Belgian Waffles with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

We bought a waffle maker! Best $20 we ever spent... although we are trying to ignore that this purchase may make has already made us fatter! The next variation we hope to try is fried chicken and waffles... ha!

I have so far experimented with 2 recipes, and liked this one the best. They were fluffy yet crisp. My favorite toppings are strawberries and whipped cream, so I sliced strawberries and whipped up some cream for the toppings. I also sprinkled sugar on top :)

I may try this recipe again with 1/2 butter and 1/2 vegetable oil. I think with some added butter flavor, they would be even more delicious!

Ingredients

3/4 c. flour
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. buttermilk (or regular milk if you don't have buttermilk on hand)
1/4 c. milk
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 egg, separated into yolk and white
1 1/2 t. sugar
3/4 t. vanilla

Instructions.

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir in buttermilk, milk, oil, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whip egg white and sugar in a separate bowl. Fold into batter mixture. Pour onto waffle iron. With our waffle iron, 1/3 c. batter is needed for each square waffle and the waffles are ready after 5 minutes in the waffle iron.

BALT sandwiches

Simplest recipe there is! Bacon, avocado, lettuce, and tomato stacked between two pieces of bread! A little mayo on the inside and butter on the outside, grilled to perfection. So simple and so delicious!

Goat Cheese Salad

Our favorite meal in Alsace this summer included a goat cheese salad. I was so happy to be able to recreate it at home, and it certainly was delicious. We ate it alongside TJ's Alsatian tart... yum!

This recipe makes 2 salads.

INGREDIENTS

• • 1 demi-baguette
  • 1 5 oz. log of goat cheese
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/2 c. corn
  • 1/4 c. diced pancetta, browned
  • 1 persian cucumber, sliced
  • mixed greens
  • salad dressing

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Slice baguette into 6 1/2 inch slices. Toast the slices.
  2. Slice goat cheese into 6 1/2 inch slices. Place each slice on top of a slice of baguette. Toast again.
  3. Toss together mixed greens, corn, sliced cucumber, and salad dressing. Distribute evenly onto two plates.
  4. Place tomato slices on top of the greens. Top with the browned diced pancetta.
  5. Place toasted goat cheese bread slices on top of the salad. Serve.

Easy Fudge

This is one of the easiest desserts I have ever made. And it's delicious. I opened a can of sweetened condensed milk to make a Vietnamese coffee recipe, and I had no idea what to do with the rest. Considering the nutrition facts, I wanted to just throw it away, but I figured as long as I didn't use the WHOLE can, it would be okay to eat it. So, I used part of it in this fudge and it was delicious!

The pecans and white chocolate chips are optional and could be replaced by other items you may want to eat in your fudge. If I had marshmallows, I would have added them to make a rocky road fudge, but I didn't have any.

Note: This recipe makes one very small batch of fudge. If you want to make a lot for gifts or for a large party, double or triple the recipe.

Ingredients

4 to 5 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 t. vanilla
pinch of salt
1/4 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. white chocolate chips.

Instructions

1. Over low heat, melt chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Stir in a pinch of salt. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts, white chocolate chips, and vanilla.

2. Spread into parchment-lined small loaf pan (mine is probably 2"x4" or something similar). Chill 2 hours or until firm. Slice, eat, and enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream

We rarely make homemade ice cream. I find that the ingredients are usually expensive, and it is time consuming to make. However, when I tasted Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream while we were in Munich, I knew I would be making a batch when I got home. The combination of strawberry and rhubarb is one of my favorite summer flavors, and I had never seen the two combined in an ice cream before.

I found a recipe online, here. The website listed two recipes, one for an ice cream and one for a sorbet. I made the ice cream. I followed the directions but made a few changes. First, I put the entire batch of "strawberry rhubarb puree" into the ice cream. Second, I blended the custard base in a blender before adding the puree because it became a strange consistency after heating. Custards can be challenging, and I'm not sure if I over-whisked the yolks, over-heated the cream, or over-heated the mixture of the two of them. Whatever it was, the Ninja saved the day! I just poured the mixture in, whipped it up, and the result was a perfect ice cream base.

