Of course I still like to find new recipes that we can use to create yummy Mexican dishes.  Our latest recipe was one that I found on YouTube for fish tacos.  The recipe also included an avocado salsa that is amazing.  I love that tilapia is so simple to cook, but it also provides the taco with just the right amount of flavor without going over board.

I went directly by the recipe in the video below, so I am not going to write it all out for you.  If you are ready for some tasty fish tacos, though, have at it and enjoy!

I love when the New Year approaches for a number of reasons.  It’s wonderful to move forward and march on into another year with new goals, a longer list of achievements, and other things like that.  Another reason I get excited about the New Year are best of lists.  You know like the best singer of 2011 or the best television shows, that sort of thing.  So I thought that this year I could do a best of list for cooking.  I was going to originally pick my best dishes of 2011 but there were just way too many great ones to choose from.  There was one thing I did a lot of in 2011 though, and that was look at a ton of cookbooks.  I went on a hunt throughout the whole year to find the cookbooks that had the most of what I wanted.  

I don’t want you all to have to browse hundreds of cookbooks like I had to do.  You should be able to find all you need from my list of the Best Cookbooks of 2011:

The Homesick Texan Cookbook – Makes you hungry just reading the title doesn’t it?  I know my mouth is watering.  This book is from the well-known blogger Lisa Fain.  And Lisa knows Texas.  You will find she is very loyal to her home state, and the recipes will make you love the state too.  Delicious, tasty recipes from a writer who knows how to get you excited about food.

Ruhlman’s Twenty – Whatever your culinary skill level, in Michael Ruhlman’s cookbook you will discover what he believes to be the twenty basic things all cooks should have a knowledge of.  He also gives great advice and tips on getting the best from any recipe using his fundamentals in the kitchen.

Jamie Oliver’s Meals in Minutes – Jamie Oliver is well-known for trying to get people to not only eat healthier, but also eat more at home with the family.  This book gives you recipes for meals, but it also gives you tips for advance planning so you aren’t spending most of your time in the kitchen.  You can enjoy your family instead.

Looking at Emeril’s biography it would seem that he was destined to make it to the point where he is today.  His mother was his first inspiration in the culinary world, and in high school he worked for a Portuguese bakery.  Then Emeril was offered a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music after completing high school.  He decided to go into a different art, the culinary arts.  After receiving a degree from Johnson and Wales, Emeril went on to learn more in France.  Upon returning back to the United States Emeril worked in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia before going on to New Orleans to begin his star moment at Commander’s Palace.

Today, Emeril is the chef-proprietor of twelve different restaurants.  He is also a huge television personality, appearing on Food Network and making frequent visits to Good Morning America.

Learn more about one of my favorite chefs below in this Emeril inspired infographic.

Depending on what type of deep fryer you choose to use, the price ranges from as low as $40 all the way up to the top of the line models that can cost as much as $400.  The device that graces my driveway Thanksgiving morning cost me around $65 and it does everything I need it to do without being too complicated for a mechanically inept person such as myself.  You want to invest in a fryer that will last for many holidays to come so I would recommend avoiding the lowest quality mechanisms to get the most bang for your buck.

When it comes to marinating your bird, you have plenty of options.  I suggest doing both an injected marinade the evening before as well as a dry rub marinade the morning of the big frying to seal in the flavors and make every piece of meat as flavorful as the next.  The flavor varieties range from BBQ to spice Asian to chipotle chili so there is something for you no matter what seasoning you enjoy.  Don’t be afraid to try something bold on Thanksgiving even though it isn’t traditional.  The combination of a traditional herb flavor for the injected marinade and a spicy rub on the outside of the turkey is my favorite because it adds just enough spice to give the taste buds a kick without overpowering the turkeys’ natural juices.

The meat in your turkey will be moister than any you have tried in the past.  One thing I used to dread about baking a turkey in the oven was the dry texture that often results and I could see my family and guests shoving in some cranberry sauce with every bite to add some much needed moisture.  So go to you’re the nearest department or home improvement store and check out the deep fryers for the upcoming holiday season.  You could also check out the deals on TV through Dish cable or online to find the best price.  And don’t forget that the deep fryer isn’t just for Thanksgiving turkeys.  Your Christmas duck could is the perfect candidate for another deep frying experience to please the family.

Apparently, I had cooked it upside down, and the meat was on the bottom of the pan (where is promptly stuck to the roasting rack and was a tad overcooked.)  To save me from that this year and every other year since, I typically go searching for my favorite “how to roast a turkey” videos on YouTube.  Also, I make sure I have the kitchen smoke protection from adt in working order. Here is one that might help you out if you are also feeling edgy about the upcoming holiday.  Happy basting!

1. Choose between fast or slow cooking whole grains.  If you are in a hurry to get a meal prepared, then you have the option of using some speedy cooking options that include:  quinoa, polenta, and buckwheat.  Whole couscous is easy to prepare, as you can just steam it for five minutes.  Quick-cooking whole grains are prepared in less than thirty minutes, slower-cooking varieties are prepared anywhere from thirty minutes to over an hour and a half.  Those types include:  kamut, spelt, and rye.  And they are incredibly full of flavor.
2. Serve up whole grains with a protein.  For the most health benefits from a whole grain, you want to serve them with a protein:  fish, eggs, soy, or nuts.  This will not only be delicious, but also filling and healthy.
3. If you have a gluten allergy or choose to be gluten free, then whole grains are good for you.  A lot of oats and whole grains are gluten free.  Some varieties include:  rice, quinoa, millet, and buckwheat.  So you can still get in some hearty and delicious grains even on a special diet.

