Blackened Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cilantro Dressing (salmon or cod or whichever fish you want)

Finally, this post is done. I still consider myself a beginner food blogger even though this blog has recently had it’s 3rd anniversary. Blogging recipes takes work. Writing an accurate recipe takes work. It’s work but it’s work I enjoy. I just wish I could do nothing but cook, take pics, and blog… Haha True story.

---

Been talking about these a lot, I know, I apologize for the redundancy. Finally got all the components together….

You’re going to need to check out my last 2 posts!

Click on the photo to the left to get this yummy Chipotle Cilantro Dressing recipe for these Blackened Fish Tacos that we’re about to make.

Click this photo to see the ingredients needed to make the Blackened Seasoning that will crispify (is that a word?)the fish to a nice golden crunch on the outside and give it a deep savory flavour.

---

BLACKENED FISH TACOS
♥ 2 BAGS COLESLAW
♥ 1½ C. CORN KERNELS
♥ SALT + PEPPER
♥ FLOUR TORTILLAS
♥ 1 BIG SALMON FILET or 4 LARGE COD FILETS
♥ HIGH SMOKE POINT OIL FOR FRYING (i used Canola Oil)
♥ 1 BATCH OF BLACKENED SEASONING
♥ 1 BATCH OF CHIPOTLE CILANTRO DRESSING
♥ AVOCADO, FRESH, CHOPPED
♥ CILANTRO + LIME FOR GARNISH

Saute the coleslaw and corn with salt and pepper until just tender.
Set aside, but keep warm.
Heat oven to low temp and slowly warm the tortillas. I like em just before they get toasted.
Cut salmon or fish into large pieces suitable for frying.
Heat oil, just above medium, not too hot or the fish won’t cook thoroughly and not too cold or the fish will soak up to much oil and become soggy.
Fry till dark and golden on each side.
If you’re using salmon you may have to do the ends too. Use tongs. They work best.
When they are done gently remove from hot oil onto a papertowel lined dish to remove excess oil.
Let cool for about 5 minutes and break into good chunks.

THE ASSEMBLY
Warmed Tortilla
Sauteed slaw and corn
Blackened fish
Drizzle with some Chipotle Cilantro Dressing
Top with chopped fresh avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice

---

Place the Blackened Seasoning in a shallow flat bottom container of some sort so you can press the fish into it.  Coating every inch of it.  The better it’s coated the better the crisp.

You don’t want to over cook the cabbage, or it will lose all it’s structure.  You want to saute it till it just starts to wilt.  Keeping it warm will also allow it to keep cooking so with the pan on medium heat, just keep an eye on it.
This is the cod I used last night.  Seasoned all over every surface of fish with the Blackened Seasoning.

Fried in some oil till golden and delicious. I use a large cast iron flat bottom deep dish for frying. Allows maximum room for the fish to fry properly without over crowding the pan.   The heavy duty cast iron can withstand the high temperatures and will maintain it’s heat better when you drop in the fish.

I fried the fish in 2 batches to ensure it cooked evenly and properly. Or you can use a deep fryer but I’ve only used one once and I didn’t like it…. it was too small for what I needed and I don’t want a big greasy appliance kicking around here. I fry as little as possible.
Frying foods took a lot of practice for me over the years.  So many times chicken or potatoes or whatever it was I was cooking, was either undercooked or well well well done. Practice makes perfect.

Frying can be very unhealthy if done incorrectly.  When done the right way you are using the least amount of oil to get that desired crunch and crispiness.

✰ Oil thats too hot will scortch the food on the outside while leaving it raw inside. ✰

✰ Oil that isn’t hot enough won’t seal the food as it should when you drop it in. ✰

(Rather it will sit and soak up the oil.  This results in that drippy soggy mess we’ve gagged on one too many times.

The first time I made these I used some fresh plump salmon and they were to die for! This time around i used cod. I preferred the salmon over any white fish but both were really good.

---

BLACKENED SALMON TACOS

Here are some pics from the salmon ones I made last week!  These ones were my favourite!

Since the photos were taken down in my temporary basement dungeon kitchen they aren’t of the greatest quality.  We can only go up from here my friends ☺

❤️ Thanks for visiting, if you liked this blog please click LIKE below. If you want to follow my blog please scroll to the bottom, click the FOLLOW button and enter in your email address.
Love Haleykins❤️

**Please click “OLDER POSTS” button, (bottom of the page)
or the “COOKING WITH HAY” tab (top of the page) to see more**

CHIPOTLE CILANTRO DRESSING or dip

Hi Guys, How is summer???  EEEEEK I’m super excited.  As many of you know my house is still under reno’s and just recently got my new Caesarstone counter-tops installed.  I’m ecstatic!  They are flawless and beautiful and exactly what i’ve wanted for oh so long now.  Now my foodblog pics have a higher quality look to them.  I’m so pleased.  Time to fine tune my Canon Rebel T3i camera and get to work!

