Cheesy Kale, Mushroom, and Fennel Strata with Real California Gouda Cheese

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If you're looking for holiday dinner inspiration, look no further than this mushroom and kale strata. It's a nutritious and delicious casserole that can serve your friends and family during your holiday meal. Plus, it's affordable with its seasonal ingredients and is vegetarian to boot!

You might notice that this strata is dreamy, and that’s because it's layered with Real California ingredients – from the milk and cheese to the heavy cream, gouda, and Dry Jack. And in between those layers? A whole lot of vegetables! You'll be surprised to find that all of these nutrient-packed ingredients can fit into on 12-inch cast-iron skillet, but they sure can.

Stratas are essentially a savory bread pudding and are a lot of fun to make. Even though there are a few steps involved, they're simple and easy to put together. This strata makes for a one-pan skillet meal as well, which means that there's little to clean up when everything is said and done.

I love making casseroles like this because vegetables and dairy pair so perfectly together – in taste AND nutrition! Packed with essential vitamins and minerals, be sure to look for the Real California Milk seal on dairy products when you're shopping for your holiday meals at stores across the U.S.

Cheesy Kale, Mushroom, and Fennel Strata with Real California Gouda Cheese

Time: 1 Hour, 30 Minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients
8 oz sourdough bread, cubed into 1" pieces
4 Tbsp. Real California butter, divided
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
8 oz cremini or shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 fennel bulbs, halved, cored, thinly sliced
1 small bunch kale, stemmed, torn into pieces
6 large eggs
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1-2 tsp tabasco sauce
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp lemon zest
1 cup Real California milk
½ cup Real California heavy cream or half & half (for a lighter option)
1 cup Real California gouda cheese, grated, divided
1/3 cup Real California Dry Jack cheese, grated, divided

Directions
Preheat oven to 250°F. Add bread cubes to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until starting to just crisp around the edges, about 7-8 minutes. Remove bread from heat and allow to cool. Increase heat to 350°F.

Heat 1 tbsp butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms in batches, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl.

To the same skillet, heat 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add fennel and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Return mushrooms to the skillet. In batches, stir in kale until wilted, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetable mixture to a bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, Dijon, tabasco sauce, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Then whisk in the milk and heavy cream with ½ tsp salt and 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Wipe out the skillet and coat with 2 tbsp butter. Layer half of the sourdough in the skillet and follow with half of the vegetable mixture and half the gouda and Dry Jack. Repeat with remaining bread and kale. Pour over the whisked eggs and press down into the bread with a spatula. Top with remaining gouda and Dry Jack.

Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from heat and serve warm.

If you loved this recipe, you will also love my recipes for: Real California Milk Charcuterie Board, Thanksgiving Skillet Pizza, and Real California Breakfast Salad!

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Thanksgiving Skillet Pizza

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It’s always fun to get creative with leftovers on Thanksgiving, but this pizza stands out as one of my favorite ways to accomplish zero waste after celebrating the holiday. It’s simple to make and is a great way to entertaining friends and family over the holiday weekend.

Using leftover sweet potatoes as the base for the pizza is genius because 1. They’re super delicious and 2. They add an abundance of vitamins and minerals that nutritionally pair well with mozzarella, which is high in protein.

When you top the pizza with a cup or so of leftover vegetables, like roasted Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, spinach, and carrots, and you’ve got yourself one nutritional powerhouse. And you’re making sure that no food goes to waste!

As California is a source for quality, sustainable dairy foods, be sure to look for the Real California Milk seal on dairy products this holiday season. For more nutrition information and healthy recipe ideas, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com.

Thanksgiving Skillet Pizza

Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) ball pizza dough
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms, cooked
1/4 cup spinach, cooked
1/4 cup roasted Brussels sprouts, cooked
1/4 cup carrot spirals, cooked
1 cup roasted turkey, shredded
1/3 cup cranberry chutney, divided
3 tsbsp olive oil
8 oz shredded Real California mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
1 banana pepper, sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Place pizza dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let sit for 30 minutes, allowing dough to come to room temperature.

