I’m not usually a “salad for dinner” kind of girl. But when summer hits full boil here in Phoenix, salad recipes are all I can think about. Salads are quick, easy and there are no rules to follow; you just throw in what ever sounds good at the time. This Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad with Candied Walnuts is not only what sounds good this time, but it’s all I have this time.
Apparently, I didn’t do that great of a job shopping before I went into the hospital for knee surgery. I found a strange collection of ingredients in the fridge when I got home: left over pizza, dried out chicken nuggets and really smelly chinese food. All signs that my family survived any way they could… by eating take-out. The big bag of salad greens I purchased is still sitting there, looking a little sad. I must have been under the influence of pre-surgery medication when I bought it. I had these images of my husband sitting around, munching on salad and marveling at its crisp, summery, freshness while I was in the hospital eating reconstituted beef bullion and rubberized pork chops.
However, there is a big patch of really fresh strawberries in the fridge that wasn’t there before. He probably picked them up at the grocery store on one of his “emergency runs” for ice cream (the evidence is in the trash can). So, I mixed the strawberries and bag of greens with creamy goat cheese from the fridge (every Southwest cook has goat cheese in the fridge) and candied walnuts from the pantry for a fresh summery salad that made me feel so happy to be home.
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I haven’t joined the Meatless Monday movement yet, I’m easing into it slowly. This recipe for guacamole tostados is an easy way to get started. It’s delicious and you won’t even miss the meat.
I just took a cooking class with one of Phoenix’s top chefs, Silvana Salcido Esparza, chef-owner of the Barrio Cafe. The Barrio is one of the best modern Mexican restaurants ever. Along with preparing a fantastic menu with new twists on great Mexican food, she shared her tips for the Barrio’s guacamole. Her guacamole is so good, it has been featured in several magazines including Vanity Fair!
Now, I know what you’re thinking.
“Guacamole is guacamole. It can’t be that different.”
That’s what you think right now. Just wait until you try guacamole from the Barrio!
All the talk about guacamole reminded me of how much I love guacamole tostados. They are hard to find on the menus of chain restaurants. I guess they’re an Arizona thing just like cheese crisps, chimichangas and green corn tamales. When you do find them, they are usually covered in refried beans (which is great if you like beans but, we all know how I feel about beans). I did add them to mine today, though, for Meatless Monday. I like Donna’s Black Bean Puree because the enchilada sauce and the salsa add a great flavor.
Now, the key to a perfect guacamole tostada is, of coarse, the guacamole. Here are Chef Esparza’s tips for the best guacamole:
You’ll have to wait to see what her secret ingredient is!
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I’ve found it. Enchilada Heaven. It’s been right under my nose and I never even suspected it. Blanco Tacos + Tequila on Scottsdale Rd. puts a modern spin on traditional Mexican and Southwestern food.
Cheese Enchiladas with Creamy Ancho Sauce
I drove by Blanco the other day. The bright blue umbrellas over the patio tables caught my eye. They look so fun, like they’re saying, “Hey! The beach is right over here!” I found myself wishing I had time to stop. Not today though, too busy as usual. Secretly, I was glad for the excuse to keep going. Blanco is one of my favorite Tucson restaurants and to tell you the truth, I have been afraid to try the Blanco Tacos + Tequila that opened here in Scottsdale. What if it isn’t as good as the one in Tucson? Can’t live up to expectations? So, I just on drive by.
Yesterday, after an incredibly long and hectic couple of months, I decided I had to get away. You know, like that Pina Colada song. So, I called my husband and told him to meet me at Blanco to “plan our escape.” He was even more reluctant to try Blanco than I was, but for different reasons. He’s not a fan of “modern” Mexican food. He’s an old school, Mexican food lover. You know, the “brown, hot and plenty of it” kind that’s not really authentic Mexican at all, it’s more of a Southwestern border invention. Pleasing both of us could be impossible.
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Huevos Rancheros Recipe
You just can’t have a southwest food blog without, at some point in time, having a recipe for Huevos Rancheros. It is THE classic southwest breakfast food, and one of the finest breakfast-for-dinner dishes out there. It is also a perfect “desperation dinner” that you can throw together in just a few minutes.
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