Sunday Night Romance

I love cooking romantic meals for my husband and I think French and Italian food is by far the most romantic cuisines to make for someone. I mean think about it, whenever you went on a "big" date where did you go? Chances are it wasn't a gastropub or McDonald's (if your significant other takes you to McDonald's for a big date you may want to rethink your relationship.)

So tonight to treat my incredible, sweet and loving husband I'm making grilled chicken with gnocchi (no-kee; aka dumplings of delicious potato) and pesto. 

Grilled Chicken with Gnocchi Pesto 

1 3oz chicken breast, grilled 

4 Tbsp olive oil 

1/2 tbsp salt 

2 tbsp pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder 

1/2 tbsp garlic salt 

1/2 tbsp onion powder 

1/2 tbsp poultry seasoning 

1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes 

1 package gnocchi, boiled 

1/2 C pesto, I like the Classico brand Basil Pesto (as I've said many times, yes homemade is always better but this is a great substitute if you don't want to go through the whole process of making pesto) 

1/4 C parmesan cheese, grated 

1/2 baguette, warmed (for serving) 

Marinate chicken breast with 2 Tbsp oil and spices (using only 1 tbsp pepper, 1/2 tbsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes, reserve the other half of these spices for serving with your baguette) covered in the fridge for roughly 6 hours, but remember the longer it marinated the better the flavor will be. 

Nate and I (regrettably) do not have our own outdoor grill because our apartment complex will not allow it...but we have a fireplace, go figure. However, we do have a little table-top electric grill so I will be using that so adjust accordingly if you are using an outdoor grill. Grill chicken until cooked through, again the time is completely dependent upon what you are using for your grill; my grill takes roughly 15 minutes. By the time my chicken was done (beautiful grill marks and perfectly juicy), the water for my gnocchi wasn'teven  boiling yet. Slice chicken into several slices (you know, like how restaurants serve grilled chicken on a salad or something?) against the grain. 

Boil the gnocchi according to the package directions and heat the pesto using the residual heat after the gnocchi has been drained. 

Top the gnocchi with the grilled chicken and cheese and enjoy your dinner with a fancy baguette with dipping oil and I recommend a nice dry red wine to go along; we're drinking a bottle of the Jemez Red from Ponderosa Valley Winery. This vinery is located at 3171 NM-290, Ponderosa, New Mexico and is frankly the cutest little vineyard I've ever been to! The tasting room is like walking into grandma's house (if grandma owned a vineyard, that is). 

Serve this delicious meal with half a baguette, sliced and warmed. To make the dipping oil, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp pepper, 1/2 tbsp garlic powder, 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes and 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning. 

Enjoy treating your special someone with this romantic and indulgent meal, readers! 

Bistronomy B2B

Bistronomy B2B sprung up in the trendy Nob Hill stretch of Central Avenue in Fall of 2012 and immediately I was intrigued. What was this place? Was it good? Should I go? Well, Nate (lucky duck) went a couple weeks ago for beers with some friends of his and I was immediately green with envy.

In this small storefront located at 3118 Central Ave SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 they not only bust out some incredible burgers and fries but brew their own beers and ciders!!! 

The space is small, probably about 50-60 seats max comprised of several small tables and a rectangular bar in the middle. The best thing about the resturant is that it EXCLUSIVELY sells New Mexican beers and wines (in addition to their own brews). 

Decor: good, the space is decorated in the modern-industrial way; exposed pipes and celing, art is in the form of a large painted mural along the northern wall and a large open window to allow for fresh air and pretty prime people watching (Central Ave is by far the best place in the city to people watch).

Food appearance: good, food was served with obvious attention to detail, plus your burger bun is branded with a "B2B" which I just think is neat. 

