Welcome Back...A New Year and a New Blog

The blog...

It has been a while since I wrote any new posts on this blog and I decided it was time to start it up again!
I changed the whole format of the blog and even changed the name! In the past I always featured a complete meal of a drink, dinner, and dessert.  Who has the time for all that, right!?  Now the blog will only feature dinner.  Check out the new format and please, let me know what you think!  Also, if you aren't already subscribed to "A Daily Dose of Dinner," don't forget to do so!

The Challenge...

I am not usually one for New Year's resolutions, so instead, I decided to do a new year's challenge. This year, I will eat a different dinner every night for the whole year.  That's right...no repeat dinners.  This will be a challenge not only because I have to think of 365 new dinners, but also because it means I will only get to eat my favorite dinners one time a year.
I am a fairly busy person, so I will admit that not all of these dinners will be made by me.  Sometimes you just need to eat out or have someone else cook for you!  On the nights the dinner is not made by me, I will just provide a description, maybe a restaurant recommendation, and other wonderful insight into the food I ate.  
However, on the nights I do cook (which will be most nights), I will let you know what I made, provide the recipe, and give you my family's rating of the dinner so you can decide if you want to make it yourself!  Here's who is in my family and how the rating system will go:
Me:  I will always try to honestly rate the dinner and give it a grade (A, B, C, D, F) based on how good it was, how hard to make, etc.
Doug:  That's my husband.  I'll get his opinion and grade too. 
Noelle:  That's my daughter.  She's only 22 months old, so she won't be able to give a grade, but I will estimate her grade based on how much she ate/liked it.  She's a pretty good eater, so those of you with kids can use her ratings to determine what your kids would like.  I also will try to offer insight into how I get her to eat what we eat (most of the time).

So, there it is...the new blog!  Subscribe, check back daily, and add your own comments.  Until then, I'll be eating all my favorite foods before the new year starts and I can only have them one time.  See you on January 1st with a new post!

Quince De Mayo

So...this was supposed to be a Cinco De Mayo post, but I just never got around to putting it up.  Therefore, you get to enjoy a Quince De Mayo post :) (for those of you who don't know - that's 15th of May).  Even though it's no longer Cinco De Mayo, it's never a bad day to have Mexican food and this meal was great!
Drink...

Mexican Bulldog Margarita
*recipe from: Cooking Stoned
These drinks seem to be quite the fad lately as I have seen them all over the place.  I have never actually tried one from a bar, so I can't compare the taste.  However, I thought it was quite delicious!  It was a bit sweet, so if you don't like your margaritas sweet, I would just add less simple syrup.
Ingredients:
(serves 6)

• 5 Cups Ice
• 1 Cup Tequila
• ½ Cup Grand Marnier (I didn't have this so I used Triple Sec)
• 5 Limes, more for garnish
• 1 Orange
• 1 Cup simple syrup
• 6 Beers, Corona (or I used Trader Jose's)
• ⅓ Cup coarse Salt

Directions:

1. Juice the limes and the orange in a large measuring cup, then add in the tequila, grand marnier (or Triple Sec), and simple syrup. Mix together.
2. Pour the salt into a shallow bowl. Using one of the juiced limes, swipe the outer rim of one of your glasses. Swivel the glass upside down in the salt until the rim is covered. Repeat for each glass.
3. Add a heaping cup of ice to the blender and just enough of the margarita mixture that the ice is not covered. Blend, adding more ice or margarita mix until the desired thickness is achieved.
4. Pour the frozen margarita into a salt-rimmed glass, pop open a Corona, and place it upside down in the glass, submerging it into the margarita. Repeat for each glass.  **Make sure your margarita is very slushy.  Mine wasn't thick enough the first time I made it and when I put the beer in it, it all came out of the bottle and overflowed in the glass. **

Dinner...

