𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉'𝓈 𝒞𝑜𝑜𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔?

Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients

2 cups tater tots
8 strips bacon
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon milk or water
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey jack or cheddar cheese
1 large avocado pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
1 cup pico de gallo
Salsa and hot sauce for serving, optional

Instructions

Cook the tater tots according to package instructions and set aside.

In a large cast-iron skillet, cook the bacon until crispy on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk or water, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well blended.

In a medium skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter or heat the olive oil. Turn the heat to medium low and add the eggs. Cook until softly scrambled. Remove from heat.

Place the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds or until pliable.

Roughly chop up the bacon into bite-size pieces.

To assemble the burritos, lay the tortillas on a clean, flat surface. Divide the eggs equally between the tortillas, placing them in a line down the center of the tortilla. Place about 5 tater tots on top of the eggs, you can smash them down a little with your hands or a spoon. Top evenly with the bacon pieces, cheese, sliced avocado, and pico de gallo.

Fold in opposite sides of each tortilla, then roll up, burrito-style. You can serve immediately or heat them up.

If you want to heat the burritos up, so the outside gets a little crispy and so the cheese can melt, place the burritos, seam-side down in a large skillet and cook on medium-high heat for about 30 seconds on all sides. You can also place the burritos on a greased baking sheet and bake in a 400-degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with salsa or hot sauce, if desired.

Notes

Feel free to use sausage or chorizo instead of bacon. You can also leave out the bacon to make vegetarian breakfast burritos.

How to freeze: Wrap the burritos with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in a freezer bag or freezer container. Freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap or foil, wrap the burritos in paper towels, and microwave for about 3 to 5 minutes, turning halfway. You can also reheat the frozen burritos in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Turkey Taco Meal Prep Bowls

Every Sundays I’ll post the next meal prep.

Ingredients
Rice
▢ ¾ cup brown rice (uncooked; may be swapped for quinoa or long grain white rice)
▢ ⅛ tsp salt
▢ 1 lime (zested)
Turkey
▢ ¾ lb lean ground turkey (beef or chicken may be swapped)
▢ 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
▢ ⅔ cup water
Salsa
▢ 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
▢ 1 jalapeno (finely chopped)
▢ ¼ cup red onion (finely chopped)
▢ ½ lime (juiced)
▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
Other:
▢ 12 oz can corn kernels (341 mL; drained)
▢ ½ cup mozzarella (shredded)
Instructions
Cook brown rice according to package directions, adding the lime zest and salt to the cooking water. Allow to cool slightly before portioning out.
Add turkey to a medium pan and cook over medium heat, breaking it up with a spatula until no longer pink (approximately 10 minutes).
Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the cooked meat, then add the water. Stir and simmer for a couple of minutes, until sauce has thickened.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before portioning out.
Combine all salsa ingredients and toss together.
To assemble lunch bowls, divide ingredients evenly between four 2-cup capacity meal prep containers.
Storage
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You may serve cold or warm up in the microwave before enjoying (see * notes)
Tips:
* If you plan to warm these bowls up before serving, you may want to store the pico de gallo separate until after warming the rest of the ingredients up.

BLT Fried Eggs Benedict

Ingredients
* 8 slices thick-cut bacon
* 4 slices whole-grain bread
* 4 large eggs
* Easy Hollandaise Sauce (recipe follows)
* Fresh arugula
* 2 medium tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
* Garnish: paprika, ground black pepper
Easy Hollandaise Sauce
* 5 large egg yolks
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* ½ teaspoon kosher salt
* ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
* ⅛ teaspoon paprika
* 1 cup unsalted butter, melted

Instructions
1. In a large cast-iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bacon, and let drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in a small bowl; leave remaining drippings in skillet.
2. Add bread slices to drippings in skillet; cook over medium heat until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove bread from skillet.
3. Heat reserved 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet over medium heat. Crack eggs into skillet. Cook until edges of whites are browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. Cover skillet; cook until whites are fully set but yolks are still runny, 1 to 2 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, spread Easy Hollandaise Sauce onto one side of each bread slice. Top with arugula, 2 slices bacon, 2 slices tomato, and 1 fried egg. Drizzle with Easy Hollandaise Sauce. Garnish with paprika and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.
Easy Hollandaise Sauce
1. In the container of a blender, combine egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, red pepper, and paprika; process until pale and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. With blender running, add hot melted butter in a slow, steady stream, processing until thick and smooth. Serve immediately.

