BeB's Chipotle~Mango~Mahi Tacos con Jo-Gurt Frijoles

My plate of goodness. Gonzales Mexican Rice included !

Fresh Mahi Mahi Fish

1/2 jar Garlic Chipotle Salsa

2 green Scallion onions (diced)

1/2 bunch Cilantro (diced)

1 Lemon 
2 Limes
1 Ripe Mango 
2 Cans Pinto Beans

Cracked Lemon-Pepper 

Cumin and Sea Salt 

Plain yogurt
Cheese (your choice)
Lettuce or Cabbage 
Guacamole
Corn Tortillas

• Start with your Mango Salsa: 
You can use whatever Salsa you want as the base. 
I love Traders Joe's brand "Garlic Chipotle" in a 16 oz jar.Pour in 1/2 jar in small bowl. 
Cut Full mango into square chunks. 
Add Mango, diced onions, cilantro, pepper, sea salt and cumin. Set Aside.
• 
Next prepare the creamy lettuce love
Chop up 1/4 head of lettuce, cabbage or a bowl full of prepared salad from a salad bag. 
Place your desire leafy greens in a bowl. Add guacamole, lemon squeeze, pepper. 
(If you have it, Lemon pepper is delicious) Set aside.
• 
Heat 2 cans Pinto beans in pot. 
When cooked turn down heat and mash. 
Add your favorite cheese, salt/pepper/cumin.
Add dollop of sour cream or I like to substitute plain yogurt. 
It tastes great and gives your frijoles a creamy texture. Plus its healthier for you. 
Stir together. Turn off heat. Place lid and set aside on stovetop.
• 
Heat olive oil on low-medium heat.
One at a time* Place corn tortilla in warm oil to fry, flip and shape as you go along. Set aside.
Amount varies depending on how many mouths your feeding.
• 
Grill Mahi with lightly bathed Olive Oil (LAST)
You want it warm and it only takes a minute or so to cook.
• 
Place lettuce love mixture first in taco shell, add mango salsa 
Place mahi on top with a squeeze of lime.
By adding the fish last you get to indulge in the wonderful flavor of the salsa without it drowning out the lemony peppered mahi taste. 
• 
Serve beans on the side and Mexican rice if the suits your fancy :)
ENJOY the Indulgence !!

EZRA's Winey Feta Melon Salad

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 bunches arugula (about 12 ounces total), thick stems removed
1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2-pound piece chilled seedless watermelon, 
rind removed, cut into small chunks (2 to 3 cups)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
                                                     Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine arugula and onion; toss with dressing to taste. 
Gently toss with watermelon and feta, and serve.

I like to add a chopped nut when I can find them cheap, like walnuts. 
And I'll use regular red leaf lettuce when it's cheap, too.. 


Submitted By:Ezra Paul Cattelino 

Happy Birthday Cake !!

Bradley Dean Taylor

It's wonderful to receive images like this when proud mommy's document the moments of their little ones joining in the cooking celebration. 

This is my incredible nephew hard at work in my sister, Amys kitchen whipping up a birthday cake for her 28th birthday today. What a good boy !!

Jen's BLoody Sundays; with secret SALT. shhhhh

*Compliments of Mrs. Jen Padgett* Formally Jen Hoey :)

Beb,

Here is my first entry for your blog:

The Secret is in the salt: celery salt, that is.  I'm talking about mixing your way into bloody marys that will have the crowds raving.  Trust me on this one...I have to rely on what the crowds say because I don't particularly like bloodies myself.  Another thing that will help:  make it a double shot of vodka, and Clamato or V8 over regular tomato juice works best.  I have to give my sister credit for the celery salt...which is an often underused or overlooked ingredient.....you almost cannot have too much of this mixed in with your mary. The more vodka the better....those of us who imbibe on Sunday mornings are not your regular recreational drinkers....we need some relief please!  (follow up seconds and thirds with a lighter touch on the alcohol:  after all, Monday is not supposed to be a recovery day as well!) Here is a suggested recipe  (I'm a pinch here, pinch there type of cooker, so modify this to your own taste)

Pint Glass filled with Ice
 (all the way to the top! pack it in if you have to)

2 shots off vodka ( i love beefeaters in bloodies - but any cheap vodka will do)

Spices:

1 tbls celery salt - or at least fill up the top layer of your vodka with salt

2 tbls Worcester

Tapatillo - at least a few big drops hot sauce 

Pepper- a few mighty shakes 

Clamato- fill glass 1/2 inch from rim

now, do not simply stir this concoction...

make sure that you use a shaker or pour this back and forth

 from one pint glass to another a few times before handing

 it over to the lucky person who gets to drink it.  

This will help blend the flavors properly.

•Don't forget to garnish with a celery stalk!

•Other garnishments:  pickled green beans, jalapenos and olives  (set out a tray for your friends to pick and choose)

•Other ingredients to try:  Horseradish:  haven't used it, but have heard great things about it in a bloody.

