Tortilla Española
Tortilla Española, also known as a Spanish omelette, is a thick egg omelette made with potatoes and fried in olive oil.
You can eat it hot or cold. For breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack. The thickness of the omelette varies, but I made mine on the thin side due to the size of the skillet I used.
Ingredients:
- 6 eggs
- 1 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, sliced
- 2 cups onion, diced
- 1 TBSP salt
- 1 TBSP paprika
- 1 TBSP freshly ground pepper
Directions:
- Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the the onions and salt. Continue to cook until vegetables are tender (about 20 more minutes).
- Drain all but two tablespoons of the oil and transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
- Wipe the skillet clean.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs, paprika, salt and pepper together and stir in the vegetables.
- Heat one tablespoon of the oil in the skillet over medium-low heat.
- Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook until set (about 6 minutes).
- Loosen the sides with a spatula, place a plate facedown over the skillet and invert the tortilla.
- Heat remaining oil in the skillet over low heat. Slide in the tortilla (cooked side up). Cook for 3 more minutes then slide back onto plate.
- Cool slightly before serving.
Obviously, inverting the tortilla is the hardest part of this recipe. It really helps to make sure all of the potatoes are cooked into the egg mixture so that the Tortilla Española holds together.
I may be in the minority, but I prefer this dish served chilled. It goes great with a glass of white wine.
Tags: Eggs, Food, Potatoes, Recipe, Spanish, Spanish Recipe, Vegetarian
Black Bean-Turkey Burger
With beach season quickly approaching, I’m all about healthy recipes right now. Here’s a great, healthy recipe for Black Bean-Turkey Burgers.
This recipe sacrifices the calories, but not the flavor which is ideal when trying to eat right.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 can black beans (drained, rinsed and lightly mashed)
- 1/2 cup blue corn tortilla chips
- 1 egg
- 1 avocado
- 1 TBSP Tony Chachere’s (or seasoning mix of your choice)
- 1 TBSP chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup salsa
Black Bean-Turkey Burger Patties
- Set oven broiler on high.
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, beans, avocado, egg, tortilla chips and seasoning/spices. Mix with hands and form 6-8 equal-sized patties. Alternatively, you can mix everything by hand and use a biscuit cutter to form your patties.
- In an oven-safe skillet, pour in oil then place two patties in skillet. Broil for 5 minutes, flip and broil another 5 minutes. If you don’t have a broiler, this can be done on the stove burner on medium-high.
- Transfer the cooked patties to a paper towel-line plate to drain.
- Serve the burgers on a whole wheat bun and spoon salsa on top. Add cheese, lettuce and other toppings as you like.
I was able to get 8 servings out of this recipe. The burgers come out juicy and with a nice texture although they may break apart more than a typical hamburger.
Maybe more important than the healthiness of these Black Bean-Turkey Burgers is the fact they can be prepped in about 30 minutes. Also, if you have leftover patties, you can freeze them and serve them later.
Tags: Black Beans, Burger, Healthy, Healthy Recipe, Recipe, Turkey
Strawberry-Banana Bread Loaf
Is there a better fruit combo than strawberry and banana? I’m not sure there is after making and eating this Strawberry-Banana Bread.
The fresh Louisiana strawberries certainly didn’t hurt. This is a bread that will disappear very quickly. It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch or a mid-day snack.
Strawberry-Banana Bread
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, mashed
- 1 stick of butter (at room temperature)
- 2 eggs
- 3 bananas, mashed
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- pinch of salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Grease 3 loaf pans.
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
- Add eggs, mashed bananas and strawberries then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix Greek yogurt, vanilla and cinnamon followed by salt, baking soda and flour.
- Combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Divide evenly between the three loaf pans.
- Bake for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Let cool in loaf pans for 45 minutes to an hour then slice and serve.
You can also freeze the loaves for later use like when strawberries aren’t in season.
This Strawberry-Banana bread is a great Spring treat. It’s one of the easiest bread recipes imaginable.
Tags: Baking, Banana, Bread, Pecans, Recipe, Strawberries
Liège Waffles
I don’t know many people who don’t like waffles. But if you’re making your waffles from pancake batter, you’re missing out.
Liège Waffles use yeast in the batter as well as pearl sugar to give them a nice texture. This waffles are crisp, yeasty, fluffy and crunchy.
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 1 packet of active dry yeast
- 2 TBSP light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup lukewarm water
- 2 sticks butter, melted
- 1 TBSP salt
- t TBSP vanilla extract
- 1 cup pearl sugar
Directions:
- In a small bowl, whisk together water, brown sugar and yeast. Let stand about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Create a well and pour in yeast mixture. Mix together all ingredients until a lumpy batter begins to form.
