Carnitas and Chipotle Salsa

Carnitas with Chipotle salsa

I had never made carnitas.

Now, I'll make them all the time! Cooking pork in a citrus liquid made for sensational grub.

While the carnitas were cooking I kept sticking my nose over the pot and letting my sense of smell drink in the flavors. It was hard waiting for the pot to finish, but it was totally worth it. The citrus didn't overpower, it added a sweet balance to the savory pork and other seasonings in the dish.

From the batch of carnitas I made four servings — tacos twice and two burritos for myself.

I harvested the pork shoulder chunks from a bone-in shoulder I picked up on special at the grocery store. I didn't realize it was bone-in until I was ready to start cooking. I wasn't quite sure how to attack it so I went to youtube and watched a video on how to de-bone a pork shoulder. It worked like a charm and I didn't waste hardly any meat.

To go along with the carnitas I made a spicy chipotle salsa. I knew I would be eating most of it myself over the next week, so I made it hot, probably way to hot for most people, but I like really bold salsa for my tacos. Removing the seeds and flesh from the jalapeno and chipotle peppers can reduce the heat significantly if a milder sauce is desired.

The carnitas and salsa were an evening project on a day off. At one point, I had both pots on the stove simmering away, releasing magical aromas that turned my kitchen air into a yummy potpourri. As I inhaled the stove-top perfume I felt the zen of culinary bliss take over my mind — which made for a great evening of relaxing and eating at home.

Cooking and creating the food that keeps us alive can be a true pleasure, these dishes were exactly that for me.

Eat, well cook often ...

CARNITAS
Serves 4 to 6, 3 hours, 30 minutes
3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into cubes
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs oregano
1 bay leaf
2 oranges, zest and juice
3/4 C pineapple juice
2 C water

In a large pot, over medium-high heat brown pork in a little oil or lard on all sides. Work in batches if necessary, season to taste. Remove pork and add onion, cook until soft 4 to 6 minutes, season to taste. Add garlic, oregano and bay leaf, cook 1 minutes more or until fragrant. Return pork to pan and zest and juice from oranges, pineapple juice and water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Let simmer 2 hours. Remove lid and cook liquid out, 45 minutes to 1 hour more. Monitor closely toward the end. Remove from pot and serve. For Tacos I served carnitas with corn tortillas, onion, cilantro and salsa (recipe follows).

CHIPOTLE SALSA
Makes 2 cups, 1 hour, 30 minutes
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
3/4 C pineapple juice
1 Tbs white vinegar
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 can chipotle in adobo sauce
1 C water
1 handful cilantro
2 limes, juice and zest

In a soup pot over medium heat, saute onion and jalapeno in a little oil until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste. Add oregano and garlic, cook until fragrant or a another minute or two.  Add pineapple juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chipotles in adobo sauce and water. Bring to a simmer and let cook for an hour or until liquid has reduced by 3/4ths. Let mixture cool for a bit then pour in blender add cilantro, zest and juice of lime. Blend until smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve.

White Chicken Chili

Printable version

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

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

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

BEHIND THIS BITE

White Chicken Chili

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

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

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

White Chicken Chili

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

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

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

Stove Top Enchiladas

Printable version

I went to the store last Wednesday and bought everything to make enchiladas the next afternoon. I was planning to make them from scratch. This meant making the filling, warming the tortillas, dipping them in sauce, stuffing, rolling and putting everything together so it can be baked off. It’s a labor intensive, but also a magically delicious treat.

In the morning, before I got started, I noticed a simple and quick enchilada recipe in a magazine that I was thumbing through. The recipe would leave me hardly any dishes to do and take only a half hour. Not feeling that ambitious, I changed course and adapted my ingredients to the quick version and it turned out totally delicious.

For this recipe, I take the classic Mexican enchilada and turn it into a simple and fast one-pot dish. The recipe utilizes a can of cream of chicken soup combined with enchilada sauce to form a delicious binder that gives the dish it’s signature flavor – and it can be made with only one dirty pot to clean!