Food taste: excellent! Nate and I shared a Texan Burger (Texas chili, cheese and stout BBQ sauce) which was cooked to a juicy medium accompanied by a side of BBQ rubbed fries (they tasted like BBQ chips and seriously, who doesn't want that?!) also served with a slice of tempura fried pickle and a cup of housemade coleslaw (which was recommended to be put on the burger, thank you for the recommendation, server!) We also ordered an appetizer of red chile frites with chopped jalapeños from their frites menu, yes my friends, they have an entire menu devoted to fries, you're welcome in advance. The frites were smothered in spicy and smoky red chile and topped with melted cheese (yummy!!!) We arrived just in time to partake in their happy hour (4-6, but from 4-5 is $2 pints as opposed to $3 from 5-6) so we each ordered 1 $3 pint. I got their cherry stout, it was like drinking a cherry coffee; perfectly creamy and bitter with a hint of cherry. I also ordered a pint of their berry cider which I would highly recommend! The cider is so beautifully sweet and tart (as all good ciders should be) and is served with a handful of berries in it (see ma', I'm getting my fruits!) They also offer shots of their beers for tastings. Oh and their water is served with a slice of cucumber which is both refreshing and elegant (at least it seems fancy).

Cleanliness: excellent, tables were turned over quickly. 

Service: excellent, despite being pretty busy the servers were extremely attentive and friendly. At one point I had two separate servers show up to refill my cucumber water, now if that isn't great service I don't know what is. 

Total: 13/15

If you're in the mood for burgers, fries and fantastic beers and service head to Bistronomy B2B, I have some helpful hints though: 1) as with most places in Nob Hill, parking is scarce; I recommend driving off Central and parking in a neighborhood and 2) share a plate! The servings are big enough for 2 people to share without being hungry after the plate is clean plus it's cheaper :D 

Enjoy, readers! 

Mexi-dogs (Using Leftovers)

So this post is kinda a cheat because I'm not cooking anything as much as I am just re-heating but it's a great way to use leftovers! 

WARNING: POST CONTAINS SOME FOUL LANGUAGE THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR SOME READERS! 

So if you read my "Sunday Fiesta" post, which you all should've because I'm brilliant (just kidding) but if you had read it you will already know how to make the Spanish rice (of which I had about 3 cups' worth leftover), tomatillo sauce (of which about half the batch was leftover) and you should have leftover tortillas because packs of tortillas are always too large. 

So what do you do with all these leftovers? Turn them into mexi-dogs of course! 

I love hot dogs, I don't know why but I absolutely adore them. I crave them. Despite the fact they're made of "pig lips and assholes," to quote fictional character Jesse Pinkman of Breaking Bad fame, I don't care. I think they're fantastic so tonight we're having weenies for dinner. 

Mexi-Dogs with Spanish Rice 

Hot Dogs (I prefer the "all beef" varieties) boiled

1/2 C cheddar cheese, shredded 

1 C guacamole (refer to my "Taco Tuesday (On A Sunday)" post for recipe)

Tortillas, warmed 

1 C tomatillo sauce or however much you have leftover (refer to my "Sunday Fiesta" post for recipe) 

3 C  Spanish Rice for side (refer to my "Sunday Fiesta" post for recipe) 

Boil hot dogs until heated through, should only take about 5-10 minutes. 

Heat up rice in microwave. 

Heat through tomatillo sauce (microwave or stovetop, your choice). 

Place cooked hot dog in center of warmed tortilla, add in desired amount of guacamole, sprinkle top with cheese, spoon some tomatillo sauce in and roll up like a burrito. Serve with rice. 

Viola! There you have something completely new with leftover ingredients! 

Enjoy this cheat post, readers!

Sunday Fiesta

I've been wanting to cook something all week, lately Nate and I have been eating a lot of easy meals or eating out so tonight I decided to create a feast and invite over our friend Brandon again. 

New Mexican food is more than just cheddar cheese and tortillas, so I looked for inspiration in the New Mexican Cookbook by Lynn Nusom. This cookbook contains recipes for desserts, regional dishes and Native American recipes. After searching through the book I decided on Crab Meat Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce and Spanish Rice. 

I began with making the tomatillo sauce because it would require the most time for the flavors to develop. 

