Albondigas

I must be jinxed or something (OR I just didn't look at the weather report for today)... here I was, (somewhat) bragging about our beautiful AZ weather yesterday... then here we are today.  Rainy and cold!  But here's the deal, peeps... I. LOVE. IT! 

I was talking about this with my coworkers the other day.  I kinda like when it's overcast, rainy, or even freezing cold here.  Because we never get that.  It's like the opposite of Seattle.  Sometimes, I would appreciate a cloudy day!  And the smell of the desert after a good rain is the BEST!  Nothin' like it.   

So here we are, supposed to head to the Scottsdale Culinary Festival today, and it's rainy.  I have been pondering the idea of going to Target and buying some rain boots (with my child-sized feet I'm sure I would end up with these). 

I can't help but want some soup (yes, even at 8:30am on a Saturday morning)... there's just something about the weather that influences what I want to eat.  And if you're not in the mood for this one, check out the Tortilla Soup.  It's always a hit!

And what better than ALBONDIGAS?! I have adapted this recipe from a family friend, Bada... she seriously makes the BEST albondigas I've ever had!  So here ya have it....

Here's whatcha need:

(tomato sauce, diced onion, diced pickles, diced tomatoes, minute rice, ground beef, and chicken stock) oh, and (not pictured)... celery!

Let's talk about something real quick.  Pickles.  Yes, pickles!  I know it sounds bizarre, but it's fabulous.  Don't knock it 'til ya try it!  I PROMISE the pickles are what makes this recipe so FAB!

Throw your beef, sauce, pickles, and onions in a bowl...

Whisk up your egg... 

Throw it in your beef mixture.

Along with the rice...

And mix it up with your hands!

Roll it into little balls...

Throw 'em on a jelly roll pan in the freezer for about 5 minutes or so.

In the meantime, chop up some celery...

Pour your chicken stock and rice in a stock pot.

Add the diced tomatoes.

And the celery...

And once your meatballs have firmed up in the freezer for about 5, drop them into the pot, one-by-one.

Let it sit on the stove for a bit...

And there ya have it!

Serve the soup with a tortilla.

Take a bite, it's so tasty!

And... the recipe!  Let me know if you make it!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Makes: Approx 12 cups

Ingredients

10 Cups (2.5 Boxes) of Chicken Stock

1 Tsp salt

2 lbs. Ground Beef

1 White Onion, finely diced

2 Cups White Minute Rice

3 Medium Dill Pickles, finely diced

2 Eggs, beaten

1 Small (4 oz.) Can Tomato Sauce

2 Tomatoes, diced small

2 Celery Stalks, chopped as desired

Optional: 4 Cups Potatoes (if you use potatoes, you only need 1.5 Cups Rice)

Directions

Mix together ground beef, onion, pickles, 1 ½ cups uncooked rice, eggs, and tomato sauce.  Make into 1-inch balls.  Place in refrigerator or freezer for 5 minutes.  Optional: Dice potatoes.  Place chicken stock and salt in a stock pot on medium.  If you’re not using potatoes, place the remaining ½ cup rice in the stock along with the diced tomatoes and celery.  If you’re using potatoes, place in stock pot along with the tomatoes and celery.  Slowly drop meatballs into chicken broth and continue cooking on medium heat until done, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. 

Grandma's Salsa

I’m headed to a friend’s house tomorrow night and he is making carnitas.  I don’t think I’ve ever had homemade carnitas so I am so excited!  He did a test-run on the recipe he got last weekend and said between three people they each devoured a pound of meat each.  I asked him what he wanted me to bring and he suggested my Grandma’s salsa! 

Remember Grandma?  I introduced you to her a few weeks ago. 

Just in case you forgot, here she is:

She’s amazing.  And she and Mom are quite a sight to see in the kitchen.  They’re bossy.  And controlling.  And love food.  Wait?  Did I just describe myself?  I’m becoming my Mommy’s and Grandma’s daughter… so the saying is true, then? Oye Vey!

Anywho… so the salsa.  It’s SO easy.  And quick.  And delish!  So here you have it:

It looks like you need a lot of ingredients, but it’s just a ton of spices.  Don’t get intimidated!

Oh, and of course, SEA SALT (and or garlic salt).  Yum Yum.

Measure out your dry spices and mince your fresh garlic.

Slice up those green tailed onions…

And throw all that stuff in the food processor.

Process the heck outta it!

Yum Yum.  Take a whif of that baby.  Music to my ears… or nose… or… whatever.  You get my point.  Smells amazeballs!

Now throw your tomatoes in there....

And pulse your food processor until your desired salsa texture is achieved. 

Some people like it like liquidy.  Some like it chunky.  I like it in between, personally.

Of course, try it out and see if it needs a lil extra sum’n sum’n…

I like to use old glass containers for my salsa.  It’s 'green' and pretty…

As always, here is the recipe, enjoy!

Grandma Pat's Salsa

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Makes: Approx. 3 cups

Ingredients

1 large (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes

½ tsp oregano

3 to 4 rings of jalapeños (fresh or canned)

Cilantro as desired (you can use fresh or dried)

1 tsp crushed red pepper

2 to 3 green tail onions – sliced

½ tsp minced garlic (fresh or pre-minced)

¼ tsp cumin

1/3 cup hot water

Garlic salt and sea salt to taste

Directions

Place water, oregano, garlic/sea salt, jalapeño, cilantro, crushed red pepper, green onion and cumin in a food processor.  Puree until blended well.  Add canned tomatoes and pulse to desired texture.  Easy!  Note: Anytime you can use fresh ingredients – do!  It *always* tastes better.  But if you’re in a time crunch or have the dried/pre-minced stuff on hand, it still turns out great!

