ghoulish goulash

I really love easy dinners and there's nothing easier than pasta! Sometimes I do have to change things up a bit and doing Italian for every pasta dish gets a little boring. Alternative? Hungarian! American-Hungarian, that is. ^_^

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Old-Fashioned American Goulash
(Adapted from I Heart Recipes)

1.5 lbs lean ground beef
2 cups uncooked spiral macaroni
1 medium onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots

1 can mushroom, chopped

1 tbsp minced bottled garlic

1 tbsp Italian seasoning 

1 tbsp adobo seasoning 

1 tsp paprika 

3 bay leaves

2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce 

2 1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cans tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

1 can diced tomatoes in tomato sauce

1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

parsley for garnish

Brown the ground meat with seasonings and and bay leaf over medium heat.  Drain any excess fat.

Add in vegetables and cook for a few minutes. Add in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and tomatoes. Cook for 10 another minutes then add chicken broth and macaroni. Reduce heat and let simmer until pasta is just tender.

Stir in cheese then cover for 10 more minutes, garnish with parsley as needed before serving.

hello old friend: korean bbq sandwich

My poor food blog, how you've been neglected.
That's okay, sometimes life gets in the way and hobbies go to the wayside. However, one thing that I really can't stop doing is cooking. That, or make sandwiches.

Speaking of sandwiches, my favorite hot sandwich would have to be my Korean BBQ. A lot of trial and error went into them but now I have it exactly the way I want it. It's got lots of different textures, sweet, salty, and definitely tasty!

My favorite thing about it is getting to use my Mom's kimchee recipe. It's not traditional in any sense, but it's a mild kimchee without any fishiness...perfect for picky eaters who don't like that pungent taste. ^_^

---- o o o o ---- Bulgogi Beef Sandwich with Crispy Leeks and Mom's Kimchi
(adapted from Tasty)

For the Bulgogi:
3 tbsp bottled garlic
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp Healthy Boy Brand sweet black soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fresh squeezed juice from an Asian pear or sweet apple

1 tbsp Japanese mirin
1 tbsp sesame oil
5 to 6 green onions, finely chopped (including white part)
1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp minced ginger
2 to 3 lbs extra thin carne picada or stir-fry beef

Mix marinade together until sugar and honey are dissolved/distributed. Add beef and marinate overnight or up to 2 days. Cook over medium high/high heat on an iron skillet. Serve immediately.

Mom's Kimchee:
4 cups Napa cabbage, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup matchstick carrots 

1/4 cup sliced green onions, green parts only
1 to 1.5 tsp kosher salt
1/2 bottle Lee Kum Kee chili garlic sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup matchstick carrots

Blanche cabbage and carrots in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain well then toss with salt. Let stand in a strainer for 1.5 to 2 hours until excess liquid has drained. Transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss, seasoning with additional salt as needed. Refrigerate, keeping up to 2 weeks.

Seasoned Japanese-Style Mayo:
1/2 cup Duke's mayonnaise
1 to 2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Whisk together and adjust proportions as needed, to taste.

Crispy Fried Leeks:
1 leek, thinly sliced to 2-inch slivers
vegetable oil

Heat enough oil to fry leeks. Fry until leeks are golden brown around the edges. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.

Bulgogi Sandwiches:
bulgogi beef
kimchee
crispy leeks
shredded romaine lettuce
seasoned Japanese-style mayo
toasted French rolls

To assemble sandwiches, spread some Mayo on the rolls. Add a good portion of bulgogi on one side of the bun, shredded lettuce on the other. Drizzle with mayo, top with crispy leeks, then drizzle with mayo again to taste, then serve.

southern fusion.

I'm still trying to get a hang of making pralines ever since the last time I made them successfully. Turns out, the sugar to milk ratios are pretty important to these little suckers. Too much milk and I get myself a caramel. And if they're not finicky enough, I can't just throw in anything or else they won't set properly. Right now, I'm still trying to figure out how to make almond butter pralines from the original recipe that I'm using.

