Huevos Rancheros with Monterey Jack - “Gringo” Style

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day.

It provides you with the fuel you need, the brain power to make good decisions, and the supplements after a long night's rest.  Not sure about the long night's rest (I don't seem to ever get enough!) but breakfast is mighty powerful.

I think I've told you that we have a little Mexican hole-in-the-wall restaurant down the street from us.  A local place that is very popular during breakfast time.  They serve a wonderful breakfast, almost diner style, of a mix of American and Latin flavored dishes.  I often meet a couple of girlfriends there for some spicy food and spicy talk.  One of them always gets the Huevos Rancheros.  A common dish of fried eggs served on top of a tortilla, smothered with a tomato chile sauce and served with rice and beans.

One day i got a hankering to make this popular dish at home for me and MGG.  So I did, changing some of the ingredients such as corn tortillas for low carb flour, and added mashed beans to that actual dish along with enchiladas sauce.

It turned out wonderful!  I promptly told my girlfriend (of Hispanic origin) being so proud of myself that I made them, listing my ingredients and method.  She laughed at me and said "those are Gringo style Huevos Rancheros"  hence the title of the dish!

So what's a gringo girl to do?  So, they may not be authentic, but they sure are tasty anyway.  Someday I'll get her to teach me the 'old fashioned, authentic way'. 

So I hope you will give these a try.  Perfect for lunch or dinner too. They're easy to make and taste just as good as the one's down the street, in my opinion!


Huevos Rancheros with Monterey Jack - “Gringo” Style

Serves 4

1 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained such as Rotel

1 10 oz can enchilada sauce

1 T lime juice

2 T water

1 16 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Cooking spray

4 large eggs

4  8” low carb flour tortillas

1/4 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Combine the tomatoes and enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add lime juice, stirring to combine.  Set aside.

Place water and beans in a microwave-safe bowl, and partially mash with a fork. Cover and microwave on full power for about 2 minutes or until hot.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium. Add eggs and cook sunny side up, leaving the yolk intact, about 3 minutes, or until the yolk is set but not hard. 

Warm the flour tortillas according to package directions. Spread about 1/3 cup of the beans over each tortilla.  Top the tortillas with an egg.  Spoon 1/3 cup sauce around each egg.  Sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons of cheese.  Serve immediately.  

Classic Irish Dishes for St. Patrick's Day

The luck o' the Irish is among us!

This is the biggest drinking day of the year they say...but it's also filled with so many wonderful food items that are typically Irish, and some that aren't. 

I recall a potluck at work one year to celebrate St. Patrick's Day we made the theme "GREEN".  Anything goes.  We had green bagels, green chips, guacamole, green enchiladas, you name it, if it was green, it was there.  So much fun!

I've cooked quite a few "classic" Irish dishes over the years, and some that aren't so classic.  Today I'd love to share them with you again to inspire you to make something special this weekend to celebrate the holiday.

St. Patrick's Day Cheddar Biscuits
Pioneer Spotted Dog
Chocolate Bailey's Milkshake
Potato Cakes
Irish Stew

 I'm getting hungry...

Erin go bragh!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Chicken Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy

 

One of our family staples is Chicken Fried Steak.

A real Southern dish.

Can't beat it for comfort food, but these days we just don't get to eat it as much as we would like.  Not the healthiest thing to eat.  Since I grew up with this dish I've learned to change it slightly.  Lightening it up, if you will, to reduce the calories, and make it "not so fried".  This eases the conscience some while still feeding the level of comfort obtained from this wonderful dish.

By doing a light pan fry , instead of using all the oil needed for really "fried" food, you get a lighter crust, and definitely cut down the calories.  To cut the calories even more you could use egg whites, or egg substitute for the whole eggs.  Other than that, this steak, using cube steak, is a really lean cut of beef.  This dish which I've added a mushroom gravy to is full of hearty things.  The gravy is a wonderful addition of flavor and meatiness from the mushrooms.  It turns the classic Chicken Fried Steak into another level, more elegant, yet comforting meal!

Since it is technically still winter this dish fits right in.  Not that I wouldn't make this any time of year mind you, but it soooo comforting with mashed potatoes and green beans!  Brings me back to my childhood, which is always a good thing.

Make this meal in 30 minutes or less tonight for your family.  Take a little taste of the South.  It's good!

Chicken Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Serves 4

Time: 30 minutes

2 large eggs
1/3 c flour
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
4 beef cube steaks
1/4 c canola oil
2 c mushrooms, quartered
2 1/2 T flour
1 (14 oz) can low sodium beef broth

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add eggs to a pie pan and beat.  Combine 1/3 cup flour, onion powder, salt & pepper to another pie pan.  Mix to combine.  Dredge one steak in flour mixture, then dip in egg mixture, then again in flour mixture.  Add steak to the skillet.  Repeat with remaining steaks.  

Cook steaks about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove steaks from pan to a paper towel lined plate and cover with foil to keep warm.  Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan.

Add quartered mushrooms to the skillet and cook about 3 minutes, stirring often.  Combine 2 1/2 tablespoons of flour and broth, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to the skillet.  Bring to a boil, cooking 1 minute, stirring constantly until thickened.   Spoon over steaks and serve.