Monday, July 18, 2011

Grilled Chicken Burritos With Roasted Pepper and Tomatillo Sauce served with Torched Cherry Mojitos

So Julie was working on Saturday and texted me that she wanted to have Chicken Burritos for dinner. So George and I adventure out to Meijers for the first time just the 2 of us. It was kind of fun. But once I got to the store I decided to do Grilled burritos with fresh pico. While gathering the Pico ingredients(used the recipe from the Tostones with small changes like roasted Green, red and yellow peppers), I think about making a sauce for the burritos using Tomatillos (those little green tomatoes with a husk), roasted Peppers, and tequila. These turned our really good, if not a little spicy (Great for me, but Julie wished we had sour cream...oops I forgot it at the store)

Also since it is summer and we have a herb garden with mint it...I made some Mojitos using Bacardi Torched Cherry Rum. Be careful with this one...They are powerful summer drink.



Roasted Pepper and Tomatillo Sauce
1/2 roasted green, red, and yellow peppers Diced
1 clove garlic diced
6-8 Tomatillos cubed
1 shot Tequila
1 cup chicken stock (1tsp Better than Bullion Chicken and 1 C boiling water)

Combine all ingredients in sauce plan and bring to a boil for approximately 45 minutes. pour contents in a food processor to liquefy. If sauce looks runny place back in pan and cook down more should thickly coat a metal spoon. Set aside or place in fridge and reheat before plating.

Grilled Chicken Burritos

2 Chicken Breasts
2 handfuls Cherry Wood chips soaked in water until moist
6 9-10" flour Tortilla shells
1 can refried beans
1 package of Spanish or like style rice
Pico
Shredded Cheddar cheese

Season Chicken with Salt, pepper and Garlic salt. If you grill has a smoker box place wood chips in there if not put into a foil wrapper with holes in it. After placing wood chips light the grill and wait for the chips to start to smoke before placing the chicken on it. Cook chicken fully 160° internal temp. Remove from Grill and leave on...Slice into pieces and start building your burritos. Place beans, rice, cheese, chicken and pico into the tortilla shell and wrap. Place burritos on the grill about 3minutes a side (or til you have grill marks). Remove and plate topping with Tomatillo Sauce.

Torched Cherry Mojito

Double Shot Torched Cherry Bacardi Rum
7-10 Mint leaves
Splash lime juice (to taste) (also if you have fresh limes, quarter and place into pint glass with mint leaves)
7up

Place mint leave and lime juice into glass and muddle. Add rum and top with 7up and ice. ENJOY!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Pretzel Breaded Chicken with Guinness Cheese Sauce

So it seems like every post begins the same way...It has been too long since I have cooked. The truth is more so...It has been to long since I have cooked anything new. So over the 4th of July we were up in Northern Michigan (still in the LP), and I had an idea for what I thought would be a quick tasty dinner. Although I must admit it would not be a healthy option. But it turned out to be very tasty...I would make a few changes to it next time (I will note them). I also made 2 different types of cheese sauce, rather same sauce with 2 different beers, Guinness and Smithwick's. Both were good but the Guinness had much better taste. Hope you enjoy.


Guinness Beer Cheese Sauce
1/2 Clove of Garlic
1 C Guinness Irish Stout (Smithwick's makes a more traditional looking sauce, but I liked the taste of the Stout)
1 C fresh shredded Cheddar
1 C fresh shredded Colby jack
1/2 C Velveeta cheese small cubes
3 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp yellow mustard
Kosher Salt and fresh ground black pepper


Rub the bottom and side of a heavy saucepan with the cut garlic. Place the garlic clove in the pan, add the beer, and bring to a boil over high heat. Put shredded cheese and cornstarch in a bowl, toss to mix. Sprinkle the cheese into the boiling beer, stirring it with a wooden spoon. Let the sauce come back to a boil; Add the Velveeta. Sauce should thicken, if needed mix 2parts cornstarch to 1 part water and pour in to thicken. Reduce the heat slightly, stir in the mustard, and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer gently until smooth and rich-tasting, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring steadily with the wooden spoon. You can fish out and discard the garlic clove; otherwise,someone will get to eat it.

Pretzel Breaded Chicken

2 Chicken Breast
2 C Crushed Sourdough Snyder's of Hanover Pretzels (I made them into an almost powder, but I would go more course next time)
2 Eggs
1/8 C Milk (appox)
1 C Flour
Salt and Pepper to taste

Put Pretzel into a food processor to coarsely ground and place into a flat bottom container. Mix salt, pepper, and Flour into anther flat bottom container. Beat Eggs and milk together in a third flat bottom container. Dry the chicken and first place into the flour mix and coat. Transfer the floured chicken into the egg wash and then in to the pretzels. In a large pan coat the bottom with olive oil and heat oil. Preheat oven to 350°. Brown each side of the chicken in the pan. Then place on to a baking sheet and place into the oven for 15-20 mins, internal temperature of 160°. Top with Cheese and serve with Tator Tots or Sweet Potatoes Fries.