I liked that this recipe used half and half instead of cream both because it has less fat and is less expensive. Also, it called for a lot of egg yolks, so I will be making another dessert soon with meringue/marshmallow frosting... my favorite! Or maybe I should make homemade marshmallows? we'll see!

Here is the recipe for the Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream:

INGREDIENTS

• Strawberry Rhubarb Puree

  • 3 stalks rhubarb, ends trimmed and sliced
  • 2 cups sliced hulled strawberries
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar

• Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream

  • 1 3/4 cup half and half
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 3/4 cup strawberry rhubarb puree

INSTRUCTIONS

• Strawberry Rhubarb Puree

  1. In a large saucepan, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, water and sugar over low heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb and strawberries have broken down and the liquid is thick, 20-25 minutes.

• Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream

  1. Heat the half and half on medium heat in a medium saucepan. While the cream is heating, whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar together. Be careful not to over-whisk. Once the cream is simmering, slowly pour it into the egg yolks and sugar while whisking.
  2. Pour back into the saucepan and turn the heat down to medium low. Stir in a figure 8 motion for several minutes until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. If the consistency is not creamy, pour mixture into a blender and blend. Stir in the strawberry rhubarb puree.
  3. Allow to chill completely in the refrigerator. Prepare in an ice cream machine. Enjoy!

Gnocchi with Feta

In Salzburg, we enjoyed the wonderful music of the Salzburg Festival. We did not originally plan to be in Salzburg for the festival, but our timing worked out perfectly. Our two nights in Salzburg fell on the two opening nights of the festival, which featured many free live music events.

For dinner, we dined at a restaurant next to one of the concerts and ate a delicious gnocchi with feta and vegetables.

Last night, I made a copycat-ish recipe at home. It was delicious!

Ingredients
2T. olive oil
around 2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes
around 10 leaves of basil, chopped
salt and pepper
1 package of gnocchi
4 oz. feta cheese, roughly chopped

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Put olive oil in the bottom of a small baking dish. Add tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, and roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Boil a large pot of salted water.
3. Near the end of the tomato roasting, put gnocchi into the salted boiling water. Watch as gnocchi rise to the surface, and then let them cook 2 more minutes. Drain the gnocchi, reserving a spoonful of the cooking water.
4. Add tomatoes and roasting juices to the pan with the reserved cooking water. With the back of a spoon, smash the tomatoes. Then, stir in gnocchi and feta. Stir until much of the feta is melted, resulting in a cheesy sauce. There should be some small chunks of feta remaining with the gnocchi and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with garlic bread and a Greek salad.

Ginger Mojitos

The perfect refreshing summer beverage you've been looking for... ginger mojitos! They were a hit at our July 4 celebration. 

Here's how to make them: 

Boil 1 c. water, 1 c. sugar, and 1/3 c. grated ginger until sugar is dissolved. Throw in a cup or so of fresh mint leaves. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, and then strain out the ginger and mint. You will be left with a ginger-mint infused syrup. 

Then, put 1 part syrup, 1 part freshly squeezed lime juice, and 2 parts rum in a pitcher. Stir well. Add as many parts as you want of sparkling lime water (I added 4 parts). Then, add a lot of ice. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired. Enjoy! Happy Fourth! 

I'll be back soon with exciting new European adventures... 

Creamy Jalapeno Dip

This dip is a copycat recipe from Chuy's (one Austin/now Dallas restaurant we really miss!) Eat it as a chip dip, taco sauce, or get creative and top something else like a burger or salad with it. It's really delicious so enjoy! 

Mix together: 
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 can chopped green chiles (in a can)
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped jalapenos 
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

Vanilla Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

I love cupcakes. Love them, love them, love them.

These were delicious! This recipe makes only 11 cupcakes, so it is perfect when you don't want too many cupcakes.

Moist Vanilla Cupcakes

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
1 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda

Boil butter and water. Add sugar. Stir until dissolved. Let cool. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir. Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir until combined. Pour into lined muffin tins and bake at 350 for 18 minutes. Enjoy!

