Where to Begin?

How about with dinner tonight?

(This picture was taken this past summer at my parents mountain home... I was cooking for an army. No need to get this carried away in your own kitchen!)

Our "new" favorite Friday meal is Fish Tacos.

What?!? you ask. That's disgusting. Fish are not meant to be paired with flour tortillas.

Yeah, I thought so too, once. Until I tried them.

All of the credit for these goes to Farmer in Wisconsin.

The beauty of this meal, besides its extreme yummy factor, is how quick and easy it is to make.

You need:

Tilapia fish. Preferably crusted with lime cilantro or other in-store crustings.
If you cannot find them already crusted, simply thaw them ahead of time and drench in lime juice before dipping them in bread crumbs.

Salsa. Can be homemade or store bought. Entirely up to you. I make my own.

Coleslaw. I buy the "kit" from the store. Easy peasy.

French fries. Freezer section. :)

Flour tortillas. Keeping our cholesterol in mind, I go for the low carb variety. Any kind will do.

~Assemble your coleslaw mix and put in the fridge.
~Throw the french fries in the oven. Sometimes we will deep fry them but let me tell you, it totally disqualifies this meal as suitable for Lent if you do. :P
~Take the tilapia and pan fry it... making sure not to overcook. Depending on thickness, I'd say to give it 3-5 minutes each side.
~Warm your tortillas. I usually wrap them in paper towels and put them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Keep wrapped until ready to use.

These tacos are best made at table. Simply take a warm tortilla, place some fish in the middle, cover it with coleslaw, then salsa... wrap it up, and eat! Serve the french fries on the side. The hot fish and the cold coleslaw bring out the many different flavors present in both. These are surprisingly filling, and can easily be served separately for those kids who do not want their fish touching their coleslaw!!!

Not that I would know anything about that.

;P

Nutmeg's Cooking Philosophy

(Mary Englebreit's Recipe for Happiness print)


Welcome to the Nut-House Kitchen!

Here you will find the "keepers" of the Nutty Family Dinner Repertoire.

These meals, snacks and treats have been given two (or ten) thumbs up by our resident peanuts, and are Mama and Papa approved.

However, I must warn you...

I must tell you what you will not find here.

You will not find gourmet food.

Nope, not a whit. Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against moms who whip up amazing gourmet dishes for their charges... I just think they may be certifiable.
:)

I would love to be able to concoct magical dishes with exotic foods and have it be palatable to my children. It is just not possible for me on so many levels... time and money being some of the inhibitors. The palates of some of my children being the biggest one.

Someday, maybe...

Right now, though, I need economy, quality, and quantity. Much of what I will post here is guest-servable. Especially to those with children. And it is economical. For the most part. I will foray into the worlds of $11/4oz cheeses and Italian goodies like pancetta every now and then. But overall I'd say I'm a meat-n-potatoes kind of NY-Irish gal.

You will not find organic recipes.

I am sorry, but our budget won't allow it. I know you can substitute much of what I will post here with organic ingredients... like the meat and vegetables and such. I think that's awesome. Please do it if that is how you cook. But please don't tell me we are all going to die slow agonizing deaths if we don't. We have made a few changes to our diet (like our milk choices and such) but we simply cannot afford to make the full switch.

So, what will you find?

Comfort food. The kind you can multiply and freeze and that will simultaneously please the palates of children and adults alike.

Economically frugal meals. Lots of chicken and ground beef recipes. Lots of potatoes and pastas and such.

Extreme yumminess. Yes, that is a word. Just ask my kids.
:)

Lots of sweets! I know, it's Lent. So I'll spare y'all the agony and wait until after Easter... or at least until Holy Week, as we prepare for the great feasting of Easter. But I have to warn you, the husband of one of my friends always insists that I bring dessert when coming over... and he's got a wicked sweet tooth. If that isn't an endorsement...
:P

In the South they say that the heart of the home is the kitchen. It's where the ladies gather to chat while cooking and cleaning. We talk out heartbreaks and rejoice the triumphs... all while our hands fly in preparing sustenance for our families.

Thanks for joining me here!

:)