I love having a big breakfast on weekend mornings. When I was a kid my dad used to make pancakes, waffles, or omelets. It was a nice treat and felt like the ceremonial start to the weekend. Ryan and I try to do the same thing here and we sometimes make poached eggs, French toast and we were even on a short lived kick of making pancakes. And then I decided I wanted something different. I wanted something savory. I wanted something that would be ready all at once, instead of pancakes that are ready one by one. And then after a craving for Mexican food, I decided we should have a Tex-Mex breakfast casserole. 

Now, you might be thinking Tex-Mex for breakfast?! But I promise you, it’s a good idea. I mean, hello huevos rancheros are delicious.  And if I’m being really honest, I was inspired by the fast food restaurant Qdoba. Years ago when I worked at Ford’s Theatre I sometimes had to work on the weekends, and sometimes on those weekends I treated myself to a breakfast burrito from Qdoba. Not the healthiest way to start your day, but it was certainly delicious. Those burritos could have all kinds of things like beans, potatoes, cheese, cheese sauce…swoon. It was a really yummy and really hearty way to start the day. So I thought to myself, can I put all of that together in one casserole, that’s easy to make, and will give us a lot of servings?

I set to work, and the answer is yes, it’s totally possible and very tasty. What’s great about this casserole too is that it’s a protein power house filled with sausage, beans, and eggs. Eat a slice of this and you will be full and satisfied until well passed lunch. I actually took it to lunch a few times and I think it helped me blast through the mid-afternoon funk. You know that I mean, it’s 3pm and you’re snacky and want something sweet and/or caffeinated? We’ve all been there. But this, this is so filling and stating, you won’t need that unhealthy snack.

Anyway, this casserole is also great for serving to a big group for brunch. First, it’s good for a group because you’re making a big tray and everyone can be served together. But second, and possibly most important, you can make a lot of this ahead of time. All you have to do is make the filling the night before and set it in your baking pan. Then that morning, make the seasoned egg mixture, pour it over the filling, do some last bits of assembly, and then bake. How great is that?! Your friends will come over, you’ll be calm and organized,  like “oh yeah, I’m a hosting goddess I have it all together.” Because by making it ahead there won’t be a pile of dishes, or any stress, or any mess.

I used a recipe from Macheesmo as the base and then jacked it up with a lot of other ingredients and stuff.  However, Macheesmo had the idea for cutting up tortillas and letting them crisp on top. This idea is perfection and I wish I had made more. Ryan and I kept stealing pieces from other slices because the texture was so good and perfect for scooping up fallen pieces.  If you have extra tortillas cut them up and bake them along with the casserole. You will not regret it.

Messy level: Mildly messy. You will need one skillet to pre-cook some of the filling, you’ll need a bowl to beat the eggs, and you’ll need the pan to bake everything in. And of course there’s some amount of chopping and measuring to be done. So, there will be a fair amount of dishes but there will also be a ton of delicious food at the end so… win/win I think.

Tex-Mex Breakfast Casserole

 

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Prep time

40 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 big red skinned potato (or 2-3 smaller ones), peeled and cut into bite sized cubes
• 1 pound package of chorizo or your favorite breakfast sausage
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 400g/14oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 large corn tortillas (use more or less to fit your taste and flour tortillas work too)
• 6 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion starts to soften.
3. Add the potatoes to the onion. Cook until the potatoes are browned on each side and softer on the exterior, 5-10 minutes. Don't worry though, you're not cooking them all the way through at this step.
4. Put the onions and potatoes into a large bowl and set aside.
5. Wipe out the skillet and put it back on the stove.
6. Remove the sausage meat from the casings. Add the meat to the skillet. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until the sausage is cooked through. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat as you go. This should take 5-10 minutes.
7. Once the sausage is cooked, pat it with a paper towel to remove excess oil. Transfer the cooked sausage to the bowl with the potatoes and onions. If you have it, use a slotted spoon to make the transfer so you aren't getting so much grease in the bowl.
8. Add the red and green bell peppers, jalapeno, and black beans to the bowl with the potato and sausage. Stir until everything is all mixed up together.
9. Cut up your tortillas into thumb sized strips. Sprinkle about half of them on the bottom of a 9x13" pan.
10. Pour the sausage-potato filling on top of the tortillas. Use your hands or a spoon to spread the filling out and make sure it's evenly coating the pan.
11. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic, and cumin. Add salt and pepper if your desire.
12. Pour the egg mixture over the filling. Feel free to tilt your pan back and forth a bit to make sure everything is evenly covered by the egg mixture.
13. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top of the egg mixture.
14. Sprinkle the remainder of the tortilla slices over the top of the cheese.
15. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The eggs should be just set and the tortialls will be crispy.

3.3.3077

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I realized when I wrote about Old Bay Crackers that I had never posted about crab dip. How could that be?! I am constantly writing about crabs and Old Bay, therefore this is a giant oversight. Although, if I’m honest this recipe is basically the inside of crab grilled cheese only with less cheddar and more cream cheese. Still delicious, obviously.

