Posts tagged avocado
taco tuesdayz: crispy shrimp tacos with quick pickled onions & avocado cream

cinco de mayo may have come and gone, but lucky for us, taco tuesday comes once a month to this here blog. don’t let the wide variety of ingredients on these tacos deter you. they are all easy to come by ingredients, many of which you may have on hand and they all come together to make one BOMB ass taco.

these quick pickled onions and avocado cream are great on shrimp tacos, but they are also great on tons of other things. i like to use the pickled onions in quesadillas or on my breakfast eggs and the avocado cream is great on this delicious corn or as a salad dressing.

now, if you aren’t a crispy taco fan, by all means, skip that step and enjoy the soft tortilla. but if you like them crispy, i have a sure fire way to make the most delicious at home crunchy tacos.

crispy shrimp tacos with quick pickled onions & avocado cream

serves: 8 tacos

prep time: 15 minutes

cook time: 30 minutes

total time: 45 minutes

ingredients: 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp. .5 cup orange juice. .5 cup greek yogurt. .5 cup red wine vinegar. .25 cup olive oil. .25 crumbled or grated cotija cheese. 2 limes, each sliced into 6 wedges. half a ripe avocado, diced and smashed. 1 cup chopped romaine leaves. 1 green onion, white and light green parts, thinly sliced. half a red onion, thinly sliced. 1 tbs honey. 1 tbs kosher salt. 1 tsp freshly ground pepper. .5 tsp chili powder. .5 tsp dried turmeric. .25 tsp cayenne pepper. 8 flour tortillas. 3 tbs vegetable oil or other oil wit a high smoking point. handful of cilantro leaves for garnish. large cast iron or non stick pan. tongs. paper towel or dish towel lined drying rack or baking sheet.

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start by making your quick pickled onions. in a bowl, combine half the olive oil, the red wine vinegar, the honey, half the salt and pepper and stir it well to combine. add in your sliced onions and set them aside to pickle. then, combine the remaining salt and pepper with the turmeric, chili powder and cayenne and stir well to make a spice blend. dry your shrimp well and place them in a bowl. add in the green onion. season with half the spice blend, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and pour in the orange juice and the juice of 3 of the lime wedges.

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stir well till the shrimp is evenly coated with spice and liquid. heat your pan over medium high heat till it’s nice and hot and then add in your shrimp. cook the shrimp until just cooked through, about 3 minutes a side. remove the shrimp to cool slightly and continue to reduce the liquid from your marinade in the pan for another 3-5 minutes till it thickens and reduces by half.

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while the marinade reduce and the shrimp cools a bit, make your avocado cream. mix together the greek yogurt, the rest of the spice blend and the avocado. mash up the avocado as best you can into the greek yogurt.

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pour in the juice of 3 more limes and 1 tbs of the liquid from the pickled onions. and stir well till the mixture is nice and creamy and set it aside.

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roughly chop up the shrimp and pour the reduced marinade over the shrimp.

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now, if you prefer a soft taco, you can skip the next step. but if you like a nice crispy taco shell, wipe out your pan and add the vegetable oil to the pan. allow it to get nice and hot, shiny but not smoking. add in one tortilla at a time. cook for about 20 seconds on one side before flipping and frying up the other side for another 20 seconds. flip the tortilla one more time and then use your tongs to fold the tortilla in half to make a taco shell. cook for 10 seconds then flip. 10 more seconds and then remove the shell to a paper towel lined rack or backing sheet to dry. set them down upside down so any extra oil drains off. complete with as many tortillas as you intend to eat at that time.

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once your tortillas are crispy, layer up your tacos. serve each with a layer of romaine, shrimp, avocado cream.

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top with a couple pickled onions, cilantro leaves and cotija cheese. use the remaining lime wedges for those who want a fresh squeeze of lime juice over the top. serve and enjoy.

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xo, a

crispy shrimp tacos with quick pickled onions & avocado cream

serves: 8 tacos

prep time: 15 minutes

cook time: 30 minutes

total time: 45 minutes

ingredients: 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp. .5 cup orange juice. .5 cup greek yogurt. .5 cup red wine vinegar. .25 cup olive oil. .25 crumbled or grated cotija cheese. 2 limes, each sliced into 6 wedges. half a ripe avocado, diced and smashed. 1 cup chopped romaine leaves. 1 green onion, white and light green parts, thinly sliced. half a red onion, thinly sliced. 1 tbs honey. 1 tbs kosher salt. 1 tsp freshly ground pepper. .5 tsp chili powder. .5 tsp dried turmeric. .25 tsp cayenne pepper. 8 flour tortillas. 3 tbs vegetable oil or other oil wit a high smoking point. handful of cilantro leaves for garnish. large cast iron or non stick pan. tongs.

