Mexican Trio Dip

Ingredients (serves 6)
Blue and yellow corn chips
Chipotle Mayonnaise
Small can of chipotle peppers in adobo
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
S & P
Salsa
4 roma tomatoes
1/2 jalapeno pepper
1/4 red onion
2 tablespoons cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon canola oil
S & P
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Guacamole
2 ripe avocados
2 tablespoons cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 jalapeno pepper
1/4 red onion
S & P


Directions
Chipotle Mayonnaise
1. In a food processor put mayonnaise, sour cream, S & P, two of the chipotle peppers (these are smoked-dried jalapeno peppers, so based on your likeness of heat you can add or take), a teaspoon of the adobo sauce. Start processing and slowly drizzle the oil so you can create emulsion, this will give the creamy texture you want. Adjust seasoning.

Salsa
1. Combine all ingredients in food processor, process until desired consistency is accomplished (if you like chunky salsa, a couple of pulses will do). Adjust seasoning.

Guacamole
1. Combine all ingredients in food processor, process until desired consistency is accomplished (you can save some avocado pieces to give it a more chunky texture).
Enjoy!

Sirloin Burger w/ sweet potato fries, garlic aioli and maple sauce

Ingredients (serves 2).
Half pound ground sirloin
2 Portobello mushrooms 
1 Yellow onion
Provolone cheese
Romaine lettuce
S&P
1 large sweet potato
2 whole wheat buns
Garlic Aioli
1 tablespoon mayonnaise 
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 clove garlic
Parsley
S&P
3 tablespoon canola oil
Maple Sauce
2 tablespoons Maple sryup
2 tablespoons Agave nectar (any honey will do)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon 


Directions
1.Start by caramelizing the onion. Preheat a pan on medium, drizzle of oil, and cook onions for 20 min, until they turned slightly brown and become sweet and tender. Set aside.

2.In a separate bowl, combine sirloin, generous pinch of s&p. Form two patties.

3.In the same pan you cooked the onions, on medium, drizzle some olive oil and cook the portobello mushrooms, until you see they release their juice and become tender, approximately 5 minutes. Set aside.

4.In the same pan (save yourself some cleaning) on medium high, cook hamburgers for 3-4 min per side for medium rare. Top with cheese, onions, and mushrooms, cover for 1 minute until cheese melts.

Garlic Aioli
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley and s&p in food processor. Process on slow speed adding oil in a really tiny drizzle to create emulsification.

Maple Sauce
Combine maple syrup, agave nectar, cayenne and cinnamon, whisk with a fork.

Sweet Potato fries
Wash and peel. Cut in french fry shape (doesn't have to be perfect, you just want same sizes so they cook even). Preheat a cup of canola oil in a pan on medium high. Cook for 3 min, remove from pan, let rest for 1 min and then cook for another minute. This adds a great crunch to your fries.
Enjoy!

Tarragon Chicken.

Ingredients (serves 2)
2 Chicken Breasts
1 tablespoon of Dry Tarragon
Beer can (any lager, Heineken, Budweiser, etc)
1 cube of chicken bouillon 
Heavy cream
Minced garlic
1 teaspoon of flour or cornstarch
S & P


Directions
1. Preheat oven at 350. In an 8x8 pyrex combine beer, chicken bouillon, tarragon, minced garlic and S&P. Whisk to combine, then add the chicken breasts. Cook in the oven for 30-35 min (depends on the size of the breasts.)
At this stage, your pirex should look like this:

2. Set breasts aside after cooking, transfer the remaining broth into a small pot. Dissolve one teaspoon of cornstarch in half a cup of heavy cream (this will help to thicken the sauce). Add that mix and another half a cup of cream into the pot. Let it come to a boil and simmer for about 6-8 minutes until desired consistency (if you like your sauce thicker, you can add a little more cornstarch but dissolve it first, otherwise you will get lumps). Adjust S&P.


3. Transfer the breasts back to the sauce, coat them, and serve with sweet pea rice or your choice of side.


4. Enjoy!

Blackened salmon, seared scallops, grilled asparagus.

Ingredients (serves 2)
Salmon fillets (2)
Scallops (big if possible)
Asparagus
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Shaved parmesan cheese
Blackened rub
Paprika (1 tablespoon)
Garlic Powder (1 tablespoon)
Onion Powder (1 tablespoon)
Chili Powder (1/2 tablespoon)
S & P
Cumin (1/2 tablespoon)


Directions
1. Cover the fillets with the rub. Let rest for 10 min. In a medium hot pan, put some olive oil and cook fillets 4-5 min per side. 


2. In a high heat pan, sear the scallops with a little olive oil, only 1 min per side, otherwise they will get tough and rubbery.


3. Toss the asparagus in some olive oil and garlic powder, put in an indoor grill (pan will do fine). Cook 2 min per side.
Serve with shaved parmesan on top of the asparagus.

Simple Banana Walnut bread.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with some butter.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, mixed the brown sugar and butter until blended. Stir in the eggs, mashed bananas, vanilla, walnuts and nutmeg into flour mixture. Stir in until moist. Don't overmix or it will get dense and tough. Put batter into loaf pan.

3. Bake for 60 min, or until toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let cool for 10 min and transfer to a plate. Enjoy!