Holidays | onedadskitchen

Fiesta Week Part 1 – Chorizo Tacos

I decided to make a bunch of Mexican dishes yesterday as kind of an early Cinco de Mayo kind of meal for Sunday since we were having some guests over. I made three different kinds of tacos, some re-fried beans, vegetable slaw, guacamole, salsa, confetti corn, pickled onions and radishes, southwestern egg rolls, avocado dip and more, so there were lots of things to choose from, some of which I have made before and posted here and some new things. Unfortunately, I got so caught up in all of the cooking that I forgot to take pictures of a lot of it, so I hope to take some pictures of some of the leftover items tomorrow. The only thing I did not have anything left of was the chorizo tacos, which seemed to be quite a favorite. I had bought the chorizo at Adam’s Farms since they make their own, but you could also make your own as well at home if you have all the ingredients or a favorite recipe you like to use. I saw a bunch of different recipes, but this one from Williams-Sonoma struck me as the best one of the bunch, so I used this one.

Chorizo Tacos

8 ounces (1 cup) Mexican chorizo sausage

3 medium potatoes

Salt, to taste

2 medium poblano chiles or red bell peppers

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

Guacamole (homemade or store-bought)

Salsa (homemade or store-bought)

Flour or corn tortillas

With a small knife, slice down the side of the chorizo casings. Remove the chorizo from the casing and discard the casing. In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the chorizo. Cook, stirring regularly to break up the clumps, about 4 minutes, until the chorizo is cooked through. If there is a lot of rendered fat, discard some of the excess and remove the chorizo to a bowl. Set the pan aside for later use.

Peel the potatoes and cut them in half, and then dice the halves. In a medium bowl, add the potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and toss the potatoes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave them on high for 4 to 5 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Roast the chiles or bell peppers by placing them directly over a gas flame (don’t use a pan), or 4 inches below the broiler in the oven, turning the peppers occasionally with tongs until they are evenly blackened all over. Place the peppers in a plastic bag and allow them to cool. Peel off and discard the blackened skin of the peppers. Pull out the stems from the peppers and the seed pods and discard them. Tear open the peppers and rinse off the seeds and bits of black skin. Cut the peppers into 1/4-inch pieces.

In the empty skillet, add the vegetable oil to a bit of the rendered chorizo fat set over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring regularly, until the potatoes are browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chile peppers and the chorizo and cook for 3 or three minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the mixture and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Warm the tortillas and scoop the chorizo filling into a serving bowl. Set the bowl on the table with the warm tortillas, guacamole, salsa, hot sauce and any other accompaniments that you like.

Everyone really loved the chorizo tacos. They had just the right amount of spice and adding the potatoes to the mix really added something great as far as taste and texture to the mix. This mix would be great without the tortilla as a main dish with some rice or even as a breakfast with some eggs. You could even omit the chorizo altogether and just have the potatoes, onions and peppers if you wanted a vegetarian taco mix instead. I wish I had taken a picture of it as they were really good. Next time I make them I will post a picture of them for sure.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe from our Mexican fiesta. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on May 5, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Holidays, One Pot Meals, Pork, Potatoes, Vegetarian

Tags: chorizo sausage, chorizo tacos, chorizo with potatoes tacos, Cinco de Mayo recipes, guacamole, re-fried beans, salsa, taco recipes, tacos, vegetarian tacos

Easter Entertaining Guide

19 Apr

Easter Entertaining Guide.

If you are still looking for some great ideas for menus and entertaining for your Easter meal tomorrow, Saveur Magazine has all kinds of great ideas to cover everything that you might be interested in, including menus from all around the world so you can try different flavors and ideas. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on April 19, 2014 in Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Holidays

Tags: Easter entertaining guide, Easter meals, Easter menu ideas, Easter menus, Saveur magazine Easter entertaining guide

Easter Brunch Recipes – Bon Appétit

19 Apr

Easter Brunch Recipes – Bon Appétit.

Having a brunch on Easter is always a great idea for a special family meal that you can do early in the day, giving everyone time to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Bon Appetit has 21 great Easter brunch recipes here for you to try that can help to round out your meal with a little bit of everything. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on April 19, 2014 in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Holidays, Lunch

Tags: 21 brunch recipes, Bon Appetit 21 brunch recipes for Easter, brunch ideas, Easter brunch

24 Recipes for Lamb, from Chops to Roasts to Kebabs – Bon Appétit

14 Apr

24 Recipes for Lamb, from Chops to Roasts to Kebabs – Bon Appétit.

With Easter this coming Sunday and springtime upon us, now is great time to make some lamb, a classic Spring and Easter meal (and it happens to be on sale this week too around here). Bon Appetit has put together 24 lamb recipes to cover everything you might be interested in when it comes to making lamb to give you some great ideas. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on April 14, 2014 in Cookbooks, Cooking Websites, Holidays, Lamb

