Delicious Ground Beef Tacos

That this is William's and Sophie's favorite is no exaggeration. The photo below shows their excitement whenever this is laid on the table. They love this dish so much that they were willing to sit still so I could take their photo knowing that soon they'd be munching on their favorite food. 

I often serve this during weekends. Because it is quite special for them it is something they always look forward too.

But don't get me wrong, it's not just the tots who enjoy this! Mark and I equally love it too!


Ingredients

1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 teaspoon (tsp) ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
Ground pepper, to taste
1 lb lean ground beef
Corn/Flour tortillas


Procedure 

Heat oil. Saute garlic briefly until aromatic, just a few seconds. Add the beef, crumble with a fork as you brown it. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft about 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika and coriander; season with salt and pepper. Adjust heat to low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally to allow flavors to infuse.  Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving plate.

To serve, spoon the filling onto tortillas, top with some salsa or plain diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sour cream or cheese and some chopped fresh cilantro, if desired. For the adult, add a few drops of hot sauce for some added kick!

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Cilantro-Lime Rice

 Since we arrived in the USA, Mexican food has become one of our favorites. Mark loves spicy food and he doesn't often get his fave Indian curries in Michigan (unless I make them) so he's happy to satisfy his palate with the Mexican alternative. We often have tacos on the menu but it won't be complete without the cilantro-lime rice on the side. The citrusy, moist cilantro-flavored rice is such a wonderful side dish that you can serve it even if you're not having Mexican food. We make a big batch of this (just because we love it so much!) and use the left-over for sinangag (Pinoy fried rice) the next day so nothing is wasted.

I have searched the internet for a good cilantro lime rice and I chanced upon this one. I thought the idea was great and decided to try it. Unfortunately, since this was not on a blog post but on a comment page and the person did not wish to reveal his/her identity I don't know who to acknowledge. But am just happy he/she decided to share it. There were no exact measurements given, just mostly the ingredients so I just adjusted it to my taste and feel free to do the same. After all, what may be tart for me may still be sweet or even bland for somebody else!

A rice cooker would be handy for this but you can always use a large sauce pan and cook the rice on the stove top. For this dish, basmati is the best rice to use for it doesn't get sticky and the grains remain separated even after the oil and the citrus juice has been added but if you don't have it jasmine or any long grain rice is fine too. You may choose to use the entire rice as measured in the recipe or however much you need.

Also, I like that the recipe uses different kinds of citrus fruits (though it's popularly made only with lime). I like the combo of the juices of 1 lime and 1 orange. The sweet orange flavor balances the tartness of the lime. But you may add 1 lemon too in the mix. Just note that it will be sharper so perhaps you need to use less juice when you mix it with the rice. 

Ingredients

1 cup of uncooked jasmine/basmati rice (use measuring cup not the rice cooker cup)

1 1/2 cups water, more if needed (use the same measuring cup)
2 small bay leaves
Juice of 1 orange and 1 lime or a combo of 1 orange/1 lemon/1 lime (the latter combo is sharper) - use about 4 Tbsp or to taste (the left over juice I give to my tots who love it!) 
1 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp (neutral flavored oil like canola oil but I did try light olive oil and it was fine)
Salt, to taste

Procedure

First, place the rice and water in the rice cooker. Insert the 2 bay leaves on the rice. Cook. The rice cooker will automatically turn to warm setting when it's done. Let it rest for a few minutes.

This is what the rice should look like when it's done and after removing the bay leaves.

While the rice is resting, juice the orange and lime and lemon (if using). Set aside. Prepare the cilantro leaves. We love cilantro so we put in a lot. Add as much as you want.

When done preparing the citrus fruits and cilantro, get the oil and pour it slowly on the rice. Coat the rice with oil.  

Add the cilantro, juice and the salt and mix well with the rice. Enjoy!

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Chicken with Tarragon Cream

Recently, I have been experimenting on French dishes. I don't really know why, I supposed I was just fancying something creamy and buttery.  I looked at my fridge and saw that I still had some chicken breasts that needed to be cooked and the mushrooms were begging to be used. There were still some left-over cream and half a bottle of white wine which I have used recently in a few dishes. 

The only ingredient missing is something that will give the dish some vibrant color and freshness. Thankfully, I have been cooking with the tarragon herb lately due to my husband's craving for Chicken, Cashew and Tarragon Stir-Fry. So there goes the solution - a little tarragon goes a long way in this dish.

