Chorizo and Fried Egg Tacos

There are two basic types of chorizo, and they're completely different from each other. Spanish chorizo is something like pepperoni in shape and form. Mexican chorizo is totally uncooked. It's more like spicy sloppy joe in a tube than it's like a typical sausage. Needless to say, you can't substitute one for the other.

This recipe requires Mexican chorizo.

Now that we've got that settled, you might find a whole lot of different versions at the store. Most of the time, I see it sold in plastic tubes that make it look like a sausage, but sometimes you can find it sold in bulk. Some chorizo is made from pork and some is made from beef.

For this recipe, it's not going to make a whole lot of difference. Use what you like - or what you can find.

The great thing about using chorizo in a recipe is that since it's so highly spiced, your really don't need to add a whole lot more. You could, if you wanted to. But you totally don't need to. And that's what makes it perfect for a quick meal. No need to drag out half the spices in the cabinet.

The downside about chorizo is that it can be very greasy. Like oil-slick greasy. It depends on the brand you buy, but be prepared to drain the grease if you need to.

The other bad thing about chorizo is that the red chile in the meat can stain things. If you splatter on your clothes, you won't be happy. So be neat.

On the other hand, it's delicious, and it cooks really quickly. You can have dinner on the table in no time at all.

I've seen plenty of recipes for chorizo and eggs, but usually it's scrambled eggs with chorizo mixed in. That's great, for sure, but I decided that a slightly runny fried egg would add a nice complement to the sharp and spicy meat.

Chorizo and Fried Egg Tacos

For the chorizo filling:
8 ounces Mexican chorizo
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 medium green bell pepper, cored and diced
Salt, as needed

For the taco:
Tortillas (as needed)
Eggs, fried, poached, or sunnyside-up, as desired (as needed)

Heat a saute pan on medium and add the chorizo (removed from the tube). along with the onion and bell pepper. Break up the chorizo with a spoon or spatula as it cooks, stirring as needed so it all cooks evenly.

Because of the red chiles in the chorizo, the color doesn't change very much as it cooks, so you won't see it turn from reddish to brownish. It stays pretty red and only turns slightly brown.

But, since you have onions and green peppers in the mix, you can use those as your gauge. If the onions and peppers are done, you know the meat is done as well.

Taste the mix. While you won't need to add more spice, you might need one other adjustment. Some peppers can be a little bit bitter, so if you taste that bitterness in the chorizo, add a bit of salt.

Yes, salt. Not sugar. Sweet is the opposite of sour, but salt combats bitterness. Trust me, it works. And of course, you can add a bit of salt just because you think it needs it.

To make the tacos, add a small amount of the chorizo to the taco and top with your cooked egg. Serve immediately.

You can serve these as-is, or you can bring out your favorite taco toppings, like guacamole, sour cream, chopped tomatoes or onions, or shredded cheese. Basically, grab whatever's easy and have dinner on the table in no time.

On the other hand, if you're avoiding bready things, you can ditch the taco and serve this without it. Or make a bed of lettuce and make it a salad!

Chai Ice Cream

Heh. I wanted to combine Chai and Ice in the title, but who on earth could pronounce Chaiice. You'd kill me, right?

So anyway, my buddies over at 37 Cooks have a challenge going with the folks at Leafcutter Designs who make the Recipe Dice, Chai Dice and Cocktail Dice. I said, sure, I'll play, but I don't need the dice, since I already have them.

I decided to roll some chai, and then I drank some chai and then I thought that iced chai might be nice and then the next thing you know the ice cream machine was churning.

It happens like that sometimes.

The really cool thing about the Chai Dice is that I don't have to think about what flavors to use (although you do need to decide how much, and you also need to think about what else you might add, besides what's on the dice).

The not-so-cool thing was that I rolled star anise, which happens to live at the very back left corner of my spice cabinet. I know exactly where it is, but it's a bit of a pain to get to. On the other hand, I like the flavor.

I guess digging for awkward anise was balanced by the fact that I had some dried lemongrass from Litehouse that I hadn't tried yet, so this was a good occasion to do so.

The chai dice told me to use milk and sugar ... but I fudged just a little by using a can of sweetened condensed milk. Close enough, I think.

Chai Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 star anise
2 green cardamom pods
2 teaspoons dried lemongrass
2 black tea teabags* (I used a decaf breakfast tea, but use what you like best)
5 allspice berries
5 black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Combine the cream, sweetened condensed milk, star anise, cardamom pods, lemongrass, tea bags (tear off the little paper tag - you don't want bits of that in your ice cream. Ick.), allspice berries, peppercorns, and salt in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer.