BEHIND THIS BITE

Stove Top Enchiladas

Instead of stove top enchiladas I should really call it chopped or shredded enchiladas. The taste is spot on, it's just not packaged into pretty little bundles of rolled tortillas. It's as if the whole dish got blown to hell and whats left is goulash that taste exactly like enchiladas.

I really like the taste and the simplicity of this dish, but it was hard to get a pretty photograph. It’s kind of just a blob on a plate, so I just piled it high with cheese and let the pictures rip. It mat not be as beautiful a dish as prime rib to photograph but the flavor was there and I will gladly make this again – especially when I am rushed for time.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Stove Top Enchiladas

Serves 4; 30 minutes
1 1/2 lb Chicken breast, boneless, cubed
1 Tbs Chili powder
1 Tbs Cumin
1 C Red onion, diced
1/2 C Jalapeño, seeded, diced
2 tsp Garlic, minced
1 Can Cream of chicken soup, undiluted (10 oz)
1 Can Enchilada sauce (10 oz)
12 Corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
1 tsp Mexican oregano
2 C Pepper jack cheese, shredded

Cook chicken
In a large skillet or soup pot over medium heat cook chicken thighs in a little olive oil. Add chili powder and cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Stir until well combined. Cook chicken through, 8 to 10 minutes, remove to plate.

Sauté vegetables
Add more oil to pan if necessary then saute onion and jalapeño until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more.

Finish
Add undiluted cream of chicken soup, enchilada sauce, tortillas and Mexican oregano. Return chicken to pan and stir everything together until well incorporated. Cook until simmering and heated through, 6 to 8 minutes. Stirring often. Scoop into bowls, top with cheese, then serve.

Spicy Chicken Creamy Cucumber Tostada

Printable version

The cucumber salad used to dress this tostada makes it an all star. The salad is absolutely delicious on its own, here it acts as a balance to the spicy chipotle chicken.

I used McCormick chipotle chili powder and when compared to their normal chili powder, the chipotle is off the scale as far as heat. I ate a spoonful of the chicken by itself to check the flavor and it literally made me cough – needless to say, the chicken has some kick. That's all neutralized by the cucumber salad though, it compliments the chipotle just perfectly and it allows the flavors to stand out and not be overtaken by the heat. The spice is there but the creamy ranch swoops in to tame the fire before it can set the tongue a blaze.

The end result is an absolute show stopper. If I owned a restaurant or food truck I would use this cucumber-ranch-chipotle combo in some sort of way on the menu.

It’s a winner.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Spicy Chicken Creamy Cucumber Tostada

I was so impressed by this cucumber salad that I have made three dishes with it. This dish is made from the leftovers from the first time I made it. The next dish it will appear in features a fresh batch, but that is for another post. I'm really impressed by its flavor and have just went crazy with it. When you have a winner you ride it to the championship! This cucumber salad is the Walter Payton of my kitchen right now.

I have found over three years of writing my food column that when you have something that works it’s best to go with it and see where you can take it. Eventually you’ll get tired of it but by building on flavors you can really get creative and make some outstanding stuff that is really original. I wish I could do that with every single thing I make, but for now I’ll pick and choose what I can go crazy on. This happened to be coast effective and plentiful enough to go the extra mile.

I wish ribeye were as cheap as cucumbers - that would be an experiment I could never get tired of!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Spicy Chicken Creamy Cucumber Tostada

Serves 4 to 6; 35 minutes
5 Cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 C Red onion, diced
1 pkg Ranch seasoning
1/2 C Sour cream
1/2 C Mayonnaise
1/4 C Pickle brine, strained from jar of bread and butter pickles
1 lb Ground chicken
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 Tbs Chipotle chili powder
12 Tostadas
2 C Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
3/4 C Lettuce shredded
1/2 C Cherry tomatoes halved

Mix together
In a large bowl, mix together cucumber, onion, ranch seasoning, sour cream, mayo and pickle juice until thoroughly combined.

