Shrimp and Guacamole Tostadas

      By now, you've probably noticed an overall trend in my food. I am a mexican, tex-mex, avocado, guacamole, lime loving, salsa, fanatic. Living in England for the time being has proved to be hard on this poor little Texas girl for multiple reasons in the food department.

1. The burgers would make any Texan cry, except for Gourmet Burger Kitchen's. Why it took me two and a half years to eat there, I'll never know. Lights from heaven shine down on the doors of that restaurant and it single-handedly restored my faith in humanity.

2. Avocados. The commissary stocks the saddest, skinniest, rock hard avocados ever known to man. They are inedible. They make me want to curl in a ball and cry until my tears carry me away like a river into the ocean and I land back on American soil. However, Sainsbury's carries real, ripe, amazing, Hoss Avocados and I am able to carry on with my life.  Unfortunately it is also an hour drive round trip so I have to use my skills in strategery (thanks Bush, use the word often) to plan my life around collecting avocados. Plus going to Sainsbury's is kind of like Christmas morning every single time. Carmelized Onion Hummus! Helllooooooo!!! Would it be ridiculous to live here forever just because I can't live without it?

3.  I have yet to find any place than can make Mexican or Tex-Mex food. Ever. Anywhere. There have been mediocre places that temporarily numb the pain, but it's the equivalent of sucking on a cheesecake lollipop instead of eating a slice of home cooked, fresh from the oven, New York Cheesecake.



Anyway, usually I don't talk much before I get to the recipe but I went off on a tangent. It's been a year since I've been in America and I get a little restless I think. These Tostadas are SO good. The most important part is having good guacamole as it is the foundation of the recipe. Word of advice? Guac is supposed to be chunky! Don't over smash! if you like to add a lot of ingredients to the avocados such as tomato, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, salt.....just remember that you have to stir those all in so when you're smashing the avocados before adding all those things, just remember there's still lots of stirring left in the game. Anyway, there I go again. Here's the food!!!

Shrimp and Guacamole Tostadas 

 

 

6 corn tortillas
cooking spray
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (always room for more!)

Guacamole* make according to taste, Guac is versatile!*

2 avocados
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish later
      juice from 1 lime

chopped red onions

diced tomato

 garlic powder

salt and pepper

Shrimp topping
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbs ground cumin
2 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp crushed red or green pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
1 red bell pepper, cut into small slices OR 1 tomato cut into small pieces. Or both :)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly coat both sides of the corn tortillas with cooking spray. Bake for 4 minutes on each side. Switch oven to broil. Evenly divide the cheese over the tortillas and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, 2-ish minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for Guacamole. Mash up with a fork. Go ahead and eat a few bites for your well being.

Toss the shrimp with the cumin, chili powder, crushed pepper flakes and garlic salt.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium high. Sear the shrimp on one side for 2 minutes; flip and sear 30 more seconds. Remove from pan.

If using bell pepper: to the pan, add the sliced red bell pepper. Saute for 2 minutes, scraping the browned bits from the pan, seasoning the peppers. Sprinkle in a leetle salt.

Spoon the guacamole over each cheesy tostada, followed by shrimp and red bell pepper or sliced tomato. Garnish each tostado with cilantro and give another good squeeze of lime juice over each one.

- Sweet Sarah 




slightly altered from Bev Cooks

Brownie Batter Cupcakes With Brownie Batter Frosting

            Ok, I know I say something along these lines on almost everything I've posted on this blog, but THESE, ladies and gentelmen, THESE are probably the best cupcakes I have ever ever made. That is a very bold statement but I believe it to be true. The Lemon curd cupcakes (Not featured on this blog yet) are probably the runner-up, but these are more phenomenal than anything ever. And I've made cupcakes a time or two; I've even made nutella cupcakes! How does something outwin nutella? I'll tell you. By being the most amazing thing on this planet.

           I made these as a birthday "cake" for one of my really good friends a couple weekends ago, and I never got around to posting them. In true bad blogger fashion, I also didn't take a picture of them until they were a day or two old and the icing got smashed a little. Yay me. Anyway, his birthday party went well and these went even better. A couple tips though:

You can use any cupcake recipe you want for the outer cupcake part; I used french vanilla because I wasn't sure if it would be too chocolately if I did otherwise, and I was incredibly happy with the outcome. Explore though, just know there is definitely enough chocolatey taste in the batter ball and frosting to go kinda plain. 

If you're using a brownie mix that has chunks of chocolate chips in it like I did, Just know that it may clog your icing bag/tip when piping the frosting on the cupcake. This is partially why my icing looks kind of funky in the pictures below. Either use a different brownie mix for the frosting or just sift out the chips before blending and you'll be good to go! Now, for the main show....

Brownie Batter Cupcakes with Brownie Batter Frosting

The Frosting is definitely essential....tastes like battery syrupy sugary goodness.

That middle part? Good Grief....GOOD GRIEF.

