Who doesn’t like fish tacos? They are the best meal for those gorgeous sunny spring and summer days. Add in some cabbage slaw doused with an avocado crema and some salsa and I seriously don’t think you can go wrong. If you’re into having a cerveza, then pour one and call it a day!

These flaky Fish Tacos with Avocado Cabbage Slaw from TK member The Culinary Chronicles are totally to die for. I made them twice this week and both times they were excellent!

Okay, here’s what to do. First we are going to torch some tortillas, which means you need to turn on your burner.

Place a small corn tortilla over the open flame for a few seconds

And then give it a flip to toast the other side for a few seconds more. Repeat this process with all the tortillas and then wrap them in a clean kitchen towel and set them aside.

Next we’re going to put some avocado in a blender …

Followed by some crema or sour cream. I only had sour cream on hand and let me tell you, it’s pure perfection.

Throw in some fresh cilantro and jalapeño pepper …

Followed by some agave nectar just to give it a hint of sweetness.

Blend it until everything is smooth and then remove the avocado crema to a bowl.

I just used some pre-shredded cabbage from Trader Joe’s, but if you shred your own, just go ahead and shred it and place it into a big bowl.

Add in a few spoonfuls of the avocado crema. Reserve some crema for later but be sure to add enough to give all the cabbage a good coating.

Toss it all together and season it with salt and pepper as needed.

Alright let’s move onto the fish. Season some white fish of your choice with some lime zest.

Then add in some red pepper flakes, followed by ground cumin and some garlic powder. You could use fresh garlic too, but I was concerned about the garlic burning when I broiled the fish so I opted for the powder.

Lastly, let’s add on some chopped cilantro.

Throw the fish in the fridge to marinate for a few minutes and then transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet and season it with salt and pepper. I used the juice of 1 lime to juice on top of the fish and then drizzled a touch of olive oil on top. Into the oven it goes on broil for a few minutes on each side until the fish can easily be flaked apart.

And now you’re in the home stretch. Just assemble the tacos with the cabbage slaw, flaked fish, extra avocado crema and some salsa! Serve it up and enjoy.

A big giant avocado-filled thank you to Nam of the amazing blog The Culinary Chronicles for giving us another amazing recipe featuring avocado! These tacos are a winner and you will totally dig them!

Recipe

Fish Tacos with Avocado-Cabbage Slaw

by The Culinary Chronicles on March 20, 2013 in Fish, Main Courses
See this recipe post on The Culinary Chronicles’s site! March 20, 2013

FishMain Courses

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Prep Time 25 Minutes

Cook Time 5 Minutes

Difficulty Easy

Servings 2

2

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Recipe Description

Fish tacos with a creamy avocado-cabbage slaw.

Preparation Instructions

In a shallow dish, coat the fish with garlic, lime zest, cilantro, red pepper flakes, cumin, and oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.

For the slaw, in a blender, puree the avocado, crema, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lime juice and agave until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with a few spoonfuls of the avocado puree until lightly coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven broiler and arrange the marinated fish on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet a few inches away from the broiler, and broil the fish for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the fish becomes opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Warm the tortillas. Divide the fish, salsa and slaw amongst the tortillas. Sprinkle each taco with the extra chopped cilantro and serve warm with lime wedges on the side.

Ingredients

• ½ pounds Firm White Fish Fillets, Such As Cod Or Tilapia
• 2 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
• 1 teaspoon Lime Zest
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro, Plus More For Garnish
• ¼ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 pinches Ground Cumin
• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• Kosher Salt And Pepper To Taste
• 4 whole Corn Or Flour Tortillas
• 1 cup Chunky Salsa
• Lime Wedges
• FOR THE SLAW:
• 1 cup Ripe Avocado, Diced
• ¼ cups Mexican Crema - Or Sour Cream
• ¼ cups Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
• ½ whole Jalapeno Pepper, Finely Diced And Seeded
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
• ½ Tablespoons Agave Or Honey
• Kosher Salt And Pepper To Taste
• 2 cups Shredded Cabbage

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

Tortilla Soup is basically my favorite soup on earth. Growing up in Tucson, AZ meant that basically it was mandatory for any restaurant to have Tortilla Soup on the menu. And because I take my love for food very seriously, it was basically mandatory for me to try each and every tortilla soup. It’s how I roll. I’ll take one for the team.

I make a big batch of Tortilla Soup every few weeks so I can re-live my Tucson days. I pile the soup with lots of beans, chicken, cheese, crema, and then a heaping pile of fried tortilla strips on top. You really can’t go wrong. And this particular Tortilla Soup recipe from TK member Cassie is a total winner.

Okay, here’s what to do.

