Christina Shoup

Cherry & Nectarine Cake

May 22, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Memorial Day weekend is usually Crazy Town in our household – usually falling right in the middle of two special birthdays. Combine those festivities with typical end of the year school and sports events as well as one of our favorite music festivals in Napa, it’s never a dull weekend! This is a very different May, indeed.

Different, but I wouldn’t say dull – what with a backyard pool, gorgeous weather in the Bay Area and my favorite people around, I’m actually looking forward to it! To make it special and break up the monotony of spending so much time at home, I plan on all the pool floaties, music blasting on the speakers, fun trays of snacks, poolside cocktails and a strong vacation mindset. Mindset is KEY!

Also on tap for the weekend is my annual apricot jam making fest- it’s a house speciality and a gift I give all year long to friends and family. Our local bakery makes the most amazing sourdough country loaf and croissants- that combined with some high quality salted butter and apricot jam- and you’ve created yourself a little slice of Parisian heaven. YUM

And finally, since it’s peak cherry season, my cherry and nectarine cake is a simple and easily adaptable treat that I just made for the weekend- and you should too! It’s full of pantry staples and only requires a few ingredients. Turns out it’s a light after dinner treat but I think even more enjoyable with a morning or afternoon coffee! Remember, it’s that vacation mindset that allows for these kinds of treats.

Cheers,

Christina

Thick batter is a perfect base for fruit and almonds

Cherries and nectarines, berries are great as well

Raw slivered or sliced almonds and turbinado sugar make a perfect crunchy topping

Cherry and Nectarine Snack Cake

This easily adaptable cake takes only a few pantry ingredients and can be used with pretty much any fruit that is in season. My favorites include apricot, nectarine, cherry, or a combination of berries. It's not too sweet, making it a perfect pair with afternoon coffee or tea. I love the almond extract with summer fruits. Adapted from a butter cake recipe from Sunset magazine many years back!

Course Dessert

Keyword cake

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs room temperature
1½ tsp almond extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
1 cup cherry halves and thinly sliced nectarine about 8 cherries and 1 small nectarine
1 tbsp turbinado sugar
1 tbsp raw sliced or slivered almonds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter or use baking spray to grease a 9-inch pan with a removable rim.
In a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
Add eggs and almond extract and beat until combined.
Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat on high for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Scrape the thick batter into the baking pan and smooth with spatula.
Place fruit evenly over the batter and sprinkle with almonds and turbinado sugar.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool completely on a baking rack before removing the rim and dusting with powdered sugar.

Sweet and Smokey Baby Back Pork Ribs

May 20, 2020 by Christina Shoup 2 Comments

Let’s talk about barbecue for a moment… I am not a huge meat eater. We eat mostly chicken and fish, as well as the occasional pork products- bacon, pancetta and sausage. We buy beef almost entirely in the form of grass-fed ground beef for the purpose of flavorful chili and quick weeknight tacos, and even then it’s only 1-2 times a month. So, when I asked for a Traeger smoker for my 41st birthday, my husband was understandably curious about this request. What he wasn’t confused about was my love of saucy pulled pork. And fall off the bone ribs. As well as a good everything bagel with smoked salmon. Although these dishes aren’t ones we eat very often, somehow I felt justified asking for a smoker for a birthday gift — and a few years later, I’m sure glad I did. Because when the craving is strong, there’s not much stopping me! Plus, knowing how to confidently throw something on the smoker for a crowd (whenever we can have those again) is pretty badass, no?

An excellent birthday gift a few years back

One of the best things to come off our smoker in awhile were these baby back pork ribs — they were sweet and smokey, simple, mainly hands off, as well as left us with incredible leftovers. I used a common smoking method of 3-2-1… smoke for 3 hours, wrap and grill for 2 hours, and sauce for 1 hour. If you have strong opinions about how much work should be required to get the meat off the bone for the most enjoyable rib experience, this is most definitely not the method for you. I am not a fan of gnawing on bones or eating meat that is remotely chewy. I’d rather put effort into shaking a cocktail or properly buttering every inch of my cornbread. Priorities.

