¡HOLA! JALAPEÑO

Tasty Mexican Recipes

Find Your Mexican Cooking Roadblock

Take The Quiz

Home | Super Bowl

Fizzy Mezcal Margarita

by 10 Comments

Somehow in all my Katy Perry Super Bowl fanaticism I’ve up and done forgot to talk about what we will be drinking—and when I say ‘we’ I mean the big, fat universal we, as in all of us, the whole entire world, or at least anyone who will be watching Katy Perry win the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Fizzy Mezcal Margarita

We, of course will be drinking margaritas (honestly, when are we not?) but hows about a special bubbly version made with orange soda, mezcal (tequila’s smoky cousin), and orange bitters? Here’s the plan: how bout you and me hang out in the kitchen and play bartender on Sunday? I am more than happy to mix drinks all evening as long as I get an occasional peak at the commercials whilst delivering drinks to thirsty spectators.

For those of you who are actually interested in watching the game then you need to find someone to do this for you, but for those of you who could really give two shits? I’m talking to you. These margs take a tad bit of work, like squeezing limes and some vigorous shaking, there is even some orange zesting involved, but it will keep you occupied and no one will notice that you don’t know one iota about football. Just remember to get someone to take over during halftime.

Fizzy Mezcal Margarita with Orange

A couple other margs to ponder:

Kate Ramos

Fizzy Mezcal Margarita

Pellegrino makes an orange soda that is clear and not too sweet which makes it perfect for cocktails. If you can't find it try substituting an all natural soda such as Izze or Hansen's
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 1 drink
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ounce mezcal
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 3 or 4 thin strips orange zest
  • a few dashes orange bitters
  • Pellegrino orange soda
  • lime wedges
  • granulated sugar for the rim

Method
 

  1. Combine mezcal, lime juice, orange zest, and orange bitters in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until the shaker is well chilled.
  2. Run a lime wedge around the rim of a tall glass. Gently dip the glass in sugar and fill glass with ice. Strain drink over ice and fill with orange soda.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

PIN IT FOR LATER!

This mezcal margarita is the perfect balance of smoky mezcal, and bright orange flavor from fresh orange zest and the bubbly effervescence of orange soda. #mezcal #mezcalmargaritas #margarita

Chipotle Chicken Flautas For a Crowd

by 4 Comments

Chances are you’ll be feeding a boatload of people this Sunday. And the chances are even better that they are going to want something crunchy, salty, a little greasy, and probably covered in salsa. Well, you’re in luck because I’ve got something that will meet every one of those desires.

Chipotle Chicken Flautas

I made these chicken flautas for Hiro’s birthday party a couple weeks ago and they were a smashing success. It was one of those situations when you are in mid-party prep and your thinking, once again, I’ve lost my mind. Which I always seem to think when I’m in the depths of things and (in this case) have 25 flautas rolled and 25 more to go and only 14 people coming over (half of which are children) and there is no way in hell I need this many flautas. The next morning The Professor made a bee line for the fridge to eat some leftover flautas for breakfast only to be sorely disappointed that they were all GONE!!

Chipotle Chicken Flautas for

So while you can make a smaller batch of these flautas, like for example, cut the recipe in half and use 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast, or 5-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, I’d be careful if I were you. That will only be enough if you have like 4 people coming over and don’t plan on eating any yourself. Which why, for the love of God, would you not be eating any yourself?!!

Chipotle Chicken Flautas for a crowd

I commend you for your austerity measures but this is not Greece people, this is the Super Bowl so roll up your sleeves, break out the fryer and make yourself some flautas, yo!  Go Katy Perry!!

Chicken Flautas

Some other snackies:

 

Kate Ramos

Chipotle Chicken Flautas For a Crowd {Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free}

I like to serve these up as they are done frying, refilling the platter as I go. If you want to make them ahead you can fry them the night before, then reheat on a baking sheet at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes. You will need about 50 toothpicks to keep the flautas closed until after they are fried.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 50 Flautas (10-12 people)
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1 large pasilla pepper seeded and diced
  • 5 cloves garlic chopped
  • 4 chipotles chiles en adobo chopped
  • 2 large tomatoes diced or 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 whole 5-pound chicken
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning
  • 1 lime plus more for garnish
  • 50 corn tortillas
  • 2-3 cups vegetable oil for frying
For Serving: (here are some ideas, you can do store-bought salsa too, if you'd prefer)