While dough rests, preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Warm up sweet potatoes, mushrooms, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and carrot spirals in the microwave. Drain any excess liquid from vegetables. Combine shredded turkey with 1/4 cup cranberry chutney in a small bowl.

On a lightly floured pizza peel, stretch pizza dough into a 12-inch round.*

Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle in 2 tbsp olive oil and quickly transfer the dough to the skillet. With a spatula or a cooking spoon, press the dough up along the edges and brush the top of the pizza with 1 tbsp olive oil. Reduce heat to medium and cook dough, rotating every 30 seconds or so, until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. Flip the dough over and remove from heat.

 Spread sweet potatoes over the dough with a spatula and top with half the mozzarella. Top the pizza with the turkey, cooked vegetables, red onion, and sliced peppers. Sprinkle over remaining mozzarella and red pepper flakes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired. Bake until the cheese melts and the dough is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a cutting board.

 Spoon remaining chutney over the pizza and slice into wedges.

*Note: You can use a wooden cutting board if you do not have a pizza peel.

If you loved this recipe, you will also love my recipes for: Garden Vegetable Pizza Party!, Breakfast Pizza with Real California Milk Mozzarella Cheese, and Pizza Two Ways

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Fall Roots Soup with Real California Yogurt

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Fall into this vegetable-forward soup with Real California yogurt!

This rooty soup is full of just about everything you’re craving when it comes to Fall ingredients. From the sweet carrots, earthy beets, and licoricey fennel to the fermented carrots, apples, ginger, and garlic – there is an incredible amount of flavor going on. 

To hone all of these flavors together, I rounded the soup out with Real California Yogurt, which also made for a scrumptious mouthfeel. Real California Milk products are sustainably produced and nutritious! Their dairy farmers believe in responsibly produced, healthful dairy foods that nourish people and foster a sustainable future.

When you combine Real California Milk products with seasonal, nutrition-packed ingredients like these, you know you’re doing your body and the environment some good!

For more nutrition information and healthy recipe ideas, visit http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com

Fall Roots Soup with Rea­­l California Yogurt

Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
1 stick (8 tbsp) Real California butter
½ lb shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 small fennel bulb, chopped
1 large beet, peeled and chopped
1 medium gala apple, cored chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 lb fermented carrot slices
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
1⁄2 cup hard apple cider
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cup plain, whole Real California Yogurt
1 small bunch beet greens
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fall Spice Mix
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground caraway
1 tbsp turmeric
2 tsp ground fennel
¼ tsp ground cumin

To Garnish
Real California Yogurt
Julienned carrots

Instructions
In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm ½ cup olive oil and 1 stick butter over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, and ginger, and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add fall spice mix and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in fennel, beets, apples, fresh and fermented carrots, and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, cider, lemon juice, and simmer until the vegetables are completely tender, 25–30 minutes. Allow soup to cool slightly.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet. Add beet greens and season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until wilted and remove from heat.

Stir in 2 cups Real California yogurt into the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a blender in batches and blend into a smooth puree. Plate soup into bowls and garnish with yogurt, carrots, and beet greens.

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Maya Kaimal Chicken Chaat

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You may think you know a lot about Indian food, but how much do you know about chaat?

I haven’t tried every type of chaat, but what I do know is that it’s a savory Indian street food that’s typically considered a snack or appetizer. The word chaat is likely derived from the Hindi word “chatna,” which means to lick. This proposed etymology makes a whole lot of sense to me because I’m bound to lick my fingers clean whenever chaat is in front of me!

Maya Kaimal’s incredibly edible Tandoori Chicken Bites are perfect for an easy, homemade chicken chaat. They’re quick to cook up and become so chaat-like when you add aromatics like garlic and ginger with Indian spices, chilies, and freshly chopped vegetables!

If that description just made your mouth water, we’re on a similar foodie level.