start by making your quick pickled onions. in a bowl, combine half the olive oil, the red wine vinegar, the honey, half the salt and pepper and stir it well to combine. add in your sliced onions and set them aside to pickle. then, combine the remaining salt and pepper with the turmeric, chili powder and cayenne and stir well to make a spice blend. dry your shrimp well and place them in a bowl. add in the green onion. season with half the spice blend, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and pour in the orange juice and the juice of 3 of the lime wedges. stir well till the shrimp is evenly coated with spice and liquid. heat your pan over medium high heat till it’s nice and hot and then add in your shrimp. cook the shrimp until just cooked through, about 3 minutes a side. remove the shrimp to cool slightly and continue to reduce the liquid from your marinade in the pan for another 3-5 minutes till it thickens and reduces by half. while the marinade reduce and the shrimp cools a bit, make your avocado cream. mix together the greek yogurt, the rest of the spice blend and the avocado. mash up the avocado as best you can into the greek yogurt. pour in the juice of 3 more limes and 1 tbs of the liquid from the pickled onions. and stir well till the mixture is nice and creamy and set it aside. roughly chop up the shrimp and pour the reduced marinade over the shrimp. now, if you prefer a soft taco, you can skip the next step. but if you like a nice crispy taco shell, wipe out your pan and add the vegetable oil to the pan. allow it to get nice and hot, shiny but not smoking. add in one tortilla at a time. cook for about 20 seconds on one side before flipping and frying up the other side for another 20 seconds. flip the tortilla one more time and then use your tongs to fold the tortilla in half to make a taco shell. cook for 10 seconds then flip. 10 more seconds and then remove the shell to a paper towel lined rack or backing sheet to dry. set them down upside down so any extra oil drains off. complete with as many tortillas as you intend to eat at that time. once your tortillas are crispy, layer up your tacos. serve each with a layer of romaine, shrimp, avocado cream. top with a couple pickled onions, cilantro leaves and cotija cheese. use the remaining lime wedges for those who want a fresh squeeze of lime juice over the top. serve and enjoy.

taco tuesdayz: chicken + mushroom tacos

i <3 tacos.

who doesn’t <3 tacos?

if you know someone who doesn’t <3 tacos, please fill me in on who and WHY?! i’d love to meet such a unique individual.

tacos are undeniably wonderful and they are one of my favorite make at home meals. i love all shapes and sizes. soft taco, crispy shells, corn or flour tortillas. they are all golden. but why not lighten it up and mix it up with some lettuce tacos. lately i’ve been loving crisp, crunchy, refreshing iceberg lettuce cups and they are a a great taco vehicle.

chicken + mushroom tacos

serves: 4

prep time: 20 minutes

cook time: 20 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

ingredients: 1 lb chicken tenders. 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, diced. 4 green onions, white & green parts thinly sliced. 1 lime, sliced into 8 wedges. 3 tbs olive oil. 1 cumin. 1 tsp chili powder. .5 tsp paprika. .5 tsp dried oregano. .25 tsp cayenne pepper. 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp ground pepper. 1 head of iceberg lettuce, core removed and leaves washed and dried. .25 cup tequila. 1 cup fresh pico de gallo or your favorite fresh salsa. optional: 1 avocado, diced. 1 cup mexican cheese blend. handful of cilantro sprigs.

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start by blending the cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne, half the salt and all the pepper. place all your chicken in a bowl, drizzle it with the olive oil and season with your spice blend.

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squeeze half the lime, into the mix, stir well and set aside. reserve the rest of the limes for serving. heat a large, heavy pan over medium heat.

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when the pan is nice and hot add in your chicken in an even layer. don’t crowed the pan or the chicken won’t get a nice brown. if you need to cook the chicken in two batches to not over crowed the pan, do so.

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cook the chicken till browned on each side and just cooked through. about 4 minutes a side. remove the chicken and set it aside to rest.

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add the mushrooms, the white and light green parts of the green onion and the rest of the salt to the pan.

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cook until the mushrooms have released all their moisture. about 7 minutes. pour in the tequila to deglaze the pan. use the liquid to scrape up any little brown flavor bits from the pan. cook until almost all the liquid has cooked off. about 3 minutes. while the tequila cooks down, chop up your chicken.

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add the chopped chicken and all it’s juices back into the pan.

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stir in half the salsa and stir well to combine. cook for 2 minutes till everything is nice and hot and then turn off the heat.

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to serve, fill your lettuce cups with a couple spoon fulls of your chicken mixture.

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top with the dark green parts of the green onion, some cilantro sprigs, avocado, some salsa and cheese.

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serve with a lime wedge and enjoy.

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xo, a

chicken + mushroom tacos

serves: 4

prep time: 20 minutes

cook time: 20 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

ingredients: 1 lb chicken tenders. 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, diced. 4 green onions, white & green parts thinly sliced. 1 lime, sliced into 8 wedges. 3 tbs olive oil. 1 cumin. 1 tsp chili powder. .5 tsp paprika. .5 tsp dried oregano. .25 tsp cayenne pepper. 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp ground pepper. 1 head of iceberg lettuce, core removed and leaves washed and dried. .25 cup tequila. 1 cup fresh pico de gallo or your favorite fresh salsa. optional: 1 avocado, diced. 1 cup mexican cheese blend. handful of cilantro sprigs.

start by blending the cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne, half the salt and all the pepper. place all your chicken in a bowl, drizzle it with the olive oil and season with your spice blend. squeeze half the lime, into the mix, stir well and set aside. reserve the rest of the limes for serving. heat a large, heavy pan over medium heat. when the pan is nice and hot add in your chicken in an even layer. don’t crowed the pan or the chicken won’t get a nice brown. if you need to cook the chicken in two batches to not over crowed the pan, do so. cook the chicken till browned on each side and just cooked through. about 4 minutes a side. remove the chicken and set it aside to rest. add the mushrooms, the white and light green parts of the green onion and the rest of the salt to the pan. cook until the mushrooms have released all their moisture. about 7 minutes. pour in the tequila to deglaze the pan. use the liquid to scrape up any little brown flavor bits from the pan. cook until almost all the liquid has cooked off. about 3 minutes. while the tequila cooks down, chop up your chicken. add the chopped chicken and all it’s juices back into the pan. stir in half the salsa and stir well to combine. cook for 2 minutes till everything is nice and hot and then turn off the heat. to serve, fill your lettuce cups with a couple spoon fulls of your chicken mixture. top with the dark green parts of the green onion, some cilantro sprigs, avocado, some salsa and cheese. serve with a lime wedge and enjoy.