The 2 Spoons

The Best! Beautiful Chicken Taco Salad

January 14, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Still on that “healthyish” train, I made this Chicken Taco Salad and it is better than the taco salad I’ve been used to having. You know the one with loads of ground beef, Doritos, the Catalina dressing? Don’t get me wrong it is delicious! But you know January is a time we kind of want to cut back on a little fat.

Enter the ground chicken taco salad. No greasy residue, this salad is just loaded with flavors like the spicy ground chicken, black beans, power greens, cheese, avocado, just to name a few! This is beautiful, delicious and it is still what I was trying to achieve, a little healthyish, all at the same time!

And if you follow me, you know we eat a lot of tacos! And Mexican Food! We love it! The best thing ever. And those ground beef tacos loaded with salad, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese are to die for! But why not lighten them up with spicy ground chicken or turkey and have them on a soft corn tortilla rather than a crispy taco or a flour tortilla. Well, that’s another post, but you get what I’m saying. you can still have those amazing flavors and favorite dishes if you just lighten them up a little and make them a little more “healthyish”.

When I make a dish that I have cut back on this or that or added more greens, chicken or turkey in place of ground beef, I am so worried my husband won’t like it. Well, not in this case at all. he loved this!

I used the same Avocado Ranch Dressing that I used on the Spicy Chicken Tacos with Broccoli Slaw from the post the other day. You need to try that recipe too! Here’s the link for both: https://the2spoons.com/spicy-chicken-tacos-with-broccoli-slaw/.

The black beans I used were some I had leftover. I just put them in a colander and rinsed them. You can use canned if you don’t want to make homemade. These are a good brand that you can get from HEB, Whole Foods or even Amazon: https://amzn.to/2tXnM8m.

The Best! Beautiful Chicken Taco Salad

I used chipotle chili powder in this. The local HEB I go to has bins of spices you can just get small amounts and that is where I found mine. The smoked paprika is the same, I got it from the bulk bins and it is a sweet paprika.

Here you go with the recipe! Let me know what you think after you make it! Delish!

Chicken Taco Salad

Print Recipe

Course Appetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican, Texmex

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground chicken (you could use turkey)
2 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tbsp smoked sweet paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
6 cups mixed leafy greens or a mix of power greens
2-4 Roma tomatoes, quartered or diced
2-4 Radishes, sliced
1 Bunch Green onions, small sliced.
1 cup cooked black beans
1 sliced avocado
1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
1-2 cups tortilla strips homemade or store bought crushed (i made the strips)

For the Avocado Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno, halved and seeded
juice from one lime
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper

Instructions

To make the tortilla strips, slice a couple of corn tortillas into very thin strips. Heat about an inch of oil in a skillet until hot. Add the tortilla strips, stirring to separate and cook until browned. Remove from the skillet and drain on a paper towel and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chipotle chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup of water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, adding additional buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to thin the sauce.
In a large salad bowl, combine the greens, black beans, avocado, mango, and cheese. Top the salad with the chicken taco meat and then drizzle with the dressing . Toss to combine and then top with tortilla strips. Enjoy!

Keyword healthyish, salad, taco chicken salad, taco salad

Easy Lemony Baked Steelhead Trout

January 13, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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This baked Steelhead Trout takes minutes to bake! Loaded with garlic and lemon, this dish was absolutely delicious. I purchased this trout fresh, immediately froze it, then allowed it to thaw in my refrigerator overnight. The trout was still as fresh as it had been the day I bought it!

Steelhead and Rainbow Trout are the same species of fish. The difference between the two are that the rainbow trout remain in fresh water, while the steelhead are anadromous – living in both fresh water and the ocean for parts of their lives.

Steelhead trout is a member of the salmon family that is commonly fished for sport in the United States. It is related to (and similar in many ways to) the rainbow trout, but steelhead trout are slightly larger, are less colorful.

Steelhead trout taste much like salmon. It is a little stronger in flavor, but you can easily substitute salmon in this recipe. It is a beautiful fish that makes a wonderful presentation.

I actually had this for breakfast. It was wonderful with some hashbrowns, fried eggs and toast.

This would be wonderful with just some buttered red potatoes, a nice salad or a vegetable like asparagus or sautéed spinach. Here is an asparagus recipe on the blog that would be delicious with this: https://the2spoons.com/sesame-roasted-asparagus-with-whipped-boursin/.

Easy Lemony Baked Steelhead Trout

When I bought this it was whole. Before cooking I removed the head and cut the fish down the middle. There is a line of bones that I removed, but all of this was easily done.

Melted butter with garlic and lemon juice, along with slices of lemon makes for such a delicious meal. I cooked I in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, checking after about 10. You want to cook it until the fish is a little flaky, but you sure don’t want to overcook it.

