Wilmington Weekend: Huevos Rancheros with Salsa Ranchera

I'm not done with treats from my Wilmington visit yet. As you can tell most of my time was spent eating. Before leaving on Sunday my dad whipped up some brunch. Huevos rancheros to be exact.

My family loves Mexican food but none of this over-cheesed, over-sauced mess. We go a little more authentic. My dad got this recipe from The Essential Cuisines of Mexico by Diana Kennedy who is basically the Julia Child of Mexican cuisine. 

By using fresh veggies to make the salsa and moderating the amount of cheese, this can be a very satisfying but non-nap inducing brunch choice. Since there aren't too many elements to this dish, the salsa is the star.

WAY better than jarred salsa

Fry the tortillas like you would for enchiladas - making sure not to make them crispy. Drain them and then fry the eggs right in that oil. Everyone's different but I prefer my whites completely set with a runny yoke. This would be a good time to whip up some homemade refried beans too. I won't judge you for using a can, but homemade ones are much tastier and look way more appetizing. 

Multitask

Now it's time for assembly. Almost done! Place a fried egg on a tortilla and surround with salsa. Grate a little cheddar cheese on top and stick under the broiler for about 30 seconds - just enough time to melt the cheese. Top with some cilantro and dig in! I definitely think it's a respectable decision to eat two. 

Huevos Rancheros with Salsa Ranchera
Serves 1

Ingredients:
1/2 cups of salsa ranchera, warmed (recipe below)
2 tbsp oil
2 small tortillas
2 eggs

Directions:
Heat oil and fry the tortillas lightly on both sides, as you would for enchiladas - they must not become crisp. Drain them on some toweling and place them on the warmed dish.


In the same oil, fry the eggs, then place them on the tortillas.

Cover the eggs with the warmed sauce and shredded cheddar cheese. Put the dish briefly under the broiler until the cheese melts.

Salsa Ranchera


Ingredients:
1 tomato (about 1/2 lb), broiled
1 or 2 chiles serranos, toasted
1/2 clove of garlic, peeled

Directions:
To toast chilies, place the chili on a warm cast iron pan and turn it from time to time until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft.

To broil tomatoes, out onto a hot cast iron pan and cook until the skin is wrinkled and brown and the flesh is soft right through - this takes about 20 to 25 minutes for an 8 ounce tomato. However, since this method is very messy, it is best to line a shallow metal pan with foil and put the tomatoes in it. Place them under a hot broiler - do not have the flame too high or the tomato will burn without cooking through - and turn them from time to time so that they cook through evenly - the skin will be blistered and charred. A medium tomato will take about 20 minutes.

Blend tomatoes, chilies, and garlic together to a fairly smooth sauce. Do not overblend.

[Recipe from The Essential Cuisines of Mexico by Diana Kennedy]

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Chipotle Aioli

Just so you know, sweet potato fries are tricky. Delicious but tricky. It's so hard to get them crispy and perfectly browned. Last week I set out to perfect this delicious side item.

Sweet potato fries are one of my favorite ways to enjoy the french fry (for the moment) and also one of the healthiest. Nine times out of 10, if these are on a menu, I'll order them.

After several failed attempts including burned and soggy fries, I have a few tips to get you on the right track.

1) Soak the fries in water an hour to a half day prior to baking. Also, try to cut them around the same length and thickness.

2) Coat in a modest amount of cornstarch. Just enough for crunch but not enough to taste powdery.

3) Bake in small batches to ensure maximum crunch. Otherwise you'll end up with steamed, soggy fries. Sick.

I may not be 100% restaurant ready on these yet, but with a little more practice, I think I'll get the hang of it. Check it out.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Chipotle Aioli
Serves 4


Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes
2-3 Tbsp of cornstarch
Olive Oil
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 tsp adobo sauce 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into fries no thicker than 1/2″ and similar in length and thickness. Soak in water for minimum of one hour, but preferably for half a day.

Drain water from bowl and lift fries out by the handful.  Shake off excess water. They should be dry but still have enough moisture on them to allow the cornstarch to stick.

