Grilled Steak Tacos & a Gigantic Burger

What’s better on a Friday after a long week than dinner in with some wine and someone to snuggle with?  Not much I tell ya.  Last week at the cube was epically exhausting.  I was beyond stressed to the point of not even being angry or annoyed with work, just absolutely numb.  So when Friday came around and Bri-guy and I were thinking of what to do, he knew just what I needed- nothing fancy, just some quality down time.

I decided the least I could contribute was the meal- since food and what I’m going to cook takes up about 80% of my daily thinking.  Bri-guy wanted to grill of course, and it has been unseasonably warm lately.  I decided to combine two of my favorite things then, grilled steak, and tacos.  This baby marinated all day in the fridge:

Flank steak, with garlic, onion, cumin, salt & chili powder & oil

 

Then it was time to get the shells and the fixin’s ready.  (Side note: crunchy tacos probably aren’t the best for steak, but, they are my fave, so I went with it.)

Corn tortillas, fried up until crispy

Now, I was also trying to be resourceful and use up a few things, so instead of crunchy lettuce, we had brussel sprouts slaw,  But instead of the apple, I went with a carrot this time.  And you know what, it was pretty good.

Cilantro, salsa, homemade guac, and brussel sprouts slaw

 

The taco all ready to be topped (though the guac is underneath

The meal & the company were just what I needed.  Even got my first seasonal viewing of Love Actually!  The only thing there was too much of was wine.  Whew.

Saturday was an epically bad hangover.  I mean, brutal…  not even this thing could help:

TBS Burger from The Butcher Shop

 

I could only manage about half, and it was dang delicious.  Perfectly cooked, topped with a bit of cheese and caramelized onions, I will definitely be going back for another one of those, though hopefully not hungover next time.  Ugh.

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Black Bean & Rice Enchiladas

Not too shabby for a Tuesday night, eh?

I told you last week I made an alternative pesto, right?  But I wasn’t going to share it with you until I did something interesting with it.  Whelp, I finally did! I started with cilantro and ended with enchiladas. Trust me, it works out.

I made cilantro pesto this time….

Look at the beautiful color…

Now… what to do with it?? I made BBQ Chicken Tacos again last week- oh hey Crock Pot… super easy, but still had about a cup of this pesto leftover.  I froze it for a rainy day.

Well folks, it’s been pretty darn rainy here lately so it wasn’t long before I was defrosting my pesto nuggets.  I thought it would make a nice herbal addition to brown rice, black beans & corn.  And it did- but it was still pretty bland.  At this point, I was stuck with a huge tupperware of this rice, bean & corn mixture and debating what to do… Enchiladas.  Yes. Add tomato sauce & cheese and everything will be right with the world.

I didn’t follow an exact recipe but I followed the method for my chicken enchiladas.

Green pepper, serrano chile, onion... dice & add to pan. Chop & drop as Rachel Ray would say.

 

There's the drop.

Once softened add your liquids & spices- 1 80z can tomato sauce, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 Tb cumin, 1 tsp chile powder, 1/2 tsp salt, bring to a boil and cook down.

Strain sauce over large bowl, reserving sauce and put onions & peppers into the mixture for your filling

Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved sauce and as much cheese (monterey jack) as your heart desires, and stir.  Heat up your tortillas in the microwave then assemble!

Pour remaining sauce over the top, top with more cheese and bake for 20 mins at 350 degrees F.  Also use a 3 Qt baking dish- the 2 Qt, though adorable, was not large enough. Also, cover with foil for the first 10-15 mins of cooking, then remove to let the cheese brown and the edges crisp up a bit.

Oh hi friends.

 

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Vegeclare-ian Chili & Spicy Cornbread

This is a story about chili.  But first, a story about the name.

Thank goodness for funny friends.  Or rather I should just say thank goodness for friends.  I have some pretty fantastic people in my life and one of the things I love the most about all of them, across the board, is their sense of humor.  I have some really clever and funny girlfriends.  As I was waiting for the bus near Downtown Crossing to head to my friend Clare’s apartment for dinner, I was wondering how I was going to write about the dinner we were making that evening.

Clare is pretty much my oldest friend.  She came into my life in high school, so anything before that I refer to as B.C. Before Clare. Since I’ve known her she’s been a vegetarian.  (See where this is going?) Anyway, we grew up, now have real adult jobs and made fun new adult friends.  Many of whom are extremely clever & bright, and like to nickname people.  My friend E likes to give couples names- yes, like Brangelina.  Julie just comes up with these gems, one of which, became vegeclare-ian, (spelling? not quite sure.)

I suggested to Clare we try the new vegetarian chili from this month’s Everyday Food and one of the cornbread recipes.  I volunteered to make cornbread and bring it over.  Last week was super busy (yay Junior League!) so my only option was to make the cornbread the night before. There are 24 usable hours in a day.

