Date Night~

During a hectic week stopping to appreciate a great meal with amazing company can make a world of difference. Whether its Date Night your spouse, boyfriend or just your best friend, taking time to enjoy people around you and have someone else do the dishes is an instant stress reliever. 

Date Night!

Thanks to companies like Groupon and Restaurant.com I've been enjoying new restaurants and some old favorites at a great discount. When you have a half off coupon just think how good the surf & turf section of the menu looks! This week's restaurant pick was an old favorite, Melting Pot. I was pleasantly surprised with their Big Night Out Latin America themed menu that featured amazing marinates and new flavors. For $48 (including a $40 Groupon) a couple we indulged in 4 courses that left us wanting to come back for more. 

First course was a Queso Fundido cooked right at our table. "A fondue version of the classic Mexican dish combining Fontina, Gruyére and Gran Queso cheeses, fresh jalapeños, crumbled Chorizo and a hint of fresh lime." Served with tortilla chips, bread, veggies and apples to dip in the melty goodness. 

Queso Fondue!

After enjoying a light mixed green salad with shrimp ceviche and avacado it was time for the main course- Fondue Fusion. "Cold-Water Lobster Tail, Filet Mignon, Chimichurri Sirloin, Garlic Piri Piri Shrimp, Mole-Marinated Chicken Breast, Citrus-Marinated Pork Tenderloin, Fire-Roasted-Corn-Salsa Ravioli". These amazing meats were paired with sauces like spicy verdre, Gorgonzola, creamy curry and a house favorite chive and sour cream. Mushrooms, potatoes and broccoli were added just in case that wasn't enough food already. While we loved all the meats, the citrus pork paired with the verde sauce was the clear winner.  

Fondue Fusion- Meat!

At this point we could have gone home perfectly satisfied- but no we ordered the dessert fondue and were blown away. With so many amazing chocolate options we took the server's advice and order the new Latin dessert- "Dark and Dulce Chocolate Fondue - Classic flavor combination featuring our bittersweet dark chocolate and sweet, thick dulce de leche accented with coarse sea salt". He described it as tasting like a dark chocolate covered pretzel with a hint of carmel- and he was spot on. The sweet and salty fondue paired with brownie, cheesecake, poundcake, marshmallows, rice krispie treats, bananas and strawberries was beyond amazing. The strawberries and rice krispy treats dipped in this vat of love were outstanding. 

Dark and Dulce Fondue

Needless to say it was an amazing meal and we'll definitely be back to a Melting Pot again soon. Who is down for Ladies Night Out- $24 for 3 courses?!?!

Stack Em Up!

Taking after my dad, I'm a fan of food that stacks. Anything in layers seems to enhance flavor and make for great food presentation. My dad often makes a lasgna stack or tortilla breakfast stack using leftovers from dinner.

My enchilada stacks!

When I saw this recipe for Chiptole Shredded Pork Enchiladas on White On Rice Couple's blog I had to make it! I love when my dish looks as delicious as pictures from the recipe. Their images are great and show the amazing ingredients in this dish.

I followed the recipe but added homemade guacamole and black olives in the layers. I doubled the amount of pork that I cooked too so I would have plenty of leftovers. I also used plenty of canola oil in the pan. Dont skimp- my friend Jessica was over while I cooked and showed me this trick. Speeds up the frying process and makes an even crisp on the tortillas. Just place the fried tortillas on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

Download the recipe here.

Dont be a Jerk- eat this Chicken

As long as I can remember my mom has made the most wonderful braised shredded chicken. She braises the chicken in liquid (water or chicken broth) for so long that is starts to shred apart on its own. Typically she uses taco seasonings and we'd eat in tacos or on a taco salad with salsa. Its been one of my go-to recipes for girls nights, parties or weekend cooking. I make a triple batch and have wonderful chicken to use through out the week in various dishes.

My Jerk Chicken

After years of making the chicken the Mexican style I decided to switch is up and try make shredded Jerk Chicken using jerk chicken rub, marinade, pineapple, green peppers and onions. This combo of sweet flavors pairs perfectly with the delicate shredded chicken. I used the jerk chicken in salads, quesadillas and sandwich melts for the following week.






Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts (or double that in tenderloins) cut into 1 inch cubes
- seasonings (taco, jerk, or your choice)
- marinade (optional- I used Jerk to intensify the flavor)
- 5+ cups cooking liquid (I use a combo of water and chicken broth)
- optional veggies/fruits (pineapple, onions, mushrooms, peppers- rough chopped)
- olive oil 

My fav Jerk ingredients

Directions
-Heat olive oil in a large skillet (one with tall sides is best)
-Add the chicken and seasonings, stir and allow meat to brown on all sides - about 4 min
-Once meat is browned, add enough water to almost cover the meat (about 1 cup- careful not to add too much water, don't want to boil the meat, but rather braise)
-Let the water come to simmer and reduce heat to medium, adding marinade for additional flavor if desired
-Continue stirring and adding water for about an hour. Meat will begin to shred.
-If you are adding veggies- add when the meat is starting to shred and cook for an additional 20 min.
-Using a wooden spoon or spatula shred any additional chunks left and enjoy!

Nothing Says Good Morning Like Smoky Huevos Rancheros

Much like Rachael Ray I'm a fan of the BLD (breakfast, lunch, dinner) recipes. BLD recipes can be made and enjoyed for any meal of the day. My dad and I also love hearty breakfasts with a Mexican flare.  He is forever perfecting his Chilaquiles dish- which features crispy tortillas, meat and salsa. It is always a hit in our house on the weekends! My other favorite Mexican morning dish is Tex-Mex Migas. Here in Austin every great Mexican restuarant has their version of these scrambled eggs with crispy tortilla chips. I like to drench mine in salsa and have some crumbled meat added in. 

My girl Rachael never lets me down when it comes to BLD meals with a kick of flavor. This Huevos Rancheros (fried egg on top of beans, chili sauce topped with queso fresco and avacado) recipe is hearty with a deep smoky flavor thanks to my favorite secret ingredient, Chiptoles in Adobo sauce. As Rachael suggested I added the can of chiles in adobo with their sauce into the food processor to create a paste. Whatever you dont use- just throw in a baggy in the freezer to use later. I use this paste in chili, when sauteeing veggies or making salsa. It adds a smoky depth of flavor with a bit of spice that will make a meal taste like it was cooking for hours. 

Turned out great!

Smoky Huevos Rancheros

• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for brushing tortillas and drizzling
• 4 corn tortillas
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, pasted or grated
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon pureed chipotle in adobo
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes with chilies (15 ounces)
• 1 can tomato sauce (8 ounces)
• 1/3 pound chorizo or good-quality bacon, chopped-- Care Note: Could do spicy sausage crumbles too!
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (14 ounces)
• About 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 extra-large organic eggs
• 1 avocado, diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• A small handful of cilantro leaves
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco or other mild cheese, shredded

Pre-heat oven to 400 F

Brush the corn tortillas with EVOO and season with a pinch of salt. Arrange the tortillas on a rack over a baking sheet. Bake to crispy and golden, 8-10 minutes.

Care note: On the show she put all these ingredients (minus bay leaf, cin. stick) in the food processor first then added to pot to heat. I did this and liked the pureed consistency. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of EVOO in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, chipotle, tomatoes and tomato sauce to the pot and bring to a bubble. Reduce the heat to medium and let the sauce thicken for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick.

Add a drizzle of EVOO to a medium size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo or bacon and brown. Add the beans and season with cumin. Reduce the heat to low.

Add a drizzle of EVOO to a nonstick skillet or griddle pan. Add 4 eggs and cook to order – sunny, over-easy or fried.
Dress the diced avocado with lime juice.
To serve, place a crispy tortilla on plate, top with black beans and pour the red sauce over the beans in a thin, even layer. Top with an egg and arrange the avocado pieces around the dish. Sprinkle with cilantro and queso fresco. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve.

Finger Licking Good!

Hands down one of my favorite things to eat is RIBS! There are so many different sizes, cooking methods and flavors to please every palate. Living in Austin has allowed me to experience the best of the best when it comes to BBQ ribs. Whether you like the big St. Louis style with a dry rub or the baby back smeared in sauce, ribs are the ultimate comfort food meat.

Kenny Oballo (my godson's dad) makes the best dry rub large ribs I've ever had. He puts the dry rub on them and grills them for the better part of the day- dry, low & slow is his rib motto! My other favorite place for ribs in Texas is Salt Lick. Their dry ribs paired with the haberno BBQ sauce is to die for- and I've been known to eat a few pounds of that meat myself.

