Honey Chipotle Meatballs - Three Ways

I'm calling this recipe Honey Chipotle Meatballs - Three Ways because I'm showing you how you can make this recipe using three different cooking methods.

Why three methods?
1) Sometimes you might want to grill
2) Sometimes you might want to grill but it's raining or it's snowing or it's just to darn hot (especially if it is summer and you are in Florida) so you can't grill but you can use your broiler and kind of get the same effect
3) Sometimes you don't want to grill or broil but you crave the taste! So I am providing a stove top method.

None of the methods is any better than the other, it is quite subjective as to what you do or don't want to do ...  or rather what method you want to use to cook the meal.

Now, I will say the sauce is damn good on just about anything you want to put it on.  It has enough heat and sweet that even folks who usually don't tolerate heat will enjoy it.

The meatball recipe on its own is delicious and produces a tender, moist meatball.  The cream and grated onion add that extra moisture the meatball needs to keep it from becoming a golf ball. No one wants to eat a golf ball, at least not anyone I know does.

The bacon imparts a deep, rich smokiness and my secret ingredient not only provides warm color, it also adds depth to the overall flavor. The meatballs are comprised of beef, pork and chorizo (sausage) - yes, that is a lot of flavor going on and it works beautifully.

Give it a try all three ways and let me know which is your favorite.


Honey Chipotle Sauce
1/2 cup honey
1 - 2 tablespoons chipotle chilies in  adobo (or to taste)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweetened) - warning this is the secret ingredient
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, process until smooth.  You can make this a few days ahead.

For the Meatballs
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup white bread cubed
4-6 slices applewood smoked bacon
1 cup grated onion
1 heaping tablespoon garlic
1/2 - 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo, finely chopped (remove seeds)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweetened) - warning this is the secret ingredient
1 teaspoon of oregano - preferably the Mexican variety
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup of beer (drink the rest!)
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 pound ground chorizo (I use Spanish chorizo but you can substitute with Mexican or regular sausage)
1/4 cup cilantro
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the bread in the cream in a large bowl
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet, Once crispy move to a rack with paper towel underneath to drain. Once cooled crumble and set aside.
3. Leave about 1-2 tablespoons of bacon fat in skillet, cook onions, garlic, cocoa, oregano, cumin and chiptole over medium heat until onion is softened.  Add the beer to deglaze the pan, stirring until all liquid has evaporated.
4. Stir  onion and spice mixture into bread and cream mixture, allow to cool to handle
5. Add beef, pork and chorizo, cilantro, bacon, egg, salt and pepper to the bowl. 
6. Mix all the ingredient by hand, Do not overwork the mixture.

You can prepare the meatballs a day ahead and keep in fridge to ready to cook in one of the three ways that follow below.

Now to Cook it Three Different Ways:

If you are using the first and second method -  first do this. Using a tablespoon to measure, roll  meatballs in the palm of your hand and thread  3-4 on to wooden* or metal skewers.

First Method:

Brush meatballs with Honey Chipotle Sauce and broil about 4 inches from heat until browned and well cooked about 8-10 minutes.

You can find a grill topper like the
one above at Bed Bath & Beyond

Second Method:

You can grill them over medium heat on your gas or charcoal grill - just take care to not move them or they will fall apart. You can use one a rectangular grill topper  (like the one in the picture)
to keep them from falling through the grates. Don't forget to brush with the sauce as you grill.

Third Method:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• Honey Chipotle Sauce

Using a tablespoon to measure, roll  meatballs in the palm of your hand, set each one on a sheet of wax paper until all the meat is used up.  Heat a skillet with one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add meatballs and brown meatballs.  Lower heat to keep from over browning, if needed. Deglaze the pan by adding in the wine, stir to scrape up the brown bits from pan then add in the honey Chipotle Sauce, Stir well, let it come up to a low boil and lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 10-15 minutes.

Serve with  my Sweet and Savory Roasted and Grilled Corn on the Cob, hot corn tortillas, Nicaraguan Cabbage Slaw (or Ensalada de Repollo Nica) and beer! Cheers!

* If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to use to keep them from burning on the grill.

Grilled Achiote Skirt Steak - Churrasco Nicaraguan Style

Grilled Achiote Skirt Steak, served with shoestring french fries
 and Spicy Tomato Jam (recipe coming soon)

Most folks think of churrasco (CHEW-ROSS-COE) a.k.a skirt steak as a purely Argentinian dish, but I can tell you it is not. I had never eaten skirt steak (churrasco) until I met The Hub, who is Nicaraguan. Nicaraguans are big on grilled meats, especially beef and particularly churrasco, which is skirt steak. This is my take on blending the spices used in Nicaraguan grilled cuisine. The achiote powder, which also goes by the name of annatto, is one of my favorite spices in this cuisine and it has an earthy, sweet peppery flavor. My spice blend does not cover up the beefy flavor of the skirt steak but rather enhances it. Achiote can be found in the hispanic or asian section of the supermarket. And, if you can't find it locally, remember there is always Amazon or eBay.

