Grilled Chicken Salad with Rustic Guacamole, Romaine and Queso Anejo

Why, hello there. Have you missed me? I've missed all of you. Once again, life has been hectic around these parts. We are in the middle of some major real estate juggling, and that is no easy feat with three kids in tow. Also, my son is gearing up to start kindergarten in less than a week; so in addition to moving/packing, we are in full "yikes,school is starting soon" mode. Basically, I have been doing some fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants cooking. Nothing exciting to post...unless you want to know exactly how I manage to whip up scrambled eggs for dinner.

I started South Beach Diet Phase 1 again, too. Well, I did. I lasted a week, and then I broke down and had some carbs (and alcohol). I needed to shed a few pounds fast before my 1/2 marathon in (eek!) 5 weeks. I took off 5 of the 8 pounds I set for my goal pre-race weight. Then, I caved in to temptation. I decided from now until the race I am going to try to stick with SBD phase 1, but if I have carbs now and again no biggie. I should still be able to lose the 3 extra pounds on a low/modified carb intake.

Enough about me. Let's talk about Rick Bayless...

I heart Rick Bayless (as I've mentioned several times). Every recipe just reconfirms my adoration. Someday I hope to eat at all of his restaurants...do a food vacation centered around Rick Bayless. That may sound a little extreme, but that is how much I l-o-v-e him. This chicken salad was fantastic. My BFF Claire made it last week, and reminded me of it in the Mexican Everyday cookbook. It is SBD Phase 1 friendly and it was delicious. RB took the pedestrian chicken Caesar salad and made it sing. Rick B. rocks!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Rustic Guacamole, Romaine and Queso Anejo
From: Mexican Everyday by: Rick Bayless

Ingredients:

DRESSING:
½ cup vegetable or olive oil, plus a little more for onion
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
Fresh hot green chiles to taste (I like 2 serranos or 1 large jalapeno), stemmed and halved
½ cup fresh lime juice
¾ cup (loosely packed) cilantro, roughly chopped
Salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD:
4 medium (about 1¼ pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 medium white onion, cut into ½-half-inch slices
2 ripe avocados
8 cups romaine hearts, sliced crosswise at ½-inch thick
1/3 cup grated Mexican queso anejo or other garnishing cheese (Romano or Parmesan)

Directions:
Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chiles; cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft and lightly browned (usually 1 to 2 minutes). Pour oil, garlic and chiles into blender jar or food processor. Add lime juice, cilantro, black pepper, and 1 scant teaspoon salt. Process garlic mixture until smooth.

Pour 1/3 of garlic mixture over chicken breasts, spreading it evenly over all sides.

Heat a grill pan or gas grill to medium to medium-high heat (or start a charcoal fire and let it burn until coals are medium hot and covered with white ash). Lightly brush or spray onion slices with oil; sprinkle with salt. Lay chicken and onion on grill pan or grill. Cook until chicken is just cooked through and onion is well browned (3 to 4 minutes on each side). Chop onion into small pieces and scoop into bowl. Set the chicken aside to cool.

Pit and peel avocados, scooping flesh into bowl with onion. Add another 1/3 of garlic mixture, then coarsely mash everything together with old-fashioned potato masher, large fork or back of spoon. Taste and season with salt (usually about ½ teaspoon).

Scoop the sliced romaine into large bowl. Drizzle on remaining 1/3 of garlic mixture and toss to combine. Divide between 4 dinner plates. Scoop a portion of guacamole into center of each plate. Cut each breast into cubes and arrange over guacamole. Sprinkle each plate with garnishing cheese. Serve.



The Result:
It. was. awesome. I followed the recipe to the letter, and it was soooooo tasty. Each component was perfectly complimented by the next. It was very filling and satisfying; and I just love the idea of the salad dressing being used for the chicken marinade and in the guacamole. Yum. Try this salad...it will make you happy.

Queso Fundido Burgers

I started off with a totally different recipe in mind for tonight's dinner, but I forgot to read through the recipe beforehand. I started prepping my ingredients for the other recipe and noticed that there was a 2 hour prep step that I couldn't do because it was already after 5pm. I need to get dinner on the table by 6 o'clock or my family gets a little hangry (that is a term we've invented at my house that means "angry-hungry"). Anyway, since the first recipe was pretty much moot at that point, I quickly switched gears and made this Rick Bayless burger recipe instead. I quickly thawed some chorizo and got to work.

Queso Fundido Burgers
From: Rick Bayless

Ingredients:
2 fresh medium poblano chiles
1 medium onion, sliced into ¼-inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons oil
1 ½ pounds ground chuck
8 ounces chorizo, cooked
1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles den adobo, finely minced, seeded if you wish
8 thick slices Monterey Jack cheese
4 hamburger buns, lightly toasted

Directions:
Roast the poblanos over an open flame or 4 inches below a broiler, turning regularly until blistered and blackened all over, about 5 minutes for an open flame, 10 minutes for the broiler. Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let cool. Rub off the blackened skin and pull out the stems and seed pods. Cut into ¼-inch strips.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, stirring frequently until it begins to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and poblano and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon. Scrape the rajas into a bowl and cover to keep warm.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, cooked chorizo, chipotles and 1 ½ teaspoon salt. Mix until well combined. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form the patties.

Heat a gas grill to medium-high, or light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the charcoal is covered with white ash (and about medium hot); bank the coals to one side.

Place the hamburger patties on the grill and cook for a total of 4 to 5 minutes for medium rare. Lay one piece of cheese on top of each burger, top with the warm rajas and then another piece of cheese. Close the lid and continue cooking until the cheese has melted about 1 minute. Remove from the grill and place on a toasted bun. Serve immediately.



The Result:
These were phenomenal! I love me some Rick Bayless. I swear the man could make dirt taste delicious. I had to make a few adjustments to my version of this recipe, but these burgers stood up to all my substitutions. First, I could not find poblanos. Seriously...I live in Arizona! I can't believe I couldn't get poblanos. Oh well, I decided to use Anaheim green chiles instead. Next, I didn't have any buns on hand, so we just ate our patties sans bun. Also, I substituted sliced pepper jack cheese for an extra little oomph. It all worked out, and these burgers were very filling and soooo flavorful. Fan-freakin'-tastic!

