Thursday, October 4, 2007

Baked Fish Taco & Pomegranate Recipes

I Love to cook!!!

My workday can be really long! I go in at 5:30am and usually don't get home until 8-9pm. So I like to make things that are quick and usually healthy. I have mastered the art of cooking things under 30 minutes and of course the crockpot (everygirl needs one of these). I do resort to my Mom's old school recipes when I am missing home and they aren't always the best thing for the waist line. But you can splurge sometimes.

I hope you all enjoy!!

RECIPES!!


Easy Tinfoil-Baked Fish Taco



Ingredients:
4 oz. raw tilapia (fresh or thawed from frozen)
1 large corn tortilla
1/3 cup thinly sliced onion
1/3 cup thinly sliced bell pepper (any color)
1/4 cup canned black beans
1 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. taco seasoning mix


Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place fish and sliced veggies in a bowl, and spray with a light mist of nonstick spray. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and lime juice, and then toss to combine. Set out a large piece of tinfoil, and transfer seasoned fish 'n veggies to the center of the foil. Wrap foil up around food to completely enclose it. Set foil packet on a baking pan, and place it in the oven. Cook for approximately 10 minutes (until fish is cooked through and flakes apart easily with a fork). Drain excess liquid from the packet, and allow to cool for a few minutes. Toast or warm tortilla slightly, and then place beans in the center. Add fish and veggies to the tortilla. Fold tortilla sides up, and then chew away!
MAKES 1 SERVING





POM & Balsamic Glazed Chicken


Ingredients:
Juice from 2-3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates,* or 3/4 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 8 to 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup packaged peeled baby carrots
3 sliced green onions
2-3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon crushed dried basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
Hot cooked penne pasta (optional)
Garnish (optional):
1/3 cup arils from 1 large POM Wonderful Pomegranate

Directions:
1. Prepare garnish - Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate underwater to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1/3 cup of arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)
2. Prepare fresh pomegranate juice.*
3. Place oil in a large skillet; brown chicken pieces in batches with carrots and onions for 5-6 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Remove chicken pieces. Keep carrots and onions warm.
4. Place broth in a pan and add back chicken pieces; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked. Reserve 1/3 cup of chicken cooking liquid.
5. Transfer chicken and vegetables to platter; cover and keep warm.
6. Put reserved 1/3 cup of chicken cooking liquid in skillet. Stir in pomegranate juice, vinegar, cornstarch, brown sugar and seasonings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer 2 minutes.
7. Drizzle some of the sauce over chicken and vegetables; garnish with reserved arils. Serve with pasta if desired, and pass remaining sauce.


I used to be a bartender for MANY years so I love to make different cocktails!

The Pomtini


Ingredients:
1 oz. freshly squeezed pomegranate juice* or 100% Pomegranate Juice
1 1/2 oz. vodka
1 1/2 oz. grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. sour mix, or 1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lime
1/2 oz. simple syrup (equal parts sugar and cold water dissolved together)
Spiraled orange rind for garnish
Ice cubes

Directions:
1. Assemble all ingredients in bar or mixing glass. Shake well with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.
2. Garnish with spiraled orange rind.
*This cocktail can be made with freshly squeezed juice from a POM Wonderful Pomegranate or by using POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice, which is widely available at retail. To juice the pomegranate, cut it in half (as you would a grapefruit) and squeeze the juice using a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. One large POM Wonderful Pomegranate will produce about 1/2 cup of juice.

The Pomojito


Ingredients:
1 oz. POM™ Cherry 100% juice
1 1/2 oz. light rum
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup (equal parts sugar and cold water dissolved together)
Soda
4 mint leaves
Mint sprig for garnish

Directions:
1. In the bottom of a double old-fashioned glass bruise the 4 mint leaves with the fresh lime juice and simple syrup.
2. Add crushed ice then the POM Cherry and rum.
3. Top with a splash of soda and stir. Garnish with the mint sprig.

















1 comment:

April said...

Yay! Another Jknottie with a blog to stalk! I will especially enjoy the beverage recipes I am sure :)