Enchilada? Burrito? Chimichanga?...Let's Call The Whole Thing Off...

This topic has created some controversy in my family.  All I know is that it's one of my favorite meals to make because you get to eat desert WITH dinner, not after.  (That is, if you're a fan of sweet corn cake.)

The first SUCCESSFUL, culinary attempt I perfected was my version of what I initially called "enchiladas".  I say first "successful" attempt as my first "actual" attempt was the nightmare Marsala I detailed in my blog a few days ago.  Anyways, I had begun to watch cooking shows after The Marsala Incident (next Bourne saga with Matt Damon?..maaaayyybe?..) and started taking notes. 

I knew that I really LOVED Mexican cooking so I set out to emulate the Chi-Chi's style as best I could.  In all honesty, I couldn't tell you the difference between an enchilada, a burrito, or a chimichanga at the time, but I always ordered enchiladas when I went there so that's what I chose to pefect. I knew that it involved chicken, veggies, and cheese wrapped up in tortillas and fried (I thought) - covered with a tangy red sauce.  After creating my version, I was immediately assulted by "experts" at work that I chose to share it with informing me that I was making either A.) A burrito,   B.)  A chimichanga,   or C.)  None of the above, but I still couldn't take credit for it.  Let's examine the difference:

1. Enchilada:  An enchilada is a corn or flour tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a chili pepper sauce and may include meat, cheese, beans, potatoes, vegetables, seafood, or any combination.  (Hmmm...that was pretty close.)
2. Burrito:  A burrito, is a type of mexican food consisting of a wheat flour tortilla, wrapped or folded around a filling where the tortilla is lightly grilled or steamed to soften.  Fillings generally include a combination of rice, beans, lettuce, salsa, meat, cheese, sour cream, etc.  (Not really the same.)
3. Chimichanga:  A deep-fried (now we're talking) burrito that is typically prepared by filling a flour tortilla with any combination of beans, rice, cheese, shredded chicken and folded into a rectangular package.  (Still not exactly the same, but very close.)

For all intents and purposes, I'll just call it my Burritochangalada - - I can do this because it's mine.  You can call yours whatever you want.  If you want a hearty, fiesta of a meal, I encourage you to try this.  If you do, I highly recommend that you  prepare a side of saffron (or spanish) rice and sweet corn cake.  The combination of sweet, salty, savory and tangy are out of this world. 

P.S. If you can shred your own marble or colby jack cheese, your reward will be a smooth, and creamy one that absolutely makes this dish



Ingredients:

• 2 Chicken Breasts
• 1 Red Pepper
• 1 Yellow Pepper
• 2 Jalapenos (Optional)
• 1/2 Red Onion
• 2 Cloves, Garlic - Minced
• 1 Package, Grande Tortillas (Let them sit out to get to room temp while you cook to soften)
• Vegetable Oil for Frying
• Shredded lettuce and chopped scallion for garnish.
• Shredded marble jack or colby jack cheese
• Red sauce (recipe below)

Red Sauce:

(You can absolutely buy a can of your favorite brand OR if you'd like to experiment, here's the base you can start with.  Feel free to add spices to your taste to make it suitable for your pallete.)

• 8oz Tomato Sauce
• 2 cups water
• 2 Tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 Tsp. Paprika
• 1/2 Tsp. Cumin
• 1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp. Cayanne (Add more if you want it hotter)
• 1/8 Tsp. Kosher Salt
• A pinch of sugar...just to cool things off.

How To Make:

• If you're making your own Red Sauce, begin by combining all the ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium high heat.  Bring to a soft boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer 12 minutes - stirring occasionally.  Taste halfway through to determine if you need to adjust the spices.  Once finished, set aside and allow to cool.  Conversely, if you're making the corn cake and/or rice, you'll want to follow the directions on their respective packages and begin preparing those as they take longer.  (Start with the corn cake, it takes 45 minutes as opposed to saffron rice which takes 20).
• Slice your chicken into bite size chunks or strips and set aside.  Slice the peppers and onions roughly the same size as your chicken & set aside also and mince your garlic.   In a large saute pan with 1 Tbsp oil, begin to cook the chicken over medium heat.  Dust chicken with a pinch of chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin while it cooks.  Drain the fat from the pan when cooked and add the vegetables OR you may opt to use 2 separate pans and combine the chicken & vegetables at this time.  Stir over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
• Begin to heat about 4-5 cups of oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat while you prepare the burritochangalada.  Lay out your tortilla - sprinkle a small amount of cheese across the bottom 1/3rd of it, layer on a couple spoons of the chicken/vegetable mix, and top with a bit more cheese.  Roll up carefully, tucking in the sides (see pictures below) and move to pan.  Place wrap seam-side up in oil and fry 2-3 minutes until solid and golden brown.  Flip so seam-side is down and repeat. 
• Move to oven safe plate, drizzle red sauce over and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Add your rice and corn cake to the platter.  If your plate is oven safe, place in oven at 200 degrees for 4 minutes to warm the dish and melt the cheese.  If it's not oven-safe, toss it in the microwave for 90 seconds to melt the cheese.  Remove from oven and garnish with shredded lettuce & scallions. 