Fish with Zucchini and Toasty Garlic Mojo

So the original fish of choice for this recipe was snapper; however given my limited seafood resources, I could not get my hands on any for a decent price. So, I substituted catfish, but the recipe notes indicate that almost any white fish will work in this dish. This is another Rick Bayless jem from the Mexican Everyday cookbook. It. was. awesome. The garlic mojo sauce was drinkable. Seriously. Bayless does it again!

Fish with Zucchini and Toasty Garlic Mojo
Adapted From: the Mexican Everyday cookbook, by: Rick Bayless

Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
8 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
2/3 cup chicken broth
Salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Four 4- to 5-ounce fish fillets (snapper, halibut, mahimahi, catfish, bass etc)
2 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 large lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions:
Turn on the oven on its lowest setting. In a very large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, lightly browned and very aromatic, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, scoop the garlic into a food processor or blender jar, leaving as much oil as possible in the skillet. Set the skillet aside.

Add the broth to the processor or blender, along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Blend until smooth.

Return the skillet to medium-heat. Generously season the fish with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, lay in the fish. When Richly browned underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip and cook until the fish gives slightly under firm pressure from your finger, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer each piece of fish to an oven-proof dinner plate. Keep warm in the oven.

With the skillet still over medium-high heat, add the zucchini and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly browned but still a little crunchy inside, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic mixture and cilantro. Stir until the sauce comes to a boil and becomes homogeneous. Taste and season with more salt if it needs it.

Spoon the zucchini and sauce over and around the fish and serve right away, with lime wedges for each person to squeeze on.



The Result:
This is probably my favorite new fish recipe. We served our fish and zucchini with brown rice, which soaked up all the yummy pan sauce. My belly is very happy. It was pretty fast to pull together and it was one I may have kept overlooking if it was not for the cookbook project. This is my last Bayless recipe for the week, and I am a little sad about it. I may revisit this book again later in my project, since pretty much everything I have tried from it has been a total hit.

Chipotle Chicken Salad Tacos with Avocado, Red Skin Potatoes, and Romaine

Oh, Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick. I had almost forgotten what a magical, creative, food-stud you are. Thankfully, my husband picked your cookbook for my cookbook project and I was gently reminded that your Mexican cooking skills are unmatched. I will never make that mistake again. I bow to you, sir. Nobody puts Bayless in the corner.

Chipotle Chicken Salad Tacos with Avocado, Red Skin Potatoes, and Romaine
From: the Everyday Mexican cookbook, by: Rick Bayless

Ingredients:
1 large red-skin potato or Yukon Gold, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
Salt
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, seeded and chopped
1/4 small white onion, finely chopped
6 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) coarsely shredded cooked chicken
2 cups sliced romaine leaves - slice them about 1/4 inch across
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
12 warm corn tortillas

Directions:
Place the sliced potatoes into a large microwavable bowl, pour in 1/4 cup of water and sprinkle generously with salt. Cover and microwave on high for about 4 minutes. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon to a cutting board and let cool, reserving cooking liquid.

Add the vinegar, oregano, chipotle chiles and onion to the bowl with the potato water to make the dressing. Mix and then taste, add salt if necessary.

Use a fork to break up the potatoes (or just dice like I did) into 1/2 inch pieces, then place them in a large bowl. Add the chicken, drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine. You can refrigerate it for a half and hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Just before serving, add the lettuce and avocado, and drizzle with olive oil and toss gently to combine. Serve with warm tacos.



The Result:
Fan-freakin'-tastico!!! These were delicious and so easy to put together. My photo is a little sketchy, but the tacos were great. We garnished ours with some queso fresco and it was a delicious touch. Yum! Rick Bayless is the man.

Creamy Corn Soup with Chicken and Roasted Chiles

I let the husband choose the second official cookbook for my cooking project. We are huge Rick Bayless fans at my house, so it was no surprise when he picked Everyday Mexican. Since I have tried many recipes (with great success) out of this book already, I challenged myself by picking three dishes that we normally would have automatically passed over for this week. This soup was one of them. I don't know why, but corn soup is not something I think about making at home. Processed forms of corn are so prevalent in our food system, I automatically dismiss actual corn as part of our meal. (Read or watch anything by Michael Pollan and you will understand where I am coming from; current corn production/processing is pretty much the devil.) I think I have become a little prejudiced against corn. Since I knew in my heart Rick Bayless would not steer my wrong, I set aside my issues with corn and made this soup. At first, I will admit, I was luke-warm about it. However, the more I ate of it, the more I absolutely loved it. It really took me a few bites to understand and fully appreciate this soup. As expected, it was hearty, subtle, and delicious. We all had seconds...which is a definite seal of approval around our table.

Creamy Corn Soup with Chicken and Roasted Chiles
Adapted From: the Everyday Mexican cookbook, by: Rick Bayless

Ingredients:
2 large fresh pasilla chiles or poblano chiles
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 cups corn kernels, frozen
1-2 tablespoon corn starch
1 quart milk
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or about 3/4 pound leftover chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Roast the chiles directly on the open flame of a stovetop or under a broiler until charred and blackened all over, 5-10 minutes depending on method. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel until cool enough to handle.

In the meantime, heat the oil over medium heat in a 3-quart saucepan and add the garlic and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden. Transfer to a food processor along with the corn, cornstarch, and 1 1/2 cups of the milk.(I used an immersion blender and pureed it right in the pot.) Process into a purée and transfer back to the saucepan, straining out the corn kernel skins if desired.(I did not strain my corn kernel skins out of our soup, I wanted a heartier texture.) Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently.

When the chile is cooled somewhat, rub off the blackened skins, pull out the stem and seeds, and rinse to complete the job. Cut into 1/4-inch strips or pieces, then stir into the simmering soup along with the chicken and remaining milk. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, if necessary, stirring as you go. Serve with sprinkled cilantro.



