Carnitas Burrito Bowls with Salsa Fresca and Lime Cilantro Rice

I loooovvveeeee me some Chipotle! If I didn't feel like crap after eating it (basically because the portion sizes are so incredibly ridiculous), I would probably eat it on a weekly basis. But since that would result in a few less than desirable consequences (like having to buy larger pants), I'll refrain.

Not that my homemade version is significantly more healthy, it does taste a lot better. I love that I can control the fat by trimming the excess off of the pork and keep the sodium levels in check. Everything tastes fresh and I didn't have to get changed out of my comfy clothes to put dinner on the table! This is pretty easy to put together and it's awesome not having to stand in line. That's a win in my book!

Carnitas Burrito Bowls with Fresh Salsa

3 lb pork shoulder roast, remove excess fat

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced.

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 T ground cumin

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

1) With a sharp knife, cut several slits into the pork roast and stuff the holes with garlic. Tightly wrap with Seran Wrap and put in the refrigerator overnight.

2) In the morning, pull out the pork. Combine the remaining ingredients in the crock pot and stir.

3) Heat a large frying pan on high heat and sear the pork shoulder on each side. Once its seared, place it in the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. 

4) After 8 hours, remove the pork from the crock pot and using two forks shred the pork. Reserve one cup of the juices, drain the rest. Place the shredded pork back into the crock pot with the reserved juices and allow to cook for another 20 minutes, to soak up the juices.

In the meantime, prepare your fresh salsa so that flavors marry well.

 

Salsa Fresca

1 large beef steak tomato, chopped in small pieces

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped

Sea Salt

Lime juice

1) Combine all measured ingredients into a bowl.

2) Add in a few cranks of sea salt from a grinder and lime juice (I usually don't measure this, but its probably the juice of a half to full lime)

 

Next .... make the Lime Cilantro Rice 

 

Lime Cilantro Rice

Jasmine Rice, prepared as directed (mine called for 1 cup of rice)

1 handful of cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of 1/2 lime

Sea Salt

1) Prepare rice as directed.

2) Once rice is done cooking, fluff with a fork.

3) Add in cilantro, lime and salt to the rice and stir.

Now its time to build your most amazing burrito bowl ever. Start with a good helping of rice, topped with a good portion of pork, then add some cut up lettuce, cheese, sour cream and top with a good spoon or two of the fresca salsa.

You're welcome!!

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Buttermilk Cornbread

This cornbread is a great compliment to any meal. This  recipe is a bit sweet but not overly sweet. Just a nice hint of sweetness amongst the other wonderful flavors.

Buttermilk Cornbread

(photo courtesy of this blog)

1 stick unsalted butter

2/3 cups white sugar (can use 1/3 c brown sugar in place of white)

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch pan with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.

2) Melt butter and pour into mixer bowl. Add in sugar and eggs quickly and mix until combined.

3) Measure out buttermilk and add baking soda to it and add into the egg mixture.

4) Add in remaining ingredients and pour into prepared pan and cook for 35-40 minutes, or until done.

5) After pulling it out of the oven, immediately drizzle honey over the bread and melt a small amount of butter over the top also.

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Three Little Pigs Soup

As the name suggests, this soup has three types of pork in it. Of course, you can eliminate one or two of them but I think you'd loose some of the depth this soup has. Its everything a soup should be: hearty, earthy, thick, and bursting with layers of flavor.

I had my sister and her main squeeze over for dinner and they agreed by helping themselves to seconds. This was a great way to use up the leftover christmas ham (check the blog because that recipe was FANTASTIC and blows the national ham chain out of the water) and get in some fiber and warm up on a cold Ohio December day.

I served this with a very delicious homemade cornbread (recipe on the blog also). This particular cornbread is a bit sweet (but not overly sweet) to balance the smokiness of the soup.

You're welcome in advance!