Crab dip is seriously easy to make, but because it’s crab it has a special fancy feeling. Sure, crab is a bit expensive but all the other ingredients are cheap so making this shouldn’t break the bank. I love making crab dip for parties because it’s the kind of thing people are excited to nibble on. It’s also great if there are leftovers because then I get to take it to work for lunch. And let’s be honest, isn’t it a great feeling when you get excited at work because of what is in your lunch?!

Making crab dip is seriously the easiest thing. You mix all the ingredients together in a bowl then bake it in a small-ish dish and that’s it. That’s it! Just a little stirring and time and you will have bubbling, warm, cheesy, crab dip. It’s so easy, and so tasty, you really could make this any time and not just for a party. And it’s just so… snackable. I had it on the counter with cut up bread next to it and every time Ryan or I passed by we’d just scoop up a little bit.

But, will you allow me to nitpick for a moment? I really wish that I had orange cheddar cheese. That might sound crazy, but hear me out. Orange cheddar cheese is the cheese of my youth and the color feels familiar. Here in London, cheddar cheese is absolutely delicious and perfect, but it’s white. Flavorwise it’s often the same, but I think the orange cheese gives an aesthetically pleasing color contrast.

Want to know why cheddar is orange? Grass fed cows can get beta-carotene through the grass that they eat. That can make their milk look a little yellow or orange, and that color gets transferred to the cheese. People began to realize that yellow/orange cheddar tasted better (and could fetch a higher price) so some cheese makers started dying their cheese with various food colorings to trick people. Today American cheddar is still being dyed orange and somehow it’s gotten carried too far because it’s way too orange. If you’re curious, you can read more about this here and here.

Regardless of your cheese color, this is guaranteed to be a hit. Serve with crackers or slices of a baguette.

Messy level: So clean. For prep you’ll need a knife, cutting board, bowl, and spoon – and all of that can be put in the dishwasher. Bake the dip in a dish you’re happy to serve from and that’s one less dish to use. Really, this dip is hassle and mess free.

Crab Dip

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Serves: fills an 8x8 pan

Ingredients

• 8 oz crab meat
• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese (plus a little more to sprinkle on top)
• 8 oz cream cheese (I recommend chive cream cheese)
• 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Old Bay (plus a little more to sprinkle on top)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C
2. Put all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until everything is well coated.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings are fits your preferences.
4. Pour everything into a 8x8 inch dish and spread it out so the dip is about 1 inch thick. Alternatively you could use a smaller or larger dish depending on what you have. If you use something smaller add a little more cooking time. If you use something larger decrease your cooking time.
5. Sprinkle a little extra cheese and Old Bay on the top.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. It should be bubbling with a slightly darker crust on the top.
7. Let cool for a few minutes so you don't burn your tongue!
8. Serve with crackers, bread, or a spoon!

3.3.3077

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When I think about risotto, two things come to mind. I think about the episode of Seinfeld where George’s girlfriend eats the risotto, is satisfied, and George is weird and jealous. It’s awkward, hilarious, full of innuendo, and classic Seinfeld. If you haven’t seen it, watch the clip in the link. The second thing I think about when it comes to risotto is Top Chef. Every time someone on Top Chef makes risotto everyone talks about what a risk it is, how ridiculous that chef is for trying, then it comes out terribly, and the chef gets blasted by the judges. So with all those associations together, I was intimidated about making risotto.

A few years ago I got over my fears and I made risotto for the first time. The recipe used a kobocha squash (which is also kind of daunting), and it was just gloriously delicious. It was amazing and I was in adoration of risotto. And that’s when I realized, “oh it’s not that hard and it’s fantastic.” The thing about risotto is that it takes some time and lots of attention. When you usually make rice you simply get it started, set a timer, and walk away. Risotto on the other hand needs you next to it the entire time. In short, risotto is a needy baby.

However, even though risotto needs you, you shouldn’t be overwhelmed. Risotto needs you to stir regularly for about 20 minutes. We can all do that! Also, this is the reason I think the people on Top Chef fail. They’re too busy running around, sweating, and cursing to stir the risotto. But you? You can do it! I think you could even turn on the TV and watch that 20 minute episode of Seinfeld as you stood by your stove and prepared your filling risotto.

I also want to tell you two other good things about risotto and one annoying thing. First, the good. Risotto is a lovely way to pack a variety of veggies and meat into a one pot dish. One pot dishes that incorporate a variety of food groups are my holy grail for dinner time.  When I saw this recipe for bacon and vegetable risotto in the magazine Great British Food, I was instantly hooked. I want to eat more vegetables, Ryan would prefer a little meat with dinner, and a dish like this can satisfy both of us.  It’s also really easy to change what goes into your risotto. You could add shrimp instead of bacon, asparagus instead of the soy beans. Once you know the basic method for cooking the rice, then it isn’t too hard to experiment with what goes in the rice.

