Huevos Rancheros

The easiest, most delicious way to throw together lunch or a light dinner. In a pinch, use jarred salsa.


Huevos Rancheros

olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
15 oz can whole tomatoes
1/2 6 oz can green chilies
chipotle chili powder, adobo sauce or ground cumin to taste
4 tortillas
butter
4 eggs
2 tbsp fresh cilantro (optional)

Make the sauce first by softening the onions in a little olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Once translucent, add the tomatoes and the juice. Break up the tomatoes with your fingers as you add them. Add chopped chilies. Add either chipotle powder, adobo or cumin to taste. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and let simmer while you complete the rest of dish. Stir occasionally.

Heat the oven to 150, place serving plates in the oven to warm also.

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large non stick skillet on medium high, coating the pan with oil. One by one, heat the tortillas in the pan, a minute or two on each side, until heated through, softened, and bubbles begin to form. Remove and stack one on top of another in the oven.

Fry the eggs in the same skillet used for the tortillas, adding a little butter. Crack all four eggs into the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes for runny yolks, more for firmer eggs.

To serve, spoon a little of the sauce onto a warmed plate. Top with a tortilla, then a fried egg. Top with more sauce and sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Makes 2-4 servings.

Huevos Rancheros

Fish & Chips With Tartar Sauce

Tyler Florence's Fish & Chips

vegetable oil, for deep frying
4 large russet potatoes
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt plus more for seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper plus more for seasoning
1 large egg, lightly beaten
12 oz soda water
1/2 cup rice flour for dredging
2 - 8 oz cod or haddock fillets, cut in half or on an angle

Tartar Sauce

1 cup mayo
1 tbsp capers, chopped
1 tbsp pickles, chopped
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 dash hot sauce

Heat 3 inches of the oil in a deep fryer or a deep pot. Peel the potatoes and cut into chips, about the size of your index finger. Put the potatoes in the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, they should not be crisp or fully cooked at this point. Remove using slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.

Put chips back into the fryer for about 4 to 5 minutes until crispy and brown. Remove and drain.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and the egg. Add soda water and whisk to a smooth batter.

Spread rice flour on a plate. Dredge the fish pieces in the flour and dip into batter, allowing excess to drip off.

Submerge the battered fish into the bubbling oil for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy and brown. Remove and drain with the chips on paper towels, season lightly with salt.

To make tartar sauce, combine all ingredients and chill to let flavors meld.

Serves 3-4

Fish & Chips With Tartar Sauce

Filbert Gateau With Praline Buttercream

We must challenge ourself as much as possible in order to stretch our self imposed boundaries.

"Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch - what makes you go beyond the norm."
- David Lyle Boren -

Therefore, after 3 days of preparation and one final day of assembly and photographs, I achieved this:

Filbert Gateau With Praline Buttercream

It was definitely a stretch of my talent in the kitchen, however I must say I truly enjoyed the challenge and am looking forward to the next.

Filbert Gateau With Praline Buttercream

Chicken Pasta Salad

When you might be tired of reading from a recipe, but there's still hungry bellies to be filled, let yourself meander through your cupboards and the refrigerator, picking and choosing at random. You might be surprised at what you come up with.


Chicken Pasta Salad

1 pkg stir fry chicken (chicken that's been prepared by the butcher into strips suitable for stir fry)
1/2 a fresh lemon or lemon juice
1 cup cooked rotini noodles
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup Zesty Italian Kraft Dressing
handful diced red onion
6-8 quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 a cucumber, peeled and quartered
1 tbsp each chopped fresh oregano and flat leaf parsley

Season chicken with salt and pepper and saute in a bit of olive oil. When nearly done, squeeze half a lemon over the chicken.

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

Serves 2 dinner sized portions.

Chicken Pasta Salad