Put cornstarch in a plastic bag and drop all of your fries in. Blow a little air into the bag, twist the top and shake it vigorously.  Lift the fries out onto one or two baking sheets.

Coat with olive oil.  The more you use, the crispier and less sticking you’ll have, but the less healthy they’ll be.  Use two pans if you have to.  You want to make sure the fries aren’t crowded on the pan otherwise they’ll steam as opposed to getting crispy.

Bake for 15 minutes then check.  Once bottom of fries are getting crisp, flip them over and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Chipotle Aioli:
Mix together mayo and adobo sauce.  Adjust to your taste.


[Recipe adapted from The Art of Doing Stuff]

Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups

Guess where I got this recipe? My sometimes favorite Real Housewife of Beverly Hills Lisa Vanderpump's cookbook "Simply Divine" (don't judge). You know this chicken salad is going to be a fancy and healthy lunch or light dinner option fit for Villa Blanca. 

I feel like a lady who lunches. Maybe even British? Maybe Lady Mary Crawley? A girl can dream.

At first I was hesitant of a mayo-less chicken salad. My love of mayo is no secret. It's one of the most versatile condiments around. However, this salad dressing is opening up new worlds to me, and I'm never not blending a dressing again. It might seem like a lot of work to bring down the blender, make a mess, and have to clean it up when all you could do is pour the ingredients into a jar and shake. Trust me on this one - it's worth it. The way the EVOO emulsifies with the lemon juice and thickens from the broken down mustard seeds is magic. I may actually enjoy salads now! Actual healthy salads, not like this one. Thank you, Lisa! 

This recipe claims it feeds eight, and I'm not sure if I'm a hungry girl or these women were really small, but I found it makes 2-3 portions or about six lettuce cups. Regardless, this meal will leave you satisfied while still feeling more on the Giselle side of things than not. I also tried my hand at sweet potato fries again as a side, and I'm really on my way to perfecting them. (recipe to come). 

Lisa suggests serving with an edible orchid garnish, duh.

Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups a la Vanderpump
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
1 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed 
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (see below)
1 head butter or Bibb lettuce separated into individual large leaves 
1 ripe avocado, sliced

Lemon Dijon Dressing: 
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 
1 tbsp sugar 
1 tbsp Dijon mustard 
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the chicken with the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Bake the chicken, turning once, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool for 10 minutes. 

To make the dressing, process the lemon juice, sugar, and mustard in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil and process until smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper. 

Shred chicken using two forks, or your fingers. Place in large mixing bowl and add corn, beans, red onion, and pine nuts. Mix with 1/2 cup of the dressing. 

Place 6-8 lettuce leaves on a plate and fill the leaves with equal amounts of the chicken salad and top with the avocado slices. Serve the remaining dressing on the side. 

Toasted Pine Nuts: 

To toast pine nuts, cook them in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring almost constantly until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely. 

[Recipe adapted from Skinnyluscious]

Crispy Avocado BLT Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette and Spicy Ranch Drizzle

I officially love salads.

So what if this salad has crispy fried avocado, ranch, bacon and cheese? Don't care. It's all served in moderation so I still consider this a healthy meal option. Avocados are good fats, remember?

I've seen recipes for fried avocados before, and I'm not exactly sure why it's taken me so long to hop on the bandwagon. These were delicious as a salad topping but could also be great as an appetizer served with mayo a dipping sauce of some kind. The trick here is that your avocado can't be too ripe otherwise it will fall apart. Another secret of the pros is to use paper plates/bowls for your frying goods to make for much easier clean up.

If frying scares you, don't let it! It just requires a few simple steps:

Flour, egg, Parmesan and panko

Salt-N-Pepa

Dredge in flour, egg and then Parmesan panko mixture

Fry in hot olive oil

Let drain on a paper towel

Your food should be a vehicle for condiments, and this salad has two. Since the honey-lime vinaigrette is the main star here, I don't feel too bad that this salad has a little ranch drizzle on it. Moderation, people. I'm refusing to eat a salad with only one dressing from here on out.