There are actually many variations of chaat with main ingredients ranging from chicken, potatoes, chickpeas, to paneer. But they all have similar ways of being prepared.

Many chaat variations have an element of fried bread, which makes for great texture, but honestly, it’s the sweet, tangy, and salty flavor profile of chaat that really gets me. And it’s all due to the spice mix – chaat masala powder!*

 If you haven’t played around with chaat masala, you’re going to want to. The mango, citric acid, ginger, and mint make up the sweet and tangy flavors while the coriander, cumin, black rock salt, and pepper make up the salty and savory.

 For those in the Bay Area, Maya Kaimal’s Tandoori Chicken Bites can be purchased at several locations including Danville, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Livermore, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Tracy, Fremont, San Jose, and Hayward.

Aside from chaat, these bites also great for a wide number of chicken dishes, including curries, wraps, salads, grain bowls, and pasta! How creative you want to get is up to you!

* Note: Chaat masala powder can be easily ordered online or purchased at many Indian/international markets.

Maya Kaimal Chicken Chaat

Time: 30 Minutes
Serves: 4-6

 Ingredients
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1-2 serrano peppers, seeded, chopped
3 birdseye chilies, seeded, roughly chopped (optional)
1 ½ tsp garlic, minced
1 ½ tsp ginger, minced
24 oz Maya Kaimal Tandoori Chicken Bites
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained
1 ½ tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ tbsp garam masala
1 tsp chaat masala
1 cup seedless cucumber, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup cilantro leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Serve
Yogurt of choice
½ cup pomegranate seeds
Sliced birdseye chilies (optional)
1 cup sliced green onions
Lemon wedges
Naan or brown rice

Directions

Heat oil over medium heat. Add red onion, serranos, birdseye chilies, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Toss in chicken bites, chickpeas, tomato paste, garam masala, chaat masala, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add cucumbers and fresh tomatoes and cook until the chicken is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.

Serve chaat on plates and spoon over yogurt. Top with pomegranate seeds, birdseye chilies, and green onions. Serve with lemon wedges and roti on the side.

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Anne Assassi


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Mixed Berry & Vanilla Rice Pudding Parfaits

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There’s not much better than a dessert than a fruit-forward dessert that is quick, and easy to put together! Oh, and did I mention delicious? 

This Maya Kaimal vanilla rice pudding makes for the perfect Diwali dessert. It’s infused with Madagascar vanilla, cinnamon, and raisins, and absolutely hits the sweet spot! Topped with fresh berries and layered with a nut crumble, the textures of this parfait will keep you wanting for more.

For those in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can find Maya Kaimal’s vanilla rice pudding at the following Costco locations: Danville, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Livermore, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Tracy, Fremont, San Jose, and Hayward.

Whether you celebrate Diwali or not, this is a simple dessert you will not want to miss!

Happy Diwali everyone!

Mixed Berry & Vanilla Rice Pudding Parfaits

Time: 10 Minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ tsp thyme leaves
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups roasted almonds
½ cup dried cherries
2 tsp cinnamon
16 oz Maya Kaimal Vanilla Rice Pudding

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, blueberries, thyme leaves, sugar, and lemon juice, and set aside.

Add almonds, cherries, and cinnamon to a food processor. Pulse until the almonds break up into crumbs.

Divide the pudding between four glasses. Top with a layer of nut crumbs and spoon over strawberries and blueberries. Garnish with additional thyme leaves if desired.

Serve immediately or chill overnight until ready to serve.

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Real California Breakfast Salad with Garden Herbs, Eggs, Real California Cheese and Avocado

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It doesn’t get much more refreshing than this romaine salad with Real California Milk cheese. Get ready to hit the fall reset button because this meal-worthy salad is topped with perfect hard-boiled eggs, avocado, fresh chives, and mint. It’s as decadent as it is healthy!

