Welcome! This is “Staying In,” a Sunday newsletter with recipe ideas for your week ahead. Every other Thursday I also publish a “Going Out” edition where I review a restaurant, bar, or activity here in Portland. Know someone who might like Riley’s Recs? Get your share link here! And don’t forget to check out pdxrecs.com for even more recommendations and follow RR on Instagram at @rileysrecs. Enjoy!
The weather in Portland this past week was phenomenal. There’s nothing quite like that first day of sun after a long, dreary winter. Daylight savings is coming up, too, which means 7 p.m. sunsets. Finally.
Soon, I’ll get excited about spring produce and farmer’s market trips. But, for now, I’m still in winter mode: eating sweet potatoes, beef, and lots of bread.
If you’re looking for something lighter, a reminder that I keep a running list of all of the recipes I’ve shared in the RR Archives here.
Happy eating!
P.S. At the end of the post I’m going to include a few non-food related recs. Just for fun.
✨ Inspo ingredients: kimchi and dried chilis ✨
DINNERS
1-Hour Chile con Carne | Tortillas | Arugula Salad w/ Radish
Sweet Potato Costra Tacos | Salsa Macha
Herbed Rice with Shrimpy-Kimchi Tomato Sauce
Greens and Beans | Toasted Bread
BREAKFAST
Kimchi, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich
DRINK
Carrot Juice
Notes:
The herbed rice with shrimpy-kimchi tomato sauce is a repeat dish and can be found here. The sweet potato tacos are also in the archives.
Any leftover brioche from the breakfast sandwiches can either be frozen for future sandwiches or turned into BLT bread.
I went to Trader Joe’s for the first time in a long time the other day and picked up carrot juice. Surprisingly into it.
The dried chiles for the Chile con Carne will be used again for Salsa Macha; you can find these chiles at Fred Meyer or Safeway — but not QFC or New Seasons.
The chile con carne can be made in the Instant Pot in under an hour. But if you don’t have an Instant Pot, here’s a version that calls for making it in a Dutch Oven over the course of 3 hours.
1-Hour Chile con Carne
Kenji Lopez Alt | Serious Eats
Chile con Carne is essentially beef stew. But instead of carrots and potatoes and provincial spices, it’s made with a rich blend of dried chiles. Tender cuts of beef shoulder (ask your butcher for beef chuck) are braised in a dark red broth and paired with tortillas and onion and lime. I used to make this in a Dutch Oven on a Sunday afternoon, but the Instant Pot is a welcome shortcut. A few recipe notes:
You can reduce the liquid by about a third if you prefer a thicker stew.
Make sure not to trim the connective tissue when cutting into smaller pieces. That’s what gives the beef such a luxurious, tender texture.
Kenji offers an option for microwaving the chiles instead of cooking them on the stovetop — and it definitely makes everything easier.
You’ll need a solid blender or immersion blender to make this.
Salsa Macha
Naz Deravian | New York Times (Gifted Link)
Salsa macha was named New York Times’ most valuable condiment of 2020 (lol) and is great over eggs, fish, potatoes, etc. It’s basically Mexican chili crisp. And I think it’s a great way to use any dried chiles you have in your spice drawer. It’s flexible based on whatever chiles or nuts you want to add — so mix-and-match, size down…whatever you want to do to make this recipe work for you on a weeknight. It’ll pair fabulously with the earthiness of the sweet potato tacos.
Greens and Beans
Ariel Pastore Sebring | Cooking with Rel
Greens and Beans is so East Coast Italian. If you’ve never heard of it…it’s exactly what it sounds like: a mixture of escarole (greens) and cannellini white beans. This recipe from Cooking with Rel calls for adding Italian sausage, but that’s totally optional. It’s a one-dish meal that you’ll turn to in a pinch when you’re looking for something comforting and healthy.
Kimchi, Egg and Cheese Sandwich
Ali Slagle | New York Times (Gifted Link)
I spontaneously made this last week for breakfast and was blown away by how good it was. Anything on brioche bread is going to be delicious, but the kimchi, egg, cheddar, and soy sauce combination really hit all of the right flavors. It’s incredibly easy to make once you have your station set up. I’m planning on keeping brioche slices in my freezer from now on so that I can make this whenever I want. If breakfast sandwiches aren’t your thing, this can easily be adapted into a grilled cheese.
Traitors: this show is hard to recommend because it takes at least four episodes to get into it. But once you’re there, you’re hooked. It’s essentially a TV adaptation of the childhood game “Murder in the Dark,” but with all of your favorite reality TV stars. This season has been particularly exciting and nerve-wracking. I’m so tense after each episode that I can’t watch it too close to bedtime. Between this and White Lotus, it’s been a drama-filled month.
Call Me By Your Name: It took me too long to see this movie, but now that I have I can’t stop listening to the soundtrack. If you skipped CMBYN when it premiered in 2018, it’s worth watching.
Trader Joe’s Dry Shampoo: nothing beats an aerosol dry shampoo. But if you need something for travel or a quick refresh, I’ve been happy with TJ’s dry shampoo option. It also smells really good.
My Baggu Laptop Case: Baggus are everywhere. Once you notice them, it’s like all of a sudden everyone has a Baggu bag. I don’t own their signature crossbody bag, but I have this laptop sleeve and dopp kit. I love how pretty they are and the insulated, puffy look of the laptop sleeve makes me feel like my Macbook is cushioned and safe. Since I love my purchases so much, I’m also eyeing this travel bag that slips into your roller suitcase handle.
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