The other thing I love about risotto is that it is so creamy. A hunk of butter and a bunch of cheese gets thrown in at the very end and turns something that looks like a nicely cooked stir fry into a rice and hearty wave of flavor. It’s that sticky, creamy texture that makes risotto special. However, it’s that very thing that can make risotto go wrong. Overcooking it can turn everything into glue, and that’s sticky in a bad way. So, stay near your risotto, check it occasionally as you think it’s about to finish, and serve it immediately. Once it cools all the way it will thicken up and won’t be very nice.

You might be confused about some of the ingredient conversions. Since this recipe came from a UK magazine, the ingredient amounts are listed in grams. I have tried to make the conversions as best as a I could, but for the bacon, soy beans, and peas that amounts don’t have to be perfect. They don’t have to be perfect because they are the add-ins and as long as you don’t add way too much or way too little the whole dish will still cook evenly. And finally, this recipe makes a ton of food. Seriously, it serves 6-8 people. Cut the recipe in half if there are fewer people. Better yet, invite some friends over and share this goodness with friends.

Adapted from Great British Food magazine, May 2015.

Bacon and Vegetable Risotto

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 200g/ about 1 cup bacon lardons
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 400g/ 1⅔ cup arborio rice
• 1.5 liters/6.5 cups vegetable stock (you might not use all of it)
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 200g/about 1 cup frozen soy beans
• 200g/about 1.5 cups frozen peas
• 50g/1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• hunk of butter, about 2 tablespoons
• pepper

Instructions

1. In a large pot heat the vegetable stock until it is lightly simmering. Let it keep simmering throughout the cooking process.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan. Seriously, use your pan with the largest diameter.
3. Once the oil is hot, add the bacon and cook until lightly brown.
4. Add the onions to the oil and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the garlic and arborio rice and cook for 1 minute to toast.
6. Pour in about half the stock (enough to cover the rice) and cook for 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed so the whole thing is bubbling happily but not ferociously boiling.
7. Add the soy beans and stir.
8. Add a ladle full of stock and stir. Repeat. This is where you need to be nearby. Basically, you're adding a ladle full of stock, stir, and then add more stock once the first stock is mostly absorbed. Keep adding stock until the rice is cooked. It's ready when the rice is tender and you have a saucy consistency. Your goal is to have this whole cooking process done in about 20 minutes (might be less, might be more that's ok).
9. When the rice is cooked, add the peas and cook for 1 minute more.
10. Remove from the heat.
11. Stir in the butter and Parmesan.
12. Season with some pepper and serve immediately.

3.3.3077

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I think I’ve developed a minor obsession with basil. In the past month I’ve made blueberry basil lemonade and basil Thai chicken – and now pesto. I know that you can buy pesto from the store, but this isn’t a blog about things you can buy – it’s a blog about cooking. And pesto is so easy to make! Most importantly, as with anything you cook, you can make it appeal to your personal tastes.

One of the reason I like pesto is because pasta is my favorite food to eat and pesto is a nice alternative from regular tomato sauce.  It’s also green so you know you’re sneaking in a bit of vegetables into a bowl full of high-carb spaghetti. I also love pesto because it’s got such a strong sharp flavor.

Yes, I admit pesto leads to bad bread central with all that uncooked garlic but I don’t care. Eat pesto with someone you love who won’t judge you for garlic breath. And on that note, eat pesto with someone who will tell you if you have green bits in your teeth. Nothing worse than walking around with food in your teeth. I think a person who eats pesto with you is probably a true friend since they’ll deal with the stink and make sure your teeth are clear.

But, recently I’m liking pesto on sandwiches. When I worked in DC I would sometimes go to Springmill Bread Company in Eastern Market and I would get a tomato, mozzarella and pesto sandwich toasted on whole wheat bread. It was simultaneously simple and decadent.  Lots of melty cheese, bright tomatoes, and bold pesto – it’s like a caprese salad in a sandwich. What’s better than that? So it’s summer time practically, basil is in season – go crazy and make some pesto. Slather it on pasta, spread it on sandwiches, and find new ways to use it then email me so I can try them. We know I’m obsessed with basil and I’m always looking for new ways to try it out.

Now, even though pesto is so easy to make, I don’t always like to make it because pine nuts can be quite expensive! However, if you don’t want to use pine nuts in your pesto I’ve had success using almonds instead. Sure, it tastes a little bit different and might be less “authentic”- but if you like almonds it’s a pleasant change and you’re still getting the same garlic, cheese, and basil flavors. Main lesson here, you can make pesto without breaking the bank!

Adapted from BBC Good Food

Messy level: One spoon. All you need is a blender. You don’t even really need to cut anything (although you do need to peel the garlic). And if you don’t want to you don’t even have to measure. You can just pour the ingredients into the blender, blend, taste and adjust. Job done and so easy and dish free.

