Crunchy American Tacos

Printable version

Since I was a young boy my favorite food has been tacos. I would go crazy when I saw that boxed taco kit sitting on the counter as Mom began to prepare dinner. I would gorge myself on them – most kids experience binge eating for the first time with sweets – not me, my first binges were crunchy tacos and fried shrimp!

My taco pallete has been refined over the years but I still have a soft spot for crunchy tacos prepared the “American” way.

Most U.S born eaters know tacos as having a crunchy shell, seasoned meat and garnished with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and a taco sauce. The main flavor is contained in the meat. While this kind of taco is delicious, it is far from authentic.

I first learned this taco lesson from the manager at LaBambas, while attending Ball State University. I literally ate there everyday and I think he felt obligated to share some secrets of Mexican cooking with me. Much like a parent would with a child that they are feeding on a daily basis. He told me that authentic Mexican taco’s signature flavor comes from the salsa that it’s garnished with. I came to love this type of taco over the years and have to admit that making a rock star sauce for simple soft corn tortilla tacos is my favorite thing to do in the kitchen.

But today, it is about those boyhood taco feasts my mom used to serve up.

My American taco starts with a crunchy blue corn tortilla which in this case, is a little lighter than the yellow corn tortillas found in kits at most supper markets. For the seasoned meat, I skip the traditional packets found at the store and make a homemade meat mixture complete with a flavorful and fresh mirepoix and a tasty seasoning mix of my own.

When it was all said and done I binged on these like I did as 12 year-old – and it didn’t take long to inhale half the batch!

BEHIND THIS BITE

Crunchy American Tacos

As 2015 begins I can’t help but think about the year that has just passed. It has been a year of great change for me, with my move to the Chicago area – something I never imagined myself doing even six months ago. I haven’t blogged as much since my move, much of that has to do to with the transition of settling into a new place and finding the right kind of time to produce these post. My motivation seems to be more toward creating a kick-ass living space with everything custom built rather than custom built recipe-blog posts.

There is a great irony here though.

I haven’t produced as many post since starting my new job, but I have been cooking far more than I was before I started it. I’m still documenting my creations, I have just found it hard to put in the time that it takes to created a recipe infographic. In my free time, I’m still opting to work on a building project rather than tinker on my computer. Soon though, I will run out of major construction and will inevitably turn my attention here again. I already have a back-log of several creations that I have documented since I have had my photography studio up and running.

I can’t wait to see what 2015 brings, with my cooking, new job and new place to live. I feel as though this new adventure is really starting to take off and I hope to be blessed with the things necessary to keep it moving forward.

Happy New Year.

Eat well, cook often ...


THE RECIPE

Crunchy American Tacos

Serves 4; 30 minutes
1 lb Ground chicken
1/2 C Onion diced
1/2 C Poblano pepper diced
1 Tbs Chili powder
1 tsp Mexican oregano
2 tsp Garlic minced
12 Crunchy blue corn tortillas
1 C Lettuce shredded
1/2 C Taco sauce

Brown chicken
In a skillet over medium high heat sear chicken until just cooked through in a little oil. 7 to 8 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Saute and toast
Add onions and poblano pepper to skillet, season with salt and pepper, chili podwer, cumin and mexican oragano. Let mixture cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, cook one minute more or until fragrant.

Finish
Return chickech to skillet and mix in thouroughly, cook until heated through. Take meat mixture and spoon into crunchy blue corn tortillas, top with cheese, lettuce and taco sauce, then serve.

Mexican Stir Fry

Printable version

Rice has been cultivated for more than 7,000 years. Archeologist in China have even unearthed rice-filled pots dating as far back as 8,000 B.C.

Today, it’s a dietary staple for half of the world’s population and is grown in two ways. Aquatic rice, or paddy-grown, is raised in flooded fields. Hill-grown, which yields less and is lower quality, can grow nearly anywhere in a tropical environment.

Rice is classified commercially by its length and comes in short, medium and long grain varieties. As a general rule, shorter rice means more starch, and therefore more sticky when cooked and ready to serve.

I prefer less-sticky long grain rice because it clumps less. I usually make it plain to add to a recipe or to serve something over it. For this recipe, I wanted the rice to stand alone as a side with a Mexican flavor. To do that I create a chili-seasoned base before adding any liquid. It’s then boiled and covered. This allows the rice to drink up all of the yummy flavors while it hydrates and softens in the pot.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Mexican Stir Fry

I made the rice and featured it in the print version of my column and it ran with the introduction above. I didn’t have enough room in print for the entire stir fry recipe so I went with just the rice. I have been doing that a lot lately. I’m looking for ways to do more complex recipes for the web and using parts or simplified versions for the print column. It kills two birds with one stone.

That said ... the Mexican stir fry was a fun twist on the traditional Asian flavored classic, and it was a tasty meal. I used fresh corn that I sliced off the cob, which was a task. It was tasty and I’m glad I used it but with so many flavors in the mix, canned corn would have probably saved time without much sacrifice in flavor. Canned corn is much closer to the fresh stuff than green beans and many other canned vegetables.

The chipotle sauce I used is a go-to sauce that I get in the world food isle at the grocery. Had I been insanely ambitious with this recipe I would have made a homemade version, but sometimes you just have to say enough is enough – and I had just cut fresh corn off the cob – until the Food Network or Martha Stewart is payin' me big bucks for these recipes I'm just gonna have to use some ingredients from a can or jar!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Mexican Stir Fry

Serves 6 to 8; 35 minutes
1 C Onion diced
1/2 C Jalapeño seeded, diced
1 Tbs Garlic minced
1 Tbs Chili powder
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Oregano
2 C Rice
4 C Water
2 lbs Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
2 C Yellow corn
1 C Poblano pepper, seeded, chopped
1/2 C Chipotle sauce
Cilantro for garnish

Sauté vegetables
In a soup pot over medium heat sauté onion and jalapeño in a little olive oil until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Toast spices, rice
Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano and rice. Stir until well combined, let mixture toast for 2 minutes or until fregrant.

Finish rice
Add water, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, remove from heat but keep covered for 10 minutes more. Remove lid, fluff with a fork.

Make stir 
Fry While rice finishes, in a wok or skillet heated to medium-high brown chicken in a little olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. When chicken is just cooked through, add corn, poblano and chipotle sauce. Cook until vegetables are soft, six to 8 minutes more. Adjust seasoning, serve over rice.

Tacos For 125: Meal Overview

I was completely excited about making the food for this party as soon as I was asked to do it and was told "do whatever you think will work for 100 to 150 people."

Tacos, Mexican fiesta, sauces, nachos, chili - That was my first thought and the party hosts were totally cool with it.

Game on.

Close family friend, Joannie Schnellbach asked me to make the food for a party in honor of her daughter's recent marriage. The bride, Brittany and love of her life, Kevin Bewely tied the knot a few weeks before in a small private ceremony. They wanted to throw a big party for all the friends and family that would have attended a more public and larger wedding celebration. The shindig was going to be held at our family camp ground, so it was home turf to me.

A taco bar is a simple way to feed a lot of people, all of the ingredients can be mixed and matched. A simple taco or a hardy plate of nachos can be made from all the different ingredients. To take the taco bar concept into the gourmet realm I made a series of hot and mild sauces, a ranch-buttermilk based finishing sauce and the meats featured a special marinade and seasoning. For the kids, it was decided to have a small hot dog bar off to the side of the Taco fiesta.

When planning for a meal in general, a good ball park figure is 4 oz portions of meat per person. That is a lot of meat for a soft taco to hold, so I figured that for each person to get 4 oz of meat they would probably need at least two tacos. There were roughly 125 rsvps, Joannie told me to plan for 150, just to be on the safe side. Roughly 40 pounds of meat would be needed to make an estimated 300 tacos.

We decided to only put out small plates and little ballpark-style boats for nachos. This forced people to eat one or two tacos or a modest plate of nachos at a time. It was a little cruel to do it that way but if you give people a big plate, they will fill it – normal people in front of a giant spreads of food will pile food on plates as if they were Spartans prepping for battle. In my experience catering dinners and receptions I have become disgusted by what people do when an unlimited amount of food is set before them. Some people really just eat like hogs when given the chance. Others just pile it on a plate and throw half of it away.

If they were gonna eat like heathens at our fiesta, they were gonna have to do it with multiple trips.

The plan worked. People ate their fill, but there were no plates half full of food tossed in the dumpster.

The tomatoes for the sauces and taco garnishes were fresh from the garden. The party was Sept. 28, right in time for everyone to be bringing in their final harvests before tilling the garden under. I had a full 5-gallon bucket of tomatoes just for sauces and fresh salsa, with another bucket fresh picked before the party for garnish and an impromptu bowl of pico de gallo.

All the shopping for the Saturday party was done the Wednesday before. The sauces were made Thursday, the meat and chili on Friday. All of the little taco and nacho garnishes were done Saturday morning. Being able to do the sauces and meat ahead of time allowed for a really relaxed catering job, there were no moments where I felt I was in the weeds and the prep couldn't have went any better than it did.

THE MEAT
Recipe for the meats

THE SAUCES
Ancho chili sauce
Guajillo chili sauce
Salsa verde
Ranch tomatillo dressing

THE PARTY
The biggest surprise was the amount of people who opted for a plate of nachos rather than soft tacos. They covered the chips with all the gourmet meats and sauces like they would have a taco, many just opted for tortilla chips to deliver the goods.

