Poblano Burgers with Chipotle Cream

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A couple weekends ago, my girlfriend and I ventured out to the local flea market. I was hoping to find some unique vintage plates, flatware, linens, etc. to use as props. I’m happy to report that I did, flea markets and yard sales are a great source for stuff like that. There’s also a produce cart there, that a very nice Hispanic lady runs. Most of what she had to offer were things that one would use in Mexican food – chiles, tomatillos, dried beans, cactus (!!), garlic, onions. Everything was gorgeous too. I’m not stretching the truth when I say that it was the most gorgeous spread of produce that I’ve seen around here. I will definitely be going back!

At any rate, I bought a basket of 6 gorgeous, big, dark green poblano peppers for the small sum of $2. I knew I wanted to make chile rellanos for dinner, but we weren’t going to eat that many of them. I sat down to browse my favorite cookbooks and food sites when Courtney from Cook Like A Champion mentioned on the site’s Facebook feed that they were having these burgers for dinner. It was a sign, and I was sold. They were relatively quick to bring together, and absolutely hit the spot. Jon died and went to Heaven. We just had them last week, and he’s already asking for them again.

Poblanos are a relatively mild pepper, so I was worried the flavor would get lost in translation. But, it doesn’t! The flavor of the pepper shined right through the beef. And, the chipotle cream on top is just the perfect complement. Ant leftovers make a delicious dipping sauce for fries! I went full on pig style – and added a slice of Pepperjack cheese. But, eh, you hardly knew it was there. Next time I probably won’t bother. With all this gorgeous weather everyone’s been having, I know you’ve got to be itching to fire up the grill. These burgers are the perfect way to kick start the grilling season!

Poblano Burgers with Chipotle Cream

2 poblano peppers
1 tablespoon milk
1 slice white bread, crusts removed, and torn into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground sirloin
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 chipotle chile, finely chopped
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
Cooking spray
4 hamburger buns, toasted on the grill
Lettuce, onions, etc. for serving

Directions:
Preheat broiler to high. Place poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil about 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until blackened. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Alternately, place in a plastic bag and seal. Let stand for 15 minutes. Remove skin and discard seeds and ribs. Finely chop peepers and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine milk and bread pieces. Mash with a fork until a smooth paste is formed. Add poblanos, half of cilantro, cumin, coriander, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper and beef. Gently toss to combine, taking care not to overwork the meat. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into a 1/2-inch thick patty. Press gently in the center of each to form a small indention. Cover and refrigerate until ready to grill.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat or prepare coals. Meanwhile, make chipotle cream by combining the sour cream with the remaining cilantro, salt and pepper. Stir in shallots, lime juice, chipotle and adobo sauce. Set aside.

Coat the grill rack with cooking spray and place the patties on top. Grill for 3 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn and continue cooking an additional 3 minutes or until burgers reach desired stage of doneness. Serve with chipotle cream sauce, lettuce and any other desired toppings.

Source: adapted from Cooking Light, via Cook Like A Champion

Taco Stuffed Peppers

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I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but here in Maryland, it’s been in the 70’s all week long. The boys and I have pretty much been living outside the past few days, and its been wonderful. On Wednesday, we had dinner plans with our local kids play group. But as luck with 2 small children would have it, those plans fell through. First thought was to just order a pizza, but we try not to order out too often. We had  some leftover taco meat from earlier on in the week, and a few bell peppers I’d picked up but not used. So, I thought why not a Tex-Mex twist on stuffed peppers?

We really enjoyed them. It was a light enough dinner that I didn’t feel weighed down by it, yet substantial enough that I was completely full and satisfied with one pepper. I used ground sirloin, but ground turkey is always wonderful in an application such as this. I loved the addition of the black beans and corn, I felt it really added a surprising twist that you wouldn’t be expecting in a stuffed pepper. I had made a batch of Spanish rice to go alongside, so I just added some of that to the stuffing mixture. Topped off with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, it really was a great dinner. Would be an awesome vegetarian dish too, just bump up the amounts of beans and corn. A great way to segue into the lighter, fresher meals of spring that I know we’re all jonesin’ for. Fingers crossed that this beautiful weather holds out through the weekend!