This is what happens when I bake at 10pm.

Everyone gets their own mini loaf

Then it was off to Clare’s to hang out & make some good food.  It was hot & humid that night, not the best night for a spicy chili, but who knew, this wacky Indian Summer thing is throwing everyone off.

The onion fumes that night were also throwing dear Clare off so she took the stylish approach… (Not having regular glasses these were a good substitute)

I wear my sunglasses at night

This is reason #538 why we’re friends.

And finally…. le chili.

Chili!

Check out the newest issue of Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food for both these (and plenty more tasty) recipes!

I’ll be back soon with a another post about alternative pesto! (It’s in the freezer but I’d figure I’d make you something interesting with it first. )

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Chicken Taco Pizza

Hello friend.

Iiiiiiiiii know. Tacos. Again. Well, not really.  The flavors were there, but this was decidedly different.  After last week’s corn taco spectacular I had grilled corn and black beans at the ready.  Of course, I could have lived off of texas caviar (black bean corn avocado delicious salsa) for a week, but decided against that.

Instead, I improvised on an idea I had seen over here from Ms. Ree.  Two things I love- together at last.  What could be so wrong with that?  This is my take on it….

 

Get your toppings ready

Grilled corn, seasoned chicken, pepperjack cheese

Mash up some black beans, can of diced tomatoes together and season with salt, pepper, lots of cumin, and some chili powder.  Use as “sauce” for your pizza

 

Add your toppings…

Cook in a very hot oven until golden brown & bubbly…

Slide onto a cutting surface and top with anything else you’d like- I went with diced avocado, cilantro, and a drizzle of some chipotle-lime-spiced dressing.

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Food Blog Friday!!

(Well yes it’s now technically Saturday, but you’re with me on this one, right??)

Most of the time when I’m searching for a recipe or thinking about cooking, which is I’d say about 70% of the time, I ignore my stack of lovely cookbooks and head to the interwebs.  Let’s be honest, most of the time when I have a down moment I’m sitting in front of a computer, one click from asking Google what’s for dinner, I am not usually idling around my apartment.  I know there’s a big world wide web of food out there and I’m loyal to a handful of sites.  Yesterday I had planned on a night of pizza & champagne.  I was going to combine this and this and have the most amazing goat cheese-fig-proscuitto-arugula pizza.

However, as it’s been across the country this week, it’s a bajillion degrees in Boston and there was no way I was turning on my oven, even for 15 mins.  My 4th floor apt with no A/C is hot enough as is.  So, I scrapped that grocery list and started anew.  This time I went back to Deb at Smitten.  She has fantastic seasonal recipes, a lot of little to no-cook vegetable recipes that are great for hot days, and plus, that lil’ nugget of hers is so darn cute!  I was lucky because she had a new recipe up- Charred corn Tacos with Zucchini-Radish Slaw.  I know, I know, tacos, tex-mex, I’m like a broken record lately!! The recipes are always meant to feed a large family, I am a large family of one! That makes for lots of leftovers!!  Plus I like it. So there. (Yes, I am sticking my tongue out at you and making a silly face.)

All this needs is an umbrella!!

Anyway, my shopping list for this ended up being pretty short, ( I had tortillas and black beans at the ready at home)
and a lot cheaper than the fig pizza endeavor so I was also psyched about that.  I got home and got to work.  But not before making a refreshing cocktails, thanks to the ladies over at We Are Not Martha.  They always have fun & delicious sounding drinks posted on Fridays and I decided to try one from a couple of weeks back- Sparkling Mango Mint Lemonade (with vodka!)  I had the vodka already in the freezer, so that was easy!  Whole Foods was sadly out of sparkling lemonade, so I got one of their flavored sparkling waters instead- Lemon Raspberry.  SO GOOD!  It was a nice twist on the recipe.

Here is the play by play, and sorry for the crappy photos- my camera battery konked out on me about halfway through cooking and I was using my iPhone, which is only a 3 and therefore, does not have a flash. I also would like to report that I successfully used my mandoline slicer to cut the radishes & zucchini, and I managed to do it injury-free.  That’s a first in this kitchen. I haven’t used it in over a year and half because of what happened on the first attempt.  Eek.

Charred corn

Taco assembly- black beans, corn mixture & slaw

Warming the tortilla

Yay tacos

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Hot in herrrre

Oh man. Heat wave!!!

As I type though, it has cooled off considerably, but, the days leading up to today it has been unreal here in Beantown.  The city has felt like one baked bean pot.  I love it though, it hasn’t been unbearable, I just wish I didn’t have to wear a suit and walk to work in it.  Ick. I feel so disheveled by the time I get to office.

