Red Wine and Garlic Marinated London Broil Recipe

February 23, 2022 by Kate Ramos 1 Comment

This marinated London Broil recipe uses a very budget-friendly cut of beef that is full of flavor and uses a red wine, garlic, and chile flake marinade to make it succulent and tender. {Recipe first posted March 12, 2010. Last updated, February 22, 2022}

A grilled London Broil in a oval dish topped with chopped parsley and two rosemary sprigs and a brass fork in the dish.

This London Broil recipe takes a fairly inexpensive, but very flavorful piece of meat, and gives it a good soaking in a marinade of red wine and garlic. Originally London Broil referred to a flank steak that was marinated and well, broiled.

These days the term is more commonly used for a boneless cut of beef that’s also referred to as top round steak. It could be labeled as London Broil at the meat counter or not. London Broil isn’t a cut of beef, it is the way it is cooked and, by the way, has nothing to do with London.

Why we love it? It is an ultra-delicious steak at a fraction of the price and only requires a few minutes per side to cook. All that’s required is a long soak in a flavorful marinade.

The Proof Is In The Marinade

A London Broil with grill marks on the top and about a third of it thinly sliced in an oval dish topped with chopped parsley and two rosemary sprigs and a brass fork on the side.

What’s that phrase? The proof is in the pudding?

That might be fine for pudding, but if you are cooking what can be a rather tough piece of meat, the proof is going to be all about it’s marinade.

Tougher cuts of beef used to make London Broil don’t have much fat, which often results in a tough, chewy steak. The white marbling of fat throughout any piece of meat melts as it cooks, which gives it a tender, toothsome quality. That being said, if there’s not a lot of fat, you have to make it tender in some other way.

In this London Broil recipe, the red wine in the marinade breaks down the tough fibers of the meat, recreating the same qualities of tenderness. The trick here, however, is to make sure the roast has plenty of time to soak up the wine and let it work its magic. It’s best to let this marinate for at least 4 hours or even better, overnight.

Ingredients

A short and sweet list of ingredients combine for phenomenal results. Here’s what we’ll need:

Garlic
Soy Sauce
Red Wine. I usually have a leftover bottle of something we didn’t finish in the fridge and that’s what I use. If you are buying specifically for this recipe, get something you’d also like to drink—you’ll only be using 1/4 cup for the recipe.
Olive oil
Red Chile Flakes
Brown Sugar
Kosher salt
2 pound Top Round Steak. That is about 2 inches thick. This is sometimes labeled “London Broil” but not always. Ask your butcher if you don’t see it. If you can’t find it, use 2 pounds of Flank Steak instead.

How To Cook A London Broil

Although many recipes call for a London Broil to be broiled in the oven, I think the two-step method we use to cook steak in restaurant kitchens works best. Here’s how it goes down:

Step One

Make marinade. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.

A glass bowl with marinade for the London Broil recipe with a whisk in it sitting on a wood table.

Step Two

Marinate the steak. Place the steak in a large resealable plastic bag or container and pour the marinade over the steak. Seal the bag or put the lid on the container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but best overnight. Turn the steak in the marinade once or twice.

A glass dish with a London Broil steak in it sitting in marinade of red wine and chopped garlic sitting on a wood table.

Step Three

Heat oven. When you are ready to cook, heat the oven to 425°F and remove the meat from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you plan to cook it. Take steak out of the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Step Four

Start the steak on the stove. Heat an oven-safe frying pan that’s big enough to hold the London Broil over high heat (I use a grill pan). Add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add meat and let cook, undisturbed until it has formed a nice brown crust on the bottom. At least 5 minutes.

London Broil recipe: oven. Flip and transfer to the oven and cook to your desired doneness. This is going to depend on how you like your meat and how thick the roast is. It could be anywhere from 8 minutes to 15 minutes. Start reading the internal temperature after 8 minutes and see the temperature chart below for when to take it out of the oven. I think it is best served at about 130°F or medium-rare.

A London Broil steak sitting in grill pan with grill marks sitting on a white kitchen towel.

Step Five

Let it rest. Remove the steak from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes. This allows the juices to distribute themselves throughout the steak instead of running all over the cutting board once you start slicing. Slice the steak against the grain and serve.

Plan Ahead

This cut of meat can be pretty tough and really needs an overnight bath in the marinade to tenderize, so plan accordingly.

How To Know When It’s Done

A London Broil steak with the first third thinly sliced on a white dish topped with chopped parsley and a large fork next to it.

My best advice when cooking large pieces of meat is to have an instant-read meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer horizontally through the middle of the roast to get the most accurate temperature. If you’re unfamiliar with the varying temperatures of doneness they are as follows:

125°F for rare
135°F for medium-rare
145°F for medium
150°F for medium-well
160°F for well done

What To Serve With It

Once the meat has rested it is nice to finish it off with a little something. It can be a simple squeeze of lemon, a splash of Worcestershire sauce or as fancy as a homemade herb butter.

As far as sides go, here are a few of my favorites:

The Marinade Is Where It’s At

Don’t shy away from trying other cuts of beef, they can be just as delicious as the more well know steak cuts at a fraction of the price with a soak in a tenderizing marinade. When you do, snap me a pic and tag me @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno on Instagram so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating)! Also, make sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Red Wine and Garlic Marinated London Broil Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

A very reasonable cut of beef, full of flavor and tenderized with red wine, garlic, and a bit of chile flakes. Adapted from the Gourmet Cookbook

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 pounds London broil (from top round; 1 1/2 to 2-inches thick)

Instructions

Make marinade. Combine all ingredients except steak in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Pour over steak and cover. Refrigerate overnight, turning steak occasionally.
Heat oil. Remove steak from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Meanwhile heat oven to 425°F.
Cook steak. Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet large enough to fit the steak over medium-high heat. Once hot, place steak in pan and cook until dark grill marks have formed, about 5 minutes. Flip and transfer pan to oven. Finish cooking in oven until meat registers 130°F on a meat thermometer for medium-rare, about 12 minutes more. Check meat with the thermometer every 5 minutes or so and see the temperature chart above for desired doneness.
Rest. Transfer meat to a cutting board, cover with foil and let meat rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 513Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 176mgSodium: 1249mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 46g

In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allows me to run the site. Thank you for reading!

Sopa de Albóndigas {Mexican Meatball Soup}

January 27, 2022 by Kate Ramos 9 Comments

The most delicious Albóndigas Soup or Mexican Meatball Soup recipe with chipotle meatballs made with both pork and beef in a rich beef broth with tomatoes, rice, and spinach. {Post first published May 12, 2014. Last updated January 27, 2022}.

Here’s a recipe for Sopa de Albondigas (AKA Mexican Meatball Soup) a cozy, comforting meal that is full of delicious flavor. These gluten-free meatballs are made with ground beef and ground pork and use white rice instead of breadcrumbs!

A small blue saucepan filled with sopa de albondigas: meatball soup with rice and spinach.

I have made this Albondigas Soup recipe, or Meatball soup, every Christmas Eve since Armando and I began dating oh so many years ago.

We would never travel for the holidays because we both were in the restaurant business and those days before and after Christmas meant big money for Armando who was working as a bartender at the bustling Townhall Restaurant in San Francisco.

He usually only had Christmas Day off, so after arriving home late Christmas Eve night we would sit around our little linoleum dinette in our tiny apartment kitchen and eat Sopa de Albóndigas and cornbread muffins.

Our lives have changed quite drastically since those late nights in our one-room apartment, but this soup always reminds me of that lovely little kitchen and those wonderful Christmas Eve nights.

We hardly reserve this soup for one night of the year however, a warming soup like this one is perfect for taking the chill out of any evening.

Brothy soups dotted with tender meatballs and cooked rice can be found from Northern Mexico to the tip of Patagonia.

This version made with smoky chipotle chiles is popular in central and southern Mexico, especially around the area of Guerrero.

A gray bowl filled with sopa de albondigas: meatball soup with rice and spinach.

how to make albondigas

A blue and white small saucepan filled with meatball soup, rice, and spinach.

Tender pork and ground beef meatballs seasoned with chipotle peppers in adobo and garlic make this albondigas recipe the star of the show. Here’s how to make them:

I like to brown the meatballs in the oven before adding them to the soup for a more caramelized flavor, so the first step is to heat the oven to 400°F.
The next step is to sauté the vegetables so they are tender and sweet. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onions and garlic until soft and just beginning to color.
Mix the sautéed vegetables with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and form into tablespoon-sized meatballs.
Roast in the oven until meatballs are browned and cooked through.

now for the soup

A grey bowl with a brown edge filled with Sopa de Albondigas, Mexican meatball soup with meatballs, spinach, and rice.

Start by sautéing the onions, garlic, and jalapeños in oil in a large pot. Season with salt and pepper and let cook until starting to soften.
Add the tomatoes and broth. The recipe calls for chicken broth, but if you want a deeper, richer flavor, you could also use beef broth.
Bring to a boil, then add the meatballs and let simmer until they are infused with flavor. The cooking time will vary as how intense you want the broth, but you should let it cook for at least an hour.
Add the fresh herbs.
Add about 1/2 cup of cooked rice (you could use white or brown rice) and a handful of spinach to each bowl, then ladle the soup over the top and serve!

variations

The warm and comforting broth, and rice and vegetables, is a feast in a bowl! Make the recipe as written or try some of these swaps:

Though mint is a popular addition to this soup, I prefer the green, earthy flavor of cilantro. You could go with either one.
Experiment for yourself and feel free to switch up the vegetables for whatever you have on hand. Baby spinach leaves melt nicely into this soup, but green beans, carrots, peas, and other fresh seasonal ingredients work well too.
Another bonus: this soup keeps well and actually becomes more flavorful as it sits, making it the perfect mid-week meal.

more mexican soups to try

If you are in the mood for something cozy, comforting and delicious, Mexican soups like this meatball recipe are the way to go. Here are few more of my most popular soup recipes to try:

make this sopa de albondigas a tradition in your family

Start a new tradition for Christmas Eve and do like we do: Make Sopa de Albondigas! I want to see it when you do so share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see your stuff, okay?

Sopa de Albondigas {Mexican Meatball Soup}

Yield: 10 servings

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

The most delicious Albondigas Soup recipe! Chipotle meatballs made with both pork and beef in beef broth with tomatoes, rice, and spinach.

Meatballs can be made up to 1 day in advance, covered and chilled.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1/3 cooked white rice
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotles in adobo, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

For the Soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapenos, seeded and small diced
2 quarts chicken stock or broth
1 (24-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 cups cooked long grain white rice
3 cups baby spinach
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

For the Meatballs:

In a large bowl, combine the 1/3 cup cooked rice and egg. Heat oven to 400°F.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, but not browned. Add chipotle, cumin, and oregano and stir to combine. Transfer to the large bowl with the egg mixture.
Add remaining ingredients and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and mix well with your hands. Form scant tablespoon-sized balls and place on a baking sheet (you should have about 50 meatballs).
Bake meatballs until browned and firm, about 20 minutes.

For the Soup:

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and jalapeno and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and add meatballs, and any juices remaining on baking sheet. Let simmer, covered, about 1 hour or until soup is infused with meaty flavor. Stir in cilantro and taste adding more salt if necessary.
To serve, spoon some rice into each bowl and top with a handful of spinach. Ladle soup over the top and serve with a lime wedge for squeezing.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 419Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 416mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 26g

10 Recipes To Try This Week | 4/26/20

April 26, 2020 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

We talked a lot this week about what we want to take away from this quarantine-life experience. Looking for silver linings and all.

Aside from getting to have nightly happy hours with my adorable husband who typically would never be home at such a time, I have really cherished these unscheduled, unsanctioned days to just be together. It can be lovely to have nowhere to go.

I hope that once the world is released from Club Quarantine we can hold on to a bit of this slow pace. Taking time to be fully present for each other will hopefully maintain it’s top spot on our to-do lists.

I’ve also loved jamming out to DNice while cleaning the house on Sundays. I hope that doesn’t change either.

As for what’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner this week here are 10 new ideas from some of my favorite foodies. Hopefully they’ll provide you with some inspiration too.

Have a lovely week!

xoxo

Homemade Ginger Chicken Soup from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
Quick Braised Baby Artichokes with Burrata from Cooking With Cocktail Rings
Shrimp Risotto from Platings and Pairings
Easy Korean-Style Ground Beef from The Daley Plate
Meyer Lemon Bars from Love and Olive Oil
Jamie Oliver’s No Yeast Pizza from The View From Great Island
5 Minute Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa from Joyful Healthy Eats
Fluffy Pancakes from 101 Cookbooks
Rad Na Thai Noodles from Alexandra Cooks
Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice from Skinnytaste

10 Recipes To Try This Week| 4/19/20

April 19, 2020 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

Hey! Week 4 of quarantine. How we doing?

I had a rougher week last week. Feeling pretty unmotivated, but in the grand scheme of things, I really have nothing to complain about. I want to thank you all so much for being a constant source of support and inspiration. I’ve loved our conversations. You guys are strong and resilient and you make me want to be strong and resilient too.

How about that Quarantine Cooking? Has it been a source of ease or anxiety? As a cook, I always love that moment in the week when I sit down and make a plan for what we will eat. Making that grocery list gives me a great sense of satisfaction that there is still something under my control. Hopefully these lists provide you with some peace as well.

