Fish Tacos

Several things have happened that are worth getting excited about...

1. The weather has been glorious.  I'm loving the mild temperatures and the sunshine.  I'm not thinking about how hot the summer could be.
2. No more Saturday work days... busy season is done.
3. I made fish tacos.

I thought fish tacos were a little strange the first time that I had them, but since I have discovered how to make them myself, they are one of my favorite warm weather dishes.

Here's what you'll get if you come to my place for dinner and fish tacos are on the menu:

 

Diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, lemons...

 

fun salsa...

 

black beans, and cheese (and sour cream and hot sauce) to go along with your tacos.

 

The fish itself is so easy to make.  First, I combine flour, grated Parmesan cheese, and several different seasonings.  I usually use garlic salt, seasoning salt, pepper, cumin, and parsley. 

 

Then, I use tilapia fillets that I cut down the middle.  After rinsing and slicing, I just dredge each piece in my flour mixture.

 

Next, heat up a skillet with a small bit of oil.  When the oil is hot, place the fish in the skillet to cook.  Cook the fish on each side for a few minutes.

Once you have cooked the fish on each side, you can make a small slice into the fish, and it should be white if it is done.  Remove the fish to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

 

Then, serve them up on warm corn tortillas with all the previously disclosed toppings.  It pairs deliciously with cilantro lime rice and guacamole.  These are so light and yummy and easy for a spring or summer meal!

Here's the recipe for the fish:

Fish Tacos

1/2 to 3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garlic salt
Seasoning salt
Black pepper
Cumin
Parsley
4 tilapia fillets, rinsed and cut into 8 strips

Combine the flour, cheese and seasonings in a shallow dish.   Don't by shy with the seasoning.  The mixture should be potent to give the fish a good flavor.  Dredge the fish in the flour mixture.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; when the oil is hot, place the fish in the skillet.  Cook the fish on each side for 3-4 minutes.  The fish will be white when it is done.  Remove from the skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.  Serve on warm corn tortillas with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, salsa, and whatever else you can dream up!

Ham Bone Soup

Well, remember this day?

The day that I did freezer cooking?  I never told what the other dishes were that I made.  So, here's dish numero dos that I made that day.

 

This isn't a super springy dish, but it is a yummy winter one, which it was winter when I made this.

 

Begin by cooking several pieces of bacon in a large pot.  Go for the peppered bacon.  It will give this a wow!

Then, grab some carrots, celery, an onion, and a few cloves of garlic.

 

Chop all these veggies up.  I chose to use my food processor.  It got the job done in a jiffy!

 

When the bacon is done, scoop it out and let it drain.

 

After you scoop out the bacon, drain off some of the bacon fat, leaving enough to saute the veggies.  I don't cook in bacon grease much, but it sure makes this soup extra yummy!

 

Throw in all the veggies to cook for a few minutes, stirring them around to cook them evenly.

 

Once the veggies have cooked, add about 8 cups of broth and bay leaf.  Bring it all to a boil.

I never buy honey baked hams, but I could eat a whole one for sure.  Whenever my grandparents bring one to my parents, I always grab a little for sandwiches or for soup!  Chop the ham into bite-sized pieces and add to the veggies and broth.  Turn the temp down to a simmer.

Then, you'll need about half a head of cabbage shredded.

 

The food processor, again, didn't let me down.  You should end up with about 8 cups of cabbage.

 

Add this to the pot and cook for about half an hour, covered, until the cabbage is cooked.

When the cabbage is cooked, drain and rinse three cans of pinto beans.  Add these to the soup and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Finally, you'll need a small bunch of kale.  Remove the ribs and chop into bite-sized pieces.

When you add the kale, it will turn a brilliant green.  So, lovely!  Let the kale cook for a few minutes until it is soft.

Then, serve it up and garnish with bacon and a dash of hot sauce.  Perhaps you should have some sourdough bread to go on the side.  Just some food for thought!  Try this if we get a cold snap, or tuck it away for when it gets cool this fall.

Here's the recipe... I adapted it from a recipe I found online from the New York Times.

Ham Bone Soup

4 strips bacon, thick cut, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced
1 large onion, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 cups of vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1 to 1 1/2 cups honey baked ham
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus additional to taste
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded (about 8 cups)
3 cans of pinto bean, rinsed and drained
1 small bunch kale, ribs removed and leaves chopped into bite-size pieces
Black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce or apple cider vinegar, to taste.

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. 

Add the carrots, celery and onion to the pot.  Stir until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add the broth, bay leaf, and ham.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir in the cabbage and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add the beans and simmer 15 minutes.  Stir in the kale and simmer until soft, but vibrantly green, about 15 minutes.  Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Serve with crumbled bacon on top and a dash of hot sauce.

Thin Mint Truffles

Alright, I promised a St. Patrick's Day surprise, but I'm just now getting it to you because I spent my day yesterday, chasing the end of the rainbow.  I never found it, nor the pot of gold.  I tried to write a limerick along the way about my adventure, but couldn't remember how beats there were to a line.

But, what I did find was a recipe for these yummy truffles.  I was looking for something that was easy and quick. 

I dearly love Thin Mints if you couldn't tell from the most recent post.  So, thin mint truffles sounded delicious when I saw the recipe!  I did make a few adaptions to the original-- here's what I did.