A brief overview of the infographic:

• Planning and Shopping tips to get the best out of the foods you purchase from the grocery.
• Cleaning and Storage tips so you can keep your foods as long as possible without them spoiling.
• Preparation and Cooking instructions for all types of food, poultry, seafood, eggs, fruits, and veggies, and more.
• Storing and Re-heating pointers that will help you to stay safe when you are eating leftovers.
• Risks related to food allergies and poisonings.

Cutlery and Knives – When picking out the knives for you kitchen, the price might scare you a bit.  It is important to know however that good knives are worth the money and you will definitely get what you pay for.  In my opinion, I think going for a whole set is totally worth it.  You can choose smaller sets or larger sets depending on what you would like to have, but sometimes that is out of the question financially.  If that’s the case for you, then do buy a really nice chef’s knife and find a decent serrated and paring knife.  Eventually you can add to your collection.

Cutting Boards – Ah the cutting board…it saves your counters, knife blades, keeps germs and bacteria from spreading, and it makes cleaning up a bit easier too.  Must I say anything more to convince you of the need for a cutting board?  My favorite cutting board surface is polypropylene.  It is non-porous and resists odors.  I have a lot of cutting boards so I don’t have to clean after each use when cooking and can avoid cross-contaminating.  Look for boards with non-slip grips, handles, and a groove for keeping liquids from spilling over.

Veggie Peeler – Who knew that vegetable peelers were so versatile?  Peeling potatoes is just one of the things that I have conquered with my veggie peeler.  Use it on carrots for a nice touch on a salad.  Peel cucumbers with it in a cinch, and add some chocolate curls to that cake.

Can Opener – This one is an obvious pick seeing as no can will be opened without a can opener.  Find one that is nonslip and easy to hold while you are turning it.  It must be able to latch on and open it effortlessly.

Salad Spinner – If you have tried drying lettuce with paper towels, then I don’t have to go on any further.  From now on, spin your greens to get rid of excess water.  Easy!

Grater – Like the veggie peeler, many people don’t realize how handy a cheese grater can be.  I use mine almost daily for garlic in meals (the garlic press is a pain to clean).

When you’re ready to stock your kitchen with the best tools, remember this list.  You don’t want to be stranded without one of these tools when you begin cooking a delicious meal.

Bon Appétit!

For weeknight meals I tend to stick with things that don’t take too long in preparation, and my Easy Enchiladas are a once a week request from the boy.  Now, I’m not crazy about recipes, I feel like they don’t leave any room for innovation, so if you’re looking to make some Easy Enchiladas of your own, you can follow my simple guidelines.

For two people you’ll probably want to have:

1 can tomato sauce

1 small can of tomato paster (or less–you will have leftovers from a whole small can)

Red onion, jalepeños, any favorite veggies

1/2 lb. Some chicken or beef (ground or shredded)

Shredded Cheese of your choice

4 Tortillas (we use whole wheat)

Sour cream or Plain Greek yogurt

1 Avocado – for an avocado sauce

Cilantro

Maybe some black beans

Get Started: Chicken or beef or veggie?

First I choose what goodies I am going to include in my enchiladas.  With any of the options I always add in one chopped seedless jalepeño and some chopped red onion (my favorite).  If you choose chicken or beef, then cook it in a large skillet until done and then add in the onion and jalepeño to cook for a bit.  When I do chick I like to put it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes and then shred it–after shredding add it back into the skillet with the veggies.

Saucey

For the sauce you can buy a can of enchilada sauce, or create your own with regular canned tomato sauce.  I add some cumin, coriander, garlic salt and pepper to a can of tomato sauce.  Add sauce to the meat/veggie combo, just a little though to make sure there is sauce all over.  The remainder of the sauce will be used later.

Wrap it up

Now you will assemble the enchiladas.  Prep a small pan (8×8) by coating the bottom and sides with some olive oil first.  Lay out one tortilla and brush some tomato paste down the middle of the tortilla.  Add your cheese and the meat mixture.  Roll up the tortilla. I use tomato paste to help keep it closed.  Do this to the remaining tortillas and add them to the pan (they will be snug).  Pour over the remaining enchilada sauce or tomato sauce.  Bake it in the oven at 350°­ for 30 minutes.  Add cheese to the top and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Extras

To make an avocado sauce (a little thinner than guacamole) Add 1 avocado, some chopped onion, cilantro, jalepeño, and whatever your heart desires to a small food processor and process it!  The sour cream or Greek yogurt is a nice extra, and we typically have some black beans to add to the mix too.

Make it your own and as always–Bon Appétit!

What I got:  Simply Calphalon Nonstick 14 piece Cookware Set

• 8″, 10″, 12″ Omelette Pan (cover for 12″)
• 1, 2, 4 Qt. Sauce Pans (each with covers)
• 3 Qt Saute Pan (with cover)
• 6 Qt. Stock Pot

What I love:

The pots and pans have a beautiful look, and I love the stainless steel and silicon handles.  Obviously they are nonstick, and the covers are made of tempered glass.  Remember that any nonstick cookware should not be washed in the dishwasher, but hand washed only.  At first I was worried about that because scrubbing pots and pans is no fun at all, but they easily come clean even after making caramel!  It is nice to have all of the different sizes because when it is just me and the boyfriend, I don’t need to cook a lot of food.  I can break out the bigger ones when I am hosting dinner parties and such.  When cooking, the heat is very evenly distributed (I use a flattop electric stove, but have heard the same about gas and coil cook tops too).  The food cooks quickly and perfectly, and the set looks great.  Clean up is a breeze, and no matter if you are a beginner cook or a pro, you will love this set like I do, I’m sure.  Another bonus is the fact that Calphalon offers a ten year warranty as long as you follow the care instructions of course.

If you are ready to find the best pots and pans for your needs and your budget, then I highly recommend the Simply Calphalon.

Bon Appétit!