Shrimp Tacos

For a simply quick dish that is beyond great in the flavor department, let me suggest not "fish tacos" but shrimp tacos.  Here's why.  Texturely shrimp has that "bite" that works your mouth and distributes the flavor so that it is a bursting element.  Here's what to do.
1 package McCormick fajita seasoning mix.
12 ounces large cooked shrimp, tail on
2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
4 small flour fajita tortillas
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
finely shredded mexican cheese blend (I use Sargento)
1 lime for zesting and juice.
salt to taste.
Remove tails from the shrimp and using the directions for the fajita seasoning, stir fry your shrimp until heated through.  Set aside.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place tortilla shells over the rack of the oven so that they form the traditional shape of a "taco shell". Bake until it holds the shape and is a little crispy.  While this is happening, mix together your sour cream, your chopped cilantro, your lime juice and lime zest.
Remove shells from oven and immediately fill each with equal amounts of shrimp.  Top with lettuce and tomatoes and sprinkle with a little of the finely shredded mexican cheese blend.  Drizzle generously with your sour cream cilantro lime sauce.  Serve.  This is for 2 people at 2 tacos each.  Talk about delicious!  And when I say that even I could have eaten 2 more of them, that is not an exaggeration!  (In the picture below, my daughter hates tomatoes so they didn't make it to the plate because of that but I love them.  I could have also gone for some caramelized onions and bell peppers as well but that may be because of the fajita flavors that I love so much.)

Chicken Enchilada's

Tonight it was an easy dinner with simple ingredients.
Cooked Cubed Chicken
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Milk (at least half a can if not a whole can--depends on how thick you like your sauce)
Sour Cream
Cheddar Cheese
and for those of you that are adventurous, green chilis.
Whole Wheat tortilla shells.
In your whole wheat tortilla shells fill generously with your cubed chicken. Top with some cheese and then roll up.  Mix together the cream of mushroom soup, milk and sour cream and pour over the top of your rolled up tortillas.  Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.  (if you were brave you would have inserted those green chilis.)  Bake for about 20 minutes and let the sauce thicken and melt over your tortillas.  YUMMY!!!

Now there are some additions that you can add...Velveeta adds a creamy texture and more cheese flavor but that's up to you.  EXPERIMENT PEOPLE!
Also, if you wanted to you could cook your chicken with some taco seasoning or some fajita seasonings and add some veggies like the bell peppers and caramelized onions to the chicken before filling your tortillas.
The fun thing with this is that you can play around with your flavors and fillings.

Quinoa Burger and Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Tonight I was treated to a special dinner that I love.  We weren't sure that we would do it but then the more we thought about it, the more we wanted it.  Quinoa is a seed but is also "sold" as a grain. There are many uses for the "seed" but adding it to ground beef and creating this burger (pictured below) is our favorite.  We used only 1 pound of ground beef and mixed it with prepared quinoa.  We add some apple juice instead of white wine as the recipe calls for, and had caramelized onions and mushrooms and added a slice of low fat swiss cheese on a toasted whole wheat bun. So...60 calories for a slice of swiss cheese, 975 calories for the whole pound of the 85% lean, humanly raised no hormone or antibiotic ground beef, 223 for the cup of quinoa, 60 calories in the "Simply Apple" juice.  120 calories in the whole wheat hamburger bun.  21 calories in the mushrooms, and 15 calories for the onions.  Now the glue that held the "burger" together is an egg and some oatmeal so those calories are 78 and 150 (oatmeal).  Sweet Potato fries were 122 calories.  Now lets total this up: 190 for the burger and mushrooms and onions  and 120 in the bun and 60 in the cheese for a total of ***370 calories for a half pound burger.  Let's compare:  1110 calories for the same size burger at one restaurant without toppings!  This means that my over satisfying meal was fully served to me for a total of 492 calories.  And it took me over half an hour to eat it.  It was FILLING and I really could have eaten it in two meals.  So while I am exploring the veggie thing and the grain thing to see if it helps with my health issues, (inflamation in my injured knees and joints) I thought I would tease that it doesn't have to be horrible and bland food.  This was as good as it gets and I should know because I have an executive chef as a father and a southern cook as a mother.  I KNOW GOOD FOOD.  So get out your shopping lists and add some quinoa to it.  And...sweet potato fries! (which I still drizzled with ketchup and they tasted fabulous!)

Below is a quote from one reliable source.  

"Somehow, a superfood that only health advocates like me have known about for years is now common fare for a wave of twentysomethings eating at trendy coffee shops and delis.

Although there is no accounting for taste or trends, quinoa does have some powerful health benefits. It tastes great, it is high protein, and it is part of another major food trend of today: gluten free eating.

Although referred to as a grain, quinoa is actually a seed from a vegetable related to Swiss chard, spinach and beets. Quinoa is pronounced "keen-wah," not "kwin-oh-ah." Learn its benefits, ancient history, preparation tips and cautions.