First we need to make our spice mixture. It’s just a few pantry staples that we are going to mix together.

Grab some chicken and give it a glug of olive oil.

Then we are going to sprinkle part of the spice rub onto the chicken breasts and bake them in the oven until they are fully cooked.

Once they are cooked, we are going to let them cool for a few minutes so we don’t burn our hands, and then shred them up with 2 forks and set it aside for a bit.

In a big heavy-bottomed pot, let’s sauté some onions and garlic.

Next we are going to add some bell pepper, jalapeno, lime juice and zest and some cilantro and give it a good stir. Let this sauté for a few minutes to start developing some flavor.

Next, add the corn, black beans, green chiles, and diced tomatoes …

Followed by the remaining spices.

And lastly, let’s add the tomato paste. This all gets a good stir to incorporate everything and then we are going to let it cook down for about 5-6 minutes until the veggies get tender.

After the mixture cooks for a bit, add some chicken stock.

And then add all the shredded chicken and make sure to tuck it into the mixture. Let it get fully submerged in the liquid so it can absorb some of that moisture.

Bring the whole pot to a boil and cover it with the lid. Once it’s covered, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes more. This is really going to let the flavors develop.

Once it’s cooked, it’s going to be a touch thicker and it will look like this!

Serve it up with your favorite toppings like scallions, avocado, sour cream and fried tortilla strips and call it a day.

Thanks Cassie for this wonderful recipe that totally transports me back to my days in Arizona! I loved every single spoonful of this soup and it’s even better the next day once the flavors have had even more time to mingle.

Be sure to check out Cassie’s website Bake Your Day because it’s filled to the brim with wonderful recipes that you and your friends and family will be sure to enjoy!

Recipe

Chicken Tortilla Soup

by BakeYourDay on October 10, 2012 in Brothy Soups, Soups
See this recipe post on BakeYourDay’s site! October 10, 2012

Brothy SoupsSoups

0.00 Mitt(s) 0 Rating(s)

Prep Time 15 Minutes

Cook Time 30 Minutes

Difficulty Easy

Servings 8

8

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Recipe Description

Classic chicken tortilla soup loaded with veggies, roasted chicken and favorite Mexican flavors.

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl, mix the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, kosher salt, oregano and paprika. Brush both sides of each chicken breast with a light coating of olive oil. Sprinkle a small amount of the spice mixture onto both sides of each chicken breast and transfer to a non-stick baking sheet. Roast the chicken in the oven for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through. Allow the chicken to cool for about 10 minutes, and then shred it.

While the chicken cooks, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the onion and garlic, along with a pinch of salt, and saute for 3-4 minutes until the onions are very fragrant and they begin to soften. Add the bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, lime juice and zest, and cilantro and stir well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the peppers begin to soften. Add the remaining spice mixture, black beans, green chilies, diced tomatoes and the corn and stir well. Cook for about 6 minutes until all of the vegetables are tender. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.

Slowly stir in the chicken stock and add the cooked and shredded chicken and bring the soup to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:
- If you prefer beef: Heat one pound of ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Once browned, add about half of the spice mixture and 2 tablespoons water. Cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid is evaporated, stirring occasionally. Add the meat mixture into the soup when instructed to add the chicken.

- To make homemade tortilla strips: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut 4-5 round corn tortillas into strips. Toss the strips with two tablespoons of olive oil and one teaspoon salt. Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, flipping once, until golden brown and crispy.

Recipe inspired by The Pioneer Woman’s Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe.

Ingredients

• 1-½ teaspoon Cumin
• 1-½ teaspoon Chili Powder
• ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
• ¼ teaspoons Kosher Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Oregano
• ¼ teaspoons Paprika
• 1 pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 whole Large Red Onion, Diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Stem And Seeds Removed, Then Diced
• 1 whole Jalapeno Pepper, Stem And Seeds Removed, Then Diced
• 1 whole Lime, Juiced And Zested
• ½ cups Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
• 1 can (15 Ounce Can) Black Beans, Drained And Rinsed
• 1 can (7-ounce Can) Diced Green Chiles
• 1 can (14.5 Ounce Can) Diced Tomatoes
• 1 cup Fresh Corn
• 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
• 32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• FOR GARNISH:
• Sliced Limes
• Diced Avocado
• Sour Cream
• Tortilla Strips (See Note)
• Salsa
• Diced Onion
• Chopped Fresh Cilantro
• Shredded Cheese

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

I’m so obsessing over these Red Velvet Brownies. They are crazy decadent and gorgeous and sure to make your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife/secret admirer super happy this coming Valentine’s Day! 

You should totally make these.

First, let’s start with lining a baking pan with foil. You could also use parchment. I just like to line it with something that is going to be easy to lift the brownies out of the pan when it’s time to serve. And also, hello … no cleanup! Love that.