Last week I made some Blackened Salmon Tacos.  There are no words for this easy recipe and there was also no room…. no room to eat as much as I could have, that’s for sure!  Wow, great way to enjoy some tender flaky juicy fish this summer. The recipe for the Blackening Seasoning will be my next blog post.  This is the dressing that I always make and it was great on the fish tacos.

Hope you like!

---

CHIPOTLE CILANTRO DRESSING OR DIP

♥ 1½ C FAT FREE SOUR CREAM
♥ 1 T LIGHT MAYO
♥ 1 T MILK
♥ 1 T CHIPOTLE PUREE
♥ 1 TSP CUMIN
♥ ½ TSP CRUSHED BEE POLLEN
♥ HANDFUL FRESH CILANTRO
♥ JUICE OF ONE LIME

Blend together using an Immersion/Hand Blender or a Food Processor.
Chill in the fridge until its time to serve.

---

↑ I love me some chipotle! I buy chipotle peppers in small cans in adobo sauce and puree them with a hand blender or food processor. Chipotles pack a punch let me tell ya. The heat from these peppers is potent and smoky and is great for everything.

**If you don’t do heat. Use a very small amount, like 1-2 teaspoons of pureed chipotle for this recipe instead of the requested amount.**

↑ If you don’t have canned chipotles in adobo sauce then you can certainly use a dry powder version, there are many out there. I have these 2 in my pantry. Remember that the longer the dressing sets for the more the flavour is enhanced, and therefore making it much much much hotter the longer it sits.

↑ My Immersion Blender came with this cool mixing vessel. What I love about this machine compared to a hand mixer or hand beater is that it will stand up inside the vessel and not topple over. Flat bottom makes it easy to leave it standing and use both hands to if you need to pause to get an ingredient or whatever. Anything to help keep the counters less messy.

↑ Bee Pollen is one of Mother Natures little goodies. I add a little to every salad dressing I make. You can add it to anything though; soups, sauces, whatever you like. The flavour is like a flower. Its got a floral taste when it hits your tongue. It comes in the natural foods section of your grocery store and looks like little gold nuggets. I grind them down with a mortar and pestle. I have a small one that I use for spices and such. Another inexpensive way to make your kitchen/cooking life a little easier.

Here’s some info on Bee Pollen I picked up from http://www.mercola.com

What Is Pollen?
Pollen is the male seed of flowers. It is required for the fertilization of the plant. The tiny particles consist of 50/1,000-millimeter corpuscles, formed at the free end of the stamen in the heart of the blossom. Every variety of flower in the universe puts forth a dusting of pollen. Many orchard fruits and agricultural food crops do, too.

Bee pollen is the food of the young bee and it is approximately 40% protein. It is considered one of nature’s most completely nourishing foods. It contains nearly all nutrients required by humans. About half of its protein is in the form of free amino acids that are ready to be used directly by the body. Such highly assimilable protein can contribute significantly to one’s protein needs.

To view the full article, please click here.

↑ Place all the ingredients into the mixing vessel and blend away. Lift the machine up and down to get it good and blended. Oh so easy I want to blend everything in sight.

↑ ❤ Immersion Hand Blender! ❤ NEW TOY! LOL ❤

↑ COMING UP NEXT → Blackened Fish Tacos, using this dressing!
Stay Tuned and if you’d like…. FOLLOW MY BLOG

❤️ Thanks for visiting, if you liked this blog please click LIKE below. If you want to follow my blog please scroll to the bottom, click the FOLLOW button and enter in your email address.
Love Haleykins❤️

**Please click OLDER POSTS, (bottom of the page)
or the RECIPES tab (top of the page) to see more**

Chimichurri Chicken

Chimichurri… where has this been all my life? Chimichurri is an Argentinean sauce similar to a pesto with many variations for sure.  Make it your own😉

🌿I’m telling you, amazingly good and I can’t even believe how much I love it.  I had it in Jamaica and had to try it at home.  Fan-freakin-tastic.  I also made it with my Mom a few weeks ago.  We had it on some bbq’d pork chops… Hello melt in my mouth delicious!  I’m already checking the calendar to see when I can make it again!  On steak next time I think… 😊 INGREDIENTS

• 1 CUP FIRMLY PACKED FRESH FLAT LEAF PARSLEY

• 1/2 CUP FIRMLY PACKED FRESH CILANTRO

• 2 TABLESPOONS FRESH OREGANO LEAVES (or you can use 2 teaspoons of dried oregano)

• 4 GARLIC CLOVES

• 1/2 CUP OLIVE OIL

• 2 TABLESPOONS WINE VINEGAR (red or white, I used white)

