Fish Tacos

This is one of my most favorite meals to make and enjoy - fish tacos. They are so delicious and as with most tacos you can make them however you like the one pictured I added a little tomato and lettuce. The way we make them around here is:

1/2 lb White fish

Soft Taco shells

Dressing

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

2 tbs Dill (I use the dill paste from the produce dept)

the juice of 1 lime

Combine all in a bowl mix well and refrigerate.

Salsa

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can whole corn - or 2 cups thawed frozen

Fresh cilantro coarsely chopped

1/4 cup red onion finely chopped

The juice of 2 limes - more to taste

Combine all in a bowl mix well and refrigerate

We either fry the fish in bread crumbs or just pop it in on the grill. Once your fish is ready spread some of the dressing on the taco shell put in the fish and top with the corn salsa - YUM!

Stomboli YUM!

Stromboli is a favorite around here one reason I think everyone loves it is because the sky is the limit as to the combinations that can be created! These 2 here are definitely favorites of everyone in my house. On the left is the salami, pepperoni, provolone, mozzarella, garlic and basil - on the right is fresh spinach and mushroom sauteed and drained well - you don't want to add too much moisture to the dough as it makes it soggy - so after I saute I just blot the mixture with paper towels to dry it off pretty good then I added provolone cheese a small amount of Parmesan-Romano, garlic and basil. I cheat and use the pizza dough that I purchase at the Publix bakery roll it out nice and thin and as I said roll up just about anything that you like. Simple meal - just add a side salad and dinner is served!

Crab Cakes with Spanish Rice and Corn Bread

Crab cakes one of my husbands favorites here's a simple recipe:

8 oz lump crab meat
1 egg yoke
1tsp dry mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire
1 Tsp mayonnaise

Mix altogether in a bowl -- the mixture will feel a bit dry - form into patties place on a cookie sheet (covered in parchment paper) bake in the oven on 350 for 5 minutes - flip and leave in for another 5 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately. Your family will love these all meat no filler :) They taste great with rice and corn muffins or with coleslaw and french fries or whatever! Can even be served as an appetizer.

New MeMe on the Motivation Station

Now that my kids are grown I don't really do a weekly meal plan any more - I don't feel as though I have to so I don't - most of the time it's just me and my husband if our son is around he usually eats a dinner plate that I make up for him for when he gets home from work around 10 pm - our daughter is back at home now but she rarely eats at home her schedule is so busy. I do still cook every night but, it's really more of a what are we in the mood for type of food prep these days. During the week we keep it simple and share the chore - we grill a lot probably 3 or 4 nights a week it makes it nice for me since the grill is man territory in our house :) Yesterday morning at around 6:30 am I made this simple but, delicious macaroni salad for my husband and some of the workers to have for lunch with li'l smokies that I did in the crockpot with jelly and ketchup and mustard - they all really loved their lunch - the mac salad was a favorite. This was a simple and filling lunch for a bunch of hardworking guys.

Simple Macaroni with Shrimp and Crab

1 pound of elbow macaroni
2 ribs celery sliced thin
1 - 6 oz can tiny shrimp (don't drain)
1 - 6 oz can of crabmeat (don't drain)
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 tsp celery seed

Cook and drain macaroni.
Place the macaroni in a large bowl add all of the above ingredients including the liquid in the canned fish. Mix well - refrigerate until well chilled.

Go play on The Motivation Station!

"BEACHWARMING PARTY"

I am relatively new to blogging and I don't know Dave but my dear friend Martha @ Menagerie invited me to help celebrate Dave's new life as an Islander. I am going to bring Barbados Black Bean Cakes with Mango Salsa. This is a delicious and easy recipe I hope everyone enjoys it especially you Dave - Good Luck in your new "life".


BARBADOS BLACK BEAN CAKES
(Borrowed from Vegetarian Times Cookbook)

Two 15 oz cans black beans
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp groung allspice
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup bread crumbs
Nonstick cooking spray
1 Tbsp olive oil

Place beans in a large bowl and coarsely mash them until they stick together. Add the cilantro, onion, egg white, cumin, garlic, allspice, and cayenne. Mix until well blended. Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts. Shape in 1/2 inch thick patties. Coat the patties with bread crumbs. Spray both sides with nonstick cooking spray. Heat the oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Add the bean cakes and fry until golden brown on both sides, turing once, about 8 minutes total. Serve warm with the mango salsa. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

MANGO SALSA

2 cups peeled, diced mango
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced (I omitted this pepper)
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tsp minced fresh ginger root
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

ENJOY!!

Vegetable Soup

Here is a simple basic vegetable soup that will warm you and fill you up. Of course you can add any other vegetables that you might have on hand but here is the basic recipe.

8 cups of water
1 and 1/2 lbs of frozen mixed vegetables
3 ribs of celery
1 large onion chopped
1 small head of cabbage chopped
1 small rutabega or turnip diced
1 large can of tomatos in juice
1 16 oz container of vegetable stock

*****For vegetable beef soup add beef stock instead of vegetable and 3/4 lb of stewing beef.


In a large stock pot add all ingredients bring to a boil - turn heat down and simmer for 1 hour or until all veggies are tender. YUM!

"Simply Croutons"

These croutons are so simple to make and even better to eat. Once you've tried these you won't ever use store bought again. Here's all you need:

1 loaf bread (the staler the better)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tbls of garlic (more to taste)

1 Tbls sea salt (more to taste)

Cut bread into cubes. In a large bowl mix bread with garlic powder and salt mix well. Add olive oil making sure that all of the bread cubes are covered. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 6 minutes turn bread over with spatula and bake for 6 more minutes. Let cool and enjoy on salads, soups or right out of the container.