Taco Enchiladas

When you're feeling like enchiladas but it's Taco Tuesday ... 

Ingredients:

2 tsps taco seasoning, store bought or homemade

1 lb beef/pork mix

2 cups salsa, store bought or homemade

1/2 cup kernel corn, canned or frozen (or fresh of course!)

1/2 cup black beans

1 large onion, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 - 1 jalapeño, finely chopped

2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

8 - 6" tortillas

Your favourite taco toppings: tomato, cucs, lettuce, refried beans, sour cream

Brown the beef/pork and onion in a large skillet, breaking up the ground meat. Add the bell pepper and jalapeño and cook until the meat is cooked through. Add taco seasoning, corn, black beans and 1/2 cup salsa. Remove from heat and add 1 cup cheese.

Spread 1/2 cup of salsa in the bottom of a 13 X 9 baking dish. Divide the meat mixture into 8 portions and fill tortillas, placing them seam side down in the dish.

Pour the remaining salsa over the top and cover with cheese. Oil a piece of foil and cover the dish.

Bake in a 375°F oven for 20 minutes, then uncover and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Serve with bowls of diced tomato, chopped lettuce, etc. so everyone can top their taco enchiladas the way they like it!

And if you'd like to make either homemade taco seasoning or salsa then here are the links to the recipes:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2016/05/homemade-taco-seasoning.html

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2018/09/homemade-salsa.html

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Lemon Garlic Grilled Asparagus

Perfectly steamed asparagus spears grilled on the BBQ in foil for easy clean up. (Also you don't have to worry about them falling through the grill.) A dinner for two side that goes well with just about any protein... salmon, steak, chicken, you name it!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsps olive oil

2 tsps minced garlic

zest of 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Preheat the grill to medium heat. Combine the lemon juice and olive oil and toss the asparagus to coat. Lay them in a single layer on a large piece of foil. Top with minced garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper if using.

Take a second piece of foil and cover, folding each side tightly to seal. Place on the barbecue on direct heat for 10-20 minutes depending on how you like your asparagus and the thickness of the spears. I like mine tender-crisp so I would lean towards just 10 minutes.

When ready open the foil packet and serve with lemon slices.

Serves 2

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Garden Penny Post

A cute little garden accent that might just keep slugs away from those tender new shoots.

Similar to penny balls except I didn't have a ball, so I used a post and spike from an old solar lamp instead.

An old solar lamp post, clear marine silicone and some pennies (dated before 1983 for best copper content) are all you need.

Stick one penny on top of the post then, using the waterproof marine silicone, glue a column of pennies up one side of the post. Lay flat on that side and let them set a few minutes before starting the next row. My post fit exactly 4 columns of pennies.

Let it set completely for at least 12 hours before exposure to water, then stick it in anywhere that you might want to keep slugs away. I don't know if copper really does repel slugs but I like this quirky little garden art.

If you have marine silicone left over how about another garden craft?

Beaded Mason Jar Solar Light

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2020/07/beaded-mason-jar-solar-light.html

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Caramelized Pork Rice Bowls

Simple preparation, economical and with a taste profile that puts this pork somewhere between sweet, tangy and sensational. You'll want this recipe on heavy rotation! 

Ingredients:

Pork:

1 1/2 tbsps vegetable oil

1/2 cup shredded onion

1" ginger, minced

2 tsps minced garlic

1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 lb ground pork

5 tbsps brown sugar

2 tbsps fish sauce

Rice:

1 cup white long grain rice

1 3/4 cups water

1-2 tbsps fresh chopped parsley

1 1/2 tsps rice or white wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsps sugar

Toppings:

diced cucumber

diced tomato

diced red pepper

edamame beans

sesame seeds

Start cooking the rice because that will take the longest to cook. Bring the water to a boil then add the rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Add the chopped parsley then drain. Combine the vinegar and sugar and stir into the rice. Cover and set aside.

While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables and start the pork. In a large skillet heat oil on medium high. Add onion and cook 2-3 minutes, then add ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes along with the pork. Cook until no pink remains, about 3 minutes. Don't cook to caramelize just yet. Add the brown sugar and fish sauce.

Stir together then cook on high heat for 2 minutes without stirring. Now you're caramelizing! Stir it up and cook 1 more minute. The pork should be browned and slightly crispy on the smaller bits.

Place a serving of rice and a serving of pork in each bowl, then top with veggies and eat!

Makes 4 servings.

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Easy Pork Stir Fry

Easy peasy take-out fake-out! And totally customizable! Use all fresh veg instead of some frozen. Or use whatever frozen veg suits you. Like garlic? Add more. Don't like orange juice? Use pineapple juice. And if you're going to use pineapple juice, why not add some pineapple tidbits to the meal? 

Ingredients:

3/4 lb pork loin, cut in strips

1 tbsp cornstarch

black pepper to taste

2 tbsps vegetable oil, divided

4 cups vegetables, 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, & frozen mixed veggies

4 tsps minced garlic

1 tsp minced ginger

Sauce:

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup low sodium soya sauce

2 tbsps brown sugar

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

1/2 tsp sriracha sauce

1 tbsp cornstarch

Toss the pork strips with cornstarch and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok and cook pork on medium high heat until almost cooked through. Then remove to a plate.

Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the skillet again and on medium high heat stir fry the onion, bell pepper and mixed frozen vegetables 2-4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger in the last minute.

Combine the sauce ingredients, whisking in the cornstarch, and pour over the veggies. Simmer a few minutes to thicken.

Now just return the pork to the pan, stir to coat, and cook 2 minutes to warm through.

Serve with your favourite rice or noodles.

Serves 4

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Buttery Lemon Lime Shrimp

Simple but so satisfying. Big, tender shrimp in a delicate and buttery sauce. Ready literally in minutes!

Ingredients:

2 tbsps butter

2 tbsps honey

1-2 tsps sriracha sauce

2 tsps soya sauce

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp lemon juice

12 oz (300 g) jumbo shrimp

1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning (or salt and pepper)

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1/4 tsp lemon zest

Whisk the butter, honey, sriracha and soya sauce together in a small saucepan on medium heat until the butter has melted. I like 1 tsp sriracha but if you like more heat go for 2 tsps! Remove sauce from heat and add the lemon and lime juices. Cover and set aside.

Towel dry the shrimp then, in a skillet, heat vegetable oil to medium high heat. Toss the shrimp with Old Bay seasoning and sauté about 1 minute per side or until pink. Don't overcook or the shrimp will be tough. Pour in the sauce and stir. 

Add the lemon zest and your shrimp are ready to serve!

Serves 2

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Warm Mango Coleslaw

Sometimes you just stumble into a good recipe. That's what happened here. The plan was to make a coleslaw with mango, served cold. But the mango I bought was quite unripe, so I decided to cook everything up and see what happens. Well, happy little accident, it was a huge success! Not only did the mango soften up but the jalapeño and allspice gave this slaw a decidedly Caribbean spin!

Ingredients:

1 mango, a little on the green side, peeled and diced

1 apple, unpeeled and shredded on a box grater

1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cabbage or store bought coleslaw mix 

1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeño

1 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp celery seed

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 - 1/3 cup water

Juice of 1/2 a lime

Combine everything except the lime juice in a medium saucepan. I must say the mango had no juice at all when dicing it, it was that unripe! Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Add a little more water if needed. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until tender to your liking. Remove from heat and add the lime juice.

Beautiful as a salad course with chopped romaine.

Or as a side with fish or chicken. Here we had it with open faced chicken tacos.

Makes 4 side salad servings.

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