• 1 TEASPOONS SEA SALT OR KOSHER SALT**

• 1/4 TEASPOON GROUND BLACK PEPPER

• 1/2 TEASPOON CHILI PEPPER FLAKES

DIRECTIONS

1. Pulse the parsley, cilantro, fresh oregano, and garlic in a food processor until it’s a coarse consistancy

2. Scrape down the food processor and get all that good green out into a nice little glass dish

3. Gently stir in olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and chili pepper flakes. 

💡Adjust your seasonings to your liking.  If you won’t be using all the sauce the first night, any chili pepper flakes will continue to make the sauce hotter as they marinate in the oil… Sometimes hotter is better💡

4. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving. 

________________________________________

❤️ Thanks for visiting, if you liked this blog please click LIKE below. If you want to follow my blog please scroll to the bottom, click the FOLLOW button and enter in your email address. 

Love Haleykins 

**Please click OLDER POSTS, {below} to see more** ❤️

QUINOA STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Have any of you made these before? I’ve seen them around for a few years now I think, but I had yet to try them. Or try quinoa for that matter. I wasn’t sure if I would like it or not or how to cook it so that I would like it. I came across this on one of my boards and immediately decided it was time. If you are a big quinoa fan please leave me a comment below this blog post or comment on the facebook post please. Turns out I do really like it and want to find more ways to make it.

QUINOA STUFFED BELL PEPPERS
20 minutes to cook the quinoa
30 minutes to bake the stuffed peppers
Makes 6
Done in less than an hour! OH Yeah!

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
3 CUPS QUINOA, cooked
1 SMALL CAN DICED GREEN CHILIES
1 CUP CORN
1 CAN BLACK BEANS, drained and rinsed
1/2 CUP FINE DICED TOMATOES, remove the seeds,
1/2 CUP MONTERAY JACK CHEESE, grated
1/4 CUP LIGHT FETA CHEESE, crumbled
3 TBSP. FRESH CILANTRO, chopped
1 TSP. CUMIN
1 TSP. GARLIC POWDER
1/2 TSP. ONION POWDER
1/2 TSP. CHILI POWDER, or more to taste
GROUND SEA SALT to taste
GROUND FRESH PEPPER to taste

6 BELL PEPPERS, tops cut, stemmed and seeded

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Place parchment paper on the bottom of a shallow baking dish.
2. Mix all the ingredients gently in a big bowl, except for the peppers obviously.
3. Spoon the filling into the pepper bowls. Tap them on the counter to get everything to the bottom.
4. Gently stuff.
5. Place them in the parchment lined baking dish.
6. Bake for about 40 minutes. I baked mine with the “tops” on but as you can see in the pics, they wrinkled. Bake them without the tops until the filling is hot inside.
7. Eat em up right away!

Quinoa is usually found in the same section of the grocery store that the rice is found in.

1 cup of uncooked quinoa will equal 3 cups after it’s cooked
For every 1 cup of uncooked quinoa use 1.5 cups water or chicken broth
Rinse and drain quinoa in a fine mesh strainer
Bring liquid to a boil, and add in the quinoa, give it a stir and then reduce the heat to a med-low temp. Put the lid on it and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
Put the lid back on it and remove it from the heat. Set it aside for 5 minutes.
Fluff it up with fork

I recruited Hubby to help me out with the next 3 shots. It gets awfully challenging trying to hold that massive camera and operate a sharp knife. Here you want to cut the top portion of the peppers off to create the ‘tops’
Use a sharp knife and slice down the edge of the ribs of the pepper following down towards the base of the pepper but not cutting through!!
Pop out the seed pack in the middle and knock out any seeds.
Using that handy melon baller {I like it better than a spoon because it has sharper edges} scrape out the remaining bits of the ribs until you have some nice little pepper bowls!

They are super cute. I think I can find other reasons to use this type of ‘vessel’ for dips and sides in the future.

Ok mix up all those ingredient, minus the peppers, in a nice big mixing bowl. Toss it all together gently.
I think this is the first time I’m using feta cheese in something other than a greek meal. I find this highly intersting and can’t wait to see what it tastes like.

Once you have the filling all together you can simply put it in a casserole dish with a lid on it and just bake it that way if you don’t want to go through the effort of the pepper. I think the next time I will omit the pepper bowl if it’s just Hubby and I, and maybe leave the quirky presentation to when I’m preparing it for guests. It’s just alot of pepper for us. I like my peppers much more tender. Too the point of fully softened mush. Mmmmmm nummy yummy

Here’s where you get to fill the pepper bowls up with that yum yum quinoa filling. I sprayed my baking dish as I ran out of parchment paper at christmas time and never replaced it. This caused my filled pepper bowls to slide around. I’m thinking the parchment would keep them in place better. Scoop and stuff the peppers and put them in the lined dish. The original recipe that I saw did not seem to bake the peppers with the “tops” on. I did and the “tops” came out quite wrinkled. I think for a better presentation, I would bake them without the “tops” and then just pop them on after you take them out of the oven. I also added a few shreds of the monteray cheese to the top of the filling before baking. gives them a nice finished look. Then I meant to sprinkle them with fresh chopped cilantro but I forgot and had already taken the pictures…. LOL #foodbloggerproblems haha.

