I’ve worked on this recipe for a couple years now and while I’m always tweaking it, this version is the newest and so far the best. It’s even boyfriend-approved, which is tough when you’re dating a chili connoisseur. I don’t mess around when it comes to comfort foods and let me tell you, this is one delicious dish.

What I really love about it is how easy it is! All you need are basic knife skills for the onion and garlic and patience for the slowly developing flavors. The base of the chili is salsa — I normally get the store-bought stuff, but if you have a great salsa recipe, by all means use it! I suggest using a salsa you’ve tried before so you know how spicy it’ll be. You might notice that this is a big recipe … that’s because it’s ten times better the day after and I always want to make sure I have leftovers.

Almost-From-Scratch Chili

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Approximately 15 portions

Ingredients:

• 2.5 pounds lean ground beef
• 2.5 cups diced onion
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 (16-ounce) cans kidney, pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
• 6.5 cups salsa, homemade or store bought
• 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles, drained
• 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 5 teaspoons chili powder
• 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup chicken stock or water
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• salt, to taste
• shredded cheddar cheese
• tortilla chips

Brown and drain the ground beef in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the beans, salsa, chiles, tomatoes, chili powder and cumin. Add enough chicken stock/water to get the desired thickness. Stir in the brown sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, at least 1 hour. Check for seasoning (although you shouldn’t need much salt at all). Garnish each portion with lightly crumbled tortilla chips and cheese and, most importantly, enjoy!

Ever since I was introduced to quinoa through the fantastic zucchini quinoa dish, I’ve been looking for more ways to incorporate it. Deb’s pesto quinoa recipe is quite good as well, but I came to a (rather late) realization recently: The quinoa doesn’t have to be the main event. Luke suggested a burrito night, so I decided to try quinoa in it instead of rice.

Luke thought this sounded disgusting, so he wanted no part of it. I, however, thought it was a brilliant idea. I love rice, but that’s my problem: I love rice. I can’t stop eating it. Any time we get Chinese food, I can’t stop until I’m on the couch, clutching my expanding stomach and moaning, “Why did you let me eat all that?” I ignore the answer of, “Because you’re an adult who should know better,” and search around for any food that I missed.

So having quinoa in place of the rice should solve my biggest problem. The rice won’t expand in my stomach, and instead of the zero nutritional value of white rice, I’ll get some extra protein from the quinoa. It’s a win-win, right? Luke certainly didn’t think so, but he was totally wrong.

I made my burrito: quinoa, black beans, avocado, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream and salsa, and it was delicious. Sure, not as good as Chipotle, but nothing is. It was, however, the best burrito I’ve ever made at home. And, yes, I may have had two, but I didn’t end up writhing around on the couch, so I consider it a success.

I love chili. Just ask my parents. They like to tell the story about how I used to eat chili when I was a wee little boy of two years old. To this day I still love chili in just about all its forms: Texas chili, vegetarian chili, white chili — it’s all good. I always go back and forth on what to serve with chili, though. I’m not talking about condiments, that’s not hard. You have the standard cheese, green onions, sour cream, maybe some chopped cilantro. No fuss, no muss. No, things become a little more difficult when you start talking about the bread to serve with it, if you serve bread at all.

As I see it there are three fairly common accompaniments:

• Bread: With chili, I like a nice fresh sourdough. It has enough flavor to stand on its own, but can also be dipped into the rich spicy chili while you’re waiting for it to cool. It doesn’t have to be sourdough, but when I’m eating chili with bread, it definitely has to be crusty. The crustier the bread, the better. I find that the crisp crust of the bread adds a welcome texture contrast to the chili.

• Corn Bread: Corn bread is another popular partner for chili. For some reason, I never think to serve corn bread when I have chili. I think at the end of the day, I just want something that I can dip into the stew. Even though you can’t really do that with corn bread, it does have something to offer. The sweetness of the corn bread is a nice contrast to spicy chili and can help balance out the palate.

• Corn Chips: I really love blue corn chips with chili. It’s usually what I serve with the spicy stew. Chips give you great eating options. You can scoop up the chili and eat it with the chips, you can just dip the chips in the piping hot broth, or you can just eat them separately for a salty change of pace. I usually opt for the blue corn variety because I love the added dimension of flavor that the blue corn adds.

I know chili is one of those dishes that people feel passionate about. Everyone has their favorite recipe and favorite way of eating it. I know someone who swears that chili is best if you freeze it overnight and then thaw it out. So, what do you like to serve with your chili?

It’s that kind of week, and my crock pot is working overtime. I was getting a little tired of our old recipes, so I’ve branched out and tried a couple of new ones.

In the past, I’ve avoided chicken breasts in the crock pot because of texture issues. I’ve found that they become gross and stringy and immensely unpalatable. So the only reason I attempted this chicken and corn chili recipe was because I had the ingredients and I like chili. That’s not entirely true; I figured since you shredded the chicken once it was cooked that any texture issues would become obsolete.

The texture of the chicken was fine (although I’d definitely try this recipe with ground chicken or turkey too) but what really made the texture special for me was the addition of the corn. The rest of the ingredients were like any good chili: a bit mushy. The corn added a nice pop that broke up the texture of the softer ingredients. I love contrast.

