Huevos Rancheros

Happy Cinco de Mayo! This holiday is a personal favorite of mine, mainly due to my never-dying love for Mexican food and flavors. There’s something magical about how such simple ingredients always taste so good together. Messy and heavy, spicy and crunchy, it’s a comfort food that can’t be beaten. And let’s be honest - guacamole is probably the best food combo ever created. Did I mention I’ve been pining over avocado temporary tattoos?  

 

 

Talk about a great example of food bringing people together, too.  Fiesta time!  The weather tends to be very pleasant this time of year, which presents the perfect reason to gather a group of friends for a Mexican dish potluck and some tasty margaritas y cervezas (guess what I’m doing today).  It’s nothing but a day of fun, filled with random sombrero sightings, fake mustaches (when did this become a trend, by the way?), and if you’re lucky a piñata to get some of that work-week stress out of your system. 

 

As I talked to my friend who is off to Cancun this morning, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.  But, for those of us who do not get to enjoy the real thing today, these are some of my picks that fulfill the cravings just fine.

 

Atlanta area:
Bone Garden Cantina
Taqueria el Ray del Taco, Buford Highway

Seattle area:
Taco Truck, Everett

NYC area:
Chavela’s, Brooklyn
Mole, Upper East Side (amazing guacamole)

 

HUEVOS RANCHEROS
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's recipe)
Makes: 1-2 servings

Ingredients:
cooking spray
2 corn tortillas
1.5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
2 eggs
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 can black beans
ground cumin, to taste
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
extra toppings (see below)

Toppings:
cheddar cheese, shredded
fresh salsa, or taco sauce
avocado
sour cream
cilantro

Variations:
Gluten free - Most corn tortillas are GF, but double-check the brand you are buying
Other toppings - Jalepeno, corn, queso blanco cheese (or feta)

Instructions:

1. Heat up skillet (I used 2 skillets, one for each egg) on MED.  Once heated, spray skillet(s) with a cooking spray or oil spray.  Add tortillas and heat until underside begins to brown.  Flip tortillas, sprinkle shredded cheese onto slightly browned side.
2. Let cheese melt slightly, then crack one egg over each tortilla.  Season each egg with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, heat black beans in a small saucepan on LO.  Sprinkle cumin and cayenne pepper over beans and stir.
4. When egg on the tortilla begins to turn white, use a spatula to flip the whole thing over.  Cook for an additional few minutes (1-2 minutes if you like your egg a little runny).
5. When eggs are cooked, flip over again onto a plate and put your favorite Mexican toppings on top.

Grapefruit Cupcakes with Honey-Grapefruit Cream Cheese Frosting

Newsflash!  Winter is here, and so is the struggle to find fresh and appealing produce to eat and cook with.  Though impressive that my farmer's market is open year round, even their produce section has been a little bare the past couple of weeks.  But fear not friends, because there is one bright citrus that can bring color and life to the winter blues...the grapefruit!  Indeed, these mouth-puckering fruits are in season, so it's time to be bold and to search for creative recipes for them.

I love grapefruits for many reasons, the most dominant because it reminds me of my dad.  Growing up, every winter my family would buy a large box of citrus fruit to support the local marching band (yes, I was in the band).  And every morning during those winters, a grapefruit was breakfast for my dad.  I would watch him methodically cut each section and somehow manage to scoop out every drop of juice.  Of course, back then, grapefruit was much too bitter for my taste, so I practiced his method with oranges instead.

Over the years my taste buds changed.  I now enjoy and appreciate the ruby reds, which brings me to my next creation --- grapefruit-flavored cupcakes.  I topped them with a self-crafted cream cheese frosting, which after learning quick-and-dirty style from several YouTube videos, was fun and easy to do.

 

GRAPEFRUIT CUPCAKES with HONEY-GRAPEFRUIT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

(made with the help of Alida's Kitchen)

Makes: 10-12 cupcakes

 

Ingredients: 

Cupcakes:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulates sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (nonfat or 2% reduced-fat)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. pink grapefruit zest (approximately 1 large grapefruit)

Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. pink grapefruit zest
2 tsp. pink grapefruit juice

 

 

Variations:

Substitutions - Replace grapefruit with any other citrus fruit.