Marshmallow Frosting

2 egg whites
1/4 t. cream of tartar
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

In a double boiler (or using a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water) combine the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Whisk the mixture frequently until it is very frothy and measures approximately 160 degrees. Carefully add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the egg mixture holds stiff peaks and is a light texture (several minutes). Carefully fold the vanilla into the egg whites mixture.

Pasta Carbonara

Inspired by a magazine article and our Italian friends Sarah and Emilio, I set out to make Pasta Carbonara on Sunday evening. Upon googling "Pasta Carbonara", Pioneer Woman's version surfaced quickly. I usually trust her recipes, so I thought at first I would make hers, until I remembered Emilio's insistence that Carbonara have as few ingredients as possible. So, I did a little more research and came up with my own method/recipe that turned out wonderfully! 

Serves 2.

Ingredients 

1/2 lb. pasta

6 slices thick cut bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch square pieces

1 clove garlic

3 eggs

3/4 c. shredded pecorino-romano cheese

freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Boil a large pot of heavily salted water. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. In a large bowl (can be the same bowl you plan to serve the pasta in), whisk eggs and 1/2 c. cheese, along with some freshly ground pepper. Put pasta into boiling water. Cook bacon pieces in the skillet for about 4 minutes, until crisp. Add 1 clove garlic near the end. When bacon is cooked, remove it from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. When pasta is al dente, reserve 1 c. of the pasta water and drain. Stirring constantly, add the pasta slowly to the egg and cheese mixture. A nice sauce will form over the pasta. Add a tablespoon or so of pasta water if desired for a creamier sauce. Stir in bacon and garlic, and top with pecorino-romano. Enjoy! 

Oatmeal Cookies

These are grandma's oatmeal cookies... the best.

Ingredients

• 1 c. butter
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. soda
• 3 c. quick oats
• 1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional) 
• coconut (optional) 

Instructions

Thoroughly cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Add oatmeal and nuts if using. Divide dough in half on parchment or waxed paper, and shape in rolls (long cylinders). Wrap and chill overnight and freeze. Slize 1/4 inch thick and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes. 

Beef Enchiladas

If there are any readers left out there, I finally had the energy to post a new recipe! It was pretty delicious, so here it is... beef enchiladas, tex-mex-ish style! 

First, make the enchilada sauce:

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

1. In large saucepan saute garlic in oil for about 30 seconds.

2. Stir in flour until smooth; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

3. Stir in chili powder.

4. Gradually stir in broth, tomato sauce, oregano, salt and cumin.

5. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Then, make the meat and assemble the enchiladas: 

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 a medium onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 T flour
• 1 T chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can rotel
• 1 recipe enchilada sauce
• 8 large habanero-lime tortillas (Trader Joe's brand)
• 12 oz. (approximately) Mexican blend shredded cheese
• Sliced green onion
• Sliced avacado

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1 clove of the minced garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Break up chunks of meat as they cook. 

Drain the fat from the beef and return the meat to the pan. (I skipped this, ha!) Add flour, chili powder, cumin, salt, and stir. Add stewed tomatoes and stir again. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour about 1 1/2 c of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13x9” baking pan. Place tortillas on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat for 30 seconds. Tortillas will soften. 

Scoop about 1/4 c. of beef mixture on a tortilla. Sprinkle a little of the shredded cheese over the filling. Roll tightly and place in the baking pan, seam side down. Repeat for remaining enchiladas. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake about 30 minutes. Garnish with green onion and avacado slices.

 

Salisbury Steak

Tonight, Jamie and I enjoyed Salisbury Steak, which I modified from Pioneer Woman's recipe (find her recipe here.) I decided to try this recipe because our good friend Ilene said that she made it and enjoyed it, so I thought I'd give it a try. Jamie was glad I did :) It was delicious! He said he would give it a B because the sauce didn't quite thicken (I think I should have just waited a little bit longer... I need more patience with sauces!), but we both really enjoyed it regardless. I served it with mashed potatoes, salad, and freshly baked bread. Here is my modified version of the recipe. Enjoy! Oh, and European Vacation Posts are coming soon!

