Tortillas and Oranges » dinner

Pork and Green Chili Burritos

admin — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 20:00:42 +0000

1 medium pork roast
3 small cans of chopped/peeled green chilies
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2-3 bullion cubes (chicken or beef)
2 cups water
salt to taste

Bake roast until very tender (wrap in tin foil and bake at 250, or in a crock pot on high for about 6 hours). Shred baked roast and add all the ingredients. Simmer for several hours (at least 3) in oven or crock pot, and add more water if necessary. If you cook it long enough, it should become very tender and shred into bite size pieces.

Dinner: The Kids’ Favorite Meal (minimum investment/maximum return)

admin — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:45:46 +0000

It was Friday night and I felt guilty. Danny and I were leaving the kids for the third night in a row and they weren’t complaining. But I felt awful. I threw together a meal that I didn’t think much of (there was absolutely no nutritional value; pour on more guilt). As soon as I lined them up on the bar the kids all oooohed and aaaaahhhhed. What was the big deal? The meal consisted of buttered pasta, Laughing Cow cheese wedges, and mini croissants. Ellie said, “You should blog about this meal!”. Umm. Ok. I’m not sure why they found the meal so delightful but I thought I’d document it nonetheless. Next time I’ll add strawberries or clementines. Broccoli? Spinach? Anything to make me feel less guilty.

Mid Winter Meal: Meatloaf

admin — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:47:12 +0000

I’ve got to be honest with you. I am growing out of love with meat. I’m not judging people that eat meat. I just don’t feel like eating it anymore. With one exception. 5 Guys Burgers. Can’t say “no” to those when I’m craving protein. But all that aside, this is another vehicle of meat that I truly enjoy. My uncle crafted this meatloaf recipe and it is out of this world. When you eat it, you think you are eating steak, not ground meat. This dish is a huge Sunday Dinner Winner. I serve it with mashed red potatoes, green salad, rustic rolls, roasted carrots. Seriously, the crowds go crazy. Thanks Uncle John.

Meatloaf (John Shahan)

½ cup chopped yellow onion
1 small garlic clove, minced
12/ cup fresh bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped, fresh parsley
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. lowery’s seasoned pepper
1 egg
¼ cup milk
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork

Saute onion and garlic in oil until onions are soft. Set aside. Make breadcrumbs by placing sourdough bread in food processor. Crumble bread, then add parsley, allspice, nutmeg, cumin, salt, pepper, onion, and garlic. Beat egg and milk together lightly. In large bowl, use hands to combine all ingredients and form into a load, to fit in pan Top with parmesan cheese. Store in fridge until ready to bake. Bake at 400 for 60 minutes. Let stand five minutes before carving.

Mid Winter Meal: Easy Rice and Chicken Soup

admin — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:46:01 +0000

Winter is getting to me. Here is a soup I make when I want comfort food but don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen. Plus, my friend brought me some the other day to cheer me up and I was reminded of how much I like it. Yummy.

Chicken with Wild Rice Soup
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped onion
3 Tblsp. Butter
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
3 Tblsp. Flour
1 box of Uncle Ben’s wild rice
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

Saute celery and onions in butter, then add milk, broth, and flour. Add 1 box Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice Original Recipe and two breasts of shredded chicken. Heat through until rice is done. If you want a clearer soup (less rice), add more broth.

Quick Dinner: Potsticker Soup

admin — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 20:45:12 +0000

It’s 6pm and you are at a loss. I am here to help. I threw the above ingredients together and impressed my little ladies and my little man. Not included in the above picture are the ingredients I thought of at the very end, but ingredients that you can not forget. Soy sauce and sesame oil. Enjoy.

Potsticker Soup

2 cans chicken broth
1 package of Trader Joe’s pot stickers (or count on 3 potstickers per person)
fresh broccoli, chopped to spoon friendly size
2 Tblsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add pot stickers and cook for 2 minutes. Add broccoli and cook for 3 additional minutes. Potstickers are done when they float; broccoli is done when it is barely crisp. Once you see one or two potstickers reach the surface (indicating they are done), add your fresh broccoli and only boil 3 more minutes. Don’t overcook the broccoli. You will regret it.)

Quick Dinner: Ravioli with Simmered Tomatoes

admin — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:31:35 +0000

December weeknights are tricky. You want something warm and yummy but you have no bandwidth, given that you are wrapping, baking, shopping, and doing who-knows-what-else all day. Here is the first of a few shortcuts I use.

Ravioli with Simmered Tomatoes
1. In medium saucepan add 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 small diced onion, and one clove garlic, minced.
2. Once garlic and onion are simmering, add one 14 oz call diced tomatoes, drained. (add two cans if you are feeding more than 4 people).
3. Let tomato and onion mixture simmer while you prepare raviolis.
1. Boil water in large pot, add 2 cups chicken broth.
2. Cook frozen raviolis (Costco sells high quality frozen ravioli). Raviolis are finished once they float to the top.

