Tortellini Soup

• 1 cup thin sliced carrots
• 1 minced onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 8 oz, chopped mushrooms
• 1 lb pork sausage
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 lb. tortellini (I use 4 cheese tortellini)
• Broth (chicken or veggie)-1-2 quarts
• cream
• Spinach (optional)

Sautee the onion, carrot, garlic and mushroom until they brown slightly. Set them aside. 

In the same pan, cook the sausage until it browns slightly- breaking it into small pieces as you go. 

Add in the flour and stir into the sausage for about 1-2 minutes. 

Slowly pour in the first quart of broth, stirring as you go. Put the veggies back in and add in more broth until everything is covered and there is plenty of liquid (the tortellini will soak up a lot of liquid). 

Simmer for at least 20 minutes. 

When you are nearly ready to eat, add in extra broth (if needed) and pour in the tortellini. Simmer the tortellini until cooked. 

Add in cream (and spinach) at the end. Stir until the soup is hot again (and spinach has wilted). 

Apple crisp

                    6 apples (preferably granny smiths)

·                     Teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger

·                     2-4 Tbsp sugar (depends on sweetness of apples)

·                     ½ cup butter

·                     2/3 cup sugar

·                     ¾ cup flour

Peel and slice the apples into small pieces and mix with the spices and a few tablespoons of sugar (less if you use pink/red apples). Place in a greased round oven safe dish.

Melt the butter and mix in the flour and sugar, Add more flour until the mixture is dry and crumbly. Top the apples with the crumb mixture.

Bake at 350 until the top starts to brown (30-40 minutes).

Pasco Taco Crawl 2017

Pasco's TACO CRAWL 2017 is a great fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club and a promotion for the local taco joints. You purchase a booklet of tickets for 20 different taco joints and you have two weeks to try as many as you can (1 taco per restaurant) and vote on your favorite. Each taco place gets a small reimbursement for each taco and the rest of the money goes to Boys and Girls club. Since it is my first year and I haven't been to many places yet I decided to compare them all on carne asada tacos. Maybe next year I will branch out and try adobada, shrimp, carnitas and some of the other delicious options. Until then, here are my thoughts on 20 taco places near downtown Pasco. 

A: Willy's Mexican Restaurant

      1315 E Lewis St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 32/40

Employees were very friendly and my taco was ready very quickly.There is a little condiment bar with salsas , lime, radish and a cilantro/onion mixture available near the register.

Taco filling could use a little more seasoning, the tortillas were fine but nothing special. All in all I need a little more flavor but it wasn't a bad taco. it came with cilantro, onion, and a little cabbage/lettuce on top.

B: Taqueria Mexico

      404 W Lewis St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 30/40

I am not impressed with this place. It was empty with extremely loud music playing and it took a while to get my food. The meat was greasy and chewy, and the seasonings were odd, not bad, just odd. All in all I wouldn't go back. 

C: Fiesta Foods

   115 S 10th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 22/40

While the tortilla was fine and they gave you some fried onion on the side, everything else about this taco is unpleasant. The meat is not very well seasoned and it has a slightly odd flavor too it. Plus it was extremely greasy but the meat was very dry. The meat sits in the grease in a warming pan and they cook the tortillas fresh for you and scoop some on. So that's probably how it gets dry and greasy at the same time. 

D: Carniceria La Barrata

     214 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 26/40

Go in the store and head to the back. It took a little longer than I expected for my taco even though I was the only one there but it still wasn't long. I asked for no salsa but they still put some on top. There toppings included some red cabbage, cilantro, and onion. The meat itself was fine but not the best seasoning but with the salsa I couldn't taste the meat. Mostly, the toppings were what disappointed me. 

E: La Fama

     1501 W Sylvester St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 31/40

My favorite part about this place is the condiment bar. They had onions, peppers, cilantro, lime, crema, and cheese. The meat was a little under seasoned and they put a lot of lettuce on top and a slice of tomato which I don't like on my street tacos. 

F: Taqueria El Sazon

     2226 W Court Street

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 36/40

The whole process from order to eat was fairly quick. I liked their condiment bar. The meat was not the best I've had but it did have good seasoning. The only criticism are that the tortilla could have cooked a little longer and I would have preferred a little more cilantro and less onion on top. All in all a great taco. 

G: Tacos Palomino Corp

     1515 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 29/40

They were extremely fast to serve the taco but the taco was a little under seasoned, the tortilla was a little underdone, and they had too much lettuce on it for my taste. Overall, acceptable but not fantastic. 

H: El Charrito

     130 N 10th Ave

Beef Cheek Taco

Score: 30/40

I decided to change things up for this taco and get a beef cheek taco instead of carne asada. The meat was falling part tender and very juicy. However there was a  little too much moisture and the taco got soggy. Also, there was something on there that was just a little bitter and a little too much fat in the meat. But the flavor was great. 

