Baked Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce

Tags

beef, black beans, burrito, Mexican, poblano, sour cream

I’m thinking I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a big fan of Mexican food. Yet, whenever I think that, I seem to contradict myself because then I crave Mexican food. But not restaurant Mexican food… can’t stand that stuff! But good ol’ homemade Mexican Tex-Mex, or whatever this is considered… love it! Or anything with taco seasoning! Hehe. Horrible logic, I know.

These burritos, though, are amazing. I made them a couple weeks ago before the move, and now I’m making them again! What can I say, I got a craving! You can change out the meat to any ground meat of your choosing, and they’re quick to cook up. Also, they reheat awesomely and apparently, you can freeze them once they’re baked, all of which makes them a great make-ahead option. If you’re a burrito-fan, these are a must try for you!One Year Ago: Cheddar-Herb Biscuits and Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Baked Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce

Burritos:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup beef broth
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon oregano
1½ teaspoon chili powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Kosher salt
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
4 to 6 burrito tortillas
Cooking spray

Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce:
2 poblano peppers
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
⅔ cup chicken broth at room temperature
½ cup sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the burritos: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned; drain any excess fat.  Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30 to 60 seconds; add the beans, broth, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, and brown sugar. Stir to combine and salt to taste. Reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Place 2 tablespoons of the cheese in a line in the middles of each tortilla and spoon about ¼ of the beef mixture over the top of the cheese. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla in, and then roll the tortilla up, from the end closest to you, to the top. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet and lightly spray the tops of the burritos with cooking spray.  Bake for about 20 minutes, until tortillas are golden brown and crispy.

To make the sour-cream poblano sauce: To prepare chiles with a gas stove, turn one of the burners to high. Using tongs, char the poblanos on all sides until black. To prepare the chiles with an oven, preheat the broiler. Place the poblanos on a foil lined baking sheet and broil until black, using tongs to turn the chiles to blacken all sides. Transfer the blackened poblanos to a resealable plastic bag and seal the bag; set it aside for 15 minutes. Remove chiles and peel them; discard the seeds and membranes to lessen the heat, if desired, then dice them; set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly, to cook off the taste of flour. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and the poblanos; continue to simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened. Stir in the sour cream and warm through; season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce over the baked burritos.

Source: Slightly adapted from Smells Like Home

Balsamic Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Tags

balsamic vinegar, Fontina, garlic, mushroom, pizza, portobello

Packing up for a move is quite a pain. It’s been a while since I last moved, and it’s amazing what all has accumulated over the years! At first, I was looking forward to packing as a chance to go through everything and toss what we no longer need. But after days of packing (and I only have a 2 bedroom apartment), I’m over it and I’m not having fun anymore! Hehe. A few more days and it will all be over… then it’ll just be time to unpack it all!

But once my pizza stone is unpacked, I have some pizza dough all ready and I can make this awesome pizza again! For those of you who have been fortunate enough to try a pizza from BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, this pizza what inspired by one of their Chicago deep dish pizzas. Theirs consists of balsamic portobello mushrooms and carmelized onions. Not being a big onion fan, I omitted the onions and went straight for some mushrooms tossed with balsamic vinegar, parsley, and thyme for some tang and fresh herb flavor. Top it off with some nutty Fontina cheese, and you have yourself a delicious, and seemingly fancy, pizza!One Year Ago: Chicken-Fried Steak with Cream Gravy and Chicken Piccata

Balsamic Portobello Mushroom Pizza

2 tablespoons olive oil
¾ pound baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced
½ teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon parsley
8 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded
Pizza dough, unbaked

Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of the oven, if using. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes.

While the oven is heating, heat olive oil until shimmering in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and salt, and toss mushrooms to completely coat them. Cover the skillet and let the mushrooms sweat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and allow to cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add balsamic vinegar and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley.

Meanwhile, Let the dough relax for at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes before beginning to work with it. Lightly sprinkle parchment paper or a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. For a little garlic flavor, add some granulated garlic to the cornmeal or flour. Transfer the dough to your prepared surface, and shape the dough until it has a 12-inch diameter. Brush the outer edge lightly with olive oil.

Spread the mushroom mixture over the pizza dough, leaving a ½-inch border uncovered, then sprinkle with Fontina cheese. Slide the dough onto the heated stone, or place your baking sheet or pizza pan into the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown, and cheese is bubbling, 8-12 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice and serve.

Source: Inspired by BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse

Spicy Poblano Burgers with Chipotle Cream

Tags

beef, burger, chile, chipotle, poblano, sandwich, sour cream

I know, it’s been forever since I last posted… and I’d like to say I have legitimate excuses, but they would only be excuses! I have been keeping busy, though. My husband and I are moving in a couple of weeks so we’ve been getting things set up for that, and I’ve been working on setting things up for my own pet sitting business. Cross your fingers for me, please! My other big distraction has been due to my nerdy side. Diablo III came out, and I just had to try it! Yay for video games. Hehe 🙂

So, onto the burgers. I’ve been coming across a lot of burger recipes on the blogs I follow, and with summer coming and the weather warming up, they’ve all sounded really good. I have quite a few burger recipes I’m hoping to try this summer! These were the first ones I tried, and they were fantastic! I’m not usually a fan of spicy things, but I read that poblano chiles were relatively mild and they sounded too good to pass up. Besides, I love to try new things! The burgers were incredibly moist and delicious, and the chipotle cream was the perfect topping. Even on its own, the cream was wonderful and I’m hoping to find other uses for it since I loved it so much! But all in all, these burgers are awesome, and you should definitely add them to your summer menu!One Year Ago: Portobello Fettuccine

