Grilled Aussie Grassfed Skirt Steak Salad

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Salads are a truly genius invention. You can pile all of your favorite healthy and delicious ingredients into a bowl, and voila – amazingness! From my experience, it’s nearly impossible to make a salad that doesn’t taste good when you use quality, fresh ingredients, and you keep the flavors pretty simple.

By pairing a juicy, chipotle marinated skirt steak with incredible tasting summery vegetables, like arugula, corn, and tomatoes, I not only keep my taste buds happy, but I also know that I’m giving my body the nutrition it needs to maintain good health. When I eat better, I feel better, and this salad is a great example of that because it’s one that can keep me going all day!

My preferred protein choice for a steak salad is Aussie Grassfed skirt steak because it’s a tender, naturally lean, high quality protein, and is full of essential nutrients like iron and zinc, which support immunity, brain function, and healthy growth. Equally important, the Australian beef industry is constantly working on ways to lessen their impact on the planet and have set an ambitious goal to be carbon neutral by 2030. To find out more, check out the True Aussie beef and lamb website. 

You will absolutely enjoy this salad! It has just a touch of spice but is balanced by all of the bright flavors of summer, and many of these ingredients grow in my garden – I’m looking at you corn, arugula, garlic, and tomatoes! While our corn and tomatoes aren’t ready yet, they will be harvested shortly. So, I’m looking forward to sharing some more garden-inspired recipes with you this summer!

Grilled Aussie Grassfed Skirt Steak Salad

Time: 30 Minutes, plus extra time for marinade
Serves 4

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Ingredients

Marinade
2 chipotle chilies in adobo, minced
2 tbsp adobo sauce
¼ cup fresh orange juice
½ tsp orange zest
2 tbsp lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbsp honey
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp kosher salt

Steak Salad
1 lb Aussie Grassfed outside skirt steaks (two ½ lb steaks)
2 ears corn, husks and strings removed
1 tbsp melted butter
¼ tsp cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ cup beef stock
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeded, finely chopped
8 oz baby arugula
1 lb vine ripe tomatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 medium avocados, cut into ½-inch pieces
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions
Add the marinade ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Place the Aussie Grassfed skirt steak into a resealable plastic bag. Pour over the marinade and allow the steaks to marinate for at least two hours or overnight.

Once the steaks have finished marinating, blot them dry with a paper towel. Discard excess marinade.

Preheat an outdoor grill over high heat.

Grill the Aussie Grassfed skirt steaks for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until browned and the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F. Remove from heat and transfer to a cooking rack set over a large plate. Allow the steaks to rest for 10 minutes. Then, cut the steaks against the grain into ¼-inch thick slices.

While Aussie Grassfed steaks rest, add corn to the grill, rotating every few minutes, until cooked on all sides, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Allow the corn to cool slightly. Remove kernels from the cobs and place them in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 tbsp melted butter 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To make the dressing, heat ¼ cup olive oil over low heat. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in beef stock, lime juice, and chipotle chiles. Season with ½ tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Divide arugula between four large bowls. Top with tomatoes, corn, Aussie Grassfed steaks, and avocado. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Serve immediately. 

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If you loved this recipe, you will also love my recipes for: Filipino Bistek with Aussie Grassfed Beef Tenderloin, Thai-Style Aussie Grassfed Beef Strip Steak with Slow-Cooked Green Beans & Tomato Chutney, and Peruvian-Style Steak with Aji Amarillo Mashed Potatoes!

Chicken and Sweet Potato Tortilla Pie with Real California Mexican Cheese Blend

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In need of a Fall casserole? Look no further than this cheesy tortilla pie, with the tastiest mixture of sweet and spicy, all in one!

Tortilla pies, also known as Pastel Azteca, Budìn Azteca, and Mexican Lasagna – are made by alternating layers of corn tortillas with a protein, like chicken or pork, salsa, vegetables, and most importantly – cheese!

