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Omni

Tortilla Soup

one and a half slices mexican tortilla soup sopa recipe easy weeknight
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Makeshift "Sopa de Tortilla"

one and a half slices mexican tortilla soup sopa recipe easy weeknight

I say “makeshift” because you can’t yell at me for being inauthentic if I never claimed it were authentic. In truth, I’ve got no idea what traditional Sopa de Tortilla is like, but I do know that I watched a rad vid of someone making a clearly Mexican-inspired soup and got inspired myself. So here we have a weeknight Mexican soup that will warm up any chill with its spice and quench that mole craving. The flavors here are perf and if you go the extra mile to top it with crunch and fresh, you won’t regret it. Fair warning: this soup is SPICY! Happy Winter!

🌮🌮🌮

what you need

2 chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs

6 cups chicken broth

Salt, Pepper, and Olive Oil

2 poblano peppers

2 jalapeno peppers

1 white onion

4 cloves garlic

4 roma tomatoes

2 cups fresh or frozen yellow corn

1 can black beans

1 tablespoon: cumin, paprika, chili powder, crushed red peppers, dried oregano, & dried cilantro 

1 tablespoon raw cacao powder

For serving: 2 portions: 1 avocado, fresh cilantro, 1/2 diced red onion, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 plain corn tortillas, 1 cup shredded white cheese (I use Oaxaca cheese)  

*Note: if you have dried Mexican chipotles or anchos, by all means, go ahead. You can rehydrate the dried peppers in the soup and blend them up with the tomatoes for a deeper, mole-style taste. 

how to make it

Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides (if your chicken breasts are super thick, you may want to cut each breast in 3-4 thinner pieces). 

In a large soup pot, add 1-2 tablespoons or olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, add a few more glugs of olive oil, and send in the diced white onion, poblano peppers, jalapeno peppers (with seeds), and garlic. A thick dice is just fine. 

Once the veggies are slightly soft, send in the spices. Stir thoroughly. After ~2 minutes over medium heat, add about 1/2 cup of water to completely deglaze followed by all the chicken broth. Add back in the large pieces of chicken along with the cacao powder, stir thoroughly, and simmer gently for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. 

Remove chicken from pot to a plate and shred it thoroughly using a fork and knife. Halve the roma tomatoes and add to a blender along with ~3 cups of soup liquid. Blend until well combined and return the puree to the soup pot on the stove. 

Add the shredded chicken, corn, and drained black beans into the soup, stir, and simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes on low. Taste for flavor adjustments. While the soup simmers, cut the plain tortillas into strips, fry them up in some oil, and toss them with salt to create little crispies. 

Once the soup is ready, place a small pile of tortilla crispies in the bottom of a soup bowl topped with some shredded white cheese. Ladle soup into bowl. 

Top with more crispies, more cheese, half an avocado diced, a dollop of yogurt, and fresh cilantro.

Enjoy the heat! 🔥

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Veggie

Salsa

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Easy Chopper Salsa

I’ve got a couple salsa recipes but this one came to me by way of my CSA, Potomac Vegetable Farms. They have “salsa boxes” all summer long which basically equate to put-all-of-these-things-in-a-chopper-and-hit-GO. And there you have it. Salsa. This recipe makes a fine, juicy salsa where I sometimes prefer a more pico de gallo style chunky salsa. The flavor is definitely better in this one, though. If you want a little added chunkiness and crunch, that is what the optional cucumber is for!

what you need

1 shallot

1 hot pepper

2 small sweet peppers

3-4 small-medium tomatoes (yellow ones, green ones, red ones, cherry ones, literally whatever)

2 glugs olive oil

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Juice from 1 lime

(optional) 1 small cucumber, finely diced

how to make it

Place shallot, hot pepper, sweet peppers, and tomatoes in a small chopper and chop until just fine enough. You may need to do this in two or three batches. 

Add the olive oil, cilantro, salt, pepper, and lime juice, and stir until blended. 