Spicy Mexican Shredded Pork Tostadas
*recipe from:  The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
These might not have been as spicy as I would have liked, but they were amazingly delicious!! Plus, they're super easy because basically all you do is put the ingredients in and let them stew.  Make it - you won't be sorry!
Ingredients:
(serves 4-6)

for the shredded pork:

• 2 lbs boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces (I couldn't find this cut, so I used a boneless pork tenderloin and it turned out great)
• 2 medium onions, 1 quartered and 1 chopped fine
• 5 medium garlic cloves, 3 peeled and smashed and 2 minced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• salt
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 tbs ground chipotle powder or 2 chipotles in adobo suace
• 2 bay leaves

for the tostadas:

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 12 corn tortillas
• salt

 for the garnishes

• queso fresco or feta cheese
• fresh cilantro
• sour cream
• diced avacado
• lime wedges

Directions:
for the shredded pork:

1. Bring the pork, quartered onion,  smashed garlic cloves, thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 6 cups water to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook until the pork is tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.  
3. Drain the pork, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.  Discar the onion, garlic, and thyme.
4. Return the pork to the saucepan and, using a potato masher, mash until shredded into rough 1/2 inch pieces.  Set aside.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large non stick skillet.  Add the shredded pork, chopped onion, oregano and cook stirring often, until the pork is well browned and crisp, 7-10 minutes.
6. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Stir in the tomato sauce, chipotle powder (or chopped canned chipotles), reserved pork cooking liquid, and bay leaves.  Simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated, 5-7 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves and season with salt to taste.

for the tostadas:

1. Heat the vegetable oik in a skillet.
2. Using a fork, pierce the center of each tortilla 3 or 4 times to prevent puffing and allow for even cooking.
3. Fry one at a time, holding the metal potato masher in the upright position on top of the tortilla in order to keep it submerged, until crisp and lightly browned, 45-60 seconds (no flipping necessary). 
4. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and season with salt.

To serve:

1. Spoon a small amount of shredded pork onto each tostada and top with the garnishes.

Desert...

Pinata Cookies
*recipe from: She Knows Food and Recipes
These cookies have a lot of steps in the directions, but they aren't really too hard.  Don't get intimidated by the number of steps, because they have a great wow factor and are so fun!  I couldn't find a donkey cookie cutter, so mine are star pinatas!  The website I got the recipe from has a great step-by-step tutorial with pictures, so be sure to check it out.
Ingredients:

• bright colored food coloring
• sugar cookie dough
• mini m&m's or other mini candies
• frosting (I used a mixture of powdered sugar with a tiny bit of milk)

Directions:

1. Separate the sugar cookie dough into 4-6 equal parts.  
2. Color each part of the sugar cookie dough a different color.
   
3. Line a small plastic container with plastic wrap.
4. Split up the colored dough and begin layering it in the container, alternating colors.
5. Cover and freeze the dough for 4 hours or more.
6. Remove the dough from the freezer and unwrap.
   
7. Slice the dough into pieces about a 1/4 inch wide
8. Place the slices on a baking sheet and bake according to directions on the cookie dough package.
9. Immediately after taking the cookies out of the oven, use the cookie cutter to cut out the shape of the pinata (work quickly because the dough needs to still be warm so it doesn't crack).
   
10. When cutting out the middle cookies, hollow out the center by using a small cookie cutter.  This is where the m&m's will go.
11. Let the cookies cool.
12. Lay one solid cookie down and line it with frosting.
13. Place a hollow cookie on top of it.
14. Fill the hollow cookie with mini m&m's.
15. Line the hollow cookie with frosting.
    
16. Top with another solid cookie so you have three cookies stuck together and the m&m's in the center.
17. Eat and enjoy as the pinata breaks open!

Tasty Thai

I love Thai food and have a recent obsession with curry.  I made this curry randomly for dinner one night and it turned out so good, I decided to make a whole Thai inspired meal around it.

Drink...

Mango Passion Cocktail
*recipe from about.com
Let me start by confessing that I was not a fan of this drink.  I still decided to put it on the blog though because I think my dislike could be partly because of me not really liking mango drinks and because I think the recipe can be modified to make it taste much better.  First of all, the drink was way to thick.  I would use more liquid for sure.  Also, I didn't have champagne so I just used club soda.  I think it would definitely be better with champagne.  I also saw some other recipes that had coconut milk in it and I think that would be delish.  Let me know if you're able to improve on it and send me the updated recipe!
Ingredients:
(serves 6-8)

• 2 ripe mangoes
  
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup lime juice (or juice of 1/2 lime)
• pinch of salt
• 1-2 Tbsp. natural syrup, like maple syrup OR 1 -3 tsp. sugar (to taste)
• 1 bottle champagne OR sparkling white wine (or substitute sparkling spring water if you prefer less alcohol)
• Optional Garnishes: ice cubes OR crushed ice, lime wedges/slices, plus fresh cherries or other fruit of your choice 