Start by putting some really fab quality cocoa powder in a small bowl.

Add red food coloring and some vanilla. 

Give it a little stir until it turns into a little bit of a paste and then set it aside.

In a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and butter.

And then add in the eggs, one at a time.

Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition so the eggs are fully incorporated. 

Next, add the red colored paste into the stand mixer.

Beat the mixture until there is a uniform red color throughout.

Add in your flour and salt and then mix very lightly until combined.

Add in some chocolate chips for a little extra decadence! 

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and make sure it’s evenly spread out. Place it into the oven and let it do its thing. 

While the brownies are baking, let’s make the white chocolate frosting. You’re going to need some white chocolate chips.

You’ll also need some powdered sugar and, of course, butter! 

Place the room temperature butter in the mixer and whip until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and whip until light and fluffy. 

Meanwhile, when the brownies are done, pull them out of the oven and let them cool to room temperature.

While the brownies are cooling, melt the white chocolate according to the package directions. And then add it into the frosting mixture. Whip until fully combined.

Add a splash or two of milk to thin out the frosting a bit.

It should look like this.

Using an offset spatula, frost the top of the cooled brownies. 

And then serve!

A huge thank you to TK member and fellow TK Blog contributor Jessica for these delicious sinful brownies! Have you visited her blog How Sweet It Is yet? Because you should. Trust me.

Recipe

Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Buttercream

by HowSweetEats on March 3, 2011 in Brownies and Bars, Desserts
See this recipe post on HowSweetEats’s site! March 3, 2011

Brownies and BarsDesserts

4.29 Mitt(s) 7 Rating(s)

Prep Time 15 Minutes

Cook Time 30 Minutes

Difficulty Easy

Servings 12

12

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Recipe Description

Dense, chewy brownies with just a hint of cocoa.

Preparation Instructions

For the brownies:
Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter and flour an 8 x 8 cake pan.

In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, red food coloring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to create a paste.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add remaining teaspoon of vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, add in cocoa powder mixture. Beat until batter is completely red. (If at this time your batter is NOT red, you can add a little more food coloring if desired. Color will depend on brand.) Add flour and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread into the 8 x 8 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
Cream butter in an electric mixer until fluffy, then add vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer on low speed. Add in melted white chocolate and beat until incorporated. To reach desired consistency, add in milk 1 teaspoon at a time with mixer on low speed. If frosting becomes too liquidy, simply add additional sugar.

Ingredients

• FOR THE BROWNIES:
• 3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Red Food Coloring
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract, Divided Use
• ½ cups Butter, At Room Temperature
• 1-½ cup Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1-¼ cup All-purpose Flour
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ⅔ cups Chocolate Chips (optional)
• _____
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• 1 stick Butter, At Room Temperature
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2-½ cups Powdered Sugar
• 4 ounces, weight White Chocolate, Melted
• 2 Tablespoons Milk (may Need More Or Less)

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

 
Two words: Cheese Crisps. I’m beyond obsessed. Can I tell you a story? Growing up in Arizona, we ate cheese crisps like it was our JOB. Literally. I was a professional cheese crisp crafter by the age of 8. I could throw them together in no time and I was proud. I started jazzing them up by the time I was 10, and now that I’m in my mid-20s, I still make them like it’s my job. Because, well, they are awesome.

Imagine a baked crisp flour tortilla smothered with 2 kinds of cheeses and topped with whatever kind of toppings you want. Ya, it’s doesn’t get much better than that.

Ready, set, go!

Let’s start with a poblano pepper, shall we?

Cut it in half, and then half again, remove the seeds and slice into thin strips.

Put the poblano pepper and a touch of olive oil in a skillet and sauté.

We are going to sauté these until the pepper just begins to turn golden brown.

Meanwhile, arrange some tortillas on a baking sheet.

Spread some butter on the tops of the tortillas. It’s the right thing to do.

Gorgeous! Pop those babies into the oven for about 5-7 minutes until the edges begin to crisp up.

Now let’s get some cheese ready. I like quesadilla cheese. It looks like this. But you can totally use Monterey Jack if that is more readily available.

Grate the queso quesadilla and some cheddar cheese.

By now you should probably take the poblano peppers off the heat, transfer them to a little bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet that we did the peppers, we are going to add some pork chorizo.

You’ll need to break it up with a wooden spoon and then let it sauté for a few minutes until golden brown and fully cooked.

Right about now, your tortillas should start to crisp up. See how the edges curl up a bit? Remove the baking sheet from the oven when that happens.

Evenly divide the cheeses amongst the tortillas and then pop them back into the oven.

Don’t they look divine once the cheese has melted?

