Chilaquiles Fritatta – Seriously Delicious

There are a few things that I’m a huge fan of, that if you haven’t gotten by now, I’ll spell out. One of them is Mexican food. The other is the food blog Serious Eats. Combine the two into a recipe, and you know I’m going to try it!

Last week I found a recipe for a Chilaquiles Fritatta. I’m not going to pretend like I knew what that was ahead of time. Sure, I know what a fritatta is. But what the heck are chilaquiles?! Well, it means “herbs or greens in chile broth” and basically combines left over tortillas and hot sauce/salsa. If you’re going to combine something spicy and fried, I’m sold!

The recipe itself seemed easy on the outset, but frying little tortilla strips is tedious. And apparently in my kitchen, also dangerous! While I was transferring some from the pan to my plate with a paper towel on it so some of the excess oil could drip off, I placed the plate to close to the flame, lighting it on fire. I quickly threw it in the sink and put water on it, ruining half of that batch. While I was in the process of making them, I snuck a few to sample. They would be great with ice cream. I picture them with a vanilla ice cream and some sort of apple cinnamon concoction. I’m not sure how, but I know it would work!

Aside from almost lighting myself on fire, my only other mishap was dropping an entire package of eggs. Thankfully, only four broke, and I had another package with three in them. I can’t believe the luck I had! It’s a miracle that I and my fiance got out of the kitchen alive!

At any rate, once the tortillas were done, the rest of the recipe was smooth sailing. It calls for either creme fraiche or sour cream, so I of course went with the sour cream. Whisking sour cream and eggs together makes them super creamy and fluffy. I’m not a huge egg fan, but I really enjoyed these! I also left out the scallions, as I didn’t want a huge bushel and nothing to use them with. I didn’t miss them, either. Also, it notes you need cubed queso fresco. Honestly, I had no idea what that was until I Googled it. It basically just means “fresh cheese.” I just went with some Monterey Jack.

The recipe also says it only needs to bake for 10-15 minutes. It took mine more like 25 minutes to ensure the eggs weren’t runny. I didn’t mind, but I think my fiance was starting to gnaw on his own limbs (and he wasn’t even infected with the zombie virus).

This would be great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. But I suppose that’s only if you’re one of those people that can eat “breakfast” at any time. I used to not be able to mix my meals, but breakfast is slowly making it’s way to later points of my day. Lunch has always been interchangeable for me, but dinner stays comfortably at 4pm or later (and that’s pushing it).

I really can’t recommend this recipe enough. It’s spicy (but you can add/remove spice as you need based on your salsa choice), it has fried goodness, and it’s got some serious Mexican flair! So next time you want to have a little siesta, treat your taste buds to something equally deserving!

Chilaquiles Fritatta
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
Canola oil
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, sliced into 1-inch strips
1 cup smooth salsa or hot sauce
6 eggs
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 chipotles chiles in adobo, thinly sliced
1 poblano chile, rib and seeds removed, diced
3 tablespoons cilantro, divided
3 scallions, thinly sliced, divided
1/2 cup cubed queso fresco cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Fill a cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet with a 1/4-inch of canola oil, and warm over medium-high heat.
2. Add tortilla strips to pan, and fry until golden, about 1 minute on each side. Drain on paper towels.
3. In a large bowl, toss fried tortilla strips with salsa or hot sauce until well combined. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of remaining oil in the pan, and discard.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, crème fraîche, salt and pepper with fork until just combined.
5. Pour egg mixture into the skillet, add chiles, 1 tablespoon of cilantro and half of the scallions. Let excess sauce drip off tortilla strips, and add to egg mixture.
6. Evenly distribute cheese on top of the frittata. Bake in oven until completely set, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Finish by garnishing with remaining cilantro and scallions, as well as extra hot sauce. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Happy nomzing!

Deliciousness in Downtown Westfield: Xocolatz

To celebrate my Mom’s birthday, and also our engagement, my fiance (I’m so excited to get to say that now!) and I joined my family in Westfield for brunch this past Sunday. We went to my family’s favorite restaurant, Xocolatz.

Most restaurants can be classified into different categories; based on food, overall vibe, type of restaurant, or other factors. Every so often, however, there are restaurants that don’t fit a particular mold. Xocolatz in is one of those places.

The restaurant itself is adorned with historic pictures of Westfield as well as other cute and spunky décor, like a placard letting patrons know that if their children run rampant, they’ll be served espresso and promised a pony.

Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch on Sundays, the restaurant is always crowded. Reservations are recommended, but despite the crowd, you never wait long. Because it’s such a local favorite, it isn’t quiet and intimate; it’s bustling and bright.

