Recipe Redo: Carne Bistec

Originally posted in April of 2012, I thought this recipe could do with a little picture update!

Well, time seems have gotten away from me. Sorry about that, but I'm back. Trying to balance school and work has proven to be a difficult task. But I have finally gotten into graduate school, so I'm not nearly as worried about everything as I was.

This recipe comes courtesy of Skinnytaste, by far one of my favorite websites and my blog inspiration. It is delicious, just make sure you are on the heavier side with the spices. I served it with brown rice, but Gina suggests serving it with a sunny side egg on top. With a side salad, it is a complete and delicious meal!

Homemade Tomato Salsa

I'm not sure I have ever met a person who does not enjoy chips and salsa. It is one of the best snacks out there. I decided that homemade salsa was probably better than anything I could buy in the store ( I am convinced homemade >>> store-bought anything) and was pleased to find out I am right. The key is using very fresh ingredients. You can used canned tomatoes and bottled minced garlic for example, but using fresh ingredients really livens up the taste. Normally I do all my shopping for recipes at the beginning of the week but I bought the ingredients for the salsa the night before to ensure their freshness.

Taco Soup

This is a delicious recipe on a cold night. The temperatures in the Northeast have been very deceiving lately and if it weren't for the bare trees then I would think we were in early spring. However, it looks like those temperatures are finally giving way to the cold December days they should be. That being said, what is better than soup on a cold day? I have also been under the weather again, like I was when I made the Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup. Whenever I don't feel good, soup always seems like the perfect comfort food.

All the regular taco toppings can be placed on top of the soup. I used sour cream and cheddar cheese, but pico de gallo, crushed tortilla chips, scallions, hot sauce, or whatever else you want would be fine also.

Also, this makes great leftovers. In fact, it may be even better on the second day than the first!

Leftover Turkey Picadillo

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover turkey, and if you are like me, you have plenty of it. Picadillo is a traditional dish in Latin American countries. Don't be put off by the strange ingredient list, this dish tastes really good and smells amazing as it is cooking. Picadillo is traditionally cooked with olives, but since I detest them, I left them out. You can vary this recipe by adding almonds or other herbs or spices. I served this with tortillas and topped with lettuce and onions like tacos one night and then served with rice another night. Both ways tasted delicious.