Start with these yummy ingredients: cream cheese, thin mints, and almond bark.

Then, I grabbed some green sprinkles to make these little guys festive.  I love the look of green on white.

Pull out your best friend in the kitchen, aka your food processor.  It will make the job go so fast.  If you don't have a food processor, you can just throw the cookies into a bag and smash them with a rolling pin.  I started with half the package and added the rest by twos and threes as it was chopping. 

 

I chopped them until they were very fine crumbs.

 

Next, combine the chopped cookies with the cream cheese.  When you first mix the two, it will look very crumbly.  But, after about another minute, it will pull together.

 

Roll the mixture into bite-size balls.  I got about two dozen.  Place on a wax paper or parchment paper covered cookie sheet and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Melt the almond bark in a bowl in the microwave or a double boiler.  I used just over half the package.

I tossed (gently) two truffles at a time in the almond bark.  I used a fork to scoop them out and let the excess coating drip off.  Then, I slid the truffle back onto the cookie sheet with another fork.  A toothpick would be ideal instead of a fork, but I've unintentionally maintained a kitchen without toothpicks.  It's just never something I think about when I go to the grocery store.  I'm going to put it on my list right now. 

Add the sprinkles to the truffles, and you're done!  These should be kept in the fridge and pulled out a bit before serving.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, one day late!


Here's the recipe:

Thin Mint Truffles

1 package thin mint cookies (Girl Scout or Keebler will work great)
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
Almond bark
Sprinkles of your choice

In a food processor, pulse the cookies and blend them until they are a very fine crumb.  I suggest starting with half the package and then adding two or three cookies at a time after that.

Next, combine the cookies and the cream cheese and mix until well combined.  Roll the mixture into bite-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Melt the almond bark in the microwave or double boiler according to the package directions.  Dip the truffles into the almond bark.  Scoop them out with a fork and tap the fork along the side of the bowl to allow the extra coating to drain off.  Place the truffle back onto the cookie sheet.  Add the sprinkles of your choice.

Refrigerate until it is time to serve and refrigerate leftovers, if there are any.  :)

Notes

Just a few notes and a few other things.

1.  We are T-minus 35 days from April 17.  If you haven't done your taxes, you probably should.  I'm really talking to myself.

2.  I'm excited that daylight savings started.  I like it being light longer in the evenings, and it's making me very ready for summer.

3.  PW's new cookbook came out today.  I'm planning to buy myself a "Happy April 15th" gift.

4.  It's been busy here; so I haven't cooked much.  I have a special surprise planning for St. Patrick's Day, though.

On to other things....

I recently traveled to Utah for my family's annual ski trip.  Here are just a few notes and illustrations of what you may or may not expect to experience on this trip.

Your day will begin with a stop in the lodge to make sure all your clothing is properly situated.  While you do this, you place your skis and poles along the rail.  One of you will have to stand guard, because it never fails that one small bump will cause a horribly loud crash that you will soon realize was all the skis falling over in a domino effect.

The skies will be a beautiful blue color and the sun will be bright! Hope you wore sunscreen!  If you didn't, I'm told there is such a thing as a goggle tan contest.

You might feel inspiration to go down a black slope or two, because your 12 year-old sister can.

It will soon be lunch time.  If you happened to bring a backpack on the trip, it might be commandeered to be used for a lunch bag.  You may have also been elected to make lunch or carry the bag up from the car to the lodge.  I somehow got out of lunch duty this year.

While you are waiting for the lunch bag to get up to the lodge, you might want to lay your head down and rest for a second.  You might also turn your head away to avoid your sister's camera.

When lunch arrives, it is so delicious.  You'll probably eat a ton since you are starving.

Expect to have your picture taken and even some videos while you are skiing.

Then, you can always go back and enjoy the experience and know how cool you are because you can jump like this.  That's not me, but my brother.

And sometimes there's just no easy way down; only the "Easier Way" is available.  This is bad news if you are 8 years-old and are tired from your first two days of skiing.  You'll be grateful that grandparents are in the lodge and you can rest with them.

Your day might end early because of equipment malfunction.   Others will volunteer to sit with you, and you all will form a greeting committee for those that are still skiing.

 

But, while you were skiing, you sure did get to enjoy some beautiful views!

You'll get to enjoy some delicious treats.  It will be a joyous occasion when you see that the Girl Scouts are selling cookies in the grocery store parking lot near your grandmother's house.  It's even better when you've been having chocolate cravings all day!  

You might also find out that your brother has turned in to a barista and makes yummy raspberry hot chocolate.

Your trip will conclude with a baby shower for your first niece, Alexandra Rose. 

 

Then, as you are on your way home, making your flight connection, you might find out that your flight was delayed.  To make the best of it, you buy a book and some fro yo.  It's a little melty because I might have walked 20 gates or so to get it.  I walked so much in the Denver airport; that place is massive.  Condoleezza Rice's memoirs have been wonderful so far.

But, as you enjoy your fro yo, your flight got cancelled and they had to put you up for the night.  But, don't worry, they'll take good care of you and get you home be dinner the following day.

I really couldn't think of a better vacation or way to spend a long weekend in March!