The waiters and waitresses all wear black and don’t write down your orders. Although they don’t have a paper and pen crutch, the waiters and waitresses seem to be spot-on. Your orders are served in a timely manner and are always correct, and they’re quick to make sure your beverages are at a comfortable level.

The ambiance is great, but the stand-outs are their dishes, as the menu is expansive for a small to mid sized restaurant. Often times restaurants that boast larger menus have mediocre food; a jack of all trades but a master of none, if you will. This isn’t the case with Xocolatz. While their menu isn’t pages long, the different types of food that are offered really do have something for everyone. The dishes often combine a Spanish flair (fried plantains, chili, etc.) but they also have other favorites including daily quiches, quesadillas, chicken parmigana sandwiches, tropical hamburgers, seafood dishes, and daily specials. The specials rarely repeat, and you can count on something new and exciting every time.

The food itself is extremely fresh; the salsa tastes like the tomatoes and onions were just cut and combined, the bread tastes freshly baked, and seafood dishes are far from “fishy.” The combinations are different, so don’t be afraid to try something new!

They serve a special brunch menu on Sundays, and while they’re BYOB, if you bring the champagne, they’ll provide the orange juice for mimosas. And though you might be dining at the restaurant during their specified brunch hours (11am to 3pm), you can always order off of their lunch menu if brunch isn’t your thing. Since they are open Monday thru Sunday, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to try everything!

While we were there, I went for the Oaxaca breakfast burrito, filled with chili, onions, peppers, cheese and eggs. It was served with a simple green salad and avocado. It was absolutely delicious! My fiance, also an avid Mexican/Spanish food lover, went with the Tex-Mex omlette, so we could share. The omlette was stuffed with onions and peppers, cheese, and jalepenos. The omlette was served with breakfast potatoes and toast. Each of the dishes were served with some sliced fresh fruit as well. The other notable dish ordered by our group was my mom’s dish. She ordered savory crepes that were stuffed with onions, goat cheese, and spinach with eggs served over them.

Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. I’ve had brunch, lunch, and dinner at Xocolatz and have been extremely impressed every time.

Check out the delicious nomz below, and head over to their site to look at the menu and their daily specials. If you’re in the area, definitely go!!

Mexican Pot Pie

Last night, I decided to make a recipe I stumbled upon from a weekly Betty Crocker e-mail I get. I was a little skeptical, but with a leap of faith I dove into the recipe.

I had always assumed pot pie was extremely tedious. I guess it all just depends on the recipe, because this only took me about 15 minutes to prepare, and another 25 for it to bake in the oven; which just involved me sitting at the kitchen table sipping some Yellow Tail chardonnay.

The great thing about this recipe is it’s easily modified. I consider myself a halfetarian (one that usually eats a more vegetarian diet, but sometimes needs a good burger or piece of chicken). So, this time I made it with chicken. If in an all veggie mood, though, it could easily work with a bunch of different vegetables.

I definitely give this recipe two thumbs up. I brought leftovers for lunch today, and it was just as good reheated in the microwave. It made the office kitchen smell delicious too!

You’ll find both the recipe and pictures of the finished product below.

Happy nomz!

Ingredients:
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 medium bell pepper (cut into strips)
2 cups cooked chicken
1 3/4 cups thick & chunky salsa
1/4 cup of water
1 cup Bisquick mix
1/3 cup Montery Jack cheese
1/2 cup milk

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400F
2. Heat oil in 10 inch skillet
3. Cook bell pepper. Stir in chicken, salsa, & water (cook 1-2 minutes), until bubbly
4. Pour into un-greased 1 1/2 inch casserole dish
5. In small bowl, stir Bisquick, cheese, milk
6. Pour over chicken mixture, spread almost to edge
7. Bake uncovered 30 minutes (until golden brown)
8. Enjoy!

Chicago Food Round-up!

So this post has taken quite some time for me to finish. The reasons are two-fold; one, there is just SO much for me to talk about in regards to food in Chicago, and two, I got sick with a nasty cold almost as soon as I pulled into my driveway.

I can honestly say I’ve never been somewhere that had such a plethora of [delicious] food in such a small radius. You name the type of food, it’s available. They even have late night places open from 9p to 5a, for the sole purpose of feeding your midnight munchies!

That being said, I’ll do this the most economical way; day by day, meal by meal. So prepare yourself!

