Almost Cuban

While picking up some stuff for dinner at the in-laws tonight, I decided to grab ingredients for a quick lunch.  Again, one of the markets of choice for me is Kingma’s Market on Plainfield Ave.  Everything here came from the market.

Ingredients:

• Homemade BBQ pork
• Cappocola Ham (A cross between Prosciutto and Soppressata)
• Wisconsin Swiss cheese
• Homemade local dill pickle (sliced)
• Locally baked slider rolls
• Brown spicy mustard

Directions:

1. Put ingredients on roll and eat.
2. Enjoy

Chipotle Tacos

Here is a quick and easy little taco seasoning mix recipe that I whipped up last night.  Without the chipotle and adobo, it tastes quite like the store-bought packets of taco seasoning.  With the chipotle and adobo, it elevates to awesome.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 3/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Cook meat of choice (chicken, pork, beef, etc) over medium heat until fully cooked.  Drain fat from pan
2. Add all ingredients to pan and bring to a boil
3. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and mixture is thickened
4. Serve with ingredients of your choice.

I felt compelled to do a complete meal from scratch with no recipe. Rekindle the creativity in the kitchen as I have been slacking lately. This is the result. I served this with oven-baked chicken and some Italian bread spread with roasted garlic cloves and olive oil.

Cook the pasta to taste.  I prefer to cook mine al dente, which for a good pasta should be about 10-12 minutes.

Sauce recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 or 3 red bell peppers (3 smaller or two larger)
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1/3 cup flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup pecarino romano cheese, shredded
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp butter, chopped into smaller cubes
• 6-7 white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Roast red peppers in oven or over direct fire, remove skin and seeds when done.
2. Heat large sauce pan and toast pine nuts until golden brown, shaking or stirring frequently to prevent them from burning.
3. In same pan, heat olive oil and saute onions until they start to brown.
4. While onions are cooking, combine peppers, pine nuts, cheese, and parsley in blender and blend until smooth.
5. Once onions start to brown, stir in white wine (I used chardonnay), lower heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add heavy cream and simmer for about 5 more minutes minutes.
7. Add pepper/pine nut mix and ceyenne pepper.
8. Add butter and stir until dissolved.
9. Add mushrooms and continue to cook on low for another 5 minutes.
10. Toss with prepared pasta, adding salt and pepper to taste. I also shredded a little extra pecarino cheese over the pasta when served.