Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Living (in Europe) away from fast food has turned the appeal on Taco Bell way down, but I will never tire of Mexican food! We must make ours from scratch.

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons water
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup Crisco vegetable shortening
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
2/3 cup mild salsa
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup sliced black olives

Brown the ground beef over medium heat, then drain the excess fat from the pan. Add salt, onions, paprika, black pepper, chili powder and water, then let the mixture simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Stir frequently. Heat the Crisco shortening in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. If the oil is smoking, it is too hot. Fry each tortilla for about 45 seconds per side, or until golden brown and let drain on paper towels. Heat up the refried beans in a small saucepan. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
To assemble the pizza, spread about 1/3 cup refried beans on face of one tortilla. Next spread 1/4 of meat, then another tortilla. Coat the tortillas with two tablespoons of salsa, then split up the tomatoes and stack them on top. Next divide up the cheese, onions and olives, stacking in that order. Place pizzas in the oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese on top is melted.

Bread Crumb Substitute

While looking for the herbs to season my bread (making bread crumbs from scratch), I came upon this post. Interesting idea, to use pureed almonds or shredded coconut instead of bread. Coconut on chicken sounds delish! The seasoning tip:

I recently made "Country Fried Steak" using raw almond flour I blended in my cuisinart. I added some salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and a little bit of cayenne. They were awesome!!!

Make sure you use ample eggs to coat your meat to help the almond flour to stick well.

Not Delicious!

This plant:

Daikon

deserves no place on this blog.

Simply awful!

Apparently, daikon is similar to a radish in nutritional value (and taste!), though daikon tops it in nutritional value.

It is apparently a source of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, folate, sulphur, iron and iodine.

I hope they're worth something, because the babies and I gagged on the bitter taste, which lingered for some time.

How to diminish bitter/sour/spicy taste in food?

Mix one ingredient of each together, and they surprisingly balance each other out.

I pureed zucchini, radish, and yellow plum (each small sized), resulting in a sharp, but refreshing taste. Like eating something that doesn't really taste great, but it is so unique that it keeps you coming back for another bite. The flavors might be considered a "palate cleanser"?

The babies were OK with it, then during the second introduction took to it very well.

Grilled Peaches with Prosciutto Recipe

Living in Europe for over two years, and this week I decided it was time to buy Prosciutto.

Second time only!

Heaven.

Grilling peaches deepens their natural sweetness, and when they're paired with prosciutto, it's an unbeatable flavor trifecta: sweet, smoky, salty. That said, grilled peaches also pair well with vanilla ice cream.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Grilled Peaches with Prosciutto Recipe

Serves 10

• 5 medium peaches, ripe but firm, halved, pits removed
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup small basil leaves
• 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

Directions

1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grill and peaches with oil. Season peaches to taste with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally until charred and softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with basil, grind pepper over top, and drizzle with oil. Serve with prosciutto on the side.

Dinner

I recycled the zucchini/parsley puree from yesterday, adding it to spinach tortelloni and spaghetti sauce. I'd made the sauce last week, and it wasn't my favorite at first: it needed a week to sit and let the flavors deepen together. I finally liked it this week, though I am still on the hunt for the perfect sauce recipe.

In any case, my husband argued that the blend of the vegetable puree, the spinach from the tortelloni and the meat sauce were an excellent combination. The zucchini had a bitter sting for an aftertaste, though he felt the blend was a smashing hit, bettered only by cheese, adding saltiness to tame the bitterness.

The recipe is a natural combination of flavors, yet the textures are interesting and new. I mustn't forget the power of fresh herbs to take a dish from good to memorable. I'm making peace with parsley with every new dish it enlivens!

Stovetop Smokin'!

How to smoke in your wok on the stovetop.

Video demo here.

Lunch

steamed/pureed zucchini (1.75 medium) + garlic powder + onion powder + fresh parsley (4 bunches) + 15 g Gouda chunks (medium sharp)

big hit with both! the cheese added salty flavor

diced/steamed kohlrabi

not a big hit with Mister Bug today. konked out after abt 15 pieces. Lady Bug into it though

steamed [frozen] spinach (2 baby portions) + milk (1 cup) + mushroom soup mix (1/2 package)

big hit with both! of course!

halfed grapes

first time! Mister Bug back into spitting out skins. argh. both like it though.

blueberries

pure delight.

[cool] peppermint tea (1 small leaf) in 125 mL -- small cup

love it.

milk (bio) -- sippy cup

not into it at all.