Another huge surprise was raw onion. I could not keep the container full, I diced at least 10 large red onions before and during the party. When it comes to a taco bar make sure you give them onions!

Another unexpected dilemma was the nacho cheese sauce. We purchased a large gallon container of it and I thought it would be nice for the nacho chips but it was really intended for the hot dog bar put out for the kids. But, like the onions, I couldn't put enough out. People were drowning plates of nachos with the stuff, there was a group of teenage boys that should have just grabbed pint glasses of it and drank it because that would have been more practical than the runny mess they made at the counter. So, if you put nacho cheese on a taco bar, PLAN TO HAVE AS MUCH NACHO CHEESE AS YOU DO MEAT! It was the first and only item that I ran completely out of.

The party had three main waves of eating, and there were people snacking at all times. The first big wave was right when the party started at 2 p.m. and it was mostly the bride and groom's family. The second wave was around 5 or 6 and was a mix of family and a younger crowd of friends that were there to party. The third wave was later that night when all of the party people got the munchies. The late night run got crazy with people using the chili as taco filling. (Which was pretty tasty I must say.)

In the end, small portions of meat were left, a few soft tacos and a half bag nachos. The mild sauces ran out, but I had a lot of the spicier salsa left over. There was just a small amount of chili left and a few dogs. If I had to do it again I would do it exactly the same way, except I would probably make more mild sauce than hot and I would have purchased 2 gallons of Nacho cheese instead of 1.

It was a complete success.

FYI - Desert and cake was provided by the Mother and drinks were BYOB ... 


THE LIST
My grocery list that became the meal:
300 tortillas
30 lbs chicken
1 gallon margarita mix
30 lbs ground beef
2 Cups  Chili powder
1 Cup Cumin
5 lbs tomatillos
15 pounds tomatoes
30 red onions
30 to 40 jalapeños
3 lbs green peppers
20 limes
10 bunches of cilantro
Half gallon buttermilk
Jar of mayo
2 packets of ranch seasoning mix
1 Bag each of dried ancho and gaujillo chilis
10 heads of garlic
5 heads of lettuce
5 lbs shredded cheddar cheese
150 oz of tortilla chips (6 25 oz bags)
1 gallon of salsa for chips
60 hot dogs
60 hot dog buns
1 gallon Hot dog chili sauce
1 gallon nacho cheese
2 30 oz can refried beans
5 cans black beans
5 cans corn
4 32 oz boxes beef broth

What it makes
300 Tacos - meat, garnishes, sauces
10 quarts of Southwestern Black bean and corn chili
60 hot dogs - chili or nacho cheese
Chips and salsa, or a plate of nachos for 125 people

This party was a total success, it seemed as though there was enough variety that everyone was able to build the taco or nacho plate that they wanted. Cant wait to do it again.

Eat well, cook often ...

Tacos for 125: The Meat

Margarita chicken taco

When I originally started to plan this meal I was gunning for lime-garlic chicken and a flank steak preparation of some kind. As I got to pricing it out I quickly realized that I would need to replace the flank steak with ground beef because the steak would have eaten up to much of my limited budget. By switching to ground beef, not only would I have a beef taco but I could also make a 5 gallon pot of southwestern style chili.

During my search for a large container of lime juice for the chicken I wasn’t having any luck with finding a gallon size offering on the shelf. I did stumble upon half gallon containers of margarita mix though. I took a look at the ingredients and I realized it had what I needed as for as citric acid to be a good marinade for the chicken. I switched on the fly and bought a gallon of regular margarita mix for marinade.

I bought 30 pounds of chicken breast and 30 pounds of ground beef. 20 pounds each for tacos. The margarita mix was actually a great marinade that I plan on using again, it provided the yummy lemon-lime flavor with a bit of sweet. I seasoned the ground beef for tacos with a simple chili powder-cumin mix that provides all the great flavors of those store-bought taco seasoning packets without all the extra sodium.

After the meat for the tacos and southwestern chili was made I had 10 pounds of emergency chicken left that we never had to use. The plan was to see how things were going and cook it on the fly if necessary but we never had to break it out.

All of the meat was made the day before, refrigerated and then heated to temperature for service before the party. I stored everything in 5 pound bags which I brought out of the refrigerator and warmed up as needed throughout the party. It worked better than I had even planned and I would do this exactly the same way if I had to do it again.

MORE POSTS RELATED TO THIS MEAL
Salsa Verde
Gaujillo Sauce
Ancho Sauce
Meal Overview

THE RECIPES

Ground beef taco

MARGARITA CHICKEN
Makes 20 pounds; 3 to 4 hours
20 lbs Chicken breast
1 gallon Margarita mix

Marinate, grill chicken
In a large kitchen bucket soak chicken in margarita mix for two hours. Half an hour before removing chicken, prepare charcoal grill. Remove chicken from mix shaking of excess liquid. Season chicken with salt and pepper then grill in batches. Cook chicken until cooked through. 6 to 8 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165°.