The Superstitious Orange-Teriyaki Grilled Chicken (A Bat Story)

I wish I wasn't superstitious...but I am.  I'm not as bad as some people but certain things I do are weird.  I always put my left sock on first.  If I try to go with the right, something in my brain short-circuits and it never goes on properly.  You know what I'm talking about - where the heel part ends up on top?  I hate that sensation.  I also pull into every parking space backwards.  This one used to drive my friends from the cities nuts.  Everytime we'd go out somewhere and I'd drive, they'd have to patiently wait for me to manuever into my townhouse parking lot accordingly.  One of my friends' finally snapped one night when I was doing this, yelling out from the back, "C'mon Grigal, are you serious?!  What...I suppose you sleep with your clothes on too so if you hear a cricket chirp you can be like ,"Huh?  What was that?!...I'm outta here!"...as you spin out in your truck that's pointed in the right direction."  Perhaps he was right.

One of the worst superstitions I need to get over is related to food.  If I have a really good meal, or something about that meal is awesome, but something bad happens to me that night, I won't eat that food again - as if there were some cosmic connection.  This couldn't have been more true than on my birthday 2 years ago when I made a FANTASTIC Orange-Teriyaki Grilled Chicken...and then I found a bat in my house that night..

I don't care what anybody says, catching a bat in real life without killing it is every bit as hard as you see portrayed in the movies.  To top things off, I had about 2-3 celebratory birthday drinks that night which made everything a bit more surreal.   I remember being downstairs of my townhouse when I heard my at-the-time wife scream from upstairs that there was a bat in the bedroom. Then I heard her shrieking hysterically while locking herself in the bathroom.  I shot to my feet and the first thing I did was tie a plastic bag around the top of my head like a bandana for some reason.  Probably because I had my long hair at the time and was afraid of it getting caught in there, maybe?  I remember when she peaked out of the bathroom and saw how ridiculous I looked, she asked what the hell I was doing.  "Shut up....I'm getting the bat."   Nevermind I had nothing to catch it with...

I cracked open the bedroom door and sure enough, there was that little bugger, upside down on the ceiling, not moving.  I stared at him for a second...and then he hissed.  That was enough for me to scream, falling backwards and tumbling down the stairs outside my bedroom door...the first time.  After catching my breath, I grabbed the only logical weapon I could think of:  The lid from a rubbermaid tub.  My plan was just to tap it, you know - daze it, long enough to do something else with it.  (I hadn't thought that far ahead.)  Just to be safe, I took the base of the rubbermaid tub with me as well.  I crept into the room, sweat soaking the plastic bag skull protector, but determined to do my job.  He was on the ceiling...my throat was parched...I wound up and......heard my wife yell from the hall, "DID YOU GET IT?!"   That's enough to make any guy scramble like he's one of the Three Stooges.  I dove for the closet and yelled to her to be quiet.  He hadn't moved.

After a minute, I snuck back into the room.  I wound up again with the lid and swung, missing him by about a foot and a half - probably because I was terrified.  Regardless, it was enough for him to start flying around while I hit the floor and curled up sobbing.  He stopped, I looked up and saw him clung to the side of my window blinds.  "...that's it you son of a....",  I thought to myself.  I grabbed the base of the tub and charged him, pinning him in the tub as it pressed vertically into the window.   Brilliant!  NOW, how are you going to get him out of there?  I grabbed the lid and tried to slide it between the opening of the tub and the blinds.  Bats can fit through the tiniest of spaces.  He shot out and I ran out of the bedroom, arms flailing wildly like a sissy, slamming the door and commencing my 2nd involuntary flight down the stairs, not unlike the giant boulder in Indiana Jones.

As I walked up the stairs, I told myself, "...I am never eating Orange-Teriyaki Grilled Chicken again...".   I entered one last time and again saw him clung upside down on the ceiling again.  I grabbed a towel under my arm and whacked him one last time with the lid.  Throwing the towel over him, I wrapped him up and ran screaming out my house, tossing the towel into the woods where I heard him fly away.

I finally got over this and made my Orange-Teriyaki Grilled Chicken a few weeks ago and you know what,  tt was really good and I didn't find any bats in my house that night.  Be forewarned though, as good as this recipe is, you WILL find a bat in your house the first time you make it.  There's nothing I can do about that...