Since I’m using corn tortilla instead of pasta to make this lasagna, this dish isn’t as heavy. And with the cheese in this recipe, I get a great source of protein, calcium and vitamin D, all of which are essential nutrients the body needs at every stage of life. Because Real California Mexican cheeses make for some of my favorite cheeses, it was difficult for me to choose which one I wanted on this hearty casserole – so I chose a blend! The Monterey Jack, queso blanco, asadero, and cheddar cheese melted beautifully by the time everything was said and done.

Did you know that California is the leading producer of Hispanic-style cheese and dairy products? When you look for the Real California Milk seal, you’ll know the products are made with milk from California dairy families, who responsibly produce nutritious dairy foods.

For more nutrition information and healthy recipe ideas, visit http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/

Chicken and Sweet Potato Tortilla Pie with Real California Mexican Cheese Blend

Time: 2 Hours
Serves 6

Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, roughly chopped
2 tbsp adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
6 birdseye chilies, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1/2 lb sweet potato, peeled, chopped into 1 ½ -inch pieces
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 lb sweet potato, peeled, sliced with a mandolin into ¼-inch thick slices
15 corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Real California Mexican Cheese Blend
1 jalapeno, sliced
2 birdseye chilies, sliced

Directions
Season chicken on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, birdseye chilies, Worcestershire sauce, Mexican oregano, and 1 tsp salt.

Add ½ lb chopped sweet potato, onion, and garlic to the bottom of a large pressure cooker. Place chicken on top of the vegetables and pour over the tomato mixture. Seal pressure cooker and bring to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

Release the pressure and transfer the chicken to a platter to cool. Add the vegetable mixture to a blender and puree into smooth sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.

Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sliced sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain sweet potatoes and cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Cover the sauce with 5 tortillas, followed by half of the chicken and half of the sweet potatoes. Pour two cups of tomato sauce over the casserole, and top with 1 cup of cheese. Cover with 5 additional tortillas, the remaining chicken and sweet potatoes. Pour over two cups of the tomato sauce and cover with 1 cup of cheese. Finish the casserole by covering with the 5 remaining tortillas, two cups of sauce, and 1 cup of cheese. Top with sliced jalapeno and birdseye chili slices.

Transfer the casserole to the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the cheese has browned and the casserole is cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

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If you liked this recipe, you will love my recipes for Chicken Enchiladas with Real California Monterey Jack Cheese and Sour Cream, Spicy Chicken Posole Soup with Garbanzo Beans, and Mushroom Tacos with Fried Eggs!

Playa del Carmen or Bust!

Adrian and I went to Playa del Carmen for Christmas, so I figured it's about time to share the pictures from our trip. Here's part 1 of 3: Tacos, huaraches, and posole, oh my!

In Playa, we feasted on al pastor tacos at El Fogon. The style is so different from what I've eaten in the US. The marinated meat is literally cut off of a vertical spit like gyros in Greece and served simply over a tortilla with melted cheese, yum!

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One of the cooks at El Fogon added to the taco excitement by doing a little dance after he sliced off a piece of meat and catching it mid-air. What a pro.

We also tried the chorizo tacos, which were equally simple, and again, very different from the Mexican food I’m used to in California.

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Between swimming at the beach and lounging at our pool at HM Playa del Carmen….

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We managed to save room in our bellies for huaraches and posole at El Jurado!

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I've only ever tried huaraches once and I knew that if the Yucatan'a tacos were so different from San Francisco's, the huaraches would be too. In case you don't know, "huarache" means sandal in a two Mayan languages (Purépecha and Nahuatl) because the dish is shaped like a shoe.

But that's where the similarities end, because these huaraches' ingredients were served on heavenly pillows of masa with refried beans. So incredible.

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Last but not least, Adrian and I made friends with a lot of iguanas. This guy, I'll call him Fred, lives outside the parking lot at HM Playa del Carmen and is fed daily by staff. What a lucky guy!