However, I did successfully make some Mexican chocolate pralines! In an effort to make the praline a little more gourmet, I got the wacky idea to play around with flavor combinations. I've always loved chocolate and cinnamon together. Add a little bit of chile to it, and this flavor was exactly what I was looking for! I dusted these with a little sprinkle of cinnamon to make it extra fancy, but feel free to leave that out. I, on the other hand, like the extra boost of cinnamon!

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Mexican Chocolate Pralines
(adapted from Snapguide: Jada's DIY's & Recipes)

3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup fat-free half and half or evaporated milk
4 tbsp light butter (cubed)
2 tsp pure vanilla paste or extract
1 1/2 cups roasted pecan pieces
1 tbsp dark cocoa powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt

 
Prepare a piece of non-stick parchment paper (about 12-15 in. long) and place on counter next to cooking station. In a small bowl, stir together cocoa powder, cinnamon, ancho chile powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add both sugars and the milk into the pot and mix well with a wooden spoon until sugars dissolve. Dip a pastry or any kind of small cooking brush in cold icy water then brush the sides of the pot to melt away any sugar crystals that may have formed.

Put in your candy thermometer. Make sure the tip is not touching the bottom but is in the actual candy liquid. The mixture should begin to froth at this point. Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until it reaches it's proper temperature of 240F degrees.

Turn the heat completely off and take it off the burner. Add in the butter, vanilla, cinnamon mixture, and chopped pecans.

Stir mixture until it becomes thick and start to turn opaque. When the candy starts to hold together, quickly spoon it onto the parchment paper. Make sure to not over crowd and make them touch, otherwise the pralines will dry stuck together. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon to garnish, if desired.

Let the pralines set at room temperature for 30 min. Afterwards, if not serving right away, store in a air-tight container for up to 2 to 3 days. Makes about 9 to 12 pralines.

mom-inspired tuna pasta.

My favorite breakfast that my mom makes is ginisang sardinas, which is basically sautéed mackerel sardines in tomato sauce that's served with a side of hot, steamy rice. Her version, though, is slightly different in that she adds additional tomatoes, adds one or two bay leaves, and is heavy on the onion. Finished with a few squeezes of calamansi, and you have a great hefty meal to start the day.

I didn't really fully appreciate her cooking until I got married and started living with my husband. To date, I've only made a handful of Filipino dishes that were either a hit or miss with the hubby. I miss her cooking and I guess that nostalgia (and the fact that the husband is iffy on Filipino food in general) makes me shy away from making Filipino dishes on my own.

Today I was feeling a little homesick. Eating at the table with my mom's generous cooking and having a conversation about the day's events were the norm during dinner time. This was family time and I was missing my family. So to ease that, I decided to make her sardines, but in a more "inspired" version and with an Italian twist.

I started with using an almost 2 to 1 ratio of tomatoes to onions. Adding a good amount of garlic and olive oil followed, then finished it with some lemon juice for acidity and lots of parsley for herbacious freshness. Since sardines in tomato sauce isn't something that we regularly keep in the house, I used chunk light tuna that's always a staple in our pantry. Toss that together with some hearty rigatoni, and dinner was served.

While it's a far cry from my mother's sardines, the flavors were there and the bite from the rigatoni added a pleasant counterpart to the fish. Fusion pasta . . . mmmmmm. As an added bonus, this made for a quick and tasty meal that was ready in less than half an hour. Mom, here's to you!
 

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Tangy Tuna Pasta
(makes about 4 servings)

2 cups dry rigatoni pasta
2 cans chunk light tuna, lightly drained
1 clamshell grape tomatoes, halved (or 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped)
1 large onion (about 1 cup), thinly sliced
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 large dried bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley, divided
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil

 
Prepare pasta as directed then reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 to 3 tbsp of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add tomatoes, onions, garlic, and bay leaves to the pan. Cook until the tomatoes have softened then add the tuna and a third of the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Sautée for 5 minutes, stirring lightly, then add the drained pasta. Cook for another few minutes. If the mixture is too dry, add some of the reserved pasta liquid as needed.

Remove pasta from heat, discard bay leaves, then stir in lemon juice. Toss in the remaining parsley then adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. To serve, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and additional parsley for garnish.

striving for perfection.

So, ever since we got to Georgia, I've been adapting a more Southern-style of cooking. I think it's because I'm surrounded by that kind of food environment and it just seems to make sense to cook that way. Even my eating habits are turning Southern: The polenta that I used to cook all the time turned to grits, hummus makes a rare appearance in my fridge, and I seem to be buying a whole lot more butter. Because of this, I've switched to light butter to make myself feel better.

Speaking of grits . . . I was surprisingly having a hard time trying to make a decent pot of grits. I just assumed that using my favorite polenta recipe would be fine but it's surprisingly NOT. The texture is off, especially for shrimp and grits, and it's much stiffer than I wanted it to be. I've tried several different recipes, and each time I get closer and closer to my ideal pot of grits.

Today yielded success.

My perfect grits? Always savory that that specific mouth texture. These grits are exactly how I want them: soft and fluffy with just a bit of tightness and texture. While they aren't flavored with anything specific, per se, they're still flavorful and taste like grits. The best part? Even if you put it in the fridge, they stay the same consistency even when you reheat it the next day! Yay!!

For the shrimp, I decided to make it more in the Françias-style of cooking. So fancy, I know . . . but not really! Thanks to my recent binge-fest of an old series of Jacques Pépin: Fast Food, My Way, I've been taking some notes and renewing my love of French cooking. It's kind of like Southern cooking but with a more funny accent, lol.

I like how in one episode, Monsieur Pépin added some chopped mushrooms to his shrimp casserole so that it'll soak up the shrimp flavor. He also did a ragù with tomatoes and onions similar to this recipe, but much more reduced. And man, does that man use a lot of olive oil!!

So, taking ideas here and there, voilà ! Shrimp and grits, my way. :D I did forget to add some peas to the shrimp, though. I think that would've made it über-françias, along with some oil-cured olives as a garnish. Eh, c´est la vie ! No? :) Bon appétit!

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Creamy Garlic-Tomato Shrimp
(makes 4 servings)

24 pcs jumbo shrimp (peeled, deveined, and butterflied)
2 tbsp bottled garlic
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/4 cup olive oil
1 bunch (about 8 sprigs) fresh thyme
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup finely chopped white button mushrooms
1 to 2 pcs thick sliced deli ham, finely chopped
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped grape tomatoes
1/4 cup low fat half and half
1/2 cup chopped parsley
low sodium chicken stock, as needed
salt and pepper, to taste

 
Marinate the shrimp:
Combine shrimp, garlic, Old Bay seasoning, onion powder, and paprika. Add olive oil to moisten the shrimp then season with ground pepper. Chill for a minimum of 2 hours up to overnight.

Make the shrimp:
In a large pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil with the bunch of thyme. When the oil is fragrant and hot, add shrimp (reserve any leftover marinade) and cook until lightly browned on both sides (about 6 minutes). Remove shrimp from pan and set aside; discard the thyme.

In the same pan, add shallots, mushrooms, and ham. Season with salt and pepper. When vegetables start to brown and the ham becomes slightly crisp, add the tomatoes and any leftover marinade from the shrimp. Reduce heat and cook until tomatoes break down to a paste (about 10 minutes).

Return shrimp to the pan and toss to incorporate. Stir in half and half and parsley. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes, then add chicken stock to thin as needed.

To serve, portion out 6 shrimps per person and top over grits or pasta with additional parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for garnish.

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My Perfect Grits
(makes 4 to 6 servings)

1 cup coarse ground grits or polenta (white or yellow)
2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup fat free half and half
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 to 2 tbsp light butter
1/4 tsp dried parsley
ground pepper, to taste

 
Bring water, half and half, and salt to boil. Slowly stir in grits/polenta, reduce heat to low, then cover. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and parsley, then season with pepper to taste.