Stir in the cucumber, if using.

 

Enjoy with chips and vibey summer cocktails!

🥗

🌶️🍅🥑

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Green Pea Mint Soup

It’s cold. And it’s the time of year when everyone in Northern Virginia wishes they did not live in Northern Virginia. March drags on forever, and just when you think you’ve made it to spring, Easter is chilly and there is sleet on Mother’s Day. This is the all-star springtime soup. This green pea minty soup basically has a salad on top and the crema can get really creative. So break out the wasabi, the green vibes, and the blender. Best part is this thing takes all of 20 minutes to make. It is bright and vibrant; perfect for Easter, perfect for Spring. You’re welcome.

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March 19, 2023 No Comments
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Asparagus Lentil Soup

This is the third soup recipe in the March Festival of Soups! This one is the most elaborate but it also may be the most worth it if you’re into a wicked interesting flavor profile and a little meat on your bones (figuratively speaking – the protein in this soup is lentils). With some unique flavors and a burst of freshness that screams spicy, hearty chimichurri, this is just what the late Spring chill ordered to nudge the vibe towards summer and keep out the late-seeping cold. 

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Warm Garlic Almond Soup

This is the second soup from The Great March Festival of Soups. This soup is by far the coziest. The olive oil, pistachios, and grapes really do something special. And I do not recommend skipping the cayenne. This truly is a cure for the common cold and chilly weather. It’s a hug in a mug. It’s like fleece-lined mittens. It’s early spring. 

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March 24, 2023 1 Comment
one and a half slices shishito peppers recipe local

Shishito Peppers

This is my new favorite summer appetizer. I cannot believe my CSA has had fresh, local shishito peppers almost every spring/summer week for two years and I did not know how to prepare them! This really is the simplest party appetizer you could possible make. And SO salty and delicious, with excellent flavor. They aren’t spicy unless you want them to be! The natural shishito is sweet and earthy with very delicate flesh.  

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October 15, 2021 No Comments
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Jamon con Melon

This is the simplest of appetizers. Elegant and perfectly balanced. Sweet and Salty. aka Melon Carpaccio. #summervibes

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September 17, 2022 No Comments
argentinian empanada recipe authentic argentine oneandahalfslices

Empanadas

There are many varieties but a recipe for specifically Argentinian empanadas is difficult to find – especially in English and out of the metric system. Often served as an appetizer, empanadas are hearty little handpies that can suffice as a meal alone and their flexible filling options (savory or sweet) make them perfect for just about any occasion. Argentina will always be a special place for me. So here is the elusive no-one-writes-this-shit-down family recipe.

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January 3, 2021 4 Comments
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Veggie

Spicy Brussels

brussels sprout recipe whiskey pairing whisky one and a half slices
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Spicy Brussels Sprout

From the @whiskey_CA_mmelier Collaboration Dinner

brussels sprout recipe whiskey pairing whisky one and a half slices

This is the appetizer for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner. Brussels Sprouts are one of our favorite falltime veggies, especially when they’re made crispy. There are so many unique toppings for sprouts (sprouts!) that they’ll never get boring. Pairing. I hinted to @whiskey_CA_mmelier that the sprouts I wanted to make were spicy sprouts and he was not pleased. Alcohol and pepper hit the same flavor receptors on the palette and it is therefore very difficult to make a pairing. We settled on an only slightly spicy, mildly sweet sprout and decided to go rogue and open our pairing with a scotch! A mild one. The initial idea was Bruichladdich, a young but incredibly refined Islay  scotch – that’s why the signature blue bottle is visible in some of the photos. After much discussion, however, we turned to the sweeter, fuller Scapa Skiren from Orkney Island. It brought out the sweetness of the sprouts really well with banana/melon on the nose and walnut on the backside (as @whiskey_CA_mmelier’s wife pointed out, who was better than all three of us at tasting).  

what you need

1 batch of fresh Brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes

Toppings: toasted pine nuts and pomegranate seeds (my favorite!), toasted pecans (pictured here), hydrated golden raisins (soaked in water for an hour), parmesan cheese, feta cheese crumble with bacon. 

