Easy Chicken Tacos

I know we don't really need a recipe for chicken tacos, but I knew I had to try the marinade on this NYT recipe and it certainly did not disappoint.  The hot sauce gives it great flavor and using chicken thighs keep the meat juicy and not dried out.  This is great for a quick and easy weeknight meal, and if you have time to mix the marinade over the chicken in the morning and let it sit in the fridge all day, that's even better!

Easy Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs {about 1.5 lbs}

3 garlic cloves, minced or grated

1 lime, juiced

1 Tblsp vinegar based hot sauce {I used Cholula}

1 tsp onion powder

4 Tblsp vegetable oil

Salt & Pepper

Tortillas & favorite taco toppings, for serving

Instructions

1. Mix chicken, garlic, lime juice, hot sauce, onion powder, 2 Tblsp oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a bowl and toss to combine.  Set in fridge if you have time to marinate.

2. When ready to cook, heat remaining 2 Tblsp oil in cast iron skillet.  Add chicken in single layer and cook until browned and edges crisp, about 8 minutes per side.  Remove to cutting board and cut into bite sized pieces.

3. On medium low, add about 1/2 cup water to pan and scrape up browned bits.  Keep skillet warm and add back in chicken, stirring frequently for 3 minutes.

4. Serve with favorite taco toppings.

Serves 4

adapted from nyt cooking

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Oven Baked Beef Tacos

For Cinco de Mayo this year I decided to try a new, easy taco recipe that I found on Erin Lives Whole, Oven Baked Beef Tacos.  These were super simple for a weeknight meal and the flavor of the ground beef with the spices was really delicious.  Topped with some salsa, homemade guac, and Greek yogurt, these were the perfect "festive" dinner to pop into the oven {and they also made great leftovers the next day}.  Perfect!

Oven Baked Beef Tacos

Ingredients

2 Tblsp olive or avocado oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne 

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, diced

12 - 6 inch corn tortillas

1- 16oz can refried beans

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Guacamole, sour cream, and salsa for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. In a large skillet, heat oil.  Add diced onion and cook about 3-4 minutes.  Add ground beef and cook through.

3. Add in seasonings {salt thru oregano}.  Stir well to combine.  Add in cilantro, mix together, and remove from heat.

4. Microwave tortillas for 15 seconds to soften {I did this half at a time}.

5. Lay 6 tortillas flat on 2 separate baking sheets, making 12 tacos total.  Coat both sides of tortillas with oil.

6. Add scoop of refried beans to half of each tortilla, then top with a scoop of meat mixture until evenly distributed among all tortillas.

7. Add cheese to opposite half of each tortilla.

8. Place tacos in oven for about 3 minutes to soften, then remove and fold in half, using the cheese as a glue to hold the tacos together.  Bake for another 8-10 minutes until crispy.

9. Serve with desired toppings.

Serves 4

adapted from erin lives whole

xoxo,

stephanie marie

El Mezcalito

Friday afternoon the sun was shining and at 70 degrees it was one of the warmest days we've had in a loooooong time.  After work C and I decided to take advantage and walk up to El Mezcalito, a Mexican restaurant on QA Ave that we walk by all the time but have never tried together.  The place was busy {apparently everyone else thought it was margarita weather too} but we grabbed two seats by the open front window and immediately ordered some yummy cocktails and chips and guac.  For dinner we shared the signature Mole Negro Oaxaqueno and the Carne Asada plate and while we agreed we've had better Mexican food, there's really nothing like being able to walk somewhere, sit outside, and have a spicy margarita on a sunny day.  The perfect Friday afternoon!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Sal Y Limon