Dice, serve
Let chicken rest and cool slightly, then dice into small chunks. Put chicken in a warmer for service. If making a day ahead, store in gallon sized bags and  refrigerate until 1 hour before service time then re-heat for serving.

TACO SEASONED GROUND BEEF
Makes 20 pounds; 1 hour
20 lbs Ground beef (5 lb batches)
1 C Chili powder (1/4 C per batch)
3/4 C Cumin (3 Tbs per batch)
Salt and Pepper (Approximately 3 Tbs salt and 2 Tbs pepper per batch)

Cook, season beef
In a large pot over medium high heat cook ground beef in 5 pound batches until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes per batch. Stirring occasionally, breaking up any chunks. Season with salt and pepper at the start. Half way through cooking add chili powder and cumin. Once finished remove to a large vessel and serve. If making a day ahead, let cool and store in gallon zip lock bags, refrigerate until an hour before service then reheat for serving.

Tacos for 125: Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde

I knew I would have a variety of red sauces for the party so I wanted to make a green sauce, or a salsa verde to go with them. The base of this sauce is similar to the red sauces, the major difference is tomatillos replace the chilis and tomatoes. (Hence, the green color.)

The first batch of this sauce I made was actually pretty hot. I had seeded and stemmed the jalapeños but I think there were a couple of peppers on the high end of the heat scale because I got a pretty nice kick upon the first taste. The second batch I dialed back the heat.

The verde was made to go with the chicken. That is how I like to pair the sauces, green with the poultry and red with the beef. Any combo works but that is how I planned it for this particular meal. I thought a sweet and spicy verde would go perfect with my margarita grilled chicken.

Tomatillos look like little green tomatoes in natural paper wrappers. They are actually large berries and are a staple in Mexican cuisine.

MORE POSTS RELATED TO THIS MEAL
Gaujillo Sauce
Ancho Sauce
The meat
Meal overview

THE RECIPE

Salsa Verde

Makes 2 Quarts
8 to 10 Tomatillos, quartered
4 Red onions, quartered
6 Jalapeños
6 to 8 Garlic cloves
2 C Cilantro
Juice of 3 Limes

Roast or grill vegetables
Preheat oven or grill to 425°. Toss tomatillos, onions, garlic and jalapeños in a little olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tomatillos wilt and edges appear slightly scorched.

Blend, adjust taste
IN TWO BATCHES place vegetables, cilantro and lime juice in blender, then liquefy. Taste, adjust seasoning and add a little water until desired consistency is achieved.

FOR HOT AND MILD VERDE
To make a hot salsa and a mild salsa, place more of the jalapeños in one batch than the other or adjust heat intensity by removing all, some or none of the stems and seeds of the jalapeño. 

Tacos for 125: Gaujillo Chili Sauce

Gaujillo Chili Sauce

This sauce features the guajillo chili and required less sugar to balance the bitterness than the other red sauce I made for the diner. Because of that I decided to make a super hot offering. The first batch was of medium heat but the second batch I left the jalapeños whole except for the stems. With less sugar to cut the heat, I knew that I would get a better sting. I like it hot and I knew there would be a few others at the party who would too, so I wanted to make a sauce with lots of kick. This was the chili sauce to do it with and it didn't take much to numb the lips.

The guajillo chili (pronounced wha-he-oh) is a fruity flavored pepper with mild heat, and a little brighter and less bitter than the more popular ancho chili. Made from a dried Mirasol chili it originates in central and northern Mexico but is now grown in many places around the world including China, Peru and the Untied States.

MORE POSTS RELATED TO THIS MEAL
Salsa Verde
Ancho Sauce
The Meat
Meal Overview

THE RECIPE

Salsa bar for tacos

Makes 2 Quarts
8 to 10 Tomatoes, quartered
4 Red onions, quartered
6 Jalapeños
6 to 8 Garlic cloves
10 to 12 Guajillo chilis
2 C Cilantro
1 Tbs to 1/4 C Sugar
Juice of 3 Limes

Roast or grill vegetables, soak chilis
Preheat oven or grill to 425° and boil a pot of water. Toss tomatoes, onions, garlic and jalapeños in a little olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tomatoes wilt and edges appear slightly scorched. While vegetables cook, soak chilis in a bowl of boiling water covered with plastic wrap or with tight fitting lid for at least 15 minutes or until reconstituted.

Blend, adjust taste
Remove chilis from water, carefully discard stems and seeds. IN TWO BATCHES divide and place chilis, vegetables, sugar and cilantro in blender, then liquefy. Taste, add salt if needed, if slightly bitter add more sugar and if to thick add water until desired consistency is achieved.