I didn’t change a whole lot of things as I made this recipe. I used my Better Than Bouillon veggie base and water in place of the low sodium chicken broth, and replaced the jalepeno with a tablespoon of fire-roasted chiles. I can say that if at all possible, don’t skip the cornmeal, because it adds a nice heft to the sauce. Who wants watery chili?

This recipe was so easy to make and was a hit with my whole family. I’d make it again, for sure.

Join Debbie as she raves about whole foods, rants about chemicals and generally celebrates cooking and eating with fresh, local, nutritious foods. And sometimes she might get a little feisty….

The first thing you’re probably thinking is, “Avocados are so ridiculously delicious — why would anyone make a guacamole without them?” That’s what I thought before I first tried sweet pea guacamole, many years ago. Let me say right up front here that sweet pea guacamole is not a substitute for avocado guacamole, it’s a completely different dip but very yummy in its own right.

Don’t get me started on these do-gooders who think they are making healthier recipes for us when all they’re doing is taking the good fat out of our diets along with the taste. There’s nothing wrong with saturated fats from whole foods — avocados, coconuts and their oil, all the “taboo” foods are fine to eat, and in fact offer your body a great many benefits. So make the sweet pea guacamole because you want the taste of it, not because you fear avocados. That’s just silly.

What’s not silly is that this weekend, the little recipe that saved my appetizer was, in fact, a recipe for sweet pea guacamole. I have these avocados that refuse to ripen, and a bag of frozen peas are infinitely less stubborn than unripe avocados, so I went with it.

Using this recipe for sweet pea guacamole as a base, I altered it more to suit my tastes (since I actually have taste buds) and added more, well, tasty things. Remember, make the sweet pea guacamole because you want a different taste … or because your avocados won’t ripen.

Sweet Pea Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 pound bag of frozen peas, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice or 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fire roasted chile peppers (though I bet I could have used the whole can … it was small and the dip wasn’t spicy)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion (your choice)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• lots of freshly ground black pepper

Puree the peas, garlic, chiles, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and cumin until smooth. Pulse in the cilantro, onion and tomato. Taste and increase seasonings to your liking.

Just a few notes. Because the peas are so sweet, you probably want lemon juice as opposed to lime; it’ll give your dip a little more kick. But try it out and see what works for you. You can add raw jalepenos for more spice and always more garlic and cumin. This guacamole was perfect served with thick, organic, restaurant-style yellow corn chips.

If you’re looking for a new way to spice up plain chicken breasts, look no further! I have a great recipe I want to share with you.

A special on boneless, skinless chicken breasts at my favorite grocery store led me to buy two packs of it, about 4 lbs. of chicken.  I had a recipe in mind, but wanted to change it up a little. I scooped up some cilantro, added a couple of ripe plum tomatoes and a green bell pepper to my cart, and smiled.  I knew the rest of the ingredients were safe at home.

Easy Cheesy Chili Chicken by George Stella is a recipe you’ll want to make time and again.  I tweaked it a little, leaving out the cayenne pepper, which would make it too spicy for my family.

Laying out aluminum foil on my jelly roll pan, I started prepping the ingredients.  While it took me about 15 minutes to wash, chop and cut everything, that’s the hard part right there.  I whisked together into a delightful concoction the following:

• 4 tablespoons EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1¾ tablespoons chili powder
• 2 mounded tablespoons ground cumin
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

I left the cayenne pepper out of the mix. You may add it if you like things spicy.  I took my chicken breasts, placed them in a big plastic bag, and pounded them with a meat mallet until they were all one thickness.  Pounding meat with a mallet is a great way to get out the day’s frustrations. Of course, if you don’t have a meat mallet, simply halve the chicken breasts as the original recipe states.

Taking the pounded chicken breasts, I put them in the bowl and coated all the chicken with the spicy and fresh EVOO mixture.  Using my tongs, I took each chicken breast and laid them all on the jelly roll pan.

What makes this dish really impressive is the heaping pile of julienned vegetables, topped with cheese.  I julienned more green bell pepper, used white onion instead of red, and used a lesser amount (and 2% version) of Colby-Jack cheese.

Top each chicken breast with a portion of the delicious veggie mixture:

• ¾ cup julienned green bell pepper
• 4 tablespoons diced white onion
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 4 oz. shredded 2% Colby-Jack cheese

Bake from 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees (or until done) and voila!  What a beautiful dinner, paired with baked potato.

It’s a story of the ugly duckling turning into a swan.  Plain ol’ chicken breast is given a kicked up twist.  The chicken is a little spicy but not overly so, while the cilantro and the green bell pepper and onion give it an addictive taste.  It’s so good that there will be silence at the table.  You know that kind of silence?  If you strike a home run with a recipe, your family forgets to talk while at the table.  All you hear are the clinks of the forks and knives. Even better are the delicious leftovers the next night.

So, try the recipe, tweak it to suit you and your family, and let me know what you think.  What are some new (or old) recipes you’re trying out when you see a particular meat on sale?

Each week, fabulous recipes grace Debbie’s in-box and pop up on her computer screen, and she’s sharing her favorites with you.

You cannot imagine my excitement a week or two ago when I wandered over to the bread section of Trader Joe’s, to grab our usual Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel Bread. One rack over, calling out to me with its crusty brown goodness and gluten-free-ness were brown rice tortillas.

I know, it really seems like a small thing, doesn’t it? Honestly, the corn tortillas are fine, but they fall apart when we try to substitute them in recipes that call for flour tortillas, and we have the same problem with the sprouted grain tortillas, which we so wanted to embrace because they are ridiculously healthy.

