Potato Salad that the Kids LOVED

I have this recipe for Croatian Potato Salad that I have made a few times (again, recipe in Jill-speak is not an actual “recipe”…. but a method & throw together of ingredients). I went to make it yesterday & realized I was missing my key ingredient: BACON! So I had to improvise. I ended up making something that the kids were oohing & ahhing over… they have NEVER been that excited over potato salad…. So I must remember this.

Here’s my starting recipe for Croatian Potato Salad:

• Potatoes (peeled, cooked, cooled)
• EVOO
• Lemon Juice
• Big Bunch of Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
• Approx 5 green onions, chopped
• Bacon Crumbled
• Salt, Pepper

• Ok, so that is YUMMY. What is not  when it has bacon in it???? However, due to the no bacon, here is what I did instead:

• Potatoes (peeled, cooked, cooled)
• EVOO
• Lemon Juice
• Fresh Italian Parsley
• Green Onions
• Grape Tomatoes
• Shredded Parmagian Cheese
• Salt &pepper

• It truly was a delicious modification & man, I do wish I had some leftovers today. I always have leftovers of potato salad… today I do not. That shows you how much the kids liked it!!!

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I love fish tacos!

Something that is a sort of surprise "hit" in my house is Fish Tacos. Absolutely everyone LOVES them! In fact, there is never enough. There are just a few meals that have my kids begging for more and this is one of them.

 As I have said before, I am not a big recipe-following kind of cook. Many times I will use a recipe is a springboard. Then I just do what I want to it. So I do a few different things when I make fish tacos. I have had a few requests for my "recipe".... well, this is as close to a recipe as you will get.

•  Here goes: For the Fish::::: TILAPIA ----- I always start with tilapia which is a mild white fish. However, you can use any fish you like. Or shrimp. Yum. I have done shrimp before. Cut the tilapia into somewhat similar size pieces for even cooking. I have breaded the fish a few different ways: panko bread crumbs, flour, cornmeal (or a combination of any of those). Fry it up in a pan.... the last time I made it, I used coconut oil for the first time & I LOVED how it turned out. However, normally, I have just used either vegetable oil if I am deep frying or olive oil for pan frying. When the fish comes out, salt & pepper it.
• FOR THE TACOS::::: I love to heat up corn tortillas for fish tacos. To me these compliment the fish the best. I like to heat them up in a teensy, weensy bit of oil. However, you can use white flour tortillas or just plain ol' crunchy tacos.
• FOR THE GOODIES:::::: I make a "salad" of coleslaw mix (or shredded carrots & cabbage if you want to make your own), fresh cilantro, fresh tomatoes, black olives, corn, olive oil, fresh lime juice, salt, pepper. This is my basic salad mix to serve on the tacos. However, I have had to make alterations due to missing ingredients or other ingredients that we have that sound muey buena.
• FOR THE SALSA:::::: I love homemade salsa. This is another thing for which I do not follow an exact recipe. I start out with fresh tomatoes, fresh cilantro, lime juice, onion, fresh jalepeno, salt, pepper, garlic. I puree this in the food processor. I have added pineapple to it in the past. I have tried it with some peaches in it. Yum. Lots of options. Just play around with it until you like it.
• FOR THE GUACAMOLE:::::: To me a taco isn't a taco without avocado. I personally will just cut up an avocado & eat it with some salt & pepper on it. So it doesn't have to be made into guac for me to like it. The last time I made fish tacos, I actually just chopped up an avocado and chopped up a mango & put them together & voila, yummmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyy. However, my basic guacamole is just avocado, onion, tomato, lime juice, salt, pepper, a little garlic.
• NOW PUT IT ALL TOGETHER!!!!!! I usually do not use cheddar cheese on my fish tacos. I love cheese, but these just do NOT need it. However, I will let the kids put some on theirs. You know kids &cheese.... That is it.... like I said, you can alter pretty much everything on here. I have made them sans fresh salsa & had to use a jar. I have mixed a little fresh spinach & iceberg lettuce into the salad. I have served it with sour cream, though really, again, this just does NOT need it. Ok, now the big question is, will this or won't this keep the formatting I have put in here... I am getting a LITTLE BIT angry every time I type something up on here & it doesnt' keep the formatting... So here.... we.... go.... PUBLISH

It's a Pasta Salad Time of Year

I almost took a picture of my lunch today because it looked so yummy & pretty. I should have. I didn't realize I would be writing a post. The more I thought about it though, I thought, "Dang, I should share that simple, delicious recipe"....

  This is the time of year that I make many pasta salads. I do this for a couple reasons. A) It's soccer season & we are busy & on the go & often have to come home at 7:30pm & I need dinner READY N.O.W.!! B) My fall/winter READY N.O.W. dishes don't sound as good this warm time of year, i.e. soups, casseroles, crockpot meals.

  Here is what I made last night. 2 pounds of macaroni (cooked in generously salted water) EVOO (as much as you like/need/want) Lemon Juice (see above EVOO) Real Bacon Bits or Crumbled bacon (the key is REAL (fabulous) not fake) again, whatever sounds good to you. Fresh Basil ( big handful, chopped) Fresh Cherry Tomatoes (or grape) 1 large container Fresh spinach (approx 5 ounces, chopped finely) Mozzerella cheese (would have loved to use buffalo mozzerella, but all I had was shredded regular) Parmesan Reggiano (shredded) Salt & pepper to taste So YUMMY... Yummy... yummy. This was eaten last night in the van at baseball practice. Yep, it is that time of year. So glad there were leftovers for today. BTW, pasta salads are super easy meal ideas for us on-the-go parents. You can pretty much add anything that sounds good. On Friday night, I made one that was more southwestern. It included the following: fresh cilantro, EVOO, lime juice, tomatoes, black olives, avocado, cheddar cheese (it needed some grilled chicken, but I didn't have any).

  Pretty much, anything I put in a pasta salad, the kids will eat. and it's easy. so that is a WIN/WIN....