Taquitos

These flavorful and cheesy taquitos make an amazing on the go snack or meal. Almost like a taco burrito!

Sofritas

I'd heard about sofritas before, and even tried them at Chipotle, but I always thought it'd be some complex and time consuming recipe beyond what I'd be willing or able to make at home. Then I thought about it some more, and going through some of the flavors, it seemed like you could simply scramble tofu in an adobo tomato sauce. Not too difficult at all! Part of the trick is to use really firm tofu. I've gotten the best results with an extra firm "restaurant" style tofu. I'm not sure what makes a tofu "restaurant" style, but I find it easier to work with than the regular extra firm. I'm even gotten away with just draining really well and not pressing the tofu, my least favorite part of working with tofu. So with the time I saved not needing to press the tofu, I used pan frying it before cooking it in an adobo tomato sauce. Pan frying first is an optional step, although pan frying it first will result in a different texture compared to just cooking the tofu in sauce. Any way you make it, you're sure to enjoy these richly flavorful, spicy, and savory sofritas!

What's your favorite type of tofu to use? Why do you like it?

Sofritas

by CJ Huang

Enjoy sofritas at home! Simply braise tofu in a smoky adobo sauce for some richly flavorful, spicy, and savory sofritas. It's easier than you might think!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
572 grams	20.25 ounces		3 blocks	tofu, drained	I used an extra firm Restaurant style tofu.
98 grams	3.5 ounces		1/2	onion, diced
		1 tablespoon		cilantro
113 grams	4 ounces	1/2 cup	1 small can	green chiles	You could also use roasted poblano peppers.
		1/2 teaspoon		cumin
		1/2 tablespoon		oregano
		2 tablespoons		tomato paste
		2 tablespoons		soy sauce
		1/2 teaspoon		pepper
		4 tablespoons		adobo sauce	I used about half actual sauce and half pureed peppers from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
		1 tablespoon		apple cider vinegar
		1 tablespoon	3 cloves	garlic, minced
		1/2 cup		vegetable broth

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Form sauce by combining all materials except tofu.
	3. Wrap tofu in some cloth, and put between two cutting boards, adding a small weight to the top of the stack to press tofu. (Optional - I skipped this step since I used the extra firm Restaurant style tofu.)
	4. Cut tofu into quarters, and pan fry until sides crisp. (Optional - I only pan fried the two sides with a larger surface area and not all six sides.)
	5. Add sauce from Step 2 and scramble tofu.
	6. Continue to scramble tofu until desired size reached, fragrant, and sauce reduced to desired consistency.

Shared with: Tasty Tuesday, Wednesday Showcase, Wonderful Wednesday, What's Cookin' Wednesday, Creative Ways, Thursday Favorite Things, Freedom Friday, Throwback Thursday, Foodie FriDIY, Bloggers' Pit Stop, Pinworthy Projects, Saucy Saturday, Happiness is Homemade, What's for Dinner?, Sustainable Sunday, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Over the Moon, Melt in Your Mouth, What'd You Do This Weekend?, Turn It Up Tuesday

Falafel

We'd recently gone to a Mediterranean restaurant, and Bobert went crazy over their falafel. I thought I'd make him some baked falafel since he loved it so much and chickpeas have such a dense nutrient profile - with lots of protein, fiber, folate, and minerals. Bobert relished this baked falafel, and he kept asking for more, especially when he saw us eating it too. Little guy does not like getting left out! Bobert scarfed these falafel plain, and we enjoyed dipping these falafel in some tahini dip. Either way's yummy! :)

What's your favorite way to enjoy falafel?

Falafel

by CJ Huang

Chickpeas, cooked and then processed with garlic, onions, and many delectable herbs, formed into patties, and then baked into flavorful falafel.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 30 patties, approximately 1/6 cup each

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
781 grams	27.675 ounces			chickpeas, cooked and drained	approximately 2 cups (12.75 ounces, 361 grams) dried chickpeas
30 grams	1 ounce	1 cup		parsley
414 grams	14.675 ounces		4	onions, diced
		4 teaspoons	4 cloves	garlic, minced
		1 teaspoon		cumin
		1 teaspoon		cilantro
		1 teaspoon		pepper
		1 teaspoon		salt
		1 teaspoon		chili pepper flakes
		1 teaspoon		baking powder

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Pulse together all materials until a homogeneous, coarse paste forms.
	3. Form into patties, then bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Serve with Tahini Dip.

