A Heartfelt Thank You, A Giveaway and Some Chili-Rubbed Pork Chops

I pulled the car to a halt in front of the mailboxes. With half my body out the window, I hoisted the usual haul of catalogs, coupons and bills onto my lap. Methodically, I sifted through the stack on the very, off-chance that there would be something unexpected in the pile.

Caught between a Pottery Barn catalog and a Pottery Barn Teen catalog (Note to PB: Give it a rest already....), lay a small square envelope with handwritten script for the addresses. After shooing the boys out of the car and telling them they could walk up the driveway if they were that impatient, I slid my finger under the envelope flap and pulled out the floral embellished card. Upon opening it, I was treated to a heartfelt thank-you from a friend. Her words truly made my day, my month, my year.

I immediately felt the need to "reply" back. To thank her for her thank you as we do in the world of email. But with a handwritten and postal service delivered note, there isn't that option. Instead, her words were like a gift...given to me...without expecting anything in return.

I'm not a good gift giver...at least not tangible gifts. I know I've mentioned this to you before but it's true. I still cringe when I think about the batik shorts outfit I gave my sister for Christmas one year. I overthink the gift.

The same is true for thanking people. What should I get them? What would be appropriate? Will they like it? Does the gift seem trivial compared to what they've done for me...my family?

As I roll toward the end of the school year in a tumbleweed of chaos, I have managed to carve out some time to consider how much I have to be thankful for. How much generosity has been bestowed upon me, my children, my family. And again, feeling inadequate on how to properly give thanks, I decided that perhaps a handwritten note would be best.

Giveaway

When I was in Atlanta a few weeks ago, I happened to be graciously invited by Lori Lange on a Pork Crawl hosted by Jaden Hair and the National Pork Board. Essentially 10 of us climbed in a Land Rover limo and were taken, over the course of the evening, to three of Atlanta's top restaurants where the head chef of each place had prepared us multiple creations all made of....pork. Delicious would be an understatement. 

Upon returning to our hotel rooms, we found a huge, wrapped box for each of us left by the wonderful gals representing the National Pork Board. Yes, I realize that on some level, they are doing their job to get us excited about cooking with pork but even considering that, their gift was extremely generous.

And the generosity doesn't stop there. They also offered to pass along that same "wrapped box" to one of you. And considering how grateful I am to you...I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Inside the wrapped box were these goodies:

• Pork Be inspired branded Apron
• Pork Be inspired Brochure
• Digital Meat Thermometer
• Cuisinart CCJ-100 Citrus Pro Juicer
• Vacu Vin Pineapple Slicer
• Norpro Grip-Ez Jalapeno Pepper Corer
• Cuisinart Grill Pan (I'm most excited about this!)
• Dry Ingredients (Salt, Light Brown Sugar, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Chili Powder)

And not but a few days later, four pork chops were sent directly to my home and they will be sent to your home as well. Then you will have everything you need to make Chili-Rubbed Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa.

If you are interested in receiving this generous gift from the National Pork Board, leave a comment with your email address here on this post before midnight, PST, Friday, June 10th. And yes, I realize my "commenter" can be temperamental so if you have trouble with it send me an email instead. I will go ahead and add your name in the comments. (carrieminns (at) me (dot) com)

I will have the Kindergartner draw the winning name from a hat and announce it on Saturday, June 11th. 

For those of you who see my Kindergartner on a regular basis, he may accept bribes. He loves AirHeads (thank you Mr. Kurtz) and Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream.

Chili-Rubbed Pork Chops and Pineapple Salsa
Adapted a bit from the National Pork Board's recipe

My family LOVED these pork chops. I changed the salsa recipe from the original one I've linked to above because I didn't have the time or the inclination to grill pineapple and jalapeno but I can't imagine that I missed much. The only negative part about making these was that I didn't make nearly enough! I think this dry rub would also be delicious on pork tenderloin. My stomach is grumbling just thinking about it.

Pork Chop Ingredients
4 pork bone-in rib chope, about 3/4 inch thick, trimmed
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt

Pineapple Salsa Ingredients
1 1/2 c diced fresh pineapple (approx...)
1/2 c Rainier cherries, quartered
1 sm orange pepper, diced (approx 1/2 c)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
a pinch of salt

In a small bowl, combine your chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Rub all sides of your pork chops with this mixture and set aside.