We arrived Friday evening after a grueling 12 hour drive. Not to waste any time, we checked into the super nice Belden Stratford Hotel (thanks, Orbitz!) and set out on our first culinary adventure. We weren’t sure what type of food we wanted, or even where to go, so we settled on our tried and true favorite, Mexican. The place was called El Nuevo Mexicano, and it was awesome! The place was small and loud with lots of talking, and great music. We each ordered a Mojito; mine regular and my boyfriend splurged for the pomegranate. The tortilla chips were nicely seasoned, and the salsa was spiced just right. I got the Combonation Vegetariana, which had a guacamole burrito, rice and bean chimichanga, and chile relleno, all served with rice and beans. I’ve had all of the aforementioned foods, but never in the specific combinations. A burrito solely stuffed with guacamole is satisfying in itself. Throw in some deep-friend rice and beans, almost like a Mexican eggroll, and a deep fried, stuffed with cheese chile smothered in sauce = heaven. I left full, with a smile on my face!

On the way home, we happened upon Molly’s Cupcakes, which was actually recommended by a friend (Serial Baker). Ecstatic over our first cupcake experience in Chicago, we ran into the store, forgetting our stuffed bellies. I’ve never seen a cupcake joint so crowded in my life! It was overflowing with people sipping huge cups of coffee, and chatting over delicious looking cupcakes. I ran up to the counter, and immediately started deliberating. Being in an extreme chocolate mood, I went for the Chocolate Decadence, while my boyfriend got the Pumpkin Spice. BEST. CUPCAKES. EVER. Mine was filled with chocolate mousse, and topped with two different types of chocolate ganache. As a chocolate lover, I couldn’t have asked for anything more! The pumpkin was also awesome; the spice and pumpkin ratio was perfect, with an almost cheesecake –like filling and icing. I really don’t think I could have asked for two better cupcakes!

Saturday morning we got up early, and trekked through the rain to the all famous Orange. A breakfast place known for its juices and frushi, I had only heard great things. Though, some of Yelp’s reviews left me a little wary. At any rate, we sat down and immediately got a water with a cucumber slice (nice and refreshing), and some orange infused coffee. The coffee was okay; it tasted more like a tea, and reminded me a bit of a mixed drink. We then ordered some frushi, which was absolutely delicious. It was coconut rice wrapped around either kiwi or watermelon… yum! I went for the #11.5 omlette that had bacon, leeks, and brie cheese, along with toast and delicious breakfast potatoes. My boyfriend went for the chai tea French toast. Both were decent, but nothing to write home about. The French toast was a little soggy, and the eggs were good, but could have used more cheese. Overall I enjoyed the experience, but wasn’t floored.

We continued our mediocre eating day by stumbling upon Phoebe’s Cupcakes, a place I had found from the Cupcakes Take The Cake blog. I went for the red velvet, and my boyfriend got a red licorice cupcake. I couldn’t have been more disappointed! It feels blasphemous to even write about a subpar cupcake, but someone’s gotta do it. The cake itself was really good. The icing, however, not so much. It was WAY too cheesy, to the point where I couldn’t even finish it. My boyfriend’s, however, was good. I’m going to chalk it up to a bad batch of icing, but it’s definitely ruined red velvet for me for awhile. Such a shame. On a brighter note, though, they did have cupcake flavored coffee that was amazing! I couldn’t put my finger on the flavor combination, but it was just right without any milk or sugar.

We spent the rest of our Saturday at The Lawrence Arms 10 year anniversary show which was awesome, despite me feeling sick from the aforementioned cupcake. Afterwards, we stopped at The Weiner’s Circle to get ourselves a Chicago dog. I was skeptical about liking a hot dog with pickles, hot peppers, and relish, but I really liked it! It’s definitely something I would get again. The place itself was also quite an experience; the help talked back to every drunk person looking for a late night snack, and didn’t take anyone’s crap. I was actually afraid to place my order, in case I messed up. Thankfully, since I was sober, they treated me with respect. Others weren’t so lucky.

Since Sunday was our last full day, we decided to spend most of it doing touristy things like visiting Millennium Park and the Willis (Sears) Tower. We decided to start the day off with breakfast at The Bongo Room. Now let me tell you, I’m actually not much of a breakfast person; I tend to shy away from it when given the option. But Chicago has definitely showed me how delicious it can be! We decided to share plates this time, as every thing on the menu sounded amazing, and we couldn’t decide on one thing each. Being a lover of Mexican food, I tend to judge places on their burritos. Naturally, we got the breakfast burrito, and one of their daily specials; French toast smothered in cream, caramel and caramelized apples, along with a side of Thai chicken sausage. Every single thing I tried there was phenomenal. Everyone around us had something equally delicious looking on their plates. If I had the stomach for it, I would have tried everything. It seemed like most tables each got their own dishes, and then shared one of their yummy sounding pancake options. I would go back there in a heartbeat; the 45 minute wait was more than worth it!