Corned Beef and Cabbage ☘️
(Happy St Paddy’s Day! 💚)

Ingredients
For the corned beef

1 flat-cut corned beef brisket (about 4 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon mustard seed
1/4 teaspoon coriander seed
1/8 teaspoon whole cloves
1/8 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 to 3 bay leaves
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
6 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 pound), halved, or quartered, if large
1 small head cabbage (about 1 3/4 pounds), outer tough leaves removed and cut into 6 wedges
12 slender carrots (about 1 pound), peeled and left whole
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Dijon or grainy mustard, for serving

For the horseradish sauce (Optional)

1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish in brine, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Make the horseradish sauce (optional):
In a bowl, stir the sour cream and milk together until blended. Stir in the lemon juice, horseradish, and mustard. Add the salt, pepper, and parsley, and taste. Add more horseradish or lemon juice, if you like. Cover and set in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven:
Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Prepare the meat for braising:
Discard the spice packet that came with the beef. In a Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pot, place the brisket, mustard seed, coriander seed, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and onion quarters. Add enough cold water to just cover the meat.

Braise the meat:
Over medium heat on the stovetop, bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 3 1/2 hours, or until the beef is very tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the meat from the broth with tongs and transfer it to a shallow baking dish or baking sheet.

Brown the meat:
Increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Place the corned beef in the oven with a ladle of stock, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top browns. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, cover with foil to keep warm, and let rest while you cook the vegetables. Turn off the oven.

Strain the stock, cook the vegetables, and slice the meat:
In a fine mesh strainer, strain the stock and return it to the pot. Add the salt. With a ladle, skim the fat that rises to the top. Bring it to a boil.

Add the potatoes and adjust the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the cabbage wedges and carrots, cover and bring to a simmer again. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage are tender.

Transfer them to a deep platter, cover with foil, and keep them warm in the turned-off oven.

Slice and serve the corned beef:
Slice the beef across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer them to the platter with the vegetables, and spoon a few ladles of stock over the meat and vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with mustard and/or horseradish sauce.

Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly (Thit kho tau)

Ingredients

2 lbs pork belly
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 shallots, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water, divided
cooking oil
3-4 tablespoons fish sauce (more or less to taste)
3 cups fresh coconut juice (about 2 coconuts)
6 eggs (more or less to your liking)

Instructions

Slice pork belly into 1-inch thick (or slightly thicker) pieces. In a bowl, toss the pork with crushed garlic, shallots, salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature for 10-20 minutes.

In a small saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of water. Bring to a boil, the sugar will fully dissolve. Lower the heat to medium, continue to simmer. You will see a lot of bubbles on the surface. The mixture will then turn from clear to yellow, and get darker as you simmer it. When it has a honey color, reduce the heat slightly. Keep watching closely, until it has a dark caramel color, turn off the heat and carefully add 1 tablespoon of water. Swirl the saucepan (or stir) to combine and remove it from the stove. Set aside.

Place a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add a small amount of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add the pork belly, along with all the crushed garlic and shallots, and the caramel sauce. Stir and cook to coat the pork with the caramel sauce and then add fish sauce. Continue to stir and cook.

Once the outside of the pork is no longer pink, add coconut juice enough to cover the meat. Bring it to a boil and skim off all the foams, then lower to a simmer.

Cover the pot with the lid slightly askew and simmer until the pork is almost tender to your liking (about 75-80 minutes). You can give everything a stir once in a while for even cooking if you want.

While braising the pork belly, boil the eggs so that they are just about to reach hard-boiled. Place the eggs in cold water to cool down, and then peel them.

Once the pork is almost tender, add the eggs (make sure they are surrounded with the braising liquid). Cover and simmer for about 10 more minutes.

Transfer the caramelized pork belly and eggs along with the sauce to a shallow serving plate. Serve hot with white rice.

Happy FriYAY Y’all!! 🍍🍨🍍

PINEAPPLE SLUSHIES

INGREDIENTS
1 cup ice (about 8 ice cubes)
2-3 cups water (divided)
3 cups frozen pineapple
2-3 tablespoons sugar
DIRECTIONS
1.
In a large high-speed blender, blend ice and 1 cup of water until slush is formed
2.
Add pineapple, one cup at a time, blending well after each addition. Add water as neccessary to get the slushie to blend
3.
Once pineapple has been blended, add the sugar and blend once more
4.
Serve immediately

Vietnamese savory prawn coconut pancakes
(Bánh khọt)

Ingredients
3/4 cup rice flour
2 cups coconut cream
1 tsp salt
1 cup scallion
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp turmeric
28 tiger prawns, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup dried split mung beans, soaked for 6 hours or overnight
Dipping sauce
2 tbsps fish sauce
1/4 cup water
3 tbsps granulated sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 red bird's eye chili, thinly sliced
For serving
1 handful of Thai basil
1 handful of Vietnamese mint
1 handful of peppermint
1 handful of of perilla leaves
a few baby leaves of mustard green
a few pieces of lettuce

