Quinoa... Mexican style

Ughh... and again, it has been awhile. I'm adjusting to my new life as a "single" person. I vow to be better in 2012 about blogging all my recipes and life stories.

While I miss J terribly, one nice thing about his absence is my ability to eat whatever I want. For the most part, he embraces my adventurous side when it comes to dinner (and leftovers the next day). However, there are a few things that no matter what I do- he just doesn't like them. For example, red peppers. I've tried raw, grilled, roasted, sauteed and every other which way you can think of. Pretty much unless I chop them up so tiny that it would be an inconvenience for him to pick out- he won't CHOOSE to eat them. Other items include, but are not limited to: most fish (ie salmon), uncooked veggies (tomatoes, onions, etc.), and beans (although, he seems to be coming around to them in certain formats). I have learned that if I fry some of these things (think fried green tomatoes)- he will eat them. But, who doesn't love something deep-fried and dipped in ranch? Which brings me to my recipe...

I have a new found love for quinoa (J actually likes quinoa). As I struggle to overcome my aversion to rice, I've found that quinoa is a nice baby step (if not a total replacement) towards healthier grains. And seeing as Mexican is my favorite type of food... I thought- why not combine the two? Also, I needed something light and veggie laden to help my body recoop from all the cookies and crap I've eaten in the last few weeks. Here goes:

Mexican Quinoa
(pulled and adapted from Food.com)
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 roma tomatoes
1 jalapeno (I used a large can since my store was out)

1 onion (I used yellow, but red or green could be subbed)
1 can black beans, washed and drained
1/2 tsp cumin
Fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste (I used a ton because I love cilantro)

1 cup salsa (can use more or less if you prefer)
Lime juice (I used the juice from two limes because I'm a fan of lime)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Queso fresco (optional)
Cholula (optional and to taste)

Combine water and quinoa in pot. 

Bring water to a boil, then simmer until the rings inside the grain begin to appear and there is no additional water left.

Meanwhile, chop red pepper, onion, tomatoes, jalapenos and cilantro. Drain and rinse black beans. Add all these ingredients to the bowl. It will be a beautiful array of colors...

Add in cooked quinoa, lime juice, salsa, salt, pepper and cumin.

I serve mine with some shredded Cacique queso freso and Cholula hot sauce- because I'm a hot sauce fiend.

This Mexican Quinoa is great by itself as a salad ( like I ate it today) or as a side to another Mexican favorite like enchiladas or Masa cakes (see below photo).

Pumpkin Chili- Fall in a bowl!

Much to my husband's dismay I think, chili is one of my absolute favorite meals. I was trying to think of what I could make this year using pumpkin (another one of my favorite things that my husband isn't a fan of) and thought, "I bet someone somewhere made a recipe for pumpkin chili" and I was right!

I absolutely LOVED this! In true Sarah fashion, I did make some adjustments to the recipe based on my own personal taste preferences. One I would do differently next time would be to add more pumpkin- either pureed or cube some up and add to the veggie mixture. While you could certainly TASTE the pumpkin, I didn't think that it was nearly pumpkin-y enough! I'm not sure an entire second can would be needed, but a little more wouldn't hurt. I also added chicken broth- because it didn't seem liquid-y enough (and for a little more flavor)- and nutmeg- because I think nutmeg and pumpkin go so well together.

Pumpkin Chili

From: What's Cookin, Chicago?

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped 
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped (Note: I used both whole peppers, because who needs a half pepper?)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
2 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with jalepenos (Note: I used Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted tomatoes with green chiles)
1 14.5oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (Note: I did NOT drain these before adding them)
1 14.5oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen corn (Note: I used AT LEAST a cup.)
2 cups (1 14.5 ounce can) pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
cayenne pepper to taste
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Things I added:
Nutmeg to taste
Approx. 2 cups chicken broth




For serving:
fresh cilantro 
shredded Cheddar cheese 
sour cream 

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Saute the onion, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes.
When done, transfer mixture to a slow cooker. (Note: I didn't do this. I just cut up all the veggies and added them to the crock pot. Because really why saute them when you are going to put them in a crockpot for 4+ hours.)

