Huevos (Eggs) Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

Corn tortillas – 2 per person

Eggs – 2 per person

3 tomatoes

1 medium onion

1-2 Serrano peppers (depending on how much heat you want)

Olive oil

Refried Beans (homemade or store bought)

Make the salsa

Chop the tomatoes, onion and Serrano pepper, sauté in a pan with a little bit of olive oil until tender; add salt and pepper to taste.  Turn off the heat and set aside.

If using store bought beans, heat them thoroughly.

Using a non-stick skillet add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet

Lightly fry the tortillas in the oil, just long enough for them to soften up; turn over once

Place the tortillas on a plate and spread the refried beans over the tortillas

Cook the eggs to your preference in the skillet (I prefer over medium, which is the traditional style), place over the beans and top with the salsa. Enjoy!

Pork chops with red and gold potatoes

Pork chops with bone in - I usually make 1 per person and a few others for leftovers
Season with salt, pepper, dried parsley, fresh lemon juice and any other grilling seasoning you like.
Grill 7 - 10 minutes per side (pork should always be cooked thoroughly)

Red and Gold small potatoes about 2 lbs.,washed, rinsed and quartered (so they cook faster)
In a pot add olive oil, enough to coat the bottom pan
Add 2 cloves chopped garlic
A pat of butter
Add potatoes
Sea salt, pepper and parsley flakes
Cook at medium heat uncovered for about 10 minutes and covered for about 10 minutes more or until tender

Serve pork chops with potatoes - Enjoy!

Spring Mix Salad with Balsamic Dressing

This is a favorite at our house, we make it for dinner and have leftovers for lunch.

Store bought spring mix salad
Sliced red onion
Crumbled feta cheese
Walnuts

Balsamic dressing
2 parts olive oil
2 parts balsamic vinegar
1 part dijon mustard (I buy the store brand, nothing fancy)
salt and pepper to taste
Place in a jar and shake

Serve dressing over salad and toss - Enjoy!

Lemon drop Martini - My favorite

Lemon Drop Martini

On the weekends it is very nice to sit back relax and have a nice drink, Vodka is my liquor of choice.

Place in a shaker
Ice
2 parts Vodka
1 part simple syrup (1 part water, 1 part sugar - heat until sugar is dissolved about 2-3 minutes, you can make this ahead and keep for about a week in the fridge)
1 part lemon juice (fresh squeezed tastes best, but you can also use bottled lemon juice)
Shake and serve in a martini glass - Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Tacos

Grilled Chicken Tacos
2 lbs. chicken breast, marinated - lemon, salt, pepper, dried parsley
sour cream
salsa (whatever you prefer, I will post a separate entry for salsa at a later date)
corn or flour tortillas
lettuce or cabbage

Grill the chicken and cut up into bite size pieces (you can also cook it stove stop on a skillet with a bit of olive oil)
cut up and wash the lettuce or cabbage
sour cream - add a bit of milk, salt and pepper and whisk until runny consistency (you know the kind that is drizzled over your tacos at a Mexican food place)
warm the tortillas in a pan (not in the microwave)

Fix your tacos, place the tortilla on your plate, add the chicken, lettuce, sour cream, salsa - Enjoy!

What am I doing?

Hi, I am a normal mom (if there is such a thing); I am married have two kids and have a full time job. I sometimes find it hard to balance everything, but I always manage to make dinner every night and pack lunches for the next day.
I have friends and co-workers who know that I enjoy cooking for my family and will ask me what I made for dinner the night before. I share what I cooked and will tell them "it's easy, I just threw this and that together and made dinner".  I have been asked to teach them how to cook and I some day plan to do that - when I have time. For now this blog, I hope will serve that purpose.
I know that there are several (hundreds) websites dedicated to cooking and tv shows with celebrity chefs; there are blogs about everyday cooking - but really, really are any of these for real people like you and me? I don't think so; most recipes require you to have a full blown pantry and hours and hours of time to prepare. I am not a chef or a cook; but based on friend's comments and feedback I am doing alright and can find my way around the kitchen.
I am not promising to blog daily, but I will try to at least do this when I have something new to post.
Claudia