This week’s dinner ideas are mostly comfort food, because that’s what I’m craving right now. There are lots of Mexican flavors here, plus a cocktail for happy hour and a classic New York Cheesecake recipe because Louisa loves cheesecake so I thought we could make that one together.

If you are looking for something that takes almost no effort, check out my new Creamy Mexican Vegetable Soup.

Also, for a little bit of sunshine, don’t forget to enter a giveaway of a whole slew of Pyrex products that I’m co-hosting with my friend, Aida from Salt and Wind over on Instagram. But hurry, it closes on Monday.

Have a great week and if you try any of the recipes, don’t forget to snap a pic and tag them #10recipestotry so I can see!

xoxo

Baja Chicken in Beer from No Spoon Necessary
Sheet Pan Chili Lime Salmon from Salt and Baker
New York Cheesecake from Brown Eyed Baker
Easy Chickpea and Spinach Curry from Savory Spin
Roasted Cauliflower Pasta from A Couple Cooks
Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef Tacos from The Modern Proper
Easy Pizza Dough from My Diary of Us
Grapefruit Tequila Sour from Drinking With Chickens
Peposo {Tuscan Red Wine Beef Stew} from Inside the Rustic Kitchen
Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken from Feasting At Home

Green Chili Chicken Meatballs

January 29, 2019 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

This chicken meatballs post is sponsored by Juicy Juice. All thoughts and opinions however, are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

It’s the dead of winter, there’s no denying it, and even though I reside in extraordinarily temperate Southern California, I’ve lived in some very dreary winter locals (ahem, North Dakota anybody?) So I get it. The struggle is real.

Good news is we can fight the blahs with food! I’m not talking about drowning our sorrows in a vat of macaroni and cheese but reaching for colorful fruits and vegetables to boost our moods. When the skies offer nothing but gray we need to combat it with creating a rainbow on our plates. Give it a try and let me know what you think. You’ll be amazed at what a difference this makes, I’d love to hear your thoughts so make sure to leave me a comment.

Dinner the Whole Family Will Love

The obvious first step in getting more feel-good food into our bodies is to make sure it tastes amazing. These chicken meatballs made with 100% Orange Tangerine Juicy Juice, cilantro, garlic, and green chili are tender and perfectly-sized for little hands. They aren’t spicy at all but have a nice zing. Because Juicy Juice is made with only juice and no added sugar the pure flavor shines through and gives these meatballs a nice citrus kick, plus extra vitamin C, which we all need this time of year.

The Tangerine Dipping Sauce does double duty as a salad dressing for the tangle of cucumber, carrot, mango, and pepper strips as well as a sour orange and slightly sweet drizzle to pour over or dip into. Armando was dunking his meatballs directly into the mason jar of sauce last night—it’s just that good.

Our favorite way to make this into dinner is to serve the meatballs and salad over steamed rice then spoon the dipping sauce over everything. You could also do rice noodles, or a different kind of grain like quinoa.

Leftovers Make Lunchbox Magic

This chicken meatballs recipe makes a lot (on purpose) because what you’re going to do next is pile the salad (I like to leave some vegetables undressed so they don’t get soggy) into lettuce leaves and add a couple meatballs on top for tomorrow’s lunch.

By January my kids are tired of eating turkey sandwiches, and I’m tired of making them so these meatballs are a great alternative. They taste just as good cold (think meatloaf sandwich) and you get another opportunity to fill up on crunchy, vitamin-packed fruits and veggies. Don’t forget to pack a small container of the dipping sauce on the side!

How to Cut Julienne Vegetables

It always amazes me how simply cutting a fruit or vegetable in a different way completely changes my kid’s attitudes. For some reason anything cut into a long, thin strip makes it edible. For example (in our particular case), a quartered radish won’t get touched, but a strip of radish is loved—and inhaled. Same goes for mango and red pepper.

To cut just about anything into this shape, peel the fruit or vegetable. Remove the stem and seeds and core if necessary, then slice into 1/4-inch thick slices that are roughly as long as your pinky finger. Stack the slices on top of each other (maybe just two or three at a time so they don’t slide around too much) and cut into 1/4-inch thick strips.

Healthy Green Chili Chicken Meatballs

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

These Green Chili Chicken Meatballs do double duty as a healthy dinner served with steamed rice, a rainbow of crunchy vegetables and a sweet and spicy dipping sauce, the leftovers get tucked into lettuce cups for tomorrow's lunch box!

Ingredients

Green Chili Chicken Meatballs

1 cup Orange Tangerine 100% Juicy Juice
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 large tomatillos, husks removed and chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 jalapeño, stemmed and chopped
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 pounds ground chicken
1 large egg
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
baking spray

Tangerine Dipping Sauce

1 cup Orange Tangerine 100% Juicy Juice
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup distilled white vinegar
2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Mango-Radish Salad

1 large watermelon radish, julienned
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and julienned
1 small Japanese cucumber, julienned
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned
1 large carrot, julienned
10-12 small Butter lettuce or Romaine hearts for lettuce cups ((optional))

Instructions

For the Green Chili Chicken Meatballs

Heat oven to 425°F.
Bring Orange Tangerine Juicy Juice to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until juice is reduced to 1/4 cup. Let cool.
Combine onion, tomatillo, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
Place chicken, tomatillo mixture, egg, panko, salt, cumin, and cooled juice in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until combined. Mixture will be soft.
Spray a large baking sheet with baking spray. Scoop meatball mixture into 2-inch balls onto baking sheet. Roll with your hands to make round shapes. You don't need to space them out if you don't have a lot of room. You should have around 50 meatballs.
Bake meatballs in oven until firm and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately with steamed rice, Mango-Radish salad and Tangerine Dipping Sauce or in lettuce cups.

For the Tangerine Dipping Sauce

Combine Orange Tangerine Juicy Juice, brown sugar, vinegar, jalapeño, garlic, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove from heat and let cool.

For the Mango-Radish Salad

Combine mango and vegetables in a bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the Tangerine Dipping Sauce

To Make Lunch Box Lettuce Cups

Layer Mango-Radish salad into lettuce leaves and top with meatballs. Pace Tangerine Dipping Sauce on the side.

10 Recipes To Try This Week |1/20/19

January 20, 2019 by Kate Ramos 10 Comments

Hey There!

How’d last week treat you? I hope you are staying cozy and warm this Sunday.

We are finally drying out from a week of rain which is highly unusual here in Southern California. I’m not complaining though, it was a nice change of pace to hear the pitter patter of rain all week and now the hills are flush with green grass and everything looks perky and new.

