I know I have talked of this briefly before... BUT... I've GOT to talk about it again! For those of you that don't watch The Walking Dead, you might want to skip to the next paragraph... for those of you that DO watch The Walking Dead..... are you as excited as I am about the new episode next Sunday? OMG... what's going to happen to Daryl? Yikes!! I read the comic, but Daryl is a character that is not in the comic, so I really have no clue how they are going to handle things with him..... and I adore him!! He is absolutely, hands down, my favorite character! I saw an extended preview of the rest of the season and they show Daryl once! I'm sure it's just to make us wonder and speculate, but geeeeez, Oooohhh... I so can't wait for Sunday!!
Ok...ok.... on to the recipe! This dish is comfort in a bowl... not much else needs to be said about it really. Although it may taste as if the sauce cooks all day, this can be thrown together even on a busy weeknight!
Mostaccioli with Tomato Pork Sauce
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 small sweet onion, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped
6 mini sweet peppers, stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped
10 oz Mostaccioli pasta
1/2 lbs Mexican chorizo
1/2 lbs ground pork
1 28oz can Cento Tomato Puree
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 small zucchini squash, sliced lengthwise then sliced
Directions:
Place the onion, jalapeno and mini peppers in a food processor and pulse until everything is finely chopped.
Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain and set aside.
In a deep non-stick skillet, over medium heat, add the chorizo; breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook for about 3 minutes. Add the ground pork; breaking that up with a wooden spoon also. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the veggies and cook until the meat is no longer pink and cooked through, about 3 more minutes. Pour off any excess grease and add the tomato puree, wine, sugar, salt and pepper; stirring to combine. Bring to a low simmer and allow to cook for 20 minutes. Add the thyme and zucchini and cook another 5-10 minutes or until the zucchini is cooked to your liking. Serve over mostaccioli and enjoy!
One Year Ago: A Belated Birthday Wish
Two Years Ago: Midnight Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting
Three Years Ago: Snickers Cookies
Although the weather has improved considerably over the last few days, we, here in the southwest desert, have been experiencing some pretty chilly conditions. Seriously, it was down into the 20's for a low.. why I understand that may be a common thing in Green Bay Wisconsin this time of year, it is quite a rarity in the Phoenix Metro area. I might not like going out in the colder weather, but I do enjoy when it hits, as I get to make more warming, comforting foods. Besides mac and cheese, chili is one of the favorites of those comforting foods.
So why the name firecracker? Well, I was having a hard time coming up with a name for the chili... and well.... it was spicy... and well... someone at work has nicknamed me Firecracker.......... I think you can put two and two together from there :)
Firecracker Chili
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, finely chopped
6 mini sweet peppers, finely chopped
1/3 lbs ground beef
1/2 lbs ground Mexican chorizo
1/4 lbs ground pork
1 12oz bottle Guinness
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 Tablespoons chili powder (I used 1 T regular and 2 T ancho chili powder)
1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Frank's hot sauce
1 8oz can tomato puree
1 Tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
1 cup chili beans
salt and pepper
Directions:
In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and turn the heat down to medium low. Saute 5-8 minutes, or until the onions are just starting to soften. Add the jalapenos and sweet pepper and saute 1 minute. Turn the heat back up to medium and add chorizo. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the pork and ground beef and cook until the meats are just cooked through and no longer pink. Another 5-8 minutes. Slowly stir in the beer and beef broth. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne and hot sauce and stir to combine. Stir in the tomato puree and bring the whole thing to a boil. Loosely cover and turn the heat to low. Allow the chili to simmer for at least 1 hour. Taste for seasoning. Stir in beans in the last 20 minutes. Add the tomato paste if the chili is too thin. Serve with cornbread (which I'll be posting on Friday) and Frito's. Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Two Years Ago: White Chocolate & Strawberry Muffins
Three Years Ago: Chicken & Basil Stir Fry
Sounds like a pretty fancy burger, doesn't it? Actually, Queso Fundido means "melted cheese" in Spanish.... so technically this is just a melted cheese burger. lol But it really is more than that. This burger not only has melted cheese, but it has beef AND chorizo AND chipotle... Whew.. there is a lot of flavor riding in these burger!!
