Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Since I’ve put Buffalo Chicken in virtually everything else, I figured it was about time I put it in a taco

I also just received these adorable and amazingly practical Longaberger Taco Holders in the mail, I mean seriously, how cute are these? And they keep all that yummy buffalo chicken right in your taco instead of falling out on a plate!

If you want the heads up on awesome limited-release products like these Taco Holders, check out The Longaberger Company on Facebook!

Instead of using blue cheese traditionally served with buffalo chicken, I kicked these babies up a notch with some pepper jack cheese, then added a cool cilantro lime dip on top!

The result was one seriously delicious taco!

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (app 1 lb)
• 1 tsp Enzo Olive Oil
• 1 jalapeño (de-seeded and diced)
• 1/2 red onion (diced)
• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
• 8 small corn or flour tortillas (corn for gluten-free)
• 1 cup pepper jack cheese (shredded)
• 1 cup cilantro lime dip (click link for recipe)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 lime (sliced into 8 small wedges)

Begin by pressure cooking or boiling the 2 chicken breasts.  Once cooked through, shred the chicken with a knife and fork.

Next, add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add the jalapeño and onion.

Saute for 5-7 minutes, then add the shredded chicken.

Next, add the buffalo sauce, mix together, turn the heat to low and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the chicken mixture to the tortillas, then top with pepper jack cheese, cilantro lime dip, fresh cilantro and one lime wedge to squeeze over the taco.

The balance of spiciness from the buffalo chicken and creaminess from the cilantro lime dip is perfection!

♣ Vegetarian Option: Substitute “veggie crumbles” or tofu for the shredded chicken to make this recipe vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: This recipe is gluten free when corn tortillas are used.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Green Chili Avocado Salsa

These tacos came about as I decided to combine a couple of different  LLB recipes that I love all in to one dish!

Chili Lime Garlic Shrimp, bomb! Green Chili Avocado “Awesome Sauce” Salsa… lets just say it has awesome in the name, bomb! Throw in a little Red Pepper Lime Slaw and some cotija cheese, winning combination of deliciousness!

Ingredients

• 1 cup Green Chili Avocado “Awesome Sauce” Salsa
• 15-20 Chili Lime Garlic Shrimp
• 6 corn tortillas
• 1 red bell pepper (julienned)
• 1 cup red cabbage (shredded)
• 1 cup green cabbage (shredded)
• 3 limes
• 1/4 cup cotija cheese

Prepare the “awesome sauce” and grilled shrimp via the recipes on the links provided!

Combine the bell pepper, cabbage and juice of 2 limes in a mixing bowl.

Next, spread the salsa onto the tortillas, then top with the shrimp. Next, top with the Red Pepper Lime Slaw and Cotija cheese.  Serve with a lime wedge on the side of each taco!

So simple, can be made in 30 minutes or less and so, so ridiculously good!

Woo hoo for Taco Tuesday!

Dig in to this recipe tonight!

♦ Gluten Free Option: This recipe is gluten-free (when corn tortillas are used).

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Chopped Challenge Thursday: Cranberries, Spam, Serrano Chilies and Dark Chocolate

When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade.  When Dusty Duprel hands you spam, you make fancy spam tacos!

This weeks mystery basket included Cranberries from Olivia Reyes, Serrano Chilies from Kate Ouzounian, the aforementioned Spam and Dark Chocolate from Angela Cho.

I decided to combine the cranberries, dark chocolate and Serrano chilies into a mole sauce to top the spam which I marinated in a chili lime mixture (in my opinion you have to put some work in to make spam delicious!)

The final result of “Chopped Challenge Thursday” Week Twelve:  Chili Lime Marinated Spam Tacos with Cranberry Mole Sauce!

Ingredients

• Cranberry Mole (makes 4 cups)
• 1 lb tomatillos
• 3 large pasilla chilies (chopped)
• ½ cup cranberries
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 6 small Serrano chilies (de-seeded and chopped)
• 1 very ripe plantain (sliced)
• 2 oz dark chocolate

• Chili Lime Spam (makes 1 ½ cups)
• 12 oz can Spam
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 lime (juiced)
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp olive oil

• Tacos (makes 6 tacos)
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1 lime (cut into 6 wedges)
• 2 avocados
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp queso fresco

We’re going to start by marinating that spam to infuse it with the chili lime flavors and take away the canned taste.

