sour cream – Page 4 – The Pajama Chef

SRC: Crockpot Barbacoa

October 18, 2015December 14, 2015 Sarah

Try this easy crockpot barbacoa for your next taco night! It sure tastes great. 🙂

It was a little surprising that I picked this recipe for this month’s edition of the Secret Recipe Club. Sure, I love Mexican food. That shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who has ever met me. The surprising part is that I don’t think I’ve ever had barbacoa, except in one or two bite tastes from my husband’s Chipotle burrito. What can I say? Pork or chicken or even–GASP–vegetarian > beef almost allll of the time in my life. But when I was selecting a recipe to make this month from Sashi’s blog, Get off the Couch and Cook, I was feeling like pulling my crockpot out of hibernation. Sashi has tons of other great recipes on her blog, but I must have been in a savory mood when perusing her blog because everything I seriously considered making was a dinner recipe! Hoisin Pulled Pork, Bean and Potato Tacos, Slow Cooked Pulled Pork… they all sounded amazing, as did the barbacoa. And honestly, I planned to make Sashi’s pulled pork, but the grocery store foiled me! There was nary a big hunk ‘o pork in sight, so beef it was. 🙂

I have to admit, that when reading SRC posts I don’t always click over to the original recipe but if you have a sense of humor, you should definitely read Sashi’s barbacoa post. It is hilarious! Especially the part about how she likes her meat… err, men. 😉 I think Sashi and I would get along well, especially since her husband sounds a lot like mine–he even contributes to her blog, OTT style, and his nickname on the blog is Mr. Onion-Hater! Ben hates onions too, though I think his tolerance of them is a wee bit higher. She doesn’t live all that far away, relatively, as I’m in Nashville and she’s in the Atlanta area. Fun times!

But anyway, back to the beef! This crockpot barbacoa isn’t exactly authentic since it’s cooked indoors in the crockpot [hence the name] instead of over an open fire, but it sure is easy and tasty! The only changes I made to Sashi’s original recipe was to reduce the amount of spice with the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I used two to her four, and that was plenty spicy for me. No burn but enough heat. This was a great meal to make on a lazy Saturday to enjoy during a football game. True to Chipotle, I served our barbacoa in soft tortillas with cilantro lime rice, guac, and loads of toppings. I know this will be a repeat meal at our house, and we’ll be devouring the leftovers for dayyys! Hope you try this out too! 🙂

one year ago: Pumpkin Bagels
two years ago: Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cake with Nutella Frosting
three years ago: Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce
four years ago: Pumpkin Brownies
five years ago: Cran-Tan-Oat Scones

Crockpot Barbacoa

Servings: 8
Time: 8 hours
Print

from Get off the Couch and Cook

Ingredients:

3-4 pound beef chuck roast
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lime juice [about 2 limes]
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
freshly ground black pepper
tortillas, for serving
rice, for serving [stir in some lime juice, chopped cilantro, butter, and a little garlic after the rice is cooked for a cilantro lime rice knockoff]
lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole/avocados, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc. for topping as desired

Directions:

Place the beef chuck roast in the bottom of a large crockpot. Pour chicken broth, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar over beef. Spread chipotle peppers and garlic on beef, then sprinkle with oregano, cumin, cloves, and freshly ground black pepper. Use the back of a spoon to rub seasoning into meat, then cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.

When beef is fully cooked, remove from crockpot and place on a large rimmed baking sheet or dish. Trim fat as necessary, then shred with two forks. Return meat back to crockpot and stir to redistribute the juices.

Serve barbacoa in tortillas with rice and other desired toppings. Enjoy!

Be sure to check out other recipes from the SRC this week here:

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

#HotSummerEats: Southwestern Cilantro Mac and Cheese

June 1, 2015May 31, 2015 Sarah

An easy, creamy baked macaroni and cheese with corn and tomatoes… and a kick of Southwestern flair!

Welcome to day 1 of #HotSummerEats! Don’t forget to read all about the event and check out the giveaway here. There are lots of great items up for grabs and I’d love for my readers to win. 🙂 </end plug> When I first started thinking about the concept of hot summer eats, barbecue foods were the first to come to mind. And thanks to the sweet lady who served as our cook in my sorority house in college [shout out to RV!], when I hear barbecue, I also think “mac and cheese.” She’d always serve BBQ chicken with mac and cheese, and that combo is fabulous!

There are several mac and cheese recipes that I love–a stovetop version and a baked version–but both can be kind of fussy and time consuming. In the summer, especially when preparing food for a party or barbecue, speed is imperative. So when I found a recipe for a baked mac and cheese dish that used sour cream and shredded cheese for the sauce, I was pumped! That is SO easy and sounded fabulous. I also stirred in some of my kitchen staples–canned tomatoes and frozen corn–to kick up this dish a notch.

