Build-Your-Own Breakfast Burrito Bar with Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Looking for a main dish to serve with the H-100's you have totally mastered?

How about something that is hearty, simple and can be made en masse? That's right, friends, it is time for breakfast burritos! More specifically, a make-your-own breakfast burrito bar.

Half of the fun of taco nights, after all, is custom-creating your own spectacular plate and crafting it to your liking. So why not apply this logic to breakfast burritos?

These are also kicked up a notch with the offering of homemade salsa verde. The most fascinating part of this salsa recipe... the entire pot took 80 cents worth of ingredients. EIGHTY CENTS! The tomatillos are extremely inexpensive at a Mexican market, although you can also find at most major grocery stores. Ryan started making this a year ago, and now we almost always have some in the freezer.

So lets' dive right in - how do we make this help-yourself masterpiece?

Let's start with the salsa verde. This can be made far in advance, and, indeed, freezes splendidly.

The star of this show is the tomatillo - this is also known as a "Mexican husk fruit" and the taste is reminiscent of a tomato crossed with a pepper. This is a big time staple in Mexican cuisine. Wash these guys to get started.

Chop up one onion, approximately half a cup of cilantro, three cloves of garlic and one serrano pepper.

Grab your trusty oregano and cumin.

Get your whole salsa verde family together...

...and throw them in a pot. A dutch oven is great here as it provides consistent heat but, if you don't have one handy, any pot will do (just be sure to keep your eye on the heat). Turn your stove on medium heat and, once at a boil, simmer for about 10 minutes.

Once the tomatoillos are soft,  blend together using an immersion blender OR ladle one scoop at a time into a blender and pulse until smooth.

The texture should be as such. Allow to cool, then pop into the fridge to chill. After about 20 minutes, it is ready to serve!

Now wasn't that easy? Plus, you have to remember... EIGHTY CENTS A POT! Have I over-emphasized that? Nonetheless.

Shopping note: I always found an immersion blender to be at the tipping point of expensive-to-the-point-of-not-being-worth-it, coming in at about $30-$40 each. Not a lot overall, but not something you use every day either. Then I started making salsas and soups. If this is a favorite of yours, I recommend purchasing. If for nothing else, it was worth it so I could quit scalding myself while transferring things to a blender.

This salsa can be used for dishes, great and small. Pour over a citrus-marinaded chicken for a quick sauce, or served with fish for a hint of heat. Naturally, it is also great with chips as a dip. Today, however, is the day we pair it with breakfast burritos.

These burritos are featuring pepper-rubbed bacon, onion, orange bell pepper and eggs tenderly scrambled together, lovingly served with your fresh salsa verde and shredded pepper Jack and cheddar cheese.

The recipe below is easily modfied to include or omit any ingredient based on your preference. Hate peppers, but love tomatoes? Swap the latter in for the former. Vegetarian? Swap in Soyrizo instead.

So let's go!

Start with your bacon. We used pepper-rubbed, available at many grocery stores, but plain bacon will work just as well. To get your bacon uniformly flat and crisp, cook on a baking sheet. We used a rack in our pan so the fat drains off.

While the bacon is cooking, dice up an onion and your orange bell pepper. Be sure to remove the vein in the pepper, to avoid the bitter taste.

Grate your cheese and put in the dish you will serve it in. Cover and chill in the fridge so it doesn't get melty.

Your bacon is ready when the dog starts staring at the kitchen like this.

...or when it the bacon looks like this. It should be brown all around with crispy edges.

Delicious, delicious, crisp edges.

Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool slightly. Once cooled, chop into pieces.

Yes, these guys will get along royally. Add a little bit of butter to a nonstick skillet and cook the onions and peppers. They are ready once they are soft. Be sure to forget to take a picture of this...

Once the vegetables are cooked, toss in the bacon and 6 eggs, whisked  together in a bowl with a little milk and seasoned with salt and pepper (or cajun seasoning if the mood strikes you).