For Savory Cheese Grits: Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded cheese, 1/4 tsp onion powder, a dash garlic powder, and a dash smoked paprika to cooked grits.

koftas and time management.

This was probably one of our more memorable meals. I was inspired to make something challenging AND wasn't in the realm of what I usually made. Since we're now here in Georgia, I found that while I may be back in the states . . . there are still some things that aren't easy to come by. Like Mediterranean ingredients, for example.

There is no sumac in my area.

Like, none.

I scoured all of the local markets near me, including Walmart, and I could not find sumac for the life of me. So this meal actually almost never happened. However, since my sister and I like to drive around, we googled the nearest middle-eastern store and found one in Jacksonville that was nearly an hour away. Needless to say, I stocked up on key ingredients that I might need and proceeded to plan out our epic themed dinner!

So, this is where time management comes in. That is to say, I did NOT manage my time well at all.

From start to finish, I decided to make this on a random early afternoon and ended up running around all day. Last minute pre-made naan, a small bag of pine nuts and the lamb meat. All at different stores. Not to mention the fact that I wasn't keeping a better inventory of my spices . . . halfway through putting in the ingredients of the meatballs, I ran out of cinnamon. Ugh. Not my day.

So, despite the fact that we ended up eating at around 9 o'clock at night, the meal itself was pretty rewarding. I made some substitutions in this awesome Turkish kofta meatball recipe and added some pointers from this one. It made for some tasty dining.

Since this dinner took so long to make, I didn't have time to take any pretty pictures. Documented and done. While not strictly Mediterranean, this did come together nicely. I made some caraway rice and homemade tzatziki sauce then served it with toasted naan and parsley/shredded romaine lettuce. My sister came up with the tomato-cucumber salad that turned out pretty awesome. Thank god for teamwork! Otherwise, I don't think I would've finished.

Lesson learned.

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Turkish Kofta Meatball Platter
(adapted from Lady and Pups and The Moveable Feasts)

For the Meatballs:
1 lbs ground lamb or lamb/beef/pork mix
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 medium onion, finely minced
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 small egg, or 1/2 large egg
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tbsp dried mint
2 tbsp minced italian parsley

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
2 tbsp pine nuts
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped italian parsley
1 tbsp dried mint
1 to 2 tsp chili flakes or dash or cayenne powder

1.5 to 2 cups hummus (I used my tuscan-flavored hummus. :D)
paprika for garnish
chopped italian parsley for garnish

 
Combine ingredients for meatballs. Adjust seasoning as needed by cooking a small sample then form into 1 to 1.5 inch sized balls. Set aside.

In a large nonstick pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium-high heat. Add meatballs and brown them nicely all over. Add the pine nuts, caraway seeds, and fennel seeds to the pan. Toast until golden brown, being careful not to let them burn.

Add the minced garlic, parsley, dried mint, and chili flakes/cayenne powder. Cook for about 30 seconds, then season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove from heat and set aside.

To serve, pour hummus on a microwave-safe platter and swirl for an even layer. Microwave for 1 to 1.5 minutes to warm. Add the meatballs and pine nuts on top and drizzle with additional olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika and finely chopped italian parsley to garnish.

Serve with hot naan, tzatziki, cucumber-tomato salad, shredded lettuce, and caraway rice.

Makes about 4 to 5 servings.

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Mediterranean Tomato-Cucumber Salad
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

1 large tomato, diced large
1 large cucumber, diced large
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
5 to 6 pinches sumac
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon
salt and pepper
1 to 2 tbsp minced italian parsley (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Adjust seasoning as needed and refrigerate at leat 30 minutes before serving.

barking up the sea.

I recently got the news that I have borderline high cholesterol.

Like, if I don't change, I might have to take medication for it. Hearing the news form my doctor really upset me. I've always prided myself with being healthy. Sure, I might slack off here and there, but for the most part, I live a pretty healthy lifestyle to supplement the foods that I eat. But alas, still some bad news.