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and pasillas and season with salt and pepper. Let cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and chipotles and season again. Cook another minute or two, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add tomatoes, cumin, chicken, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking until chicken is very tender, about 1- 1 1/2 hours. Turn the chicken from time to time so it cooks evenly.
  3. Remove chicken from pot and set on a large plate to cool. Pour liquid through a sieve into a heat-proof bowl. Save solids, cool broth then cover and save in the refrigerator or freezer for another use.
  4. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred and place in a large bowl, removing all skin and bone. Add reserved vegetables, the teaspoon of salt and squeeze the lime over the mixture. Toss together and taste to see if it needs more lime juice or salt.
  5. Heat a cast iron skillet or nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Warm tortillas one at a time until they are very flexible, about 1 minute a side. Place in a clean dish towel to keep warm.
  6. Place several tortillas out on a clean work surface and put about 3 tablespoons of chicken on the bottom third of each tortilla. Roll the tortilla up over the filling and continue rolling into a tight cylinder. Secure closed with a toothpick at the seam. Continue with the remaining tortillas and chicken.
  7. Place a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add enough oil so it reaches 1-inch up the side of the pan. If you have a deep-fry thermometer place it in the oil, when it reaches 350°F, it is ready. If you don't have one, the oil is ready when a small cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Meanwhile cover a baking sheet with paper towel and set near the stove.
  8. Carefully place a few flautas at a time in the pan (they should have plenty of room to move around) and fry until brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side, about a minute more. Remove with tongs to the paper towel-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining flautas.
  9. Remove the toothpicks (or let your guests do this) and serve immediately with guacamole, Harissa ranch, and/or sour cream.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Toasted Coconut Rum Raisin Rice Krispie Treats

by Leave a Comment

Have you ever made it to three in the afternoon only to realize you haven’t even brushed your hair yet? Yeah, me neither…never mind.

Have you ever been bored out of your gourd and thought adding some booze to Rice Krispy treats might do the trick? NO?! Well, you should!

Toasted Coconut Rum Raisin Rice Krispie Treats

Last weekend the kids and I were sitting around staring at each other and then I thought I’d better do something quick before Hiro starts asking me to play cars. The way I normally avoid playing endless hours of a game whose rules I don’t understand and whose end never appears is to offer to let them help me bake something in the kitchen. Unfortunately I was not in the mental state to handle the enormous mess that typically ensues from a flour-filled situation so I turned to my trusty box of Rice Krispies and my bag of mini marshmallows.

Making Rice Krispie Treats

While the kids made an enormous mess with Rice Krispies and sprinkles (there went that plan) I made my own version with toasted coconut, a few hefty glugs of rum and some raisins to add chew to the crispy, crackly sweet that is Rice Krispie treats. Oh geez you should try these guys. So good. I’ve made them a few more times than I care to admit, basically til the bottle of rum was gone. I had to turn to Hennessy (also good).

Making Rice Krispie Treats2

I’m pretty sure these would disappear if taken to a Super Bowl party next weekend or if left on your kitchen counter for more than a day.

Rum Raisin Rice Krispie Treats

Other Super Bowl party options:

Kate Ramos

Toasted Coconut Rum Raisin Rice Krispie Treats {Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free}

I've also made these with.....ahem....Hennessy, and they were goooooooood.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 12 bars
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum
  • 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
  • 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1 10.5 ounce bag mini marshmallows

Method
 

  1. Combine raisins and rum and let steep for 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 375°F and spread the coconut into a single layer in a heat-proof frying pan. Toast coconut, checking and stirring frequently, until toasted and golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add cereal.
  3. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.
  4. Melt coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add marshmallows, raisins, and rum and stir until marshmallows have melted completely. Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal and coconut and mix until thoroughly coated.
  5. Transfer mixture to the greased dish and press down with a rubber spatula. Let cool, then slice and serve.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Classic Tamale Pie with Sweet Potato-Cornbread Crust

by 2 Comments

Winter is the effing worst.

If I have to spend another second putting on boots and stocking caps, and fitting tiny thumbs into even smaller mitten holes to only take it all off five minutes later and then five minutes after that put it all back on again I might experience my very own polar vortex.

I would like to now complain about the weather but it has been unseasonably warm so I don’t have much room to gripe about that. Suffice it to say, I cannot have the windows open or go outside without outerwear so if Mother Nature is trying to make up for those two weeks of negative bazillion-degree-temperatures we had not to long ago, you are not forgiven. I’ll be the first to admit I like a nice fluffy snow shower now and again but it is January which means for those of us who live along the Canadian border, there is still at least 4 more months of snow showering to go and I’m over it.