Three Little Piggies Soup

6 slices of bacon, coursely chopped

3 links of mild italian sausage, cut into bite size pieces (casing removed)

Ham, chopped into small pieces (I used leftover, equivalent of about 4-6 spiral slices)

1 small white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 28oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 cans chicken broth (the normal size cans) I always use low sodium/low fat

1 chipotle pepper (with adobe sauce), chopped small

2 teaspoons cumin

3/4 teaspoons dried oregano

few dashes of smoked paprika

dash of dried minced onion

salt and pepper to taste

1) In a frying pan, cook the chopped bacon until it is crispy. Remove from the pan and put on a paper towel lined plate to remove excess grease. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the grease, discard the rest. 

2) In the reserved grease, add onion, garlic and italian sausage and cook until the sausage is done and the onions are not burnt.

3) Combine all the other ingredients into a stock pot and bring to a boil. Add in sausage/onion mixture and bacon.

4) Allow to boil for a short period of time, then reduce heat to medium low and allow soup to cook for 3-4 hours. Stir occasionally and adjust flavors as you see fit. I liked the smokiness that the adobe paste brought to the soup so I added a bit more while it was cooking. If you like less heat, remove the seeds from the pepper before adding it to the pot.

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Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Lasagna

I'm sure in previous posts, I have declared my love for all types of Mexican food. The flavors, the colors, THE AROMAS...All of it just makes my stomach rejoice!!

..... I digress ....

In my attempt to feed my family healthy meals that don't lack the deliciousness we deserve and trying to loose a few pounds myself, I am always on the lookout to be inspired. Mexican food isn't typically waist-line friendly but there are definitely ways to lighten them up without sacrificing the flavors.

In this dish, the real star is the roasted vegetables. There really is not a lot of added flavorings to this dish. Do not let the simplicity of this recipe and the ingredient list turn you off or make you think you will have a flavorless dish. It is quite the opposite, my friends!

I hope you enjoy! As always, I welcome the feedback and why you're at it...why not PIN it to your favorite board!

Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Lasagna

1 poblano chile, cut into thin sticks

2 red bell peppers, cut into thin sticks

1/2 head of cauliflower broken into small/medium sized pieces

1 small white/yellow onion, shaved or sliced thin

1 c. frozen corn

1/3 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick then into thin sticks

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

baby spinach leaves (a few hand fulls)

2 T ground cumin

2 cloves of garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups salsa

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

9-10 flour or corn tortilla's, cut in half

Melissa's Homemade Enchilada Sauce

2 c. shredded cheddar or mexican blend cheese

light sour cream and green onions, for garnish

1) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. 

2) Place poblano chile, bell peppers, cauliflower, corn, onion and zucchini into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat all vegetables (but you dont want to have a pool of oil at the bottom). Sprinkle with cumin, garlic and salt and pepper and toss again.

3) Place vegetables in a roasting pan (or any other deep dish) and roast for about 40 minutes, or until you start to see the vegetables get a gorgeous roasted look. You'll want to stir them every 15 minutes or so to roast evenly. Remove and reduce oven temperate to 350 degrees.

4) Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl combine the salsa and cilantro. Spoon 1/4 of the mixture on the bottom of your pan. Lay down a layer of tortillas, then 1/3 of the roasted vegetable mix, 1/3  shredded chicken, handful of spinach and 1/3 shredded chicken. Repeat each layer and you should end with cheese on the top. 

5) Top your lasagna with the enchilada sauce (use as much or as little as you'd like)

6) Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes to get a nice color on the top of your lasagna. Let stand and cut into servings. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions. 

recipe inspired by this blog

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Zucchini and Rice Skillet

Way back when I first stumbled upon the Pinterest world, I pinned a recipe that sparked some interest to me. Funny how when I look through all of my pins, how many of the food items I have yet to try.

This past week, I decided that I was going to add this into the mix. I changed up the originally recipe a bit because I was afraid that the original was going to lack a little flavor and would leave the stomach still wanting more. 

Our little family really enjoyed this dish. I especially liked that it was a one pot meal which meant less dishes for me!! It's really a win-win. I hope you enjoy it. I'd love to hear your feedback.

Zucchini, Beans and Beef Skillet

photo courtesy of this blog

1/2 pound beef

1 1/2 c. sliced zucchini, washed and cut in quarters
1/2 c. green bell pepper

1/2 c. red bell pepper

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 - 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, diced (I used the kind seasoned with garlic) UNDRAINED

3/4 c. water

1 c . instant brown rice, uncooked

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1) In a skillet on medium-high heat, dropped your ground beef into medium sized chunks and cook until cooked through.