Monday evening we headed down to Lower Queen Anne so Christian could get fitted for a suit for the wedding {see below pic of the insane shop during graduation and prom season!}.  Since it was right around dinner time, I decided to walk down with him and take him out to dinner after shopping.  Though we've driven past Sal Y Limon on Mercer a million times and dismissed it as a touristy spot next to the Center, I've seen several really good reviews on Instagram recently so we decided to give it a shot and see what the fuss was about.  Boy are we glad we did!  We started with a spicy margarita and spicy Paloma, and when the waiter asked what level of spicy we wanted {1-5} we knew it was no joke.  I love a spicy drink but these ones were actually SPICY {even at a level 3} which just goes to show they weren't messing around.  My burrito with carne asada was, to my surprise, one of the best I've ever had and Christian's enchiladas were also amazing judging by our completely empty plates at the end {I'm glad we had to walk back up the hill after dinner because we were FULL}.  Despite this place needing a better marketing campaign and signage out front, I think we've found a new favorite spot in Seattle that we'll definitely be coming back to.  Actually, maybe they should keep things just as they are so that no one else discovers them :). If you're looking for some delicious Mexican food and spicy yummy drinks, look no further!

the craziest suit and tux store i've ever seen

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Swiss Chard Enchiladas

I know Swiss Chard Enchiladas may not be at the very top of your list, but I promise you these are some of the best enchiladas I've tasted.  When I first got the Smitten Kitchen Keepers cookbook this recipe instantly popped out as something I wanted to try and when we finally did a few weeks back, I knew it was going to become an instant classic in our house.  The flavors are perfect {especially that homemade enchilada sauce} and even though it's vegetarian it is super filling and delicious.  I'd highly recommend whipping these up for a quick weeknight meal - it's one of my faves lately!

Swiss Chard Enchiladas

Ingredients

Filling

1 lb bundle Swiss chard

1 large red onion

Salt & pepper

Olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup corn kernels {I used 1 can, rinsed and drained}

1- 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese

Sauce

1- 14.5oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

Olive oil

1 Tbsp ground chili powder

1/2 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

Assembly & Finish

8- 8inch flour tortillas

1 cup grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

Handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1 avocado, sliced

Sour cream

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400.

2. Strip leaves from chard stems and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons.  Set aside.  Cut steps into 1/4 inch segments.  Cut red onion in half, and one of the halves in half again.  Thinly slice one quarter, season with a pinch of salt, and set aside to use as garnish later.  Finely chop remaining 3/4 of the onion.

3. Heat large frying pan over medium heat.  Add 2 Tbsp olive oil and once hot add chard stems, chopped onion, garlic, and salt & pepper to season.  Cook until stems soften slightly, about 5-7 minutes.  Add greens and more salt and pepper and cook until wilted, another 5-7 minutes.  Add corn and cook 2 minutes.  Transfer to bowl and add black beans and Cotija.  Taste filling and adjust seasonings as needed.  

4. In blender, combine tomatoes, 3 Tblsp olive oil, chili powder, sugar, cumin, and oregano until mixture is smooth.  Season well with salt {1/2 to 1 tsp}.

5. Coat baking dish lightly with oil and spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce evenly across the bottom.  For each tortilla, spread a spoonful of sauce on the tortilla, fill with filling and roll, placing in dish seam side down.  Repeat until you run out of filling.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas, leaving the very edges without so they can get crispy.  Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake about 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

6. Serve with remaining red onion, cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.

Serves 4

adapted from smitten kitchen keepers

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas

I've had some hits and misses with meal planning lately, but these Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas from Cookie & Kate were a HUGE hit a few weeks back.  They were super easy to put together {I put the sweet potatoes into the oven towards the end of the work day so everything was ready to assemble when we were hungry} and all of the flavors come together so perfectly that you don't miss the meat at all.  Note that ours made a ton of filling so we ended up needing more than 10 tortillas, but that was the best kind of problem to have :)  I can tell these are going to be a year round staple in our house and suggest you try them ASAP.

Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Ingredients

Filling

2 small to medium sweet potatoes {about 1 1/4 lbs)

1- 15oz can black beans, rinsed & drained

4 oz {1 cup} grated Monterey Jack cheese

2 oz {1/2 cup} crumbled feta cheese

8oz can diced green chiles

1 medium jalapeno, seeded and minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tblsp lime juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Other ingredients

2 cups {16oz} mild salsa verde {I used Trader Joe's jarred version}

10 corn tortillas {though we ended up with lots of extra filling so I'd suggest more!}

4 oz {1 cup} grated Monterey Jack cheese

Toppings

Sour cream or Greek yogurt

Chopped red onion

Chopped fresh cilantro

Avocado

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F and line large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Slice sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and coat flat sides lightly with olive oil.  Place flat side down on baking sheet.  Bake until tender and cooked through, about 30-35 minutes.  If cooking enchiladas right away, leave oven on.

