Pumpkin, Couscous and Chorizo Stuffed Jack O'Lantern Peppers

Ever wonder who the first person was that decided to carve a pumpkin?  And who thought eating that hard gourd was even possible? Lucky for us that person (or persons) were inquisitive as we now reap the benefits.

Since pumpkins are synonymous with Halloween I thought we should carry that theme even further into the kitchen with these adorable, delicious stuffed, decorated peppers.

The couscous choice was merely one made based on our upcoming move (the more pantry items we eat, the less we have to pack and move.) Substitute in rice, quinoa or other grain of your choice. After baking, the slightly wilted pepper mixes with the pumpkin, the chorizo, the creamy goat cheese and the tart dried cranberries for a glorious spooky bite.

I've roasted a lot of pumpkins but only recently heard that you don't have to scoop out the insides before roasting, but rather leave the insides in tact and scoop out after roasting. This made me curious so I did a little experiment by roasting half of the pumpkin cleaned out and half not cleaned out. The results were pretty much the the same, a dreamy creamy roasted pumpkin; though I found I preferred cleaning out the pumpkin first, maybe just for nostalgia sake.

Say Boo at your next dinner with these super fun Fat and Happy stuffed pumpkins!

Pineapple Gazpacho

This lovely pineapple has been sitting on my counter for days. Staring me down. Saying "What'chu gonna do with me? I'm gettin' ripe over here!" You know it's time to get cooking when your ingredients start talking to you.

Grilled pineapple has got to be one of my top 10 favorite things to work with- it's simply delish by itself. Chopped up in grain salad with mustard vinaigrette is so good too. Or try a drenching of homemade caramel sauce, it just kills!

Been there, done that.  This time I yearned for something fresh. The late summer sun is beating through the windows and the air conditioning never seems to shut off. That's when it hit me- gazpacho!

Classically made with tomatoes, gazpacho is a chilled Spanish soup from fresh ingredients. Throw some fruit and vegetables in a blender and your done.

Chorizo Meatball Pozole

My love for pozole has been rekindled thanks to a recent trip to the land of tequila and flip flops. It's not that I stopped liking it, but rather that I stopped coming across it. When we lived in Denver, Mexican restaurants where Grandma was hand making the tortillas in the back were on every corner. But in chi-town, the choice is often between a chain taco joint or a trendy new joint that puts more focus on the party than on the food. The good stuff is out there, you just have to know where to find it!


I had the opportunity to talk with the head chef of an elite resort as well as a native who cooks for Gringos daily. My variation of this recipe is an amalgamation of their versions, with my interpretations added for fun. Chorizo meatballs replace calf head, dried oregano gives way to fresh and crunchy radishes sub in for iceberg lettuce on the top. The broth has flavor but is not overwhelming as it's meant to be the background; once you add on all the toppings, it becomes a really great blend of flavors. 

This recipe seems daunting at first look, and I'll admit - there are quite a few steps in the process and it does require a few pans. (Tip: I re-use the same pans and blender without rinsing, it really just adds more flavor!) The steps themselves are fairly simple.

Eggplant and Chorizo Tacos

I've been talking a lot about my weekly CSA delivery and rightfully so. Fresh, organic produce delivered to my doorstep direct from the farm is brilliant!

However, a couple of weeks in a row of eggplants and I was running out of ideas. Then it hit me to turn them into a taco or burrito filling. Eggplant has a mild flavor and will take on the essence of its surroundings. I played with both chorizo and bacon- look for the bacon burrito posting in the next week or so.

The ingredients are completely simple and without complication. Think of this as a rendition of a street taco. A simple, organic, healthy, Fat and Happy street taco.

Chorizo and Habanero Cheese Stuffed Burgers with Creamy Cumin Lime Dressing

There is nothing more intoxicating than the first summer barbecue with the familiar sounds of the sizzle when the meat hits the grill and the smoke smell lingering smell in your hair.

And yes, my grill has missed my touch as as well. Like the dutiful cleaning time after the occasional fire from my too-fatty bacon that wasn't secured well around the pork tenderloin - these are the bonding moments that make my boyfriend jealous.

Our first time back together couldn't be ordinary, it needed juicy burger love. The chorizo and habanero cheese stuffing flavors the beef and keep it so juicy it drips on the fire just enough to impart the simple seasoned burger with classic grill undertones. Creamy cumin and lime spiked sour cream soothes the tickling heat of the habanero while the pea shoots have the taste buds screaming fresh.

Welcome your grill back to the good life with a Fat and Happy Chorizo Stuffed Burger, it's yummy enough to satisfy you both.

Breakfast Tostada with Red Pepper Coulis

Breakfast doesn't have to be boring, even if it contains just eggs and sausage. The key is to find a way to elevate it, spice it up and bring it all together.