Let it simmer gently for just a minute or so. Give it a little stir to make sure all the spices aren't just lazily floating on top.

Turn the heat off, add the vanilla, and transfer all of it to a storage container. Let it come to room temperature (or close enough), then refrigerate until fully chilled.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove all the spices and tea and whatnot, and discard the spices and tea and whatnot.

Churn the cream mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instruction. Transfer to a storage container and freeze until firm.

*You don't actually need tea BAGS. If you buy loose tea, use that as-is. No need to put in in a tea strainer or other device - it will get strained out along with all of the other spices.

I received the Chai Dice from Leafcutter Designs for my use on the blog at no cost to me. Quite some time ago. Any perceived obligation to write about them is long gone. Now I'm just having fun.

Very Veggie Chili Spuds

There are a couple of theories about making quick dinners. One is to find things that can be cooked from start to finish very quickly. The other is prep and cook ahead as much as possible, so that dinner can be on the table quickly.

This is definitely the second version. The chili can be made ahead of time, refrigerated and reheated.

Or it can be tossed in the slow cooker earlier in the day and served straight from the slow cooker. This is particularly useful if people are on different schedules, since it can rest on the warm setting until everyone is done.

As far as the potatoes, they can be cooked ahead of time and reheated for dinner, or they can be cooked in the microwave right before dinner. A lot of microwaves these days have a "potato" button for cooking baked potatoes, so older kids can independently make dinner.

Very Veggie Chili Idaho® Potatoes
Makes 12 servings (1/2 potato plus 1 cup of chili per person)

For the chili:

1 pound ground beef*
2 medium bell peppers, cored and diced
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 small zucchini, cubed
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
Kernels from 2 ears of corn
2 15-ounce cans kidney, navy, pinto, garbanzo, or other beans, drained
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons salt-free chili powder
1/4 cup masa harina
1 tablespoon oregano (Mexican preferred)
1 tablespoon ground cumin

For the potatoes and toppings:
6 Idaho® potatoes (1/2 potato per person)
Shredded cheese, as desired (optional)
Sour cream or Greek yogurt, as desired (optional)

To make the chili:
This can be made in a slow cooker or in a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove. If you cook on the stovetop, you'll need to do some stirring to make sure it doesn't stick and burn.

If your slow cooker has a browning setting, you can make the chili entirely in the slow cooker. Otherwise, you'll need to brown the meat in a separate pan before adding to the slow cooker.

Brown the ground beef (you can add a splash of oil, if you think it's necessary), breaking it up as you cook it. Add the bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and zucchini and cook for another minute or two, until the vegetables begin to cook just a little.

If you've used a separate pan for the browning, transfer to the slow cooker.

Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with your hands as you add them, or you can break them up in the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the corn kernels, beans, salt, chili powder, masa harina, oregano, and cumin. Stir to combine.

Set the slow cooker on low and cook, covered, for 4 hours, or up to 6 hours. While you could leave it a little longer if you need to, it's best to let it switch to warm after 6 hours or there's a chance the beans can begin to break down.

To cook the potatoes:
Scrub the potatoes, then stab the potatoes on all sides with a fork or paring knife and place them in the microwave on a microwave-safe plate. Use the "potato" setting on your microwave, or if your microwave doesn't have a potato setting cook on high. A single 7-8 ounce potato will be done in about 6-8 minutes; 2 potatoes will take about 10-12 minutes; four potatoes will take about 22-24 minutes, and six potatoes will take 28-30 minutes depending on your microwave.

It’s a good idea to turn the potatoes over halfway through the cooking time, and if you’re cooking a larger number of potatoes, you may need to rearrange them during cooking time so they cook evenly. Be careful, as they be quite hot. If the potatoes are not done in the time indicated, continue cooking as needed.

When the potatoes are done, carefully remove them from the microwave - they'll be very hot - and cut them in half lengthwise.

Place each half potato on a plate. Use a fork to fluff the meat of the potato, then top with chili and your other desired toppings. Serve hot.

You can cook the potatoes in advance, if desired, and refrigerate until needed. Just reheat to warm them enough for serving.

*You can use ground turkey if you like. To make it completely vegetarian, you can eliminate the meat, or substitute it with additional vegetables, beans, or your favorite meat substitute.

This post was sponsored by Idaho® Potatoes.