Now, just pile on the toppings! Add some green onions for good measure and serve them up with a side of salsa and an ice cold brew, if that’s your style.

I can’t wait for you guys to be as obsessed with cheese crisps as I am. They are perfect for any football party. Well, really, they are perfect for just about anything!

Recipe

Cheese Crisps

by whatsgabycooking on July 29, 2011 in Main Courses
See this recipe post on whatsgabycooking’s site! July 29, 2011

Main Courses

4.33 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)

Prep Time 5 Minutes

Cook Time 10 Minutes

Difficulty Easy

Servings 4

4

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Recipe Description

A delicious and simple dish from Arizona that will literally rock your world! It’s so good!

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice the poblano pepper into thin strips.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat with olive oil. Add the sliced poblano and saute for 5 minutes until the skin of the poblano starts to blister. Remove from skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the pork chorizo and saute until fully cooked and browned. Remove and set aside.

Place each of the small tortillas on a baking sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon of butter on each tortilla. Place the baking sheet into the oven and let the tortillas toast. It will take about 5-7 minutes but keep your eyes on them. Once the edges start to turn golden brown, remove from the oven.

Place 1/4 cup of cheese on each of the tortillas and place back into the oven for about 3 minutes until the cheese has melted. Remove from oven.

Top with scallions, poblano peppers and chorizo if desired.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Poblano Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
• ½ cups Pork Chorizo
• 4 whole Small Flour Tortillas
• 4 teaspoons Butter
• 1 cup Mexican Cheeses (I Used Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla And Oaxaca)
• 2 whole Scallions, Thinly Sliced

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

You guys. It’s almost that time of year—the time of year when that thing happens on the TV. And everyone freaks out about it and gets super excited. It has something to do with football.

Oh yes, the Super Bowl. Well, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not the biggest football fan. Although, I must say, since I watched all 5 seasons of Friday Night Lights in the past few months, I’ve developed a respect for the game. And Tim Riggins. For those of you who don’t know who Tim Riggins is, I’m sorry. He’s basically the most gorgeous man on earth. Anyways.

Let’s talk food. Football food. My friends (and Tasty Kitchen members) Three Many Cooks always have fun and tasty recipes, so when I came across a Shrimp Ceviche Dip with avocados, I knew I had to make it! (If this amazing dish sounds familiar, it’s because it was part of Pam’s Day of Deliciousness over at the ranch.)

Let’s get started, shall we?

Shrimp! Peeled, de-veined, and shells removed.

Throw them in a pot/pan of boiling water and cook them for a few minutes until they are cooked through.

Remove the shrimp from the skillet and lay them on a paper towel to absorb the water. I seasoned them a bit with some lime juice and salt just for good measure. It was the right thing to do!

Give them a rough chop, so they are cut into bite-sized pieces.

Chop up some cucumber too and throw the shrimp and cucumber into a bowl.

Next comes the avocado! Cut it into a similar size as the shrimp and cucumber and add it to the bowl.

Same with the green onions!

Once all that is in the bowl, add in some ketchup. If ketchup’s not your thang, you can totally use salsa instead. I made it both ways and both ways were delish! One tastes more like a tradition shrimp cocktail, and then other more of a Mexican ceviche.

Add some Tabasco sauce for kick. I used the chipotle Tabasco because it’s my all time fav!

I added a little extra because I wanted a kick.

Throw in some freshly squeezed lime juice and a touch of olive oil. Give it a good toss to combine. Taste it and adjust salt if you need more, and then it’s go time!

Serve it with your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy!

A huge thank you to Pam, Maggy, and Sharon from the incredible food blog Three Many Cooks for such a fun game day recipe!

Recipe

Tortilla Chips with Shrimp Ceviche Dip

by ThreeManyCooks on July 19, 2011 in Appetizers, Cold Dips July 19, 2011

AppetizersCold Dips

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Prep Time 10 Minutes

Cook Time

Difficulty Easy

Servings 12

12

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Recipe Description

A seafood dip packed with fresh Mexican-style flavors.

Preparation Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Serve with Taste-Like-Fried Tortillas or tortilla chips for dipping.

Makes 1 heaping quart.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Cooked Salad Shrimp, Halved If Larger Than A Small Dice
• 1  Medium Seedless Cucumber, Cut Into Small Dice
• 2  Avocados, Cut Into Small Dice
• 8  Medium Scallions, Sliced Thin
• ⅔ cups Chopped Fresh Cilantro
• 1 cup Ketchup
• 2 Tablespoons Tabasco Sauce
• ½ cups Lime Juice
• ¼ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Tastes-Like-Fried Tortillas Or A Bag (16 Oz. Size) Tortilla Chips, To Serve

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

 
How many of us grew up with Cottage Pie? Or maybe you knew it as Shepherd’s Pie. I know I certainly did! The main difference between the two is that Cottage Pie is made with ground beef and Shepherd’s Pie is traditionally made with ground lamb. And while both are delicious, I think ground beef is a little more widely used, so we totally have to make one!

