Happy Seis De Mayo!

May 5th was Cinco De Mayo as you all know....but we decided to celebrate Seis De Mayo!  Our Friday nights are the nights that we get off work early and come home and put on our chefs hats...so with Cinco De Mayo this week we decided to make our Grilled Fish Tacos with Black Beans and Rice. 

Grilled Fish Tacos with Black Beans and Rice

It's funny to me that growing up in New York I never had a taco, burrito, taquito or anything Mexican until I moved to the west....and now it is one of my favorite cuisines.  When I lived in California I would go to the busiest Mom and Pop Mexican food "dives" and ask them to show me how to cook this amazing food.   Surprisingly they would welcome me into the back and show me how to cook their food...and I have been feeding my family the same recipes for 20 years.  

 I love cooking with my husband and kids on Friday nights and especially when it is something so easy they each can help make something....and this food can not be ruined by little hands.....so here are the recipes for these dishes!  

Grilled Fish Tacos

5 Talapia Fillets

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Fresh Flour or Corn Tortillas

Mexican Slaw (recipes below)

Cilantro Ranch Dressing (recipe below)

Limes

Make Cilantro Ranch Dressing and chill. (see recipe below)

Make Mexican Slaw and chill. (see recipe below)

Heat grill to 375 degrees.  Lightly rub olive oil, salt and pepper on the talapia fillets.  Set aside until grill is hot.  Place on grill for about 5 minutes per side until flaky.  Cover with foil to keep warm.   Cook fresh tortillas (available at Costco or most grocery stores) until tortillas are done...and a little toasted.  Slice cooked fillets about 1 and a half inches wide...so they fit on the tortillas well.

Take tortilla, fish, a little mexican slaw and drizzle with Cilantro Ranch and finish with a squeeze of lime!  Fold together and sink your teeth into a little bit of Baja Mexico!

Mexican Slaw

1 Head Napa Cabbage

1 Small Bag of Broccoli Slaw

1 Bunch Cilantro

Balsamic Vinegar

Sugar

Limes

Wash your green Napa cabbage and cilantro to get off any grit.  Chop the Napa cabbage in 1/2 inch slices, place in bowl.  Open your broccoli slaw and ad to cabbage.  Chop the cilantro so that the leaves still are large enough to look like leaves...I don't like the stems...so toss them out.  Toss the greens together.  Set Aside.

Mix together 1 and a half cup of balsamic vinegar with 1/2 cup of sugar and the juice of two limes....and mix together until sugar dissolves.  

Add to greens and toss together.  Set aside in a fridge...the vinegar break down the cabbage and the sugar gives this wonderful sweetness to the slaw and is fabulous with the grilled fish.

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 Cup Buttermilk

1 Cup Greek Yogurt

1 Package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

2 Tomatillos

2 Cups Chopped Cilantro

1 Jalapeño Pepper

2 Limes

Place yogurt and buttermilk in blender, add ranch mix.  Blend until smooth.  Chop tomatillos, jalapeno, and cilantro and add to blender.  Blend on high for a minute or two until smooth.  Squeeze two limes into dressing and mix one more time.  It is now ready to drizzle over your hot fish tacos.  This dressing is good enough to dip the tortillas straight into!

Abby's Black Beans

3 Cans Black Beans

1 Can Enchilada Sauce

2 Tomatillos Chopped

1 Bunch Cilantro Chopped

2 Cloves of Crushed Garlic

2 Tablespoons Cumin

Bacon Drippings

Heat bacon drippings to hot, add crushed garlic, drained black beans, enchilada sauce, chopped tomatillos and heat on medium to high for 20 to 30 minutes until everything is looking blended and yum!  Add the chopped cilantro  and mix into beans.  Cook for 5 to 10 minutes and take a masher and lightly mash until the beans look a little creamy.  Now they are ready to enjoy....soooo good!

Mexican Rice

3 cups Rice

3 Cups Chicken Broth

3 cups Water

1 Jar or Tub of Fresh Salsa

4 Tomatillos Finely Chopped

1 Bunch Chopped Cilantro

3 Tablespoons Cumin

4 Tablespoons Butter

Boil rice, chicken broth and water with salsa, chopped tomatillos and cumin.  Once the liquids begin to boil, turn down to medium/low heat and simmer until rice is tender.  Add chopped cilantro and lightly toss into rice.  Add butter pats and cover with lid to melt butter.  I love the way the butter adds a creaminess to the spicy rice.  This is fabulous with the black beans and a little feta cheese...yes...feta cheese.

We ate till our tummy's were full and watched Nacho Libre....our college daughter's suggestion!  I never thought of that as a "mexican" film....but it we burned a few calories off laughing!  NACHOOOO .....  I hope you enjoy these recipes with your amigos!  Happy Seis De Mayo!

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Happy Seis De Mayo!