Pico de Gallo

I love making things that the start of the week that I can utilize in other things throughout the week.  Also, my husband loves snacks.  Actually that is an understatement, he LOVES snacks and always appreciates fresh salsa.  It is so quick and easy to make, so why not make it yourself? 

Stay tuned for later this week where I turn this into a main ingredient in the easiest dinner ever!

Pico de Gallo 

Ingredients

5 Plum Tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup White Onion, chopped

1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh Lime juice

2 tablespoons Jalapenos, chopped

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and toss gently to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

A Taste of the Past

Growing up in the South Bay, we had this favorite Mexican restaurant we used to go to that made the best tostadas.  It was the combination of the thinly shredded lettuce, the chicken that sprinkled on top and the homemade dressing was the ultimate.  Unfortunately, we moved and the owners sold the place...it just wasn't the same.  This tostada is just a taste of my childhood that I have been meaning to recreate.  It had to look the same, taste the same and bring back the same memories that I shared with my family at Arturo's in Harbor City.

After some research online about traditional Mexican salad dressings and the ingredients used, I managed to come up with something really similar.  I knew that it consisted of three main ingredients: Oil, Red Wine Vinegar and Sugar.  After looking at some recipes for things that seemed similar, I decided that I was right, but other people had also used Apple Cider Vinegar, Honey, Olive Oil and Water.  I had to try it a couple different ways to make sure, after all, it has been at least 10 years since I last ate this!  

Tostada Salad

A Recreation from Arturo's

Ingredients

1 head Iceberg Lettuce, shredded very thin

4 Chicken Breasts, roasted simply with Salt and Pepper, shredded

1/2 cup Black Olives, sliced

1 cup Red Onion, diced

1 cup Tomatoes, diced

4 dollops Sour Cream (I used non-fat Greek Yogurt)

1 Avocado, sliced

1/4 cup Red Salsa, Mild

1 can Refried Beans (I used the Vegetarian kind, but you could use what you want)

1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 cup Vegetable Oil

4 tablespoons Sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

In a small pot heat up the refried beans until heated evenly.  Spread an equal amount of the beans on the 4 plates in the middle.  Top with a mound of lettuce.  Sprinkle tomatoes, black olives, red onion over lettuce.  In the middle top with one shredded chicken breast per plate.  One dollop of sour cream over chicken, then 1 tablespoon of salsa and 2 slices of avocado per plate.  

Combine red wine vinegar, oil and sugar in a small bowl and whisk till combined.  If you have a small squeeze bottle pour the mixture inside so you can shake the dressing easily.  Otherwise, just drizzle from the bowl over the salads and serve!  

I hope you enjoy this taste from my past!  When you start eating the salad you get little bites of beans, lettuce chicken and all the other things mixed together.  The dressing really completes the whole thing.  

What is your favorite food memory from your childhood?

Restaurant Review: Taco Asylum

After hearing and reading many accolades for Taco Asylum, I have been dying to try it for months.  Of course, I always remember I want to go there when I am already someplace else.  The other night Brian and I were looking for a fun, casual place to go eat because neither of us thought the halibut I planned to prepare sounded appetizing.  Suddenly, I remembered the glorious article I read about this hip, intriguing taco joint that prides itself on "non-traditional gourmet" tacos.  Who wouldn't want to go here and try a Short Rib Taco with Ghost Chili Sauce??  

We set off to "Camp", the shopping center it is in, and miraculously found a parking spot.  As we approached the restaurant I noticed that all the other places surrounding it were packed, yet the line at Taco Asylum was dismal.  Undeterred by my mission to experience the best tacos on earth and my thoughts of greatness drowned out my husband's negative comments about how "good places are always busy"...blah, blah, we entered.  The menu was a bit confusing and the cashier did not lead us on the culinary exploration I had hoped, but my thoughts were still so positive and I was thrilled to find they had Ginger Ale on the extensive beverage menu.  Yay!  How could all of this go wrong?  I am thinking, "I am in for a wonderful experience and this will be our new favorite place!!"