Tomatillo Sauce

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 Lb tomatillos, peeled, washed and diced

1 medium bell pepper, seeded and diced 

1/2 C dry vermouth 

1 C chicken broth 

2 oz green chile, chopped

1/2 tbsp garlic salt

1/2 tbsp garlic powder 

1/4 tbsp fresh ground black pepper

Sauté onion in oil in a medium pot over medium heat until onions become transparent. Add in tomatillos, green peppers, wine, chicken broth, chile and seasoning. 

Simmer over low heat until tomatillos are soft. 

Now, this isn't in the official recipe but I'd definitely recommend putting the sauce through a blender or using an immersion blender. The sauce is more of a thick salsa otherwise. 

Next I began the Spanish Rice. I have an awful track record with rice. 1. The liquid never goes away no matter how closely I follow the instructions on the box and 2. It's always still crunchy so I wanted to make sure I had spare time just in case. 

Spanish Rice

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 C white long-grain rice (or medium-grain if you didn't want to but a new bag of rice) 

2 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed 

1 small yellow onion, diced 

2 cups crushed tomatoes, drained (or fire roasted diced tomatoes if you don't want to buy new tomatoes) 

1 C water 

1 tbsp pepper

1/2 tbsp salt 

1/2 tbsp celery salt

1/4 tbsp oregano

1/4 tbsp basil 

In medium pot over medium heat toast rice in oil until brown. 

Pass garlic through garlic press and stir into rice. Add onion, tomatoes, water and spices. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. 

Next came the star of the show: 

Crab Meat Enchiladas 

2 Tbsp Butter

12 oz crab meat (I used canned which I wouldn't recommend unless you use lump crab meat; I also recommend that you double or even triple the amount of meat used)

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tbsp parsley 

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 large flour tortillas, warmed 

In a large skillet, sauté crab meat in butter. Add garlic, parsley and seasonings and heat through. 

To serve, put about 1/3 C of crab mixture into heated tortilla and roll. Cover with tomatillo sauce. 

Another addition I made that wasn't in the original recipe was to mix in around 1/4 cup of the tomatillo sauce into the crab meat. 

This dinner was pretty simple and cheap to make. With the changes I recommended I think any and all of my readers will enjoy this meal! 

Happy eating!

Green Beer and Guinness

Happy St. Patrick's Day, readers! This year Nate and I decided to stay in (mainly due to money tightness...we just bought a car, remember? But also to avoid the crowds). We considered going to O'Neill's, a local Irish pub with a location only a couple miles from our apartment but then remembered they'd probably be packed and we'd be looking at around a $40 tab (before tip) for 4 beers (2 for each of us) and two entrees. Needless to say, that idea was quickly scrapped and decided to invite a couple friends over for an Irish meal instead. 

Irish Beef Stew 

1 pound stew beef

1 C rutabaga or turnip, diced (we used a turnip)

1 C carrot, diced and peeled

2 potatoes, diced and peeled 

2 bay leaves

3/4 tbsp dried basil

3/4 tbsp dried Rosemary 

3/4 tbsp garlic, minced 

1 Tbsp parsley, chopped 

6 Tbsp olive oil 

3/4 C celery, diced 

3 C water

5 Tbsp Tamari (or regular soy sauce)

1/2 head of cabbage, leaves quartered

2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 

2 Tbsp cool water 

First dry your beef on paper towels, according to Julia "if you don't dry meat, it won't brown properly" well, not sure if this is necessarily true but Queen Julia hasn't steered me wrong yet. 

Brown beef in 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Remember it's going to cook in the stew so you really just need to sear it on all sides. Remove the browned meat onto a plate and drain off the fat. 

Sauté the vegetables (excluding celery) over medium heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 cups of water, Tamari (or soy sauce), cabbage leaves and meat to stock pot with the sautéed vegetables and simmer for about 15-20 minutes over low-medium heat. 

Add in celery and stir in dissolved cornstarch. Simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens. 

Serves 6

We invited our friends Eli and Brandon over to help us eat because I detest leftovers and that's an awful lot of stew for 2 people to eat. 