Note: You'll notice that I don't specify amounts for the spices and that's because I literally just dust it over each piece of meat.  Use generous pinches of each spice and sprinkle over top.

Serves 2 - 3

Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Achiote Powder
1 1/2 pounds of skirt steak cut into steak sizes portions

With a fork piece the surface of each steak on each side. Generously dust each side of the skirt steaks with the salt, pepper, onion, garlic and achiote. Rub into the meat. Place into a zip bag or a lidded container and let rest in the fridge over night or 2-4 hours before grilling.

Fire up your grill on high (if using gas) or over direct heat with hot charcoal. Make sure you lightly oil your grill racks to get nice grill marks. Place steaks on racks and grill 3 - 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from grill onto a platter, tent with foil and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with your favorite sides, like shoestring french fries, and ice cold beer.  Enjoy.

Spicy Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

Tonight I was inspired to cook something a little different. My boyfriend enjoys peppers, so I decided to make stuffed peppers. I have made stuffed peppers before but with an Italian twist. This time I chose to go with a southwestern flavor profile. The ingredients are reminiscent of Mexican flavors thus the Southwest title.

As you will notice I only chose to add one jalapeno to this dish but you can certainly add as much heat as you'd like, such as more jalapeno, a hot salsa, red pepper flakes or hot sauce. This recipe can be customized to anyone's taste preference and it's fun to make. I felt very accomplished looking at how pretty my stuffed peppers looked when they were all filled and covered with melted cheese. They were devoured. Now this dish was enough for my boyfriend and I to enjoy on it's own, it's basically a casserole/one-pot dish in a pepper... the peppers being the individual casserole dish! You can pair this dish with roasted corn, a side salad, roasted potatoes, etc.. Have fun with this dish creating your own fillings, but also enjoy this one!

Serves 4 - 6

A Wednesdays
with Eryka Recipe

6 multi-colored peppers
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 cooked white rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn
1 cup salsa
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon adobo seasonings*
salt and pepper to taste
Mexican blend shredded cheese*



1. Prepare the peppers by chopping the top off and removing the rib. Place on a greased baking dish.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

3. In a pan on medium heat, cook ground beef, onion and garlic until cooked through. Add the jalapeno.

4. Add the beans, corn, rice and salsa. Heat through then season with cumin, adobo and salt and pepper to taste (I added only a pinch of each).

5. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of cheese into the mixture. Stir until gooey.

6. Spoon the beef mixture evenly into all the peppers. Top with their appropriate tops.

7. Bake for 20 minutes then remove tops of the peppers to add the shredded cheese. Top again with their tops and bake for 10 more minutes until cheese is melted and peppers are soft.

Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:
*The cheese blend I used contained Monterrey jack, cheddar, queso quesadilla, asadero cheese. You can use whatever Mexican cheese blend you prefer.
*Adobo seasoning is a blend of onion and garlic powder, black pepper, Mexican oregano, cayenne pepper and cumin. Mix together an 1/8 teaspoon of each ingredient if you can't find it locally.

Japanese-Inspired Beef Stew

After a year of being unemployed I finally landed a job, my first real nursing job! I am now working at the oncology clinic at a major university, which around here is a big deal. It ranked in the top 50 schools in the U.S. so working there is an honor. However, being a full time employee again has made cooking on weeknights a new challenge for me, but the slow cooker has already been my savior. Be prepared for more slow cooker recipes since that handy, beautiful appliance will be saving the day more often than not. As you may have noticed I am continuing my Asian cuisine fascination into the slow cooker. I am infatuated with stews so this twist on your regular beef stew keeps it fun! I found out that searing the beef before slow cooking it really makes a difference. I never thought it would and often I would skip that step out of laziness or time. I prepped this meal on a Sunday and stuck it in the slow cooker on Tuesday. I seared the beef, placed it in one of those slow cooker liners with the rest of the ingredients so that Tuesday morning all I had to do was put the bag in the slow cooker, set the time and leave for work. The meat is tender and melts in your mouth and the aroma in your house will even drive your pets crazy. If you can, try to sear the beef, if not just toss in the beef raw it will be fine. Serve with rice and your favorite vegetables!

Recipe:
2 tablespoons oil
2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed
4 medium carrots, chopped diagonally
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chicken or beef stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until very hot. Sear the beef on all sides; cook in batches if needed. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.

2. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Slow Cooker MeatLoaf

Meatloaf! The all American family dinner that pretty much everyone has had at least once in their lifetime and if you haven't... well you must! I am a lover of American food as I am a proud American. I went to a baseball game the other night and as the woman sang our national anthem I got goosebumps. I always do because I truly love living in this country; I love the melting pot, the freedom, the history, the land and the beauty this country has to offer. You have a little but of everything here and although there are a lot of hiccups on the road of this country it is what makes us the United States of America. It's like our friends or our partners, they are never perfect by any means, but the imperfections make them perfect to you; that is how I feel about this country. For being such a young country because in fact we are very young compared to the rest of the world, I think we are doing just fine! Anyways, enough of my patriotic rant (I did want to be an American history professor at one time so it shines through from time to time) to me meatloaf, among other popular American foods, is an American staple. It's easy to make for any night of the week; it's great for a small family or even a dinner party! The taste of meatloaf never gets old and people keep reinventing it everyday. So to make meatloaf even easier than it already is, lets put it in the slow cooker! I know it sounds odd but let me tell you that it comes out very moist, not watery at all and above all delicious! I hope you enjoy this version of the American classic: Meatloaf!

Recipe:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
Onion powder, to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar

1. Combine beef, milk, bread crumbs, eggs, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano and thyme in a bowl; shape into a loaf. Place in the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

2. Combine ketchup and brown sugar in a small bowl. Spread over the cooked meat in the slow cooker and cook for an additional 15 minutes on high. Serve and enjoy!

Slow Cooker All American Meat n' Potatoes

Nothing says "American comfort food" than meat and potatoes.  This recipe is my homage to the All American Meat n' Potatoes classic dinner. Really simple every day pantry ingredients, an economical cut of meat and of course potatoes make-up this recipe.  And the best part? It all goes in the slow cooker. So when you get home at the end of a long work day, the scent of rich beef, and slow cooked onions hit you right when you walk in.  All you have to do is decide what to serve it with.

Serves 3 - 4

1 pound  of round -  3/4" top round steaks, sliced in half - (about 4 steaks - like little filet mignons without the cost.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 large onions, sliced in half moons
1 tablespoon minced
1 cup beef stock
1/4 cup white wine
Salt
Pepper
Onion powder
4 red potatoes cut in quarters (unpeeled is just fine)

• Heat a stainless steel pan over medium heat, add oil, butter and all the onions.
• Sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. Stir and cook for 15 minutes at medium low heat until the onions are a deep golden brown but not burnt. 10 minutes into the cooking process, add the garlic.
• While the onions cook, salt and pepper the meat, then add a generous dusting to each side of the meat of onion powder. Set aside.
• Deglaze the onions with 1/4 of the beef stock, allow to evaporate*.
• Add the potatoes to the bottom of the slow cooker, spoon half the onions over the potatoes.
• Lay the meat slices over top of the onions and then spoon the remaining onions over top.
• Slowly pour the remaining beef stock and the white wine over top.
• Cook on high for 4 hours, low for 8 hours.
• You'll have a nice broth at the end of the cooking cycle. To thicken the broth, remove the meat, potatoes and whatever onions are left  with a slotted spoon and set aside. 
• Leave behind 2-4 of the potatoes in the slow cooker with the broth and using an immersion blender buzz through until you have a nice thickened sauce. Tip: Start with 2 potatoes and add in the remaining two, one at a time or until the sauce has thickened to your liking.

Serve this as is, over rice, mashed potatoes (yes double carbs!), egg noodles, toasted bread, it's really up to you. To drink? Beer or a robust red wine. Enjoy!

*Recipe Notes:

You can make the onions the day before, even up to two days ahead of time, Just keep in a tightly sealed container in the fridge until ready to use.

Easy Ground Beef Curry

I have been on an Asian kick lately. Asian flavors have been dominating my taste buds for some reason and the best part about it is that Asian cooking is generally very easy, quick food to make. This beef curry I made in about 45 minutes; another good weeknight dinner without sacrificing flavor. Asian food, for some reason, reminds me of my grandmother. I am always mentioning her, but I can't help it because she was she a huge role model in my life. She and I would order Chinese food on Saturday nights when I came to sleep over while the parents were out to play. We would drive to Canton Chinese food, order the food (she did not believe in phoning the order ahead of time), sit and wait for the order to be ready, pay and take it home. The beginning to a series of fun Saturday nights was always with Chinese food. We would always order the same thing; me the chicken with broccoli and her I believe was the special friend rice and chicken wings.

Wednesdays with Eryka

It was our tradition; we would eat then play Bingo or Parcheesi, watch her favorite Saturday night variety show and we'd end the night with my favorite show: I Love Lucy or The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour! I'm happy for these memories as well as for the developed taste for Asian food that start for me at a local Chinese restaurant and now that expanded beyond that. I hope you enjoy this recipe on Wednesdays with Eryka!





Recipe
2 tablespoons oil
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 1/2 cups stock

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a saute pan. Over low-medium heat, cook the onion, pepper, cumin seeds and bay leaves. Stir and cook for about 2-3 minutes until the spices are fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook and stir for about 10 minutes.