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Stay tuned next time for Tulum! I have so many great pictures to share 😃

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If you enjoyed this post, check out my IG posts on my trips! Portugal Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. Panama Part 1, Part 2, Part 3!

Pork Black and Bean Stew (Frijol Con Puerco)

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If you’re looking for something different from the usual, try this Pork Black and Bean Stew! It’s spicy, comforting, and definitely hits the spot when it’s cold outside. It’s also a great way to get in your serving of beans for the week, which pack in folate and a bunch of fiber to boot! Not a bad of a way to balance out a meat stew.

I like my Mexican food spicy - so I used Spiceology’s sweet and spicy habanero blend. It’s super yummy and builds flavor that is different, and in my opinion, more rich than just using cayenne. You can make this stew as spicy or as mild as you like it. It’s going to turn out good no matter what.

Not only is the stew easy to make, but the pork almost does the braising itself! And by almost, I mean that it braises with a little help from the Dutch oven – my favorite tool in the kitchen. You can find out more about my love for Dutch ovens by checking out this Redfin blog article: Kitchen Hacks: Expert Tips for an Organized and Functional Kitchen.

Pork Black and Bean Stew (Frijol Con Puerco)

Time: 1 Hour, 30 Minutes
Serves 6-8
Adapted from Saveur

Ingredients
2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2" cubes
1⁄2 cup canola oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp Spiceology habanero powder, or more to taste
2 medium white onions, thinly sliced
1 lb. dried black beans, soaked overnight
4 sprigs epazote or cilantro
1 lb. plum tomatoes, cored
1 medium jalapeño
2 baby radishes, very thinly sliced, for garnish
Cilantro leaves, to garnish
Cooked white rice, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions
Season pork on all sides salt and pepper.

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add pork to the pan, and cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a plate. Cover and set aside.

Add two-thirds of the garlic, the habanero powder, and one-quarter of the onions to the skillet, and cook, stirring until soft, about 5 minutes.

Return pork to pot along with beans, epazote, and 8 cups water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans and pork are tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and jalapeño, and cook, turning as needed, until blackened all over, about 12 minutes. Allow jalapeño to cool. Stem and remove seeds if desired.

Transfer tomatoes and jalapeño to a blender along with remaining garlic and onions, and purée until sauce is smooth.

Return skillet to heat and add remaining oil; when the oil is hot, add sauce, and fry, stirring constantly, until sauce is slightly reduced, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and keep tomato sauce warm.

To serve, transfer beans and pork to a large, deep serving platter and drizzle with tomato sauce. Top with radishes and cilantro leaves, and serve with rice and lime wedges.

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If you loved this recipe, you will love my recipes for Real California Cheese Mushroom & Pesto Quesadillas, Chicken Mole Verde Tacos, and Chipotle-Spiced Bean Tacos!

Real California Cheese Mushroom & Pesto Quesadillas

If you’re a cheese lover like myself, you’d know that the key to the perfect quesadilla is the cheese! Instead of using just one kind of cheese for quesadillas, I like to use a Real California Milk shredded Mexican cheese blend for the filling. This blend typically combines the tart flavor of Monterey Jack, the rich flavor of sharp cheddar, and the mild flavor of Colby Jack. Getting to experience a blend of cheeses really adds flavor and variety, not to mention extra cheesy goodness!

As a Californian, I buy products with the Real California Milk seal because I know our state’s dairy products are produced the right away and are of the highest quality. When you buy cheese with a Real California Milk seal, you’re assured that you’re purchasing cheese made exclusively with Real California Milk by real cheese makers.   
       
Lucky for me (and you), I developed the perfect combination of quesadilla ingredients to knock your socks off AND to highlight Real California Cheese. The icing on the cake? Real California Fromage blanc! I had some extra in the fridge and thought, why not? It totally made this dish special.

Although the Real California cheeses have my heart, the epazote pesto also makes this quesadilla pop.  If you can’t find epazote, you can exclusively use fresh basil instead.