We ended our trip with some Chicago style pizza. I had searched on Yelp while waiting in line at the Willis Tower, and decided on Giordano’s, which was around the corner. After tweeting about it, some locals gave me a hard time, telling me I should have gone to a few other places. Unfortunately, they were too late. I’m not sure what the huff and puff was about, though, because I really enjoyed Giordano’s! We decided to get the pie stuffed with onions, peppers, and broccoli. I was never really interested in the concept of a stuffed pizza with the sauce on top. After having it, though, I’m a fan. We only got a 10 inch pie to share, and wound up bringing more than half of it home which was convenient for snacking on the 12 hour drive back!

All in all, I think I gained anywhere from 2 to 5 pounds (I was too afraid to actually weigh myself), but it was totally worth it. While we were there, we walked everywhere, and I couldn’t help but take note of all the people out for jogs. Now I understand. If you live in that city and aren’t afraid to eat, you need to work it off some how! Needless to say Chicago is vying for the top spot on my list for best cities. And when it comes to food, it’s definitely number one.

So here are the pictures of everything mentioned above. Let the salivating commence!

Brunch-a-licious

brunch

Naturally, I decided to post about brunch on a Sunday. Granted, this delightful quasi meal can be enjoyed any day of the week, it is most frequently visited on Sundays.

That being said, I can honestly say I’ve sampled some of the best brunch right here in New York City. I think a large selling point for most of the restaurants are their 90 minute ‘all you can drink’ options. Pair that with some eggs Benedict or juicy burger, and you have most sold. Don’t they say the best way to get over a hangover is to drink?!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of going to Maracas in the Village. For a whopping $15 I had a huge tostada filled with Mexican chicken (nice and spicy) with guacamole, sour cream and tons of veggies. Coupled with some strawberry margaritas and mimosas, I was in heaven. I then spent the next few hours lounging in Central Park. I don’t think I could have had a better Sunday.

That being said, brunch is truly one of the best meals – anything goes. You can get breakfast or lunch or even a combination of the two. Add in some drinks and you’re golden.

I urge everyone to get their brunch on. Drinks or no drinks, I can’t imagine a group being unable to find something appeasing to each individual’s taste. It really is a great way to connect with someone; over comforting foods on the earlier side of a day. Hey, it would be a great date too! Easy to cut off afterwards if things didn’t go as planned, but also just as easy to spend the rest of the day together.

I myself have spent too much of my time skipping breakfast or skirting around what I deemed to be appropriate breakfast fare. Now, however, I’m able to embrace breakfast, and more importantly brunch, on a whole. Breakfast is one of the great meals that really can be enjoyed anytime. Add it in later in a lazy Saturday or Sunday, even throw in some drinks, and I can’t imagine anything better. Unless, of course, there were cupcakes…

Burritos

I once had a friend ask me if I was Mexican. Confused, since I look as Irish as they come, I asked why she was inquiring. She proceeded to explain it was due to my eating habits. When given the chance, I’ll always choose something spicy, and in most cases of the Spanish persuasion.

That brings me to burritos. They have easily and increasingly become a staple in my diet. I can have one for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I’ve sampled authentic, as well as generic, and I really don’t think I’ve found dissapointment yet.

I have important qualifiers that make a burrito note worthy; it needs to be stuffed to the gills with deliciousness, while still managing to stay fully intact. I’ve come to learn the key to that phenomenon is steaming of the tortilla prior to stuffing it. I learned that the hard way while in college; every time the I got a burrito from the “Mexican Station,” it crumbled right in front of me. I’m glad, however, the proprietors of places such as Qdoba, Moe’s, and Chipotle learned it early on.

Burritos seem to be the one thing that can be filled with anything. I’ve had with eggs and potatoes, your typical chicken, beef, or pork, or if you’re feeling daring, even tofu. That’s right, it sounds weird, but it is delicious. Moe’s happens to offer the option for the meat weary – and let me tell you, even if you’re the biggest carnivore out there, you should give it a shot. It’s perfectly seasoned and picks up all the right flavors once combined with the rice and beans. It truly is surprising at how delicious it is.

I can honestly say I’ve only ever met one person in my life that hasn’t shared my love for burritos. I currently work in an office where everyone LOVES them. If one person mentions it for lunch, it’s a guarantee that 80% of the office will be on-board for one as well. I guess that’s what happens when you work around the corner from a Moe’s Southwest Grill.

I’m a lover of all types of food – Spanish, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, German, Italian, French, American, and fusions of all of the aforementioned types. I’m sure I’m even leaving some out (not on purpose, of course). There’s just something special about Spanish food, though. I really can’t put my finger on what it is, aside from deliciousness.

I think I’ve successfully recreated the burrito many times in all it’s glory. I know I’ll never get sick of it, and I’ll probably continue to have it at least once a week, preferably more if at all possible.

As I write this, I’m being bombarded with inter-office Skype messages about Moe’s for lunch. Clearly we are all going to give in. There really is no way to say “no” to a burrito.