Red Chile (for burritos)

This recipe is prepared in a similar manner as the Green Chile, only a totally different taste.  Let's jump on in!

Get your meat goin'...

Season with salt...

And pepper...

Cover with foil and place in the oven for about 45 minutes. 

Should look a lil something like this!

Let your meat cool and place the meat drippings in the refrigerator for a lil while.  Skim the fat off the drippings and set it aside. 

Now get your garlic minced up:

And your onion...

And throw your diced or shredded meat in a stock pot.

Get your Red Chile Sauce ready:

Baca's is great.  You can find it in the freezer section at the store.  Yum!

Now throw your sauce in there:

Once the sauce cooks down it looks like so:

Add some flour to thicken it up:

Let it simmer on the stove for about 40 minutes. 

Enjoy it in a bowl, topped with cheese and sour cream, with a tortilla on the side.  It's also fabulous in a burrito!

Look at this stuff!

Take a bite, you earned it!

Sometimes, when I eat it in a bowl, I like to 'pinch a chile' and tear off a little bite sized portion of a tortilla, place some of the red chile/cheesy/sour creamy goodness inside of it and enjoy it bite by bite.

Yummy, another family favorite of Grandma's!

Here's the recipe... make sure you let me know how yours turns out!

Red Chile

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Bake (Oven) Time: 45 Minutes

Cook (Stovetop) Time: 40 Minutes

Makes: 2.5 Quarts

Ingredients

2 lbs. Beef Roast (any kind with a little fat works)

2 lbs. Pork Roast or Loin (or you can use all 4 lbs. Beef roast)

Salt and Pepper for roast

6 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

1 Medium Onion, diced

2 Cans Chicken Broth

Red Chile Sauce (can be found in the frozen food section, Baca’s is best!)

Flour to thicken

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Season meat with salt and pepper.  Place roasts in a roasting pan and cover with foil.  Cook until tender (approximately 45 minutes).  Take drippings from roasts and place in refrigerator for 10 minutes.  Skim fat off drippings.  Cool meat and cut into little bite-sized pieces or shred, cutting off any fat.  Add meat, meat drippings, onions, and garlic in a stock pot and cook until onions are translucent.  Add red chile sauce and cook for 40 minutes over medium heat in a large stock pot.  Add more chicken broth for a thinner consistency or mix in flour to make a thicker consistency.  Can be eaten in a bowl with tortillas or in a burrito!

Green Chile (for burritos)

My Grandma makes some of the best Mexican Food I've ever had.  This is surely a family favorite that I have been so excited to share with you. 


But first, I want you to meet my Grandma:

She's short and cute-ta-boot.  And hilarious.  This is a pic of us at my college graduation almost 3 years ago.


She makes me laugh and eat... and eat... and eat! 


I'm pretty sure she doesn't even know how to turn on a computer, otherwise, I think she quite possibly would pee her pants if she knew how many people got to see her recipes, let alone how to make them...


So here you go.  Green Chile!  Ole!


This recipe is not very hard to make.  Just a little time consuming... great to do on the weekend! 


Get your MEAT!  It's best to use chuck roast.  And all I had was pork tenderloin.  It's better to use a fattier pork roast (it still turned out really good though!)

 **Note: This was enough meat for Green AND Red Chile.  Don't use this much.  Follow the recipe below!


Season it with some salt...

 And pepper...

Now cover it with foil and cook it at 350 in the oven for about 45 minutes to an hour... until it's very tender. 


Note: cover it with foil!  I forgot to... haha whoopsie!


Look at this hunka meat:

Now dice or shred your meat up, cutting off the fatty parts.  And throw some of the meat drippings, beef broth, diced onion and minced garlic in a pot.

Note:  I really, really, really LOVE it shredded.  The texture is fabulous!  But again... I forgot to put the foil over the meat when I cooked it, so bite-sized pieces it was!


Now dice up some tomatoes.

Throw 'em in the pot with your onion and garlic! 

And some diced green chile.  It's great to use fresh... but if ya don't have 'em, just drain a can and throw it in the pot!

Now let it sit and simmer for about 40 minutes. 


This stuff goes great in a burrito or just in a cup with a tortilla:

 YUMMY! My FAVORITE!

Take a bite, took long enough to get here!!!



Grandma would be so happy and proud. 


Here's the recipe!  Let me know how yours turns out :)

Green Chile

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Bake (Oven) Time: 45 Minutes

Cook (Stovetop) Time: 40 Minutes

Makes: 2.5 Quarts

Ingredients

2 lbs. Beef Roast (any kind with a little fat works)

2 lbs. Pork Roast or Loin

Salt and Pepper for roast

4 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

1 Large Onion, diced

8 Fresh Roma tomatoes or 4 Large Hot House tomatoes

2 Cans Beef Broth

8 to 10 Green Chiles (fresh or frozen are best, use canned if you must!)

Flour to thicken

Optional: 2 to 3 jalapeños, diced  

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Season meat with salt and pepper.  Place roasts in a roasting pan and cover with foil.  Cook until tender (approximately 45 minutes).  Take drippings from roasts and place in refrigerator for 10 minutes.  Skim fat off drippings.  Cool meat and cut into little bite-sized pieces or shred, cutting off any fat.  Add meat, meat drippings, onions, garlic, and tomatoes in a large stock pot and cook for 40 minutes over medium heat.  Add more beef broth if desired, and add green chile and jalapeños last.  Mix in flour to make thicker if you like a thicker consistency.  Can be eaten in a bowl with tortillas or in a burrito!