Fish Tacos

Fish Tacos

• 1 pound boneless, skinless tilapia fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 lime, half finely zested and juiced, half cut into wedges
• Hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1/2 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped

Step 1

Heat broiler, with rack in highest position. Pat fish dry with paper towels and gently coat with oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Broil until fish is browned on top and flesh is opaque throughout, 5 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, lime zest and juice, and a few dashes hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Toast corn tortillas over a kitchen burner using tongs or wrap in parchment-lined foil and heat in oven, 5 minutes. Divide fish evenly among tortillas and top with cabbage, cilantro, and onion. Serve with lime sour cream and lime wedges.

Deanna's Guacamole

Deanna makes the best guacamole.  After two years of going to her house to eat it I asked her to come over and teach me how to make it.  Yum it was so good even the kids devoured it.

3 avocados
1 1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Worcester
juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 onion chopped
chopped tomato (amount dependent on taste)
cilantro (optional)

all of the above are to taste.  Deanna doesn't have an exact recipe she just eye balls it and tastes it until it is good.  I will need lots of practice!

Spanish Chicken with Chorizo

Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes

Serves 8

Note: I added salt and used a little more oil than the recipe called for. I would add the zest of another orange the next time, finding the citrus flavor of just one orange slightly lost in all that chorizo. Refrain from using the juice as you want your chicken to roast, not braise. Recipes as simple as this will depend much on the quality of your ingredients so get the best quality of chorizo you can from your trusted butcher. Depending on the efficiency of your oven, the chicken may be done in less than an hour, since they're cut pieces - I'd check at the 45 or 50 minute point.

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 chicken thighs (bone in, with skin)
• 1 pound chorizo sausages, cut in pieces
• 2 pound baby potatoes, half the larger ones
• 2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• grated zest of one orange
• salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 425
Put the oil in the bottom of a large casserole dish.
Rub the skin of the chicken in the oil, season with salt accordingly, then turn them skin-side up, 6 pieces in each tin. Divide the chorizo sausages and the new potatoes between the 2 tins.

Sprinkle the onion and the oregano over, then grate the orange zest over the arranged contents of the 2 tins. Cook for 30 minutes, then swap the top tray with the bottom tray in the oven and baste the contents with the orange-colored juices. Continue cooking for about 30 minutes or till chicken is done.

Sweet and Tangy Chicken

12 chicken thighs 
1 package dry french onion soup mix
1 (8 oz bottle) Russian dressing (I prefer Wishbone Russian dressing)
1 small jar of apricot preserves or about a cupful.


Mix all ingredients, except chicken, in a bowl.
Place chicken pieces in a baking pan. Sprinkle with pepper. No extra salt is needed.
Pour sauce over chicken and make sure it’s coated well.
Roast uncovered at 400 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes until chicken is done. Baste several times during cooking. This is the way the chicken will look when done.

8 Meals 1 Hour

These groceries

 became 8 meals in under an hour.

Here are four recipes that I split into two bags to make 8 crock pot dinners.  It took me under an hour to assemble it all and that included the clean up.  Hopefully they all taste good! 

Savory Vegetable Beef Soup
Teriyaki Chicken
BBQ Chicken with vegetables  
Goulash/Beef Stew


Grocery List:

Fresh Produce:
(3) Green Peppers
(1) Red Pepper
(1) Zucchini
(1) Red Onion
(6) Onions
(1) Bag Potatoes (I bought Red) (You will need approx 14-16)
(1) Large Bag of Whole Carrots (Baby Carrots would work also if you don't feel like chopping- 2 bags of baby carrots would work) I got a bag of whole & a bag of baby.
(1) Bunch of Celery

Meat:
5-6 Ibs of Chicken Breast (I bought the HT Value Pack)
3-4 Ibs of Beef Stew Meat (It was B1G1 at HT today!)
1.5 Ibs of Ground Beef

Other Groceries:
(2) 20oz cans of Chunked Pineapple
(1) 15 Oz Cans Tomato Sauce
(2) 6oz Cans Tomato Paste
(1) 28oz Can Diced Tomatoes
(1) Can v8 juice
(1) small box Tapioca
(1) Box Beef Broth
(1) bag egg noodles
(1) Bag Frozen Cut Green Beans (you will need 2 cups)



Teriyaki Chicken (2 Bags)

• Split a large bag of Baby Carrots between the 2 bags
• Cut Red Onion into Large Chunks and split between the 2 bags
• (1) 20oz can pineapple in each bag (undrained)
• (2) Garlic Cloves chopped per bag
• (2-3) Chicken Breasts in each bag
• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce in each bag

*Add 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce to mixture. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Serve over Rice.