Directions:

1. First, cut the mangoes and drop all their flesh into your blender.
2. Add the vodka, lime juice, salt, and syrup or sugar. Blend well to create a kind of mango puree. Now do a taste-test, adding more syrup or sugar if desired (how much syrup will depend on the sweetness of your mangoes). This drink should be a balance between sweet and sour, but leaning more toward the sweet.
3. Pour this mango concoction into glasses, half-filling them. Top up with your choice of champagne, sparkling wine, or sparkling spring water if you prefer less alcohol. Finish with a couple of ice cubes or some crushed ice.
4. If desired, garnish glasses with slices/wedges of fresh lime, plus your choice of fresh fruit. 

Dinner...

Spicy Pepper Coconut Thai Yellow Curry
*recipe from: Sreelu's Tasty Travels
As I said before, I have a new obsession with curry and this recipe did not disappoint!   I would say that this was just as good as curry I have ordered from a restaurant and it's packed full of delicious, healthy, fresh veggies.  Mmm...I can't wait to make it again!
Ingredients:

• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1 big tbsp. of freshly ground pepper 
• 1-cup yellow curry paste/sauce (My recommendation Trader Joes Thai Yellow curry sauce) 
• 1 small cup potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces 
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds 
• 1 small onion, chopped 
• 1 small zucchini, chopped 
• 1 small cup of broccoli cut into small florets (I left this out) 
• 1/2 red/green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped into small pieces 
• 1 Thai chili or Jalapeno 
• ½ cup green onions 
• 1 cup of Thai basil    

 Directions:

1. Bring the coconut milk and yellow curry paste to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until smooth, about 1 minute. If the mixture seems thick add little bit water to thin it out. 
2. Add the potato, carrots, zucchini,onion, bell pepper, broccoli, and chili, basil sprigs and pepper. 
3. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. 
4. Remove the lid and continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and serve hot over steamed hot rice.

Dessert:

Coconut Cake with Fluffy Coconut Icing
*recipe from: about.com
This cake was really good.  Mine turned out dense, almost lie a pound cake and it had a delicious coconutty taste.  When I was making the icing, I whipped the eggs by hand, which was a mistake.  It was so much exercise for my arm!  Make sure you use a mixer!!  Also, my icing didn't really fluff up like I feel it was supposed to, but it still tasted great.
Ingredients: 

For the Cake:

• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups good-quality coconut milk (not 'lite')
• 7 Tbsp. sweetened shredded coconut (baking type)
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter OR coconut oil, melted
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder  

For the Fluffy Coconut Icing:

• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• pinch salt
• optional: 2 tsp. coconut extract, OR 1 Tbsp. Coconut Rum
• 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch cake pans.
   
2. Stir the shredded coconut into the coconut milk. Set aside to let soak.
3. Separate egg whites from yolks. Place the egg whites in a small to medium mixing bowl. Set yolks in a large mixing bowl.
4. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff (like whipped cream). Set aside.
5. To the yolks, add the sugar, salt, and melted butter or coconut oil. Beat to a smooth consistency (1 minute).
6. Stir the baking powder into the flour, then add this to the yolk mixture. Also add the coconut milk with the shredded coconut. Beat 1-2 minutes, or until well combined.
7. Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter, OR use your electric mixer on low speed beat - just enough to combine (20 seconds). Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 30-40 minutes, or until an inserted fork comes out clean. Cool before icing.

For the Icing:

1. Toast the coconut by placing it in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until most of the coconut is lightly browned. Immediately transfer to a bowl to cool.
2. Have ready two pots that can serve as a double-boiler (or use a stainless-steel bowl set over a pot). In the top pot, combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir well and set aside.
3. Add 1 inch water to the lower pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low (water should be steaming but not boiling). Now set the pot with the egg mixture tightly over it. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture starting at low speed. Gradually increase speed over 5 minutes, ending at high speed. Add the flavoring (if using) when you switch to high speed. Beat until icing is stiff and easily holds its shape. Remove from heat.
4. To put the cake together: place the first layer on your serving plate and cover the top with a generous amount of icing. Sprinkle over some of the toasted coconut. Now add the second layer and again cover the top with icing. Finish by icing the sides of the cake. Sprinkle toasted coconut all over the top, then gently press some onto the sides.