We served our stew with Irish Soda Bread bought from Great Harvest Bakery and an assortment of Irish cheddar cheeses. Oh and of course Guinness, Irish Car Bombs and green beer. 

Hope you all had a safe St. Patty's Day and aren't too hungover to go to work today! 

Pizza and Better Call Saul

I've said it before and I'll say it again, pizza is a wonder-food. There's absolutely nothing like it and you could eat it multiple times with multiple toppings and never get bored with it. Case-in-point, we had pizza for dinner Friday night, last night and tonight and I'm still craving pizza. 

Hot Italian Sausage and Green Chile Pizza

1/2 pound ground hot Italian sausage 

1 can whole grain pizza dough 

1 8 oz can tomato sauce 

1 Tbsp oregano

1 Tbsp Basil

1 tbsp garlic powder 

1 tbsp onion powder 

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil 

1/2 tbsp cayenne 

Salt and pepper to taste 

2 cups cheese (I used a pizza blend - mozzarella, provolone, parmesan) 

1 cup chopped green chile (Bueno is always my favorite when I don't have fresh)

Brown the sausage in a skillet and dry on a layer of paper towels to drain fat. 

In a small saucepan heat up the can of tomato sauce. Now, I know what you're thinking, "why use canned?! Isn't homemade always better?" The simple answer is yes, however, canned can be a great time saver and if you doctor it up just right it's a good substitute. Mix in your desired spice combo and heat throughly. 

Follow the instructions on your dough can, again, yes homemade is always superior and worth the effort but when you come home from a 9 hour work day, an hour at the gym, and have plans for 8:00 (in this case watching Better Call Saul because Vince Giligan is a genius), premade cheat-dough is the way to go. 

Layer sauce, Italian sausage, green chile and cheese onto you par-baked pizza crust. This step is optional but I always like to brush the edges of my crust with olive oil, this step creates golden and crispy crusts. Bake pizza for 8 minutes at 400 degrees and turn on the broiler to get brown and bubbly cheese for 2 minutes. 

Enjoy your very own Hot Italian Sausage and Green Chile Pizza 

Sparky's

Hello again readers, I've been on a bit of a hiatus due to stress and lack of time so allow me to catch you up to my life: Nate and I bought our first car this past Monday, Nate got sick and this past weekend Nate and I went camping at White Sands National Monument. 

On our first trip to White Sands National Monument over 2 years ago we stopped in Hatch, New Mexico (yes home to "Hatch" green chile) and ate at Sparky's. The food was so delicious that we decided we needed to go there again. 

Sparky's is almost the only resturant in Hatch. It's located at 115 Franklin St, Hatch, NM 87937 but to be honest you should have no problems finding it. Sparky's is located on the main road in Hatch, has multiple signs when entering town to guide you, as well as has numerous giant statues located outside and even on the opposite side of the street; if you're in doubt look for the long line of people waiting outside. Word to the wise, they are only open Thursday-Sunday 10:30-7. 

Decor: good, Sparky's is definitely unforgettable. Outside has statues of everything from giant robots and T-Rex's to Colonel Sander's and the iconic Chili's pepper. The inside is just as eclectic; the resturant consists of 3 separate dining rooms as well as an outdoor seating area. There are fur trapper fortune tellers (you know like in the movie Big, except in that instance it was a sultan or something), fliers from past live music performances, road signs, multiple warnings against the consumption (or even possession) of alcohol on the premises and other things of the like. 

Cleanliness: excellent, the resturant was packed, we went on Saturday at 12:30 so you can bet that everyone who had ever even heard of Sparky's was there to eat and the tables were still cleared quickly. 

Food appearance: poor, there are no fuss or frills, plastic cups, self-service drink station, food served on paper plates or in paper boats. 