Pesto

 

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Ingredients

• ⅓ cup pine nuts
• 2 - 2½ cups basil leaves
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled
• ¾ cup of olive oil
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. This step is optional, but adds a nice flavor: In a dry skillet over medium heat add the pine nuts to toast. Stir regularly to keep from burning. Toast the pine nuts until brown in a few places, this takes about 3 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and add the pine nuts to a blender.
3. Add the basil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and olive oil to the blender.
4. Blend on high until smooth.
5. Eat it with whatever you prefer. Store it in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. If it gets too thick just stir in a little more olive oil.

3.3.3070

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You know when you go grocery shopping it’s a good idea to go full, so that you don’t buy everything? Well when you go to Borough Market, you should go hungry. Last Friday I had lunch with Ryan at Ippudo, which is my favorite restaurant. Afterwards Ryan went back to work and I went to Borough Market. Only, I was stuffed full of delicious ramen, which was awesome, but meant I wasn’t so tempted by the market. And the market has so many delicious things to eat. 

Every time I go to Borough Market, I walk down a staircase with the Southwark Cathedral on my right and on my left are all the sounds and smells of food vendors making delicious meals. There are giant paellas, sausage rolls, and savory pies. I once had the most delicious sweet potato and goat cheese pie from the market. Anyway, after pushing through the crowds and further into the market, there are even more mouth watering goodies to take home with you.

Borough Market is a semi-enclosed market that is 1000 years old! Fruit and vegetables are the cornerstone of the market. Lots and lots of vendors have displays bursting with mountains of gorgeous colors. Look at that lettuce above! It’s all crinkly and green – it actually makes me excited to eat a salad. And the apples above are glowing from the sunshine. How could you walk away without at least one healthy piece of food? I bought myself some lemons and freshly pressed apple juice.

But it’s not just about the produce, there are amazing cakes and cookies, breads, meats and cheeses. I always want everything. Once, Ryan and I went at the end of the day on a Saturday. The vendors were giving discounts because it was the end of the week and as a result we bought thick beef burgers, artisanal cheese, and fresh bread – all to make some juicy burgers when we got home.

Although I don’t really eat pork, I was taken with the pig’s foot (above center) where the vendor would slice off fresh prosciutto straight from the bone. That seems like quality service. I also liked seeing the scallops in the shells. So often in the grocery store we’re shielded from where our food comes from and what it actually looks like. I enjoy the market because it shows food’s freshness and reminds me that food comes from the land or an animal.

I took a small break from browsing the food to check out the cooking demonstration. The person was making a savory pie with lots of layers of thin flaky pastry. Alongside him was a sign language interpreter – which I thought was so cool. I’ve seen sign language interpretation a lot throughout the UK and I’m impressed with how accessible things can be. I also stumbled along a bit blackboard wall where people wrote down names, jokes and something they wanted to do before they die.

Beyond the food, the space itself is a fun place to take in. There are so many people and I heard half a dozen different languages as I walked around. Since it was sunny the nearby pubs were filled with people and the sidewalks had people sitting on the curb and eating. I thought, I think I deserve a mini picnic on this sunny day off. So, I went and bought myself a Pimm’s cup No. 1 (a gin cocktail with some juice and fruits and veg in it – and it’s apparently iconic of English summer). The vendor asked me if I was older than 18, which was nice and made me laugh. When I told him I was old enough to drink, he gave me my cocktail and I ran off to sit on a bench and soak up the sun. Hard life, right?

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I’m planning a trip to go to Dorset next weekend with my friend Sarah. Dorset his her hometown and I’m really excited to get out of London, see a new area, and learn about where she grew up. But, thinking about her hometown made me a nostalgic for my hometown. I grew up in Maryland, just outside of Baltimore. I haven’t lived in Maryland since 2008, but I still feel a strong pull to my home state.

Maryland might be a small state, but it’s got a lot going on. Maryland has lots of waterside vacation spots from the Chesapeake Bay, Deep Creek Lake, and Ocean City. Sure, Ocean City isn’t the fanciest or classiest beach, but it’s a beach and that’s awesome. Maryland is the home of the Star Spangled Banner, major sports teams, the Wire, and Hairspray. Yeah, the Wire makes Baltimore seem a  little scary, but that show was amazing.  If you haven’t seen it go out and watch it immediately. Maryland has busy cities like Baltimore and picturesque ones like Annapolis. And finally, Maryland has a sweet flag, an awesome accent, one-eyed Natty Boh, and most importantly for me delicious food. See, I told you Maryland has a lot going on.

But most famously, Maryland is known for crabs. Steamed crabs, crab cakes, crab bisque, and crab dip…yum. All of it delicious. And then I got the idea for crab grilled cheese – which might possibly my perfect dream food. This sandwich has lots of cheese, Old Bay, crabs, and buttery bread. I’ve never put anything in grilled cheese besides cheese before – and now I’m not sure I can go back to plain grilled cheese.

This item is the kind of thing that I’d find on a menu of a fancy-ish, trendy-ish, dinner. It would cost like $12, and I’d think, “that’s a lot for a sandwich at a dinner,” but then I’d do it because I had to know. Then I’d order it, and maybe it wouldn’t be as cheesy, gooey, or as full of crab as I wanted. I’d scarf it down anyway, still enjoying it, and then wish I had more and feel sad.

