easy steak gyros + homemade pita

I saw a hilarious Arby's commercial where the company was promoting their new gyros, and the narrator pronounces gryos six different ways (euro, jiro, guyro) before giving up, calling them Mediterranean tacos! So, I thought I'd share with you my own Mediterranean tacos that, are not only cheaper and healthier (check out this wonderfully-detailed article about the benefits of eating steak) than Arby's, but are ten-times tastier. As summer peaks around the corner, you're going to want this recipe in your arsenal for those sunny beach day picnics. I'll show you how to make everything you see in the picture: the pita, the steak, and the tzatziki. Let's get started!

meatballs & marinara - juicy balls of deliciousness

If you're an atheist, vegan, or Indian (from India), you should probably shield your eyes from what I'm about to say. Thank you God for making cows edible. Amen. I guess I should be thanking him for pigs too cause these are beef and pork meatballs, but then I'd have to list every ingredient and then the "Indian" criteria wouldn't really work. Analogies, can't live without them, can't form all-encompassing logical statements with them. 

The interweb is inundated with meatball recipes. In fact, unbeknownst to me Foodnetwork just came out with an edition entirely dedicated to the little balls of meat. Yet, there's been this void inside me that has been pecking at my sanity ever since I started this blog. A meatball shaped void that when filled I can finally call this "thing" a food blog. Plus, it was an excuse for me to make meatballs. Mmm meatballs. Meatballs. If you're uncomfortable with the word you should probably stop reading now. 

one-pot red wine braised short ribs

Imagine sitting in front of you is a bowl of rich meaty short ribs atop a mound of buttery mashed potatoes sitting in a velvety pool of red wine jus. Well stop imagining cause we've got pictures! Just look at it. So good! You can do this too, and all in one pot!

Recently, I've been watching a lot of Julia Child. I've been inspired by the Beef Bourguignon, Coq Au Vin, you name it I've watched it, read it, and lived it. Yes, you can live food. And if you asked me, I wouldn't mind living in a pan of this red wine braised short ribs (he said proud of his transitional skills). Believe it or not, that was one of my better transitions on this site. If you've got a pot and you've got meat (it doesn't have to be short ribs), you can implement this easy technique/recipe to make really delicious braised beef. You're family will thank you for it, and so will your taste buds. 

marrow on toast - rich and unctuous

You know you wish you were here. And if you don't, then you're a party sucker and should rethink your entire life. Marrow on toast is such a classic preparation of this rich and unctuous treat. Not only that but I soak my toast with the rendered marrow fat so we get the maximum amount of beefy fatty goodness. 

reci-pics™ (recipe in pictures) - beef and green onion roll 牛肉大蔥卷

After the success I saw from the last Chinese How-To, "How to Fold a Chinese Dumpling", I thought you guys would be interested in another traditional chinese dish (my mom wanted me to show off her Beef and Green Onion Rolls 牛肉大蔥卷). This is a famous Taiwanese dish that you'll find all along the streets in Taiwan. The complexity of chinese cuisine, in it's flavors and textures, is so amazing and this roll is not an exception. The Beef Shank is so tender and succulent, while the green onion pancake tightly caresses it in it's crispy flaky entirety. We also spread a sweet and salty hoisin sauce along the inside of the pancake to give it sweet plum note. For now though, I'll only be showing you how to make the pancake (蔥花餅). We'll probably add it in at a later date.