Turkey Tacos

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 cup El Pato Mexican tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large skillet combine the turkey, onion flakes, chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt and water. Cook thoroughly on medium heat until no longer pink, approximately 10 minutes.
2. When the turkey is brown add the El Pato. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes or until your desired consistency. Turkey can dry easily so do not cook the liquid all of the way out.
3. Serve in fried corn tortilla taco shells, or soft flour tortillas and your favorite taco toppings.

Mississippi Mud Cake

INGREDIENTS
Cake:
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ bag miniature marshmallows

Icing:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
4 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
9 tablespoons milk
1 ½ pounds confectioners' sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
2. Combine the sugar, salt, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Bring the butter, oil, cocoa, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add to the flour mixture.
3. Beat together the eggs, baking soda, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add to the chocolate mixture, mix well, and pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.
4. While the cake is baking, make the icing by melting the butter in the cocoa and milk over low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat. Stir in the confectioners' sugar. Slowly mix in the nuts and the vanilla.
5. Take the cake from the oven, and when it cools a bit cover it with miniature marshmallows. Pour the warm icing over the cake and the marshmallows. Cool the cake before serving.

Grilled Asparagus

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch of asparagus
olive oil
salt
pepper
lemon herb seasoning

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat grill.
2. In a pot of boiling water add salt and asparagus and cook for 2 minutes to blanch.
Remove asparagus from pot, and plunge into a bowl of ice water, to cool. Pat asparagus dry.
3. Drizzle with oil, salt, pepper and lemon herb seasoning to taste. Put asparagus on a heated grill. Grill for about 5 minutes, turning over half way through.

Grilled Halibut

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound halibut steaks
Pam for grilling cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
1. Spray grill with cooking spray. Heat grill.
2. In shallow dish mix lemon juice, vegetable oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Add fish and turn several times to coat with marinade. Cover dish and refrigerate 10 minutes.
3. Remove fish from marinade and reserve remaining marinade. Cover and grill fish on medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning once and brushing with marinade, until fish flakes easily with fork. Discard any remaining marinade.

Summer bouillabaisse (or fish stew as a friend calls it)

2 tbsp olive oil
1.5 cups celery chopped
6 cloves garlic chopped
5 large tomatoes chopped
1 ear white corn with corn cut off
2 large shallots
1/2 pound halibut cut into 1 inch pieces (remove skin)
1 (or more) pounds peeled deveined shrimp
3/4 pound mussels rinsed well
2 tbsp fresh tarragon chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 cup white wine
salt
pepper
2 pinch crushed red pepper

In large dutch oven (or pot) add olive oil, celery, corn, shallots and garlic and stir until celery softens. Add wine and bring to a boil. Add halibut, shrimp and tomatoes. Stir to combine, cover and cook for about 3 minutes, until the fish and shrimp are cooked through. Add mussels, vinegar, half of tarragon, salt, pepper, and half of crushed red pepper. Cover and cook until mussels open. Serve and top with remaining tarragon and crushed red peppers.

I started with this recipe from Real Simple. I looked around on Food Network at other variations. I changed the cod for halibut, added corn and shallots, forgot the fennel at the store (I'm glad I think it would have ruined it with the tarragon in it), added crushed red pepper, and upped the dose of garlic.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

If you ask anyone who knows me, you will know that I never used to eat mushrooms. When I recently mentioned to a friend of mine that I've started eating mushrooms, she responded with "It's like I don't even know you anymore!?!"

But in my attempt to eat things that are better for me (not in the whole 'grilled chicken - brown rice - wheat grass' kind of way, but in the eating more nutritious things, but in the same old delicious way!) I have started eating mushrooms. To work my way into the world of fungi, I have been making this recipe lately. Because really, anything can be tasty when it's 'creamy', right? But if I do say so myself...this is a pretty tasty dish, and pretty easy to make.

Ingredients
1/2-1 pound firm mushrooms, cleaned, mixed or crimini
1/2 medium lemon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons flour or 1 teaspoon cornstarch (dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water)
1 tablespoon minced parsley

Directions
Sprinkle the cleaned mushrooms with lemon juice and coarsely chop in a food processor (or, you know, with a knife!). Set aside. Next, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and lightly saute the shallots. Add the mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaf and saute over moderate heat for 10 minutes. Add a little bit of salt, the pepper, cream, and chicken stock and bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the flour or cornstarch to the soup, mix thoroughly, and continue to simmer 10 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in warm bowls, sprinkled with minced parsley.

Quick and Easy BBQ Tri Tip Roast

INGREDIENTS
1 2-3 pound tri tip roast
3 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoons cayenne pepper
olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
2. Drizzle roast with olive oil and rub with the seasoning mixture completely covering roast.
3. Grill roast on low heat, about 15 minutes per side or until desired doneness.