Barbacoa Dinner

Oh man, it's been such a long time since I have blogged! I finally decided to get back to blogging now that I have made a few changes in my life.

Being in a good place in life is good, it gives you the motivation you need to try new things and do the things you love. Being half Italian means one of those things that I love so much is cooking. So to get back into regular blogging, I decided to start off with an easy and delicious recipe.

Here's a barbacoa platter I recently made. The recipe for the meat is from thekitchn.com. I made a couple of little changes but it turned out amazing!!

Ingredients
4 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, minced (look for this in the hispanic section of the grocery store)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 head of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Juice of 4 limes (I used 2 limes)
1/2 cup of apple cider
5-7 lbs of beef brisket (I did 3-4lbs of skirt steak and flank steak)
4-6 cups of beef or chicken stock (I did 3 1/2 cups of beef stock)
5 bay leaves (I only used 3 bay leaves)

Directions
Place the peppers (and their sauce), cilantro, red onion, garlic, clove, salt, lime juice and cider vinegar in a slow cooker and mix. Place the meat on top of mixture. Add the stock to cover the meat (you can add a bit more if you need to, just make sure the meat is covered) and place the bay leaves on top. Mix it all in, cover and set the slow cooker on LOW for 7-10hrs. When the meat is done, it should easily fall apart. Just remove from the slow cooker and place it on a plate and with a fork pull the meat apart. When serving, pour some of the juice on the meat to keep it nice and juicy.

I made some white rice, black beans, cut up some avocados, corn and added some salsa and tortillas to my plate. But you can pretty much make whatever you want as a side for this delicious meal. The sauce for the meat does have a little bit of a kick to it, so if you don't like spices, try substituting the chipotle peppers for sweet peppers instead.

This is a great, easy meal to make during the week or on a sunday when prepping for work. I make enough to last me a few meals during the week. I'll be posting regularly now and I am excited to share some new recipes and projects!

Bargain Shopping for a Dining Set

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving!

I have spent almost every Thanksgiving holiday at a friend's house the last few years, so unlike a lot of other bloggers, I don't really get to blog about Thanksgiving menus or table setting, since I am not making a feast or having anyone come over to my place. But I can contribute to those of you putting together a shopping list for this weekend!

Black Friday and pretty much all of Black Weekend, can be the perfect time to get a great deal on a big ticket item. But recently a lot of stores have been offering some sweet deals prior to the holiday weekend and other stores have been bamboozling you into thinking you will be getting a great deal this weekend. Recently, I have been shopping around for a dining set for my boyfriend's apartment. He's had this $99 cheap wood dining set from Ikea for the last few years and 3 out of the 4 chairs that it came with have broken, and the table is 2 dinners away from collapsing. So I have been helping him and his roommate bargain shop for a top quality dining set under $500. Did I mention they wanted a solid wood table and chairs?

After looking thru stores and websites like World Market, Pottery Barn, Pier 1, Target, Overstock, etc etc. The best deal I found was a wooden table at World Market for $275. However, that did not include shipping or the $100 big item fee. So with everything added up, we were looking at around $350. Not bad, but not great either. World Market has some great stuff for a great price, but I have learned that the quality of their products isn't meant to last for a very long time. I bought a couch from there 3 years ago that already needs to be replaced big time. The foam in the seat cushions is completely worn out and cannot be replaced either. So I am a bit skeptical on the quality of their furniture.

This table was no exception, and we decided that we would pass on the table and wait to see if we found a better bargain.

Fast forward 2 months and we decided to go to the Crate & Barrel Outlet in Alexandria, VA. When we got there, we found out that the store was having a huge dining set sale. All tables were $299 and all chairs $40. Until December 1st 2013. That's right, you can still shop this sale. Say what!!? Yea, we were on that like crazy people scanning the whole store for the perfect table. Unfortunately, we did not see one we liked or that was in good enough condition to take home. So I decided I would stop by again in a few days during my lunch break to see what new tables they had in stock. I was in luck. I found a table in near perfect condition, that originally sells for $599, for only $299. And it is gorgeous!

Basque table in honey

This table is gorgeous, sturdy and built to last a lifetime of holiday parties, family gatherings and friendly suppers. And the best part is that it fit into my Suzuki hatchback. No need for any shipping fees! We also found 3 mismatched dining chairs for $40 each that we thought would look great with the table. We got chairs in silver, black and white, each one retailing for $200 and each in near perfect condition. We all really like the mismatched colors and styles because it gives it a modern and laid back look that fits in well with their CB2 Ostrich Painting in the background.

So in total, they spent $420 plus tax on their dining set. They are still looking to add a few more chairs for $40 and we are hoping that this Black Friday the store will have a strong selection of chairs. I don't think you can get any better deals than this when it comes to top quality wood dining sets. If you are in the market for a dining set for the upcoming holiday season, check out the Crate & Barrel Outlet nearest you! I just wish I had this dining set for myself.... :)

Weeknight Quesadillas

My work weeks are very hectic and long and I usually do not have the time or energy to cook dinner. So I have been doing a lot of cooking during the weekends and eating leftovers during the week. But on those days when you are truly sick and tired of eating the same leftovers what can you do?

Well, I have been making quesadillas with food that is easy to find in your fridge and pantry! It is so easy and quick and delicious too.

Here's what you'll need:

1lbs of chicken breast
1-2 avocados or your favorite store bought guacamole
Your favorite salsa (I like the fresh made salsas from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods)
1 red onion
1 packet of large tortillas (any brand works and flavor works. I usually stick to "originals")
1 red bell pepper
1 can of black beans
sour cream
cilantro
1 packet of cheddar cheese or whatever cheese you like

Directions:
Cut the chicken into small pieces and cook on a heated pan (medium heat) with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Chop the bell pepper and onion and add to the chicken and cook until tender and chicken is done. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Open the can of beans and drain completely. Take a large frying pan (you can use a panini style press if you have one) and drizzle a little bit of olive oil on it. Place a tortilla on the pan and fill it with the chicken, pepper and onion mixture. Make sure you spread the chicken around the tortilla evenly. Then scatter a spoonful of black beans over the chicken, sprinkle some cheese and place another tortilla on top. Heat the tortilla on the pan in medium-high heat until the tortilla at the bottom is heated thru and you can see a little bit of a sear. Then carefully, with a large spatula, flip the quesadilla over. This can be hard to do if you're like me and overstuff your quesadilla. So you could take another frying pan or a large plate that is the same size as the one you are using and flip the pan of the quesadilla over the other pan/plate. Heat the pan up and sear the other side of the quesadilla. The cheese should be melted throughout once done.

Remove from the heat, let cool, and flip or slide on a cutting board or a plate. Use a pizza cutter to cut the quesadilla, serve on a plate with a side of salsa, guacamole (or sliced avocado), sour cream and garnish with some cilantro. They might not look perfect, but they are delicious and quick and easy to make. You will have left overs for lunch or dinner the next day too!