Cafe Rio Dressing

I haven't tried this recipe but I'm putting it here so I can use it next time I make my fish tacos.

1 (4 ounce) packet buttermilk ranch salad dressing mix

2 tomatillos

1/2 bunch cilantro

1 garlic clove

1 lime - juiced

1 jalapeno  

 

Mix buttermilk dressing as directed on package. Combine dressing and all other ingredients in a blender until creams. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Fish Tacos

These tacos are really tasty - and I use Tilapia so they aren't overwhelming.

1 lb tilapia filets, cut into chunks
1/2 C Fresh lime juice

For Sauce:
1/3 C fresh lime juice
2 T Honey
1 T Vegetable Oil
1 T ground cumin

For Fish:
1/3 C all - purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 C panko crumbs
Salt and ground black pepper

1 C Vegetable oil - for frying
2 C coleslaw blend
1 C minced cilantro

8 tortillas - flour or corn.

Place tilapia chunks in a flat dish and pour 1/2 cup lime juice over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Meanwhile, make the honey-cumin sauce by whisking together 1/3 C lime juice, honey, vegetable oile, and grown cumin in a small bowl. Set aside until needed.

When ready to start cooking bread the fist. Place flour, eggs, and panko in separate bowls. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Dip the fish first in the flour, then in the eggs, and finally in the panko. Pat the pieces to help hold the breadcrumbs. Set fish aside on a plate.

Cook fish in 1 C of vegetable oil heated to 365 degrees over medium heat. Cook the fish, turning until all sides are golden brown and flesh flakes easily. Drain on paper towels. Brush the fish with the honey-cumin sauce.

Mix coleslaw and cilantro together and top tacos with that. You can also serve with tomatoes, salsa, other taco toppings. Next time we make this I might try and make that Café Rio dressing to top with.

Peasant Bread

My friend Esther made this delicious bread from me... and it's so simple that even I can make it with no issues!

1 T yeast
2 C warm water
1 T sugar
2 t salt
4 C flour (41/2 -5)

Add yeast, water, sugar, and salt in a bowl and stir until dissolved.

Add flour - stir until blended.

Cover & let rise 1 (one) hour.

Remove from bowl, form two rounds, place on cookie sheet that has been oiled and sprinkled with cornmeal.

Let rise 1 (one) hour.

Bake for 10 min at 425. Then for 10-15 min (or until browned) at 375.

Sever warm with pesto and oil. YUM!

Resurrection Rolls

I have a friend who posted about their Easter tradition of having Resurrection Rolls for breakfast. It's a great teaching opportunity for our kids and they are pretty tasty too.

1/2 C melted butter
Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture
Large Marshmallows
Biscuits or Crescent rolls (refrigerated or made fresh)

Roll out biscuits until they are 4-5" around. Dip marshmallows in butter and then in cinnamon/sugar mix. Place on biscuit and then fold biscuit around. After all biscuits are filled we used the remaining butter and cinn/sug mix and brushed the top. Bake. Enjoy.

Teaching Opportunity: We had the kids help with the preparation. We likened the marshmallows to Christ's body after he was crucified. The butter and cinnamon/sugar represented the oil and spices that were put on Christ's body after he died. The biscuit represented the tomb. After the biscuits are baked the marshmallows are baked down and the biscuit (tomb) is empty.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

We've recently started eating spinach a lot. We buy the bag from Costco so I've had to become creative and find lots of uses. I found this recipe online somewhere and it's really delicious.

2 bunches of spinach - cut into bite-sized pieces
4 C strawberries
Toasted almonds
1/2 C Vegetable Oil
1/4 C Taragon wine vinegar
1/2 C White sugar
1/4 t paprika
2 T Sesame seeds
1 T poppy seeds

Add spinach and strawberries to bowl. Whisk remaining ingredients (except almonds) and pour over salad. Toss to coat. Top with slivered almonds.

Updating Chicken & Stuffing

I made a big pan of chicken and stuffing last week and IT WAS SO STINKIN GOOD!!  One reason I love this recipe so much is because it has "tang" to it because of all the sour cream.

Eric liked it, but wanted more stuffing on top so next time I will make an additional box of Stove Top or make stuffing from scratch.  And he is probably right - you can never have too much stuffing. 

I also thought about adding some frozen mixed vegies to the chicken & sauce part of the dish.  I'm thinking it would be almost the same as a pot pie, but with stuffing replacing a pastry crust.  If I do that, I will definitly add more stuffing to the the top. 

Since I am still in the experimenting mode with this recipe, next time I'm going to try cutting the butter back to 2 Tbs and add additional chicken stock to make up for the liquid. But what am I saying??????  You can never have too much butter in a recipe, and lets face it, this is not a diet dish.  As Dad liked to say "In for a penny, in for a pound."   Unfortunately when I eat this dish I seem to be in for 10 pounds instead of one.  But hey - at least it tastes good!

Chicken & Stuffing

My grandma Lottie lived next door to us for quite a few years when we lived on the farm in Washington.  I remember coming in from moving pipe and smelling the dinner she made.  One of my favorites was her Chicken & Stuffing. She did it to old fashioned way - boil the chicken, save the stock, remove the meat from the bones; make bread cubes, toast them, add stock and seasonings to make the stuffing, and the stir the chicken into the stuffing.  Then she would put it on the oven to bake - and the house would smell divine.  I have updated her recipe, adding some seasonings and other ingredients, but tried to remain true to the premise of her original recipe.
I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

My Super Fabulous Chicken & Stuffing Casserole
3 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
3 Tbs oil
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt and pepper
8 oz sliced mushrooms
3 tsp garlic, chopped
2 cups sour cream
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 envelope onion soup mix
½ cup chicken broth
2 boxes stuffing mix

Instructions:

Heat oil in saute pan. Add chicken, poultry seasoning and salt and pepper. Saute together for 3-5 minutes. Add mushrooms, cook another 5 minutes. In separate bowl mix together sour cream, butter, Parmesan cheese and chicken broth, stir until well blended. Add chicken mixture and stir well. Spread evenly in 9x13 baking dish. Make stuffing following directions on package. Place stuffing evenly over chicken mixture. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.