Back from Europe

We’re home from Europe, and we had such an amazing time! Aside from all of the fantastic sites that we saw and memories that we made, we ate some seriously amazing food!

In Munich, we found a serious love for hefe-weiss beer (I’m pretty certain that it will always, always be our favorite), and we tried so many incredible foods. We enjoyed this gigantic, bigger-than-a-dinner-plate pretzel at the beer garden in the Englischer Garten one night, and throughout the whole stay we certainly had our share of pretzels, all different kinds of sausages, all different kinds of sauerkraut (which was so delicious and tasted nothing, nothing like the sauerkraut that I’ve had here), and of course beer. There was an amazing and unusual beer there called a radler, which was beer mixed with lemonade. It was so suprisingly great and refreshing! Some of our other meal highlights included leg of lamb, weiner schnitzel, and some seriously amazing spaetzle dishes (one that was cheese and crispy onions, and one that was spinach, cream sauce, and mushroom). We also had the most amazing dark chocolate gelato that was actually rich enough and chocolatey enough to please even me :)

In Innsbruck, Austria, the food was just as great. We had a wild game stew there that had the most amazing, cinnamony sauce that I’ve ever tasted (and I’ll remember it as one of the best foods I’ve had).  Another night, B ordered a steak in a bacon-crispy onion sauce that was absolutely to die for. We tried spinach dumplings, Tyrolean-style fritters and ravioli, sauerkraut, potato pancakes, and a few bowls of absolutely incredible, super comforting goulash soup that was great for the rainy days that we had. Our stay in Austria was short, but everything that we ate there was unbelievable.

And of course, I’ll always remember the food in Paris, too. We had pastries for breakfast every morning (real, amazing croissants, and the most fantastic chocolate eclair…), and the lunch/dinner food was so rich and fantastic. We tried four different croque sandwiches (croque madame, a croque with tomato and goat cheese, a croque with tomato, and a croque with chicken and tomato), and they were easily the best sandwiches that I’ve ever had. B and I were so amazed that the cheese that they used on everything in Paris was just SO.GOOD. We also tried duck confit, which was the most tender and incredible meat that I’ve ever had, grilled steak and salmon with bearnaise sauce, and we went to a fromagerie one night and picked up some fresh goat cheeses and a baguette for supper with a couple bottles of wine.

It really was the most amazing time, and we made sure to sample as many different foods as we could while we were there. I’m know that I’m forgetting to mention many, but I have a list that’s a mile long of foods that I want to try to replicate at home. I’m definitely more than excited to get back to cooking again :)

Europe

B and I are fortunate enough to be travelling to Europe tonight until the end of June. My super-smart B is giving a presentation at a biophysics conference in Munich, so we’re making a vacation of it. I’m so proud of him! And we’re so excited for the trip! We’ll be staying in Munich, Germany; Innsbruck, Austria; and Paris, France. I can’t wait to eat all of that fantastic  food! I plan to try one of everything. And I’ve got to say, there’s not much better than a fabulous beer city and a fabulous wine city in the same trip :) 

I’ll be back and posting at the beginning of July.

Green Rice

Cuisine: Mexican

Inspiration: I baked up a huge amount of our favorite enchiladas earlier this week to last us through a busy week preparing for vacation, and I needed a side dish. I love our standards of Mexican rice, guacamole, and refried beans, but this time, I was hoping for something a little bit different. I was happy when B said that this green rice from Bobby Flay stood out to him as what we should make.

What we Loved: This rice definitely has a kick to it, which for some reason I found unexpected. But we love spicy foods, so we really enjoyed the spiciness of this dish. The rice is made using roasted poblanos and jalapenos, so there’s really quite a bit of heat there.  It’s not a subtle rice by any means, but it has character and spice, and we thought that it complimented the enchiladas well.

Helpful Hints: I would consider adding more cilantro to the rice next time, and maybe another ingredient just to kick up the flavor a little bit. As it is, this rice is spicy, but aside from the spiciness, it seems like there’s something missing in terms of flavor. I’m thinking that some tomatillos added to the roasted pepper/cilantro puree would work great, maybe along with a big sprinkle of cumin. If you make the recipe as stated, be sure to use a liberal amount of salt for flavor.

Other Rice Recipes: Mexican rice, cilantro rice

Green Rice
Source: Bobby Flay

1 3/4 cup chicken broth or water
2 poblano peppers, roasted and with the stems, seeds, and skin removed
1 jalpeno pepper, roasted and with the stem, seeds, and skin removed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Kosher salt
1 Vidalia onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 cup rice

1. Combine the broth and the peppers in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then partially cover the pan and simmer over medium-low heat for approximately 10 minutes.