 Did you know that California dairy products are a delicious way to get essential vitamins and minerals? You can use the product locator to find products at a store near you:

Real California Breakfast Salad with Garden Herbs, Eggs, Real California Cheese and Avocado

Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4
[Sponsored]

Ingredients
8 oz Real California cheese (Monterey jack, queso fresco, feta or cheddar), broken into ½-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
6 large eggs
3 hearts of mixed romaine lettuce, trimmed and washed
2 lemons, halved
1 avocado, cut into slices
1 small bunch watercress
3 Persian cucumbers
1/3 cup chives
1/3 cup fresh mint

To Serve
Toasted baguette

Directions
In a medium bowl, add cheese, minced garlic, and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover cheese with olive oil and set aside.

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Ladle in eggs, cover, and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Allow eggs to cool – do not shock in a cold water bath. Peel and halve eggs.

Line plates with romaine lettuce and squeeze liberally with lemon juice. Top with avocado, watercress, cucumber, and eggs.

Season the salad with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with fresh chives and mint and serve with a toasted baguette.

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Chicken and Sweet Potato Tortilla Pie with Real California Mexican Cheese Blend

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In need of a Fall casserole? Look no further than this cheesy tortilla pie, with the tastiest mixture of sweet and spicy, all in one!

Tortilla pies, also known as Pastel Azteca, Budìn Azteca, and Mexican Lasagna – are made by alternating layers of corn tortillas with a protein, like chicken or pork, salsa, vegetables, and most importantly – cheese!

Since I’m using corn tortilla instead of pasta to make this lasagna, this dish isn’t as heavy. And with the cheese in this recipe, I get a great source of protein, calcium and vitamin D, all of which are essential nutrients the body needs at every stage of life. Because Real California Mexican cheeses make for some of my favorite cheeses, it was difficult for me to choose which one I wanted on this hearty casserole – so I chose a blend! The Monterey Jack, queso blanco, asadero, and cheddar cheese melted beautifully by the time everything was said and done.

Did you know that California is the leading producer of Hispanic-style cheese and dairy products? When you look for the Real California Milk seal, you’ll know the products are made with milk from California dairy families, who responsibly produce nutritious dairy foods.

For more nutrition information and healthy recipe ideas, visit http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/

Chicken and Sweet Potato Tortilla Pie with Real California Mexican Cheese Blend

Time: 2 Hours
Serves 6

Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, roughly chopped
2 tbsp adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
6 birdseye chilies, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1/2 lb sweet potato, peeled, chopped into 1 ½ -inch pieces
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 lb sweet potato, peeled, sliced with a mandolin into ¼-inch thick slices
15 corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Real California Mexican Cheese Blend
1 jalapeno, sliced
2 birdseye chilies, sliced

Directions
Season chicken on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, birdseye chilies, Worcestershire sauce, Mexican oregano, and 1 tsp salt.

Add ½ lb chopped sweet potato, onion, and garlic to the bottom of a large pressure cooker. Place chicken on top of the vegetables and pour over the tomato mixture. Seal pressure cooker and bring to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

Release the pressure and transfer the chicken to a platter to cool. Add the vegetable mixture to a blender and puree into smooth sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.

Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sliced sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain sweet potatoes and cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Cover the sauce with 5 tortillas, followed by half of the chicken and half of the sweet potatoes. Pour two cups of tomato sauce over the casserole, and top with 1 cup of cheese. Cover with 5 additional tortillas, the remaining chicken and sweet potatoes. Pour over two cups of the tomato sauce and cover with 1 cup of cheese. Finish the casserole by covering with the 5 remaining tortillas, two cups of sauce, and 1 cup of cheese. Top with sliced jalapeno and birdseye chili slices.

Transfer the casserole to the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the cheese has browned and the casserole is cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

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Grilled Chicken with Shishito Peppers

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Summer has certainly flown by, but that doesn’t mean that the temperature has cooled off one bit! In fact, it was so hot in my kitchen this weekend that Adrian and I decided to take the cooking outdoors – to our garden-side grill.