I: Junior's Tacos

     530 W Court Street

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 34/40

Here too I was in and out really quickly. They have a great condiment/salsa bar available with lots of options. They asked me if I wanted lettuce or cabbage (no thank you) and everything else was available at the bar. The tortilla was a single fluffy tortilla which I enjoyed. The meat was just barely under seasoned and a little greasy but still moist. 

J: Lara's tacos

     620 N 28th Street

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 31/40

Long story short, this taco is bland. Sure, I don't want it spicy with salsa on top but the meat should still have some flavor. it was just a boring bland taco that needed salsa and toppings to make it okay. 

K: El Paraiso

     913 W lewis Street

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 37/40

This was a great taco. There was little  too much lettuce on it but it was easy to pick off. Underneath, the tortilla was cooked well, the meat was moist, plentiful and very flavorful, and the cilantro and onion were the right proportions. I could taste seasoning and the flavor of the beef itself. Overall it was a great taco and if I asked for no lettuce it would probably be one of the best ones I've had ever. As a bonus, when they saw me checking out the menu for all the drinks/snow cone they have, they gave me a free sample of the strawberry coconut snow cone which was amazing. 

L: Nuevo Amanecer

     1411 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 31/40

I had high hopes for this one because they have a 24 hour drive through window. but then it took way longer than I expected to get my taco. When I opened up my wrapped up plate I was excited to see some sauteed onion and jalapeno on the side. The taco also had plenty of onion and cilantro. While the first bite was good (meat was a little dry), the heat just kept building and it ended up too much more me. I know I am a wimp when it comes to spicy but I think without additional salsas it shouldn't be that hot. 

M: Los Pinos

     1504 W Lewis St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 31/40

Even after taking off most of the lettuce on this taco, the main flavor I tasted was lettuce. The little I could taste of other flavors was nice though. 

N: Supermex

     720 N 20th

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 36/40

There was a line at this restaurant inside the store so it took a little while to get my taco. The meat was well seasoned, great toppings (cilantro, onion, radish and lime with salsas available) and the tortillas were just crisped but not crunchy. the only downfall is that the meat was greasy and dripped oil a little. Otherwise-delicious. 

O: Tacos la Esperanza

     1315 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 37/40

This was last year's Taco Crawl Winner and it is easy to see why. The meat is seasoned well and moist (just a tiny bit greasier than I like. It comes with cilantro, onion and some cabbage slaw on top. Usually having the slaw on top would be a mark against it but they put just enough on for texture and complexity of flavor but not enough to overpower the meat like happens most of the time I eat a taco with lettuce/cabbage. They also put a few slices of avocado on top which was a great surprise. I love avocado. The tortilla has some crisp on it as well-almost too much but they pulled it off just in time to be delicious and crisp but not crunchy and overdone. Finally, they include some of the delicious fried onion and jalapeno on the side that I am really enjoying. The taco itself is really no better or worse than any of the other top contenders but the additional side and topping and the restraint on the amount of cabbage push it just ahead of the others. 

P: Taqueria El Tacoyote

     1623 W Lewis St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 35/40

This taco is definitely a top contender. the meat is moist and flavorful and they top with onion and cilantro which I like. Pork rinds are offered as a tasty snack while you wait as well. The only issues are that the seasoning on the meat is a little different than I am used to- not bad but I prefer what I have had other places, and I think the tortilla could use a little more crisp. 

Q: Tacos Tiscareno

     1214 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 32/40

This was a decent taco, the meat had a nice seasoning, there was a little to omuch slaw on top but not bad. The tortilla could use a little mroe time on the heat. But it was a solid taco I wouldn't mid eating aggain. Nothing special but not bad either. 

R: Mi Lindo Nayarit

     1315 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 31/40

I didn't expect to be seated and given water, chips, and salsa for a single free taco but that was nice if a little awkward. The meat was not dry but not very moist either and a little under seasoned. There didn't seem to be as much either as the single regular tortilla seemed too much for the amount of filling. It was nicely topped with red onion and cilantro though. 

S: El Antojito

     1915 W Court St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 33/40

Unlike many of the other places, this restaurant didn't have a menu board-but actual menus. It is a sit down place- through they do to go as well. The taco came with lettuce, onion and cilantro and a lime (which was too dry to squeeze). Mostly I tasted lettuce on my first bite. But after I took the lettuce off, the meat was a little under seasoned. The best part about this taco was the tortilla. They didn't do the classic two tortillas with the street taco but one slightly fluffier tortilla. That was great. 