Next, combine all ingredients for your salsa in a medium bowl and set aside. I have to be honest here that I was planning on just using pineapple, lime juice and a bit of salt but I added too much salt so I started throwing in other things to dilute it....the cherries, the pepper, the cilantro...and in the end, the fruit salsa I made was devoured by the family and was perfect with the chops.

Next, prepare a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. (Um...I forgot the "oil the grate" step, hence the extra-dark grill lines in the above photos.) Grill pork until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F or about 4 to 5 minutes per side.  Take those babies off the grill before they dry-out and let them rest 5-15 minutes. Serve with brown rice and salad greens tossed with a simple vinaigrette. Enjoy....

Yield: Maybe 4 people but that could be stretching it since they are that good.



All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

Tis the Season for Herbs

"There's a few things I've learned in life: always throw salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for good luck, and fall in love whenever you can." - William Shakespeare



Ever since I started having herbs in my garden it has made all the difference in my cooking. Being able to walk out the door and snip a few sprigs of oregano or a few sprigs of rosemary as opposed to getting in a car to buy a bundle makes me search for reasons to cook with fresh herbs.

What types of herbs to plant in your yard or in a pot on your back porch can take a little bit of "trial and error." Figuring out which herbs you actually use or which ones grow fairly easily in your yard can take a few seasons but it's worth the effort.

If I could only choose one herb to plant, I would choose rosemary. The deer won't touch it, it's fuss-free and it has endless uses. An herb workhorse, indeed.

The herbs that I use year-round and that usually make it through the winter in pots are: rosemary, thyme, and oregano. I also plant sage but I don't find that I use it very often.

The herbs I plant in late spring that will last until late fall are: Italian parsley, cilantro (lots of it) and lemon verbena only because I love how delicious it smells.

And then later, when it warms up a bit, a pot of basil. No herb garden should be without.

Just curious, what are your favorite herbs to plant in your yard? If you could choose only one, what would it be?



PS: I had a few friends asking me about keeping herbs in pots watered. I have yet to set up any kind of drip system and the self-watering pot inserts that I've tried haven't worked very well but I did stumble upon these "hydro-mats" last season and it made a huge difference in cutting back the amount of watering I had to do during the summer. I used it for my herbs as well as for my flower boxes.


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

Zesty Salsa...and a Gift For One of You

"This may quite possibly be, the craziest thing you've ever done before leaving on a trip." (pause) "No...this IS the craziest thing you've ever done before leaving on a trip considering you need to be up by 4 am and you still haven't packed."

I was listening to my handsome guy as I lowered my jars of "zesty salsa" into their water bath and I knew he spoke the truth...but I couldn't help myself. No. This is how I operate. Sometimes I need a serious "fire lit" to get anything done and a few hours before leaving on a trip for 4 days without my family seemed like the perfect time to can salsa.

Ever since I had generously been invited to watch Chef Clark of Wildwood give a canning demonstration this summer, while at the same time dining on his fine cuisine, I have been intrigued to can. Canning is not my "department". The first (and last) time I canned anything was when I was a shiny, new bride. (A long, long time ago.) Interestingly, I canned salsa then too. The recipe called for worcestershire sauce. (Need I say more.) I never actually tasted that salsa but somehow felt confident enough to give it away to family and friends for Christmas. Curiously, no one ever said anything to me about it, especially things like, "I loved your salsa. It is to die for."

I've always left the canning up to my lovely, lovely mother. Upon arriving at our home for Christmas, she and my father will unload their boxes full of gifts. One of those boxes is always filled with gift bags. Sometimes they are homemade. Sewn from soft, Christmas-red fabric. Other times, they arrive in humble paper bags with ribbons cascading from their handles. Either way, those on the receiving end of this thoughtful gift can't help but reach into the bag, pull away the tissue paper and admire the gift she beholds. A jar of deep plum Blueberry Jam. Possibly a jar of downy, pale green Dilly Beans. And always, a jar of luminescent orange Pepper Jelly. The colors...so enchanting. The gift...so generous.

