Birria Tacos

For the Birria Beef and Broth:

8 dried guajillo chiles

2 dried ancho chiles

1 dried arbol chile (can sub a Japonese chile)

3 large Roma Tomatoes

1 medium onion, quartered and peeled and trimmed of root ends

6 cloves of garlic, peeled but left whole

3 c beef broth

2 Tbs white vinegar

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano (if possible, use Mexican oregano)

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground coarse pepper (use 1/4 tsp for finely ground) 

1/4 tsp allspice

3 bay leaves

3 to 5 pound bone-in or boneless chuck roast

For the tacos:

Corn tortillas (yellow or white)

Shredded cheese for melting (Monterey Jack)

Cilantro and chopped white onions, for serving

In a large pot, add the dried chiles, tomatoes, onions, and garlic.  Add water until ingredients are completely covered.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook for 15 minutes until the chiles and onions have softened.

Remove the pot from the heat.  Carefully remove the tough stems from the chili.  With a slotted spoon, scoop out the chiles, onions, tomatoes, and garlic and transfer to a blender.  Add 1 1/2 c of the chile broth from the pot to the blender with the vegetables.  Add a lid and vent slightly to release steam (or vent in spurts, holding the lid down!).  Blend until very smooth.

Pour the mixture into the insert of an 8-qt slow cooker.  Add beef broth, vinegar, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, pepper, and allspice.  Stir to combine.  Add the bay leaves.

Season the beef lightly on all sides with salt and pepper and rub lightly into the meat.  Place the beef in the slow cooker, turning to coat in the chile mixture.  Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, or on high for 5 to 6 hours until beef is fall-apart tender.

Remove the beef from the slow cooker to a dish, discarding bone and bay leaves.  Shred the beef into bite-sized pieces.  Stir or whisk the consomé to recombine and spoon 1 to 2 cups of it over the meat.  Keep remaining sauce warm.  

To make the tacos, heat a skillet or griddle over medium to medium-high heat.  Dip a corn tortilla fully in the warm consomé and lay flat in the hot skillet.  Spread beef on half of the tortilla and top with cheese.  Fold the tortilla over the filled half and press down gently with a spatula as it sizzles and cooks on one side.  Flip and cook on the other side until golden and sizzling.  Remove to a plate or platter and repeat with remaining tortillas/tacos.  A four pound bone-in roast will make enough beef for about 20 tacos made with 6-inch corn tortillas. Leftover beef and consomé can be frozen in well-sealed bags or containers for 1 to 2 months.

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Loaded Burger Bowls

Special House Sauce:

3/4 c mayonnaise

2 Tbs ketchup or BBQ sauce

1 Tbs mustard (yellow or Dijon)

1 Tbs pickle juice brine from a pickle jar

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp sweet or smoked paprika

Cayenne pepper, to taste

Bowl Ingredients:

4 to 6 c chopped or shredded lettuce

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 to 1.5 c shredded cheddar cheese

1 c thinly sliced red onions (or caramelized or pickled onions)

1 c diced avocados

Optional: French fries or tater tots

Beef:

1.5 tsp coarse salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sweet or smoked paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 to 1.5 lbs ground beef

For the sauce, mix all the ingredients until well-combined and creamy.  The sauce can be made several days ahead of time and refrigerated.

For the bowl ingredients: prep and chop all the bowl ingredients and set aside (or refrigerate if prepping ahead of time).  If cooking fries, get those in the oven/air fryer!

For the beef, add the beef to a medium bowl.  Sprinkle in the seasonings and mix until evenly combined.  Pat the beef mixture into a large, thick patty, about 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick.  Heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat (if the beef is extra lean, add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan).  Place the beef patty in the hot skillet and let cook, undisturbed, for 1 to 2 minutes until well-browned (you want the beef to get delicious little crispy bits on the outside).  Carefully flip and cook for another minute on the other side.  Once both sides are browned, break the meat into 1-inch pieces and continue cooking until no longer pink.  Drain excess grease.

Serve the beef in bowls with the prepped vegetables and drizzle special house sauce on top!

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Orange Thai Beef Skewers

Marinade:

1 orange

1/4 c soy sauce

1/4 c seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 Tbs honey

1 Tbs sesame oil

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp coriander

4 cloves garlic

2-4 tsp Sriracha chili sauce

Steak:

1.5 lbs flank steak (freeze for 20 minutes before cutting to make it easier to slice)

skewers-- if using wooden or bamboo skewers, make sure to soak for at least 30 minutes before using

Zest the orange into a medium bowl.  Then cut the orange in half and add all of the juice.  You should have at least 1/4 c orange juice (more is fine!).  Add in the other marinade ingredients, adding the Sriracha to your liking.  Whisk to combine.