2. Pour the pepper mixture into a food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the cilantro, and process to a smooth puree. Season liberally with salt.

3. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the saucepan, and heat over medium high heat. Saute the onions until soft. Add the garlic, and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the rice, and cook for another minute. Add the broth mixture, stir, and season with salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

4. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the remaining cilantro.

Beef and Bean Enchiladas

Cuisine: Mexican

Inspiration: I’ve mentioned before that B and I are leaving for Europe on Friday. At this point, I’ve pretty much cleaned out all of our food to prepare for being gone for a few weeks. I decided to go to the store yesterday to buy just enough ingredients for a big meal that could last us the rest of the week. We’ve got all kinds of things to do before we leave, so it will be great to have leftovers until then.

What we Loved: These enchiladas are just awesome. This recipe is from B’s mom, and I’ve got to say that it’s my favorite recipe of hers. For the past 8ish years that I’ve been with B, I’ve eaten this meal with his family on many occasions, complete with B’s mom’s Mexican rice and guacamole with tortilla chips. There just aren’t many meals that are better than that. The enchiladas are filled with a mixture of ground beef and refried beans, then they’re coated in red sauce and cheese. All of the flavors combine for a cheesy, tomatoey, meaty combination that is just delicious. I’ve made a lot of different enchilada recipes over the past few years, but these are the ones that I always come back to because they’ll always be our favorite. None of the others can really compare, at least in our book.

Helpful Hints: Depending on how you like your enchiladas, you can bake these in the oven uncovered for a longer time so that the sauce bakes into the tortilla, or you can throw them into the oven covered and for a shorter time, which will keep the enchiladas much saucier. You can also use as much or as little cheese as you’d like. I didn’t buy enough this time and didn’t use as much as I normally do, but these are just as good with just a little cheese as they are with a lot.

Other Enchilada Recipes: shrimp and goat cheese enchiladas, avocado enchiladas

Beef and Bean Enchiladas
Source: B’s Mom

You can use either store-bought or homemade enchilada sauce, refried beans, and taco seasoning in this recipe. I do both, depending on my mood. Here’s the recipe as I made it this time.

14 corn tortillas
Extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of oregano
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 can pinto beans
1/2 onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
5 oz cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (use more for cheesier enchiladas)
16 oz red enchilada sauce (I used Frontera Class Red Chile Enchilada Sauce)
Chopped lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, etc. for toppings

1. Brown the ground beef in a saute ban. Season with the chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper (or use a taco seasoning packet).

2. Place the pinto beans in a food processor, and puree until smooth. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a small sauce pan, and saute the onions for 2-3 minutes until transparent. Add the garlic, and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add the  pureed beans to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Alternatively, use a can of refried beans.

3. Add the bean mixture to the ground beef, mix well, and set aside.

4. In another saute pan, heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Dip each tortilla into the oil, sauteeing for just a few seconds per side. Place the fried tortillas on a plate as they are finished, and refill the oil in the pan as necessary.

5. Pour some of the enchilada sauce onto a second plate. Dip a tortilla into the sauce, flipping to coat each side. Fill the tortilla with a spoonful of the beef mixture and a pinch of cheese. Roll the tortilla, and place it seam-side down into a baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

6. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, cover with foil, and bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the enchiladas, and bake for approximately 5 minutes more, until the cheese is just melted.

7. Serve garnished with lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, onions, or any other desired toppings.

Pretzel, Hershey Kiss, and M&M Bites

 Cuisine: American

Inspiration: I first had these little snacks a few years ago when my Mom brought some home from a friend at work who had made them. Then, I ran across them again a few weeks back  on The Cooking Photographer and was reminded of how good these little treats are. I had a family cookout coming up and decided to make these as a quick and easy snack to bring along.

What we Loved: These are just a really fun little variation on chocolate covered pretzels. I have always loved snacks like trail mixes or Chex mixes that are both salty and sweet, and that’s the reason that I love these so much. They’re not so much a dessert as a salty, chocolatey snack. Plus, they’re incredibly easy to make, and they travel well. I always love finding snacks that are easy to take along to a party.

Helpful Hints: With all of the different kinds of Hershey Kisses and M&Ms that there are now, you can use any number of different flavor combinations with these. You can also use Rolo candies instead of Hershey Kisses, like The Cooking Photographer did, and there are plenty of other little chocolates/toppings that could be used in place of the kisses or M&Ms. And of course, with M&Ms, you can always coordinate the colors for a holiday or season.