This recipe is very flexible- it’s really a method rather than a required list of ingredients. I only ask you don’t skip the smoked paprika- it’s key to this recipe! Change up the seasonings by adding an element of heat like cayenne to balance the sweet. Swap the yellow mustard for other varieties of vinegary mustards. The liquid is also very flexible. I recently used a diet Dr. Pepper because we are still under a shelter-in-place order in the Bay Area and quickly swinging by the grocery store for one item isn’t as easy as it used to be. The bigger question is- who drinks a Dr. Pepper anymore, let alone a diet one? This unfortunate beverage inevitably came from some team sports potluck that we hosted a while back as evidenced by how deep I found it in our beverage fridge in the outdoor kitchen. All I know is it worked well for these ribs.

And now at the end of May, and heading into summer and grilling season – consider adding this recipe to your weekend plans. You can also find this yummy potato salad on Food Family Friends recipe index- perfect dishes for Memorial Day!

Cheers,

Christina

Sweet and Smokey Pork Baby Back Ribs

These pork ribs are everything I want in a pork rib… fall off the bone tender, smokey and sweet, caramelized and sticky — and it feeds a crowd. This recipe was adapted from the Traeger Everyday Cookbook and uses a simple cooking method of 3 hours of smoke, 2 hours wrapped, and 1 hour with sauce on the grill. Best way to serve- with a side of potato salad, corn bread, and paper towels.

Course Main Course

Keyword pork ribs

Servings 8 people

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

3 racks pork ribs about 8 lbs
¾ cup apple juice, Coke, or Dr. Pepper divided
½ cup yellow mustard
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp smoked paprika
sweet mesquite seasoning I used Kirkland brand
½ cup brown sugar I used smoked brown sugar
⅓ cup honey warmed
BBQ sauce I like Kinders

Instructions

Smoke the ribs- 3 hours

Prepare the ribs by removing and discarding the membrane from the bone-side of the rib.
In a small bowl, combine mustard, ½ cup of the juice or soda, and Worcestershire sauce. Spread on both sides of the ribs, followed by the smoked paprika and enough mesquite seasoning to completely cover the ribs. Set aside on a rimmed baking sheet while you prepare the smoker.
Turn the Traeger to the smoke setting. Leave the lid open and wait for the fire to establish, about 4-5 minutes. Smoke the ribs meat-side up with the lid closed for 3 hours. Transfer the ribs to a clean baking sheet and set the grill to 225°

Grill the wrapped ribs- 2 hours

Place each rack of ribs in a separate piece of foil large enough to wrap completely.
Divide the brown sugar evenly among the racks, followed by the honey. Fold up the sides slightly and add remaining juice or soda. Carefully gather the two long sides of foil at the top and fold down tightly a few times. Fold in the sides a few times to tightly form a sealed packet.
Return foil packets to the grill and cook for 2 hours.

Sauce the ribs- 1 hour

Bring a rimmed baking sheet close to the grill, along with the BBQ sauce and a pastry or silicone brush. Using tongs, carefully open each packet and slide the racks onto the grill, taking care not to spill the liquid or burn yourself with the steam. Remove the foil to the baking sheet and discard.
Brush the meat side of the ribs with BBQ sauce and continue to cook for 30 min- 1 hour. They will likely (and hopefully!) be too tender to flip over to coat the back side of the ribs with sauce. This is just fine.
Remove ribs to a cutting board and after a few minutes of resting, cut between ribs as desired and serve warm or room temperature.

Crispy Pork Carnitas Tacos

May 5, 2020 by Christina Shoup 2 Comments

I’m not sure where my love of Mexican cuisine began, but it is no doubt my favorite cuisine. “Authentic,” not authentic, Tex Mex, Cal-Mex, it’s all my favorite. I’m lucky that my family likes things on the spicy side, so it gives me plenty of room to experiment with recipes using a variety of fresh and dried chilies, salsas and more. I trained them well, I suppose.

Since today is Cinco de mayo and Taco Tuesday, it is no big surprise in my house that we are having my favorite Carnitas Tacos with all the fixings. But, when those two fall during a pandemic and we are all home together, it’s a quiet feast in the backyard, just the 5 of us. The majority of the cooking is very hands-off — it just takes a bit of planning as the pork marinates overnight and the black beans as well as the rice for horchata both benefit from a good long overnight soak.

