....is Simple Spaghetti

1 Serving Pasta
1/4 Onions
1 Clove Garlic
2 Roma Tomatoes
1 Handful Fresh Spinach

Boil water and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and drizzle with Olive Oil. In a skillet with a little more Olive Oil soften Onions for a few minutes then add Garlic. Toss in Tomatoes and coat in Onions and Garlic goodness. Add cooked Pasta, remove from heat and mix in Spinach. Enjoy!

....is Huevos Rancheros

These are a good 'what's in the fridge' kind of meal, all you need is Tortillas and Eggs to call it 'Huevos Rancheros' but these would be my ingredients.

Eggs, Fried Over-Easy

Baby Spinach

Tomatoes, Diced

Onion, Diced

Garlic, Minced

Guacamole or Avocados

Black Beans

Fry the Egg, this was a failed attempt, I like them over-easy.

Put it on a Tortilla and toss on some Spinach.

Make a Salsa Fresca (or cheat and use Salsa) with the Tomatoes, Onions & Garlic.

Mr. M's Guacamole, the recipe is a secret.

And Black Beans, I just bought a can, drained them and warmed them up on the stove.

....is St. Patrick's Day Stout Cake

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Chocolate Stout Cake

Cake

1 cup Guinness
1 C Butter
3/4 C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 C Flour
2 C Sugar
1-1/2 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
2/3 C Greek Yogurt

Ganache
6 oz. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
6 Tbsp Heavy Cream
3/4 tsp Instant Coffee Granules

Cake Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring Guinness and Butter to simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. 

Add Cocoa Powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk Flour, Sugar, Baking Soda, and Salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat Eggs and Yogurt in another large bowl to blend. Add Stout-Chocolate mixture to Egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add Flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. 

Pour batter into buttered 9x13 pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cover with Ganache.

Ganache Preparation

For the Ganache, melt the Chocolate, Heavy Cream, and Coffee in the microwave 30 seconds at a time mixing until smooth.

....is St. Patrick's Day London Broil

For St. Patrick's Day I thought I would search out a good Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe. What I realized is I'm not a big fan of Corned Beef (not lean), Cabbage or Carrots. About the only thing I like in the dish is Potatoes. So I went another route, and failed somewhat. The flavor was wonderful, something went wrong with the meat. It was dry, but still tender, as in not chewy. And as that was the major change I made to the recipe I take full responsibility. I still recommend this recipe whole heartily, I need to work on my ability to slow cook London Broil.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Southwestern Pulled Brisket with Quick Pickled Onions

Serves 4-6

The Main Event:
3 lbs London Broil
Salt
Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
5 Cloves Garlic, Peeled & Smashed
1 Yellow Onion, Halved & Thinly Tliced
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
3 Tbsp Cilantro
2 tsp Cumin
1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 C Water
1 (14 1/2-ounce) Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes, with their Juices
1 to 2 Chipotle Chiles en Adobo, find them Canned or Dried
2 Bay Leaves
1/4 C Molasses

For serving:
Tacos, Soft Tortillas. Pickled Onions. Broccoli Slaw mixed with a little bit of Greek Yogurt.

Season the Beef generously with Salt and Pepper, to taste. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Olive Oil and heat just until beginning to smoke.

Add the Meat and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the meat to the Crock Pot; leave the skillet on the heat.

Add Garlic, Onion, Chili Powder, Cilantro, and Cumin to drippings in the skillet and stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add Vinegar and boil until it’s almost gone, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in Water and pour the mixture over the brisket. 

Crush the Tomatoes through your fingers into the Crock Pot; add the Tomato Juices, Chipotles, Bay Leaves, and Molasses. Cover the cooker, set it on LOW, and cook the London Broil... and here's where I went wrong. 

I was waiting for the roomies, so I took the meat out when it reached the 'Medium' internal temperature on the Meat Thermometer. This only took an hour and a half but it dried up because I took it out. When realized what was happening I placed it back in the sauce, but it was a little too late. Again, it was delicious, but I could have done better.

For the Pickled Onions:
1/2 C Red or White Wine Vinegar
1/2 C Water
2 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
2 to 3 Shots Chipotle Tabasco
1 Red Onion, Slice Thin

Meet the cook...

Here's a snapshot of what my workspace looks like as I cook. Note the produce 'garbage' bag on the left and the recipe held up in the cabinet.

....is an Asian Beef Stew Date

From Sunset Magazine January 2010

4 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 in Knob of Ginger, Minced
1-1/4 lbs Beef Ribeye Steaks, 1/4 in Sliced
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Chinese Five-Spice Powder
4 Cups Beef Broth
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Sweet Potato, Chopped
12 oz. Baby Bok Choy
3 Green Onions

Whirl Garlic and Ginger in a food processor until minced. Trim fat from Steak and cut across the grain into 1/4 in slices, discarding pockets of fat. Sprinkle meat with half of the Garlic Mixture and all the Salt.

Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Brown the beef lightly, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining Garlic Mixture to pan and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Stir in Five-Spice Powder, then Broth and Soy Sauce.

Peel Sweet Potato, cut in half lengthwise, and cut into 1/4 in thick slices. Add to Broth. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim ends from the Bok Choy, rinse, separate leaves and cut into wide diagonal slices.

Stir Bok Choy into stew and simmer just until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Stir in Beef and cook until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Cut Onions in 3 in slivers. Ladle stew into bowls and garnish with Onions.

CPB.

Mine.

....is Honey & Chocolate Blondies

Adapted from Smitten Kittchen's blondies, infinitely adaptable

16 Tbsp (2 Sticks) Butter, Melted
1/2 Cup Honey
2 cups Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Pinch of Salt
2 Cups Flour
Butter a 9x13 Pan
3/4 Cups Chocolate Chips

Mix melted Butter with Honey & Brown Sugar – beat until smooth. Beat in Eggs and then Vanilla.

Add Salt, stir in Flour. Mix in Chocolate Chips.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F 30 minutes, or until set in the middle.

....is a Falafel Date

Adapted from Eat, Live, Run as show on PBS

1 Can Chickpeas (15-oz)
½ Red Onion, Minced
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Serano Pepper, Minced
3 Tbsp + 2 tsp of Olive Oil (divided)
½ tsp Cumin
2 Tbsp Cilantro
1 tsp Sea Salt
Juice of 1 Lemon
¼ Cup Greek Yogurt
½ Cup Breadcrumbs
1 Egg White

In a food processor, combine the Chickpeas, 2 tsp of Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and Yogurt.

Blend well and scoop out into a large bowl. Set aside.

Heat up 1 tbsp Olive Oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add the Onions and Jalapeno and sauté for about six minutes or until tender. Add the Garlic and sauté for another minute until toasty and fragrant. Add Cumin and Cilantro and mix well.

Add onion mixture to the Chickpea mixture and stir well to combine. Add the salt, Egg White and Breadcrumbs and mix well.

Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in the same skillet as before. Form patties with the Chickpea mixture and fry for about three-four minutes per side, until golden and crunchy. 

Drain on paper towels.

Serve Falafel Burgers in warm whole wheat pitas (or Tortilla's from Central Market!) with Greek Yogurt, Siracha, Spinach and sliced Red Onion.

Mine.

CPB.