7 Health Benefits of Quinoa
1. High in protein -- its protein balance is similar to milk and has more protein compared to rice, millet or wheat.
2. A good source of riboflavin -- riboflavin helps reduce the frequency attacks in migraine sufferers by improving the energy metabolism within the brain and muscle cells.
3. The saponins from quinoa are used to promote healing of skin injuries in South America, making it a good antiseptic.
4. It's alkaline-forming. Although it is not strongly alkaline-forming, it is comparable to wild rice, amaranth, and sprouted grains.
5. It only has 172 calories per ¼ cup dry quinoa. (***This equates to 223 calories per cooked cup)
6. Since it is not related to wheat or grain, it's gluten-free. Millions are discovering they feel better and lose weight when they reduce gluten grains or at least  wheat products. 
7. It is a complex carbohydrate with low glycemic index. This is again good for weight management. I use it in a number of my health  Boot Camps.

Quinoa History
The Inca referred to quinoa as the "mother seed," and considered it to be sacred. They grew quinoa in South America in the high altitude of the Andes. It was also their staple food for 5,000 years. 
The Spanish conquistadors, not knowing its value, almost wiped out quinoa by making it illegal for Native Indians to grow. In the 1980s, two Americans rediscovered quinoa and started growing it in Colorado.

Quinoa Caution
Quinoa is coated with toxic chemical called saponin. It is therefore important to rinse quinoa thoroughly. And moderation is key -- even with healthy superfoods -- so it shouldn't be eaten every day. A few times a week is enough. Although quinoa is not a commonly allergenic food and does not contain lots of purines, it does contain oxalates. This puts quinoa on the caution list for an oxalate-restricted diet.

Interesting Facts:

• In South America they use the saponin removed from the quinoa as detergent for washing clothes.
• The sticky, bitter, soapy film of saponins also keeps birds from eating the quinoa seeds off of the bushes. Scientists decided to create quinoa that didn't have saponins, and guess what? The birds ate it all.
• More than 200,000 pounds are grown each year in the US Rocky Mountains.
• Quinoa is the sweetest tasting when grown above 12,500 feet.

Tips for Eating and Cooking Quinoa:

• Always rinse quinoa. Place quinoa in a strainer, run cold water over it until the entire soapy residue has been washed away. You can taste test a few seeds; if they still have a bitter taste, run more cold water over them. Rubbing the seeds while rinsing with water takes away even more bitterness.
• You may add quinoa to your salad or make quinoa porridge. Also quinoa pudding is a great substitute for brown rice while quinoa flour is a great substitute for your gluten free baking.
• Quinoa can even be popped like popcorn, a treat popular with Peruvian children.
• It is best to store quinoa in an airtight container; stored in the refrigerator, it will keep for three to six months."

Pasta Free for those who are in need of losing weight or can't have gluten. (as many of my friends are)

Gluten free is something that many people are doing these days for both health reasons and because they are either sensitive to gluten or are allergic to it.  So whatever your preference, or reason, here's something that you MUST invest in.


  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026RMEK4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

This product has changed my life!  Not that I am going gluten free but I am trying to incorporate move vegetables in my diet.  Since Christmas, we have had several dishes that have included carrots, cauliflower, zucchini and yellow squash all with this simple piece of equipment.  We had a stir fry that was to die for and then a spaghetti using these veggies as the pasta and today an alfredo meal with those same veggies.  Now, there are many things that I can think of to replace that has pasta.  That heavy gluten loaded, calorie loaded dough that becomes pasta is so yummy and yet so bad for you.  Use your imagination and go wild!  It is easy to do.  Can't you see it?  Getting veggies into your children and having them love it!

There are also cheaper versions of this "machine" as well as a recipe book.  Take a look on the internet and at amazon and you will see these "package" that include both items.  It is well worth your wallet to buy this and explore the bounds of the veggie world.
Enjoy!

Busting out a New Year!

Well this year is a hard one to end.  So many things happened.  So many things didn't.  I had planned to just change life completely and that didn't happen.  So while I am posting new recipe and menu ideas on this page primarily, it's also a place for me to chat with myself.  So tonight as the New Year begins in less than 6 hours, I want to come clean.  I can actually cook.  I can actually create recipes and menus.  The problem is that I often don't.  I want to.  But I often don't.  Most times I am grabbing a sandwich or a piece of fruit or some veggies.  Yep, those broccoli, cauliflower, carrot with cheese sauce are a favorite.  Just microwave, and cut off half the bag and use a spoon and I am good.  No dishes to wash, and even the spoon is plastic.  However, there are good reasons for this little issue.  I won't go into them here or anywhere, but I will change that in 2015.  By doing so, I am going to take back control of my life and my health.  It's horrible to be in pain and to know that some of it can be as a result of what you are eating.  Yep, I have found out that I am "hyper sensitive" to some things that all along I have eaten regularly.  Seafood is now a rare thing.  Thanks.  Oh well...at least on those rare occasions that I can eat those things, I will make it worthwhile by creating wonderful dishes with them.  To that end, here is one of my favorite seafood dishes.  I will now only have once in a while.


