Baja Fish Tacos

I love fish tacos... they always take my husband and I back to our vacation in Mexico this past winter.  The recipe I tried tonight was delicious.  Our favorite parts were the Pico de Gallo and the Southwestern Slaw.  The fish was just a nice base for it!  We agreed that we would even love to simply do black bean tacos with the Slaw and Pico next time. 

Baja Fish Tacos

Recipe adapted from www.epicurious.com

2 lb. talapia or other mild white fish
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. lime juice
5 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. coriander
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
salt/pepper to taste
tortillas (we used whole wheat)
Southwestern Slaw (see recipe below)
Pico de Gallo (see recipe below)
Mexican Crema (see recipe below)

Instructions: 

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large freezer bag.  Either freeze and thaw in fridge on cooking day or marinate 3-4 hours.

Remove fish from marinade and grill over medium high heat for about 4 minutes per side until fish is flakey.

Cut fish into large chunks.  Divide over tortillas with a scoop of southwestern slaw, pico de gallo, and Mexican crema to top. 

Enjoy!

Southwestern Slaw

 

2 cups fine-shredded green cabbage

2 tsp lime juice

2 tsp honey

2 tbsp minced red onion

2 tsp minced jalapenos

2 tsp chopped cilantro

Salt, to taste

 

Combine all ingredients and allow to marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

 

Pico De Gallo

 

1 cup medium-dice tomatoes (seeded before dicing)

4 tsp minced red onion

1/2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

Salt, to taste

1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

 

Combine ingredients, stirring well.  It is ready to use immediately but can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.

 

Mexican Crema

 

1/2 cup Mexican sour cream

1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest

2 tsp lime juice

 

Combine all ingredients well.  It is ready to use immediately but can be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge.

Husband Rating: 7 out of 10

Sarah's Pork Chops

I think Sarah actually calls them "Frank's Pork Chops" (correct me if I am wrong) but at our house, they are going to be Sarah's Pork Chops.  I do have to say, the boys were not fans of this meal but my husband and I gobbled them up and didn't mind the leftovers!  (I wasn't able to get a good picture of this meal so I will have to add one in later - our grill ran out of propane so I had cooked them on a grilling pan inside, still tastey but less attractive!)

Sarah's Pork Chops

1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. water
4-6 pork chops

Combine all ingredients in a large freezer bag.  Either freeze and thaw for later use or marinate for 3-4 hours.

Grill pork chops to desired doneness. 

Husband Rating: 6 out of 10

Peach Struessel Muffins

I had a case of delicious Colorado peaches and although we love to eat them, we are only able to do so much before they start to get overly ripe.  So, I have been researching peach recipes and bookmarking my favorites in order to get through the peaches.  I would hate for them to go to waste!  These muffins were easy to make and delicious!  I made a double batch and then froze half of them (uncooked batter in muffin papers) and baked half of them up for a gathering I was going to.  They were delicious and it is so nice to have a variety of muffins ready to bake right in the freezer.  Best trick ever, Sarah B.!

Peach Streusel Muffins

Recipe from www.myrecipes.com

1/4 c. butter, softened
1/3  c. sugar
1 large egg
2 1/3 c. all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen peaches, peeled and chopped
1/4 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 Tbsp. butter, chilled

Instructions:

Beat 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg, beating until blended.

Combine 2 1/3 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, stirring well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract, and fold in chopped peaches.

Spoon muffin batter into greased or paper-lined muffin pan, filling two-thirds full.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon; cut in 2 1/2 tablespoons butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over muffin batter.

Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.

Food for Thought: I did not in any way make these sneaky or healthier in any way, there are easy things that could be done.  Substitute whole wheat flour for half of the flour; use 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal mixed with 3 Tbsp. warm water instead of the egg. Hope you enjoy them! 

Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers

These turned out sooooo yummy!  I love how crispy the chicken tenders were without any need to fry!  They didn't even need a dipping sauce in my mind.  My only regret is that I didn't get a nicer picture of them!  Next time... 

Pecan Crusted Chicken Strips

12 chicken tenders
2/3 c. honey
1/3 c. mustard
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 c. panko
1/2 c. pecans

Combine honey, mustard, oil, salt, garlic, and pepper.  Pour into large freezer bag and add chicken breasts.

Combine panko and pecans in a smaller bag.  Freeze the two bags together.

To serve, thaw chicken completely in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place breadcrumb mixture on a plate.  Shake excess sauce off chicken, roll in breadcrumbs, and place on greased baking sheet.

Bake 30 minutes.

Chicken Cutlets in White Wine

Though lovely in presentation, this meal was just average in my mind.  It wasn't bad, just a bit bland.  However, my children must enjoy the occasional bland meal because they both ate really well!  So, not a loser recipe, but not my favorite either.  I served it with a rice pilaf and steamed asparagus topped with grated parmesan.

