Tacos

A favorite dinner of Willem's these days is tacos. He gets to try different combinations, everybody is happy, it's a super simple meal recipe-wise, and with a couple little touches can really hit the spot. Needed to post this so I don't forget it as a good weeknight option when I am desperate for ideas. These are a few things we like when we have tacos:

1. Homemade Taco Seasoning

I mix these dry spices together (ahead of time is great), then stir it into the 1 lb. of hamburger meat after it is browned in the pan. I feel better about this than using the packets of mix so that we aren't consuming maltodextrin, partially hydrogenated oils, etc.

Taco Seasoning Mix
Adapted from allrecipes.com 

1 T chili powder
1/4 t garlic powder 
1/4 t onion powder  (or dried minced onion, or omit)
1/4 t dried oregano 
1/2 t paprika
1 1/2 t ground cumin 
1 t salt
1 t black pepper 

Stir together spices in a small dish. Cook ~1 lb. meat till browned. Stir in seasoning mix and 2/3 cup water and 2 teaspoons flour until most of the liquid is cooked off. Smells delicious cooking!
2. Pickled Onions! 
They make the meal for the grown-ups. Got them from this black-bean burrito recipe, but they are good on lots of stuff. Also can be made ahead, drained, refrigerated.

3 T red wine vinegar
2 T sugar
2 C water 
1 t salt
1 small onion, thinly sliced 

Bring first four ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Add onion and simmer, uncovered, about 3 minutes. Drain. 


3. Shredded Chicken in Mixer

When we aren't using beef but instead leftover cooked chicken, I recently tried out the technique I'd been told about of throwing the boneless cooked chicken in the stand mixer fitted with the beater, and turning it on. Give it a minute and is is perfectly shredded! Probably everyone already knew this trick but me but it makes such a difference I had to share just in case. (We also use this technique now when making quesadillas, enchiladas, or anything with shredded chicken. So easy!) 

4. Grilled Corn
Put a bag of frozen corn in a small rimmed pan. Toss with some oil, salt, and pepper. Broil for a few minutes, stirring once partway through till some pieces are browned.  


Tacos

soft taco shells
beef or chicken
&
accompaniments:
grated cheese
chopped avocado
roasted corn
chopped lettuce
chopped tomato
pickled onions
sour cream
salsa 
chopped cilantro
lime wedges for squeezing

Cook meat. 

Prep and set out various accompaniments in separate bowls. Warm taco shells. Enjoy!

Boulevardier Cocktail and Negroni

Last summer we went to a great restaurant on Martha's Vineyard called 20 By Nine. (We were somewhat disturbed by the number of people strolling around Oak Bluffs who slowed down, half looked skeptically at the menu, and continued on. We were extremely happy there!) They had house-made ricotta, served with smoked paprika and chunky salt and parsley that we were all big fans of. And the cheese board was almost silly it was so over the top, as if they didn't have the discipline to decide which pairings to use so they just used them all. But what's not to love about delicious cheese and too many accompaniments to even try every combination? This was a restaurant that seemed to be trying hard to do things well, to be creative, and have an identity. 

The menu was fun for us because it was full of small plates (sort of tapas) meant for sharing, and because it was a whiskey bar, serving countless types of whiskey and a few whiskey cocktails, but not really other liquors. We've become whiskey fans around here, particularly this time of year, and we've been enjoying a drink we've done our best to recreate in our favored proportions that one of us ordered back in July, perhaps even more in these chilly temperatures-- a Negroni with whiskey instead of gin. We've been calling this drink a Negroni with whiskey. A quick internet search reveals it is in fact a Boulevardier cocktail. Red, sippable, and potent, it is perfect for January.

Whiskey, sweet vermouth, Campari

Another cocktail we sampled: bourbon, Cointreau, lemon, lavender bitters

Patio all to ourselves

Crazy cheese board

Ricotta, paprika, salt, parsley, garlic

Fancy s'mores dessert

Dessert #2

Boulevardier cocktail

2 oz. rye whiskey
3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
1/2 oz. campari

Stir in a glass with a large ice cube and lemon twist. 

When instead you have a hankering for gin, here's the standard version we like:

Classic Negroni

2 oz. gin
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. sweet vermouth