Ingredients:

• 3-4 Chicken Breasts
• Sesame Seeds (For Garnish)

(Marinade)

• 1 Cup - Orange Juice
• 1 Tsp. Orange Zest
• 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil (Yeah, you do need this kind of oil.  Trust me.)
•  Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 Slices of Ginger - About "coin-sized" and 1/8" thick
• 2 Scallion Whites (Chop the rest for garnish at the end.)
• 1 Cinnamon Stick  (Yeah, you'll want this too.  I know...)

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan, combine all elements of the marinade over medium heat for 4-5 minutes - stirring occasionally.  You want this to just start to reduce and thicken.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  (This can take up to about 2 hours - but you need to do this so the "hot" mixture doesn't end up poaching the chicken while marinading). 
• When marinade has cooled to room temp, place the chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish and poke a number of holes in it with a fork on both sides (this will allow the marinade to seep in and make the insides flavorful).  Pour about 3/4 of the  marinade over the chicken and refrigerate, covered 1-4 hours.  The longer you marinade, the more bold your flavor will be.  The rest of the marinade will be used to baste the chicken and as a dipping sauce.
• Heat up your grill to include direct and indirect heat (hot coals on one side, nothing on the other).  When you're ready to grill, brush the grills with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil.  Place the breasts, smooth side down, at a diagonal over direct heat.  Grill about 2 minutes and give 1/4 turn to sear in cross hatches.  Grill another 2 minutes and flip.  Grill remaining side for about 2-3 minutes and move to indirect heat.  Once on indirect heat, baste the top of the chicken with some of the marinde - never baste uncooked meat - that's why we waited until now.  :)  Allow to cook over indirect heat for about 6 minutes or until cooked through.
• Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions IMMEDIATELY so they stick to the settling juices, and serve over rice with a light Ale or White Wine

 

The Elegant "Side" of Grigal - Cilantro & Carrot Salad

One question I never get asked is, "What is something I can serve as a side dish when I make Chinese food?...I'm just sick of rice and noodles!"   I have the answer, but FIRST, did you know that in a TRUE Chinese meal, the last course is soup because it allows the roast duck entree to "swim" towards digestion?  Think about it...

When I watch modern food shows on television, there are a couple things that bother me:

1. They are losing their perspective (in my opinion) by attempting to compete with reality television.  Now I know there are a lot of people that enjoy that type of entertainment and that's fine, but to me, they are taking the fun out of straight up cooking by attempting to add pointless drama in an attempt to give desperate people their 15 minutes of fame.  (Case in point:  I just saw an advertisement for ANOTHER new reality show on the Food Network called "Sweet Genius"...more like Sweet Jesus enough of these reality shows - much less the ones centered on sweets. Our country is obese enough as it is.)
2. They operate under the assumption that people have access to all the ingredients they put into their entress, sides, and appetizers when in fact, many people want to cook these cool menu items but can't obtain the ingredients due to grocery store limitations. 

The 2nd point came to mind a while back when I was in search of something to serve on the side of one of my Chinese based meals that wasn't just the typical rice or chow mein.  Oddly enough, I have some Chinese leftovers in the fridge that I'm going to have tonight so this would be a good opportunity to make this side again. This dish complements the heartier meals better by the way; a perfect example is beef with broccoli.  I like it because it's cheap and the ingredients are easy to obtain anywhere.  Here is my Cilantro & Carrot salad and this dish is awesome not only because it tastes good & is healthy for you, but also looks dynamite.  It's also remarkably easy once you get the knife technique down.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Large Carrots, Peeled
• 2 Stalks Celery, Matchstick Sliced
• 2 Tbsp. Cilantro, Chopped
• Approximately - 1 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar
• Approximately - 1/2 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
• 1/4 Tsp. Sugar
• 1/4 Tsp. Salt

How To Make:

• First, you want to run approximately 1/8" thick slices up the length of each carrot with your knife - spaced about 1/4" apart. This will give you almost a snowflake or flower shape to the carrot once you slice them.  This works better with a paring knife, but as I started this tonight, I realized I never took any paring knives when I moved so I had to do this with a standard chef's knife to prove it can be done.   Immediately after, I added a paring knife to my shopping list on my fridge.  Don't believe me?

• Once carrots have been sliced, toss them in a medium bowl.  Slice the celery into matchstick slices, chop the cilantro and add to the bowl with the carrots.  Give a stir to mix.
• Combine the sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl, pour over the vegetables and combine thoroughly.  Serve immediately.  -- This recipe tastes really good, but everyone's palette is different.  If you find it tastes almost too "smoky" for you, you probably added a bit too much sesame oil.  If it tastes a bit too "vinegary"....well...you... probably added a bit too much vinegar.  Tweak it to your taste buds.