Don’t worry, I’ve solved that hypothetical problem. Now I can make this perfect sandwich at home. When Ryan and I scarf down the first round too quickly, I can just make a second round and stack the ingredients higher. Ryan and I ate two sandwiches and afterwards he asked if there was more crab in the fridge. Yes, yes there was. So there will be more sandwiches this week. Are you jealous yet? If you’re still not sold, Ryan said this was the best thing I’ve ever made. Yes, he’s my husband and has to say nice things, but c’mon. That’s high praise.

A few notes on method. I used sour dough bread which I loved. The bread absorbs the butter and get perfectly golden and really crispy – which is delicious and good for the structural integrity of the sandwich. (Or more specifically, it won’t flop about as you hold it or bite it) However, if you have regular old sandwich bread in the house, use that – it’s what I’d use for an ordinary grilled cheese.

Second, how do you butter your grilled cheese? My friend might not remember this, and I don’t know why I do, but years ago when we lived together, I was talking with my friend Shadur about grilled cheese and she said she buttered the bread, and I said I buttered the pan. We both looked at each other shocked, both of us thinking “why on earth do you do that?” I don’t think it ever occurred to us that there was another way to butter the bread for grilled cheese. I think buttering the bread is most efficient and makes the pan less dirty. However, I still butter the pan because then I can go crazy with the butter, reapply butter easily if I need to, and because sometimes buttering bread rips it up. Do what feels right to you, it’s no biggie.

Messy level: Because of all the stuff you’re adding, this is messier than a regular grilled cheese. You’ll need a bowl to prep your sandwich insides and a skillet. There’s lot of opportunity for the sandwich to ooze out – which leads to a bigger mess – but in this case I also think it makes the food more delicious.

Crab Grilled Cheese

 

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Author: Cooking is Messy

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ½ cup crab meat
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1½ teaspoons Old Bay
• pepper, pepper to taste
• 1 heaping teaspoon mince green onions
• ¼ cup shredded Gruyere, plus more for sprinkling
• ¼ cup shredded Cheddar, plus more for sprinkling
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 4 slices sourdough bread

Instructions

1. In a small bowl (the one you use for cereal is fine), mix together the crab meat, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay, a bit of pepper, and the green onions. Mix it well, then taste, and adjust as you see fit. (Most prepared crab meat is cooked so you can taste it)
2. Mix the Gruyere and Cheddar to the crab mixture. Mix until everything is coated.
3. Now take your bread. On two slices, sprinkle a little extra Gruyere. (The cheese is your glue to hold it all together)
4. Top each of those two slices with half of the crab mixture.
5. Top the crab mixture with a little extra Cheddar.
6. Place the second piece of bread on top. Press gently to squish it all together.
7. In a large skillet on medium to medium-high heat, melt 1-1½ tablespoons of butter.
8. Once the skillet is nice and hot, add the sandwich. Cook until the bread is golden brown. This will take a few minutes, and it's ok to lift it up and check it.
9. Lift the sandwich out of the skillet and melt the rest of the butter. Flip the sandwich and put it back into the skillet with the untoasted side down (golden brown, cooked side up).
10. Cook until the cheese is melted and the second side is golden brown. Adjust the heat as you go if you feel the bread is getting dark too quickly.
11. Remove from heat, cut in half, and serve.

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One of the things I wanted to eat while in the US was nachos. You might be thinking to yourself, “Mariel, they have to have good nachos somewhere in the UK.” And they probably do, but I was burned – and burned bad. So I’ve only had nachos once in London and didn’t want to risk it again.

Here’s what happened: Ryan and I went to a pub to watch the Arsenal match. We had a few pints and started to feel hungry and we thought, “What kind of bar food do we want? Oh, nachos sounds good!” So we ordered them, not thinking about where we were. Because in the US you can have satisfying nachos pretty much anywhere.

When our plate arrived there were some chips, a smattering of cheese, and big dollops of sour cream and watery salsa. No meat, no beans, no veg, no gooey-ness. I mean, we ate it of course, but I was disappointed. Since then I’ve stuck to homemade nachos.

In Colorado, Katy (my sister-in-law) suggested we make nachos for when we watched the Broncos football game. Boden was our adorable little helper who let us dress him as a football. Isn’t he freaking cute? I made a photo of him the background on my phone and it makes me so happy! Ok but I’m digressing, let’s get back to nachos.

So the thing is, you don’t really need a recipe for nachos because there’s plenty of room for improvisation. We used bison meat which I’d never cooked before this! It’s leaner than beef and has a really delicious flavor. We didn’t add much to it in terms of seasoning, but it was so flavorful!  I know you can get bison meat all over the United States, but being at the edge of Plains and having bison meat somehow felt authentically Colorado. Maybe it’s not authentically Colorado, but that’s how it felt. Anyway, instead of bison, you can use ground beef or turkey, sliced chicken breasts, or beans. In fact, go bigger and make a combo and use both meat and beans!

