Nomday: Mijana, Next Coffee, and Max Tacos!

Because we had a very burgers and tacos party weekend, gigs at a Lebanese restaurant, and a coffee house, there are a ton of left over foods around and no need for the usual crock pot goodness this week. I am a huge fan of mix and match leftovers! So, how about a very special Nomday post about all the crazy foods from the weekend?

Mijana

Friday night, Roza and Shaharazad Dance Company invited bint Hazine for a show at Mijana, out at the Tempe end of Scottsdale Road. The décor is fantastic, and the food is amazing, unfortunately, the service leaves a lot to be desired. Do not go here if you are in a hurry. Jess and I ordered the hummus and bread, it took more than twenty minutes to arrive at the table. Granted they did have a show going on, but it wasn’t that crazy. The hummus was perfect though, and I loved that the pita breads were all puffed up and warm!

Next Coffee

I love performing at Next Coffee (59^th Ave & Utopia) because this place is so chill and friendly. The service is amazing no matter how hopping it gets and, most important, they are home to the Chailua! It is just what it sounds like, a hot chai tea with a shot of Kalua, a-maz-ing!

Tacos by Max

For those who love homemade tacos, but still use the standard taco seasoning, try this variation and I can promise you will think before ever returning to the boxed powders.

¼ cup ground Cumin

3 cloves crushed garlic

Salt & pepper to taste

1 ½ - 2 cups water

Combine spices in water. Brown meat (ground turkey or beef works great) in skillet. Add spices to meat and finish cooking.

Now, I am taking this recipe from what I observed over Max’s shoulder so it may not be perfect measurement, but I promise. The right balance and it is amazing!

I promise next week we will be back on crock pot schedule, but it is nice to have a little change of pace now and again. Now, I am off to see how I can best combine the remaining cacciatore sauce, taco meat, and hummus to make something really interesting.

Okay, maybe not.

Nomday: Chicken Cacciatore

This was the most expensive meal so far. I think it had to do with the added cost of the wine, but at least I will have some creativity lubrication and Max has something to help him sleep when he gets home from work late at night.

Max drew the art for this page because he kept saying cacciatore reminded him of Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Chicken Cacciatore

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 7 hours

Approximate Cost: $18.50

2-3 lbs. chicken thighs (we used boneless/ skinless)

14 oz. can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning

6 oz. can tomato paste

14 oz. chicken broth

1 large white onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, pressed

2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 carton sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 cup dry red wine (I used one small bottle of the Sutter Home Merlot)

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning (Mix my own combination)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in the crock pot. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.