A Night At The Pub - Onion Rings

*Disclaimer: I've had a number of people contacting me that they're attempting to leave comments on my blog, but they error out.  I've had the same issue so if any of you experienced bloggers have any tips, please let me know.  Additionally, lots of people also contacted me after my last blog to tell me how much it made them laugh to hear about my misfortunates trying to find a date, so now you get another one.  If you just want the recipe, it's down below the 2nd picture as always.

I'll be honest, I hate going out.  I can't explain it, I just never really cared for it.  I never really went to bars and rarely hung out with friends at them.  This led to a perception that I was anti-social for years.  Perhaps I was, but it wasn't intentional.  My senses always felt over-stimulated at bars and pubs so I just never really felt comortable.  Recently, I have come to the realization that the girls aren't just going to knock on my door to take a number though.  Short of hanging out at the library talking to some of the creepy loners, I have felt my only chance has been to do what I hated: go to a bar. 

Thanks to a post on one of my previous blogs from an old classmate, reminding me of an incident in high school, I realized that part of the reason I hate going out is that I'm a clutz.  (The incident I'm referring to, by the way, involved the desk in front of me.  The desks we had in high school had a wired shelf underneath the seat and being a taller kid, I frequently rested my feet there.  After I started wearing Chuck Taylor sneakers, I realized I could actually maneuver my size 13's in between the grates when I was bored. Panic officially set in one day when both feet got locked in there and I began to lift the desk in front of me with the kid still in it.  The teacher had to stop the class, come over, and nearly break my ankles to get my feet out.)

Sure enough, the curse hadn't lifted when I went to the bar the other night.  As soon as I ordered my first beer, I sat down and my feet slipped slightly on the rail under the bar that's meant to brace you while you sit.  I awkwardly fell forward NEARLY shooting right off the stool.  I got up slowly, pretending I was fixing my shoe as I looked around...didn't appear anyone saw this.  When the bartender put the beer down, she "party-fouled" by dropping it quickly causing the foam to rise up and pour out of the bottle.  (Glad I spent 4 bucks on a half bottle of beer.)  This particular pub had little condiment holders stuffed with everything.  As I reached for the napkins, I actually lifted the holder off the bar, as there were so many stuffed in there, and dropped it loudly causing the pepper shaker to roll down clinking into the glass that belonged to the dude sitting next to me.  "My bad..."  No one says that anymore by the way.

My awkward charm appeared to have inadvertantly worked, as a girl moved over and sat down next to me.  After getting engaged in some pretty terrible small talk that was focused entirely on her, I ordered some "pub onion rings".  I was actually starting to feel comfortable for once and then she brought up "Brad".  Good ol' Brad - her ex, or current boyfriend, or husband, or ex husband - I still have no idea based on the way she went back and forth about him.  I tried to get in a word or two in about me, but she was far more concerned about herself.  Don't believe me?  Here was one of the breaks in her rants:

Her:  "...oh I love this song."
Me:  "You know, I'm actually a musician."
Her:  ".....Brad's a musician."

Thankfully, my onion rings arrived to provide a distraction.  I knew I was in trouble after my first bite when the batter fell off leaving me with soggy rings of bitter onions (I refuse to call those onion rings now, they did not earn the right).  My mood was getting worse.  I had a nutcase next to me rattling off fragmented thoughts such as, "What's wrong with me?...I mean, I'm glad Brad's gone 'cause I'm way better than what he deserves, but what did I do wrong?  Brad's such a jerk and all my girlfriends tell me he's a jerk but he's so hot.  I hate him and hope I never see him again. Do you think Brad's with someone else tonight?"  I didn't answer. I didn't care.  I couldn't get my mind off of how terrible these onion rings were.  How do you screw up onion rings in a bar/pub?!

When I didn't answer, she asked again, "Well, what do you think?"  I quickly realized I had no idea what she asked me so I went to the Man's fail-safe comeback, "Huh?...oh, yeah.  You look nice."  After she simply replied, "What?", I politeley excused myself, paid my tab and headed for the exit.  Luckily, I had beer, onions, and flour at home.  Sometimes you just have to do things yourself...

Super Easy Pub Onion Rings:

This recipe will give you a VERY light coating that's full of flavor.  It's fantastic.

