Nothing says "Summer" like nachos & margaritas on the patio

We have Jimmy Buffett to blame for this post. Like I mentioned when I blogged my Key West trip, I am a proud Parrothead. And it was at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant in Las Vegas that Jared and I decided nachos were an acceptable dinner. The Margaritaville restaurants have something on their menu called “Volcano Nachos”. These nachos are basically a huge pile of tortilla chips topped with chili, cheese and all the standard nacho fixins’. They’re served on a platter, and are piled high enough that they actually do resemble a volcano. Also, they’re awesome. Then again, I’m not sure there’s such a thing as a bad nacho.

Anyway, we certainly couldn’t finish the whole appetizer, much less eat a meal on top of it. So we decided to make the nachos our meal that night. And, every once in awhile, usually on a Sunday when we want to drag out the weekend, I’ll make a plate of nachos for dinner. Healthy? Not at all. Yummy? Oh yes. So, in continuing with my summer isn’t over theme, here’s a recipe for some great, Key West-inspired nachos I made a few weeks ago.

Tilapia Nachos
Serves 2-4 as a meal, more as an appetizer

Nacho Ingredients
Yellow corn tortilla chips
2 tilapia fillets
1 lime
Goya brand Adobo
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 bag shredded Mexican-style cheese
2-4 jalapeño peppers, sliced thin
1/4 red onion, diced
Kernels from 1 grilled ear of corn (optional)
Pico de gallo & guacamole for garnish (my recipes follow)

Pico de Gallo Ingredients
2-3 large tomatoes, diced
1-2 jalapeños, seeded & diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt & pepper to taste

Guacamole Ingredients
2 avocados, peeled & seeded
1/8 onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno, diced
1/2 tomato, diced
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. fresh cilantro
1 tsp. minced garlic
Splash of tequila (optional)
Salt & pepper

Directions
1. Make the pico de gallo by combining all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The longer you refrigerate your pico de gallo, the better it will taste.
2. Lightly coat tilapia with lime juice and a light sprinkle of Adobo. Broil for 3-4 minutes per side. Chop broiled tilapia and set aside.
3. Reduce oven heat to 350°. Cover a round pizza pan with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Layer tortilla chips on the foil-covered pan. Follow with a layer of tilapia, jalapeños, cheese, beans, corn, onions and pico de gallo. Add a second, smaller layer of tortilla chips and top with remaining nacho toppings. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and other toppings are heated.
4. While nachos are baking, make the guacamole. The easy way to do it is to throw all the ingredients in a 2-cup food processor and turn it on. If you’re into manual labor, mush (yes, that’s a technical term) everything together with a fork.
5. To serve, top nachos with guacamole and enjoy with a margarita!

My thoughts & suggestions

• For once, I don’t have many suggestions. They’re nachos. For dinner. Anything goes!
• That being said, here are some notes and explanations. I put the pico de gallo on before baking the nachos because I like the taste & texture of warm tomatoes on nachos. I know there are people who put more or less things in their pico de gallo. I roughly follow what my host mom in Mexico did when she made hers. This recipe is heavy on jalapeños because Jared & I like hot food. Feel free to reduce or eliminate them if you’re not a fan. I have to admit that I feel like a bit of a slacker because I didn’t shred my own cheese after going through the trouble to make my own salsa & guacamole. But part of the point of this meal was to use up leftovers & staples before they went bad. One final note about the guacamole. I do sometimes put tequila in mine. It’s a suggestion I came across on the internet a few years ago. You can’t taste the tequila; but it definitely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.

Super Torta II Taco Truck

I have made it a personal goal to try every taco truck in the city. That, along with my sister’s wedding shower, will be my culinary project for the summer. I have no idea if I’ll succeed. But it certainly makes finding cheap, tasty and quick meals a lot more fun. I inadvertently started this quest last month when I found La Popular truck while doing a few errands. Shortly after that, a few friends and I spent a Saturday afternoon driving around Columbus’ west side in search of some awesome Mexican food for lunch. We finally settled on Super Torta II, probably because its yellow paint and huge “open” sign caught our eyes.

This particular truck is parked in an empty lot on Georgesville Road. It appears to be an old city bus that has been converted into a taco truck. There are several chairs arranged alongside the truck, and a grassy area that is great for impromptu picnics. The menu has an assortment of tacos, tortas, burritos, quesadillas, huaraches and a few specialty items. They also offer Jarritos sodas and agua fresca. On the counter, there are a spicy red salsa and the green avocado-tomatillo salsa that I love. I ordered a pineapple agua fresca and a huarache al pastor.