2. Meanwhile, pour enough salsa verde into 9x13 baking dish to cover bottom lightly.  In medium mixing bowl, combing all the remaining filling ingredients.

3. Once sweet potatoes are cooked through and cool enough to handle, scoop out insides with a spoon.  Discard skins, lightly mash insides with a fork, and stir into bowl of filling, seasoning with salt & pepper.

4. Warm your tortillas one by one in a skillet or in a stack in the microwave so they don't break during assembly.

5. Spread about 1/2 cup filling down center of each tortilla, wrapping and placing in your baking dish.  Repeat for all tortillas.

6. Top with remaining salsa verde and cheese.  Bake for 25-30 minutes at 400 F until sauce is bubbling and cheese is lightly golden.

7. Let enchiladas cool about 5 minutes.  Top with desired toppings.

Serves 5

adapted from cookie & kate

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

With my quest for more easy slow cooker recipes I've been picking up Skinnytaste Fast & Slow more frequently which has so many hidden gems for easy and healthy crockpot meals.  I can't believe I haven't made these chicken burrito bowls before, but they were one of the easiest things I've made in a long time - no pre-chopping required!  They made a delicious dinner with all the toppings and excellent leftovers the next day, solidifying their place on my crockpot rotation all year long!

Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups store bought chunky medium salsa

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, rinsed and drained {or 1 1/4 cups frozen corn}

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

Burrito Bowl fixin's, including rice, shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, extra salsa, radishes, etc

Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt, put in slow cooker, and top with jarred salsa, black beans, corn, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder.

2. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. 

3. Shred chicken in crockpot or on plate {it will fall apart so easily}.

4. Make bowls adding chicken mixture to rice and top with desired toppings.

Serves 6

adapted from skinnytaste fast and slow

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Simple Cauliflower Tacos

I found this recipe for Simple Cauliflower Tacos on Smitten Kitchen back in the spring when I was looking for something easy to make us for dinner and have since made it several times because it is that good and that easy.  It requires only a few key ingredients but is so full of flavor {do not skip those pickled red onions!} that I find myself coming back to it time and time again.  It makes excellent leftovers for days and I highly suggest giving this one a chance the next time you're looking for something delicious, hearty, and meat-free!

Simple Cauliflower Tacos

Ingredients

2 Tblsp red wine vinegar

1 1/2 Tblsp cold water

1/4 tsp sugar

Salt

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

3 Tblsp olive oil

1 large {3 lbs} head cauliflower, trimmed, chopped small {including core}

Red Pepper Flakes

1 heaped tsp cumin

1 lime, halved

1-15oz can black beans, drained & rinsed

12 small corn {or flour} tortillas

Avocado

Crumbled cotija or feta

Chopped fresh cilantro

Hot sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Pickle onions.  Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl.  Add onion and toss to coat.  Set aside until needed.

3. Coat large baking sheet with olive oil.  Add cauliflower to pan, sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp salt, red pepper flakes {to taste}, and cumin and toss to combine, adding more oil if needed.  Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing pieces at the 15 minute mark so they take on a deep brown crisp on as many sides as possible.

4. Remove from oven and immediately squeeze juice of half a lime over the tray.  Add black beans to pan so they warm a bit before serving.

5. Heat tortillas.  Wrap tightly in foil and place in oven about 5 minutes.

6. To assemble, add cauliflower/bean mixture to tortillas.  Top with avocado, pickled red onion, cheese, cilantro, and hot sauce {to taste}.  Serve with a side of lime wedges for topping.

