If I were food I would be...

fried fish

Because you either love it or hate it

but have at least tried it out

With that said I want to invite you to connect with me on facebook.

Like I said, you at least gotta try having me right there on your feeds leaving you all sorts of updates and random questions like

oh yeah

and if YOU were food what would you be?

Macadamia Nut Chicken

• 8 fillets of 4 ounce chicken breasts or thighs
• 2 cups of Teryaki sauce
  
• 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 2 cups of panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs

1. Marinade chicken in Teryaki sauce in a large mixing bowl for at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350*
3. Warm up oil in a frying pan.
   
4. Whisk the eggs with the milk in a small bowl.
5. Mix the panko and the chopped macademia nuts in a shallow plate.
6. Place the flour on another  plate.
7. Coat the chicken in flour then dip it in the milk and egg mixture and then put into the panko mixture.
8. Deep fry each side for approximately 1 minute then place in the preheated oven for an additional 15 minutes so the inside will cook through.

I ate macadamia nut chicken for the first time in Hawaii. It was New Years eve 2008 and my friend Mariko made an elaborate dinner. I've been seriously craving this chicken ever since that first dinner but am way too cheap to buy macadamia nuts in California. This past vacation I brought some back from Hawaii. This recipe is a variation of her recipe. I didn't want to make my own marinade so I took the easy route of using the Teryaki that I already had. If Teryaki isn't your favorite you can experiment with all sorts of different marinades. The nutty flavor of the chopped macadamia with panko is what makes this chicken recipe so delicious. If deep frying freaks you out you can just bake it on a large pan with a bit of olive oil on the bottom and rotate after 10 minutes so both sides get crispy.

Enjoy!

Taco Soup

1 lb ground turkey

1 cup chopped onions

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can salsa

1 can white beans

1 can corn

1. Fry the turkey meat with the chopped onions until cooked.
2. Add the meat to a medium sized pan and add the remaining ingredients.
3. Simmer on low for an hour.
4. Serve warm with cheese on top (avocados, tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream,...all good add-ons)
5. Eat with chips.

This is a contemporary Mexican dish. For more Mexican dishes created and re-created visit foodalouge. She's hosting an awesome blog event that features Latin American recipes. This week is Mexico. Next week is El Salvador. Does anyone have any good suggestions? Go to Foodalogue For more details on this virtual food tour.

 I normally don't cook with canned things but my norms are changing and I'm cherishing my canned goods. Life has been hectic and I appreciate meals that take me less than 10 minutes to prepare. I don't mind the time it takes to simmer. I actually enjoy that process. For one, it makes my house smell great and then it makes it seem like I labored long and hard to get the dinner on the table.

We had a dreamy vacation in Hawaii. Then we came back and it was cold. Christian started doing school again full time multiplied by 900. My mom is looking for a job. My kids are crazy. Actually, Enzo is crazy but I try not to single him out so Miss Mellow Maria gets blamed too. 

proof- Enzo has one speed, fast. He runs all day long and yesterday he totally ate it, hence the busted lip.

proof- My baby became a pirate. 

 Like I said my kids are crazy. My life is crazy. I got a job as a Reader which is like a TA (Teaching Assistant) but 3 times less pay. With all the craziness and some very deep sadness I welcome cans to simplify my life. Thanks Melissa for introducing me to taco soups and for comforting me during these hectic days.