Shredded Pork Chalupas

Football and other casual parties are always fun and easy when mouth-watering Chalupas are on the menu.   There’s a tasty variety of ways to eat this dish…over Fritos, over lettuce for a Chalupa salad, or by itself.  There are also a number of *condiments your guests can use so it tastes exactly the way they want it.  Note…the Fritos are a must for this dish.

Chalupas are a tasty staple for our casual parties and the dish tastes great for several days afterward as a leftover.  It freezes well too which is why (since there’s only 2 of us at home) we usually have some in the freezer for those nights we don’t feel like cooking.  Don’t count on too many leftovers though as your guests will want to take some home.  I purchase packages of plastic containers from the Dollar store so I can package the Chalupas easily for guests to take home and enjoy the next day.

Try this soon during the cool fall season and when you’re tired of Holiday meals every night!

Chalupas

• 4-5 pound pork tenderloin
• 3 canned Mexican style tomatoes
• 2 tsp Mexican cinnamon (important that you use Mexican style)
• 2 TBs Mexican oregano
• 4 TB Dark Pasilla Chile powder
• 4 tsp cumin
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• orange juice and lime juice
• 12 fresh long green chiles, roasted, seeded and diced
• 2 chopped white onions
• 2 TBs finely chopped garlic
• 4-5 cans Pinquito Beans (don’t drain) or drained Pinto Beans
• 1 Mexican beer
• *suggested condiments 

1. Mix the chopped chiles and spices to a paste with orange and/or lime juice
2. Pound the pork under plastic and cover with spice paste.  Marinate for 1 hour or overnight
3. Place pork roast with marinade paste in a **large stockpot.  Add beer and enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil and lower to a gentle simmer.  Cover and slowly cook 3 hours; remove meat and set aside to cool.  Add beans to pot.
4. Meanwhile, remove cooled meat from bone, and shred or pull off in bite-size pieces.  Return to pot and cook 1 hour longer.  Stir often and add more water when necessary.  Chalupas should have the consistency of stew.
5. Serve hot in and pile on *condiments of your choice. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Suggested condiments:

• 1 bag Fritos (this is a must)
• grated cheese
• sour crème
• salsa
• sliced avocado
• sliced green onions
• dices white onions
• diced peppers

 **If using a crockpot – cook the meat for about 5 hours on low, take out to shred and add the beans.  Cook for about 2 hours longer.

Roasted Cauliflower with Herbs and Parmesan

This is an delicious Holiday side dish but I make it anytime of the year!

A side dish that has it all…easy to make, healthy and low cal, and just a few ingredients.  Plus, it roasts so fast that if you’re low on oven space you can cook it while the turkey is resting. 

I’ve been making this dish for 4 years now and it works with any meat dish, or as a Meatless Monday dish with a salad.  Your kitchen will smell great and you’ll have it on the table in less than 30 minutes!

Inspired by Cooking Light, November 2005

• 12 cups cauliflower florets (about 2 heads)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 450°.

Place cauliflower in a large roasting pan.  Drizzle with oil; toss well to coat. Mix with Herbes de Provence, parsley, tarragon, and garlic.  Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring every 5 minutes.  Combine cauliflower mixture, cheese, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss well to combine.

Yield:  8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Steakhouse Bruschetta and Australian Style Burgers

   Blue cheese and basil with tasty steak make this a favorite appetizer

  

Scroll down for Bruschetta recipe

Recently we were invited to Wayne and Julie (Jules) Easley’s home to meet their friends from Australia, Garry & Carol Douglas, and enjoy an Australian Burger BBQ.  Jules had asked me to bring an appetizer and I came up with what I thought was a clever idea.  As some of my readers know, I am in the middle of cleaning out my freezer.  This task will probably take a few months but I hope to show an empty freezer by the time I’m done.  Then I can begin all over again by filling my freezer up.  But, I digress…back to my story…

Wayne is a hunter and about 6 months ago he gave me a package of frozen antelope loins and one of frozen deer steaks.  I wasn’t sure how to prepare them but thought I’d make them into an appetizer for this party.  I have prepared the Steakhouse Bruschetta that you see above many times with sirloin and other steaks.  I used the antelope and deer instead this time as a fun surprise for Wayne.  And, he loved it…even though he hates mayo!

I didn’t know what an Australian style burger was but was certainly willing to give it a try.  Delish!  It’s like a regular burger but you add a fried egg, bacon and roasted beets.   

Roasted beets?  They were delicious and satisfying in a burger.  Earthy and sweet, the beets impart a whole new flavor to a grilled staple.  I thought beets might taste foreign in a burger but they honestly tasted like they belonged there!    It’s a delicious and easy way to make your burger into something special.  I’m looking forward to trying it again at home sometime.