2. In the same saute pan, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute then add the ground beef, coriander, turmeric and chili powder. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the meat is browned.

3. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer , stir occasionally for about 20-25 minutes. Season with salt when done and discard the bay leaves. Serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!

Decadently Creamy Mushrooms, Onions & Beef Sauté

Here's  a recipe that doesn't have a back story, except that I defrosted sirloin strip steaks instead of  round steak which I was going to use to make a quick stir-fry. Yes, I could have made a stir fry with this cut too, but I was craving something creamy and just a tad decadent. This recipe has some of my favorite ingredients; sirloin, mushrooms and onions in a thick cream sauce that has a hint of thyme and a touch of butter.
You don't have to use strip steak to make this recipe, certainly you can use thinly sliced skirt steak or another cut of beef*. But if you have the opportunity to splurge, this recipe will do the splurge justice.

Serves 2 - 4

1 pound of sirloin, cut in bite size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large sweet onion
8oz mushrooms, thick sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt & pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup low lowfat milk
1/3 cup half & half
1/2 to 1 teaspoon corn starch

• Salt & pepper your sliced beef. Set aside.  
• Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, onions and mushrooms. Sprinkle lightly with 2 pinches of salt. Lower heat to medium  and saute 5-8 minutes. 
• Sprinkle with thyme, stir  to distribute evenly. Add in butter, stir, lower heat to medium low and allow to saute an additional 3-5 minutes until onions and mushrooms are a light golden brown.
• Remove onion and mushroom mixture from pan, set aside.
• Raise heat o medium high, and brown beef in small batches, till all the beef is browned.
• Add onion and mushroom mixture and all the beef back to skillet, stir to incorporate.
• Pour in white wine, lower heat to medium, allow to reduce by half.
• Add milk and half & half, bring to a low simmer.
• Using a small colander, add half a teaspoon of corn starch and lightly sift over simmering sauce. Stir immediately to incorporate. 
• Add 2 -3 pinches of salt and a generous grind of black pepper.
• Simmer an additional 2 minutes
• For a thicker sauce add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch in the same manner.

Serve over white fluffy rice, or egg noodles and a glass of red wine. Enjoy!

*Recipe Notes: 

Since the first time I made this recipe I have used different cuts of beef to experiment and while the strip steak is by far the best, here are a few more economical cuts you can consider using and work just fine:

Flank, top round, round tip, round sirloin tip center and round sirloin tip side.

You may also want to consider tenderizing the thin strips of  cheaper, less tender cuts of beef by using baking soda.  Here is a link to my post on how properly use and when to use baking soda to tenderize proteins: Baking Soda as a Tenderizer.

Miriam's Picadillo

Friendship has no age. What do I mean? My best friend is my mother, who is obviously older than I am, and I have another very close friend, Miriam, who is my mom's age. I met Miriam while working at buybuyBaby. We became really close, sharing each others drama when we had down time at work plus I got to practice my Spanish with her. Eventually I quit but our friendship extended outside of walls of work. We would text, call and I have even gone over to her house to just gossip and share stories. She is an aquarius like me - making us very similar! So one day I asked her to share her picadillo recipe. Picadillo is a ground beef hash, to sum it up, poor people food that is absolutely delicious and easy to make. Since I learned the Cuban version of picadillo recipe from my mom, I wanted to learn Miriam's version of picadillo, and she is Venezuelan. Her recipe is different from what I'm used to making but it is much simpler and I have to say just as delicious. When she made it for me one Friday afternoon the flavor stayed

Miriam's Picadillo - this is the
one she made, served with
black beans & white rice

on my palette the whole weekend! The following Monday I decided to make it for myself. It is now one of my favorite dishes as well as a new "go to" recipe when I don't feel like thinking too much about dinner or  I am just too tired. This recipe takes a browning sauce, and bouillon powder, which I had nver used before. I have provided a picture in case you've never used it either and now you know what to look for. You can serve this like in the picture further below, with black beans and rice. You could also accompany it with bread or sweet plantains. I absolutely love this recipe and hope you do too!


Recipe:
1 3/4 lbs ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 red or green pepper, minced
2 tablespoons green olives
2 tablespoons raisins (optional)
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
1 1/2 tablespoon kitchen bouquet browning
and seasoning sauce

1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the ground beef. Brown the meat until pink is gone. Add the minced onions and peppers. Cook together for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.

2. Add the green olives. It is okay if some of the juice from the olives fall into the beef because it will add more flavor to the dish; add in the raisins. Stir to combine and cook together for about 2 minutes.

3. Sprinkle in the chicken bouillon powder and stir to combine. Drizzle in the browning sauce and stir to combine. Cook all the ingredients together for about 4 minutes until aromatic. Remove the pan off the heat and it is ready to serve.

