Sunday Savories // Teriyaki Beef Jerky

Beef jerky is a road trip must-have and I’ve always been tempted to make my own. While I love having jerky around for impromptu trips to northern California, or anywhere for that matter, it’s usually a little sweeter or saltier than I like. This often leads to G and I discussing “THE best jerky EVER,” and many other important questions about life, food and more food.

We’ve tried every type of jerky we can get our hands on (or just about): beef, bison, salmon, venison, and turkey. I’ve also recently fallen in love with a few bars who’ve traded bar nuts for beef jerky (please and thank you!), but the allure of homemade jerky keeps calling me. If you haven’t tried whiskey and a piece of beef jerky, you should do it immediately.

Mother’s Day may seem like an odd day to make beef jerky, but my Mom was raised on a ranch in New Mexico so I’m sure she can appreciate my jerky sensibilities (ha!).

I don’t have a dehydrator at home, and the last thing I need is another appliance so I opted to make the beef jerky in the oven. Let the jerky marinade for as long as possible and over season the meat– trust me. You want to flavors from the ginger, brown sugar and tamari when the meat is finished drying out. Now that I have a bag of jerky, I’m wondering what quick trip I can plan…

Teriyaki Beef Jerky

1/2 cup tamari

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

2 scallions, diced

2 tablespoons Mirin

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic, finely diced

2 pounds organic flank steak, sliced in 3-4 inch rounds

1. Add all ingredients, except beef to a bowl and mix until combined

2. Add slices of beef to bag and pour marinade over, let mixture rest for 24 hours– agitate every eight hours

3. Remove marinade from refrigerate and bring to room temperature

4. Remove top rack and spray with cooking oil, set aside

5. Pre heat oven to 175 degrees

6. Place rack in oven and spread beef on top off rack, leaving 2 inches between each piece

7. Place baking sheet on lower rack to catch any fat drippings

8. Dehydrate beef for 3-5 hours

9. Remove jerky from oven and let cool for 1 hour

Sunday Savories \\ Citrus Kale Salad

If you were raised by a hippie, you grew up on kale and a lot of other things your friends called weird and strange. I also didn’t have a dryer because my Mom was a firm believer it ruined clothes, it does. We also didn’t have a microwave– if you wanted to warm something you re-heated it on the stove or in the oven. My Mom also liked to refer to our refrigerator as an ‘icebox.’ Her wallet was a billfold. And roaming around my house was like being transported to a UK antique store with a few wild west gems.

For most of my young life I longed for lunchables and would go to great lengths to leave my lunch at home, trade it at school or hide behind my eco-friendly lunch bag in hopes no one would see what I was eating. By fifth grade, I hated lunchables (I’m almost positive my fascination ended after the second one I tried) and most of friends begged me to trade lunches. I rarely had cookies to offer but I almost always had some fascinating thing to offer or share with my table of friends. So for most of us, kale isn’t a new thing. It’s quite hearty, has a pleasant flavor and can hold up against a citrus dressing making it ideal for a salad. Kale can take it, I promise it. if you are one of those salad in a jar kind of people, this can be easily layered and eaten at work, on the beach or in a park. And the beauty of this little citrus-y powerhouse: the longer it sits, the better it gets. And please do not put ranch on this!

Citrus Kale Salad

1 bunch organic kale, torn or chopped

1 can organic garbanzo beans

1 Cara Cara orange, diced + 1/2 orange juiced

1 organic avocado

1/4 red onion, finely sliced (1/4-1/2-inch slices)

1 organic Roma tomato

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lemon

Salt

Pepper

1. Add kale to bowl, top with beans, diced orange, avocado, onion and tomato

2. In a separate bowl whisk olive oil, 1/2 orange and 1/2 lemon, salt and pepper (to taste) until combined

3. Pour dressing over salad and toss vigorously

Serves 4-6.

Sunday Savories // Firehouse Chili

Last week my William Sonoma catalog arrived, featuring a gorgeous photo of their firehouse chili. Receiving this coincided with our menu planning and grocery list. It was all too perfect! My husband prefers his chili Hawaiian style, served over white rice, but feeling inspired by the photo and the cold weather we opted for a traditional recipe with some traditional and untraditional garnishes. The chili is best enjoyed the following day, and the spices can be adjusted spending upon your preference. This the perfect meal to enjoy while snuggled on the couch watching a good movie or gathered around the fire with friends. Or in our case, this is the perfect meal to kiss the cold weather goodbye, hello 70 degree weather. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Firehouse Chili

1-2 packages Trader Joe’s Taco Seasoning*
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 tomatoes
1 green bell pepper
1 small can tomato paste
1 pound organic ground beef
2 cans organic red beans
2 cups organic beef stock**
Cotija crumbled (for garnish)
1 jalapeño, diced (for garnish)
Sour cream (for garnish)
Red onion, diced (for garnish)
Cheddar cheese, shredded (for garnish)

