Spicy fish Taco with cilantro and avocado dressing

Hi Everyone,
Lately I’ve been having an affair with Tacos, specifically fish tacos to be precise. Several eateries have opened up in the Asian section of Orlando Tako Cheena




Spicy Fish Taco
For this dish you can use a variety of
Fish from Tilapia, Basa, Grouper,
Red Snapper, Yellowtail Snapper.
If you are the adventurous type Bacaloa will be perfect.

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
4 grouper fillets 1 1/2 lb.; thawed
Juice of 2 limes, divided
1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning (Spanish seasoned salt)
1 cup red and green peppers dice
1 1/3 cups roma tomatoes dice
4 (10-inch) low carb tortillas
1/4 cup Mayonnaise

1/4 cup red onions dice

1/4 cup mild salsa
1/4 cup olives dice

1/4 cup seeded jalapeno

1/2 teaspoon cumin, and pepper

1/4 teaspoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Dice avocado

Prep

• Preheat a pan with olive oil, add the butter
• Clean fish, wash with water, sprinkle  1/2 of the lemon juice onto the fish, season with salt and pepper, set aside
• Chop all the vegetables including the cilantro into a bowl add the remaining lemon juice, cumin, pepper, mix well so all the vegetables are coated with the spices
• In a blender, liquefy mayonnaise, 1/2 of the jalapeno, olive oil, cumin, pepper to create the dressing, set aside

Directions

• Sautee the fish in the preheated pan for 2 minutes on each side, remove from heat to a plate to let cool
• Once cool dice the fish set aside
• Clean pan, return to medium heat stack the tortilla to warm
• Remove the tortilla spoon the vegetables onto the tortilla, add fish
• Sprinkle the jalapeno mayonnaise on top, add dice avocado, garnish with cilantro

You can also add dice queso blanco if desired for more textures.

This is a perfect meal for small gathering for games served with a light beer or cider beer.

Have a great,

Maggie

PS don’t forget to follow my pinterest boards

Spicy fish Taco with cilantro and avocado dressing

Strawberry champagne preserves

 

Hi Everyone,

I made it to the farmers market very late, but it turned out to be my lucky day. There were a few baskets of strawberries left that started to sweat and the vendor marked them down to $1.00 a basket. However being the savvy shopper that I am, I bargained I will take the whole lot for .50 cents a piece.

 

Now the proud owner of 8 baskets of strawberries, It occurred to me they will be best as preserves. 

 

Strawberry Champagne Preserves

Strawberries washed and pitted

2 cups of Champagne

1/3 cup of Splenda baking sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mason Jar

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 300F

• Hull, wash, and slice strawberries, mix in a container with the champagne, let stand at room temperature for 2 hours
• Cook on medium heat, stir continuously until it baubles and then lower the heat and cook for another 10 minutes, until the juice have reduce to half
• Add the cinnamon,mix well let sit for 1 minute

 

 

Clean mason jars, place into the oven for 2 minutes

 

• Remove jars from the oven, pour strawberry champagne onto jar
• Place jars into the oven and turn off the oven, let cool in the oven for 45 minutes

 

 

 

Voila! Preserves that is diabetic friendly

 

A few more ideas: this is perfect on crostini with mascarpone, or better yet spread it on brie and bake for 10 minutes.

Enjoy,

Maggie

Strawberry champagne preserves

Fall is here finally!

Hi Everyone,

It’s with a sigh of relief from the scorching 96-98 degrees and 40% humidity we have endured this Summer. I am looking forward to the balmy 75-80 degrees this Fall and enjoy the pool more.

Since my daughter is in college now I no longer have a partner to go to the pumpkin patch with,luckily we have the flea market that carries smaller varieties that I can get and start putting my fall menu together.

Here are a few pics of what I’m going to be basing my menu on.

Have a fabulous week,

Maggie

 

Gorgeous peppers, that are perfect for cream cheese stuffing with shrimp.

 

 

Red delicious perfect for pickling or pies

 

 

 

Peppers perfect for stuffing with dirty rice, or jambalaya

 

 

 

Perfect for bars, or cookies

 

 

 

Pumpkin bars, cakes, cookies, pies and the list goes on and on :)

 

Fall is here finally!

The ugly duckling (Lady of the night)

Hi Everyone,

 

Imagine if you will. I’m sitting in the dining room sipping a refreshing coconut water lemon ginger drink I had just infused when my mother call, sigh.

An hesitated hello not sure what this conversation is going to bring, but somehow I know it’s going to be about something I don’t want to do.

Mom: Here it comes without any preamble I need you to come on sat to the garden meeting to take pictures.

Me: for how long and what time?

Mom: I don't know probably all day

Me: saying in my head all day with a bunch of people salivating over plants and no food but mostly edible plant cuisine, what excuse can I use to get out of it. in the 30 seconds I can’t find anything to use, but I came up with this I can do it for 2 hours only early in the day.

mmmm it went from a simple conversation to a nasty turn of event very quickly.