I baked these in a preheated 350 F oven for about 40 minutes. Check them at 30 minutes. You want the filling to be hot throughout. I think they look cute with the wrinkled tops, but not that cute, oh well. They were absolutely scrumptious! Even Hubby liked them.

I served these with butterflied, grilled chicken breast. Seasoned them with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic and a slight sprinkle of chili powder, with a side of a homemade chipotle dip {fat free sour cream, a wee bit of light mayo and as much chipotle puree as you can handle}
Yay for the second bbq this year! I just love the flavour that a bbq or grill can bring to the food and to the table 😉
Now I know it’s not a Green Egg bbq or anything like that or a nice old fashioned one but it does the job. It may actually need to be replaced this year. We’ve been saying this for the last 2 years so we’ll see.

And since I’m suffering from severe post vacay depression….. I’ve posted a small collection of pics from House Of Haley Photography, from our time in Mexico a few weeks ago. You can find them at the bottom of this post.

❤️

Thanks for visiting, if you liked this blog please click LIKE below.
If you want to follow my blog please scroll to the bottom, click the FOLLOW button and enter in your email address.

Love Haleykins

❤️

**Please click OLDER POSTS, {below} to see more**
Find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cookingwithhay – Please LIKE my page.
Follow me on Twitter at @cookingwithhay

CRISP CUCUMBER SALSA

As promised yesterday, here is another super delicious recipe involving…. a cuke!
I saw this and it looked like a neat thing to try seeing as tho I just made a traditional salsa a few days ago. I already had all the ingredients needed in the fridge and I just love when that works out. Now, when I say, “this just may be the very best salsa in the world!” well, this is one of those times that you need to believe me! But you don’t have too. Give me just a few more minutes to tell you how to make it, then you give it a try and you be the judge. Seriously, if you like to cook or make stuff in the kitchen, heck ya you’re going to love it. If you’ve never made anything, then this is a perfect way to start. Regardless, please just try it.

Hubby had barely walked in the door yesterday and I had put it in front of him. He couldn’t stop eating it and he’s really not a big salsa guy. “Yes, success!”

HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO NEED:
2 CUPS CUCUMBER, PEELED, DESEEDED, FINE DICED
1/2 CUP ROMA TOMATOES, FINE DICED
1/4 CUP RED ONION, FINE DICED
1 JALAPENO PEPPER, DESEEDED, MINCED
4-1/2 TSP. MINCED CILANTRO
1/2 A SMALL PRE MADE HOMEMADE GARLIC BALL {or 1 clove minced garlic}
1/4 CUP FAT FREE SOUR CREAM
1-1/2 TSP. LEMON JUICE
1-1/2 TSP. LIME JUICE
1/4 TSP. CUMIN
1/4 TSP. SEASONING SALT
ORGANIC GLUTEN-FREE TORTILLA CHIPS, NO SALT

HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO:
In a mixing bowl add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and garlic.
In a seperate bowl combine the sour cream, lemon and lime juice, cumin and seasoning salt.
Add the sour cream mixture to the veggie mixture and gently toss to combine.
Enjoy with organic gluten-free tortilla chips.

Last but not least, low sodium YO! The is mostly cucumber rather than tomatoes like a traditional salsa. Sure there’s seasoning salt in it but there is salt in traditional salsa also so this is definitely a win win.
Can’t wait for summer bbq’s with this one.

❤️

Thanks for visiting, if you liked this blog please click LIKE below.
If you want to follow my blog please scroll to the bottom, click the FOLLOW button and enter in your email address.

Love Haleykins

**Please click OLDER POSTS, {below} to see more**

❤️

CUCUMBER & GARLIC SALAD DRESSING

Oh so many wonderful things you can do with a cucumber…… 😊
Head out of the gutter!
Here is 1 fun thing, and tomorrow I’ll share another! Thanks for visiting and please help me out by clicking LIKE and SHARE on Facebook

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
2 CUCUMBERS {PEELED, DESEEDED AND PUREED, I used my food processor, and include the juice from the cucumbers}
1/4 CUP CHOPPED PARSLEY
1/4 CUP CHOPPED CHIVES
1/2 PRE MADE HOMEMADE GARLIC BALL {or 2 cloves minced garlic}
1 CUP FAT FREE SOUR CREAM
1/2 TSP. SEA SALT
1 1/2 TSP. GROUND PEPPER
WATER OR MILK TO THIN {optional}

WHAT TO DO:
I use a melon baller to deseed cucumbers but you can use a small teaspoon if you don’t have a melon baller. I then pureed the cucumbers in my food processor. Dump the pureed cukes and it’s juice into a mixing bowl.

