Tacos can heal the world!

At least my world.

I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony!  I'd like to buy the world a taco, and keep it company!  {What?  No, I wasn't born when that commercial happened, but I'm up on things.  Ok, my father used to sing us every theme song and jingle from 1970-1985}


After a beautiful {gorgeous, sunny, 65 degree} weekend, it's back to the daily grind, and nothing cheers a Monday up like a shrimp taco.  I actually made these tacos while we were in Wyoming, because nothing is quite as foolproof as avocado {or guacamole} + salsa + tortilla + kicky shrimp {or shrimps, as my great-aunt used to say}.  I really don't think you can screw up a taco, because the toppings are totally up to you!  Cheese? Yes!  Tomatoes? But, of course!  Slaw? Absolutely! Apple?  Go for it! {This is also known as "cleaning out your refrigerator into a tortilla}



We used to live in Nashville, which I also refer to as: the town with 2,464 amazing taco restaurants.  Our current town is more like: the town with two very below average "mexican" chains and NO {repeat ZERO} taco places.  Let's not even start with the food truck ratio of Nashville to here {7,983:0}.  It's enough to make me jump in my {tiny} car and drive around town offering tacos out the window.  Which is probably enough to get me arrested.


So in lieu of any good taco providers, I provide for myself.  It's handy that I'm pretty good at it.  I've also included an un-pictured recipe for lime, cilantro, and apple slaw which is also kick you in the pants awesome on top of shrimp in a taco.


Basic Shrimp Tacos
Serves 2 (verrry easily multiplied)

2/3 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons panko crumbs
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon tony chachere's seasoning salt
1/8 teaspoon smoked {or regular} paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4-6 small tortillas

Toppings and such:
Avocado or guacamole
Quartered cherry tomatoes
Salsa
Cheese
Sour cream
Red onion
Slaw (check out below)

Heat a skillet to medium-high heat.  Toss shrimp with panko crumbs and spices until they're evenly distributed.  Pour 2 tablespoons canola oil into the skillet, and when hot, add the shrimp.  Cook until shrimp are pink all the way through, about 5-7 minutes.  Layer in a tortilla with amazing toppings!

Lime, Cilantro, and Apple Slaw
Serves 6+ as a taco topping

1 bag of pre-shredded cabbage
1 large redish apple (no greens or yellows)
Juice of 2 large limes (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons honey

Place the cabbage in a large bowl.  Mix together the lime juice and the first tablespoon of honey and taste.  It should be tart, but not sour.  If mixture is sour, add the second tablespoon.  Pour over cabbage and mix well.  Then, slice and apple into small chunks and toss with cabbage.  Voila!  Finito.

Ooh, we'll get to these.

But first, a story.  A story of a Southern girl, some black ice, and a head trauma.  See, I realize that it was pretty quiet on the blog front the latter half of last week, and I feel I must explain.  Wednesday morning, my good friend, Tal, and I were leaving the library on campus.  Chatting and walking, we turned onto the sidewalk to our class building and WHOOSH {POW! KAZAM!} both of us completely flew up in the air and landed in heaps on the ground {thank you giant ice patch}.  Poor Tal had just gotten a full cup of coffee and now he was bathing in it.  I managed to hit both my left hip and right knee {still can't picture how}.  Embarrassed and confused, we jumped up to see about 20 undergrads staring at us open-mouthed.  We hobbled off to class, only to be sent by our professor to Student Health to get checked out.  And good thing we did: I apparently had jostled my brain enough to get a concussion.  So here I am, five full days later and finally allowed to look at a computer and read.  Obviously, the first thing I read was my latest Bon Appetit, and I just had to make these sweet potato fries.


It was a personal challenge.  Both to make food with my shaken brain, and because I have roasted sweet potatoes every way I can think of, and they never really get that french fry essence {which I would like all of my food to have, just to clear that up}.


Plus, these get dipped in a lime sour cream sauce.  It was supposed to be lime mayo, but someone in this house has a distinct mayo aversion.  {ahem, not me, I am pro-fat. especially on bread with tomatoes}  Still a fantastical sauce.  And feel free to use mayo for yourself. {Then invite me over pleaseandthankyou}

Why don't I just fry the sweet potatoes?  Good question.  Because I am afraid of frying things in my own home.  Not afraid of the process {although, let's face it, I got a concussion just from walking, let's not put me and boiling hot oil near each other any time soon}, more afraid of the pandora's box that would most assuredly open. But these fries {almost} eliminate that need: that are completely tasty and very easy!


Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Lime Sour Cream Dipping Sauce
Serves 2-4 as a side dish

3 medium size potatoes
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup sour cream (or mayo)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon lime zest

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and slice longways into wedges, about 8-10 wedges per potato. Toss in oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet and into the oven for 25-35 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through and getting just a bit crispy. Meanwhile, mix sour cream with lime juice and zest. Serve hot!

And watch out for that ice, man.

So we all know what men want for Valentine's Day:

However, I really like Valentine's Day!  Any day in which you can openly eat whole boxes of chocolate, wear obnoxious amounts of pink, and ponder on the love in your life is fine by me.  Even in my single days, it was an excuse to dress up with girlfriends and treat ourselves to something!  My best friend in college and I exchanged the worst, cheesiest, most cringe-worthy Valentine's cards we could find over intimate sushi every year of college.  And it was fantastic.


In case you're looking for a last minute girl's night drink {or couple's, if your man will drink pink}, give this one a shot.  It uses the lovely blood orange {which is not only in season, but on sale a lot of places!} and agave syrup!  And of course lime.  Because I'm pretty sure I don't make drinks without lime.  There are two versions, as well: the non-alcoholic, bubbly kind and the grown-up version.  Take your pic, they're both fabulous.

And happy Valentine's day!  I'm very much looking forward to a night in with my Valentine {and some crazy good take out Thai food}.

Sparkling Blood Orange Drink
Makes one drink, but is easily multiplied

Juice of two blood oranges, about 1/4 cup/ 2 oz
1/8 cup/ 2 tablespoons/ 1 oz lime juice
3 tablespoons/ 1.5 oz agave nectar
1 cup sparkling water

Mix together the juices and agave and stir until the agave is completely combined with the juices.  Then pour the sparkling water into a glass and the juices into the water.  Voila!

Blood Orange Cocktail
Makes one drink

2 oz blood orange juice
1 oz lime juice
1.5 oz agave nectar (or more depending on your sweet tooth)
1 oz triple sec
1.5 oz vodka
Sparkling water, optional

Pour the blood orange juice, lime juice, agave, triple sec, and vodka into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake about 30 seconds.  Then pour into a glass over ice.  Add sparkling water for some fizz, if you like!