Classic Tamale Pie

Alas, I’m not all doom and gloom because there is one upside to winter and that’s cozy, comforting, everything-thrown-into-a-dish-and-baked-to-within-an-inch-of-it’s-life food. It’s called a casserole people or sometimes a hot dish or haute dish (if you fancy) and it’s what keeps me from losing my shit during the seven—count ’em—seven months of winter.

Classic Tamale Pie with Sweet Potato

Tamale Pie is one such dish. It has nothing to do with tamales or pie but plays a significant role in my winter sanity (along with red wine, hot baths, and bedtime, not necessarily in that order) because some nights you need to feel like you ate actual food for dinner.

Here’s some other stick-to-your-ribs food:

 

Tamale Pie
Kate Ramos

Classic Tamale Pie with Sweet Potato-Cornbread Crust {Dairy-Free}

Tamale Pie has nothing to do with tamales or pie but instead a wonderful Tex-Mex casserole of savory meat covered in a sweet potato-cornbread crust.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium sweet potato
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
  • 2 jalapeños seeded and chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika or just plain paprika
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 large tomatoes chopped
  • 3/4 cup soy milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
  2. Place sweet potato on a foil-lined, oven-safe frying pan and poke it several times all over with a fork. Roast in the oven until very soft, about an hour. Let cool. Leave oven on.
  3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, both bell peppers, and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add garlic and cook a minute more.
  4. Add ground beef and brown, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon. Add paprika, 2 teaspoons of salt, cumin, coriander, and oregano. Let spices toast as the meat finishes browning. Add tomatoes and cook a few minutes more, just until they start to break up. Transfer meat mixture to a 14-inch cast iron skillet or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
  5. Once sweet potato is cool, remove the skin and place in a medium bowl. Mash the sweet potato then stir in the soy milk, vinegar, oil, and egg and beat until smooth.
  6. In a separate large bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until well combined.
  7. Spread the batter over the meat mixture and bake until crust is cooked through and golden, about 20-25 minutes.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Mole Verde Meatball Sandwiches

by Leave a Comment

The air around here has been crisp. Whoa, I’d say….crisp with a little snow flurry mixed in. To which I respond by throwing myself to the ground crying in a toddler-like hissy fit. I am not ready. I have yet to stuff enough cotton in my ears so I may ignore my children’s whining when I tell them they can’t watch another show nor can they go outside to play or have a piece of candy. Winter makes me slightly more homicidal.

I’ve been watching this little bird out my window all morning getting battered by the wind. She keeps looking at me like, WTF lady! Let me in there! And I feel bad, I do. Maybe I should let her in. What’s worse, a crazed bird flying around the house or two children screaming at the tops of their lungs “THAT’S MINE!” then “OW” then inevitably “MAMA….HIRO HIT ME!!!!”

Right about then is when I wish I could tuck myself inside of a hoagie bun, pull up a little mole blanket and fall asleep. Wouldn’t it be so nice and soft in there? Snuggly and warm is how I imagine it. But instead let’s make it edible, shall we? Or as Hiro likes to say…”Should I?” As in Mama let me climb to the top step then jump into your arms while you’re carrying a fully-loaded laundry basket…..”Should I?”

The sauce for this meaty, melty, fluffy/crispy sub combo seems complicated at the outset but is really my secret guerita ingredient—Doña Maria Mole Verde Paste. I’ve used it to make pozole as well as a super easy, super good marinade for grilled pork chops and is basically a lifesaver if you want that rich mole flavor without the day-and-a-half prep time.

The meatballs are just the right balance between chewy and tender, with enough breadcrumb to give them right resistance without being leaden. I used ground pork because pork and mole are meant for each other but I’ve also tried these with ground turkey and chicken and they were yummy too.

This sandwich might be good enough to make you pleased that there is a chill to the air. It is warm, and toasty, and saucy, and all the things you crave when you come in from the cold.