Crispy Avocado BLT Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette and Spicy Ranch Drizzle 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the crispy avocado:

1 whole avocado, semi-firm, not mushy

Pinch of salt and pepper

⅓ cup flour

1 whole egg beaten

½ cup panko

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

olive oil, for frying

For the honey-lime dressing:

2-½ tbsp honey

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tbsps fresh squeezed lime juice

Pinch of salt and pepper

For the spicy ranch drizzle:

⅓ cup ranch dressing

½ tsp or more of chili with garlic sauce (or you can use Sriracha)

For the salad:

Arugula or your fave lettuce

Tomato

2 tbsp shaved Parmesan cheese

2 slices cooked bacon, Crumbled

Directions: 

For the crispy avocado:

Halve your avocado and run a sharp knife gently around the perimeter of each half to loosen the meat from the skin. Gently remove the skin and the seed. Slice each half into wedges. You should be able to get 8-10 wedges from the avocado, depending on its size. Don’t slice them too thin; you want them to hold up to the breading and frying. Sprinkle the wedges with a bit of kosher salt and pepper.

Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Place the egg (beaten) in another bowl and the panko and Parmesan cheese in another bowl. Dredge each piece in the flour, gently shake off any excess flour. Dip into the egg mixture, then finally into the panko mixture, coating all sides well. Set aside.

Heat your oil in a frying pan. Place just enough olive oil in your pan to just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium high heat until oil becomes hot enough to fry. You can test with a little piece of excess batter. Gently set your avocado pieces in the oil. Fry on all sides until browned, a total of about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Gently remove from the pan, set on a paper towel-lined plate.

For the honey-lime dressing:

Combine honey, vinegar, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper in a bowl; whisk until fully combined. Drizzle over salad.

For the drizzle:

Combine the ranch dressing and chili with garlic sauce in a small bowl and mix until fully incorporated. Adjust to your taste. Drizzle over salad.

For the salad:

Assemble your salad(s) with the greens, tomatoes, shaved Parmesan cheese, and crumbled bacon. Top with crispy avocado and dressings.

[Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen] 

Brussel Sprout and Gouda Grilled Cheese with Balsamic Syrup

I don't normally feel like recipes for salads or sandwiches are necessary. That is unless they have some creative element I hadn't considered before - a special condiment, bread choice, or anything else to hook me. I love brussel sprouts, and when I saw one of my favorite food blogs put up this recipe for a grilled cheese with brussels, I knew it was next up on my to-do list.

Why didn't I think of this before?

This sandwich combines some of my favorite elements: butter, gouda, shaved brussel sprouts and balsamic vinegar. It's also a classic example of me justifying grilled cheese as a healthy food choice with the addition of some veggies.

I may or may not have made this twice this week already. Just don't forget my new favorite chip (and that's saying something), Cape Cod Waffle Cut Chips.

Brussel Sprout and Gouda Grilled Cheese with Balsamic Syrup

Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

1/2 pound brussels sprouts, stems removed and chopped or shredded

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

12 ounces of gouda cheese, sliced or shredded

8 slices whole grain bread

softened butter for spreading

Directions:

Heat a large skillet oven medium heat and add olive oil. Toss in shredded brussel sprouts and garlic with salt and pepper, tossing to coat. Cook until wilted and golden, stirring occasionally, about 5-6 minutes. Remove sprouts from the skillet and place them in a bowl.

Add vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid reduces by about half and is slightly syrupy. Remove from heat.

Heat the same skillet over medium-low heat. Butter the outsides of every bread slice, then layer the sandwiches with cheese, the brussel sprouts, a drizzle of balsamic glaze and more cheese. Top off with a slice of bread, buttered-side up. Cook until each side is golden and crisp and cheese is melted, then gently flip and do the same.

[Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is]

Kale and Artichoke Cream Cheese

Monday (President's Day) was a big day in the kitchen for me. I had two reasonable options for my extra weekend day: nap or cook. I chose the latter and spent most of my day in and out of three groceries stores and my tiny kitchen. I wanted to do something to jazz up my work day turkey sandwiches, and I couldn't think of a better accomplice than flavored cream cheese.

Since I don't love healthy foods, I'll take any opportunity I can to fit some nutritious elements like veggies into some of my fatty regulars. Using light cream cheese, kale and artichokes makes this cream cheese seem less like empty calories and more like part of a balanced diet. Yay!

