Stocking Stuffer

A Broth of Fresh Air

Onion, celery, jalapeno, carrot, ?, and chicken butts taking a quick bath

Today, I am cleaning out my freezer. Right now it is half full of zip-locks and Tupperware packed with vegetable butts and discarded chicken bones from the past few months. It's definitely an added step to get to potato soup from here, but it always tastes better than the canned/boxed stuff at the store.

Just my two cents - making stock at home from my kitchen scraps helps me feel like I am conserving my waste and squeezing every cent out of the money I spend in the produce section/ farmers market. I am also wringing every drop of flavor out of the awesome bounty that we feasted on this summer. One last taste on the official first day of winter.

If you are looking for a place to use stock for your upcoming holiday meal/s may I suggest checking out my recipe for Oyster Dressing? I used to make it once a year on Thanksgiving, but it is so cheap and delicious (hold the oysters if you must) that I've started making it year round because we just can't get enough.

Happy Eating!

-AW

Tacos Today

I have been known to eat a taco or two in my day and while the specific day of the week never starts or stops me, here I sit on a Tuesday and I am craving TACOS. Hard, soft, flour or corn I can't think of a type of taco I don't enjoy. Unless, that is, if it is a tiny taco. Scratch that, I love taquitos - just bring them to me in bulk. 

Let's Taco 'bout it

So, as I've set a goal to be more productive in my posts, I am going to set aside some time (not restricted to Tuesdays, but I've got to start somewhere) to talk all things taco. I will be sharing some insights, favorite preparations, sides, and salsas. I will also reveal some of my favorite places to chow down when I'm out and about around town. 

BUT - and this is the important part - I want to hear from you too. Chime in and let me know if I hit the nail on the head or if I'm just plain crazy. If you have the best way to do taco night, or know a hidden gem of a taco truck, or just want to let me know you love tacos too put it in the comments and lettuce foster some taco knowledge together!

It is in that spirit which I will now share my obsession over the last year or so ...

Duck, duck, goose

El Pato Jalapeno! 

I found and then promptly fell in love with El Pato green sauce. I put it on everything. Tacos? Check. Eggs? You betcha. Salad? Who needs dressing? I put it on my pancakes. There are a few good reasons why you should try El Pato if you haven't had the joy already:

• The Name - "El Pato" is just plain fun to say.
• It's cheap - At under 2 bucks for 12 oz I've been hard pressed to locate a more reasonably priced sauce. Find it in the "ethnic" aisle or whatever you grocer calls the one with beans and rice in it. There will be cans of their red sauce for even cheaper - good too, but not the same.
• Flavor - Is this the hottest sauce on the market? Far from it, but Pato brings the heat without being presumptuous. There are some sweet notes, and you can definitely taste the peppers. This is a flavor enhancer, not a blow torch. 
• Versatility - As I mentioned above, I use it on everything. That's because it works well in so many applications. Later down the road, I will share a Chicken Verde recipe I developed that uses El Pato as a braising liquid. Watch out!

There you have it. El Pato Jalapeno is my go-to condiment on Taco Tuesday and every day in between.

Is there a hot sauce or accompaniment that you can't live without?

-AW

Surfo Turfo

Ribeye & King Salmon Taco w/ cucumber pico de gallo

Let's Taco 'bout It

As I've mentioned previously, I've been doing a fair amount of cooking, eating, and working around food recently but haven't found the time to document it. To try and buck that trend, I've spent a good portion of this morning sorting my catalog of food-centric photos in the hopes that some organization will make the blogging process smoother. And, of course, the exercise got Professor Tumkins grumbling. 

Lucky for him (and me,) I had leftovers from a catering gig and knew just where to put them - in a tortilla and topped with cucumber pico de gallo. Sometimes it's Friday morning and you deserve Surf &Turf tacos. AMIRIGHT!?

 I may need to move my desk to the kitchen ...

-AW