You can also make nachos really homemade or somewhere in between. We bought jarred salsa but we made guacamole. However, instead of chopping up tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapenos we bought pre-made pico de gallo. You can find pico de gallo in the refrigerated section on the produce department. Or, if you want to make your own here’s a recipe from the Pioneer Woman. So find your perfect balance and make what you want or buy what you want.

The key to good nachos is layering. Katy’s secret to good nachos is two layers of cheese. First, a layer of chips, then cheese, then meat, then toppings, then cheese, then salsas. Double cheese layers add extra deliciousness and work as a glue to hold all your nachos fillings together. Genius right?

Last thing, Katy is responsible for the beautiful sour cream piping. Those clouds of sour cream are gorgeous! What’s great about nachos is you can make them your own, and so we decided to make them beautiful.(I alternated in the spoonfuls of guac and salsa) But, it needs to be said that I am so impressed with Katy’s piping as I’m terrible with a piping bag. We decided we would be a perfect team in a bakery – I prefer the baking and she prefers the decorating. Win-win baby. Anyway, presentation is important to making tasty food look even more desirable so artfully dollop on your salsas and once you serve people will be dying to dig in.

Messy level: One spoon. Nachos are so easy! For preparation we only needed one skillet and a bowl to make the guacamole. Everything else just gets layers on the main serving platter. Easy and clean – that is until you start eating.

Bison Nachos

 

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A recipe for hearty bison nachos with guacamole. You will have extra guacamole at the end!

Author: Mariel & Katy

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 pound ground bison meat (or substitute ground beef or turkey)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thick matchsticks
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into thick matchsticks
• 2-3 ripe avocados
• 1 cup pico de gallo
• 1 lime, sliced in half
• salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• 1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips (we used Scoops)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (you might not need it all)
• ½ cup salsa
• ½ cup sour cream

Instructions

1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and ground bison. When 75% of the meat is browned add in the bell pepper. I like adding it here to soften the peppers up a bit and give them some more flavor. Remove from the heat once the meat is completely browned. Set to the side.
3. Cut the avocado lengthwise around the pit. Now you'll have the avocado broken apart into two halves.
4. Using a spoon, scoop out the pit and set it aside.
5. Scoop out the avocado flesh into a medium bowl. Using a fork, mash up the avocado until it is smoother but still with some chunks.
6. Add the pico de gallo to the avocado. Mix thoroughly.
7. Add garlic powder, chili powder, and salt (to your taste) to the avocado mixture. Squeeze half the lime in too. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the other half of the lime if you like it, add more garlic and chili powder if you want more "pop." Now you've got guacamole. Add the avocado pits back in to the guacamole. This keeps it from getting immediately brown.
8. Arrange the tortilla chips onto a large serving tray.
9. Sprinkle half the shredded cheese over the chips.
10. Spoon the ground bison and bell pepper mixture evenly over the cheese.
11. Sprinkle the other half of the cheese over the meat.
12. Put the serving tray in the microwave and heat on high for 1 minute at a time, until the cheese is melted.
13. Artfully dollop the sour cream, salsa, and guacamole evenly on top of the cheese.
14. If you have more cheese left over, sprinkle a little more on top.
15. Serve while hot and gooey!

3.2.2925

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It’s Monday and my goal today is to get life in order. Or, as close to order as I can. I know, that’s a big goal. But see, in the two weeks since I started working, Ryan and I haven’t yet adjusted to the dual-working family. To get specific with you, our laundry is mountainous, the bathroom needs cleaning, the fridge is bare, and we are jet-lagged and exhausted from a quick and wonderful trip to Raleigh, NC (which I’ll tell you more about tomorrow for Tourist Tuesday). We need to get organized and we’re both home today, so this is our moment.

And sometimes, getting it all together, starts with a good meal.I can’t function when I’m hungry, so I need something yummy to pep me up for my chores. I heard about this recipe from the America’s Test Kitchen podcast and I was intrigued. I love garlic and I love pasta. Pasta is my favorite food and my favorite “I just can’t do anything more complicated after work” dinner. But sometimes tomato sauce gets old, so a new sauce spices up the routine.

However, garlic can be a bit tricky. Sometimes too much garlic gets stuck to my very soul. It oozes from my pores, it clings to my breath, and the smell lingers on my hands. Sure, it’s near Halloween, but I’m not trying to scare off any vampires. Garlic smell keep to yourself! But this recipe is great because it doesn’t do any of those things! This recipe gives you a mellow roasted flavor that only lingers on your taste buds. That’s where it should be, and not anywhere else.

I especially like to make this meal after work because it is pretty quick. And this recipe uses ingredients already in my pantry but still feels a little bit fancy and special. I like the peppery arugula paired with crunchy walnuts and tangy balsamic. Yummy and easy – what more could I ask for? My life is already started to get sorted.

