Irish Whiskey Gravy

This gravy is really delicious but takes forever to make since you're reducing everything which takes time. It's a good do ahead if you want to impress company but it's not a recipe I plan to just whip anytime I have dinner. This sauce is best served with beef - either a steak or roast. It's great because usually gravy is the last thing you are making with the pan drippings when you have a million sides to heat up.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (3 large)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup Irish whiskey

1 750-ml bottle dry red wine

5 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

For gravy base:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute.

2. Be Careful for this step. If you do not have a high clearance over the stove, be very careful or do outside on the BBQ. Add 1/2 cup whiskey to saucepan and turn off heat from pan. Using long match or lighter and standing back, carefully ignite mixture to burn off alcohol. When flame dies, turn heat back on to medium high and add red wine. Boil until mixture is reduced to 1 cup, about 20 minutes.

3. Add 4 cups chicken broth and boil until mixture is reduced to 3 cups, about 20 minutes.

4. Whisk cream and mustard in small bowl; add to saucepan and boil until sauce coats spoon and is reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 13 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to small bowl. Cover and chill in fridge.

To finish before serving:

1. Place gravy base in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of broth and boil until sauce coats a spoon. Season gravy with salt and pepper and serve.  

Slider Taste Testing

My boyfriend requested burgers for dinner this weekend. We thought it would be fun to make a bunch of little ones to try some different flavors in the patties. We took a bunch of ground beef, divided it up, and added different mixes to each one.

To make sure we knew which burger was which, we used labeled paper bowls and placed the finished patties onto parchment which was labeled as well.

The winner to me ended up being the Asian inspired slider. It had so much flavor in the patty! I want to make these again and add some asian pickled cucumbers on top for some acidity. I would combine the BBQ and Bacon burger - just make the BBQ burger and top with the cooked bacon and more BBQ sauce. The bacon and bbq would add a really nice smokey flavor to the burger.


Asian Burger:
4 oz ground beef
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Balsamic Burger:
4 oz ground beff
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

BBQ Burger:
4 oz ground beff
1 tsp. favorite BBQ sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Bacon Burger:
4 oz ground beef
1 tbs. cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Mix up burger ingredients in a bowl. Try not to over mix the meat.

2. Make 2 inch wide patties from the meat mixture. Just use your hands and try to make them as close as possible to the same size so they cook evenly.

3. Grill burgers on a preheated grill at medium high heat for 5 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook another 5 minutes. Add cheese, if using, and allow to melt on patties for another 2 minutes.

4. Remove patties to a sheet tray and allow to rest, covered with foil, for about 3 minutes.

5. While the burger rest, toast your buns and start adding toppings to them. Add the patty and serve!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

This is a great dish to use for any type of ground meat. I like the kick of spicy italian sausauge but you could do ground beef, ground turkey, or another ground sausage like chorizo.

You can make this dish ahead. Just make the meat and rice filling and stuff it in the bell peppers. Cover well with plastic wrap and refridgerate. When you want to serve it, put together the breadcrumb and cheese topping and follow the baking directions below.

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork sausage
1 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice
2 sprigs chopped green onions, green part only
4 medium bell peppers, cut off the top and remove seeds and ribs
4 tablespoons dried fine bread crumbs
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan Reggiano

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large skillet, over medium heat, brown the sausage, about 5 minutes.

2. Once browned, drain sausage from fat using a strainer. Place 1 tbs. of the rendered fat back into the pan and set meat aside. Add the onions to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

3. Add the rice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions and parsley. Add rice and onion mix to sausage and stir to combine.

4. Season the bell peppers with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the bell peppers.

5. In a mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Sprinkle the crust over each pepper.

6. Place the peppers in a shallow pan and add just enough water to cover the bottom. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the tops are crusty and brown. Serve hot.

Roast Chicken with Tomatoes, Onion, and Croutons

I love this meal because it uses one pan and if you use enough foil, you just throw away the foil and there is zero clean-up! This is a really homey dish that makes the house smell great. You could serve this on a weeknight or for a quick dinner party.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
1 loaf of french or sourdough bread
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
1 small red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 container of cherry tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, with skin on
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. paprika
Fresh basil or parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. On a foil lined sheet tray, arrange bread cubes in single layer, without spaces between cubes. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over bread and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

2. In large bowl, combine chicken, onion, garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, paprika, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Toss until well mixed. Arrange chicken pieces in single layer on top of bread, spacing 1/2 inch apart; scatter onion and tomato mixture over chicken and bread.

3. Roast 30 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 157. Allow everything to rest for a few minutes and then with a spatula, transfer chicken mixture on croutons to large platter. Garnish with parsley and serve!