The menu:

Mezcal con Pepino (search for recipe on website)

Guacamole and Chips

Loaded Guacamole with CA avocados from The Good Fat

Carnitas Tacos

Overnight marinated pork shoulder with citrus and bay leaf

No extra fat needed- this crisps up perfectly under the broiler

Homemade Flour Tortillas

6 inch flour tortillas- perfect for tacos

Drunken Black Beans

My favorite brand of beans- the Midnight Black Beans are a gorgeous deep purple when soaked

Homemade Horchata

Basmati rice soaked overnight with cinnamon stick and vanilla bean

I cannot wait until it’s safe to gather again… I need to make this menu for friends and family! For now, I say cheers to my favorite people and thankful we have this time at home together.

Cheers,

Christina

Carnitas Tacos

These pork carnitas tacos are at the top of my most favorite foods. They are adapted from the famed tacolicious cookbook by Sara Deseran — one of my favorite cookbooks in my growing collection. The majority of this dish is completely hands off and with the crisping happening under the broiler rather than fried, it's full of flavor, not grease. We take the time to make homemade tortillas which takes this meal over the top delicious. It feeds a crowd, or in my house, a meal and some rockin' leftovers.

Course Main Course

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

4-4½ lbs pork shoulder cut into 1½-2 inch chunks; bone reserved
1 large onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, skins removed and smashed
5 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp kosher salt
3 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
2 bay leaves
5 strips orange zest
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½-1 tsp dried red chili flake
1 cinnamon stick optional

Instructions

The night before: Combine all ingredients in a large heavy pot with a lid. Toss to coat and place covered pot in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 300°. Give the pork a toss so it is evenly covered with marinade and place covered pot in the oven for 3 hours. Be sure to give the pork a quick stir once or twice over the 3 hours. When the pork is tender and pulls apart easily, remove from oven.
To crisp the pork: Move rack near the top of the oven and turn on broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack in the pan. Spray the rack with nonstick spray. Using tongs, remove the pork pieces from the pot and place on the rack, giving space between pieces if possible. Be sure to remove any large chunks of fat. Keep a close eye on the pork, broil until desired crispiness.
Serve pork with tortillas, cilantro, radish, cilantro, hot sauce and lime wedges.

Ben’s Tropical Smoothie

May 3, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Not bright orange like Jamba’s Mango-a-go-go, but with added flax meal, healthier and just as tasty!

Years before Jamba Juice was a thing, my hometown of Bakersfield had a local shop called Bagels and Blenders. It was a favorite in our family and on occasion, we began our Saturday mornings before sports and activities with a stop here. I still remember their Peanut Butter Bagel, an oblong shaped bagel with chunks of peanut butter throughout- something I’ve never seen anywhere else. Yum. They also had a giant list of blenders, aka smoothies, and those were delicious as well. Before there was much talk of carbs, this seemed like a good concept.

I distinctly remember thinking I was having a healthy breakfast! It was good fuel, for sure, but I cannot imagine what the crash would have been like with all those carbs…although I don’t really remember it being a thing. It was the 80s and this was health food at its finest. I have clear memories of our family making smoothies at home. With a family of 6, this was definitely a smart economic choice, which my parents were very good with. They usually consisted of fruit juice, frozen fruit and ice.

Fast forward to the opening of Jamba Juice in the early 1990s and smoothies were everywhere. What town didn’t have a Jamba Juice? Their early menus consisted mostly of fruit smoothies that had juice, frozen fruit and often sherbet or frozen yogurt. Basically – sugar, sugar, and more sugar. But it had fruit! So we were all good…

The most recent menu at Jamba Juice doesn’t look much like it’s original menu. The old saying – when you know better you do better, certainly applies here. The offerings now, thankfully, have many more redeemable qualities such as non dairy beverage instead of fruit juice, Greek yogurt instead of sherbet or frozen yogurt, and combos of veggies and fruits. It’s a refreshing treat that we can feel better about, but with the price of those jambas, it’s still considered a treat in our household.

The most healthy and economical option is to make smoothies at home. A good quality blender such as the VitaMix is invaluable and a worthy investment if you’re a fan of smoothies. For over 15 years, with few exceptions, our family has made a smoothie every single day – it resembles many of those you now see at Jamba Juice, but always with a balance of fruit, veggie, protein and often with added fiber. We’ve never used a recipe, so it’s been a challenge to measure out everything and think about serving size. I tried my best with the posted recipes, but I suggest that you use them as a guide. And before long, your family will come up with great combos that magically serves just enough for everyone to have a glass.