This recipe for Cottage Pie comes to us from TK member Sheilah. Ready for this? Okay, let’s go!

Let’s start by sautéing some onions, since they are the base of this flavorful recipe. After the onions sweat it out for a few minutes, go ahead and add a bunch of chopped carrots. Give the onions and the carrots a quick mix and then let them sauté over medium high heat for a few minutes.

Next, add the ground beef and break it up so it cooks evenly and is crumbled into little bits. Give it a good stir until all the meat has been cooked and is no longer pink.

Next we are going to start layering in some flavor! Let’s start with a bit of cinnamon, followed by a pinch of thyme. Give that a quick stir to make sure the herbs are evenly distributed throughout the pan.

Then we are going to add in some flour. Stir everything around so the flour soaks up all the excess liquid and the mixture thickens up a bit.

Look at it. Doesn’t it look good enough to eat right now? But let’s make it a little more delicious, shall we?

Add a squeeze or two of tomato paste, followed by some stock. Give everything a good mix and let it cook for a bit.

You just want to cook down the liquid so it continues to thicken and form a gravy-like consistency. Once it’s simmered, remove it from the heat and set it aside.

Now let’s make some tots. Put a bunch of chopped Yukon gold potatoes into a pot of water and boil them off until they are fork tender. Drain the potatoes and then season them with salt, butter and a splash of milk.

Next we are going to add in some cheese! Oh yes. Lots and lots of cheese. I added about an extra ½ cup because who doesn’t want a cheesier topping?

Go ahead and mash everything up, skins, cheese and all! Side note: I typically leave the skin on Yukon gold potatoes because I’m not into peeling them when the skin is delicious, but you could take the skin off before cooking the potatoes if you want. Mmm, love me some mashed potatoes.

Next, place the meat mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish and then layer on the mashed potatoes. Place the whole thing into the oven. Bake until the top is golden brown and then dust it with some salt, pepper and paprika.

And then serve it up because it’s going to be delectable!

A huge thank you to Sheilah, who blogs at Sheilah’s Kitchen, for such a fun, easy and delicious recipe. This would be a super great idea to make when you have guests over!

Recipe

Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping

by sheilahskitchen on November 8, 2012 in Beef, Main Courses
See this recipe post on sheilahskitchen’s site! November 8, 2012

BeefMain Courses

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Prep Time 20 Minutes

Cook Time 1 Hour

Difficulty Easy

Servings 6

6

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Recipe Description

A unique and tasty alternative to your everyday Shepherd’s Pie.

Preparation Instructions

In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and simmer until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for another five minutes.

Add the meat to the same pan with the onions and carrots and cook on medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Continue to break up the meat with your spoon. When meat if fully cooked, carefully spoon off any fat. Return pan back to stove top on medium heat and stir in the cinnamon, thyme and the flour (the flour will help thicken things up and make your gravy). Once all of the ingredients are coated in the flour, add the tomato paste and gradually add the beef broth. Simmer for 30 minutes which will make a nice thick gravy.

While the meat is simmering, boil your potatoes in a pot of water until done. Depending on the size of the dice this will take between 10 and 20 minutes. When done drain the potatoes.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a large bowl, mash the potatoes and add the butter, milk and cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In an 8×8 square or pie pan spread your meat mixture, top with the cheddar potatoes and spread evenly.

Bake in a 400 F oven for 25-30 minutes until golden. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 2 whole Large Carrots, Peeled And Chopped
• 1 pound Ground Beef
• ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons Thyme, Chopped
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
• 1-¼ cup Beef Broth
• 1 pound Yukon Golden Potatoes, Peeled And Diced
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• ⅔ cups Milk, Cream, Or Half And Half
• ½ cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
• 2 pinches Paprika

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

 
Hi! Oh my goodness, I’ve missed you guys over here on Tasty Kitchen! The last few months have been a whirlwind, with getting married and finishing a super fun project that’s due out next month. I’m so jazzed to be back and I’m kicking things off with basically the most amazing soup to ever come into existence: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Swoon!

This recipe from Serena is loaded with everything you could possibly want on a baked potato: piles of shredded cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, a handful of green onions, and a dollop or two of Greek yogurt. You guys are going to love it!

Here’s the drill.

Bacon. We’re going to need a fair amount of it. Go ahead and cook it off in whole pieces, we’ll break it up further down the line.

