Easy Weekday Meals Kids Love – Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Burritos

How to Boil Water 5 – Easy Weekday Meals Kids Love – Mexican Shredded Chicken

This is something I make a lot on  Monday mornings before I go to work.  It is pretty good, easy in the extreme, and kids seem to love it . When I get home, I heat up some rice and beans, cut up some tomatoes, avocados, and cilantro, and serve with cheese and sour cream and make a burrito bar. This filling makes great quesadillas as well, and goes well on a salad – either for dinner or for leftovers. Try it on Nachos!  How you use it is up to you!  A friend asked me to post some of my easy weekday slow cooker meals that kids love, and this was at the top of the list.  It is affordable, and uses things that you may already have in your freezer and pantry.  Hope you guys enjoy it too!

Equipment:

• Crock Pot

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 packet your favorite taco seasonings
• 4-5 frozen chicken breasts

Process:

Turn crock pot to low.  Put chicken breasts in, add cube.  Mix water and seasonings together, pour on chicken.  Cook all day, then when you get home shred chicken with forks and adjust seasoning to your taste.  Things I include occasionally: paprika, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, hot sauce…

Variations:

Try this with your BBQ spice rub and some of your favorite BBQ sauce instead of the Mexican seasonings for a southern version of this.  You can also try adding salsa, canned corn, diced green chilies (my favorite), enchilada sauce…. The key to innovation is experimentation.

 

Spinach Salad with Caramelized Onions, Warm Bacon Vinaigrette & Goat Cheese Crostini

How to Boil Water 4 – Spinach Salad with Caramelized Onions, Warm Bacon Vinaigrette & Goat Cheese Crostini

Many years ago, I helped out in my friend Mike’s restaurant, the Jordan Street Café in Brevard NC.  I learned a great deal watching Mike.  He was a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in San Francisco, and brought a unique fusion cuisine to rural NC back in the late 1990s when most menus were not that interesting.  This dish is a simple spinach salad, adapted from a tried-and-true older recipe, that comes together easily.  It has been one of my “go-tos” for dinner parties for years; but you also can leave out the goat cheese crostini and it stands alone just fine, and is easy to prepare.  It is also nice to have this in your wheelhouse because the core ingredients (spinach, bacon, onions) are commonly found in the fridge.  Vegetarian option is to leave out the bacon.

Equipment:

• Sauté Pan
• Large bowl
• Tongs
• Chefs Knife
• Paper towels on a plate
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients:

• Fresh Baby Spinach leaves, cleaned and dried
• ½ Red Onion, Chopped fine
• Thick cut bacon, diced
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Sugar
• Olive Oil
• Black Pepper
• Fresh whole mushrooms, washed and sliced thin
• 1 Baguette (can be day old)
• Fresh Goat Cheese
• Black Pepper

Preparation-

Compose the Salad:

• Put the washed and dried spinach leaves into a large bowl
• Add the sliced mushrooms and some black pepper

Prepare the Crostini:

• Preheat oven to 400 F(205C)
• Slice the baguette into 4 – 6 ¼” thick rounds
• Brush with olive oil
• Place in oven on baking sheet, leave oven cracked and toast until they start to get brown, about 5 min
• Let cool, spread liberally with the goat cheese

Prepare the Dressing:

• Heat sauté pan on medium / medium-low heat
• Add bacon and render until crispy and the fat has been cooked out.
• Remove bacon from pan onto paper towel
• Leave 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the pan, add sliced red onions and about tablespoon of olive oil
• Reduce heat to low.  Cook slowly, stir occasionally, until onions begin to caramelize and turn golden
• add a few tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar and reduce, then add some sugar and turn pan off heat
• Let cool, adjust to taste, add the bacon crumbles

Put it all together:

Take the dressing and pour contents on the salad, toss with tongs and rub spinach on the pan to get all the drippings and to slightly wilt… MAKE SURE PAN IS NOT TOO HOT or you will overcook the spinach

Plate the salads, add the crostini, and serve

A few thoughts on variations/substitutions:  Any kind of onion will work with this, so don’t let that stop you, I prefer red onion but shallot is great, white onion, or yellow onion – the important part is to slowly caramelize it so its natural sugars start to come out and the bitterness and pungency gets dialed down.  This is great without the crostini, for a more traditional version substitute a soft cooked egg and some croutons for crunch.  Bon Appetit!