Tags: 24 recipes for lamb, bon appetit, Bon Appetit lamb recipes, Easter lamb, lamb recipes

A Bevy of Beguiling Irish Dishes for St. Patrick’s Day

17 Mar

A Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all! While for most people who think of Irish cooking as simply corned beef and cabbage and nothing more, I can tell you there are a lot of great Irish dishes you can try beyond that typical meal. There are some great meals you can choose from all over the Internet and I have posted a lot of Irish recipes on here, being he good Irish boy that I am. I have always wanted to see the cuisine beyond the corned beef and when Michelle and I went to Dublin we got to see, smell and taste a lot of different things. So if you are looking for some things to try this St. Patrick’s Day, here are some Irish meals I have posted on the blog that you can check out, including the classic corned beef and cabbage.

Beef and Barley Broth

Irish Cream and Coffee Cookies

Irish Onion Soup

Dark Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey’s Buttercream Frosting

Whiskey Glazed Carrots

Irish Mussels in Guinness Cream Sauce

Beef & Guinness Stew

Guinness Chocolate Truffles

Traditional Irish Stew

Corned Beef and Cabbage in the Pressure Cooker

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Colcannon

Guinness Mustard

Grasshopper Pie

Homemade Shamrock Shake

Potato and Leek Soup

Irish Soda Bread

There are also lots more great recipes out there on the Internet that you can check out from some great sources if you are looking for something a little different. I will be making the corned beef and cabbage in the pressure cooker, along with some Colcannon, cabbage and the brown bread. Of course there will be Guinness and Irish coffee later on as well.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for some more great recipes. Until then enjoy the rest of your day, have a happy St. Patrick’s Day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on March 17, 2014 in Beef, Beverages, Breads, Breakfast, Cakes, Cookies, Cooking, Dessert, Dinner, Holidays, Lamb, One Pot Meals, Pie, Potatoes, Sauce, Side Dishes, Soups & Stews

Tags: corned beef, corned beef and cabbage, dishes to make for St.Patrick's Day, Irish cooking, Irish dishes, Irish recipes, St. Patrick's Day recipes, Traditional Irish Stew

A Grand Irish Meal for St. Patrick’s Day – Beef and Barley Broth

16 Mar

If you are looking for a good alternative for an Irish meal and do not want to make corned beef and cabbage, as millions of others will be doing tomorrow, you can try making this stew instead. Unlike a traditional American beef stew, and Irish stew is referred to more as a broth since the broth is clear and does not use beef stock like an American stew will use. The ingredients are very basic and easy to prepare and you come away with a great tasting stew full of vegetables and flavor without having to put a ton of work into the process.

Beef and Barley Broth

1 1/2 pounds chuck steak, trimmed and diced

1/3 cup pearl barley, rinsed

1/3 cup green split peas, rinsed

1 large onion, thickly sliced

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced

3/4 cup turnip or rutabaga, peeled and diced

1 leek, rinsed well and thinly sliced

1 celery stalk, sliced

6 small potatoes, such as Russets or Yukon gold, peeled

1 1/2 cups sliced green cabbage

Salt

Put the beef, pearl barley and split peas in a large saucepan with the onions and peppercorns. Pour in enough cold water to just cover the contents of the pot. Slowly bring the water to a boil, skimming off any foam, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours.

Add the carrots, diced rutabaga or turnip, leek and celery to the pan. Season the mixture with salt and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Add a little more water if the stew starts to look like it is getting too thick.

Meanwhile, put the potatoes in another large saucepan with water to cover. Add salt to taste and bring the potatoes to a boil. Cook the potatoes for about 7 to 10 minutes, until tender but not until they are disintegrated or falling apart. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pan and cover the pan with a clean dish towel and set them aside.

Add the cabbage to the meat saucepan and allow the mixture to simmer for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cabbage is just tender. Check the seasoning and add any salt or pepper needed to taste.

Ladle the stew into warm bowls. Place a potato in the middle of each bowl and serve.

This is a very simple recipe that yields a lot of flavor in a basic stew or soup. You get great taste from all of the vegetables and keeps things very simple for you. Some people cook the meat whole at first and then remove it from the pan, dice it up for individual portions into bowls and then ladle the soup over the meat, so do whatever is easiest for you. putting the potato in at the end is the traditional Irish way to do it and it is how we had it served to us in Dublin, but we actually put the potatoes in with the stew itself and a few other vegetables we had on hand as well. We made a large pot of this when we made it so there was plenty leftover to use for those colder days that come along.

