Taco Tuesday: Korean Beef Tacos with Cucumber-Radish Slaw

I really think that I could eat tacos every day of the week. In my quest to find and try new versions I have come across some very interesting flavor and ingredient combinations. Take these tacos, for example. I have never cooked with beef short ribs before or tried a radish, that I'm aware of. I'm all about expanding my horizons these days.

And as if trying the new ingredients wasn't exciting enough, I also got to use the slicer attachment for my food  processor, to cut the cucumbers and radishes. Hey, I'm easy to amuse...what can I say. It was an exciting day in the kitchen! 

Another crock pot taco recipe, and one that J has already requested again!! For a man that's easy to please food-wise, if he specifically requests something, that means it really made an impressions. So...that means these little tacos were freaking amazing!!

Oh,  and the new ingredients...love them both! Not sure I would eat a radish on it's own, but in this vinegar-y slaw they were delish! Getcha some!!

Korean Beef Tacos with Cucumber-Radish Slaw

Slightly adapted from Confections of a Food Bride

Ingredients

• 3-5 lbs beef short ribs (can also use chuck roast or back ribs)
• 1 bottle (10 oz) low sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Tbsp ginger, grated
• 6 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp dark sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 2 Tbsp sriracha
• 1/2 - 1 cup water (optional)
• 16 small wheat tortillas
• cilantro
• Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• sriracha

For the Cucumber-Radish Slaw

• 1 cucumber (seedless recommended)
• 6-10 radishes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Preparation

1. Spray your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray and place the short ribs to the  pot.
2. Whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic, ginger, sriracha, sesame and olive oils.
3. Pour this mixture over the ribs in the crock pot. If it looks like too little liquid, feel free to add 1/2-1 cup of water. 
4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
5. Use two forks or a stand mixer with paddle attachment to shred the meat. Return the shredded meat to the crock pot to soak up the remaining juices, for about 15 minutes. 
6. To make the cucumber slaw, slice the cucumber very thinly and sprinkle with salt. Place in a colander and let sit for up to an hour over a bowl or in the sink to extract some of the water content. Shake additional water from the colander or pat with paper towels.
7. Meanwhile slice the radishes very thin and place in a medium-sized bowl. 
8. Transfer the cucumbers to the bowl with the radishes and add the rice vinegar and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat and refrigerate until ready to use. 
9. To assemble, warm your tortillas and top with the shredded meat, a spoonful of greek yogurt or sour cream, cucumber-radish slaw, cilantro, and a squirt of sriracha for some added kick.

Taco Tuesday: Brie & Brisket Taco with Mango BBQ Sauce

Yes, I live in Texas. And yes, we love our barbecue. But, I've never cooked a brisket before...
I mean, I guess it's customarily the man's job to grill so it may not seem like such a stretch that I haven't dealt with a brisket on my own before, but it seemed odd to me as I stood at the meat case trying to find a piece of brisket that wasn't 10 lbs. Thankfully, I found a nice little 2 1/2 lb chunk that would be just perfect for this recipe. Whew!

Having never cooked a brisket before in the traditional manner, I had no idea what to expect from one cooked in the crock pot. But, Shawnda has never steered me wrong before and I had total faith that the end result would be phenomenal. And. It. Was. Not only was the brisket itself delicious, but the Mango BBQ sauce and the two cheeses made it fan-freaking-tastic!! J was a big fan as well...had them for dinner, and then lunch the following day. Yuuuu-um!

I've had these pinned for a long time, but don't wait as long as I did to make them!!

Brie & Brisket Tacos with Mango BBQ Sauce

As seen on Confections of a Foodie Bride

Ingredients

• 3 lb brisket
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 oz Dr. Pepper 
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 3/4 – 1 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp spicy brown mustard
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup mango chutney 
• 8 8-in flour tortillas
• 8 oz brie, thinly sliced
• 1 cup Monterrey jack, shredded

Preparation

1. Rub the brisket with salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic,and place in the crock pot. Pour the Dr. Pepper on top, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours. 
2. Remove from the crock pot and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing or shredding. 
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a 2 quart sauce pan over medium heat, and saute the onions for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
4. Add the ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, mango chutney, and salt and pepper. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes. 
5. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
6. To make the tacos, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. 
7. Place meat, brie, and Monterrey jack cheese on one side of each tortilla. Add a spoonful of the mango bbq sauce, and fold the other side of the tortilla over the top, creating the taco. 
8. Place the tacos, one at a time, on the heated skillet and cook until the bottom is browned. Flip and cook until the bottom is browned and the cheese is melted. 
9. Remove from heat and serve with extra barbecue sauce.