Cook chicken
In a sauté pan over medium heat cook chicken in a little olive oil until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir and break up chunks while cooking, mix in chipotle, onion and garlic powder half way through.

Finish
In batches, place tostadas on a baking sheet with a spoonful of chicken and cheese. Cook in a preheated 400° oven until cheese is melted and tostadas crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and garnish with lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad.
Then serve.

Oven Roasted Salsa

Printable version

One of the best ways to make salsa is to oven roast the vegetables. The dry heat draws out the moisture and concentrates the flavors. It also makes the onions and garlic sweeter. Once everything is roasted I like to throw it all in a food processor, add some lime juice and cilantro and pulse it a few times. The end result is a chunky salsa that’s hard to quit eating.

Leaving the ribs and seeds in the jalapeno gives it extra kick and creates an addictive quality that seems to draw you back for more and more. It's my favorite thing about a quality salsa with extra heat.

It’s easy to enhance the flavor with the addition of reconstituted dried chilies, but that is for another post. This salsa could be made exactly the same way with everything raw, but when I get time, the extra application of heat is the difference between good and great.

BEHIND THIS BITE
I was recently at a gathering and a friend of mine brought a batch of salsa that had what I like to call “big boy heat.” It’s the kind of heat that numbs your lips and makes the Tostitos Hot Salsa at Walmart seem like baby food.

Needless to say, I ate about a quart of the big boy salsa myself and decided right then and there that I wanted make my own version for the blog. I’m glad my friend made it – And had the Kahunas to make it extra hot.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Makes 1 quart; 1 hour
3 large Tomatoes quartered
1 Onion quartered
1 Jalapeño whole
3 cloves Garlic whole
1 C Cilantro fresh
Juice of 2 Limes
Tortilla chips

Roast vegetables
In an baking dish, toss tomatoes, jalapeño, onion and garlic with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place vegetables in a preheated 475° oven and roast for 25 minutes. Remove vegetables and let cool for about 10 minutes. Clean vegetables of any roots or stems if necessary.

Pulse, serve
Place roasted vegetables in a food process with cilantro and juice of limes. Pulse 5 or 6 times or until well combined but still slightly chunky. Remove and serve with tortilla chips.

Beefy Mexican Nacho Dip

Printable version

Another Super Bowl is upon us. The big game has become an unofficial holiday in America, bringing together millions to watch two teams compete for the championship of the NFL. The Super Bowl has something for everyone, if you’re not a fan of football then there’s the commercials and star-studded entertainment.

For me, not only is it the biggest game of the year, but it’s a day to showcase my best party snacks, which is also my favorite type of cuisine to cook and eat. What I love about this type of food is the variety of bites and flavors that can adorn one plate. A good Super Bowl spread should look like a parade of appetizers that will provide hours of snacking. This will create a good base for hours of drinking – or praying – after all, the game is always played on Sunday.

For this recipe, a huge helping of ground beef is smothered in nacho cheese, spices and sautéd vegetables. It’s then heated through in a slow cooker, creating a batch of beefy nacho dip big enough to feed a party.

BEHIND THIS BITE
I am really looking forward to Super Bowl XLVII. It’s the first year in a while that I’m not emotionally invested in the game in one way or the other.

I am a huge Colts, Peyton Manning and whoever is playing the Patriots and Steelers fan.

That said, I have had a real reason to root for one team or the other for the last decade. Some games have been euphoric, the Colts triumphant win in Super Bowl XLI and The Giants destruction of the Patriots perfect season the following year were two amazing highs. The night the Colts lost to the Saints in SB XLIV was a devastating low.

This year, there is no Tom Brady, Ben Rothlisburger or Peyton Manning to sway my fandom. I can set back and just hope for a great game. Will the Raven’s Ray Lewis go out on top or will the young Colin Kaepernick from the 49ers make a mark on the game for the new type of running QB that seems to be emerging around the league.

I hope it’s a game for the ages.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Party Dip; 1 hour, 30 minutes
2 lb Ground beef
1 C Red onion, diced
1 C Jalapeño, chopped with flesh and seeds removed
2 Tbs Chili powder
1 Tbs Cumin
2 cans Nacho Cheese (15 oz each)
1 can Tomatoes, diced and drained (24 oz)
2 bags Tortilla chips

Prep ingredients
In a skillet over medium-high heat brown ground beef, 6 to 8 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove with slotted spoon and place in slow cooker. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of drippings. Sauté onion and jalapeño until soft 5 to 6 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove to slow cooker.

Combine, heat and serve
Add chili powder, cumin, cheese and tomatoes to slow cooker and combine with beef and vegetables. Cook on high until heated through and bubbly,
1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Printable version

This is the second version of black bean salsa I have made since starting my visual food column. The first time was in June of 2010. It was the first recipe that I documented with a tripod and professional lighting. I went to Sunny Schick Camera Shop and ask for advise on how to improve my photography. I got some good advise and made some equipment purchases.

Soon after publishing the recipe, I left a part time job at the Texas Road House. I went full time into food writing. I immediately found that if I wanted to have a large publisher back a book I would need a great food blog. For the last year and a half this site has been the focus of my work. It has required me to learn to be a professional-level food photographer and immerse myself in a new art. I have a long way to go, but at the same time, I have come along way with the camera.

Learning how to properly style food and light it for the lens is a fascinating art, as fascinating to me as creating information graphics. I’m proud of how I have incorporated better quality photography into my work. It helps it to rise to another level in quality.

BEHIND THIS BITE
This recipe is different from the original ingredient-wise and it features a new technique I have been incorporating into my work. When appropriate, I have been trying to place a styled photo as the main art in the infographic, rather than a bird-eye view of the finished dish. It requires some serious art direction before the recipe is created and is made possible by creating a “virtual sketch” of the dish. I then build the final photograph into the layout. My favorite example of this technique can be found with my Homemade Thin Mint Cookies.

I’m really inspired by this new craft. It is satisfying on many different levels - from creating and eating the food, to designing and presenting, to photographing.

I hope 2013 is a great year for food writing and step by step documenting of recipes.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 4; 15 minutes
1 can Black beans, drained
1 can Corn, drained
1 C Tomato, diced
1/2 C Onion, diced
1 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
Juice of 1 Lime

Combine and serve
In a bowl, mix together black beans, corn, tomato, onion, chili powder, cumin and lime juice. Salt to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Printable version

During the holidays, most of us attend multiple gatherings. Chances are at least one of those parties will be a potluck dinner. The first time I made a dish for a potluck was during my first Christmas living in New York City. My department at the Associated Press had a holiday gathering. I decided to make nacho dip.

I started with taco meat, then added cheese. I should have stopped at that point but I kept adding things. By the time I was finished it contained a number of ingredients including black olives and shredded lettuce. I thought it tasted good, but it looked like yellow-grey cottage cheese with random chunks throughout. It was more of a goop than a dip.

I took it to the party and the only person to try it was the one known as “the crazy old man” in the editorial art department.

My culinary skills have improved since then and for this recipe, I create a potluck dish made in a slow cooker. It’s a spicy shredded chicken mix that can be filling in a soft taco or eaten alone like a chili.

BEHIND THIS BITE
I made these for the first of many Christmas parties this year. They went over well and I actually had some leftovers that made for a couple of tasty lunches. I really like this kind of cooking – throw it all in a pot and let it go. These kind of recipes are perfect for the holidays. While it cooks all gift wrapping and even a couple other dishes can can be made just in time it to be ready for the party.

I really love crock pot tacos. A modest amount of meat combined with a few other ingredients can go a long way.