Austalian Burger – everything was cooked on the grill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australian Burger with Beets, Bacon and Eggs

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

  

 

Steakhouse Bruschetta

Inspired by Cuisine At Home Magazine

• 24 slices baguette – cut on bias (diagonally)
• Olive oil
• 2 TB garlic powder
• ¾ lb boneless sirloin steak
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 T white wine vinegar
• 1 ts dry mustard
• 1 ½ cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 T olive oil
• Basil leaves

Preheat oven to 450°.

Brush baguette slices with a mixture of oil and garlic powder.  Toast in oven until golden.

Season steak with salt and pepper; heat a skillet over medium-high.  Sear steak for 4 minutes on each side (for medium rare).  Let rest 10 minutes, then dice. 

Mix mayonnaise through mustard together.  In a 2^nd bowl, toss tomatoes, basil and 2 T oil with steak; salt to taste.

Spread mayo/cheese mixture on toasted bread and top with steak mixture.  Garnish with basil.

 

Wayne in his new Australia Hat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jules with one of her “puppies”

 

Cilantro Crab Salad in Avocado Halves

There are those evenings when I really don’t feel like “cooking” or going to a great deal of prep or planning.  Those are the nights when I just want to throw some ingredients together with what I have on hand.  This was one of those nights. No planning, no cooking…I just looked through the fridge and pantry and pulled out what was available.

What could I make with what I had on hand?

• I had 8 ounces of crab meat from the night before when I had attempted (unsuccessfully) to make crab cream cheese baked peppers (they really didn’t taste good and won’t be in my blog).
• On my counter was fresh cilantro in a glass of water from the taco salad also of the night before (that was delish).
• 1 avocado was enough for the two of us
• We still had limes left on our lime tree
• And our pantry always has an ample stock of canned corn, black beans and pinquitos

After reviewing my saved recipes, I decided on a crab salad that I had seen in a Bon appétit magazine years ago and my multi colored bean salad (that I know how to make from memory).

The dinner was delicious and fresh.  Not too filling but enough to satisfy us until about 8pm when Greg made popcorn for us to snack on. 

Either of these recipes would also make an excellent starter or side dish to a Southwestern or Mexican meal.  Enjoy!

Inspired by Bon Appétit | April 2000

Makes 4 servings 

• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel
• 8 ounces crabmeat
• 2 ripe large avocado, halved, pitted, peeled
• Lime wedges 

Stir red onion, mayonnaise, cilantro, bell pepper, 2 teaspoons lime juice, cumin and lime peel in medium bowl to blend. Mix in crabmeat. Season with salt and pepper. Brush avocado halves with remaining 1 teaspoon lime juice to prevent discoloration. Arrange avocado halves, cut side up, on plates. Mound crab salad on each avocado half. Serve salad with lime wedges.

Serve with bean and corn salad.

Spicy and Smoky Style Chicken Paprika

 Cooking the paprika with the onions brings out the smokiness of the spice. I like my paprika to be spicy and smoky rather than sweet so added  peppers and cayenne.

I love the fall weather because you finally feel like preparing slow cooked meals that meld flavors and fill your home with delicious aromas!  Gone are the days of dining on grilled meat and side salads.  This is the time of year you can experiment with more flavors and not feel like you’re wasting oven or gas energy on a hot day. 

I have prepared this Chicken Paprika with skinless breasts but you can easily substitute a whole cut up chicken with skin if you’re not worried about extra calories.  To create a quick weeknight meal, cook the onions the night before and add everything but the sour cream/flour mixture to a crock pot.  Set the pot to go on low for the 5 hours before you arrive home.  Then add the remaining ingredients.

Chicken Paprika

• 2 TB olive oil
• 2 large or 3 small yellow onions, chopped
• 2 TB Smoked Spanish Paprika – purchase a good quality paprika for best results
• 7 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless (you can also use 2 chickens with this recipe with skin and bones)
• ½ TS Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper (or Green or Orange), chopped
• 1 Poblano Pepper, seeded and chopped
• ½ can chicken broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes (use juice too)
• Salt, to taste
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 TB flour
• Noodles, rice or potatoes to serve with.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over low heat.  Wilt the onions for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with Paprika and cook, stirring for 1 minute. 

Add the chicken, broth, tomatoes, peppers, and Cayenne.  Season with salt.  Bring the heat to a boil, reduce to medium/low, then simmer – DO NOT BOIL – partially covered for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the chicken is cooking, mix the sour cream and flour together and set aside in a bowl.