The heat has definitely also killed my appetite and any desire to make a solid meal.  It’s hard to be motivated to whip something up in a 4th floor walk up with no A/C.  Might as well turn my stove & oven into a storage unit for July & August, that’s how little it gets used.

The other night this was dinner: a baked sweet potato (done in the microwave) topped with leftover Texas Caviar, salsa, and avocado, and a wee bit of cheese. It was delicious and weird. I would never serve this to anyone, or at least anyone I’m trying to impress.  But, we’ve known each other here for awhile, I think we’re past that point, no?

Last night, continuing on the random theme I did a salsa baked chicken, (in the toaster oven), chicken, topped with salsa, wrapped in a foil packet and baked at 350 for 35 minutes- perfect & still juicy, the salsa keeps it from drying out.

There is a chicken breast under there

Much prettier on a plate with his avocado buddies

Otherwise  the roomie & I (and poor Hunter, this is not the weather for a fat cat) have been sitting around in the dark watching trashy tv and eating popsicles to stay cool. I’m in love with Edy’s Frozen Lemon Fruit Bars. A-mazing.  Hope you’re staying cool!!

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Coolest menu ever.

Hi friends!

I’m back! I did actually cook this weekend, with only one semi-disaster, and one successful new recipe.  I also took a trip to one of Beantown’s newest restaurants down on the waterfront. Let’s start with that.

Temazcal is a new tequila bar / cantina down on the Seaport.  I’ve heard great things and was super excited to finally go.  The weekend was gorgeous and it was a perfect Saturday for day-drinking.  I wish I had taken a picture of the view, Bri-guy and I were one of those cheesy couples that sat on the same side of the booth so we could both enjoy the waterfront view.  The place is a bit small, but lots of nice space on the dock and every table has a view. Oh. and the menus are iPads. For realsies.

It’s programmed with the menu and you slide between the pages for appetizers, entrees, cocktails, beer, each menu section has a tab and you just play with it, and each menu item has a picture, as well as description of the preparation and even a section for the dish’s history.

Chips & salsa to start… I loved the smoky black bean dip

It’s fancy mexican.  No greasy burritos here!  We of course got the guacamole

I got the fish tacos.  SO GOOD.  And, I also want these taco holders.  Put that on the registry list after the KitchenAid stand mixer.

Bri-guy got the Chicken enchiladas, they were good, but a bit heavy & rich.  Too much for a hot day for me.

Then rice & beans are served for the table

The margaritas were amazing, but I stuck to good ol’ Pacifico.  Again, it was a hot day, I didn’t want to overdo it.  I do love my Tequila, but it’s a marathon not a sprint.  :)

Coming up next- the epic pizza fail of 2011, and an italian mac n’cheese!

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Too Many Tacos

Fresh guacamole in it's rightful dish

Honestly. I should rename this blog to La Cantina Francesca.  I love a good taco, clearly.  The problem is, they require a lot of ingredients, and they don’t all get used up at the sametime.  I’ve gotten myself stuck in a seemingly never-ending cycle of having taco ingredients to use up, buying just one more thing, then having that thing leftover, and making more tacos. Jeesh.

Snacks while the chef is at work

Last week it was the chicken tacos.  I had plenty of leftover cilantro, cojita cheese, and corn tortillas.  Bri-guy* wanted fish, so I thought, ok, fish tacos, I’ve already got a bunch of ingredients. Easy!

Fish taco

Sort of.  I had to pick up limes, chipotles in adobo sauce, more tortillas, avocado, and the fixin’s for a slaw topping.  And of course the fish.  Bri-guy made us amazing margaritas, and snacked on fresh guac while I made the tacos. Check the recipe out here.

Never ending taco ingredients

When all was said and done, I had still more cojita cheese, cilantro, a couple of tortillas, tomato, 1/2 an onion, and nearly a full can of chipotles in adobo sauce.  What’s a girl to do?  More tacos. This time with ground turkey, and some cilantro-lime rice on the side. See the recipes here.  Due to my extensive knowledge and long-term relationship with tacos, I made it up. So forgive me if measurements aren’t exact.

Turkey Taco

*Let me introduce you to the new special man in my life, he would like to be referred to as Bri-guy. He gets mad that I don’t let him help me in the kitchen. He can stick to making drinks…

Bri-guy makes a mean margarita, he's a keeper

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Shredded BBQ Chicken Tacos

Crock pot + Frozen chicken + Stubb’s BBQ Sauce = Dinner.  Look ma, no hands!

Like many of the meals I come up with, it starts with whatever I happen to have too much of in the fridge or cupboard.  This week it was Stubb’s BBQ sauce.  Which, to be honest, is not a bad thing to have too much of!