Chicken Cutlets in White Wine

8 chicken cutlets (about 1 1/4 lb. total)
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1/2 c. dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (or 2/3 tsp. dried thyme)
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Instructions:

Stack cutlets in a gallon freezer bag.  In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. melted butter, wine, garlic, and thyme.  Whisk to combine.  Season with pepper.  Pour into bag and freeze.

Thaw chicken in refrigerator overnight.  Remove cutlets from bag and discard marinade.  Gently shake chicken to remove liquid and season with salt. 

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil.  Add cutlets to pan and cook until browned and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Flip halfway through and adjust heat as necessary to prevent from over browning.

Husband Rating: 4 out of 10

Food for Thought: I do think that this recipe could be improved in two ways.  I used chicken tenders for the recipe.  If I instead had used chicken breast and sliced into three pieces (approximating the size of tenders) the meat would have been better in my opinion.  I also am a sauce person... I would have liked a little sauce to go with the chicken though not sure what that would be at this point.  I will noodle on that and if I come up with an idea, I will share it.  If you have one, please share it! 

Apple Cinnamon Granola

I wish I had remembered to take a picture of this.  I will add one later.  This is the best granola recipe we have made to date.  It was sweet, crunchy, and delicious.  Everyone in the family has been eating it.

Apple Cinnamon Granola

5 c. multi-grain oats
2 c. sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. sesame seeds
1/2 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. oat bran
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. agave
1/3 c. honey
1 c. apple sauce
2 Tbsp. coconut oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine first 10 ingredients (multi-grain oats through cinnamon). 

In a small sauce pan, combine agave, honey, apple sauce, and coconut oil.  Heat over medium-low heat until coconut oil melts and is runny.  Pour over oat combination and stir well.

Spread over two cookie sheets topped with parchment paper.  Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until golden brown. 

Cool and store in large ziploc bag.  Enjoy!

Garden Veggie Salad

I needed to use up some corn on the cob that wasn't bad but definitely not the best.  My sister-in-law makes a salad similar to this often and so I decided to borrow the recipe.  It was delicious.  I even think that if you threw a can of black beans, drained and rinsed, into this, it could be a meal in and of itself.

Garden Veggie Salad

1 avocado, cubed
1 orange bell pepper, diced
5 ears corn
2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 c. basil, chopped
1/4 c. red onion, minced

3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
salt/pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat a large pot of water to boiling.  Add corn and bring back to a boil.  Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  Drain and let corn cool. Using a sharp knife, cut corn from the cob.

In a large bowl, combine veggies.  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, and salt/pepper.  Pour over veggies and serve cold.

Food for Thought: Any veggies work in this, carrots, sugar snap peas, potatoes, etc.  It's a nice way to use up any veggies from around your kitchen. 

Pineapple Pork Marinade

This is another one of those great make ahead marinades that I did with my friends.  You can toss it all together and keep it in your fridge for up to a week or freeze and thaw when you are ready to cook.  The kids loved the sweetness but it wasn't overly sweet for my husband and me.  I used pork tenderloin in it but it would also be delicious with chicken, maybe on kabobs with large chunks of grilled pineapple.  Ahhh, next time....  But, it was great with pork.  I served it with a rice pilaf and some garlicky greens.  It was a nice, summery meal! 

Pineapple Pork Marinade



1 c. crushed pineapple
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. cidar vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. powdered cloves

Toss all of the ingredients together in a large freezer bag.  Add your choice of meat (I used 2 pork tenderloins) and marinate in the fridge for several hours or freeze.  Be sure to thaw in the fridge when you are ready to cook. 

I grilled the pork over medium heat for about 8 minutes a side.  But cooking times will vary depending on the meat you use. 

Husband Rating:

Garlicky Greens with Tomatoes

My friend, Sarah, offered me some swiss chard and kale from her garden and I am glad I accepted!  I have never cooked with either before and was looking forward to seeing how our family would eat them, knowing how good for you they are.  I found a great recipe from one of my favorite blogs, www.101cookbooks.com and adapted it to our flavor preferences.  It turned out delicious!  Sarah (or any of my other friends with bountiful gardens), if you have more you are looking to get rid of, we will definitely take it! 

Garlicky Greens with Tomatoes

Recipe adapted from www.101cookbooks.com

1 large bunch of kale and/or swiss chard, stems removed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
sea salt
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions:

Roughly chop the kale and swiss chard.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat.  When hot, add salt (to taste) and greens.  The pan should hiss and spit a bit if it is hot enough.

Saute the greens for 2-3 minutes and then add the garlic and tomatoes.  Saute for another 1-2 minutes or until the greens are just wilted. 

Serve with Parmesan cheese on top.