Savory Vegetable Beef Soup (2 Bags)

• Chop (1) Onion and Chop (2) Cloves of Garlic- Brown in Pan with the Ground Beef- once cool divide mixture between bags
• (2) whole carrots chopped per bag
• (2) celery stalks chopped per bag
• (3) Red Potatoes chopped per bag
• (1) can v8 split between bags
• (1) 28oz can diced tomatoes SPLIT between bags
• (1) cup frozen green beans in each bag
• (1/2)TBSP Worcestershire per bag
• (1/2) cup Beef Broth per bag
• (1) TBSP Parsley per bag
• (1) tsp Basil per bag
• 1/2 tsp Thyme per bag
• (1/2) tsp salt per bag
• (1/2) tsp pepper per bag
• (1) TBSP Sugar per bag

*Place in Crockpot with 1.5 cups of water and 15 oz Beef Broth. Cook on LOW 8 Hours.

Healthy BBQ Chicken (2 Bags) * from mamaandbabylove.com *

• (2) Green Peppers Cut into Slices split between 2 bags
• (1) Red Pepper Cut into Slices-split between bags
• (1) Zucchini Chopped and split between bags
• (3) Onions Chopped and split between bags
• (4) Garlic Cloves Chopped & Split Between bags
• (4-6) Chicken Breasts Split between bags (I cut each breast in half again)
• (1/2) TBSP Quick Cooking Tapioca per bag
• (1) 15 oz can of Tomato Sauce Split Between bags
• (1) TBSP of Brown Sugar per bag
• (1) TBSP Worcestershire per bag
• (1) TBSP Mustard per Bag
• (1) cup BBQ sauce split b/t two bags
• (1/4) tsp Salt per bag

Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Serve over Rice or Egg Noodles.

Stephanie's Goulash/Beef Stew (2 Bags) *adapted from mamaandbabylove.com *

• (1) Green Pepper Chopped split between bags
• (1) Chopped Onion per bag
• (2) Carrots Chopped per bag
• (2) Chopped Garlic Cloves per bag
• (3) Ibs Beef Stew Meat Split Between Bags
• (1) 6oz can Tomato Paste per bag
• (2) tsp Paprika per bag
• (1/4) tsp Black Pepper per bag

*Cook for 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW in a slow cooker. Add (1/2) Cup of Sour Cream about 10 minutes prior to serving. Serve over Egg Noodles.

Split Pea Soup with Ham Hock

Split Pea Soup with Ham Hock

Ingredients: 

• 16 oz bag of dried split peas
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove or more if you like more garlic, use 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 8 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 2 tsp of olive oil
• 2 large carrots - chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 ham hock

Directions:

Wash peas and drain them. In a pot, saute onions and garlic in about 2 tsp of oil.

Add peas, carrots, ham hock and your chicken stock, then cover the pot and let it come to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once it boils you can reduce heat and cook for about two hours (beans should be very soft by then). Make sure to check the water and consistency. You may need to add hot water if it becomes too thick.

Remove ham hock and serve or spoon part of soup into blender to make for a thicker soup.  (I typically blend 1/2 - 3/4 of teh soup b/c we like it thick)


* This soup freezes very well.

Vegetable Lasagna

Vegetable Lasagna 

Ingredients

7 oz lowfat goat cheese
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp minced garlic
4 cups prepared pasta sauce
1 lb lasagna
Freshly ground black pepper
2 small zucchini, diced
2 small summer squash, diced
3/4 cup bottled roasted red pepper, diced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preparation

Heat oven to 375°F. Mix goat cheese, olives, thyme, basil, oregano, and garlic in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce on the bottom of an 8" x 11" baking dish. Add one layer of lasagna and season with black pepper. Add a layer of zucchini, squash, and red pepper. Dollop spoonfuls of goat cheese mixture over vegetables and spread to cover. Repeat layers, finishing with pasta and sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan on top, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes or until top browns. Let stand 10 minutes; serve.


suggestions

butternut squash
add mushrooms
add eggplant
increase goat cheese by a few ounces for more cheesey lasagna
and add ricotta
prep then freeze before cooking.  remove from freezer and defrost on counter or cook frozen (increase time by 30 mins).