Elina and Robyn Make...Puffy Tacos!

A few months ago (yeah I know...posting this kinda late), Elina and Adam asked if I wanted to make Puffy Tacos with them.

I'd never heard of Puffy Tacos, but I was intrigued and wanted to give them a try!

I figured - I love regular tacos, so I'm sure I'll love these.

First, we portioned out the masa and rolled it into balls. 

Then, we flatted each ball using a tortilla press...

And one by one I fried them in Elina's deep fryer!

The tongs came in very handy when shaping the taco. 

Drain the tacos on a paper towel lined plate.

Then fill with whatever filling you desire!

Biscuit Donuts

Since I just posted about frying chicken wings, I thought I'd continue the fried food post trend and tell you about the easiest donuts you can possibly make! 

For awhile, I'd wanted to try to make donuts at home, but hadn't because they seemed a little time consuming. Plus, donuts are best enjoyed fresh and I don't need to eat a full batch myself... 

Then one day, while browsing Facebook, I saw a friend post pictures of donuts she'd made using a can of Pillsbury Biscuits.  I was very intrigued, so I did a little more research. I found this recipe, realized how simple they were to make and couldn't wait! 

Soon after, I purchased a can of biscuits and convinced my neighbor's that they too wanted to enjoy some fresh hot Biscuit Donuts. I'd planned on making the Cinnamon Sugar version, but they convinced me that we should try to make some glazed ones too! It didn't take too much convincing either. :)

Now let's get to the good stuff - making these tasty treats! 

The Goods:

Canned Biscuits

Butter

Sugar

Cinnamon

Milk/Cream

Powdered Sugar

Vanilla

Vegetable Oil

Melted Butter and Cinnamon/Sugar Mixture

Making the Glaze

Almost done!

And done!

Now, let's make the DONUTS!!!

Cut the centers out of the biscuits.

We didn't have a biscuit cutter, 

but that would have made the processes a little easier!

Heat the oil in a large pan.

Begin the frying process with two biscuit donuts. 

Flipping over after they start to brown.

Those look about done!

Lay the cooked biscuit donuts on paper towels 

to absorb excess oil and grease. 

Once everything is fried and looking delicious, 

make 'em look even better by coating them in either...

 The Cinnamon Sugar mixture!

Or the Glaze!

The donut holes were just soooo cute!

So cute, I almost didn't want to eat it...

JUST KIDDING!!! 

We may very well make JUST donut holes next time. While both the holes and the normal donuts were delicious, the donut holes were just a little better!

Superbowl Food!

For Superbowl this year, I hung out with two of my best friends - my friend Elina and her husband, Adam. Elina and I decided to make some yummy food for all three of us to enjoy! While we're pretty good in the kitchen alone, when you put us together - look out!!! 

To start, we made some homemade salsa and guacamole and enjoyed both with some tortilla chips we flavored with fresh squeezed lime! 

After that, Elina got to work prepping the potatoes and I started getting the toppings together. I couldn't wait for a homemade potato skin. YUM!!

Next, we start working on what we were all looking forward to: the homemade chicken wings!! We weren't sure if we'd be able to find party wings, but Ralphs came through and had quite a few packs to choose from! I'll post about the chicken wing process in the near future, but until then - look at how great they turned out!! They are BY FAR, the best wings I've ever had! Check back soon for the post all about them.

Hope you all had a great Superbowl and got to eat some yummy food. 

Fried Fish Tacos

One of my best friends went to Maui last summer and fell in love with Taco Tuesday's at Fred's Mexican Cafe. She especially loved their Chipotle Mayo and told me about it more than once! Recently she invited me over to try to make the Mayo and fry our own fish to make delicious tacos. In fact, they were so good I don't know if delicious is a good enough word to describe them!

We didn't take pictures, so I just HAD to make them again to show all my wonderful readers how to make these amazing tacos! I made them last weekend and devoured them with a friend. I wanted them again while editing the pictures a few days later. Oh and I'm sure I'll want them yet again before I'm done writing this blog! 

Now onto the fun part - showing you how to make the tacos.

The Goods!