Pro Tip: before using adding the basil to the food processor: remove the stems and make sure it’s completely dry!     

Real California Cheese, Mushroom & Pesto Quesadillas

Time: 40 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

Pesto
1 cup fresh epazote leaves
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup pine nuts
3 medium fresh birdseye chilies, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Mushroom Quesadillas
Extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
5 small dried birdseye chilies, sliced thin
1 bunch green onions, white and light green parts only, finely sliced
10 epazote leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups spinach leaves
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
12 oz Real California Milk shredded Mexican cheese blend

To Serve
Lime wedges
Sliced radishes
¼ cup Real California Milk fromage blanc

Directions
In a small food processor, prepare the pesto by combining the epazote, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, pine nuts, birdseye chilies, garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Blend until well combined. Set the pesto aside.

Heat 1 ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add half the mushrooms to the pan with ½ the garlic, ½ the chilies, ½ the green onions, and ½ the epazote leaves. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Sauté mushrooms until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate. Repeat with remaining mushrooms.

Return all mushrooms to the sauté pan over medium heat with additional olive oil if needed. Add spinach and stir until spinach wilts, remove from heat. 

Lay out tortillas on a large plate or work surface. Spread about 1 tbsp pesto over each tortilla, followed by 1/3 cup shredded cheese and ¼ cup of the mushroom mixture. 

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add open-faced tortillas, one at a time to the skillet and allow cheese to melt slightly. Fold tortilla over with a spatula to form a quesadilla and press down lightly. When the bottom of the tortilla is lightly browned, carefully flip the tortilla over on the other side. Press down lightly and continue cooking for about 1 minute, until the tortilla is browned on the opposite side. 

Transfer quesadillas to a platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding additional olive oil if necessary.

Serve quesadillas on plates and garnish with remaining mushroom mixture, small spoonfuls of fromage blanc, pesto, and radishes. Squeeze over lime wedges if desired. 

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If you loved this recipe, you will love my recipes for Chicken Mole Verde Tacos, Mushroom Tacos with Fried Eggs, and Health(ier) Chicken Enchiladas!

Chicken Mole Verde Tacos

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Green mole, a.k.a salsa verde, is a quick and easy mole that is light, yet flavorful. Similar to other moles, such as roja and negro, mole verde has a diverse amount of ingredients ranging from several dried spices and aromatics, to tomatillos, epazote, and fresh chilies. 

Depending on the traditional recipe, the list of ingredients varies. One of those varying ingredients is one that I am very excited to share with you today: hoja santa! 

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Hoja santa is a Mexican herb that looks like a large leafy green with a taste similar to root beer. Funky, but it’s able to add amazing and certainly unique flavor to anything. 
    
I found out about hoja santa watching the Travel Channel years ago. It was featured in a Brazilian stew and sounded super exotic. I saved several recipes that utilized the herb, but never got around to trying one because I couldn't find hoja santa in any Mexican or South American markets in the Bay Area.

Funny enough, I remember reading message boards at Chowhound about this problem and found out that hoja santa grows on the side of the Interstate 280 between San Francisco and San Jose.

You can trust me that the freeway is not where I grabbed these greens! Looking for seeds on Amazon, I instead found a live plant. So I ordered it, planted it, and it is now thriving in my own garden! 

I am proud to say that I can make mole verde with hoja santa, epazote, chiles, tomatillos, and corn (turned into masa) from my garden! 

If you live in California or the Southwest, why not grow your own Mexican and South American ingredients that you can't find in store??

So what are you waiting for? Get this stuff growing in your garden if you can (otherwise use the dried leaves), and check out the recipe below for Chicken Mole Verde with Homemade Corn Tortillas. It's scrumptious and will cure any craving for authentic Mexican or South American food!
 