In this breakfast tostada, a red pepper coulis (sauce) does just that.  Eggs are scrambled simply with onions and garlic which sit on top of sliced sausages with a crispy tortilla on the bottom. All great stuff - but by turning the red peppers into a sauce instead of chopping them  and adding to the scrambled eggs, this dish is elevated to restaurant quality. 

Change up your breakfast by creating a super easy sauce that will make you feel like you should be paying yourself for it.  I suggest taking it outside with a mango mimosa for a full fat and happy brunch effect.

Tips and techniques: Consider this a loose recipe, the type of tortilla, sausage and cheese are really up to you. And by changing each one of those items you can drastically vary the outcome.



Breakfast Tostada with Red Pepper Coulis 

2 tortilla (wheat or corn, your preference)
4 eggs
1 sausage (again, your preference -German, Italian or a Chorizo)
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon of fresh oregano, minced
Red pepper coulis (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cook sausage in a skillet pan and set aside. In the meantime, make the red pepper sauce, recipe below.

In the sausage pan add in the onions and saute; add in a pat of butter if needed. Place the tortillas on a sheet pan and place in the hot oven to begin to crisp.

Add in the minced garlic when the onions are softened, continue to cook for a few more minutes. Slice the sausages, divide them in half and place on the warming tortillas. Sprinkle the sausages with the shredded cheese and place back in the hot oven.

In the meantime, whisk the eggs with a tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the whisked eggs in with the onions and garlic, move the eggs often with a soft spatula. Keep the eggs a little moist rather than overcooking and drying them out. Toss in the fresh oregano with the eggs.

Remove the cheesy tostada and sausage from the oven and top with the scrambled eggs. Drizzle a healthy amount of red pepper sauce on the top, garnish with a snippet of fresh oregano.  Serve immediately. Serves 2


 
Red Pepper Coulis



1 large roasted red pepper
4 garlic cloves
1 Tbls olive oil
1/4 cup water or broth
salt
pepper

If the red pepper isn't roasted, place it over the open flames of your stove top or under a broiler until the skin turns black. Remove the skin.

Chop the roasted red pepper into small pieces, place in a small saute pan. Add in the minced garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and the water or broth. Cook over medium heat to fully soften the pepper, about 5 minutes.  Pour into a blender with a good pinch of salt and black pepper, blender on high until the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a few drizzles of water until desired consistency is reached.

Chorizo and Yellow Split Pea Soup

It's a chilly fall day and all I want is a warm, supple soup. I made the mistake of wearing my summer beach sandals while riding to volleyball today; I have no idea what I was thinking. It's 40-some degrees out and my feet turned bright pink; un-feel-able flippers at the end of my stems. Dumbass. 

Heading to the pantry to see what kind of ingredients I had to play with, I found dried yellow split peas just sitting there waiting for a reason to bust into hearty, tender little morsels. Is there a difference between the yellow and the green split pea? The yellow ones appear to have a slightly milder taste than the green, but they are both packed with fiber and protein while being low calorie. Pther than the color, they look pretty much the same...split. Plus we all know, Green is for ham!

Next time you make the mistake of freezing the tootsies when you're not willing to admit winter is coming, make this soup. It will keep you full, warm, fat and happy.

Tips and techniques:  Do crisp the shallots, it completely brings all the flavors together; I wouldn't serve this without them. Naan bread was an outstanding accompaniment to the chorizo and pea soup since the soup was thick enough to scoop it up with the bread (Indian or Ethiopian style). 

Chorizo and Yellow Split Pea Soup with Crispy Shallots

1 cup onions, diced small
1 tbls olive oil
3 large garlic cloves
1 stick chorizo, crumbled variety
2 cups dried yellow split peas
3 cups water or broth
1 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions in the olive oil until they are softened and caramelized. Add in the garlic cloves and the chorizo, cook for about 5 minutes.  Add in the spit peas and simmer for a few minutes to help sear the peas.

Now add in the broth and the wine. Cook, covered, until desired tenderness is reached, about 1 hour.  Add more water if you need want a runnier soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with crispy shallots and serve with warm naan bread.

Crispy Shallots

2 large shallots
1 tbls olive oil

Thinly slice the shallots,  Heat the oil first, then add the shallots. Cook until the shallots become brown and crispy, watch them closely as they can burn quickly.

Place on a paper towel to soak up an remaining oil until ready to use. Top the pea soup just before serving.

Turkey Chorizo Sandwich

To me, a sandwich should be bursting with flavor, dripping with goo, touting a super fun bread and almost too tall to fit in your mouth.  We are not kids any more, it's time to grow up past the white bread and bologne zip locked baggie sandwich.  There really isn't much that can't be made into a sandwich so your sandwich creativity should never be limited; afterall- someone had to come up with the ice cream sandwich at some point!  See my Kahlua sandwich bar recipe here.

Get cooking, get tasty and get messy.  This Turkey Chorizo Sandwich is the perfect way to break out of your lame sandwich rut.  While I love, love, love bacon, I feel it's getting 'overused'.  Chorizo however, chorizo is the new bacon. You heard it here first, actually I think this at least the second or third time I've said that on this blog. Chorizo is simply a wonderful mexican sausage, it's extremely excellent with eggs.