Well...I don't even know if I can express my disappointment thoroughly.  I will start off by saying that I left having eaten, but I was not satisfied.  At all.  My tacos came, Short Rib and the special of the night Crispy Chicken, and they were just "Okay".  Brian ordered the Wild Mushroom, Lamb and Duck.  He couldn't even eat his Lamb one because it was dripping so much grease that it initiated a gag-reflex in both of us when he attempted to pick it up.  Also, the tortilla was so soaking wet from the grease that it just fell apart in his hands.  Gross.  Needless to say, I left feeling sad, frustrated and defeated.  And, our experience only took a total of 20 minutes!  So much for a wonderful dinner with great food and interesting atmosphere.  I would have much rather gone to Baja Fresh.  That would have been a treat.

My wonderful husband saw my sad face and drove straight to one of my favorite Italian restaurants for dessert.  Their Budino, a chocolate and salted carmel pudding with fresh whipped cream, can cure any aliment.  Plus, we had to get a pizza to go as well.  I know, we are pigs.

The Ginger Ale literally tasted like battery acid.  I have never tried battery acid, but I promise it was horrible.

Crispy Fried Chicken and Short Rib Taco

 

 Hot Sauces.  Only cool thing there was the Ghost Chili Sauce.  

In conclusion, I would not go back here.  I really had such high hopes of it being fantastic, but it just wasn't.  In fact, it wasn't even good.  Also, although I am never really concerned about the value and money I spent to eat someplace, I have to mention that it was expensive.  We spent $40 on 5 tacos and 2 Ginger Ales.  Outrageous I know!

Belated Cinco de Mayo

Well, I know it is not Cinco de Mayo anymore...far from it, but things have been a little hectic lately and I haven't been able to post as much. May 5th was one of the worst days for me at work, but I had been planning to have a fun night making Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo and I intended to see it through.

The greatest part about these two dishes I made is that they can be started ahead of time and finished quickly before serving. You can use this marinade on anything: Chicken, Steak, etc. and it is always very flavorful.

Roasted Tomatillo and Apple Salsa

Courtesy of Marcela Valladolid via The Talk

Ingredients:

1 lb. Tomatillos, husked and rinsed

2 Granny Smith Apples, quartered

2 whole Garlic Cloves

1/2 White Onion

2 Jalapeno Chile, stemmed

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the tomatillos, apples, garlic, onion and jalapenos on a baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Roast until the tomatillos are softened and slightly charred, about 20 minutes. Puree all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Season with Salt and Pepper. Makes 3 1/2 cups.

Fajitas

Adapted from Tyler Florence

Ingredients:

1 Orange, juiced

2 limes, juiced

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped

3 Chipotle Chiles, in adobo sauce

3 Tablespoons Cilantro, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

2 lbs Chicken, cut into strips

Salt and Pepper

2 Red Bell Peppers, thinly sliced

1 Large Onion, thinly sliced

Flour Tortillas

Roasted Tomatillo and Apple Salsa, recipe above

Guacamole, I make it simple with Avocado, Garlic Salt, Cilantro and Lime Juice

Directions:

In a measuring cup or bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients (Orange Juice through Salt). Using an immersion blender, puree the marinade until smooth. Pour into a re-sealable plastic bag and add the chicken, seal and shake to coat.

Refrigerate the chicken for 2-4 hours to marinate.

Using a large skillet or saute pan over medium high heat, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place in the pan. Saute till cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate to rest while in the same pan add the bell peppers and onions. Saute for 6-8 minutes until just cooked through. Place the chicken back into the pan with the onions and peppers to combine and re-heat.

Meanwhile, using the burners on your stove toast the tortillas on each side.

Transfer to a plate covered with a cloth to keep warm.

Serve!

Hope everyone had a Happy and Fun Cinco de Mayo!