P.S. These corn tortillas were made with corn that was grown in my own garden :) 

Chicken Mole Verde Tacos

Adapted from Epicurious and Saveur

Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 6 

Ingredients

Chicken
1 (3–4-lb.) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro stems
2 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
4 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf

Mole
8 whole cloves or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 jalapeño chiles, tops removed
6 large tomatillos, husks removed
1 small onion, cut into chunks
4 sprigs fresh thyme
5 garlic cloves
1 cup (8 ounces) masa, either fresh or reconstituted by mixing 6 tablespoons masa harina to a smooth paste with 1 cup of water
1 medium bunch Italian parsley
8 (6-inch) sprigs fresh epazote or 1/4 cup dried, crumbled
3 large or 5 medium-size fresh hoja santa leaves or 6 dried leaves
2 cups cooked Great Northern or other white beans
1/2 handful cilantro, roughly chopped, to garnish
1 red jalapeno, finely sliced, to garnish
Mexican crema, to garnish

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Directions
Place chicken, cilantro, salt, peppercorns, garlic, onion, bay leaf, and 12 cups water in a 6-qt. saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from saucepan and strain liquid through a fine strainer; reserve 6 cups and save remaining liquid for another use. Set chicken and liquid aside.

Meanwhile, grind the cloves and cumin together in an electric coffee or spice grinder, or with a mortar and pestle. Place the ground spices in a blender with the jalapenos, tomatillos, onion, thyme, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the strained stock. Process until smoothly puréed, about 2 minutes on high.

Return the remaining strained stock to the pan; bring back to a boil, and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Add the puréed mixture to the hot stock and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes.

Thin the masa by mixing with 1 cup water. Whisk the thinned masa into the stock mixture; whisking constantly, let the sauce return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. If lumps form, pass the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve (pushing with a spoon to force through the lumpy bits) and return to the heat. The mixture should thicken to the consistency of whipping cream; if necessary, increase the heat slightly to reduce and thicken it.

Place the parsley, epazote, and hoja santa in a blender or food processor. If using a blender, add a few tablespoons water to facilitate blending. Process to a smooth purée. Add the cooked beans to the masa-thickened sauce and let return to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot along with the puréed herbs. Taste and add more salt if desired. Cook until just heated through, 4 to 5 minutes.  Serve pieces of chicken over tortillas and drizzle over mole. Garnish with cilantro, red jalapeños, and Mexican crema.

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If you love this recipe, you will love my recipes for Chipotle-Spiced Bean Tacos, Health(ier) Chicken Enchiladas, and Mushroom Tacos with Fried Eggs!  

Chipotle-Spiced Bean Tacos

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I don't always make tacos for Taco Tuesday, but when I do, I make sure they're absolutely this tasty!

I came up with this recipe about a year ago when I was nearly starving and thought I was out of food in the kitchen. Luckily I was able to appease my hunger after finding a couple tortillas, eggs, and a wedge of queso fresco in the refrigerator as well as some beans and canned chipotle chilies in the pantry. The result was fantastic.

I've since revised the recipe to be even more pleasing to the palate! Before I microwaved the filling in a bowl and then fried the eggs to make for a quick 7-minute meal. That recipe was awesome - and you could easily do the same with these ingredients with a terrific result. But if you want to spruce things up a little more, just spend just a few more minutes building flavors over the stove and fry your tortillas instead. Soooo good!

The recipe is still as quick as ever! In fact, it's so easy, it makes for a perfect outdoor recipe as well! Check out the step-by-step pictures that I took of the Chipotle Tacos on my outdoor excursion for Alite's Outdoor 101. 

Chipotle-Spiced Vegetarian Tacos

Time: 15 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
Extra Virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans
2 whole canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced, reserving 1 tbsp adobo sauce
1/3 cup queso fresco, crumbled
1/3 cup cilantro, stemmed, roughly chopped
2 tsp Chipotle Tabasco
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 corn tortillas
8 large eggs
1 spring onion, whites and greens finely chopped
1 lime cut into wedges

Directions
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add kidney beans, chipotles chilies, reserved adobo sauce, and stir occasionally until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in queso fresco, 1/3 cup cilantro, and Tabasco. Season with salt and pepper to taste and keep warm.

