The Best Tacos I've Ever Had...

Yay! I get to be all cool and write on Chaela's blog! (Woot, woot!)

For those of you who don't know me: I'm Michaela's old roommate. The one who who flat out asked Russ what, exactly, his intentions were with the girl and told him just to kiss her already.

Yep. That's me. :)

I also happen to be a lover of music, art, dancing, literature and all things French. (Ok, I'm a little obsessed... get over it)

AND..... FOOD!

I love to cook and Mich will attest that I love to cook delicious things that don't take much time. (She's actually shared a few of my college standbys on here already.) So when I told her I had a fabulous taco recipe, she said that I should just come on and share and she'd try it out.

So here I am :)

So let me tell you about this here recipe:

I'm a teacher and rarely get home before 5:30. I live back at my parents' (since I'm single and really don't want to pay rent) and to help out I make dinner once a week. Grocery shopping and all. My mom has always been a stay-at-home mom and dinner is promptly at 6. Nowadays that's even more necessary since my dad is bishop and usually doesn't have much time between work and meetings. In other words, when I make dinner I have to make things quick.

Tacos are quick. I love a good taco. But it has to be a GOOD taco with lots of flavor. But the MSG in seasoning packets doesn't go over well at my house and I'm not a big fan of ground beef. So I made these impromptu turkey tacos. And keep making them. Quick. Easy. Delicious.

Here's what you need:

*measurements are approximate... Michaela will attest to the fact that I only measure in baking*

1-2 lbs Ground Turkey (that package has ~ 1 2/3 lbs)
1 T Oregano
2 t Cumin
1-2 T Chili Powder
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1 14.5oz can tomatos
1 4oz can green chilis
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 avocado (this is the fattiest part of the dish!)
Tortillas (I'm a flour tortilla person, myself)
Ranch dressing (or creamy tomatillo dressing... from my blog here)

Directions:
In a medium fry pan, drizzle a bit of olive oil and heat on medium/medium-high. Turkey is extremely lean and you don't want it to stick!


Begin cooking turkey over medium heat.


In another fry pan, again drizzle a bit of olive oil and let it start to heat up (again on medium/medium-high)


While the oil is warming up, add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper to your turkey. Mix it in well and let it continue cooking on low.


Back in the other fry pan, add your onions and garlic and saute until the onions begin to appear translucent.

Add the green chilies and continue cooking until some of the liquids have cooked off.


Add the tomatoes. You may need to break apart some of the bigger tomato chunks.


Pour the tomato mixture over the fully cooked meat and mix in well.


Put the meat on a tortilla, top with sliced avocado and a drizzle of dressing.


Roll it up, serve with a salad and enjoy!


***I'll come back on and add a mint lemonade recipe to go with the dish :)

Probably My All Time FAVORITE Pizza

NYC White Pizza
Source: Serious Eats
Ingredients:

• Pizza Dough (your favorite recipe or another secret? Buy frozen pizza dough at the deli of your local grocery store)
• cornmeal or flour
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried or chopped fresh thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or marjoram
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Lightly sprinkle cornmeal or flour on greased pizza tray. Roll out dough until about 1/4 inch thick and place on pizza pan.
3. In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, salt, thyme, and pepper.
4. To make sauce heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 or 6 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute longer. Add the cream, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the cream thickens and reduces slightly.
5. Remove from the heat, stir in the thyme, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool completely before using.
6. Spread the White Sauce over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border uncovered. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the White Sauce. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over the top and bake for about 12 minutes.
7. When it is done, the crust should be crisp and slightly charred on the edge and the cheese should be bubbling and just beginning to caramelize. The underside of the crust should be brown and crisp, not white and soft.
8. Remove the finished pizza from the oven and garnish it immediately with the parsley. Let the pizza cool for about 3 minutes before slicing and serving. If you want a “snappier” crust, let the pizza cool completely, then return the individual slices to the hot oven for re-crisping.

I LOVE Pizza. Especially THIS Kind.

Margherita Pizza

Ingredients:

• Pizza Dough (you can use your favorite recipe, or our secret - go to the deli section of a grocery store and ask for french bread dough)
• Olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 fresh tomatoes, sliced
• handful fresh basil leaves, ripped
• fresh mozzarella, grated
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to500 dgrees.
2. Drizzle olive oil on crust. Use your fingers to spread it around, making sure that it is coated evenly and there are no pools of oil.
3. Spread garlic over olive oil. Can rub into olive oil if you want.
4. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese until it suits your cheesiness level. Layer tomato slices on top of cheese. Spread basil leaves evenly around pizza and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Bake about 13-16 minutes, until cheese is melted and dough is light brown.

Mmmm Garlic And Potatoes, Can Life Be Better?

Cottage Fried Potatoes

 Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbs butter
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. In a large skillet cook and stir garlic in hot butter over medium heat for 15 seconds
2. Layer potato and onion in skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Cook, covered, for 8 minutes, turning occasionally.
4. Uncover; cook for 12 to 15 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and light brown, turning occasionally.

You can find this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens NEW Cook Book: Celebrating the Promise by Meredith Books.

This is one of my mom's classics. And it. is. AMAZING.

40-Clove Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken legs and thighs, skinned
• olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. dried parsley
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 40 cloves of garlic, separate, but not peeled
• 1/2 tsp. tarragon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• dash nutmeg
• 1/2 c water
• 2 tsp. vinegar
• 1 loaf french bread

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Brush chicken on all sides with the oil. In a large roasting pan, place the onion, celery, parsley, and tarragon. 
3. Lay the chicken on top and pour water and vinegar over the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Tuck the garlic under the chicken. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Do not uncover in that time!
4. Serve with french bread and squeeze the garlic onto it then dip it in the veggies and juices.

This is something I crave...

Bruschetta with Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil

 

Ingredients:

• 2 loaves of French bread
• grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 cloves of garlic, peel and chop
• 1 T. balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3 large plum tomatoes, diced
• 2 T. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Slice bread into ½ inch slices. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese on top of slices and place on a cookie sheet. Toast under the broiler until lightly browned.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients then serve by spooning onto toasted bread.