Instructions
Soak the mung beans in water overnight.
Strain, then steam over high heat for 15 minutes. Set aside.
To make the dipping sauce, combine everything in a bowl and whisk together until combined. Set aside until ready to serve.
For the batter, whisk the rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric, and salt in a bowl and mix well.
Whisk in the coconut cream until there's no lump. Stir in the green scallion. Let the batter rest for an hour.
Place a 7-hole ebelskiver pan over medium-high heat and brush each hole with oil.
Working quickly, pour 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter in the hole using a spoon to press the batter along the edges of the hole. Top with each banh khot with a prawn and 1/2 tsp of mung bean.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4 minutes until the bottom and edges are crispy, prawns cooked through, and batter turned yellow.
Using a spoon remove the banh khot from and transfer them to a plate.
Repeat the steps above until your ingredients are out. You should get 28 pancakes.
Serve immediately with herbs and dipping sauce.

Notes
Let the batter rest for an hour after you mix it. Give the batter a quick stir to redistribute the flour that had settled at the bottom.
The batter can be made 2 days ahead, covered, and stored in the fridge. Bring the batter to room temperature before you cook it.
Use prawns size 41/50 or smaller so they fit in the pan.
Medium-high heat is the best level for making it crispy without burning it.
Each pancake will need about 4-5 minutes to cook through.
These Vietnamese savory prawn coconut pancakes are best eaten as they are made. If you need to keep them warm and crisp while finishing the whole batch, leave them on a baking sheet in the oven at 225 degrees until ready to serve.

Keto Chaffle Pizza

Ingredients
For the chaffle:

1 large egg
1 teaspoon coconut flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella

To assemble:

¼ cup sugar free pizza sauce or marinara
¼ cup shredded mozzarella
6 slices pepperoni

Instructions
Plug in your mini waffle iron to preheat. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
To make the chaffle crust, add the egg, coconut flour, and baking powder to a small bowl and whisk together with a fork.
Stir in the shredded cheese.
Spoon half of the batter into the waffle iron and spread carefully to the edges.
Close the waffle iron and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the waffle maker stops steaming.
Repeat with remaining batter.
To assemble, place the cooked chaffles on a small baking sheet.
Spread with the marinara, sprinkle with the mozzarella, and top with the pepperoni.
Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted to your liking.

Seafood Pasta

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil divided use
1/2 cup onion finely chopped
2 teaspoons garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
28 ounce can San Marzano Whole Tomatoes pureed in a blender or food processor
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
12 ounces spaghetti or other long pasta
1/2 pound shrimp peeled and deveined, leave tails on if desired for nicer presentation
1/2 pound sea scallops
1/2 pound clams scrubbed
1/2 pound mussels scrubbed and de-bearded
2 tablespoons parsley chopped

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Stir in the red pepper flakes (optional), then add the pureed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until sauce has just started to thicken. Stir in the butter, then remove the sauce from the heat.
While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.
Drain the pasta, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper, then add them to the pan.
Cook the scallops for 1-2 minutes per side or until browned and opaque.
Remove the scallops from the pan. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until pink and opaque.
Remove the shrimp from the pan. Place the clams and mussels in the pan, along with the reserved pasta water. Bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes or until clams and mussels have opened. Discard any shells that did not open.
Add the shrimp and scallops back to the pan along with the tomato sauce and spaghetti. Toss to coat everything with the sauce.
Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

Father’s Day Surf and Turf

INGREDIENTS
2 live lobsters

2 large filet mignon steaks, (or 4 smaller pieces) at room temperature*

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon additional freshly ground black pepper

For Serving (optional)

Rosemary Garlic Baby Potatoes

Green Beans with Tarragon

Drawn (or clarified) butter

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large pot big enough to hold the lobster, bring water to a boil. Once boiling, add live lobsters head first and boil for 12 minutes. Remove lobsters to a platter using long tongs.

Pat steaks dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place a heavy-bottomed skillet or saute pan over medium high heat and once hot, melt the butter in the oil.

When the butter starts to froth and darken a bit, place the seasoned steaks in and sear on each side, then reduce heat to medium and cook to your preferred doneness.

Remove steaks to a platter and pour in the heavy cream and additional black pepper and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until the cream thickens.

While the sauce is cooking, break off the tail and claws from the lobsters and remove the meat. Peel the back of the tail off and clean out the inner tract. Place the claws and tail of each lobster on each serving plate. Serve with the cooked steaks and the optional potatoes and green beans.

