Fire Roasted Salsa

Although this is not a main dish, many of you have asked for this recipe. I would love to take credit for this one, but I must give props to Top Chef Master Rick Bayless. No doubt I am in love with him...let's be honest here, so is Steve :)

Ingred.
1 large Jalapeno
3 cloves garlic with the skin on
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 of a lime (juice only)
1/2 c. diced onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt

In a skillet, pan roast the whole jalapeno and garlic until they are blackened. about 10 minutes. Cut the stem off the jalapeno and remove the skin from the garlic and drop both into a food processor or blender and pulse until nice and finely chopped. Then add the whole can of tomatoes (with juices) and blend until desired consistancy of salsa. Remove mixture and place into a bowl. Add the onion, cilantro, lime juice & salt. Mix well and serve.

*note* this can be made ahead of time. Just dont mix in the onion and cilantro until you are ready to serve.

Beef Chow Mein

It really dosen't get any easier than this! If you dont have a wok, use your widest skillet. The kids love the noodles as well. Dont be afraid of the black bean sauce. You will be suprised how good it is. It taste like a rich stir fry sauce from PF Changs. YUM! Special thanks to Sam the cooking guy for this reciepe too! This is for sure a family staple in our house now!


Ingredients
1 pound steak, (you choose, but I like a New York for this)
1 tablespoon peanut oil
4 ripe medium sized ripe tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
One 7-ounce package Asian stir fry noodles (from the refrigerator section at the market). But don't use the sauce mix.
2 tablespoons black bean sauce (also found in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets)

Trim excess fat from the steak and slice into very thin slices.

Preheat a pan or wok on stovetop and heat really well over high heat, then add oil. When the oil is smoking, and not until, add beef and stir fry for a couple minutes until beef changes color and is cooked through. Remove and set aside
With the pan back on the heat and smoking again, add a teaspoon of oil and the tomatoes. Stir-fry about a minute.
Add the beef, noodles and black bean sauce to the tomatoes. Stir the whole business until the flavor is through everything and all is heated.
Serves 6.

Chorizo Stuffed Jalapenos

These are rediculous! Soo Yummy and fairly easy. Perfect for Monday night football or weekend get togethers. These are a favorite amoung the men in my life!!

Ingred.
2 links Mexican chorizo, casings removed
1/2 pound smoked gouda, shredded
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
1 egg
1/2 cup cream cheese
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon hot sauce (recommended: Frank's Red Hot)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
15 - 20 large jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and halved

Directions
Special Equipment: parchment paper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Brown chorizo in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place into a large mixing bowl. Add the cheese, red onion, egg, cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and salt and pepper, to taste. Press into jalapeno halves and assemble on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Potato Bacon Torte

So this is a great side dish to make with steak or pork. Delicious!!

Ingred.
3 Russet potatoes cut into 1/4 inch slices.
2/3 cup heavy cream
3 sprigs of fresh Thyme
1 c. Gruyere Cheese
Salt and pepper.
2 pieces of premade pie crust
6 slices of crisp bacon, crumbled (approx 2 pieces per layer)
1 egg white w/1/2 tsp. water mixed together (egg wash)

In a pie plate, place on of the pie crusts on the bottom. Arrange a layer of potatoes on the bottom and season with salt and pepper. Next add some bacon on top. Continue this process until you are at the top of the plate. On the final layer, add the grated cheese.

bring the heavy cream to a SOFT simmer with the Thyme and let it rest for 5 minutes. Pull out the Thyme after it rests

Pour the cream on top of all the layers and cover with the additional pie crust. Bruch on a layer of egg wash to the top and put into the preheated over. Dont forget to salt and pepper each layer as you go!

Bake at 375 for 50 minutes or until nice and brown on top. If the edges of the pie are getting too brown, cover them with foil and continue to bake.

Newcastle Tri-tip

Yes, this is the second Tri-tip recipe I have posted. We love this cut of meat, especially from costco. The following is my newest creation!