I think the thing that really bothers me the most about this whole cholesterol thing is the fact that it limits my world of cooking. I'm such a big foodie!! Now, not only am I worried about what I'm eating... I'm starting to worry about what I'm feeding my husband. I blame it all on Guam. I know, I know, that sounds ridiculous, but the fact that healthy food alternatives are so expensive and hard to come by, it probably fucked me all up. Lol, paranoid much?

So what to do? I think that the fact that I started juicing lately really helped with the results. That, and the fact that I'm in my "oh no, must get rid of poundage!!" mode and going to the gym. Who knows what my results might've been a couple of months ago?! Must make some drastic food changes so I can get to an ideal level. So while I may have to bid farewell to my beloved coconut, pineapple may be beginning to grow on me.

Pineapple is one of the major fruits I use whenever I make my juices. Every time that I cut away the bark, I always lament on the wasted flesh that's still attached to it. By happy accident, I ran into this recipe while looking for pineapple juice combinations. Awesome!

I decided to try it with some Jamaican jerk as a seasoning then topped it with a modified salsa that I make. The results were delicious. And paired with a simple spinach salad, definitely healthy in the direction that I want to go towards. Yay for damn tasty food!!

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Pineapple Bark Baked Fish
(adapted from Make the Best of Everything and Instructables)

fresh pineapple bark
2 fresh or frozen flounder or salmon filets
1 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning
olive oil

Preheat oven to 375F.

Cut a piece of parchment paper, about 2 ft long, and fold in half. Place on baking tray so that only half of the parchment is sitting on top of the tray. Set aside.

Cut the bark off of a pineapple into the appropriate size for your fish. Lay a piece of bark or two, flesh side up, on top of the prepared baking tray. Place a filet on top of bark. Drizzle fish lightly with olive oil then sprinkle on 1/2 tsp seasoning. Top with pineapple bark and repeat steps for next filet. Fold paper, sealing edges with narrow folds.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes. Discard top bark and generously garnish with fresh pineapple corn salsa to serve.

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Fresh Pineapple Corn Salsa
(adapted from Delicious Shots)

1/2 ear fresh corn, husked with silks removed (or 1/2 can vacuum-packed super sweet corn)
1/4 cup fresh pineapple, finely chopped
1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 red or green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped cilantro (or more, to taste)
1 to 2 sprigs italian parsley, chopped
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Heat grill to high and grill the corn until charred on all sides. When ready, remove the kernels with a sharp knife. (If using canned corn, skip the grilling part.) In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and season accordingly to taste. Cover and refrigerate for thirty or so minutes before serving.

con-cider-ing options...

So in order to get the Hubby off my back regarding random bottles of hard cider in the fridge, I decided to use it for cooking in addition to drinking it. I'm not much of a drinker. It takes me forever to finish just a bottle of beer... like to the point of it getting warms. Hard ciders, on the other hand, are much easier for me to glugg down. My favorite would either be Woodchuck's 802 or their seasonal Spring Cider. Another brand I really like is Crispin (formerly Fox Barrel) Pacific Pear Cider.

With that being said, sometimes I'll go on a buying spree of ciders and always end up with waaaay too many. Sometimes the Hubby has to help me drink them (by them, I mean most of it). I figure this time around I'll put them to good use, lol. The hard cider chicken turned out okay. My cider has ginger in it so it made the flavors all wonky. The veggie dish, on the other hand, was a little underwhelming. So, all in all, an okay dinner. *sigh*

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Hard Cider Chicken
(from Native Sun)

6 chicken thighs (no drumsticks, bone in)
6 oz hard cider (brand of your choice)
adobo seasoning (enough to dust both sides of the chicken)
1/2 tsp coconut crystals (or honey or raw sugar)

Heat the grill to high heat or preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a saucepan, combine hard cider and coconut crystals on medium-high heat until the coconut crystals are dissolved. Coat the chicken with a light dusting of the adobo seasoning on all sides and then pour the beer over the chicken. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.