These were perfect for the party. There were two different nacho dips placed right beside them. It wasn’t long before I saw a couple of guys smother their tacos in the nacho dip, completely ignoring the sour cream and shredded cheese intended as the garnish. It doesn’t take long for a couple of hungry dudes to get inventive at a potluck – especially when there's beer around.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Makes 40 tacos; 4 hours, 30 minutes
5 lbs Chicken breast, boneless
1 can Tomatoes, diced, drained (28 oz)
1 can Black beans, rinsed (15 oz)
1 can Corn, drained (15 oz)
1 C Onion, diced
1 C Tomato sauce (15 oz)
2 Jalapeños, sliced
2 Tbs Chili powder
1 Tbs Cumin

Assemble and cook
Place chicken, tomatoes, black beans, corn, onion, tomato sauce, jalapenos, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper to taste in a slow cooker and mix together. Cook on high for 4 hours.

Shred chicken, serve
Remove chicken from pot and shred with a fork, then stir shredded meat back into mixture. Serve on flour tortillas and garnish with cheese and sour cream.

Spicy Black Beans and Rice

Printable version

When I set out to make this dish I was looking to create a spicy side. The batch was large enough for an alternative use though - burrito filling. So I decided to present it as both.

What I love most about this dish is how the rice absorbs the flavors. I have been cooking rice in chicken broth rather than water for years, it ads a ton a flavor. The rice here has not only chicken broth but chipotle, cayenne and a nice vegetable base as well.

I start the dish off with what I call my a southwestern mirepoix, which consists of onion, poblano pepper and garlic. It's a great flavor base that creates nice depth in the finished dish.

I have to say, I enjoyed this more in a burrito rather than by itself as a side. I like how the sour cream and avocado provided a cool balance to the spicy heat in the rice.

This can easily be made vegetarian by replacing the chicken broth with vegetable broth - making it great for those who choose not to savor the yummy goodness created when heat is applied to parts of animals who are now grazing in the great pastures above.

BEHIND THIS BITE
When I originally made this dish I had to much cayenne pepper. The first batch was blow your mind hot, I needed a little sour cream on top to eat it as a side dish, so I dialed it back to a quarter teaspoon.

I learned a lot about rice creating this recipe. I love how it absorbs the flavors in the liquid it's cooked in. It was really my first attempt at a Spanish rice-type dish. In the future, I’m going to play with different flavors in the liquid for different styles of rice. I think it would be easy to make a Cajun-style or Italian-style rice, it would just be about finding the right combo of vegetables and spices to give it an ethnic flare.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Side for 8 to 10; 45 minutes
1 C Onion, diced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
1 C Poblano, cleaned, chopped
1 Can Black beans, (14.5 oz) rinsed
3 C Chicken broth
1 Tbs Chipotle chili powder
2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1 1/2 C Rice
1/4 C Cilantro, chopped

Sauté Vegetables
In a soup pot over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in a little olive oil until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes add Poblano, season with salt and pepper, cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes more. 

Add broth, beans, seasonings and rice
Add chicken broth, black beans, chipotle chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and rice. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover, remove from heat. Let sit 25 minutes. Do not remove lid. 

Remove cover, fluff, add cilantro
Uncover pot, fluff mixture with a fork and stir in cilantro. Adjust seasonings, then serve.

FOR BURRITOS
Makes 8 burritos
8 Flour tortillas
4 C Rice and beans
2 Avocados, sliced
2 Tomatoes, sliced
2 Tomatoes, sliced
1/2 C Sour cream

On a burrito sized flour tortilla place spicy rice and beans, avocado slices, tomato slices and sour cream. Fold in sides, roll shut, slice in half and serve.

Mexican Pizza

Printable version

I wanted to make an exotic pizza for Football on Sunday. While I was at the grocery store I decided it would be fun to take a Mexican route. I headed to the meat case to pick up some ground beef. I usually start a pizza with the meat then go from there. While on my way to pick out the beef I had an epiphany - why not leave out the meat. I couldn’t believe a thought like that went through my head.

Just the day before I had served a vegan chili at Fort Wayne Chilifest. I had been asked to make the chili vegan by Fort Wayne Trails, who sponsored the booth. I never thought I would serve up such a dish, but I worked hard on it, and it turned out delicious. Now I was contemplating a gourmet pizza without any meat? What the hell had gotten into me!

Whatever it was I went with it.

I decided that refried beans would be a great base to build on. I added fresh sliced jalapeño and red onion, then it’s all held together with cheddar cheese. The end result was a great slice of pizza to enjoy while watching the National Football League. I left the seeds and ribs in the jalapeño which gave it some kick.

I think I’m going to try and do more recipe that require no meat - Just to gain more appeal with my cooking in general. By no means am I going to get nutty and go vegetarian, but I think it is a nice challenge to come up with a few recipes that appeal to the no-meat crowd.

BEHIND THIS BITE
In my last post I mention working with the Director of Fort Wayne Trails at Chilifest. While I was serving up chili and she was promoting the next Trails event, she mentioned to me that she had not eaten meat for 20 years. She said she’s not super hard core, sometimes she’ll eat milk based stuff or food with cheese but she has abstained from meat for 2 decades.

To me, that is impressive because I love protein, especially after being cooked over charcoal. I couldn’t imagine life without it. That’s when it kind of hit me. She does it for her health as a commitment. She doesn’t have too, but, it’s a choice for her health. That takes some guts.

I could see refraining from meat every so often for the sake of health, but to never eat meat again, that’s a real tour-de-force. I won’t be going that route anytime in the near future, but a few recipes here at Behind the Bites that vegetarians or even vegans could get into is a good thing. This pizza has cheese so it’s not vegan - no cheese on a pizza is not a pizza in my book - but it is a pizza that a vegetarian can enjoy. Now that I have made my declaration to make a few vegetarian recipes, I need to go cook the ribeye I have in the fridge for lunch.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Makes 2 pizzas; 30 minutes
2 12” Pizza crusts
Divide ingredients among two pizzas
1 Can Refried beans (15 oz)
4 C Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Jalapeños, sliced
1/2 C Red onions, diced

Assemble and bake pizza
On 2 pre-made crust divide, refried beans, most of the cheese, Jalapeños, onions and then the remaining cheese. Bake in a preheated 425° oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Chipotle Sauce

Printable version

A while back I did a dried chili extravaganza here at Behind the Bites. As a result of having seen the post, Greg Patterson, of SpicesInc.com sent me some samples from his store to try out.

SpicesInc is an on-line spice store with an inventory of any spice imaginable. Not only do they sell spices, but there are recipes for how to use them and a some history of the individual products. I find that very helpful in using them to enhance recipes.

A package of dried chipotle chilies was in the mix of what Greg sent and I thought it was a good time to make chipotle sauce for some tacos.

Instead of using just water to reconstitute the chipotles I thought I could add a little depth of flavor with chicken broth instead. This sauce is very simple to make and it’s awesome on tacos and burritos, but could be used for a number of things like flavoring chili or salsa – or even mixing into a barbecue sauce.

Any dried chili works with this recipe, from the mild ancho chili to the mind blowing habanero, it’s all up to the cook. The chipotle gives this sauce a smoky, hot flavor.

BEHIND THIS BITE
Having a food column in the local paper of the town you live comes with some benefits. One I have experienced is people ask me to cater and cook for events which leads to some nice money on the side. The box of goodies that Greg from SpicesInc sent was my first real benefit of having a food blog on-line. It was very flattering and lots of fun opening the box and rifling through the goodies he sent. I love Mexican cooking, so it couldn’t have worked out better for me that SpicesInc sent a variety of dried chilies and Mexican spices.

Since I left my everyday job in the world of journalism to pursue a career in food I have had little victories that keep me pushing forward. The box of spices in the mail was one of them. It reminds me of when I first got into journalism and received a pay check for my job at the Ball State Daily News.

The check was for $56.

I was in aw, even though that was the pay for two weeks of full-time employment. I just couldn’t believe I was actually getting paid for something I really loved to do. Needless to say, I wasn’t doing it for the money.