Weeknight Spaghetti Hack – Spaghetti & Meatballs with Pink Sauce & Garlic Toast

 

How to Boil Water 3 – Weeknight Spaghetti Hack 

You know we all have days like this.  No time to go to the store, no time to even take a lunch at work.  You get home and really don’t want to go out, but you don’t have groceries either.  Fear not, culinary warrior, for a bowl of cereal or Ramen noodles is not the answer (at least tonight!).  I literally just pulled this together with some leftover ingredients from a meal I made last week, pantry, and freezer items.  Remember these ideas are just templates, additions or changes may be warranted based on what you have available – but I would make this again as a planned meal.  It’s not going to win a James Beard Award, but I was very satisfied with the result.

Spaghetti + Meatballs with Pink Sauce & Garlic Toast

Equipment:

• Stock Pot
• Strainer
• Tongs
• Casserole Dish

Ingredients:

• 1 small bag frozen Meatballs
• ½ Box Organic Spaghetti Noodles
• 2/3 Jar Spaghetti Sauce (I like to keep Newman’s Own Sockarooni in my pantry)
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 large Clove garlic, minced
• Butter
• Fresh Parsley, chopped
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Process:

• Heat oven to 400 (205C)
• Add water to stock pot and bring to a boil
• Put frozen meatballs in the casserole dish and bake as per package instructions, about 20-25 min usually.
• When water starts boiling, add noodles and cook to desired tenderness
• Strain water & noodles, put to the side.
• Add about a tablespoon butter to the pan, the meatballs, half of the minced garlic, red pepper flake, and the parsley. Cook on medium heat until the garlic cooks through, about 2 -3 min.  Add the sauce, and when that starts boiling, add the noodles and the cream.  Brink to a simmer then turn heat to low.  Taste, adjust seasoning.

Garlicy Toast:

• Put bread in toaster. While bread is toasting, mix the rest of the garlic with about a tablespoon of butter, some pepper, and seasoning salt.  When toast is ready, spread on toast.  If you don’t like garlic, this may be too strong for you, but I am sick this week and need raw garlic 😉

There are lots of possible modifications and substitutions here, and what you have and your personal preferences will play into this.  I encourage you to experiment!  Italian sausage instead of meatballs, all vegetarian with a “field roast” or maybe just saute a bunch of mushrooms with the garlic and parsley.  I like the dairy in this dish because it cuts the acidity of the sauce, but that can be eliminated also.  Use what you have, and happy cooking!

 

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder – Make Ahead in Oven or Crock Pot

How to Boil Water -2

Mondays are usually not my favorite day to cook, but I like to try to power out a really hearty meal early in the week, so I can take leftovers to work – for both health and financial reasons!  So the question is, what is something that is quick and easy to make that will yield some really good lunches and leftovers for when it really gets hectic?  Sometimes, I like to slow roast a pork shoulder, either in the oven or a crock pot, that way dinner is basically done when I get home.  Pork is such a versatile protein – you can put it in a sandwich, on tortillas for street tacos, and it stands alone with a few easy sides (homemade or store-bought) (sides will be tackled in a later posting), such as baked beans, slaw, potato or mac salad, and braised greens. It makes for a very versatile leftover, and tends to get eaten.

Some people are intimidated by working with a large cut of meat, but I have found that pork shoulders are consistently good and usually on sale.  I prefer the bone in variety for the best flavor, but boneless works also.  Avoid pork loin or tenderloin, they tend to get dry and tough with this style of cooking.  The secret here is in the preparation of the meat – season it well and it will taste almost as good as if you smoked it! The cooking process creates a simulated “bark” that tastes really great!  Next best thing to smoking it all day.  Enjoy!