When it’s hot out, I enjoy making simple meals, and sesame grilled chicken with shishito peppers is just that! Luckily Lee Kum Kee’s wide-ranging products are always in my pantry when I want to make a delicious and quick meal with Asian flavors.

As a leading maker of Asian sauces and condiments for over a century, Lee Kum Kee is the perfect brand to reach for at your local grocery store when you want to put your own twist on your favorite recipes. You can find out more about their products here, which can be purchased at your local grocery store in the Asian food aisle.

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So, what makes this dish so delicious? The chicken is marinated in Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil, a versatile cooking staple (!) with soy sauce, shallots, garlic, ginger, lime juice, and honey. The flavors from the sesame oil really stand out because it’s carefully processed by Lee Kum Kee to retain a strong sesame flavor and aroma.

The shishistos are quickly tossed with the sesame oil, salt, and pepper. It’s all thrown over a hot grill, and when finished, is garnished with lime wedges, mint, and chilies!

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Quick and easy with authentic Asian flavors? Yep, that’s this dish! And it’s one you’re going to want to cook up before summer ends!

Grilled Chicken with Shishito Peppers

Time: 30 Minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
¼ cup peanut oil
6 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil, divided
¼ cup light soy sauce
¼ cup shallots, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
½ cup fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp honey
2 ½ pounds chicken wings
½ lb shishito peppers

To Garnish
Lime wedges
Mint leaves
Sliced birdseye chilies

Directions
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut oil, ¼ cup sesame oil, soy sauce, shallots, garlic, ginger, lime juice, and season with kosher salt and pepper. Set aside ¼ cup of the marinade. Pour remaining marinade over the wings. Optional: Allow wings to marinate in the refrigerator for one hour or overnight.

Preheat a grill over medium heat. Oil the grill grates with peanut oil. Cook the wings, turning occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the wings are cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove wings from heat and keep warm.

Combine shishito peppers with 1 tbsp sesame oil in a medium mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer peppers to a grill pan over the hot part of the grill, and turn often, until blistered and charred in spots, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Serve wings with shishito peppers on a plate and drizzle over reserved marinade. Serve with lime wedges and garnish with mint and bird’s eye chilies.

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Sopes with Potato-Chorizo Hash and Real California Queso Fresco

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If you haven’t heard of sopes yet, get ready to make some! These sopes come with a scrumptious potato and chorizo hash and are topped with Real California queso fresco. Did anyone say yum yet?!

Similar to tacos, sopes are made with masa, but are pressed into a different shape that offers a different mouthfeel. They can be topped with any of the ingredients you love in tacos. They can be fried like the recipe below, or for lighter fare, they can be cooked on a griddle.

I paired these sopes with a Peruvian sauce called aji verde. It’s spicy from the jalapeños, but creamy from the Real California queso and really serves this recipe well.

Don’t forget to look for the Real California Milk seal when purchasing your cheese for this recipe or any other dairy recipe. Real California Milk produces sustainable dairy foods that offer nutritional benefits that are unique from plant-based foods. What more can you ask for?

Sopes with Potato-Chorizo Hash and Real California Queso Fresco

[Sponsored]

Time: 1 Hour
Serves 6-8
Makes 16 Sopes

Ingredients

Aji Verde Sauce
Canola oil
1 small onion, roughly chopped
4-6 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup cilantro, leaves and stems, packed
1/2 tsp salt
¾ cup Real California queso fresco

Masa Dough
3 cups instant yellow corn masa flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup lard, melted
2 ¼ cups water
Canola oil

Potato Chorizo Hash
1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 lb fresh Mexican chorizo
Kosher salt
2 small white onions, finely chopped
18 medium epazote leaves, roughly chopped (optional)

To Garnish
Real California queso fresco
Chopped cilantro leaves, for serving
Lime wedges

