Cilantro-Lime Rice

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Can’t believe I hadn’t shared this one yet! It seems like the things I make most frequently in my kitchen, I skip over on the blog. We love this rice, and I make it at least once a week. Great as a side for anything Mexican, or even as a light main course paired with some of Elly’s World Famous Black Beans.

I remember I used to be scared of cooking rice on the stove-top. Don’t tell anyone, but I always used to cook it in it in the microwave! *hangs head in shame* Some people swear by rinsing the grains of rice, but I opt for the saute method. Leaves me with perfectly cooked rice every time. I love the kick from the lime, and paired with the cilantro – it’s the perfect flavor combination!

Cilantro-Lime Rice

1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
1 cup long-grain white rice (basmati or jasmine)
2 cups water
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
salt, to taste

Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice to pan and saute for 1 minute, add water, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove cover and fluff rice with fork. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Add in the lime juice, cilantro, and salt and toss lightly to combine.

Source: adapted from ChipotleFan

Cantaloupe Salsa

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I love salsas of all kinds. Traditional red salsa, corn salsas, fruit salsas – it would be hard to nail down just one favorite. Last week we had fish tacos, and I went to the store for a few last minute ingredients. The cashier alerted me to the fact that the fresh, local cantaloupes were on sale for $2 BOGO. How could I resist? A true buy one get one too, not that BOGOHO crap!  I’d planned to do my usual mango salsa, but remembered when Shawnda had made a cantaloupe salsa to pair with fish tacos, and thought that would be a fun twist instead.

I pretty much just took my recipe for pico de gallo, and subbed in cantaloupe for tomato. It was fresh and delicious, and perfect with the blackened fish. And of course it wonderful for munching on with tortilla chips too. I know this would be a hit at any potluck or BBQ, as it’s so unique and different. Taking advantage of the last of the summer’s bounty while I still can, I know I’ll be making this a few more times before all the good melons are gone!

Cantaloupe Salsa

2.5 cups cantaloupe, finely diced (about 1/2 large cantaloupe)
1 cup red onion, finely diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste

Combine cantaloupe, red onion, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: inspired by Confections of a Foodie Bride

Shimp Tacos + A Giveaway

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We eat a lot of shrimp in the summertime. Fresh with the heads still on, they are almost cheaper than chicken here. We also eat alot of Mexican, so to combine those two loves into one dish was a no-brainer. I’d had shrimp tacos on my mind, but when I came across this recipe in a cookbook I had the opportunity to review, I put it on our menu plan immediately.

The shrimp undergo a quick marinade before being sauteed, then topped with a delicious mango-avocado salsa and thinly sliced red cabbage for a bit of crunch. All wrapped up in a lightly toasted corn tortilla. Comes together in less than 20 minutes, making for a perfect dinner to throw together after a long day at the beach – which, we’ve been enjoying a lot of these days.

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Shrimp Tacos with Mango-Avocado Salsa

1 pound large shrimp
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
corn tortilla
vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced

For the salsa:
1 large mango, diced
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno or serrano chile, finely diced
salt and pepper

Peel and devein shrimp. Place in large resealable bag. Combine marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Add to the shrimp and toss until coated. Seal and chill for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine the salsa ingredients in a medium bowl. The salsa can be left at room temperature up to an hour. Otherwise, keep it chilled for up to 1 day.

Place large, cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, swirling to coat the bottom. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp turn pink and start to curl. Place shrimp on cutting board to cool for a minute before giving a rough chop. Place in bowl and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel, and place over medium-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil, and fry tortillas, a couple at a time, until starting to brown around the edges.

To serve, place a few shrimp in the middle of each warm tortilla, top with the salsa and shredded cabbage.

Source: adapted from The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook

Chipotle-Lime Chicken Fajitas

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Ahh, these fajitas. We go way back. I first made them during a power outage during a hurricane,as it was a meal I could completely make on the grill. I remember being so blown away by the flavors. Keep in mind that this was 2007, I was just getting my footing in the kitchen – and was finally opening up to trying new things. Like, chipotle or cilantro for instance. Ahh, the ways of youth.

For years now, this has been my go-to recipe for anything Tex-Mex related that involves chicken. The original recipe from Cook’s Illustrated gave two other variations (God love ’em!) that are both awesome in their own right, lemon-parsley and orange-tarragon. I plan to add those to our menu soon to share with you guys, I’d forgotten how good they both were!

But, the chipotle-lime really lends itself nicely to these fajitas. The sauce that you top the chicken with right before serving is killer. Often, fajitas can be bland – but you won’t have that problem here. Take advantage of bell peppers while they’re still affordable (seriously, $3 for a red bell pepper?) and in-season! Piled high on a warm tortilla, it’s one of my favorite weeknight meals.

Chipotle-Lime Chicken  Fajitas

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped (about 1 tbsp)
7 tsp fresh lime juice
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/4 tsp sugar
Kosher salt
black pepper
3 garlic cloves,minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tbsp water
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, sliced into 1/2″ thick strips
1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1/2″ thick strips
1 red onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2″ thick strips
8 – 8 inch tortillas
Vegetable oil

Whisk together 2 tsp chipotle chile, 4 teaspoons lime juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in small bowl; set aside.

Whisk together the remaining chipotle chile, lime juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, remaining teaspoon sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic, and water in medium bowl. Place marinade and chicken in gallon-size zipper-lock bag and toss to coat; press out as much air as possible and seal bag. Refrigerate 30 minutes, flipping bag after 15 minutes.

Heat grill to high, wiping down grill grates with some vegetable oil on a paper towel using tongs. Add chicken and cook over indirect heat, for about 8-10 minutes on each side depending on thickness. Then, place over direct heat for a couple of minutes on each side to char up the chicken breasts.

While the chicken is cooking, saute up the peppers and onions. In a large skillet over high heat, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil. When shimmering, add the sliced bell peppers and onions. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the peppers and onions are starting to soften and blister. Remove from heat and set aside.

Transfer chicken to cutting board, let rest, tented with foil, 5 minutes. Slice each breast on bias into 1/4-inch-thick slices and transfer to individual plates. Drizzle with reserved sauce. Serve with warm tortillas and sauteed peppers and onions.

Source: Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, July 2007