Once it’s cooked, lay it on a paper towel to dry. Serena says to drain the fat from pan. If you do that, make sure you leave those little bits of bacon stuck to the pan. We need that flavor!

Chop up the insides of a few baked potatoes.

Reserve the skin of the baked potatoes for some extra deliciousness coming up at the end. You guys are going to freak. It’s so good.

Throw a pat of butter into the same pot you used to cook the bacon.

Sauté some chopped yellow onions.

Then add in the garlic and give it a quick toss.

Add the flour and stir until the flour is cooked through.

Pour in the stock and whisk the whole time, making sure the flour doesn’t clump anywhere.

Carefully add in the insides of the baked potato that we chopped earlier.

Season it up with some kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Now let this cook for a bit and let’s move on to the part that is going to blow your mind. Ready?

Add some butter into a medium skillet over medium high heat.

Add those potato skins that we chopped up earlier and sauté the heck out of them.

They are going to get extra crispy and you’re going to love them. Once they are golden brown, you can remove them and place them on a paper towel to dry.

Now, let’s take an immersion blender to the potato soup and make things nice and smooth.

Once the soup is smooth, add the broken up bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and a whole lotta scallions.

And don’t forget about the Greek yogurt! Give it all a stir and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Serve it up with extra bacon, cheese, scallions, and those awesome crispy potato skins as garnish and call it a day! I promise you guys are gonna love this one!

A huge thank you to Serena from Serena Bakes Simply from Scratch for such an awesome recipe!

Recipe

Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup

by serenabakessimplyfromscratch on June 30, 2012 in Creamy Soups, Soups
See this recipe post on serenabakessimplyfromscratch’s site! June 30, 2012

Creamy SoupsSoups

4.71 Mitt(s) 7 Rating(s)

Prep Time 10 Minutes

Cook Time 30 Minutes

Difficulty Easy

Servings 5

5

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Recipe Description

Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. This soup is made over the top by adding crisp potato skins to the top before serving!

Preparation Instructions

Scoop the white insides out of the baked potato skins. Roughly chop the white insides and set them aside. Chop potato skins and set aside.

In a large stock pot brown the diced bacon over medium heat. Once it’s crispy, remove bacon from the pan and drain off the grease.

Add 4 tablespoons butter to the brown bits at the bottom of the stock pot. Add onion and continue to cook over medium heat until onion is caramelized. Add minced garlic and flour. Stir flour until absorbed by the butter and cooked, about 1-2 minutes.

While stirring, slowly add chicken stock to the flour mixture to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer then turn heat to low. Add the insides of the diced baked potato. Add sea salt and pepper. Cover pot and continue to cook over low heat.

In a large saute pan add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and heat until all of the butter is melted. Add the chopped potato skins and fry them until crisp and heated through.

Add 1/2 of the crumbled bacon, 2 cups of cheddar cheese, 2/3 of the scallions and Greek yogurt into the pot of soup. Stir well and continue to cook over low heat until heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve soup topped with remaining bacon, cheedar cheese, scallions and crisp potato skins.

Ingredients

• 4 whole Extra Large Baked Potatoes Or 8 Regular Baked Potatoes
• 6 slices Bacon, Diced
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• ½ whole Onion, Chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• ⅓ cups All-purpose Flour
• 4 cups Chicken Stock
• ½ teaspoons Sea Salt (or To Taste)
• 2 teaspoons Ground Pepper, Or To Taste
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 4 whole Scallions (Green Onions), Sliced
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt

 
 
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Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

 
I’m a sucker for anything with pulled pork. When I first stumbled onto this recipe for Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce from TK member 4littlefergusons, my heart literally skipped a beat. Pulled pork tacos with an avocado cream sauce? Heck yes! As the self-proclaimed queen of all things avocado I knew that I had to try this recipe immediately.

I whipped up these tacos and avocado sauce for a girls night in a few weeks ago and every single person gobbled them up. There were even leftovers that my fiancé devoured the next day. Basically, here’s the bottom line: you need these tacos in your life asap!

Here’s the drill.

Start with a little bit of your favorite salsa.

You’ll also need some roasted green chiles.

Throw some cooked black beans into a little bowl.

A touch of brown sugar is needed, too! This is what’s going to give the tacos a hint of sweetness.

And lastly, grab some salt.

Throw all the above ingredients into your slow cooker. Give them a good mix to evenly distribute all the flavors.

Cube up a piece of pork butt/shoulder. You can cut off some of the excess fat and then trim the pieces into 1 ½ inch pieces. Add the pork to the slow cooker and turn it on. You can forget about the pork for a few hours while it does its thing. And trust me, it’s going to be delicious.

Now let’s prepare the life-changing avocado cream sauce. Start by slicing up some scallions.