Food taste: excellent, despite the lack of frills or fuss the food is clearly where Sparky's shines. Nate and I both ordered "The World Famous" combo; just a burger and fries, right? Definitely not! The burger is juicy and cooked to a perfect medium, the bun stands up to the juicy-ness of the burger (if you've ever had to eat a burger with a knife and fork because the bun fell apart, you understand why this is a big deal), the chile is fresh (obviously) seasoned and spicy, the cheese is melty and the fries! They're seasoned and wedge fries which everyone knows (or should anyway) that is one of the best fry varieties (tied with waffle and curly). This green chile cheeseburger is quite possibly the best I've ever eaten as as a life-long Burquena and New Mexican I would consider myself somewhat of an authority on the subject. We also got a Chile-Mango shake which was literally chile powder and mango syrup blended into vanilla soft serve. It was spicy and refreshing all at the same time. 

Service: good, you order at the counter, get a number for your table, and the servers bring out your order. 

Total: 11/15

If you're anywhere near Hatch and are craving what this blogger consideres the pinnacle of green chile cheeseburgers, go to Sparky's! It's honestly worth any trip to get there (well if you're already on the way because there is nothing in Hatch unless you are attending the annual Green Chile Festival in the fall). 

The Fault In Our Stars

This isn't about food, I feel the need to preface this post with that in case you were hoping this would be a review of some trendy restaurant or a recipe but trust me, this isn't either of those. 

Have you ever loved someone so much that it just consumed you? Has your love for someone else meant so much that they're a vital part of your being? Well, if you haven't yet I both pity and envy you. 

I pity you because you don't know what it feels like to love that deeply and completely - you don't know what it feels like to think of someone and instantly be reduced to a puddle of tears of gratitude.  And I envy you because you don't know what it feels like to be that vulnerable. Vulnerable to the point that the entirety of your being rests in the hands of another. 

Why am I feeling so gushy? Well, part of it is because I just caught the last 5 minutes of The Fault in Our Stars, a fantastic book and film adaptation that never fails to make me Kim Kardashian ugly cry, and my husband and I are quickly approaching our one year wedding anniversary. 

It is terrifying to open yourself up to someone else to such a degree that they are apart of you. To further this point, being married is my greatest accomplishment. Somehow, miraculously, I found a man who is caring, sweet, supportive, and just all around incredible and frankly, I haven't the slightest idea how. I would describe myself as shy, self conscious, occasionally cranky, incredibly sarcastic and not with a great history...how on earth did I acclplish this? 

Sorry for the uncharacteristic post and I hope some of you can relate and for those of you who do not know what this feels like, I sincerely hope you find it. I hope you will one day (soon) know what it feels like to have the constant anxiety that your happiness and sanity relies solely on one person. 

Macaroni and Cheese If You Please

Macaroni and cheese will always be my favorite comfort food. It's cheesy, carbs, gooey, carbs, delicious and of course carbs. It also reminds me of my oldest sister, Danielle ("sissy"). I lived with Danielle, her husband Andrew and their two (now three) children when I first moved out at 18. 

It was a wonderful experience because she and I evolved our relationship from two siblings who acknowledged each other's existence on birthdays and Christmas to best friends. I loved living with my boys (even if they sometimes drove me insane when they'd eat my food or didn't clean up) but I will never forget the 3 months during which I lived with them. My brother-in-law and my sissy will forever be two people I intensely admire not to mention two of my closest friends.

Now what do all these warm-fuzzies have to do with macaroni? Well, my recipe is an adaptation of my Sissy's and tonight we shall eat it in her honor. 

Macaroni and Cheese 

1 pound pasta (I like penne because the tubes just soak up all the great cheesy goodness)

3 Tbsp butter

1/2 tbsp salt

1 tbsp pepper

1/2 tbsp garlic powder 

1/2 tbsp onion powder 

1/2 tbsp cayenne 

1 1/2 C milk

1 C beer (I used High Life because it's "the Champagne of Beers")

3 cups cheese, grated (Cheddar is always my favorite but we've used Gouda and swiss too. When in doubt add more cheese)

4 slices bacon, fried

1/4 C Italian bread crumbs

I like using one pot for cooking. Less cleanup and more workspace so I decided to use my nifty 6 Quart Martha Stewart Dutch oven (thanks Martha!)

Boil pasta, drain and rinse pasta with cool water and set aside (or if you're doing one pot cooking leave the pasta in the colander in the sink). 