The Result:
As I said this was delicious, and fairly easy to put together. I used some pre-cooked chicken breasts, so I did not need to cook the chicken in the soup. I couldn't find poblanos, so I used pasilla chiles as a substitution that worked out just fine. Also, see my notes (in italics) in the cooking directions for a couple of minor changes I made to the original directions. My only real issue I had was that I needed more cornstarch than the original ingredients indicated. I think I probably used about 3 tablespoons of corn starch to get the texture I was going for. I would recommend starting with 1 tablespoon of corn starch and then adding more as you go, until you get the desired result for your soup. The chiles were not spicy, but gave the soup a great roasted flavor. Thanks Rick Bayless for another keeper to add to our repertoire.

Rick Bayless Salsa Mac and Cheese...My Light Version

Whew! By my merely accepting that something had to go, my sense of stress has been greatly reduced. While I love blogging, I am glad that I am not putting any more undue pressure on myself by thinking of it as a "must-do" activity. That little change in my perception has already been a huge relief. By admitting that I needed a mental break, my whole outlook has improved quite a bit. I can see that my plan will work...my more relaxed attitude will bring better recipes and an overall better blog in the future. I am really glad I decided to sort out that bit of business.

Anyway, last night I had a little dinner fiasco. I planned to make a different vegetarian recipe, only to find that the phyllo dough that I needed to use had to be thawed overnight...in advance. Whoops. After I literally cooked half of the dish, I figured it out. Luckily, the part I cooked stored well in the fridge and we will have the entire recipe tonight. However, my little mix up made me scramble for a last minute meal. I didn't have any protein items thawed, so I was pretty much left with making another vegetarian dish as my only option. I had this Rick Bayless recipe (that I found on my friend Claire's blog, of course) slated for later in the week so I just rearranged my menu plan and substituted this recipe in at the last second. I would say it worked out well, because it was fast to put together and we all really enjoyed it!!!

Rick Bayless Salsa Mac and Cheese...My Light Version
Adapted From: Rick Bayless, Season 7: Mexico - One Plate at a Time
Serves 8

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups fat-free milk
1 1/2 cups of your favorite salsa (I used one whole jar)
2 cups low-fat 2% sharp shredded cheddar cheese
Salt to taste
1 pound of dried whole wheat pasta (I used small shells)
Organic corn tortilla chips (optional)

Directions:
Pour 4 quarts of water into a large pot, cover and set over high heat.

In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then stir in the flour and whisk until the mixture turns a deep golden, about 2 minutes. Add the fat-free milk and continue to whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil, 4 or 5 minutes. (Whisk diligently and there will be no lumps.) Stir in the salsa, remove from the heat, then stir in the low-fat cheese. Continue stirring until all the cheese has melted. Taste and season generously with salt, usually 1 1/2 teaspoons. Cover to keep warm until the pasta is done.

When the water has come to a boil, add the dried pasta. Stir well to keep the pasta from sticking together and boil until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and add the pasta to the sauce. Stir until all the pasta is covered in the salsa cheese sauce. Crumble a couple corn tortilla chips on top for an added crunch, if desired. Serve and enjoy!



The Result:
As I said, this was super-easy and we all really enjoyed it. My "light" substutions worked out well and reduced the original calorie count per serving. Also, I freshened the whole meal up a bit by adding a baby spinanch salad as a side dish. This will be a dish I make again; but next time I will just make this recipe first, instead of on the heels of an 'almost' dinner disaster.

Jen's BBQ Beef Roast (for Sandwiches), Rick Bayless Hickory House Barbecue Sauce, & Rick Bayless Hickory House Barbecue Baked Beans

Sometimes, I make stuff up as I go along. For example, the main component of tonight's dinner is something that I am just throwing together to see how it works out. Normally, I make beef roast in the slow cooker; but my slow cooker is otherwise occupied at the moment. (We have it set up in our bedroom so we can heat up baby bottles.) Also, I normally make BBQ pulled pork...not a beef variation. Alas, "necessity is the mother of invention". I didn't have a pork roast in the freezer, but I did have a plethora of beef. Instead of the normal, boring old pot roast I thought I would try to make it more like pulled pork for sandwiches. Then, I have the slow cooker issue... Basically, it comes down to me doing some creative cooking.

I am going to make this roast, shred it with forks, and then combine with some homemade barbecue sauce for some yummy sandwiches. As accompaniments, I am also going to make some barbecue baked beans and a green salad. Both sauce and beans are Rick Bayless recipes that my friend Claire recently posted on her blog (I am always stealing borrowing ideas from her!)

So here is what I am doing to my roast...

Jen's BBQ Beef Roast (for Sandwiches)

Ingredients:
1 pot roast, about 3 lbs.
1 sliced onion
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 bottle of your favorite beer
1/2 cup of beef broth
1/2 cup of water
Lawry's Seasoned Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
cooking liquid
BBQ sauce of your choice (see recipe below for the Rick Bayless sauce I am using tonight)
whole wheat buns or whole wheat sandwich thins

Directions:
In a dutch oven, layer onions and garlic on the bottom. Place beef roast on top. Shake the Worcestershire on top of the meat. Sprinkle in Lawry's Seasoned Salt and black pepper to taste. Add bay leaf on side of roast. Pour in water, beef broth, and beer. Liquid should come about half way up the sides of the roast. (Add more water if needed during cook time.) Bake in a 275 degree oven for 3 hours.

When roast is done cooking, remove to a cutting board. Remove most of the fat off of the meat. Shred the meat with two forks and place in a large bowl with some of the cooking liquid (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on your roast). Add BBQ sauce and mix well to combine (adjust the amount of sauce you used, based on how saucy you like your sandwiches). Serve on buns or sandwich thins and enjoy!

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Rick Bayless Hickory House Barbecue Sauce
From: Copyright 2004, Rick and Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
1 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp vinegar (cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar)
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 to 1 tsp barbecue spice (see below) or chili powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Directions:
Peel garlic and crush through garlic press into a small saucepan. Add all the remaining ingredients and 3/4 cup water. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Taste and season with salt if you think necessary. The sauce is ready to use. It can be stored, refrigerated in a sealed jar, for up to a month.

Barbecue Spice:

Ingredients:
2 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup plain ground chile or paprika
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
1 tsp dried thyme
4 tsp salt

Directions:
Peel garlic and crush through garlic press into a small bowl. add remaining ingredients. Stir, making sure to thoroughly mix in garlic. If not using right away, store in small jar in refrigerator up to 1 month.