Cupcake batter (prepared as directed from a mix or your favorite recipe)

Box of brownie mix (standard size) with water called for on box and melted butter equivalent to the oil needed

 Brownie Batter Frosting:

2 sticks butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2/3 cup brownie mix (powdered from a box)

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup corn syrup

2 teaspoons hot water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  In a large bowl, mix brownie mix with water and melted butter (batter will be thick).  Roll batter/dough into 1 inch balls and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Freeze for about an hour.

2.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.  Set aside.

3.  Prepare cupcake batter as instructed on box/recipe.  Fill liners slightly less than halfway full.  Press a brownie dough ball in the center of each, then cover with a spoonful of cake batter.  Bake for about 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.  Place cupcakes on a rack to cool.

4.  Once cupcakes have cooled, prepare frosting:  In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter and vanilla on medium until smooth.  Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder and brownie mix, beating on low until just combined.  Add corn syrup and beat on medium until combined.  Add hot water, increase speed to medium high, and beat until light and fluffy, about a minute or so. If it seems too runny, add powdered sugar until desired consistency. Pipe or frost frosting on cupcakes.  Top with brownie crumbs if you have any, however I just topped with cocoa powder.

 

- Sweet Sarah




Found over at Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Oatmeal Lemon Cream Bars

             So I was in the mood for baking and citrus (one of my favorite combinations!) so I went to my trusty Pinterest boards, and clicked away until I came across something I have been meaning to make for awhile that fit the bill. As it turns out, it's also an easy recipe with no more than five ingredients. The original recipe's website also lists an option to make this from scratch instead of using a Betty Crocker packet of cookie mix, but in my case I decided I just needed sweets stat and had no time for this.

           The recipe is pretty yummy, and I didn't change a thing. The only part I would suggest slightly altering isn't part of the recipe but part of the actual cooking; even after a hefty cooking spray spray-down, the bars still were difficult to take out of the pan and all of them ripped in some way. Next time I will put parchment paper down and then grease that.

Oatmeal Lemon Cream Bars 

  

1/2 cup cold butter

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix

1 egg

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

2 teaspoons lemon zest (I used basically all from the two lemons)

1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)

from-scratch recipe available by clicking on the link below*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay parchment paper in the bottom of an 8x8 pan that is long enough that the paper hangs over the side on both sides. Spray the bottom and sides of the paper with non stick spray.

In a large bowl cut the cold butter into the cookie mix with a fork or pastry blender.

Stir in the egg until the mixture is crumbly.

Press half of the dough into the bottom of the greased pan and bake it in the oven for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl mix the sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice until thick and combined.

Spread lemon mixture over baked crust and evenly crumble remaining dough on the top.

Bake another 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let cool and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Pull entire baked product out by lifting both sides of the parchment paper. Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator.

-Sweet Sarah 

Found at Just Call Me Maria *

Crockpot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos

I am not the biggest beer fan. If fact, up until recently I didn't drink it at all.

However, I have always been a fan of food. 

This chicken is really, truly delicious. The subtle taste of beer, the slight hint of cheddar, and very distinct spices that blend together perfectly; a blend so harmonious it almost sings right off the plate. The recipe calls for any beer, but I chose to use Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss. Since I don't know what other beers taste like in the recipe, I can't make an exact call but my educated guess is that it was a FANTABULOUS choice. 

The Beer

The Chicken

The Taco

 [taco seasoning adapted from allrecipes]

serves 4+

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup beer (an amber ale)* I had a heavy hand...can add more

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons pepper

1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese + more for topping

taco shells

your favorite toppings: sour cream, avocado, cilantro, salsa, chopped onion, black beans, shredded lettuce, cheese, guacamole, etc.

In a bowl, mix together chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Measure out 3/4 cup* of your favorite beer, and whisk seasoning into the beer.

Place chicken in the crockpot and dump in beer with seasoning. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

When you first remove the lid, it will seem as though there is a lot of liquid and the chicken is just sitting in it, but take two forks or kitchen tongs and shred, shred, shred until it all comes together. Taste and season with additional taco seasoning if desired, then let sit in the crockpot for another 15 minutes or so. Turn the crockpot completely off, and right before serving toss in cheddar cheese. Once combined, immediately transfer the chicken to a large bowl so the cheese does not stick to the crockpot. Make your tacos!

-Sweet Sarah 

Recipe from How Sweet it is

Zesty Lime-Fish Tacos

Ok, I'm gonna come out and say it: You have not LIVED until you have eaten this recipe.

LIVED. 

You think I'm kidding or exaggerating; I'm not. 

        Until yesterday I had never made fish tacos, and my memory is a little fishy in remembering if I've ever even had one before (ok, ok, I'll stop). I was a little nervous, especially because I had some guys friends on their way and I would need to feed them something-- and you know how much guys can eat too. pressure pressure! Therefore, it was imperative it worked not that they deserve it . However, because I am insane I also made Cheesy Beer Chicken Tacos. as well as cowboy caviar and guacamole. There was more than enough food but even more so because these tacos more than worked. They changed my life. The fish is not nestled into a tortilla, but is actually a flattened Pillsbury biscuit from the can. I was really worried about this part, but I can not stress enough how amazing and imperative it is you try it this way at least once. So here are the tacos....

