fresh fish taco recipe

saturday i drove all day (with two kids) home from the beach,
jon went fishing (it was his first day off in weeks),
and when we finally all got back together in one place....
we made the yummiest fish tacos ever!

please ignore the plastic plates and quickly-taken pictures (remember, i just got home from vacation and there are still clothes and dishes piled up even today)

ok, now on to the recipe:
fresh fish tacos
ingredients:
fresh fish (or you can buy it from the store--this happens to be blue gill from a local lake)
corn tortillas
cilantro
lettuce
red onion
tomato (optional)
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
cilantro lime sauce (see recipe below)
salt
pepper
olive oil

warm up a dry skillet and crisp up the corn tortillas, flipping a couple of times, until the tortillas are browned a bit on both sides and crunchy.  salt and pepper the fish generously.  heat a large skillet with a thin layer of olive oil and cook the fish, flipping once, until they are flaky--i prefer to leave them a little on the medium done side.  now, pile up your taco and enjoy!

cilantro-lime fish taco sauce
ingredients:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonaise
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp chopped jalepeno (or more if desired)
1 T chopped cilantro
juice from 1/2 a lime
zest from 1/2 a lime
mix all ingredients together well and serve in fresh fish tacos.

yummy in your tummy!  let me know if you try this recipe and like it~

linking up with:
remodelaholic
blue cricket design
i heart naptime
passionately artistic

best peanut butter cream cheese frosting + (a little cake to go with it)

i've had lots of visitors this weekend
and one of them---
this guy---

my brother in law, carl

had a birthday.
i made him this delicious cake  (i know, right.........it's really crazy good)

it's chocolate (just a box mix) + peanut butter cream cheese frosting

i found a bunch of recipes for peanut butter frosting, but i've tried a few different ones and didn't really love them, so i put a little bit from all the recipes and made my own "perfect" version.

here goes.....

ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter (softened--tip: defrost for about 20 sec and no meltage!)
2 heaping T. of creamy peanut butter (not natural or anything fancy)
1 t. vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
1 T. milk

cream butter, cream cheese, and peanut butter together with a hand mixer.  add vanilla and milk.  add powdered sugar one cup at a time.  i added crumbled reese's peanut butter cups to the middle and top of the cake as well.

enjoy!

linking up with:

Easter cut out krispie snacks

i wanted to make my grandma's famous (at least to our family) cut out cookies for Easter and bought fun cookie cutter shapes (a bunny, egg, and butterfly) with the best of intentions in doing so ......but,
i just don't have the time or patience to do the cookies this week, so plan B it was.....rice krispie treats!

who doesn't love one of these gooey, crispy, sweet bundles of gladness? (and the sweet springy shapes just make me even happier!)


i know it's not rocket science on how to make them, but i'll give you  my photo tutorial in case you are wondering.

ingredients:
1. 3 tablespoons butter
2.  4 cups marshmallows
3. 6 cups rice krispie cereal
4. 1 tablespoon peanut butter (i just made something good, better!)
5.  plastic wrap
6.  cookie cutters
7.  assorted sprinkles/candies
8.  cookie spray

melt butter and marshmallows in the microwave for 3 minutes, stopping to stir after 2 mintues. add cereal and mix well.

line baking sheet with plastic wrap, pour mixture on sheet, and put another layer of plastic wrap on top

press mixture onto sheet until it is evenly distributed and in a rectangular shape

 spray cookie cutters with cooking spray and cut out shapes

 

 place on another plastic wrap-lined surface and decorate with sprinkles, assorted candy, frosting, etc.

i wrapped mine and put them in the freezer so we can have them on our trip to Indiana!

don't worry, i let Sister eat one as payment for her "help."

that's about the extent of my Easter craftiness this year......at least it's yummy!  


what are you creating that is inspired by this Easter season? 

spinach gorgonzola pasta recipe

spinach gorgonzola pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

8 cups fresh baby spinach/ 1 bag ------($1.99 @ Aldi)

1 tsp nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic

 4 Tbsp butter softened

4 oz. gorgonzola cheese-----($3.99 @ Aldi)

1 lb. pasta ---------($1.00 @ HT with sale 5/$5.00)

Total (not including pantry items)-----$6.98

1. boil water for pasta—salt after it starts boiling (reserve some pasta water for the sauce). 
2. sauté’ spinach in olive oil until wilted in a large pan. 
3. add salt, pepper, garlic and nutmeg to the spinach.  turn on low and keep warm on the stove.
4. in a separate bowl, cream together butter and gorgonzola cheese.
5. when pasta is finished cooking, mix it in with the spinach.
6. add cheese mixture and a couple ladles of the hot pasta water to the pasta/spinach.
7. mix together until creamy and the pasta is completely coated. 
8. go ahead, try it!  it’s delicious---enjoy!

oh, and kids will like this dish, too.  just look at how much Sister loved it!

i'm linking to flip flops & pearls recipe swap

sunday brunch

ahh, i love sundays!
church,
brunch (recipe below),
free movie channels,
sunshiny weather, and dinner with friends tonight!

easy stuffed french toast
here's my easy recipe for stuffed french toast.  the whole family loves it and it really doesn't take more time than regular french toast.  it's not some brand new recipe or anything, but i added a few of my tips to make the perfect brunch every time!

ingredients:

• bread (it's really good with challah bread, but i didn't have any today)
• milk (a couple splashes per egg)
  
• eggs (1 for every 2 pieces of bread or so--i like a higher egg to milk ratio, but do as you like) 
• 1 tsp vanilla
• a couple of pinches of cinnamon
• flavored cream cheese from a tub
  
• powdered sugar
• blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  
• blueberry syrup  (store bought or you can make your own)

directions:

1. mix eggs (if you drop an egg shell in the bowl on accident, use the shell to scoop it out, it works like magic!), milk, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl
2. dip bread in egg mixture 
3. put on a hot griddle at around 325-350 degrees
4. grill, flipping twice, until crispy on the outside and golden brown (but still soft and yummy on the inside)
   
5. put the flavored cream cheese in between two pieces
6. microwave the fresh or frozen blueberries for 25 seconds or so until they get a bit mushy and warm
7. top sandwich with blueberries, warm blueberry syrup, and a dash of powdered sugar.
8. eat away and enjoy!

have a blessed brunchday, i mean, sunday! 

best banana bread recipe

 i finally found one that works perfectly--
no mushy middle,
perfect crusty outside,
and
moist and delicious on the inside.

yummo in my tummo
enjoy!

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

Serves: 12, 

• 1/2 cup margarine or 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups BREAD flour
• pinch of cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (omit if you don't like nuts)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

1. Grease 1 large loaf pan.
2. Cream margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
3. Add dry ingredients, then bananas, nuts and sour cream.
4. Mix well.
5. Bake at 350 F for 1 hour (+ 6 min. in my oven)

what's for dinner?

 Pesto Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms, that's what!


Ingredients:
EVOO
asparagus
mushrooms
onions
salt/pepper
garlic
rigatoni noodles
chicken stock
store bought Pesto
parmesan cheese

Directions:
1.  chop all vegetables and saute' in pan with EVOO
2.  add garlic and salt (i love this grated garlic paste stuff in a tube that i found in the produce section of my grocery store--Giant Foods)
3.  in a separate pan, boil water and cook rigatoni noodles according to the box directions
4. add 3/4 cup or so of chicken broth to vegetables and stir
5.  add 2 big tablespoons of the pesto to the vegetables and stir
6.  add parmesan cheese to taste
7. drain pasta and mix with sauce

enjoy!

--Andi