If I'm making ribs at home- they are usually pan seared then cooked in a slow cooker or oven for 6 hours smothered in a BBQ sauce, onion and beer. The result is a tender meat that falls right off the bone. Save the leftover sauce in the crock pot or baking dish to make a gravy or pasta sauce with. The sauce will have little pieces of rib meat that have fallen off while cooking, making the sauce irresistible.

My ribs starting to cook in the crock pot!

Care's Ribs
-1-2 racks pork baby back ribs
-1 large white or sweet onion
-5 cloves garlic minced
-1 beer (corona, mgd, miller lite, etc)
-2 Tb red wine vinegar
-rub for ribs (salt and pepper is great, or any meat rub)
-1-2 bottles BBQ sauce of your choice (I used Chiptole bacon sauce from Cost Plus last night)

Start by patting your ribs dry with paper towell. Slice the ribs into 3-4 sections per rack. Cut down the side of bone and they should pull apart easily (you'll have about 2-3 bones in each section). Rub the ribs with your meat rub or salt and pepper.
Get your crock pot ready (or oven on at 350). Preheat on low setting (cook 6-8 hours) or high (cook 4-6 hours).
Add chopped onion, garlic, beer, vinegar and half the BBQ sauce. Mix all together.
Heat a skillet on medium with a little bit of olive oil.
Brown the ribs on both sides for 1-2 min a piece until they are light brown.
Place the ribs in the crock pot or baking dish and make sure to cover with sauce mixture.
Pour more BBQ sauce over the top and let them start cooking. Every 30-60 min turn the ribs so they are getting covered in the sauce (cover dish with foil if using the oven).
Once the meat is tender and pulling away from the bone- dig in and enjoy!

Spicy Mexican Red Beans and Rice

Whenever I get rice and beans at a restaurant my first instinct is to mix them together, add some salsa and dig in. Its a natural combination of flavors that is a perfect side to my favorite Mexican dishes like enchiladas, tacos and tamales. Tonight I wanted to cook some fresh tamales from Josie in Pearsall, TX (a frequent blog reader) and thought rice and beans would be the perfect compliment. I placed the tamales on a grill pan on medium heat with a bit of olive oil and let them brown and crisp up. The insides ended up warm with a roasted flavor. Using ingredients I had in the pantry I created my own version of red beans and rice with a spicy Mexican kick. As always, use what you have and adapt to your taste but below are the ingredients I used!

1 cup uncooked white or brown rice (and water according to package instructions)
1 can Rotel
1 can kidney beans
1 can pork and beans
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon chiptole Tabasco
Salt, pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes, garlic powder (all to taste)

Add all ingredients to rice cooker or pot on stove top until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Pair with you favorite meat, taco or tamale! 

Spicy Tuna Ciabatta Burger

I love unique burgers. Don't get me wrong I wont ever turn down a traditional cheeseburger, but I also love trying to find new types of burgers. Restaurants that make great veggie, portabella, chicken, turkey and fish burgers are my favorite. Recently, I visited the new burger bar on South Congress in Austin called Hop Doddy. We tried the Buffalo Bill burger (bison, blue cheese, hot sauce, bacon) and my new favorite burger ever the Ahi Tuna burger (tuna, sprouts, teriyaki, honey wasabi, nori chips, pickled ginger). Both were great but the tuna burger had the most unique flavor that has kept me craving it for weeks.

Tonight I made my own version of this burger using what I had in my fridge, to hold me over until next time I can visit Hop Doddy.

Care's Spicy Tuna Ciabatta Burger
-good quality ahi tuna
-ciabatta roll
-pesto (see yesterday's post for homemade recipe)
-wasabi lime sauce (found by the mustard in grocery store)
-cilantro, micro greens or sprouts
-spinach

Heat a skillet on medium high and pour a little olive oil in. Pat the tuna dry and season with salt and pepper.
Sear the tuna on both sides for about 1-2 min each. You should still see a bit of pink in the very middle.
While tuna is searing cut the ciabatta roll in half and put pesto on one side and wasabi on the other. Layer the greens and place the tuna on top. Cut in half and enjoy!