Taco Stuffed Peppers

4 medium bell peppers (I used red, green and yellow)
3/4 pound ground beef (I used leftover taco meat)
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup Spanish rice
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 (14oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
kosher salt
black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing seeds and ribs with a spoon. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove from water with tongs and set aside to cool.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until well browned, about 7 minutes. Drain any grease from the pan. Add onions and garlic, and cook until softened. Add taco seasoning and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add corn, black beans, and diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes, then add rice to the mixture and combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place peppers, right side up, in a baking dish. Evenly divide mixture between peppers. Top peppers with shredded cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for about 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Buttercream

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In case you hadn’t taken notice, St. Patrick’s Day is this weekend. I love all the glittery shamrocks, leprechauns, and Irish booze. What better way to mark the occasion than by baking cupcakes laced with two of the green isle’s two favorite spirits? Bailey’s and Guinness.

A quick Google led to several different variations. Many recipes called for a whiskey ganache filling for the cake, which sounded divine, but I was kind of pressed for time.  So, I went with a basic recipe for a moist, chocolate Guinness cake topped with a Bailey’s buttercream frosting.

I made these for my ladies book club that I hosted last Friday night, and everyone really enjoyed them. There is just enough of a boozy bite from the frosting to give it a kick, and the Guinness cake was just perfect – light, airy, and moist. I was honestly a bit worried about the cupcakes before putting them in the oven. With a whole bottle of beer in the batter, it’s very thin. Next time I might try using a batter bowl to fill the cupcake liners, instead of a scoop. Whether you’re creating an Irish celebration at home this St. Patty’s Day, or going out for a wild night on the town…try to squeeze in some time to make these cupcakes!

Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Buttercream

1 bottle Guinness
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

For the Bailey’s buttercream:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Bring Guinness and butter to a simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs and sour cream. Add Guinness-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat until just combined. Add flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined.

Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely before frosting.

For the frosting, place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy.

Gradually add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes after each), until the icing is the consistency you desire. I like it relatively stiff for piping purposes. You may not need to add all of the sugar at this point.

After all sugar has been added, add Bailey’s and milk and blend until just combined. Add remaining sugar if the liqueur has made the frosting too soft.

Source: cupcakes from Dave Liberman, Bailey’s buttercream from Smitten Kitchen

DIY Hamburger Buns

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I know, I know. Hamburger buns from scratch? When they’re only a couple of bucks to buy at the grocery store, who has the time? I’ve been making an effort to make time for more homemade breads this year – and I was completely blown away by these hamburger buns! I’ve always  known that bread baked in your own oven was always more substantial than the it’s airy store-bought counterpart. But, I really didn’t think it would make that much of a difference in a burger. I couldn’t have been more wrong!

This bun will hold up to any burger and toppings you should choose to pile onto it. And yet, it still manages to remain tender and really “hugs” the burger – soaking up all the delicious, beefy juices that manage to make their way out. A batch of dough for these guys was the perfect amount for us. Made just enough for all of us to have a burger, and then I froze the other half for a dinner later in the month. Most breads and doughs freeze so beautifully, it’s always so handy to have in the freezer for an easy meal.

DIY Hamburger Buns

2 Tbsp sugar
1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 cup warm milk (105-115 degrees)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
3 to 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I only needed 3 cups)
1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp cold water
Sesame seeds for topping

In a bowl of an electric mixer, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and let sit for 10 minutes. If the mixture hasn’t started to get frothy, start over. Add the warm milk, oil, salt and 1 1/2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.

Add an additional cup of flour and then the remaining flour 2 Tbsp at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. This particular dough should be quite slack, i.e. very relaxed in order to make soft and tender buns. So you want to add only enough more flour, past the 3 cup point, to make the dough just kneadable, sprinkling in only enough more to keep it from sticking to you or the work surface.

Switch to the dough hook and knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough, about 7-9 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Turn once to coat the entire ball of dough in oil. Cover with a dampened towel and let rise until doubled, about one hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Working with oiled hands, divide the dough into 9 equal pieces (a bench scraper and kitchen scale come in handy here). Shape each piece into a ball, and flatten into 3 1/2-inch disks. For soft-sided buns, place them on a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet a half-inch apart so they will grow together when they rise. For crisper bun, place them three inches apart. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

15 minutes before you want to bake the buns, preheat the oven to 400. Just before baking, brush the tops of the buns lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle with any desired toppings.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190. When the buns are done, remove them from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

Source: adapted from King Arthur Flour; via Annie’s Eats and Confections of a Foodie Bride