In a medium skillet, add enough olive oil to liberally coat the bottom of the pan. Heat oil to medium-high heat and add tortillas, one at a time, cooking for 30-60 seconds on each side until crisp. Blot tortillas on paper towels and keep warm.

To the same skillet or a small egg pan, crack 1-2 eggs into the pan at a time, spooning oil over the whites. Fry until the whites are firm, but the yolks are still runny. Transfer eggs to a large plate and keep warm.

Serve tortillas on plates, topping with kidney bean mixture followed by spring onions and additional cilantro and queso fresco if desired. Squeeze over with lime wedges and top each taco with a fried egg!

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If you loved this recipe, you will also love my recipes for Mushroom Tacos with Fried Eggs, Chipotle Chicken Tacos, and Chili Verde Tacos with Homemade Black Cornmeal Tortillas

Mushroom Tacos with Fried Eggs

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Mushroom tacos are here to save my Friday and yours too!

It's been a hectic week. Between my cat Zoe visiting the veterinarian three times for pneumonia, including 6 hours at the emergency vet (let's not talk about that bill!), running tons of errands, going to work, and trying to squeeze in a bit of blogging, I'm beat!

I decided to make tacos because I'm always craving them (!), but wanted to make some that were light because I haven't been working out as much as I like. My goal of running 28 miles per week hasn't been met in a while and my love for al pastor tacos will have to wait until I get back into my routine. Well, maybe...

Luckily, mushroom tacos are extremely delicious! They're also chalk full of important nutrients like B vitamins and potassium, but serve as a lower calorie filling than meat. At 22 calories per 100g of raw mushrooms vs. 114 calories for uncooked chicken breast (skinless even!), mushrooms are the perfect filling for a light taco that is packed with flavor!

That's right! While meat often has to marinate or cook for long periods of time, mushrooms absorb flavor in no-time, which means that this recipe is one tasty piece of cake to make! Topped with fried eggs, these tacos are just what I needed to save my week and finish off Friday right. 

Mushroom Tacos with Fried Eggs

Time: 35 Minutes
Serves 4
Adapted from Rick Bayless’s Mushroom Tacos with Onions and Garlic

Ingredients
1 lb cremini mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeds and pith removed, finely chopped
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil or bacon fat if available
3/4 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp epazote, roughly chopped (or 1 tbsp thyme leaves)

To Serve
Olive oil, for frying
8 large eggs
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cilantro, roughly chopped
Queso fresco, crumbled

Directions
In a large skillet, add oil, mushrooms, onion, jalapeño, chicken broth, and lime juice, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the broth is absorbed by the mushrooms. Stir in tomatoes and epazote and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated from the pan and the mushrooms are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Keep warm.

Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large frying pan and heat oil over medium-low heat. Crack about 4 eggs into the pan at a time, spooning oil over the whites. Fry until the whites are firm, but the yolks are still runny. Remove from heat. 

Warm tortillas in the microwave, covered with a damp paper towel for 30 seconds, or until warmed through. Serve mushroom mixture over tortillas, and garnish with cilantro and queso fresco. Top with a fried egg! Enjoy!

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If you loved this recipe, you will also love my recipes for Chipotle Chicken Tacos, Chili Verde Tacos with Homemade Black Cornmeal Tortillas, and Steak with Cilantro Mayo and Tomatillo Salsa

Rainy Day Black Bean Quesadillas

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It’s been raining so much in the San Francisco Bay Area that I think a lot of us are getting souped out! Okay, maybe that’s not possible. I actually snacked on some delicious Filipino-style noodle soup that a friend made while I was working yesterday, even though I thought I’d had my fill. I finished the entire cup and wanted to go back for seconds, but luckily I was able to contain myself.