I had been doing the South Beach Diet to lose weight (I love this diet! I think it's perfect for meat lovers like me!) and if you are into low-carb, this is one of the dishes that you need to learn by heart. It's pretty simple and yummy, too. And to replace the carbs --- I know deep in my heart that rice would be perfect with this for it will absorb the creamy sauce but, alas, not when am on a diet --- I suggest steamed/boiled cauliflower, which is the perfect replacement for rice or potatoes. You can certainly make mock mashed potatoes using this wonderful vegetable.  

So here it is, enjoy!

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Ingredients

2 Tablespoons light Olive oil
1 lb chicken breasts (about 2), skinned, boned and halved (season with salt and pepper)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine (use low-carb and gluten-free)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp fresh tarraron, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure

Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the chicken breasts, about 3 minutes per side.

Set the chicken aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook gently for about 2 minutes or until the onion begins to soften.

Increase the heat and stir in the mushrooms. Stir-fry for about 4-5 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to color and give off its liquid.

Pour in the wine. Bring to a quick boil then reduce the heat slightly and simmer until most of the wine has evaporated. Add the cream and cook just until incorporated. Re-place the chicken in the pan and simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in the chopped tarragon and season to taste.

Arrange the chicken on a serving plate and pour the sauce  over. Delish!

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Slow Cooker Asian Barbecue Ribs

Whenever we have people over at our house, this is the recipe I frequently turn to. It's a proven winner. Everyone seems to love this and I always get asked for the recipe. What's even better, since it's slow-cooked, you can prepare it in the morning and then forget about it till the guests arrive and it's serving time. Easy and delicious.

I always pair this with rice and pancit. Perfect Asian meal.

Ingredients

2 ½ kilos / 5 lbs of country style pork ribs, regular ribs or pork shoulder

For the sauce:

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey or agave nectar
1/2 cup soy sauce (get a wheat-free brand if you wish to do a fully gluten-free version)
1/2 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
3 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, chopped or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 bay leaves (optional)

Procedure

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the sauce except the bay leaves  and the meat. Or if you are in a hurry, just mix all the ingredients in the slow cooker itself (again less the meat and bay leaves).

Note: If you want the meat to absorb more flavor, you can marinate the ribs on the sauce in the fridge overnight. I place everything in the slow cooker - place it on the fridge and then cook it the next day. 

Dip each piece of meat in the sauce until they are fully coated. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the meat. Insert the bay leaves.

Cook on low for about 6-8 hours. I usually crank the slow cooker to high for the first hour just to get a head start and then turn it back to low afterwards.

Transfer the cooked ribs (they'd be so tender they may fall off the bones!) to a serving platter and keep warm.  The remaining liquid will be quite watery. But you can use it as sauce already.

Alternatively, strain the liquid through a fine sieve or strainer to remove bits and pieces of meat and other ingredients in the liquid. You may use up all the sauce or just however much you want. Place the strained sauce in a saucepan and heat up gently. Thicken with either arrowroot or cornstarch to your desired thickness and consistency.

Drizzle the sauce on top of the meat. Garnish with chopped scallions. Serve with rice and your favorite veggies.

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Easy Garlic Fried Rice (Sinangag)

In the Philippines, rice is king.....we have it in the morning, lunchtime, dinner and yes, even for snacks... and don't rule it out as dessert too! Sometimes, we cook too much of it and then there are left-overs. But never fear.....sinangag is here. It's the Tagalog term for "fried rice." So next time you wonder what to do with left-over rice, try this recipe and you'll know how.

The ingredients here can be increased or decreased depending on how much rice you have left, so feel free to adjust it.


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Ingredients:

Day-old rice (refrigerated left-over rice)

2 Tablespoons Olive oil (light) 
A few crushed garlic (3-5)
1-2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce, or to taste
Dash of salt, or to taste
2 Eggs, beaten
Handful frozen Peas and Corn

You need either a big wok or a deep frying pan for this.

Procedure:

Heat about a 1-2 Tablespoon oil in a pan or wok. Saute the garlic until aromatic. Don't let the garlic  burn. 

Add the cold rice and stir to break the grains apart. Cook until warmed up. Season with a little salt. Add the soy sauce and mix with the rice until most of the grains are coated. 

You may scramble the eggs in another pan and just add it later after it's been cooked. But if you have a big enough wok or wide enough pan, create a well/space in the middle of it by pushing the rice to the side. Spray a little oil in the middle and then pour the beaten egg.

Let it set. When the eggs have set enough, flip it over then begin to mix it with the rice breaking it up as you do so. Thereafter, add the frozen peas and corn and continue to stir until the veggies are cooked about 2-3 mins. Season the rice with more soy sauce or salt as needed.

Serve immediately. Easy-peasy delicious!

This fried rice pairs perfectly with Bobotie (Curried Ground Beef) or with Arroz a la Cubana.

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