Ingredients:

• 1 Whole Yellow Onion
• 3/4 Can of Beer (Go with something lighter.  I prefer High Life, Rolling Rock, or Corona for this.)
• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 Tsp. Black Pepper
• 1 Qt. Vegetable Oil

How to Make:

• Begin to heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until temperature reaches about 350.  (If you don't have an oil thermometer, let it heat about 6-7 minutes and dip the handle end of a wooden spoon in the oil.  As soon as tiny bubbles form around the wood immediately, the oil is ready.
• Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl and then slowly add the beer, stirring as you add.  Combine until most of the lumps are out.  Lay the onion on it's side and slice horizontally in 1/2" thick slices and brake apart carefully to give you rings.
• When the oil is nearly heated, sprinkle onions with a bit more flour and add to the batter.  Remove rings from batter, allow excess to drip off the onion, and carefully add to the hot oil.  Fry in batches of 5-8, depending on the size of your pot, turning occasionally until golden  brown - about 6-7 minutes.  Remove to a plate with paper towels and sprinkle with kosher salt while still glistening (optional).  Serve immediately with ketchup or chipotle aioli.

Chipotle Aioli Dip:

This is a good alternate dipping sauce for fried foods when you're sick of ketchup.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tsp. Chili Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Cumin
• 1/2 Tsp. Paprika
• 1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1/4 Tsp. Cayanne Pepper
• 1 Cup Mayo

How To Make:

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mixing well.  Serve on the platter or individual ramekins.

Everyone Has To Start Somewhere - My First Marsala

I can explicitly remember the first time I attempted to innovate with food.  I was about 4 or 5 years old and I was watching TV when a cooking show came on.  I remember watching and being fascniated at the concept.  Up to that point, I'd just show up in the kitchen and food was on the table at mealtime.  I didn't recall ever seeing my parents cook things for some reason, though they obviously did.  I watched the chef as he combined two ingredients to make one and I thought, "I could do that."   My first attempt at a culinary combination was to mix 50% orange juice and 50% milk in a glass.  (I was 4.)   It ended up down the drain and I stopped cooking for 20 years...

Shortly after I got married, I decided we should go to a "fancy" restaurant for one of our first dates (...if you can consider The Macaroni Grill" fancy.)  To me, it was fancy.  Up to that point, my palette had only been accustomed to frozen pizzas, chicken nuggets, and peanut butter & jelly.   I also grew up in an area where, at the time, there were two types of restaurants:  Standard (McDonalds & Hardees) and Fancy (Village Inn & Country Kitchen).  I was 21 so a fancy dinner at The Macaroni Grill seemed like a perfect evening.  I even ordered a Pinot Grigio (or as I pronounced it, a "pie-knot greeggeo".) for the lady.

I looked through the menu and had no idea what I was reading, so I just read the description of each entry and what it contained until I found something reasonably appealing.  I stopped on "Chicken Marsala".  Chicken, garlic, mushrooms, shallots...I thought to myself, "Hmm..don't know what those are but I'm sure they're some kind of noodle."  I ordered it.  After a minute, the waiter brought a plate of oil with some flecks of things mixed in and a basket of bread.  I thanked him even though I had no idea what I was going to do with a plate of oil.  I looked around and saw people dipping  their bread in the oil/seasoning mixture so that's what I did.  Tasty.  My meal came and I'll tell you, it was a revelation.  I enjoyed it so much and to that point, it was the most sophisticated thing I'd ever eaten.

Enter the conflict of my story.  I was so impressed with my experience there that I  began to think about getting more into cooking myself.  I decided I would try to make Chicken Marsala and recreate that experience.  My excitement quickly fizzled as I realized I had absolutely no idea how to make this dish.  This was back at a time where I didn't have a computer to reference anything or a single cookbook to my name.  Rather than go to the library and do a little research, I did the most logical thing anyone could do....I called the restaurant and asked them if they'd tell me how to make it.  (Wow.)

Imagine that, they didn't tell me so it was off to the store to figure it out.  I asked one of the cashiers at the Cub Foods if their shallots were in the frozen section or the pasta aisle.  I've never seen such a contorted, confused face in my life.  "Shallots are small onions.  They're in the produce section." he replied.  "Ah.  Carry on."   I bought everything I thought I needed including a nice loaf of  bread and a bottle of Vegetable oil to dip it in.  I know...I'll get to that.  The other MAJOR mistake I made, was buying Marsala wine from the cooking aids aisle.  I know it's cliche', but NEVER cook with wine that you wouldn't drink yourself.  If you haven't tried those bottles of "wine" in the grocery store, they are loaded with salt and (in my opinion) repulsive to taste.

I put a pot of water on to boil my chicken in (I know) and began to prepare everything else.  I cut the chicken into pieces and let them boil a few minutes before draining most of the water but leaving some...why not, right?  Then I dumped the whole bottle of "marsala salt drink" in along with the garlic and shallots.  I let it continue to boil, not even simmer, while I got my noodles ready.  Just before serving, I remembered the seasoned oil.  I poured the Vegetable oil onto a plate (you're supposed to use Olive Oil) and then played roulette with the spices in my cupboard that I had never used.  Paprika and cinnamon should suffice.  Two bites in and thirty seconds later, I was on the phone with Papa Johns Pizza.  Everyone's gotta start somewhere...