Skirt Steak Marinade for Tacos

This marinade is really tasty and goes well with all kinds of steak. If you want to make these tacos a little lighter you can get butter lettuce and use that as the taco shell/tortilla!


Ingredients

1 orange, thinly sliced, divided
2 limes, thinly sliced, divided
1/2 onion, peeled and thinly sliced, divided
2 pounds skirt steak
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
garlic and onion powder sprinkled on both sides of meat
1 cup light-colored beer, preferably lager
1 tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Scatter half the orange slices, half the lime slices, and half the onion slices, on the bottom of a glass dish large enough to hold the skirt steak. Sprinkle the skirt steak all over with garlic powder, onion powder,  salt and pepper and place in the prepared baking dish. Scatter the remaining oranges, onions, and lime over the skirt steak.

2. Combine the beer, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Pour over the skirt steak. Cover in plastic and allow to marinate at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.

3. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

4. Remove the meat from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Grill the steak to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes. Transfer the grilled skirt steak to a cutting board and allow to rest.

5. While steak is resting prepare any other toppings for the tacos - pico de gallo, avocado slices, sour cream, lettuce, etc.

6. Slice the steak once it has rested and serve!

Slow Cooker Beef Chili

I love making chili on a cold day so I wanted to tweak my favorite recipe for the slow cooker so I could make it more often. If you like shredded beef chili, you'll love this. I personally like my normal chili better because the beef chunks are more bite size and easier to eat but this was an easy way to get my craving satisfied!

Ingredients:
2 tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chuck roast
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbs. pasilla chili powder
1 tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes and their juices
1/2 (12-ounce) bottle beer, modela negra
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 can black beans
2 cup sour cream
1 lime
cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Season beef with salt, pepper, half of the chili powders, and half of the paprika. Place a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add beef to pan and sear until all sides are browned. about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

2. Add onion to same pan and saute over medium heat until translucent (about 10 min). Add garlic and saute another minute.

3. Add half bottle of beer and allow to cook until the beer is reduced by half. Add tomatoes and saute another minute. Add salt, pepper, rest of chili powder, red pepper flakes, and rest of paprika. Cook for 1 minute.

4. Add stock and make sure to scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

5. Place your beef in a slow cooker. Poor chili mix on top of the beef. You can either cook it now on low heat for 6 hours or high heat for 4 hours or place in the fridge for later in the week. When you're ready to make it, just pull it out of the fridge and cook for the same time above.

6. When you get home or the beef is tender, add the can of black beans and allow to cook on high for 20 minutes.

7. While chili finishes, make your toppings: Grate cheddar cheese, chop cilantro, and mix sour cream with a squeeze of lime.

8. Serve corn bread with chili and sides and enjoy!

Chicken Piccata Pasta

I've been trying to find some different pasta sauces because I'm a little tired of my go-to alfredo. This sauce was surprisingly delicious and is made from things I usually have on hand. If you like chicken piccata you're going to love this!!

Best part of this meal is that it took about 30-45 minutes to cook. Just make the sauce while you're bringing your pot of water to boil and you'll be eating in no time!


Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/3 pounds chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sherry wine
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente
2 tbs. cream
Chopped or snipped basil, for garnish
Parmesan Cheese, for garnish

Directions

1. Place a large pot of salted water on high heat and bring to a boil.

2. Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the chicken to the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until lightly golden all over, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and return the skillet to the heat.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add another 1 tablespoon butter, the garlic and shallots to the skillet. Saute garlic and shallots 2 minutes.

4. Add flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in sherry and allow paste to cook for 2 minutes.

5. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. When the liquid comes to a bubble, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to the sauce to give it a little shine. Reduce heat to low while you cook the pasta.

6. Add chicken back to the pan and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss cooked pasta with chicken and sauce and serve. Adjust salt and pepper, to your taste. Top with fresh snipped basil and cheese!

Baked Risotto Cake

This recipe is from Giada on food network. It is really delicious and decedent. I feel like this could be a really great make ahead dish. Follow all baking directions but do not finish under the broiler or take out of the pan. Place in the fridge and when ready to serve bake at 350 for 10 minutes, and follow the rest of the broiler and plating directions!

Ingredients
Butter, for greasing the pan

Rice:
2 cups marinara or tomato-basil sauce
1 cup Arborio rice

Bechamel Sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

To Assemble:
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
4 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan with lots of foil so no water seeps in later.

2. For the rice: Bring the marinara sauce and rice to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.

3. For the bechamel sauce: Melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt and nutmeg.

4. For assembly: Mix together the bechamel sauce, rice mixture, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and prosciutto in a medium bowl. Slowly mix in the eggs, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan and cover with foil.