Ingred.
2 lbs Tri-Tip steaks
1 c. Newcastle Beer
1/2 cup apple cider
Season salt

Pat the season salt into the meat and place into a ziploc bag. Add the beer and cider and marinate for at least 2 hours. Grill on Med- High Heat until desired doneness.

Could it be any easier???

Artichokes

Artichokes are probably my most favorite Veggie! Thankfully Samantha loves them too so they never go to waste in our house. This is a super simple recipe that I created and I hope you try if you are intimidated by this veggie!

Ingred.
2 Artichockes - anysize, cut in half, scoop out the hair and the purple leaves, if any
1 tbls. black peppercorns - whole
1 lemon cut in half
4-5 sprigs fresh Thyme
3 Cloves garlic peeled and cut in half
Salt

In a large stock pot fill with salted water and boil. Once boiling, add all the ingred. and return to a boil. Reduce to med heat and let cook for approx 20 minutes. Remove from water and set aside.

Dipping Sauce ~
In a sauce pot, add 1/2 a stick of unsalted butter and melt. Once melted turn the heat off and add....
1/2 tsp. salt
half of a lemon - juice only
minced fresh Thyme
1 tsp. dried Dill (secret ingred)
~place in a small bowl and you are ready to dig in!!!

Anniversary Dinner

We resisted the temptation to go out for diner tonight (even though it was our 5 year anniversary), and grilled with the kids instead. I love when they actually eat what we make!

Menu ~ Malafronte Marinated Tri-Tip, Grilled Onions & Asparagus, Bistro Salad - Yum

Tri Tip ~ In our opinion, nothing comes close to Costco meat. Get yours there for a superior cut of meat. Marinate the Tri Tip in the following ingred. for at least 3 hours or over night.

1 cup of soy sauce
1/2 Worschestire Sauce
1 tbls. minced garlic
1 tbls lemon pepper
Grill on high heat for approx 7 minutes per side.

Bistro Salad - This is the yummiest salad we make.
Mixed Greens or Romaine salad cut into bite size pieces
Pecans -Raw
Dried Cranberries
Fresh Parm
Newmans Italian Light Dressing

This is a SERIOUSLY GOOD SALAD!!!

Seriously Easy Shrimp Tacos

This is another one of those Fonda Family Favorite and could not be any easier.....Healthy too!!

Ingred.
Fresh or Frozen Shrimp, any size will do
Pico De Gallo - Steve makes his own - DELISH and Spicy!!
Avocado
Salt & Pepper
Chalula Hot Sauce
Small Corn Tortillas

Using a grill or saute pan heat to high. When it is smokin hot add the shrimp, season with salt & pepper and cook for about 4-5 minutes.

While the shrimp is cooking slightly toast the tortillas on a flat top or grill until slightly crunchy.

Prepare the warmed tortillas with smashed avocado on the bottom, top with the shrimp and then the Pico. Splash on hot sauce if desired.

Bodaciuos Brisket Egg Rolls

When I think of an egg roll and what makes it good, I think of less veggies and more meat. Steve agrees of course so here is an egg roll that I created with left over brisket! I have thought of so many ways I would like to use these clever and delicious wrappers....i'm thinking a dessert roll next...maybe like banana foster rolls :)

Indreg.
Egg Roll Wrappers
Brisket (or any left over steak or roast) shredded
Carmalized Onions
Chopped Cilantro
2 Tbls. Chopped Mama Lil's Sweet Hot Peppers
1/4 Head of Cabbage
1 Cap Full Peanut Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a screamin hot wok add the oil and let get even hotter. Then add the meat and onions & wok for about 2 minutes. Then add all the remaining ingred. to the wok and cook another 2 minutes. Place mixtue in bowl and let cool before wrapping.

Spoon one lg. spoonful of the mixture in the wrapper and roll like a burrito. (directions on egg roll package). Rub a little bit of peanut oil all around the rolls (top & bottom) and bake for 8-10 minutes @ 350 until golden.