Cheers,

Christina

Ben’s Tropical Smoothie

Since my kids were little, they have always loved the Mango-a-Go-Go smoothie at Jamba Juice. With all that sugar from the juice and sherbet, who wouldn't? Here's a much healthier alternative. My youngest makes his own version with no measurements that rivals anything we have purchased at Jamba Juice. I did my best to copy his recipe!

Course Beverages, Breakfast, Snack

Servings 2 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 cup frozen mango chunks
½ cup frozen pineapple
1 banana
¼ cup plain Greek whole milk yogurt
¾ cup almond milk coconut or soy milk are also great options
¼ cup orange juice or 1 whole peeled orange
1 handful spinach optional
1 tbsp ground flax meal
1 tsp honey
2-3 ice cubes

Instructions

Place ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

April 30, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

As a typical kid who grew up in the 80s, we ate our fair share of fast food- namely Taco Bell and Burger King. A popular item at the King was a chicken sandwich (because we thought we were being healthier by eating the FRIED and BREADED chicken sandwich over the burger). It was such a simple item on the menu- soft bread roll, breaded chicken, mayo, romaine. If we were feeling fancy we got the “deluxe” which had sliced tomato and a slice of American cheese.

My mom would often make her version of the Burger King Sandwich which was so dang good it landed in our family recipe book, and below is my version of that version. 🙂 The components are the same: soft French roll, chicken cut or pounded thin and smeared with Dijon mustard, coated in breadcrumbs, and baked in the oven. Toast the roll, smear a good amount of mayo and top with crisp romaine lettuce. That. Is. It.

My version: brine the chicken breasts for a few hours (I only do this half the time), pat dry, spread Dijon mustard on both sides and coat in toasted panko breadcrumbs. Spray a baking rack with non-stock spray and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 400 degrees until cooked through and crispy- about 25-30 min.

Meanwhile, make your house sauce of mayo, sriracha, lime juice and a touch of salt. Split your rolls in half and spread a little butter or mayo on each side and sprinkle garlic salt. Toast the rolls till lightly golden. Assemble the sandwich with house sauce, chicken and romaine lettuce. Wait for your kids to devour your fast food.

Cheers,

Christina

Crispy Baked Chicken Sandwiches

This baked chicken sandwich is just as satisfying as the fried version, but without all the grease and mess! It's inspired by the childhood favorite of so many of us – the original chicken sandwich from Burger King. Although my kids don't know this fast food favorite of the 80s and 90s… they sure love Mom's fast food. Keep it simple with a smear of Best Foods mayo or play with a few ingredients and make your own House Sauce. It doubles as a great fry sauce for a side of baked sweet potato fries!

Course Main Course

Servings 4

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
4 tbsp melted butter divided
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp Italian seasoning optional
salt and pepper
4 soft French rolls
¼ tsp garlic salt
romaine lettuce
mayonnaise or house sauce

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°
Combine 2 tbsp melted butter, garlic powder, italian seasoning and panko on a rimmed cookie sheet. Toast in the oven until lightly golden.
After toasting bread crumbs, remove and set aside. Raise the oven temperature to 400°.
Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
On a cutting board, place chicken between two pieces of parchment paper and pound thinly. Season each side with salt and pepper. Brush one side with mustard and place mustard side down onto breadcrumbs. Gently press to adhere.
Turn chicken over and brush with mustard. Again, gently press the chicken into the bread crumbs to make sure it is fully coated. Cook chicken until fully cooked though and outside is crispy, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare rolls. Open each roll and place on a cookie sheet. Brush each side with remaining 2 tbsp of melted butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt. When the chicken has just a few minutes remaining, place the rolls in the oven to lightly toast. Alternatively, broil the rolls after removing the chicken from the oven.
After chicken is cooked, place on a clean cutting board and cut lengthwise so they fit into the roll. Smear mayo or house sauce onto roll, then place chicken and lettuce.

Recipe Notes

One of our favorite parts of this sandwich is the house sauce – it’s different each time, but almost always includes a combo of mayo, sriracha, honey, lime juice and a touch of salt.