Queso Fundido Burger
Adapted from Rick Bayless
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 lbs ground chuck
4 oz Mexican chorizo (ground, not dried)
1-2 Tablespoons chipotle puree (toss a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce into a food processor and puree)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 slices cheddar, American, or any kind of cheese of your liking
4 hamburger buns (I used King's Hawaiian sweet hamburger buns.. they're the BOMB!!!)
Lettuce/tomato (optional)
Chipotle Cheddar Tortilla Strips (optional)
Directions:
In a large bowl, using your hands, mix together the ground beef, chorizo, chipotle puree, salt and pepper, until just combined. Form into four patties and place on plate to rest.
Preheat grill to 375-400 degrees F. Clean and oil grill grates. Place the burgers over direct heat and grill for 5-8 minutes, flip and continue to grill until the burger is done to your like, at least another 3-5 minutes. Place 1 slice of cheese on each patty about 2 minutes before you are ready to remove from grill. Allow the cheese to melt and remove and let rest for 3 minutes. Build your burger however you would like, but I do recommend the tortilla strips.. they really add a nice crunch to the burger! Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Grilled Tilapia with Garlic Parsley Aioli
Two Years Ago: Raspberry Chipotle Chicken
I know, I know, it's not the best name for a recipe, but sometimes coming up with a name is not the easiest. And chorizo beef pasta didn't sound any better... so last minute idea pasta is what you got. Why? Because it truly was a last minute idea. I had a little chorizo left and a little bit of ground beef and pasta. Not much to go with, but I wanted to make SOMETHING for dinner that night. I got home pretty late from work and didn't want to spend a lot of time thinking about dinner. I just knew I was hungry and didn't want to eat a frozen dinner. So this dish was invented... simple the easiest degree. Feel free to kick it up with any additions you may enjoy... this can be your canvas :)
Last Minute Idea Pasta
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
8-10oz penne pasta
1/2 lb ground chorizo
1/4 lbs ground beef
1 red pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups Cherubs tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup sour cream
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, over medium high heat, cook the chorizo for about 4 minutes; stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef and continue stirring and cooking another 6 minutes. Add the red pepper and tomatoes and continue to cook another 3-4 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat and stir in the pasta. If things are too dry, add a little pasta water until you get the right consistency. Remove from heat and serve. Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Lemony Shrimp Pasta
Two Years Ago: Sweet Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Just the other day I was complaining about the excessive heat we have been experiencing. Had I just waiting a few more days, I would have actually not had a thing to complain about. This weekend was so lovely - spotted with thunderstorms and cooler temperatures (at one point on Saturday night I saw it was 75 degrees!!!) - I feel sort of bad about spewing my displeasure about how miserable it has been. But only sort of.. it's July, I live in the desert, I have lived here for enough years now to know to enjoy it while you can...the break doesn't last :)
Well, enough about the weather, let's talk food! I love it when one ingredient in a dish has enough flavor in it to carry the entire dish. No extra spices, no extra ingredients... just everything in it's finest, purest form. That is what a good chorizo can bring to any dish!
Chorizo and Shrimp Pasta
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
10-12oz penne pasta
1/2 lbs ground Mexican chorizo
12 medium raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
20 cherubs or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 oz goat cheese
fresh basil leaves (optional)
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water; set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat, add the chorizo. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp and roasted red peppers and cook another 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. Remove from heat and stir in the goat cheese until it has melted. Pour in the cooked pasta and toss to combine. Stir in reserved pasta water if needed to thin everything out. Serve immediately and enjoy!
One Year Ago: Grilled Pineapple Pound Cake Delight
Two Years Ago: Spaghetti with Hot Italian Sausage
If you've followed my blog for a while, you know of my friend Ruben and the amazing chorizo that he brings me from time to time. Last time he ventured out, he brought me back 5 pounds of this red gold - I now have 2 pounds left - well, one pound now that I've made this (ok, I am only using 1/2 a pound here, so come back tomorrow and see what I do with the other 1/2). THAT, my friends, is a show of pure self control!! Trust me, I could have easily used all 5 pounds within the first week or two of receiving it - but I wanted this to last - it's just that good.