I consider myself fairly well-versed in Mexican food. Yet somehow, the huarache is a fairly new discovery for me. A huarache is a type of sandal worn in Mexico. It is also the name of a similarly-shaped culinary delight. The base of a huarache looks and tastes like a thick, oblong, fried corn tortilla. It can be topped with any number of traditional taco and torta fillings and salsas. Finally, there is a layer of cheese and crema.

Huarache al Pastor

While I waited for my huarache, I sipped my agua fresca. It was refreshing, and sweet but not overly so. The first thing I have to say about the huarache itself is that it was huge. It was almost too big for the dinner-sized plastic plate that it was served on. It was topped with a thin layer of chunky refried pinto beans. On top of that was a generous amount of al pastor. The beans and meat were covered in shredded iceburg lettuce and diced tomatoes. Finally, there was a drizzle of crema and a sprinkle of crumbled cheese. Unable to make up my mind, I topped it with both the red and green salsas. The thing I like so much about huaraches is all of the contrast they offer. The base is soft, but not mushy. The meat is tender and salty, the lettuce crisp and the dairy products creamy. The crema helps cool the heat of the salsas. And the agua fresca is the perfect contrast to wash it all down.

Burritos themselves aren't very pretty to look at. But I think that lots of colorful veggies are. (and yes, that is my trusty jar of Adobo in the corner).

Though my husband and I aren’t vegetarians, we eat meatless meals several times a week. We do this partially for health reasons, partially for cost reasons and partially because vegetables are so darn tasty. I’m also biased in favor of them because I think food should be attractive. Veggies are generally prettier than chicken breasts or bacon. The problem is that produce doesn’t keep for very long. So I’m often looking for ways to use it up before it goes bad. Soups and stir-fries are obvious options. But there are times, like tonight, that neither of those sounds appealing. So I raided the fridge and cabinets for a few staples, starting chopping and sautéing, and came up with these veggie burritos. I had no idea they would turn out as well as they did.

Black Bean & Veggie Burritos
Makes 4 large burritos

Ingredients
1 large zucchini
1 large yellow squash
1 large onion
1-3 jalapeño peppers
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. Adobo with cumin
1 32 oz. can of black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
Juice of one lime
Large flour tortillas
1 1/2 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
Sour cream & salsa, for serving

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Wash and dice zucchini, squash and onion. Wash, seed and dice peppers.
3. Add onions, garlic and peppers to skillet. Cook until slightly softened. Add zucchini and squash and cook an additional 3 minutes. Finally, add black beans and corn and cook until everything is heated, about 5 minutes.
4. Heat tortillas. Fill with vegetable-bean mixture, cheese, salsa and sour cream (if desired). Enjoy!

My thoughts & suggestions

• OK. I realize that I’ve now contradicted my recent mini-rant against premade spice mixes. But there is one mix that I keep around – Goya Adobo. This mixture of salt, pepper, cumin, garlic power, oregano and turmeric is a staple in my kitchen. I use it in chili, on grilled chicken and in almost anything Mexican-inspired. It’s also great on home fries and french fries. Be careful, though, because it is salty. A little goes a long way.
• I used 3 jalapeños and still thought the filling was a little mild. I actually think a habanero pepper would be quite good in this.
• I don’t have a whole lot else to say. Cooking doesn’t get much easier than this. I did consider adding more Adobo, or at least more cumin. But the vegetables have so much flavor on their own; and I didn’t want to overpower them. I know that I’ll be playing with this idea in the future. I’m sure lots of other vegetables would be good in this. I’ll probably throw in some diced tomatoes next time. I definitely think the filling could use fresh cilantro. Avocado would also have been a great addition. But those are things that tend to get eaten quickly, meaning I didn’t have any lying around. Since this recipe was, above all, a way to clean out the crisper drawer, I’m not too worried about it.

Some days, good things just randomly happen. Today was one of those days. Since finding out that Columbus is home to several taco trucks, I have been obsessed with finding and eating at them. Last fall, my husband, two friends and I spent an entire afternoon driving around Columbus looking for the things. I had recently discovered the Taco Trucks Columbus website and had mapped out the locations of several trucks. Sadly, we never did find an open taco truck; and the weather was getting cold, closing trucks for the season.

Fast forward 6 months. Spring has come to Ohio, bringing with it warm weather, sunshine, and the re-opening of taco trucks. I was out on my lunch break today, stopped at a red light on the corner of Wilson Road and West Broad Street. And what did I see? La Popular taco truck!

The truck itself is simple – really just a trailer with a small kitchen inside. You walk up to the window and order your food. Seating is limited. There are a couple stools and a picnic table. Several men were standing around eating tacos, talking and laughing. I ordered my tacos al pastor. While I waited for my food, I broadcast my taco truck discovery to the world via Twitter and Facebook (I didn’t have my camera with me, which is why you’re getting crappy phone pictures with this post). The guys probably thought I was silly taking a picture of the truck. But I’ve never been afraid of looking silly. Besides, I was excited! Real tacos! Three minutes away from my office!

The tacos were delicious. The meat was moist and just a little sweet. They were topped with diced tomatoes and onions and fresh cilantro. The tacos were accompanied by sliced radish, lime, and tomatillo salsa. The salsa was nice and spicy, which isn’t usually the case with tomatillo salsas. My only real problem was that the corn tortillas were a little dry. I think the truck must buy them from the store rather than make them by hand. Still, I am not one to complain about a fresh and tasty lunch for under $5. I will be back very soon to sample their tortas and other taco offerings.

Since I’d already made plans to spend Saturday afternoon searching for tacos with my friends and husband again, I’ll have more taco truck reviews soon.

Location & Contact Information:
3545 W. Broad St.
Columbus, OH 43228
(Intersection of Wilson Rd. & W. Broad St.)

The whole time I was in Key West, I had been craving Mexican food. Who am I kidding? I’m nearly always craving Mexican food. While I knew I wouldn’t find the most authentic fare in that part of Florida, I still wanted to try at least one Mexican place. After watching the sunset, we walked back to Duval Street for a Mexican dinner and a low-key evening. Having lived in Mexico for two summers, I am picky about Mexican food. So I approached Salsa Loca expecting Tex-Mex fare rather than authenticity. If you are a fan of real Mexican food, I recommend that you do the same.

Salsa Loca offers a laid-back atmosphere with mediocre food and service

As far as Key West restaurants go, Salsa Loca is large, rambling and a little chaotic. The entrance to the indoor dining room is at 623 Duval Street. Around the corner, there is a separate entrance to the outdoor dining area. Given the choice, I’ll always sit outside. So that’s where we headed. It is casual, a mix of bar-height tables, picnic tables and patio furniture. Dogs are welcome; and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that shoes are optional. A couple seated near us actually brought their dog with them. The waitress gave the dog its own bowl of water, which it lapped up happily before dozing while its owners enjoyed their dinner.

Salsa Loca’s menu is similar to that of most other Tex-Mex places. The sinchronizadaa, which is described as a tortilla sandwich, is the most popular menu item. I ordered that while Jared had a combination meal. Both meals were served with yellow rice and refried pinto beans. His chile relleno was acceptable, if a little light on batter and cheese. It, and the burrito were covered in a red sauce that tasted like it had come from a can. The rice and beans were just average. My sinchronizada was a little bland, but still pretty good considering my low expectations. It was filled with a generous amount of lightly-seasoned shredded chicken, cheese, onion and jalapenos and topped with sliced avocado. Everything was improved once it had been covered with some hot salsa. Overall, Salsa Loca was no better or worse than I had expected. However, I don’t understand why it got such rave reviews from our B&B owners as well as a few other people that we spoke to.

Chicken sinchronizada, margarita & combination dinner

After dinner, we returned to the Duval Inn for a nighttime swim before talking one last walk down Duval Street. It’s rare to find a place that keeps it pool open 24 hours. The Duval Inn does; and we had it to ourselves. I guess no one else was crazy enough to swim in the cooler weather. But I’ve always been a fan of nighttime swims, warm or not. When it got too chilly, we went back to Duval Street for a walk and a nightcap.

Palm leaves & the moon made for a beautiful nighttime swim

Several locals told me that, since Key West is so small, there aren’t a whole lot of “local joints”. Locals go to many of the same places as tourists. They just do it on different nights. This was evident as I walked down Duval Street on Monday night. It really struck me as Jared and I sat at a quiet bar talking with a stranger and watching the Winter Olympics. Spending more than just a weekend in Key West gives you a great feel for the island. I got to see the loud and crazy Saturday night and the low-key Monday night. It gave me a little bit of a feel of both the tourist and the local side of Key West.

Even Irish Kevin's Bar, which is notorious for its debauchery and crowds, is quiet on a Monday night

Another big plus for this magazine – it has a picture of every recipe. This is important to me since I like to see how a recipe is supposed to look when it’s done. I’ve also been known to choose recipes based solely on how pretty they are. Colorful enchiladas? I’m in.

Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1 small red onion, halved
1 1/2 lbs. tomatillos, husked & rinsed
2 serrano chiles, stemmed & seeded
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 c. shredded chicken
1 1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 c. fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra
8 corn tortillas
pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat broiler. Slice half of the onion into thin rings. Place the other half of the onion, tomatillos and peppers on a baking sheet and broil until vegetables are brown, approximately 7-10 minutes. Puree vegetables with broth. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and sugar.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine shredded chicken with 2 cups of cheese.
3. Warm tortillas to soften them. Spoon some chicken mixture and cilantro into each tortilla. Roll tortillas and place them in a 9×13 baking dish. Broil until crisp and brown, approximately 3 minutes.
4. Coat enchiladas with tomatillo sauce and remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Broil until cheese is brown, approximately 3-5 minutes.
5. Garnish with onion rings and cilantro.

My thoughts:
1. I thought the tomatillo sauce needed something extra, so I added some garlic powder. I almost always make minor changes to recipes the first time I make them. The exception to this rule is baked goods.
2. One of my favorite things about this recipe is that, once it was done, it looked almost exactly like the picture.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Food Network Magazine, October 2009

Ingredients
1 lb. ground turkey
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon Goya Adobo
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1 head green leaf lettuce
1 tomato
1 red onion, sliced
1 15 oz. can black beans
1/2 cup shredded Mexican Cheese
yellow corn tortilla chips
4 tablespoons hot salsa
4 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
guacamole (optional)

Directions
1. In a large skillet, brown meat, diced onion, diced jalapeño and spices in oil over medium-high heat.
2. While meat is cooking, wash and chop lettuce and tomato, slice onions and heat black beans.
3. On a large dinner plate, layer lettuce, meat, beans, tomato, onion, sour cream, guacamole and salsa. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips.

When I was 17, I went to Mexico City with my Spanish class. I loved everything about it – the hotel overlooking the Zócalo, the pyramids, the sense of history, the colors, the energy and the food. While some of my classmates were happy with KFC, my mom I tried all sorts of new things. We had grilled corn with chili powder and lime from a street vendor and decadent pan dulce from the bakeries. But my favorite new food experience was a meal of chiles rellenos served with red and green salsas and refried black beans. Ever since then, I’ve considered chiles rellenos one of my favorite foods.

In spite of my love for these deep-fried, cheese stuffed poblano peppers, I had never attempted to make them myself, until recently. I can’t think of a better way to start this blog than with a recipe for my favorite food.

Chiles Rellenos
Makes 6

Ingredients
6 poblano or Anaheim peppers
12 oz. queso fresco or monterey jack cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 eggs, seperated
1 cup all-purpose flour
canola oil, for frying
red and/or green salsas (I used canned tomatillo & homestyle salsas, though I will probably make my own salsa next time I make these)

Directions
1. Cut a slit down the side of each pepper. Place peppers in a broiler or dry frying pan until skins blister.
2. Place the peppers in a plastic bag and seal the top. Let steam for 20 minutes.
3. While the peppers are steaming, cut the cheese into thin, 2-3″ strips.
4. Once the peppers are steamed, remove their skins and seeds.
5. Fill each pepper with cheese. If desired, use a toothpick to hold peppers together. Chill for 30 minutes.
6. Whip egg whites into firm peaks. In another bowl, thoroughly whip the egg yolks. Fold the yolks into the whites.
7. In a shallow dish, spread out flour and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
8. Heat oil to 375°F.
9. Coat peppers in flour and then in egg.
10. Fry peppers in batches until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
11. Garnish with salsa and shredded cheese.

My thoughts: These took quite a long time to make, mostly because it was my first experience blistering and skinning peppers. They turned out extremely well, making them completely worth the time and effort. I served them with black beans and margaritas made from scratch.

Recipe Source: Adapted from my favorite Mexican cookbook, Mexican – Healthy Ways With a Favorite Cuisine by Jane Milton. The recipes tend to be time-consuming and probably aren’t as healthy as the title suggests. But the book has yet to steer me wrong when it comes to tasty, authentic Mexican food.