5. Place in a shallow roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake for 1 hour. Preheat the broiler. Remove the foil and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and the breadcrumbs. Cool for 15 minutes. Loosen the risotto from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the edge. Remove the sides of the pan. Cut into wedges and serve.

Herb Filled Braciole with Roasted Tomatoes and Arugula Salad

I've seen lots of Braciole's on TV and wanted to try making one. I did a breadcrumb, herb and garlic filling. Traditionally it's just parsley for the herbs, I grow some in my garden so I added those to the mix as well with the majority of the mix being parsley. I also added a little lemon zest and juice to brighten up the flavor.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup bread crumbs (mix of regular and panko)
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, lightly charred in a pan
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley and herbs of your choice)
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, split
salt and pepper
1 beef flank steak, about 2 lbs
2 pt. grape tomatoes
Arugula
Champagne or Lemon Vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. In small bowl, combine bread crumbs, garlic, cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs, 1 tbsp oil, and 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.

2. On large sheet of waxed paper, with flat side of meat mallet or heavy skillet, pound steak to even 1/2-inch thickness. Spread crumb mixture over steak in even layer; press into meat. 

3. Starting at 1 long side, roll steak into long cylinder (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter) to enclose filling completely. (Some bread crumbs may spill out.) With butcher's twine or kitchen string, tie roll tightly at 1-inch intervals. Place roll in center of 18 inch by 12 inch foil lined sheet pan. Rub remaining 1/2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper all over steak. Scatter tomatoes around steak.

4. Put tray in oven and roast 25 to 27 minutes or until temperature on meat thermometer, inserted into thickest part of roll, reaches 130 degrees F. Cover steak with foil and let stand in pan 10 minutes to set juices for easier slicing. Remove and discard twine; cut roll crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Toss arugula salad and cover a serving platter. Transfer meat and tomatoes with their juices to platter and serve.

Potato and Green Bean Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound red bliss potatoes
2 cloves garlic
Kosher salt
2-3 tbs. lemon juice
2-3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbs. butter
1/2 pound haricots verts, stem ends removed
3 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Put the potatoes and garlic in a pot and cover with well-salted water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes; drain.

2. When they are cool enough to handle but still hot, carefully cut the potatoes in half (try not to pull off the skins) and transfer to a large bowl. Add half of the olive oil, lemon juice, and butter to the bowl. Toss to combine but be gentle to not break apart the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. (It is important to do this while the potatoes are still warm so they absorb the flavoring.)

3. Meanwhile, bring another pot of well-salted water to a boil over medium heat. Set up a bowl of ice water and season it generously with salt. Add the haricots verts to the boiling water and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes (bite a bean to be sure they are properly cooked); drain and immediately put in the ice water to "shock" them, or stop the cooking. When they are cold, drain the haricots verts and let them dry a little. Cut them in half.

4. Add the haricots verts, scallions and red pepper flakes to the bowl with the potatoes. Stir to combine well; taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the remaining oil and lemon juice, if needed. This salad is good now, but it will be even better if you let it sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature.

Creamy Orzo with Grilled Chicken

I love making pasta but am so bored of my usual pasta sauces. I found this healthier version of a creamy sauce and loved it. You don't even need to cook the sauce!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt, at room temperature

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 cup whole wheat or other whole grain orzo

2 ounces finely crumbled goat cheese, at room temperature

4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, thyme, chives and/or tarragon

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and preheat an outdoor or indoor grill to medium heat. Rub the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

2. Grill chicken until nicely marked and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board at let stand for at least 5 minutes.

3. Add the orzo to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain the orzo, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

4. While the pasta cooks, whisk together the yogurt, 2 teaspoons of the oil, garlic, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl until well combined.

5. Stir the orzo into the yogurt mixture, along with the goat cheese, 3 tablespoons of the fresh herbs and at least 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid, until well combined. Transfer to a platter.

6. Thinly slice the chicken and arrange on top of the orzo. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and the remaining 1 tablespoon fresh herbs and serve.

Brioche Loaf

I had some time on my hands so I decided to try bread. I didn't end up taking a picture because my bread turned out ugly haha.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 large eggs
2 sticks of unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-tablespoon pieces, room temperature
1/3 cup of heavy cream, plus extra for brushing top of loaf
3/4 teaspoon dry active yeast

Directions:

1. Begin by activating the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer add yeast and cream that's been heated to 105-110 degrees. Set aside for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add eggs, flour and salt then place under the mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Mix on low for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes on low increase the speed to medium and mix for another 7-8 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

3. Remove dough from mixer and cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 1 hour until it has doubled in volume. The dough will be a lot stickier as the butter has not been added yet.