In the same skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. When oil starts to shimmer, crumble in ground turkey, and brown, about 10 minutes. When done, transfer mixture into slow cooker. 

Add the tomatoes, beans, pumpkin, and corn. Season with chili powder, cumin, pepper, salt, and cayenne. (and nutmeg if you want)

Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours. 

To serve, garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese and sour cream, all to your tastes. (I thought the fresh cilantro was a GREAT finisher!)


I think this will make for a fantastic lunch today! :o) Enjoy!

Sriracha Mac 'n Cheese

For those of you who are unaware- I love hot sauce. I would even say that love is probably an understatement. I am obsessed with hot sauce- cholula, sriracha, franks... I love them all! So when The Sriracha Cookbook by Randy Clemens was released this past spring, of course I jumped at purchasing it!

Since I've purchased the book, I've made several recipes from it.... Chilaquiles, carne asada, gazpacho, pulled pork.. but one thing reigns about all others- the mac n cheese! The spiciness of the Sriracha mixed with the sharpness of the cheddar, sweetness of the nutmeg and the crunch from the bread crumb topping make this a fantastic fall meal! (Or any time of year meal for that matter- it just happens to be fall)

Baked Mac n' Cheese
8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
8 oz. elbow macaroni
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
1/4 all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried mustard
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 Sriracha
7 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (NOTE: I used 8oz. so I could just use the whole bag)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spritz a 2-qt. casserole dish (I used my 9x13 baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tbsp. of the butter. Add the bread crumbs, stirring gently. Turn off the heat, allow the bread crumbs to absorb the butter and reserve.

In a large stockpot, bring 2 qts. of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the macaroni noodles and stir. Cook until the noodles are just slightly undercooked.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the remaining 4 tbsp. of the butter in a large saucepan (I used my Wok) over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour, gradually. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add 1/2 cup of the milk while whisking until it is absorbed and thickened slightly. Then add the rest of the milk, followed by the cream. Add the salt, dried mustard, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Stir in the Sriracha. Gradually add the cheddar cheese while slowly whisking, one handful at a time. (NOTE: the recipe says only add 1 1/2 of the cups here and put the rest on top. I add all the cheddar into the sauce and put extra parmesan on the top.)

Once all the cheese has melted, toss in the cooked macaroni, coating the noodles with the cheese sauce. (NOTE: this will almost look like cheese soup with a little bit of noodles. This is OK- the cheese thickens while in the oven.) Transfer the noodles and sauce to the baking dish. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese (or in my case, just parmesan). Cover with an even layer of the buttered bread crumbs.

Bake, uncovered, until golden brown for 18-22 minutes.

I took this to a potluck on Friday night and it was a HUGE hit! It's great a for any size group of people and makes GREAT leftovers! The breadcrumbs aren't usually as crunchy the next day, but they are still tasty!

Tonight's menu?? Pumpkin chili! Mmmm! I am clearly on a Fall foods kick!

Weird.

Vernal, Utah is weird.

More power to J for being able to live there. It wasn't so much the small town feel that turned me off (I did spend four years of my life in Clarion, Pa. people) as the people and the weird dinosaur statues.

NOTE: Vernal is located about 30 or so miles from Dinosaur, Colo. so while the statues make sense, it doesn't make them any less creepy.
NOTE 2: I tried my hardest to take photos of said statues while driving along the "main drag" in Vernal. I failed to do so.

About 40 miles outside of Vernal is the Flaming Gorge- very cool! I cannot wait to check out this place more in the summer- when it is warmer and there are no hunters!

In other news, I am now 25 years old. What does that mean? Well, now I can rent my own car without paying an additional million bucks a day. That's pretty much it.