Add in the chopped herbs. Now if you’re like me and still learning to cook…. you might not use chives all that often. I bought freeze dried chives so that I don’t waste anything. Once you add them in they will soften and be just the same as if they were fresh so not to worry.

Add the garlic to the mixing bowl. Cucumber, parsley, chives, and garlic. Starting to look like something the dog puked up? K then we’re on the right track. LOL

Stir in the sour cream, salt and fresh ground pepper.

Using a funnel and a rubber spatula, {how did I ever live without a funnel?} pour/scrape every drop of this easy, healthy homemade salad dressing into some type of pretty decanter. I picked up this glass beauty from my local $ store. 🙂 Garnished it with a cucumber peel twist 🙂

Now, whip up a fresh salad with all those leftover veggies you have in the crisper drawer before they spoil and Hubby scowls at you….. not that that happens here or anything…. 🙂 JUST MAKE SURE TO USE UP ALL YOUR VEGGIES. I made up a great salad with romaine lettuce, mushrooms, cucumbers, celery, carrots, tomatoes and peppers.

Serve this after it’s chilled up a little bit in the refrigerator. Then, sit back and enjoy clean eating and healthy living. Between my Chipotle Southwest Dressing and my Mom’s, MARIANNE’S HOMEMADE CAESAR SALAD DRESSING I doubt I will ever buy salad dressing again. Knowing exactly what we are putting into our bodies is comforting when it’s food like this.

I’m going to be completely honest and maybe a little vain but I am smiling…. I’m smiling because I’m proud of the change we are making. We were always conscious of the crap food we would eat but we let our tastebuds make the decisions. We can do this, we can continue this.
Today this blog passed 7000 views. I just can’t believe that it’s been looked at over 7000 times. Today my Facebook page, Cooking With Hay, reached a new high as well. Over 100 people have kindly LIKEd my FB page. Thank you Thank you Thank you. The higher these numbers grow, the more inspired and eager I get. I’m constantly browsing for new things to try and yet they are things that are quite basic, fairly common, and well, really good. But it’ real food for real people. When I start whipping up Crown Roasts….

…then it’s a whole different kinda ballgame. {Although I hear they aren’t as hard as they look… 🙂 }

This dressing came out with a thicker consistancy that most salad dressings. We like it this way but it was pretty thick. You can thin it with a little bit of water or skim milk if it’s too heavy for you. I’m going to leave mine as is and use it as a dip for the rest of the remaining veggies, as it’s just the perfect consistancy for a dip as well.

Found on Pinterest from Taste Of Home

❤️

Thanks for visiting, if you liked this blog please click LIKE below.
If you want to follow my blog please scroll to the bottom, click the FOLLOW button and enter in your email address.

Love Haleykins

**Please click OLDER POSTS, {below} to see more**

❤️

GRILLED CHICKEN FAJITA SKEWERS WITH CILANTRO AND LIME

In keeping with the spirit of Mexico, how about another easy meal idea using some of that homemade Fajita Seasoning we made last month?
I will never buy a store bought packet after using this simple recipe. The seasoning is very mild, feel free to tip the chili powder shaker a little more if your tongue likes to dance as much as mine. Make this up and then carry on below for the Grilled Chicken Skewers with Cilantro and Lime recipe.

🌵

FAJITA SEASONING
2 tablespoons – cornstarch
4 teaspoons – chili powder
2 teaspoons – salt
2 teaspoons – paprika
2 teaspoons – sugar
1.5 teaspoons – chicken bouillon crushed
1 teaspoon – onion powder
1/2 teaspoon – garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon – cayenne powder
1/2 teaspoon – cumin

Mix it all together and keep it in a dry container.

Approximately 2 tablespoons of this mixture equals a packet of that store bought stuff.
This recipe made just over 6.5 Tablespoons.

This will save you money too as those packets can start to add up after a while.

Please give it a try!
If you do make it, please leave me a comment below and let me know what you think.
Click here to see my previous blog post for FAJITA SEASONING

🌵

The great thing is that there is no oil or butter used in this one, therefore super healthy. Wooooo Hooooo Anything to keep the waistline from growing. Don’t fret, these are so good you’d never know they weren’t drizzled in expensive olive oil or dipped in seasoned butter. You can thank me later, no worries 😉

Here’s what you’re going to need:
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
3 roma tomatoes
1/4 onion
cilantro
lime
Fajita Seasoning

For the 5 skewers I used 4 chicken breasts. I cut the breasts in half so they were thinner then sliced those up to make bite sized pieces. The thinner the pieces the faster the will cook. You don’t want to completely burn your veggies on the bbq while you’re waiting for the chicken to cook. Does this make sense. Some of the chicken pieces were ultra thin so I stacke 3 pieces together. This make for juicy chicken bites. I hope this make sense. Look at the pic above to understand.