SEAFOOD TOSTADAS

24 hard shell tostada shells
2 cups shredded crab or lobster meat cooked (I use the Louis Kemp stuff half of the time)
2 cups miniature shrimp or "salad" shrimp cooked
4 cups finely shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 cups sour cream
144 pieces sliced large black olives (I am not sure how many whole black olives this is--it depends on your ability to slice evenly)
Hungarian Paprika

On a couple of cookie sheets, spread out your tostada shells.  In a large bowl, mix together your cooked shrimp and crab or lobster meat.  Divide it evenly into 24 different amounts or just try to evenly spread the mixture over the 24 tostada shells.  This should be a good thick amount of seafood. Carefully spread evenly the shredded Monterey Jack Cheese over all 24 tostadas.  I like lots of cheese.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted thoroughly and tostada edge is crispy.  Remove from oven and quickly, using a pizza cutter or very large, very sharp knife, cut each tostada into 6 wedges.  Now dollop a drop of sour cream on top of each triangle, add a single olive round and sprinkle generously with the Hungarian Paprika.  Pass around the room and everyone enjoy!  It's a great "nosh".    I usually like to serve this with the previous recipe of Crab Fondue.
I do not like it with the jalapenos but here they are with them.  And I serve them neater than this.  I like to see the slices of the tostada.  In the second picture, they used cheddar cheese and chives.  You can do whatever you like but my version is the one I like best. Again...ENJOY!

Death by Chocolate Trifle

Everyone knows what a trifle is right?  It's a layered dessert that has many different individual things in it, layered over and over until you get to the top of the trifle "bowl".  See pictures below for examples.

                      

                     

Now as you can see there are many varieties that can be created.  However, I can promise you that I am going to make your eyes swim with delight if you are a chocolate lover.  So here goes....

You will need the following "ingredients".

Devils food cake, baked by the boxed directions and sliced horizontally into 4 "layers".

8 cups of prepared chocolate pudding, cold and set

10 cups of nearly frozen cool whip

8 full size kit kat bars, broken into sticks and the sticks in half for 8 pieces per full size bar

8 full size butterfinger bars, crushed. divided into 2 bar bowls

8 full size milky way bars, cut into half inch slices

40 strawberries

1 bag of milk chocolate chips, melted to dip the strawberries in

4 full size heath bars, crushed

The trifle is layered in the following way;

1. devils food cake layer

2. 2 cups prepared chocolate pudding spread over cake

3. 2 full size kit kat bars broken in 8 pieces each for 16 pieces sprinkled in the chocolate pudding

4.  2 cups nearly frozen cool whip spread over the pudding and kit kat bars

5.  sprinkle 2 crushed butterfinger bars over the cool whip

6.  2 milky way bars, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and dropped over the butterfinger cool whip layer

Start all over again.  Repeat layers until you have all four or your bowl is nearly full.  (we use the largest we could find)

To top it off, spread over the top the extra two cups of cool whip and place in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap.  Now melt your chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and after cleaning and drying your strawberries, dip them in the melted chocolate chips.  Place on a wax paper lined tray in the fridge to harden up.  While this is happening, crush your Heath bars.

After your strawberries have hardened, place them in a circular pattern on the top, point side up, of your trifle.  Sprinkle with the crushed Heath bars.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  

Serve cold. (Hint:  If you desire to add more calories and more lusciousness, heat up caramel sauce and hot fudge sauce and drizzle only as you serve each individual serving.  DO NOT PUT ON THE TOP OF THE TRIFLE!  It will not be as yummy cold.  Only serve that individually.  And this is truly DEATH BY CHOCOLATE TRIFLE.

One of my Holiday Party Favorites--Crab Fondue

Okay so this is just something that I love for the holidays and for superbowl parties.  It's my version of Red Lobster's Crab Fondue Bread Bowl.

1 large bread bowl
2 baguettes sliced into thin "crustini's"
1 pound miniature shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1 pound crab or lobster meat (you can use the louis kemp stuff)
2 large jars of queso dip
1/4 block of Velveeta, cubed
dash of balsamic vinegar
dash of worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

Cut into your bread bowl to create the "bowl" part of your bread bowl.  Take the top that you have cut out and slice it into 2 inch thin pieces.  On a couple of cookie sheets, spread out all of the crustini slices and the slices of your bread top in a single layer.  On another cookie sheet, place your bread bowl.  Set this all aside until after the "fondue" is done.
In a large skillet, place your butter, shrimp, crab or lobster meat (or both) and season with salt and pepper to taste and stir fry everything till cooked and heated to the point of crisp edges on the meat. Now add your queso and stir to incorporate your seafood.  Once all is hot add your cubed Velveeta, dash of vinegar and worcestershire sauce.  Stir until completely melted and well blended.  Remove from  heat.  Now toast lightly your bread bowl and crustini's.  Remove from oven and pour your dip into the bread bowl and serve with the crustini breads or you can use any "scoop" tostito chip.