We’re making headway on the new house. All the essentials are put away and everyone knows where their underwear goes. Armando just talked to me for a good twenty minutes about some problem with the toilet but I didn’t really understand what he was talking about so hopefully he’ll go ahead and fix that by himself.

In kitchen news, I made a lot of soup last week and from the looks of this list I’ll be making at least two more batches. I can’t help myself, it’s all I really want to eat. I also got a pressure cooker which, from my two minutes of research on the internets, I discovered is basically an Instant Pot but without all the other functions. What should I make in it? I was going to see if my experiments with rehydrating pozole would go faster in the pressure cooker. Anyone ever tried that?

I’m also preparing for the only football game I watch all year: Super Bowl!! I’ve pulled together 7 Tips to help you throw your own stress-free Super Bowl party.

Okay, well I hope everyone has a great week and you all take some time to cook something delicious for yourselves. Here’s 10 great ideas, let me know if you give any a try!

Spicy Miso Ramen with Chili Roasted Salmon and Bok Choy from Feasting at Home

Winter Greens and Citrus Salad from Crowded Kitchen

Green Chicken Enchilada Soup from The Modern Proper

Korean Ground Beef Bowls from Fox and Briar

Winter Citrus Tequila Smash from Half Baked Harvest

Tacos Arabes from Mexico in My Kitchen

Cashew Chicken from Averie Cooks

Cheesy Broccoli Loaded Baked Potatoes from Yes to Yolks

Sweet Meyer Lemon Wild Blueberry Cornbread from A Cozy Kitchen

Herby One Pan Chicken with Oranges from A Saucy Kitchen

How To Make A Beef and Bean Burrito

September 8, 2017 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

I’m pretty sure my son’s the only kindergartener who takes a container of meat to school for lunch.

Yesterday I was cooking the meat for these beef and bean burritos when Hiro sauntered in nose-first. “That smells good Mama, can I have some for my lunch?” He asks. I thought about the logistics for a moment, fearing he wouldn’t be able to open the container, or that it would get cold by the time he got around to eating it, or worse, he’d get made fun of for having a tiny Tupperware of meat but then said, “I don’t have the rest of the burrito stuff ready, but I could put some meat in a container and you could eat it with a spoon?” “Thanks, Mama!” He said. And so it was, he took it. He ate it (the teacher did have to open the container for him) and what little was left he ate in the car on the way home from school. I don’t know why I worry.

It goes without saying that this beef and bean burrito recipe is kid approved.

Here’s how you make them!

First things first, make the filling. I loosely follow a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen’s The Best Mexican Recipes. If I’m feeling ambitious I’ll make Mexican rice instead of the garlic rice in the recipe. After your filling is ready to go then I feel it is essential to warm the tortillas in a hot, dry frying pan—not in the microwave. The pan lends a toasty flavor to the tortillas and the micro just makes them rubbery. You warm the tortillas because they need to be cooked a little before filling to get rid of that doughy flavor.

As far as the tortillas are concerned, I like to buy the extra-large (12-inch) flour tortillas that they use at the burrito truck. Most Latin markets sell them but most other grocery stores do not. Just buy the biggest ones you can find, but also know the big ones make HUGE burritos, so if you’re feeding little ones the smaller 8 or 10-inch ones are just fine.

After the tortillas are nice and toasty it is time to fill them up. The amount of filling you add will depend on how big you’d like your burrito to be. A hungry man burrito takes about 3/4 cup of beef and 3/4 cup of rice.

You can add other stuff to your burritos too, like cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa. We are a dairy-free house so I didn’t add any of the cheesy stuff and I don’t like hot guacamole so none of that inside my burrito either. Armando and Hiro like pico de gallo inside their burritos, but I do not. I think it makes the tortilla soggy and prefer to put mine on the outside, but it’s up to you.

Then its time to roll it up. Sides go in first, then the bottom goes over the filling.

Pull the tortilla tight over the filling then roll all the way up to seal.

The most essential step to a good burrito comes at the end. After you have rolled it up the burrito goes back in the hot, dry frying pan to get a nice, crispy crust. One that seals up the seam and turns that tortilla from rubbery to golden.

Don’t forget more fresh pico on top!

Beef and Bean Burrito Recipe

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen The Best Mexican Recipes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup long-grain rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup minced cilantro
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
21 ounces 85 percent ground beef
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chile powder (I used New Mexico chile powder, the recipe calls for chipotle--you decide)
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans (a 15-ounce can or cook your own )
Juice of 1/2 a lime
6 flour tortillas (the biggest you can find, I used 12-inch)
Pico de Gallo or your favorite store-bought salsa

Instructions

Bring chicken broth, rice, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes, fluff with fork, stir in cilantro and cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add beef, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, and chile powder. Cook, breaking up meat with the back of a wooden spoon and cook until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Using a potato masher mash 1 cup of the beans in a bowl with 1/2 cup of the bean cooking liquid or the liquid from the can if you are using canned beans. Stir into the beef mixture along with remaining 1/2 cup whole beans and lime juice. Taste to see if it needs more salt then remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Warm the tortillas on both sides for a minute or two but not until they are toasted. Transfer to a baking sheet and mound about 3/4 cup beef and 3/4 cup rice in the bottom third of the tortillas. Add some pico de gallo if you'd like.
Fold in the sides then roll the bottom of the tortilla over the filling, pulling back on it firmly to tighten it around the filling then roll the rest of the way up to close. Set seam side down on a tray. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
Place burritos seam side down in a hot dry skillet to seal closed and get a nice golden crust. Flip and toast the other side. Serve immediately with pico de gallo or let cool and wrap tightly with plastic wrap and then foil. Burritos will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer and 5 days in the refrigerator.
To rewarm: Unwrap burritos and place on a baking sheet if you are heating more than one or on a oven-safe frying pan for just one burrito. Heat in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes.

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10 Recipes To Try This Week |11/13/16

November 13, 2016 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

Happy Sunday friends!

What’s in store for your week? What are you making for Thanksgiving? We were planning on heading to San Diego to spend Thanksgiving with friends but now I think we are going to stay home and have a quiet Thanksgiving, just the four of us. Which is kind of okay, I’m looking forward to actually having some down time and not spending all week cooking.

In other news, I just found out my children eat ants. Should I stop this behavior?

In preparation for the holidays I’ve started two new boards on Pinterest you might want to check out: a Las Posadas board and a board full of ideas on how to throw your own tamale-making party called Tamalada Fiesta.

Have a great week! xoxo, Kate

Here’s this week’s 10 recipes–Thanksgiving style

A pan of Elizabeth’s winter squash enchiladas with beans and chipotle sauce seems in order.

Saving these tahini mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving.

A fall salad that goes with just about everything.

Beer cocktails for these bizarrely hot November days.