4. Once risen uncover plastic and dump the dough back into the mixer with the dough hook attached. With the mixer on low add a little butter at a time so it incorporates evenly. Scrape the butter down from the sides of the bowl as you go. The dough will be very buttery so you have to be patient and work carefully.

5. Once all of the butter has been incorporated, roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into in a log the size of a 9x5 loaf pan. Stretch the top of the dough and tuck it under so the top has a nice smooth surface. Place into a greased 9x5 loaf tin then use a sharp knife to make slits in the top of the loaf. Cover with plastic and proof once more for 6 hours.

6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush the top of the proofed loaf with cream and bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour until the bread is golden. Allow to cool on a rack before slicing.

Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

I wanted to use up my loaf of Brioche Bread I made and went the sweet route. This bread pudding is best served right out of the oven but you can also make it ahead and par-cook it. Then allow it to heat up for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven to serve.  You can also make the caramel sauce ahead too. Just reheat the caramel sauce in a heat proof container in a pot filled with water just enough to cover the height of the caramel in the bowl. (Water should not go in the caramel!) Allow to warm up over low heat until caramel sauce is fluid enough to drizzle over the bread pudding.

Special trick: cube the bread a few hours before you plan to make the bread pudding and allow it to dry out a little bit. This will let the bread soak up the chocolate custard better.

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding:

1 3/4 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
6 1/2 inch thick slices of Brioche Bread, cut off crust and chop into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups). 

Caramel Sauce:

3/4 cups sugar

1/6 cup water (just measure by filling a 1/3 cup half way)

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean

Directions: 

1. Bring cream, 1/2 cup sugar, and milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and whisk until melted and smooth.

2. Whisk egg and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Cool chocolate custard 10 minutes, stirring often.

3. Add bread cubes and remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips to custard and toss to coat. Transfer to 9 x 9 inch pan that is greased with butter. Allow bread cubes to soak while oven preheats to 325. Bake until custard thickens and center is just set, about 50 minutes. Serve warm.

(Do ahead - follow all steps and make custard. Only bake for 30 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and place in fridge. You can do this earlier in the day the same day you plan to eat it.)

To make Caramel:

1. Use a medium size pan that will allow enough room for liquid to bubble up. Heat the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat the sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and swirl the pan so the sugar melts evenly, and continue cooking until it is a dark amber color.

2. Carefully add the heavy cream (the mixture will splatter and bubble up) and cook, stirring until all the caramel has dissolved. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl and stir in the sea salt and vanilla.

 

French Fries

I had some time to cook and had been asked to make burgers for dinner. Instead of doing my normal bag of chips I decided to make french fries. These we're so freaking delicious, but they took a long time. I definitely spent a lot of my day doing these, mostly waiting for my pot of oil to get to the right temp and the fries to freeze. These are a great make ahead side since you can make a bunch in advance and store them in the freezer.

Ingredients:

3 large russet potatoes, peeled or not (up to you if you like potato skin on your fries)
Vegetable oil for frying
Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Begin by slicing the potatoes into planks. Then slice each plank into logs to make the french fries. Feel free to make these as thick or skinny as you like but make sure they are all as close as possible to the same size. Keep the fries long as they will break up a little during the process. As you cut the fries, drop them into a large bowl of water to wash off any excess starch.

2. Heat a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add enough salt so it tastes like the sea. Blanch potatoes in the boiling water and cook until tender -- about 4 minutes. Remove from water and strain then lay out in a flat layer on a sheet tray and place in the freezer to cool and firm up.

3. Have a Dutch oven filled 2/3rd of the way up with oil heated to 350-360 degrees F. Fry the fries in batches so as to not overcrowd the pot and fry potatoes for 2-3 minutes until crispy on the outside. The first time frying is to help develop a super crispy exterior. Place back in the freezer to cool again. (* At this point you can keep the fries in the freezer for convenient use whenever you want to fry them up and serve, simply store in an airtight bag once individually frozen)


4. To perform the third and final step, fry the French fries in 360 degree F oil for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and super crispy. When done, remove with a wire mesh strainer to a paper towel lined plate and season with salt immediately.Fry in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan. Store french fries in 250 degree oven until serving but sever as soon as possible.

French Toast

My boyfriend's favorite dish is french toast. He requests it on his birthday. If it wasn't so hard to find good bread around my house I would make it much more often. He is a traditionalist and likes his french toast pretty straight forward which is the recipe below. But don't be afraid to experiment with toppings of berries, whipped cream, or caramel/chocolate toppings. 

Ingredients:

4 eggs
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs. Powdered or granular sugar
8 thick slices of 2-day-old bread (better if slightly stale - I like Challah or Brioche Bread)
Butter (can sub vegetable oil)
Maple syrup or powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Whisk the mixture until well blended and pour into a shallow bowl, wide enough to place a slice of the bread you will be using.

2. Place each slice of bread into the milk egg mixture, allowing the bread to soak in some of it. Shake off the excess, and place the bread slices onto a metal rack. Allow bread to soak in egg mix for a minute or two and up to 5 minutes.

3. Melt some butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add slices of bread into pan.

4. Fry the French toast until browned on one side, then flip and brown the other side.

5. Store finished toast on a sheet pan  covered with a kitchen cloth towel. Place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm. Serve warm with maple syrup and/or powdered sugar.

Pot stickers with Soy Dipping Sauce

My Boyfriend loves Asian food. I wanted to make him dinner so I chose these pot stickers because they take a little time but you can store the uncooked pot stickers in the freezer and heat them up for a quick dinner. Definitely make a few more pot stickers than you plan to eat so you can have leftovers!

Make Ahead: Freeze the uncooked pot stickers on a floured baking sheet, then transfer to a plastic bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Cook from frozen.

Ingredients:
Dipping Sauce-

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Pot Stickers-

1/4 small head Napa cabbage, finely chopped (about 2 cups; 7 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/8 teaspoon for seasoning
1/3 pound ground pork (not too lean)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (from 1/2-inch knob)
1 small carrot, coarsely shredded (about 2 tablespoons)
2 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Asian (toasted) sesame oil
1/2 egg, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
30 gyoza (pot sticker) wrappers, from 1 (14-ounce) package*
1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:

1. In large bowl, toss together cabbage and 3/4 teaspoon salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Transfer to clean dish towel or cheesecloth, gather ends together, and twist to squeeze out as much water as possible. Wipe bowl clean, then return cabbage to it. Add pork, ginger, carrots, scallions, and garlic and stir to combine. 

2. In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, and egg, then stir into cabbage-pork mixture. Stir in pepper and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt.

3. On dry surface, lay out 1 gyoza wrapper, keeping remaining wrappers covered with dampened cloth or paper towel. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons filling into center, then moisten halfway around edge with wet finger. Fold moisture-free half of wrapper over moistened half to form open half-moon shape. To seal, using thumb and forefinger of one hand, form 6 tiny pleats along unmoistened edge of wrapper, pressing pleats against moistened border to enclose filling. Moistened border will stay smooth and will automatically curve in semicircle. Stand dumpling, seam-side up, on baking sheet and gently press to flatten bottom. Cover loosely with dampened cloth or paper towel. Form remaining dumplings in same manner. 

4. Dipping sauce: combine all ingredients of dipping sauce and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to have all of the flavors combine. 

5. When ready to cook dumplings: In 10-inch, lidded, non-stick skillet over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking, then remove from heat and arrange pot stickers in tight circular pattern standing up in oil (they should touch one another). Cook, uncovered, until bottoms are pale golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, tilting skillet to distribute, then cover tightly with lid and cook until liquid has evaporated and bottoms of dumplings are crisp and golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons more water if skillet looks dry before bottoms are browned. Remove lid and cook, shaking skillet to loosen pot stickers, until steam dissipates, 1 to 2 minutes. Place pot stickers on a platter and serve with dipping sauce.

BBQ Steak Slider

This dish was made entirely of leftovers. I used the make ahead rolls and some steak from my flank steak salad.

Ingredients:
Sliced cooked steak
your favorite BBQ sauce
2 dinner rolls per person
quesco fresco

Directions:

1. Warm rolls in a 350 degree oven for 3-4 minutes or until heated through.

2. Heat up the sliced steak in the BBQ sauce with a few tbs. of water to thin it out.

3. To serve cut rolls in half. Fill with the steak and top with queso fresco. Serve while still warm.

Flank Steak Salad

I loved the marinade from my cabbage slaw and wanted to use it as a marinade for flank steak. I knew the citrus in the dressing would help tenderize the steak. You can add whatever veggies you like to this dish. Try to grill some and leave others raw for a mix of textures and temperatures!

Ingredients:
Marinade/Dressing:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 small red onion, charred on grill and then coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, roasted or charred and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup canola oil

For Salad:
Radish, thinly sliced
Cucumber, sliced
Queso Fresco
Bell Pepper
Tomatoes
argula/baby spring mix

Directions:
1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Dressing can be made ahead during the day.

2. Cut the flank steak into 3 or 4 pieces to make it more manageable. About 4-5 inch blocks.  Add steak and 3/4 of marinade mixture to a plastic bag. Marinate in fridge for an hour or up to 8 hours. Reserve some marinade for the salad dressing.


3. Thirty minutes before grilling pull out the meat from the fridge and allow to come up to room temp. Heat up grill until it is about 400-500 degrees.