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Rick Bayless Hickory House Baked Beans
From: Rick and Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures

Ingredients:
1/2 large green or red bell pepper, cut in small pieces
Two 15-ounce cans pinto beans or navy beans, drained and rinsed (or 3 to 3-1/2 cups home-cooked pinto or navy beans well seasoned with salt)
1 cup barbecue sauce, store bought or homemade
1/2 cup water or bean cooking liquid if using home-cooked beans
2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking pan, mix together everything except Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to dissolve sugar completely. Dribble Worcestershire over top. Bake until slightly thickened, glazed and browned on top, and bubbling vigorously around the edges, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly before serving.



The Results:
These sandwiches were awesome! The meat was cooked perfectly, the sauce was lip-smackingly delicious, and the beans were some of the best BBQ beans that I have tasted. I heart Rick Bayless!

Rick Bayless' Chorizo, Potato, Mushroom Tacos with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

I think by now you all may recognize my obsession with Rick Bayless. I am not the only one...I share this obsession with my friend Claire, as well. I don't know how to explain it other than I have a huge "chef crush" on him and his food. My husband doesn't even mind, since he loves Rick Bayless too (in a very platonic, masculine way). Ahem. Anyway, I have never been disappointed with one of his recipes. Also, I love that most of his dishes from the Mexican Everyday cookbook are pretty darn easy. It is seriously my favorite cookbook ever!
Since we always have a surplus of bulk chorizo on hand in my house, I thought these tacos would be an easy one dish meal to try out. Also, I made the Roasted Tomatillo Salsa a week or so ago, and I can't get it out of my head. I just have to have it again. These tacos promise to be a great vehicle for the salsa. Yum! I still have some stale corn tortillas leftover; I am going to try to revive those, and pair this meal with a green salad.

Chorizo, Potato, and Mushroom Tacos with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
From: Mexican Everyday, by Rick Bayless; copyright 2005

Ingredients:
12 oz. Chorizo, casings removed (I use bulk pork chorizo)
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
6 oz. mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (shitake is recommended, but I am using sliced crimini)
12 oz. (approx. 3 medium) Yukon Gold potatoes, coarsely grated
Salt to taste
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (see recipe below)


Directions:
Crumble chorizo in a large nonstick skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until sausage is half cooked. Increase heat to medium-high. Add onion and mushrooms; continue to cook, stirring almost constantly, for about 3 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Sprinkle potatoes into skillet; cook, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Season to taste with salt. Transfer mixture into a bowl and top with cilantro. Serve in warm corn tortillas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
From: Mexican Everyday, by Rick Bayless; copyright 2005

Ingredients:
4 medium (8 ounces total) tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
Hot green chiles to taste (2 Serrano *OR* 1 jalapeno), stemmed and roughly chopped (For less heat, seed & devein some or all of the chile peppers)
About 1/3 cup (loosely packed) roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Directions:
Set a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lay in the garlic and tomatillos, cut side down. When the tomatillos are well browned, 3-4 minutes, turn everything over and brown the other side. The tomatillos should be completely soft.

Scrape the tomatillos and garlic into a blender or food processor and let cool to room temperature, about 3 minutes. Add the chiles, cilantro, and 1/4 cup water. Blend to a coarse puree. Pour into a salsa dish and thin with a little additional water if necessary to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency.

Scoop the chopped onion into a strainer and rinse under cold water. Stir into the salsa. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 tsp.



The Result:
These tacos were yummy and satisfying; but admittedly, not as fantastic as some of the other recipes I have tried from Rick. They were good, just not drool-worthy/craveable. The flavors were all familiar, but nothing new and exciting. Also, the shredded potatoes made these suckers really, really filling. The tomatillo salsa was still great, and I also mashed up an avocado with some salt, lemon juice, and lime juice for a topping. On the plus side, this was one Mexican dish that did not have dairy in it. (For most people that is certainly a con instead of a pro...but sadly not for me. I will say that cheese would have worked in this dish for those of you who are not currently lactose intolerant. Under normal circumstances, I would have added queso fresco to these tacos.)

I did have some tortilla issues, so that didn't help matters. It turns out that my old corn tortillas were...how can I put this delicately??...in a word...YUCK! Not good. We took one bite of the stale tortillas and gave the rest of the package to the dogs. Seriously, inedible. Thankfully, I had just done my grocery shopping yesterday morning and bought some whole wheat flour tortillas. Whew! Those literally saved dinner. We ended up making little burritos with the filling, salsa, mashed avocado, and the new tortillas. Yum! Again, they were good...once the tortilla issues got straightened out. Now for the big question...would I make these again??? Maybe. If I wanted tacos and already had everything on hand, I would. I don't know if they were stellar enough to go out of my way to specifically make again. I liked that these were pretty much a one dish meal, so they were pretty easy. I guess I am just used to always being dazzled by Rick Bayless. Ultimately, I think there are much better Rick Bayless recipes out there to try first that will blow your socks off.

Rick Bayless' Crusty Chorizo and Black Bean Tortas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa & Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I am on a new recipe roll this week! Man alive, I haven't had three new recipes in a row for quite awhile. (Okay, really two new recipes since Sunday night's concoction barely counts as an actual recipe.) This dish was originally slated for Thursday night, but I did some rearranging to have it tonight. Why you ask???? Partly because I am really curious to try it, and partly because my super-sonic-pregnant-nose is tired of smelling the uncooked bulk pork chorizo in my fridge. I am going to pair these sandwiches with some Baked Sweet Potato Fries and call it good.

Rick Bayless' Crusty Chorizo & Black Bean Tortas with Fresh Tomatillo Salsa aka Tortas de Chorizo y Frijoles Negros
From: Copyright 2005, Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday

Ingredients:
8 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed (about 1 cup)
3-4 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil (divided use)
Two 15-ounce cans black beans
Salt to taste
4 bolillo rolls, crusty French rolls or submarine sandwich rolls (6-7 inches long, 3 inches wide)
6 ounces queso fresco or other fresh cheese such as feta or goat cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 1/4-inch slices
3/4 cup Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (recipe to follow)

Directions:
Set a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat and add the chorizo. Cook, breaking up the clumps, until browned and thoroughly cooked, about 8-9 minutes. Add 1-2 Tbsp of the oil (depending on how much fat the chorizo has rendered) and the beans. As the beans come to a simmer, mash them to a smooth paste with a Mexican bean masher, old-fashioned potato masher or the back of a large cooking spoon. Cook, stirring nearly constantly, until the consistency of very soft mashed potatoes--expect about 10 minutes after adding the beans. Taste and season with the salt if you think necessary. Keep warm over the lowest heat, covered to keep the beans soft and moist.

Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium. Slice the rolls open. use fingers or a spoon to scrape out some of the soft bread in the center of each half, making a small hollow. Brush the insides with the remaining 2 Tbsp oil, then lay them cut side down on the griddle or skillet to crisp to a rich golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Smear about 1/2 cup of the chorizo-bean mixture over the bottom half of each roll. Top with slices of the cheese and the avocado. Spoon on the salsa or dash on the hot sauce. Set the top of each roll in place, and you're ready to serve.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
From:Copyright 2005, Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday

Ingredients:
4 medium (8 ounces total) tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
Hot green chiles to taste (2 Serrano *OR* 1 jalapeno), stemmed and roughly chopped (For less heat, seed & devein some or all of the chile peppers)
About 1/3 cup (loosely packed) roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Directions:
Set a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lay in the garlic and tomatillos, cut side down. When the tomatillos are well browned, 3-4 minutes, turn everything over and brown the other side. The tomatillos should be completely soft.

Scrape the tomatillos and garlic into a blender or food processor and let cool to room temperature, about 3 minutes. Add the chiles, cilantro, and 1/4 cup water. Blend to a coarse puree. Pour into a salsa dish and thin with a little additional water if necessary to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency.

Scoop the chopped onion into a strainer and rinse under cold water. Stir into the salsa. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 tsp.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Adapted from recipezaar.com/recipe #43469

Ingredients:
2-3 large sweet potatoes or yams, cut into fries
1 tablespoon of Chili powder
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of black pepper
2 tablespoons of corn starch
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
2 teaspoons of salt
Canola oil to coat

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Put cut fries into large ziploc bag with oil and spices and shake to coat.
3. Once well coated, open bag and add corn starch. Shake again until all are coated w/ corn starch.
4. Place fries onto baking sheet leaving space between fries; make sure to use baking rack to elevate fries off bottom of baking sheet for crisper results.
5. Put in oven for 10 minutes and then flip them over.
6. Place back in for 10 more minutes.
7. They should be soft on the inside and browned on the outside.
8. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve with Spicy Lime Mayo (optional--recipe below).

Spicy Lime Mayo
Adapted from recipezaar.com/recipe #120459

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of light mayo
1/4 cup of light sour cream
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1-2 Tablespoons of lime juice
Pinch of salt to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate and let flavors combine for at least 1/2 hour before serving.

Jen's Notes:
I don't think I will make the Spicy Lime Mayo tonight due to the dairy content, but I still wanted to include it in my post. It is really good, and definitely worth trying with these fries!



The Results:
This was another fan-freakin'-tastic recipe! It was simple ingredients that, when combined, were soooo utterly tasty. We L-O-V-E-D these sandwiches!!! The husband and I fought over who got to eat the leftover half that our son didn't finish (we split it). Seriously, I don't think I have ever had a bad Rick Bayless recipe. They all seem to be awesome. The salsa was a perfect accompaniment...it was spicy and flavorful. The sweet potato fries were also a great side dish to go with these sammies. Really, I just can't say enough good things about this meal. We will certainly have this again.

On a technical note...I do want to point out that the directions for the salsa say to just "stem" the chile peppers,which is what I did. This made the salsa "light your hair on fire" spicy. Also, I noticed that I actually mis-read the recipe; I used 2 Serrano AND 1 jalapeno pepper (instead of 2 Serrano OR 1 jalapeno pepper...oops). I think next time I will seed and devein one or more of the peppers to get more of a balanced heat. As it stood, it was really spicy(which now makes sense because I added too many chiles)(even with the excessive heat, that did not detour us from breaking out the chips and eating it straight from the bowl). I love spicy food, but the pregnancy-induced indigestion was a little hard to deal with. With that said, I still would rather suffer the discomfort than to skip the salsa. It was one of the best homemade salsas that I have ever tasted!

Rick Bayless' Red Chile Steak and Beans

The first time I encountered this dish was while I was
looking through my copy of my Mexican Everyday cookbook. I must admit, I totally dismissed this recipe. I flipped past it to get to some other, more exciting dishes. Don't get me wrong...this recipe looked tasty enough; but I really did not have a sense of how the dish was supposed to come together. My initial impression was that it was just beef and beans...nothing more, nothing less.

Okay...fast forward to a few months later. I was excited to see Rick Bayless on one of my very favorite shows on PBS, called Chef's Story. I never know when it is on, and I don't think they are still airing new episodes; but I have my DVR set to record any of the old one's that pop up on the programming radar. Luckily, I did not miss the Rick Bayless episode. Rick talks about his career and then does a demo recipe at the end of the show. This dish was the recipe. Oh man, the husband and I were both drooling by the time he was finished with his cooking presentation. It looked awesome! Meat and beans...yes. BUT...meat and beans in a sumptuous, spicy, chile gravy. YUM! I had no idea gravy was involved!!!! Knowing that would have made this meal more of a priority, for sure.

I went back to my cookbook and looked at the ingredients list, and realized I had everything on hand to try it out myself. Score! So, tonight is the night. I am pretty excited to make this dish, to say the least. I think I will serve it with some warm tortillas, and a zucchini/yellow squash combo for a side item. I will let you know how it turns out.