I had inspected the Heirloom tomatoes I had bought the week before at our farmer's market and I knew it was now or never. Not yesterday. Or two days ago. (That would be much too civilized and orderly.) No, it was right now. Now, when I should be making dinner. Now, when I should be packing. Now, when I should be printing out an excel spreadsheet with the who, what, where, when and why of "The Lives of Our Children" and a menu of dinner suggestions for the four days I would be gone in the hopes that they would eat more than pizza. Somehow I managed to pull my three jars out of their warm bath, set them on the counter, pack, get a healthy 4 hours of sleep, kiss my chickens good-bye while they slept and be whisked off in the middle of the night just in time to catch my plane to San Francisco.

Upon arriving home after my trip, hugs were given out all around. The loot I came home with was inspected. And then, I headed straight into the kitchen to check on my 11th hour project. There they were. Still sitting right where I had left them. Looking at those jars, they made me smile. I don't know. There was something so, so...wholesome about them. So...motherly. So..."hand-crafted." So...simple. And with their kaleidoscope of colors...so lovely. I pulled my little guy up on my lap, having desperately missed his hugs while I was gone, and admired my handiwork. There were only 3 of them. Not quite enough to go around to everyone for the holidays but even so, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction. A minute or two went by before my littlest one motioned for me to come closer. Under the assumption that he, himself, was going to comment on the pretty jars, I had to quickly choke back the immediate rush of tears when he whispered in my ear, "Please don't move to China." (His small way of saying he missed me.)

Zesty Salsa...and a Gift for One of You, My Dear Friends

Now, I don't make it a habit to endorse anything that I haven't stumbled upon on my own. Or that I don't regularly use but the kind folks at Jarden Home Brands have generously offered to send one of you, my kind friends, a Ball Canning Discovery Kit...for free. And since technically, I have actually tried it out and found it to be quite the slick little kit, (especially for novice canners like me) who am I to turn down their thoughtful offer. I know that you all are a bit comment-shy which is fine, really...but in this instance, should you be interested in possibly receiving this gift, you'll need to leave me a comment below by Friday, October 15, with your name and email address. Recognizing that the comment feature here on blogger is not exactly "user friendly" here's a little tip: If you do not have a google account and have no desire to obtain one, choose the "anonymous" identity and then, in the body of your comment leave your name and email address. Sometimes the comment doesn't post right away and you'll need to hit "preview" first. I'll then put your names in a hat and have my littlest guy pull one out to determine the benefactor of this here gift.

One last request, since I'm new to canning, should you happen to be leaving me a comment below, I'm curious what you might be canning. If you've been canning for a long time, what is your favorite food to can? If you're just trying it out for the first time, what are you anxious to try?

If you're a canning pro and simply want the recipe, I've typed it up below. I did actually taste this salsa and "Yum!" So delicious. I think "Zesty" is the perfect name for this salsa with it's bright and lively mingling of flavors. The only change I made to the original recipe was to switch out green peppers for red. Other than that I stayed with the "tried and true" recipe to avoid a little thing called...botulism.

Ingredients:

5 c chopped, cored, peeled tomatoes (approx 10 medium)

2 1/2 cups chopped seeded green bell peppers (I used red.)

2 1/2 c chopped onions (approx 1 lg or 2 med)

1 1/4 c chopped, seeded chili peppers (hot banana, Hungarian, etc.)

2/3 c cider vinegar

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce, optional

Directions:

Prepare your gear by washing you jars, lids and bands in hot, soapy water. Rinse well. Keep jars warm until ready to use to reduce risk of jars breaking when filled with hot food. You can heat them in a pot of simmering water or in a heated dishwasher.

Fill a stockpot that is at least 7 1/2 inches tall and 9 1/2 inches in diameter with enough water to cover jars with at least 1 inch of water and heat to a simmer.

Combine tomatoes, green (red) peppers, onions, chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, cilantro, salt and hot pepper sauce (optional), in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Ladle hot salsa into jars, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace between the food and the rim of the jar. Remove air bubbles by sliding a small, non-metallic spatula inside the jar and gently pressing food against the opposite side of the jar. Re-measure headspace. If needed, add more salsa to meet the 1/2 inch headspace recommendation. Wipe rim; center lid on jar. Screw band until fingertip-tight.

Place filled jars into canning rack, then lower into stockpot of simmering water, ensuring jars are covered by 1 inch of water. Put lid on pot. Heat to steady boil and boil for 20 minutes. Remove stockpot lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars and allow to cool for at least 12 hours. Press on center of cooled lid. If jar is sealed, the lid will NOT flex up or down. Whoo! Hoo! You've just canned. You can store your jars of zesty salsa in a pantry for up to 1 year.

Enjoy...

Yield: 3 pint-sized jars of salsa

PS: Truth be told...you could also bag the whole canning aspect of this recipe and simply enjoy this "zesty salsa" fresh from the pot. (Well, maybe let it cool down a bit, but you know what I mean.)

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

And Now, I Pass It To You....Cowboy Caviar

"basil, lettuce, rice, peanut butter, shallots, eggs, butter, Parmesan cheese, pasta, parsley, thyme, rosemary, ketchup, oatmeal, raisins, whole grain mustard, sesame oil, vanilla extract, avocados, cherries, black eyed peas, corn, cantaloupe, lime, cilantro, salmon, flatbread, goat cheese, hot dogs, hot dog buns, hummus, salsa, pancake mix, tea, ovaltine, cherry tomatoes, Nana's jam, soy sauce, milk........"

With a pile of cookbooks, notebooks and recipe cards spread out before me providing inspiration, I make my list of groceries that I plan on hauling to the Oregon coast for our two week vacation.  The first week to be joined by my side of the family, the second week by my sweetie's.

"First Dinner - App-Guacamole, Dinner - Grilled salmon-tomato/shallot compote or just salt and pepper?, green salad, rice, green beans, Birthday cake for Mom. Second Dinner - App-Cowboy Caviar, Dinner - marinated flank steak, roasted potatoes, artichokes, bowl of cherries......."

I follow that up with my list of possible dinner menus.

I realize that when most people go on vacation, they perhaps spend their planning days laying out the activities that they will partake in on said vacation. I, on the other hand, think of the food possibilities. I get excited by the endless options. I liken it to that of a child making her list for Christmas. The glimmer in her eyes. The hope. The anticipation. The jubilation. And the beauty of it is, I'm not alone in this. In the weeks leading up to this vacation, I receive calls from my sister, my mother, my sister-in-law, my sweetie to talk about....food. Who's bringing what? Who's preparing this? Who's ordering out for that? Calls come in from shopping trips to Costco, "Just picked up a bag of those multi-grain chips we like so you don't need to get those." Text messages are flying back and forth from the next group coming out to the coast, "@grocery store, need anything?"

Now, of course, once we're there we partake in all of the usual beach activities...the boogie boarding, the sand castle building, the sand boarding, the dune climbing, the tide pool investigating, the beach combing, the bike riding, the lighthouse visiting, the whale watching, the sun bathing, the book reading, the puzzle making, the game playing, the bonfire building...actually, scratch that, we don't do the bonfire building...too cold. But through all of this, in the back of my mind is always, "When can I start preparing our next meal?

And once we're all crammed around the table on a various assortment of chairs, we continue to share, not just the meal at hand, but also, other meals and recipes that came before. An idea on preparing mussels with curry or marinating steaks with soy sauce and mustard. How to cook clams on the grill. Other ideas for vinaigrettes. Dips for artichokes. Chocolate cakes versus vanilla. We "ooh and aah" over new dishes prepared for us. The way one family sets up a taco bar that differs from our own way yet provides inspiration. And I guess that's what we take away from all of this is...inspiration. In sharing our food, our ideas, our recipes with one another we pass along a bit of ourselves. The bit that comes directly from our own kitchens. Our own homes.

I believe that Molly Wizenberg said this best when she wrote in her book, A Homemade Life:
"When I walk into my kitchen today, I am not alone. Whether we know it or not, none of us is. We bring fathers and mothers and kitchen tables, and every meal we have ever eaten. Food is never just food. It's also a way of getting at something else: who we are, who we have been and who we want to be."

