Tag: onion

Katie’s Sheet Pan Fajitas

Do you make resolutions for the new year? I have some goals, but do I categorize them as New Year’s resolutions? No really. When I do, I always fail. It’s a trend that I see repeating in my life.

I recently read an article discussing New Year’s resolutions. As it turns out, a lot of people make them! Only 22% keep them through January and February, but that number falls significantly afterward. Only 1% made it a year.

My list of things to focus on always begins with diet, exercise, and decluttering my house. Like the resolution setters of the survey, I do good for a few months. Old habits slowly creep back into my lifestyle, and I end up right back where I was.

What’s the answer? As I researched this topic, I found that a diary is an excellent way to keep yourself on track. If you slip up, you can look back to see any triggers you can identify.

Another suggestion was to set goals or resolutions together. Having friends working through the same issues can help you stay on track.

A third idea was to break your larger goals down into smaller, more manageable tasks. This could make it easier to stay motivated and progress over time rather than overwhelmed by large goals that seem impossible to achieve.

Eating healthy is a matter of planning on my part. I usually do okay if I take the time to make a menu. It’s those meals that I have no plan for when my choices do not work in my favor. So, my number one goal is to make a menu every week.

Katie’s fajitas are so easy, healthy, and fast that they may often find their way onto my menu. This Tex-Mex meal was on the table with just a few ingredients in very little time. I liked adding the freshness of lime juice and serving it with fresh cilantro, homemade salsa, and guacamole.

This could be served with flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or rice. If you have a goal of healthy meals, rice cauliflower would be a great option.

I’ve picked up my dairy and plan to start small. And I will keep the word “resolution” out of my vocabulary this year. Happy New Year, Y’all!

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Katie's Sheet Pan Fajitas

Course Main Course
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cut into thin slices
  • 1 (1-oz. pkt.) Kinder's Fajita Blend seasoning or 1/4 cup taco seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1/2 large red onion sliced thin
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded and sliced thin
  • 1 green bell pepper seeded and sliced thin
  • 1-2 small zucchini seeds removed and cut to match the size of bell peppers
  • salsa, guacamole, avocados, cheese, pico de gallo, tortillas, rice or riced cauliflower options for serving

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, which the taco seasoning, oil and lime juice together. Add chicken cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one hour.
  • Remove chicken from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray two large sheet pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  • At the end of one of the sheet pans, add the vegetables. Add chicken to the other end and to the second pan. Do not overcrowd the pan!
  • Bake until the chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender crisp.
  • Serve as desired with tortillas or in a bowl.

Mallory’s Birria Tacos

A weekly trip to the local Mexican restaurant was always my night out of the kitchen when my children were growing up. We could go out, please everyone, and feed the family relatively inexpensively. We moved around several times during those years, but it was always one of the first restaurants we found in our new hometowns.

Savannah has been in the Atlanta area for a few years now, and she enjoys taking us to some of her favorite restaurants when we are there. One that she has yet to take us to, though, is Siete, the one she raves about with out-of-this-world Birria tacos. I get pictures of these tacos every time she goes, but it hasn’t worked out for me to go with her yet.

However, Savannah has had me craving these Birria tacos that I had never even had. I have searched for recipes for over a year, but there has always been something that keeps me from trying them at home until recently!

It changed when Michelle, a friend, told me about the Birria tacos her daughter had made. The recipe was a simple crock pot meal, and Michelle’s daughter, Mallory, kept telling Michelle how delicious they were. I’ve mentioned that I’m a bit of a food snob, so when I heard how easy the recipe was, I had reservations. But it was too easy not to try. I didn’t have much to lose, so I decided to give it a shot.

Oh my goodness, y’all, this may be the best thing I’ve ever had. This recipe starts with only the best beef roast, a chuck roast. Add two envelopes of convenient and tasty seasonings, along with beef broth, and cook in your crock pot all day! When the roast is falling apart tender, shred it and return the meat to the incredible stew in the crock pot. Then, you assemble the tacos and cook them as the recipe suggests. Serve them with a small bowl of the stew for dipping, and expect to be blown away!

I owe Mallory a big apology for doubting her and a huge thank you for introducing me to this recipe! I’m even considering cooking this for our Christmas Eve dinner. And Christmas Eve dinner can’t be your run-of-the-mill meal if you know what I mean. I want our Christmas Eve meal to be unique, different, and memorable. These tacos are warm and comforting, and I can’t think of anything better for my family, who has spent years enjoying Mexican food together. The Birria tacos check off all of the boxes! Plus, as a bonus, I can enjoy more time with my family rather than in the kitchen!

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Mallory's Birria Tacos

Course Main Course
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 3- pounds beef chuck roast
  • 1 large white onion quartered, optional
  • 1 (1-ounce) pkg. Kinder's Carne Asada Mexican Seasoning
  • 1 (1-ounce) McCormick's Au Jus Gravy Mix
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • taco-size flour or corn tortillas
  • shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • fresh cilantro
  • lime wedges

Instructions

  • Add oil to a cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Season roast with salt and pepper. Sear roast in hot pan on all sides. Remove to a crock pot.
  • Add onion around the roast. Sprinkle in the Kinder's and McCormick's seasonings. Add broths. Cover and slow cook on LOW for 8 hours.
  • Remove beef from the broth and shred into small pieces.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Dip the tortillas into the liquid mixture in the crock pot. The fat will be on the surface, so you don't need to dip it too far in. Just make sure it's covered good.
  • Top half of the tortilla with shredded beef, onions if desired, cilantro and shredded cheese. Fold over and fry your taco in a non stick skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 2 minutes per side.
  • Serve with a side of the stew to dip your taco in.

