Lemon Butter Tilapia Fillet with Potatoes

Today when I was thinking of dinner I had in mind to make something very special for my kids and husband. I went to the store and saw this beautiful orange bell pepper. Immediately it caught my attention. I had the fish in the freezer so I just picked up the scallions and bell pepper and went home ready to prepare our meal. My oldest kids are very funny, as soon as I plated the food they sat down and started critiquing the food. They went over the textures and the flavors of the dish. LOL! I love them dearly and they know how much I enjoy making food for them. I hope your family also enjoys it.

Ingredients: 

• 5 Tilapia Fillets
• 4 White Potatoes
• 1 Orange Bell Pepper
• 1 bunch of Scallions
• 2 Roma Tomatoes
• 4 tbsp of Butter
• 2 Small Lemons
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• Lemon Pepper 

Directions:

1. Cut potatoes in 1/4 inch medallions. On a skillet add 2 tbsp of butter and place medallions. Season with salt and pepper. You are looking for a nice golden brown sear on both sides. 
2. Chop tomatoes and bell pepper into triangles and scallions diagonally. Add juice from one lemon to pan and then add bell pepper. Once bell pepper is half way cooked add scallions and cook for minute or so before you add the tomato. Season with salt and pepper and set it aside.
3. Once potatoes are done put them aside and on the same pan cook tilapia. Add remainder butter to pan. Season the fish with salt and lemon pepper. Once you flip fish for the first time add the juice of the lemon on top of the fish. Sear the fish on both sides.
4. Time to build the dish. Place potatoes on the bottom. I made a flower shape then added some of the salsa on top before I placed the fish on the top. 

Huevos Rancheros

I will try to post at least one video of a recipe a week. I'm still learning how to do it. I hope you enjoy this recipe. I love to make huevos rancheros like on a Saturday morning or a morning since we can sit down and enjoy our meal and have a nice conversation. I learned this recipe from my mom. This recipe takes me back to when I was a child in Mexico and my parents where in the kitchen singing and cooking breakfast for us. When I cook this recipe I hope to create the same wonderful memories with my children and maybe one day they would do the same with their children. The recipe is for two eggs only, but you can adjust for making more.

Ingredients:

• 1 Green Bell Pepper
• 1 Roma Tomato
• 1/2 Small White Onion
• 3/4 cup of Water
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 Eggs
• 3 Corn Tortillas
• Oil

Directions:

1. Dice tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers.
2. On a sauce pan add 2 tbsp of oil. Once pot is hot add bell peppers. 
3. Add onions when you see that the bell peppers are getting soft and stir them.
4. Onions will become translucent and that is when you will add the tomato. Season with salt and pepper at this point and add water.
5. Once water starts boiling, reduce heat and simmer.
6. While salsa is simmering, add oil to a pan to crisp tortillas. Make sure you don't leave them too long. 
7. Repeat  step 6 until you are done with tortillas. Place them on a plate.
8. Keep an eye on salsa. You don't want it to go dry. If you see the water has reduced to half, remove from heat.
9. Fry eggs to your liking and season them. Place them on top of tortillas.
10. Add salsa on top of tortillas. Enjoy :)

Chicken Shish Kabobs with Saffron Rice

Today I had a craving for rice, so I started thinking what I could make to go with it. I looked in my freezer and I saw boneless chicken tights. I started to cook the rice and I remember I still have some saffron in the freezer as well so I decided to make saffron rice with peas. Now I had to figure out how to cook the chicken. I wanted to make a simple recipe but a great tasting one. So what is easier than shish kabobs? I took out and onion and a red bell pepper that I had left over from another recipe and voila! Today's recipe was a great summer dish, easy to make, and very colorful. Before I go on to the recipe, let me tell you my new favorite thing, Mahatma Jasmine Enriched Thai Fragrant Long Grain Rice. I love how the aroma just fills the house as it cooks. Is like a floral sweet flavor and makes me happy thus making cooking even more pleasurable.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Mahatma Jasmine Rice
• 1-1/12 cup of Water or if you have some Chicken Stock
• 1/2 Cup of Frozen Peas
• 1/2 tsp Saffron threads
• 1.25 lbs Boneless Chicken Tights or Chicken Breast
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1/2 medium Onion
• 1 Lemon
• Salt to taste
• Lemon Pepper to taste
• Bamboo Sticks

Directions:

1. Place rice, water, and saffron treads on a pot and cook it over medium heat. Add salt to taste. Once the water starts to boil add frozen peas. Lower the temperature and cover it. Rice takes about 15 minutes to cook.
2. Cut vegetables and chicken into about and inch squares.
3. Start building the shish kabobs with red bell pepper, chicken, and onion. 
4. Once you are done building the shish kabobs, turn on the grill. Once grill is hot, turn the temperature to medium. Season the shish kabobs with salt and lemon pepper to taste. Place them on the grill and keep an eye on them. 
5. Cook shish kabobs for about 15-20 minutes. 
6. Serve with saffron rice and a wedge of lemon. 