Chorizo sauteed with fennel, garlic and carrots is the star of our sandwich.  The thin slices of roasted turkey breast and the creamy goat cheese bring it all to life while the hearty pumpernickel bread completely finishes it off.  Put it together as a sandwich you pick up with your hands or as an open faced sandwich to eat with a fork, either way it's messy, it's hearty and bursting with so much flavor your tastebuds will be utterly fat and happy.

Tips and Techniques:  Try not to sautee the crunch out of the fennel and carrots, it's great to have a crunchy texture in the sandwich. Invite friends over and serve with Modela for brunch.


Warm Turkey Chorizo Sandwich

1/4 cup onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup fennel, sliced thin
1/4 cup carrot, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chorizo

handful of chopped Parsley
small handful of Fresh Thyme

Turkey breast
2 Tbls Goat cheese, per sandwich
Dijon Mustard
Pumpernickel bread


Lightly sautee the onion in a few tablespoons of olive oil for a about 5 minutes and then add the fennel and carrots, toss often, sautee for about 2 more minutes. Add in the garlic and chorizo, toss and continue to sautee until mixture is nicely combined.  Turn off the heat and finish with the fresh chopped parsley and fresh thyme.

In the meantime thinly slice the turkey and cut your fresh pumpernickle bread (toast if desired).

It's important to warm the turkey, it would be odd to bite into a warm chorizo sauce but cold turkey.  If you have a toaster oven, place the sliced turkey into dish with a few tablespoons of water to help keep if moist, or warm on in a pan in the oven or on top of the stove.

Spread about one tablespoon of mustard and 2 tablespoons of goat cheese on each bread.

Fold the turkey slices on top of the goat cheese (folding the slices will keep the turkey from feeling like your are biting through a breast of turkey) and top with a scoop of the chorizo mixture. Top with a second slice of bread or serve as an open faced sandwich.  Or do my favorite move and top with a runny egg.  Enjoy!

Roasted Artichoke, Green Chili and Sausage Tostada

Cinco de Mayo appears to be celebrated more throughout America than it does throughout Mexico.  The day is to honor the victory of the Mexican army at the Battle of Pueblo.  It's a celebration of heritage and pride.

So in keeping in the theme of this American-celebrated Mexican day I decided to make a tostada that resembles Mexican food but clearly has an American thread to it.

The Italian sausage, green chili and white bean flavors are a fun spin on a traditional beef and black bean version.  The roasted artichokes finish the combination with an unexpected intense sweetness.

Definately serve this with a salt-rimmed margarita or a Mexican beer.  And no matter what your nationality, celebrate your heritage today... and be fat and happy proud.


Roasted Artichoke, Green Chili and Chorizo Tostada

Make the bean spread first, set aside and keep warm.  Roast the artichokes and toast the tortillas while creating the meat filling.  Have the avocado and goat cheese ready, then put it all together and enjoy immediately.

White Bean Spread

1/4 red onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalepeno, diced
1 can white beans, partially drained
water, broth, white wine

Sautee the onion and celery in a bit of olive oil until they begin to soften.  Add the garlic, the jalepeno and the white beans.  Continue to sautee for about 5 more mintues to allow the flavors to meld and everything to soften.  Add about 1/4/ cup of water, broth or white wine as the pan begins to get a little dry.

Carefully pour the ingredients into a mini cuisinart (or blender).  Allow to cool slightly, cover the blender with a towel to shield yourself from any hot splatters and then blend into a puree; again adding a few tablespoons of water, broth or wine to thin it out.  Cover and set aside but keep warm.


Roasted Artichokes
Drain 1 can of artichokes; turn on the oven broiler to high.  Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spray lightly with Pam.
Lay out artichoke quarters on the pan, place under the broiler until the edges of the artichokes begin to darken.  Toss the 'chokes and place under the broiler again until all of them have roasted spots on them

Green Chili Sausage
3 hot italian sausages, casing removed
1/2 cup chorizo (optional)
1 small can Green Chilis with juice (if you have a fresh green chili, chop it small and add to the sausage sooner.

Remove the casings from the sausage, crumble into a sautee pan and cook over medium heat, breaking up any large sausage pieces with a wooden spoon. Add in the chorizo if using.  Just before the sausage is ready, add in the green chilis and everything meld together.

Toast the tortillas (one per person)
To toast the tortilla- either place under the broiler until the top side is crispy and then flip over and repeat on the other side.  Or toast in a dry pan until the bottom is crispy and then flip and repeat.

Putting it all together

Lay the tortilla on the plate, smear the tortilla with the pureed white bean mixture.  Cover the beans with a large scoop of the sausage mixture, a couple of avocado slices and a handful of the roasted artichokes.  Sprinkle with goat cheese and serve immediately.