For flavors, I used some Gourmet Garden stir-in pastes: cilantro and chili pepper. I’ve used these so much in the past and am so glad to say that they’re a sponsor of #HotSummerEats! They’re so easy and convenient to use, and add a ton of flavor in one easy package! The result? This mac and cheese was super cheesy, super flavorful, and super delicious! The easy sauce was just as tasty as some of its more fussy counterparts, though you do have to give it a good stir after baking to evenly distribute to cheese. Small problems though, when this dish is so good! I hope you love it as much as we do. 🙂

one year ago: Black Bean and Rice Soup
four years ago: Lemony Kale Pasta

Southwestern Cilantro Mac and Cheese

Servings: 8
Time: 60 minutes
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adapted from Good Cheap Eats

Ingredients:

1 pound cavatappi pasta
8 ounces Jalapeno Light Cheddar Cheese, cut into chunks [I used Cabot; a pepperjack would also work]
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded – divided
1 cup sour cream
1 – 10 ounce can diced tomato and green chiles, drained
1/2 cup corn, from an ear of cooked corn or frozen works too
1/4 cup Cilantro Paste – from Gourmet Garden [or about 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro]
2 tablespoons Chili Pepper Paste – from Gourmet Garden [or other spice like red pepper flakes or hot sauce, to taste]
Lightly Dried Cilantro – from Gourmet Garden, for topping [or chopped fresh cilantro]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees while a large pot of water comes to a boil. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Cook pasta until just under al dente, since it will cook further in the oven. In a large bowl, stir together Jalapeno cheese, half of the shredded cheddar cheese, tomatoes, corn, cilantro, and chili pepper paste.

When pasta is done, drain and add pasta to the sauce in the bowl. Stir together to combine, then transfer to the baking dish. Note: there will not be tons of extra sauce, just enough to coat the noodles. Place in preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Stir pasta and sauce together in baking dish to recombine and then serve with additional cilantro.

For more #HotSummerEats recipes, click the link below:

Disclaimer: Thank you to Gourmet Garden for providing samples and product to use for#HotSummerEats recipes without additional compensation. I was not asked to provide positive feedback. All opinions are my own. Please check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for more information on their products.

Main Dishes, Recipes, Salads, Sides, Vegetables

SRC: Green Goddess Dressing

May 17, 2015December 14, 2015 Sarah

A creamy, tangy dressing filled with lots of fresh herbs and onions… green goddess dressing is divine!

Hello, friends! What a week! We just moved and are getting settled in our new home. But I couldn’t miss out on the Secret Recipe Club this month so I made my recipe wayyy in advance. So unlike me. 🙂 This month I was given Jenna’s blog, The Painted Apron. Jenna is a lovely woman who gets to divide her time between Birmingham and Orange Beach, Alabama. She loves her family [just browse her blog for adorable grandkid photos! Awww.], football, and hospitality. My husband was very sad to learn that she’s an Alabama fan and wants to say GO BUCKS! OH! He’s a major Ohio State fan and is still basking in the glow of Big Ten > SEC victory in the National Championship last January.

All that aside, it was so fun to check out Jenna’s blog this month. Some of the recipes that caught my eye included: Creamy Corn Dip, Cranberry Salsa [must make at Christmas!], Cinnamon Roll & Sausage Breakfast Pudding [this would be an awesome dish to make while on vacation… we always stay in condos so low-prep recipes are great!], Apple Pear and Walnut Gorgonzola Galette, and Savory Apple Pie Quesadilla. I must have been in a fall mood when I browsed her blog, but I eventually settled on this great salad dressing. I know I’ll be able to enjoy it all summer long!

I’ve heard of Green Goddess Dressing before, but don’t really think I’ve ever had it before. Apparently it was concocted in the 1920s in San Francisco as part of a movie celebration. Fun! Truly, it reminds me of a more sophisticated version of ranch dressing. Creamy, herby, and tangy, this dressing is a fun creamy topping for salad. Traditionally, this dressing is made with sour cream and mayonnaise, but this time I used greek yogurt instead of sour cream because I had it on hand. We have enjoyed this dressing for the past two weeks on any and every salad we can find… but the first time, it was fabulous on a salad made up of red leaf lettuce, sauteed asparagus, sliced radishes, chickpeas, crumbled feta, and sliced hard boiled eggs. No matter how you serve it, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as we did! Thanks, Jenna, for a great recipe. 🙂

one year ago: Tropical Cake Mix Cookies
two years ago: Sweet Potato and Kale Egg Bake
three years ago: Reese’s Blondie Pie
four years ago: Sweet Potato Waffles

Green Goddess Dressing

Servings: 1.5 cups
Time: 5 minutes
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from The Painted Apron

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup chopped basil [or basil paste from Gourmet Garden]
1/4 cup chopped parsley [or parsley paste from Gourmet Garden]
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
4 tablespoons lemon juice [from about 2 lemons]
1 clove garlic, minced
crudites or salad, for serving

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a jar or small bowl, then process with an immersion blender until smooth. Serve as a dressing or dip. I enjoyed my dressing with this Asparagus and Chickpea Salad from A Nutritionist Eats [ingredients: red or butter lettuce, sauteed asparagus, sliced radishes, chickpeas, crumbled feta, and sliced hard boiled eggs].