Who would have known that if you just add a little xanthan gum to brown rice flour that they’d be nearly as flexible as wheat flour tortillas? Again, very exciting for us. Hence the crazy quesadilla-fest that ensued… here are my favorite recipes I collected while searching for the ultimate quesadilla, but you’ll have to read through to find the two we ended up cooking.

I’ll tell you straight out that Keith would never try a bite of these, because they are brimming with olives. Owen and I on the other hand, would gobble them with wild abandon. Elise puts mushrooms, green onions, black olives, tomato, chicken and avocado into her quesadillas, and a brilliant combination it is.

This mushroom sweet potato quesadilla sounded a bit spicy for Owen, with its chipotle paste, so I was thinking of substituting some fire-roasted chiles.

I like the combination of eggplant, chicken, red onion and fresh cilantro in these grilled chicken quesadillas. The eggplant is unexpected in a traditionally Mexican dish, but so perfect. I can even imagine some hummus smeared into these tasting just divine.

So what did we end up making? Quesadillas born of our own evil minds….

The Italian quesadilla with pesto, sausage and caramelized onions was hands-down our favorite and it’s going to be hard to ever make a Mexican-themed quesadilla again. Don’t forget the drizzle of aged balsamic … perfection.

We also made a quesadilla stuffed with chunks of chicken, fresh cilantro, roasted red pepper, fire-roasted chiles, chopped scallions and avocado. Don’t forget to serve this one with salsa and sour cream. We did forget and we missed it.

I bought brown rice tortillas this week, and that means quesadillas in our house. The little tortilla pies are not something we indulge in very often because they just don’t come out great with corn tortillas. Since Owen and I don’t eat wheat, and we find it hard to work with the texture of the sprouted grain tortillas, we weren’t really left with much choice until I stumbled upon these little beauties at Trader Joe’s.

Of course we couldn’t keep it simple — it’s like unleashing a newly released prisoner in Las Vegas, right on Brothel Street. It’s hard just to ease into it once you’ve been given permission to let loose. We made two different kinds of quesadillas tonight, and it was our melding of two cultures that created the masterpiece.

Yes, we put pesto in a quesadilla, along with homemade sausage from the local meat market, two kinds of cheese and some caramelized onions and mushrooms. A little drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar and a thing of culinary beauty was born.

Quesadilla with Pesto, Sausage and Caramelized Onion

Ingredients:

• 2 tortillas (we used brown rice ones)
• about 2 tablespoons pesto (we used our homemade pesto)
• gourmet sausage (about 1 per quesadilla; we used sun-dried tomato basil), casings removed
• 1 onion, thinly sliced and caramelized
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced and sauteed until just browning
• mozzarella cheese, shredded
• feta cheese, crumbled
• aged balsamic vinegar (10 years of syrupy sweetness)

Cook up veggies while scrambling the sausage in another pan until browned and cooked through, about 5-10 minutes.

Then assemble the quesadilla in the following order: bottom tortilla, mozzarella cheese to taste, sausage, onions, mushrooms, feta, more mozzarella, top tortilla.

In a 12-inch skillet over low-to-medium heat, place the quesadilla with a smaller skillet on top, to squish things together so the cheese acts like glue when it melts. Try for about 5 minutes a side, or until cheese is melty and tortillas brown to taste.

Cut with a pizza wheel into four piece and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar just before serving.

You may never go back to a Mexican quesadilla again.

It’s embarrassing, it really is. I call myself a cook, yet I made this ridiculously easy meal for dinner tonight and we all fell over ourselves loving it. It feels a little wrong, like I cheated on cooking a dinner. There’s something not quite right about a meal with essentially four ingredients, but somehow it worked for us tonight.

John’s burritos consisted of the tortilla, ground meat (we used grass fed beef), a can of re-fried beans and cheese. I know, I could hardly believe it either, but nothing in it sounded gross, so I thought I’d give it a whirl.

I browned the ground beef, stirred in the re-fried beans, put the filling in the tortillas, sprinkled cheese on and baked them for 10 minutes.

Then, I added my own special touches (I use the term loosely). Instead of making the suggested green chile sauce (which sounds delicious and I’ll probably make it someday), I served the burritos with shredded lettuce, fresh tomato salsa, chopped avocado, fresh cilantro and a dollup of plain yogurt (our version of sour cream, but you can see Cate’s version here).

Unfortunately, I also substituted the flour tortillas for corn ones, which are less sturdy but more delicious (and won’t make Owen and I wig out on wheat). Who cares if they weren’t pretty burritos? They still tasted great.

I think we may have found a new go-to recipe tonight. It’s so easy, versatile and customizable that you can’t lose with this meal.

Tomatillos are a very special fruit / vegetable (you know, that no man’s land of classification, like the tomato). I think of them as lemony tomatoes, and although they are traditionally used in Mexican cooking, I think they can transcend to any style of cooking were you want that tart little punch.

I chose to use our 8 little fresh tomatillos in a black bean / corn salad that I whipped up and served alongside Southwestern rubbed salmon. It was an easy meal to prepare (yeah, I used a premade rub for the fish, but I’m still able to sleep at night) and was a hit with the young and old in our family.

