Chicken Tecate Tacos with Spicy Guacamole

Tender, juicy chicken tacos....what's the secret?? Cheap beer. I got a really big tecate, used half-drank half. Perfect combo! Because I wanted these tacos to be simple, I made the guacamole really chunky to prevent needing lots of topping- so it's full of tomatoes, onions and cilantro!

Chicken
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3 Chicken breasts, cut thinly and then chopped
1/2 Jalapeno, diced
1 Tbsp. Cumin
1 Tbsp. Cayenne
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 16 oz. Tecate
1 Lime, Juiced
1 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped finely
Salt
Pepper

Guacamole
2 Avocados
1/4 Small Red Onion (about 3 Tbsp.)
1 Tomato, chopped
1/2 Jalapeno, diced
1/2 Lime, Juiced
1 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped finely
Salt
Pepper

Flour Tortillas
Mexican 4-Cheese Blend

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken and jalapeno.  Cook over medium heat to start getting the sides a little brown. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne and chili powder. Cook for about 5 minutes until all the sides are brown. Pour half the beer over the chicken and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste and cook until liquid is really low (approx. 15 minutes). The key is to keep the temperate at a low medium so the chicken tenderizes.

In a separate bowl, smash the avocados with the back of your fork, add the lime juice, a little salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Add the onions, tomatoes, cilantro and stir.

These can be as basic as you want. I served with just a little cheese on top...but black beans and sour cream would have added a nice touch! Or perhaps some thinly sliced radishes!

Always love taco night!
-e

Ground Turkey and Zucchini Lasagna Bake

I call this recipe a "Lasagna Bake" because there are only 6 noodles and its mostly a veggie/meat/cheese dish. It's really good- but not a traditional lasagna you cut...this is more of a scoop into a bowl kinda meal.

Meat Sauce
1 lb. Ground Turkey
1 Tsp. Ground Basil
1 Tsp. Fennel Seeds
Sea Salt
Pepper
3/4 Jar Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce
1/4 C. Red Wine

Veggies
3 Zucchinis (I used 2 green, 1 yellow)
1 Tsp. Olive Oil
1 Tsp. Ground Basil
Sea Salt
Pepper

Cheese Mixture
2 C. Ricotta Cheese
1 C. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Egg

6 No-Bake Lasagna Noodles
Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 C. Shredded Mozzarella
1/4 Jar Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce
10 Fresh Basil Leaves, Chopped

Preheat the oven to 375.
Brown the ground turkey in a frying pan. Drain the grease. Season with salt, pepper, fennel and basil. Add the tomato sauce, red wine and simmer.

In another frying pan, heat olive oil. Add the sliced zucchini and season with salt, pepper and basil. Sauté until soft, for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, mozzarella and egg. Stir and set aside.

In a 9x13 casserole dish, pour the rest of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan. Place 3 noodles on the sauce. Layer with half the meat sauce and then all of the cheese mixture. Layer with 3 more noodles. Top with the veggies, the rest of the meat sauce, mozzarella cheese, basil leaves and a couple swift shakes of the crushed red pepper.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes.

Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad

After 2 weekends of complete food binging- it's time to start eating clean again! So back to the fresh veggies! So to mix up a typical caprese salad- I roasted the tomatoes. It added a nice sweetness and the heat warms the mozzarella perfectly. The roasted tomatoes are inspired by this recipe by Ina Garten.

 

 

Perfectly Roasted Tomatoes

Tomato + Cheese + Basil= Perfect Combination

6 Large Tomatoes, sliced about 1/2"
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
1 Tsp. Sugar
Fresh Mozzarella, Sliced (4 oz.)
8-10 Basil Leaves, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 450. Line an baking tray with aluminum foil and lay out the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, ground pepper and finally sugar. Bake for about 25 minutes. They will shrink significantly and begin to caramelize. Remove from oven.

Layer the mozzarella with the warm tomatoes (be careful, they are very delicate). Drizzle with a little more balsamic, top with fresh basil and a little pinch of sea salt.

Such a delicious salad- I served it with grilled chicken. This would be equally as good with grilled portabellas or eggplant! Veg out!

Enjoy the sweet taste of summer!
-e