Final thought: buy your garlic already peeled. Yes it’s more expensive, but you’ll need a lot. And if you peel the garlic yourself then your hands will smell like garlic and then the promises I made above will be lies. Don’t make me a liar, buy already peeled garlic and your prep will be quicker and easier. Ok, now back to my chores! Enjoy your Monday.

Messy level: Three spoons and only because of the food processor. I love using a food processor until I have to take it apart to clean and realize that 2 minutes of blitzing leads to 4+ pieces of cleaning. Isn’t life hard? Just kidding. Don’t let the three spoon get you down, because the whole cooking process is pretty quick.

Pasta with Garlic Sauce, Arugula, and Walnuts

 

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Cook time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: Cook's Country

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 50 garlic cloves, peeled (1 cup)
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 8 ounces arugula
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• Grated pecorino romano cheese

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the garlic and oil. Cover and cook until the garlic is browned all over. Stir occasionally. America's Test Kitchen says 6-8 minutes, but for me it's been like 12 minutes.
2. While the garlic is going, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
3. Once the garlic is browned, add the broth, balsamic vinegar, ¾ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Bring to the garlic mix to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for for about 5 minutes. The garlic is ready when you can easily stab it with a fork.
4. While your garlic is simmering, your water should have come to a boil. Salt the water generously and add in you spaghetti. Cook until al dente (look at package but about 8-10 minutes). Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
5. When the garlic mixture is finished, transfer it into a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
6. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Pour the sauce over. Add some of the reserved pasta water if you'd like to thin out the sauce.
7. Mix in the arugula and chopped walnuts. Sprinkle with cheese.

3.5.3226

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Part of the reason I love Rome is that I studied abroad there seven years ago during my junior year. Living in Rome was the first time I was away from home for so long and the first time I lived in a city. I ate so much pizza, pasta, and gelato. My roommates and I also cooked dinner together almost every night and befriended the local shop owners. We’d buy the fresh pesto and the guys in the store would give us free chocolate. My roommate Inga became one of my best friends, and with our upstairs neighbors Charlie and Michelle, we tore up the city.

We toured all over and took lots of day trips to nearby gardens and beaches. We went dancing at Coyote Bar in Testaccio, which depending on your point of view is a bar that is super authentic/divey/sketchy. We befriended the DJ and he’d let us dance on the stage and he’d play any song we liked. My classes were also awesome. I took Italian, Classics, and two art history classes. My art classes were mostly outside touring churches, museums, and ruins. It was all the best parts of college amplified. I remember going out dancing, coming home at 6am to the fruit vendors opening their stands. My friends and I went to bed for about three hours and then went to meet an Italian friend of a friend who was going to show us a church. Hope you enjoy the throwback pictures – try not to judge the duck face.

I also love Rome because it is where I fell in love with Ryan. He and I had been dating for less than two months when I left for Rome. I was sad to leave him and worried about what was going to happen. But it all worked out. Ryan had studied in Rome the year before me and set me up right. He lent me guidebooks to the city. He lent me The First Man in Rome, a historical fiction book about the Roman Republic, which sparked my interest in the city’s history. He also made me a map and marked off his favorite places to eat and tour. We also talked over Skype every day (and I had a headset like a telemarketer). We even met up in Spain for spring break. When I left Rome, I couldn’t wait to one day come back together.

Anyway without further ado here are pictures from this weekend’s trip. We took the bus from Ciampino to Termini and then walked to our rental flat in Campo dei Fiori.

We dropped our bags and then stopped for pizza. It was glorious! So crunchy, the ingredients so fresh, and also so tasty!

After that we decided to hike over toward the Vatican. We passed Castel Sant’Angelo. And we admired St. Peter’s Basilica and the beautiful piazza designed by Bernini.

But our real reason for heading that way was to eat at Old Bridge Gelato. It is the best gelato we have ever had. The places is a small hole in the wall on the way to the Vatican Museum’s entrance. It doesn’t look like much, but for €2 you can have heaven.

We then walked over toward Ryan’s old place. We sat one some nearby steps and people watched. We also went to the grocery store and loaded up on Kinder chocolates, lemon Fanta, and buffalo mozzarella. Ryan made me laugh so hard that I spit out soda (and then people stared at us).

After that we went back to Campo dei Fiori and got dressed for dinner. We went to Alfredo e Ada, a place I went to seven years ago with my art history TA and his friend who were visiting Rome. The restaurant  is down a windy road, it is cozy, and the interior is wood paneled. They have a small menu, written on the paper table cloth, that lists just a few options for first, second, and side courses. It’s simple and with some of the best cooked pasta I’ve had.

The next day we walked our butts off. I did a rough Google mapping of what we did, and we walked somewhere around 13 miles. We walked around the grounds of Villa Borghese, we looked down on the Piazza del Popolo, we ate pizza at Ryan’s favorite shop Pizza Rustica. And we walked to the Spanish steps and down Via del Corso and looked in the shops.

Then we went to the Forum. As students Ryan and I used to visit the Forum all the time. Visiting used to be free, but now it costs €12 for the Forum, Colosseum, and Palatine. We were sad that it wasn’t free anymore, but we were happy to pay the price. We also saw some new ruins we hadn’t seen before.