Beef Tostadas

As you know, I love cooking and since is 6 of us I cook for I have to watch out budget. Yesterday I made spaghetti and only used half of the beef that came in the package. The other half I saved so I could cook another meal. Today as I was trying to figure out dinner I noticed I was missing a few ingredients for what I wanted to cook and felt a bit lazy to go to the store to get them. So I put my thinking cap on and looked at what I had in the fridge and the pantry. I came up with beef tostadas. I usually make tostadas with shredded beef, but I thought this would be great for dinner. I was right, the kids loved them. Plus this helped me take care of two left overs I had, the beans and the beef. Hope you enjoy this easy recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups of Refried Beans
• 3/4 lbs Ground Beef
• 3 cups of shredded Lettuce
• 2 diced Roma Tomatoes
• 12-14 Tortillas Tostadas 
• Sour Cream 
• Salsa
• Shredded fresh Cheese

Directions:

1. If you don't already have the beef prepare. Brown ground beef with a garlic clove and drain excess fat. 
2. Heat refried beans. 
3. Chop all you vegetables and shred cheese.
4. If you want to add salsa and sour cream, you can either put them on while you are building the tostada or you can place on the table for everyone to put as much as they would like.
5. Time to build your tostada. If you are putting sour cream- grab one of the tostadas then spread about 1 tbsp of sour cream.
6. Then add about 1-1/2 tbsp of refried beans and top it with ground beef. 
7. Now if you want every bite to have some cheese you can add cheese now or you can just sprinkle it on top at the end.
8. Add shredded lettuce and tomatoes.
9. You can top your tostada with some salsa, cheese, or sour cream. 

Spaghetti

I don't know about you, but I have a few recipes that I make when I know my husband won't be joining us for dinner. I know it sounds kind of mean, but there are foods that he doesn't really care about. However, the kids love some of them. One of these recipes is the classic spaghetti. I think everyone probably knows how to make spaghetti, but I will post it since is something we ate. I forgot to mention that this recipe is very good for when you are on a budget. I usually save half of the beef so i can use it the next day for another recipe. So this recipe should cost you at the most $5!

Ingredients:

• 1 box of spaghetti (I actually like vermicelli better)
• 1 jar of your favorite Spaghetti Sauce
• 3 tbsp of Butter
• 1 clove of minced Garlic
• 3/4 lbs of Ground Beef
• Salt
• Water

Directions:

1. In a large pot put water to boil and add salt. Add pasta and cook for about 5 minutes for vermicelli 8 for spaghetti.
2. Brown ground beef in a skillet along with garlic. Salt to taste.
3. Once beef is cook add spaghetti sauce and simmer it over a low heat for a few minutes.
4. Once pasta is ready, drain well, and put it back on pot along with butter. Mix well so butter will coat the pasta. This will help the pasta not to stick together.
5. Now is time to serve. Place some pasta on the plate, then add spaghetti sauce on top. Enjoy :)

BBQ Ribs

A few months back my husband wanted ribs for his birthday and since we are on a very tight budget going to our favorite rib place was out of the question. Last time we went we spent over $100. So I made them for the first time and they were a sensational hit with the family and not to mention our budget. We probably spend $30 tops if not less on all the food that you see here. This meal is perfect for Sundays. While we are at church the ribs can cook and when we come back they are ready for the grill.

Ingredients: 

• Beef Ribs cleaned and fat trimmed
• 6 cups of  Water
• 1-1/2 Bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce
• 1 package of Green Beans
• 1 Box Mac & Cheese
• 1 French Bread
• 1/4 White onion Thinly sliced
• Butter
• 6 Red Potatoes
• 1 tbsp Rosemary
• Famous Dave's Dry Rib Rub
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place clean ribs on a 1 inch deep oven safe dish. Add dry rub to both sides of the ribs. Then add 3 cups of water to the dish. And cover it with aluminum foil.
2. Place ribs in a 200 degree oven for 2 to 2.5 hours. 
3. Once time is up take them out and add your favorite BBQ sauce.
4. Heat up the Grill on low heat. Add the ribs to the grill and cook them for 30 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on them since they can easily burn. Flip them once about half way through the cooking time. If they are becoming too dry, you can add more BBQ sauce.
5. Once time is up, let them rest for about 5 minutes before you dig in. 
6. Potatoes- cut them in medium cubes. Add 2 tbsp of butter salt, pepper and rosemary. They take about 20 minutes to cook on medium heat. 
7. Mac & Cheese- just cook them as directed on package
8. Green Beans- Add two tbsp of butter to pan and the onion. Once the onions are translucent then add the frozen green beans, salt and pepper to taste. They probably take about 8 minutes to cook if not less.