Jamaican Jerk Fish Tacos with Scotch Bonnet Pineapple Salsa

 

Last month I had the chance to check off a bucket list location when I visited Jamaica. I'm hoping to find time to share more about that trip in the near future, but I have to share about the food we ate there, especially the jerk chicken. I still dream about the jerk chicken we had there and crave it constantly. In order to fulfill these cravings, I've learned how to make jerk seasoning and have been making an air-fried version of jerk chicken. Absolutely delicious!

So when Gorton's Seafood reached out and asked me to create a recipe using their frozen fish, I already knew where my inspiration would come from. And let me tell you, this recipe is a new favorite of mine and I've made it twice since I first created it a few days ago!

The recipe is also so simple and quick. I hope you give it a try!

Jamaican Jerk Fish Tacos with Scotch Bonnet Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:

-1 bag of Gorton's Seafood beer battered frozen fish

-Cooking oil spray

-Tortillas

Scotch bonnet pineapple salsa: 

-1 red bell peppers, diced

-1-2 scotch bonnet peppers, diced

-1/2 red onion, diced

-1/3 cup pineapple, diced

-1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

-3 Tsbp lime juice

-pinch of fine sea salt

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning:

-1 tsp onion powder

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1 tsp five spice

-1 tsp allspice

-1 tsp black pepper

-1/2 tsp thyme

-1/2 tsp nutmeg

-A pinch of salt

1. Mix all salsa ingredients together in a medium bowl

2. Mix all Jamaican Jerk seasoning together in a small bowl

3. Lightly spray both sides of frozen fish with cooking oil

4. Lightly season fish with Jerk seasoning

5. Air fry fish at 425°F for 15 minutes - flip fish halfway through.

6. Lightly warm tortillas, layer with shredded lettuce, fish & salsa.

Enjoy!

Vietnamese-Style Beer Battered Shrimp

 

Some of my favorite meals include two staple ingredients: Fish sauce and garlic. Anyone else with me?

I used to be scared of cooking with fish sauce because of the initial whiff you get when you open the bottle. But it tastes incredible and lends the most amazing umami flavor to dishes, and I've learned to love cooking with it. 

The other day, I was craving some Thai or Vietnamese food. I didn't have any protein ready to cook in my fridge, but I always have some Gorton's seafood in my freezer. So I made a quick sauce using only 4 ingredients and cooked up crispy, sticky and delicious shrimp using Gorton's Beer Battered Shrimp in under 20 minutes! 

I had some lettuce, carrots, leftover mung bean noodles and snap peas, cilantro and mint from my garden. So I created a salad to top with the shrimp for a full meal. But you can also eat the shrimp with rice and cooked veggies, or on its own!

Please let me know if you try this recipe and what you think!

Vietnamese-Style Beer Battered Shrimp

Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients:

• 1 package of frozen Gorton's Beer Battered Shrimp
• 2 Tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. In a small bowl, combine fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic and black pepper
3. Lay out frozen shrimp in a single layer on baking sheet and cook for 12 minutes
4. Place shrimp one by one in sauce and gently toss
5. Place shrimp back on baking sheet and cook for 4-5 minutes
6. Remove and enjoy!

Chicken Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

Happy New Year! 

What a year it has been and we're only halfway through January! I know many of us are happy 2020 is over, but I know 2021 will have trials of its own. I hope we take everything we learned in 2020 into this year. For many, cooking is something you have learned when staying at home. It has brought me so much joy to see people grow more comfortable in the kitchen. I know I have had a lot of fun learning new recipes, creating new recipes and dabbling in different cuisines. 

With the new year comes new year resolutions. I'm sure many of you may have resolutions that involve eating healthier. It's always a goal of mine, especially given my line of work and what I expect of my patients. But I'll admit that I'm not the best at eating healthy especially during busy work weeks.

And sometimes it can be a pain to eat healthy food. Whether because it's too much work or it just doesn't taste delicious. This is why I love sheet pan meals. They're simple, quick, healthy and tasty!

What makes my sheet pan meals extra amazing is Al Fresco's Chicken Sausage. Their chicken sausage is fully cooked and comes in multiple flavors which makes them perfect for any cuisine you're in the mood for! It's why it's my go-to protein when I have a busy week and don't have time to meal prep. 

Just add whatever vegetables you have on hand and season however you want! You can serve over rice or eat it on its own.

