Category: Food

One Idea & Two Recipes: Blackened Salmon and Ranch Chicken Soft Tacos

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  This recipe repost is the 5th of May appropriate, double delicious, and a reader favorite. Blackened Salmon and Ranch Chicken Soft Tacos are a Cinco de Mayo 2-for-1 ~ a culinary happy hour special.

Last week I was thumbing through an issue of Woman’s Day when the above photo caught my eye.  My first thought was “These look good!”  My second thought was, “Hey, I think I have all the ingredients to make these except the salmon, romaine lettuce, and cilantro.”  It was time play the culinary home version of  I Spy in the Places In The Home test kitchen.  I spy a package of ranch dressing mix, chicken breasts, fresh spinach, fresh limes, sour cream and flour tortillas.  Oh yeah, Ranch Chicken Soft Tacos is on the menu.  Where there’s a meal, there’s a way!

Blackened Salmon Soft Tacos

Ingredients

1  1 ¼ pound(s) piece skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces

2 tablespoon(s) blackening spice mix or Cajun seasoning (no salt added)

½ small head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

½ cup fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Kosher salt and pepper

8 small flour tortillas, warmed

Low fat sour cream, for serving

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat both sides of the salmon with the seasoning mix and cook, covered, until opaque throughout and blackened, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, cilantro, oil, lime juice, and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper.

Flake the salmon into pieces. If desired, spread sour cream on the tortillas, then fill with the salmon and top with the lettuce mixture.

Ranch Chicken Soft Tacos

Ingredients

1 tablespoon(s) olive oil

4 boneless,skinless chicken breast

1 medium onion; chopped

1 14 oz. can chicken broth

1 pkg. ranch dressing mix

½ small container fresh washed spinach

½ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. minced garlic

8 small flour tortillas

1  fresh lime, sliced

sour cream, for serving

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Peel and chop onion, add to oil, and cook until translucent.

Place chicken breast in skillet with onions. Saute over medium high heat until chicken is lightly browned on both sides.  The onions will now be reaching the caramelized stage.

Add ranch dressing mix, pepper and garlic, coating chicken breasts. Slowly pour chicken broth into skillet, stirring to deglaze onions and seasonings from bottom of skillet. Mixture will thicken as it cooks.

Cover and simmer on medium low for approximately 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.  Cut cooked chicken breast crosswise into thin slices. Warm flour tortillas by desired method.  I warm each tortilla individually in the microwave for 15 seconds.  Fill centers with chicken and spinach and fold sides of tortillas over center.  Top with sour cream.  Squeeze fresh lime over taco and add additional black pepper if desired.

enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup

I have solved the what’s for dinner  problem and warmed the souls here at Places In The Home with this recipe for Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup.

homemade chicken and rice soup

January is National Soup Month, and with January weather sizing up to be crazy cold it’s the perfect time for a simple and hearty bowl of soup.

Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients

1  Tablespoon olive oil

2  Tablespoons butter

1   red onion,  finely chopped

2  ribs celery, finely chopped

2  carrots, peeled and chopped

¼  cup chopped fresh parsley

2   32 ounce cartons chicken broth

1½   cups cooked white or wild rice

2   skinless chicken breasts, cooked and sliced

½  teaspoon garlic powder

½  teaspoon Kosher salt

½  teaspoon fine ground black pepper

2   Tablespoons white wine

1  cup half and half

Directions

Heat olive oil and butter in a  oven over medium heat.  Stir in the onion, celery, parsley and carrots.  Saute until slightly tender.

onions-carrots-celery-butter

Pour in chicken broth, stirring to blend.

stock vegetables

Add cooked, sliced chicken, white wine, garlic powder, Kosher salt, and pepper.  Turn heat up to medium-high and bring to a slight boil. Reduce heat to low.

boiling-rice

Add the cooked rice and half and half, stir to incorporate.  Reduce heat to low and allow soup to simmer for at least 1 hour.

enjoy

 

Smoky-Sweet BBQ Pot Roast

A few weeks ago I posted the recipe for Southern Living Smoky-Sweet BBQ Rub.

bbq-dry-rub

Dave the Builder bought an English cut roast at the market and suggested we season the roast with the smoky-sweet BBQ rub.

We put the seasoned rub to the Places In The Home taste test, and it scored 5 forks out of 5 forks.

Here’s our grading scale:

five forks 1

 

Scale of 1-5 Forks

1 fork:  Never Again

2 forks:  Where are the Antacids?

3 forks:  TLC (Tastes Like Chicken?)

4 forks:  Will be Cooking This Dish Again!

5 forks:  Share Worthy Recipe!!

Working on home decor projects makes it necessary for the dinner menu to be lovin’ from the oven friendly.

Season the chicken, pork, or beef, pop it in the oven, and fuggetaboutit.

This week’s recipe deliciously met those requirements.

