Quinoa "Tortilla" Taco Soup with Beef, Black Beans, and Tomatoes

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Fall makes me so nostalgic. From soup to tall boots to Halloween costumes, there is something in it for everyone that reminds us of years past. 

And so, naturally, I'm making the most of it. Bring on the crock pot, my friend.

After the last batch of chili, I've been on a soup kick. It's the easiest way to have a large volume of healthy eats available at a moment's notice.

One of my favorite soups is tortilla soup... minus the tortilla. Basically, I just want a taco in a bowl. Only, the day I was making this, I only had frozen chicken, and a few pounds of lean ground beef were burning a hole in my fridge. So, beef it was! Feel free to sub shredded chicken, if need be!

I also decided to add quinoa to this recipe, to give it some "staying power" and add some fiber. If you can't handle the QUEEN, feel free to sub for couscous or rice. But, really... try the quinoa!

Quinoa Taco Soup with Beef, Black Beans, and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1.5 cups dry quinoa
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 can roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup black beans
• 1lb lean ground beef

Directions:

1. Boil 4 cups chicken stock. Add quinoa, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Brown ground beef in a pan.
3. Add taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, black beans, and cooked ground beef to the pot of chicken stock and quinoa.
4. Cook on low for 3 hours.
5. Add remaining chicken stock and cook for another hour.

Whiskey Marinated Steak with Chocolate Red Wine Reduction Sauce

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Since I posted a recap of my weekend, I've had numerous readers and friends ask me for this recipe. For those of you who are wondering, yes, it really was that good.

Basically, one day, I was feeling particularly cranky at work. I'm generally a very positive person, but occasionally things get too complicated. On this particular day, I was feeling very irritated, and then a thought entered my mind: This would all be better if I could have whiskey marinated steak with chocolate wine sauce.

All it took was one moment, that seed of a totally random recipe to be planted in my head, and from that point forward, I was hooked on the idea of this dish. My coworkers have heard me repeatedly bringing it up, asking them if they thought it would work or professing my excitement over this imaginary dish.

Finally, when my fiance and I made plans to visit my parents over the weekend, it seemed like the perfect experiment. My parents are (almost) always willing to try my edible concoctions, and my fiance is a WONDERFUL griller (it's not as easy as it looks - I'm pretty sure I'd suck at it).

Thus, with a random thought during the workday, this recipe was conceived... and, over a weekend in the Northern Chicago Suburbs, it was born. Happy Birthday, Recipe!

This recipe would be perfect for a homemade Valentines Day dinner, or a romantic gourmet meal.

Whiskey Marinated Steak with Chocolate Wine Reduction Sauce

Serving Size: This recipe is for 4-6 filets. If you're making it for two, cut it in half.

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup Whiskey
• 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1 Dash Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 2 Shakes, Minced White Onion Flakes (or Onion Powder)

Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Red Wine
• 2 Tablespoons Sifted Cacao Powder (or Cocoa powder)
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

Other Ingredients:

• 4-6 filets (or cut recipe in half for 2-3) 

Directions:

1. Mix marinade ingredients and whisk well. Place steak with marinade in a plastic bag. Poke filets/steaks with fork, if desired. Let sit for at least two hours, but overnight is best.
2. Heat your grill! We like to cook our steaks "Rare Plus," so we start the heat out as high as possible so that we sear the outside quickly, without cooking the meat too much.
3. Before cooking the meat, begin making the chocolate and wine reduction sauce. Reduce wine (boil for a while, then slowly reduce to a simmer) until it is reduced in volume and slightly thicker. Then, add gradually add Cacao Powder and Brown Sugar, stirring well to break up any chunks.
4. Grill your steaks. Ours took only a few minutes on each side.
5. Place steaks on individual plates and drizzle with chocolate wine reduction sauce.
6. Enjoy!