{ lime and chili pork tacos with jalapeño cream sauce }

These pork tacos are awesome -- so many contrasts of flavors make for an overall tangy combination that's out of this world. Ty kept saying, "These are GOOD," throughout dinner, which is always a good sign.

The jalapeño cream sauce was made from peppers grown by a friend (thanks, Ben!), and the potential list of dishes to which this could be added is limitless. For starters, I added it to my eggs the next morning (and included a picture below!). It's delicious. If possible, make it in advance so that it has a chance to chill before being added on the tacos. The cool, smooth texture is so yummy with the warm meat and onions (don't skip making the onions!).

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to eat another pork taco. :)

Lime and Chili Pork Tacos with Jalapeño Cream Sauce
(adapted from Food & Wine)

Ingredients
Jalapeño Cream Sauce

• 4 jalapeños, seeded and cut into large sections
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves (about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• juice of one lime
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt, to taste

Tacos

• 8 1/4-inch-thick boneless pork chops
• 1 large sweet yellow onion, sliced in rings
• juice from 1 1/2 limes, divided
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons Mexican chili powder (regular chili powder works fine), divided
• kosher salt and freshy-ground pepper, to taste
• 8 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
• 1 avocado, halved and sliced length-wise
• jalapeño cream sauce (see accompanying recipe), lime wedges, and cilantro, to garnish

Process
Jalapeño Cream Sauce
In a food processor,puree jalapeños, cilantro, mayo, garlic, olive oil and lime juice. Taste and add salt, as needed.

Refrigerate.

Tacos
Preheat a grill pan for at least 5 minutes. Arrange the pork on a large baking sheet. Brush all over with half of the olive oil. Season with salt and half of the chile powder. Squeeze the juice from a lime on the meat before putting on the grill. Do the same once the meat has been flipped.

Grill the pork, turning once, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Preheat heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Place sliced onions in a bowl and top with remaining olive oil. Stir until evenly coated. Add remaining chili powder and sprinkle with salt.

Add onions to hot skillet, stirring occasionally to cook evenly. Once onions begin to soften, squeeze the juice from half a lime over the onions and continue to cook until charred and tender.

Transfer the pork to the cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch strips; transfer to a platter. Serve on warm tortilla with the onions, avocado, cilantro, jalapeño cream sauce and lime wedges.






breakfast the next morning!

{ buffalo chicken tacos }

Talk about the best of both worlds -- tacos and chicken wings! It sounds like a strange combination, I know, but it really works. It's one of those things that I couldn't believe I'd never thought of myself.

The great taste in these tacos comes from the spicy kick from the chicken (and there's definitely a good kick!), contrasted with the cool avocado, lime and blue cheese. I really enjoyed it.

As with any taco, you can pretty much top yours with whatever floats your boat. I walked on the chicken wing side of things and added [light] blue cheese dressing (Ty opted for ranch), some [light] crumbled blue cheese, plus cubed avocado with lime and fresh cilantro.

This is a perfect, casual weekend meal. And talk about great for a tailgate menu (without all those gross, picked-over chicken bones piling up) -- just cook up the chicken ahead of time and set out the sides.

Buffalo Chicken Tacos
(adapted from mrsregueiro.com)

Ingredients
Chicken:
1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenders, cut into 1 inch pieces
2/3 cup flour
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt and pepper, for seasoning
approximately 3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce (we prefer Frank’s); extra for garnishment
2 tablespoons canola oil
12 6-inch corn tortillas
Toppings:green leaf lettuce leaves
diced red (or green) onions
cilantro
avocado, cubed and coated with fresh lime juice (to prevent browning)
blue cheese or ranch dressing

ProcessHeat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

In a large bowl, combine cornstarch, flour, cayenne, and garlic powder. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour mixture.

Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in Dutch oven. Add chicken and cook on both sides – about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Once the chicken is done, set it aside in a bowl and toss with buffalo wing sauce (enough to coat all the chicken pieces).

Roll chicken pieces in tortillas, along with desired sides.

Yield: about 10 servings, 2 tacos each.

{ shredded beef tacos }

We're Texans and we enjoy Tex Mex food ... a whole lot. But up here in New England, the opportunity to just pop into any ol' restaurant for a decent fix of the good stuff is, so far, an impossibility. We basically have to make do with whatever we can whip up ourselves.

Tacos are an obvious (and predictable) member of the Tex Mex culinary family. But eventually, ground meat tacos begin to lose their appeal. So when I stumbled across a recipe for shredded beef tacos, I jumped on it.


For a weekday meal, it fits my number one criteria: ease in making. And a total added bonus is that, since it sits in the crockpot all day, it makes the whole house smell amazingly delicious.

It's such a nice taco change in the midst of a Tex Mex nowhere land (or anywhere else, for that matter).

Shredded Beef Tacos
(adapted from CookingClassy)

Ingredients

• 1 (2 1/2 lb) chuck roast
• 1 (14 oz) can beef broth
• 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• Juice of 1 lime

Process

In a small bowl whisk together chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Place roast in a slow cooker, pour beef broth over roast then squeeze with fresh lime juice. Sprinkle roast with spice mixture. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low heat for approximately 8 hours, or until the meat falls apart when poked with a fork.

Remove roast from slow cooker and place on cutting board. Remove fat, and shred beef with a fork. Return shredded beef to slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook additional 30 minutes.

Remove beef from slow cooker with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving bowl or platter.

Serve with tortillas and desired toppings.