Zesty Lime-Fish Tacos 

I was so focused on taking the picture as quickly as possible that I didn't even notice this picture is focused on the "tortilla" instead of the insides. 

See those fish pieces right there? yes. yes yes yes.

Seriously Ya'll, these are so good That after I typed the first paragraph and added the picture, I went and made myself one and am eating it AS I TYPE THIS. Here is the recipe

1 lb tilapia fillets (about 4)

½ cup or 7 TBSP fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour

¼ cup yellow cornmeal

¼ cup flour

1can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits)

6 tablespoons Crisco® Pure Canola Oil

1 ½ tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from 7-oz can), finely chopped* more or less depending on personal level of spiciness

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper

Your favorite taco toppings:

 shredded lettuce, cabbage, chopped red onions, chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, black beans, sour cream, salsa (or how the original recipe called for, a mixture of ½ c salsa with ½ c sour cream and one TBSP of lime juice for topping). I personally used all of these topping except the cabbage, which creates a VERY full taco….full of amazingness.

Heat oven to 200°F. Cut each fish fillet into little chunks. In shallow glass dish, mix 7 tablespoons of the lime juice and garlic. Add fish; turn to coat. Let stand while preparing biscuits.* The longer you let this sit in the fridge, the better. I left mine in there for a long time since I was preparing two dips and two entrees at the same time.

On work surface, mix flour and cornmeal. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Press both sides of each biscuit into flour mixture, then press or roll into 6- to 7-inch round.

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add 2 biscuit rounds; cook about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Place on cookie sheet; keep warm in oven. Cook remaining rounds, adding 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to skillet for each batch. Wipe skillet clean.

Heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and lime juice mixture, chiles, salt and pepper; cook about 5 minutes, turning fish once, until fish flakes easily with fork.

remove fish and divide evenly among biscuit rounds. Top each with your favorite toppings. Fold biscuit rounds in half over filling. 

-Sweet Sarah 

Slightly Adapted from Pillsbury

Key Lime Fudge

Sometimes the best things come from procrastination. I may not have finished my essay in a timely manner, but by golly, I have...

Key Lime Fudge 

20 shortbread cookies, crushed (about 1 cup)

5 Tbsp salted butter, melted

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 cups white chocolate chips

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

3 Tbsp Key lime juice

zest of 4 Key Limes.

green food coloring (optional)

 Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Line an 8x8 pan with foil.

In a medium bowl combine crushed cookies, melted butter and granulated sugar.

Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 6-7 minutes until edges start to golden.

In a double boiler melt white chocolate chips. When just melted remove from heat and stir in sweetened condensed milk and Key Lime juice.

Stir in zest.

*Optional, reserve 1/4 cup fudge mixture and with a small amount of green food coloring, tint the reserved mixture and set aside.

Spread the un-colored fudge mixture into prepared pan. Then drizzle reserved mixture on top and swirl in with a knife.

Place in refrigerator overnight, or at least for three hours .

Cut into squares.

-Sweet Sarah 

Found at Cookies and Cups

Twinkie Cupcakes

        It's cave day over here at the Madden house. Cave days are days in which we laze around in comfy clothes, shut the shades, turn of the lights, cuddle and hibernate away. They usually fall on Sundays. They also involve lots of doggie cuddles and kisses, and usually good munching food. Today that includes leftover twinkie cupcakes. There are just some things in life that make things better, and watching season two of Sex and The City, cuddling with my body pillow and blanket,  and stuffing my face with these are just some of those things. 

Hey, Wheres the cream filling?!

Twinkie Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix, plus ingredients on back of box

1 small box sugar free/fat free instant French vanilla pudding mix

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 teaspoons very hot water

Marshmallow Buttercream (recipe & ingredients follow)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin tins with about 20 paper liners. Set aside.

2. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, stirring the box of pudding mix into the cake batter to blend. Portion batter evenly among muffin cups, about 2/3 full, and bake for approx. 15-18 mins or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, the core out the cupcake’s middles with a sharp, small paring knife, careful not to cut through the entire cupcake. Eat or discard centers.

3. First, dissolve the salt into the hot water and allow to cool. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the marshmallow cream, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until fluffy. Beat in the salt water. Mixture should be light but not as stiff as frosting.

4. Scoop filling into a resealable plastic bag, seal tight, and snip off a corner of the bag. Pipe the filling into each cored cupcake, filling just to the top. Refrigerate cupcakes while you prepare the frosting.

Marshmallow Buttercream

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff

2 sticks butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

About 1 bag (32 oz) powdered sugar

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the fluff, butter and vanilla until combined & creamy, about 2 mins. Gradually begin adding powdered sugar in, about one cup at a time, until frosting is light and fluffy.

2. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes, careful to cover the filled center with frosting. Store frosted cupcakes airtight, preferably in the fridge. They’re super good cold! If desired, garnish with thin slices of Twinkies.

-Sweet Sarah

Found at The Domestic Rebel