FOR HOT AND MILD SALSA
To make a hot salsa and a mild salsa, place more of the jalapeños in one batch than the other or adjust heat intensity by removing all, some or none of the stems and seeds.

Tacos for 125: Ancho Chili Sauce

Ancho chili sauce

Due to the ripeness of the tomatoes I was using and the natural bitterness of the ancho chili I needed a good amount of sugar in each batch to give this sauce balance. I made a mild and hot version. The mild, which was also very sweet was the most popular red sauce of the four that were put out for the party.

In the future, I want to experiment with adding ingredients to this sauce. Dark brewed coffee or even some bakers chocolate would compliment the ancho chili. For the purposes of the party though I felt like this sauce was spot on and it garnered the most compliments of all traditional taco sauces. (A special white sauce I made for the party was the biggest hit, but it was a gourmet dressing rather than a taco sauce.)

An Ancho chili is a dried poblano pepper and is the most widely used dried chili in Mexico. It has a “dark” or “rich” flavor similar to prunes or raisins with a slight amount of bitterness. It is considered to have a mild to medium heat.

MORE POSTS RELATED TO THIS MEAL
Salsa Verde
Gaujillo Sauce
The Meat
Meal Overview


THE RECIPE

Salsa bar for tacos

Makes 2 Quarts
8 to 10 Tomatoes, quartered
4 Red onions, quartered
6 Jalapeños
6 to 8 Garlic cloves
6 to 8 Ancho chilis
2 C Cilantro
2 Tbs to 1/2 C Sugar
Juice of 3 Limes

Roast or grill vegetables, soak chilis
Preheat oven or grill to 425° and boil pot of water. Toss tomatoes, onions, garlic and jalapeños in a little olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tomatoes wilt and edges appear slightly scorched. While vegetables cook soak chilis in a bowl of boiling water covered with plastic wrap or a with tight fitting lid for at least 15 minutes or until reconstituted.

Blend, adjust taste
Remove chilis from water and carefully remove stem and seeds. IN TWO BATCHES, divide and place chilis, vegetables, sugar and cilantro in blender, then liquefy. Taste, adjust seasoning, if slightly bitter add a little more sugar and if to thick add water until desired consistency is achieved.

FOR HOT AND MILD SALSA
To make a hot salsa and a mild salsa, place more of the jalapeños in one batch than the other or adjust heat intensity by removing all, some or none of the stems and seeds.

White Chicken Chili

Printable version

Now that October has arrived we enter the cooler phase of outdoor events here in Northern Indiana. Large fires and food to warm the belly are almost mandatory. One of the best ways to keep the cold away on a frosty night is a yummy batch of chili. Usually I make it meaty, thick and spicy. I don’t use beans unless I’m creating a large batch and need to make it go farther. Soupy chili with lots of beans has just never been my cup of tea.

Recently, I set out to create a white chicken version to expand my horizons. Ironically, after a couple of experiments, the culinary Gods spoke and I found that making a thin chili loaded with beans was the best way to make this type of dish.

This recipe features the Italian cannellini bean, which after a long simmer provides a rich, buttery flavor that compliments the chicken. Also, there is no chili powder just jalapeño. Cumin is the star spice and provides a slightly smoky and very distinct flavor. All together, this soupy chili with lots of beans makes for an all star snack on a cool fall evening and completely obliterates, in a yummy way, the thick and meaty version I usually put out on the table.

BEHIND THIS BITE

White Chicken Chili

I really liked this recipe. I like all the stuff that I publish here, obviously, but this dish was one of the best recipes I've published in the last couple of months. I was really impressed with the cannellini bean. It seemed to have soaked in the surrounding flavors as it simmered and produced a rich and meaty tastes that sent this dish out of the park.

I have made white chicken chili before, but never with this type of bean and never without the absence of chili powder. It made a difference and I can’t wait to make it again. Another secret to this is the Mexican oregano which shares the same pungent flavor of Mediterranean oregano with the inclusion of a slightly citrus and fennel flavor. I have used it in the last four or five batches of chili, white and red, and it's a small detail that goes a long way flavor wise. It’s best to sprinkle it in after grinding it with your palms – You’ll never make chili without it again.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

White Chicken Chili

Serves 4 to 6; 1 hour
2 lbs Chicken thighs, boneless, diced
1 C Onion diced
1/2 C Jalapeño, seeded, diced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
4 C Chicken broth
2 Cans Cannellini beans (15.5 oz each)
2 Tbs Cumin
1 tsp Mexican oregano
Optional garnishes: Corn chips, cilantro or sour cream

Brown Chicken
In a soup pot over medium heat cook chicken in a little olive oil until browned and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Stirring occasionally, salt and pepper to taste. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Make chili
Add onion and jalapeno to pot and sauté until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more. Return chicken then add beans, cumin, oregano and broth to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Spoon into bowls, then serve. Garnish with corn chips, sour cream or cilantro. (Optional)

Spicy Refried Beans

Printable version

This recipe is an update of a basic refried bean dish I made back in May. This time I added some choice spices and a little cheese to the final product. I also tried to extract some heat and flavor from three habanero peppers while I cooked the beans.