The Quest

Challenge: to vary their diet so they never get used to any one thing -- and thus never reject my new creations!

Louisiana Chicken Pasta

(a la Cheesecake Factory)
Servings: 6

Chicken:
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour

Cajun Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 small red onion, chopped
3 whole garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/4 pints whipping cream
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
4 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 package bow-tie pasta
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add yellow and red bell peppers, mushrooms, and onion to same skillet and saute until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper to skillet and saute 2 or 3 minutes.

Add whipping cream and chicken stock. Simmer until sauce re-heats and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add basil and 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese to sauce, stirring to incorporate. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, simmer. Sauce will reduce and thicken.

Cook chicken:
Wash and drain chicken breasts. Pound until very thin, as thin or thinner then 1/4-inch thick (the thinner the chicken breasts the better).

Mix breadcrumbs, flour, and Parmesan cheese together. Place milk in dish for dipping.

Dip chicken in breadcrumb mixture and then in milk and then back in breadcrumbs.

Place in fry pan that the oil has been heated and fry at medium high temperature until golden, crisp, and cooked through. Add more oil as needed. Remove and drain chicken. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook bow-tie pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain and return to pot. Add sauce and toss to coat.

Place pasta with sauce on plate, and top with chicken breast. Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.

Louisiana Chicken Pasta

(a la Cheesecake Factory)
Servings: 6

Chicken:
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour

Cajun Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 small red onion, chopped
3 whole garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/4 pints whipping cream
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
4 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 package bow-tie pasta
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
salt and peper

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add yellow and red bell peppers, mushrooms, and onion to same skillet and sauté until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper to skillet and sauté 2 or 3 minutes.

Add whipping cream and chicken stock. Simmer until sauce re-heats and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add basil and 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese to sauce, stirring to incorporate. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, simmer. Sauce will reduce and thicken.

Cook chicken:
Wash and drain chicken breasts. Pound until very thin, as thin or thinner then 1/4-inch thick (the thinner the chicken breasts the better).

Mix breadcrumbs, flour, and Parmesan cheese together. Place milk in dish for dipping.

Dip chicken in breadcrumb mixture and then in milk and then back in breadcrumbs.

Place in fry pan that the oil has been heated and fry at medium high temperature until golden, crisp, and cooked through. Add more oil as needed. Remove and drain chicken. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook bow-tie pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain and return to pot. Add sauce and toss to coat.

Place pasta with sauce on plate, and top with chicken breast. Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.

Milk Product Relationships

In Europe, the dairy world is much more expansive than the USA dairy world, as regulated by the FDA.

I've never found anyone who could tell me the differences between heavy/whipping/table cream/half and half, or where Germany's quark fits in (it's not found in the USA), or if crème fraiche differs from cream cheese, or how where cheese curds, cottage cheese, marscapone and buttermilk fit in the big picture...

Enter: this chart. Incredible! So glad to have it all laid out clearly.

Disclaimer: I've only made Jello once in my life. But I believe every culinary artist should know how to make a Jello creation. Just because.

It was discontinued in 2002, but the 3-layered-parfait always was a bit of a scientific wonder (creepy, even?) to me. Here's the homemade version Jello 1-2-3 recipe.

Jello 1 2 3

aka

JELL-O Magic Mousse

Three layers are made as the jello cools in the refrigerator.

prep time

10 min

total time

8 hr 10 min

makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
3 cups boiling water

1 pkg. (6 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin

1 tub (16 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

Directions:
ADD boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Whisk in COOL WHIP until well blended. (Mixture will be thin.)

POUR into 10 glasses or dessert dishes, 1-1/2-qt. bowl or 6-cup mold sprayed with cooking spray.

REFRIGERATE 8 hours or until firm. If using mold, unmold dessert onto serving plate just before serving.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Shortcut

Is the COOL WHIP still frozen? No need to worry. Just follow the recipe as directed, using the still-frozen COOL WHIP. Just be sure to stir the gelatin mixture until the COOL WHIP is completely melted as directed before pouring into the glasses, dessert dishes, bowl or mold.

How to Halve Recipe

This recipe can easily be halved to make 5 servings. Prepare as directed, using 1-1/2 cups boiling water, 1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin and 1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping. Pour into 5 glasses or dessert dishes, 1-qt. bowl or 3- to 4-cup mold sprayed with cooking spray.

Taken from this Kraft site:
Jello 1-2-3 QA answered: