I Keep On Striving, Reiventing, Keepin' It Off the Cuff

Taco Talk - Lets chat briefly on the subject of tacos

Tacos have evolved into specialty food, therefore can be made and enjoyed in many different ways. 

Leftover roasted chicken thighs were put to good use by shredding and adding my homemade hot sauce to make a stewie moist filling for tacos.  I'm obviously not a traditionalist, although I come from a family of cooks who make dishes correctly.  Those who can't, get creative.  I am a believer in having fun with food, and if it's tasty, all the rules go down the drain.  Grilling the corn tortilla on a comal or griddle first before filling and folding over is one of my favorite ways, because you can do them all at once and it's quick. I appreciate the minimal taco when the meat is on point (see below).  In that case, just onion and cilantro are needed, with a squeeze of lime. 

Taco's can go wrong ...

I don't want to shame anyone, so I won't name the establishment but these tacos were recently purchased  from a small town restaurant in Kentucky. Firstly, the chicken is cubed, not shredded for easy tacoing.  It looks unseasoned and on a flour tortilla but it does appear to have some sauce.  The cheese is most likely pre shredded.  It's not horrible but I'm told it was not good.  You can screw up a taco is what I'm saying, but it's hard.  

Tacos from Walter's in Brooklyn - So, my bud ate these and said the shrimp was plump and tasty, but I couldn't get over that ugly brown sauce, which was supposed to be Verde.  The lemon, although makes sense with the shrimp, just feels wrong.  We need limes here. And I said it before but french fries as a side??  What world are we living in??  That being said, I could get down with a side of fries personally, but it doesn't make sense for their hoity menu.  We both agreed, you can take the traditional second tortilla and make 4 tacos or you can use the second to scoop all of your droppings.  If you just give one, we feel cheated.

Here is a great example of correct, perfectly made, goldilocks factor tacos from Truck and Trowel in Los Angeles, CA, owned and operated by my incredible, talented nephew.  Ty is famous for his burgers but has branched out to tacos this year.  When the meat is on point, then I believe going with two fresh, soft, warmed corn tortillas is best. 

 For more homestyle designs, I like to add the extras like cabbage, jalapeno, radish, cilantro, onion, etc.  Crema and crumbly mexican cheese are the best finishers but I'm not opposed to melting cheese on the tort either, or freshly shredded cheddar.  Iceberg lettuce also has it's place for crispy tacos. 

In the end, I like freestyle taco making, but you must include well spiced meat, fresh crispy toppings, a complimentary sauce, and lime for squeezing being conscious of your style of taco, meaning soft or crispy.

Enjoying the last moments of freedom in bed before going back to work from my shoulder injury.  

Slow and Low, That is the Tempo

Easy Oven Baked Ribs courtesy of Inspired Taste.net

I never make ribs and I'm not sure why.  They really are super easy and a fun alternative to chicken.  Spice them up, wrap them in foil with herbs and garlic and sauce them at the end.  These are made low and slow, so you get to have the anticipation factor.   I love things that take hours in the oven.  You feel like you're accomplishing something when all you have to do is wait.

Where this fresh summer corn comes from early, I'm not sure but it was indeed super sweet.  And this time I only steam boiled the brussels spouts in a garlic, lemon stock then finished with butter and Parmesan, to keep their freshness locked in and they really did taste and look like spring.  This removes all of the bitter taste as well.  These give a pure relief from the spicy rub and sauce on the ribs.  I made my own quick barbecue sauce with honey, ketchup, soy, hoisin, garlic, onion, mustard and hot sauce.  

Breakfast featured my leftover shake of banana, strawberry and yogurt  over grain cereal with fruit and nuts.

I'm Skittish!

Sing along!

brooklynfoodmonkey9 · I'm Skittish!

I'm skittish!

This city's givin' me the creeps!

I'm skittish!

The shit is gittin' pretty deep!

You're number came up,

said my husband,

Be more like Eckhart Tolle,

Don't mind what happens,

Dude gunned it at the corner,

eeeerrrk, crash!! (sound)

Hold up, Hold up

So, all day at work, I had the fear

That some evil darkness was lurking near 

So what happened was,

I was hit by a car

on my way home 

You get me so far?

Now I ain't some young girl of 20,

I celebrate  in decades,

Already had DIS MANY! (holds up six fangers)

it's hard to be old and on a bike

In a city that dismisses all us misses 

that's past our prime

Was there a stop sign there? as he jumps out the car.

Hell yeah Muthahf#c&er what you think I R? 

laying on the road, my limbs splayed out like a splat

You think bike tires work all jacked up like that?

I'm trying to figure out if I can get on my feet.

Seeing what's broken or if I've scraped any meat 

or if there's blood 

gushing out from my lady parts,

Just then a witness hobbles over screamin'

I sawer it from the start!  

He HIT YOU! 

He was in the wrong!

Go to the hospital, make him drive you home.

I say, I'd rather die right here on the street,

Then go to Brooklyn ER 

on a Saturday night!

Dude I'm Skittish!

This city givin' me the creeps!

I'm Skittish

Shit gittin' real deep!

Like Old School Will Farrell 

Gittin shot in the neck

I think I see Blue!

as I hit the deck

Yup, dat's him

and he's glorious

Can you stand up?

I say 

 

You're crazy Man!  

But it's gonna hurt like hell in days to come!