Directions
In a medium skillet, heat 2 tbsp canola over medium heat. Sauté the onion, peppers, and garlic until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the pepper mixture to a blender with 2 tbsp olive oil, cilantro, salt, and queso fresco. Blend until creamy, about 1 minute. Season with salt if desired and transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Combine the masa, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Stir in lard and water. Mix thoroughly for 2 minutes to form a smooth dough. Form dough into 16 individual 2-inch balls and set aside on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Press each masa ball into the palms of your hands to form a ¼-inch thick round. Crimp the edges of each round to form a crust.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Heat ¾-inches of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 400 degrees F. Working in batches, fry 3 sope boats on one side for 2 minutes. Turn sopes over and cook for 2 more minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and move to the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining sope boats.

Add the potatoes to a bowl with ¼ cup water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pierce with a fork a few times. Microwave for 4-5 minutes until the potatoes break easily with a fork. Drain off water.

In a medium skillet, cook chorizo over medium-high heat and break up with a spoon until the chorizo starts to brown, about 1 minute. Continue breaking up the chorizo with a spoon and add the onion. Sauté with chorizo for 10 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the potatoes and lower the heat to medium. With the back of a cooking spoon, mash the potatoes into the chorizo and allow to brown for a minute. Scoop up the mixture and mash again, continuing this process about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are crispy. Season with salt to taste.

Assemble 2-3 sope boats per plate and top with chorizo filling and aji verde. Garnish with queso fresco and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

If you loved this recipe, you will love my recipes for Chicken Mole Verde Tacos, Mushroom Tacos with Fried Eggs, and  Mushroom & Pesto Quesadillas!

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Best Ever Portobello Breakfast Sandwich

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[Sponsored]

Who doesn’t love leftovers for breakfast after a night of grilling?

If you’re like me, you usually grill a surplus of vegetables so you can devour them over several meals. After all, you put in all that work! Why not cook a few more AND pair them with Hunts Best Ever Ketchup?

Hunt’s tomatoes are California-grown and make for such a delicious and thick ketchup that you’ll never want to be without it on grill night!

Sometimes when we have large get togethers, my friends and I don’t get to cooking all of the fresh vegetables, so it’s up to me to prepare them the next day. One of the best vessels for serving them up is in a breakfast sandwich.

Since I don’t usually feel like firing up the grill again, I do all of the cooking in the kitchen. So, the recipe below is a breakfast sandwich you can make sans grill. Or, you can grill the mushrooms and shishito peppers the night before and put this sandwich together in a jiffy! Whatever strikes your fancy!

Best Ever Portobello Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
10 cloves garlic, minced, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large Portobello mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
4 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese
1/2 lb baby arugula
16 small shishito peppers
4 large eggs
4 brioche hamburger buns
Hunt’s Best Ever Ketchup 

Directions
Preheat the broiler and add mushrooms to a baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and 6 cloves garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the mushrooms and set aside.

Transfer the mushrooms to the broiler and broil for 5 minutes on each side. In the last minute of broiling, add cheese slices to the mushrooms and allow the cheese to melt. Keep warm.

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in arugula and season with salt and pepper. Sautee until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

To the same pan, heat an additional tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shishito peppers and season with salt and pepper.  Stir occasionally, until partially blackened. Remove from heat.

Break four eggs into small ramekins. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in a small cast iron skillet. Pour one egg at a time to the skillet. Using a spoon, baste egg with olive oil from the pan and cook for about 1 minute, until the edges are crisp, and the yolk just begins to thicken. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining eggs. Season eggs with salt and pepper.

Toast brioche buns if desired.

Prepare the sandwich: Spread copious amounts of ketchup to both sides of the bun. Top the bottom half of the bun with arugula followed by the Portobello mushroom, shishito peppers, and egg. Finish with remaining bun half and enjoy!

If you liked this recipe, you will also love my recipes for The Best Barbecue Chicken Sandwich Ever, Beet Rueben Sandwich, and Crispy Pork Cutlet and Fried Egg Sandwich

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