The best egg technique I received is from my friend Yolanda, who never stops moving her eggs around the hot pan. By not keeping the eggs on the heat for too long, they won't get brown or tough. The result is a more tender, even-tasting scramble.

The eggs are ready when it is no longer runny. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish.

Serve with a stack of tortillas, warmed in the oven.

Along with your amazing salsa verde, feel free to add any other salsas or sauces you like.

Add the eggs to your brunch spread along with a potato side, such as H-100's (Tater Tots), and enjoy!

Breakfast Burritos with Eggs, Bacon, Onion and Peppers

7 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup pepper Jack cheese, grated
6 eggs
1 tbsp milk (approximately)
Cajun seasoning (if desired)
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp butter, for the pan
12 medium flour tortillas, for serving.

Preheat oven to 425°.

On a cookie sheet, lay out the bacon. Cook until crisp, approximately 20 minutes. I find that every oven is a little different when it comes to bacon, so this should be based on doneness rather than time in oven.

While cooking, chop the onion and orange bell pepper and set aside. Grate the cheeses, place in a serving dish, cover and chill in fridge until ready to serve.

Remove bacon from oven, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool slightly. Chop and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Start with 1 tbsp milk, and add more if you like yours creamier. Add cajun seasoning, if desired, and salt and pepper to taste. If using cajun seasoning, be sure to use less salt, as it is often salted already.

Timing Note: Now is a good time to toss your tortillas in an oven to warm them up. Use the dish you intend to serve them in, ensuring it is over-safe. Wrap in a clean dish towel.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers, and sauté until soft, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Lightly salt and pepper (more is coming in the eggs). Add bacon and stir. Add egg mixture and softly move around the pan with your spatula. Keep moving the eggs slowly, and remove once it is no longer runny.

Transfer to a serving dish and set out with the salsa verde, grated cheese and tortillas (warm from the oven). Enjoy!

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Verde

adapted from AllRecipes.com

1 pound tomatillos, husked
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano chile pepper, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt, to taste
2 cups water

Timing Note: This salsa is best if allowed to chill in the fridge. Plan for an extra 30 minutes before serving to account for cooling down and chilling.

In a Dutch oven (or large pot), combine all ingredients and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until the tomatillos are soft. Remove from heat, and blend until smooth using an immersion blender. If you do not have an immersion blender, ladle one scoop at a time into a blender and pulse.

Set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes, then allow to chill for about 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Take Your Food on a Day Trip: Recipes and Tips for the Perfect Picnic

Backyard picnics totally count. Dogs love 'em!

This blog post was inspired by a friend, the lovely Molly, who was on the hunt for a dish to bring to an Independence Day picnic. Really, is there anything more Americana than spreading out a tablecloth in a park and digging into a portable feast?

Sometimes, though, packing everything up and driving to a location outside of your living can seem like a ton of effort. The allure of the AC can easily tempt an otherwise avid picnicker away from their gingham. To help provide extra motivation to get out and about (myself included), I have organized some of my favorite picnic spots, menu-planning tips and recipes to make the prep minimal and the fun maximized.

Comments and other favorite recipes are very welcomed, so please comment below if there is anything you would like to add!

Destinations

The main ingredient in a good picnic is a scenic setting. Or wine. One or the other. In case you are looking for some fun places to take your outdoor feast, here are some places to try out.

• Malibu Family Wines
• Garfield Park
• Arlington Garden
• Alhambra Park
• Hollywood Bowl
• Cinespia @ Hollywood Forever Cemetery
• Griffith Observatory

What Tools to Pack

After our wedding and the generous gifting of friends and family, I now actually have three beautiful picnic baskets in my possession. There is something impossibly charming about thick plastic, washable silverware and plaid napkins (not to mention straps to lock down your plastic wine glasses).

Of course, a picnic basket is not strictly necessary for a picnic. Heck, it can even be a hazard if you are attempting to picnic in Jellystone. Reusable shopping bags work just fine, preferably the insulated type to ensure food is kept fresh and at safe temperatures.

