Taco Stuffed Peppers

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I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but here in Maryland, it’s been in the 70’s all week long. The boys and I have pretty much been living outside the past few days, and its been wonderful. On Wednesday, we had dinner plans with our local kids play group. But as luck with 2 small children would have it, those plans fell through. First thought was to just order a pizza, but we try not to order out too often. We had  some leftover taco meat from earlier on in the week, and a few bell peppers I’d picked up but not used. So, I thought why not a Tex-Mex twist on stuffed peppers?

We really enjoyed them. It was a light enough dinner that I didn’t feel weighed down by it, yet substantial enough that I was completely full and satisfied with one pepper. I used ground sirloin, but ground turkey is always wonderful in an application such as this. I loved the addition of the black beans and corn, I felt it really added a surprising twist that you wouldn’t be expecting in a stuffed pepper. I had made a batch of Spanish rice to go alongside, so I just added some of that to the stuffing mixture. Topped off with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, it really was a great dinner. Would be an awesome vegetarian dish too, just bump up the amounts of beans and corn. A great way to segue into the lighter, fresher meals of spring that I know we’re all jonesin’ for. Fingers crossed that this beautiful weather holds out through the weekend!

Taco Stuffed Peppers

4 medium bell peppers (I used red, green and yellow)
3/4 pound ground beef (I used leftover taco meat)
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup Spanish rice
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 (14oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
kosher salt
black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing seeds and ribs with a spoon. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove from water with tongs and set aside to cool.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until well browned, about 7 minutes. Drain any grease from the pan. Add onions and garlic, and cook until softened. Add taco seasoning and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add corn, black beans, and diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes, then add rice to the mixture and combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place peppers, right side up, in a baking dish. Evenly divide mixture between peppers. Top peppers with shredded cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for about 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Blackened Fish Tacos

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These fish tacos are a new favorite dinner in our home. While I love the beer battered version, I think I’ve grown to love this lightened version better. Light, fresh, and bursting with flavor – it’s a meal that comes together in a half an hour or less. Plus, they’re relatively figure friendly (well, compared to their battered and fried cousin at least). This is the kind of meal that I’ll be looking forward to making after a long day at the beach with my guys!

The fish filets are quickly pan seared and piled into warm corn tortillas. Then topped with a spicy chipotle cilantro aioli, a refreshing mango salsa, and some finely shredded cabbage. The sweetness of the salsa, alongside the spicy smokiness of the aioli is sheer perfection. If you’re looking for a new time-friendly dinner to add to your menu, add these tacos. I’m fairly certain you’ll love them too!

Blackened Fish Tacos

1 lb flaky white fish filets (I used mahi-mahi)
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil
8 corn tortillas
shredded cabbage

For the mango salsa:
1 mango, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the chipotle aioli:
1/3 cup good mayonnaise
3 tbsp sour cream
3 tbsp chopped chipotle in adobo sauce
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
juice from 1/2 a lime

To make the mango salsa, combine ingredients in large bowl and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for an hour to let flavors meld.

For the chipotle aioli, combine ingredients in a food processor and pulse several times until ingredients are well combined. Place in a small serving dish and set aside.

To prepare the fish, brush fish filets with melted butter. Sprinkle fish generously with seasoning. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add fish and cook, without moving, for 3 minutes. Flip filets, and cook for an additional 3 minutes, until fish is cooked through. Remove from heat, flake the meat with a fork, and set aside.

To assemble the tacos, warm corn tortillas in a skillet for a few moments. Pile fish into tortillas, followed by the chipotle sauce, the mango salsa, and the shredded cabbage.  Serve immediately.

Tzatziki

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I’ve lamented before about my ability (or, lack thereof) to get decent ethnic foods here on the Eastern Shore. One nationality that is well represented on our little island is Greece. I may not be able to get a burrito for 25 miles, but I can get a great gyro! I’ve come around to many Greek favorites in more recent years – feta, kalamata olives, and most importantly, tzatziki. It’s so deliciously cool and refreshing, and pretty much guilt free.

I’ll make a huge batch up whenever I make souvlaki for gyros, and leftovers keep great in the refrigerator for a couple of days. It’s a great afternoon snack, with a few wedges of pita bread. I’ve also discovered that oven fries (I made them with a bit of a Greek flair last time; lots of oregano and garlic) dipped in tzatziki is out of this world. I think it would also be wonderful along side grilled fish.

The key is to make sure you squeeze as much water as possible out of the cucumbers after shredding them. Tzatziki should be a relatively thick consistency. If you like it thinner, add some more red wine vinegar or lemon juice. I like to add a little bit of dill, just because I think it makes it a little prettier, but it’s optional. Dried dill doesn’t have that much flavor, so it’s not like it’s bringing that much to the party. Try this soon, it’s a healthy option that’s still full of flavor and very versatile. Opa!

Tzatziki

1 (32 oz.) container of plain yogurt (preferably NOT fat-free)
2 regular cucumbers, peeled & seeded
3 cloves garlic, crushed (I usually use a microplane for this)
2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
salt and a little pepper
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Strain yogurt using a cheesecloth over a bowl (if you don’t have that, a strainer lined with a coffee filter will work) for several hours or overnight to get out as much moisture as possible.

Shred or grate the cucumbers, place them in a clean kitchen towel, and then squeeze to get rid of as much excess moisture as possible.

Mix together the strained yogurt, shredded cucumbers, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. It’s best to refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving, so flavors can meld.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the top before serving.

Source: adapted from Elly Says Opa!

Hurricanes

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I had a nice healthy post scheduled to share with you today. But, it’s Friday, and I wanted to “throw caution into the wind” (heh, no pun intended) and post this Hurricane recipe. I made a batch of these to celebrate Mardi Gras this past Tuesday, and I loved them. So fruity and delicious, but with a strong punch of rum. It actually uses both light and dark rum, which is kind of dangerous in my opinion.

I went out and bought grenadine for this, but honestly, I think maraschino cherry juice would be better. I think I’ll definitely be tucking this recipe away for the warmer months ahead. I think it would make a great “big kids” punch for a backyard barbecue. It’s been absolutely gorgeous here the past few days, already has me itching to get to the beach. If you’ve been in the same mood as me the past couple of days, don’t wait for summer to make these! Treat yourself to a taste of it this weekend, and make this wonderful cocktail!

Hurricanes

1.5 oz (1 shot) light rum
1.5 oz (1 shot) dark rum
1.5 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz grenadine
agave nectar, optional
Maraschino cherries and orange slices to garnish
ice

Add ice cubes to two hurricane or tulip shaped glasses and set aside.

Add all of the ingredients to large glass and mix well. Taste and add additional grenadine or agave nectar if desired.

Pour drinks over ice. Garnish with maraschino cherries and orange slices.

Source: adapted from Our Life In Food