CHICKEN SAUSAGE SHEET PAN MEAL

Serves 2-4 people

Ingredients:

• 1 Package Al Fresco Chicken Dinner Sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 4 cups of Chopped fresh vegetables (I used Zucchini and Yellow Squash)
• 1 Chopped yellow onion
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp cooking oil (I used avocado oil)
• Black pepper to taste
• Other seasoning to taste (I used Lemon Pepper and Smoke Paprika here)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Place dinner sausage, all vegetables and garlic on a large baking sheet pan.
3. Drizzle cooking oil and sprinkle black pepper and other seasonings over sausage and vegetables.
4. Mix everything with hands until well combined.
5. Bake for 20 minutes on middle rack. Flip halfway.
6. Enjoy!

Five Ingredient Friday: Pumpkin Chicken Sausage Pasta

When Al Fresco asked me to participate in a Five Ingredient Challenge using their fully cooked dinner chicken sausage, I knew I had to create a cozy pumpkin dish (I know, so basic!) to celebrate the start of Fall. And wow, I'm going to be making this dish all season, especially when I need a quick and easy weeknight meal!

It's not only the simplest recipe that uses ingredients you likely already have in your pantry and fridge, it's also so delicious, creamy and cheesy! Who knew a five ingredient recipe could be so flavorful! This recipe is also pretty adaptable to utilize whatever healthy ingredients you have on hand.

I used rotini pasta, since I always have rotini on hand, but you can use any kind of pasta for this recipe. You can also use different blends of shredded cheeses. And if you want to sneak in some greens, you can easily add them in! Plus, if you love spicy food like me, you can give it a kick of heat with crushed red pepper flakes.

Al Fresco's fully cooked dinner sausage is an ingredient I always keep on hand in my freezer or fridge. Not only do they have delicious flavors, they're easy additions to pasta, salad, pizza, breakfast scrambles etc. So far this recipe is my absolute favorite use of their chicken sausage! I really hope you give this a try and let me know what you think!

PUMPKIN CHICKEN SAUSAGE PASTA

Serves 3-4 people

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 oz) of Rotini Pasta, uncooked (You can use any kind of pasta you have on hand)
• 4 Al Fresco fully cooked Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage links, slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 12 oz canned pumpkin puree
• 1 cup fat free half and half
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (You can use any blend of Monterey Jack, mild cheddar, mozzarella, and/or parmesan)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Optional: Spinach or any kind of greens you have on hand (ex: broccoli, asparagus)
• Optional: Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste, for a spicy kick

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta per directions on the box. Once cooked, drain, run under cold water so pasta doesn't stick and set aside
2. In a non-stick pan or skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Once oil is glistening, add chicken sausage rounds and cook for about 5 minutes. Occasionally stirring so both sides of rounds brown.
3. Once sausage is browned, add pumpkin puree, half and half, cheese, garlic powder and optional crushed red pepper flakes and greens. Stir and cook until heated through. 
4. Add drained pasta to pan and combine.
5. Enjoy!

#5withalfresco #ad

GRAETER'S ICE CREAM

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

If you know me well, the above explains me well when my sweet tooth takes over. Even when it's freezing outside during our mean Chicago winters, I still crave a delicious bowl of ice cream.

Graeter's Ice Cream has long been my favorite since I discovered a giant carton of their Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip at Costco. Let's just say that carton did not last long at all. Poor, scrumptious thing.

So when I received 6 pints of Graeter's ice cream, including 2 of their seasonal flavors, in the mail, I had to share them with you!! The two seasonal flavors I received could not have been picked more perfectly for me.

Mint is easily in my top 5 flavors, and their Peppermint Stick flavor is refreshing! There are even bits of peppermint in it which makes it look so appetizing. And rarely do you get cinnamon ice cream, so their Cinnamon flavor made my day! I love cinnamon in many of my desserts and even in my morning coffee.

Graeter's Ice Cream is perfect for sharing. Bring a few pints to all the Holiday parties you're attending, and I promise that everyone will be complimenting you on your impressive ice cream selection! But you also don't have to share, I won't tell!

Plus, Graeter's is giving you $5 OFF your orders with my special coupon code Grace-Sweets!! (Expires December 13th!) Once you see the Graeter's Ice Cream deliciousness below, you'll be drooling!