Rick Bayless' Red Chile Steak with Beans
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
Two 10-ounce ribeye steaks, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat
2 tablespoons ground ancho chile powder
1/2 tablespoon ground chipotle chile powder
2 garlic cloves, finally chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups beef broth, plus additional as needed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
One 15-ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes in their juice
One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained or 1 3/4 cups home-cooked pinto beans, drained
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
One scallion, thinly sliced, for garnish

Directions:
In a skillet or sauté pan large enough to hold the meat in a single layer, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the meat. Season with salt. Let the meat sear on each side, turning only after each side has browned. Be careful to keep the meat rare as it will cook more in the sauce. Stir in the onions. Once the onions have browned, using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the bacon fat, followed by both chili powders, garlic, and flour. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to make a thick roux-like mixture, about 1 minute. Whisk in half of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the remaining broth and sprinkle in the cumin and oregano. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil. Stir in the beans, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

If the sauce has thickened beyond the consistency of a light cream soup, thin with a little more broth. Add the meat and onions to the pan. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the meat is heated through. Garnish with the cilantro and thinly sliced scallions. Serve immediately.



The Result:
This is my new favorite Rick Bayless recipe! Yes, it's true. This was fan-freakin'-tastic! I don't even know how to put into words how much I loved this dish. Seriously, I was sad when my plate was empty. I considered licking it, but that is a little impolite. (After all, I am a mother and I don't want to teach my son that licking the dinner plate is okay.)
I served this dish over some white rice, because the gravy was too good to not have over rice. Ummmm....rice soaked with chile gravy. Awesome! This reminded me of almost a mole sauce, but it took way less time. I cannot stress how much I loved this meal! All I can say is try it for yourself, and you will see what I mean.

There is one thing I need to mention about the preparation, though. I goofed and added too much beef broth to the dish. My sauce wasn't thickening properly, at first. There was just too much liquid and not enough flour from the roux. However, I am happy to report that this was an easy fix. I just added a tablespoon of butter to a microwavable dish with 2 tablespoons of flour. I melted the butter into the flour in the microwave for 30 seconds and mixed it with a fork to combine. Then, I added a little of the too-thin pan liquid to my flour/butter. Once that was mixed, I dumped the whole concoction into the main pan and whisked. It worked like a charm...the sauce thickened perfectly and there was no uncooked flour flavor.

This dish is a definite keeper! I am sure you will see it on my table again soon.

Rick Bayless' Grilled Roadside Whole Chicken, Jen's Pinto Beans, & Jen's Homemade Chicken Stock

I love it when I find whole chickens on sale. I stock up with as many as the store limit allows, and then squirrel them away in my freezer. Whole chickens are especially great since I can usually get two to three meals out of one bird, then use the leftover bones and bits for chicken stock. Seriously, I eek every last bit of use out of that clucker...as much as I can get!

Tonight's meal is one of my favorite grilled whole chicken applications. The recipe comes from my coveted Rick Bayless cookbook, Mexican Everyday. I have made this bird a few times now, and it always turns out with fantastic results. I am really, really looking forward to dinner! I think I will serve this dinner with a side of pinto beans, and some grilled yellow squash and zucchini. Here are the recipe links that I will be using:

Rick Bayless' Grilled Roadside Whole Chicken

Jen's Pinto Beans

Jen's Homemade Chicken Stock

In my opinion, this is perfect Sunday night fare!

Jen's Notes:
I am not sure what I am doing with the squash and zucchini yet. I guess I will figure it out, and post the recipe (if there is one) with my results.





The Results:
I didn't see that I had photos of this chicken, so I thought I would remedy that issue. This meal was as delicious as always. Juicy, crispy-skinned, flavorful chicken. Yum!

For the squash and zucchini, I just cut it length-wise and sprinkled with salt, pepper, canola oil, and lime juice. Then, I threw it on the grill for approximately 5 minutes per side. It turned out really good. Overall, this is one of our favorite chicken dinners.

Rick's Zucchini, Mushroom, and Chorizo Tacos

After yesterdays bakefest, tortilla making, and dinner preparation, I was beat. I did not get around to my dinner posting, because I went to the couch and did not move until bedtime. Then, it was a fast transfer from couch to bed...and I conked out! I love days when I am so tired I just black-out at bedtime; no tossing and turning or insomnia for me! Anyway, I am doing last nights meal post now.

I mentioned that I was going to try a brand new recipe last night, but I think I am actually going to do that one tonight. I wanted something familiar last night, so I turned to my favorite Mexican-cuisine chef, Rick Bayless. If you read my blog with some regularity, you know I heart Rick. His Mexican Everyday cookbook is one of my favorites...definitely in my top 5 cookbooks. We have had this taco dish before, and I remembered it being well balanced and easy to put together. We used up all our tortillas, so I made some of Rick's Easy Corn Tortillas (which can also be found in Mexican Everyday) to go with it. I did not mind putting forth a little extra effort so we could have this family favorite.

Rick's Zucchini, Mushroom, and Chorizo Tacos

Ingredients:
4 oz. fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed
1½ Tbsp vegetable or olive oil, if necessary
1 medium white onion, sliced ¼" thick
3 oz. mushrooms, stemmed and sliced about ½" thick
One 15-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 chipotle chile (from a can of chipotle chiles en adobo), seeded
1½ tsp of the adobo sauce from the can
2 medium zucchini (about 12 oz. total), cut into ½" cubes
Crumbled queso fresco, feta cheese, or goat cheese
Warm corn tortillas
Hot sauce to taste
Salt to taste

Directions:
Cook chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring regularly and breaking up clumps, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. If the chorizo has rendered considerable fat, tip off and discard all but enough to lightly coat the pan; if it has rendered very little, add the oil to the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook about 2 minutes more, stirring regularly, until their liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are beginning to brown.

While the mushrooms are cooking, pour the drained tomatoes into a food processor or blender, along with the chipotle chile and the adobo sauce; whirr until smooth.
When the mushrooms are ready, add the tomato mixture and cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of canned tomato sauce, about 3–4 minutes. Add the zucchini and continue to cook, stirring every once in a while, until the zucchini is cooked through but still a little crisp, 8–10 minutes. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Scoop into a bowl and garnish with the crumbled cheese. Serve with the warm tortillas and hot sauce.

Jen's Notes:
I mixed up a fast guacamole and chopped some fresh cilantro to go on top as a garnish. I used Queso Fresco cheese, 1/2 pound of chorizo, 3 small zucchini, and 8 ounces of sliced button mushrooms as substitutes. Also, I should note that the cookbook version does indicate that the chorizo is optional...you can make these tacos with or without it. In my opinion, I think the chorizo is the only way to go. It gives it such a awesome flavor. I heart these tacos very much!