4. Grill steak, bell pepper, and tomatoes (place tomatoes on a skewer to try to minimize tomatoes falling through the grill grates). Cook the steak for about 6 minutes on each side or until the meat hits 128 degrees internally. Cook bell pepper turning ever few minutes until the outside is slightly charred. Cook tomatoes for about 2 minutes until they burst slightly.

5. Allow meat to rest covered in foil while you plate dish. Put a large handful or arugla onto a plate. Top with radish, cucumber, bell pepper slices, tomatoes and queso fresco. Slice the steak thinly across the grain and place on top of the salad. Drizzle with a little of the reserved marinade and serve.

Grilled Chicken with Grilled Greek Panzanella Salad

I was looking for something healthier to eat and found this Panzanella salad. I figured it's loaded with veggies and a little bread so it had to be good for me. Though of course, the toasted bread that had soaked up the dressing was the best part hahah. I decided to pair the salad with some marinated chicken and stuck with the Greek theme. I simply marinated the chicken in basically a lemon garlic vinaigrette. Everything was really filling and didn't make me miss my usual carbs (potatoes, rice, etc).

You could/probably should use feta cheese for this to make it traditional greek but I love queso fresco and it has a really similar texture to the feta. The best part about cooking - you get to customize your cheese choice to whatever your heart desires.

Ingredients:

Panzanella:
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 English cucumbers
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, strained and rinsed
1/2 french baguette, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 pint grape tomatoes (about 20)
1 large red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
4 ounces queso fresco, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped

Chicken Marinade:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch fresh oregano, leaves picked(or 1 tsp. dried oregano)
2 cloves garlic, charred and finely minced
Juice of 1 to 2 lemons
Salt and pepper


Direction:

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a blender. Add to a plastic bag with chicken breast and marinate for 2 hours.

2. Prepare a grill or large grill pan for high heat. Whisk the lemon zest and juice, vinegar, honey, oregano and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified. (Dressing can be made ahead)

3. Peel the cucumbers , leaving alternating strips of green peel. Trim the ends, halve the cucumbers lengthwise and slice them crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Add them to the bowl with the dressing. Add the chickpeas.

4. Brush the baguette slices on both sides with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Thread 6 or 7 tomatoes on each skewer. (If using wooden skewers, leave just 1/2 inch sticking out on each end so you do not have to soak them.) Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons oil on the tomatoes and the onions, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

5. Place the chicken, bread, skewered tomatoes and onions on the grill. Grill the bread, flipping and rotating frequently, until charred in spots on both sides and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Grill the onions, turning as needed, until charred and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Grill the tomatoes, turning occasionally, until lightly charred in spots and starting to burst, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bread and vegetables to a large cutting board when done cooking.

6. When cool enough to handle, cut the bread into thirds and roughly chop the onions into bite-size pieces. Add them to the bowl with the cucumbers, chickpeas and dressing. Add the tomatoes, queso fresco, and dill. Gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper if needed.Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving, drizzled with olive oil.

Arancini - Fried Risotto Balls

This is a great recipe to use for leftover risotto. It's also a great make ahead appetizer. Cook up the risotto 2 days in advance of the party. Portion, roll into balls, and coat with bread crumbs 1 day before the party; just store them on a cookie sheet in the fridge, covered with foil. The day of the party right before it begins, pull out the arancini and allow to sit on the counter for 15 minutes. Fry the arancini until crispy and serve. The arancini are best a few minutes after being fried but are good at room temp as well.

I like to do a mix of plain bread crumbs and panko whenever I bread something. Panko adds a crispy texture but I've found if I do all panko it's too crispy and shreds the inside of my mouth. The combination makes sure the arancini are covered but still really crispy. 

If you want to get extra fancy you can stuff the rice balls before frying - adding a mozzarella cube or other cheese cube of your choice to the middle of the ball while rolling.

For serving you can be fancy and skewer each rice ball and drizzle it with sauce and top with herbs or you can be casual and pile the rice balls high on a platter with a side of dipping sauce. 

Ingredients:
2 cups Risotto - cooked and cooled
1 Egg
1/2 cup parmesan, plus more for serving 
2 cups Bread Crumbs (mix of plain and panko)
Marinara Sauce or your favorite dipping sauce for serving
Fresh chopped basil, optional
Canola Oil


Directions:

1. Add egg, parmesan and 1/4 cup bread crumbs to the risotto. Stir to combine and make 1/2 inch balls.

2. Toss balls in remaining breadcrumbs to coat.

3. Fry breaded balls in canola oil. Get a large pot with 2 inches of oil at the bottom and heat to medium high heat (350 degrees). Fry for a few minutes or until golden brown.

4. Drain fried rice balls on paper towels and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve with dipping sauce and topped with fresh herbs. 