I was going for a much spicier bean dip than what I ended up with. I have used this habanero extraction technique before in barbecue sauce and it worked like a charm, but for some reason it didn’t translate with the beans, I’m not sure but I think the amount of beans to the ratio of liquid might have been what neutralized the heat. It was a little spicy but not habanero spicy.

I could have gotten much more kick by skipping the habanero and just adding cayenne pepper in the final stage. The habanero was tame but the jalapeno pepper and the pepper jack cheese were able to bring a little kick of their own to the party.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Spicy refried beans

I put together a nacho bar for a church gathering recently and decided it was a good opportunity to improve on my refried bean recipe from a few months back. I have found that nacho, taco or even hot dog bars are some of the best ways to feed a group of people. All you need is a variety of toppings to go along with the main proteins.

Not everyone at the party is going to put all the items on their hot dog or nachos, they will pick and choose. This can backfire if everyone goes over board, but in general, enough of each topping to cover half to three-quarters of the guests is usually more than enough. If something runs out then people have other options.

If your not sure what to take to the next family get together try a couple bags of tortilla chips, canned chili and nacho cheese, throw in some fresh onions and tomato and I’ll bet it’ll be a hit.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Spicy refried beans

Makes 4 Cups; 4 hours
1 lb Dried pinto beans
3 Habanero peppers
8 C water
1 Tbs Salt
1/2 C Onion,diced
1/4 C Jalapeno, seeded, diced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
2 Tbs Chili powder
1 Tbs Cumin
1 C Pepper Jack cheese, shredded

Prepare beans
Place beans in a large sauce pan or soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let sit at least one hour then drain. Return beans to pot with fresh water and salt. Cut slices in habanero peppers and throw in pot. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until soft, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the liquid. Discard habanero peppers.

Make refried beans
In a cast iron skillet over medium heat saute onion and jalapeno in a little olive oil until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the beans and mash, add some of reserved water to make a paste-like mixture (amount may vary). Stir in chili powder, cumin and a quarter cup of cheese. Once melted add another quarter cup of cheese, repeat until gone. Adjust seasoning and simmer to a desired thickness, then serve.

Five Pepper Steak Tacos

Printable version

I was reading about Creole and Caribbean cooking recently which inspired me to invent a peppery rub. I went to my pantry and was able to find a number of different pepper spices. I chose five, with two of them smoked. I use white pepper, cayenne pepper and black pepper to cover different areas of the tongue and chipotle and smoked paprika to provide the smoky flavoring. (Paprika is made from dried red pepper, hence the fifth pepper of the rub.) I add onion and garlic powder for depth and salt because, well, everything needs salt.

The end result is a spicy rub that I would label XXX on a store shelf. This rub is hot and when it’s used in a dish there should be something else on the plate to balance it. In my world, mild spice is most people’s hell fire, so when I say hot, please beware.

I use a sweet pineapple salsa to balance the heat of the rub. The salsa contains red pepper to compliment the paprika. The pepper could also be roasted to bring out more sweetness if so desired.

Overall, I really enjoyed this taco, it's not for the faint of heart and it is made for a spice lover like myself.

BEHIND THIS BITE
When I made this rub I knew it would be hot but I was surprised at how hot it actually was. I think this could be one of the dry rubs at Buffalo Wild Wings or a secret weapon for extra kick in a pot of chili.

I was planning this as two posts, but the rub was so hot that I was kind of obligated to include a tasty balance to the heat, so I decided to combine everything which culminated in a delicious taco and one of the biggest recipe graphics I have ever made. The step-by-step graphic contains 23 photographs, 6 major steps and 16 ingredients. That’s way bigger than what I usually do but I think it's necessary. If you like fiery food, this is the recipe for you, but if spice isn’t your thing - Use this rub as a substitute.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Makes 12 to 15 tacos; 1 hour
THE RUB
3 Tbs Salt
2 Tbs Smoked paprika
2 Tbs Chipotle chili powder
1 Tbs Black pepper
1 Tbs White pepper
1 Tbs Garlic powder
1 Tbs Onion powder
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 1/2 lb Skirt steak

THE SALSA
1 1/2 C Tomato diced
1 C Pineapple diced
1 C Red pepper diced
1/2 C Red onion diced
1/2 C Cilantro chopped
Juice from 1 Lime

12 to 15 Flour tortillas

Make rub
In a bowl mix together salt, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

Season, marinate steak
Season and rub spice mixture over surface of skirt steak. Let steak rest for 25 minutes to marinate in spices.

