Arepas!

Every once in awhile, we make arepas.  They're so easy and so delicious, plus it's a nice change of pace from tortillas.

I made a small batch this time, so we didn't have leftover arepas, since we were just making arepas to use leftover filling from making tacos earlier in the week.  Follow?

1 1/2 cups, approx. of masa harina (MaSeCa is the brand I can find most easily around here)

about 1 1/2 cups warm water

~1tsp salt

Mix together until it forms a slightly wet, clay-like dough.  Let rest for 5-15 minutes. 

With wet hands, take a golf ball size portion and roll into a smooth ball, then flatten to make a disk about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.  Cook on medium heat in skillet or griddle for 7-10 minutes per side.  Arepas should cook slowly, browning but not getting too dark (in the picture, the arepa spots are just a smidge too dark).  Bake in 350 oven for 15 minutes.  Arepas should sound hollow when tapped (sometimes mine are hollow but could still bake a few minutes).  Split open halfway with a knife and stuff with filling.  

Tonight we stuffed with a mixture of leftover chicken, mashed avocado, salt, and lime.  Also served with queso fresco, roasted chipotle salsa, sour cream, pickled jalapenos, and chips.

Monday night: California Tortilla - yum!

Tuesday night: pan fried potatoes with onion, garlic, and collard greens.

Wednesday night: sauteed garlic, carrot sticks, onions, mushrooms over brown rice, with a fried egg. Topped with your choice of sesame oil, gomasio, tamari, sriracha, chili paste.

Thursday night: avocado-chickpea tacos with homemade tortillas. Topped with cheese, sour cream, salsa, and a squeeze of lime.

Quick, easy, and so much tastier than anything you can buy in the store, homemade tortillas form the basis of many quick-and-easy meals around here. That tortilla press, added to the wedding registry on a whim? Best.Decision.Ever. Seriously.

Avocado and chickpea tacos made based on this recipe from Vegetarian Times.

Chili Night at the G's B&B

Carried out in an effort to fill the G’s freezer.

Beef chili made with one box of Carrol Shelby Chili Mix. Served with Fritos, shredded cheddar, diced green onions, cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.

We even documented the different ways we all composed our chili bowls.

We also made Giada’s White Bean and Chicken Chili. Made with only one pound of chicken, instead of two; without a few spices (fennel seed, cumin); and with the addition of two bay leaves. Served with avocado, parmesan, cilantro.

No pictures of the white bean and chicken chili, but it was delicious.

We also made simple roast chicken and potatoes one night and chicken enchiladas another.

The final freezer tally for the week included:

1 pan chicken enchiladas,

3 2-cup bowls of beef chili,

3 2-cup bowls of chicken and white bean chili,

3 cups shredded chicken (for making Southwest King Ranch casserole),

as well as 2 containers mashed potatoes, 2 containers chicken Marbella, and one container green beans left in the fridge. Phew. At least she'll be eating well for the next month or so!

Sushi!

Smoked salmon with cucumber, smoked salmon with avocado, spicy crab with avocado, spicy crab with cucumber, cucumber and avocado, avocado with furikake rolls. Fun! They look less than perfect, of course, but it was delicious. We will definitely be doing this again!