ANYWAY, so it's been a while since I've made anything with Chorizo - last week I was going through our freezer when I saw those last two pounds just staring at me. It WANTED to be used, I swear, so how could I deny it what it wanted, right???
It's also been a while since I've made a pizza - guess it was just meant to be.
Chicken and Chorizo Grilled Pizza
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 lbs ground Mexican chorizo
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 jalapeno, sliced (seeds removed if you wish)
1/2 red pepper, chopped
fresh ball of pizza dough (10-12 inch)
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup pizza sauce
2 cups shredded jalapeno pepper jack cheese
Directions:
In a skillet, over medium heat, add the chorizo. Allow to cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and cook another 5-8 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Add the jalapeno and red pepper and cook another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Preheat grill to 400 degrees F. Stretch dough and place on a piece of aluminum foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil if desired and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to grill (I leave my dough on the aluminum foil, makes it easier to handle) over direct heat and grill for 3-4 minutes or until the bottom is a light golden brown. Remove from grill using a baking sheet. Flip dough over and cover with pizza sauce, the chorizo and chicken mixture, and finally top with the shredded cheese. Place back on grill for 2-3 minutes over direct heat and then move to indirect heat until the cheese has melted, another 3-5 minutes. Carefully remove from grill and allow to cool a few minutes. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Mediterranean Steaks
Two Years Ago: Not Quite Heinz 57 Marinade for Steaks
That's right: EASY! I mean really, really, really easy. Like so easy a caveman could do it... oh wait, if I say that do I have to pay GEICO a royalty fee? Crap... ok, well it's easy, let's just leave it at that.
I used another pound of the chorizo Ruben brought me... I only have 3 pounds left.. I will use those very sparingly....trust me! It's like gold.. but in a meat version!
Easy Chorizo Mac
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
10oz elbow macaroni
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 shallot, finely minced
1 lbs chorizo
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes, partially drained
1/4 cup sour cream
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water; set aside.
In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and reduce heat to medium low. Allow the shallot to cook for 5-8 minutes or until they are soft and translucent; stirring occasionally. Add the chorizo to the skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes or until most of the grease has absorbed. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes; stirring occasionally. Stir in the sour cream and allow to cook another minute. if the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time until it reaches the right consistency for you. Remove from heat and toss in pasta. Serve immediately.. although it was even better the next day. Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Chipotle Guacamole Rice
Two Years Ago: Baked Teriyaki Fish
My wonderful and utterly amazing life-saving friend Ruben brought me a wonderful little gift a couple of weeks ago. FIVE.. that's right 5... pounds of the most delicious ground Mexican chorizo I have ever had! (I so owe him some vanilla bean sugar cookies!) For those of you that follow me pretty regularly, you might remember me speaking of this chorizo and how it has made me a chorizo snob. No other chorizo I can find matches it... not even close! So, you can imagine my surprise and complete joy when he handed me, not just one, but 5.. count them... 1..2..3..4...5... FIVE POUNDS OF CHORIZO!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Anyway, now my dilemma is, how to use it. (and of course, how not to use it so it will last) My first idea: Chorizo empanadas. I made empanadas for the first time, just shortly after starting my blog started and I've been wanting to make more... I just love those little pockets filled with meat! And speaking of meat filling..... Oh yea.. the filling... spicy, creamy, flavorful... enough said!
Chorizo Empanadas
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
3/4 lbs. ground chorizo
1/4 sweet onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoons cream cheese
1/4-1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 package pie crust (containing 2 shells)
1-2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Directions:
In a skillet, over medium heat, add the chorizo. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked all the way through, about 5-10 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate. Remove all but 1 Tablespoon of the grease and add the onion (reduce temp to medium low if needed). Cook onions until translucent and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the jalapeno and sweet pepper and cook another 4 minutes. Return the chorizo to the pan and stir in the cream cheese until it's melted. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese. Remove from heat.
Unroll pie crust shells and cut out rounds, using a 3 or 4-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed. Repeat procedure with remaining pie crusts. Arrange 1 round on a clean surface and brush the edges lightly with water. Drop a heaping tablespoon full of the filling onto the rounds and fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with remaining rounds and chorizo mixture. Brush with melted butter.
