picadillo
this is a traditional mexican dish which can be made without too much effort. this is a recipe i adapted from some website i forget now.

make a sauce: (this sauce can also be used for enchiladas)
take the seeds and veins from two dried chile anchos. maroon in color, wide and shriveled. shred the skins coarsely.
cut the stems from two peppers alternately called chilaca, chilacate, or mirasol. large, green, and not very spicy.
boil these peppers in a small amount of water for about 20 minutes, until the water has the same color as the peppers.
grind this up finely until it is smooth and saucy, and strain it, to remove the fibers of the chiles anchos.
boil this gently until it thickens

brown a pound of ground beef with salt and drain it

fry at low heat until soft a large sweet onion and two diced green(or red) tomatoes. add the chili sauce, a clove of garlic, two large potatoes, diced. cook for a few minutes, then take a bit of the liquid which has accumulated and add this to the ground beef, frying it separately for a short time in the sauce. put everything together in one pot with some yellow corn.

cook until the potatoes are soft, and add salt and black pepper to taste.

the chile sauce ultimately decides the flavor. you can add a bit of catchup if you like to cheat
- posted by Jesse @ 12:27 AM 0 comments  

 
TORTOLLINI SOUP or however that's spelled ... fast and easy.

1. Saute one medium onion with 3-4 minced cloves of garlic.
2. Add 1 can Beef Broth,
3. 1 can crushed tomatoes,
4. 1 can italian diced tomatoes. (either 10 oz or 14 oz, I don't remember. Just a regular size soup can.)
5. Add spices. Twice as much basil as oregano, some red pepper, a little rosemary or thyme if you've got it.
6. Bring liquids to a boil.
7. Add bag of frozen tortollini (Cheese or Meat). (1 pound I think?)
8. Bring to boil again and simmer until pasta cooked. About 5-10 min.

Add ins/different things to try to basic receipe.

• Add to the broth, 1/2 cup red wine and 2 T honey.
• Add to the soup, thinly sliced spinach just before serving.
• Put shredded mozerella in the bottom of the bowl, then add soup on top to melt.
• Top the soup with a dollup of ricotta cheese.
• Serve with good, fresh, hearty, crusty bread.
• Add meat – pepperoni and spicy sausage are good to add with the onions – chicken is good to add with the spices especially if you’re going to cook it a long time (slo-cooker)

Tastes great the next day if you have leftovers. Total cooking time, about 30 minutes.

- posted by BG @ 9:07 PM 0 comments