That’s all I have for today. Check back tomorrow for another recipe. If you are looking for some Irish recipes for tomorrow, I have lots to choose from here so just type in what you are searching for in the search box and you can get lots of great choices. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on March 16, 2014 in Beef, Cooking, Dinner, Holidays, One Pot Meals, Soups & Stews

Tags: beef and barley broth, Irish Stew, St. Patrick's Day recipe, Traditional Irish Stew

Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day – Photo Gallery | SAVEUR

15 Mar

Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day – Photo Gallery | SAVEUR.

If you are looking for something else to make on St. Patrick’s Day besides your standard corned beef and Cabbage, Saveur Magazine has a number of great Irish recipes here that are perfect for you to give a try. Some are quite unique so check them out and see if there’s anything you want cook for yourself this year! I am working today but am hoping to get on later to share some recipes of my own. See you later!

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Posted by MikeG on March 15, 2014 in Cookbooks, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Holidays

Tags: Irish recipes, recipes for St.Patrick's Day, Saveur magazine, St. Patrick's Day recipes

Romance in the Air and On the Plate, Part 4 – Soft Chocolate Mini Cakes

18 Feb

To wrap up our Valentine’s Day meal, of course there had to be a chocolate dessert. This dessert recipe, from Williams-Sonoma, is easy enough that you can make this at any time. You only need a few ingredients on hand and you can have an elegant chocolate dessert in under 20 minutes any night of the week or for a quick dessert when you have last-minute guests or need something for a dinner party. The soft chocolate mini cakes are a lot like chocolate lava cakes as they have a nice crunchy chocolate exterior with a soft, velvety interior.

Soft Chocolate Mini Cakes

5 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes, plus more for greasing

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or creme fraiche for serving

Position an oven rack on the lowest level in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter six 1/2 cup oven-safe ramekins.

Put the butter and bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan. Heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, then stir the mixture until it is smooth. Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and salt. Using an electric mixer set on high-speed, beat the mixture until it is thickened, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually sprinkle the flour over the batter and continue beating just until it is combined. Using a spatula, fold the egg mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture until it is combined.

Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the tops are puffed and dry and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out with some soft batter clinging to it, about 10 minutes.

Serve the cakes hot, in the ramekins, or inverted onto individual plates. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or creme fraiche if you like and serve.

This is a really elegant looking dessert that takes little effort and no time at all. If you love chocolate this is a good for you to remember. You could also try dusting the cakes with a bit of confectioner’s sugar when they are done and maybe top with a raspberry, strawberry and a mint leaf for some added elegance. It was a great dessert that we all gobbled up and I had a few extra so we had them for dessert the next day as well. I just popped them in a 350 degree oven for a couple of minutes to warm them through and they were perfect.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. That’s the end of the Valentine’s Day recipes so it is back to regular recipes tomorrow. Don’t worry, I have a lot of them to share that I have made lately, including some great chicken dishes, some pork, a new risotto, turkey breast, lamb and more. until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on February 18, 2014 in Cakes, Cooking, Dessert, Holidays

Tags: chocolate cake, quick dessert, soft chocolate cakes, soft chocolate mini cakes, Valentine's Day dessert, Valentine's Day menu

Romance in the Air and On the Plate, Part 3 – Rib-Eye Steak with Pan Jus and Broiled Lobster Tails

17 Feb

On to the entrees! I made a pretty simple entrée for Valentine’s Day that you can make any time you want a nice steak for dinner, whether it is a special occasion or not. This simple recipe comes from Williams-Sonoma and makes a great steak with a nice pan sauce using some of the wine we had with dinner. I also added in a couple of lobster tails and I will share that recipe right after this one for the steak.

Rib-Eye Steak with Pan Jus

1 rib-eye steak, 18 to 20 ounces and about 1 1/2 inches thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 fresh rosemary sprig

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup beef or chicken stock

2 small fresh thyme sprigs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the steak generously with salt and pepper. Pick the rosemary leaves from the stem and press them into the steak. In a ovenproof skillet or saute pan set over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Let the oil get quite hot but before it starts to smoke, sear and brown the steak on one side for about 1 minute. Turn the steak over and sear the other side for about 1 minute. Use tongs to hold the steak upright and sear the sides, about 1 minute per side.

Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the steak for 10 to 12 minutes for medium-rare, or until it is done to your particular liking. Press the center of the steak to gauge doneness; it will have some give for medium-rare, more firmness for medium. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let the steak rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the wine, stock and thyme sprigs to the drippings in the pan and place the pan over medium-high heat. Be careful not to burn yourself on the hot pan. Deglaze the pan, stirring with a wooden spatula to scrape up any browned bits, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs.