Ingredients

Meat Mixture

3/4 pound Lean Ground Beef
1/4 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs
1/2 cube Beef Bouillon, Crumbled
3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Tablespoon Ketchup
Salt And Pepper

Gravy

1 whole Onion, Halved And Thinly Sliced (or Diced If You Prefer)
2 cups Beef Broth
4 dashes Worcestershire (additional)
1 Tablespoon Ketchup (additional)
1 teaspoon Corn Starch
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients for the meat mixture and mix well with your hands. Form into 3 oval patties, then make lines across the patties to give them a "steak" appearance.
2. Fry in a skillet with about 1 T. oil and 1 T. butter over medium-high heat on both sides until no longer pink in the middle (about 4-5 minutes per side). Remove from the pan and pour off excess grease.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add sliced onions. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire, and ketchup. Stir and cook over medium-high heat to reduce.
4. Take about 1 T of the sauce out of the pan, and add about 1 t. cornstarch. Stir until dissolved, and then add back to the sauce to give the gravy a little gloss and to thicken it up a bit.
5. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed.
6. Return the steaks to the gravy. Spoon gravy over the top and let them simmer and heat back up for a couple of minutes.
7. Serve with mashed potatoes and peas or salad.

Fruit Tart

This fruit tart is so simple and delicious! It can be made with a mix of berries, or a single type of berry. My original recipe (from Kate Carr :)) says to just use strawberries, but I had a medley of berries I needed to use up, so I used strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Perfect for the Fourth of July! 

All you need is:

2 c. fresh fruit
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. flour
pinch of salt
1/2 c. apple jelly 

And all you need to do is:

1. Cream the butter and sugar. Add flour and salt to form soft dough. Press into bottom and sides of a 9" tart pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool.

2. Wash fruit. Heat apple jelly in a small saucepan.

3. Place berries on the cooled crust and brush with apple jelly. Chill and serve with whipped cream or ice cream (optional).

Cheers to Summer! 

 

Summer Salad

This is my favorite salad for summer. Actually, it's good anytime of year, but it's especially wonderful now when the strawberries are so in season and delicious! 

The basic recipe is this:

spinach + sliced strawberries + crumbled goat cheese + caramelized pecans + cubed avacado + dressing = best summer salad 

In the salad I pictured here, I used a mix of spinach and other mixed greens, which works fine, too. 

I like to dress this salad with poppyseed dressing: 

But simply adding some olive oil, vinegar, and s&p can be nice, too.

And, you can turn it into a meal by adding quinoa (Lisa's recipe :)) Enjoy! 

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

All I can say is... YUM!

These are like those peanut butter sandwich Girl Scout cookies, only 100 times better than that. 

Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups oatmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Filling

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

2/3 cup powdered sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Beat the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until creamy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add egg and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract and beat until blended.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture slowly beating on low speed until just incorporated.
4. Scoop about 1 heaping teaspoon of cookie dough into your hand. Roll into a ball and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Keep cookies about 1 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until they’ve reached your desired doneness. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To prepare the filling, beat butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar on medium speed. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until you’ve reached your desired consistency. The filling should be easily spreadable.
7. When cookies are completely cool, spread filling on the bottom side of half of the cookies. Top each cookie with a similarly sized cookie. Enjoy! 

Easy Chocolate Cake

I love my grandma's chocolate cake, but sometimes I want a just as delicious, smaller, one bowl chocolate cake to satisfy my craving. 

This recipe, also from my grandma, does just the trick! 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. cocoa
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 c. buttermilk or sour milk (you can sour your own with lemon juice)
• 1/2 c. oil 
• 1 egg
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/2 c. boiling water

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, soda. (Grandma says sifting is not necessary, so just combine!)

Add milk, oil, egg, vanilla, and beat until blended. Then add hot water.

Pour in cake pan  and  bake at 350. The time depends on the pan size. I did it in a 9 X 12 and checked after 20 minutes. Grandma says a 9" square pan takes 30 minutes.

For the icing, melt 1/2 stick butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 2 T milk, 2 T cocoa, and 1/2 t. vanilla. Add powdered sugar a little bit at a time until icing thickens. I would guess you probably add about 2 c. powdered sugar, but don't measure. Just add until you get a thick consistency. Taste and add more milk or powdered sugar if necessary.  

Enjoy! 

Simple Shrimp

Hot and Sour Shrimp... just like your favorite Chinese restaurant would make!