Mole Verde Meatball Sandwiches are cozy, comfort food of tender pork meatballs simmered in mole verde and tucked inside a fluffy hoagie roll.
Kate Ramos

Mole Verde Meatball Sandwiches

Mole Verde Meatball Sandwiches are cozy, comfort food of tender pork meatballs simmered in mole verde and tucked inside a fluffy hoagie roll.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 4 -6 Servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 large onion minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 jalapeño minced, plus one more sliced, for garnish
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup mole verde paste green mole paste
  • 6 Hoagie rolls
  • 1/2 cup queso fresco

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 400°F. Combine ground pork, onion, garlic, minced jalapeño, egg, salt, panko, paprika, and cloves in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands until everything is incorporated.
  2. Form into golf-ball-sized meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Roast until browned and firm, about 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth and mole paste in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the paste dissolves. Add roasted meatballs and simmer, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes.
  4. Heat broiler to high. Cut rolls in half and spoon meatballs (about 4-5 per roll) with a little bit of sauce into the rolls. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is golden and melted, about 1-2 minutes. Top with sliced jalapeños and serve.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Super Easy Cheater’s Pozole

by 6 Comments

 If you’re not familiar, Posole or Pozole is a thick meaty Mexican hominy stew. It is traditionally eaten around the holidays but when made with a few simple store bought ingredients makes a filling, easy weeknight meal.

There is a rainbow of Pozole that exist in the world of Mexican cuisine. Most people are familiar with the brick red Pozole from Jalisco. It is said that the rich soup fueled the Jaliscan vaqueros who rode Jaripeo a particularly lengthy rodeo stunt where the bull rider rides the bull literally to death (not anymore of course, now they just ride the animal until it stops bucking….whaaaaa?!!!)  

 

My Mother-in-Law who is from the northern state of Chihuahua makes green Pozole flavored with tomatillos and green chiles which of course is my husband’s favorite and the one I make the most. But it’s not uncommon to even find a purple version, made with deep violet, almost black, dried corn.

Whatever color you choose, a blender is usually involved to purée the chiles and because occasionally I feel too lazy to clean a blender I cheat and use a jar of prepared mole paste. It’s not exactly authentic, but then again, neither am I.

 
 
Kate Ramos

Cheater’s Posole

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 boneless pork chops cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion medium dice
  • 2 jalapeños cored, seeded and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1/3 cup green mole paste try to leave as much oil as possible in the jar
  • 4 cups stock broth or water
  • 1 29-ounce can white hominy, drained and rinsed
For Serving:
  • dried oregano
  • lime wedges
  • cilantro leaves
  • warm corn tortillas
  • avocado slices
  • thinly sliced scallions

Method
 

  1. Season pork on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  2. Reduce heat to medium and add onions and jalapeños to the pot. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  3. Add mole paste and mash with the back of a wooden spoon until it has softened and blended in with the vegetables. Return the pork and any juices to the pot and add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until pork is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Add hominy and cook 5 minutes more.Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
  4. A plethora of garnishes can be served with this soup. I've listed my favorites above, but you can also top with crispy, fried tortilla strips, thinly sliced cabbage or thinly sliced radishes.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Pumpkin Chipotle Cornbread (Or Muffins)

by 3 Comments

 Okay, the count down is on people, T minus 8 days and counting. I’m not going to waste your time blabbing on about my kids or the seasons or any of that other stuff I always talk about. Instead I’m going to fill your brains with some insanely delicious food ideas for Thanksgiving and all the other holiday celebrations yet to come.

We are going to start off where no one in their right mind would…..in the bread and roll category.

I’ve been making these pumpkin cornbread muffins for a couple years now and they are so apropos of the occasion that I just had to share them with you.

They are a dense, crumbly affair which makes them perfect for sopping up gravy or making them into stuffing.

The second most important part of the meal is dessert…..doy.

I’ll be making the classics, a Pumpkin Pie for me and an Apple Pie for everyone else.

If ambition strikes I’ve narrowed it down to a couple other options either Cranberry-Lime Cookies or Pumpkin Cinnamon-Chip Cookies, but more than likely I’ll make some Canela Ice Cream and call it a day.

 The Professor suggested we have lobster for Thanksgiving. After I wiped up the coffee I spit all over myself I offered to make a big steaming platter of mussels as an appetizer which might be a nice change of pace but you could just as easily do a big bowl of Tomato-Avocado Salsa and chips or Hummus and veggies which everyone loves and could be made a few days in advance.
 Then comes the big spread. I always make the same Bay-Brined Roast Turkey. It is so good and never, ever fails. I wish we were having tamales but we’re not. I’m waiting for the kids to get a little older so they can help me, there are some things I don’t like doing alone. I tried to get my sister-in-law to overnight me some but I’m not holding my breath. Instead of tamales we will have the fluffiest buttermilk mashed potatoes, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Ginger and Scallions, Brown Rice with Scallions and Cranberries, Garlicky Broccolini, Chard and Persimmon Salad with Molasses Vinaigrette, and Cranberry Walnut Jell-O Salad just ’cause.
 