Black Bean, Corn and Tomatillo Salad
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Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels
• 1 cup chopped tomatillos (about 8 fresh)
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 3/4 cup chives
• 1 avocado, chopped

For the dressing:

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Variations:

• If I had some, I definitely would have added 2-3 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro.
• If you don’t have to cater to a 4-year-old, some chopped fresh jalepeno or even some red pepper flakes would add a nice kick to this dish.

Should you decide to take a trip to Las Vegas, you will inevitably encounter three things: extreme heat (in the summer, not the winter), thousands of slot machines, and buffets. While you can avoid the heat (air conditioned hotels) and the slot machines (plenty of places to shop) you can’t avoid the buffets. Especially in a town that has increasingly been connected with pricey, celebrity chef venues. Which means, of course, mucho dinero.

As many of these new restaurants feature small portions for high prices and long waits (even with reservations), the lure of the buffets seems even stronger. Even at some of the higher end places, such as the buffet at Wynn’s, the amount of money dished out gives you a much better selection of food. Thing is, there are so many buffets in Las Vegas that it’s hard to choose one or two for your gorging pleasure. Well, if that’s your issue don’t worry. Here are 10 tips to make your buffet experience a successful one.

1. Do your research — Thanks to that wonderful invention called the Interworldweb, there are plenty of research options to find buffets t0 pique your interest. For example, lasvegasadvisor.com has a whole section on buffets that includes photos, costs, and customer reviews (Garden Court Buffet at Main Street Station is one of the best, while the Emperor’s Buffet at the Imperial Palace is rated one of the worst). You can also go to the individual hotel websites for buffet information. Though, they may be somewhat biased in the opinion of their own services.

Another form of research: ask the locals. These are folks who go to these buffets on a regular basis and can separate the good from the bad. Instead of pointing you to some of the larger resorts, these folks may direct you to the smaller, local establishments that normally cater to the local citizens. It’s these places that are normally the best in town.

2. Bigger doesn’t always mean better – Just because the buffet, and the dining room it stands in, seem huge, it doesn’t mean the quality of food is the best. Take the Round Table Buffet at Excalibur. It looked impressive from the outside; however, once I got in and saw the selections … well, I might as well have been dining at my local Old Country Buffet or my high school cafeteria. On the other hand, while Harrah’s Flavors, The Buffet was small it had some very good food.

3. More expensive doesn’t always mean better – See number 2, just replace “large” with “costly.” Just because a dinner buffet is $35 doesn’t mean you’ll get the best quality and selection of food. Again, research these places before paying $100 for you, your wife, and your kids. You may get some very expensive slop instead of good food.

4. Get there early — Especially when 1) You’re hungry, and 2) You’re in the city during a big convention or heavy vacation season. This is particularly important for dinner. Arrive any time after 6:30 at most buffets and expect to wait in line. After a long, hot day pounding the flat pavement of Las Vegas Boulevard you’re not going to want to wait to eat.

5. Small portions! Small portions! – I know your first instinct at seeing all of the food surrounding you is to grab a plate and load it to the point that it’s heavier than you are. Bad idea! You’re going to waste a lot of those items, and get fuller faster with that plan. Instead, give the buffet a once-over and select some items you want to sample. If you enjoy what you eat then get some more during your second or third time around. Don’t worry, there will be plenty for everyone.

6. Try something different — Here’s a simple rule: if the selection you’re looking at is not something you make at home give it a try (unless it has something that will give you an allergic reaction). Many of these buffets now feature not only Italian and Mexican specialties but Chinese, Japanese, and even Korean items. There’s no harm to try something new. If you don’t like it then push it aside on your plate.

7. Chew, swallow, repeat — Don’t worry, the craps table isn’t going anywhere. No need to shovel the food down your gullet. All that’s going to do is make you feel bloated and increase the difficulty of walking down the Strip during those chilly 106-degree summer days. Just chew, swallow, take a sip of liquid, and contemplate the flavors of what you just ate.

8. Eat a vegetable, for Pete’s sake! — Take a good look at the buffet. See those leafy things in the bowl, or the stringy, beany things on that plate? Those things are called vegetables and they should be a part of the buffet experience. Not only will they aid in digestion, but it will give you the energy required to stay awake for that 10:30 topless review show.

9. Watch the desserts — They may look wonderful, they may smell wonderful, but the taste may be less than wonderful. Unless you’re buffeting in a resort that highlights pastry shops in their selection of dining items (Paris and Venetian, for example), be wary of the dessert offerings. Especially the cakes and pies, which can look like your mom’s original recipe but taste like your drunk uncle’s recipe. If you’re dying for some sugar you can always tackle the sundae bar or, like at Harrah’s, grab some tasty gelato.

10. When done, take a walk — Believe it or not, Las Vegas is a walking city. So, when you’re done eating your and your wife’s weight in crab legs, get up, stretch your legs, and walk around the streets and shopping midways of Sin City. By the time you reach your hotel you’ll be ready for that $7.99 steak and shrimp special.

Far be it from me to ever assume that northern New Hampshire wouldn’t have any good restaurants to choose from. Granted, they are few and far between, but isn’t everything up there? You have to drive 20 miles just to find a gas station, let alone a gourmet restaurant.

There are a couple of gems that we’ve enjoyed for years, though, in Glen and North Conway: Margarita Grill and Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery.