In addition to the transportation method, here are some good essentials to remember to bring while on a picnic:

• Beverages and food (naturally)
• Napkins
• Utensils
• Paper grocery bags for garbage and recycling
• Tablecloth or blanket to sit on
• A couple Ziploc bags for leftovers (e.g. chips you do not want to get stale in their torn bag)
• Freezer packs to keep food safe and chilled
• Sunblock
• Hand sanitizer (if you are a big baby, as I am)

Corn Salad Al Fresco

A Menu Template for a Group of 6

For your picnic planning convenience, I have put together an outline of a sample spread that would feed a hungry group of 6. Note that I have Italian blood in my veins, so this errs on the side of more vs. less.

• Water
• Wine or other libation
• 1 tub of store bought dip or spread (think hummus, bruschetta or that amazing Trader Joe's Spinach and Kale Greek Yogurt Dip)
• 1-2 dip vehicles (any of the big C's - crackers/chips/crostini/crudites)
• 1 type of sandwich
• 1-2 bowls of vegetable-based salad
• 1 bowl of pasta salad
• 1 batch of your favorite cookie recipe, or store-bought package

Water

Water bottles all the way! Make it easy on yourself and get a bunch of ready-to-go water or bring your own reusable bottles from home. Plan for at least two medium-sized bottles per person. It may be heavy to carry in depending on your ultimate destination, but better to have too much water on a hot day than not enough.

Wine of All Kinds

You know your friends and their drinking style (er, quantities), but I would plan for roughly 3-4 glasses per person depending on how long you are going to be out.

Wine is a natural picnic libation, although many parks will not allow you to bring in glass. Fortunately, despite the chagrin of high-end wine lovers, there has been a steady influx of boxed and pre-portioned wine meant for glass-free environments. I love a brand called Bandit Wines. This wine provides a great bang for your buck, and is even served at respectable eateries like Gott's Roadside in San Francisco (a fact that can be provided lest a friend tease your wine's boxed packaging). Bandit's Pinot Grigo is my choice for hot Summer days. Make sure you have it nice and chilled before you leave, and try to keep chilled in an insulated wine pouch.

If you are feeling extra festive, Pinterest is a treasure trove of great sangria recipes. One of my favorite boozy party tricks (that works perfectly fine at home, as well) is, if you want to keep a sangria cold for a long period of time, fill an ice cube tray the night before with the wine you are using for the sangria. The cubes won't freeze all the way, but will be just chilled enough to keep your beverage nice and cold without watering it down when the cubes melts.

A Classic Pesto Chicken Sandwich

Inspired by Fiore Market Cafe's Roast Chicken Sandwich

This sandwich is fantastic for an outing as it is fast to make, and very simple to scale either larger or smaller depending on how many people you want to make it for. It is tangy and refreshing. I don't recommend a portion of chicken per-sandwich as it all really depends on the size of your bread and your personal preference.

Serves 6

1 rotisserie chicken
1 small jar pesto sauce (or fresh, recipe I use to follow)
12 slices fresh bread, sliced sourdough or brioche ideal
Mayonnaise
Freshly ground pepper

Using two forks, tear the entire chicken into thick shreds and place into a bowl. Scoop enough pesto sauce into the chicken so that it fully coats each of the shreds.

Lay out the bread, and spread a light layer of mayonnaise onto each slice. Scoop chicken onto 6 slices of bread, and grind some pepper onto it. Top with other piece of bread. You may have chicken leftover (but is that really such a bad thing)?

Wrap tightly in butcher paper or foil. 

Fresh Pesto Sauce

2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Place the basil in a food processor and pulse slightly. Add the walnuts and pulse several times until broken into small bits. (Note: This is why it helps to prep the walnuts, Parmesan and garlic earlier, so that you don't have to pulverize the basil to break down the other ingredients.)