Yvette’s Mexican Chocolate Banana Bread must be made immediately.

This turkey brine looks freakin’ amazing.

Special cheesy Thanksgiving biscuits.

The ultimate peanut butter cookies…..with a swirl of Nutella (!!!)

Crispy roasted butternut squash with feta, oh my!!

Taco bowls…like taco salad, but better.

10 Recipes To Try This Week|10/2/16

October 2, 2016 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

10 dinner party recipes for a fall get together like two seasonal cocktails, chicken and bacon pasta with cream sauce and loaded cheesy cauliflower mash.

The recipes I post in this weekly round-up have to fall into two categories:

1. I would and/or have made them at my house

2. I would order them at a restaurant

The second option exists to hold all the recipes that sound incredible (and I would absolutely order should they appear on a restaurant menu) but I wouldn’t actually make them at home because a) they contain lots of dairy products that aren’t easily substituted (Armando’s lactose-intolerant) or b) I know I can’t find the ingredients.

Lastly there are those recipes that I daydream about making for an imaginary dinner party where everyone has the same tastes as me. Do you do this too? I know what my family will and will not enjoy eating and a lot of the time these tastes do not align with mine so I have this continuous dinner party happening in my head where I get to make (and eat) all the things that would never fly in my real life house.

What would you make for your “Me-Themed” dinner party?

Whatever that may be, I know you’ll find something here you are actually going to want to try this week. Have a good one! xoxo, Kate

10 Dinner Party Recipes

Slow Cooker Chicken Pho from The Lemon Bowl

Smashed White Bean Quesadillas from Oh My Veggies

Black Pepper Espresso Tapioca Pudding from Always Alejandra

Steakhouse-Style Loaded Cheesy Cauliflower Mash from An Edible Mosaic

Rosemary Concord Smash from Beard and Bonnet

Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Garlic Cream Sauce from Julia’s Album

Ham, Egg, and Cheese Grilled Cheese from Damn Delicious

I know, two cocktails this week but they both sounded so good, I couldn’t choose. Apple Cider, Bourbon, and Amaretto Cocktails from Floating Kitchen

Vegan Green Pozole from Mexican Food Memories

Pumpkin Loaf from I Am A Food Blog

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10 Recipes To Try This Week|9/18/16

September 18, 2016 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

Happy Sunday!

Welp, this is it. Summer is officially over this week. How are we feeling about this? I’m a little ambivalent. It has been a long time since we’ve lived in a place where that doesn’t really mean anything. I don’t have any idea what the following few months will feel like in our new zone 10 home.

Even though the temperature might not drastically change, I have noticed a shift at the Farmer’s Market. Our peach guy has more and more pears every week and our melon man had only yellow watermelon left last week.

We’ll say good-bye in the best way we know how; by cooking up all the tomatoes, chiles, and watermelon. Have a wonderful week everybody!! xoxo, Kate

I am so curious. Hatch Chile Chocolate Chip Cookies from Homesick Texan

Dinner this week for sure. Ottolenghi’s Cod Cakes in Tomato Sauce from The View From Great Island

Love a good Old Fashioned. Honey Crisp Old Fashioned from How Sweet It Is

Fitting for breakfast or dinner. Tomato-Braised Eggs and Creamy Baked Polenta from Two Red Bowls

Looks so cozy for fall. Lentil and Mushroom Soup with Thyme Cream from Katie at the Kitchen Door

Sweet Molletes aka Mexican Cinnamon Toast from Mexico In My Kitchen

File this one away for later. So stinkin’ cute! Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Fruit Pizza from Growing Up Bilingual

Are collards the new kale? Tahini Noodle Bowls with Collards from Naturally Ella

Crispy and fantastic. Beer Battered Shrimp Tacos from Spoon Fork Bacon

Simple and beautiful. Yellow Watermelon Salad with Herby Cucumber Relish from With Food + Love

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Green Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs

August 16, 2016 by Kate Ramos 8 Comments

I have been dealing with garden withdrawl this past week. I feel all out of sorts to look out on an unfamiliar (albeit, gorgeous) backyard of palm trees and not see my normal summer scene of 10-foot tall sweet corn and lusty tomato vines heavy with fruit.

Green Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs Recipe

Devoid of the usual garden surplus I’ve been putting together dinners of another kind. We may not have an overabundance of zucchini or eggplant (if you do here’s some ideas) but we do have loads of leftovers from Louisa’s birthday party still begging to be eaten.

An extra quart jar of homemade green salsa and a bag of tortilla chips was quickly consumed in the form of chilaquiles. Which came together in about 20 minutes, including the time it took me to chop up all the garnishes to sprinkle on top—in my opinion the best part about chilaquiles.

Whenever I make chilaquiles—essentially chips cooked in sauce until they achieve the perfect soft-to-crunch ratio—I wonder if they were the ship that launched 1000 plates of nachos? Did someone at sometime eat a plate of chilaquiles, then go home and tried to recreate them but forgot to soak the whole thing in chile sauce first?

Whatever the case may be, they make an excellent, super easy breakfast/brunch/dinner, especially when topped with a fried egg. You can make your own chile sauce (use this recipe or this one) or just use store-bought green salsa. But don’t forget the garnishes. As I’ve said before, they are essential. Important to me is some form of salty cheese (Cotija, feta, sharp aged cheddar, or aged jack are all good), something spicy (I like thinly sliced jalapeños), and some onions (minced white onion is traditional but I like sliced scallions too). And if you are lucky enough to be dealing with tomato problems, chopped tomatoes sprinkled on top would also be good.

Oh, and if you want a recipe for Red Chilaquiles, I’ve got one of those too: Chilaquiles Recipe

Green Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Green salsa soaked tortilla chips topped with Cotija cheese, sour cream, jalapeños, sliced radishes, scallions, and a fried egg. Gluten free!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 cups green salsa homemade or store-bought
6 cups tortilla chips
4 large eggs

Garnishes:

Crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
sour cream
lime wedges
sliced scallions
sliced radishes
sliced avocados
sliced jalapeños
cilantro leaves

Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once shimmering add salsa (careful it will spatter) and stir to fry the sauce in the oil, about 2 minutes.
Add chips and coat in sauce. Cook until chips are slightly softened, but still retain some crunch, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cover while you fry the eggs.
Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Crack 2 eggs in the pan at a time (or one depending on the size of your pan) and lower heat to low. Cook until done to your liking. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon chilaquiles onto plates and top with an egg. Repeat with remaining eggs.
Serve chilaquiles with as many or as few of the garnishes as you'd like.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 626Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 215mgSodium: 1069mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 8gSugar: 6gProtein: 19g

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Mexican Summer Cobb Salad

August 2, 2016 by Kate Ramos 6 Comments

Avocado update: Still have tons.

