Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

I used this recipe to convert my momma from cabbage to "baby cabbage", aka brussel sprouts. The sprouts retain their crunch and the flavor has a mix of tangy, sweet food-love. Bon appetit!


1 strip Bacon, diced
1/2 Onion, diced
3 C. Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 Tbl of Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbl of Sugar
Salt & Pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
2. In oven safe skillet, render diced bacon until slightly crispy
3. Add diced onions and saute until translucent
4. Add brussel sprouts and saute for 5 minutes
5. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar and sugar on top and toss
6. Place skillet in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes

TangySweetFoodLove Turkey

Below is a nice shift from the traditional seasonings of sage, rosemary and thyme. There are a lot of ingredients here that will give the bird some tang, tart and spice. Enjoy!

TangySweetFoodLove's Turkey
Serves 10

15 Lb. Turkey, brined in TSFL's Turkey Brine
1 Stick of Butter, slightly softened
2 Tbl. of Cumin
2 Tbl. of Chili Powder
2 Tbl. of Garlic Powder
2 Tbl. of Orange Zest
2 Tbl. of Salt
1 Tbl. of Pepper
1 tsp. of Ground Cloves
1 tsp. of Ground Ginger
1 tsp. of Paprika
1 tsp. of Cinnamon

- In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients except the turkey
- Using your hand slowly rub the butter-spice mixture underneath and on top of the turkey's skin
- Place turkey in a cover baking pan and bake
- Baste turkey occasionally with the tangy sweet goodness that oozes out
- In the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove baking lid and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees to help skin to crisp
- In the last 5 to 10 minutes, turn on broiler to finish the crisping

Start brining!

If you want your holiday bird juicy, moist and flavorful you have to brine it. The brine below works on all kinds of poultry. Brine today, juicy bird tomorrow!

TangySweetFoodLove Turkey Brine
For a 15 lb. Turkey

2 C. of Kosher Salt
1 C. of Sugar
1/2 C. of Brown Sugar
1 Head of Garlic
1 Orange, sliced thinly
3 Bay Leaves
1 tsp. of Allspice
1/2 tsp. of Cumin
1/2 tsp. of Chili Powder
Dash of Red Pepper flakes
Enough cold water to cover bird

- In a large pot, combine all of the ingredients
- Stir until salt and sugar dissolve
- Add bird and let sit in brine overnight

The accompanying TangySweetFoodLove Turkey recipe will be posted tomorrow.

Just in time for Turkey Day!

Here are some Thanksgiving recipe ideas to use for this year's turkey feast.

TSFL Roasted Turkey

TSFL Roasted Turkey Brine

TSFL Cranberry Sauce

TSFL Sweet potatoes

Cilantro Pesto Mashed Potatoes

Six-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Green Beans with Rendered Bacon

Cinco de Mayo: Day 5 - Chile Rellenos

For the final Cinco de Mayo post I wanted to share a new recipe I tried.

I finally made chile rellenos! After trying them years and years ago, I've finally concocted the dish on my own. The version below is not fried and vegetarian-friendly. Please enjoy!

Chile Rellenos
Serves 4

4 Poblano peppers
2 C. Rice, cooked
1 can of Black beans, drained
1 med Onion, chopped
1 med Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 med Tomato, diced
1 C. of shredded cheese
1 tsp. of Cumin
1 tsp. of Chili powder
1 tsp. of Garlic salt

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large pot, boil salted water
- Cut a slit down side of each pepper. Remove seeds and rinse out cavity
- Place gutted peppers in boiling water for 7 minutes
- Remove from water and allow to cool...cool enough to handle
- In a skillet, saute onions, bell pepper, cumin, chili powder and garlic salt
- Add tomatoes, black beans, cheese and rice to pan. Mix well
- Take a pepper into one hand and stuff each with the pan mixture
- Place each pepper on a greased sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream

Optional suggestions:
- Roll stuffed peppers in olive oil then cornmeal before baking

Cinco de Mayo: Dish re-post 4

This is a great recipe for parties and it is great to use instead of your typical tomato-based salsas. Tomatillos look like a green tomato but their smaller, less acidic, and come in a leafy husk. Roasting or boiling is necessary when using this fruit/vegetable. Serve with my Homemade Tortilla Chips or some other plain tortilla chip.

Ryan's Tequila-Tomatillo Salsa
Serves 6

6 Tomatillos, husks removed, quartered and roasted
1 Jalapeno (remove seeds and white pith to reduce heat), roasted or grilled
3 Garlic Cloves, roasted or grilled
Juice of 3 Limes
1 Shot of Tequila
1/2 half of Onion, roasted or grilled
1 Tbl. of Cumin
1 Tbl. of Olive Oil
1 Tbl. of Salt
Water

- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Use water if necessary to help the mixture blend
- Serve with warm tortilla chips

Sausage, Peppers and Onions over Polenta

This recipe is a simple dish almost anyone can prepare. It's a simple mix of sauteed sausage, caramelized onions and peppers served over creamy polenta. Enjoy!