Cowboy Caviar

This is one of those recipes that has circled around my neighborhood dozens of times. I requested it from my neighbor Renae who had it passed along to her by another neighbor. Get together in our neck of the woods and this dip always shows up on an appetizer table without fail. Introduce it into a new group and you will, mark my words, receive emails the following day with requests for the recipe. It couldn't be simpler. It's delicious and it's pretty darn good for you to boot. Obviously tortilla chips are its usual side-kick but I've been known to scoop it up with sliced red bell peppers or to spoon it over toast for breakfast.

Ingredients:
1 15 oz can black eyed peas
1 12-15 oz. can of corn
2 avocados, cubed
1/2 c chopped tomatoes
2/3 c cilantro, chopped
2/3 c green onion, chopped
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Gently combine all of of the ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. If possible, let sit at least a half an hour before serving so the flavors have a chance to mingle. Set it out on an appetizer table and watch it disappear. Enjoy


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Fabulous Fish Tacos...Without the Franticness

I pulled my receipt out of the parking meter and glanced at the expiration time, "10:16 am." I couldn't believe it. Considering that I had just paid for an hour's worth of parking meant I had arrived at the market only 45 minutes after it opened. This was a first for me. I usually arrive much, much later. At the height of the crowds. Just when many of the vendors start selling out of their produce for the day. But no. Today was different. The sun was shining for the first time in weeks and by golly, I was going to make the most of the next 24 hours before the rain returned the next day...or so "they" were predicting. (You know, the almighty "they.")

Going around to the back of the car, I pulled my new farmer's market cart out of the trunk. A little contraption I had researched on line called the "Hook N' Go." I was hoping that it might be able to give my lower back and arms a reprieve during this weekly jaunt. I unfolded it and then, grabbed my bags and "hung" them on the rungs. "Huh...," I mumbled as I sized-up my new contraption and considered that the bags hooked on the "Hook N' Go" seemed to drag on the ground once they were hooked. "Nevermind that....I'm sure it will be fine once they are filled with food," I said to myself. Then, waving off someone gesturing for my parking spot, I grabbed the "Hook N' Go" and took off with a determined and confident gait.

As I walked under the familiar canopy of trees and approached the market, I noticed that it was teeming with people. I couldn't believe it. "It's only 9:15. Where did all of these people come from? I'm supposed to have the market to myself." A flash of disappointment and anxiety rippled through my body. I mentally went through my list. A 1/2 flat of strawberries was at the top. The one type of produce that always sells out. "But I have to do the circle," I lamented to myself. Like our canine companions, I always have to circle the market once before I buy anything. Checking out deals. Inspecting the produce for the best quality. As I dove into the crowd, I could sense that this was not a day for leisurely shopping. No circling. Just "grab n' go." The vibe here was frenetic. All of Portland had been trapped in a car wash for the past month and we were out and we were hungry and we were frantic to pack as much into this one day of sun as possible. As for the "Hook n' Go"....I may as well have been trying to push a "wide load" double stroller through a crowd of black crows with all the squawking and the cranky looks going around.

Hungry, I saddled up to the Tart Lady and bought a blue cheese, asparagus, mushroom tartelette. Beautiful, to be sure but....cold. "Oh well...." While I was pulled over to the side trying to eat a few bites a "lovely" couple noticed my "Hook n' Go." "Well, that's an interesting cart. What's it called darlin'?" I rattled off the name and explained that it was new. Turning to his wife, he says, "Honey, we'll have to check that out online." and they were off. Back into the crowd I started buying up a few items...a baguette, some sugar snap peas, a bit of basil goat cheese, some fillets of pacific rock fish, a bottle of wine from Twist. I plopped these into bag number one and all was well.