Bake at 400 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting into them (filling will be hot). Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Creamy Lime Guacamole
Two Years Ago: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
First, I have to say this.... My friend Ruben has spoiled my chorizo experience!! Back in September you might remember my post for Terrific Man Tacos - Chorizo Style, where I told you about him bringing me the most amazing chorizo I have ever had - well - thanks to him, the standard chorizo I find at the grocery store has taken on this ... this... well, unsatisfying flavor. It lacks the luster that the chorizo he brought me had. So now, when I make meals that have chorizo in it - they are good, but I know they could be so much better!! (Thanks a lot Rube!!! lol)
Take this meal for instance - it was good - but it could have been soooooooo much better!! It might not look like much, but it's a simple little meal packed with a lot of flavor. I saw this recipe in my Food and Wine Magazine and knew I had to make it. I mean bacon AND chorizo?? Yea, how could you go wrong there??? The original recipe called for using chicken thighs and I think they would have worked better than the chicken breasts, but Chris is not a fan of dark meat, so I did my best. If you don't have an aversion to dark meat, I highly recommend trying it with that. Either way, it's a simple little dish that I think you will enjoy!
(P.S.. If you've been having problems commenting over the past few posts, I apologize - there seems to be a problem with blogger - I believe I have fixed the issue, but if you find you are still having problems, please email me and let me know! Thanks!)
Chicken Alambre
Adapted from Food and Wine
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
6 strips of bacon, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
6 oz fresh chorizo, casings removed if necessary and meat crumbled
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into strips
4 oz queso fresco
Rice (cooked - Spanish or plain)
Flour Tortillas
Avocado, sliced
Salsa (optional)
Directions:
In a skillet, over medium heat, add the bacon. Cook until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel liked plate. Add the onion to the skillet and turn heat down to medium low. Saute the onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chorizo and the chicken and cook about 8 minutes. Add the peppers and cook another 3 minutes or until the chicken and chorizo are cooked through. Scatter the cheese over the top and stir until it starts to melt. Remove from heat.
Place tortilla on a plate, top with rice and spoon on chicken mixture. Top with avocado and salsa. Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Two Years Ago: Bacon-Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Wanna know the key to the creamiest mac and cheese EVER? Evaporated milk! Yep.. that's right... oh.. and eggs. Yep, those two very simple ingredients make the standard old mac and cheese that much more creamier and decadent! Unfortunately, I may never make mac and cheese another way again, but that's neither here nor there. For now, just trust me that this is one killer mac and cheese recipe.
This would have been perfect just by itself...but you know me, I'm never satisfied, I needed to make it be that much more. So for a little kick, I added chorizo and some Cholula hot sauce. How can you really go wrong there, right?
***Remember, today is the last day to enter the cookbook giveaway - Click HERE for details. Winners will be announced Monday morning. Good luck!***
Stove Top Chorizo Mac & Cheese
Adapted from Alton Brown
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
8 oz whole grain penne pasta
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
6 oz evaporated milk
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I used Chili Garlic Cholula)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 red sweet pepper, diced
1/2 lb. Mexican ground chorizo, cooked
Directions:
Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain. Add butter to bottom of the same pot and put the pasta back into it; tossing to coat.
Whisk together the egg, evaporated milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and dry mustard until well combined. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Continue to cook over low heat until the cheese has melted. Add the pepper and cooked chorizo and toss to combine. Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Creamy Chipotle Cheddar Chicken
So, I'm taking a few days off to spend some time with my family!! (YAY!!!) I'm SO excited!! Unfortunately, for you though, it means I will be MIA until at least Wednesday. Fortunately, for you though, I am leaving you with one of the best meals we've had in a while.
Some of you might remember last year when Chris and I went to Oklahoma and I learned how to make Terrific Man Tacos. Basically, I learned how to make grilled tacos!! For some reason, since that time, I have not made them again. Silly, I know. So, when my friend from work, Ruben, brought me some of the most amazing chorizo I have ever had, I knew I needed to revisit the terrific man taco idea.