Make Salsa
In a bowl mix together tomato, pineapple, red pepper, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Refrigerate and let mixture rest at least 30 minutes for flavors to meld.

Grill steak
On a prepared grill over medium-high heat cook meat for 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare, turning once during cooking. Let rest at least ten minutes before slicing.

Prepare tortillas
Toast tortillas on grill or microwave on high, wrapped in paper towel for 1 minute.

Assemble tacos
On tortillas place steak and a spoonful of salsa, roll and serve.

Nacho Potato Skins

Printable version

I love potato skins. And, I love nachos. What happens when you combine the two?

Nacho skins!

This recipe took potato skins, which is usually a side or an appetizer, and turned it into an entrée. The addition of the seasoned ground beef gave this a hardiness that allowed them to be the star of the plate. For a side it was way to much – unless your training for an Olympic gold in weightlifting. Two of these was more than enough to be the star of any lunch or dinner.

I have prepared baked potatoes on a rack in the oven with no foil wrapping several times now. Seasoning, venting and just letting them bask in the heat seems to be the way to go. Save the foil for cooking them on the grill or in a camp fire. Try the technique employed here if you like baked potatoes. It works pretty well and I think the results will impress.

Note: The taco seasoning is my own recipe, find it  here.

BEHIND THIS BITE
I made traditional potato skins a few months back and was careful to get the best pictures I could take. I knew that I could re-use photos from a basic potato skin recipe again because there is a number of toppings that can be applied to them. This is the first re-use of many of the potato shots and design techniques.

See the original here. 

I went with a more artsy shot for the main art of the recipe instead of just a bird-eye view, which is something I have been doing a lot lately. The artsy shots at the bottom of the recipes give the overall work more depth. The planning ahead paid off with this one and saved me time, which allowed me to be a little more creative with the presentation. I should do a different potato skin recipe every week now that I have a template that works!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 6; 2 hours
6 large Russet potatoes
1 Tbs Vegetable oil
1 Tbs Kosher salt
1 lb Ground beef
2 Tbs Taco seasoning
1 C  Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 C  Sour Cream
1/2 C  Salsa
1/2 C  Green onions, sliced

Bake potatoes
Clean and rinse potatoes. Pat dry. Toss potatoes with salt and vegetable oil. Poke three deep holes in each potato with a knife. Place potatoes on a baking rack over a cookie sheet. Roast in a preheated 350° oven until cooked through, 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove and let cool, slice in half.

Make seasoned beef
Over medium high heat in a skillet add ground beef, stir in seasoning and cook until just cooked through 6 to 8 minutes.

Make potato skins, garnish and serve
Scope flesh from potatoes with a spoon leaving a thin layer of potato attached to the skin. Reserve flesh for later use. Fill potatoes with seasoned beef and cheese. Return to pan with baking rack and heat in 350° oven until cheese is melted and potatoes are heated through, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and garnish with salsa and sour cream, then serve. 

Cheesy Taco Rice

Printable version

Note: The taco seasoning used in this recipe is my own blend, find the recipe here.

It seems as though anytime I’m involved in some sort of gathering involving a group of people, I end up volunteering to bring something to eat. I love cooking for a crowd, but it does provide a couple of challenges that need to be overcome. Unless the gathering is in your home, it needs to be portable and most important, kept warm for serving.

This is an ideal situation for using a large crock -pot. The food can be cooked ahead of time, transported to the location and plugged in to finish and then served hot. A large crock-pot can also hold the bucket full of food needed to feed a room full of people.

For this recipe, I mix six cups of cooked rice with three pounds of ground beef, two pounds of Queso Blanco Velveeta, salsa, taco seasoning and vegetables and cook it in a crock-pot. The end result is a cheesy Mexican inspired dish that provides a serving for 12 to 15 normal people. A little more might be needed if the party you’re hosting happens to be for the local sumo wrestling club.

BEHIND THIS BITE
Over the last year I have gotten a lot of miles out of my crock-pot. I’ve been living in the Fort Wayne/Churubusco area for three years and now that I'm settled it seems like at least once a week I have somewhere to take food I have prepared.

When I first started taking food places I wasn’t documenting it. I was just throwing things together, but more and more people began asking me for the recipes. In response, I have started to photograph and publish the dishes and I’ve started to develop a nice little collection of crock-pot treasures that provide between 15 and 20 servings.