Weekly Recipe Round-up January 20-24, 2014

It was a week of soups and stews at The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon. Temperatures dropped into the low 40s and high 30s in South Florida. This called for a lot of warm and homey comfort food and coincidentally they all seemed to have a Spanish/Latin flair too! 

This week's Recipe of the Week was featured on Wednesdays with Eryka, Cuban Meat & Potato Stew, a.k.a. Carne con Papa.  It had the most shares, over 200 and pageviews/likes, over 2,500, by our awesome followers and for that we Thank You!  Here's a look back at what was cooking in the kitchens of The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon this past week.

Featured on Monday:

Jax's Chili

Jax's Chili is a chili I've been making for years and has become one of my favorite go-to recipes once the temperatures dip. Using cachucha peppers, red chilies, 3 different types of beans and cocoa powder, the stage is set for the ultimate comfort food. Can be made stove top or in slow cooker I cover both methods in this recipe.

Featured on Wednesdays with Eryka:

Cuban Meat & Potato Stew - Carne con Papa

In *Cuban Meat & Potato Stew* (a.k.a. *Carne con Papa*) the meat and potatoes are simmered in wine, tomato sauce, garlic and paprika,is a big family favorite. Served with steaming white rice and fried green or sweet plantains  makes it *a classic Cuban Sunday dinner*.

Featured on Friday:

Iberian-Inspired Chorizo, Cod and Chickpea Stew

My recipe for Iberian-Inspired Chorizo, Cod and Chickpea Stew is rich, warm and spicy. This tomato based stew brings together the flavors of paprika rich Spanish chorizo, cod fish and chickpeas. Perfect cold weather soup!

Cuban Meat & Potato Stew - Carne con Papa

There are so many beef stew recipes out there it is sometimes hard to keep up not to mention it can be overwhelming to choose a recipe. Do a Google search on beef stew and the results are endless. There are many renditions of it, but today I'd like to offer the Cuban version of it and it is my personal favorite. My grandma used to make this when I was growing up but sadly I don't remember what it tastes like and also I never learned the recipe from her... that lady could cook up a storm! According to my mother, this carne con papa recipe is exactly how my grandmother used to make it. To me that is a huge compliment that it does, because this meal and another famous Cuban meal called Picadillo reminds me of her. I'm not sure if it's the paprika, the tomato sauce, the wine that makes this particular beef stew rich in flavor and much added depth,but what I am sure of is how much my family enjoys it whenever I make it. The recipe calls for potatoes but I used sweet potatoes for my boyfriend (pictured) and yes it does work the same!

Serves 4

1 1/2 - 2 lbs beef stew meat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
2 or 3 large potatoes, chopped in medium cubes

1. In a large skillet, brown the stew meat until browned on all sides with the oil. When the meat is browned add the salt, paprika, pepper, bay leaf, onion, garlic and green pepper.

2. Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until the onions are wilted and somewhat translucent. Add the tomato sauce, wine and water. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, covered.

3. After 10 minutes add the chopped potatoes, stir together and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender. Enjoy!

Savory Meatballs in Mushroom Cream Sauce

This is my favorite "go to" weeknight meals.  I like to make my meatballs in bulk, cook, freeze and store them in zip bags in my freezer.  This way I know what goes into my meatballs (not excess or extra "fillers") and I always have a a quick meal almost at the ready.  When I first put this recipe together years ago, I did so on a whim and because it was my day to cook (my mom and I took turns).  The results were better than good, it very quickly became one of my moms' and my daughters' favorite meal. In fact, it was heavily requested. My mom was an excellent home chef, but for some reason she never got the hang of how to make this dish, or so she said. Personally, I always thought she preferred that I cook this particular meal.  Whatever the reason was, I was always thrilled that she liked it so much, and it was one those meals where she actually might have seconds.
The sauce in this recipe is just as delicious with the meatballs as it is on its own ladled over pasta or egg noodles. Letting the onions and mushrooms cook together brings about a depth a flavor that only slow and low cooking can bring about.  The onions caramelize just slightly and the mushrooms produce a warm, earthy flavor as they cook down. The white wine provides an acidic balance, while the beef stock rounds outs the overall flavors. Used with meatballs or on it's own I think you will be pleased with the versatility of the recipe.

Serves 4

For the Meatballs:
------Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees
1 pound ground chuck*
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 slice of bread, crust removed and soak in 6 tablespoons of half & half.
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Course grind of black pepper


Mix all the ingredients together. Do not compact the meat. Incorporate the ingredients into the meat by running your fingers through it by gently rubbing your thumb against the pads of your fingers. I find this keeps the meat "light and airy". Make 18 - 2" balls. Instead of rolling the meat in your hands, which makes the meatball dense, flip the meat back and forth between the palms of your hands. Doing this will create a round meatball without having to squeeze or roll it. Place on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes.