Dressing keeps well in the fridge for about a week. Enjoy!

Check out all the other delicious recipes made by my friends in the Secret Recipe Club this month!

Breakfast, Egg Dishes, Recipes

SRC: Mini Egg Quiches

April 19, 2015December 14, 2015 Sarah

These adorable mini egg quiches are easy to make and full of great flavor!

This month for SRC I was assigned to the fun blog, Living the Gourmet. This blog was started by Catherine in order to pass recipes down to her children. Aww! Her daughter, Tammy, contributes recipes and son Michael does reviews and interviews for the blog. It’s truly a family affair! When I was looking through the archives, I found several tempting choices, including Feta and Jalapeno Corn Muffins, French Apple Tart, and these Mini Egg Quiches! Obviously… quiche won. 🙂

These quiche are much easier to make than the traditional variety. The “crust” is merely sandwich bread. SO smart! And the filling is totally customizable, as all good egg/quiche dishes should be. Here I stuck with Catherine’s suggestions: Parmesan, sundried tomato, garlic, and herbs. I also threw in some spinach for good measure. Ben and I enjoyed these for a light dinner with smoothies, but I think they’d also be fantastic for brunch, breakfast, or even a snack. They’re portable, tasty, and cute! What more could you ask for? Enjoy!

Mini Egg Quiches

Servings: 10 mini quiches
Time: 35 minutes
Print

from Living the Gourmet

Ingredients:

5-6 slices soft bread, edges trimmed [I used oatmeal bread]
4 eggs
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped [I used the dried ones from Trader Joe’s]
1/4 cup spinach, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
2 scallions, diced
1 teaspoon dried parsley [I used dill]
1/2 teaspoon baking powder [I accidentally left this out and they were fine]
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Grease 10 wells of a muffin tin with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Flatten bread with a rolling pin or your hands, then press it into the muffin wells, using about 1/2 of a slice for each. Bake the bread for 5-7 minutes, until just crisp. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. Fold in tomatoes, spinach, Parmesan, sour cream, garlic, scallions, parsley, baking powder, and pepper.

Divide the egg batter between the muffin wells. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set.

To see what my other Secret Recipe Club pals made this month, check out the links below!

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

October 13, 2014October 4, 2014 Sarah

Cute lil mini muffins filled with bananas and chocolate are perfect lunchbox treats!

Even though it’s pumpkin season, I bet you still have some brown bananas hanging about, needing to become banana bread, right?!? Well, next time you do, you will have to try these adorable Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins! I have a million banana bread recipes on my blog, and I love every one of them. 🙂 This one is no exception! Each muffin is full of mini chocolate chips and tons of banana flavor. You know how some banana recipes only call for one banana? That’s never enough, and this recipe knows it. That’s why it includes THREE bananas. Triple the banana love, folks!

These muffins are extra moist and rich thanks to the double dose of butter and sour cream in the batter. Is it weird that the first thing that came in my mind while typing butter and sour cream is, “boy, I’d like a baked potato.” Wait–don’t answer that. I guess I’m hungry. 🙂 While baked potatoes and banana muffins don’t go together, these muffins pair perfectly with a tall glass of milk or a cup of hot cocoa. Ben has become, can we say, a bit obsessed with chocolate milk recently, so he’d say you should serve the little guys with chocolate milk, but I say, drink whatever kind of milk suits your fancy. 🙂

Normally I prefer our everyday lunch/snack muffins to be on the healthy side, but sometimes you gotta live it up and enjoy the chocolate! 🙂 There’s plenty to go around!

Just look at all those mini chips on top! That’s why I love mini chocolate chips…spreading the wealth! YUM!

one year ago: Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cake with Nutella Frosting
three years ago: Roasted Vegetable Soup
four years ago: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Servings: 36
Time: 30 minutes
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from The Lively Kitchen

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana [about 3]
1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini muffin pans with paper liners or grease with cooking spray.

With a mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one by one, mixing well in between. Beat in bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Slowly mix in flours and baking soda by hand until just combined, then fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon into prepared pans and bake for 10-13 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. These freeze well!