Kitchen Crushes

Cute kitchen towels!

Mushrooms & Pans

 Cookbooks and Cooking Magazines!

 I know you can find everything online but I really like having a real cookbook or magazine in my hands. 

 FIESTA!

Hoisin Stir Fry

I do love a good stir fry. This dish hit the spot and it had the added appeal of having a simple and easy sauce (no messing around with cornstarch to thicken it up). The hoisin sauce adds and interesting flavor and the red pepper flakes add some zip. I was a tad lazy and picked up a pre-made stir fry package from the produce section of WF. They have an amazing variety of combinations and the price wasn't awful.

Hoisin Beef and Veggie Stir Fry

(adapted from Real Simple)

Ingredients:
Rice, desired amount
3/4 cup hoisin sauce

1/2 cup water
1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
1.5 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound flank or boneless sirloin steak, sliced into thin strips

Salt & pepper
Desire Veggies (I used mushrooms/snap peas/asparagus/shallots)

Oil for stir frying

Directions:
1. Cook the rice according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, ½ cup water, soy sauce, sugar, and red pepper flakes.
2. Bring hoisin mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, about 1½ minutes. Pour into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Season steak with salt and pepper.

4. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the steak and stir-fry until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
5. Wipe out pan and add more oil. Stir fry the veggies until done.
6. Return steak to wok with veggies and add the hoisin mixture. Stir-fry until warmed through, about 1 minute. Serve immediately over rice.

Pre-sauce!

Summer Salad

Yum yum! This salad was a nice fresh taste of summer. You get a nice burst of sweetness from the red pepper and corn. A bit of spice from the onion, cumin, and hot sauce plus the earthiness of the black beans to even it all out. I do believe that this dish will be making a return during the summer season.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

(from Rachel Ray)

Ingredients:
1 can, 14 ounces, black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot sauce (I used sriracha)
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
Salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let stand at least 15 minutes for corn to fully defrost and flavors to combine, then toss and serve.

Waste of Wine

This recipe did not wow me. It was not overly flavorful. I think I would rather have had the glass of wine rather than using it to marinate the steak! Or use the wine for a reduction. It did turn the steak an interesting purple color that made it difficult to tell how well cooked it was.

Red Wine Marinated Steak

(from the Food Network by Bobby Flay)

Ingredients:
4 shallots, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pounds flank steak, butterfiled
Salt and pepper
Directions:

1. Whisk together shallots, wine and olive oil in a large baking dish. Add the steak and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Heat grill to high.
3. Remove the steak from the marinade and blot with paper towels. Lay on a flat surface, cut side up, and season with salt and pepper. Brush the outside of the steak with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the steak over high heat until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes.

Plymouth Gin

The bottle is empty. That's my review.

This was a very good gin. So much so that Mr. Lawyer kept sneaking it and it didn't last that long at all. It has a very smooth and traditional taste. Added plus: the bottle is pretty cool.

Spicy Garlic Bread

Just a quick little change up to your everyday garlic bread: add a little bit of chili oil to the butter for some zip! It was a nice spicy change. Plus a good way to use up my asian chili oil.

Make Your Own!

It's been a serve yourself-make your own-toppings bar type of week.

Monday and Tuesday were build your own grilled cheese nights served up with my tomato-orzo soup.

 Mr. Lawyer is the best grilled cheese maker I've ever met!

 Tonight was make your own BLT night.

Yum yum!

The Original!

My dad sent me this picture (and a hundred other epic photos from the amazing and awkward 1990s) with the coleman cooler that inspired my recent purchase!

Snazzy!

Cinco De Mayo!

Happy Early Cinco De Mayo!

I decided to start my mexican feast early was we will be engaged all weekend and I will not be able to make a proper celebratory meal.
Here is my before picture. Look at all that deliciousness! 

 The aftermath. 

It was delicious.

Taco Taco!

You really can't go wrong with a taco or quesadilla. This recipe did not disappoint. Mr. Lawyer inhaled three of them in rapid succession. Sadly, I only had one because I had eaten half of the guacamole before he got home. It's an addiction. I made it and put it in the fridge so the flavors could mingle. I kept going back, peeling off the plastic wrap, and scooooooooop. I can't get enough of it.

The potatoes were an interesting addition that I wouldn't have thought of. They were good! And nothing beats a onion/pepper/mushroom mixture. The only part I skipped was adding the crema/sour cream to the mixture at the end. I served it as a traditional topping along with the homemade guacamole, salsa, and shredded cheddar.

 Naked Taco!

Fully Loaded Taco!

Poblano, Mushroom, and Potato Taco

(From the Food Network Magazine)

Ingredients:
4 medium poblano chile peppers
3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
12 ounces cremini and/or white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup Mexican crema, creme fraiche or sour cream
Juice of 2 limes
Freshly ground pepper
Corn tortillas, warmed, and assorted toppings, for serving
Directions:1. Roast the poblanos directly over the flame of a gas burner or under the broiler, turning with tongs, until charred all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plate and let steam until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Scrape off the charred skin with a paring knife; remove the stems and seeds. Cut the poblanos into strips and set aside.
2.Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large nonstick skillet and cover with cold water; season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes; drain. Wipe the skillet dry.
3. Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. While still hot, sprinkle with half of the herbs, and salt to taste. Discard the excess oil and wipe out the skillet.
4. Heat the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the remaining herbs and the garlic; cook 1 minute. Add the roasted poblanos, crema, lime juice and a few spoonfuls of water; stir until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the potatoes and mushroom mixture in tortillas with assorted toppings.