Surf n' Turf Tacos

Every once in a while, I'll pull out all my old cooking magazines I've bought and start perusing to see if there are any recipes that I remember sounding interesting, but never got around to making.

The hubby and I were trying to plan out meals for the week, and were eternally stuck on what we should do, other than our 'Pasta Wednesday.'  Thankfully, I have a pretty good arsenal of cooking magazines, spanning each of the four seasons, so I pulled out a few of my summer-themed magazines to see if anything sounded tasty.

Leave it to Rachel Ray to have a delicious recipe in her magazine. I hate to say that I find her a little over-the-top on her two cooking shows (I don't watch her talk show), but whenever I come across her recipes, I usually find something quick, easy and delicious. Thank goodness for magazines and FoodNetwork.com! I can search her recipes without actually having to watch a whole episode!

These tacos are light, yet filling, and very flavorful, even with the seemingly few spices. We even had some leftovers, which I then made into a breakfast burrito the next morning. Ah-mazing!

Whip up a batch of these for summer, and you won't be disappointed. You might even feel like you took a little trip to somewhere a little more tropical than your backyard or dining room table!

Surf 'n' Turf Tacos

Adapted Slightly From Rachel Ray Magazine

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 small head napa cabbage, chopped

Juice of 6 limes (about 1/2 cup)

2 cups sour cream

Sixteen 6-inch flour tortillas

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt

1 pound trimmed flank steak, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound red snapper fillets, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (I used Cod)

Pepper

1 cup store-bought guacamole, plus more for serving

One 16-ounce jar salsa, for serving

Directions

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with half of the lime juice. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and remaining lime juice. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 250°. Spread the tortillas on a baking sheet, cover with foil and warm in the oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the garlic powder, paprika, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt. Add the steak, tossing to coat.

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat until rippling. Add the steak, lower the heat to medium and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper (Note: I also added a little cayenne pepper and cumin). Cook, in the skillet, turning once, until golden, about 5 minutes.

Lay the tortillas on a work surface. Spread 1 tablespoon guacamole on each, then top with some of the cabbage. Divide the meat among 8 tortillas and the fish among 8 tortillas. Fold to form tacos. Serve with more guacamole and cabbage, the lime-sour cream and the salsa.

Meatloaf

I’m in the midst of a deep freeze here in Chicago. If it’s not snowing, it’s icy. We've had days where the wind chills are in the 20-below-zero range. We've had Snowmageddon. And I have had a bottle of water that was accidentally left in my car freeze solid.

On days like these, I refuse, kicking and screaming try to avoid leaving the warm embrace of my fleecy blanket, cuddled up on the couch watching a movie, Say Yes to the Dress, or Top Chef all while eating anything and everything I can get my hands on that will make me feel the slightest bit warmer!


As a kid, I turned my nose up at meatloaf, I always saw it as a ‘mystery meat’ platter. I don’t even recall whether I gave the poor slice of meat on my plate a chance before I tried to hide it in an air vent, or spread it around on my plate so that it looked like I at least tried some. Once I realized it was essentially a nicely seasoned, moist hamburger formed into a loaf, my prejudice vanished.


Few things are as easy or as comforting on a cold, snowy day than meatloaf. And, thankfully, this recipe is so easy, most people will have everything they need right in the freezer, fridge and/or pantry. If you don’t want to make two loaves, halve the recipe and make it in a single loaf pan. I usually make both loves, mainly because it freezes so well and if I can get two meals out of one prep period, I am going to do it.


This went perfectly with a side of parmesan garlic mashed potatoes, and sprinkled with just a bit of parsley.

Meatloaf

4 slices of bread, cut or torn into ~1/2” cubes

2 eggs

3/4 c milk

1 Tbsp Worcestershire

1/4 c celery

1/4 c onion

1/8 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1 1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 lb ground pork

Glaze

¼ c ketchup

2 Tbsp light corn syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, soak bread crumbs in milk.

Add egg and beat with a hand mixer until well combined and few/if any chunks of bread remain.

Add celery, onion, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Mix well.

Add beef and pork and mix gently but thoroughly.

Divide meat mixture in half and form into two loaves in two separate loaf pans or in one 8” x 8” pan.

Bake for 1 hour.