Sausage, Peppers and Onions over Polenta
Serves 4

2 Polish Sausage links, sliced crosswise
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
1 med Onion, sliced
2 Tbl of Canola oil
1 tsp. of Garlic, minced

-In a large pan, cook sausage slices until browned and cooked thoroughly
-Remove sausage from pan
-Add canola oil, peppers and onions to skillet. Cook slowly over medium-high heat until onions are translucent
-Add garlic and sausage to pan and stir

Creamy Polenta
1 C. of Cornmeal
3 C. of Chicken Stock (or salted Water)

-In a small pot, bring chicken stock to a simmer
-Use a whisk to stir in the cornmeal. This will prevent clumps

Cinco de Mayo: Dish re-post 3

This recipe will be awesome at any Cinco de Mayo party or any time you want some good slow-roasted pork with a tangy, sweet bite of pickled onions.

Slow roasted pork tacos are delicious. Usually it's a dish I wait to try at a local taco joint but I finally ventured and created my own. It took a lot of time and lot of love but it was worth it. The recipes below show you how to recreate my masterpiece complete with pickled onions and fork-tender pork.

Adobe Roasted Pork Tacos with Pickled Onions
Serves 6

1 Lg Pork Shoulder Roast
1 12 oz. jar of Adobe Paste
3 Tbl. of Salt
Pickled Onions (recipe below)
Corn tortillas
Queso Fresco

- Warm adobe paste in the microwave for 30 seconds until it is somewhat runny
- Rub the paste all over the pork roast
- Sprinkle the salt all over the roast
- Place paste-covered roast in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap
- Allow roast to marinate for several hours or overnight

To cook:
- Preheat oven to 385 degrees
- Place roast in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil
- Bake roast for 3 hours until roast becomes fork tender
- Shred pork apart and serve atop warm corn tortillas and top with pickled onions (recipe below) and crumbled queso fresco

Pickled Onions
Serves 6

2 medium Purple Onions, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch of Cilantro, chopped
1/3 C. of Vinegar, preferably apple cider vinegar
1/3 C. of Sugar
1 tsp. of Salt
1 tsp. of Garlic, crushed

- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the onions and cilantro
- Add onions and cilantro and make sure they are submerged in the liquid
- Refrigerate overnight
- Serve atop roasted pork tacos

Cinco de Mayo: Dish re-post 2

To continue the festivities, here is a re-post of my Chimichurri Skirt Steak recipe.

This recipe is derived from two sources. First, from my experience of working at the chain, Chili's Bar & Grill and secondly, from an Argentinian steakhouse I went to in Fort Lauderdale a while ago. Chimichurri is a type of 'sauce' used all over Latin America for grilled meats and veggies. It is composed of two of my favorite ingredients, cilantro and lime, and goes well with my version of grilled skirt steak. It also goes well with pork and chicken. You can click on the picture for a closer view.

Skirt Steak and Chimichurri
Serves 2

1/2 Lb. of Skirt Steak
1 Tbl. of Olive Oil
1 Tbl. of Red Wine Vinegar
3 tsp. of Cumin
2 tsp. of Garlic Powder
2 tsp. of Oregano
1 tsp. of Paprika
1 tsp. of Cinnamon

- Sprinkle all of the spices, herb, oil, and vinegar over both sides of skirt steak
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour
- In a large skillet, heat a small amount of canola oil to high
- Cook both sides of skirt steak until desire doneness
(Can also be cooked on a grill or BBQ)



Cilantro chimichurri Sauce

1 Bunch of Fresh Cilantro
3 Cloves of Garlic
Juice of 2 Limes
1 Tbl. of Salt
1 tsp. of Brown Sugar
Olive Oil

- In a blender, place all ingredients and blend well
- Refrigerate for at least an hour
- Serve atop grilled skirt steak...or pork...or chicken

Cinco de Mayo: Dish re-post 1

This post comes from September 2008. It is one of my favorite dishes. Please enjoy my Cilantro-Lime Chicken recipe.

I finally made one of my signature dishes again. I had planned to share this recipe a while ago but wanted to wait until I had a pictures ready to show the goodness. It is a light, tasty mix of cilantro, lime, and salt. The same base I use for my shrimp ceviche and fruit salsas. If you don't make any other dish from my blog, please make this one. You can click on the picture for a closer view.


Cilantro-Lime Chicken
Serves 2

2 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless and butterflied
Juice of 2 Limes
3/4 C. of Cilantro, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
Black Beans and Rice


- In a glass pie dish, place lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and chicken breasts. Make sure chicken breasts are thoroughly covered by mixture
- Marinate for a few hours or overnight
- In a skillet, heat up 2 tablespoons of canola oil
- Take chicken out of marinade and remove excess cilantro leaves
- Place chicken into skillet and cook thoroughly. Slice and serve with black beans and rice