The guy asks me, Do you want a ride home,

I say, NO THANKS!

you 'bout killed me SON! 

So he called me an UBER and we stood by.

It's hard when your assailant is a friendly white guy.

But now I sent the bill and he's taken to the sky

Like Bloodstone

 

I love that song, you remember that song P?

Get back to it!

Now thinkin' back he mighta been drunk,

I shoulda cursed and screamed but instead I shrunk,

I don't know if it was entirely your fault

shot out my mouth like a lightning bolt 

like a Touretta Lynn,

I say stupid shit

when I get a little nervous, 

words squirt out like spit.

On the ride home I get to thinkin'

2022 tryin' to take me out!

With COVID and Long Haul and machetes about

in the subways and that's why I ride my bike,

you can't predict when a rando will strike.

I'm skittish!

This city giving me the creeps!

I'm skittish!

This shit is gittin real deep!

I'm just trying to get to heaven before they close the door

Bobby D knows WHAT we're living FOR!

I know old ladies can't rock like Flavuh,

but I'm shinin' up my words like 

BILLY JOE SHAVER!

I ain't giving up,

still wanna live my life

Get out the city, maybe head down south

Lay out on the beach with Mark and Tee

Our main man Nate, dogs Dais' and Scrappy

We got a 401k for when we retire

Can't quick now 'cause who will hire,

an old lady with very little skills,

 and less to admire!

So for now,

I'll go back to work and heal

Tell the story to my homies and stay GRATEFUL

They all listen and say 

girl, you might be cursed

But err'body's sayin' 

It COULDA BEEN MUCH WORSE!

I'm skittish!

Somehow after the accident, in a daze, I managed to make food.  Amy's Mac and Cheese fortified with broccoli, ham, onions and green beans.   

Editor's Note:  I survived but unfortunately today, on that same route to work, the same ride in time, a girl was fatally struck on her bike in Red Hook and didn't make it.  I had coworkers calling me frantic, all thinking it was me.  Ride safe and my heart goes out to the family that got that bad news today.  

It's Tricky

Taco Bowl

Trying to eat lighter?  Really want those nachos but can't trust yourself to eat a reasonable portion?  Two words, taco bowl.  Lots of lettuce on the bottom, meat and beans in center, corn, loads of pico.  Go on, have a few chips, this isn't prison! Just don't leave the bag out.  Then a small trick for the eyes is to shred carrots and cheese together on top so that it looks like much more than you're actually eating. Sssshh, don't tell my stomach.

When it Comes to Eats Well I'm the Fiend, I Like My Sugar With Coffee and Cream

We were off the chicken for a month or so but with thighs for $5 a family pack, it would be a crime not to take them. I baked half and poached the others also making a nice rich stock.

My sister had mentioned she had pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches from her deli and that sounded so good. But I forgot I had no BBQ sauce. Like pizza sauce, like many sauces, its easy to whip up your own but you forget just how easy.

First I made a quick roux in my cast iron pan with flour and oil and I toasted up cumin seed, chili and cumin powder. Then I added some chicken stock, orange juice and whisked that. Added a splash of red wine vinegar and a couple tablespoons of ketsup, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder and let it heat to bubbling. Robust and Amazingly simple.

For that extra umphh I added chunks of pineapple to the shredded chicken into the sauce and let it all marry before piling it on my toasted potato rolls. I don't suck tonight!! This dear friend is a winner! The way the heat of the BBQ sauce lights up when you chew into the sweet juicy pineapple and then get a bite of the roasted spicy chunks of chicken. And the comforting soft slightly toasted potato roll blankets each bite and mellows it all out.

Using my Cuisinart for ease I also made a Red Cabbage Green Apple slaw with carrots and red onion dressed just with EVOO and red wine vinegar and a little sugar. Perfect match.

I don't even want to look on the web and see if someone has thought of this already, the pulled chicken with pineapple. For tonight I want to believe that I alone came up with this winning combo. I'm out of this world, intergalactic, dyno-mite! Thank you, thank you. No, please, sit.

She's Crafty

We have these little bags of Trader Joe's nut mix with cashews and dried cranberries, roasted almonds around the house as snacks. P has been and will always be the popcorn king but I also throw in my little fairy dust in at the end too, which is the flavor. He was doing his M&M candy coated corn and I threw in two bags of the nut mix and a little cumin and cayenne, salt. Queue music. It's tasty, mighty tasty.

And because we both have the sense of humor of 11 year old catholic boys, I'm most proud that I named it P's Nut Sack Corn.

Yes Here We Go Again, Give You More, Nothing Lesser, Back on the Stove is the Anti-Depressor.

If menudo had a cute younger brother it would be pork posole. If pork posole had a smokin' hot girlfriend it would be chicken posole. Chicken posole made with chicken thighs. But this time made with no ham hocks or smoked turkey necks. This time made to be much lighter. By using the fresh cooking broth from boiling the chicken and flavoring it with celery, onion, garlic and peppercorns and also a good fragrant chili powder, this soup can be much lighter and just as flavorful.

But just like the other soups, chicken posole still cures what ails you (hangover), soothes the soul, and calms the nerves. Its like when someone is gorgeous and they're also super nice and comforting.


Be sure to have plenty of condiments on hand because this little gal likes to be topped with sliced radishes, cilantro, Mexican oregano, chopped onions and a big squeeze of lime. You can also throw on some cubed avocado. Kick it!!!