†† If Sodium is not your bag, ditch the salt all together and get a low or ZERO sodium tomato jucie and ADD MORE +VEGGIES TO THE MIX ;) Simple.

......** CROCK-Pott'in Carnitas **.....

EASY Meats, Tenderly Sexy : 

Now were talkin FOOOOD !! 

Cook'in is one of my most enjoyable past times. 

Well... next to cook'in with my chicano man, Frank. 

now, now.. this is a respectably clean post. 
Sure we will be rubbing butter on meaty shoulders and inserting garlic cloves but... ok, I digress. 
On With the recipe.! mmmm Hmmmmm 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PORK CARNITAS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

First: *``VEGGIE CUTS``
(all pre-bathed of course) I like to cut up my veggie goods while my hands are cleanest.  
PLUS things are prepped faster this way.  
* Cilantro= The more the better 1/2 to 3/4 of the bunch. OR THE WHOLE DAMN BUNCH ;) 
~ Chop off and trash the very little ends that are dirty but chop the stems in smaller pieces and the leaves in larger pieces since they look pretty. 
* Onion= I like Red but its your choice.
~ Cut them in lg to medium sizes 


BEER:
* 2 Cans (one for your hand one for the Pig) = YES...SOOOOO important, its okay with kids because the alcohol boils away & the yeast flavors the pork perfectly. 
I tend to like TECATE. Mexican beer tastes best but anything will work. 
Just wouldnt recommend a dark beer (too bitter) 


Next, *``SPICES`` 
Get a small bowl and mix your spices of choice. (as mama cooks we tend to have or faves, use what your family love most) 
I love Lawry's seasoning salt and or garlic salt, onion powder lots of pepper, ground thyme, rosemary... if your into some spice crushed ground pepper.  
If you have lil Chitrens (KIDS), you'll probably want to omit the HOT spice and add it to your adult, personal finished tacos. 
Place the dry spice bowl off to the side and prepare your meat ;)  

*``Pork Shoulder``  
(if it has fat still attached, keep it attached while cooking: it holds in the flavor of the meat,
(like embraces it) You can easily remove the fat after fully cooked and toss out if thats your wish.
~ Wash the hunk o' meat well under the faucet, then put it in a glass container (bowl or baking dish) that will give you enough room to mess with it. 
~ Take like 4-6 garlic cloves and randomly poke holes in the meat and stick the cloves deep inside for best flavor.
~ Sprinkle the dry spice mixture over the pork, put either butter or olive oil over it in light drizzles and  
~ Simply massage the meat with this yummy goodness of the butter and dry goods. 
Dont worry about the bottom of the pork, *****just sides and top.****
 ~ Then place some Onion chunks and in those holes and in other places of available space.

*``CROCK POTTIN`` 
~Place some onions and cilantro in the bottom of the crock pot. 
~POUR the Beer in the Crock Pot 
~Place the Lathered Pork Hunk in the Crock 
~Sprinkle a few more spices on top ...just be random and have fun.
~Add the rest of the cilantro and onion on top  
~LID ON; 
Cook on High for like 4-6 hours depending on the size of the pork Hunk  

*``Taco toppings`` 
~ Get to cuttin up more cilantro, green scallions, and tomatoes if thats your thing 
~ Frank usually makes a homemade salsa and guacamole too ; )  
(for this ... you are better off having contact with a Mexican mother, they know best.. i know from experience)

*``Shells`` **
(( Make right before you sit down & chomp; eat so they are warm when serving ))
** ~Make your own shells with olive oil and corn tortillas ~**
buying store bought taco shells is like tHEEEE biggest faux pas !
I mean reallllly.. Do it right :)
Have a plate with a paper towel to gather the extra oil as they drain.
I usually sprinkle a lil salt on each then cover with another plate or lid to keep them warm for serving. 
If your really stuck on this.... practice.. 
I could do a post on tortilla "doin" .. let me know. 

***** Great thing about Carnitas is you can have tacos one night,
leftovers for hubbys lunch the next day,  
AAANNNDDD...... You can make Enchiladas with green sauce the next night !! 
I have a great recipe for that to ;)  :) enjoy and
if i didnt explain something well enough, please dont hesitate to contact me...  
Your only payback for this is to let me know how it turned out ;)  

* Post Your Food Photos * Make a little X-tra 'dough' *

Food Blogging has really taken off in the last few years, and with it.. an added opportunity to gain more income. If you enjoy whipping up a delicious dish that is just as beautifully presented as it is tasty then perhaps you may want to take a stab at photographing your masterpieces and selling the images online. 

Here are a few stock photography websites that will help you do just that:

**OH, and an extra additive "all of these sites are free to use !"**

Shutterstock

iStockPhoto

Dreamstime

BigStockPhoto

Fotolia
by: Beb