1. Sauté beef in large stock pan with oil until cooked through over medium heat
2. Add diced yellow onion and cook until translucent
3. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until combined
4. Add beans and beef stock, cook on medium heat for 20 minutes
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.
6. Dice garnishes add place in small bowls
7. Serve immediately with garnishes***
*Adding two seasoning packets will increase the heat of the chili (if you like it spicy, add two)
**Add more stock as needed if chili becomes too thick
***Serve over rice (sans the garnishes) for Hawaiian style chile

Sunday Savories // Avocado Toast

Admittedly, food trends are annoying, mostly because they clutter our Instagram feeds and fill our favorite magazines with celebrities swearing by something. Well, I’m making something that’s taken the world by storm: avocado toast. I know, I know. Anytime something is suddenly out, especially in cuisine, it’s a shame (I’m talking to you bacon, black truffles, cupcakes and doughnuts). Luckily in my foodie world nothing is ever in or out. I prefer craving versus trend. I’ve always loved toast, I will always love toast and I’ve always loved avocados. I’m almost positive we’ve all tried toast and avocado prior to this food trend boom. For me, the bread matters; I prefer a crunch rustic baguette (I’ve also craved these recently), a drizzle of olive oil, mashed avocado, sprinkle of salt, pepper and combination of dried chile pepper flakes. This is the easiest breakfast. Or snack or whatever you would like. Trust me. And don’t dismiss this thing of beauty when we’ve moved on to something new.

Avocado Toast

1/2 rustic baguette, sliced and toasted

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Red Chile Flakes

Salt Pepper

1/8 teaspoon lemon zest

1. Drizzle olive oil on toast

2. Mash avocado, add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in lemon zest

3. Spread avocado on toast, sprinkle chile flakes on top on and coarsely ground black pepper

Serves 1-2.

Sunday Savories // Burrata Arugula Sandwich

If you appreciate the simplicity of a caprese sandwich, you’ll love this sandwich that much more. I swap the basil for arugula and mozzarella for burrata. Although technically a mozzarella, burrata is filled with cream. Yes, cream. Dreamy, I know. The sandwich is creamy, toasted , peppery; with a hint of sweetness from the balsamic. As much as I love to spend my lunch breaks (if you even call them that) sampling new restaurants and visiting old favorites, there’s something to be said about a quick sandwich that reminds you of your favorite café.

Burrata Arugula Sandwich

1/2 rustic baguette (6-8 inches)

1 burrata ball

3 slices tomato

1/2 cup arugula

Extra virgin olive oil

Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze

1. Slice baguette in half and toast each slice

2. Brush olive oil on toasted slices

3. Delicately slice burrata (3-4 slices)

4. Top one slice of baguette with arugula and burrata, drizzle with balsamic glaze

5. Top second slice with tomato and drizzle with balsamic glaze

6. Assemble sandwich and cut in half

Serves 1-2

Sunday Savories // Chile con Queso

There are numerous reasons why I love September, mainly fashion week but a little known fact, I love football season.  Thanks in part to my husband, who played for many years.  We spend a few days a week watching games or highlights. Admittedly, I love going to sports bars and overindulging in wings and margaritas. My mandatory football season indulgence is queso, especially with roasted green chile and jalapenos.  While I like the traditional Velveeta recipe, making the famed dip without, is an amazing alternative, trust me.  Make a bit pot, turn on the tube and invite some friends over, add some guacamole and wings to the party; everyone will thank you.

Chile con Queso

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) Trader Joe’s Mexican blend cheese

1 1/4-1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

1 large tomato, diced (approximately 2 cups)

4 roasted Anaheim chiles, diced

4 roasted jalapenos, diced

1 lime

2 tablespoons cotija cheese, crumbled

Salt

Pepper

Paprika

1.  Pre heat oven to 350.  Line baking sheet with tin foil.  Place chile and peppers on baking sheet.

2.  Bake chile/peppers for 15-25 minutes until you hearing popping and skin is slightly charred, remove from heat and place in bowl with damp tea towel over bowl.  Let chile steam for 30 minutes.

3.  Remove skin and seeds, discard.

4.  Chop chile together until finely chopped

5. Add cheese and milk (start with 1 cup and add more as needed) to large saucepan on low heat, stirring until melted/combined.

6.  In a saucepan, lightly sauté tomatoes and onions for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender.  Add vegetables to queso.