Slice the flank steak across the grain into about 1/4" slices, place in a zip-lock bag and pour the marinade in.  Gently knead the marinade into the meat, and place the bag in the fridge.  Marinate for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.

Preheat your grill.  Thread the strips of meat on the skewers just like you're stitching.  Avoid over-crowding and stretch the meat out a bit on the skewer to ensure even doneness.  Place them on the grill and flip halfway through.  They'll cook quickly-- only 3-4 minutes per side.  Serve immediately!

From Our Best Bites

Easy Ice Cream Dessert

3 quarts ice cream (favorite varieties are cookies and cream OR chocolate and peanut butter)

40+ Oreo cookies (3 sleeves, or one box plus some more) (OR Nutter Butters!)

5 Tbs melted butter

12 oz. jar hot fudge sauce

optional: melted peanut butter!

Mash up all the Oreos, then measure three cups of crumbs into a bowl and stir in melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moistened.  Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan (make sure it's a LARGE 9 x 13 pan, not a "not quite that size" pan) and place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.  While it's setting, take the ice cream out of the freezer so it will soften and be easier to handle.  

After 20 minutes, scoop half the ice cream into the pan and spread around evenly.  It doesn't have to be pretty!  Warm the hot fudge sauce (don't let it get hot, just gooey) and spread around in an even layer (you can add softened peanut butter to this layer, too, if desired!).  Sprinkle about 3/4 c of the Oreo crumbs over the fudge, then scoop the rest of the ice cream on top and spread.  Top with the remaining Oreo crumbs, cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and put everything back into the freezer to set.

If it's had time to hard-set before serving (this will keep in the freezer for up to two months), you might want to take it out 20 minutes before serving so it's easier to cut and serve.  

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Overnight Creme Brûlée French Toast Bake

6 Tbs butter

3/4 c packed brown sugar (light or dark brown)

2 Tbs maple syrup (real or pancake; or corn syrup)

6 to 8 1-inch thick slices French bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (not the crusts)

4 large eggs

1 c half-and-half

1 Tbs vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

Sweetened whipped (+ fresh strawberries or raspberries as desired)

Add butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.  Stir to combine.  

Lightly grease a 9X13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Spread the brown sugar mixture in the bottom of the pan and arrange the bread cubes in a single layer over the top.

In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla and salt.  Pour the mixture evenly over the bread cubes.  Cover the pan and refrigerate overnight (8 to 10 hours).

Remove the pan, uncover, and place in the cold oven.  Preheat the oven to 350℉.  Once the oven reaches temperature, bake for 30-35 minutes, until the bread is golden and the caramelly syrup is bubbling (alternately, you can bake for 20 minutes and then, using a large, flat spatula, flip the bread pieces and bake for another 10-15 minutes).

Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries.

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken & Vegetables

Main Stuff:

6 c broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 small or 1 large red onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 large bell peppers

1 c diced carrots

2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

Hot, cooked rice (optional)

Sauce:

6 Tbs olive oil

6 Tbs low sodium soy sauce

3 Tbs honey

2 tsp fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar

8 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

Couple pinches of black pepper

Preheat oven to 400℉.  Scatter vegetables across a large rimmed baking sheet.  Pat the chicken pieces really dry with a paper towel, place the chicken pieces over the top of the veggies.  Whisk together all the sauce ingredients until well combined.  Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and veggies, toss lightly to combine.

Bake for 15-17 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender.  Give a toss to separate chicken pieces and distribute the vegetables and sauce.

Season to taste with an additional sprinkle of salt and pepper, if needed (important!).

Serve the chicken and veggies warm over hot, cooked rice.

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Creamy Asparagus Pasta

8 strips of bacon, chopped into small pieces

8 oz. mushrooms (baby bella or white), sliced

4 c chicken broth

3 c milk, divided

12 oz. penne pasta

1 lb asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbs flour

1/2 c Parmesan cheese

In a deep, 12-inch skillet or in a large pot (or Dutch oven) cook the bacon over medium until crispy.  Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and drain all but a teaspoon of the bacon grease.

Over medium heat, add the mushrooms and season lightly with salt and pepper; cook until the mushrooms are browned and the liquid is mostly evaporated, 4-5 minutes.  Transfer to a plate (can use same plate as the bacon).

To the skillet, add the broth, 2 cups of milk, pasta, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer and cook for about 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally and moderating the heat so the mixture simmers but doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.

Stir in the asparagus and cook for another 4-5 minutes, until the asparagus is tender and the pasta is al dente but still firm (it will cook for a few more minutes later).  There will be some liquid left, that's okay.

In a blender, process the remaining 1 c milk, cream cheese, and flour until very smooth.  Gradually add to the skillet while stirring quickly to combine.  Simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Remove from heat, stir in the bacon and mushrooms.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese or sprinkle on top.  Sauce will thicken as it cools.

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe