Chipotle Pork Tacos

This recipe is one I found on the blog Our Best Bites.  It's really easy to make and pretty healthy. You can also make it a pretty cheap meal if you sub chicken for the pork tenderloin (which is always kind of expensive). I also like to double it because we finish it pretty quickly around here.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pork tenderloin, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 tsp grated lime zest
• 1 Tb fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp minced fresh oregano, or a heaping 1/2 tsp dry
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (use the peppers for heat and the adobo sauce for a mild smoky bite - I tend to put some extra sauce in there just because I love that flavor)
• 2 tsp minced garlic (fresh or from a jar)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 C thinly sliced onion, or shallots
• 8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
• Sour cream
• Chopped cilantro

Combine thinly sliced pork, lime zest, lime juice, oregano, brown sugar, chipotles, garlic, and salt.  Set aside.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tsp olive oil.  Add onions and saute for 2 minutes or until tender.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Add 2 tsp olive oil to pan and add pork mixture.  Saute for 3-4 minutes or until no longer pink.  Add pork to onions.  Warm tortillas, and fill with pork mixture.  Top with sour cream and cilantro.  Serves 4.

Corn and Black Bean Quesadillas

Makes two folded 8-inch quesadillas

Use a light hand when seasoning with kosher salt, as the cheese itself is rather salty. Cooling the quesadillas before cutting and serving is important; straight from the skillet, the cheese is molten and will ooze out. Serve the quesadillas with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. Finished quesadillas can be held on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven for up to 20 minutes.

Ingredients:


1/3 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing tortillas
1/3 cup minced red onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 cup black beans (canned)
2 teaspoons lime juice
Kosher salt
2 plain flour tortillas, eight-inch
2/3 cup Pepper Jack cheese (3 ounces)
1 tablespoon minced pickled jalapeños (optional)

1. Heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until kernels begin to brown and pop, 3 to 5 minutes; tranfer corn to medium bowl. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering; add red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minutes; stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Return corn to skillet and toss to combine; gently press mixture with spatula to lightly crush black beans. Transfer mixture to now-empty bowl, stir in lime juice, and season to taste with salt.

2. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and return pan to medium heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Place 1 tortilla in skillet and toast until soft and puffed slightly at edges, about 2 minutes. Flip tortilla and toast until puffed and slightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Slip tortilla onto cutting board. Repeat to toast second tortilla while assembling first quesadilla. Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese, half the corn and bean mixture, and half of jalapeños, if using, over half of tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Fold tortilla in half and press to flatten. Brush surface generously with oil, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside. Repeat to form second quesadilla.

3. Place both quesadillas in skillet, oiled sides down; cook over medium heat until crisp and well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Brush surfaces with oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Flip quesadillas and cook until second sides are crisp and browned, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer quesadillas to cutting board; cool about 3 minutes, halve each quesadilla, and serve.

*From Cooks Illustrated

Risotto with Tomatoes and Basil

Serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a first course

When the rice is done, stir in a little extra liquid as the sauce will set up a bit when served. Use homemade chicken broth if you have it, instead of the water/canned broth combination.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 2 - 4 ounces pancetta, country ham, proscuitto, or other flavorful cured meat, minced
• 2 cups Arborio rice, or medium grain rice
• Table salt
• 1 can low-sodium chicken broth, combined with 3 cups water
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or grated Asiago, plus extra for passing
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaf, shredded

1. Heat oil in a heavy pot, 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Add onions and ham; sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, cover and cook over medium heat until tomatoes start to look like a thin sauce, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt or to taste. Add 3 cups of the broth/water mixture and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until pan bottom is dry when rice is pulled back with spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Add wine, stirring frequently until absorbed. Then add 1/2 cup of the broth/water mixture at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed; cook until rice is creamy but still somewhat firm in center (add more water in 1/2 cup increments if broth/water mixture runs out), 10 to 12 minutes longer.

4. Stir in cheese. Serve on a wide platter or individual plates, garnish with basil, and pass additional cheese separately.

*From Cooks Illustrated

Tempeh Sausage Crumbles

This tempeh sausage recipe has been a hit every time we've made it. It is unlikely to fool any omnivores, but if you have a vegetarian loved one (oh wait, you have several) they will certainly enjoy it, and I imagine you will too. Or just give it a try for something a little different. Consider serving it with biscuits and this gravy. This comes from the Vegan With A Vengence cookbook.

1 (8 oz) package tempeh*
1 tbsp. fennel seed
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. marjoram or oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried sage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

In a small pan, crumble the tempeh and add enough water to almost cover it. Over medium-high heat, simmer the tempeh until most of the water is absorbed, about 12-15 min. Drain the remaining water and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 min.

*some normal grocery stores carry tempeh, but a natural food store might be better (and often cheaper).

Best Tasting Gravy on the Earth

This is without a doubt the best gravy I've ever tasted. I made it for dinner last night with biscuits and tempeh sausage, a dish we haven't had in a while, and it blew my mind all over again. 

Spice Mix

2 1/2 c. nutritional yeast*

1/3 c. dried parsley

1 1/2 tbsp. salt

1 1/2 tbsp. dill weed2 1/2 tbsp celery seed

2 1/2 tbsp onion powder

2 tsp. each basil, oregano, thyme

1 tsp. rosemary

In a small, dry, seal-able bowl mix all ingredients well

Roux 

1/3 c. soybean oil (i've also used olive oil and vegetable oil with no noticeably difference)

1/3 c. unbleached flour

Heat the oil in a small saucepan. When hot, gently whisk in the flour, stirring constantly, until the mixture develops a nutty aroma and starts to lightly turn brown (Be careful; it burns easily). Set aside.

Base

4 c. water or vegetable broth

1/3 c. tamari, soy sauce or Braggs amino acids

1/4 c. spice mix (above)

In medium pot, bring all the base ingredients to a high simmer. Gradually whisk in the roux and cook to desired thickness. Add freshly ground pepper to taste.

The spice mix makes quite a bit and should provide enough mix to make gravy about 8 times. That said, since the mix is made of all dry ingredients it stores well and the gravy itself is good enough that you will undoubtedly want to eat in on everything. I will include the recipe for tempeh sausage as well as the biscuits we like on separate posts. 

*be forewarned that nutritional yeast can be a pain to find depending on where you go. I had to ask an employee and they had to ask someone else. Health food stores may be the easiest bet.