Smoky-Sweet BBQ Pot Roast

Ingredients

1  3-5 lb. English roast

¼ cup smoky-sweet bbq rub

8 ounces regular cola

4 ounces water

For Smoky-Sweet BBQ Rub:

¼ cup kosher salt

¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons plus 2 tsp. smoked paprika

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Rub roast with smoky-sweet bbq rub.  Place in 4 qt. oven proof pot or roasting pan.  Combine cola and water together and pour over roast.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours or until tender.

enjoy

 

Saturday Night Italian Salad

Saturday Night Italian Salad is my father’s own creation.

Saturday-night-Italian-salad

For as long as I can remember, at least once a month on a Saturday evening my dad would cook steaks on the grill.

He always prepared this salad, the perfect culinary accompaniment to grilled steaks.

This salad is basically a meal in itself, or at the very least, your daily dose of greens and vegetables.

Saturday Night Italian Salad

Ingredients

3  bags spring mix salad mix

1  package cherry grape tomatoes

1  package yellow grape tomatoes

5-7  garden tomatoes, quartered

1  4 ounce can chopped black olives, drained

3  4 ounce cans mushrooms, drained

1 14 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1  15 ounce can extra long asparagus spears, drained

1  14.5 ounce can cut asparagus spears, drained

½- ¾  bottle Italian salad dressing

Directions

Place lettuce greens in a large bowl.  Using kitchen scissors,  cut the greens into smaller pieces.

spring-mix

The chef prepares the tomatoes.

Add tomatoes, drained black olives, artichoke hearts asparagus and mushrooms.

asparagus-whole-Italian-salad

Toss with desired amount of Italian dressing.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

enjoy

Southern Living Recipe: Smoky-Sweet BBQ Rub

The 4th of July week long summertime celebration is upon us!

Fire up the grill or turn up the oven, whatever floats your barbecuing or baking boat.

Chicken, beef and pork will shine in the cookout spotlight this week, and most cooks have never met a seasoned dry rub they didn’t like.

I found this adorably staged recipe image in the June issue of Southern Living (surprise!).

The image caught my eye, but the recipe grabbed my attention.

bbq-rub-recipe

Smoky-Sweet BBQ Rub is music to this Southerner’s ears.

It is made up of dry ingredients that luckily grace the shelves of my cupboards.

The super cute presentation suggestion puts this one on the hostess gift list.

Now if you will excuse me, I have a brisket that needs a smoky-sweet BBQ rub down.

Smoky-Sweet BBQ Rub

Ingredients

¼  cup kosher salt

¼  cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2  Tablespoons plus 2 tsp. smoked paprika

2  tablespoons granulated sugar

2  teaspoons garlic powder

2  teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1  teaspoon dry mustard

1  teaspoon ground cumin

1  teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

Stir together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container up to 1 month.

The jars shown in the Southern Living image are from Hobby Lobby.  The jar I used is from Dollar Tree, and the grapevine wire is from Hobby Lobby as well.  bbq-rub-tagDownload the BBQ rub gift tags here.

enjoy

 

The Holiday For Carrots Easter Dinner Recipes Post

The holiday for carrots Easter dinner recipes post features what else-carrots.

Deyrolle

Holiday weeks can be so hectic, and who doesn’t appreciate a little convenience?

These two recipes are delicious, make a beautiful presentation, and are Easter dinner and dessert appropriate.

homemade carrot cake

Grandma Hiers’ Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Butter, for pans

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

3 cups grated carrots

1 ½ cups chopped pecans, optional

Frosting:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick salted butter, room temperature

1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round pans; Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

shredded carrots

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Add carrots and pecans, if using.  Pour batter into pans.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.

cream cheese frosting

For the frosting:

Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer.

carrot-cake-layers

Stir in the nuts. Spread frosting on top of each cake layer.  Top with chopped pecans.

carrots

Glazed Carrots With Orange & Ginger

Side dishes, desserts and recipes for Easter Sunday dinner are becoming part of the discussion rotation here at Places In The Home.

Traditional holiday favorites take center stage on the menu, but I like to bring something new to the holiday feast.

I found an impressive glazed carrots recipe in one of the many magazines I subscribe to and was ready to go(or so I thought).

Wouldn’t you know it, when I am ready to further investigate the ingredients and prep directions I can’t find the magazine.

Who am I kidding?

I can’t even remember which magazine the recipe was in.

I’m learning to immediately write down the name of the magazine, site or book items of interest are found in.

That did not happen in the case of the missing glazed carrots recipe, so I winged it from part memory, part personal tastes.

Here’s what I came up with.

Glazed Carrots With Orange & Ginger

Ingredients

1 lb pkg. peeled baby carrots

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons orange marmalade

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/3 cup  orange juice

zest of one lemon

zest of one orange

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and parsley in saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to incorporate all ingredients together.

glazed-carrots

Reduce heat to medium low, add lemon juice and  cover.  Cook until carrots are tender.  Taste to determine if you want to adjust the seasonings.

fresh parsley1

I like to add the parsley and one additional squeeze of lemon to the pan to allow it to “soften” for approximately 1 minute.  Serves 4.

enjoy