When the chicken has cooked for 50 minutes, remove to a separate bowl.  Cook the sauce over medium heat, uncovered for 15 minutes to reduce it.  Pour some of the sauce into the sour cream and flour mixture and whisk it together.  Slowly whisk the sauce/sour cream mixture back into the pot.  Adjust seasoning and return chicken to pot.  Serve over noodles, rice or alongside potatoes.

Sausage and Bell Pepper Bake

 Perfect as a main dish, side dish or potluck dish

This delicious meal can stand on its own as a main dish with a green salad or act as that perfect side to pasta dishes like Bolognese, Spaghetti Pie , Tortellini or macaroni and cheese.  It’s easy to make and always a hit in our house. 

When I prefer a lighter version, I substitute the sausage for Turkey Sausage which is tasty too.  For an every night meal, prepare the sausage the night before and chop the vegetables.  Then you’ll be able to come home and have this on the table in 40 minutes!

I’ve shared this dish at potlucks and there’s never any left to bring home.  Easy to prepare, delicious to eat and just a few ingredients make the Sausage Bell Pepper Bake a definite recipe keeper!

• 4 Red Bell Peppers, chopped (or whatever type of bell pepper is fresh at the market)
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 2 TS oregano
• ½ TS dried crushed red pepper
• 2 TB olive oil
• 2 lbs Italian Spicy Sausage

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Boil sausage until almost done, then grill them on the stovetop or grill to get nice grill marks.

As sausage is boiling, combine all ingredients but sausage in a large baking pan and bake until tender about 40 minutes.  Lay sausage on top of vegetables and bake about 5 minutes longer.

Serve with mushroom risotto or a pasta dish.

Taco Salad

Crunchy and creamy with delicious Mexican flavors

Greg's Taco Salad

 

Years ago my husband Greg and I discovered that while we love each other very much, we don’t work well together in an office.  Greg had converted our large bonus room in the house to a functional office area with built in cabinets and desks.  It was perfect for both of us to work in…For about 5 minutes.   That’s all it took.  After 5 minutes of bickering about something computer related, we both decided that Greg would keep the new office for himself and I would take the original office downstairs.  That has worked well for us for 15 years. 

The good news is that while we didn’t work well together in an office environment, we are a real team in the kitchen.  I usually plan the meal, Greg preps, and I finish it.  He is the chopper and the griller.  I do the rest.  It’s a great way to have fun with your spouse and work on something together.  Since we both have clear responsibilities in the kitchen, there’s rarely a disagreement.  We work in harmony and have a great time preparing meals.

Greg does have two meals that he prepares on his own quite frequently for family and friends.  One is his popular Bolognese Sauce and the other is his delicious Taco Salad.  This is such a simple salad to prepare but it is absolutely scrumptious!  Crunchy and creamy with delicious flavors that you don’t always recognize.  One of the key ingredients is the Sweet Cherry Peppers which are a surprising blend of sweet and sour.  We serve the salad with various condiments and our favorite is a half and half mix of salsa and Thousand Island dressing…delicious!

To make this a weeknight meal, prepare the burger the night before.  Then you can quickly chop the remaining ingredients and serve a dinner that the entire family will enjoy.  The leftovers work well the next day for lunch but when we’re entertaining we rarely have leftovers of the popular salad!

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• ½ TB cumin or to taste
• ½ TB salt
• 1 small head iceberg lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup chopped red peppers
• Sweet Cherry Peppers from 1  6 oz jar, chopped
• ½ red onion, chopped
• 1 can Pinquito Beans, drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• Shredded Mexican mix cheese
• Thousand Island Dressing
• Salsa
• Corn Chips, crushed
• Avocado, chopped

Night before or earlier in the day:  Brown ground beef, breaking up.  Add chopped yellow onion and cook until onions are soft.  Add cumin and salt.  Let cool and refrigerate until cold.

In a large bowl, mix iceberg lettuce, red peppers, Sweet cherry peppers, red onion and beans in a large bowl.  Add ground beef mixture.

Mix Thousand Island Dressing half and half with Salsa in a small serving bowl.  Pour more salsa in another bowl, as well as corn chips and cheese mix in separate bowls.

Let guests serve themselves.

Whiskey Baked Pears

This mouthwatering dessert is so simple that I almost didn’t publish it.  Problem was that I just had to show this cute picture of my friend Colleen’s daughter Mia.  Isn’t she cute?  Mia actually suggested that she model with the pears and I quickly snapped the photo before she could change her mind.

I found these delicious Sweet Pears at Trader Joes.  They were so small, perfect for a plate of three per person with a scoop of ice cream.  Originally I was going to bake a pear/almond cake but, as often happens when I’m entertaining, I ran out of time to prepare dessert.  So…I whipped together this easy dessert and it was happily consumed by all who attended.