I know, I know, you feel terrible for me. Thank you.

But for real, what do I do with all of these?!! Is an avocado face mask a thing? I’m very much open to and will appreciate any and all ideas. So far I’ve made ten tons of guacamole, our favorite tomatillo avocado salsa (2 quarts), added to smoothies, breakfast with eggs, toast (obvsies), I have yet to try dessert applications. And of course, salad.

Now this salad here is the real deal summer salad. We’ve got grilled chicken to keep us satisfied, sweet cherry tomatoes or you can used chopped garden tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs to keep the Cobb thing legit. Ripe, juicy peaches, fresh sweet corn which I just boiled but you could cook that on the grill too if you want. Crispy bacon and tortilla strips which I crisped in the leftover bacon grease cause it was there and why not? Note: sub tortilla chips if preferred. Aaaaannnnddd avocado.

The dressing however, is something special. Last week I made Tieghan’s Salmon Souvlaki—that was good, you should make it—but my favorite part was the marinade. Citrus juice, balsamic, paprika, fresh herbs. I wanted to recreate it but add some queso fresco because a Cobb salad is not a Cobb salad without some sort of cheese. If you can’t find queso fresco use crumbled feta or even blue cheese instead.

Here are a few other summer salads you might want to try:

Mexican Summer Cobb Salad Recipe

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

A main course salad that won't leave anyone hungry. Grilled chicken breast, avocado, bacon, and sweet corn all drizzled with a queso fresco vinaigrette.

Dressing inspired by Half Baked Harvest.

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon coconut syrup, agave syrup, or honey
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese

For the salad:

2 large (about 1 1/4 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 slices thick-cut bacon
3 corn tortillas, cut in half then cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieced
2 cups arugula
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, or chopped heirloom tomatoes
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half
2 ears cooked sweet corn, kernels sliced off the cob
2 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced

Instructions

To Make the Dressing:

Combine garlic, lemon juice, balsamic, lime juice, syrup, paprika, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly add olive oil while whisking. Gently fold in cheese, careful not to break it up too much. Taste and add more salt if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To Make the Salad:

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
If chicken breast are thick, slice them in half horizontally so you have 4 pieces of chicken breast. Drizzle chicken with half of the vegetable oil and rub the grill or grill pan grates with remaining half of the oil. Generously season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes a side. Remove to a plate. Once cool enough to handle, slice into strips.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon in a single layer and cook until crisp and brown on both sides. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, keeping pan over the heat. Once bacon is cool enough to handle tear into pieces.
Add tortilla strips to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp and crunchy, about 5 minutes. Remove them to a separate paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
Arrange romaine lettuce on a large platter or divide between 4 large plates. Top with arugula, tomatoes, eggs, chicken, bacon, tortilla strips, corn, peaches, and avocado. Drizzle dressing over the top and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0g

10 Recipes To Try This Week | June 5, 2016

June 5, 2016 by Kate Ramos 2 Comments

Hiya! How’s your weekend going? I’m so happy you took a second to check in!

Life’s a tad bit nuts for us at the moment, but all in the best possible way. We are frantically packing boxes, trying to find a place to live in California (anyone have a house they want to rent us? We make lovely tenants.) mulching the crap out of the yard so our house looks pretty enough to sell, and oh yeah, Armando’s been out of town for two weeks and the kids and I are performing in an original ballet next Saturday.

What are you dealing with this week? If yours looks anything like mine you are going to love this week’s recipes; there’s a miracle, life-changing pasta carbonara, golden milk overnight oats to make sure you get breakfast in the morning, and a grapefruit-tequila cocktail to make sure you get your vitamin C.

Let me know if you get a chance to make any of these and what you think. Have a great week! xoxo, Kate

Greek Braised Cinnamon Chicken from Tasty Yummies. I’m a firm believer in braised chicken, it always, always turns out well; never tough or dry plus this one has lots of cinnamon-spiked tomato sauce to drench steamed rice in.
Grapefruit Sugar Pound Cake from Southern Souffle. There’s always room for citrusy pound cake. Make today and you can snack on it all week.
Turkey Zucchini Burgers with Yogurt-Sumac Sauce from Weelicious. Shreds of zucchini ensure tender turkey burgers, plus they look pretty too. My kids probably won’t do the sumac sauce but you never know.
Pineapple Salsa with Jicama from Simply Recipes. Jicama: totally underrated. It is a texture-lover’s heaven and a genius salsa ingredient. This may be a lot of texture for scooping up with chips but I bet it’s amazing on grilled fish.
6-Ingredient Spaghetti Carbonara from Turntable Kitchen. In my dreamworld where I can cook with dairy whenever I wish, I would totally make this for dinner at least once a week. I would also be at least 30 pounds heavier.
Hawaiian Style Macaroni Salad from Spoon Fork Bacon. How do you feel about macaroni salads? They are a guilty pleasure of mine and this version with lots of crunchy veggies looks so good.
Paloma Rosa Cocktail from 101 Cookbooks. In the summer we drink palomas like maybe too much. They are just too easy to make and so incredibly refreshing.
Chicken Gyro Salad from Smitten Kitchen. It is officially big, huge, kitchen-sink-salad-for-dinner time.
Golden Milk Overnight Oats from The Bojon Gourmet. Confession: I had no idea what golden milk was until I read this post.
Sausage, Potato, and Green Bean Foil Packets from Damn Delicious. If I’m grilling I usually wrap a bunch of veggies in foil and put them on to cook at the same time, but this is like an entire meal in one packet! So perfect for weeknight cooking.

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Heather Christo’s Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Pesto

May 24, 2016 by Kate Ramos 8 Comments

It’s Taco Tuesday!!!!

My record for shredded chicken tacos is what some might call tragic. When it comes to tacos we generally go the beef route. It is high time on this blog that chicken gets the attention it deserves, and (thank you very much) to my dear friend Heather, I’m making up for lost recipes with these babies.

Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Pesto Recipe

These gorgeous green-sauced beauties come from Heather Christo’s new cookbook, Pure Delicious. It is a book full of recipes free of gluten, dairy, soy, cane sugar, tree nuts, shellfish, peanuts, and eggs. Now that might seem a bit intimidating to those of us fortunate enough to not suffer from any food allergies but no matter your diet this book is full of recipes you are going to want to make (ahem….Roasted Tomato and Corn Risotto with Arugula Basil Pesto?!)

For those of you who do suffer from a food intolerance whether that be mere discomfort or full on anaphylactic shock this book is a godsend. We deal with lactose intolerance in our house and probably gluten as well (undiagnosed). To open up a book and be able to eat every single recipe is such a relief, especially when you have hungry bellies to feed and haven’t thought about dinner yet. So far I’ve made the Potato Leek Soup, the Rosemary Chicken Salad with Avocado and Bacon, and of course these tacos; all fantastic.