Let me give you a bit of background on the chorizo. This chorizo is extra special because my friend Ruben grew up eating it. To me, that means more than the fact that it was pretty kick ass. It's something from a friends past that they enjoyed and that means a lot to me. His mother used to either cook it by itself with some onions, or she would cook it and then mix it with potatoes. Either way would be wonderful, I'm sure, but today, we are focusing on making them into tasty grilled tacos! This chorizo is actually made at Leo's Grocery store in Superior, AZ. People drive from everywhere to buy it so they have started packaging it in 1lbs. packages and freezing it. And this, my friends, is how Ruben gifted me this wonderful pound package that turned into one of the most delicious meals we've had in a while!! (Thank you Rube!!!)
Besides how wonderful tasting this chorizo was, I LOVED the way that it looked. You could actually see the peppers and spices speckled through it. It was gorgeous!! Now, most of you cannot get your hands on this fantastic protein, but that's ok, you can easily substitute regular chorizo. It's not going to be AS fabulous, but I promise, you will not be disappointed!
Terrific Man Tacos - Chorizo Style
Adapted from Eddie Canterbury
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 lbs chorizo
1/2 can of refried beans (16oz can)
1 avocado, sliced
crumbled queso fresco cheese (as much as you want)
shredded Mexican cheese mix
8-10 white corn tortillas (8-10")
olive oil
For the Mango Salsa -
1 mango, cut into chunks
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 Tablespoon finely diced onion or shallots
1 Tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro leaves
garlic salt, to taste
lime juice, to taste
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together for the salsa. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
In a skillet over medium heat, add the chorizo. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until chorizo is cooked through. Remove from heat and drain if desired.
Preheat grill to 325 degrees. Brush each tortilla with oil on both sides. Spread a layer of refried beans on the tortilla and top with avocado slices on one half of the tortilla. Add the chorizo and queso fresco on the same side. Now cover entire tortilla with shredded cheese. Do not fold at this time, leave them flat.
Place the tortillas directly on the grill grate and let cook 2-3 minutes. When the tortilla becomes flexible, carefully fold up the cheese side only to create a taco (I used tongs and a spatula). Continue to cook until both sides of the taco or golden brown. Carefully remove from grill. Serve with mango salsa and enjoy!
One Year Ago: Spicy Thai Pork Chops with Coconut Rice
I know this might make anyone from my Italian heritage cringe, but, I must admit, I would rather have chorizo with my pasta than Italian sausage. (WHAT DID I JUST SAY??? I think my Italian grandparents are rolling over in their graves right now...sorry!!) Don't get me wrong, I love, love, LOVE Italian sausage (sweet, spicy, mild, whatever) it's just that chorizo has found a very special place in my heart.... er, stomach I should say. And, let me be the first to say, although it goes so well with so many things, it really pairs nicely with pasta!
The original recipe that sparked the idea for this was from Guy Fieri. I saw his recipe for Chipotle Pasta and knew I was going to have to figure out a way to put some sort of spin on it to make it my own. I think this is a great way to enjoy Guy's pasta without all the guilt.
Chorizo Chipotle Pasta
Created by Jenn's Food Journey, Inspired by Guy Fieri
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
12 oz whole grain penne pasta
3 Tablespoons sour cream
1 Tablespoons chipotle puree
3/4 pound ground Mexican chorizo (or use links and remove casing)
1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
12 large frozen shrimp (thawed and tails removed)
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and chipotle; set aside.
In a skillet, over medium heat, add the chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper and cook another 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add the sour cream mixture and stir to combine. Toss in the cooked pasta. Taste for seasoning. Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Beer Brined Pork Chops with Cheddar
So I had this idea in my head to make chorizo burgers of some kind for a few weeks now. Once I finally had all the ingredients in front of me, it was really just a matter of choice: Do I make big ol' burgers out of these, are do I go for the more bite size fun sliders? After talking to Chris, the decision was easily made - sliders it would be.
Now our sliders were simple, a small slice of tomato, lettuce, a little cheese. But, the piéce de résistance was the chipotle mayo. It complemented the spice of the chorizo extremely well. It was almost as if they were born to be together!
I like to use Hawaiian sweet bread rolls for our sliders, but you can use your favorite slider roll, it's not going to matter, you just need to make these. There, I said it :)
Chorizo Sliders with Chipotle Mayonnaise
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
3/4 lb pork chorizo
1/2 lb ground pork
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon chipotle puree
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
cheese
lettuce
sliced tomato
slider buns
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together the chorizo and ground pork until very well combined. From small patties - I made about 15 patties, approximately 3-inches in diameter. No need to season these, the chorizo has plenty of flavor, trust me.