I feel that way now and believe I have been doing the finest and most original work of my career. The pay isn’t where I want it and I have a long way to climb, but I believe in the work and have enjoyed doing it more than I think I ever have. It feels right and that is the instinct I have always followed and it never fails to lead me to the place that I should be.

Amazing what a small gift box of spices can do for the big picture.

Special thanks to Greg at SpicesInc!

Eat well, cook often ...

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Printable version

Using the oven during hot summer days is about the same as running the furnace – it just adds to the inferno. Last week when we tied our hottest day ever at 106° I thought running the oven might not only feel like turning on the heat but would actually cause people to suffocate.

During the dog days of summer it’s always good to have a meal or two that can be made quickly and entirely outside on the grill. It still takes a tough cook to stand next to the fire in the scorching heat, but the payoff comes on the first step back into the air conditioned house when the cool air hits like a mist of ice water sprayed on the skin.

For this recipe, I make fajitas on the grill and all the cooking is done outside. It starts with a citrus based marinade for     chicken that is thin sliced for quicker cooking. Onion and bell peppers cook beside the chicken and are the vegetables for the meal. Wrap them in a tortilla with some favorite salsa and the result is a yummy meal without having to run the oven indoors.

BEHIND THIS BITE

The heat has been insane in 2012. An early summer arrived in the Midwest back in March and it has been unseasonably warm and dry ever since. I haven't minded the dry heat during the day, because the nights cool down 30 or 40 degrees. It's almost like living in the desert. Up until the middle of June, the weather was absolutely perfect to go camping.

All that changed with a ban on open fires because the dryness has turned to severe drought and the daily highs have been close to 100°. Thank goodness that it’s still ok to grill outside because, like I said in the introduction, it’s unthinkable to want to run the oven inside the house. It negates the air conditioning and you end up sweating while eating.

I’m really hoping that we get some good rain and a little break from the heat. First, because the plants and gardens are really suffering and second, so I can have me some camp fires at the family camp ground! It’s hard to go camping and not have a fire. It’s like going to the movies and they only show previews.

Eat well, cook often ...

Avocado Bacon Cheeseburger

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Grilling season is in full swing. When I was in college at Ball State, I’ll never forget walking to work at the campus newspaper on warm evenings and smelling barbecue grills all around campus perfuming the air like fresh cut grass on a five-acre lawn.

According to a 2009 study conducted by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, 82 percent of all U.S. households own a grill or smoker and during peak grilling season 45 percent of those grill at least 1 or 2 times a week. The most popular grilling occasions are Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day, but 56 percent report they grill during the wintertime. The survey also says the most popular foods for cooking on the grill are, in order: burgers (85 percent), steak (80 percent), hot dogs (79 percent) and chicken (73 percent).

For this recipe, I make America’s favorite grilling item – the burger. An avocado spread with jalapeño and lime juice gives it a signature flavor complimented by bacon, onion, tomato and cilantro.

BEHIND THIS BITE
This is an improvement on a concept that I originally did two years ago with my fourth column for print. It was a little different and I used chicken, but the basic idea here is deconstructed guacamole distributed throughout a sandwich. My basic recipe for guacamole is avocado, jalapeno, red onion, tomato, cilantro and lime juice. All of those elements are found here surrounding a bacon cheeseburger. (With pepper jack cheese for a little extra spice.) Bacon and avocado work so well together that it can make any sandwich taste awesome, and I must say, I absolutely destroyed two of these. My Dad made pretty quick work of the other two.

Another element to this sandwich is the charcoal flavor.

I recently upgraded to a 22.5” Weber grill from an 18” to have more room for roasting larger chunks of meat. What I have found is that the extra room and distance from the coals allows the meat to soak up more of the smoke created in the larger container. I am truly amazed at how much better the charcoal flavor is. This is the item recipe I have cooked on the new grill and all three have had exceptional charcoal flavor. If your in the market for a new charcoal cooker from Weber, spend a little extra and get the 22.5” size - It’s well worth it if your a fan of charcoal.