Spoon sauce over the steak. Serve with (optional) drawn butter for dipping the lobster.

Vietnamese Chicken Curry

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 oz. (56 g) shallot or onion, diced
1 lb. (0.4 kg) boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into big pieces
3 tablespoons curry powder or Madras curry powder
2 lemongrass, white parts only, cut into 4-inch strips, pounded
4 oz. (115 g) carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
6 oz. (170 g) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 can 14.5 oz. (1 3/4 cups chicken broth)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce or to taste
1 teaspoon sugar

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a small pot on medium heat, add the oil until heated. Saute the shallot or onion until softened or aromatic before adding the chicken. Stir the chicken a few times before adding the curry powder, lemongrass, carrots and potatoes. Stir to combine well. Add the chicken broth and coconut milk, turn the heat to low. Cover the pot and let simmer and cook for about 20 - 30 mins, or until the chicken, carrots and potatoes become tender.

Add the fish sauce and sugar, stir to combine well. Serve hot with steamed rice and/or French bread.

CHEESECAKE STUFFED STRAWBERRIES 🍓

INGREDIENTS

1 8 ounce cream cheese softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound strawberries
1/4 cup crushed graham cracker for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy. Fill mixture in a piping bag.
Core out each strawberry and fill with cream cheese mixture. Top with crushed graham cracker.

Avocado Smoothie

Ingredients
2 medium ripe avocados , peeled, pitted, and cubed
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup almond milk (or any other milk)
1 cup ice

Instructions
Cut the avocados in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Spoon the flesh out of the skins and place into a blender.
Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into glasses and serve.

OREO COOKIES

Ingredients
1 & 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 tbsp granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups chopped oreos (not oreo crumbs but crushed oreo pieces) You can place the oreos in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them - then measure out 3 cups.

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350º F.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar with an electric mixer until blended, about 1 minute. Add the in egg and vanilla, beat again until mixed.
Gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing with a spatula just until combined (it’s okay if there are some flour streaks). Mix in the chopped oreos with a spatula until evenly distributed.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to drop the dough onto the baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are light brown and the center is golden. Allow the cookies to cool for 15 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet. Store in an air tight container.

Bacon Weave Breakfast Tacos

INGREDIENTS
16 slices bacon, halved
Freshly ground black pepper
6 large eggs
1 tbsp. whole milk
1 tbsp. butter
Salt
2 tbsp. chopped chives
25 g grated cheddar
1 avocado, sliced
Hot sauce, for serving

DIRECTIONS
Make bacon taco shells: Preheat oven to 200°C (180ºC fan) and line a large rimmed baking tray with foil. In one corner, make a bacon weave with 8 halves of bacon each, creating a square. Repeat to make next three weaves. Season with pepper. Place an inverted baking rack on top to make sure bacon lays flat.
Bake until bacon is mostly crispy, 30 to 35 minutes. Working quickly, trim each square with a paring knife or kitchen shears to make a round shape.
Meanwhile, make scrambled eggs: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs with milk until well incorporated.
In a medium nonstick pan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Pour in the egg mixture. Gently move the eggs around with a spatula, creating large curds. When the eggs are almost cooked to your liking, season with salt and pepper. Fold in chives and remove from heat.
Assemble tacos: On a serving platter, top the bacon taco shells with scrambled eggs. Sprinkle each with cheese, nestle in a few slices of avocado, and top with hot sauce.

A whole lotta goodness here 😋

These Oysters 🦪 are like butter 🧈🤤

Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que Christmas Dinner 🍽 😋

Baked Mayo-cheese Mussels

Ingredients

1 kg live green lipped mussels (approx 16)
1/2 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
1 cup cheese, grated
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
A handful of parsley, chopped finely

Preparation

Preheat oven to 200°C.
Check mussels and discard any that are broken. Heat a sauté pan or sauce pan and once hot, tip in the mussels along with 2 tablespoons water, cover immediately and cook for 5-7 minutes on medium heat until mussels have opened. Discard any that do not open, tip into a colander to cool.
While the mussels are cooking, mix together the mayonnaise, cheese, barbecue sauce and lime juice in a small bowl. After the mussels are cooked and cool enough to handle (just a few minutes), remove the top shell, remove any beards (or crabs). Place the mussels (meat facing up) in a single layer on a roasting pan or cookie sheet. Spoon a heaped teaspoon of the mayo-cheese mixture on top of each mussel.
Bake for 5-7 minutes at 200°C until golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and carefully place mussels onto a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Serving Honey Baked Ham, Rotisserie Chicken, Smoked Sausage Jambalaya, Cornbread Stuffing, Mac n Cheese, Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes w/Turkey Gravy, SuperSweet Golden Kernel Corn, Pumpkin Pie w/Whipped Cream, Oreo Pudding Pie, and of course gotta have some Sparkling Cider. 🤗😋