Preheat oven to 375. 

Melt butter over medium heat; add in flour and salt. Stir constantly over medium heat for 3 minutes. 

Stir in milk and beer. Whisk briskly over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens. 

Remove from heat, stir in 2 cups of cheese until melted and blended and if you're like us and have a bacon obsession, add the chopped bacon now. Add noodles to sauce and stir to combine. 

Smooth the top of the macaroni and cheese into one layer. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes (with 3 minutes under the broiler). 

Enjoy this magic macaroni and cheese, readers! 

Taco Tuesday (on a Sunday)

A food that will always hold a special place in my heart is tacos. As a child I ate a ton of homemade tacos; they're quick to make, comforting, filling and not to mention really delicious. 

Taco Bowls

1 pound ground beef

2 Tbs onion powder

2 Tbs garlic powder 

2 Tbs chile powder 

Salt and pepper, to taste 

1/2 cup water

1 bag of yellow rice (follow the directions on the package) 

1 can refried black beans (follow the directions on the can) 

1 bag tortilla chips (for garnish) 

Cheddar cheese, shredded (for garnish) 

Guacamole (for garnish, recipe to follow)

1 ripe Roma tomato, diced (for garnish)

Brown one pound of ground beef in a skillet until cooked through, drain off fat. Add the water to the pan and season the meat. 

Follow the directions on the packages for the yellow rice and the refried black beans. 

Homemade Guacamole 

2 avocados, diced 

1 Roma tomato, diced 

1/2 red onion, diced 

1 Tbs garlic powder 

Pinch of chile powder 

Salt and pepper 

2 Tbs lime juice 

Mash diced avocado and mix in other ingredients. 

Word to the wise, while pitting my second avocado my knife slipped and resulted in a deep gash in my thumb which required some very creative use of paper towels. 

To serve layer a handful of tortilla chips, two tablespoons of refried beans, a tablespoon of yellow rice, 2 tablespoons of ground beef, tablespoon of shredded cheese (I like cheddar), two tablespoons of guacamole and some diced tomatoes. 

I hope you enjoy my nostalgic taco post. Happy eating, readers! 

Chama River Brewing Company

Friday and yesterday Albuquerque was hit by a freak and severe snow storm; we received a whopping 9 inches of snow (take that you people who think New Mexico is a constant sunny and 75). Friday night the roads were so bad that I was stuck at a friend's house until yesterday morning around 10:30 (and even then it took me 30 minutes to take a drive that usually takes 10). 

Anyhow, by last night the roads were bone dry and I was hungry, I had very few food choices in my pantry, and Nate was stuck in College Station due to bad weather so I was exstatic when I was invited for dinner and a drink at Chama River Brewing Company. 

The resturant is located at 4939 Pan American Fwy, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109. The brewery has 6 beers on tap along with 4 seasonal beers; last night I ordered the Chama River Amber which was the perfect flavor - I would definitely order it again. 

One note I have on this place is that it's expensive. The lunch menu is around $10 per plate but the dinner menu is a minimum of $18 per plate. 

Decor: excellent, the resturant is probably one of the nicest breweries I've ever been to. It's a place that you could feel more than comfortable going to on a fancy date or when you're hungry and too lazy to cook for yourself.

Cleanliness: excellent, as a fancy resturant it was immaculate. 

Food taste: good, I ordered the CRBC Classic Burger with Swiss cheese, bacon and sautéed onions and a side of french fries. While the burger was good, I think it was pretty overpriced. The price of the burger (just the plain burger with no cheese or anything else) was $9.25; the cost of the extra toppings was $1.25 per topping. The fries were delicious though; crispy, hand cut, salty. Oh and a girl walks around with a basket of bread and offers it them to you. I got the green chile cheese roll which was reminiscent of a Red Lobster cheddar bay roll. 

Food appearance: good, the food was served in an appetizing manner. 

Service: excellent, our waiter was attentive. 

Total: 13/15

It was a good place but in my opinion overpriced for the food that was offered.