On Grigal's Health-O-Meter, this dish scores about a 5 out 10.  With the extra flour for dredging, wine, and butter/cream, it brings the nutrition down a bit while inversely bringing the flavor up.

Ingredients:

• 3 Chicken Breasts
• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 2 Tbsp. Black Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 1/2 Cup Sliced Button Mushrooms or Baby Portabello
• 1 Cup Marsala Wine (Don't Get The Cooking Wine - Get Real Marsala.)
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Stick of Butter
• 8oz Heavy Cream (If you don't want to use the butter and prefer a sweeter sauce.)
• Your favorite Pasta Noodles (I prefer plain spaghetti, but you could use any.)

How To Make:

• Place the chicken breasts on some wax paper and cover with a layer of Saran Wrap. With a flat tenderizer, pound the meat until approximately 1/4" thick. On a separate platter, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake to eliminate excess.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt 1/2 stick of butter with a tablespoon of olive oil so the butter doesn't burn. If you're omitting the butter, just use enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  When the butter is nearly melted, place the chicken and mushrooms in the pan. (Do not move the chicken - allow it to absorb the flavors.) After 3-4 minutes, add another 2 Tbsp. butter-or oil-to the pan, move the mushrooms to the side and flip the chicken over. Again, leave the breasts alone 3-4 minutes.
• After the 4 minutes, pour the marsala over the chicken and allow to cook 2-3 minutes to reduce. Then add the chicken broth (and cream if you're using it). Stir well, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer 25-30 minutes until cooked through. Serve over cooked pasta noodles.

A "Not-So Romantic" T-Bone

I find no shame in admitting that it's been tough to get back on my feet since my divorce earlier this spring. Well I don't feel ashamed anymore after an unexpected call from an old friend last night that did wonders for my self esteem.  I've been lucky to have some people very close to me (friends, family, and co workers) that have been supportive through this transition, but this call made me realize I have a lot to offer and it allowed me to start looking at the negative things that have happened positively - and with my sense of humor....specifically, my interactions with the female species.  (Hang with me...there is a tie to my recipe included.  I just wanted to take this opportunity to say,  "Thank Missy.")  Again, to skip the narrative and go right to the recipe, scroll down to the pic below.

Since I've been back up in northern MN, I've picked up my groceries from the same place.  I'm the type of shopper that will go into a store every day to get what I need for dinner that night as opposed doing it all at once in the beginning of the week.  For one, fresh stuff can go bad more quickly.  For another reason, I don't know what I'm going to be hungry for from day to day.  Since this is my method of shopping, and being a bachelor, I rarely have more than 15 items in my cart.  Therefore, the Express lane is the lane for Grigal.

As I shopped through the late spring/early summer, I happened to notice the same girl working the express lane each night when I was in there.  Each night, I'd come through and she'd start up a conversation with me about various things.  After about the 3rd straight week of this type of small talk, I was convinced she was into me.  So...I had to find reasons to go in there more frequently as I built up my courage to ask her for her number OR to give her mine.  The cheapest things I can logically justify going into a store for multiple times are garlic, jalapenos, and cilantro.  If things got suspicious, I could rattle off a dozen recipes I used any and all for so I didn't look like more of a tool than I already did.

A month passed and I still hadn't worked up the courage to give her my number and what resulted was a cabinet filled with garlic, a produce drawer spilling with jalapenos, and wilted cilantro everywhere.  (Yeah, I can cook with it all, but I didn't want to during that stretch.)  One night, I went in there determined to make the move.  I got up there and she cut me off in mid sentence saying, "You know...I tell you all about me when you come in and I know nothing about you."  Holy geez...she lobbed it up and I was going to nail out of the park.  "Well...I'm Gribble..."   I said for no apparent reason.  She looked confused, I said nothing else and checked out awkwardly.

I got to my car and slapped my forehead repeatedly.  I finally snapped, pulled out my receipt and wrote my phone number at the top.  With all the confidence I could manage, I marched back in there.  I was thinking to myself, "You'll be ok.  What's the worst that could happen?  She doesn't call, right?  You can live with that."  I walked in and with all the class of a toilet bowl, handed her the receipt with my name and number clearly in view and said, "...you gave me an extra receipt."  (Smooooooth.)  Instinctively, she took the paper from my hand...only she didn't lower hers once she saw my digits on there.  I didn't move as we locked eyes - in a split second, I came the conclusion that I had read all the signals wrong from day 1.  With her not putting her hand down, and people starting to stare, I quietly said.  "You know.....I think I need that."  I took the receipt back and went to my truck. 

I sat in there for a few minutes, dwelling on my embarrassment.  I felt hurt...then I felt angry...then I felt hungry.  Suddenly, all I could think of was all of that damn garlic, cilantro, and jalapenos.  Then, I recalled a recipe I saw by Steven Raichlen (Brilliant grill master) that involved a combination of those elements with some olive oil and drizzled over a T-Bone.  That was it, I was set.  I kicked my door open and marched inside for a 3rd time.  I walked right past all the checkouts and back to meat department grabbing the biggest T-bone I could find.  I figured I'd teach that cashier a lesson by NOT going to her lane.  Instead, I picked the longest lane I could find and stood there like an imbecile for what seemed like an eternity, but I had my pride.  I checked out and headed to the door pausing to look over, only to see she wasn't even at that lane anymore.  I showed her...

Grilled Spicy Southwestern T-Bone:

Ingredients:

Dry Rub:  (You can omit this if you want and just use salt and pepper, but I highly recommend this rub)

• 2 Tsp. Chili Powder
• 2 Tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 Tsp. Black Pepper
• 1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp. Oregano
• 1 Tsp. Ground Mustard
• 1 Tsp. Cumin

Other Items:

• 2-4 T-Bone Steaks
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 4 Jalapenos, Thinly Sliced
• 4 Garlic Cloves, Thinly Sliced
• 1/2 Cup Cilantro, Chopped

How To Make:

• Remove steaks from fridge and allow to come to room temperature.  While steaks are warming, combine all the elements of the dry rub in a small bowl, mixing well.  Apply to steaks, rubbing well on both sides to ensure they're completely covered with the rub.
• Oil the grates of a hot grill and place steaks over direct heat.  Give the steak 1/4 turn after 2 minutes to ensure you're getting sexy grill marks.  (Oh yeah, they'll be sexy.)  After 2 more minutes, flip and repeat.  Once steaks have seared (4 minutes total per side),  move to indirect heat of the grill for 4-10 minutes to reach your desired doneness.  Remove steaks from grill and place on cooling rack over a plate to allow excess juices to drip away and the steaks can continue to cook inside.
• As steaks settle, warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the garlic and jalapenos.  Stir 3-4 minutes until they start to become fragrant.  Add the cilantro - stir one more minute and pour mixture over each steak.  Serve with corn on the cob and an ice cold beer.

A Near-Death "Chipotle" Experience

*Author's Note:  The narrative to this is a bit longer, but I find it quite funny.  If you'd rather just skip to the recipe, scroll down to the picture below and it follows.*

I came to the realization that I'm an impulsive meal-seeker last Winter when I almost died.  (That's dead in the literal sense by the way.)  Everyone gets food cravings from time to time, but most people aren't like me and will do the most ridiculously, stupid things to satisfy them.  Last winter, during the middle of the WORST blizzard that hit the Twin Cities in January, I craved Chipotle.  The craving hit me around 5:30pm after it had been snowing all day and it was already dark outside.  The snow was up over my tires so there was no way I was driving up to Burnsville that night.  I recall pacing my house as cabin fever slowly settled in.  Then the stupidity took place.  Allow me to transcribe the conversation between myself and my brain:

• Brain:  "...you know I'm not leaving you alone until I get my Chipotle."
• Self:  "Yeah, but the weather...I'm not going anywhere."
• Brain:  "Well....you know how to make it almost EXACTLY like they do.  What's the problem?"
• Self:  "I don't have the stuff..."
• Brain:  (Seizing control of my central nervous system - causing my body to turn towards the living room window and see the faint glow of Rainbow Foods across the street.)
• Self:  "What?....No way....I am not going to WALK there in this weather."
• Brain:  "I can make things very difficult for you, you know this, right?"
• Self:  "....I can't..."
• Brain:  "Oh that's right...you're out of shape....you can't hack it anymore.  Psh...you could do this all day 10 years ago."
• Self:  (Defensively) "Is that right?!...I'll show you..."

I quickly went to the closet to get my snow pants before I realized,  I have no snow pants.  Already this seems like a bad idea.  I went upstairs and turned on the weather channel in my room while I searched for my cargo pants waiting for that little blip in the bottom right corner to tell me the temperature.  It finally popped up...12.  "That's not too bad.."  I thought to myself.  As I was getting dressed, I also realized that I don't own a proper winter jacket.  (I know, I know...)  So, I put on a new tshirt, a long sleeve shirt and my hoodie with one more sweatshirt layered over.  In the back of my head, I kept picturing that scene from  the "K19: The Widowmaker" movie with Harrison Ford where the crew attempts to repair the radioactive core of the Russian submarine protected only with thin rain coats.  Nonetheless, I felt ready to tackle this obstacle in order to get me some Chipotle.  I tucked my pants into my boots and set off - pausing for a moment in front of the mirror to take note of how stupid I look.