I’m still debating on the day’s cocktail. What is everyone drinking? I’d love to hear.

I’m bouncing back and forth between bourbon and champagne or maybe hard cider…I don’t know, but whatever fills your cup I hope it is tasty and you will be clinking it with someone you love.

wp-tasty/tasty-recipe {“id”:14276
Kate Ramos

Pumpkin Chipotle Cornbread (or muffins)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breads
Cuisine: American
Calories: 156
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick melted butter, plus more for brushing
  • 3-4 chipotles in adobo chopped (use more if you’d like it spicier)
  • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • Butter and honey for serving

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 400°F and grease a 8×8 square baking pan or line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with baking spray.
  2. Whisk together 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
  3. Beat the 2 eggs in a separate large bowl then whisk in the 1 cup pumpkin purée, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 chopped chipotles, and 1 cup buttermilk.
  4. Scrape the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula and mix together until combined. The batter will be thick.
  5. Spoon into the baking dish or evenly distribute the batter between the muffin cups and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set on a wire rack and brush top with melted butter. Let cool at least 15 minutes, then slice and serve warm with butter and honey.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 156kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 152mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6g

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Soy and Citrus Roast Chicken

by 2 Comments

Did I just turn you off at the word roast? I certainly hope not, I don’t like to be a turn off.

I know, I know. It’s summer. It’s hot. No one wants to turn their ovens on. I hear you.

Here’s another thing that happens in the summer. You spend all day outside, swimming, splashing, building sandcastles and by the time you get home you are starving, covered in sand, and wish you’d invested in that personal chef service you’ve always dreamed about.

Soy and Citrus Roast Chicken

That’s when this simple, simple roast chicken recipes rushes in to save the day. No lighting up the grill and waiting for the charcoal to heat up, then cool down (although if you have a gas grill it would probably be a hell of a good idea) just flip the oven on, whip the marinade together and drop the chicken in.

Kate Ramos

Soy and Citrus Roast Chicken

The raw chicken can be frozen in the marinade for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before cooking. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Marinating Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: chicken
Cuisine: American
Calories: 163
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 3 tablespoons orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 8-10 chicken pieces you can use 1 whole chicken cut into 10 pieces, or 8-10 breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or a combination

Method
 

  1. Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a large shallow container. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
  2. When ready to cook, heat oven to 400°F and remove chicken from refrigerator to come to room temperature while oven is heating.
  3. Remove chicken from marinade and let excess drip off. Place pieces well apart on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast in the lower third of the oven for 40-45 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 163kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 11gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 255mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5g

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Easy Asian Pork Tenderloin Recipe

by Leave a Comment

We ate our first al fresco dinner of the summer last week. Armando found the legs to an old picnic table in someone’s street side junk heap and was inspired to make us a table of our own. He’s good like that—spotting what otherwise looks like rusted old garbage and seeing a retro picnic table.

Easy Asian Pork Tenderloin

If times ever got tough we could easily set up a shop on Fab.com and sell all of the furniture and odds and ends he’s made for us over the years and be rich beyond our wildest dreams. Remind me again why we aren’t doing that?

Early on in our relationship he used to bring all this stuff home that he would find discarded on the street, having big plans to fix it up and it all looked like trash to me.

So I would throw it away.

That might have caused a fight or two…..I don’t remember.

Despite what he might tell you, I’ve learned to have patience with his vision and ask before I “donate” the plastic baby car with the broken canopy. He will most likely turn it into this ultra design-centric rocker for the kids that would cost us $200 at some high-end toy store.

He is a firm believer in fixing what you have and not discarding something simply because it’s broken. It’s a good trait to find in a husband.

To christen the new picnic table I made this super easy roasted pork tenderloin. This is the kind of thing you keep the marinade ingredients on hand so you can make it at the drop of a hat. This sweet-salty marinade was made for pork, you can use it on any cut you want, but pork tenderloin cooks so fast and stays nice and rosy in the middle.

Easy Asian Pork Tenderloin

Make it the centerpiece for your Father’s Day meal, you could even grill it if you want to be really fancy. Serve it up with some roasted cauliflower, steamed rice, and a nice strong cocktail and you’ll have one happy Papa.

