ADOBO - Quick & Dirty

 

I have been cooking for so long and mastered nearly all the basics that I find myself branching out to dishes and cuisines that are outside of my comfort or familiarity zone. I have simplified a classic adobo recipe compared to the traditional but still offers complex flavors. To add to this recipes' simplicity I used regular cubed stew beef instead of a more classic flank steak.

Note: there is spicy heat.

Adobo weather it is Mexican or Filipino is generally served as a sauce with chicken or pork. For all you red blooded eaters out there this recipe features beef. This recipe leans towards Mexican cuisine and while a great adobo takes hours of preparation and dozens of warm toasty ingredients you can make a great tasting  adobo with fewer ingredients and prep. steps.  I also prefer to use my crockpot for my long slow braise dishes rather than the oven. The oven simply over heats one's small apartment and clean up is so much easier. Serves 6.

Best Pork Chile Verde

 

I found this pork chile verde when I was a kid and loved it.  Mexican food for me at that time, still living in my parental home was a unknown cuisine. Over the years I tailored it to my adult lifestyle in ease of preparation and taste buds. This recipe is perfect for a crock pot or mindless roasting in the oven. Serves 8.

Smoked Salmon Scramble

 

I wish you could be here to smell the aroma of the smoked salmon and taste the creamy, delicate, buttery egg curds. A simple recipe, can be made in 10 minutes. perfect for morning breakfast when serving overnight guests or a great brunch with a pink champagne. Click open to view time lapse easy to follow video.

Pot Roast - Nightshade Free

 

I love a great stew, can be made ahead, can be slow cooked in the oven or crockpot. I have never used an InstaPot but I assume it can handle the challenge.  Nightshade-free cooking is my latest area of culinary experimentation and a move towards good health.  Click nightshade free recipes in the Category link of this blog if you are curious.  Like all stews you are likely using an inexpensive cut of meat, slow cooking and always a treat served with a crusty toasted sourdough baguette for that savory umami sauce or served sliced and poured over cooked and hot wide egg noodles, especially on a cold day....as in San Francisco in July (ha ha).

Sweet Hot Mango Prawns

Here is another TALLBlonde 'Shelter-In-Place Food' recipe that I likely would not have tried without being shackled to the homestead.  Adapted from Jaime Oliver 5 Ingredients - Quick and Easy Sticky Mango Prawns.  That guy is a genius!

Beef Stroganoff - easy video

Beef Stroganoff is pretty self explanatory with this 2 minute video #TLLBLND made for my talented and creative son who loves to cook like his mom.

Turkey Mix'd Bean Chili

This recipe admittedly begins one day ahead. TALLBlonde does love turkey but my inspiration was using leftover turkey that was no longer in the form of a sandwich/wrap/casserole. I don't like using the "H" word because that just makes any dish sound boring but this is incredibly H-ealthy, high in protein, some mild heat, smoke and next to no fat.

Begin the day before by soaking mixed dry beans overnight and rinsing twice the next day. This will help eliminate your "buuurp" zone.  TALLBlonde also made her own turkey broth buy boiling the leftover turkey carcass for a couple hours on the stove until liquid is reduced by 2/3 creating a rich, deeply colored, flavorful bouillon. Chill broth overnight in the refrigerator and magically the fat will rise to the top making it easy to scrape off. If you took the time to boil the bones for a long time your broth will be in a solid gelatin form which is highly nutritious and great for fighting a cold!  The bits of meat from the boiled carcass is also used in this chili recipe so don't toss out those bones until they are picked clean. Let's get started.