Food for thought: After posting this recipe, my friend Katie gave me some swiss chard from her garden as well.  This time, I sauteed the swiss chard and tomatoes and then added 1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta to it.  It turned out delicious.  I highly recommend it! 

Tomato Quinoa Black Bean Salad

This night, we were supposed to be having pork tenderloin.  However, I realized at about 4:00 that it hadn't thawed all the way in the fridge as I had expected.  So, I looked around the kitchen, thought about what I had, and threw these things together to make a nice, easy dinner.  It turned out great in my mind, even though this style of meal isn't my husband's favorite. 

Tomato Quinoa Black Bean Salad

1 c. quinoa
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 c. fresh tomatoes, chopped
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
6 Tbsp. olive oil
salt/pepper
arugula
English cucumber

Instructions:

Cook the quinoa to package directions.  Set aside and allow to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, black beans, shallots, and tomatoes.  Pour dressing over the top and stir well.

On each plate, place some arugula and cucumber.  Put a scoop of the quinoa mixture over the top.  Enjoy!

Husband Rating: 5 out of 10

Tomato, Basil, and Chicken Gemelli

This is a recipe I found on one of my favorite food blogs, www.fortheloveofcooking.net.  The blogger always has great recipes that are easy to recreate and my family generally loves them.  I liked that we were able to use a bunch of the fresh basil we got from my friend Katie's garden as well as the tomatoes from the farmer's market.  I also think that this will be even better as a cold salad for lunch tomorrow. 

Tomato, Basil, and Chicken Gemelli

12 oz. whole wheat gemelli
2 chicken breasts
salt/pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 c. pine nuts
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
asiago cheese, to taste

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a clean, dry pan, cook pine nuts over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cook chicken, approximately 5 minutes per side, until cooked through.  Set aside for 2 minutes before cutting into bite sized pieces.

In the same pan, toss cooked pasta, garlic, tomatoes, pine nuts, and chicken with 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Top with asiago cheese.

Husband Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Food for Thought: This was better the day after... I took it as a cold salad for lunch on our picnic and it was delicious.  I think next time I might even chill the pasta and eat it cold right away! 

Chocoate Zucchini Muffins

I needed a way to use up more of the zucchini I got at the farmer's market.  I ran out of cinnamon on my previous batch of zucchini bread so looked for a new way to bake it up.  These turned out delicious - moist and flavorful without being too sweet.  After sharing them at our family reunion this past weekend, we have received a cousin rating: 10 out of 10! 

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

adapted from www.joyofbaking.com

1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. white flour
1 c. baking cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. flaxseed meal combined with 6 Tbsp. warm water
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. coconut oil
1/2 c. apple sauce
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 c. shredded zucchini

In a large bowl, combine flours, cocoa, baking soda and powder, and salt. 

In a separate bowl, blend the eggs, flaxseed meal combination, sugars, coconut oil, apple sauce, and vanilla.  Blend well.  (If coconut oil is still in solid form, heat slowly over low heat on the stove, allow to cool, and then add to mixture.  If you do not have coconut oil, canola oil can be substituted.)

Mix together wet and dry ingredients until just mixed.  Fold in zucchini.

In muffin tin lined with muffin papers, scoop batter.  Bake muffins at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 2 dozen muffins.

Food for Thought: As always, this is a great muffin recipe for freezing.  Simply pour batter into muffin papers, flash freeze for 2 hours, and then empty into a freezer bag.  When ready to bake, don't thaw.  Simply place in muffin pan and bake at same temperature adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time.  It is helpful to use the foil muffin papers as the paper ones tend to fall apart when baking after freezing.

Gluten-Free Mixed Berry Muffins

I had a potluck style brunch to go to and signed up to bring a variety of muffins and breads.  I knew that there were one or two people who followed a gluten-free diet and have wanted to try for a while now to make some GF foods so this was my opportunity.  I did a bit of research and found many blog sites dedicated to gluten free cooking (and many with adaptations to eliminate the "allergy" foods like eggs, gluten, dairy, etc.) so it was easy to find something to bake.  My gluten-free friend said they were tasty and I liked them too.  However, quinoa flour is something of a distinct taste so perhaps test it out yourself before making a large batch.

Gluten-Free Mixed Berry Muffins

Recipe adapted from http://glutenfreeday.com/?p=62

2 c. quinoa flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. mixed frozen berries
3 Tbsp. oil
4 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 ripe mashed banana
1/2 c. apple sauce
1 c. milk
1 tsp. lemon juice
powdered sugar

Instructions:

Combine flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Stir in the frozen berries. 

In a separate bowl, combine milk and lemon juice and let sit for a few minutes.  Add to that the oil,  maple syrup, banana, and apple sauce. 

Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir.  Do not overmix.

