Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Tomato, Zucchini, Squash and Caramelized Onion Gratin

I found this recipe from the For the Love of Cooking Blog. I made it for dinner on Saturday night and everyone is still raving abou it.

Tomato, Zucchini, Squash and Caramelized Onion Gratin
• 6-7 large Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1 large zucchini (or 2 small ones), sliced
• 1 large yellow squash (or 2 small ones), sliced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 onions, sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, sliced very thin
• 1/4-1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 2-3 leaves of basil, chopped for garnish
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a large and deep baking dish (I used a large corning ware casserole dish) with olive oil cooking spray. Slice the zucchini, yellow squash, onion and tomatoes into thick slices.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot add the onion slices and sauté for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized- make sure you season with sea salt to taste. Add the garlic to the onions and sauté, stirring frequently for 60 seconds then remove from heat and let cool.
Layer the dish with first tomatoes then yellow squash, a bit of Parmesan then the layer of caramelized onions and garlic, then the zucchini and finally the last layer of tomatoes. I seasoned each layer (except the onions) with a little bit of sea salt and pepper. Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and sprinkle the dried basil on top and cover with a lid or tin foil.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the lid or tin foil and broil for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on top. Let cool for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Shredded Beef Tacos

It has been a really long time since I have posted anything new on the blog. I am going to try to be better about it.

Last night I made a new recipe for shredded beef tacos that I found off of the For the Love of Cooking Blog and we loved them. We will definitely be making these tacos again.

Shredded Beef Soft Tacos


2 lb lean chuck roast (trim most of the outside fat off)

•Cumin, to taste
•Chili powder, to taste
•Paprika, to taste
•Oregano, to taste
•Coriander, to taste
•Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
•2 cups of beef broth (plus more if needed)
•1 7 oz can of whole green chiles
•1 jalapeño, seeded, de-veined, and chopped
•6 cloves of garlic, minced

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Trim the outside fat off of the chuck roast. Season the chuck roast evenly with cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, coriander, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper on both sides of the roast. Place them beef in the hot Dutch oven for 2-3 minutes on each side to sear the meat. Add the beef broth, whole green chiles, jalapeno, cilantro, and minced garlic. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and place into the oven for 2-3 hours making sure to check each hour to make sure you don't need to add more broth. The beef is done when the meat is tender and shreds easily with a fork. Carefully, remove any fat that you see in the beef then shred the beef using a fork.


Other Ingredients:

•Small flour tortillas
•Refried beans, warmed
•Lettuce, shredded
•Extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
•Grape tomatoes, halved
•Green onions
•Cilantro
•Roasted tomato salsa
•Guacamole

Heat the refried beans. Place the tortillas in a damp cloth and microwave for 20 seconds to warm up. Spread a bit of refried beans down the center of the tortilla then add some shredded beef followed by lettuce, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Serve with salsa and guacamole. Enjoy!