Taco night at the Ulins

Tacos are rustic, casual, comfortable...perfect for the 3 of us Ulins at home or when we have friends over.  As with all my meals,  the aim is to use the best ingredients, then "elevate". 

Tonight, we'll do shredded beef for the main filling component. This requires a flavorful cut, infused with flavor, prepared properly and complimentary additions.









With most of my meat/fish selections, I consult my favorite, local butchery staff at Sunny Farms. His recommendation was a beef cross rib roast. The roast is slathered in Balsamic Vinegar,then freshly ground sea salt and pepper is applied and massaged into the surface.

A large yellow onion and 6 toes of garlic are sliced and added to a preheated heavy bottomed skillet with about 4 Tablespoons of olive oil.





Each side of the roast is heavily seared to seal in juices and to create the caramelized crust. YUM!
















 The seared roast, onions and garlic are added to another preheated pot, a pressure cooker, with 1 large can of mild enchilada sauce and another large can of organic diced tomatoes. 6-10 stalks of fresh cilantro, 3 Tablespoons of dried, ground cumin and 2 Tablespoons of dried thyme are added for depth of flavor. The lid is placed securely to pressurize and the heat is reduced to low after the internal pressure reader shows a medium level of pressure. The efficiency of the pressure cooker allows a lower temp and protects the tomato sauce from burning. The meat/sauce combo infuses for about 40 minutes, depending on your sear level and size of the roast. Mine was about 1 1/2 lbs.



Depressurize and extract the roast from the sauce. Rest the roast on a cutting board for at least 15 minutes (to let the internal juices disperse throughout the roast). The roast should be "fork tender" at this point and TANTALIZING!







Toasting the fresh corn tortillas adds another layer/depth of flavor to your tacos. I enjoy the slightly crisp exterior, while the center remains moist.

Tonight, I kept it simple. I mixed some of the enriched enchilada sauce back into the shredded beef, topped with some fresh Ranch dressing and fresh avocado. The options and combinations are endless with tacos. We look forward to each Taco Night to try them all!

Que bueno!
Hasta luego mis amigos!
How great!
See you soon my friends!

A fieldtrip to Pane d'Amore Bakery

"It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring..." this weather is dismal and calls for an emergency mood lifter! A pot of tea and something yummy from a "new to me" bakery in town Pane d'Amore will be the ticket to happiness today! I try and find things to cheer me up when I feel myself getting sucked down into the doldrums, it's a trick I play on myself...shhhh!

Immediately, I was struck with the feeling of warmth, calmness and the heady aromas of toasty yeasty treasures. How could I have waited so long to have never darkened this doorstep before today?!

 I peruse around, taking in all in, checking out the wine, balsamic vinegars, the selection of dried pastas, some local chocolates and jams. You could make a fun little picnic or an amazing gift basket or hostess gift with their selection here!







The black and white photographs are of their central bakery in Port Townsend where co-owner Frank D'Amore and his crew produce these heavenly morsels. The photographer is a local Port Townsend resident as well. Some of the photographs had Frank in them and all of them showed a reverence for the art of baking fine bread.




"How cute is this?!" I said when focusing on their coffee condiment vessel. This imported metal breadbox was from Denmark (I think) the shop's cheerful clerk Erin politely answered to my "out loud" thought. It was another personal touch the store's ambiance offered up upon closer inspection, 

I was having fun taking it all in, glad to have the time to make the right choice. Cookies were lovely but not screaming to me to buy them today.

A sourdough baguette would do nicely for dinner or lunch tomorrow! Sold!

 I read in an article in The Fresh Loaf (http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/2551/bakery-profile-pane-damore) that they use all organic ingredients in their breads and pastries. Frank's 25 years of baking experience is reflected in the selection of offerings and the depth of flavors. Clerk Erin has been offering samples and I'm TOTALLY wowed!

Shortcake! That's the teatime treat I need today! Buttery, with a moist flake to it's interior. Sourdough baguette and shortcake in hand, I forge my way home through the seemingly ever present rain. But now, I have my yummies!!

So, I'll brew some tea in the musical teapot my Great Aunt Florence gave me years ago. The classical piano music plays when you wind the bottom lever and fill your tea cup. The music stops when you put it down. Jasmine tea with a spot of NW blackberry honey, shortcake slathered in farm fresh butter and local raspberry jam. What a lovely adventure...I'm already smiling again! 

Here's to meeting new people, exploring new places and creating your joys in life!

SOOO ready for Spring

Soooo ready for some warmer, drier weather to arrive! So I'm using the power of positive thinking to create my desired balmy Sequim Spring to arrive! Young fresh veggies are my inspiration with sauteed ginger, leaks and sweet onions, in some olive oil and farm fresh butter.

Nash's is famous for their own sweet carrots but we are a few months away from their carrot crop, so we are using some California organics today. I finished the saute with a squeeze of fresh lemon to add that Spring time zing to the caramelized leeks and sweet onions.

Light and easy roasted (natural/hormone free) chicken hindquarters from Sunny Farm's butchery is simply oven roasted after coating with a mixture of1/2 cup Dijon mustard, juice of half a lemon, 2 Tablespoons Cumin powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 t. fresh ground pepper and 1 t. dried thyme. The chicken roasted at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. The skin is crispy and full of flavor!

Because I'm on the "get here already" mind set for Spring, I'm doing another veggie dish and trying a new combo for fun. Fennel, red onion, fresh garlic, Pisillo peppers and more carrots

All we needed was a fine matchstick chop, a little farm butter and olive oil in the hot, not smoldering, saute pan for a few minutes of rapid fire heat and stirring. Kind of a stir fry minus the wok and the gas burner.
The balmy weather will come when Mother Nature is ready to share some heat but until then, I have my own little touch of Spring dinner tonight...the power of combining positive thoughts with amazing ingredients= a fantastically enjoyable meal! Chow for now!:)