Grilling:
Place the chicken on the grill (leave it open). This should take about 20 minutes total, and you should flip every 5 minutes (roughly, you will need to watch it).

Oven Baked:
Put a little oil down in the pan (or use an oiled grill pan, our favorite because it doesn’t allow the chicken to get soggy) and place the chicken on the pan.

Cook for about 30 minutes at 400, then turn the heat down to 350 and cook for about 15-20 minutes (again, it depends on how big the chicken is, you want the juices to run clear, not pink).

If your chicken is not browning enough, turn the heat up to 500 degrees (broil it) for 5 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then serve.

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Pan-Roasted Cauliflower and Zucchini.
(from Popular Paleo)

1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
2 zucchini, large dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
pinch of red chili flakes
1/4 cup coconut oil
optional Italian flat-leaf parsley garnish

In a large saute pan or skillet, melt the coconut oil at medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower in first, moving often, and sauté for a few minutes or until the cauli has a little color to it. Cauliflower takes longer than zucchini, so we need to give it a head start.

Next add the zucchini, garlic and spices. Toss to bring everything together and continue to sauté for another 7 minutes or so until the zucchini has softened and taken on some color, taking care not to burn the garlic. Transfer to a serving dish and top with some fresh chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, if you feel like it

the usual suspect.

When it comes to breakfast, i like to experiment with things I haven't tried. Pancakes... stacks... oatmeal... sandwiches... I have a whole pinterest board dedicated to the early morning meal. Problem? Well...let's just say that waking up early isn't my forte. And plus, even if I did wake up early enough to indulge on breakfast, the hubbby isn't into fancy-schmancy in the morning. In fact, most of the time he asks for one thing: Breakfast burritos.

I actually didn't start making these until about a few months ago. It was an early morning and I had asked him what he wanted to eat. He kind of shrugged and said, "Whatever...". So I sighed and went to the kitchen to try and conjure up some magic. I wanted something easy and tasty but still a little challenging.

So I started with sliced onions, added some garlic, then went to grab some eggs. I spied the parsley and I decided to put some of those in too. Seasoned the eggs like my mom would, then scrambled it all together. The whole things still seemed too plain to me so i kind of let my eyes wander in the kitchen and that's when i saw the tortillas. Of course! Burritos!

So with that thought, I wiped the pan clean, toasted a few, added cheese, and rolled them up with the eggs. Added some salsa and breakfast was ready. Ever since then, this has been the hubb's favorite breakfast item. :)

To change it up, I sometimes use bacon... sometimes sausages... sometimes whatever deli meat we have on hand. Whatever the result, he's always happy to dig in whenever these burritos are served for breakfast. Now, if only I could get him to try some savory oatmeal...

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Hearty Breakfast Burritos
(makes 3 to 4 burritos)

1/2 small onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup protein of choice (bacon, sausage, etc...optional)
3 extra large eggs
1 tbsp milk
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil
shredded Mexican 4-cheese blend
flour tortillas
salsa, for serving

On a large skillet, drizzle some olive oil and saute onion and garlic until slightly browned. Add your protein of choice, if using, and cook until proteins are no longer raw. Drain any fat then remove from heat momentarily.

In a bowl or a glass measuring cup, combine egg, milk, parsley, and spices. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and beat together until well combined. Return skillet to heat and pour egg mixture over the contents of the pan. Let the eggs cook for up to a minute or until the bottom starts to set, then flip by sections. Repeat the flipping every few seconds until the eggs are firm but still moist. Remove from heat, transfer to a plate, and set aside.

Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and reduce heat to low. Place a tortilla on the skillet and toast, being careful not to let it burn. Turn the tortilla over and quickly sprinkle a handful of cheese on the top of the tortilla. Let sit for a few seconds to heat the cheese, then transfer to a plate. Top with a portion of the egg mixture then roll into burritos. Repeat for remaining egg mixture.

To serve, cut burritos diagonally in half and serve with salsa on the side.