New Site

Tortillas and Oranges has moved!!!! I am so excited I can't stand it. Go to www.tortillasandoranges.com. And if you link your blog to mine, please change the address. Thank you!

See you there!

Shopping: Bountiful Baskets

One of my favorite things in life is my budget. I love the challenge and ingenuity that comes with trying to live on a certain amount of money. But, this blog isn’t about money, it’s about food. Which brings me to Bountiful Baskets. Have you heard about it? If you live in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, or Idaho, you really need to check it out. Each Monday, I contribute a small amount of cash to a collective pool, and each Saturday, I show up and pick up my basket of produce. So if you are like me--you have a limited amount of money but want really fresh yummy produce (that is often locally grown), give this system a chance. I am a huge fan.

Thanksgiving: Stuffing

Thanksgiving is in three weeks. Are you prepared? Do you have plans? What are you making?

If you are in charge of the stuffing, don't forget about this perfect recipe.

And while we are here, what is your favorite, absolute must have Thanksgiving dish? Mine is sweet potato casserole. But more on that later.

I'm Back

Friends,

It has been far too long. But for those of you in the know--you'll know we've been a bit under water lately. Underwater for good reasons, not bad. We moved across the country. And as the number of boxes diminishes and the number of recipes on my counter increases I feel a need to start documenting again.

Starting tomorrow, I'll post more, cook more, experiment more, read more, and in turn you'll read all about it. Do you see my new email address? Send any questions or suggestions you may have. And finally, please link my blog to your blog. In the months to come, we'll be expanding, growing and changing, and I promise you'll be glad to be a part of tortillas and oranges.

Dinner: Penne with Peppers, Lemon, and Chicken

I often experiment at dinner time. At 5:53pm, I'll look at my watch and think, "Oh boy. What am I going to do for dinner? I have absolutely no idea. No plan." After years of this routine I know that I need a few key ingredients to save the day. Do you know what I mean by a few key ingredients? When you get to the grocery store and think, "I forgot to make a list. What should I buy to get us through the week?" For me, these few ingredients include black beans, butternut squash, broccoli, and bell peppers. Without fail, if I have a bell pepper or two in the kitchen (preferably red), I can pull off something interesting.

Last night I pulled out my trusty bell pepper and knocked the ball out of the park. Here is what I created.

Penne Pasta with Peppers, Lemon, and Chicken

2 Tblsp. olive oil
2 Tblsp. butter
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine (cooking wine is fine)
cooked chicken breast (I used a breast off of a rotisserie chicken)
1 large red bell pepper, 2 inch long thin strips, seeds removed
1/2 cup heavy cream
peel and juice of 1 lemon
1 pound penne pasta (bowtie or rigatoni would also work
parmesan or pecoreno romano cheese

Start water boiling for pasta. In large saute pan heat olive oil and butter. Add garlic and onion and saute for a few minutes until soft. Add red pepper and white wine and continue sauteing. If your chicken is precooked add it here (I had a rotisserie chicken in the fridge and added one shredded breast).
If your chicken is raw, cut raw breasts into chunks and add before garlic and onion, toss in heat until cooked through then add garlic, onion, bell pepper and proceed.

Boil penne pasta until al dente (I always boil my pasta for 1 minute less than the box says, and it comes out perfectly al dente).

Grate lemon rind and add to chicken and peppers. Add juice from lemon. Finally, add cream and heat through. The cream you add should not turn the chicken and peppers into a sauce, but rather bind everything together in a creamy sort of way. Does that make any sense?

Toss cooked pasta with 2 Tblsp. olive oil. Place on platter. Add chicken, lemon, and peppers to pasta platter. Grate parmesan cheese over dish. Enjoy.

Dinner: Baked Salmon, Fresh Spinach, Grilled Corn, Crusty Bread

I always take a break from cooking after the holidays. Not because I'm tired of cooking, but because I have to stop eating and undo the damage I've done over the holidays. I usually try to adhere to Gwyneth Paltrow's Cleanse and Detox program but only make it the first 3 days....I mean the first three hours.

Why am I telling you this? Because I have just barely gotten into the swing of things. Last week I threw this meal together in less than 30 minutes, and you can too. In fact, if you don't pause to yell at your children or talk to your friends on the phone, you can probably do it in twenty.

