Tasty fish tacos with smokey guacamole and simmering black beans

Ingredients:

Tasty Fish Filling

 

3 Talapia fillets

2 Tbsp Hot sauce (Frank's)

 

Marinade for Fish

1/4 cup Canola oil

Juice of two limes

1 tsp garlic salt

2 tbsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)

 

Smokey Guacamole
3 Hass avocadoes
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
2 tomatoes, seeds removed, finely diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
Salt
2 chipotle peppers, finely diced
2 teaspoons adobo (from the chipotle can)
1 clove garlic, minced

Simmering Black Bean

1 15-ounce cans of black beans, not drained

1 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 bay leaf

Toppings and shells
12 corn tortillas
onion
cilantro
lime wedges
jalapeno, diced
sour cream

Directions:

For Fish

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

 

Put the fish in a zip-top bag and add the marindade.

 

Slosh the fish and the marinade gently in the bag to ensure that all of the fish is coated.

 

Seal the bag (removing the excess air) and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

Remove the fish from the marinade and drain well.

 

Pat each filet dry with a paper towel.

 

Smear each side of each filet with a teaspoon of hot sauce, applying it as evenly as you can.

 

Oil the grill grate and both sides of the fish lightly with the canola oil. The oil on the grate will smoke, so wait for it to dissipate.

 

Put the fish on the grill and cook for three minutes.

Flip the fish over and cook for another minute.

Move the fish to a warm platter, drizzle the fish with lime juice, and cover the platter with plastic wrap.

 

Quickly warm each tortilla on the grill.

 

PROCEDURE

For the Guacamole: Scoop the flesh of the avocado into a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, and use a wooden spoon to mash everything together.
For the Beans: Add the beans and the sauce from the cans to a small saucepot, along with all the spices. Season with salt, cover, and heat on medium-low heat until hot and bubbling. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
For the Tortillas: There are two methods to heating your tortillas. The easy one is to wrap the stack of tortillas in one or two damp paper towels. Then microwave them for a minute or two until soft and steamy. The better way is to preheat a cast iron or regular skillet on medium heat until it’s nice and hot. Spray the pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Dunk a tortilla in a bowl of water, and sear it on both sides until the tortilla is dry and flat (don’t keep turning them; just turn them once when ready). Keep the warm tortillas folded in aluminum foil, and just do the same thing for each tortilla.

Chicken Piccata

Piccata is an Italian word. And thus we conclude this week's Guide to Italian Cuisine by Jen and Joe. Come back next week when we will dive into the dessert menu. 

 

Ingredients

• 6 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 chicken cutlets, (3/4-1 pound total), trimmed
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 10-ounce package mushrooms, sliced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
• 2 teaspoons butter

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
2. Meanwhile, whisk 5 teaspoons flour and broth in a small bowl until smooth. Place the remaining flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and dredge both sides in the flour. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; cover and keep warm.
3. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their juices and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add garlic and wine to the pan and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth-flour mixture, lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in parsley, capers, butter and the reserved mushrooms. Measure out 1/2 cup of the mushroom sauce. Toss the pasta in the pan with the remaining sauce. Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and the reserved sauce.

Barley salad

Do you like potlucks? Of course you do, who doesn't. Do you like Reser's salads? Of course you don't, NO one does! Then stop buying gross "picnic salads" from Safeway and start making delicious summer salads with veggies and grains.

Ingredients
Salad:

• 1 cup uncooked barley
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (or about 3 ears fresh corn)
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into small strips
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cook barley according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. In a large bowl, mix barley, corn, peppers, and onion.
3. Mix dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Double chocolate mocha cookies

Cookies, check. Chocolate, double check. Espresso, check. These cookies have passed the quality check of the Joe test kitchen and are yumm approved. 

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons bitter, softened and divided
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 ounces white chocolate

Preparation:

1. Melt bittersweet chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Add espresso powder; stir until dissolved. Remove mixture from heat; stir in vanilla. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in bittersweet chocolate mixture and egg. Gradually add flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat at low speed until well blended. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 375. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten with fork dipped in sugar. Bake 9-10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove cookies to wire racks; cool completely.
4. Place white chocolate in a small resealable plastic food storage bag; seal bag. Microwave 30 seconds per side. Knead bag until chocolate is smooth. Cut tip off bag and drizzle decoratively over cookies.

Pear apple hand pies

Fall time offers up some of our favorite smells. Nothing quite captures the season like the lingering smell of warn cinnamon and fresh apples in the crisp air. Jen spent the other day stealing picking apples and pears from her sister's backyard. These hand pies later emerged from the oven to cool on the stove top alongside pots of lemon spiced pear-apple sauce.

Ingredients

• 2-3 medium sized apples
• 2-3 large pears
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 roll jumbo refridgerated biscuits

Directions

1. Peel, core, and dice apples and pears and toss in a bowl with lemon juice. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. On a floured board, roll out biscuits into oval shapes approximately 6 inches.
3. Pile in 1/4 -1/2 cup of apple pear mixture on one half of biscuit. Fold over the other half and seal edges tightly with fingers.
4. Place folded pies onto cookie sheet and brish top with butter. Sprinkle each with brown sugar.
5. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Lemony lemon goodness

Since it isn't socially acceptable to drink margaritas at all hours of the day, I've been forced to find alternate uses for citrus fruits. In my latest lemon adventure I combine my sour friend with butter. Mmm... butter. These shortbread cookies smell delicious while baking and taste so great you won't be able to stop eating them. You can make them large (as seen here) or into smaller cookies (allowing you to justify eating 10-12 at a time).

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoon grated lemon peel, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 4-5 teaspoons lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, 1 tablespoon lemon peel and vanilla until well blended. Beat in flour, baking powder, and salt on low speen until blended.
3. Drop dough by level 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. Flatten dough until 3 inches in diameter with bottom of glass that has been dipped in sugar.
4. Bake 12-14 minutes or until cookies are just set and edges are golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.
5. Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon peel in small bowl; drizzle mixture over cookies. Let stand until icing is set.

Baked Pumpkin French Toast

Believed to be native to North America, the oldest pumpkin seeds have been traced to Mexico and dated back to 7000 BC. While we didn't have to travel all the way to Mexico, our own pumpkin cravings led us to many a grocery store in search of Joe's most favored seasonal item. After countless trips to the canned food aisles of Safeway, our fall time favorite has returned. Without further delay I give you a breakfast concoction so sugary sweet you WILL develop diabetes. You can thank me later.



Look at all that caramel on the bottom. Mmmm.... breakfast caramel.

Ingredients:

1 loaf french bread

2 1/2 cups lowfat milk
1 Tbl flour
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbl sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
1/4 cup butter (half a stick)

Directions:

1. Cut the bread into thick slices.
2. Combine milk, flour, vanilla, sugar, pumpkin, spices, and eggs.
3. In a saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly till bubbly (about 5 minutes).
4. Pour caramel into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Place bread in a single layer over the caramel (squishing if necessary). Pour egg mixture over bread.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
6. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle Cinnamon/Sugar mixture over the top (2 Tbl sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon).
7. Bake for 50 minutes and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. It will be big a puffy at first and slowly settle down.