Spoon simmered tomatoes over cooked raviolis. Top with grated parmesan or pecoreno romano. Add crusty bread. Enjoy while you watch the snow fall.

Crock Pot Monday: Green Chile

admin — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:07:32 +0000

As my girls get older they get busier. As they get busier I get way busier. Enter the crock pot. Say what you will about that handy devil–I love it. Because of various schedules, this Fall I’ll be using my crock pot every Monday. All three girls have their music lessons on Monday. And if you know me, you’ll know that, that makes Monday very intense. I won’t invoke the name of Amy Chua. But I will say that three music lessons in one day is equal to (me) sitting in a 3 1/2 hour class, taking copious notes, and pretending like I totally know what the professor is talking about. I said pretending and I meant it.

The first crock pot dish is a personal favorite. If you are from Arizona, you’ll know what I’m talkin’ about. I’m taking a break from white flour (don’t make fun), so I’m throwing my Green Chile on a bed of blacks beans, mixed spring greens, salsa, and avocado. Can. Not. Wait.

1 medium pork roast
3 small cans of chopped/peeled green chilies
2 cups green salsa (Herdez brand is ideal)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 small onion, diced
2-3 cups chicken broth
salt to taste

As with most crock pot recipes, dump all of the above into your crock pot. Depending on your crock pot, bake on low (6 hours) or high (3 hours), or until pork is easy to shred with a fork.

Once done, shred pork with fork. Serve wrapped in warm flour tortillas.

Thursday Throwback: Favorite Summertime Meal

admin — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:02:23 +0000

Originally posted June 12th, 2009

Tonight we are having friends over for Minestrone Salad with Grilled Sausage and Arugula Pesto. This is one of my favorite summertime menus. I make the salad and pesto in the morning, clean my house like a madwoman in the afternoon, then grill the sausage on the deck in the evening. People rave about this meal. Do yourself a favor and try it.

Dinner: Sesame Ginger Thai Chicken

admin — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:30:20 +0000

I love to think that I am really great about sharing recipes; that my treasure trove belongs not only to me, but to all of my friends. And while that is mostly true, sometimes I dread giving a recipe out because I love it so much. I find this all ironic because the recipes I hate to share were shared with me by others, usually dear friends. Are you following me? This is one of those recipes. Sesame Ginger Chicken is just cool (my friend JM, once again, gifted me this gem). I fix this once in a while, when friends are coming over and don’t know what to expect. It is easy, refreshing, and different. It is also addictive. While I do make it for company, I never offer to send home the leftovers. Like I said, some things are easy to share; some things aren’t.

Sesame Ginger Thai Chicken

1 head iceberg or romaine lettuce (you will be using this as a “tortilla” of sorts to hold a chicken mixture so I recommend romaine–it’s just easier to fold.)

1/3 cup boneless, skinless chicken breasts, finely chopped (That’s right. Chop the raw meat before you grill it up)
1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
½ Tablesp. Sugar
½ Tablesp. Salt

Sautee above ingredients in 3 Tablesp. Oil, then add

2 ½ Tablesp. Minced ginger
1 ½ Tablesp. Soy sauce
3 Tablesp. Water
1 Tablesp. Lemon juice
½ cup cashews

Cook for one more minute.

Dipping sauce:

½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 ½ Tablesp. Soy sauce
1 t. sesame oil

Serve chicken mixture wrapped in lettuce leaves, accompanied by dipping sauce.

Thursday Throwback: Chana Masala

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:18:04 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I can feel Winter just creeping out the back door, like a lame uninvited guest to a party. Go ahead Winter, we won’t miss you. But before you go, let’s acknowledge you with one of my favorite stormy night meals: The Great Chana Masala

Originally posted January 4, 2010

I am addicted to Chana Masala. Our local mall’s food court has a hidden treasure–some of the Boston area’s best Indian food. Everytime I am at the mall, I treat myself to some Chana Masala (which are chick peas that have been simmering in a spicy tomato sauce for 24 hours). Because it’s a new year and my trips to the mall will be far less than they were last year, I figured out how to make my own version of Chana Masala. I threw a few key ingredients today and was so pleased with my lunch that I served it again for dinner. Try it and let me know what you think.

Becca’s Made Up version of Chana Masala
2 Tbs. good olive oil
1 12 oz. can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
1 12 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 Tbs. of Garam Masala*
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced

Place olive oil in medium sized saucepan on medium heat. Drain chick peas and add to olive oil. Add crushed tomatoes, Garam Masala, brown sugar, and garlic. Simmer for a few hours or for as long as you can (30 minutes would even do the trick). Serve over basmati or brown rice.

*Garam Masala is a particular blend of Indian spices. You can find it at any Indian food store or order it through Penzey’s spices.