Smoked Sausage Jambalaya

Sheet Pan Steak Nachos Supreme

Ingredients

Steak:

1.25 lb Walmart Angus NY Strip Steak
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Queso:

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, minced
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
2 oz cream cheese, cut into small cubes
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Nachos:

1 can (16 oz) refried beans
1 bag (13 oz) Corn Tortilla Chips
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup sour cream*
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 jalapeño, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro
1/3 cup guacamole
1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

Cut the steak into thin strips against the grain.
Combine the soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika in a resealable bag. Add the steak, close the bag, and gently shake to coat the meat with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours.
To make the queso, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Whisk in the cornstarch, then slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Continue to cook until it comes to a boil and thickens slightly. Add the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Add the cheddar cheese a bit at a time, whisking in between additions.
Place over low heat to keep warm until needed.
Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat. Add half of the steak pieces to the skillet, spreading out into a single layer. Cook until browned on one side, then use tongs to flip the pieces to the other side. Cook until browned, then remove the steak to a bowl. Repeat with the other half of the steak.
Open the refried beans and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add a couple tablespoons of water, then heat over medium heat until the beans are heated through and smooth.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Place half of the tortilla chips on a large sheet pan. Drizzle half of the beans over the top, then place half of the steak over the beans. Sprinkle on half of the shredded mozzarella. Repeat the layer with the remaining chips, beans, steak and cheese.
Place in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the nachos are warmed through, 5-7 minutes.
Remove the nachos from the oven and pour the cheese sauce over the top. Top with sour cream, tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, guacamole, and lime wedges.

ɧąƖƖơῳɛɛŋ ɬཞɛąɬʂ 🎃👻💀🧟‍♀️🧛‍♀️

Birria Tacos

Ingredients
1.5 lb beef shank
1 lb cab sirloin or other roast/steak

Marinade
3 dried guajillo peppers see notes
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
5 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin

Stew
1 medium onion chopped
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
chicken stock to cover sodium free, about 1 quart

Tacos
4" corn or flour tortillas as needed, 12-16
1 medium onion chopped, optional
1 bunch cilantro chopped, optional
1 cup mexican cheese blend grated, optional

Special Equipment
instant pot or slow cooker

Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then remove from heat. Soak your dried guajillo peppers for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cube your cab sirloin, then season both the steak and the shank with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Add marinade ingredients to the blender. When the peppers are done soaking, hold them by the tip over the sink and use scissors to cut the stem off and allow the seeds to fall out, then add to blender. Blend the marinade into a smooth paste. Marinate the meats for a minimum of two hours or up to overnight.
Set your Instant Pot on saute high or use a skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 tbsp oil, then saute the onions until golden and translucent (6-8 minutes).
Add the meats, marinade, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves to the pot. Cover with chicken broth, then set to high pressure for 45 minutes. If using a slow cooker or stovetop, set to low heat for 4-6 hours.
When the instant pot is finished, allow a natural release, then remove the meat. Shred, set aside, and discard the bones.
Warm up some tortillas, then dip the tortillas in the stew. Build your tacos, top with any optional toppings, then fry over medium heat on a nonstick skillet. Enjoy immediately, preferably with a margarita or cold Mexican beer.

Happy

OVEN BARBECUE RIBS

INGREDIENTS
RIBS:
4 pounds (2 kg) baby back pork ribs
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili or Cayenne powder (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
SAUCE:
2 cups (500ml) barbecue sauce
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 - 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
1 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Peel off tough membrane that covers the underside/bony side of the ribs. Place on a baking sheet or tray lined with foil (or parchment paper).
Combine together garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cumin and chili or Cayenne. Sprinkle seasoning over ribs and drizzle with oil. Rub the seasoning all over the ribs on both sides. Cover tray with foil and bake for 2 hours.
During the last 5 minutes of cook time, mix together sauce ingredients.
Remove ribs from the oven, remove foil and spread the tops of the ribs with the barbecue sauce mixture.
Increase oven temperature to 460°F (240°C). Return ribs to the oven, uncovered, and bake for a further 10 minutes. Change oven settings to broil (or grill) on medium-high heat to lightly char and caramelise the edges (about 3 minutes).
Rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to recirculate back into the meat before slicing.
Enjoy!