Simply whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, chili powder lime juice, red pepper flakes and olive oil.  Then open up that can of spam and dice it up.

Add the spam to the marinade and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

While the spam is marinating, prepare the mole sauce.

Begin by roasting the tomatillos.  Because my HOA busted me for having a grill on my balcony, I will now roast my tomatillos in the oven!

Allow to roast for 15-20 minutes of until slightly charred on the outside. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Next, lightly brown the pasilla chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the skillet and add to a medium bowl with the cranberries.  Cover with warm water then set aside.

In the same skillet over medium heat add the almonds, ground cloves, cinnamon, black pepper and allspice.

Toast for 2-3 minutes then place in a spice grinder and ground until a powder forms. If you do not have a spice grinder a coffee grinder works well or a small food processor.

Still using the same skillet add the olive oil, onions, garlic and serrano chilies.

Brown in the skillet until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Now peel the cooled tomatillos and place in a blender or food processor with the ground spices.

Next add the dark chocolate and plantains to the blender.

Then add the cooked onions and chilies, pasilla peppers, cranberries and a small amount of the soaking liquid.  Start with about 1/2 cup, then add more if the sauce is too thick.

Blend until creamy, then pour back into the skillet over low heat.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes while cooking the spam.

Pour the spam and marinade into a skillet over medium-high heat.

Cook for 7-10 minutes or until no liquid exists and the spam is slightly caramelized.

To make the tacos, place the spam into warmed tortillas.

Then top with the cranberry mole sauce.

Finish the tacos off with cilantro, cojita cheese and avocado.

These tacos have a great balance of sweetness, acidity and spice!

The chocolate, chili pepper, cranberry combination in the mole sauce is divine! I’m thinking about making this for Thanksgiving to put on the turkey, Yum!

These tacos would be delicious with a side of Grilled Pineapple Tomatillo Guacamole or Deconstructed Mexican Street Corn!

If Spam is not your thing, you could easily substitute shrimp, chicken or beef in this dish!

Or if you’re vegetarian, Tofu Tacos!

Now it’s time to dig in!

♣ Vegetarian Option: Substitute spam with tofu.

♦ Gluten Free Option: This recipe is gluten-free, just make sure the brand of soy sauce you purchase is gluten-free! (Fresh & Easy is not.)

TJ Tacos

No, not Tijuana TJ… Trader Joes, TJ! I made this recipe one night after a long day. You know how that goes, you’re on your way home from school, work or whatever your day holds, you’re so exhausted but you know that there’s nothing at home to eat!  Some people take the fast food route, I take the “fast cooking” route, but before you can “fast cook” you have to “fast shop” and that’s where Trader Joes comes in!

Being a smaller, specialty grocery store there’s not all the navigating through aisle after aisle to get what you need for dinner. They are always well staffed making check out a breeze!  But my favorite thing about Trader Joes is I know I’m getting fresh, healthy food with no artificial ingredients or preservatives which is very important to me and time-saving because there’s no need to read labels on everything!

You also can’t beat the price!  Everything needed for this meal which feeds 4 can be purchased at Trader Joes for $13.13 (yes that’s actually the exact amount it came out to!  All the sudden 13 doesn’t feel so unlucky ) That comes out to $3.28 per person!  Cheaper AND much more delicious and nutritious than anything that could be bought at a fast food joint and it only takes 10 minutes to make!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 flour tortillas
• 1 cup mexican blend cheese
• 1 cup romaine lettuce (chopped)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 1 red onion (chopped)
• 1 jalapeño (chopped)

Other Optional Ingredients

• Sour Cream
• Salsa
• Avocado

Start by cooking the hamburger meat.  Once browned add the taco seasoning, water and combine well.

Next chop the veggies.

Once the seasoning is cooked into the meat, heat the tortillas wrapped in a paper towel in the microwave for 45 seconds.

Now, you’re ready to start putting the tacos together. Start by spooning in the hamburger meat.

Next add the cheese, lettuce and chopped veggies.

And there it is!  Super yummy, quick and easy!

I ate the leftovers a couple of days later. This time I’d been to the store and picked up some avocados so I added them to the tacos and perfected the meal!

♣ Vegetarian Option: Substitute meatless crumbles for the ground beef.

♦ Gluten Free Option: Substitute corn tortillas for the flour.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.