Spicy Poblano Burgers with Chipotle Cream
Yield: 4 burgers

2 poblano chiles
1 tablespoon milk
1 (1 oz) slice white bread, crusts removed and torn into ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 pound ground beef
½ cup light sour cream
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeds removed and finely chopped
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
4 hamburger buns, toasted
lettuce, tomato or other toppings

To prepare chiles with a gas stove, turn one of the burners to high. Using tongs, char the poblanos on all sides until black. To prepare the chiles with an oven, preheat the broiler. Place the poblanos on a foil lined baking sheet and broil until black, using tongs to turn the chiles to blacken all sides. Transfer the blackened poblanos to a resealable plastic bag and seal the bag; set it aside for 15 minutes. Remove chiles and peel them; discard the seeds and membranes to lessen the heat, if desired, then finely chop them; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the milk and bread, using a fork to mash them together into a thick paste. Add the chiles, 1½ tablespoons cilantro, cumin, coriander, paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; mix to combine. Add the ground beef, and use your hands to gently combine the mixture, making sure to not overwork it. Divide into four equal portions, and shape each into a ½-inch thick patty. Using your thumb, make an indent in the middle of the burger (this helps keep the burgers flat instead of doming in the middle). Let patties sit at room temp for about 15 minutes before placing them on the grill.

Whiles the burgers rest, preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 400 to 450 degrees F). Oil the grates lightly.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together the remaining 1½ tablespoons cilantro, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, sour cream, lime juice, chipotle chile, and adobo sauce; set aside.

Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook for about 3 more minutes, or until cooked to desired level of doneness. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with the chipotle cream, lettuce, tomato, or your favorite burger toppings.

Source: Tracey’s Culinary Adventures, via Cooking Light

Penne alla Vodka

Tags

basil, Italian, pasta, tomato, vodka

Vodka with dinner? Yes please! Hehe. Add in pasta and it makes it that much better! 🙂 I’ve always eyed the jars of vodka sauce in the grocery store, curious about what it really was. It just seems odd to add something such as vodka to a pasta sauce. But much to my surprise, it is awesome! And I’ve made it twice now in the last couple of weeks. It’s fast and easy, and really good. It has a little kick from the red pepper flakes, with a little bite from the remaining vodka. It’s a perfect way to jazz up spaghetti night at home!One Year Ago: Morning Harvest Muffins and Four-Cheese Stuffed Shells with Smoky Marinara

Penne alla Vodka

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ small onion, minced (about ¼ cup)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
⅓cup vodka
½ cup heavy or whipping cream
1 pound penne, or desired pasta shape
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves
Parmesan cheese, for serving
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, until just shy of al dente. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, add half of the tomatoes to your food processor and pulse until smooth. Dice the remaining tomatoes into ½-inch pieces. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine the diced and pureed tomatoes and add the reserved tomato liquid until the total measures 2 cups.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add in the onion and tomato paste, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the tomatoes and salt; take the pan off of the heat and add the vodka. Return pan to medium-high heat and simmer until the alcohol flavor is mostly cooked off, about 8 to 10 minutes; stir constantly, lowering the heat if needed to maintain a simmer. Stir in the cream and cook until hot, about 1 minute.

Add the pasta back to the large pot; pour the sauce over the pasta, and toss over medium heat until the pasta absorbs some of sauce, about 1-2 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water as needed. Stir in the basil and season to taste with additional salt, if necessary. Serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese.

Source: Tracey’s Culinary Adventures via Cook’s Illustrated

Pork Chops with Caribbean Rub and Mango Salsa

Tags

Caribbean, mango, pork, tomato, tropical

It might not yet be mango season, but I’m all ready for it! I still have a couple bags of mango that I froze from last year. I try to make stuff last, and then I kind of forget about it… whoops! I did the same thing with my thin mints, but that also means I get very excited when I find my hidden stash!

And mango salsa is a great use for leftover/frozen mango! Especially when it’s paired up with a perfectly spiced pork chop. As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew it was something I had to try, I just wanted to wait until mangoes were more in season. And I might have jumped the gun a little, but it’s soon… very soon. So for once I’m ahead of the game, and I’ve given you some food for thought (no pun intended :P).I’ve made these twice so far and they were wonderful each time. The first time, I was at my sister’s and she had pork chops, but no breadcrumbs and her original plan for the chops had fallen through, or she had forgotten an ingredient or something along those lines! She was asking me if I had any ideas, and I remembered that I had bookmarked this recipe. It worked out perfectly. She had all the spices in her pantry, and even had some mango papaya salsa from Trader Joe’s. The meal came together quickly, and I knew I had to make it again soon so my husband could try it. It was a hit with him, too, and it’s nice to know that you can easily make your own mango salsa, or use any store bought tropical salsa. So with summer right around the corner, keep this recipe in mind and spice up your summer with some tropical flair! 🙂One Year Ago: Lemon Bars

Pork Chops with Caribbean Rub and Mango Salsa

1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
¾ teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (6-ounce) pork chops, bone-in or boneless
½ cup mango, diced
½ cup plum tomato, diced
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub pork chops with spice mixture.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray;  add pork to pan and cook 3 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 145  degrees F (slightly pink). If pork chops are thick, cook for 3 minutes on each side then bake at 350 degrees F for up to 10 minutes, until chops are fully cooked through.

In the meantime, combine mango, tomato, cilantro, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl; toss gently. Serve salsa over pork.

Source: Our Best Bites, via Cooking Light