Remove the ribs and seeds from the peppers. This is how I do it. Flip the pepper onto it’s stem and slice down the lovely pepper lumps. Check it out! 🙂 This leaves the ribs and seeds intact, less mess and less work for you.
Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and rib stuff with a spoon. I like the tomatoes to be very thin. I used a sharp knife and sort of fillet the tomatoes. For the onions pull off some of the wider outer layers. Cut them up the same size as everything else. My pieces were about 1″ x 1″. Layer the veggies and the chicken, alternating as you go. Push them together real tight and you’ll have less burny bits. 🙂

Lay your skewers in a nice big dish. I made these up early so they were going to be going in the fridge….. be sure to make room in the fridge before hand if this is your situation. Nothing worse than having your hands full with an oversize tray of something and no where to put it and no hands free to move things about. Or don’t, and then bitch about it later like I do almost everytime.
Sprinkle on some of the homemade Fajita Seasoning that you made up earlier…. if you didn’t make it, I suppose you could use a store bought packet. I won’t tell anyone…..
Flip the skewers over and sprinkle the other side. This was enough for us but like I said way up there at the top, the seasoning is quite mild for my tastebuds. You could sprinkle more on the other 2 sides if you want more. This was just nice and light and allowed for the veggie flavour to come through.

Chop up some fresh cilantro or don’t if you get your knickers in a knot over it 🙂 Now squeeze on some fresh lime juice

Grill these babies on med-high I did 8 minutes then flipped and did 3 minutes then flipped to one of the other sides and did 3 minutes. They were cooked thru by this time and I took them off. But you could put the last side on for a couple of minutes if you wanted.

Here’s a “Visual Summary” I made this for Pinterest 😉 😉 Wham, Bam, Thank You, Ma’am!

We served this up with some light and fluffy rice. That’s it that’s all. Clean eating is best and still so tasty. I use a rice cooker that my sister gave me years ago. However I created my own directions because everytime I did as I was told the rice was hard and not yet done. So I don’t know what I do wrong but it never ever turned out so here’s what I do now. I measure 2 cups of dry rice and rinse under cold water in a strainer for close to 5 minutes. This removes alot of the starch and then when it cooks you won’t get that browned or scortched bottom. Although I was reading up on some Dominican cuisine and it said that some rice dishes are delberately cooked to have that type of browned bottom. I was intrigued. Here read up for yourself My Dominican Food Drain the rinsed rice and dump it in the rice cooker. Then I add twice as much cold water. So 4.5 cups…. ya, weird right…. the directions all say equal? Or at least mine does. How do you make your rice?

As you can see, Hubby enjoyed. I too enjoyed and even though it was cold and rainy out on the deck manning the bbq like a boss…. I knew it was much milder here than my friends weather back east. So I mustered up my big girl panties and put on some boots. Yup that’s it some booty shorts and boots, oh and well a hoodie (I refuse to cover up these tanned legs while they are still tanned legs) and grilled those babies to Hubby’s preference. Hope you enjoy them like we did.
PS this is a beautiful christmas gift from mom! My Gordon Ramsay Rectangular Roaster/Dish from the Royal Doutlon Collection!!! EEEeeeeek It’s massive and I love love love it.

🌵

Thanks for visiting, if you liked this blog please click LIKE below.
If you want to follow my blog please scroll to the bottom, click the FOLLOW button and enter in your email address.

Love Haleykins

**Please click OLDER POSTS, {below} to see more**

SIMPLE SALSA

Hello Everyone!! It’s been quite a while since I did a post. I apologize for the hiatus, my mind has been preoccupied with my trip to Mexico. Ok let’s be real. I spent some weeks going through the pantry and freezer putting together things, I had to create some meals…. It was time to clear out a bunch of those one off cans of who knows what mixed with a little of this and a little of that. Nothing pretty, a little weird, but it was food in the belly and that’s all that matters. Really tho my mind had been in the clouds counting down the days to our little vacation in the sun. We are home now and yet the spirit of Mexico lives on in our home. We purchased a wooden bowl set for salsa, guac, and chips and I just love them. I’ve wanted a set for a long time now. Ever since our first trip to Mexico back in 2011. I was so excited to pull them out of our suitcases that I hoped in the truck and took of to the market for supplies. Simple Salsa is up next.