Anyway, it’s still not that realistic to make soup every night when it’s raining [or snowing] for weeks on end, so we have to look to other foods that are warm and comforting, like these delicious black bean quesadillas. They’re super simple, done in a flash, and you'll feel the same warm hug that you feel every time you eat soup. Trust me!

Rainy Day Black Bean Quesadillas

Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 (15 oz) can refried black beans
1 cup frozen corn
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 large jalapeño, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
2 cups Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded  
1 oz taco seasoning
8 (8-inch) sized tortillas
4 tbsp butter, divided

To Garnish
Sour cream
Sliced jalapeños
Roughly chopped cilantro

Directions
Place the beans and corn in a bowl. Add jalapeños garlic, red onion, cilantro, cheese, and taco seasoning. Stir to combine.

To prepare quesadillas, spoon half of the filling over each tortilla and fold. Heat 1/2 tbsp butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add quesadilla and cook on each side until the cheese browned and the cheese has melted. Serve quesadillas immediately and garnish with sour cream, sliced jalapeños, and cilantro. 

Spicy Quickfire Chicken Enchiladas

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I’m a huge fan of Top Chef, and this year, Katsuji is on again! For those who watch the show, you know he’s an expert with Mexican Cuisine, and somehow, he pulls off amazing dishes in 20-30 minute Quickfire Challenges. 

While this delicious enchilada recipe is my own, I was inspired in a recent episode by Katsuji’s crazy blending skills. It’s like he throws everything into a blender and the judges (usually) love it. So I gave his method a go, throwing in New Mexico, pasilla, and  hipotle Chilies with Mexican chocolate, toasted spices, tomato paste, and chicken stock, and it worked wonderfully. Then I threw some of the sauce over tortillas stuffed with rotisserie chicken and baked it all in the oven for 20 minutes. Perfect.

The recipe isn’t exactly as quick as a Quickfire, but I’d say it’s still pretty quick for baked Enchiladas, right?

Spicy Quickfire Chicken Enchiladas

Time: 40 Minutes
Serves 4 

Ingredients
2 oz mixed dried chilies (e.g. 3 New Mexico, 2 pasilla, and 1 chipotle pepper) 
3 cups chicken stock
1 oz Mexican chocolate
2 tbsp tomato paste
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1 tsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
Olive oil, for frying
8 corn tortillas
½ rotisserie chicken, shredded
8 oz queso fresco, crumbled, divided
½ avocado
1 tbsp sour cream
Juice of ½ Lime

To Garnish
1 small white onion, sliced into rings
Radishes, cut into thin rounds, halved
Cilantro, roughly chopped to garnish
Lime wedges, (for serving)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425F. 
 
In a small skillet, toast chilies over medium heat, until lightly toasted, about 2-3 minutes per side. 

Add chicken stock to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add chilies and simmer, over medium-high heat, for 5-6 minutes, until soft. 

Add chilies to blender with chocolate, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, coriander, thyme, and oregano, sugar, and lime juice, and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add additional water by tablespoonfuls if dry. Season with salt to taste. Let cool, reserve 1 cup chili sauce, and transfer remaining sauce to a 13x9" baking dish.

In a small shallow skillet, add a thin layer of olive oil over medium-high heat. Using tongs, fry one tortilla at a time, until crisp on each side, but still pliable, about 20 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
 
Lightly coat each tortilla in reserved chili sauce, adding about ¼ cup of chicken to the center of the tortilla. Wrap tortillas by folding over chicken and place in the baking dish, nestling in remaining enchiladas. Cover enchiladas with remaining sauce and 6 oz of cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and browned. 

While enchiladas cook, add 3 tbsp water to a blender with sour cream, avocado, and lime juice. Blend until smooth, and season with salt to taste. 

Serve enchiladas topped with cream, remaining queso fresco, onion slices, radishes, and cilantro, and lime wedges on the side.