Whiskey Pairing: Scapa Skiren Scotch Whiskey – The Orcadian

how to make it

Heat oven to 400. Cut the ends off the sprouts, then cut in half or quarters depending on their size. Toss them in olive oil and desired spices, and spread out onto lined baking sheet (for a crispier sprout) or cast iron pan. 

Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and stir generously, adding a bit more spice at this point if you desire (I may have drizzled some honey). Return and bake another 10 minutes. 

If using toppings that are not pre-toasted like pecans, sprinkle the pecans and cook for another 3-5 minutes. You definitely want some crisp, burnt sprouts but obviously not to char the whole lot, so just keep an eye on them. Serve warm!
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Saturday Supper I

What happens when it rains sideways on Saturday, you’ve got a fresh tub of Maryland blue crab meat, and someone gets a hankering for sangria? Carriages at midnight. Ambulances at 2am. Wheelbarrows at 5am. Hearses at daybreak.

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Sazerac

This is the opening cocktail for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner. The Rye Sazerac is one of the oldest, prohibition-era cocktails. It’s classic, elegant, and simple. With rye whiskey, lemon, absinthe, and bitters, a Sazerac is as refined as a cocktail can be. Here we present this  simple cocktail recipe as a forward to the rest of a classic meal. The absinthe on the nose provides an interesting twist to a classically whiskey-based cocktail. We used Sazerac Rye as the base.

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Pot Roast

This is the main course for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner and, my, what a deep, flavorful pot roast this is! Let me start by saying that I sourced a 4.6 pound chuck roast from the Spring House Farm Store to feed the four of us and had no regrets. A simple pot roast is easy enough to pull off especially if you have a slow cooker, but this really takes the flavor profile up a notch to make this velvety, sinful, fall-off-your-fork roast with plenty of fall veggies.

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Veggie

Shishito Peppers

one and a half slices shishito peppers recipe local
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Roasted Shishito Peppers

one and a half slices shishito peppers recipe local

This is my new favorite summer appetizer. I cannot believe my CSA (shoutout to Potomac Vegetable Farm) has had fresh, local shishito peppers almost every spring/summer week for two years and I did not know how to prepare them! This really is the simplest party appetizer you could possible make. And SO salty and delicious, with excellent flavor. They aren’t spicy unless you want them to be! A friend recently told me that Shishito Peppers, a Japanese varietal, aren’t naturally spicy but sometimes end up that way in the US because we tend to plant them close to other hot pepper varietals. The natural shishito is sweet and earthy with very delicate flesh.  

what you need

Desired amount of fresh shishito peppers. Both green and red are good. 

Salt to taste

Cayenne pepper (for spicy) or Paprika (for not spicy)

Good olive oil

how to make it

Heat oven to 450

Toss shishito peppers in olive oil, salt, and paprika or cayenne

Lay out peppers on a pan and roast until they begin to brown

Remove from oven and poke 1-2 holes in each pepper with a sharp knife so they deflate

Serve HOT!

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There are many varieties but a recipe for specifically Argentinian empanadas is difficult to find – especially in English and out of the metric system. Often served as an appetizer, empanadas are hearty little handpies that can suffice as a meal alone and their flexible filling options (savory or sweet) make them perfect for just about any occasion. Argentina will always be a special place for me. So here is the elusive no-one-writes-this-shit-down family recipe.