🌵 SIMPLE SALSA 🌵

3 ROMA TOMATOES (choose the harder ones over the soft ones)
1/4 WHITE ONION
1 SERRANO PEPPER
1 JALAPENO PEPPEER
1/2 LIME
1 PRE MADE HOMEMADE GARLIC BALL {or 4 minced cloves of garlic}
CILANTRO
SEA SALT
Start with the tomatoes, hard roma tomatoes work best. I cut them in half lengthwise and then cut those in half lengthwise again. Scrape out all the seeds and juice. Dice them up really fine. Smaller bits are easier to scoop up.

Dice up the onion really fine as well. Same size as you did the tomatoes.
When chopping up peppers be sure to wear gloves. Bell peppers, you’ll be fine but these hot peppers require gloves. I burnt my left thumb with burns from these peppers once before and lets just say I’ve learned my lesson. My fingerprint is not the same as it once was. These are the best ways to cut up peppers like these ones. For Jalapeno’s, cut off the top part with the stem and slice off the parts not attached to the ribs. See the first 2 pictures above. For Serrano’s, since these ones are even thinner, cut of the top part again with the stem and then cut the pepper in half lengthwise. With the tip of a sharp knife, carefully run it under the ribs of the pepper, removing them in one clean cut. Take a look at the 3rd picture above.
Once again, dice up the peppers nice and fine…. I like these to be very very tiny. Mince them. That’s a more appropriate word.
Squeeze the juice from half a lime into the bowl and let the very merry tomato marinating party begin. Add in the thawed PRE MADE HOMEMADE GARLIC BALL
Chop up a few fresh cilantro leaves or if you are one of those people that says “I don’t like cilantro” that I shake my head at well then simply omit the cilantro from your Simple Salsa. Easy Breezy…
The whole thing comes together all quite quickly and look it’s even the colours of the Mexican flag.
Let this marinade together for at least a few hours in the fridge before serving in and airtight container. Don’t worry about it not being to ‘wet’ as the salt will draw out the liquids in the tomatoes, onions and peppers and mix with the lime juice. It’s to die for delicious and worth the wait.
We opted for organic tortilla chips, gluten free and that had the lowest calorie content. Que Paso chips from the organic section of the grocery store. I just love how it looks in the new mexican salsa bowl we brought home.
Scarf it up and imagine a mariachi band playing, the ocean waves crashing and the sun beaming down warming your skin.

Ahhh Mexico, we love and miss you already.

Thanks for visiting, if you liked this blog please click LIKE below.
If you want to follow my blog please scroll to the bottom, click the FOLLOW button and enter in your email address.

Love Haleykins

**Please click OLDER POSTS, {below} to see more**

Cilantro Jalapeno Chicken Burger with Chipotle Salsa & Guacamole

CILANTRO JALAPEÑO CHICKEN BURGER WITH CHIPOTLE SALSA & GUACAMOLE
Makes 6 burgers

CHIPOTLE SALSA
1 cup chunky salsa
1 tablespoon chipotle purée
Mix it up and chill it until you’re ready to serve.
{this makes just enough for 6}

LIGHT & SIMPLE GUACAMOLE
2 soft avocado
2 tablespoons fat free sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
Mix it up, we like ours slightly smooth and still a bit chunky…. your call.
Chill it until you’re ready to serve.

BURGER INGREDIENTS
2lbs ground chicken breast {I used extra lean}
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 Pre Made Homemade Garlic Balls {or 5 cloves of minced garlic}
3 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeños
1 1/4 teaspoons paprika
1 1/4 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt {or less, I used less and they needed more}
couple cranks of fresh cracked pepper
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese {I used the smaller grate}

BUNS & TOPPINGS
6 hamburger buns {sliced and toasted before serving}
Lettuce
Red onion rings
Light mayo
Bacon {this burger be beggin for bacon but my waistline was not 😦 }

BURGER DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl add everything in the order listed.
Using your hands, gently combine all the ingredients.
DO NOT OVER MIX OR OVERWORK
Make 6 patties { I lined a dish in wax paper so they didn’t stick to each other}
I cooked mine on my Cuisinart Griddler, about 15-20 minutes {cooked through}
Would have used the bbq but it’s just too cold outside and I had wet hair from swimming.