Every year when we go to Bretton Woods, we try to make it to at least one of these. In the past, we’ve always made it to both, but this year, since Margarita Grill was on our way home from Story Land, it won. Every year, I forget that Margarita Grill is not just your average Mexican restaurant. Everything they make has a unique flair and although the cuisine is scrumptious, the service is so fast that they get you out before your kid melts down, so it’s a win-win.

Join me as I re-create the meal I enjoyed so thoroughly it was nearly embarrassing: blackened tilapia with red grape and currant pica de gallo with roasted vegetable salad and honey rum black beans.

Blackened Tilapia
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This one’s easy: mix a little cumin, sage and brown sugar in a small bowl and add some salt and pepper to taste. Me? I’d go heavy on everything but the sugar and salt. Dredge your fish in it and pan fry until done.

Red grape and Currant Pica de Gallo

Ingredients:

• 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
• 3 tablespoons dried currants
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons diced red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• balsamic vinegar

Combine first six ingredients, then lightly drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve with blackened tilapia.

Honey Rum Black Beans

This one’s even easier, since Bobby Flay’s got a recipe for honey rum black beans. Leave out the chorizo and it will be just like the recipe used at Margarita Grill, or so my taste buds tell me.

Roasted Vegetable Salad

This is easy too: greens, roasted veggies, cumin and fresh cilantro vinaigrette. Here’s the catch, though — they don’t use the veggies you’d typically think of. Roasted onions and carrots were on my salad, as well as pumpkin seeds sauteed with cumin, salt and brown sugar.

Sound amazing? Oh yeah, and it’s pretty easy to recreate — what are you waiting for?

It was my own fault for not thinking outside the box that I wasn’t having good vegetarian Mexican food. A couple of months ago, while my mom (who is also making her way towards vegetarianism) was visiting, I was racking my brain for something for us to have for dinner. I didn’t feel like going to the store, but the vegetarian options were slim pickings. I remembered I had some black bean chili in the freezer, and decided to go with that. It had been relegated to the back of the freezer and almost forgotten about, because as a chili on it’s own it wasn’t really spectacular. But we had some tortillas and salsa lying around, so I thought what the hell? Everything is better with salsa.

I was really surprised, because what was a pretty boring and unsatisfying dish turned into some amazing vegetarian burritos, especially when doctored up with the salsa, lots of shredded lettuce and some freshly made sour cream. A few days later, we had the rest of the chili, only this time mixed with rice in taco shells, and it was even better than any beef or chicken taco I’d ever had.

Unfortunately, that chili takes a long time to make because it’s made from dried beans, but now that I know the awesomeness of vegetarian Mexican food, I’ve started to experiment a little bit and the results have all been good. Most recently I made black bean, mushroom and corn tacos, simply sauteed with some taco seasoning and a dollop of sour cream and salsa mixed in at the end. I don’t usually think of mushrooms for Mexican food, but they were threatening to go bad if I didn’t use them, so I threw them in, and it was pretty damn good.

This is why I get so excited about vegetarianism. When I was eating a lot of meat, I pretty much stuck to the same few things, over and over again. Cutting out meat has forced helped me get creative in the kitchen and expand my culinary horizons, something I’ve always wanted to do, but wasn’t quite sure how. As it turns out, it’s not only pretty simple, but it also makes cooking (and eating!) more fun.

A few weeks ago Keith McDuffee (or, as we call him at CliqueClack Central, Your Highness) wrote up a little item comparing three nationally-known burrito shops – Chipotle, Moe’s and Qdoba. After presenting their strong and weak points he came to the absolute and total conclusion that… um, they were all good. Hey, we may need to bow down and kiss his ring when we see him, but that doesn’t mean he’s right all the time!

As a man who has never been to a Qdoba I would like to focus this edition of Fast Food Generation on just Moe’s and Chipotle. And, unlike Keith, I have a true winner between the two that I’ll reveal right now. It’s Chipotle. Though, Moe’s has some strengths as well. No, I am NOT waffling!

My relationship with Chipotle began while working in Bethesda, Maryland. My cube mate at the time used to bring in these humongoid burritos for lunch. When I asked where he was getting them he mentioned the Chipotle that was right around the corner from my office. A place I had passed more than a dozen times without even a glance! Curious, I trotted around the corner, picked up my first chicken burrito, and immediately fell in love.

For weeks afterward I would lunch at Chipotle several times a week (followed by several desk naps not long after). Soon enough I had my wife hooked. Then, rather than driving all the way to Bethesda from Gaithersburg, the company opened not one, but two stores within a few minutes drive. This meant not only could we dine on burritos for lunch, but for dinner as well.

Then, we moved to Delaware. Sadly, Chipotle didn’t move with us. Fact is, for the longest time, we didn’t know where the nearest restaurant was. Eventually we found one, but it was nearly 30 minutes away. Needless to say, a casual lunch or dinner was out of the question.

So, we settled for Moe’s. We discovered Moe’s Southwest Grill during a visit to the Delaware beaches (not the shore, the beaches. You say you’re going to the ‘Delaware Shore’ and the locals give you the stink eye). They had the ginormous burritos with the rice and beans and other fillings and, for the most part, it was enjoyable. The only problems I had were with some rice kernels that had been overcooked and the overall taste of the chicken. But, that was rectified when I switched to a steak Homewrecker, which was much tastier.

