Gourmet Food on a Budget — Ever Forward, Ever Flavorful
Pork is strange meat. If you cook it too long, it turns out like tough sawdust. If you don’t cook it enough, you could be chewing for hours and get sick on top of it. Since loin of pork has very little of its own fat to keep it moist, it’s important to find that sweet spot where the pork turns out safely cooked and tender. Pan searing is a good way to go.
When you grind your own meat, you get the benefit of making Steak Tartare, chilled raw beef with your preferred garnishes.
You will really like this. It’s so easy to make, quick and even people who don’t like fish will like this. What makes this recipe really pop is having both fresh tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. You can use whatever pasta you prefer.
Spicy Tuna Dip is my take on the famous Carlos and Pepe’s tuna dip. You can make it as spicy as you want. Enjoy it with chips and a margarita.
You will be absolutely amazed at how easy it is to have fresh butter just using your food processor. If you have a Braun food processor, even better because it has a variable speed that makes the job even easier. All you need is a food processor and cream – that’s it! For your troubles, you get butter and buttermilk that you can use for scones or biscuits, pancakes, Red Velvet Cake, or other recipes that require buttermilk. This is real buttermilk with little bits of butter in it – not the stuff they sell at the supermarket – this is real buttermilk.
I started making barbecue sauce a couple of years ago when I ran out of storebought and didn’t feel like going to the store to get more. How hard could it be? So, I’ve been working on this sauce and this is just the way we like it. I think you might like it, too. It’s sweet from brown sugar, honey, and molasses, and it’s sour from red wine and apple cider vinegar, and it’s hot from several types of chili. I’m going to put this on our Nesco Baby Back Ribs, but it’s also great on Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken, or anything else you want a sweet and sour hot barbecue sauce.
There is nothing like fresh tortillas to make a great cheese casserole. When you are starting out making tortillas by hand, your tortillas might not turn out as nice and thin as those at the store, but that shouldn’t stop you. Use them for a casserole. You can use canned enchilada sauce as I did, or you can make your own salsa, which I will show in another post.
Many, many moons ago, my friend, Chef John Farion introduced me to Machaca and Eggs. I fell in love – with the dish – not him! If you have never heard of Machaca, it is traditionally dried meat, either beef or pork, that has been rehydrated and used in local dishes in Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. It’s kind of like a very well seasoned stew, often served with eggs. Next time you see a Mexican food truck, ask if they have Machaca and try it. You’ll be hooked, too.
There’s nothing like a “Bowl of Red” on a cold day, but who has time to let Chili sit on the stove for hours and hours, not to mention having to soak the beans overnight. Lordy, that’s a two-day operation!
A quesadilla with cabbage and jalapeno is tasty and good for you, Cabbage gives a little crunch and a bunch of nutrients.