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January 3, 2021 4 Comments
one and a half slices healthy vegetarian recipes sprouts

Brussels Sprouts Salad

For those who think you don’t like Brussels Sprouts, pause… let’s see what happens to them when we add a decent flavor profile. This healthy, clean salad is crunchy, flavorful, and interesting all in one bite. It’s fresh like summer, crisp like springtime, and full of fall and winter flavors. A perfect snack, app, or dinner if eating light. Makes me think that maybe some Instagram Reels are worth watching…

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January 16, 2022 2 Comments
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Jamon con Melon

This is the simplest of appetizers. Elegant and perfectly balanced. Sweet and Salty. aka Melon Carpaccio. #summervibes

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September 17, 2022 No Comments
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Sweet

Hot Chocolate

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Mexican Hot Chocolate

Valentine’s Day is so controversial. Dinner reservations are made and flowers are purchased. Anti-Valentine’s Day parties are planned among groups of single women. Me, I like the concept of a day to stop and acknowledge the uniqueness of your partner and the things you love about them. But I’ve always thought the day best celebrated with something representative of the couple, whether that’s a meal, an activity, or a favorite movie. My Valentine’s days have been filled with videogames and pizza, homemade dinners, and elaborate chocolate selections (because any excuse to buy gourmet assorted chocolates, even if purchased by yourself, for yourself, amiright?). 

If you are making a dinner at home and are worried about dessert, I’ve got a solution for that. Making full dinners is time consuming, so the last thing you want to do is have to worry about making dessert on top of a full spread. Dessert should be something easy or something you can make in advance. The magic of this dessert is its simplicity. And while it makes for a beautifully elegant Valentine’s Day nightcap, it serves just as well on a Tuesday night. This is all-purpose, every day, delicate, creamy, spicy, chocolate deliciousness. And yes, we’re going to follow the chili in chocolate and chocolate in chili rule. However or whenever you choose to test drive this unique conceptualization of cocoa, I promise it will be among the best cups of hot chocolate you’ve ever tasted. Whipped cream or marshmallows… you choose. 

Afterthought: Allow me to take a moment to highlight three of my favorite chocolatiers in case you are looking for last-minute gift ideas. SOMA Chocolatemaker is top of that list, headquartered in Toronto. Check out their cherries tumbled in dark chocolate, their truly artful chocolate bars, or some gingerbread ninja cat cookies (because whynot?).  For chef-quality chocolatemaking, check out NYC-based Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolates.  The pricetag is exorbitant on the Valentine’s Day Chef Selection but the chocolate connoisseur will not be disappointed.  They also have macarons (see below). Finally, the Swiss Teuscher Chocolates has several US-based locations (I discovered it in San Francisco).  The assorted truffles (emphasis on the champagne truffles) are extremely fresh. 

mexico-icon-png-picture-697490-mexico-country-png-mexico-map-icon-png-512_512

what you need

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or 1 cup mini marshmallows)

2 cups whole milk or dairy-free milk of choice (cashew or macadamia work pretty well)

2 generous tablespoons fresh, local honey

Ground cinnamon

Ground chili pepper or cayenne pepper 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon sugar or maple syrup

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate chips of choice (I prefer 60% or more cocoa content… 100% makes the hot chocolate a little too thick)

how to make it

Makes two small cups of hot chocolate.

Before you begin, whip the cream into soft peaks adding the maple syrup or sugar to sweeten and a dash of cinnamon at the end. 

Place a small pot stovetop over medium-high heat. Make two dollops of honey on the base of the pot. Add the vanilla and healthy dashes of cinnamon and chili pepper. You will use a larger quantity of chili pepper or a smaller quantity if using cayenne; either way, adjust to your desired level of spiciness. 

Using a fork, blend the spices into the honey until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir as they begin to melt, being careful not to let them stick to the base of the pot. Add the milk.

Using the fork as a whisk, whisk the chocolate continually making sure to get all the chocolate off the base of the pot blended into the milk. Whisk continually as the milk heats until you see steam rising off the top of the chocolate. At sign of the first bubble, remove from heat. Do not boil. If the hot chocolate boils, the chocolate will separate from the milk and the chocolate will acquire a frothy (in a bad way) texture. 

Pour into mugs, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and a dash of chili and/or cinnamon. If using marshmallows, place mallows in cup first and pour hot chocolate over top. Serve with a truffle, a cherry, or a particularly good walnut on the side and you’re golden.