My family eventually adopted Moe’s into our home, especially when a branch opened up about five minutes from our house. And, while we enjoyed their food, there was just something missing from our Homewreckers that we enjoyed so much in our Chipotle’s burritos. Perhaps it was the steamed cilantro-lime rice or the chipotle-grilled chicken that we missed. Or, for me, it was the combined taste of the rice, sour cream and cheese when the burrito cooled. I always made sure that the last bites I took were from the rice and cheese portion of the burrito rather than the meat side. It was that much more satisfying for some reason.

Now, after five long, tiring years, Chipotle is finally coming into the Philadelphia region. And, we couldn’t be happier. Sure, the closest restaurant is 30 miles away in Southern Jersey, but at least we venture up there enough to partake in our favorite meal. If anything, it has reignited the love that we have for the fresh ingredients that complete a burrito. And, it has given us some hope that, one day, Chipotle will open up a branch right here in New Castle County, Delaware. Particularly near my office or home, if possible. Come on, Chipotle, make my wish come true!

Yes, it is completely possible to make your own sour cream, and it is not only way yummier than said plastic tub of mystery ingredients, it is super easy. Like Bob and his balsamic reduction, I’m ashamed to even call this a recipe. Still, I feel it deserves its own post.

I’ve seen recipes to make sour cream on the net, and they all have to do with actually “souring” the cream by adding a culture. This is ridiculously unnecessary. I figured out a few years ago that I could make sour cream the exact same way you make sour milk, which is a great substitute for buttermilk.

Here’s all you need:

• 1 cup heavy cream, set out for a few minutes to take the chill off
• juice from 1 lemon or lime, about 1/4 cup

Mix them together and let them sit at room temperature to thicken for 10-15 minutes. Give it another stir, and voila! You have sour cream. Once you try this, you’ll never go back to that factory-made stuff. The taste is unmistakeably fresh and lightly tart, the perfect balance for spicy food. If you don’t use it all up right after you make it, you can put it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to five days, just stir again before using.

I’m big into Mexican food. As you saw earlier, I’m a margarita fiend and ex-parrothead, though the latter doesn’t stop my love for south-of-the-border treats. When salsa gets passed around, I’m all about the HOT, baby. Burritos, tacos, quesadillas … I love it all.

Lucky for me, I’ve got a few really good choices for take-out Mexican food within a five-minute drive of my house. Besides the local spots, we’ve got a few of the heavy-hitter chains nearby to choose from. But which is the best of the three? Let’s go over the offerings of each first:

Moe’s Southwest Grill

“Welcome to Moe’s!” If you’ve been to a Moe’s, you’re familiar with that phrase, shouted out anytime someone enters the restaurant. Before entering the line to place your order, you’re presented with a menu of Moe’s offerings, which can be a bit confusing, even though their names sound cool: The Homewrecker, The Triple Lindy, and the Joey Bag of Donuts. What’s confusing is how little they differ from each other, making you wonder why they even bother to give them fancy names.

On the plus side for Moe’s, guacamole is included in at least a few of the menu items, so it’s not extra. Well, that is, if you don’t ask for extra guacamole. Same with the chips; they come free with every meal.

Qdoba Mexican Grill

Qdoba stands out from the other two in this stand-off because of its unique offerings. Unlike Moe’s and Chipotle, which offer the basics in meats, toppings and salsas, Qdoba has some really tasty stuff that take it up a notch, in my book.

A personal favorite of mine is the Ancho Chile BBQ Burrito, which has a medium-spicy Mexican barbeque sauce that’s out of this world. They’ve also got a Poblano Pesto Burrito which has an awesome pesto sauce that I’m not sure you’ll find matched anywhere else.

The downside to Qdoba, to some, may be not having the ability to fully customize each item. As I said, Qdoba sort of stands on its own for having unique offerings, and you’re better off heading to the other two if you’re not into something different.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Nearly everyone I know virtually (e.g., on the ‘net, most never in-person) lives or works near a Chipotle and most LOVE it. A location just opened up a couple of months ago close to my home, and being the Mexican-food freak that I am, I had to try it out.

First of all, like Moe’s and Qdoba, everything is made to order in front of you, and fast. You’ve got all of the usual fillings and toppings, with nothing all that exotic to add to it besides the roasted veggies (which are really tasty.) The carnitas (pork) stands out above the other meats, and it’s tough not to order it every time. All of their meats are naturally raised, which is a big plus in my book.

The burritos cost all about the same, the only change coming with what kind of meat you choose and if you decide to add guacamole. And you do want to add the guacamole. One downside I will give Chipotle is that their bags of tortilla chips are too small, though I’m probably complaining more about that because the chips are awesome, with a hint of lime.

The Verdict

I’d love to sat it’s a three-way tie, but that’d be cheating, right? Instead, I’ll order them from my own personal preference and why:

3. Moe’s — They lose some points for their strange choice of menu options and lack of anything to make them stand out, other than their famous greeting.

2. Qdoba — They just miss the top spot because, while I LOVE their unique burritos, it’s just about all I’ll eat when I go there. I like some variety, and if they’d just let me slather whatever sauce I want on anything, I’d probably be going there more often.

1. Chipotle — Naturally raised meats, extremely fresh ingredients and awesomely limey chips. I can keep going back and get something slightly different every time, and their prices are really reasonable (as are the other two). Chipotle also gets another point for being the closest place to my house, but your mileage may vary.

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If you’re buying taco seasoning from the store in kits, you can save your self a lot of money — and a lot of unneeded sodium! — by making your own at home.