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Assemble salmon. I buy the Atlantic salmon skinless boneless portions in Costco's freezer section. Thaw them (while still in wrappers) under warm water, unwrap and place in 9x13 pan. Mince 1 clove garlic, place it in ramekin or small bowl with 1/4 cup butter. Melt garlic butter mixture in microwave and then pour over salmon. Place in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through. (I often bake the salmon for 10-12 minutes then broil it to brown the top...yummy.)
3. I usually have frozen baguettes in my freezer. After preheating the oven to 350, I pull one out, run it under water (it will seem weird to do this but putting moisture into the outer crust will give the loaf a chewy just baked texture). Throw it in the oven for 15 minutes. Wha-la--almost fresh crusty baguette.
4. Grab Trader Joe's Grilled Corn (freezer section) out of the freezer. Throw frozen corn in bowl with 2 Tblsp. water, a pat of butter and a dash of salt and microwave until done.
5. Rinse Fresh Young Spinach and place in pretty bowl.

That's all. I had the whole thing on the table in 30 minutes and everybody was happy. Danny and I turned ours into salads and were especially thrilled. Enjoy.

Take Out: Mid Winter Comfort Meal

What I took to 2 families tonight:

*Smothered Macaroni (Deborah Madison-macaroni, potatoes, gruyere, parsley, carmelized onions)
*Chicken Cutlets (thinly sliced chicken, sourdough bread crumbs, pecorino romano)
*Tossed Salad Greens (spring mix tossed with my bff's new dressing, which is now our official house dressing)
*Chocolate Chip Cookies (Thomas Keller's version...more on that later)

Cookbook: Keller Kills Me

Oh boy. It came in the mail last week. The truth is, it was on back order for several weeks. D tried to get it for me for Christmas. I tried to get it for myself for my birthday(that was in January). No matter. It is here now. The first recipe I will try are his Chocolate Chip Cookies. After that I'm going to throw all care to the wind and attempt the Fried Chicken. I'm inviting Lindy (my mentor) over for that one. I'll let you know how it goes. Now I'm off to clean an incredibly dirty kitchen.

Dinner: You'll Never Guess

You will never guess what I ate last night. Check out my bff's blog.

Breakfast: The Egg Sandwich

Have you seen the movie Spanglish? There is one scene where Adam Sandler is making the most beautiful sandwich you have ever seen. Well, it turns out that Sandler apprenticed under Thomas Keller in preparation for his role as a chef in this movie. Watch the video I just linked. You will die.

At home, I've turned the sandwich inside out, simplified it, and made it one of my ladies' favorite breakfasts. And you know how I feel about hot breakfasts.

The simplified versions of Thomas Keller's bachelor sandwich.

1. Fry an egg.
2. Toast a good piece of bread.
3. Spread butter and a little bit of cheese on the bread, then slice in half.
4. Place hot fried egg on top of toasted bread (preferably on top of the cheese half so the cheese will start to melt).
5. Place other half of bread on top. Wha-la--a fried egg sandwich for breakfast.

The ladies love biting into the sandwich while simultaneously trying to figure out who to manage the flowing yolk. And finally they like a dab of rasberry jam for dipping.

Dinner: Chana Masala

I am addicted to Chana Masala. Our local mall's food court has a hidden treasure--some of the Boston area's best Indian food. Everytime I am at the mall, I treat myself to some Chana Masala (which are chick peas that have been simmering in a spicy tomato sauce for 24 hours). Because it's a new year and my trips to the mall will be far less than they were last year, I figured out how to make my own version of Chana Masala. I threw a few key ingredients today and was so pleased with my lunch that I served it again for dinner. Try it and let me know what you think.

Becca's Made Up version of Chana Masala
2 Tbs. good olive oil
1 12 oz. can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
1 12 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 Tbs. of Garam Masala*
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced

Place olive oil in medium sized saucepan on medium heat. Drain chick peas and add to olive oil. Add crushed tomatoes, Garam Masala, brown sugar, and garlic. Simmer for a few hours or for as long as you can (30 minutes would even do the trick). Serve over basmati or brown rice.

*Garam Masala is a particular blend of Indian spices. You can find it at any Indian food store or order it through Penzey's spices.