The Result:
These were fantastically yummy. As I said before, this is one of our favorite dinners. We served these more tostada-style, rather than in the form of tacos. My tortillas were not as flexible as normal, so we had to work around it. I think I goofed and put too much (or not enough...I am not sure) water in the tortilla dough. My tortillas were not as good as usual, but that was my fault. I was talking to my husband and not really paying attention to what I was doing when I was making the tortillas. Don't get me wrong...they were still yummy....just not as good as usual, from a textural standpoint. Other than that, these 'tacos' were great!!!!!

Green Chile Chicken Soft Tacos

So, I am back to recipe stalking my friend Claire. She had this dish a few nights ago, and said that she really liked it. Although, her husband claimed it was a bit too spicy. HA! I laugh in the face of spicy...I scoff at spicy....I revel in spicy! Double HA! What I am trying to say, is that we like really spicy food. It is originally from my new favorite cookbook/chef Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless. I think I have sufficiently covered my Rick Bayless fanaticism in the past...so we will move on.

I scored some fresh, still-warm-when-I-bought-'em, corn tortillas today. They will be perfect with this meal. I am contemplating eating one right now, straight out of the bag...but I am trying to practice a little restraint.
The above-mentioned Claire and I took a trip into the ghetto this afternoon to go to the local, Mexican grocery store. I think we were a little over confident, because it was somewhat scary. It was like taking a trip south of the border. I expected to see Federales standing by the meat counter. This place made Walmart seem like a Macy's.
Speaking of the meat counter...there was a certain odor that smelled a little too native for my liking, and there was a whole cows' head on display...sans fur. It was not too far down from the pork chorizo I purchased in the meat case. Let me tell you, it was like a train wreck...I could not stop staring at it! Yup, a whole cows head...with eyes, and teeth and everything. That was almost a little too close to the food chain for us. I thought pregnant Claire was gonna lose it. As a prissy American, I prefer to think of my meat wrapped in foam trays and cellophane; not with teeth and eyelashes. Anyway, other hijinx ensued. There was a definite language barrier, as was evident when I tried to purchase fresh cheese. I tried to brush up on my conversational Spanish before our trip, but it was not enough. I got my cheese and I think I may have insulted the cheese ladies' mother in the process. To be fair, there were some really good deals, and they had a lot of Hispanic specialty items that I would not be able to find anywhere else (well, duh). But, seriously, I thought the Border Patrol was going to check our papers as we left the market.

Needless to say, I was so impacted by my cultural experience today, I decided to celebrate my life lessons in diversity with some tacos for dinner! Ole`!

Green Chile Chicken Soft Tacos

Ingredients:
2 large fresh poblano chilies
2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil (divided use)
1 large white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt
1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
Ground black pepper
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed thru a garlic press
12 warm corn tortilla, store bought or homemade
3/4 cup roasted tomatillo salsa, guacamole, or bottled salsa or hot sauce, for serving.

Directions:

Roast the poblanos over an open flame or 4 inches below a broiler, turning regularly until blistered and blackened all over, about 5 minutes for an open flame, 10 minutes for the broiler. Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let cool until you can handle them.

Turn on (or adjust) the oven to its lowest setting. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a very large skillet over medium high. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden but still crunchy, 4-5 minutes. Scoot into a heatproof serving bowl, leaving as much oil as possible in the skillet, and slide it into the oven. Set the skillet aside.

Rub the blackened skin off the chiles and pull out the stems and seed pods. Rinse the chiles to remove bits of skin and seeds. Cut into 1/4-inch strips and stir into the onions. Taste and season with salt, usually a generous teaspoon. Return the bowl to the oven.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken generously with salt and pepper.

Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil. When the oil is hot, lay in the chicken breasts. Brown on one side, about 5 minutes, then flip and finish cooking on the other side, about 4 minutes more. When the meat is done, add the lime juice and garlic to the skillet. Turn the chicken in the lime mixture for a minute or so, until the juice has reduced to a glaze and coats the chicken.

Cut the chicken breasts into 1/4-inch strips and toss with the onion-poblano mixture. Taste and season with additional salt if you think necessary. Serve with the warm tortillas and salsa, guacamole, or hot sauce for making soft tacos.

Jen's Notes:
I think there is one thing that needs to be clarified with this recipe, which has to do with removing the skins on the peppers. I took a Mexican cooking class a while back, and they taught me how to do it a bit differently. I roast mine over the open gas flame on my stove (as indicated). However, instead of covering with a towel, I learned that you place the roasted peppers in a glass bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. This allows the residual steam and heat condensation to loosen the pepper skin, making it much easier to peel. After you let them sit for about 15-20 minutes, the skin will just rub off with your fingers (or a paper towel) and they will not be too hot to handle. It is important to not rinse with water or rub all the black char off, since it lends flavor to your dish.
Claire mentioned having trouble with the chiles, and I blame the above instructions. I think the directions written in this recipe, for this method, is certainly not the easiest way peel these chiles. What can I say...Rick Bayless is not perfect...but his flaw only makes me love him even more.

Rick's Easy Corn Tortillas

I heart Rick Bayless! James Beard Award winner, TV host on PBS, successful restaurateur, husband and father, extensive traveler....I could go on and on about his accomplishments. Most impressive is this guy from the Midwest can cook some serious, authentic, Mexican food.

These are the easiest tortillas I have ever found...literally just masa harina and water for the quick version. Now, these are not your Nana's homemade, super-special tortillas from the old country..but they are a really good facsimile. This recipe/method is great in a pinch and you get the homey, warm tortilla feeling without all the labor intensive work.

Rick's Easy Corn Tortillas

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups Masa Harina(Mexican corn "flour" for making tortillas-Maseca brand is widely available in well-stocked groceries and Mexican markets)
OR
1 pound fresh smooth-ground corn masa for tortillas (available almost exclusively from tortilla factories—make sure they're grinding it from whole corn rather than reconstituting the powdered, which you can do yourself).

Directions:
If using powdered Masa Harina: Measure it into a bowl and add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot tap water. Knead with your hand until thoroughly combined. Cover and let stand 15 minutes.

If using fresh Masa: Scoop it into bowl. Break up and knead a few times until smooth.