Citrus and Herb Baked Chicken

This past weekend was the BlogHerFood Conference in Austin, which sadly I did not attend. But, several of the fabulous ladies from my cooking board did, and I was lucky enough to have dinner with them on Friday night. It was great to meet some of them in person for the first time, and to see another for a second time. We had a great dinner, lots of laughs, and overall a great time. Seeing pictures of the rest of their weekend on Facebook really made me sad I didn't go to the conference. But, there's always next year!

It would seem that I do not adhere to the unspoken rule of summer heat to not use the oven very often, because I have been baking/roasting quite a bit lately. So I run the air conditioner a little more those days...it's totally worth it when I pull something like this out. I don't usually cook chicken with skin on it, but with that golden, crispy top, how could I resist??

The marinade was easy and didn't take too terribly long, and it was well worth it. I was a little confused when the recipe said to place the citrus slices UNDER the chicken, But I did as I was told, and it turned out perfect. A little messy to eat, but totally worth the sticky fingers!

You may opt to wait until the temperatures are a little cooler to fire up the oven, but you should definitely save this recipe and make it as soon as you can!!

Citrus and Herb Baked Chicken

As seen on The Comfort of Cooking

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 whole lemons, one juiced and one sliced
• 2 whole oranges, one juiced and one sliced
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 10-12 pieces (about 4 1/2 lbs.) bone-in chicken parts (thighs and legs are best)
• 1 medium onion (any kind), thinly sliced
• 1 tsp dried thyme, or 2 tsp fresh chopped
• 1 Tbsp dried rosemary, or 2 Tbsp fresh chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine olive oil, garlic, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice, Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and a small bowl and stir to mix.
3. Place chicken in a rimmed 9x13 baking dish and pour the olive oil mixture over the top, turning pieces to coat all sides.
4. Place chicken skin side up and spread them out evenly in the pan. Arrange slices of lemon, orange and onion around and under the chicken. Sprinkle generously with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.
5. Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove parts to a serving platter and garnish with additional chopped fresh herbs, if desired.

Recipe Swap: Shredded Chicken with Chiles

It's time again for the Taste of Home Cooking-hosted Recipe Swap! The theme for this round was Mexican, and I received this yummy recipe from Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations. Now, you know I love a good taco, and anything with chiles in it is sure to be a winning recipe!

One of the great things about chicken is it's versatility and how quickly it (usually) cooks. I was able to cook this chicken to the point where it could be shredded in about 15 minutes, and it was ready to serve in about 20 minutes total. Easy peasy weeknight meal!! I love the crockpot, but being able to do a shredded meat taco that quickly is niiiiiice! Of course the flavors were phenomenal. I was out of queso fresco, so I used monterrey jack in it's place - but next time I will definitely have the crumbly cheese!

Thanks to Mary Ellen for a great new taco recipe, and be sure to check out the other submissions below! 

Shredded Chicken with Chiles

As seen on Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp Chili powder
• 1 tsp Cumin 
• 1 tsp Ground coriander 
• 1 tsp Onion powder
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapenos (or serranos), diced
• 1-14.5 oz can of Rotel with the juice
• A few pinches of cumin and chili powder
• Juice from 1/2 of a lime
• Small handful of cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges and cilantro for serving
• Warm corn tortillas
• Queso Fresco

Preparation

1. Place the chicken in a saute pan or pot. Add the spices and chicken broth. 
2. Bring to a boil then reduce to a medium simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board to let rest for 5 minutes, then shred in a stand mixer or with 2 forks.
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in the (rinsed out) saute pan. Add onions, garlic, and peppers. Saute 3-4 minutes and then add the Rotel, cumin, chili powder, and lime juice. Bring to a simmer and add the shredded chicken and cilantro.Simmer until ready to serve. 
4. To serve, warm the tortillas and top with a couple of spoonfuls of the chicken mixture, crumbled cheese, and extra cilantro if you prefer. Give it a nice squeeze of lime juice, and enjoy!!

Grilled Pork Chops with Balsamic-Maple Glaze

C'mon now...the title should tell you all you need to know. It has the word balsamic in it, after all. And you know how I feel about that! Usually when recipe instructs me to "grill" something, I either have to use my George Foreman grill or adjust the cooking method to bake it. Not this time though, since J has a real grill!!