J bought me a new board which I had been subtly hinting at for months. By subtly, I of course mean telling him nearly every day that a new board for my birthday would be much appreciated. BEHOLD... the Never Summer Infinity:

Isn't she beautiful? A Basin opens tomorrow and I am ready for a kick ass winter! Me and my new buddy up there will have tons of fun! May be someday soon I'll get to take my new buddy to Telluride...

Also, I am participating in a Rugged Maniac race this weekend. Wish me luck... This may very well be my last blog entry before death... :o)

Change...

As the aspens begin to change... so has my life. It's been awhile since I've written- and that is mainly because of the HUGE life altering changes that have occurred in my life. Well ONE huge life altering change.

Jonathan has moved to Utah. Vernal, Utah. Vernal is 5.5 hours from Denver.

No we are not divorced, nor are we GETTING a divorce. But, he had an incredible job opportunity and we decided it made sense for him to take it. Being the long-distance relationship pros that we are, I am looking at this for what it is- temporary. He should be back in our house by this time in 2012.

Does it make the next 10-12 months of my life any easier? No.

But, it does give us a really great opportunity to explore the western part of Colorado and into the easter part of Utah- which I am very excited to do. (Did you know there is a place called Dinosaur, Colorado? Yep. There is.)

In the mean time- I will be residing in Denver, in the house that we own, with our dogs, just living life... cooking, reading a lot and working out.

As the cliche goes... when life hands you lemons, ask for a bottle of tequila! Or, may be it is make lemonade? I like the first option best. :o)

Love writes a letter and sends it to Hate...

In preparation for our trip to Pennsylvania in two weeks, I have been listening to some really great, meaningful music. I have to arrive in my hometown with the utmost optimism so as not to drown in the negativity that dwells in Western PA. Perhaps it is my own negativity about traveling to place the I chose to leave for a reason (or several) and the lack of "vacation" I have while actually there.


I have found "The Ballad of Love and Hate" by The Avett Brothers to be intoxicating and so truth felt. Aside from the fact that I am madly in love with Seth, I keep listening to it for the lyrics (Ok- may be his voice, too!).

http://youtu.be/1cTJV3HK-Xs

Love writes a letter and sends it to Hate:
"My vacation's ending, I'm coming home late
The weather was fine and the ocean was great
And I can't wait to see you again"

Hate reads the letter and throws it away
"No one here cares if you go or you stay
I barely even noticed that you were away
I'll see you or I won't, whatever"

Love sings a song as she sails through the sky
The water looks bluer through her pretty eyes
And everyone knows it whenever she flies
And also when she comes down

Hate keeps his head up and walks through the street
Every stranger and drifter he greets
And shakes hands with every loner he meets
With a serious look on his face

Love arrives safely with suitcase in toe
Carrying with her the good things we know
A reason to live and a reason to grow
To trust, to hold, to care

Hate sits alone on the hood of his car
Without much regard to the moon or the stars
Lazily killing the last of a jar
Of the strongest stuff you can drink

Love takes a taxi, a young man drives
As soon he sees her hope fills his eyes
But tears follow after at the end of the ride
Because he might never see her again

Hate gets home lucky to still be alive
He screams over the sidewalk and into the drive
The clock in the kitchen says two-fifty-five
And the clock in the kitchen is slow

Love has been waiting patient and kind
Just wanting a phone call or some kind of sign
That the one that she cares for who's out of his mind
Will make it back safe to her arms

Hate stumbles forward and leans in the door
Weary head hung down, eyes to the floor
He says, "Love, I'm sorry," and she says, "What for?
I'm yours and that's it, whatever
I should not have been gone for so long
I'm yours and that's it, forever
Your mine and that's it, forever"

A Mario Kart ending...

J and I have been playing in a beer-in-hand kickball league this summer (And last, too). For the last game of the season, most of the teams in the league dress up. Our team - I gave her my word I'd stop at third- decided that we would dress up as Mario Kart characters. Below is photographic proof of our debauchery... I'd like to think if they gave out medals- we'd get gold!

It was so much fun! While I am sad that we are sitting out the fall season, I truly welcome not drinking that much beer on Wednesday nights! It's exhausting!!!!