I stepped outside and looked over at my destination - Rainbow Foods.  "Look at that....it's not that far.  Heck, I could probably throw a rock from here and hit the parking lot."  I thought to myself.  I started walking.  After walking what seemed like an eternity, I felt that uncomfortable burning in my thighs and legs.  I paused to catch my breath and looked around to see I was just past my driveway.  (I should point out at that I had my glasses on for this.  Another dumb move as I should have had my contacts in.) 

The sidewalks at my townhouse had been plowed about an hour or 2 earlier, so the snow was only about 4" deep making it a nuisance but not impassible.  I turned the corner in order to reach the main sidewalk that runs parallel to Cty. Road 50 only to find that it hadn't been plowed all day.  I took my first step and the snow went up to my knee.  I remember pausing to look up at the streetlight as my glasses fogged up with every breath.  I was almost at the halfway point so I had to keep going.  I trudged along, feeling the snow soaking my pants and running into my boots.  The more I walked, the more my body hurt - this was like navigating through quicksand. 

I made it to the Rainbow and pulled out my shopping list as I gasped for air and dripped sweat all over the floor.  After falling once from the melting snow under my boots, I started to shop. It was eerily quiet in there as only a stupid person would be out shopping in this mess.  I checked out, zipped up and headed off.  I checked my watch and calculated that it took me about 25 minutes to walk a block and a half.  When I got back to the sidewalk, I noticed that the holes in the snow my boots had left earlier were almost filled up already.  I stopped halfway up the path and looked around wondering what my neighbors must be thinking seeing this idiot out there carrying 2 bags of food.  This is the point where I believe I started to cry...

Halfway up the sidewalk was a large electrical box implanted in the ground for the townhouse.  I lumbered over, brushed it off and sat down.  Reality set in...I am going to die out here.  The first thing I thought was, "What are they going to tell my parents?"  I played it over in my head, "Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Grigal, we found your idiot of a son laying in the snow, 1/2 block from his house with a runny nose and two bags of groceries.  I do have good news though...the rice is still good, would you like it?"  My dad would probably take it.

My brain decided it had enough fun watching me in my misery and assisted in  releasing some adrenaline.  I panted and gasped and spit and cried all the way to my door where I slipped on the patch of ice under the snow there landing firmly on my back.  Nothing comes easy my friends...

I am a fan of Chipotle's Fajita Burrito...and I believe that the key to their success (in my opinion) is the way their rice prepared.  It is a perfect combination of white rice, cilantro, lime juice, and kosher salt.  The recipe below makes about 6 Grande Burritos.  I've broken down the components to this recipie below.  It may look intimidating due to the number of ingredients, but it's remarkably easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

Pico de' Gallo:

•  8 Roma Tomatoes
•  3/4 Red Onion
• 3/4 Red Pepper
• 2 Jalapenos (Remove seeds for less heat)
• 4 Cloves of Garlic
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro

Chicken Seasoning:

• 2 Tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 Tsp. Paprika
• 1 Tsp. Cumin
• 1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1/4 Tsp. Cayanne Pepper

Rice:

• 4-6 Cups Cooked White Rice
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
• 2-3 Tsp. Kosher Salt (Or to taste)
• 1/2 Lime, squeezed for juice

Everything Else:

• 3 Medium Chicken Breasts, cut in 1" cubes
• 3/4 Cup Green Pepper, Sliced
• 3/4 Cup Yellow Onion, Sliced
• 2 Cups Romaine Lettuce, Sliced in strips
• 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar or Montery Jack Cheese
• 1 Cup Cooked Corn (Optional)
• 1 Package "Grande" Size Tortilla Shells at room temperature (I've only seen these by Aztec brand)
• Vegetable Oil

How to Make:

• Combine the elements of the pico de gallo in a bowl, mix well, cover and refrigerate.  While it's cooling, combine the elements for the chicken seasoning and sprinkle over cubed chicken.  Slice the green pepper and onion into 1/2" thick slices and set aside. 
• In a saute pan over medium heat, warm 2 Tbsp. Olive oil and add chicken, stirring to cook through.  As chicken is cooking, bring a second pan up to heat with the same amount of oil and add the peppers & onions, cooking until soft and fragrant.  While chicken and pepper/onion mixture are cooking, cook your rice in a sauce pan.  All items should be finishing up around the same time: 8-10 minutes.
• Once rice is cooked, remove from heat and add the cilantro, lime juice, and kosher salt - stir to incorporate.  Lay out a tortilla and scoop out a spoonful of rice in the center followed by a layer of chicken, pico, cheese and lettuce.  Wrap up and repeat with remaining tortillas.