I've mentioned before that I have a hard time with pork chops. As in, it's rare for me to find a recipe that turns out well for me. There have been a couple of exceptions of course, but as a whole I've not been impressed. This one, however, I was very pleased with!! Maybe it was the glaze, or that it was cooked on the grill, or that it was a different cut of chop than I usually buy. Whatever it was, it turned out scrum-diddly-umptious. The glaze was good on the potatoes, too. Just sayin'. 

These will definitely be making a re-appearance before grilling season is over!!

Grilled Pork Chops with Balsamic-Maple Glaze

As seen on Black Dog Food Blog

Ingredients

• 2 good quality pork chops (I used bone-in)
• Ground coriander
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup chicken (beef or mushroom) stock
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 clove garlic (smashed with knife)
• a few strings of thyme
• a string of rosemary
• sprinkle of flour (It will thicken the sauce)
• 1/2 Tbsp butter

Preparation

1. Heat the grill over medium-high heat and season pork with salt, pepper and ground coriander.
2. Grill the pork for 6-7 minutes per side, rotating half-way through for nice grill marks. (For thinner chops, decrease cooking time to no-more than 5 minutes per side so you don't overcook!)
3. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by combining the remaining ingredients (excluding the butter) in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk to incorporate the flour and allow to thicken slightly. Add the butter and whisk until melted.  This will give your sauce a nice shimmer!
4. When the chops are almost done cooking, brush each side with the sauce and place back on the grill for a brief moment. Don't leave it too long, or the sugars in the glaze could burn. 
5. Pull the chops from the grill and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. And of course, feel free to serve them with the remaining sauce on the side!!

Taco Tuesday: Shredded Jerk Pork Tacos with Caribbean Salsa

All I can think to say is, omg omg omg these TACOS! This is another one of the recipes that I made early on in J and I's relationship that didn't get photographed, so I had to make them again. The crockpot has become my friend lately, especially now having access to one with temperature settings!! This is definitely a great crockpot recipe!!

 

The jerk seasoning is great on the pork and the Caribbean salsa is the perfect creamy, citrus-y topping. Keep in mind that this does make a lot, so make sure you either have a crowd to feed or freeze the leftovers...you don't want to waste any of it!!

Shredded Jerk Pork Tacos with Caribbean Salsa

As seen on Skinny Taste

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 - 3 Tbsp Jerk Seasoning (I used mild)
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1 lime, squeezed
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 cups brown rice
• 2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
• Wheat tortillas

For the Caribbean salsa

• 1 haas avocado, diced
• 2 large ripe mangos, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped red onion
• 1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2-3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Using a sharp knife, cut slits into the pork and stuff holes with half of the crushed garlic. Combine the remaining garlic, jerk seasoning, and salt, rub all over pork (you may want to wear gloves). Place in a large container, pour the lime and orange juice over the pork; cover and refrigerate 5 hours or overnight, turning pork occasionally so the marinade covers all of pork.
2. The next morning, put everything in the crock pot and cook on low for 9 hours
3. Remove pork and shred in a stand mixer or with two forks.
4. Remove liquid from crock pot and reserve. Add shredded pork back to the crock pot, and about 1 cup of the reserved liquid, season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for about 15 more minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook the brown rice in the chicken broth according to the package instructions and make the Caribbean salsa by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate salsa until ready to serve.
6. To assemble, warm tortillas and top with a few spoonfuls of rice, the pork mixture, and salsa. ENJOY!!

May 2013 Re-Make Recap

Well, it looks like the  re-cap this month is going to be a little short. The re-makes (that are posted on the blog, anyway) were only three this month...oops!! But they were some goodies, that's for sure!!

First up was Sesame-Ginger Salmon - on of my favorites!! I try to make a Salmon dish at least once every couple of weeks, and figured I'd pull out an old goodie for J to try. It was a hit...that sauce is too good for words!!

Next up, after a long day of hiking at Enchanted Rock were Thai Turkey Burgers. I mean...protein, veggies, and a killer peanut sauce all piled on a bun...?? What better way to end a long, hot day?!!?

And finally, Spicy Coconut Shrimp and Brown Rice graced the table with yet another delicious sauce. Are you getting the feeling that I kinda like sauces?? What can I say...they make everything better!!!

All-in-all, it was a great month of meals, and I have some great re-makes already on the menu for June so stay tuned for those!