In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, chipotle puree, and lime juice. Set aside.
Preheat grill to 375 degrees F. Place chorizo patties directly over the fire and grill about 5-6 minutes per side. Top with cheese and grill until cheese is melted. Remove from grill and allow to rest for 4 minutes. Build your slider by slathering both sides of the buns with the chipotle may, top with slider, lettuce, and tomato. Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Lemon Dill Tilapia
Sometimes I forget to get certain ingredients at the store. There, I said it! Actually, sometimes I forget to write down the amount of an ingredient I need and I end up not having enough. Take this recipe for instance. The original recipe, from Chris at Nibble Me This, has a cheese sauce made with milk and cheese (obviously). So I picked milk up at the store and thought I was covered. Except, I was making something else (Simple Fudge Ripple Ice Cream) that needed milk and I only got enough for that recipe. So, when I went to make this dish, I realized, a little to late, that I did not have all the ingredients to make this dish. - Sigh -
Did I let that defeat me? For those that know me well enough, you know that would not happen. So I, of course, decided to improvise. I had some goat cheese that needed to be used and I did still have the sour cream that the recipe called for... so I figured out a way to work with what I had instead of scraping the whole meal altogether.
I'm so glad I did because this pasta was amazing. Probably one of my favorites in a long time. But, I'll be honest with you, this pasta really can bite you back, so be careful. If you are afraid of the heat, cut back on the jalapenos. If you aren't, well, then by all means, enjoy this dish......and believe me, you will!
Bite You Back Pasta
Adapted from Nibble Me This
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
13oz whole grain penne pasta
1/2 lb ground chorizo
1 jalapeno, roughly chopped (I left the seeds in.. I like living dangerously!)
1 red sweet pepper, seeds removed and roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon homemade taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 oz goat cheese
2 Tablespoons sour cream
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
In a large, deep skillet, cook the chorizo over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the jalapeno and sweet pepper. Cook another 3-4 minutes or until the chorizo is cooked through. Add the garlic, taco seasoning, and oregano. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add the goat cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Stir in the sour cream. Remove from heat, add the drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little pasta water. Transfer to plates or bowls and enjoy!
One Year Ago: Chipotle Fish Packets
I found some Naan flatbread at the store the other day and thought how wonderful it would be to use them as little pizza crusts. It would be a simple way to throw together little personal pizzas on a busy week night. There would be no kneading or stretching involved. (YAY!) Brush them with a little olive oil, throw them on the grill... top them... now you are ready to eat. With the busy schedule I've had lately, this came in quite handy, let me tell you. The naan I picked up was garlic flavor too, so there was no need to even season the "crusts". Simple.
And if you don't like the toppings I used, not a problem, top these little babies however you want. I promise to not be offended :)
Chorizo and Shrimp Naan Pizzas
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
2 Naan (mine were garlic flavored)
olive oil
1/2 lb ground chorizo, cooked
6 medium sized shrimp, cooked and roughly chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
4oz goat cheese (or more if desired)
1/2 - 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
Directions:
Preheat grill to 350 degrees F. Brush both sides of the naan with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Place the naan over the fire and allow to grill about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from grill.
Brush more olive oil on the grilled side of the naan. Top with goat cheese (I spread a little and then dolloped a little), chorizo, shrimp, tomatoes, and then the monterey jack cheese. Place back on the grill (make sure to cover the grill or the cheese won't melt... I helped mine along by putting an aluminum foil tent over the pizzas) and grill another 3-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the bottom are golden brown. Remove from grill and enjoy!
