Bacon Wrapped Tri-Tip with Teriyaki Glaze

I don't even know what to say about this...other than it was mouth watering. I made this a long time ago and just found the recipe written down in one of my notebooks and could not believe I hadn't posted it. It was one of those meals you don't forget!

Bacon Wrapped Tri-Tip with Teriyaki Glaze

1 tri tip (whatever size you like, really)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 pound bacon

For the glaze:
1 stick butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce (you can use gluten free)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, diced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sesame seeds

Trim the excess fat off the tri tip. Salt and pepper the meat
Wrap the bacon around the tri tip and secure with a toothpick. Continue until the tri tip is completely wrapped. You may use all the bacon, you may not. It depends on how big your tri tip is.
Place the tri tip on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. This will ensure that the heat completely circulates and the meat cooks evenly.
Place on indirect heat in the bbq.  We have a gas grill and turned both outside burners on and left the middle two off.  The bbq stayed at 350 degrees. You can also put it in the oven at 350 if you don't want to use the bbq.

For the glaze:
Melt butter. Add the garlic and let it cook for just a minute or two over medium heat. Don't let the butter burn! Add the soy sauce and then the remaining ingredients and simmer on medium heat until it reduces a little. Maybe about 5-7 minutes.

After the tri tip has been cooking about 40 minutes, take 1/3 of the glaze and brush it over the tri tip. Use the glaze again about 50 minutes into the cooking. Remove the tri tip after 60 minutes. Your meat should be medium rare. You want the internal temperature to reach 130-140 degrees. You can cook it longer if you like your meat more well done. Use the last 1/3 of the glaze to sprinkle over the sliced meat before serving.

Breakfast Pasta

So, I'm not a big breakfast person...that being said.... I wanted to find a way to make breakfast not feel so much like breakfast. I swear, this meal is so delicious.....you may think it's weird to have eggs on top of pasta, but trust me.....it's off the hook amazing!

Breakfast Pasta

1 lb gluten free pasta
8 eggs
1/2 shallot (about 1 tbsp diced)
2 cloves garlic (diced) 
2 handfuls fresh spinach
1/2 pound bacon (cut into 1"pieces)
1/2-3/4 cup parmesan cheese

Cook Pasta as directed. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and set aside before you drain the pasta. You can cook the pasta ahead of time, too. I used leftover pasta when I made this the first time and it worked perfectly!
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and place on paper towels. Drain the grease from the pan, but leave about 1 tbsp to saute the other ingredients.
Turn the heat down to medium. Add the shallot and the garlic to the saucepan with the bacon grease. Cook about 3-4 minutes. Make sure you don't burn them... If they start to brown too much, turn the pan down.
Add the spinach. Once the spinach has wilted completely, add the tomatoes.
Cook another few minutes until the tomatoes have softened.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce pan and toss with the garlic, shallots, spinach and tomatoes. Pour in the reserved pasta water and the parmesan cheese. Toss to coat all the pasta.

Fry two eggs per serving and place them on top of the pasta. This made four servings.
Sprinkle with fresh basil before serving, too!

Chicken with Zucchini and Mushrooms

We don't eat out a lot, but the kids really love Panda Express. One of the things that they always want from there is the chicken with zucchini and mushrooms.  I wanted to see if I could make something like it and I have to say, it came out delicious! Try it and let me know what you think! :)

Chicken with Zucchini and Mushrooms

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cubed)

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 tsp sesame oil

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 white onion, diced

4 zucchini, cut into 1"chunks. ( I cut them in half lengthwise, then sliced into pieces)

1 lb white mushrooms (quartered)

2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce 

1 tsp salt

Sprinkle chicken with cornstarch and toss to evenly coat chicken.

Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil to a preheated skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken into the sauce pan and drizzle with sesame oil. Cook about 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat.

While the chicken is cooking, in another pre heated skillet, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 2 tsp sesame oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onions are transluscent. About 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and mushrooms. You want the zucchini to be cooked, but not mushy. Mine cooked about 8 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, in a separate bowl, combine ginger, hoisin, soy sauce and salt.

Pour over the veggie mixture. Add the chicken and combine. 

Serve with cooked white rice.

Easy Gluten Free Enchilada Sauce

If you've ever wanted to make your own enchilada sauce, but thought it involved re-hydrating chiles and breaking out the food processor....think again!! This sauce is delicious and super easy to make! I apologize for the lack of pictures, but it was a busy night around here and I didn't have my phone on me to take any. It looks like enchilada sauce...lol....

Easy Gluten Free Enchilada Sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp gluten free flour
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp mexican oregano
1 can chicken broth (about 1 3/4 cup)

In a small bowl, combine chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin and oregano. Set aside.
Add vegetable oil to a saucepan over medium high heat. Stir in flour and use a whisk to continually stir for about a minute or a minute and a half. 
Stir in seasoning mixture and combine. Add chicken broth about half a cup at a time. Continue to use the whisk to make the mixture smooth.  Simmer about 5 minutes. You can use it immediately in enchiladas or put it into a mason jar and store in the refrigerator. It's soo good!

Roasted Poblano Cream Sauce (Gluten Free)

I made this sauce yesterday and served it over enchiladas...it was delicious! It can be used as a sauce for tacos or tostadas....I think the possibilities are endless! It tasted great with carne asada, but would be good with pork or chicken, too!

 Roasted Poblano Cream Sauce

2 or 3 Poblano chiles

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 small onion, diced

1 diced jalapeno (stem and seeds removed)

1/2 cup (about a handful) fresh cilantro

3 tbsp butter

1 tsp cumin

3/4-1 cup heavy cream (or half and half)

3 tbsp gluten free flour

1 1/2 cup chicken broth

Roast chiles under the broiler (on high) until they are blackened and charred on all sides. Remove them from the broiler and place in a ziploc bag or in a bowl covered tightly with saran wrap. Let them cool. When they are cooled, remove their peels, any seeds, the stem...and chop.

In a sauce pan, add butter. Saute the diced onion, garlic and diced jalapeno about 2 minutes. Add cumin, salt and pepper and continue to simmer about 5 more minutes. Add chopped poblano. Sprinkle with the gluten free flour and continue to saute another 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer until thickened.

Transfer mixture to a food processor or blender. Add cilantro and puree. Put this mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a slight simmer. Add cream or half and half and simmer 

until thickened.