Some Seasonal Game Day Treats

I'm not much into watching televised sports, but i do enjoy the Super Bowl. Mostly for the snacks and the commercials. Despite complaining daily about my unique ability to gain a pound a week despite working out daily, i love an excuse to sit in front of the TV during the day (breaking a hard and fast rule of mine) while gnashing on snacks. Not all Super Bowl snacks have to be cheesy and decadent, however. Here are some snacks that will be gracing my coffee table this Sunday, along with some recipes for you to try.

Oven Nachos:

Layer some tortilla chips (we love El Milagro: locally Ausitn made) in an oven safe dish: a casserole or cookie sheet. Sprinkle some shredded cheese evenly, layer more chips, layer more cheese and bake at 350 until cheese melts: not long! Meanwhile heat some refried or black beans on the stove or in the microwave. Serve the chips on a platter topped with warm beans, chopped tomatoes, jalapenos, black olives and whatever else you like. A little cheese, some crunch and whole lot of healthy protein and fresh veggies. A great alternative to the gooey 'nacho cheese' slathered version.

Fish Tacos with Yogurt Sauce:

Season fillets of tilapia or other white fish with cumin, salt, pepper, chilly powder, or taco seasoning. Bake until cooked through and serve in corn tortillas with coleslaw and goat cheese and dipped in yogurt sauce. Coleslaw can be light and healthy, and the yogurt sauce is a delicious and flavorful alternative to the traditional fattening ranch dressing.

Yogurt Sauce:

Blend 1 cup of plain yogurt (preferably homemade- if not choose a variety with live cultures. White Mountain is a great local brand) with 3 cloves garlic and a handful of fresh cilantro. Add salt to taste. Add some hot peppers for extra kick. Cilantro is most likely coming up volunteer in your garden if you let it go to seed last year. No need to stem the herb: both the leafy ends and the stalk of the stems are flavorful. This sauce is also great as a dip for oven fries or chips.

Marinated Radish 'Pickles'

Mix equal parts sugar, vinegar, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. (You may use less sugar to suit your taste). Turn down to a simmer and add pickling spices. You can purchase 'pickling spice' pre-mixed or mix your own using fresh dill from the garden. Simmer 10 minutes and pour over thinly sliced radishes. Place in the fridge for 1 - 10 days, or marinate for several hours for lightly marinated radishes.

This post can also be seen at Yard Farm Austin.

Fish Tacos in Homemade Corn Tortillas

I got a new tortilla press for my birthday, and i am stoked to try it out!
Homemade corn tortillas sound super easy - but will they be plagued with the same "cracked in the middle when trying to fold, taco contents everywhere but in mouth" problem many store bought corn tortillas have?

Tortillas (makes 7-8):

• 1 cup masa
• 2/3 cups cold water
• 1/8 tsp salt
• optional flavorings, i added some chilly powder

(ratios of masa to water are generally found on the package of masa - can be increased or decreased per the amount of tortillas you desire)

Fish filling:

• Fillets tilapia, one per person
• Generous lathering of the following herbs/seasonings
• cumin, cardamom, salt, pepper, chilly powder (optional), lime juice, garlic powder

Optional filling ingredients/condiments:
Chopped cilantro, salsa, ranch dressing, habanero sauce,  coleslaw (without the mayo or miracle whip, plus more vinegar, some mirin, and green onions from my garden instead of a vidalia).

Mix the masa with the salt then the water, blending to form a dough. Let dough rest, covered for about 20 minutes. When ready, form into 1 1/2 inch balls, one at a time placing in tortilla press (sandwiched betwixed wax paper) and press flat. Carefully peel wax paper off of tortilla, not the other way around. If you accidentally break off a chunk of tortilla, just reform the ball and squish again. Heat two minutes per side in a hot pan on medium heat. Place in a tortilla warmer or lidded pan (off heat) until ready to use. Tortillas can also be frozen.

For the fish, simply slather the herbs on each side of the fish, stick them on a baking sheet and back about 15-20 minutes on 350. You want the fish to be sizzling, cooked through (firm to the touch) but not dried out. Can be kept on 'warm' or on top of the warm-from-cooking oven between taco construction/consumption.

Delicious! Pictured here with habanero sauce, diced cilantro and freshly made coleslaw (with a side of homemade mayo for the heck of it). The little tortillas ended up being about 65 calories a piece and scrumptious! AND: They folded well! No breakage! Yipee!
No picture of the folded taco,  (again i was anxious to EAT not photograph) but the husband agrees: "These fold great, very sturdy."

FYI: i skipped the 'let them rest' portion of the preparation: i simply mixed the dough, rolled into balls and covered with a moist towel while preparing the fish. As fish cooked, i pressed and cooked the tortillas. By the time all the tortillas were made the fish was perfectly cooked: couldn't be easier.
So, don't be afraid to make your own tortillas. The press was a whopping 17 dollars at my local feed store, a great investment for quick, delicious, bendable, homemade tortillas anytime you please.

Do you prefer corn or flour tortillas? Have you ever made your own?