One Year Ago: Hot Honeyed Grilled Chicken
I am so proud of this dish. Why am I so proud, you ask? Because this is the first dish that Chris and I created together. (aaawwwwwhhhh!!!) I know I tell you all the time that when I ask Chris what he wants for dinner, I very rarely get suggestions. BUT, I caught him early in the morning, before he had eaten anything at all and this was the meal that we came up with. It was great to actually sit there and bounce some ideas off of each other and to have him actually participate instead of just "yea, that sounds good". So thank you Chris :)
Simple and versatile, this dish can be made with all sorts of varieties of fillings. You can add beans, you can add chicken, you can leave out the rice, you can use regular sour cream and make your own guacamole. The idea is that your tortilla is a canvas and you can paint whatever you want on it. Both Chris and I wanted something with chorizo again, so that is why we came up with this idea. You could use ground beef with some taco seasonings too...that would be a very good substitute if you don't like chorizo. Get the whole family involved in this meal....it's even easy enough for a week night meal.
Chorizo and Shrimp Wraps
Created by Jenn and Chris
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
1 3/4 cup chicken broth or water
1 Tablespoon Crema Mexicana
2 teaspoons Sriracha
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 lbs ground chorizo
15 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Queso Fresco cheese
1/2 avocado, chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
small or medium sized flour tortillas
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the rice and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed, and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes and then fluff with fork.
In a small bowl mix together the Crema Mexicana and Sriracha; set aside.
In a large skillet, add the chorizo and cook over medium high heat for 6 minutes. Drain any access grease. Add the jalapeno and cook for 2 minutes. Add the yellow pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink and are heated all the way through.
Warm the tortillas if you desire, then top with rice, then the chorizo/shrimp mixture. Drizzle some sriracha crema over top, crumble some queso fresco, top with chopped tomatoes and avocado.......and Enjoy!
One Year Ago: Murphy's Hot Hamburger
I tend to get on ingredient/flavor kicks - One week it might be Asian flavors, one week it might be all things pasta, one week it might be goat cheese, and one week it might be chorizo. I don't think this is a bad thing at all. It's just a fact.
Lately, my ingredient kick has been chorizo. At this point in my life, I actually prefer good chorizo over ground beef. I mean the flavor packed chorizo makes plain old beef look like ... well... it makes it look very plain. I know, real rocket science there, huh?
Anyway, I've done a lot with chorizo lately. I've made a pasta dish, I've made a side dish, I've made an egg dish, and I've even made a damn good chili. All using chorizo as the main star in the dish. The one thing I still hadn't used it on: Pizza!
Well, the other day I noticed that not only did I have a pound of chorizo in the freezer, but I also had a ball of pizza dough that needed to be used. Hhmmmmm....and the chorizo and goat cheese pizza was born!! Although I have still not perfected the pizza dough stretching part of my pizza making, this pizza was killer! I'd say it was my favorite pizza that I have made since starting this blog! The creaminess of the goat cheese mixed with the spicy, flavorful kick of the chorizo was just heaven!
I kept this pizza very simple. I just think that the chorizo lends so much flavor by itself, that to add too many more toppings would just take away from it. Feel free to cut back on the chorizo, or add more veggies, or use a different cheese altogether (I'd suggest using a queso fresco)...the point being, it's your pizza, build it your way!
Chorizo and Goat Cheese Pizza
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 ball of dough
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup perfect pizza sauce
1 red pepper, chopped
3/4 lbs pork or beef ground chorizo
4 oz goat cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Preheat grill to 450 degrees F.
In a skillet over medium heat, add the chorizo. Break the meat up with a wooden spoon and allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through. Remove from the heat, drain, and set aside.
On a slightly floured surface, form the dough. (Mine always ends up more rectangular than round.) Brush both sides of the dough with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the dough on a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet large enough to hold the pizza. Spray the aluminum foil with non-stick spray. Slide the foil off of the baking sheet and directly onto the grill. Lower the heat to low and close the lid. Allow to cook for 5-8 minutes, rotating once, or until the bottom is nicely browned. Slide foil back onto the baking sheet. Flip the dough over and start layering your toppings. Spoon the sauce on and spread it out. Add the cooked chorizo, than the peppers. Crumble or dollop the goat cheese on, than top with mozzarella. Slide the foil back onto the grill, close the lid, and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Enjoy!
***Baking method: Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place a pizza stone on the lower third of the oven and allow to heat for at least 15 minutes. Form dough and add tops as above. Place on the pizza stone and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the dough is cooked through.
One Year Ago: Buttermilk Marinated Pork Chops with South Carolina Mustard Sauce