The recipe is inspired by the lovely folks at America's Test Kitchen. I have come to love their recipes, although sometimes they can be quite complicated. This one was very simple though and I was extremely happy with the results! Healthy, quick, perfectly cooked and flavored shrimp at home... what more could you ask for?

Ingredients

• 2 medium   garlic cloves, 1 pressed through garlic press, 1 thinly sliced
• 1 pound extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• sprinkling of salt
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce (looks similar to Sriracha sauce on the label)
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 large shallot, sliced thin
• 1/2 pound snow peas 
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced

Method

1. Combine pressed garlic with shrimp, ginger, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt in medium bowl. Let shrimp "marinate" at room temperature 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, sesame oil, ketchup, and cornstarch in small bowl. Combine sliced garlic with shallot in second small bowl.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add snow peas and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to brown, 1½ to 2 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl.

4. Add remaining tablespoon oil to the empty skillet and heat until just smoking. Add garlic-shallot mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are light pink on both sides, 1 to 1½ minutes. Whisk soy sauce mixture to recombine and add to skillet; return to high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Return vegetables to skillet, toss to combine, and serve with a side of white rice.

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Yes, Thanksgiving has come and gone and I failed to post this in time for the festivities, but fresh cranberry relish is a great addition to a Christmas Turkey dinner too!

It is a super easy and simple addition to any turkey dinner!

All you need is:

1 bag of cranberries

2 oranges

2/3 c. sugar (I used 1/3 c. sugar and 1/3 c. Splenda)

Get the zest from the oranges! Then, peel them and chop them into 1-inch-ish pieces.

Place them and the cranberries (rinse them first and discard any bad ones) in your blender/food processor/whatever you have. I used my new Ninja food processor/blender.

Add the sugar/sweetener.

And pulse a few times until you get to your desired consistency. Taste to see if you need more sugar - depending on the tartness of the berries and your personal preferences, you may need to add more sugar. Enjoy with turkey and all the trimmings!

Pork Tostadas

Wow. I've been meaning to post the recipe for these tostadas for over a month. Lately, it's been so crazy that we've been eating Chipotle and pizza all the time...

These tostadas are great. They take a while to cook, but most of it is inactive cooking time so you can start them and then do other things while they are cooking. Also, I absolutely LOVE the freshly fried tortilla tostada shells... yum, yum, yum! The recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen... enjoy!

Pork Tinga adapted from ATK

2 or 3 pounds boneless pork butt, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium onions, 1 quartered and 1 chopped fine
5 medium garlic cloves, 3 peeled and smashed and 2 pressed through garlic press
1 T dried thyme
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon ground chipotle powder OR 1 to 2 chopped "Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce" (comes in a can)
2 bay leaves

Tostadas
3/4 cup vegetable oil
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas (see note)
Salt

Garnishes
Queso fresco or monterrey jack cheese
Fresh cilantro leaves
Sour cream
Diced avocado
Lime wedges

Another great garnish is roasted corn salsa - Click Here to see Mark Bittman's corn salsa recipe.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOR THE TINGA: Bring pork, quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, thyme, about 1 teaspoon salt, and 6 cups water to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to surface. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook until pork is tender, 75 to 90 minutes. Drain pork, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Discard onion, garlic, and thyme. Return pork to saucepan and, using potato masher, mash until shredded into rough ½-inch pieces, and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shredded pork, chopped onion, and oregano; cook, stirring often, until pork is well browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Stir in tomato sauce, chipotle powder or chiles, reserved pork cooking liquid, and bay leaves; simmer until almost all liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves and season with salt to taste.

4. TO FRY TOSTADAS: Heat vegetable oil in 8-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees. Using fork, poke center of each tortilla 3 or 4 times (to prevent puffing and allow for even cooking). Fry 1 at a time, holding metal potato masher in upright position on top of tortilla to keep it submerged until crisp and lightly browned, 45 to 60 seconds (no flipping is necessary if you use the masher). Drain on paper towel-lined plate and season with salt to taste. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

5. TO SERVE: Spoon small amount of shredded pork onto center of each tostada and serve, passing garnishes separately.