Use What You Have Quesadillas

On Sunday's, I cook.  I quite literally open the fridge, plan out my lunch for the week and then create some chaos with what is left over.

For lunch, I was craving quesadillas.  Of course, I was out of sour cream and guacamole.  And, in typical me fashion, I bought the world's smallest tortillas.  Was I going to let that stop me?  Uh, never.  I also had another hungry mouth to feed, so no pressure.

Today's ingredients (makes 4 quesadillas):
3 oz. turkey, cooked, sliced, and diced
cheese, shredded
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 red onion
3 crimini mushrooms
1 small tomato
1 tbsp. olive oil
salsa

In a pan with high sides, heat the olive oil.  When the oil is hot, add the vegetables and cook long enough to soften them.  About two minutes before you take the mixture out of the pan, add the turkey.

Remove from heat, spoon mixture into a bowl, and set aside. Carefully wipe out the pan with paper towel and return to the stove.

Allow the pan to heat up again and spray with cooking spray.  Add a tortilla.

Top the tortilla with your vegetable and turkey mixture.

Then add some cheese.

When the underside of the tortilla is golden, top with another tortilla, and cover with a plate.  This helps keep the heat in and melt the cheese.

Flip the quesadilla and cook until the second underside is golden brown.

Now slide that lovely piece of heaven onto a cutting board and allow it to cool for about one minute.  This lets the cheese set all over the vegetables and keep things in place.  Cut in four and plate.

Serve with sour cream and guacamole, if you have them.  Enjoy!

This One Is Dedicated to the Ones I Love

Recently, I turned 35.

Again.

One of the things I really wanted for my birthday was to be surrounded by my family.  The family I have created for myself, not necessarily the family I share DNA with.

Simply put, most of the family that I have that I share a gene pool with are people I really do not like.  Addiction, psychosis, insecurity, and general nastiness keep me away.  If you are reading this, if we are related, if you have not seen or heard from me in the past year or so... you are, or possess at least one of the four things that started the last sentence.  And no, I will not be apologizing for saying that out loud on the internet.  Grow up and own your shit.

My birthday dinner party was exactly what I wanted.  We had great food I spent all day cooking...

.... pulled chicken sandwiches and potato salad...

... nachos with salsa, sour creme, and pico de gallo guacamole...

... edemame beans and wings...

We also had blue cake with an Alice in Wonderland topper (thank you Pinterest and my sassy Mum who can't stand fondant but still wanted me to have Alice and company atop my blue cake)...

We had sunshine after a day of rain, we had badminton and pink Mohawks.  Most importantly, we all had each other; three families that have chose each other, together as one.

And flowers.  Do not forget the flowers...

Fish Sammich

When I was in university, money was tight.  Like tight as Joan Rivers' face tight.  I had been raised on a meat and potatoes, boil the shit out of everything and cook it until its good and dead diet.


When money was scarce, I had to become creative in what I ate and how I prepared it.  One of the marvels that was created back then that still has life today was the fish sammich.  This particular recipe was created from leftovers on a Sunday afternoon and while the ingredient list may look sketchy, it is the perfect sandwich to have at home on the weekends.


AVOCADO AND TILAPIA ON RYE

Makes 2 sandwiches.


Ingredients:
4 oz. tilapia (you can also use cod or sole)
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1/2 avocado
2 tbsp. miracle whip
2 tbsp. low fat sour cream
salt and pepper
1/4 -1/2 c. shredded cabbage
4 slices rye bread
1/4 - 1/2 c. prepared salsa

Method:
-preheat oven to 375 degrees
-season tilapia with lemon pepper; you may not use all of the 1/2 teaspoon or you may decide to use more
-on a foil lined tray, cook tilapia for 12 to 15 minutes; ensure to cook tilapia through but check frequently after 12 minutes for doneness
-set aside to cool
-in a bowl, combine avocado, miracle whip, and sour cream; season with salt and pepper to taste
-go here to learn how to remove a pit and avocado from the avocado skin

-in a separate bowl, lightly flake the tilapia

-add the tilapia and cabbage to the avocado mixture and stir until the tilapia and cabbage are coated

-on one slice of bread, spread salsa and top with avocado and tilapia mixture

-top with remaining slice of bread

First Clippings

The first clipping of herbs is the most exciting time of the gardening season for me.  First up this year is tarragon and Italian parsley...

What does a girl do when things are this fabulous?

She makes the most perfect gourmet scrambled eggs ever!

Makes one serving.

For this recipe, you will need to use a non-stick frying pan and a rubber or silicon spatula.

Ingredients:

cooking spray (I prefer Pam's extra virgin olive oil spray)

2 eggs

1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped

2 tsp. fresh tarragon, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

-chop herbs and set aside near the stove

-turn stove on to medium heat, spray the pan with cooking spray and put on stove

-all the the pan to heat up but do not let it start smoking

-in a bowl, whisk eggs

-slowly pour eggs into preheated pan

-swirl eggs to coat the bottom of the pan

-turn off the stove, yes turn it off because you will be using the residual heat from the element to complete the cooking process

-sprinkle herbs over eggs as well as salt and pepper

-using the spatula, scramble the eggs taking care to gently work the herbs into the eggs until they reach desired doneness

Note: you can also add a teaspoon of sour cream and a teaspoon of salsa to give the eggs a Tex Mex flavour

Nutritional information, which does not include the sour cream or salsa (click to view full size):