Equipment:

• Roasting pan or large casserole dish
• Oven or Crock Pot
• Small mixing bowl

Pantry:

• Yellow Mustard
• Liquid Smoke
• Brown Sugar
• Paprika
• Garlic Powder
• Black Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper
• Dried oregano
• Garlic Salt
• Seasoning Salt
• Your favorite BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

Bone in pork shoulder, about 4-5 pounds

Process:

• Start this in the morning, or before you go to work!! Have a cup of coffee first so you don’t forget anything!  Its really not that hard and takes only about 10 min, even less if you make the rub in advance.
• Make a rub in the bowl – I prefer to make my own over store bought varieties. This is a matter of preference, but I use about 1/3-1/2 cup brown sugar, and liberal amounts of paprika, garlic & seasoning salt, and pepper.  Go easy on the cayenne, you can always make it spicier later, and just a bit of oregano also.  Mix together and set aside.
• Prepare the roast – take the yellow mustard and apply to the meat.  Then, add in about a tablespoon or two of the liquid smoke (there is lots of sodium here so don’t overdo it) , and massage this into the meat until totally covered. This will allow the dry rub to really adhere to the roast.  Next, liberally apply the dry rub all over.  Place meat in a roasting pan (if in the oven) or in the crock pot, fat side up.  This will allow the juices to slowly permeate the meat.
• Roast at 225 (107 C) (or low on crock pot) all day long, until internal temperature reaches 200-205 (96 C)  and meat falls apart. At this temperature, the tough collagen and connective tissues become gelatinous and melt away, and the meat becomes much more tender, so it is important to make sure it gets to temperature so the right texture is achieved.  It should be ready when you get home if you work a typical 8-5 day.
• Remove meat from oven and let cool a bit in the casserole dish, I tend to remove it from the cooking dish and put it in a new casserole, so it is not sitting in all the fat and drippings. The meat should be fall-apart tender. Taste, pull apart, remove bone and any gristle, and add your favorite sauce.  Serve with the side(s) of your choice. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Kale and White Bean Soup

How To Boil Water – 10/22/2017

Today, feeling congested and tired from a lingering cold, and frustrated from the lack options at my local restaurants, I decided to put together a classic – White Bean & Kale Soup.  This hearty recipe is super healthy, saves for about 4 days, and only requires a few things to come together.  Here is how it breaks down:

Equipment:

• Large Stock Pot
• Chef’s Knife
• Cutting Board
• Vegetable Peeler
• Can Opener

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 Lemon
• 1 bunch Kale (Italian or Red Kale, preferably Organic)
• 1 white onion
• 3 medium organic carrots
• 1 quart plus I can stock (vegetable or chicken)
• ½ pound Sweet Italian Sausage
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 stem rosemary, 3 stems thyme, 2 stems oregano
• 1 12 oz can white beans (Cannellini Beans)
• 1 12 oz can diced tomatoes

Process:

• Put about 2 tablespoons olive oil in pot over medium-low heat
• Dice the onion, peel and dice the carrots and add to the pot
• Season with Salt & pepper
• Cook onion & carrot over low heat until onions turn golden brown
• Add Sausage and brown (skip this is you want to keep it vegetarian)
• Make a gremolata with the garlic and herbs (take herbs off stems, and chop all together until all incorporated and paste-like), add to pot
• Wash Kale, remove leaves from tough fibrous stem, and chop roughly. Add to pot and wilt
• Add beans and tomatoes
• Add juice of 1 lemon, and about 1 quart plus 12 ounces (1 box and 1 can) of stock (can use vegetable, chicken, or a mix, I tend to use low sodium and organic) (only vegetable if you want vegetarian)
• Bring to simmer. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Simmer for 30 min then serve with hearty bread

This hearty soup is a great go to when the seasons change.  To kick it up, add some crushed red pepper flakes, use your own stock or bone broth. Add rice or barley.  There are lots of options here.  Enjoy