You’re going to need 2 avocados too.

Combine the avocados and scallions in a little mixing bowl.

Add a dollop or two (or three) of sour cream.

Toss in some lime juice and salt.

Add the cilantro.

Mash everything together until you have a creamy consistency and then set the sauce aside. If you are going to be eating in a few hours, cover the sauce with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate it.

Once the pork is done, take a few spoonfuls and place them into a warmed corn tortilla. Throw in a few cherry tomatoes for good measure and then top it with as much avocado cream sauce as you want. Serve it up and prepare to be wowed!

You guys, this dish is kind of-life changing. Like, you should absolutely make it in the next 24 hours. Trust me!

A huge thank you to Tonya from 4 Little Fergusons for sharing such an awesome recipe! This one is absolutely going to the weekly dinner rotation. Happy cooking!

Note: Credit goes to The Meal Planner for the brilliant idea of combining Jamie Cooks It Up’s Sweet Cafe Rio Pork and Ellie Krieger’s Avocado Cream.

Recipe

Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce

by 4littlefergusons on June 14, 2011 in Main Courses, Pork
See this recipe post on 4littlefergusons’s site! June 14, 2011

Main CoursesPork

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Prep Time 20 Minutes

Cook Time 8 Hours

Difficulty Easy

Servings 12

12

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Recipe Description

If you like cilantro, this is the dinner for you! Fresh, easy and oh-so delicious!

Preparation Instructions

For the pulled pork, in the bottom of a large crock pot, mix salsa, green chilies, brown sugar and black beans. Add the pork roast (salted with Kosher salt) and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Take the meat out of the crockpot and shred with 2 forks. Return to the pot and mix with the sauce and beans. Leave the lid off as you continue making supper to cook away some of the juices.

To make the avocado cream sauce, slice green onions and mash the avocados. Add lime, sour cream, snipped cilantro, garlic and salt.

To serve, scoop sweet pork into a baked hard shell. Top with a dollop of avocado cream sauce and shredded lettuce and green onions. Serve with cherry tomatoes on the side.

Dig into these fresh, easy, delicious tacos! Yum!

Note: My only complaint was that if I made 2 tacos at the same time, the second taco shell got soggy while it waited. Just an FYI, not a deal breaker!

Recipe credit: Sweet Pulled Pork recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up and Avocado Cream recipe from Ellie Krieger of Food Network. The idea to combine both recipes comes from The Meal Planner, via Laughter and Lattes.

Ingredients

• FOR THE SWEET PULLED PORK:
• 2 cups Of Your Favorite Salsa (you Decide The Heat)
• 4 ounces, weight Canned Green Chilies
• ¼ cups Packed Brown Sugar
• 15 ounces, weight Black Beans, Rinsed And Drained
• 3 pounds Pork Shoulder Roast (or Loin Roast Is Fine, Just Pricer)
• Kosher Salt
• FOR THE AVOCADO CREAM SAUCE:
• 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced
• 2 whole Avocados
• 4 Tablespoons Lime Juice
• 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream
• ¼ cups Snipped Cilantro
• 4 cloves Minced Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• FOR THE TOPPINGS:
• Stand And Stuff Taco Shells
• Shredded Lettuce
• 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced
• Cherry Tomatoes, To Serve

 
 
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Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

 
Quinoa is kind of my life. You see, I’m on the “pre-wedding healthy eating try to fit into a bikini for my bachelorette party” diet. Whew! That was a mouthful. And since I’m down to the last 4 months of the pre-wedding cleanse, I’ve been eating a whole lotta quinoa. It’s healthy. Easy to make. And it’s light. Three very important things I’m keeping in mind these months.

When I came across this Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado from TK member Kels, I basically smiled from ear to ear. It’s genius. Plus there’s spinach in it—ummm, yes please! If I weren’t on the pre-wedding cleanse, I would have added some fresh mozzarella balls to the finished salad and turned it into a fun caprese-ish quinoa salad. Either way though, you guys are going to love this one!

Here’s the deal.

Start with some quinoa. Isn’t it cute in this little mason jar? Love it!

Cook it according to the package directions. Typically it’s a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa.

Once the quinoa is cooked, give it a good fluff with a spoon or fork and then set it aside.

Throw a few handfuls of halved cherry tomatoes into an oven proof dish.

Add some olive oil …

And some balsamic vinegar …

Throw in a pinch or two of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.

Place the baking dish into the oven so the tomatoes can roast. Once they’ve roasted, remove them from the oven and set them aside.

You’ll need a bowl of baby spinach too, so might as well get that out and ready to go!

Let’s get the dressing ready. Add some tahini and olive oil to a mixing bowl.