Full disclosure…Mia only wanted to eat ice cream for dessert, which is probably a good thing since this dessert includes a bit of whiskey!

Whiskey Baked Pears

Preheat oven to 325°. 

Mix together

• ¼ cup honey

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• ¼ cup whiskey

And place aside.

In a separate bowl mix

• ½ cup dark sugar

• ½ cup crushed almond

Place washed pears whole (with bottoms sliced so they easily stand) in a baking dish.  Pour ½ of the sauce mix over the pears and sprinkle with 2/3 of the sugar/almond mix. 

Bake uncovered for 20-60 minutes depending on the size of the pears.  My pears were quite small so I baked them for only 20 minutes.   Warm remaining sauce in a sauce pan.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream; drizzle warm sauce and sprinkle remaining sugar mix over all.

Cevichi Stuffed Peppers

Our all-time favorite vacation is when we travel to Casa de Frutas in Costa Rica.  Casa de Frutas is an incredible vacation house in the middle of lush jungle overlooking the ocean.  Open to the outside air, this Bali style home is the ultimate place to relax and enjoy a vacation in paradise.

Casa de Frutas

The amazing view when you walk in the door!

When we can tear ourselves away from the Casa, we enjoy walking around small towns like Quepos and sitting at one of the open air eateries watching people walk by, while drinking beer and eating fresh Cevichi.  When the fish is that fresh I could consume it raw but it is even better when “cooked” in citrus juice.

 

 Enjoying beer and Cevichi in Costa Rica

We weren’t able to visit Costa Rica this year but our friends Tom and Cindy are there so I made fresh Cevichi last weekend to celebrate their trip and remember all of our fun times in Costa Rica.  Greg and I enjoyed  the delicious dish but I have to say, it’s just not nearly the same without the ambience of Costa Rica! 

 

 

• 1 lb fresh white fish (halibut or sole) – diced
• Cooked shrimp
• 1/3 cup cilantro
• ¼ cup fine sliced red onion
• Fine sliced red bell pepper
• 1 jalopeno or to taste  – diced
• Lime juice to cover fish by 1 inch (I sometimes add 1/2 orange juice)
• Salt and pepper taste
• 2 Bell Peppers or Poblanos

 

1. Let white fish sit in juice, onion and herbs in the fridge until it is “cooked” – about four hours
2. Add shrimp about 15-20 minutes before serving
3. Slice bell peppers length wise and stuff with ceviche

Jamaican Pork Salad

This luscious salad is juicy and sweet mingled with a smoky grilled taste!

I love working with food because it really can surprise you at times.  A technique might look great but the results don’t turn out that way.  Or, a photo looks so appetizing but the recipe is off somehow.  But then, there are those times when the photo looks tempting and the combination of ingredients seems good, and the result actually turns out as delightful as is promised.

I guess this salad truly surprised me the first time I prepared it because I didn’t expect something so easy to be so delicious too.  The dressing is so simple compared to other Jerk dressings I’ve made and the salad is very healthy with plenty of good green lettuce and low fat pork. 

When I made it again last week Greg suggested that he grill slices of the pineapple first and that ACTUALLY did the trick.  The salad was so much more improved…juicy and sweet mingled with a smoky grilled taste.  The char marks on the pineapple really seem to add to the taste…not sure if that’s because of the lovely vision of the marks or the actual taste of the char. 

So far I’ve only made it for Greg and me but I would prepare this for family and friends anytime.  Next time I plan to skip the papaya and just stick with the grilled pineapple.  Greg’s idea to grill the pineapple is really the key to making this dish even better than it already was!  I guess that should teach me to listen to him more often…

Grilled Jamaican Pork Tenderloin Salad

Inspired by Cooking Light Magazine

Dressing:
2 tablespoons fresh or 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 garlic clove, minced

Salad:
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin
Cooking spray
4 cups salad greens
2 cups sliced peeled fresh pineapple into ½ inch slices
1 cup chopped papaya

Prepare grill.  To prepare dressing, combine first 11 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.

On oiled grill rack, grill pineapple slices until grill marks show. 

To prepare pork, slice pork lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side.   Open halves, laying pork flat. Rub 2 tablespoons dressing on pork; reserve remaining dressing. Place pork on grill rack coated with olive oil; cook 10 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer registers 155°. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices; toss with reserved dressing.

Place 1 cup greens on each of 4 plates; top with 3 ounces pork, pineapple, and papaya.

Yield:  4 servings CALORIES 263 (30% from fat)