Dip into Mustard or BBQ sauce for added flavor ~ Enjoy!

Grilled Asian Salmon

This is a staple recipe in our house. Our whole family eats this meal, which is rare in and of itself. Super simple Salmon dinner ~ This is perfect for entertaining as well. This is a must try for Salmon lovers!!!

Indred.
1 side of fresh salmon, about 3 lbs
2 tbls. Dijon Mustard
3 tbls. Good Soy Sauce
6 Tbls. Good EVOO
1/2 tsp. Minces Garlic

Slice salmon into single size servings and place in a ziploc bag. Mix all ingred in bowl. Reserve a llittle marinade to use as a sauce on top of the cooked salmon. Add remaining marinade to ziploc and marinate for 30 minutes. Heat grill to high and grill the fillets approx 4 minutes per side. Serve on top of white / brown rice and drizzle with reserved sauce. YUMMY. Great with any green veggie on the side.

RIFF ~ We have made this dish so many times that we have added our own little variations to it. Tonight we added 1 tbls. of lemon juice and chopped scallions to the marinade as well as a little pepper. Topped the dish with extra scallion for a bit of color on the plate.

Breakfast Brushetta Day 3

Yep, this is the third morning that I have made this breakfast. Today I added avocado with a splash of lemon juice to the mix. This is by far my favorite. Added a few dashed of Tapatio to the top for added heat as well. So good!!

Breakfast Brushetta

Put together this creation for breakfast this morning and to be honest yesterday morning too. It's that yummy!!

Take a really good French Bagette and grill in it a pan with butter on both sides until nice and crunch. In a small bowl add cooked chopped thick bacon, Chopped Tomatoes, Chopped Cilantro, finely diced jalapeno, salt and pepper. Put mixture on top of bread and enjoy. Of course you can add scrambled eggs to this but I HATE eggs so I make it without. Steve would have his with eggs.

~Happy Breakfast~

Day One ~ Asian Chicken Egg Rolls

Strap on the Apron, break out the wok and let's get cookin'! This is one super fun recipe that I saw on Just Cook This, with Sam the cooking guy! If you have not seen his show, you are missing out! He is the absolute reason that we purchased a wok!!! Thanks Sam! No doubt you will see more recipes from him in my blog.....hope that's ok Sam. Check him out at www.thecookingguy.com .......now, let's get cookin'!!!!!

Asain Chicken Egg Rolls
Ingred. needed
1. One shredded chicken breast
2. 1/4 head of cabbage shredded
3. One green onion chopped
4. 2 tbls. chopped cilantro
5. 2 tsp. Black bean and garlic sauce (asain aisle in market)
6. Half of a Jalapeno seeded and minced.
7. One cap full of Peanut Oil
8. Egg Roll wrappers
9. Sesame Seeds

In the very hot (I mean smokin hot) wok and the oil. Then add the first 4 ingred. & the Jalapeno and stir fry for 2 minutes. Then add the black bean sauce and mix mix mix! Put aside the mixture in a bowl and let cool. Once cool wrap in egg roll wrappers like a burrito and place on a baking sheet. drizzle more peanut oil on top of all rolls (dont forget the bottom too!) sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake @ 350 unti lgolden brown. serve on top of white rice or mixed greens. Add a little more green onion for decor on the plate. YUMMY!!!

In the Begining

I have created this blog basically for myself as a challenge to cook everyday for 30 days. I find cooking to be theraputic for my soul. The taste of a good home cooked meal. The smiles on the faces of the people I feed. The smell of the house as the aromas fill each room. The sizzle of the food hitting the hot pan....ahhhh. Pure joy.



I have found that many working moms & stay at homes mom, like myself, stuggle to put home cooked meals on the table each evening. We get so caught up in the day to day struggle that sometimes dinner is the last thing we want to fill our brains with. So why not journal my days as a way to keep myself in check. If anyone out there actually reads this, hopefully you will be inspired to cook as well.



~Be Well & Eat Well~