There are scads of recipes all over the internet, but over the last few years I have refined my DIY taco seasoning to be the perfect amount for one pound of meat and to suit my family’s tastes. Here is what you’ll need:

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1.5 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• dash of ground cayenne pepper
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

If you like it spicy, add more cayenne; we are catering to the needs of a four-year-old.

I mix the spices in a small custard cup, and once I have begun browning the meat (I used ground turkey for the picture) and have broken it up, I add the seasonings. This meat works great for tacos, taco salad and anywhere else you would like taco meat. I suppose you could stuff a burrito, too.

So save the money on the kit: add just a 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, and you’ll have your own healthy taco seasoning.

Most content originally posted by Debra McDuffee at DIY Life.

As part of my parrothead heritage, I got to learning Jimmy’s own “ultimate margarita” recipe. If you grab the “Boats, Beaches Bars & Ballads” box set, the booklet within has this recipe in it. What follows is pretty much that recipe, with some relatively minor changes. And I will say that it is, indeed, the finest margarita I’ve ever tasted.

This recipe makes either two decent-sized drinks or three smallish ones. Using a cocktail shaker, add the following in this order:

• 1.5 cups of ice cubes
• 2 shots top-shelf tequila (I recommend Jose Cuervo 1800 or Patrón Añejo)
• 1 shot silver tequila (I recommend Jose Cuervo Silver)
• 1 shot triple sec (doesn’t matter — the cheapest stuff is just fine)
• 2 shots Key West Lime Juice (I recommend Nellie & Joe’s brand)
• 2 splashes of Grand Marnier.
• 2 lime wedges (squeeze slightly into shaker before tossing both right in whole)
• 1-3 beach chairs

Add ingredients in that order to a cocktail shaker (minus chairs). Shake very well. Pour equal amounts into each glass, along with the ice (and limes, if they want one). Place chair in a sunny spot in your lawn, snow or living room. Repeat as needed.

Keith and I will make taco salads and his killer margaritas (check back for the recipe later today). If you’re needing a little inspiration, here are some posts to get you started, and check back often today for Cinco de Mayo goodness.

• Jeff’s Ballgame Nachos will whet your appetite.
• Or if guacamole‘s more your style, Bob’s post will tempt you.
• Whatever you’re having will taste better with a black bean and corn salad.
• Check out anything in our Mexican cuisine category.

I’m having another one of those weeks. You know, the ones where you don’t actually plan anything for dinner, but instead decide around 5:00 that you’ll whip up something amazing while your kid plays the Wubbzy game on PBS Kids‘ website.

Amazing quickly becomes palatable, and you thank your lucky stars that you had the forethought to buy fresh herbs earlier in the week because everything is better with fresh herbs. And since you just bought some chicken wings for your dog and they are the only thing defrosted, you might as well throw some on the grill with a little BBQ sauce for the people in your household.

To go with them, how about a black bean and corn salad? It’s easy, tasty and nutritious, and pretty filling so you don’t need to cook a gazillion side dishes.

Black Bean Corn Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 small onion, chopped, slightly cooked if you prefer
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• baby spinach or your favorite greens

Toss together first five ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, lime juice and olive oil. Pour over ingredients in bowl. It will look like a lot of dressing, but you’ll want it for the next step. Serve over spinach or your choice of greens — see, now the extra dressing coats the greens and it’s big on the yum factor.

And if you’ve got some extra chicken wings laying around, serve ‘em up.

It could definitely be just me. I seem to have trouble with finding the balance of ripeness, what with my banana issues and all. Maybe a life-long New Englander just isn’t fit to attempt bringing an avocado to ripeness. The Californians are laughing heartily right now, I’m sure….

Here’s the problem: here on the east coast, we purchase rock-hard avocados from the market. So common sense would dictate that if you leave them out in a bowl, they’ll ripen. I really wish that’s what happened in my house.

Instead, the scenario in my life goes something like this:

1. Purchase avocados reminiscent of the rocks used in hot stone massage therapy. Yeah, I’ve done it; don’t judge me.

2. Leave in produce basket for a few days to ripen.

3. Promptly forget that there are avocados buried underneath the overripe bananas.

4. Make guacamole with the overripe avocados, carefully spooning out the still green parts and dumping the yucky brown spots.

It doesn’t always go exactly this way. There are times I actually remember to put the avocados in the fridge before they turn. Then, I can slice them onto crackers, top Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Chicken Burgers with the slices, and toss some chunks into black bean salad. Wish these times happened more often….

So I ask you this — is there a sure-fire trick to getting perfectly ripe avocados every time?

Do you want to know how to make those luscious items you read on menus? Shift into reverse and bring that menu home!

Date night… a time to get away, just Keith and I, for a gastronomic experience like no other. Oh, and I guess it’s nice to spend some adult time too, renewing our relationship without the interference of a four-year-old. Who am I kidding? It’s totally about the food!

This past weekend, Keith and I revisited one of our favorite haunts: Chloe, an american bistro. It’s a typical bistro atmosphere: slightly noisy and crowded, yet still somehow romantic, plus they have live jazz music, so you really can’t beat it for a night out. The meal was lovely; I had the mussels special for an appetizer, served in a traditional broth with tomatoes but also some Great Northern Beans, which was a perfect addition. I had the duck breast for dinner, sitting on a bed of potato hash and duck confit, topped with a variety of dried fruits and drizzled with honey. Perhaps I’ll reverse menuneer that meal someday, but this post is all about the chocolate….