Add a little warm water, red wine vinegar, and throw in some fresh lemon juice.

Add a squeeze of your favorite honey and some chopped garlic.

Add some of your favorite salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.

Give it all a whisk and then transfer it into a pretty bottle. I threw in an extra handful of chives just for an extra pop of colors!

Add the roasted tomatoes and their juices into the quinoa.

Pour in the dressing.

Give everything a good toss.

Add the fresh spinach.

Toss everything together.

Add some avocado and then serve it up! If you are serving this immediately then you are good to go. If you are waiting a bit to serve it, make sure the avocados are nestled mostly into the quinoa so they don’t turn brown.

So there it is! This is one of the best quinoa salads I’ve had to date! It’s perfect for pre-summer healthy eating or a “pre-wedding healthy eating trying to fit into a bikini for my bachelorette party” diet. Thanks to Kels for the recipe! Go visit her blog, K&K Test Kitchen, which Kels shares with her mom Kim (editor’s note: Awwww!).

Happy cooking!

Recipe

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado

by kandktestkitchen on January 11, 2012 in Salads
See this recipe post on kandktestkitchen’s site! January 11, 2012

Salads

4.00 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)

Prep Time 10 Minutes

Cook Time 30 Minutes

Difficulty Easy

Servings 4

4

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Recipe Description

A flavorful salad with a tasty tahini vinaigrette dressing!

Preparation Instructions

Boil the water. Once the water is boiling, add the quinoa, cover with a lid, and turn the heat down to simmer the quinoa. The quinoa should cook for about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork when it’s done cooking and allow it cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Cut the grape tomatoes in half and lay them in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Roast the tomatoes for 25-30 minutes, or until they start to caramelize. Allow the tomatoes to cool slightly.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Make the dressing about 15 minutes ahead of mixing it into the salad.

Mix together quinoa, tomatoes, avocado, and spinach. Drizzle with tahini viniagrette (I used about 2/3 of what I made) and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Ingredients

• FOR THE SALAD:
• 2 cups Water
• 1-½ cup Quinoa
• 1 pint Grape Tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1-½ whole Avocado
• 1-½ cup Spinach
• FOR THE DRESSING:
• ¼ cups Tahini (sesame Seed Paste)
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 Tablespoons Warm Water
• 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 whole Lemon, Juiced
• 1 teaspoon Honey
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Pepper

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

 
After all those delicious holiday cookies and treats, I’m ready for a bit of lighter fare. I’m thinking salads. Lots and lots of loaded salads are in my near future. And with a fabulous loaded salad, you’ve got to have an awesome dressing. The dressing is pretty much the most important part. It gets slathered all over the entire thing, so it’s gotta be kinda perfect.

This Herb Mustard Vinaigrette is the ultimate salad dressing. My future mother-in-law whipped up a salad for us with this dressing and I pretty much fell in love. I tweaked a few things here and there and the result is delicious. You can throw this on any kind of salad, with or without protein, and it’s going to be great!

Okay, here’s how to do it.

Start with an empty jar with a lid. I’m all about easy cleanup, so the jar is just perfect. You add all the ingredients, shake it up, and then store it in the fridge. No cleanup at all!

Add some freshly chopped garlic…

A few chopped shallots…

A dollop or two of whole grain Dijon mustard…

Some dried oregano…

Followed by some dried parsley.

Throw in some freshly cracked black pepper.

And a sprinkle of flaky salt.

Next, pour in some red wine vinegar.

And a healthy pour of olive oil.

Top it off with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Tightly put the top back on. This is key. Otherwise you’ll have a giant mess.

Shake, shake, shake. And shake, shake, shake some more!

Then use it for all of your salads!

This dressing keeps well in the fridge for about a week. Just let it come to room temperature about 30 minutes before using it!

It’s particularly delicious on spinach salads with chicken. Or steak. Ok, it’s just awesome. You have to give it a try!

Recipe

Herb Mustard Vinaigrette

by whatsgabycooking on January 2, 2012 in Salad Dressings, Salads January 2, 2012

Salad DressingsSalads

4.67 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)

Prep Time 5 Minutes

Cook Time

Difficulty Easy

Servings 8

8

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Recipe Description

Hands down the best vinaigrette ever. Perfect for all the healthy eating this month.

Preparation Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar.

Screw the lid on tightly and shake shake shake!

Serve as needed. Keep refrigerated.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons Garlic, Minced
• 2 teaspoons Shallots, Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Grainy Dijon Mustard
• 2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
• 2 teaspoons Dried Parsley
• ½ teaspoons Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
• ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
• ¼ cups Red Wine Vinegar
• 1-¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Finely Shredded Parmesan Cheese

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.