Huevos Rancheros

I have always been curious about these when I see it on a menu at a Mexican restaurant but I am not adventurous enough to try them; probably because I am too starved to risk it. Our neighbor makes them and brought it for Andy to try one Saturday morning. They were amazing! I came up with this healthier spin on them and they have become a favorite of Andy's.

4 corn tortillas (we like the handmade ones from Mission, don't get the cheap ones)
1 can black beans
Pico de gallo or other fresh salsa, to taste
1/4 C. Grated cheese
4 eggs

Poach the eggs (directions below if you need them). Warm tortillas in a skillet with just a bit of oil; you can use a oil spritzer for this. Drain the black beans and warm; you can add an adobo or cezan seasoning to add extra flavor. On individual plates, layer one tortilla, 2-3 T. black beans, grated cheese, one poached egg, and top with pico.

Poached eggs: Add 2 T. vinegar and fill large high sided skillet with water and bring to a boil; turn to medium heat to keep the water simmering. Crack one egg into a small dish or cup, get the dish close to the water and drop it in. Continue with the remaining eggs and cook for 2-3 minutes, depending on how well done you want them. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. You can also check out this video from Food Network; it calls for way more vinegar but I have used the whirlpool method and it works as well.

Grilled Margarita Pizza

My friend Megan got me hooked on grilled pizza last summer and I have been craving it since the weather started warming up. I left work late and did not have time to make fresh dough but discovered that you can buy dough from Papa Murphy's for just $4- what a deal!

Grilled Margarita Pizza

Pizza dough, 1/2 batch is usually about right
Olive Oil
Garlic, minced (to taste, I used about 1 T.)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
1-2 Tomatoes, sliced thin
Fresh basil, julienned

Roll dough flat in round or oblong shape that will fit your grill. Brush top of dough with olive oil and slide dough onto flat cookie sheet. Flip the dough onto a hot grill with the olive oil side down. Turn heat down to medium and cook for 3-5 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from grill and turn over. Brush uncooked side with olive oil and turn over again. Brush cooked side with olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic; top with tomatoes and sliced cheese. (If you were doing regular pizza, you would top the grilled side with your toppings.) Return to hot grill and turn heat to medium. Cook for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted. Watch the heat so the dough does not burn. It remove from heat and sprinkle with basil strips. Slice and enjoy!

The key with grilled pizza is having the grill hot and then moving to a cooler side or just turning it down. Just watch the dough closely and try less ingredients for even cooking. Try your favorite pizza recipe on the grill- you won't be disappointed.

Crostini with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Feta

For Andy's birthday, he loves this Stuffed Rack of Lamb and I have been making it the past several years. I have found that there is always a bit of extra stuffing and it kills me to throw it out. This year, I decided to make it into a little snack. It was so yummy and I can't wait to make it just as an appetizer for a party.

Crostini with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Feta
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
2 T. olive oil, divided
12-18 slices of baguette

Mix feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, parsley, pepper and 1 T. olive oil. Brush one side of baguette with remaining olive oil and lay flat on cookie sheet. Heat under broiler until lightly browned. Remove cookie sheet from oven and turn over bread slices. Top the uncooked side of bread with feta mixture and return to broiler until cheese is slightly browned.

Festive Cranberry Waffles with Orange Syrup

For Christmas, Andy's mom sent the Worldwide Ward Christmas Cookbook. It has recipes from around Utah, er, I mean the world. Apparently there is also a Worldwide Ward Cookbook. Flipping through, I saw this recipe for Festive Cranberry Waffles with Orange Syrup and decided to give them a try. The waffles are very tender and the syrup is not too sweet, almost a bit creamy. I think these will become a holiday tradition for us.

Cranberry Waffles
1 C. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 1/4 t. dried orange peel (I used fresh)
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. salt
1/2 C. cornmeal (I used wheat flour)
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. dried cranberries, coarsley chopped
1 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. milk
1 egg
1 t. vanilla or 1/2 t. orange extract
4 T. butter, melted
Preheat waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (including cranberries). In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, milk, egg, and flavoring. Pour over dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Stir in melted mutter. If batter is too thick, stir in more milk, 1 T. at a time, to reach desired consistency. Cook in waffle iron until golden brown. Serve with Orange Syrup or maple syrup.

Orange Syrup
1 C. orange juice
1/4 C. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Boil 1-2 minutes until thickened. Makes about 1 cup syrup.