For the topping, mix together ketchup and corn syrup in a small bowl.

After 1 hour, top with ketchup/corn syrup mixture and bake for an additional fifteen minutes.

Serve.

Fondue Night!

Typically my husband and I try to make meals that come together quickly because we are always starving by the time dinner rolls around on weeknights. The weekends, however, are a different story. I love taking an afternoon and putting together a nice meal that we wouldn’t have time to make and eat on a work night. We make these our date nights - A nice dinner, a bottle of wine and a movie from our Netflix queue. Even with the extra time on weekends, there are occasions that I like dinner preparation to be easy, but still special enough for our date night. I have found the perfect solution: Fondue.

For me, ‘fondue’ used to evoke images of VW buses and slug bugs, bell bottoms, shag carpets and lava lamps. I thought it was a novelty of the 70’s that had no real place on more contemporary tables. While most of these things are now distant memories of the past (well, minus the lava lamp, our guest room has my pink one as a night light…), fondue is fortunately making a modern comeback – just look at the success of The Melting Pot . After my first trip there for dinner, I now understand why fondue is making a return.

We are a part of a fast-paced culture where time is money, and as a result, we are becoming increasingly more focused on convenience foods and and less on the importance of sitting down as a family for a meal. Fondue transforms dinner into the social event I think it deserves to be, instead of just sitting at the table just long enough to stuff your face full of whatever is in front of you and then continuing on with life. I now associate ‘fondue’ with intimacy, family and relaxation because, while the food is important, the meal is more about slowing down and enjoying your company. If you really want to have fun with it, there are also cute little fondue traditions. One tradition says that a woman who drops food in the pot has to kiss the person next to her (sometimes all the men at the table). And since I am not a big fan of that one, I like the other tradition which dictates that the person who loses food in the pot buys a round of drinks or the next pot of fondue. That's more my speed.

As much as I love The Melting Pot, I still have a hard time justifying the cost of their meals. First, you are going there and paying a premium to cook your own food. Second, for about the cost of a two person dinner, you could easily invest in a little fondue pot and make your own in the comfort of your home for a fraction of the price. Let’s do a little comparison, shall we?

From the menu of my local Melting Pot, the least expensive entrée selection is 16 dollars a person. 32 dollars doesn’t sound too bad for diner, but don’t forget drinks, tax and tip! So for us, our overall dinner cost would be about 40 dollars. That’s being optimistic, because we would each almost certainly have a seven-dollar glass of wine as well. If you were to look at Bed Bath and Beyond, you would see that they have a good selection of at-home fondue pots, even some under 60 dollars. And you know you have some of those 20% off coupons sitting around that come all the time in the mail. So, for about eight dollars more than just your bare-bones dining experience at the Melting pot, you can have your own fondue, anytime. I particularly love our electric fondue pot because it takes a lot of guesswork out of the process and I can switch from broth to chocolate because it has a temperature dial.

Finally, the last big benefit of at-home-fondue is that you have the liberty customize your meal based on your likes, and aren’t limited to the options on a menu. The word “fondue” comes from the French word ‘fonder’ meaning “to melt” and originally referred to a cheese dish mixed with wine and eaten with bread. It has progressed to oil and broth bases used to cook entrees such as meats, seafood, and veggies, and now has even made its way into the dessert world with chocolate fondue for dipping fruits, marshmallows, pound cake or brownies. There's something for everyone.

Of all the options, I choose a broth-based cooking method versus oil, simply because I feel I can make the broth more flavorful and it’s healthier than essentially deep-frying everything. The menu is relatively simple, and easy to put together. Last time I even prepared everything but the veggies the night before. I also love mixing lots of dipping sauces, the last meal included sweet and sour, asian and honey mustard sauces.

I do have to caution that if you’re starving, fondue is not a quick fix. Dinner can take up to two hours. Imagine the look on my poor husband’s face when he told me he was hungry and I pulled out only two forks. He looked devastated. By the end of the night, he had convinced me to use all six forks in the pot: 2 for meat, 2 for potatoes and 2 for mushrooms.

If you do have a fondue pot collecting dust in your closet, I suggest you to give it a try. It's a long recipe, but easy. This is one of our favorite date nights, and I look forward to having friends over to share in my fondue love.

Fondue Broth
1 tbsp Vegetable oil
2 Garlic clove, crushed
1 Onion, finely chopped (I had one large scallion and 1/4 leftover onion which I subbed for this)
8 cups Water
Beef bouillon cubes or concentrate
1 Celery stalk, finely chopped
1 Tomato, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Bay leaf
1 cup Red wine

1. In a large pot, warm the oil and cook the garlic and onion until soft.
2. Add the water, bring to a boil and add enough beef bouillon cubes for 2 L (8 cups) of broth.
3. Lower the heat and add the vegetables, spices and wine.
4. Cook on low heat for about 3 hours. Add more water as needed.
5. Filter the broth and refrigerate.
6. Prior to serving, remove the fat that has hardened on the surface.
7. Warm up the broth on the stove top.
8. Pour into your fondue pot and adjust the heat.

What to dip in your broth?
On average, you plan to have 1/3 lb of meat per person. I usually have several veggies on hand as well. Here is a standard list of options, but feel free to experiment!

Marinated Beef or pork tenderloin (see marinade recipe below)
Chicken Breast
Loin of Lamb
Regular sirloin
Button or Portabello Mushrooms cut into bite-sized pieces
Par-cooked Potatoes
Sausage
Shrimp
Lobster

Dipping Sauces

Honey Mustard Dip
1 cup Honey
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Mix the ingredients and let chill for a day if possible.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve at room temperature.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Serve warm or at room temperature. This sauce may be prepared a few days in advance and warmed before serving.

Asian Dipping Sauce
4 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
3 Green Chilis
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Water, cold

Combine soy sauce, lemon juice, chilis, garlic and sesame oil in saucepan over low heat. In small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water until thoroughly blended. Add cornstarch mixture to saucepan and bring to a boil until thickened. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Beef marinade
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Minced Ginger
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp Water
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb beef tenderloin, sliced thin or cut into bite-sized chunks.

Chocolate Fondue
Ingredients
12 oz. of semisweet chocolate chips (dark or milk chocolate may be substituted)
1/3 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. milk
2 TBSP liqueur (may be omitted) such as coffee, chocolate, mint or fruit flavored liquors. Rum and brandy also work well.
Combine all of the ingredients in a fondue pot, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Spear and immerse assorted dipping items.

Dessert Dippers
Pineapple
Strawberries
Bananas
Pound Cake

Beef and Bok Choy Stir-Fry

I’m an impulse buyer when it comes to food magazines. They have such pretty pictures on the covers and tote headlines promising meals on the table in under half an hour; it totally sucks me in. Though I love browsing the more gourmet magazines, I have found that the ones typically in my hand at checkout time are Real Simple and Cooking Light. No matter what other magazines I’d browse on a whim, I always gravitate back to these two, mainly because I’ve had the most success finding recipes that have become staples in our repertoire. This magazine had a two-week meal planner and the Asian flavors of this recipe piqued our interest. The fact that is an easy, delicious recipe to prepare with only a few ingredients already stocked in our pantry is why it keeps returning to our household menu rotation.

I’ve modified the recipe because, while I’ve found the amount of meat sufficient, I was starving for more vegetables the first time around. We used the same amount of baby bok choy that is in the four-person recipe for our two-person dinner. The other change was that my husband, the sauce man, insisted that I keep the amount of sauce in the recipe the same versus halving it for our dinner. I’ve already made this dish several times, but, this last time, I also added leftover sliced button mushrooms that were in our fridge. I’d highly recommend adding them if you have some lying around. I’m pretty sure this has now become a permanent recipe amendment for our dinner table.

Beef and Bok Choy Stir Fry
Serves 2
Adaptd from Real Simple Magazine, October 2009

Ingredients
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
4 heads baby bok choy, quartered
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions
Cook the rice according to the package directions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the steak with 1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, turning often, until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the steak to a plate.
Wipe out the skillet. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and saute until cooked down. Transfer onto the plate with the steak.
Add the bok choy and 1⁄4 cup water and simmer, covered, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and sugar. Add to the bok choy in the skillet and bring to a boil. Add the steak, mushrooms and any accumulated juices and cook, tossing, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over the rice.