Burrito Bowl

So here is Part Two from last weeks Guacamole Post. The flavors of this recipe is definitely on point, I feel it tasted exactly like a Chipotle Burrito Bowl (Just wish I cooked the rice a little better). I guess really the only thing is convenience, it's a lot easier to just go buy a Burrito Bowl at Chipotle. I think where this recipe would shine is if you had a party or if you have a larger family and you could have people build their own burrito bowls.

One thing that I did learn though is a really easy substitute for Chipotles in Adobo. Me being the bone head I am, forgot to grab a can for this recipe. So I did a little googling to find this substitute that worked out really nice. You simply mix 1 Tbsp Ketchup, 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika, 1/2 tsp Cayenne Powder, 1/2 tsp Cumin, and a pinch of oregano. It worked surprisingly well! Permanent substitute? No, but an easy fix with some common household ingredients for sure. On to the recipe!

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Burrito Bowls

Prep time: 1hr | Cook time: 30min | Total time: 1hr30min | Yield: 4 portions

Ingredients

For the Chicken

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

For the Rice

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 cup white basmati rice
2 cups water
1 lime, juiced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
kosher salt to taste

For the Toppings

1 cup black beans, warmed
1 cup charred corn (canned or frozen), warmed
1 each red and green pepper, julienned and sauteed
1 cup guacamole
1 cup pico de gallo, or salsa of your choosing
1 cup monterey jack cheese, finely shredded

Cooking Directions

For the Chicken

1. Combine the vegetable oil, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, and black pepper in a small bowl, stir to combine.
2. Place the chicken in a large zip top plastic bag and add the marinade. Zip the bag and mix the chicken into the marinade. Place in the fridge and let it marinate for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat a large saute pan or outdoor grill to medium high heat. Place the chicken on the cooking surface and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reads 165F. Remove chicken and let rest for 10 min. Chop the chicken into small bit sized pieces and use as needed.

For the Rice

1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the white rice and lime juice and saute for 60 seconds to toast the rice.
2. Add the water and bring the rice to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and all the water is absorbed.
3. Add in the cilantro and fluff the rice with a fork.

To Assemble

1. Arrange equal parts of the white rice and chopped chicken in 4 bowls. Top with equal parts of the black beans, corn, guacamole, fajita peppers, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper as needed and serve immediately.

**Note: I sauteed the peppers in the same pan as the chicken to pick up some of the marinade flavors**

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Cooking your meats to the perfect temperature is crucial not only from a food safety stand point, but from flavor and tenderness stand point as well. Make sure you cook your chicken, like in this recipe to 165F. The best way to accurately monitor the internal temperature of your meats is by using a Thermapen MK4. They are the most durable, accurate, fast, and reliable thermometer on the market. These are a kitchen MUST HAVE! Go buy yourself a Thermapen MK4 today!

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Banana Bread

Thanksgiving has come and gone (hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving!) and I don't know about you, but we have been having a pretty mild late fall compared to other years. This is going to be our first Christmas in the new house so we were super excited to start decorating it for the holidays. I think we did a pretty good job, don't you think??

A few days ago we finally got our first snow, and it was actually a significant snow, probably about 4 inches. One of my favorite things on a snowy day, besides soup, is some kind of homemade bread...especially banana bread. There is something just so comforting about it, especially when it is still a little warm. My mom would make us banana bread all the time and we would always fight over the end pieces (because those are the best!). Luckily I don't have anybody to fight over the end pieces with so they are all mine :)

This is a pretty standard banana bread recipe and it's super easy. It's also nice that it doesn't require a lot of ingredients, I actually wasn't even planning on making it, but I had all the ingredients already and some over ripened bananas that I was probably just going to throw away, so I made some. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments, it's definitely a winner in my book!

Banana Bread

Prep time: 15m | Cook time: 1h 5m | Total time: 1h 20m | Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cup overripe bananas, mashed

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

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Stuffed Pepper

I know I know...."Eric where have you been?!" I am sorry, my blogging absence has been inexcusable! But, there has been a lot of new, life milestones happening lately...like...ohh....you know...BUYING A HOUSE!! Holy cow, talk about stressful! Not only was it the normal stress' of buying a house, but being a commissioned salesman takes it to a whole new level when they only accept 28.5% of your annual salary. But, it's in the rear view mirror now, we are moved in, and now just trying to make it feel like home. 

Stuffed Peppers has been a staple in my family for years, my mom makes them all the time. Quite honestly I was never a big fan of stuffed peppers, not because they weren't good...I just didn't have a taste for them. So it kind of surprised me when they sounded really really good to me the other day. This is a fantastic summer recipe, because bell peppers are awesome this time of year and it's just a dish that is easy, doesn't cost a lot, and is a dish that can be enjoyed with family and friends out on the patio. I also feel this recipe would be fantastic on the grill....over indirect heat (I'll try this whenever I get a grill). Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked long grain brown rice
2 cups water
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 pound hot Italian pork sausage, casing removed
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
4 large red bell peppers, tops removed and seeded
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 Cup mozzarella, shredded

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the cooked rice aside.
3. Cook onion and olive oil over medium heat until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer half of cooked onion to a large bowl and set aside.
4. Stir tomato sauce, beef broth, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes into the skillet; cook and stir for 1 minute.
5. Pour tomato sauce mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
6. Combine ground beef, Italian sausage, diced tomatoes, Italian parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper into bowl with reserved onions; mix well. Stir in cooked rice and Parmigiano Reggiano. Stuff red bell peppers with beef and sausage mixture.
7. Place stuffed red bell peppers in the baking dish over tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
8. Remove aluminum foil and top each pepper with mozzarella cheese. Bake until the meat is no longer pink, the red peppers are tender and the cheese is browned on top, an addition 20 to 25 minutes.

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