baja fish tacos

cinco de mayo was just a few days ago… but who says you can’t keep the celebration going with some mexican-inspired menu faves? :)

fish tacos are one of my fave things to order on a sunny patio with a frozen lime margarita on the side. while i haven’t quite mastered the art of mixing a good frozen marg, i’m happy to say that fish tacos are easypeasy to make at home.

prep veggies:
– 2-3 sprigs of green onion (chopped)
– 2 roma tomatoes (rough chop)
– 1.5 cups organic mixed herb salad or greens
– 1/2 large haas avocado (halved, pitted, peeled, sliced)

prep fish:
– heat up large saucepan w/ 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (evoo) on high heat
– add green onion & tomatoes to pan
– reduce heat to medium, add 1 large fillet of fresh salmon to pan (already thawed, if previously frozen)
– season salmon fillet & tomatoes w/ 1/2 tsp ancho chile spice
– cook until salmon lightens slightly in colour on outside & opaque in center (but do not overcook)
– turn sides to cook evenly, about 3min per side
– remove from heat & set aside. allow salmon to cool for a few min.

assemble tacos:
– place 3 medium whole-grain tortillas on a plate
– divvy mixed greens on each tortilla
– add tomatoes, cooked salmon (flaked) & avocado to each tortilla
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– top w/ queso fresco (grated) over taco fillings

food styling:
– fold tortillas into halves & place on a serving dish
– warm-up tacos in microwave for 15-20sec to melt the cheese
– pairs nicely w/ your fave chilled lime beer or frozen margarita

(tip: if fish tacos aren’t your cup of tea, swap out the salmon for stir-fry chicken. i also tried this taco recipe w/ chicken instead, and it works well w/ the chipotle seasoning & veggies.)

spicy beef & edamame noodle bowl

lucky noodles for the new year! i’m not really superstitious, but who wouldn’t welcome a little (or a lot!) of good luck in their lives? ;)

there are all sorts of fun holiday traditions that my extended family does to symbolize good luck, health and prosperity in the new year… place a sprig of fresh grapes above every doorway to bring good wishes into your home. prepare a bowl of 13 different fresh fruits on the table — 1 fruit for every month of the year, and 1 more for a fruitful following year. put coins on each step of the stairway in your house to bring good fortune and prosperity to your family. cook a hearty noodle dish to symbolize long-life and good health for your family. so, in celebration of all things yummy and good in 2012, here’s a yumyumyummers recipe for stirfry noodles. cheers to a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!

the beef:
– heat up 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil in large wok on medium heat
– add 2 sprigs of green onions (rooted stems removed, rough chop into sliced rounds)
– add 250g beef stirfry strips to wok
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– add a dash of sea salt
– season w/ chinese five-spice
– stirfry beef until partially cooked

the veggies:
in the same wok, add the following ingredients to the stirfry beef:
– 1 cup baby carrots (julienne-cut)
– 1 cup edamame beans (deshelled, pre-steamed)
– splash of water
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– drizzle 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
– stirfry for 1-2min
– then add 2 cups organic mixed greens
– add 1 cup crimini mushrooms (sliced)
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– stirfry ingredients together in wok until well combined

egg tarts

it sure feels great to be back in the kitchen! :)

it’s been truly wonderful spending quality time visiting family and friends during the christmas holiday season — and, of course, indulging in many a holiday feast! over the past few weeks, i’ve noshed on some pretty incredible food and also learned how to cook some family favorite dishes. there’s nothing quite like mom’s homecooking! :) here’s a recipe for one of my all-time faves, from my family’s kitchen to yours. happy holidays!

pre-heat oven to 300F

prep ingredients:
– 12 egg yolks (separate egg whites and reserve for another recipe)
– 28-30 frozen pie tart shells
– 1 can condensed milk
– 1 can evaporated milk

mix the batter:
– in a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until smooth
– add condensed milk and evaporated milk to egg mixture and beat well