Kate Ramos

Easy Asian Pork Tenderloin

An easy and healthy dinner. Serve wtih steamed rice and roasted cauliflower.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 4 servings
Course: pork recipes
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 304
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic minced

Method
 

  1. Season pork tenderloin lightly on all sides with salt and pepper and place in a large resealable plastic bag.
  2. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to dissolve honey and brown sugar. Pour over pork in the bag and move the pork around to coat with marinade. Seal tightly and place on a plate in the refrigerator for at least an hour but you can also do this the night before.
  3. Heat oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the top of the oven. Cover a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top of the foil. Pour enough water in the baking sheet to cover the bottom and place pork on the rack, reserve marinade.
  4. Roast in the top of the oven for 40 minutes, turning and brushing with the marinade every 10 minutes or so. Pork is done when the internal temperature reaches 160°F and is browned and glossy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 45gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 720mgSugar: 6g

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Greek Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

by 1 Comment

I have a folder full of recipes. It is a folder of the sort you might see a twelve-year-old boy carrying around with a picture of some soccer star making a goooooaaaaaaaallllll in front of a stadium full of cheering fans.

I bought it at the drug store downtown when the stack of papers containing my scribbled recipes was threatening to take over our home office. And when I say home office I mean the desk in our living room.

Greek Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

On the front of the folder I have written the word BLOG in big bold red Sharpie letters just in case I leave it somewhere and a jealous twelve year old stuffs it into his backpack. When his mom rifles through his backpack to check for forgotten bananas and lost mittens she will see my folder full of recipes with BLOG written on the front and contact me immediately…. or throw the whole thing in the garbage.

Anyway, this is where I keep all the recipes that really rocked that I want to share with you on this blog. Problem is, I frequently forget about this folder with all its rockin’ recipes and just make a bunch of new stuff, but occasionally I run out of ideas and I remember my folder and revisit all the wonderful gems I have made in the past. Gooooooaaaaalllllllll indeed.

Greek Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

One of these treasures is this fantastic recipe for Greek-inspired meatballs in tomato sauce. It sounds very Italian but the fresh mint, cinnamon, marjoram, and nutmeg will have you thinking otherwise.The meatballs are shaped into svelte little ovals, breaded, and fried which make them a little bit crispy and more indulgent than your typical oven-roasted meatballs.

You can use ground lamb to really drive the Greek-point home or ground beef or a combination of both would also be delicious. There is a good amount of bread and eggs involved in this recipe so they are of the soft, fluffy variety, which is what I prefer in a meatball. Sausage and meatballs are not the same thing, but that’s just me.

Greek Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce



Kate Ramos

Greek Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Adapted from Saveur Magazine
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil plus more for frying
  • 2 tablespoons dried marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 medium red onion grated
  • 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 cup milk any kind will do, I used rice milk
  • 1 1/2 cups stale bread cubes
  • 1 pound ground lamb or beef or a combination of the two
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and pureed
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish

Method
 

  1. Combine mint, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon marjoram, salt, pepper, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, cayenne pepper, onion, egg, and egg yolk in a medium bowl.
  2. Combine milk and bread cubes in a separate small bowl and let sit 5 minutes to soften, pushing bread down into milk occasionally. Drain off milk, squeeze excess milk out of bread, and add bread to onion mixture along with meat. Combine thoroughly with hands breaking up any big chunks of bread. Form mixture into 20 even pieces and roll into ovals. Dredge each meatball in flour.
  3. Pour enough olive oil into a 12-inch frying pan to reach 1/2-inch up the sides. Heat oil over medium heat until shimmering, then add meatballs in 3 batches, cooking each batch until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer each batch of meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining meatballs. Discard oil and wipe out frying pan.
  4. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in frying pan over medium heat and add garlic. Let cook about 30 seconds then add tomato paste and bay leaves. Cook, stirring constantly a minute more, then add remaining marjoram, cinnamon, nutmeg, tomato purée, and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook about 15-20 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice then add meatballs and cook until heated through, about 10 more minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve with rice pilaf, farro, or roasted potatoes.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Free Email Bonus

Authentic + Easy Mexican Recipes Ebook

Must Try Recipes

Check Out My Sister Site

Kate's Best Recipes Logo

Copyright ¡Hola! Jalapeño © 2021-2025
Design by Grace + Vine Studios