After that we headed to the Colosseum, which was so much better than I remembered. I didn’t remember being able to go up as high as we did. The stairs were really steep but worth the climb. They had a small museum exhibit about the inner working of the Colosseum and they showed how animals were lifted into the arena. They also had skeletons of bears, wolves, and boars! It was crazy.

For dinner we crossed the Tiber and went into Trastevere. We ate at Carlo Menta, which was where my friends and I used to go. The food is pretty good and the price is amazing. Instead of both ordering a first and second course, Ryan and I decided to share three pastas. We had pesto gnocchi, carbonara, and cacio e pepe. The pesto was so good and I realized I haven’t had good pesto since the last time I was in Italy.

After dinner we walked around Trastevere and it brought back so many memories! Ryan and I walked from dinner to my old apartment building. It reminded me of walking home from school, of going out for breakfast at a nearby cafe, and the time Inga and I tried to play Italian Bingo but couldn’t figure out how to do it. To get to my apartment you used to have to walk through a dirt lot and alley way. Today, it is under construction and being paved. It looks much nicer, but I sort of missed the grit and scary charm (below is a before and after). The apartment building itself looks like the same and still has the same graffiti. It was great fun checking it out and reminiscing about what it was like the first day we arrived.

On Sunday we decided to be more low key. We spent a lot of time at the Pantheon, which is my favorite building in Rome. It is an architectural marvel. I just love it. Inside is a perfect sphere! You could fit a giant basketball inside. Also creating the dome with an oculus – just freaking genius.

We also spent some time at Piazza Navona eating mozzarella and people watching.Before dinner we went to Lungo Il Tevere, a summer festival along the Tiber. Then we went back to Trastevere for dinner. I like Trastevere a lot because there are so many vendors selling jewelry, art, and nonsense things. There are also lots of outdoor restaurants where you can just look around and absorb the wonderful city. It’s a busy and vibrant area. Monday was our last day. We visited Santa Maria Maggiore and a few other sites. We made sure to eat more pizza and gelato. Also, we found shady spots and relaxed. I loved just being in the city, looking at the beautiful buildings, and feeling like a part of the Rome. I made Ryan promise me that would come back every 7-10 years forever. I continue to love Rome.

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What’s changed since last time? I had a recipe. I found it in my cookbook Melt by Stephanie Stiavetti and Garrett McCord. I decided I’d trust them and their recipe because I loved their chorizo macaroni and cheese. Last time I didn’t have a recipe and I was just winging it. But this time, maybe things would be different. Maybe the flavor combinations would be delicious. Maybe the pasta would redeem itself and not taste so nasty. Maybe I could eat a whole bowl.

And I did eat the whole bowl! And it was pretty good!

One thing that made this version better is that I bought the gluten-full pasta. Last time I accidentally bought gluten-free, and I think that must give the pasta a different flavor. Last time the pasta was gummy and really bitter. This time it had the expected pasta texture and had only a slight bitter hint. Last time, the pasta made the whole apartment smell like delicious chocolate. This time, there was hardly any fragrance. I don’t know exactly why there was a difference, but there definitely was one.

But, what really made this recipe tasty and interesting was the combination of flavors. It has sweetness in the cherries, salty and creaminess from the cheese, and a nice crunch from the arugula and hazelnuts. By the authors’ own admission this recipe is a bit “esoteric,” but I think it was fun to try something a little bit unusual. This recipe is a simple way to spice up the mid-week meal. And to conclude, I’ll just go out on a limb and say it, chocolate pasta is back in my good graces.

This recipe is from the cookbook Melt. I made some adaptations based on the amount of money and time I wanted to spend finding ingredients. Instead of hazelnut oil I used olive oil and I omitted the cocoa nibs.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp maple syrup

3/4 tsp mustard powder

sea salt

ground black pepper

1/2 cup hazelnuts

12 ounces chocolate pasta

5 ounces Bucherondin, roughly broken (I found this easily at Whole Foods, but you can use any soft goat cheese)

1 cup pitted cherries

2 cups whole arugula

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.

2. In a small bowl (or jar with a little) mix together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, mustard powder, salt and pepper. Whisk (or shake) until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

3. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the skins darken and blister. The nuts will start to smell nice.

4. While the hazelnuts are roasting, start the pasta. Cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente.

4. Remove the hazelnuts from the oven and wrap them in a dishtowel and leave them to steam for 1 minute. Rub the nuts in the dishtowel to rub the skins off.

5. Roughly chop the nuts and set them aside.

6. When the pasta is done drain it. Arrange portions into separate bowls.

7. Scatter the Bucherondin, cherries, and hazelnuts over the pasta. Mix in the arugula. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta.

8. Mix and eat!

Messy level: Three spoons. This recipe is messy because pitting cherries is a little annoying, crumbling cheese is sticky, and the hazelnut skins will get everywhere. It’s not such an unruly messy, but I want you to know what you’re getting into.

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