For the Mushroom Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups fresh sliced cremini mushrooms*
1 large yellow onion, sliced into half moons
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups beef broth/stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound of cooked meatballs
1 cup cream* (heavy or light, your choice)


Heat a stainless steel pan over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and mushrooms. Saute, stirring frequently 10-15 minutes or until onions/mushrooms a deep golden color.
Sprinkle the flour over the onions/mushrooms, stir to mix in well. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt pepper, stock, wine and meatballs. Stir until it starts to simmer lightly and slightly thicken. Reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Add cream, stir and allow to warm through. Take off heat and add butter, stir until butter melts.

Serve over rice, egg noodles or mashed potatoes or with a salad and bread.  Enjoy!

*Recipe Notes:
Use a variety of ground meats such as pork, chicken, turkey to change up the recipe.
Use any variety of  or combination of mushrooms, that you like.
You can substitute cream with  half & half, fat free half & half, or milk of choice.

Wine-Braised Beef Shanks in Garlic-Tomato Broth

I've gotten into buying beef shanks, probably not the most popular cut of meat but I can tell you it's amazingly rich in flavor. It's a cut of meat that lends itself to being braised and slow cooked. It's intensely beefy in flavor and oh so tender when cooked right. This recipe couldn't be easier. You marinate everything in a zip bag overnight and by everything I mean Burgundy wine, thyme, a whole head of garlic, shallots, and tomatoes. The next morning chuck the contents of the bag into your slow cooker and let it braise slowly all day. What you get is the most mouth-watering, tender and juicy beef, that's perfect over mashed potatoes,  rice or even ladled over large pieces of toasted, crusty, french bread. Next time you are at the market and see these under-appreciated and often overlooked beefy cuts, pick up a couple of packs, I promise you won't be disappointed and they are budget friendly too!

Serves 2-4

2-3 lbs beef shanks
1 1/2 cups Burgundy wine (or any red wine you have at home)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, sliced in half
5-6 shallots, unpeeled, opposite end of the root cut off
1 28 oz whole tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a zip bag and allow to marinate, in the fridge, overnight or 24 hours if time permits. If marinating for 24 hours, turn bag often to distribute marinde, if overnight turn bag once.

Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or on hi for 4-5 hours. Remove remove beef shanks set-aside. Remove shallots and garlic, allow to cool enough to handle. Remove peel from shallots, and squeeze garlic to expel the soft garlic paste. Strain liquid, reserve tomatoes and run liquid through a fat separator*. Return liquid, tomatoes, garlic paste to slow cooker and blend through using an immersion blender (or a regular blender if you don't have one).
Add shanks and peeled shallots back into the blended liquid. Beef will be tender and will probably have already fallen off the shank bones, you can discard bones or save them for your pooch or a beef stock.

Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice. Or do what I do and toast up some crusty French bread, tear it off into big pieces and then ladle the meat, shallots and garlicky-tomato broth over the bread.  Yes, that is decadently delicious! Enjoy!

*Recipe note:  Personally, I think this meal tastes even better the next day, so I skip the fat separator part place everything in a large glass bowl in the fridge overnight. The next evening I just remove all the fat which will have solidified. Easier, less mess to clean up and I think much more effective way to remove the fat.  I then follow the rest of the steps in the recipe.

Eryka's One-Pot Chili & Rice

On the rare occasion that it is "cold" in Miami we all take advantage and wear boots, scarves, gloves, hats you name it. I also take advantage of the weather in a culinary sense and take the opportunity to make a meal that is usually extra yummy when it's cold outside. One of my favorite things to make when it's cold is chili. My mom made chili every year around this time, when the weather gods allowed it to get chilly (no pun intended!). So I grew up on it; I was always excited to have it. I would add a lot of cheese or sour cream or both. It would always warm me up because us Floridians think 60 degrees is freezing! Miami hasn't been too cold, unfortunately, but a few days ago and even today it was and I decided to make chili but with a slight twist. This one-pot meal is yet again excellent for weeknight meals. It is hearty with the energy packed carbs from the rice, the protein from the beef and beans and fiber from the veggies. The spices, cumin, chili, garlic warm it up nicely, providing just a little bit of heat. It was a hit at home. A dollop of good ol' sour cream takes it to the new level of super creamy flavor. I personally didn't add any cheese to this recipe, but of course you can if you choose to; you can also add as many veggies or  change up the protein as you'd to as well. Enjoy!

Recipe:
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/4 cup rice
1-14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1-14 1/2 ounce can black beans, drained
salt and pepper

1. Cook the ground beef in a skillet until starting to brown. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook together for about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder and cumin seeds and cook for 2 minutes.

2. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minutes, stirring. Stir in the rice, diced tomatoes, cocoa powder, stock and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in the beans and continue to cook for an extra 10 minutes or until rice is done. Serve with sour cream. Enjoy!