Grilled Chicken Tostadas al Carbon

I wanted to use my grill since it was a nice day but wanted something healthy-ish. I found this marinade for the chicken and I am so glad I did. It has only 5 ingredients but it packs so much punch! My boyfriend said this was one of the best dishes I had ever made him and I will definitely be making it again.

Make sure to only marinate the chicken for the two hours. After that the lime juice starts to cook the chicken and it throws off the final flavor. 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, charred and roughly chopped
1 chipotle chile in adobo, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/8 cup chicken stock
Kosher salt
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces (1 pound)
Cooking spray
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces queso fresco, crumbled, about 1/3 cup
1 batch of Cabbage Slaw (found in another post)
Lime wedges for serving

Direction:

1. Combine the lime juice, garlic, chipotle chile, brown sugar and chicken stock in a blender; season with salt. Mix in blender until well combined and no big chunks are remaining in the marinade.

2. Add the chicken and marinade to a plastic bag, toss well to coat, and refrigerate 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade; thread onto 4 (12-inch) skewers that have been soaking in water so they don't burn on the grill.

3. Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Add the chicken to the grill; cook for about 10 minutes, turning skewers occasionally so all sides of the chicken get some nice grill marks.

4. Set up all of the sides and allow people to make their own tacos.

Cabbage Slaw

I wanted something crispy to put on my Chicken Tacos Al Carbon and thought of a cabbage slaw. This turned out really great and I will make it again. I love the slaw dressing and plan to use it on other veggies as a marinade and on salads.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 small red onion, charred on grill and then coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, roasted or charred and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup canola oil
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, chiffonade 
1/2 head cabbage, finely shredded

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients, except cabbage and herbs, in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Dressing can be made ahead during the day.

2. Place cabbage and herbs in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper and let sit 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving. Don't allow it to soak for too long otherwise the cabbage will get soggy.

Make Ahead Dinner Rolls

This dish is super simple to make but takes a long time due to the dough needing time to rise. The rolls came out tasting like a mix of a biscuit and a cornmeal muffin. It had a good texture and was really tasty, especially with the salt on top.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
One 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, plus 6 tablespoons melted, plus more melted for brushing
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions:

Making the Dough:
1. Warm 1/4 cup of the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat to anywhere between 100 and 115 degrees F. Pour the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment. Add the sugar and yeast, and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the softened butter, half the flour, half the remaining milk and fine salt. Mix on medium-high speed just to incorporate.

3. Add the egg, mix until fully incorporated, then add the remaining flour and milk. Knead with the hook on medium-high speed until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides, about 5 minutes (the dough will still be sticky).

4. Lightly butter a large bowl with some of the melted butter, and turn the dough out into it. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a slightly warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

5. Lightly butter two 12-cup muffin tins with some of the melted butter. Punch the dough down. Divide it into 24 even pieces, and roll them into rough balls. Roll each ball in the melted butter to coat, letting the excess drip off, and plop it into a muffin cup. Cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in the refrigerator at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Baking the Rolls:
1. Remove the tins from the refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature 1 hour (the dough won't puff up significantly).

2. Position oven racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven, and preheat to 375 degrees F.  Sprinkle evenly with sea salt, and bake.

Option 1:
1. To serve the rolls right away instead of freezing them, after sprinkling them with sea salt, bake them until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, allow to cool for a few minutes and serve. Watch the rolls for the last few minutes of baking as they can burn quickly with all of the butter.

Option 2:
1. To parbake rolls and freeze for later use, bake them until just lightly golden but still rather pale and almost cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Watch the rolls for the last few minutes of baking as they can burn quickly with all of the butter.

2. Let the parbaked rolls cool slightly in the tins, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely. Pack them in resealable plastic bags, label and date, and freeze for up to 2 weeks.

3. To serve, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the frozen rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet until warmed through and golden brown on top, about 20 minutes. Brush the warm rolls with melted butter.

Meatballs and Tomato Sauce with Polenta Squares

To make this dish I used my tomato sauce and meatball recipe from a previous post which can be found HERE. 

You can make each of these components a day in advance and reheat the day of. Just put the meatballs in the tomato sauce in a large pan over medium low heat. Stir and continue to warm sauce as you brown the polenta squares.

For an extra component I made a lemon crema (recipe at bottom of post). It added a nice creaminess to the dish but isn't necessary. Top dish with some fresh chopped parsley or basil or both. Enjoy!


Ingredients

1/8 pound (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/8 cup olive oil
1 tbsp. minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp. minced thyme
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1.5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup milk
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup good grated Parmesan
Flour, olive oil, and butter, for frying

Directions

1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary, salt, and pepper and saute for 1 minute.