Add the cheese and garlic, and pulse until all broken down to your desired consistency. If you have the option with your food processor, drizzle the olive oil in slowly while you pulse so it all purees correctly. My food processor does not present this option, so I just add a little at a time until it has the desired consistency. It may not include the entire 3/4 cup olive oil if done this way. Salt and pepper to taste.

Ryan's Simple Corn Salad

My hubby likes to cook, and I happily get to benefit. He whipped this up last week based on other corn salads that we have enjoyed previously. You can substitute with whatever you have on hand, such as shallots or yellow onion for red onion, arugula for cilantro, etc.

Serves 6

4 ears of corn
1 tbsp butter, softened
2 small red onions, thinly sliced (a mandolin slicer comes in handy here, if you have one)
5 tbsp cilantro, trimmed from the stem
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Rub the butter on the corn, and then grill the corn on a very hot grill pan or barbecue. Once tender to the touch, remove and let cool a bit. Using a sharp kitchen knife, hold the ear vertically and cut down (away from you) so that the full kernels of corn come off. Transfer to a bowl.

Toss corn with thinly sliced red onion and the cilantro. Add vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Heirloom Tomato, Crushed Basil, Fleur de Sel Salad

taken directly from The Lemonade Cookbook by Alan Jackson and Joann Cianciulli

This tomato salad is very bright and satisfying, from a cookbook filled with recipes that embody all things bright and satisfying. For those who live in LA, you may be familiar with the Lemonade restaurants' fresh fare. This cookbook is a good investment for those interested cold salads and unique vegetable side dishes.

If making the pesto sauce earlier in this post, you may have a good amount of basil left over for the vinaigrette. Alternatively, if you like, you can make more of the pesto and just toss that instead of the Vinaigrette

Serves 8 (Yields About 4 Cups)

1 1/2 pounds assorted ripe heirloom tomatoes such as brandywine, sungold, and red beefsteak
1/2 cup Basil Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, hand torn
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp fleur de sel

Cut the bigger tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices and quarter or halve the smaller ones; this vegetable salad looks great with different colored tomatoes of varying sizes and shapes. Put the tomatoes in a mixing bowl and pour in the vinaigrette. Toss gently, taking care not to smash the tomatoes. Sprinkle in the basil leaves. Season with pepper, and toss again to combine. When ready to serve, sprinkle with fleur de sel. Serve at room temperature.

Basil Vinaigrette

taken directly from The Lemonade Cookbook by Alan Jackson and Joann Cianciulli

Yields 1 cup

1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Juice of 1/2 lemon

3/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp coarse salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

In a blender, combine the basil, parsley, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Blend on high speed for about 1 minute until smooth and green. Pour the vinaigrette into a container and keep any leftover covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

taken directly from Honeybee Gardens

This recipe is really simple to make, and a go-to picnic favorite for us. It is bright and fresh-tasting, and by far one of the healthier options for a pasta salad. Please click through to the above link to check out the other great recipes and picnic tips!

12 oz. orzo

1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1 lemon, zested and juiced

4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbs. fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Bring 2 large pots of water to boil. Add a big pinch of salt in each. To one pot, add asparagus and blanch, about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of your asparagus. Place blanched asparagus in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and keep them green. To the second pot, add the orzo. Cook per package instructions. When tender, drain and place in a large bowl. Add blanched asparagus and tomato halves. Mix olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir into orzo and vegetables. Stir in parsley and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. This can be served warm, room temperature or cold.

Kate Spade's Occasions - The Best Parts

I love me some Kate Spade. I love my Kate Spade red purse. I love the streamlined, classic a-line dresses I get on sale at the outlet. I love love LOVE my collection of Kate Spade oversized gemstone stud earrings. 

So when I was browsing entertaining books at the library and noticed she had authored a pretty little red book called simply Occasions, I happily checked out and tore in. 

Is it cute and fun? Of course! Is it charming? Absolutely. Is it escapist? Damn straight, it is. This "How To" entertaining guide is also an superb example of what I call "lifestyle porn." Think any house from a Nancy Meyers movie. 

