grilled

Grilled Fish Tacos with Avocado Salsa

By in Main Dish, Seafood 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

fish tacos

Sometimes when I suggest a meal to my hubby I get a raised eyebrow and I know, it’s a no go. But, sometimes I know that the aversion is all in his head, so I go ahead and make it anyways, sure that he’ll love it. Sometimes it just end up putting a nail in the coffin, other times he’s pleasantly surprised and we add another delicious meal to our repertoire. The latter is the case with these fish tacos – none of us could get enough.

This is the type of meal that I end up thinking about all evening after we’ve had it for dinner. Even after eating it, I still crave it because it’s just so good. And it’s pretty darn healthy too, which just makes it that much more crave worthy. I had never had red snapper before having this dish. We’re not major seafood people, we don’t like things too fishy tasting. To my delight red snapper isn’t fishy at all, especially when marinated in tex mex herbs and spices. And the avocado salsa. Oh my, I could eat it with a spoon. It’s not your typical chunky salsa, it’s smooth and silky and lends a nice spicy kick and cooling factor all at once.

Please give this recipe a try, even if you’re unsure about fish tacos or fish in general. I’m pretty sure it will be a win.

Fish Tacos with Avocado Salsa

Grilled Fish
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 pounds of red snapper fillets
Avocado Salsa
  • 1-2 jalapeño peppers (depending on heat preference)
  • 1/2 avocado, pitted
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
  • juice of 1 small lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons water
Serve with
  • tortillas
  • leftover avocado, chopped
  • cilantro
  • chopped tomato
  • chopped green onions

For the fish: Mix together cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, cilantro and olive oil until it is a paste. Spread it over both sides of the fish fillets, making sure it is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and no longer than 2 hours.

To make the salsa: Lightly oil grill grates with an oil soaked paper towel and preheat to high heat. Grill jalapeno peppers until blackened all over. Place jalapeño in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare remaining salsa ingredients and put them into the bowl of a food processor.

Place the fish on the hot, greased, grill. Cook on one side for 3-5 minutes, or until opaque. Flip fish and cook until the fish flakes easily and is opaque throughout.

Peel the blackened skin off the grilled jalapeños, cut in half and remove seeds. Place peppers in the bowl of the food processor along with the other salsa ingredients. Process until smooth.

Flake fish with a fork and serve on tortillas along with avocado salsa, chopped tomatoes, chopped avocado, cilantro and green onions.

Makes: 12 small tacos

Grilled Fish adapted from Martha Stewart. Avocado Salsa adapted from The Martha Stewart Show.

Cajun Grilled Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce

By in Main Dish, Pork 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , ,

cajun grilled pork chops

My mom is visiting this week. Wee Hoo! I haven’t seen her since the beginning of last summer so I was beyond excited for her to come. And, now she’s here and I’m enjoying every single moment. The kids are eating up their Grandma time and soaking up every bit of attention. As I’m sure you can imagine, I want to take advantage of these precious moments I have with her, so I thought I’d share an oldie but goodie with you today.

This recipe isn’t completely new, if you’ve been following me for a couple of years you may recognize it. I created the recipe about two years ago when I was writing for Smithfield, but I’ve never actually posted the recipe on this blog. We make it so often I thought it deserved a proper post here. It’s my absolute favourite way to eat pork chops and it comes together so quickly but looks so special. The chops are covered in a homemade cajun spice mix, grilled until smoky, succulent and spicy. Then they get draped with a quick and flavourful creamy mushroom pan sauce. Every time I think of them my mouth just starts to water. My hubby isn’t a fan of mushrooms but he loves this pairing just as much as I do.

I prefer the bone-in pork chops because they have more flavour but feel free to use boneless if that’s what you prefer. Also, when I don’t have access to a grill I have done them on the stove top. They are still absolutely delicious this way so if you don’t have a grill don’t let that stop you from making them.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go give my Mom another hug. :)

Cajun Grilled Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce

Cajun Grilled Pork Chops
  • 4 bone-in pork chops

Rub pork chops liberally with Cajun seasoning and grill over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese spread

Saute mushrooms, onions, garlic and Cajun seasoning in oil over medium heat until softened. Add chicken broth and cream cheese. Stir until smooth. Serve immediately spooned over pork chops.

Serves: 4

Last-Minute BBQ Pizza Dough

By in Breads, Main Dish 10 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

Last-Minute BBQ Pizza Dough

I seriously have so much fun making this recipe. I”m not sure what makes it more fun then regular pizza dough. Maybe it”s the fact that you”re making individual portions that can be adapted to each person”s liking. Or, that it”s baked on a grill, which is the closest thing to a pizza oven that I”ll ever get. Or maybe, it”s just the fact that you can decide so last-minute to make pizza, even if you didn”t thaw the dough first.

For even quicker prep: make a couple batches of dough when you have time. Grill on one side, allow to cool and then wrap in plastic wrap. When ready to use: pull out of the freezer, place desired toppings onto the grilled side and grill until dough is cooked through and toppings are melted. This is also a great alternative for those who may only be wanting 1 or 2 individual pizzas at a time.

