsa, oregano, thyme, and mash them up as they cook. grate in some monteray jack when steak is almost ready to be cut.
get tortillas out of fridge and warm them up in the microwave (or on a pan if you want to be really nice to people) (if they are flour tortillas you don't have to warm them)
cut your steak into small small strips, against the grain.
assemble your own tacos before you let anyone else know they are ready so that you get the best bits of steak for yourself.

Chicken Get Well Soon Soup

All of this is 'get off the couch/bed for 10 mins and look at pot, go back to bed' sort of directions.  For something to do in those few mins when you are awake and bored, before you nod back off again.

soup base/stock (makes 2 big batches.  make it double then freeze half, it freezes well)
2 chicken breasts
4 chicken thighs
(all chicken with bones/skin)
2 big boxes of chicken stock + some water. Or water + bullion (be careful of salt, if so)  can use veggie stock also if you want, or just plain water, but starting with pre made stock gives you a stronger flavor for when your tastebuds are all dulled and you cant taste anything unless it hits you over the head.
several handfuls arugula
one onion
4-5 carrots
bunch of celery
zest of one lemon
one full bulb garlic
kosher salt to taste
palmful of peppercorns
3 or so bay leaves.
notice - no strong herbs/spices. just neutral stuff. Making a very basic tasting broth here, just trying to get some veggies in for nutrients etc.

Throw everything in a pot.  Don't worry about carefully cutting the veggies, these will be picked out later.  Just toss it all in, make it boil, reduce to simmer, and go back to bed for an hr or 2.
Qhen you wake up, pull out the chicken and leave it to cool. Skim off all the other stuff. Turn off heat. Go back to bed.
Again in awhile when things have cooled, reskim soup and pick/shread meat off of chicken.  Put chicken back in pot.  Put half of the stock/chicken into baggies or w/e to freeze. (Can do this all at once or in between naps, rly.)

This will make a bright but neutral flavored broth that freezes really well.   I make it into 2 batches bc I rly like soup and I assume my husband will eat at least a bowl, but you can split it up smaller and freeze more if you just want a bowl or 2.

Throw one of the following combinations into the remaining soup, depending on what you want, and simmer 30 mins or so to let flavers get into broth. Try a different combo when you take the rest out of the freezer next time you are ill:

• Simple classic: rice or pasta, carrots, celery, onion, rosemary/sage/thyme/parsley.
• Asian: ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, hot oil/pepper flakes if you like, boc choy or brocoli, mushrooms, carrots, onion, ramen or rice
• Tortilla: cilantro, corn, beans, cumin, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, salsa/pepper flakes. Garnish w chips/avocado/cheese for healthier members of the family.
• Matzo: matzo balls, carrots and celery and onions cut up really really tiny
• Italian wedding: meat balls, pastina or bow ties, spinach or some other hearty green
• Plain: strain out the chicken and just drink broth with crackers if  your stomach is really off kilter.  Add some ginger if you like it.
• Kitchen sink: whatever you have in your fridge/cupboard that you like. Any veggie is good in this, really. Add some herbs to complement.