Carnitas

I’m not sure what it is about summer – the sun-soaked time of year that lends itself to bathing suits and other figure-exposing attire – that makes me want to eat heaps and heaps of meat. It’s grillin’ season, and what goes better on a grill than juicy sausages, saucy ribs or cheese-covered burgers? I mean, yeah, vegetable skewers are great and all, but the stars of summer seem to be food that is no friend to a bikini. And it’s not limited to meats – the often mayo-laden cole slaw and potato salads are barbecue staples, and what hot summer night could possibly be complete without some rapidly-melting ice cream? And cold beers?

Now, I know that summer is also the season for great produce – tomatoes and zucchini especially are at their best, especially ’round these parts, and they both are conducive to light, beach-body-friendly meals. Meals which I’ll be making. Eventually.

Tortilla time!

Originally posted August 2012.

Good news, everyone! This next recipe is one that someone — gasp — shared with me!

Yes, you heard (saw?) me. This didn’t come from someone else’s cooking blog, or a magazine, or the Food Network, or Pinterest. By the way, after claiming to be staunchly, adamantly against Pinterest, it has ensnared me and now I’m obsessed. I still maintain that it makes me sad that I don’t have a room made entirely of bookshelves, or an organized walk-in closet full of multicolored boots, but it’s fun, dagnabit, and addictive.

Anyhow, my mom concocted this recipe a couple of months ago, and it was a pretty big hit with my dad. It sounded delicious, so when I went over there with Colin and our mischievous, monstrous fur child this week, I asked her if she’d mind making it for us.

It was good, but good lord, was it spicy. Though, when she told me it was seasoned with adobo, I should have really seen that coming.