Escalating Taco Month

Our desire to return to the basics intertwined with last April's theme, Escalating Pizza, for this series of six continuous weeks of taco escalation.

Week 1: Beef Hardshell

Week 2: Beef Double-Decker

Week 3: "Gorditas"

Week 4: Pan-Fried

Week 5: Taquitos

Week 6: Chimichangas

(weeks 3-6 subject to change)

Calzone Month- The Month That Wasn't

What was originally planned as a month of four different calzones (or more accurately, stuffed sandwiches) broke down in week 2 when it was juts too dman nice outside to not grill.

Week 1: Calzones

Week 2: Grilling!!!

Week 3: Philly Cheese Steaks

Week 4: First week of Escalating Taco Month

Breakfast month

Week 1: Pancakes

Week 2: Skillets

Week 3: CFS

Week 4: Breakfast Burritos

February: breakfast month

Ideas?

Wholegrain pancakes in the NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/16/dining/161mrex.html?ref=dining

January: Casserole

Jan. 30: tri-meat strata/aaron

Jan. 23: Enchiladas/billy

Jan. 15: Chicken Cordon Bleu/robby

Jan. 9: Shepherd's pie/aaron

Jan. 2: Lasagna/billy
1 box lasagna noodles
2 cups slow cooker pizza sauce(recipe below)
3/4 lb hamburger
3/4 lb spicy italian sausage
1 pint cottage cheese
3/4 lb mozzarella

1)boil pasta, brown meats
2)spread thin layer of sauce in 9x13 casserole pan, then layer 3 xs: noodles, sauce, meat, cottage cheese. top with final layer of sauce, then sliced mozzarella
3) back 3o min @ 350F

crock pot pizza sauce
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 12 oz can tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, hulled and crushed
3 Tblsp olive oil
1 Tblsp sugar
2 Tblsp dried oregano
1 Tblsp dried basil

mix thoroughly in crock. cook on low 6-10 hours.

Best of 2007- Calzones

Billy's pick for best of 2007- Calzones! I don't know why we haven't considered a calzones month before.

Best of 2007- Carnitas

My pick for best of 2007: pork carnitas enchiladas.

Best of 2007- CFS

The unanimous choice for best of 2007: Chicken Fried Steak.

Best of 2007- Chili Dogs

Robby's choice for best of 2007 is a selection from Concession Foods Month- Chili Dogs.

The Rest of Soup Month

Simply for posterity's sake...



Week 2: Potato Corn Chowder



Week 3: Chili (and damn good chili, if I may add)

Soup du Week- Minestrone

Yeah, I don't know what "week" is in French, but you get the jist. Up first in November is Minestrone. Hot damn, I can't wait!

Woktoberfest: The final two weeks

So what's up for this week? I think Pad Thai Shrimp seems like a really good idea. I've got a recipe already.

Last week we did Panang Curry Chicken. Y'know, just so we have a record of it on the blog

This Week: Mexican Fried Rice

Who says Woktoberfest has to be all about Chinese food? How about some nice fried rice with onions, peppers, tomatoes and pork? Sounds good to me.

Woktoberfest possibilities

I found some recipes I think I would like. A lot of them seem to involve shrimp.

Stir-Fried Thai Noodles

Pork Fried Rice

Traditional Mandarin Fired Rice

Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Thai Shrimp Curry

Pad Thai with Chicken and Shrimp

Wok Flashed Salt and Pepper Shrimp with Lemon Basmati Rice

Wok Stirred Shangai Noodles with Shrimp

Panang Curry recipe

Here's a basic recipe.

We should probably add some ginger and garlic, depending on how it tastes.

Ingredients:
2 pounds meat (beef, chicken or pork)
1 can coconut milk
8 oz panang curry paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons kafir lime leaves (cut into shreds)
1/2 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:
1. Cut your meat into bite sized cubes. Using a medium to large skillet, pan fry the meat until it is almost done, then remove it and set it aside.
2. Using medium heat, add in four tablespoons of coconut milk, and let it come to a boil.
3. Add in 2-3 tablespoons of curry paste.
4. Put the meat back in, and stir until the meat is thoroughly cooked.
5. Add in half of the remainder of coconut milk. Keep stirring.
6. Add the fish sauce and the sugar.
7. Add in the rest of the coconut milk.
8. When the coconut milk thickens, add in the basil leaves and lime leaves.
9. Give it a taste. You may need to add in more fish sauce or sugar depending on your preference.

Yummy.

Woktoberfest

As anything cooked using a wok is outside of my past experience of both preapring and consuming food, I will defer all meal-related decisions to Billy and Robby this month. So what are we eating thsi week, boys?

This Week: Beef?????????

What are we having tomorrow?

Also, I suggest that post-TT, we watch Troll 2 with Riff Trax.

This Week: 59-cent Tacos

So there's this place in Lincoln called King Taco, which used to be the Taco Inn at 10th & High. They have 59-cent tacos on Wednesday and Saturday, and that even includes sour cream. It's very convenient that their taco sale day falls on our Taco Tuesday day, and I imagine we'll be returning regularly.

This Week: Philly Chese Steaks

So we haven't really offiially decided whether this is Beef Month or specifically Steak Month, but week #2 keeps the option open.

This Week: Chicken-Fried Steak

What better way to kick of Beef Month than with one of the all-time Taco Tuesday successes, Chicken-Fried Steak?