We topped ours with Tropical BBQ Chicken Pizza toppings. I think it”s a match made in heaven. I”m planning on trying ham and pineapple next and I”m sure over the summer all our favourite toppings will have a go on the grill. Because, what doesn”t taste better with a little smoky flavour?

This dough can handle a lot of toppings. I”m so used to making my thin crust pizza dough that I”m always a little stingy with the toppings. But the truth is, the crust is so good that even if your toppings are skimpy, your pizza will still be delicious. Even my thin crust loving husband is a big fan of this dough.

And, one of my absolute favourite features: if you”re craving pizza on a scorcher of a day you don”t even have to turn the oven on!

A Couple Tips on Working with Dough:

For those who may be new at working with yeast doughs here are a couple tips to help you have success.

  1. Wetter is better. When making dough it”s always better for the dough to be a tad bit too sticky then to be too dry. You can always add lots of flour when you”re rolling it out but fixing a dry dough is a lot more difficult. Plus, the less flour the more rise you”ll get. You know the dough is done when it”s sticky to the touch but nothing clings to your finger when you pull it away.

  2. Keep it warm. When I make yeast based doughs I like to let it rise in a slightly warm oven. This way I”m guaranteed no drafts and the temperature won”t fluctuate. I always get a better and quicker rise this way. To do this: preheat your oven to the lowest setting while you make the dough. Once the dough is ready place it in the warm oven, turn off the heat and close the door.

  3. Knead it well. You want to knead the dough for approximately 6-8 minutes. This helps to develop the gluten which will in turn help the dough have better structure. You”ll know the dough is ready if it looks smooth and no longer scraggly.

I really have to pull back the restraints when I”m eating this. As if pizza wasn”t addictive enough, now I have an extra delicious crust to contend with. And, now you can too. :)

What toppings would you put on grilled pizza?

Last-Minute BBQ Pizza Dough

  • 3/4 cup warm water

  • 1 package (1/4 oz) quick rise yeast

  • 2-3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 2 cups flour, sugar, salt and oil. Knead until smooth; adding additional flour if necessary to achieve a smooth, pliable and slightly sticky dough. Place in a lightly greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.

  2. Prepare grill: Coat rack with oil and preheat to medium heat.

  3. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a 6-7 inch circle. Transfer to the grill and cook, covered, for 1-2 minutes until lightly browned.

  4. Remove from grill. Top the grilled side with desired toppings. Put back on grill and cook, covered, for 4-5 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned.

Serves: 4

Adapted from Taste of Home.

Grilled Fish Tacos with Fresh Salsa

By in GF Mains, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Seafood 10 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

Grilled Fish Tacos with Fresh Salsa

I apologize for my absence the last while. Some unexpected events have occurred and I haven”t been able to keep up my posting schedule. Peach Monday, which was missed this week (sorry!), will be posted on this coming Monday. My posting may be a little erratic over the next couple of weeks and I hope you”ll be patient with me. I promise to fill you in as soon as I can but for now, here is the post that I had been hoping to do before Fathers Day.

I grew up with three brothers, which means I got the coveted title of “Daddy”s Girl” all to myself. And, I”ve always been very proud of it. My Dad and I are a lot alike and he always seems to know what”s going on in my head. He”s always been there for me, to help me be a better person, to remind me to always do my best no matter the results, and to teach me to let go of things that are not perfect.

He is a man of utmost integrity. His heart is more pure then anyone I have ever met. His desire for what is right and true in this world has been such an inspiration to me. I often cringe at the way fathers are portrayed today, as whit-less, lying, always up to no good men, because I feel like it takes away from the men who are doing it right. My Dad is one of those men. He”s humble enough to admit when he”s wrong, strong enough to make the right decisions, and courageous enough to stand up for what”s right. He is one of my favourite people in the world and he”s my hero!

Me & Dad/Max & Grandpa

My Dad is my favourite person in the world to cook for. He”s adventurous in the kitchen, always gives his honest opinion and is simply not picky. When I was trying to think of something to make for him for Fathers Day from afar I new it had to be something fishy because he loves to cook with fish.

These Grilled Fish Tacos were perfect. White fish doused in a tex-mex marinade, grilled until flaky tender and then topped with a fresh salsa that”s vibrant and light. It was absolutely delicious even for this on-the-fence fish eater.

Happy Fathers Day Dad! Your honesty and love light up my life. I love you!


Grilled Fish Tacos with Fresh Salsa

adapted from My Recipes

Fish

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 2 teaspoons canola oil

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1 pound white fish fillets (such as halibut or tilapia)

  1. Mix together all ingredients, except fish to make marinade. Add fish and marinate for 15-30 min.

  2. Grill fish on a lightly greased grill over medium high heat for 6-10 minutes or until cooked through and flakes easily with fork. Flip halfway through cooking time.

* If you prefer you can bake these in the oven at 400ºF for the same amount of cooking time. No need to flip.

Salsa

  • 2 cups finely chopped tomatoes

  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions

  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  1. Mix together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

To serve

  • 8- 6 inch corn or flour tortillas

  • sour cream

  • shredded cheese

*these are gluten free if served with corn tortillas.

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