Cuban Bistec en Cazuela (Braised Steak in a Pot)

A Wednesdays with Eryka Recipe

Cuban Bistec en Cazuela is basically a braised steak in a pot. As most of you know Cuban food is one of my favorite foods of all time. It is food I could eat everyday and be content. Most, if not all Cuban food, is peasant food, which makes for very simple and cheap ingredients. My grandmother used to make this dish, however, I don't remember it much anymore, so this recipe is for her. As you may remember from a previous post, I now live in her house and any time I cook up a traditional Cuban meal I think of her because I want to make her proud. The steaks used in this recipe are very thin thus they cook up rather quickly. Make sure you are watching them, counting the minutes per side because an extra minute or 30 seconds can make a difference! That being said this recipe is another great weeknight meal due to how quickly it cooks. The sauce produced from the steak and the marinade is amazing when served over rice. I think you will fully enjoy this meal!

Recipe:
1 1/2 top round steaks, in 4 long thin strips or 8 smaller thin pieces
1 onion, sliced in rings
1 green pepper, sliced length wise
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup sour orange juice
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock

1. Combine the steak, onion, pepper, garlic, sour orange, wine, adobo salt and pepper in a dish or zip bag to marinate for at least 1 hour or more. Take out about an hour before planning to cook to let the meat come to room temperature.

2. In in large skillet over medium high heat, heat up the oil and brown the steaks. Brown the steaks in batches. When finished browning all the steaks place all the steak pieces back into the pan.

3. Add to the pan the marinade, juices and vegetables. Cook together for about 3 minutes then add the tomato paste. Stir until paste has dissolve into the vegetables. Cook everything together until the liquid from the marinate starts to evaporate then add the chicken broth. Simmer for 3 minutes. Serve over white rice with sweet fried plantains. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:
Can't find sour oranges or juice in your local market? Make your own by following our simple recipe for home-made sour orange juice.

Simmered Beef Tips and Carrots

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 
Ever been in a cooking bind where you didn't plan on cooking but somehow wound up having to make dinner on the spot? That was me last week. Tuesday night I took out a pound of eye-round to slow cook the next day. When my boyfriend comes home from a long day Tuesday night, he tells me he will be home late Wednesday to not worry about making dinner. Now I had already taken out the eye-round but I just figured I'd season it and just use it Thursday for the slow cooker... it'll be marinated for a whole day so it'll make for a great stew. I go about my Wednesday, running errands, jogging, then I get a phone call at around 6pm. It was my boyfriend, telling me he'll be home on time, that it'll be Thursday when he's late. Now, obviously, we could have resorted to buying food but to me, it's an expense that can be avoided and unnecessary. So I told him, oh don't worry, I'll whip something up! I went into panic mode! What do I do?? I'm used to planning my meals. I opened my fridge and just starred at it then it all hit me. I saw my eye-round meat (cut into 1-inch pieces, marinating in salt and pepper and red wine) from earlier that day, a half full bottle of barbecue sauce, onions, tomato paste and carrots. It all started coming together. I was taking a risk, mixing ingredients that I'm not used to mixing, but I figured today was the day to experiment...we could always have take out if my experimenting failed! I felt like a mad scientist working in the kitchen, working fast and frantically moving around. I don't know about you, but there is a certain time of day where even your kitchen closes, it just becomes a "quicky mart" for milk or cookies. Within about hour I had finished my culinary experiment; behold a recipe that we both enjoyed! I think I enjoyed it more though, because I went crazy trying to figure it all out. I hope you enjoy this "on a whim recipe" that turned out to be very tasty!

Recipe:
1 lb eye-round, cut into 1-inch pieces, marinated overnight in 1 cup of red wine with salt and pepper.
1 tablespoon olive oil
4-5 carrots, cut diagonally
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoon barbeque sauce (any of your choosing)
1 can beef consomeé 10.5 oz (or homemade, if you prefer)

Savory Beef and Barley Stew

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

One pot meals are a home cook's friend just like the slow cooker. There is one less pot/pan to wash, which to me is a huge hassle because pots and pans always weigh a lot for my little hands. One pot meals also usually mean some kind of soup or stew... which I love! This week I have a pretty neat stew recipe that is now one of my favorites. It's easy to prep and cook ... the hardest thing about this recipe is waiting for it to finish cooking! Although the meat is what makes this stew hearty, to me the star of this recipe is an overlooked ingredient: barley. It's delicious, filling, hearty and it's very good for you. Barley is a whole grain that helps with blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and fat. After the two hour cooking time of this recipe (the two hours seemed to drag on by as the aroma of this dish filled my nose and brain), after the dish was served and ready to eat I was shocked (pleasantly) at how tender the meat was. It was literally melt in your mouth bites of deliciousness. It was juicy, packed with flavor and I just wanted more. Each spoonful was a firework of flavor for your taste buds; a piece of meat, pieces of carrots, onion and celery, barley and of course my favorite pairing rice. I hope you enjoy this dish. Just remember to have patience as it's cooking because it is definitely irresistible!

