Mangia Vita

Author: Andrea DeCaro

  • Shredded Beef and Black Bean Tacos

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    We love Taco Tuesday at our house, so we are documenting our weekly taco recipes. For this recipe, you can use this shredded beef preparation (https://mangiavita.com/2023/08/18/cooked-shredded-beef-prep/ ) from your freezer stash, or roast the beef for this recipe specifically. Place the meat into a roasting pan and season both sides and add about 2 cups…

  • Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    Add the tomatillos, scallions, garlic, and jalapeno to a roasting dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 425 until wilted and caramelized about 25 minutes. The tomatillos often burst, so just make sure they aren’t burning. Take out of the oven and let everything cool a…

  • Corn Salsa

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    This is simple salsa that you can pull together quickly to brighten up any taco or burrito. You can microwave the corn if you are starting with frozen, just to get it thawed. Then mix all of the ingredients and adjust the seasonings to your liking. If you have time to chill the salsa for…

  • Sauteed Beet Pasta in a Cream Sauce

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    This is a great vegetarian pasta that uses the beets and the greens in one tasty dish. Begin by removing the greens from the beets and scrubbing the bulbs. Wrap the bulbs in foil and roast in a 400 degree oven until you can easily pierce with a knife (40 minutes to an hour). Then…

  • Pasta Fazul

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    While there are a lot of versions of Pasta Fazul, I prefer this simple version. It is quick to put together and very satisfying. Dice the bacon and add to a pot to cook and render out the fat. When the bacon is crisp, remove and set aside to garnish each serving. Add the smashed…

  • Fast Beef Stew

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    Since I prepare roast beef ahead of time (https://mangiavita.com/2023/08/18/cooked-shredded-beef-prep/ ) and keep it in the freezer, this is one of the ways it can be used to make another full meal. Drizzle a little olive oil into a pot and saute the shallot and the garlic clove until softened. Add red wine and allow to…

  • Fried Chicken

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    Making homemade fried foods can be messy and tricky, but I feel like homemade fried chicken can be worth the hassle. Here is how I tackle it: I typically only fry chicken tenders, and I usually cut them up so it is more like nuggets. So cut up your chicken tenders into 1 inch pieces…

  • Ground Beef

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    In the past 10 years or so, I have begun doing our own ground beef for several reasons: Equipment This will require some special equipment, so that can be prohibitive. My preferred meat grinding machine is to use the Kitchen Aid with the stainless steel meat grinder attachment. We used the plastic one for years…

  • Cooked Shredded Beef Prep

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    Similar to how I prepare pork (method here: https://mangiavita.com/2023/08/17/pork-prep/ ), I like having ready-to-go meat in my freezer at any given time. Sometimes the meat is raw, but it is faster to make a lot of meals if the meat is already cooked and just needs to be reheated. I buy large packs of beef…

  • Pork Prep

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in ,

    I like having ready-to-go meat in my freezer at any given time. Sometimes the meat is raw, but it is faster to make a lot of meals if the meat is already cooked and just needs to be reheated. I buy large packs of pork meat from Costco, typically boneless spareribs are the easiest to…