I had frozen chicken breasts and decided to make shredded BBQ chicken but instead of having sandwiches, I wanted to change it up, so I went with an alternative taco.

Red onions, chicken, garlic & BBQ sauce

And then we wait… on low for 6-8 hours.

And you wait some more…

Then you run to the grocery store after work for tortillas, cilantro, lettuce and cojita cheese.

Then you shred the chicken, put it in a bowl and add a wee bit more BBQ sauce b/c it was a long day in the crock pot and may even be a bit dry.

Then you fry & shape your taco shells.  I am never never never ever again buying boxed hard taco shells.  The fresh ones are just too good. 1 inch or so of canola oil, heat, you can tell it’s ready when you dip the tortilla in and it sizzles.  Using tongs, dip half the tortilla in the oil and with a fork, or spoon, or other utensil of your choice, hold the half under the oil and create the taco shape.  Cook for about 1 minute on each side.

Then you make your tacos- shredded lettuce, cojita cheese, chicken & cilantro. YUM!

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Taco Time & A Story

Oh dear!  Busy busy weekend made me crave something easy & tasty.  My go-to in those situations: tacos.

Forget the Old El Paso... make your own!

I kept it simple with ground turkey, homemade seasoning, and a side of what I’ll call fiesta rice: Brown rice, then stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and salt & pepper.  I then topped it off with a black bean & pepper salsa.

fiesta rice

Since clearly this isn’t an exciting meal or one with a good story, I’ll tell you one completely unrelated to food. I’ll tell you about Bill.

The last lonely vine

Bill is my plant, and up until about 2 weeks ago he never really had a name, he was just the plant.  I only had one plant so it was easy to know what I was talking about.  I decided as of late, to give the plant a name, because it is dying.  I figured it was the least I could do to give it a name and some dignity in its death. Especially since I don’t even know what kind of plant it is.  Now, you may be thinking, whatever AT, plants die everyday, why is this special?  it’s special because it’s not just a plant, it’s a very special plant that has endured and defied death and one that was coming up on it’s tenth birthday.

Bill was given to me upon entering college.  During Orientation weekend, first-year women at William Smith receive a small potted plant in honor of our founder, William Smith. (see 1906 tab).  Word on the street was that he had quite the green thumb so as a reminder of him and his legacy, we are each given plant, about 2 inch square in a plastic container.  Dorms are not exactly conducive to greenery and most ended up on the sink counter in the bathrooms, apparently the steamy atmosphere was assumed to be a good spot.  Go figure.

Most everyone on my floor had relinquished their plants to the bathroom within about two weeks.  Mine soldiered on.  I have no idea how. I watered it every once in awhile but didn’t so much make an effort, and it just continued to grow.  I took it home for the summer, and then back to school for sophomore year.  Bill had his first brush with death the following summer. I had stayed on campus as a tour guide and then returned home for 2 weeks in July for a lil’ vacation.  I left Bill in my summer house, and let’s just say, 2 weeks of no water and July heat, did the lil’ guy in.  I came back to the house in August to a wilted and very dead Bill.

The tale does not end there however, enter Momma Tallo to the rescue.  While I was home the previous summer she and her gardening prowess had split the plant so there was a piece of Bill safe & sound in her care.

I brought that back to school junior year, and again senior year.  Bill lived on at home with my Mom as I traveled to Washington D.C. for an internship post-graduation, and remained at home while I looked for a job back in Boston.  Bill then came with me to Somerville, where he was the official house plant and was watered only occasionally.  Still, Bill persisted.

He came with me to Beacon Hill, and when I went back to HWS for reunion last Spring, and everyone was shocked to hear that my plant was still alive.

Barely. He probably needed to be re-potted, but I never got around to it and have watched him slowly deteriorate for several months now.  Things took a turn for the worst when I noticed last week that the vines were awfully fragile, and the roots looked dead.  As the leaves fell off one by one, and the vines snapped off the roots until the lone one was left, I came to the sad conclusion that it was time to let Bill go.  He deserved a better life than the one I was giving him.

Poor Bill

I called my Mom to tell her the sad news that yes, the plant has died.  No mas.  I have not inherited her knack for pruning and probably won’t enjoy plants or gardening. Cut flowers, yes, a flowering expanse in the backyard, probably not.

If only the story ended there.  When I called my Mom to tell her the sad news, she happily replied, “No no, I have another part of it!” That woman I tell ya, best mom EVER.

Bill lives on, but I think I’ll leave him in the skilled hands of my mother.  What’s that people always say- something about keeping a plant alive, then a pet, and then you can move on to kids?  Kids, meh, I got a few years before that happens.

I’m pretty sure this one won’t let me forget how to feed him, he’s safe.

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