Divide into 12 lined muffin cups or into 24 mini-muffin cups. 

Bake at 340 degrees for 20 minutes (mini-muffins) or 30 minutes (regular sized muffins).

Chocolate Pudding Pie

If you are looking for something completely unhealthy, delicious, full of chocolate-y goodness, you've come to the right recipe.  If you are looking for something that looks impressive for company, yet is rather easy to put together, you've come to the right recipe.

Ooooh, this one is so good and I am glad that we had some leftovers to take home of it because I have been enjoying them!  I really do try to eat healthy most of the time but every once in a while you gotta splurge and this is the pie to do it with!  Yum!

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Recipe from http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/archives/11654

*There are four major components to this recipe so I broke it down into smaller sections below.

Pie Crust
1 1/4 c. chocolate wafer cookies, pulverized
5 Tbsp. melted butter
3 Tbsp. sugar

Combine cookie crumbs and sugar in a bowl.  Add melted butter and stir.  Press into a 9-in. pie pan and bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees F. 


Pie Filling
2 1/2 c. whole milk
5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (easiest to use chocolate chips)
4 large egg yolks
3/4 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. corn starch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a medium sauce pan, combine whole milk and chocolate.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted.

Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar and whisk until a pale yellow color.  Add corn starch, salt, and vanilla.

Remove chocolate mixture from heat and pour into egg mixture, stirring well.  Return to sauce pan and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and just begins to bubble (about 6-7 minutes).  Remove from heat and stir continuously for about 1 minute until smooth. 

Pour into pie crust.  Put a piece of plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.


Whipped Cream Topping
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Using an electric mixer, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla until it forms stiff peaks.  Spoon evenly over surface of cooled pie. 

Lick the spoon; and maybe even the bowl.  :)

Chocolate Shavings
large chunk dark chocolate
vegetable peeler

Slightly soften your chocolate bar in the microwave (like 15 seconds on low heat).  Slowly scrape the vegetable peeler along the edge of the chocolate bar to create the curls.  If you get ragged edges or little chips instead of curls, soften the chocolate a bit more.  Refrigerate curls until ready to use.  Garnish top of pie with curls before slicing.

Enjoy!!!!!

Husband Rating: Who cares - it is so delicious... actually, he took a stance of not rating desserts, but keeping his rating to dinners only.  Our friends we shared it with gave this a 10 however. 

Food for Thought: No other thoughts than you need to make this.  It's that good!

Zucchini Bread

I am on a bit of a baking kick... but it is so fun when there are so fruits and veggies are plentiful at farmer's markets.  This recipe was a good basic one.  Although I made it as is, there are easy ways to adapt it to make it a bit healthier.  It would be easy to substitute half of the flour for wheat and use the flaxseed meal/water combination for an egg substitute.  Also, you could cut the oil in half or completely out of the recipe, substituting apple sauce and still get a similar result.  Either way, my guys thought it was a great treat and it is one that we will be repeating this weekend!

Zucchini Bread

Recipe from www.allrecipes.com

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups white sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

Instructions:

Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined.

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Food for Thought: This was a huge hit with my boys.  I just went to the farmer's market to get more zucchini to make some to freeze.  It's easy to bake up and wrap in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil to freeze.  Then just allow to thaw on the counter.

Spicy Shredded Pork Sandwiches with Avocado

This recipe was a nice change of pace for us.  There was something in there that everyone in the family liked.  As I was putting the sandwiches together, I was a bit unsure of how it would all taste.  The individual ingredients didn't taste all that good on their own.  However, when put together as a sandwich, it was great.

Spicy Shredded Pork Sandwiches with Avocado

1 pork tenderloin
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. cumin

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 c. mayo
1 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. chipolte chili powder

hearty bread (I used a 9-grain bread)
avocado

Instructions:

In large freezer bag, combine first four ingredients and marinade for 4+ hours.

Prepare the pork.  Grill it for about 8 minutes per side on medium heat until it was medium well.  Then, let it sit 5 minutes before shredding.

While pork sits, saute onion, jalapeno, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder in olive oil.  Add shredded pork and remove from heat.  Do not cook too long or it will become dry.

Whisk together mayo, lime juice, and chipotle chili powder. 

Spread a thick layer of the chipotle lime may on the bread and add a layer of avocado and pork.  Maybe even put a dollop of mayo on your plate to dip the sandwich in.   It's that good! 

Husband Rating: 7 out of 10

Food for Thought: The mayo was too spicy for my little guys so they had their sandwiches without.  But, my husband and I loved it!  You could easily prepare the marinade for the pork and stick it in the freezer as well as in a separate bag put the onion mixture raw.  Then, on cooking day, simply thaw the pork and cook as directed.  Saute the onion as directed as well and serve.