Breakfast Tacos

Despite it being the most important meal of the day, I rarely get hungry early enough to enjoy breakfast.  Except, that is, on the weekends.  I love waking up lazily, when my body has rested of its own accord.  I'll boil some water on the stove (we don't have a microwave in the new apartment), grind some coffee beans and brew a cup of joe before heading out to our balcony.  It's truly the perfect way to greet the day.

In contrast to my tardy appetite, moments after Christian wakes up, he's ready for breakfast.  So, once that coffee has trickled through my veins, we pillage the fridge for eggs, breakfast meat and whatever else we can whip into a worthy meal.  Breakfast tacos have been a recent favorite.  Quick, versatile and flavorful, these breakfast tacos are a great way to transform those last bits of ingredients in the fridge into a simple, delicious meal.

Breakfast Tacos

The Tacos:
4 Small, White Corn Tortillas
1/4 lb. Spicy Breakfast Sausage
4 Eggs
1/4 C. Chihuahua or Feta Cheese
Crema (Recipe Follows)
The Green (Parsley or Cilantro)

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Cook the breakfast sausage, breaking it into small crumbles until it's brown and crispy and cooked through.  Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.

Over an open flame, carefully heat your tortillas to give them that authentic char.  Flip with tongs so both sides brown.  If you don't have a gas range, just warm them up so they're pliable and don't crack when you fold them.

Cook your eggs any way you like.  I like mine over-medium.

To assemble your tacos, place an egg on each tortilla.  Sprinkle with the crumbled sausage.  Spoon the crema over each taco.  Top with cheese and the green.  Serve with rice.

The Crema:
1/4 C. Sour Cream
1/4 C. Tomatillo Salsa
The Green (Parsley or Cilantro)

For the crema, blend together the sour cream, salsa and the green.

Quick Cashew Slaw

This weekend, the weather was so pleasant that Christian and I spent the day cleaning up the backyard and planting a plethora of herbs, flowers and other greenery.  By the end of it, we wanted to enjoy our sprucing, but couldn't handle grilling a feast.  So, we kept it simple with good old wieners, green beans and coleslaw.  Stupidly, we forgot to buy coleslaw dressing.  So, we pivoted and got creative in the kitchen with on-hand ingredients.  And what do you know - the coleslaw turned out better than most of the ones I buy in the store anyway.  Below is our concoction for Quick Cashew Slaw.  It's bright and tangy, with a hint of sweet heat and a satisfying crunch.

Quick Cashew Slaw

1 Bag of Shredded Veggies (cabbage, carrots, etc.)
1 Green Onion, thinly sliced
2 T. Cilantro, chopped
Handful of Salted Cashews

1/3 C. Mayonnaise
Juice of 1 Lime
2 T. Brown Sugar
2 T. Asian Sauce such as Szechwan (or, pinch of red pepper flakes)
Extra cilantro and cashews, to garnish

Toss the shredded veggies, onion, cilantro and cashews.  Set aside

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lime juice, brown sugar and heat.  Taste and season accordingly.  If you like more heat, add more spice.

Spoon half of the sauce over the veggies.  It's better to toss as you go so you don't end up with a slaw that's too wet.  Use as much sauce as you want.

To garnish, sprinkle with extra cilantro and cashews.

Ohio Nachos with Blue Alfredo

One of the first foods I tried after moving to Columbus, Ohio, was "Ohio Nachos."  Unlike typical nachos, the Ohio version uses potato chips and a creamy blue cheese sauce. My version includes colorful vegetable chips and smoked blue cheese. Crunchy, smokey and bright, this dish is a unique, easy, scrumptious, happy hour snack. 

Vegetable chips
8 oz. of your favorite Alfredo sauce
6 oz. smoked blue cheese (creamy is best), divided
2 T. Fresh Parsley
Pinch of nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350.  Place the chips on a cookie sheet, place in the oven and warm briefly.
Add 4 oz. of the blue cheese to the Alfredo sauce.  Stir to combine.   Warm the sauce over low heat on the stove or in increments of 30 seconds in the microwave until the sauce is bubbly and the blue cheese has been incorporated.  Add the parsley and nutmeg.  (The nutmeg helps cut the richness).

Plate up your chips and carefully pour the blue alfredo on top.  Sprinkle with the remaining blue cheese.  

Fish Tacos

Fish Tacos.  They can be really good or they can be RULL bad.  These ones are the former.  Crunchy, zesty, flavorful, fresh and delicious.  They always take me back to the first fish tacos I had, in Oceanside, CA at a restaurant that jutted out into the sea.  They were fabulous.  This is my easy homemade version that you could effortlessly make on a weeknight.  Feel free to switch up the garnish and make them your own!

Fish Tacos
 

Fish Sticks or fillets of white fish, such as tilapia or cod (1-2 per taco)

Tortillas

Cilantro Sour Cream (for the recipe, click here)

Tomato, avocado, cilantro & lime, chopped for garnish

Preheat the oven and bake the fish sticks according to the package's instructions.

Meanwhile, light the flame or electric burner on your stove and using tongs, toss the tortillas over the heat, allowing them to char slightly. 

Once the fish is cooked, place a fillet in each tortilla.  Top with tomatoes, avocado, sour cream and cilantro.  Spramp with fresh lime and enjoy.