Guacamole and Spicy Refried Beans

As promised in my Chimichanga recipe posted earlier, here are the recipes for my Guacamole and Spicy Refried Beans.  Enjoy!

 

Guacamole

 

Ingredients

•    5 small avocados scooped and seeded
•    ½ cup pico de gallo
•    2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
•    ½ of a lime
•    ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
•    A few dashes cayenne pepper

Directions

Slice avocados in half, remove the seed and scoop out with spoon into a mixing bowl.  Begin mashing avocados into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon.  When about half mashed add pico de gallo, cilantro, squeeze the half lime for juice, kosher salt and a few dashes of cayenne pepper.  Mix, mash and give it a taste.  If you like a kick, add a little more cayenne pepper.  As always ingredients can be adjusted to your liking.

Spicy Refried Beans

 

Ingredients

•    1 can refried beans (I like Taco Bell fat free)
•    ¼ cup milk
•    ¼ cup pickled jalapeno juice
•    ¼ cup finely diced yellow onion
•    2 tablespoons diced pickled jalapeno
•    ¼ heaping teaspoon cumin and chili powder
•    ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

In medium sauce pan add all ingredients and stir.  Turn heat to high while continuing to stir until beans bubble the second you stop stirring.  Remove from heat and cover.  Put back on burner over low heat for 20 mins stirring once or twice.  Take lid off and let it simmer for about 10 mins stirring occasional until it reaches the consistence you like your beans.

 

 

Tuna Cakes

Kristi and I went floating the Guadalupe River this weekend and had a blast, however it took its toll on me.  I thought I would feel good enough to go to the store Monday after work but I was wrong.  When I got home from work, I realized I wouldn't be leaving the house again this evening.  So I decide to go through the pantry and create something with what I had available.

Back in the day I use to make this, but with fewer ingredients AND a lot less flavor!

Ingredients

•    1 can solid white albacore tuna
•    1 egg white
•    ½ tablespoon lime juice
•    2 tablespoons red onion
•    1 tablespoon jalapeno
•    6 ritz crackers
•    20-25 wasabi & soy sauce blue diamond almonds
•    3 tablespoons mayo
•    1 tablespoon dill relish
•    ¼ teaspoon chili powder
•    ½ teaspoon paprika
•    5-6 asparagus stalks
•    Salt and pepper

Directions

Start by putting crackers and almonds into a small food processor and chop to a fine mixture.  Next mix tuna, egg white, lime juice, red onion, jalapeno, cracker almond mixture(save about 1 tablespoon), salt and pepper medium bowl.  Make mixture into two patties and sprinkle remaining cracker mix on top.  Heat up clarified butter in saute pan to medium high heat.  Add the tuna patties cracker mix side down and cook for 2mins or until golden brown.  Flip cakes, cook for another minute and remove.

For garnish mix mayo, dill relish, chili powder and paprika together in small bowl for dipping sauce.  Steam asparagus for 4-5mins and salt to taste.

Baked Chimichanga

In two weeks my wife and I are heading to Cabo San Lucas for a week long vacation of basking in the sun, drinking ritas at the pool and enjoying some authentic Mexican food.  Now in preparation for our vacation we have been trying to keep a healthy eating routine which unfortunately kept us away from our most favorite Mexican meals.  This weekend we gave in and splurged (but not too badly!) with my Baked Steak & Chicken Chimichangas and homemade Guacamole - that seriously gets better and better every time I make it!

Ingredients 

•    1 lbs chicken or steak (see seasonings in directions)
•    4 large flour tortillas
•    1 cup Mexican cheese
•    1 yellow onion and green pepper
•    1 can refried beans**
•    1 bag Knorr's Spanish rice (add 1/4 cup red pepper and yellow onion)
•    2 tablespoons butter
•    Guacamole **

Directions

I started by seasoning my top sirloin with equal parts salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin (about ½ teaspoon each).  Next marinate the chicken in ½ cup taco sauce, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon lime juice, touch of salt and pepper for an hour or two.  Put both on the grill, cook until chicken is just done and steak until its cooked medium.  Remove and set aside to rest then cut in slices.

While chicken is marinating, julienne half the green pepper and half the yellow onion.  Heat 1 tablespoon butter in sauté pan to high; cook peppers and onions for about 2-3mins adding a touch of cumin.  Remove and set aside for later.   Follow rice recipe, but also add ¼ cup diced onion and ¼ cup diced red pepper.

Set up a line of all the food (except guacamole) starting with the tortillas.  Start by spreading beans on tortilla, add cheese, rice, meat, pepper onion mix and roll the tortilla into a burrito shape.  Place in a baking pan and pour 1 tablespoon melted butter over all the burritos.  Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15mins and then broil until top browns (1-3mins). 

Plate Chimichanga, add a big scoop of homemade guacamole on top and beans & rice on the side. 

*Please keep in mind you can add, remove, increase or decrease any and all ingredients.

**My version of these ingredients will be posted soon!
 

Delmonico Steak & Sauce

The other day I was watching an episode of Alton Brown's show, Good Eats, on sauces.  The first one he made was an easy steak sauce and I was instantly intrigued.  It sounded delicious and easy to make as well, so while at Market Street Monday morning I picked up two Delmonico steaks.  The steak looked like it had great marbling , so I was thinking it would be more favor for the sauce.  If I were to make this again (which I will be soon), I would prefer a steak with less fat through it.  My piece wasn't bad, but Kristi's was hard to eat because of all the fat.  However, the sauce was absolutely out of this world!  It's so rich and flavorful, I'll be making it again and again.

Ingredients

•   2 steaks of your choice
•   1 ½ tablespoons clarified butter
•   ¼ shallots
•   1 clove garlic thinly sliced
•   ¾ cup low sodium beef broth
•   ¼ dry sherry
•   ¼ cups heavy cream
•   Salt and pepper

Directions

Start by seasoning steak with salt and pepper.  Melt clarified butter in sauté pan over medium high heat.  Add steak to pan and cook for about 2mins on each side.  Remove steak from pan and put on grill over medium heat until cooked to the temperature you like.

For the sauce, add the shallots and garlic to the remaining butter/juice in the sauté pan; cook for 2mins.  Add beef broth, scrap bottom of pan to get up any flavor from steak, bring to boil and reduce by about half.  Then add the sherry and bring back to boil.  Reduce heat to low and slowly stir in heavy cream.  Salt and pepper to taste and spoon over steak.

I also sautéed onions in clarified butter and seasoned with salt and pepper to put over the steak along with the sauce.  I thinly sliced red skin potatoes with a mandoline, brush both sides with oil and put on baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper and bake on 425 for 15mins.  Steam asparagus for about 4-5mins and season with salt.