2) Drain most of the grease (reserving 1-2 T of drippings in the pan) and add in onions, bell peppers, zucchini and garlic. Cook until veggies are a bit soft (just about 5 minutes).

3) Add beans, undrained tomatoes and water and turn heat on high and bring to a boil.

4) Add in uncooked rice. Stir well.

5) Cover and remove from heat and let stand for about 9 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
6) Garnish with cheddar cheese and serve. 

this recipe was adapted from this blog

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Snickerdoodle Cupcake

I really like Snickerdoodle cookies. I've never really been a chocolate lover but I do love pumpkin and cinnamon. There's just something about a warm snickdoodle with a tall glass of milk (add ice please).

I came across some recipes on Pinterest for different cinnamon flavored cupcakes and thought that re-creating a snickerdoodle cookie could be very fun! I wanted to not only get the right cinnamon taste but I wanted the cinnamon coating crunch and the dense-foamy-ness that a true snickerdoodle possess.

I think the key to this cupcake turning out so delicious is using REAL cinnamon. I've done some research and the cinnamon that we can buy for $1 at save-a-lot is not real cinnamon. Its basically cinnamon flavored chalk dust. I bought THIS CINNAMON off of Amazon and have not been let down. A little goes a long way, I promise. And the taste is like nothing you've had before. 

I am really happy with the way that this cupcake turned out! I have made it about half a dozen times and each time people moan upon each bite and give rave compliments. I'm so happy that other people enjoy it as much as I do.

Snickerdoodle Cupcake with CinnaButtercream Frosting

Cake Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp cinnamon (I highly suggest a Grade A cinnamon)
1/2 c. melted butter, cooled

1 1/4 c. white granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

3/4 c. whole milk or buttermilk

cinnamon/sugar mix

1) Preheat your oven to 350 F and line cupcake tin with liners.

2) Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.

3) In a mixing bowl, beat together sugar and butter until it is fluffy and light in color. 

4) Add in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla and almond extracts and milk. Mix until smooth.

5) Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

6) Spoon into cupcake liners (I use an ice cream scoop for consistency). Fill 2/3 full. Before putting in the oven generously sprinkle cinnamon/sugar on the top of each cupcake then bake for 15-18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with sticky crumbs on it.

Frosting Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 T cinnamon

3 T whole milk

1) Beat butter until light in color and fluffy.

2) Slowly add in powdered sugar (I always start with 2 cups then add in) and beat for 3-4 minutes.

3) Add in vanilla and cinnamon and milk to loosen, if necessary.

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes, garnish with just a pinch more of the cinnamon/sugar mix and ENJOY!!

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Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

I owe all the credit in the world to This Blog for this recipe. I have never added any liquid fruit to a frosting before but now's as good a time as any, right?!

I paired this with a lemon cake and it was REALLY good.

I did tweak her original recipe just a bit and am definitely keeping this recipe in my back pocket.

Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

1/2 c. unsalted butter

12 oz bag of frozen raspberries (you can use fresh also)

1/2 c plus 2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice

Lemon Zest

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 - 4 c. powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1 to 2 T. whole milk or cream, as needed

To make a raspberry sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the raspberries until they are broken down and turn into liquid (for the most part). Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth  and place in a smaller saucepan. Pour the cooked raspberries into the cheesecloth and allow it to strain into the smaller pan. I used a plastic spoon and squished the raspberries to remove all the juices I could. Place back on to burner, add just a bit of lemon zest and cook until the sauce reduces. It will become a rich red color. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Affix the paddle attachment to your mixer and cream the butter until it is light colored and fluffy. Add in powdered sugar (I start with about 2 cups), 2/3 cups of the raspberry sauce, lemon juice, vanilla and salt and mix until it is really smooth. Add in additional powdered sugar to firm it up. You can add in milk/cream if you like a thinner consistency.

This buttercream was the perfect compliment to a lemon cake (I did not use her recipe for the lemon cake) but would also be quite delightful on a chocolate cake or maybe use the sauce as a base to create a filling!!! It is also good just off the spoon.....

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