I'll be eating this all week on sandwiches for lunch, bagels and toast for breakfast, and even pita chips for a snack. It's healthy, remember? This was so easy that I can't wait to play with other flavor combos. The possibilities are endless.

Kale is so in right now.

Kale and Artichoke Cream Cheese

Ingredients:

1/4 cup frozen kale, thawed and squeezed of water

8 oz. light cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped

pinch of garlic salt

squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:

Thaw kale in the microwave according to package directions. Let cool, and squeeze the kale out as much as possible. Chop the kale. Mix the kale, cream cheese, artichoke hearts, pinch of garlic salt, and lemon juice (to taste) until blended. Makes a pint.

[Recipe adapted from Use Real Butter]

Simple Brussel Sprout Salad

I'm not huge on salads. I'll make them every once in a while at home when I'm in need of some greens but would rarely order them out. Why would I when there are so many treatier options on every menu? 

Wednesday was a salad kind of night. Post-Mardi Gras feast and pre-Valentine's, I knew I needed to get familiar with some veggies. In order for me to eat and actually enjoy a salad, I need to incorporate some treats so I don't feel hungry in two hours. I love brussel sprouts so this is where it all started. 

BIG brussels

Cheese is also crucial, but don't overdo it! That will ruin the whole point of the salad. I made this as a side salad for some veggie and tortellini soup that Annie made, but add a protein like some bacon, and this salad could become a meal. Bacon and bussels are the new PB&J.

Simple Brussel Sprout Salad

Serves 1 

Ingredients:

1/4 lb brussel sprouts (about 4 large), shredded

Handful of pine nuts

1 tbsp pecorino romano

3 tsbp good EVOO (I used a Tuscan herb blend.)

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1 tsp dijon mustard

crumbled bacon (optional)

Directions:

Remove outer leaves from the brussel sprouts and rinse. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, shred the brussel sprouts and set aside. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a pan over low heat for a couple minutes. These will burn very quickly so keep an eye on them!

Mix together your dressing ingredients until fully incorporated. I like to make dressing in a small jar or tupperware. Just put the lid on and shake.

Toss brussels with dressing, and top with pine nuts and cheese. Add some bacon if you're feeling crazy, and dig in!

Richmond Restaurant Rave: Millie's Diner

I have been wanting to go to Millie's Diner in Richmond for a while now. I've heard it's the #1 brunch spot in the Mond, but their no res policy and hour and a half waits have held me back. A'int nobody got time for that especially if Saturday night was a big one.

Diner with an Edge

Since this Saturday was pretty low-key, we decided getting to brunch Sunday morning by 10:30 a.m. was manageable. When we got to Millie's, the restaurant was already packed. I never knew so many people actually got up before 11:00 a.m. on a Sunday. We were told it'd be a half-hour wait, or we could sit immediately at the bar. Easy. Sitting at the bar was actually the best spot in the house because you could watch the two cooks in their tiny corner of a kitchen prepare some elaborate brunch concoctions.

I already knew what I wanted after a couple minutes of kitchen observing. Everyone seemed to be ordering some burrito dish filled with eggs that I had to have. The waitress pointed me in the right direction and told me it was the crab and egg enchilada with spicy tomato and lime sour cream sauce. Sign me up. It was just as incredible as it sounds and massive. The crab was fresh and not overpowered by the spicy tomatoes, eggs and cheese. And.those.potatoes. So salty with tons of seasoning. Perfection.

OH O.K.

Basil got the Cajun Mess, which is basically a scramble of andouille sausage, crayfish, peppers, onions, tomatoes and cheddar. Hands down, he out ordered me. I hate admitting that, and while mine was tasty, his was on point. So many smoky, salty and cheesy flavors plus those delicious potatoes on the side.

Fancy Siracha Swirl

After crossing this one off my bucket list, I think it's safe to say that this was not only one of my best brunches in Richmond, but maybe ever. I love inventive brunch items especially featuring seafood. These were extremely original dishes you couldn't get anywhere else, and that's what will keep me wanting more.

http://milliesdiner.com/