Chili-Lime Chicken Tacos with Black Bean Corn Avacado salad with a Lime Cilantro Vinagrette

I finally had the day off this last Friday..... And got nothing done. So after reading for a little bit (3 hours) I realized Marc would be home from work and I had no dinner made. Or any groceries. I just whipped this recipe up and I got to be honest..... Kind of proud. This black bean corn salad is ALWAYS in the fridge as of lately. Too tasty. This may seem like a lot going on but it isn't. Read through first and then you will see. It took like 10 minutes to make the salad. Then 15-20 for the chicken and everything else. 

Note: Prepare Black Bean and Corn salad preferably a half hour to an hour at least in advance, it tastes A LOT better. 

Black Bean and Corn Salad

With Lime CilantroVinaigrette 

2-14.5 oz cans Black Beans

2-14.5 oz cans Corn

2 Bell Peppers (red looks the best, but the green tastes just as delicious)

1/3 large White Onion 

2 regular tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 cup Cilantro 

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

2 tablespoons sugar

2-3 limes

Zest of one lime

Olive oil

2 hass Avocado

Combine all ingredients together, except the avocado. Let sit for at least a half hour preferably longer and dice up and add avocado right before serving

Note: I keep the Avocado pits in the salad because it keeps the avocado fresher for longer 

Second note: when picking limes, pick ones with smooth skin that have very thin skin, they are juicier. 

Chili Lime Chicken Tacos

3 thin chicken breasts (makes cooking faster)

1-2 limes

1 pack small tortillas, i love Mission artisan multigrain tortillas, they have such a perfect texture, when heated on stove they get a little crisp and char

2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

Extra cilantro for garnish. 

1 packet of El Paso chicken taco seasoning... I have made my own if you want to do that, it tastes the same just without all the other chemicals and add-ins. It works great for chicken and beef and you cook it the same you would the packet.  Extremely great to have on hand. Here's that recipe:

Taco Seasoning:

2 1/2 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

• Mix these all together and store in an airtight container. Mine is in a 4oz mason jar. 

Alright back to chicken. I cooked this in my large cast iron pan because i think it cooks the meat really evenly. I cooked it at about medium to medium-high heat. •Place the chicken breasts in the pan and squeeze half the lime all over the chicken. You can even do 1 whole lime on each side. 

•Sprinkle the taco seasoning on chicken and rub in a bit, the more seasoning the more spicy, so do what you think is best. 

•Flip chicken and repeat the same process. 

•Once chicken is cooked through, cut into strips and put about 1/4 cup or less of water in the pan. I squirted more lime in at this point because I like really strong lime flavor. 

•Cover and turn heat down to a low simmer. 

•prepare cheese and tortillas while chicken gets moist. 

>>>Marc likes his tortillas heated up on the stove (picky-picky) so I do that to heat them up but whatever method. 

• When chicken is good to go sprinkle the cheese, place the chicken, add some of the black bean salad, and top with cilantro for garnish. Eat hot!! Done. 

Delicious with the strawberry-mint lemonade recipe. 

Strawberry-Mint Lemonade

This is soooo tasty. No lies. I was bored one night and had a few lemons and limes that were rolling around in the fridge and annoying me so I decided to make lemonade.... Then I saw my strawberries were about to give up the ghost so I used those too. And am in love with mint lemonade and I never have am occasion to use my mint that I grow so it is turning into a bush. So it all worked out well if you ask me. :) don't get all ew-ie over the mint. It's soooo good. 

Ingredients:

3-4 lemons

4 limes

5-6 strawberries

Big handful of mint leaves. Approx. 1/2 cup loosely packed. 

1/4-1/2 Cup sugar

So lemonade is pretty straightforward... I just washed all the fruit really well... Really well with soapy water (except strawberries) because that stuff on the skin is terrible tasting. Alright then i juiced them all and then cut the skins up roughly and threw it all in the pitcher. Add  water, until its about 2/3 full. Next add your sugar in increments. You don't want it coming out too sweet. Or do you? Then the strawberries- I just mushed them and that took forever so I threw them into my food processor and made a purée. Throw it in the pitcher, then add your mint leaves (no chopping necessary) stir it up, add some ice and let it chill for at least a half hour. 

Boom. It would also be so tasty if you poured it into an ice cube tray and then once frozen pour a clear soda like sprite or ginger ale on it.. Just saying. It would turn slushy. ooh SO perfect for summer. 

Bridals

Well... These were taken literally one year ago. But whateva. My now brother in law took them, Paul Garbett and I along with my sister have done the editing.

Spinach Lemon Pesto Pasta.

It's quick and easy and delicious.

The other night I was on the phone, just got home, and incredibly hungry... AKA -- I did NOT want to spend an hour cooking food. I had a bunch of stuff in my fridge that needed to be eaten or else it would probably be pitched the next day.  Thus, this creation was.. created. Delicious. These proportions are just what I thought of.. you can add more or less of anything depending on taste, it most likely will not effect the outcome too much.

INGREDIENTS:

-Alfredo (you are not going to need very much only few spoonfuls)

-Pesto 

-8 oz. Pasta (I used fettuccine but any will work)

-3/4 C. or a small pack of Grape or Cherry Tomatoes

-Olive Oil

-Juice of one lemon

-2 C. FRESH Baby Spinach Leaves (as much as you want but it REALLY cooks down)

-1-2 Garlic Cloves minced finely

salt and pepper to taste.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare pasta as the package indicates, add salt and olive oil to the water (I'm assuming we all know how to make pasta...)

BEFORE

AFTER

2. In a small saucepan add: olive oil and throw in your tomatoes with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat. Continually stir these until they become wilted and the skin is wrinkly, this will take a few minutes. Refer to pictures.Once they are finished just place them in a bowl and set aside.

3. Don't forget to check your pasta!!

4. You are probably freaking out about the black stuff at the bottom of your pan... don't I just grab it and quickly clean it and it comes out spotless. Plus, I clean it because I use it for the next step.

5. In saucepan add some olive oil (not very much) and your garlic.  Cook this for a few minutes just to get things going. Next add a few big spoonfuls (around 1/4-1/2 C) alfredo sauce.  If it's reacting to the olive oil (this will happen if you added too much) just wait until it dies down and stir up to heat.  Add your spinach in next and just continue to stir.  After a couple minutes the spinach will have died down and you can see where you are at as far as quantity.  If you want more Spinach or Alfredo, add some, it will not affect anything.

6. Squeeze in your lemon and then just set heat to low.

7. Check your pasta. If done, drain and place into bowl or replace into pot and add a few drizzles of olive oil.

8. Toss in the lemon-spinach sauce and add about 2 Tablespoons of pesto sauce.  Stir until every thing is evenly coated and then gently toss your tomatoes in.  

9. DONE!!!!!

havent posted since january... whoops

Sooo.... I get done wtih work at 5 and have nothing to do... because I live at home.. with my parents... (counting down Tminus 12 days) finally will live on my own again :) love you mom and dad. BAH!  but in the meantime I find ways to occupy myself.. and usually that ends up with me messing with photoshop or my camera.... and putz. my poor dog Putz. He is my regular victim. he doesnt like my camera but I think he's cute.

I got bored and was editing random photos... hence this picture of my dogs' favorite toy (and my profile picture) I promise i have other friends that are humans.

Goll he looks like a grandpa. anyways... i'm done here for another 7 months. later :)

10... seriously.. i'm already sick of this.

Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most messed up things with.

This ray of shine right here! hahahahahaha in her defense we had just gotten to Cancun Mexico and they lost our luggage in Texas so we didn't have showering supplies and the first day we stayed in a forsaken hotel (there was a hair in the bed if you know what i'm saying.) and the airport only gave us $20 to buy stuff while they found our luggage.  hahaha Greasy mess's.

Day 9

Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.

Lets be honest. Done.