BURGER ASSEMBLY
Chipotle Salsa on the bottom of the bun
Add your burger
Top the burger with some Guacamole
Here’s where I would add the bacon if I had included bacon
Lettuce
Red onion
And finally, light mayo, on the top bun.I came across the idea for this on another site. I had been wanting to do something different with a chicken burger and this ground version seemed great for it. The original recipe called for 1 1/2 lbs of ground chicken, and since my 2 packages of chicken came to more than that, I had to adjust the rest of the ingredients.
1kg = 2.2lbs
Keep this in mind when shopping and referring to your recipes.Everything gets combined in a bowl. Don’t mix it too much. Just enough to incorporate everything.
Makes 6 patties.
I have to say…. I really don’t like the way ground chicken looks and feels compared to ground beef… Regardless these looked good and they were very tasty. Plus the Chipotle Salsa on these gives you a great mix of flavours in yo mouth!
Thanks for visiting, if you liked this blog please click LIKE below.
If you want to follow my blog please scroll to the bottom, click the FOLLOW button and enter in your email address.

Love Haleykins

Crunchy Fiesta Chicken Wraps

Mexico, oh how I miss Mexico. It does not seem like we were there in Feb/Mar, but we were. Forever ago. I love that place, the sights, the sand, the seas, the people and of course, the food. We have done all inclusive in Mexico and we have gone to local restaurants out on the town. Please take my advice and DON’T do all inclusive. Enjoy the real food, the fresh food, the food that is cooked when it’s needed not cooked, shipped, stored, reheated, put out in the buffet and then with whats left it gets reheated….. And well,you get where I’m going with this, right.

Last time I was at the grocery store I picked up some wraps, thinking it had been far too long since we had something of this variety. That was a few days ago and those wraps sat untouched, on the counter, whispering to me.

As I had mentioned in a past post, similar to this one, wraps just make everything that extra bit more awesomesauce. As well there was rice in the fridge from the Butter Chicken recipe I made the other night. Seemed like a win win. Plus, a slow cooker is a dream. It does the the work and makes for super yummy-licious juicy shredded chicken!!!

Hubby likes foods that are juicy and yet still crunchy, I look forward to his reaction with this one. I intend to fulfill both. LOL

CRUNCHY FIESTA CHICKEN WRAPS

INGREDIENTS:
4 LARGE CHICKEN BREASTS (boneless, skinless)
1/2 ONION, FINE DICED
1 SMALL CAN ZESTY ROTEL TOMATO SAUCE (tomatoes & green chilies)
3-4 TABLESPOONS HOT SAUCE (Franks, Sriracha, Habanero – adjust to your taste, start with less then add more)
1 TEASPOON SALT
2 TEASPOONS CUMIN
1+1/2 TEASPOON CHILI POWDER
1 PREMADE HOMEMADE GARLIC BALL, or 4 cloves, minced
1/4 CUP RED PEPPER, DICED
1/4 CUP BLACK BEANS (rinsed & drained)
1/4 CUP CORN, (drained)
2 CUPS GRATED CHEDDAR CHEESE
1 CUP SOUR CREAM
2 CUPS RICE, COOKED
8-10 FLOUR TORTILLAS (wraps)
2 TABLESPOONS OIL
CILANTRO & HOT SAUCE FOR GARNISH

DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker
Toss in the onions
Add the Zesty Rotel Tomato Sauce
Then add the hot sauce of your choosing
Add in the salt, cumin, chili powder and garlic
I cooked this on high in my slow cooker for 4 hours
Stirring once or twice
At the 3:30 hour mark, shred the chicken with 2 forks and let it continue to cook

ASSEMBLY:
Mix shredded chicken, rice, beans, corn,and peppers in a separate bowl, set aside
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat
Sprinkle cheese on the tortillas and add the sour cream
Spoon on the chicken & rice mixture down the center of the tortilla
Add a squirt of hot sauce if you so choose
Roll em up
Place 2 assembled wraps, seam side down in the hot oiled pan
Flip them when golden brown and slightly crunchy on the bottom, they only need a few minutes
Let them rest on a cutting board for about 3-4 minutes.
Slice in half and garnish with cilantro and hot sauce

HERE’S HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN:

Place chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker
Toss in the onions

Add the Zesty Rotel Tomato Sauce

Then add the hot sauce of your choosing


Add in the salt, cumin, chili powder and garlic

I cooked this on high in my slow cooker for 4 hours
Stirring once or twice

At the 3:30 hour mark, shred the chicken with 2 forks and let it continue to cook









Mix shredded chicken, rice, beans, corn,and peppers in a separate bowl, set aside

Sprinkle cheese on the tortillas and add the sour cream

Spoon on the chicken & rice mixture down the center of the tortilla
Add a squirt of hot sauce if you so choose
Roll em up
Place 2 assembled wraps, seam side down in the hot oiled pan

Flip them when golden brown and slightly crunchy on the bottom, they only need a few minutes

Oh my goodness! YUMMY
Let them rest on a cutting board for about 3-4 minutes.
Slice in half and garnish with cilantro and hot sauce

Thanks for visiting, if you liked this blog please click LIKE below.
If you want to follow my blog please scroll to the bottom, click the FOLLOW button and enter in your email address.

Love Haleykins