Berry Banana Smoothie

April 27, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

I cannot count how many smoothies we’ve made over the years, but I can safely say it’s in the thousands. My husband and I made them almost daily when we were first married and haven’t stopped since. The early days of smoothie making always began with some frozen fruit and some type of liquid (usually rice or soy milk), but always had some mystery ingredient such as cinnamon or chili pepper and a few times tamarind. We got pretty creative. We even had dreams of pre-packaging smoothie “pouches” and marketing them. Almost 18 years later, from the looks of the freezer aisle and smoothie delivery companies, we were on to something. Oh well…

Fast forward 18 years and 3 kids later we are still making smoothies – literally every single day for 18 years, there is some sort of smoothie made in our home for breakfast, lunch, snack or accompanying a frittata for a quick and easy dinner. To say that our trusty and pricey Vita-Mix we’ve owned for almost 15 years was a good investment, in an understatement. Our only upgrade was one that we were gifted a few years ago and has multiple speeds which is pretty necessary if you use it for soups and sauces – high and low just doesn’t cut it for these tasks! Our Vita-Mix is an essential tool in our kitchen.

The funny part is for all these years not one person in our family has measured out ingredients. We can all successfully eyeball the ingredients and make enough smoothie for anyone in the house – either 2 tall glasses enough for a meal or 4-5 small snack glasses. In our house, there’s no such thing as making a smoothie for one…

Cheers,

Christina

Berry Banana Smoothie

This beautiful purple smoothie is both satisfying and packed with nutritious vitamins and minerals. Blueberries are high in fiber and vitamin C and the spinach gives the smoothie a boost of nutrition with vitamin C, folate, and iron. Bananas give a healthy dose of potassium as well as fiber. And a little Greek yogurt for protein makes this a perfect way to start the day or midday snack.

Course Beverages

Servings 2

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

½ cup almond milk
¼ cup plain, whole milk Greek yogurt
1 banana
1 heaping cup frozen blueberries
1 handful spinach
½ tsp honey
1 tbsp ground flaxseed meal
2 ice cubes

Instructions

Place ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Potato Salad

April 26, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

I don’t know about you, but I crave (and plan!) food based on the weather. The cooler weather and hunkering down in March and early April likely had many of us cooking comfort foods such as pasta and rice dishes, soups and stews, and ALL the breads.

But now in the Bay Area, and all over California actually, it’s unseasonably warm for the end of April. And what a welcome treat it is! The ongoing shelter in place order has us looking for more places to hang out other than inside our homes. Mother nature is begging us to take our work and free time outside!

This warm weather has our family cleaning off the outdoor grill and putting it to good use for some delicious, simple meals. Burgers, lemony chicken thighs, and fresh veggies are a welcome change. This weekend we are enjoying the aromas of the smoker going all day – sweet and smoky pork ribs are on the Sunday menu. And what better side to ribs than potato salad and cornbread!

It seems most people are strong pro-potato salad or not. Potato salads range from being bland and heavily dressed to being too sweet with chalky, flavorless potatoes. My mom made a great potato salad growing up that was always a hit- full of flavorful red skinned potatoes, crispy bacon and perfect bites of hard boiled egg.

When I spent time as an extern at Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park, CA – one of my prep jobs was to make the potato salad that ended up being served with the Chef’s ridiculously good fried chicken. This entailed smoking the baby potatoes and preparing the dressing. After being given a short list of a few key ingredients – homemade aioli, mustards, blanched celery, etc., my job was to “make it good.” Yes, that was the extent of the instructions. After awhile I became confident at making this on my own, knowing just how much this vs. that to put in. The ingredient that always surprised me was the balance of acidity to the creaminess. Just a dash more vinegar or lemon juice would transform the dish, “making it good.”

Here’s to warm weather, staying safe and keeping hope that we can all safely gather for summer barbecues when we can reasonably do so.

Cheers,

Christina

Potato Salad

Potato salad is the epitome of summer picnics and barbeques. This one is a family favorite and easily adaptable- we often add diced hard boiled egg and crumbled bacon. The key to flavorful potato salad is to properly salt the water!