- Add the eggs (one at a time) and keep mixing to produce a batter.
- Mix in the vanilla and melted butter gradually until smooth. The batter should be thick.
- Cover the bowl with a damp rag (or plastic wrap) and let sit for 2 hours or overnight.
- Stir the pearl sugar into the risen batter. Cover again and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 200F. Also preheat your waffle iron to medium-high.
- Brush the waffle iron with melted butter (you can also use non-stick cooking spray).
- Use two heaping tablespoons of the batter for each waffle, cooking until golden-brown and crisp.
- Transfer the waffles to a plate and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
These waffles do take some time in the preparation department, but they’re worth it. They’ll wow breakfast guests.
Pearl sugar may be difficult to find in your local grocery store so I recommend heading over to Amazon.com. If you don’t want to buy pear sugar, you can coarsely chop up some sugar cubes as a substitute.
Tags: Breakfast, Breakfast Recipe, Pearl Sugar, Recipe, Waffles
Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie
I’m probably biased, but I think Louisiana is home to the best strawberries on Earth. I’m planning on picking up a pallet in a couple weeks to really experiment with all things strawberries.
This past weekend, I picked up a couple pints from a local farmer’s market and decided to make a Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie. Unfortunately, I only had frozen rhubarb, but the result was still spectacular. Maybe because I also chose to throw in some fresh basil.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400F.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie before baking.
- For the pie filling, mix together the strawberries, rhubarb, basil, orange zest, sugar and flour.
- Place one pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan or dish and press into pan. Snip the edges evenly, but leave some crust for a small overhang
- Add the filling and drop in pieces of butter on top.
- Cut remaining pie crust into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch strips (with a knife or pastry cutter).
- Weave the pie crust strips over the top of the pie, fluting the edges.
- Whisk the egg in a small bowl and brush over the top of the pie.
- Bake pie at 400F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and cook another 35-40 minutes (or until filling is about to bubble over and the crust is slightly browned.
- Cool pie on a wire rack for 2 hours.
- Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
This really is the perfect pie for Spring and/or Summer. It’s fresh, light and has a nice tang to it. The filling actually reminded me of the taste of Gushers (the fruit snacks).
I ran out of time, but I was planning on topping mine with basil whipped cream. I think the basil whipped cream would give it an even better pop of flavor.
Tags: Dessert, Dessert Recipe, Pie, Pie Recipe, Recipe, Rhubarb, Strawberry, Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie
Tofu Coconut Curry
In one year I’ve gone from never having tofu to eating it at least once a week. It’s so versatile and goes well with just about everything, but especially curry.
The tofu really takes on the flavors of the curry well. Pair the tofu with coconut curry and vegetables and you’ve got a quick meal of Tofu Coconut Curry that’s loaded with nutrients and low in fat and calories.
Ingredients:
- 1 can reduced-fat coconut milk
The Veggies
- Juice of one lime
- 3 TBSP soy sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 TBSP curry powder
- 1 TBSP minced ginger
- 2 tsp chili paste
- 1 block extra firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped
- salt to taste
Directions:
- In a large pot over medium heat, mix coconut milk, curry powder, soy sauce, brown sugar, chili paste and ginger.
Adding the basil
- Bring to a boil and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add tofu, bell peppers, onion, mushrooms and tomato. Combine all ingredients, cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Mix in basil. Season with salt or more soy sauce to taste.
- Continue cooking for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, but crisp.
- Garnish with additional basil and serve over rice, if desired.
Make sure to thoroughly coat the tofu in the curry sauce. This recipe is quite spicy. My nose was running after eating it and my palate and body are quite accustomed to spicy food.
Also, the vegetables I used are just a guide. Feel free to experiment with a variety of veggies.
Tags: Asian Food, Coconut, Curry, One Pot Meal, Recipe, Thai Food, Tofu, Vegan, Vegan Recipe, Vegetarian, Vegetarian Recipe
Key Lime Bread Pudding with a Coconut Milk Glaze
I have to admit this Key Lime Bread Pudding was really more of an experiment than a vision, but it worked.
Key limes (or their juice) are vital to this dessert recipe. And rather than French bread (which I normally use in bread pudding), I used donut holes to give it added sweetness.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
Soaking the donut holes in the key lime custard
- Combine first seven ingredients in a large bowl and stir well.
- Add donut holes and toss gently to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Spread mixture evenly into a baking dish coated with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
- Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until bread pudding sets.
- Garnish with a key lime slice and serve.
For a topping, I combined a little coconut milk and some sugar to give it a really tropical vibe.
If you can’t get donut holes, just buy donuts and tear them into bite-sized pieces. You may even sweet talk a donut shop into giving you some stale donuts or donut holes for cheap.
