Baja Fish Tacos- finger lickin' good...

Today, I was SO pumped to try this recipe inspired from the cooking blog "The Paupered Chef". I came home from work, gym and grocery ready to whip up some deliciousness. I absolutely LOVE fish tacos...I order them every time I go to places like "On the Border". Literally, this recipe gives "On the Border" a run for their money in the fish taco department! Its the sauce that makes everything come together too...

Part I THE SAUCE (indicates substitutions or changes in my recipe)
fresh lime juice (or any citris juice really...I used lemon and orange juice squeeze)
½ cup yogurt (non fat or low fat plain yogurt- for a healthy substitute)
½ cup mayonnaise (miracle whip)
1 habenero chili (use a milder one if you wish, I used about a tablespoon of green chiles and diced tomatoes from a can)
½ teaspoon - crushed oregano
½ teaspoon - ground cumin
½ teaspoon - dried, crushed dill
½ teaspoon - ground cayenne chile
ground white pepper (or black) to taste - I also added about a TB of cilantro...always a good addition to Mexican inspired dishes.
First mix the first three ingredients, aiming for a slightly runny consistency. Dice the chili and finely as possible and add it along with the remaining ingredients. Watch out for the habeneros, they can knock your tongue for a loop.

PART II: THE FISH
Many suggest using cod; we decided on the somewhat cheaper tilapia since it looked gorgeous at the store and it's a nice manageable size for our purposes. Regardless, get it into 1-inch wide strips (I did chunks...I'm not sure why but I thought it would work better!).
Beer batter is pretty easy to make. I have McCormick beer batter mix so I combined that with my beer following the directions. However you can make a simple beer batter from the following recipe too!
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 beer, not dark
Combine flour and salt, then add beer. Above you can get a sense of the consistency. It's rather goopy, which was nice since the batter actually stayed on the fish when we fried it.

Get a big pan with a thick lip and put enough oil so it's about an inch thick. Turn the heat up to medium-high. All the recipes gave a specific temperature, but I don't have a thermometer, so it was just a guessing game. Make sure it's not on high or it will start to smoke and all chaos will break out. Do a test run with one piece of fish, and when it's ready it will turn a golden brown. Keep a close eye on the frying process, turning several times until fried on all sides (about 5-10 minute process).

(Left Back) - Cabbage and Romaine mix (Right Back) Chef's special sauce (Front) Beer Batter mix

Toasted shells and fried tilapia out to dry on paper towel...

Toasting the shells...also key. Cilantro rice is simply white rice, seasoned with cilantro, cumin, garlic salt and pepper...you can add some lime juice for extra flavor as well.

ALL DONE! Whole wheat soft shell, cabbage and romaine, beer battered fish, cilantro lime rice, and chef's special sauce....perfecto! And we couldn't get enough...I even ate the rest of Austin's. Literally it was one of those recipes you're like...holy crap that was amazing! Craving more! Definitely will be making this dish again! It would be a great dish for a summer party paired with some sangria or cold beers :)

Original Recipe found at : http://thepauperedchef.com/2006/06/baja_fish_tacos.html

Chicken Parmesan Rollatini

So this recipe is adapted from the food network's Chicken Parmesan Rollatini....yes the name sounds good and the recipe is even better! So for a weeknight meal under 10 bucks...this one is a winner for sure. I made a few adaptions and changes for the sake of what I was comfortable with in my kitchen and it turned out pretty tasty!

(added some mac and cheese and brocolli for color as the side dishes...yum!)

Ingredients
1 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 14.5-ounce can crushed San Marzano or fire-roasted tomatoes 5 or 6 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces -> Julianne's change: I used a can of whole tomatoes and smashed them and added my own spice mix of oregano, parsley, and basil to the mix...turned out just as good)
salt and freshly ground pepper (or not fresh pepper...hello its okay to cook without fresh seasonings!)
4 thin (1/8-inch-thick) chicken cutlets (4 ounces each)- (we used two large thawed boneless chicken breasts..)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley - (or dried)
6 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (we used panko bread crumbs)
1 large egg white (out of eggs- used milk)
Cooking spray
Instant polenta, for serving (optional) (I didn't use this)

Directions
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Cook the broth, garlic, tomatoes and Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, and parsley to taste) in a skillet or pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

If chicken is very thick, flatten it out (I use my kitchen "hammer" as I like to call it). Season the chicken with salt and pepper; place smooth-side down on a work surface. Sprinkle with the parsley and mozzarella. Starting at the short end, roll up to enclose the filling. Secure with a toothpick (I was out of these so I folded the chicken up without securing).