Rounding the corner, I spied a huge pile of zucchini. Not expecting this until later in the season, I delightedly grabbed a few with visions of grilling them up with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. After my purchase, I pulled over to the side to get them into bag number two. Clearly, the handles were too long. It would, in fact, drag once it was "hooked." While I was concentrating on tying a knot to shorten the handles, another "lovely" couple walked up to take a look at the "Hook N' Go." "Well, look at that. What kind of contraption is that?" "It's a Hook N' Go. I'm just trying it out for the first time today." "Those bags are going to drag." "Yeah, well, I haven't worked out all the kinks. This is the first time I've taken her out for a spin." "Hmmpf, shoddy design," he mutters under his breath as he walks away shaking his head with his wife following right behind. I wanted to take the zucchini back out of the bag that was not dragging and whack him on the head but the knot I had to tie to shorten the length prevented me from reaching back into the bag. In the distance I could hear, "Leavin' on a Jet Plane" being sung by the band of the day. "What?! This is not appropriate market music. Where's the bluegrass?" But no, "Don't know when I'll be back again...." just kept being sung over and over. "What is going on here?" My normal, calming, zen experience at the market had been anything but. I just wanted to go home. With my 1/2 flat of strawberries hooked on my arm and my bags hooked on the...."Hook n' Go"...I headed back to my car.

Once home, there was the rush to unload the car and then, to give the lawn some attention. To pull some weeds. To fix lunch. To finally, plant my vegetable garden. To clean myself up and then, to put to use the purchases I had made earlier. Around 7 pm, I laid out buffet style the corn tortillas, the grilled fish, my "special sauce", some chopped up cilantro, mango and napa cabbage and then, rang the cow bell called everyone for dinner. Once everyone was seated, I took a deep breath and could finally feel myself relax. I watched as my family thoroughly enjoyed their fish tacos and chatted about this and that. My sweetie remarked to me, "These might be the best fish tacos I've ever had." The sun was definitely starting to disappear in preparation for the next day's rain but as I sat there with my family I didn't mind so much. At the end of a long and productive sunny day, I was finally having my "zen moment" surrounded by my sweetie and my curiously calm chickens....and the wine I purchased earlier probably helped too...I'm just saying.


Fabulous Fish Tacos

I don't know about you, but my "main squeeze" and I are always on the hunt for the best fish tacos whether we're buying them or making them. So the recipe that follows is a conglomeration of many of the fish tacos I've had, keeping in mind that I like to keep it simple and three children, as well as a main squeeze with a discriminating palate, need to like them as well. Also, for these particular fish tacos I made them using Pacific Rock Fish which was highly recommended to me by Linda Brand Crab at the Portland Farmer's Market and let me tell you...she was wasn't just trying to sell fish when she said they'd be perfect for fish tacos. Yum! This recipe is so simple yet feels "rawther special" and I find it could easily be made on a weeknight or on the weekend for guests. Cheers....

Ingredients

Sauce:
This sauce can easily be cut in half.
1 cup mayonnaise (Best Food, of course. What else is there??)
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2-4  tomatoes cored and chopped-approx 1-2 cups. (Amount depends on your love for the round, red orbs.)
pinch of salt

1/2 head fresh napa cabbage, shredded
1-2 fresh mangoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Some extra slices of lime

2 lbs pacific rockfish or other firm, fleshy white fish

1 package white corn tortillas

Optional: sriracha or chili sauce laid out on the table for those who like a bit of heat

Directions:
Prepare your sauce by mixing the first 5 ingredients together in a bowl. Then, set aside to allow the flavors to mingle.

Prepare the napa cabbage, mangoes and cilantro. And then, set aside, each on their own separate plate.

Lightly season your fish with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil. Grill over medium heat until just flaky in the middle. The rockfish took about 6-8 minutes total (3-4 minutes per side.)

While your fish is grilling, heat your tortillas. A trick I learned is to wrap the desired amount of tortillas in a barely damp paper towel and then, pop them in the microwave for 45 seconds or so. They come out heated through without being dried out. Now, you could get fancy and heat each one in a cast iron skillet but why?

Then, lay your fixin's out on the counter, pull your fish off the grill and call the troops to dinner. Or don't bother calling them, just ring your cow bell over and over and over until the incessant annoying noise causes them to finally abandon their...legos, fort in the woods, gmail chat...and arrive promptly at the table exasperated and saying things like, "Okaaaay Mawwwwwm. You can stop now." Explain to them to take a tortilla (or two), put some fish on it, drizzle on some sauce, sprinkle on their desired amount of cilantro, mangoes and cabbage, a squeeze of lime perhaps and then, after preparing yourself a plate, sit down with your family (or your cat, perhaps) and enjoy.

Yield: Enough for 2 adults and 3 children and a bit leftover


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010