Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes

As we have had a dull winter (meaning no snow so to speak) I have been ready for spring. After all, what is winter without snow?

So I was looking ahead to our spring trip to Houston and decided to cook some Texas favorites.  And as I began, wouldn't you know but the snow began to fall, making it an even more enjoyable Sunday in the kitchen!

I have to confess, I have never made Sloppy Joe's before but this recipe found at Homesick Texan intrigued me.  I would usually only make half of a recipe this size but I thought leftovers might be nice over rice so the whole amount was made.

This recipe is very versatile - love spicy food?  Add two chipotle chiles or up the amount of fresh sliced jalapeños at the end.  Don't have time to make guacamole?  Add sliced avocados to your salad.  The one thing I do recommend is to to add enough salt at the end.  I think could ours could have used more.    

Tex-Mex Sloppy Joe's (Adapted from Homesick Texan)

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used 1 lb very lean beef and 1/2 lb of ground chuck)

1 chipotle chile en adobo (with a nice spoonful of the sauce)

1/2 medium red onion, diced

1/2 bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

15 ounces canned tomato sauce

2 teaspoons Mexican oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 t chili powder (I used ancho)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

12 ounces beer, such as Mexican lager

2 tablespoons ketchup

1/2 cup cilantro, divided

1 tablespoon lime juice

Salt and black pepper to taste

4-6 warm buns for serving

Guacamole or sliced avocados, cilantro, onions, sliced jalepeños and Cotija or feta cheese for serving

In a large skillet, on medium-low heat, while stirring occasionally, cook the meat until browned, about 10 minutes. (If you like, you can drain the extra fat once the meet is browned.) Add the onions and diced bell pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.

Meanwhile, in a blender mix the tomato sauce, chipotle chile, oregano, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder and Worcestershire sauce. Pour tomato sauce into the skillet along with the beer, ketchup and half of the cilantro. Stir until well combined.

Cook on medium-low heat uncovered for 20 minutes until thick and almost syrupy and then stir in the remaining cilantro and lime juice. Adjust seasonings and add salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve on warm buns with guacamole, cilantro, onion, jalapeño slices and Cotija cheese.

It has been awhile...

Yes, it has been awhile since I have updated my blog.  I decided I wanted to take a job outside the house and working part time has taken away from the time I used to spend cooking.  But I now I think I have gotten to a point that I can balance both, so watch out, the cooking will begin again in full force very soon!

Beef and Ale Stew from Sunset

I have never been a fan of beef stew, really stews in general.  In my experience they are lacking in flavor and since I'm not a big fan of beef to begin with, there didn't seem to be any reason to eat one.  But how can you go wrong with a recipe from my much lauded Sunset Cookbook?


You can't!
  
This recipe calls for a dumpling-style biscuit to be added at the end.  I didn't make the biscuits but included them in the recipe below in case you want to try.


And now for the stew.  What an amazing rich flavor, slow cooked that makes for a thick beautiful mixture with texture and depth.

Rich with ale and caramelized onions, this stew provides a thick, hearty base whatever carb you decide to serve.  Im my case that was cornbread but I encourage you to try the biscuits, if that is your cup of tea.

Beef and Ale Stew (Sunset Cookbook)

• 4 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-in. pieces
• 6 tablespoons plus 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 bottles (12 oz. each) ale
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• 3 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-in. lengths
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (green part only)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 1/2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• About 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg

1. In a large bowl, toss beef with 3 tbsp. flour, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper. In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil. Add enough beef to pot to form a single layer (about 1/3 of beef), being careful not to overcrowd pot. Brown meat on all sides, about 7 minutes total per batch. Transfer to a large bowl and brown remaining beef in 2 batches. If meat or pan juices start to scorch, reduce heat.

2. Add 1 bottle ale to pot, scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon. Pour ale over reserved beef and return empty pot to medium-high heat.

3. Add remaining tbsp. oil to pot. Add onions and 2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, 2 minutes. Cover pot and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have a hint of gold color, about 20 minutes. Remove lid, raise heat to medium-high, stir in 3 tbsp. flour, and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, reserved beef and ale, remaining bottle of ale, and carrots. Bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, about 3 hours.

4. About 40 minutes before serving, make dumplings: In a medium bowl, stir together remaining 2 cups flour, green onions, remaining 3/4 tsp. salt, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work cold butter into flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal with some pea-size pieces. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry, mixing until a very shaggy dough forms. If more liquid is needed, add additional buttermilk 1 tbsp. at a time. Gently form dough into 12 equal balls and drop into stew. Cover pot and cook 20 to 30 minutes, or until dumplings are fluffy and cooked through. Let sit 15 minutes before serving; stew will thicken as it cools.

• 
  

Love Rum Cake? Try this!

Chocolate cake and red wine - great!  Red wine IN your chocolate cake...even better!  This Chocolate-Red Wine Cake came from Food & Wine magazine (who else) but was pointed out to me by a dear friend.

I decided to make it for my family for our Christmas dinner.  Great idea in theory until you throw in 3 small children, a television on, a sister and a teenage nephew into the mix and suddenly the chef doesn't hear the timer buzzing away into the kitchen.  That is my way of saying it was a bit dry, but I think it was user error, not a flaw in the recipe.

I have been told by those who remained after Christmas that the cake became more moist as time went on.  I tend to believe them.  Either way this cake was a dark chocolate dream and had a nice bite from the wine without tasting "boozy."  I think you should try the recipe, but take it from me.  Bake it in a quiet house and listen carefully for the timer!

Chocolate-Red Wine Cake (Food and Wine Magazine)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups dry red wine
• Confectioner's sugar, for dusting
• Whipped cream, for serving

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. In a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

• In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat for 2 minutes longer. Working in two batches, alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the wine, until just incorporated.

• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack; let cool completely. Dust the cake with confectioner's sugar and serve with whipped 

The New Year in cooking

I feel as though cooking and my blog have been neglected in the last part of 2011.  Between my unexpected surgery in early October then Bo's dad passing away in India and the recovery of those events leading up to Thanksgiving then the crazy holiday season, I really haven't been in the mood to either cook or blog.  Oh, and I started working part time again (my own fun idea) in the midst of all this.  So add up all of these things and the creation of meals really has been far from my mind.

But things feel differently since we arrived home on January 2nd.  A sense of calm has taken over our home and with it the stirrings to cook healthy meals and write about them -along with a few goals. Nothing really earth shattering or different, but more a revitalizing of what I already try to do.

So with that intro here are my cooking goals for 2012:
1. Make fish/seafood at least 1x a week and preferably 2x.
2. Have a bean centered meal 1x a week.
3. Incorporate vegetables into weekend lunches.
4. Make 2 vegetables for every dinner.

And that is it.  Nothing too earth-shattering.

Oh - and we finally got a new camera so I can get back to taking pretty pictures again (once I learn to use it that is!)

Happy New Year!  What are your goals?