Garlic Chipotle Chicken Tacos

Squirrels.

They are quite funny creatures, right? You'd be hard pressed to find a college campus (at least the ones that I have been to) that is not crawling with the little guys. Somehow squirrels are afraid of people yet seem to long to be around them.

We used to have this one squirrel on Hope College's campus that didn't have a tail. We called him squabbit because he looked almost like a rabbit. The squirrels on Duke's campus were not quite as noticeable to me-- probably because I didn't walk through the quad often. But since I've been back to the midwest, I've been observing quite interesting behavior from the squirrels. One of my first times through the quad, a squirrel was sitting on this girl's lap. No joke, she was sitting on a bench feeding a squirrel while her friend took a picture. Crazy. Today I was walking between buildings and a squirrel noticed me walking by and became as still as a statue while giving me the stink-eye. Why do the squirrels love campuses so much?

Maybe it is the food. There is always someone eating something while walking through campus. Plus there are lots of garbage cans for them to play around with... 

Anyway, I'm not sure how the squirrels will feel about these garlic chipotle chicken tacos but I'm guessing you will like them. They make a great summer night meal-- charred peppers and onions on top of flavorful grilled chicken. 

Garlic Chipotle Chicken Tacos (adapted from Cooking Light June 2012)
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (or you can use chicken breasts)
freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
1 small red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 small red onion, sliced
6 corn tortillas
shredded lettuce

Directions:
Combine garlic, chipotle pepper and 1/2 tbsp oil in a small bowl. Rub evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Preheat indoor or outdoor grill. Grill chicken for about 6 minutes, flipping halfway through, until cooked through. Remove from grill and keep warm.

Combine 1/2 tbsp oil, chili powder and freshly ground pepper in another bowl. Toss with the bell pepper and onion to coat. Place the vegetables on the grill and cook for about 5-6 minutes until soft and charred.

Thinly slice the chicken. Serve the tortillas topped with chicken, vegetables and shredded lettuce.

Serves 2.

Chorizo, Potato, Corn and Poblano Tacos

Tacos and pizza are two foods with which you can be extra creative. You have a blank canvas of pizza dough or tortillas and you can use your imagination to make whatever your heart desires. The other day my heart soared when I saw the recipe in Cooking Light for potato and poblano tacos with chorizo and corn. Perfect for a summer evening.

Chorizo, Potato, Corn and Poblano Tacos (adapted from Cooking Light May 2013)
Ingredients:
1 poblano chile
1/2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup diced potato (about 1 large)
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 ear of corn, kernels cut off
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz chorizo
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
6 corn tortillas
1 green onion, sliced
shredded cheddar cheese
lime wedges

Directions:
Preheat broiler.

Cut the poblano in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes. Place cut sides down on a baking sheet. Broil for about 8 minutes until blackened. Remove from the oven and place in a paper bag. Fold to close tightly and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove, peel and coarsely chop.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the potatoes to a large bowl. Add the onion to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes until softened. Add the poblano, corn and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently. Remove the onion mixture to the bowl with the potatoes. Add the chorizo to the pan and cook about 2 minutes, stirring to crumble. Return the potato mixture to the pan. Add the broth and stir to mix. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for about 6 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.

Meanwhile, lay the tortillas on a baking sheet and broil for about 1 minute on each side until golden brown. Alternatively, you could char them over a flame of a gas oven.

Serve the tortillas topped with the chorizo mixture, green onions, and cheddar cheese. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the tacos right before eating.

Serves 2-3.

Double Decker Taco Supreme

Fast food.

What are your thoughts?

I think fast food has its pluses and minuses. Obviously the speed and availability are the top two reasons to eat fast food. On the other hand, it is the caloric overload and altogether lack of nutrition that says maybe you should avoid fast food on a normal basis. When you are traveling and in need something quick and easy, almost everyone will stop to get fast food. Honestly, I don't eat a lot of fast food mostly because I enjoy cooking so much. And if I'm going to pick dinner up on my way home, I usually fall back on Panera or Jimmy Johns (are those considered fast food? I don't know). I'm not going to tell you I never eat fast food; that would be a lie. I enjoy a french fry or a spicy chicken sandwich or a roast beef sammy every now and again. But the fast food restaurant that I love the most is good ole T-bell.

To celebrate our one month of dating anniversary, Scott took me to Taco Bell. Although it may seem a little funny to you, it was a sweet gesture because I hadn't been to Taco Bell since I moved to NC about 9 months previous. We also both picked up Taco Bell and skyped while watching a Duke basketball game to celebrate our 5 year anniversary since we live halfway across the country from each other. It has become one of "our" restaurants. Ha ha. This ecard is so appropriate for us:

Anyway, I love the Taco Bell double decker taco supreme. I have loved it ever since I was a little girl when joined the menu temporarily. At some point it became a permanent menu item which means I almost always purchase one when I go there. Last week when I made the refried beans, I figured what better way to use them then to recreate my beloved DDTS at home. So delicious. I cannot even describe it. You'll have to make it to understand.

I even splurged on Taco Bell mild sauce to push it completely over the top. I was quite surprised I didn't have any little packets floating around my apartment... To tell you the truth, if I had closed my eyes I would have sworn I had just pulled out of the drive-through. Note: do not make them to far in advance because similar to T-Bell DDTS, the hard taco will get soft if it sits for too long. Eat immediately after assembly for the perfect crunch and soft combo.

Double Decker Taco Supreme (inspired by Taco Bell, obviously)
Ingredients (per taco, although how you could eat only one, I'm not sure):
1 hard taco shell
1 fajita sized tortilla, cut to about the size of the hard taco shell
2-3 tbsp refried beans, homemade or canned, warmed
taco meat*
shredded or torn lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
diced tomato
sour cream
Taco bell sauce

Directions:
Microwave the tortilla for 30 seconds on high to soften. Microwave the hard taco shell on high for 45 seconds. Place the tortilla on a plate and spread the refried beans in an even circle. Top with the hard taco shell and press the tortilla to stick. Fill with taco meat, lettuce, cheese, tomato, sour cream and sauce. Serve immediately!

*Make your favorite taco meat with either ground beef or ground turkey. This is what I do-- for 1/2 lb meat (which will be about 6 tacos), brown over medium high heat. Drain off fat. Add 1/2 cup water, 1 rounded tbsp taco seasoning and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Cook until thickened.

Sandwich Week- Day Three- Blackened Tilapia Tacos

Question: Do tacos count as sandwiches?

Answer: Yes.

If you look up synonyms of "taco" on thesaurus.net then you will get "sandwich". Granted you also see boiled egg, leftovers, pasta, and tomato soup, but we'll skip those options (where do those even come from?). For today's purposes, tacos are just sandwiches south of the border, agreed?

If you are going to make tacos for your sandwich night, it is a requirement to serve them alongside an ice-cold Mexican beer. Required, you hear me? Unless of course you are expecting a little baby in the next 9 months or are under 21 or are a recovering alcoholic, then I do not suggest the consumption of alcoholic beverages. For the rest of you...

Blackened Tilapia Tacos (adapted from Cooking Light March 2011)
Ingredients:
1/8 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or cilantro, if that is your thang)
juice from 1/2 lime
1/2 banana pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
dash of salt
dash of ground cumin
dash of crushed red pepper flakes
2 6-oz tilapia fillets, thawed if from frozen
1/2 tbsp canola oil
6 corn tortillas
avocado slices and lime wedges, for serving

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the Greek yogurt, parsley, lime juice and banana pepper until smooth. Mix the sauce with the onion.

Combine the paprika, brown sugar, oregano, garlic, salt, cumin and CRP in a small bowl. Sprinkle over both sides of the tilapia, rubbing in with your fingers to coat.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add the tilapia, cooking on each side for about 3 minutes, until cooked through.

Heat the tortillas as directed on the package.

Serve the tortillas, topped with the fish, sauce, and avocado slices. Garnish with lime wedges.

Serves 2-3.

Homemade Taco Seasoning.

I know, I know. Why make something at home that is super simple to pick up at the grocery store? Well, I can give you a few reasons why homemade taco seasoning is worth the effort (truthfully, it isn’t much effort at all):

1. You can control the amount of sodium.

2. You can control the amount of spice.

3. You can control the portion size.

For me, the biggest draw is #3. Since I’m cooking for myself most days, I’m not browning up a pound of ground beef to mix with one of the pre-packaged taco seasonings. If you only use a quarter to a third of the package, you have to wrap up the rest of it and wait until you’re ready for tacos again. So much effort, right? Ok, not really. Additionally, I don’t know about you, but I never know when I craving for tacos (or something Mexican inspired) will hit me, so having a jar full of taco seasoning at the ready is perfect. It is super simple--- just combine your spices and keep it in an airtight container. Then when you’re ready for tacos, combine the same amount of the seasoning with cornstarch in your pan with your ground beef (or ground turkey or pulled pork or black beans or whatever) and a little bit of water and you are all set.

I used it the other day to doctor up some leftover pulled pork to make a great taco salad. I loaded up the lettuce with tomatoes, cheese, avocado, celery and the pork. Served alongside some tortilla chips and it was perfect.

Try it out. You’ll like it.

Side note: I think I added closer to 2 tsp of CRP (crushed red pepper) because I love the spice. Feel free to experiment with what fits your taste buds.

Homemade Taco Seasoning (Adapted from All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container. To use, combine equal parts seasoning mix and cornstarch with cooked meat or beans and water (approximately 2 tbsp of each for a pound of ground beef).