Pretzel, Hershey Kiss, and M&M Bites
Source: From my Mom’s work friend and The Cooking Photographer

Pretzel snaps
Hershey Kisses
M&Ms

1. Place the pretzel squares on a baking sheet, and top each one with a Hershey Kiss.

2. Cook for 3 minutes in a 200 degree oven.

3. Press an M&M into the center of each Hershey Kiss. Refrigerate for approximately 15-20 minutes or until cool.

Tomato Paella with Chorizo

Cuisine: Spanish

Inspiration: At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’ve been trying really hard the last few weeks to clean out all of the food from my freezer and my pantry. B and I are travelling to Europe next Friday for two weeks (!) and I really don’t want any excess food hanging out around our house. I picked out this recipe to use a few links of extra chorizo that I had stashed in the freezer and the last of a box of arborio rice. Though I love picking out my menu based on whatever I stumble across at a given time, making meals out of leftover odds and ends can be really fun, too.

What we Loved: This is going to be a permanent recipe in our house. I’ve mentioned before that these one-pot, super flavorful and spicy rice dishes are some of my favorite meals, and this one is no exception. I absolutely adored this, and B deemed it to be the best of the rice-style dishes that I’ve tried so far. The flavors were just amazing. The chorizo slices add a great, spicy-sausage flavor to the dish, and the layer of tomatoes cooked on top of the rice get nice and soft, with all of the rich tomato juices running down into the rice. With the additional flavors of tomato paste, paprika, saffron, and cilantro, this recipe really is fantastic.

Helpful Hints: I’m not sure what I did wrong, but I ended up having to cook this dish for much longer than stated in the original recipe. The original cooking time is stated as 15 minutes, but I ended up having to keep mine in the oven for somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour before the rice was cooked through.  I’d make sure to allow for extra cooking time just in case. The extra time wasn’t a problem, because the meal still turned out perfectly, but it was definitely necessary for my rice to cook all of the way through.

Similar Recipes: sausage and shrimp jambalaya, shrimp creole, fisherman’s rice

Tomato Paella with Chorizo

Source: Pinch my Salt, originally from Mark Bittman’s recipe in the New York Times

I made a few changes to the ingredients and the cooking time, as noted above. Here’s the recipe as I made it.

3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
Kosher salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 Vidalia onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
A large pinch of saffron threads
2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups arborio rice
6 oz. Spanish chorizo, sliced
A handful of cilantro, for garnish

1. Heat the chicken broth in a saucepan.

2. Put the tomatoes in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat.

3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large saute pan or paella pan. Add the onion, and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the tomato paste, saffron, and paprika, and cook for a minute more. Add the rice, and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the chorizo and the chicken broth, and stir to combine.

4. Put the tomato wedges on top of the rice, and drizzle with the juices from the bowl. Put the pan in the oven and roast at 450, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Check to see if the liquid is evaporated and if the rice is cooked through, and if it’s not, continue cooking. I ended up cooking mine for somewhere close to an hour.

5. Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve.

Bacon Avocado Pizza

Cuisine: American

Inspiration: There really just aren’t a lot of things better than homemade pizza on a Friday night. When B and I were on our honeymoon a few years back, we ate at an Italian restaurant in San Francisco and ordered their “California” pizza, which had avocados and cilantro as a couple of the toppings. It was the first time that we’d ever had those flavors on a pizza, and we really loved it. With a spare avocado to be used, I decided to make my own avocado pizza.

What we Loved:  I think that this is the best pizza that I’ve ever made (aside from our margherita pizza, which is our all-time favorite). This was a good pizza. It’s heavy with toppings (literally heavy), and the toppings all taste really great together. I used Vidalia onion slices, bacon, chopped cilantro, and sliced avocado, and along with pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese, the flavor combination was just amazing. I really can’t rave enough about how good I thought this tasted. I particularly loved the salt from the bacon and the creamy richness from the avocado, which, by the way, I used plenty of.

Helpful Hints: There’s nothing too difficult about making this pizza. Just prepare and enjoy.

Other Pizza Recipes: pizza margherita, chicken pizzas

Bacon Avocado Pizza
Source: Original Recipe

1/2 recipe pizza dough (I used the dough in this recipe)
1/2 recipe pizza sauce (I used this recipe)
1 small Vidadlia onion, cut into slices
8 slices bacon, cut into strips and sauteed until browned
1/2-2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 large avocado, sliced

1. Grease a pizza pan. Spread out the pizza dough on the pan, using flour if necessary to help spread the dough. Top the dough with the pizza sauce, the cheese, the onion slices, and the bacon.

2. Cook the pizza in a preheated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the bottom of the pizza crust is browned and the cheese is browned.

3. Top the pizza with the cilantro and the avocado. Slice and serve.