Set a large griddle (one that stretches over 2 burners) or 2 skillets on your stovetop. Heat one end of the griddle (or one skillet) to medium, the other end (or other skillet) to medium-high.
Gently squeeze dough. If it is stiff (it probably will be), knead in water 1 or 2 teaspoons at a time until the dough feels like soft cookie dough—not stiff, but not sticky. Divide into 15 pieces, rolling each into a ball. Cover with plastic.

Cut 2 squares of plastic bag 1 inch larger than your tortilla press. Open the press and lay in one piece of plastic. Lay a dough ball in the center, and gently mash it. Top with the second piece of plastic and close press. Using the press's lever, gently flatten the dough into a 1/8-inch-thick disk. Peel off the top piece of plastic.

Flip the tortilla onto your right hand (if right-handed)—the top of the tortilla should line up with the side of your index finger. Now, gently roll it onto the side of the griddle (or skillet) heated to medium: Let the bottom of the tortilla touch the griddle, then lower your hand slightly and move it away from you—the tortilla will stick to the hot surface so you can roll your hand out from under it as it rolls down flat.

After about 30 seconds, the edges of the tortilla will dry slightly and the tortilla will release from the griddle—before this moment, the tortilla will be stuck. With a metal spatula (or calloused fingers), flip the tortilla onto the hotter side of the griddle (or hotter skillet).

After about 30 seconds, the tortilla should be lightly browned underneath. Flip it over. Cook 30 seconds more—the tortilla should puff in places (or all over—a gentle press with metal spatula or fingers encourages puffing). Transfer to a basket lined with a napkin or towel.

Press and bake the remaining tortillas. Stack each newly baked tortilla on the previously baked ones. Keep the tortillas well wrapped to keep warm.

COOK'S NOTES:
Reheating Corn Tortillas: With a microwave oven Dribble 3 tablespoons water over a clean kitchen towel, then use it to wrap your cold tortillas. Slide the package into a microwaveable plastic bag and fold it over—don't seal. Microwave at 50% power for 4 minutes to create a steamy environment around tortillas. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes before serving.

Jen's Notes:
If you live in an extremely dry climate like I do, you may need a couple of extra teaspoons of water in your masa harina dough.


I use this little device to press out my tortillas. I found this cast iron tortilla press pretty cheap, and it is one of my favorite kitchen tools.



Here is the final result. Don't they look yummy??? They are!!! I heart fresh corn tortillas!!!

Rick Bayless' Grilled Roadside Whole Chicken

On Saturday night, we had some friends over to our house to swim and have dinner. I decided to make one of my new, favorite Mexican dishes that I gleaned from my new, favorite cookbook, Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless. Have I mentioned before that I deeply love this book??? Well, I do. I really do. Since we had several dishes with our meal, I will have to do a few posts (following this one) for each individual dish. The main item was Rick Bayless' Grilled Roadside Whole Chicken (aka "Sinaloa" Chicken). It is grilled awesomeness. So, so good. I also made some pinto beans, homemade salsa, roasted potatoes, and a green bean/carrot vegetable dish to round out our meal. All in all, dinner was great. By the end of the evening we were all very full and very happy people.

I also must mention the highlight of the evening. My friend Claire (who has her own blog Cooking Claire) brought a dessert that we have both been dying to try called Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings. Oh man! These were fantastic...actually, beyond fantastic. My vocabulary is not big enough to describe how absolutely fan-freakin'-tastic these apple dumplings actually were. You are just going to have to take my word for it and make them yourself. As if the dumplings were not delicious enough as it was; Claire made homemade whipped cream to go with them. I almost went into a dessert induced coma. So, so, so good.

So below is the grilled chicken recipe. Stay tuned for the others!

Rick Bayless Grilled Roadside Whole Chicken
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
For the marinade:
1-1/2 tablespoons ground Ancho chile powder
1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican
A big pinch of ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed through a garlic press
3 tablespoons vinegar (apple cider vinegar gives a Mexican flavor)
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp salt

1 large (3 lb) chicken (sometimes called a large frying chicken, or a small roasting chicken)
About 1 cup roasted Tomatillo Salsa, for serving

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together all the marinade ingredients.
Heat one side of a gas grill to medium. If you have a grill with three burners, heat the outer two to medium, leaving the center one off. Or light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the charcoal is covered with white ash and about medium-hot; bank half the coals to one side of the grill, half to the other.

While the grill is heating, remove the giblets (if there are any) from the cavity of the chicken. Flip the chicken onto its breast. Using poultry shears, cut down both sides of the backbone from tail to neck; discard backbone. Or, if you don't have shears, lay the bird on its back, insert a long heavy knife into the body cavity and press down hard with a rocking motion to cut down through both sides of the backbone. Open the bird out onto your work surface, breast side up. Make sure that the legs are turned inward. Using your fist or a mallet, wallop the bird on the breast, hard enough to dislodge the center bones and flatten out the breast. Twist the last joint of the wings up over the breast and then down behind the "shoulders," tucking them in firmly to keep them in place during grilling.

Smear both sides of the chicken with the marinade. Lay in the center of the grill (it will not be over direct heat). Cook, without turning, basting from time to time with any remaining marinade, until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced deeply with a fork (an instant-read thermometer should register about 160 degrees when inserted at the thickest part of the thigh), about 45 minutes. If you're cooking over charcoal, you'll want to add more charcoal to the fire after an hour or so - the internal temperature of the grill should stay at about 325 degrees. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. It will lose less juice if you cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters (or smaller pieces). Transfer a portion to each of four dinner plates and you're ready to serve. Pass the salsa separately.

Jen's Notes:
The original cookbook version of this recipe includes instructions for grilled knob onions. I omitted the grilled onion portion, since I chose not to make those for this particular meal. I have made the grilled onions in the past, and let me say that they are worth the extra effort. The onions are a perfect accompaniment to the chicken.

I read somewhere that preparing a chicken in this manner is sometimes called 'spatchcock' (i.e referring to the method). The husband loves this term. Whenever I make this dish he gleefully runs around (for at least three days before and after the meal) randomly shouting "SPATCHCOCK!" in a very strange voice. It is quite funny.