Drool-worthy, am I right? Well, what are you waiting for? Order your Graeter's Ice Cream online and get them shipped right to your door! Don't forget to use my special coupon code Grace-Sweets for $5 OFF your ice cream order! Be sure to grab yours before December 13th when the coupon code expires!

Thank you to Graeter's for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

TRAVEL STORY: VIETNAM

Traveling is a passion of mine. It’s always a joy to experience the adventure it brings! My family and I went on a week-long adventure through a few cities in Vietnam last week.

The seven incredible days flew by like I suspected it would. Our itinerary was packed! We spent a couple days in Ho Chi Minh City (previously Saigon), drove to Can Tho, flew to Hanoi to explore the bustling city and spent a day on the water in Ha Long Bay.

Vietnam is such a fun country because it's as if you're in a constant time warp. At moments you feel like you're living in the early-mid 1900s, then in the next you're in present day, or sometimes it's just a confusing mixed feeling.

This trip was filled with adventure. From crawling through guerrilla tunnels, to riding on the bag of a motorbike on narrow & bumpy back roads when you see your life flying before your very eyes, to shooting an AK47, I wouldn't trade this experience for anything! Since I've already visited many countries in Asia, I wasn't expecting to experience anything totally new in Vietnam, but this trip was filled with a lot of firsts.

Here are some highlights in pictures:

We toured the Viet Cong tunnels that they used during the Vietnam War. It was crazy having a small taste of what it was like. I thought I was semi-tiny, but wow were the Viet Cong tiny if they fit in these tunnels! No overeating allowed! Do no try this if you are claustrophobic or afraid of the dark.

The most peaceful moment of the trip was while we road on a small row boat on Water Palm Creek! I never wanted this beautiful moment to end!

Oh but the food & drinks are what I surely will miss. There are fresh coconuts in abundance even when you're on a boat in the middle of the Mekong River! Are you a bit thirsty? Have no fear! The little boat quick marts have all the drinks you could need!

And the breakfasts every morning cannot be beat! All I need is a large selection of exotic fruits and a bowl of pho.

The Can Tho Floating Market is also pretty magical. All your fresh produce needs are floating in the middle of the Mekong River. And if you get that fruit craving, there are boatloads (literally) of fresh fruit calling out your name.

Hanoi was also an experience I can't forget. I couldn't quite capture the busyness of the city or the constant fear of being run over by one of the 4 million motorbikes that inhabit the city. But I still loved every moment of being in Hanoi!

I rode on a rickshaw as my driver expertly dodged all the cars and motorbikes. But, I could still smile for a picture!

We also had an incredible dinner at Green Tangerine. I loved the French-Vietnamese fusion and the creativity put into all the food! The "Roasted Pigeon in a Cage" and the "Petite Five" dessert were my favorites! They also have the cutest outdoor patio.

Ha Long Bay was the most breathtaking moment of the trip. It was packed full of much needed exercise after all the eating we did in Vietnam. We kayaked in the bay, climbed thousands of steps to explore some pretty cool caves. But my favorite was when we climbed up hundreds of steps to the top of Titop Island for a crazy beautiful view. It was beyond worth it.

I am so thankful I had the opportunity to explore God's beautiful creation and experience this adventure in Vietnam! Thanks for reading!

Where's the last place you've explored? What's your dream vacation? I'd love to hear from you below and get some ideas for my next adventure!

KITCHEN STORY: WINTER WHITE CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY OATMEAL COOKIES

Winter is in full force and I have found myself finding comfort in whipping up cookies in my kitchen as a coping method from the outside chill. Plus, it's a way of drawing people to your home as these cookies did last night with my small group ladies! It really works ;-)

I had some leftover dried cranberries & white chocolate chips laying around and figured I would make some simple but delicious white chocolate cranberry cookies! It's seriously a super easy recipe and a crowd pleaser!

Before we get to the recipe, don't forget to enter the AMAZON GIVEAWAY!! It ends 1/30/15 and is open internationally! Don't forget to enter daily for extra chances to win! Good luck! :)

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350degF. Prepare a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.

Soak dried cranberries in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes. Drain water and set cranberries aside.

In a large mixing bowl whip eggs, softened butter and vanilla together until fluffy.

In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, oats, brown sugar, white sugar, cranberries and white chocolate chips. Slowly combine dry mixture with the eggs, butter and vanilla mixture until well incorporated.