 

 

Instructions:

*HINT: Foil cupcake liners work best, but when using paper, spray the liners with cooking spray before filling to reduce sticking.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.  Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add eggs; mix until smooth.
4. To the butter mixture, add half of flour mixture, and combine; repeat with remaining flour mixture.  Add yogurt and vanilla, blending with a rubber spatula.  Fold in zest, mixing until just combined.
5. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (about 2/3 full).  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  Transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely before frosting. 
6. To make the frosting, place cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Add powdered sugar slowly, 1/2 cup at a time, until incorporated.  Add vanilla, zest, juice, and honey, beating until smooth. 
7. After cupcakes are completely cooled, frost (frosting tip 1M used in picture).

Note: Because frosting needs to be refrigerated, frost cupcakes immediately before serving for best results.  Frosted cupcakes should not be left in refrigerater for more than a couple days.  Bring cupcakes to room temperature before serving.



Brooklyn Food Tour #1

On the very first day that I moved to New York City, I did what any foodie and her foodie friend would do...I went on an impromptu food tour.  Though it was relatively short because of time and our eyes being a fair amount larger than our stomachs, it's still one of my favorite memories of my time here.  Both of us familiar with the food culture and charming vibe of restaurants in Atlanta, we set our sights on a few similarly cozy spots in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.  From Italian to Ethiopian, we ate and drank our way down Court Street, exploring the neighborhood and all that it had to offer. 

 

So naturally, when my friend Rachel proposed a first of many food tours of our surrounding area, I immediately jumped at the opportunity.  Thanks to her thorough research and careful planning, our first food tour together, from Prospect Heights to Greenpoint, was a huge success! 

 

 

1. DOUGH

 

Definitely one of the better doughnuts I've had and not too far behind Doughnut Plant on my favorites list, the inside of these doughnuts have a fluffy and almost croissant-like texture that practically melts in your mouth. For my taste, the icing was just sugary enough and the almonds were a nice crunchy addition to the pastry that didn't quite seem to be large enough in size. Overall, not too shabby of a doughnut, and I would definitely go back for a second round - maybe for the chocolate with cocoa nibs... or hibiscus...or toasted coconut...or...?  Yumm.

 

Dulce De Leche with Almonds

The locally roasted coffee sold here may also be worth checking out, or if nothing else the witty flavor palette descriptions on the bag.  They can serve as a good distraction while you're waiting in line.
Warning: It may not help control the drooling.


2. GOURMET GUILD

Open a little less than a year, I thought this local Williamsburg food and goods market was a great find with a lot of potential.  There were small selections of infused oils and balsamic vinegars (always a favorite of mine), fresh meats and cheeses, and gifty items like cookbooks and made-in-Brooklyn novelties.  To put the icing on the cake, they will soon be opening a hot food section, which will include a variety of Thai-inspired breakfast dishes. This alone will render this market a no-brainer stop for a bite to eat.

3. SALTIE

I have to say, this cute little nautical-themed sandwich shop was not what I expected at first glance, but little did I know what we were in for. After reading a long list of sandwich descriptions and ooing and ahhing over the options, we decided on the "Scuttlebutt," filled with hard boiled eggs, feta, capers, pickled veggies, and a to-die-for cheese sauce.  The sandwich was unlike any I've ever had before and was a refreshing combination of flavors and color. Oh, the color! Thank goodness for lots of napkins because the bright pink was literally oozing out of every corner. I give this sandwich a 4.5 out 5 stars (come on, no one is perfect).

4. BROOKLYN KITCHEN

Another great stop for the food and kitchen lovers of New York. Best part? They offer a large number of cooking classes on the upstairs level.

 

5. VAN LEEUWEN ARTISAN ICE CREAM

 

The perfect way to end the tour was with a large helping of ice cream from Van Leeuwen. With so many mouth-watering flavors to choose from, we ended up going for the classic indecisive route - splitting each of our cups. Cinnamon, Mint Chip, Pistachio, and Giandujia (the fancy name for Chocolate Hazlenut) at a half cup of each made for a very satisfying flight of ice cream and happiness all around.

Metrics:
Cost per person - $15
Distance walked - 3.7 miles
Day full of cultural education and good food - priceless