Mix the parmesan and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Put the egg white in another dish and beat until foamy.

Mist a cast-iron skillet (or use a glass dish 9X13) with cooking spray (I added some butter to the bottom of the glass pan). Dip the chicken rolls in the egg white (or milk), then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place in the skillet, seam-side down. Sprinkle with any remaining breadcrumbs and mist with cooking spray. Bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Serve with the tomato sauce, and polenta, if desired.

Such a delicious meal. My husband said, "Yep, you can add that into the monthly rotation, Dear". HA! I love love love Italian based recipes and finding new ways to cook it in healthier ways. This recipe was actually one I came up with while searching for healthy dinner options. Below is the nutrition information. Happy Cooking!

Per serving: Calories 355; Fat 14 g (Saturated 7 g); Cholesterol 105 mg; Sodium 848 mg; Carbohydrate 15 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 44 g

New Years Reflection

This year has absolutely flown by! I can't believe I went from a girlfriend, to fiance, to a bride, and a wife all in one year! However, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Austin and I definitely would not be where we are today without the help and support of our amazing families.

So, I did end up sending out Christmas cards, but unfortunately did not order nearly enough. So I took a picture, and to those who did not get one...here is your virtual card ;)

Next year, I will attach a letter to update what went on in our lives, but for now a quick summary will have to do!
On January 21, Austin asked me to marry him. It was one of happiest memories I have, and a day I won't forget. Immediately, I began wedding planning. I think I had everything important booked, my dress ordered, and a lot of the details organized within a months time. Surprisingly, ;) I only had seven years to plan, right?!
Through this year, I have continued my journey through graduate school at Spring Arbor University in Grand Rapids for my Masters in Counseling. I graduate in 2013, and begin my internship the summer of 2012. I could not be more excited to be done! I hope to practice with children and adolescents in the field of mental health. I was also promoted to begin case management for Wedgwood in March of 2011. I have continued this new position and enjoyed the chance to practically implement what I am learning in school into my workplace.
Austin continues at Weller Truck Company in the Accounting and Business Office. He enjoys what he does there, and has been there since November 2010.

In April of 2011, we began house hunting. We finally closed on our first home, a condo in Byron Center, in May of 2011. Austin moved in immediately after we closed in June, and I moved in after we were married. We love living in our little condo. Its about 10-20 minutes to both sets of parents, our church, and our workplaces.
From June until August, it was a rush of events for us as a couple. Events such as several bridal showers, pre-marital counseling, weddings, etc. I even took up the challenge of participating in my first (maybe only) sprint triathlon (800 meter swim, 15 mile bike, and 3 mile run) in June. It was a huge accomplishment for me, and I was happy to be able to say I did it after training for months for it. My whole family came out to support me. It was quite the event, and I was really proud to be able to follow through with that goal.

Finally, August rolled around. We were married on August 12, 2011. It was a wonderful day, but it went by way too fast! We are glad we got a video of the day in order to look back on it to remember what seemed like a thirty minute event. We left immediately for our honeymoon to Riviera Mya, Mexico. We had a great time and found Mexico is EXTREMELY hot in August. The pool was our best friend during that trip.

From September to December 2011, Austin and I have been enjoying married life and working a lot. We have been attending Corinth Reformed Church on a regular basis since 2009. We plan to officially join, and Austin will make profession of faith in January 2012. We're excited for this change and are excited to see where God leads us there. Also, for me, being married has brought out my love of cooking and food! I love to cook and create things in the kitchen, as you probably well know if you follow this blog ;) Keeping a blog has inspired me in a way that has been lacking since I got done with college and soccer. Not playing soccer anymore has opened up other avenues such as training and running 5k's and triathlons as well as creating this blog. I am able to try new things and test my recipes on my husband, a gift and a curse as he says ;).

Okay- that's more than a quick summary, huh? :) Anyway, we look forward to 2012 and what God has in store!

Cranberry Hootycreeks - Weird Name...Awesome Cookie! or as a GIFT!

These cookies are fantastic and, I must say, addicting! I made them a couple times over the holidays and family and friends really enjoyed them. They're fun to make too- EASY!

Recipe:

Ingredients

5/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional - I dislike nuts so I used a few more cranberries and white chocolate chips :)

Directions

For Cookies in a Jar:

Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, in the order listed.
Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Hootycreeks 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.

For making cookies: dump all dry ingredients in mixing bowl and follow the same instructions. These make about 15-20 cookies depending on how big of cookie balls you make :) They're so good!