2. Add the chicken stock, half-and-half, and milk and bring to a boil.

3. Remove from the heat and slowly sprinkle the cornmeal into the hot milk while stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, until thickened and bubbly.

4. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan. Pour into a 8 by 8 inch pan lined with parchment, smooth the top, and refrigerate until firm and cold. (You can do this step up to 2 days ahead)

5. Right before serving: Cut the chilled polenta into 2 x 2 inch squares, as you would with brownies. Lift each one out with a spatula.

6. Dust each square lightly in flour. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large saute pan and cook the squares in batches over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side, until browned on the outside and heated inside. Add fresh/more butter and oil, as needed. Serve immediately.You can store finished batches in the oven at 200 degrees covered with a kitchen towel.


Lemon Crema:

1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. For serving you can place in a squeeze bottle, piping bag, or a ziploc bag with the tip cut off (make shift piping bag). Just drizzle sauce over finished dish and top with herbs!

Potato and Corn Chowder

 (Definitely not my best picture but made this for a work potluck and it all got served before I could plate it well)
 
This soup is really great on a cold night. It's thick and creamy and fills you up! A really great make ahead dish for potlucks - just leave out the scallions and parsley until you reheat the soup and are ready to serve.

Ingredients:

3 ears of con, shucked
2 quarts water
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (2 1/4 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, halved lengthwise, then sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tbs. olive oil
1 red  bell pepper, chopped
2 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
3 cups heavy cream
3 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

1.   Cut corn from each cob, then hold cob upright in a bowl and scrape with knife to extract "milk."

2. Bring cobs, water, potatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large pot, covered, then boil, covered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Discard cobs.

3. Meanwhile, cook onion, carrot, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is pale golden, about 10 minutes.

4. Add bell pepper, corn and its "milk," thyme, and bay leaves to pan of onion and carrots. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.

4. Stir in potatoes with water and cream and gently boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 7 cups, about 30 minutes.

5. Stir in scallions, white pepper, cayenne, and salt to taste. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Creamy Caesar Salad

A lighter version of caesar salad. Instead of mayonnaise or a mix of mayo and sour cream I used greek yogurt. It has the tang of sour cream and the thick consistency of the mayo.  Use this on a caesar salad or a salad wrap!

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
3 large garlic cloves, roasted, peeled, and minced
3 tbsp. lemon
1 tsp. dijon mustard
2 tsp. worchestire sauce
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper
Olive oil to thin out dressing

1. Combine all ingredients but olive oil into a blender. Set blender at medium and mix until well combine. Taste for seasoning of salt and pepper.

2.  If dressing is too thick add some olive oil a tbs. at a time until it is the desired thickness.

Flank Steak Sandwich

I saw this dish on dinners drive in and dives on the food network. It was from a mexican food truck. I've always heard coke is a good tenderizer and I wanted to try this. The combo of the coke and the soy sauce really tenderized the meat and added a lot of flavor. This sandwich took a bit of effort but was really tasty and I will definitely make this again.

Ingredients: 
2 lbs. flank steak - cut into 1/2 pound chunks.
1 can coke
2 large white onions
6 cloves garlic (peeled first then charred in pan)
2 oranges cut into chunks
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 large bottle of green Dos Equies beer
salt and pepper

white sandwich buns
can of black beans
chicken stock
queso fresco, crumbled
arugula

Directions:

marinade for flank steak:

1 onion, thinly sliced
6 cloves roasted garlic (peeled first then charred in pan)
2 oranges - cut into chunks
1/4 cup soy sauce
pepper
1 large bottle of beer

1. Combine all mariade ingredients in a bowl. Add flank steak chunks and allow to marinate at least 8 hours and up to over night.

2. Heat a few tbs. of canola oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add a few flank steak pieces at a time a cook on each side for 4-5 minutes or until a nice brown crust forms. Allow beef to rest for at least 10 minutes.

3. Carmelize the 1 sliced onion with a splash of coca cola, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a pan over medium low heat. Seat aside when finished but keep warm.

4. Combine black beans and chicken stock into a pan with some salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder. (if you don't have extra spices that's ok). Cook for 10 minutes and then mash with a fork or potato masher. You want a chunky spread but enough mashed beans to be spreadable. 

4. Thinly slice flank steak across the grain. Add a tbs. of canola oil and 1 tbs. of butter to a pan over medium heat. Add steak in a layer and top with the queso fresco. Cover with a lid to help cheese melt and heat steak through to desired temperature doneness.


5. Assemble sandwich:

Thin layer of bean spread on each side of bun.
Toast bread with bean side down for 1 minute

Place steak and cheese mix on bun, then onions, then arugula.
Cut sandwich in half and serve.