Creamy Hummus

It's SRC time again! Each month, as part of SRC, we're assigned another blogger, and we get to pick a recipe from their blog to make. This month, I got Smells Like Brownies, where Melissa shares a plethora of delicious eats, both sweet and savory. I saw some winter squash recipes perfect for this time of year - garlic chili lime acorn squash and some butternut squash, goat cheese flatbread pizza. Yum! (Especially since one of my favorite flavors is chili lime.) I also checked out her dad's poached eggs. I'm always looking for other ways to make things! However, the food I've really been craving (and meaning to make since, oh forever) is hummus. As luck would have it, she's got a yummy recipe for creamy hummus! I only made a few minor modifications to her recipe. I used dried chickpeas, which I then cooked instead of a can since we prefer dried. I also used a whole lot less cumin since I'm not a huge fan of the flavor. Next time. I'm likely to use a bit less tahini as well since I thought the tahini flavor overpowered the hummus a bit too much. Even with the half cup of tahini, we enjoyed this creamy hummus.

What are some of your favorite hummus flavors?

Creamy Hummus

by CJ Huang

A simple and creamy hummus with chickpeas, garlic, tahini, olive oil, and a bit of lemon and paprika.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 10 minutes
Yield: 12 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
409 grams	14.375 ounces			chickpeas, cooked	I started with 1 cup of dried chickpeas.
83 grams	2.875 ounces	1/2 cup		tahini
58 grams	2 ounces	1/4 cup		olive oil
		2 teaspoons	2 cloves	garlic, minced
		1/2 teaspoon		cumin
		2 tablespoons		lemon juice
		1/2 tablespoon		paprika

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Combine all materials in food processor. Process, adding liquid from chickpeas or water, until desired consistency reached.

Baba Ghanoush

It's that time again - SRC time! Each month, we're given another blog to select a recipe from. This month, I got Corina's blog, Searching for Spice. So many recipes I wanted to try, and she has lots of international options - bulgogi and Moroccan Chickpea Soup, for example. I also wanted to try the Cardamom Coffee, but once I saw Baba Ghanoush, I knew it'd be the recipe I made. Baba Ghanoush is an eggplant dip similar to hummus. It's usually served as an appetizer or as a selection of small dishes accompanying alcoholic drinks as a course. With baby here now, I definitely appreciate a quick and easy recipe without sacrificing taste, and this Baba Ghanoush recipe certainly qualifies! Fortunately for me, James already picked up an eggplant since he saw them on sale, and I was trying to think of ways to use it. I know we've referred to eggplant as the food that "just refuses to be delicious". Well, I'm happy to report this eggplant dish definitely tastes good! (Maybe since it doesn't look like eggplant. All I know is it got rave reviews from everyone who tried it.)

To save on time, I went ahead and cut the eggplant into chunks before baking, and I left the skin on. Otherwise, I followed Corina's recipe with just a few minor quantity modifications.

What's your favorite appetizer dip?

Baba Ghanoush

by CJ Huang

A simple and tasty eggplant dip, this Baba Ghanoush requires a mere six ingredients and less than 30 minutes.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
789 grams	27.75 ounces		1	eggplant, cubed
14 grams	1/2 ounce	1 tablespoon		tahini
11 grams		2 teaspoons	2 cloves	garlic	I used minced, although whole cloves would also work since everything goes into a food processor at the end.
42 grams		2 tablespoons		lemon juice	I used lime juice.
		1/2 teaspoon		paprika
		1/4 teaspoon		cumin

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Spray a bit of olive oil over eggplant chunks, and bake at 350F for 15 minutes.
	3. Combine all materials, and process to desired consistency.

Taco Seasoning

A quick, easy, and tasty taco seasoning you can throw together in minutes!

Guacamole Version 4.0

Avocado, mixed with all the usual suspects, for a mighty tasty guacamole!

Mexican Corn Soup

This Mexican Corn Soup's perfect for a cold day - creamy corn and spiciness topped with avocado to bring comfort and warmth.

Thai-Style Tofu Squash Stew

A creamy, Thai-style winter squash stew with tofu, coconut, and just a bit of spice.

Moroccan Eggplant

A warm and comforting eggplant dish in the Moroccan style, flavored with garlic, cumin, paprika, and cilantro.

Mujadara

Lentils and rice cooked with caramelized onions and cumin for a simple, fragrant, and cheap Mujadara.

Refried Beans

Refried Pinto beans flavored up with onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano.