This recipe is part of that collection and it was devoured in about 20 minutes. I was happy that it went fast but I was glad I saved some for myself before going to the event, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten any. Glad I did because it's tasty!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 12 to 15; 2 hours, 30 minutes
3 lbs Ground beef
2 C Red pepper, diced
2 C Red onion, diced
2 Tbs Garlic, minced
2 lbs Queso Blanco Velveeta, diced
1 jar Salsa (24 oz)
6 C Rice, cooked
3 Tbs Taco seasoning
1C Tortilla strips for garnish

Brown beef
In a skillet over medium heat cook ground beef, breaking up large chunks and stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and place in slow cooker. Reserve a tablespoon of the drippings.

Cook vegetables
Return skillet to medium-high heat, sauté onion and red pepper in reserved drippings until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Place mixture in the slow cooker.

Combine and cook
Add cheese, rice, salsa and seasoning to slow cooker, thoroughly mix together all ingredients. Cover and cook on high for two hours or until mixture is heated through and cheese is bubbly. Scoop into a bowl, garnish with tortilla strips and serve.

Refried Beans

Printable version

I had eaten some really delicious refried beans at restaurants, but I have never been so thrilled about them as I was after tasting this dish!

I loved these beans.

I think the secret was going the extra mile and starting with dried beans instead of using canned.

The freshness was apparent right away, they were light and seasoned just as I wanted them to be. Preparing the beans for this took almost 4 hours – making them refried took about 15 minutes. The prep was well worth it, and I can’t wait to make them again.

This is just a basic recipe, a few spices, cheese and even a more powerful chili pepper will turn this into an amazing dip worthy of the finest occasions!

BEHIND THIS BITE

One of the first things I set out to cook when I started my food column was a black bean salsa where I started with dried beans. I used an old cast iron dutch oven to cook them. I tossed in chunks of ham in a wanna be Bobby Flay moment and let them simmer for quite a while.

I wasn’t paying attention and the water got really thick, so I turned off the heat. The beans were still tough and the liquid was a slimy mess. I chalked it up as a bust and ended up using canned black beans for a really tasty salsa.

I did this at our family camp ground.

I ended up leaving the pot on the porch and forgetting about it until the next weekend. By then it was a hideous stinking goop so I kept the lid on and set it off to the side of the camper.

The next person to discover it was my Mom a couple weeks later. I’ll never forget the look on her face when she lifted the lid. After being revolted by the contents, she then got really pissed - It was actually her pot. Every time I see dried black beans I think of Mom discovering my month old ham and bean experiment gone awry and I have to giggle because I'm crazy like that.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Makes 8, 1/2 Cup Servings; 4 hours
1 lb Dried pinto beans
8 C water
1 Tbs Salt
1/2 C Onion, diced
1/4 C Jalapeno, seeded, diced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced

Prepare beans
Place beans in a large sauce pan or soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let sit at least one hour then drain. Return beans to pot with fresh water and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until soft, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the liquid.

Make refried beans
In a cast iron skillet over medium heat saute onion and jalapeno in a little olive oil until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the beans and mash, add some of reserved water to make a paste-like mixture (amount may vary). Adjust seasoning and simmer to a desired thickness then serve.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Printable version

A few years back I tried an enchilada recipe and it called for chicken seasoned with a chili powder-cumin mix. After tasting the results store-bought taco seasoning became a thing of the past. This recipe is a little more complex than the original enchilada spice mix, but it’s not just for making taco meat, it can also be used on steak, chicken or any other protein as a flavorful rub.

For an even simpler mixture with the same resulting flavor as meat seasoned with an Old El Paso or Ortega taco seasoning packet, eliminate everything except the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. By making the seasoning at home, all the preservatives and crazy junk that manufactures put in their mixes is eliminated and the cook, not the company, controls the amount of sodium. It is also much cheaper in the long run to have a stocked pantry with the correct spices available rather than buying a packet every time taco flavoring is desired.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Two years ago, I did a test with packets of taco seasoning and found that a 2.5 oz, bottle of chili powder and a 2 oz. bottle of cumin could make the equivalent of 13 packets of taco seasoning creating around $5 worth of savings.

The last time I had taco seasoned with a packet was a taco salad at a small gathering. I was amazed at how salty and over seasoned the meat was. The packets are cheap, between 50¢ and 75¢, so many Americans just grab them without thinking.

Well, I have thought about it, and for all the artery-clogging, saddle-bag creating meals I cook, I have a better-for-your-health tip: Make taco seasoning with chili powder and cumin. (1 Tbs chili powder and 2 tsp cumin per pound) It tastes better, you control the salt and it's cheaper in the long-run. That is all.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Makes 1/2 C
3 Tbs Chili powder
2 Tbs Cumin
1 Tbs Salt
1 Tbs Pepper
1 Tbs Garlic powder
1 Tbs Onion powder
1 tsp Mexican oregano

Mix, store
In a bowl mix together Chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and oregano. Place in an airtight container and store away from light.