Serves 4

adapted from smitten kitchen

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Asadero {Takeout Tacos}

We haven't been branching out much in quarantine takeout, but when I read a few weeks back in the Seattle Times that Asadero had family style taco boxes (taquizas) that the writer couldn't stop raving about, I knew we had to give it a shot {also, Christian had never been to Asadero since it seems I only go with David}.  Our first few stops at Asadero we picked up the filet mignon burritos which were melt in your mouth good, but last weekend we decided to go all out with the Wagyu Taquiza, containing 2lbs of wagyu steaks, 24 corn tortillas, 3 different types of homemade salsa, and all the toppings.  Boy, were we happy :)  It was a ton of food, making for lots of leftovers all weekend, and though it required a little more work than the grab and go burritos, the tacos were so delicious and super satisfying.  Asadero makes it incredibly easy to pick up your to go orders {along with takeout cocktails if you so choose} so if you're looking to switch things up with takeout, look no further than this cute little spot in Ballard {and most likely, you'll probably see us there picking up something too}.

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Sheet Pan Hawaiian Pineapple Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Jalapeno Special Sauce

A few weeks back I was in a cooking rut but knew Half Baked Harvest could get me out of it.  I stumbled upon her Sheet Pan Hawaiian Pineapple Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Jalapeno Special Sauce and was instantly intrigued.  I would say this was one of her simplest and tastiest recipes I have tried - it was so easy to cook everything on one sheet pan then mix up the sauce in my mini food processor - and before I knew it I was eating some delicious tacos!  You could probably make this even easier by using canned pineapple chunks or canned corn too, which would be perfect come winter time.  I'm already craving making these again and suggest you do the same!  Oh, and if you're worried about spice, roasting the jalapeno and removing the seeds takes away most of the heat, but you could always just use half the pepper if you're extra worried {though you need not be}.  Enjoy!

Sheet Pan Hawaiian Pineapple Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Jalapeno Special Sauce 

Ingredients

Tacos

1 1/2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 Tblsp olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp chili powder

1 Tblsp low sodium soy sauce

1 Tblsp sriracha

Salt & Pepper

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

Creamy Jalapeno Special Sauce

1 jalapeno

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Juice of 2 limes

2 tsp honey

1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1 ear raw or grilled corn, kernels removed from cobb {if using raw, heat up in a frying pan for a few minutes to get a slight char}

warmed corn or flour tortillas

avocado, for topping

feta or cotija cheese, for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. On a baking sheet, toss together shrimp, 1 Tblsp olive oil, garlic, chili powder, soy sauce, sriracha, and pinch each of salt and pepper.  Arrange in a single layer on one side of pan.  On other half of pan, add pineapple, shallot, and jalapeno.  Toss with 1 Tblsp olive oil.  Transfer pan to oven and roast 8-10 minutes or until shrimp is cooked.  Turn oven to broil and broil for 1-2 minutes until pineapple is slightly charred.

3. Remove from oven and toss shrimp and pineapple together.  Set aside.

4. To make sauce, de-seed jalapeno if desired.  Add to blender along with yogurt, juice of 1 lime, honey, and 1/4 cup cilantro.  Blend until smooth and season with salt.

5. Toss together remaining 3/4 cup cilantro, corn, juice of 1 lime, and pinch of salt.  Set aside.

6. To assemble tacos, fill tortillas with shrimp and pineapple mixture and drizzle with jalapeno sauce.  Top with avocado, cheese, and corn mixture.

Serves 4

adapted from half baked harvest

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Urban Hiking {Lake Union}

Since we had so much fun on our first urban hike, we decided to up the ante on our second one and trek the entire 6 mile loop around Lake Union.  We once again started at Christian's place on Queen Anne on a sunny and brisk Saturday morning and headed the same way we did the first time to South Lake Union, but continued on along the houseboats and Eastlake.  About halfway through we were ready for a break, so we stopped at Little Water Cantina where we grabbed a spot on the deck and ordered some much earned margaritas and tacos to sustain us for the rest of our trek.  We continued over the University Bridge {where we snapped some of these pics} then headed around Northlake, stopping in a few shops in Fremont to take advantage of the air conditioning since the brisk morning had turned into a full blown hot afternoon.  Back on the northside of Queen Anne, we crisscrossed our way up the hill, only encountering one set of stairs, and made our way back to C's in time for dinner.  I love exploring the city this way, especially with this guy who's always up for an adventure :)

xoxo,
stephanie marie