T: Donita's Tacos

     316 N 20th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: /40

Once again, too much lettuce ruins a taco. Okay, not ruins, but it does overpower the flavor of the meat a bit. I don't want to taste mainly lettuce when I eat a taco. The seasoning on the meat was fine, and the meat wasn't dry. Without the lettuce this is a fine taco. 

Caprese Pizza

• Pizza Dough
• 1/3 cup Olive oil
• 7 cloves of garlic
• 1 brick of fresh (soft) mozzarella -sliced into medallions
• 2 tomatoes, 3 roma tomatoes, or 15-20 cherry tomatoes- Sliced into discs
• 5 leaves of fresh basil-rough chop or chiffonade
• Balsamic Vinegar
• OPTIONAL: 1/2 red onion- sliced thin
• OPTIONAL: 6oz mushroom-sliced and browned in butter

Preheat the oven to 425 with a pizza stone in it if you have one. 

Start by smashing and peeling the garlic cloves ad putting them in a small pot with the olive oil. Cook over low heat until the garlic is soft then blend in a small food processor until you have a nice garlic oil paste.

Roll out your dough to the size of your pizza stone or pizza pan. If you have a pizza stone, take it out of the oven now and sprinkle some corn meal on it before putting the raw dough on the hot stone, Otherwise, grease your pizza pan and put the dough on it.

Brush your pizza all over with the garlic paste. Place the mozzarella slices all over it. Then place the slices of tomato all over it. If you want onion or mushroom sprinkle those evenly over the pizza now as well.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the crust looks cooked and the cheese is melted all over and starting to brown just a little. Sprinkle the basil over the top and bake for just one more minute. 

Take the pizza out and move it off your pizza stone (or it will get cheese stuck to it) and slice and serve with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar over the top. The best vinegar to use would be a balsamic glaze that is much thicker than a regular vinegar-almost honey consistency. You can find this vinegar in stores like Safeway and Fred Meyer (or Smiths) but I haven't seen it at Winco or Walmart. 

Corn and Bacon Dip

• Half jalapeno diced small
• half a large red bell pepper diced small
• half red onion diced small
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lb. Bacon- cooked and crumbled
• 3 tbsp ranch powder
• 1 lb. sour cream
• 1 lb frozen corn
• 1 bunch green onion chopped
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 to 2 cups Ranch dressing
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Saute the jalapeno, bell pepper, onion, and garlic until soft and just starting to brown. 

Mix everything together with enough milk/ranch to get it to the thickness you want. 

This dip is great. It's smoky and cheesey, but not too heavy dip for chips or crackers. 

Leek sauce

• 2 leeks-rinsed and chopped into chunks
• 1can chicken stock
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup cream

Simmer all but the cream together with enough water (and some salt) to cover until soft and liquid has reduced. Blend together, add cream and heat back up and serve. 

This is great on polenta. 

Temporary break

As I mentioned last month, I've been working a lot and thus going back to some old favorites for dinner and the recipes are already on here. Posts from now on out will be infrequent but any new recipes or restaurants I visit will show up so keep checking back in.

Corned beef dip

• 8 oz corned beef, shredded or chopped small
• 1 small tub sour cream
• 2 bunch green onion, chopped
• 1 packet of onion dip mix

Mix these all together and serve inside a hollowed out sourdough loaf or with crackers. 

Salsa

10 cups chopped tomatoes
2 cups chopped yellow and green onions
3 cups chopped green, yellow, jalapeno peppers. You can also use Anaheim, habanero, etc., according to your personal hotness meter.
½ bunch chopped fresh cilantro
(All but the tomatoes can be chopped in a food processor)

1 cup vinegar
1/3 cup lime juice
2 TB minced garlic
2 tsp salt
4 tsp cumin
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
2 tsp oregano

Mix together; bring to boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Process pints in boiling water bath 15 minutes. Makes 7-8 pints. I often keep a quart of un-processed salsa in my fridge—it doesn’t stick around long enough to go bad.

Bruges

Bruges is a gourmet waffle and fries place at 42 W Center street in Provo.

Prices are a bit high even for gourmet but the food is delicious. I got the Liege waffle with creme fraiche and the fried with the pineapple curry sauce and the green sauce.

The waffle is super sweet and they put a ton of cream on top so it is definitely good but eating the whole thing can be a bit much. They have another type of waffle that isn't as sweet as well as numerous toppings and even waffle sandwiches.

The fries were very good. Crispy, not too greasy and great dips. I can't decide which dip I liked more. The greens dip was fresh and light but the curry based dip was reminiscent of a fry sauce but so  much more. It was a little sweet with the curry undertone that worked really well with the fries.

All in all, good food, but definitely a treat and not a regular thing.