If you or someone you love have recently been diagnosed, Heather’s calming voice walks you through the steps you need to take to get your life and health back on track. She speaks from first hand knowledge of figuring out her own health issues as well as that of her young daughters. Her impeccable taste leads to recipes full of flavor, not weird ingredients. The recipes are totally doable and straightforward and help you make the things you probably thought you’d never eat again like chocolate cupcakes with fluffy milk chocolate frosting and “buttermilk” biscuits.

Now, about these tacos.

What can I say? The recipe was super easy to put together. The cilantro pesto is bursting with flavor. I had a little leftover pesto-drenched chicken which I tossed with pasta and some fresh peas the next day for lunch, which was, ahhhmazing.

The slaw is excellent with the tacos and good on it’s own. It’s so incredibly simple you will be making it all summer long to go with burgers, fajitas, steaks, whatever. Memorial Day is coming up, so it’s basically slaw season.

Check out Heather’s book trailer for more info!

Heather Christo's Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Pesto Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Recipe from Pure Delicious Cookbook by Heather Christo

A note from Heather: Pork, steak, and fish tacos may seem more exciting than your average chicken taco, but the cilantro pesto on these makes them a strong contender for best bacon on the block. The addition of the pepitas-thickened garlicky cilantro pesto is what makes it so interesting to me. I like to serve them with charred corn tortillas and fresh slaw.

Ingredients

For the Slaw:

3 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt

For the Chicken:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

For the Cilantro Pesto:

1 large bunch cilantro
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 to 1 jalapeño coarsely chopped (seeded or not, depending on how spicy you like it)
1/3 cup pepitas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Kosher salt

To Serve:

8 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large avocado, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

Instructions

To make the slaw: In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, cilantro, green onions, lime juice, and vegetable oil. Toss the season with salt. Set aside.
In a heavy pan or skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with salt, if desired, then add breasts and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side (depending on thickness), until they are just cooked through in the center. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
To make the cilantro pesto: In a food processor combine the cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, pepitas, vegetable oil, and lime juice. Pulse until well combined and season with salt.
Using two forks, shred the chicken. Combine the chicken with the cilantro pesto in a mixing bowl and toss to coat. Add salt if needed.
Rub the tortillas with the vegetable oil and set them directly over a gas burner until they are slightly charred and hot, about 10 seconds, turning them with tongs. You can also heat them directly in the bottom of a very hot dry skillet or heavy pan, using tongs to turn them. Stuff each tortillas with some of the chicken mixture and a scoop of the slaw, and garnish with a few slices of avocado and jalapeño. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 876Total Fat: 60gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 49gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 303mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 10gSugar: 5gProtein: 53g

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10 Recipes To Try This Week | April 2, 2016

April 2, 2016 by Kate Ramos 2 Comments

Happy Sunday Mis Amigos!!

As you read this I am on my way to Miami and I’m coming in HOT! Actually I’m coming in freezing cold, probably still wearing my down parka which I will immediately shed as soon as I step out of the airport and realize it’s like 80°F! What! What!

Can you tell I’m excited? You can follow along on all my Miami adventures this week on Instagram and Snapchat (@holajalapeno). I’ll be doing a food styling workshop at the Hispanicize conference, hopefully getting a wee bit of beach time (beware of the blinding white lady) and stuffing my face with as much Cuban food and mojitos as possible. You won’t want to miss it.

For the rest of you who actually have to put a meal on the table this week, here are my 10 favs that you are going to want to make.

Have a great week everyone!! xoxoxo, Kate

Chipotle Lime Fish Tacos from Homesick Texan

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja from Daisy at Home

Easy Honey Mustard Baked Chicken from Good Life Eats

Black Bean Vegan Street Tacos from Edible Perspective

Sunflower, Orange, and White Chocolate Scones with Salted Honey Butter from Butter and Brioche

Lemon Chamomile Spring Cocktail from Honestly YUM

Pork Souvlaki with Lemon Rice from Foodiecrush

Slow Cooker Asian Short Ribs from Damn Delicious

Almond Ricotta from Heather Christo

Blueberry Muffin Waffles with Cinnamon Streusel and Vanilla Glaze from Host the Toast

image via

Cuban Picadillo

March 25, 2016 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

Hi Guys! Just a quick little post cause I know you’re all running around dying Easter eggs, stuffing them with confetti, and smashing them over each other’s heads.

I wanted to leave you this long weekend not with a fancy Easter recipe (although I have plenty of those if you’re interested) but with an easy dinner solution that will feed a crowd, you know, if you have one hanging about.

I also wanted to share with you my Easter menu. I know it’s a little late in the game for menu planning but if you’re still looking for ideas or are like me and love to read other people’s holiday menus…here goes.

A Mexican-Inspired Easter Brunch

Easter Cocktails

Mexican Relish Tray

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Cranberry Glazed Ham from Simply Recipes

Classic Flakey Biscuits

Warm Green Bean Salad with Tangerines, Dates, and Pistachios

Sweet Potato Home Fries from Simply Scratch

Fresh Mango and Strawberries with Brown Sugar Fruit Dip

Key Lime Sour Cream Pie

Pineapple and Pecan Capriotada

Now on to the Picadillo.

Maybe you’ve tried my Mexican version, you know the one with the carrots and potatoes that makes stellar tacos. This picadillo however is all about Cuban flavors. Here we’ve got garlic, pimento-stuffed green olives and the sweet foil of raisins. I’ve also added some chopped cured Spanish-style chorizo for rich pork flavor and spice.

This comes together in a snap and is popular with adults and kids alike. If I’m being completely honest my kids pick out the chunks of meat and leave the rest but that’s considered a solid thumbs-up in my book.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend. What is on your menus?

Cuban Picadillo

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

A family favorite recipe of ground beef cooked with cured chorizo sausage, tomatoes, olives, garlic, and raisins. Dairy and gluten free!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 ounces Spanish, dry-cured chorizo, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
15 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced
1/3 cup raisins
2 tablespoons capers
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
Add chorizo and garlic and cook another 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, olives, raisins, capers, cumin, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered until meat is cooked through and flavors have melded, about 15 minutes.
Stir in parsley then taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve with steamed rice or potatoes.

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PIN IT FOR LATER!

10 Recipes To Try This Week | March 12, 2016

March 12, 2016 by Kate Ramos 4 Comments

Well hello there!!! Wipe those sleepy seeds out your eyes and grab another cup of coffee, cause springing forward is a bitch.