Corn Tortillas, Vegetable Oil, Tilapia, Panko and Bread Crumb Mixture,

Limes, Avocado, Homemade Chipotle Mayo, Shredded Cabbage & Red Onion

Cover the Tilapia with the Panko and Bread Crumb Mixture.

I forgot to photograph this step - I'm sorry!

Heat oil in a large stock pot. 

Test the oil temperature with a tiny piece of Corn Tortilla.

Then do a final test with one piece of fish.

Once you know the oil is at the right temperature,

throw in (gently place really) the rest of the fish! 

Turn them after about 2 or 3 minutes. 

Cook a few more minutes - until they're golden and crispy.

Finally, take out one piece to make sure the fish is cooked through.

NOTE: Be careful folks - the oil is VERY hot and will probably start to pop at some point. 

Don't be like me and burn yourself...

Please be smarter and more safe than I was!

Nom nom fried Tilapia! 

Put the Mayo and Toppings on!

Now time to enjoy the amazingness.

And if you're nice - share the yummy tacos with someone else! 

Homemade Tortilla Chips

One of my FAVORITE things about going to an authentic Mexican Restaurant is eating their chips and salsa. 

I recently started making my own salsa (I haven't had any from a jar in months!!) and I decided I was going to make my own tortilla chips for New Years Eve. It wasn't my first frying experience so I was quite comfortable. 

Here's the chip making process!

Heating Up the Oil.

Cutting the Corn Tortillas!

Cut Tortillas.

Starting The Frying Process!

After Flipping!

Annnnnd done!

Last But NOT Least - Salting!!!

Homemade tortilla chips are simply amazing, but seem to be more oily and fattening than those out of the bag.  

Who know? 

Who cares??? :)

Celebrating 4th of July With Food!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend celebrating the Independence of our Nation! I had a great weekend and food was not forgotten... I had multiple friends over to enjoy all the goodies below throughout the four day holiday weekend.

Since I LOVE to cook and bake, I went CRAZY doing both those thing this weekend. 

On Friday night I made a few things to enjoy over the next few day, and then continued to make things each day until Monday night! :) I'll be eating great for the next week - that's for sure.

Here's all the goodies made over the course of four days and eaten by many!

Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

Broccoli and Snap Pea Pasta Salad

Cole Slaw with a Kick

Chex Mix My Way

Chicken Apple Sausages

Chicken Apple Sausages With 

Whole Grain Mustard and Cole Slaw with a Kick

Fresh Strawberry Muffins

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade Popsicles

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Fried Chicken Strips

And Finallllllllllly...

Corn on the Cob from the Farm.

So sweeeeeeeeeet and tasty.

Now I'm off to try to see some fireworks to complete the wonderful weekend I've had.

My First Attempt At Fried Chicken!!!

Let me start off by saying that I looooooooooove fried chicken! I found a place really close to my apartment that make some amazing smoke fried chicken, but it's not the cheapest! And chain place...they just don't make fried chicken that is all that great.

I've made fried foods before, but I'd never ventured into the fried meat territories. I've always been scared the outside would be done way before the inside. I solved that problem by using a cooking thermometer and chicken that was cut into very thin pieces! 

That's right...I did it! I made homemade fried chicken that was 100% from scratch! 

It wasn't your traditional fried chicken, but it was just as good! It was all white meat - my favorite - and just strips of meat without the grossness of a chicken bone.  

The chicken hanging out in milk. 

(I used a mixture of heavy cream and 2% instead of the coconut listed in the recipe!)

The flour and cornstarch mixture.

Egg whites!

(Sorry that they're not too appetizing to look at...)

Panko breadcrumbs!

I love them and they really made this dish amazing.

Beginning the frying process.

They're getting close to being done!

Andddddddd they're DONE!!!

So how was my homemade fried chicken on my first attempt? 

Pretty darn amazing!

SO amazing that I want it again, every day for the next... week, maybe month!

I'm joking!

They were really good and will absolutly, without a doubt be made again - just not daily! ;)

I also used the leftovers in a tasty salad for lunch today. Just as tasty as last night!