burger 'n fries

This was last Friday nights dinner. For me, the best part is the fried onions. I actually find meat a little heavy on my system and do not eat it that often. The french fries were just right. My Wolfgang Puck frying pan is so good I can drain out the oil after they have cooked for a while and then finish cooking them up. I still put them on a paper towel when finished to drain any excess oil. I have to say, I do not miss the bun at all.

Chicken and arugula salad

My son's girlfriend was coming over and I know she likes this salad. I added a kirby cucumber and cilantro. The chicken was marinated with red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey mustard dressing and one clove of garlic for 15 minutes. Then I scrape off the garlic and saute the chicken in the oil. After I plate it , I add a tablespoon of the oil to it. A glass of white wine was a perfect accompaniment to this meal. I also made chocolate chip walnut cookies and even the overcooked ones are just to my liking.

Pasteles

I have not posted in a while. I guess I've been relying on quick and easy favorites. And I can't take the credit for these pasteles. My friend, Blondie, makes them and they are a ton of work. They do contain boneless pork and can be made in many varieties. The basis is green bananas and yautia, a root vegetable along with other delicious ingredients (I'm too lazy to name them all since I type with two fingers looking at the keyboard)! However, I did steam the carrots and added cinnamon, salt, pepper and butter. The carrots were actually left over from my salmon dinner. I love how the pasteles glisten, I add a little hot sauce and it is a very satisfying meal.

Hard Shell Tacos

I really enjoy these tacos. Normally, I would add green pepper to saute along with the onion and garlic when I make beans but I didn't have any green pepper in the house. The last one was used for peppers and eggs. However, I did have a zucchini in the fridge. I sliced it and quartered it and added it as a topping along with the salsa and cheese and cilantro. It added a nice crunch, I'd do it again that way.

Steak on a Friday night at home

Well, I forgot to take a picture of another good meal. Rib eye steak marinated in Goya Mojo Criollo and pepper and then cooked on the indoor grill. I sliced up a yellow plantain and cooked it in some extra virgin olive oil with some salt and pepper as well. Then I drained the oil and cooked them again - flattening them some more. I also sliced a zucchini and cooked it with a lot of garlic. I forgot about the avocado, I hope it lasts one more day.

Skirt Steak PR Style

This was actually my son's meal but I did taste it and as usual it was delicious. No wonder this is the 6th year in a row I have gone back to the same resort. The skirt steak was tasty and tender. It has a chimichurri sauce which is garlic-parsley based with carrot, onion, red bell pepper, vegetable stock, extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, dried oregano and salt and pepper (red-pepper flakes optional). The beans are wonderful and I love how they plate the rice. My meal was the shrimp with onions and tostones. Too good.

Fresh lemon-limeade

Well, you do not have to worry about gluten with this one. I had purchased 5 lemons because it was cheaper per lemon than just buying the one I needed for my salmon. So, when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. For every 2 tablespoons of lemon juice you use 1/2 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of sugar (of course to taste). I also had a lime lying around so I threw that in and the 3 to 1 ratio of lemon and lime was so nice. I often make limeade using the same recipe from my Puerto Rican Cookbook!

You can see my new food processor in the background. I haven't used it yet. I'll have to check out the french fry slicer!