What’s for dinner? Yeah, I don’t know either. I think if I had someone making me dinner every night I’d be like that little squirrel up there (or is he a chipmunk?) filling up my cheeks to the brim. I guess it’s a good thing I’m the meal provider, I could use some help in the dishes department though. Anyone? Anyone?

If you are the meal provider decider here are some ideas to spark your weekly meal plan.

Have a great week everybody! Besitos, Kate

How-i-ya?!! Hawaiian Tequila Chicken Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette from Half Baked Harvest

You might not be able to find blood oranges anymore, but the idea of waking up to waffles never goes out of season. Overnight Waffles with Blood Orange Curd from Brooklyn Supper

St. Patrick’s Day is on Thursday so you know you’ve gotta do an Irish Car Bomb and….. Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage from Foodiecrush

Simple side dishes are key to break up weeknight dinner monotony. Mexican White Rice from Lola’s Cocina

Its a s’more, its a brownie, its…..Marshmallow Toasted Spelt Brownies from Coco Cake Land

Nothing would make me happier than to open up my freezer and find it packed to the gills with these! Freezer Breakfast Burritos from Girl Versus Dough

Because we can’t always do Irish Car Bombs. Clementine French 75 from Cookie and Kate

My kids will literally eat anything on a skewer. Garlic Mustard Maple Chili Beef Skewers from Heather Christo

Breakfast for breakfast OR dinner!!! Chorizo Spinach Egg Scramble from Good Life Eats

Choooooocolate!! Chocolate Tres Leches Cake with Dulce de Leche Frosting from Laylita’s Recipes

Photo via

10 Recipes to Try This Week | January 17, 2016

January 17, 2016 by Kate Ramos 4 Comments

What’s your week look like? Ours looks bitterly cold so I’m planning on making all sorts of cozy, comforting food to keep our bellies warm.

I want cozy and comforting but I don’t want so-full-of-fat-and-carbs-that-I-immediatley-fall-asleep (the dark evenings, cold weather, and the whole being a mother thing take care of that).

In other words these ideas are really speaking to me. They are (for the most part) dairy free (and/or) gluten free (and/or) loaded with fresh veggies (and/or) a cocktail, you know….healthy-ish.

I’m loving all these recipes this week…what are you making?

Loaded Falafel Salad from What’s Gaby Cooking
Huevos Rancheros with Charred Kale, Tomatoes, and Crispy Garlic Chickpeas from Artful Desparado
Jacques Pepin’s Slow-Cooked Roast Beef from New York Times
Asian Garlic Noodles from Damn Delicious
Crispy Honey Balsamic Chicken Wings from Heather Christo
Kale and Roasted Red Kuri Squash Salad from A House in the Hills
Roasted Butternut Squash Black Bean Chili from Good Life Eats
Creamy Coconut Cashew Spaghetti Squash “Alfredo” with Roasted Cauliflower from Half Baked Harvest
Garibaldi Cocktail from Honestly YUM
Southwestern Chicken and Sweet Potato Skillet from Host the Toast

Image from Frank Barratt/Keystone / Getty Images

30 Minute Weeknight Meals for June

June 6, 2015 by Kate Ramos 1 Comment

The lazy days of summer is a bit of a misnomer, don’t ya think? I suppose with regular school schedules interrupted one could be coaxed into thinking that we have all the time in the world to plan and execute dinner but the reality is with camp, and sports and the swimming pool luring us in, 5pm comes around before you’ve even had a chance to think about what you might make.

In an attempt to be prepared I’ve pulled together 20 family-friendly meals that take 30-minutes of hands-on cooking time or less so you don’t have to fret if you happen to have a couple of sun-baked lunatics on your hands who need to eat now! (Recipes are marked DF- dairy free, GF- gluten free, Vegan, and Vegetarian so you can tell at a glance if they will be right for your family.)

What are some of your summer weeknight favorites? Leave me a million comments and let me know!

Mexi Turkey Burgers {DF}

Grilled Tahini Glazed Salmon with Cucumber Noodles from Heather Christo Cooks {GF, DF}

Sugar Snap Pea and Carrot Soba Noodles from Cookie + Kate {Vegan}

20-Minute Mediterranean Hummus Noodles with Blistered Tomatoes from Half-Baked Harvest {Vegan}

Pambazos {Mexican Salsa-Dunked Sandwiches} from Host the Toast Blog

Chopped Garden Salad with Queso Fresco and Crispy Tortilla Croutons {GF}

Cauliflower Rice Lettuce Cups with Sriracha Peanut Sauce from Veggie and The Beast {GF, Vegan}

Easy Thin Crust Pizza from How Sweet It Is {Vegetarian}

Chile-Cumin Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt and Cucumber from Lottie + Doof {GF}

Anna’s Avocado and Lemon Zest Spaghetti from Love and Lemons {GF, Vegan}

Grilled Green Mole Pork Chops {GF}

Mexican Green Chile Veggie Burgers from Minimalist Baker {Vegan}

Curried Vegetable Polenta Kabobs from Naturally Ella

Spaghetti with San Marzano Tomato Meat Sauce from Nibbles and Feasts

Chile Lime Marinated Shrimp from Salt and Wind

Cheater’s Pozole {GF}

Salmon Fried Rice from Simply Recipes {DF}

Oven-Baked Parmesan Chicken from Sweet Life Bake

Homemade Chicken Nuggets from The Pioneer Woman {DF}

Rainbow Salmon Skewers from The View From Great Island {DF}

Need more ideas? Check out 30-minute meals from March, April, and May.

PS. Thanks to all my blogger friends who have such amazing ideas….I couldn’t live without you!

30-Minute Meals for March

March 7, 2015 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

A couple years ago I attended a panel discussion of some of the culinary world’s most famous chefs. The topic was Molecular Gastronomy vs Slow Food which was all very esoteric and interesting, but honestly the only thing I remember was Thomas Keller announcing to the world that good food couldn’t be made in 30 minutes or less. And I thought, says the man who has a staff of 100 to cook a single meal.

I’d like Thomas Keller to slip on my size-8 Bean Boots and see what he has to say about making something out of nothing for two young kids every night at breakneck speed before they flip the f*#% out. Maybe he could do it, who knows he is a culinary genius, but my guess is that his kids would raid the snack drawer and be passed out in their beds with crumb-covered faces before dinner was ready.

I have a hunch that most of you are in a fast-dinner type situation, so I’m committed to helping you get dinner (and yes it can be good—hell, maybe even healthy) on the table in under an hour. I’ve pulled together 24 recipes with hands-on time of 30 minutes or less. Some of the recipes might have longer cooking times or marinating times, where you just have to let it do its thing—no work necessary—but even those I’ve made sure the ingredients lists are short.

So here’s to good, fast food. If you have some favorites, leave me a comment and let me know. I’m always on the hunt for new ideas. xoxo