Course Side Dish

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

3 lbs baby dutch potatoes, halved or quartered in large any thin skinned potato will work
½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsps dijon mustard
2 tbsps whole grain mustard
2 tbsps sweet pickle relish
1 tbsp champagne vinegar white wine vinegar works as well
2 dashes worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dried dill weed
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ red onion, finely chopped
½ cup diced celery
3 green onions, sliced

Instructions

Place potatoes and 2 tbsp of kosher salt in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook potatoes until easily pierced with a knife, about 12-15 minutes. Drain potatoes into a colander and place colander over the empty pot. Cover with a kitchen towel and let steam for 15-20 minutes.
While the potatoes are steaming, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, both mustards, relish, vinegar, worcestershire, dill, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Add red onion, celery and green onion and combine.
Add steamed potatoes and gently fold until the mixture coats the potatoes. Taste for seasonings. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to blend flavors. Taste before serving, adjust seasonings as desired.

Tex Mex Breakfast Burrito

April 18, 2020 by Christina Shoup 2 Comments

Healthy and delicious meal anytime of the day

It is no secret in my family that I could eat mexican food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One way to sneak in my mexican food craving first thing in the morning is to make breakfast burritos. I’ve made them a dozen different ways, but this meatless one is currently a family favorite. We usually keep it vegetarian by just adding eggs, cheese and spinach, but occasionally add leftover sausage or bacon.

My favorite way to heat up tortillas- insulated tortilla pouch for the microwave

This version made with soy chorizo has been the one that even the kids have requested. One didn’t know it was made with tofu, one asked for the sausage one with black beans and one asked for “that really yummy one you keep making” — all referring to this recipe. I told them all the ingredients and they still requested that I make it!

The best part of this recipe is how far you can stretch 8 eggs. With an entire can of black beans added, two big handfuls of spinach, and the soy chorizo — the eggs simply become part of the delicious mixture rather than being the star. And in this day and age where eggs can be hard to come by, this ratio is a lifesaver.

Cheers,

Christina

It’s easy to overfill these- don’t do it!

Fiery “orange sauce” from Tacolicious cookbook

Tuck the sides in and roll tightly- a warm tortilla is key!

Tex Mex Breakfast Burrito

This delicious meat-free breakfast burrito is filling and satisfying. The black beans and spinach add so many nutrients to this breakfast, making it the perfect fuel for any sport or activity you're off to. It reheats well in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel, or foil-wrapped from the freezer and popped in a toaster oven. This recipe makes about 5 large (burrito size) or 10 small (soft taco size) burritos.

Course Breakfast

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
12 oz soy chorizo
8 eggs
2 tbsp cream or milk
14.5 ounce canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups packed spinach
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 burrito size flour tortillas
hot sauce optional

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, cream and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a nonstick pan over medium heat, add olive oil and squeeze the chorizo from package. Break up with a wooden spoon and cook until crumbly and slightly browned.
Add black beans and stir to combine.
Add spinach and gently fold into bean and chorizo mixture. It will wilt down considerably in a matter of minutes.
Make a small well in the center of the pan and melt the butter. Stir to combine.
Add egg mixture to pan and gently stir and fold mixture until egg is just set.
Sprinkle cheese over top, gently fold and take off heat.
Heat tortillas and divide egg mixture among tortillas, adding hot sauce if desired. Fold ends in and roll into a burrito.

Smoky Black Bean Dip

April 15, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

I’m a sucker for a good bean dip, but then again, who isn’t? Good old fashioned 7-layer Tex Mex bean dip is one of my all-time favorites. But a hot bean dip? Move over friends… I’m diving in. I have a couple favorite recipes, but this one combines them into one — and like all respectable bean dips, it feeds a crowd.

Whether you are still making grocery store trips fairly frequently — albeit, all masked and gloved up during this pandemic, and can get all the ingredients, or you are trying your best to cook out of your pantry, this dip deserves a place in your cooking routine. You likely already have most of the ingredients or have a great alternative to successfully make this cheesy goodness. It would also be a great addition to your next Zoom cocktail hour, family game night or Netflix binge. Either way, enjoy!

Cheers,

Christina

Saute onion (shallot used here) in olive oil

Add garlic and saute until it smells delicious

Add spices, tomato paste and spice element- harissa paste is used here

Liquid added and combined- vegetable broth used here

Add beans and smash as many as you feel like!