Eat well, cook often ...

Grilled Chicken Soft Tacos with Pico de Gallo

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Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and with it the unofficial start of summer. If you haven’t already, it’s time to clean up the grill, fill up the pool and get the bug zapper primed for the upcoming mosquito invasion. The holiday is the perfect excuse to get the family and friends together to grill copious amounts of meat and burn a cord of wood in the fire pit.

For this recipe, I make a grilled chicken soft taco with fresh pico de gallo. These tacos are great for a weeknight meal with the family, but can also be adapted to feed a large group. The grilled chicken features a Mexican spice rub that includes chili powder and cumin. Slicing the chicken thin and using a small tortilla helps it go a surprisingly long way. The pico de gallo is a simple salsa-like tomato salad with all fresh ingredients and requires no cooking.

This little treat is an excellent dinner whether your basking in the sun with family and friends at an outdoor bash or just coming in from a long day working in the garden.

BEHIND THIS BITE
This is about the ninth different taco I’ve posted here, but i really can’t get enough of them. They are like an entire meal wrapped in a yummy blanket! I can say for sure that tacos are what I would request for my last meal. Not these tacos, but some kind of taco featuring fillet, prime rib or lobster and a kick ass sauce.

This taco features a fresh pico de gallo and a spice rub. Between those I included enough flavors that I didn’t need a taco sauce or traditional salsa which usually contain the “magic,” or flavors that make it stand out. Here the flavor is in the spice rub and garnish.

These tacos were inspired by the “Fresco” tacos at Taco Bell. The Bell is my fast food joint of choice and I’m always ordering different stuff. I discovered that “Fresco” meant they put a "fiesta salsa" which is similar to pico de gallo on the taco just last week. I actually liked it. It was fast food, so naturally it’s something I wouldn't request at a formal dinner, but for a quick lunch – I’ll put “Fresco” crunchy taco from Taco Bell on the “eat this if you have to get food in your body because it’s 2:30 and you haven’t eaten all day” list.

Eat well, cook often ...

Mexican Sloppy Joe

Printable version

It’s not known when the name “sloppy joe” was given to the sandwich, but recipes similar to it started to appear in cookbooks in the beginning of the twentieth century according to the Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink.

Most sloppy Joe sandwich recipes contain a mixture of ground beef, tomato sauce, onion and selected spices, served hot on a hamburger bun and are hard to eat without slopping something on the table or yourself.

Some food historians believe it evolved from loose meat sandwiches served in Iowa by Floyd Angell, founder of Maid-Rite Restaurants in 1926. Whatever the origin, the Great Depression helped propel this economical way to stretch meat, and by the late 1940s the sloppy joe was a staple in kitchens throughout the United States.

For this recipe, I make a Mexican version of the sloppy joe that I call the sloppy josé. It features jalapeño, chili sauce, chili powder, cumin and is as tasty and sloppy as the American version. I recommend wearing a bib while eating it.

BEHIND THE BITES
In all the years I have been cooking I had never made a batch of sloppy joe. I decided to make this recipe with a Mexican twist but that is just one direction it can be taken, I think you could make an Italian version and maybe even an Asian inspired version.

In the introduction, I touch on the history of the sandwich, my hunch is that it may have originated when someone ran out of pasta after making a pot of bolognese and decided to through it on a bun instead.

One thing is for sure about this sandwich - it is sloppy. I think that's why they are popular at outdoor events. The yard is the only place they should be eaten. I literally ate two of these over the waste basket in my kitchen. That’s when the name really sunk in. There really isn’t a need to explain how the sandwich got it. All you have to do is eat one and the reason why it’s called “sloppy” is apparent. Feed these to a group of toddlers and you’ll need a power washer to clean up the mess. If the sandwich was named after an actual person named Joe, he must have been the messiest human to have ever lived.

Eat well, cook often ...