Serves 4

2lbs chuck roast
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups beef broth
salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
1/8 tsp Herbs de Provance
2/3 cups dried barley

Quick & Easy Asian-Style Ground Beef Stir Fry

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

I enjoy Asian food or should I say Asian-American food. It is tasty food but it is also usually very simple to make and most importantly cooks up fast! As you know, I love simple and fast meals that I can make during the week. Unfortunately, I do not have a wok and if you don't either, no worries, any skillet will do fine. What I like about stir fry dishes is that you can customize them to your liking by adding as many or as little vegetables/ingredients as you want. Most stir fry's are made with chicken or beef but this recipe is unique in that it is with ground beef, one of my favorite cuts of beef. It cooks fast, it's cheap, it's versatile and always delivers in taste. Take this stir fry recipe and add to it, build on it. If I were to repeat the recipe I would add bean sprouts and broccoli. You can add mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, bok choy, anything you like! Have fun with it. The serving amount is enough for dinner and tomorrow's lunch... you know, the lunch that will make everyone else jealous at work!

Serves 4

2 cups white rice
1lb Ground Beef
4 eggs, beaten
2 tbs sesame oil
1 onion, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tbs soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger
pinch salt

Slow Cooked Beef in Wine and Broth with Herbs

There are many days I crave stews. Stews are delicious my favorite part being the sauce. Why? To pour that silky sauce over white rice is heaven to me! Back to the story. This week I was craving a stew, but I wanted to make my own creation. I have followed many recipes that I decided to take what I have learned to venture out on my own. I used my trusty slow cooker for this recipe, as you all know it is my favorite kitchen appliance. Saturday my mom and I had a day planned out to go to the mall, then the movies ... our little girls day out. I didn't want to be thinking about dinner or thinking about getting home to make dinner so the night before I thawed a chuck roast to prep in the AM for slow cooker cooking! For this recipe you can certainly use whatever cut of meat you would prefer for a stew; you can also adjust the amount of herbs to your taste. I would consider this a simple, basic stew recipe that you can use to build your own recipe. I like simplicity but the wine is the ingredient that adds that extra depth of flavor. Please feel free to add or expand this recipe!

Recipe:
2lbs chuck roast
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, chopped in large pieces
1 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the chuck roast into 1-2 inch pieces. Chop onions and carrots in large pieces. Place all in slow cooker.

2. Add the broth, wine, thyme, paprika and salt and pepper. Mix in slow cooker.

3. Cook on low for 8 hours.

4. Serve with rice or vegetables. Enjoy!

Nicaraguan Salpicón! Chopped Beef in Zesty Lime with Onions and Peppers

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

Today I am taking you on a culinary trip down south to Central America, Nicaragua to be precise. The Hub and his family are from Nicaragua. Nicaraguans refer to themselves and anything Nicaraguan as "Nica". So if you see me using the term "Nica", now you know what I am referring too!

I was introduced to this Nicaraguan dish, like most of the Nicaraguan food I have come to love, at my in-laws. My father-in-law, Aurelio, is a fantastic cook and he taught me how to make Salpicón (pronounced SAL-PEE-CONE). And by taught, I mean he told me what goes in it (no exact measurements) and what the process is. That's the sign of what I call a "natural chef"! This dish is tooted as being dietetic because there is absolutely no fat in it, and uses a lean cut of meat ... eye round. When you look at the actual recipe you tend to think it's too simple and can't possibly be all that flavorful, but I got to tell you, it is! The lime juice breaks down the rawness and mellows the flavor of the onions and peppers and gives the finely chopped meat a light and tangy taste. Traditionally, Salpicón is served with Nica white rice and boiled or fried plantains. However, it's absolutely divine served in a lettuce wrap with pickled onions, radishes and cucumbers, sprinkled into a simple salad, or wrapped in a tortilla, preferably a Nica tortilla, with "crema" (similar to crème fraîche) and a little crumbled "queso ahumado" (similar to Feta, only smoked) over top. So pack your culinary taste buds as we head into the land of Nica food!

2 pounds eye round, trimmed of any fat, cut down into smaller chucks,
roughly 2"
2 quarters of water
1/2 of a head of garlic, cloves smashed and peeled
2 onions:

• 1 onion, chopped into quarters 
• 1 onion, finely diced about 1/8"  

2 bell peppers, 1 green, 1 red:

• 1/2 a green and 1/2  red, chopped into quarters
• 1/2 a green and 1/2  red, finely diced about 1/8"

1/2 - 3/4 cup of lime and the zest of the lime
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Salt