Shredded cheese in the mixture and on top makes for cheesy goodness

Smoky Black Bean Dip

This crave-worthy dip is easily adapted to what you have on hand- feel free to experiment! Try swapping shallot for the onion, pinto beans for the black, harissa paste for the chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, or even adding in defrosted frozen corn after you smash the beans. This one makes enough for a crowd, or in my case, enough for a big family with teenagers, as well as leftovers. Serve with tortilla chips or over a baked sweet potato for a healthish meal.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword beans, dip

Servings 8

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 canned chipotle chile, finely chopped omit for less spicy dip
2 Tbsp adobo sauce
1 cup liquid (vegetable stock, chicken stock or water)
2 28-ounce canned black beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper, to taste
1 ½ cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 green onions, sliced

Instructions

In a cast iron pan over medium heat, heat olive oil and saute onions until golden.
Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Add paprika, cumin, cayenne and a big pinch of salt. Saute for 30 seconds.
Add tomato paste, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce. Stir to combine.
Add liquid and combine.
Add beans. Using the back of a wooden spoon, gently smash about half of the beans.
Add 1 cup of the shredded cheese and mix to combine.
Top the bean mixture with the remaining cheese and broil until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Top with cilantro and green onion. Serve hot.

Freshly Baked Muffins, Anyone?

April 14, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Refrigerator Bran Muffins- fresh out of the oven

As we continue our 5th week of Shelter in Place here in the Bay Area, a bit of the panic has worn off and we have all begun to find our new normal. Many of us have celebrated a major holiday or birthday that looked a lot different than in years past. We’ve figured out how to creatively connect with friends and family from a distance — they’ve become our most important meetings of the week. And we’ve got our food delivery service or grocery trips figured out by now and perhaps even secured a highly sought after item like flour or toilet paper.

For those of us with kids, we are also adjusting to the new normal of the kitchen apparently being open 24/7. Shelter in place hasn’t made them require more food, boredom and proximity to the kitchen has. They want to eat ALL the time and because my kids are between the ages of 10 and almost 15, someone is almost always in the kitchen making something. This is awesome, but also requires constant clean up of which they are still developing their skills! 🙂

One way to keep ahead of the mess and provide an easy and healthy snack for everyone is to keep muffins on hand. Even more satisfying than pulling muffins from the freezer, is baking a fresh batch on a whim.

Years ago, my mom must have felt the same way because I can hardly remember a time when this muffin batter was not in the refrigerator, ready to be scooped and baked by one of us kids. I have no idea where the original recipe came from- maybe the side of a cereal box, a newspaper clipping, or a neighbor’s recipe index card- but in my family, it comes from our family recipe book my mom made each of us kids many years ago. It calls for Crisco- so you can imagine which decade it is from. I replace it with unsalted butter 100% of the time. I’ve skipped the raisins before, but they add a much needed sweetness to the muffin. I’ve used pecans instead of walnuts, and have even substituted raisin bran cereal for the bran flakes and raisins. One ingredient that is a must, is the All Bran cereal- those dry looking fiber sticks pretending to be cereal? Those ones. They are easily found at your local grocery store as well as Trader Joe’s. And it’s worth buying the whole quart of buttermilk instead of making your own with milk and lemon juice- you use the entire carton for this recipe!

I just put a batch of this muffin batter in the fridge, but not before scooping out enough for everyone to have an afternoon snack. And there’s a good chance that one of us will do the same for tomorrow’s breakfast or mid-morning snack, minus all the dishes and clean up! I hope you make this recipe and it’s a help to you and all of your kitchen scavengers during shelter in place.

Happy snacking,

Christina

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

These muffins are perfect for breakfast or snack anytime of the day. It is so satisfying to scoop out just the right amount of batter when you are craving a fresh muffin- the batter keeps for several weeks in the refrigerator. These muffins also freeze beautifully!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Keyword bran, muffin

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

5 tsp baking soda
2 cups boiling water
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 quart buttermilk
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp kosher salt
3 ¾ All Bran cereal
2 cups bran flakes
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Set aside.
In a very large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl as needed.
Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated.
Add buttermilk slowly and mix well.
Add soda water slowly and mix well.
Add the following ingredients, mixing well between each addition: white flour, whole wheat flour, salt, all bran, bran flakes, raisins and walnuts.
Pour into an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. Will keep for 2-4 weeks.
When ready to bake a fresh batch of muffins, preheat oven to 400°. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Do not stir down the batter. Using an ice cream scoop, fill the muffin tin ¾ full. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.