To make sure I didn’t eat the whole pan, I took this to the office and it disappeared in a few hours. It’s that good.
Tags: Bread Pudding, Cinnamon, Dessert, Dessert Recipe, Donut Holes, Donuts, Key Lime, Recipe, Sugar
Honey-Lime Glazed Chicken Thighs
I’m not ashamed to admit that chicken thighs are my favorite cuts of chicken. They have the most flavor and don’t dry out the way breasts can.
This is a simple recipe that relies on three things: spices, a glaze and a broiler. I went for boneless, skinless chicken thighs to keep it on the healthy side, but I’m sure it’s just as good, if not better, with skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs.
Ingredients:
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Juice of one lime
- 6 TBSP honey
- 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper (or ground red pepper)
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
Honey-Lime Glazed Chicken Thighs Broiling in the Oven
- Set broiler to high.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, cider vinegar and honey. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together all spices. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat completely.
- Place thighs on a broiler pan (or foil-lined baking sheet) and broil for 5-6 minutes on each side.
- Remove from oven and brush one side with half of honey-lime glaze. Broil for 1 minute then glaze and broil the remaining side another minute.
- Serve with sides of your choice.
In my experience, chicken thighs are even better the second day so I would encourage you to make this and eat it the next day. Doing so will allow the spices to settle into the meat even more.
This is a very easy recipe with a nice kick that won’t blow your waistline.
Tags: Chicken, Chicken Recipe, Chicken Thighs, Honey, Lime, Recipe
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Roasted red peppers are delicious no matter what dish you place them in (within reason). They’re great on sandwiches, pizzas, in salads, you name it. Another way they can be put to great use is in soup.
I chose to make a simple Roasted Red Pepper Soup that focuses on the peppers rather than other ingredients (like potatoes, carrots, etc.). To complement the red peppers, I used cream cheese to give the soup a nice creamy texture.
Be advised that you will need a broiler to roast the red peppers.
Ingredients:
- 6 red peppers, cored, stemmed and halved
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 6 oz. cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 TBSP fresh thyme (plus more for garnish)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Hot sauce (optional)
Roasted Red Peppers
- Set broiler to high.
- On a foil-lined baking sheet, place red pepper halves skin side up and broil for 15 minutes or until skin is nearly all blackened.
- Remove peppers from the oven and place in a large plastic bag (even Ziploc), seal and let steam for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in large stockpot, saute onion and garlic with olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent.
- Once peppers have steamed, puree the peppers and onion-garlic mixture in a food processor or blender. Work in batches if necessary.
- Return puree to stockpot and boil over medium until bubbling.
- Add cream cheese, fresh thyme and salt and pepper. Heat until bubbling and cream cheese is melted.
- Serve warm and add hot sauce if desired.
Red peppers are known for their antioxidants and nutritional benefits. This recipe can be healthier if you use low-fat or reduced-fat cream cheese.
If the soup is too runny, you can add more cream cheese to thicken it up or continue cooking until some of the chicken stock has reduced.
Tags: Food, Recipe, Red Pepper, Roasted Red Pepper Soup, Roasted Red Peppers, Soup
Bacon-Jalapeño Deviled Eggs
No picnic is complete without deviled eggs. And what better way to take deviled eggs to another level than by adding bacon and jalapeño?
These Bacon-Jalapeño Deviled Eggs are sure to disappear very quickly so be prepared to whip up some more. Luckily, they’re very simple.
Ingredients:
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and diced
- 4 TBSP mayonaisse
- Pinch of sugar
- Pinch of chili powder
The Egg Yolk Mixture
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Paprika, for dusting
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Cut up bacon and place in a oven-safe pan. Bake bacon for roughly 20-25 minutes or until crispy throughout. Remove from oven and cool on a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, cut into small pieces.
- Remove the yolks from the hard-boiled eggs and place in a mixing bowl.
- To the yolks, add salt, garlic powder, chili powder, jalapeño and most of the bacon (save some bacon for later).
Bacon-Jalapeño Deviled Egg
- Mash/mix all ingredients with large fork. Gradually incorporate mayo until a fluffy mixture is formed. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Using a pasty bag (or a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off), place yolk mixture into bag and squeeze into boiled egg white centers.
- Garnish with remaining bacon and dust with paprika.
Once the bacon is cooked, preparing these deviled eggs takes no time at all. And you’ll get a lot of flavor for a little time.
This is a dish you can take to any party. I guarantee they’ll be a hit.
Tags: Bacon, Deviled Eggs, Eggs, Eggs Recipe, Jalapeno, Recipe, Southern Recipe
Po' Boy Livin' Rich 