Like most entertaining books, this is written for the nervous host or hostess, just beginning to entertain. There are tips and tricks for menus, creative party themes and hostess gift recommendations. Where the lifestyle porn seeps in is with the "everyday" tips for people who own sprawling houses and can afford to hire caterers. My husband, upon me reading some of my favorite parts aloud, harkened back to an episode of the hilariously British BBC series "Black Books." In this, a constantly drunk, acrimonious book store owner describes the hosts of a previous dinner party to his friend.

"Gerald's a food writer. He had a big hit with that thing, you know, "Basic Meals For the Ultra Rich"." - Bernard Black, Black Books

That is what Kate Spade's "Occasions" is reminiscent of. "Basic Meals For the Ultra Rich." And let me tell you, it is a pretty darn fun time. It can even help you entertain, if your friends take turns reading random tips from its pages (as we did one night). So, to make it easier for you (and for my own record-keeping), here are the most comedically lush upper-crust party 'tips!'

Highlights

"FOR THE GUEST ROOM: ...American quilts, deeply colored (and that includes pink)."

 Do Marshalls and TJ Maxx count as "American?"

"MIDNIGHT BREAKFAST FOR TWO: "You've been dancing, it's late, and you're famished. What better time to make something quick, but with a dash of elegance, such as a plate of softly scrambled eggs with salmon caviar."

Finally, a casual use for all that caviar I have hanging around!  

"OUTDOOR DINING MEANS: ...Throwing open the French doors and moving the inside outside."  

In my mind they open into the gardens of Pemberley.

"HOSTESS GIFTS I LIKE TO GIVE... (highlights)
-A case of wine ("I don't know anyone who doesn't like this.")
-A season's worth of tennis or golf balls
-A wooden bowl with ripe peaches, tied with a pale green ribbon"

These highlights are probably my favorite advice. In my group, my friends are courteous and generous, and always come with a nice bottle of wine, champagne, cheese, etc. Can you imagine if someone brings a CASE of wine? I rarely have a case of wine around the house at any given point! 

The inclusion of a "season's worth of tennis or golf balls" is compelling for two reasons. a) The implication of the reader alternatingly golfing and playing tennis by season is deliciously upper-crust. b) The continued implication that this has been done so often that a season yields a specific, quantitative amount is spectacular. 

...Admittedly, I kind of would like to try out the wooden peach bowl. You have me there, Kate!  

"APRÈS SKI COCKTAILS"

This header alone...  

"And I stay away from canned beer. It makes me think of the Indy 500 or something. All that metal!"  

Fair enough, I can't see Kate downing a Miller Lite.

"Whenever I'm having a party, I explain to a caterer that I think the food should be filling, but also easy to eat and beautifully presented."

I daydream of having a caterer for some of my parties, don't you?

"PETER [THE CATERER'S] SPECIALTIES... Caviar 'ice cream' cones - potato cones filled with crème fraîche and topped with sturgeon caviar."

My God that sounds opulently amazing. Like an h'ors dourve at a very upscale ballroom wedding.

"Instead of using the standard red-and-white checked gingham, use tiny black-and-white [gingham] for your tablecloth and bright red cotton napkins as an accent."

So much gingham!

"WEEKEND PARTIES"

Again, the header alone. I would love to have a weekend party! Does drinking late into Saturday evening and having a friend spend the night on your couch count as a weekend party?

"GUEST ROOMS... [Buy a] terrycloth robe and slippers. Embroider 'Guest' on the robe and have several pairs of slippers embroidered with 'Guest' on one foot and 'Sleepy,' 'Best,' and 'Hungry' on the other."

This. Just this. 

Final Thoughts

So, in conclusion, if you want to grab a glass of wine and curl up with this little peek into lifestyles of the rich and famous, by all means do! Slip on your embroidered robe and grab the sturgeon caviar, my friends. One last pet-friendly note: it is worth noting our Kate Spade also loves having her dog, Henry, at her cocktail parties. And that is pretty darn cool.