Mom: No I need you there until 11:30 pm

Me: Why I can’t spend 10 hours at that place.

Mom: I need you to capture the lady of the night I feel like I’m going to win in this category.

Me: oh my god do u know how boring that will be for me 10 hours of listening to nothing but plants and pretending I ‘m enjoying it.

Mom: Why is this so much for you to do for me? it’s one day of your life, it’s very important to me and I also want you to ride with the movers when they come in to pick up the plant, I have insurance on it but I want to make sure it’s not damage.

Me: what the heck u have that kind of $ to insure a plant what in the world. How much did this insurance cost?

Mom:$50.00

Me: What you have $50.00 to insure an ugly plant.

Mom: it’s not an ugly plant it’s the lady of the night, I will have you know Coco Chanel use that plant in Chanel #5.

Me: I don’t care who use that plant this is crazy I have to sit in a truck babysitting a plant.Sheesh, I will do it this time but don’t ask me again.

Saturday I rode in the truck staring at the ugly plant, thinking of how I could have spent a better sat.

This is the part I need to apologize for acting like a teenager, lord and behold the ugly plant turned into the most amazing flower I’ve ever seen and the perfume oh my, I can see why Chanel used it in #5… the smell is intoxicating.

All in all I was very proud of my mom she won in the exotic category $100.00 that paid for the transport and insurance.

Want to see what the fuss was about?

 

budding flower, doesn’t it look like a fallopian tube?

 

 

 

Starting to open

 

 

 

opening

 

 

more opening, looks like spider right?

 

 

90% open

 

 

 

 

 

A little history of this plant, what makes this plant so amazing, is the fact it only opens up at night time only for 1 night, by morning all the glorious blooms have close-up and the amazing smell is gone. If you to see this plant you need to make a date with it and stay up all night to admire it and bask into it’s fragrance cause you only have that 1 night.

What made my mom’s plant so amazing is the fact she had over 61 blooms from that 1 plant which is unheard of, next year she is going for the Guinness world record, hopefully with more than 61 blooms. It requires no care outside of watering once a week fertilize once a year.

The scientific name is night bloom cereus, it is native to the western hemisphere and will bloom from mid summer to autumn. They are heat resistant up to 100 degrees.

What do you think of the plant, gorgeous right?

 

Here’s a video on you tube how it opens up.

The ugly duckling (Lady of the night)

Signs of Spring in the garden!

 

hi Everyone,

The garden is in full bloom this time to make moving much easier I have most of my beautiful roses in containers.

Take a look!

 

 

 

 

 

have a great day,

Don’t forget to leave comments :)

Maggie

Signs of Spring in the garden!

Isabel Toledo for Payless

 

Hi Everyone,

Shoes are one thing that I splurge on, therefor I refuse to wear cheap shoes, due to the fact my shoes take a beating and must last a long time.

However there are exceptions to the rules, I fell head over heels in luv this shoe and I knew I had to have it.

What do you think? what do you splurge on?

This fashion-forward pump from designer Isabel Toledo features a glossy patent upper with colorful woven detail on the wide t-strap, adjustable ankle strap with buckle accent, lightly padded insole for comfort, and a 3" heel with slight platform. Manmade materials.

 

Here is this beauty in my closet :) best thing I got it in the store using a 20% off coupon.

 

 

 

 

Have a great day,

Maggie

Isabel Toledo for Payless

Come away with me to the 37th Annual Winter Park Art Festival!

Did you know this Festival is the only one to feature Florida Artist Exclusively? I kid you not. it's true.
Here is an excerpt from the Orlando Sentinel!

About the Festival
The Autumn Art Festival is a community-oriented sidewalk show that features work by outstanding Florida artists.  In addition to presenting quality visual art, the festival provides entertainment and participatory events for the enjoyment of visitors and artists.  The festival is held at beautiful Central Park located along Park Avenue in downtown Winter Park.  
 

About the Artists
The Winter Park Autumn Art Festival is the only festival to feature Florida artists exclusively.  This year, attendees will enjoy work from 150 outstanding Florida artists who were selected by a panel of judges from a pool of more than 360 applicants.

Art categories include: Painting (all media), Ceramics, Fine Crafts, Drawing & Graphics, Fibers, Sculpture, Jewelry and Photography.

I'm going to share with you some of the magnificent Art that can be found at this Festival and it is a Juried Festival.

Sorry about the pics, it was bright and sunny and so much glare...
Some Artist didn't want their work photographed, I had permission for a few for you..:)

This is a photograph of wildlife,  not a painting

This one is using spoons, forks, knives, Sieve to create Art.

Beautiful flowers..

I wish I had the talent to sculpt..

I live you with the most amazing mix media, this has paint, and beads to create the wings of the butterfly. Simply amazing..

Do you have an Art Festival in your town? leave me a comment to let me know what you like in the Art Festival?

Have a great week,
Maggie

PS don't forget the giveaway of 2 $25.00 GC.. HERE

Come away with me to the 37th Annual Winter Park Art Festival!