Posole

Back when I found a can of hominy, I found a plethora of posole recipes, but I made stir fry and scrambled eggs instead. But now, I decided it was time to try posole as a soup or stew. Hominy is basically dried corn with the hull removed, usually by lye in a process called nixtamalization. This process not only increases the nutritional value, but decreases mycotoxins. Posole is a traditional soup in Mexico, and since corn was considered sacred to the Aztecs, it was usually only consumed during special events. Traditionally, it was said that the meat used was human, from prisoners killed in ritual sacrifices, but after that was banned, pork became the typical meat of choice due to the similar taste. The mixing of corn and meat in a single dish is also significant because ancient Mexicans believed that the gods made humans out of corn flour. I can't say how accurate that statement is since I've never eaten human flesh, but I did use ham instead of human (or pork).

Posole

by CJ Huang

A ritually significant, traditional Mexican soup that combines hominy, ham, hot peppers, and vegetables. Easy to prepare on the stove or in a slow cooker.

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
				ham, diced
				hominy
				stock/water
			1	tomato, wedged
			3	carrots, coined
			1	onion, chopped
			3 cloves	garlic, minced
		2 teaspoons		cumin
			2	hot peppers, torn	I used dried ancho peppers. They had a deliciously sweetly spicy flavor.
		1 teaspoon		oregano

Methods:

1. Combine all materials and bring to a boil.
2. Simmer an additional 5-10 minutes after onion turns translucent.

Candied Carrots (Tricksy Currts)

Since most vegetables seem to taste better roasted, I thought I would give candied carrots a try with roasted carrots. These carrots are first oven roasted, and then covered with a sweet, citrus sauce. Although orange or orange juice seems to be standard, I didn't have any, so I just substituted grapefruit juice in for the OJ. The aroma of the sauce filled the apartment, and I looked forward to eating these candied carrots, which James likes to call tricksy currts since you don't necessarily expect them to be sweet just looking at them. Also, the first time I made them, they tasted sweet, but then left a spicy aftertaste since I snuck in a bit of hot pepper. :P Now he's suspicious whenever he sees these carrots!

Candied Carrots (Tricksy Currts)

by CJ Huang

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
				carrots, cut into 3 inch segments and then quartered lengthwise
		1 teaspoon		oil
		1 cup		grapefruit juice	or OJ
		1 teaspoon		cumin, ground

Methods:

1. Toss carrots in oil to coat.
2. Place carrots in a baking dish.
3. Roast carrots at 350F until fork tender.
4. Meanwhile, mix juice and cumin and simmer until thickened.
5. Pour sauce over carrots just before serving.

Posole Stir Fry

I had a can of hominy, and I wasn’t sure what to make. I bought it not knowing what hominy is, but reading the label led me to conclude that it was some sort of Mexican corn. Although hominy is made from corn, it’s not like your typical corn on the cob. Hominy is basically dried corn with the hull removed, usually by lye in a process called nixtamalization. When I read that, I wondered if I really wanted to eat the hominy. However, apparently this process increases the nutritional value (most likely by increasing bioavailability), flavor, and aroma, while decreasing mycotoxins. When I did a search for ways to prepare hominy, lots of posole recipes came up, so I thought I’d give it a try.

After rinsing the hominy well, I prepared to make some posole. I knew I didn’t have any green chile peppers, but I thought I could substitute some chili pepper flakes for the spice. I also substituted bacon bits for ham since I didn’t have any ham. However, the biggest difference between what I made and posole is the lack of soup or stew. I didn’t realize that I had run out of stock and I didn’t want to wait until I made more, so I thought I would just take the ingredients I had and stir fry them together to make, for lack of a better term, “stir fry posole.” Having never eaten posole before, I can’t comment on how my (highly inauthentic) version compares to the original, but it certainly was tasty! All the flavors melded together to create something with a distinct Mexican flavor. This dish might be a good addition to Mexican night along with or instead of the usual dishes.

Have you ever bought an ingredient when you didn't know what it was? How did you use it?

Posole Stir Fry

by CJ Huang

A quick and easy stir fry featuring posole, along with some bacon and onions.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
			3 strips	bacon, chopped	or bacon bits
			2	onions, thinly wedged
			2 cloves	garlic, minced
		2 teaspoons		oregano
		1/2 teaspoon		cumin
		1 cup		hominy
		1 teaspoon		chili pepper flakes

Methods:

1. Cook the bacon, adding in the onion after some of the fat is melted, and cook until onion is slightly caramelized. If using bacon bits, just add onions to bacon bits and cook until onion is slightly browned.
2. Add remaining materials and cook until slightly done.