Using a sharp knife, carve the steak across the grain into thin slices. Arrange the slices on warmed plates and spoon the pan juices over the top and serve.

Admittedly, a steak this size is pretty darn big and not something you are going to buy very often, but for a special occasion it is a nice treat. Also, using a big, thick steak like this does help you cook things perfectly so it comes out just right and will not disappoint. You will likely have leftovers (we sure did, even with 3 of us eating) so you can use them for a variety of other meals afterwards. There is nothing quite like a really good steak with a simple pan juice, and this one came out just perfectly.

As an added bonus for the meal I had picked up some frozen lobster tails that were on sale and thought we would have them as well. Sean had never had lobster and wanted to try it, and I didn’t really want to buy whole lobsters, so this was a good compromise. Frozen lobsters are not always great and sometimes turn out rubbery so you need to be careful in thawing them and re-heating them for a meal, unless you are planning to use them for something like a bisque. Take them out of the freezer the day before and let them thaw in the refrigerator so they won’t be tough. I did a simple broil with a quick little marinade first for some added flavor.

Broiled Lobster Tails

3-4 frozen lobster tails, about 5 ounces each

1 medium onion, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon paprika

Wash the lobster tails and careful cut through the center membrane along the belly of the lobster to expose the meat.Place the sliced onion, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and paprika in a bowl and mix well. Place the lobster tails in the mixture and toss with the mix. Refrigerate the lobster tails in the mix in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. Preheat the broiler for 10 minutes.

In a broiler safe dish, place the lobster tails with the hard shell facing down and pour half of the marinade over the lobsters. Broil the lobster tails for 4 minutes. Turn the lobsters so the shell is facing up and broil them for another 5 minutes. Turn the lobsters again, add the remaining marinade over the lobster tails and broil for 3 more minutes and then serve.

These were a nice treat and the marinade helped to add some nice color and flavor to the lobster meat. They were just the right size for the meal and did not come out overcooked, which I was worried about. They were quite tasty and Sean really enjoyed it for his taste of lobster, so I’ll have to look for when they are on sale again.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for some more recipes. I still have some dessert that we had for the night to share with you. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

2 Comments

Posted by MikeG on February 17, 2014 in Beef, Cooking, Dinner, Holidays, Seafood

Tags: broiled lobster tails, frozen lobster tails, frozen lobster tails broiled, rib-eye steak, rib-eye steak with pan jus, williams-sonoma

Romance in the Air and On the Plate, Part 2 – Garlic-Thyme Smashed Potatoes and Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

16 Feb

A nice romantic meal needs some good side dishes, but you also want to keep in mind that you want the meal to be elegant but easy too. It’s not much fun if you have to spend hours in the kitchen cooking and then by the time you eat you are too exhausted to enjoy it. That’s why these sides were great to make. They go perfectly with the beef we had for the meal (recipe to come tomorrow) and both were made very easily. The first is for garlic-thyme smashed potatoes that you can do simply on the stove top with just a few ingredients.

Garlic-Thyme Smashed Potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes, each about 1-inch in diameter

1 cup water

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

In a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the potatoes and water and season the potatoes generously with the kosher salt and ground black pepper. Cover the skillet and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and smash the potatoes lightly with a spatula or potato masher. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are beginning to brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, until the herbs are fragrant, about 1 minute. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.

The potatoes get a great crust on them that make them nice and crunchy and the taste of the garlic and thyme goes perfectly with the rest of the meal. You can make these any time and I think they would go perfectly with any beef, pork or poultry meal.

The next dish was a very easy sautéed spinach with garlic. We make spinach pretty often and this is probably my favorite way to have it. You can cook this in under 5 minutes and have it on the table and it is a great, fresh alternative for a vegetable that night.

Sautéed Spinach with Garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, trimmed and washed

Kosher salt, to taste

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil until it is shimmering. Add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach in batches and cook until it is wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste and serve.

A couple of things about the spinach. Make sure you wash it in a salad spinner or rinse it off before you cook it. Even the stuff that comes in a bag and says it is washed can still be gritty, so it never hurts to give it an extra rinse and dry it off. You also want to make sure you stir the garlic well when you put it in so it does not brown, burn and get bitter. It might not seem like all of the spinach will fit in one pan but spinach cooks down very quickly so you should have no problem. Spinach and garlic go together really well so this is the perfect side dish any night of the week, and is a classic side dish with steak or beef.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I’ll be highlighting the main point of our Valentine’s Day dinner, the rib-eye steak and the broiled lobster tails. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!