Picture this — you’ll have to, since it was too dark in the restaurant for us to take a photo! —  a rectangular tray with a slice of flourless chocolate cake, dusted with powdered sugar, on one end, and two homemade truffles, again with the sweet dusting of sugar, on the other end. Sandwiched in-between is a demi tasse cup brimming with Mexican hot chocolate (my new favorite drink!), so thick and dark and rich that you almost need a spoon to drink it.

Honestly, I could have just had the Mexican hot chocolate and been quite satisfied; the other two offerings were just too sweet for me and didn’t nourish my chocolate cravings. However, you can put together this pretty tray at home — and dare I say make it tastier?

First off, I don’t think Chloe’s cake was completely flourless, although it came close. Who doesn’t prefer a flourless chocolate cake? You can try this timeless classic of a flourless chocolate cake recipe from Gourmet magazine, and if you want to get Chloe-like results, dust with powdered sugar instead of cocoa powder. You could also opt for the ooey-gooey, almost silky outrageous brownies that Ina Garten has generously shared with chocoholics everywhere. From the bottom of my rich, dark, chocolately heart, I sincerely thank you, Ina. Again, for the Chloe look, dust with powdered sugar.

Truffles are easy, and my favorite recipe is for chocolate orange truffles, but I also offer a bunch of flavor alternatives that are equally easy to make. I always roll them in cocoa powder, being the chocoholic that I am, but Chloe rolled them in powdered sugar, and it sure looked pretty — just tasted too sweet!

Finally, my favorite part of the dish — Mexican hot chocolate! If you’ve never had it, you cannot imagine the loveliness of this combination, and Chloe did it perfectly. A rich, thick liquid, kissed with vanilla, cinnamon and cayenne. Yes, you read that right — this is a spicy little number, and the warmth just coats your mouth like a ganache on a cupcake. The endorphin rush of the cayenne mixed with the aphrodisiac chocolately goodness is so satisfying that you won’t care that you have to pick up your kid after your date!

If you’re a spice whimp, Tyler Florence’s Mexican hot chocolate recipe is just perfect for you — but you’re still a giant sissy in my book for not trying it with the cayenne. So if you want the true experience, how much cayenne do you add? That’s a matter of taste, but a pinch per cup is in order.

Or, you could try infusing your milk with adried chili pepper, a vanilla bean and a cinnamon stick for the perfect melding of flavors. It won’t take much more effort, and it will be worth it.

So now that you’re all hot and bothered, will you satisfy yourself with a triple chocolate dessert?

Because we like our base mix so much (Zing Zeng Bloody Mary mix), we like to add variations to it. But if you have a great Bloody Mary recipe that doesn’t involve a mix, I’d love to hear it (and I do have plans for a drink without a purchased mix for the coming weeks). I also mentioned last week that this week we would talk about vodkas. I am not going to talk about brands, but instead, the fact that there are so many great flavor variations out there that you can use with a Bloody Mary.

I suppose I should mention, however, that Absolut vodka seems to have the most and best variety of flavors. For a Bloody Mary, we use regular vodka, Absolut PEPPAR (Roasted Jalapenos, Green Tomato and Dried Herbs flavor), and Absolut Citron (lemon). You can find some other flavored vodkas out there, too, including Stolichnaya. We live in a small town with a limited selection; if you live somewhere that you can find a greater variety, a few nice vodkas and some nice garnishes would be a great Valentine’s present for your resident Bloody Mary lover.

In the meantime, here is the Taco Mary:

Recipe

1 part PEPPAR vodka

2 parts Bloody Mary mix

1 dash taco sauce (Taco Bell sauces work great because they come in those neat little packets– perfect for making cocktails)

1 pinch chili powder

1 pinch cumin

Garnish

1 whole jalapeno pepper

red and green bell pepper slices

1 pearl onion

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Take the vodka, bloody mary mix and spices and add to your blender and then blend well and serve over ice. Place the jalapeno pepper and pearl onion on a tooth pick and add to the drink. Then, garnish the lip of the glass with the bell peppers, and serve!

I’ve mentioned before that I have a very adventurous appetite. I love to try new things. In the same post I mentioned that my family used to go to a game feast every year, hosted at a local restaurant. One of the meats the I never managed to try in all the years going to the event was goat. I’ve always known that goat was a popular ingredient in Caribbean cuisine, and after seeing it as the secret ingredient on Iron Chef America, I’ve really wanted to try it.

It should be no surprise, then, that when I was out to lunch today at a (very) authentic Mexican taqueria, and saw goat on the menu, I jumped at the opportunity to give it a shot.

The goat was not exactly what I was expecting it to be. I was expecting a very gamey, maybe even tough read meat. The menu said that the goat was “steamed” and I wasn’t really sure what that meant. What I ended up with in my burrito was a shredded, fairly tender meat that was not all that gamey. In fact, it tasted very much like lamb. I suppose some would consider that to be gamey, but I’m not one of those people. I’m guessing that the “steaming” helped to break down and tenderize the meat.

It was in a very tasty burrito which didn’t hurt matters. Stuffed with rice, onions, cheese, meat, guacamole, and cilantro the burrito was good. It was also served with a couple different homemade salsas.

All in all, I thought that the goat was really good. I wouldn’t hesitate to try it again. I also have something to add to all the food I’ve tried, which makes me very happy.