7.  Add lime, salt and pepper to (taste).

8.  Continue cooking on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

9.  Serve with chips.

Sunday Savories // Pesto Capellini

My husband and I spend a lot of time in the garden, still adjusting (and loving) the new climate.  An herb garden is one of our essentials:  full of mint, basil, rosemary, thyme, Thai basil and tarragon.  We no longer have the space to garden we once enjoyed, but we’ve found a way to fill the garden with everything we love and learning to master to a few more things.  One of our absolute favorites to grow is basil, and this year, our basil is a monster which means we need to use it as much as possible.  Other than the obligatory basil simple syrup and cocktails infused with basil, I love cooking with basil.  Pesto is the fastest way

Pesto Capellini

4 cups of fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/4-1/2 olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shaved + garnish

Salt

Pepper

2 garlic cloves

8 ounces capellini

1 tomato

1.  Wash and pat dry basil leaves

2.  Pulse basil and pine nuts for 30 seconds

3. Add olive oil 1 tablespoons at a time, continue blending until desired consistency is achieved (usually 1/4 cup is enough)

4.  Add cheese and continue blended (should resemble the consistency of grits)

5.  Add salt and pepper to taste and lemon juice, blend for 30 more seconds

6.  Place pesto in bowl and set aside

6.  Boil water and add capellini, boil until al dente, about 2-4 minutes

7.  Strain pasta, add to pan with 1/2 cup pesto heat to coat pasta

8.  Top each serving with chopped tomatoes and parmesan

Sunday Savories // Frito Pie in a Bag

Before I met my husband I loved Frito pie, a New Mexico favorite, but after eating my mother in-law’s variation I was immediately hooked and starting requesting the meal at least once per month.  I will happily admit I have an obsessive personality.  Since moving to Long Beach our Frito pie meals are rare but quick summer meals are one of my favorite things, especially paired with an icy cold beer and a movie marathon night with my sister.  Red chile adds the perfect amount of heat, coats the chips without making them soggy and is a New Mexico staple– I promise you’ll immediately want to spoon it over everything.

Frito Pie in a Bag

1 pound organic ground beef

2 cans organic pinto beans

1 tomato, diced

2 cups shredded lettuce

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons dried onion powder

Salt

Pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 9 3/4 ounce bag Fritos or corn chips

12 hot red chile pods*

Water

1.  Boil red chile pods in water until soft, about 5-10 minutes.  Blend pods with 1 cup of reserved chile water, add more water until a thin consistency is achieved.  Add garlic glove and salt to taste; pulse until incorporated.  Pour red chile through fine mesh sieve and discard clumps.  Keep warm on stove.

2.  Cook ground beef in olive oil until thoroughly cooked.  Add two cans of pinto beans and salt to taste.  Keep warm.

3.  Dice onion and tomato and shred lettuce.

4.  Remove Frito chips from bag and fold down bag.

5  Add 1 cup of chips and begin layering process: 1/2 cup of chips + 1/2 cup of meat/beans + 3 tablespoons of cheese + 3 tablespoons of chile  (repeat until there are three layers in the bag).

6. Garnish top layer with lettuce and tomato and extra chile.

7. Serve on plate with small bowls of tomato, lettuce, chile and cheese.

Notes:  Eat from the bag or pour on a plate, store red chile in an  airtight container or freeze.

Serves 2-6

*Available in most supermarkets in the ethnic foods sections

Sunday Savories // Guacamole & Chips

There’s something about guacamole… I’m always happy to pay the extra expense to add it to my burritos or tacos or make room for the guacamole appetizer (even if I have an order of enchiladas on the way).  And one of my guiltiest pleasures, guacamole with fries on the beach (don’t worry, I only enjoy this once a year).

However, I’m very particular about my guacamole, I like it well seasoned, a hint of spice, some bite from the red onions, and I prefer a chunky guacamole.  There are so many guacamole variations, but this recipe is the perfect guacamole to serve with chips.  Save this recipe for Cinco de Mayo or a night in with movies and margaritas.

Guacamole

5 medium avocados

2 medium tomatoes

1/8 cup diced red onion

2 jalapeños deveined and diced

The juice of one lime

Salt to taste

Chips

Cut avocados in half, remove pit and scoop out pulp and place in bowl, mash with a fork until large pieces are broken up.  Dice tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, add to avocado and lightly stir.  Add lime juice and salt (add more as needed). Serve immediately with corn chips.

Sunday Savories // Arugula and Chickpea Salad

My sister introduced me to this salad a couple of years ago I’ve been hooked since, we’ve since omitted the tomatoes to let the other ingredients shine.  I probably make this 1-2 per week and my husband happily eats it, although I’m sure he’s sick of it at this point.  However, it pairs quite nicely with several meals and I’m a serious lover of chickpeas.  I love the addition of lemon zest to give the salad a bit more flavor and the longer it sits the better it gets.

Arugula and Chickpea Salad

3 cups of arugula

1 cup of chickpeas

1 medium head of fennel, sliced

(the juice of) 1 lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill

3 ounces shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Salt (to taste)

Dash of black pepper

Combine arugula, chickpeas, dill, fennel and cheese in large bowl.  Whisk lemon, olive oil until combined, add salt to taste, dash of black pepper and lemon zest.  Whisk and pour over salad.  Lightly toss until arugula is coated.