Drop tablespoon sized dough onto prepared sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Let the cookies cool and enjoy with a cup of skim milk!

Tree Trunk Cutting Board: TJ Maxx (Similar | Similar)

Glass: C Wonder (Similar)

An encouraging quote to start your week off..."To achieve a goal you've never achieved before, you must do things you've never done before." (Sean Covey) WOW! I don't know about you, but when I heard that this past weekend, I became so motivated to do so much more! I hope you all are dreaming up big goals and that this week you'll do something new!

Linking up with:

Full Plate Thursday | Create It Thursday

KITCHEN STORY: SIMPLE THANKSGIVING RECIPE ROUNDUP

Happy Thanksgiving week friends!! Who else is as excited as I am for Thanksgiving?? It's one of my favorite holidays mainly because we get to gather with the ones we love, remember all that we are thankful for and have an excuse to eat as much as we want. But does anyone else hit a road block while deciding what to make for a holiday gathering? I often do, especially when I want to make something that everyone will love and won't be a repeat of what others bring.

Thankfully, I have compiled a list of some of my best recipes sure to please your guests or your hosts! Most of them are not your typical Thanksgiving feast dishes AND the best part is that they are so simple! Hope this helps or at least gives you some ideas! I also love hearing from you if you try out a recipe, so be sure to share how it turns out below! :)

MORNING RISERS:

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

SOMETHING SAVORY:

Broccoli Salad

Pineapple Guacamole

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Pistachio Crusted Salmon

SWOON-WORTHY DESSERTS:

Pumpkin Goodness Cake

Caramel Apple Speculoos Parfait

7 Layer Pumpkin Magic Bars

Have a Happy Thanksgiving friends!! I am so incredibly thankful for you!! I hope you get the chance to be with the ones you love this year!

Linking up with:

Munching Mondays
Totally Talented Tuesdays | Time To Sparkle
Whatever Goes Wednesday
Full Plate Thursday | Create It Thursday

KITCHEN STORY: BAKED APPLE CIDER DONUTS

Fall is here. And while I can stomp my feet & pout all I want like a terrible two (or three) that Summer has come and gone, it will not make Summer come back. So I've decided to embrace the colder weather and find joy in the things that make Fall enjoyable. That means indulging on anything containing apple or pumpkin.

For myself, Fall rings in the time to drink a hot cup of apple cider. Yum! I love drinking hot apple cider while spending quality time with the school books & I always add some Biltmore Wassail Spice Blend to the drink. It's so delicious & really adds to the yummy flavor of Fall.

I went to my local grocery store in search of some apple cider and came across some made with Honeycrisp apples. I have to admit, I'm not on the Honeycrisp apple bandwagon. Most of my friends rave about it, but I'm more of a Fuji or Gala girl. To each their own! But I decided to give this cider a chance. It was so yummy and I immediately was reminded of the delicious cider & donuts I had inhaled during my college years at Michigan. (Cider Mill donuts anyone?)

That was it. I had to make myself some donuts! So I went back to my simple & basic Baked Cinnamon Sugar Buttermilk Donut recipe, tweaked it a bit and what happened were apple cider donuts!! Mmm...the taste of Fall...

Ingredients:
Donut:
1 and 1/4 cups apple cider
1 Tbsp Biltmore Wassail Spice Blend or any other spice blend (optional)
2 cups flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cups milk
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degF with the donut pan in the oven.

In a small saucepan, boil down the apple cider for 15-20 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the cider into the measuring cup and chill in the refrigerator.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together. Add the egg, milk, butter and vanilla and mix with a fork.

Once the apple cider is at least at room temperature or cooler, add it to the mixture. Mix the ingredients well. The consistency will be like pancake batter. Pour the batter into a large Ziploc bag or into a large piping bag.

Carefully remove the donut pan from the oven and spray the pan with cooking spray. If you're using a Ziploc bag, cut off a small bottom corner and pipe the batter to fill the donut pan 3/4 full.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the donuts from the pan and let them cool completely.

Mix together the white and brown sugars and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush melted butter on the donuts and quickly dip the donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

How delicious do these look? I promise they will be gone in an instant if you share them with friends and family! For the best taste, serve fresh the same day the donuts are made. Enjoy friends! Happy Fall!

PS. DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE J.CREW $250 GIVEAWAY!! It ends 10/17! Enter daily for extra entries and more chances to win!!

Linking up with:
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