Seafood Gumbo

Seafood Gumbo

The cold weather in Georgia lately has me craving big bowls of soup, chili, and chowder. One of my favorite meals is seafood gumbo. My mother made a killer gumbo, and what I wouldn’t give for a big bowl at her house.

This gumbo contains succulent shrimp, oysters, crab, and crawfish. Fortunately, I had plenty in my freezer to make a big pot. Serve gumbo over steamed rice with plenty of garlic bread. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop for best results. Use the bits of goodness and add to a quesadilla or nachos the next day. Pick out the seafood and vegetables only, avoiding any extra soupy mixture. You will appreciate having leftovers when you bite into these wonderfully delicious treats!

This gumbo has a slight kick. If you are sensitive to heat, you can adjust the seasonings to your taste. I like my gumbo slightly thick and usually have extra filé on hand, just in case I need it. It is best to add the seafood about 20 minutes before serving to avoid overcooking.

Seafood Gumbo
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Seafood Gumbo

Course Main Course
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup chopped green onions, divided
  • 1 1/2 gallons water
  • 1/2 pound fresh or frozen okra
  • 1 (10-ounce can) Rotel
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning
  • Louisiana hot sauce to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons dried basil
  • 2 tablespoons dried thyme
  • 2 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp (70 to 90 ct.)
  • 1 pound crab meat
  • 1 pint fresh oysters
  • 2 to 3 ounces Pure Ground Gumbo File

Instructions

  • Make a roux in a large heavy pot over medium heat: Add oil to pot and heat over medium heat, add flour, it will sizzle when it's at the correct temperature. Use a whisk and stir constantly. Stir until it reaches the color of peanut butter. DO NOT BURN!!
  • Add onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and 1/2 c. green onions. Cook until ingredients are cooked down.
  • Add water, okra, Rotel, and seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer at least 1 hour. Add seafood and continue to cook on medium for about 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Taste for seasoning. Add file to thicken.
  • Stir in remaining green onions and simmer a few more minutes. Serve over rice in bowls.

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

 shrimp-and-andouille-sausage-jambalaya

Cooking is one of my favorite pastimes. My time in the kitchen is relaxing and therapeutic, and I enjoy making people happy with the food I prepare. However, sometimes writing about food does not come easy. Sometimes there is so much going on in the world around me that writing about food seems trivial.

Currently, Covid is touching so many lives around me that it’s hard to focus on anything else. Even though I had a very mild case, it’s just not that way for everyone.

Currently, I still have no taste or smell. It’s pointless to try new recipes right now. My son made this amazing jambalaya for me over the weekend. I could actually taste it, somewhat.

This is one of my old recipes. Wes changed it up a bit by using chicken and spicy deer sausage. In my world, where everything is tasteless, this was so enjoyable!

This jambalaya recipe is super easy and comes together fast. I used a spice blend from Legion of Spice called Bayou Blue, but any cajun seasoning will work. If you do not use Legion of Spice, I would recommend that you add the seasonings a little at a time. Sometimes the salt content can be high, and you do not want to ruin the pot by getting it too salty.

Hillshire Farms has a Cajun Style Andouille Smoked Sausage that tastes great and works well in this recipe. I typically use shrimp, but as Wes did, you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes if desired.

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya
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Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

Course Main Course
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound andouille sausage cut into 1/2-inch rounds
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper seeded and chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 2 large fresh tomatoes chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
  • 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bunch green onions green part only, chopped
  • 1 bunch chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
  • Add a drizzle of olive oilin the pan, if needed. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.
  • Add shrimp, sausage, tomatoes, garlic, seasoning, rice, and chicken broth to the pan. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer until rice is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
  • Stir in parsley and green onion just before serving.

Notes

To use chicken instead of shrimp:  Add1 pound chicken that has been cut into 1-inch cubes, to the Dutch oven with the sausage.  Cook until lightly browned.  Chicken does not have to be cooked through, it will continue to cook in the last 20 minutes or cooking.  

Melon Mango Salsa

While recently camping with friends, I tried some of the best salsa EVER! My friend Katie made this Melon Mango Salsa one afternoon, and her daughter and I almost cleaned it out by ourselves. We had it with tortilla chips, but Katie’s favorite way to serve the Melon Mango Salsa is alongside fish.

Since that camping trip, it has become a favorite of mine. It’s great with fish or chicken. My uncle even had a bowl of it for dessert. Dessert may be a stretch for most, but I think you get the idea. IT IS FANTASTIC!

Melon Mango Salsa will last two days in the refrigerator. Past that, I’m not sure because it has not been around that long at my house.

When choosing a mango, do not focus on the color. The red color on some varieties is not an indicator of ripeness. Always judge by feel. Gently squeeze the mango. It should give slightly when ripe.

The best way to pick a cantaloupe is by smell. It should have a sweet, slightly musky scent. It will feel heavy, and the rind should resemble raised netting. When you press your thumb at the stem end, it should yield slightly.

I don’t know about you, but a good honeydew melon is sometimes difficult for me to pick. You should squeeze the ends of the fruit, and if it’s ripe, it should give a bit. The more yellow it is, the better. Also, a ripe honeydew melon will have an almost sticky texture.

This recipe is not precise. Use your judgment, and if you like more cilantro, onion, or jalapeño, you can certainly add it. You will be able to find delicious melons and mangoes in the stores now. The hot days of July will be a perfect time to serve this salsa!

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Melon Mango Salsa

Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe mangoes peeled and choppped
  • 2 cups peeled and chopped cantaloupe
  • 2 cups peeled and chopped honeydew
  • 1/4 cup red onion chopped (or more to taste)
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno seeded and chopped
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 2 pinches sugar

Instructions

  • In a large bowl combine the chopped mango, cantaloupe, honeydew and onion. Add the cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and sugar and toss.
  • Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
  • Store in the refrigerator.