Easy Baked Steelhead Trout

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 Whole steelhead trout cut down the middle and bones removed (about 3-5 bounds)
1/2-1 stick butter depending on the size of your trout
1-2 tsp minced garlic
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1 lemon sliced
salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the fish by removing the head and slicing through but leaving it whole, so you can lay flat. Thoroughly wash the fish. Dry the fish and lay flat so you can remove the bones. There is a strip of bones I just easily removed with a sharp knife pulling them out, you can feel them and it's not hard to do. You may be able to buy your fish already prepped, but mine was whole, but still very easy.
Line a sheet pan or baking dish with foil. Place your fish in the dish. Melt your butter, then add the minced garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice. Brush on both sides of your fish, pouring the remainder on and around the fish. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Lay the lemons on top of your fish on both sides.
Bake for about 10 minutes, then check for doneness. You want the fish to be a little firm but flaky. If not done, place back into the oven and cook an additional 10 minutes or until flaky. you could even cook under the broiler, watching closely so that it doesn't burn.
Use any leftover to make croquettes. Use just like flaked salmon. Enjoy

Delicious Entomatadas for Breakfast or Anytime

January 13, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Entomatadas are a typical Mexican dish made of a folded corn tortilla which has first been fried in oil and then bathed in a tomato sauce made from tomatoes, garlic, onion, oregano, chile serrano and salt. The recipes for the tomato sauce vary by cook.Wikipedia

Love the sauce on these Entomatadas! Unlike most Mexican sauces whether, authentic from Mexico, Tex Mex or New Mexico style that are made from dried chile or chile powder, this sauce is made from fresh tomatoes and it is so quick and easy but so good!

I love them for breakfast with a sunny side up egg topping them; however, most of the time they are served with rice and beans just like you would enchiladas! Other things you can stuff them with are:

Chicken
Ground Beef or shredded Beef (Brisket would work too)
Refried Beans https://the2spoons.com/pinto-beans-for-refried-beans/
Cooked diced potatoes
Cooked carrots and peas
Spinach
Cheddar instead of Mexican cheese
Roasted corn

With avocado like these:

Delicious Entomatadas for Breakfast or Anytime

I used a Queso Fresco cheese https://amzn.to/2QOGtnN that I crumbled and added chopped onion to for stuffing into the tomato soaked tortillas and to top them. You can use Queso Cotija but it is a little saltier.

The sauce was made from Roma tomatoes and Serrano Chile. It is so good. Other than the chile, which I tamed down the heat by removing the seeds, this is really a light sauce with so few ingredients. Just looking at my photos makes me want to go make some!

I have many Breakfast Mexican dishes on my blog. Here’s a couple you definitely should definitely try: My Fried Egg Quesedillas https://the2spoons.com/best-10-minute-breakfast-fried-egg-quesadilla/

and my Breakfast Tostados https://the2spoons.com/yummy-breakfast-tostadas/.

Delicious Entomatadas for Breakfast or Anytime

Let me know what you think of this recipe!

Entomatadas

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, brunch, dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients

1 1/1 lbs roma tomatoes
1 serrano or jalapeno (seeded if you like)
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup white onion finely chopped
salt to taste
12 corn tortillas
8 oz Queso Fresco, Queso Cotija or farmers cheese crumbled ( Queso Cotija is saltier)
3 tbsp vegetable oil to fry tortillas

Instructions

Place tomatoes, the serrano or jalapeno pepper, and garlic cloves in a saucepan and cover with water. Cook over medium heat for about 15- 20 minutes until soft.
Mix the 1/4 cup of the onion with the crumbled cheese and set aside.
Once tomatoes and pepper are cooked, place in a blender and process until you have a very smooth sauce.
Heat 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over a medium high heat. Add the rest of the onion and cook until transparent and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, season with salt, and then turn the heat to low and simmer for about 6-8 minutes.
In a separate skillet, heat the rest of the oil over medium heat and briefly fry the tortillas one by one and place on a plate with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Once you fried all the tortillas, dip them one by one into the warm tomato sauce. Make sure to flip the tortilla to cover both sides with the tomato sauce.
Place tortilla on a plate and spoon some cheese and onion mix. Fold the tortilla and proceed with the rest of the tortillas. Once you have all your entomatadas ready, spoon some of the leftover sauce over them and top with more cheese and onion mix.

Keyword cotija cheese, entomatadas, fresh tomato sauce, mexican, mexican food, tomato sauce, tortillas

Delicious Whole Wheat Bagel with Smoked Salmon, Whipped Cream Cheese and Capers

January 11, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Whole Wheat Bagel with Smoked Salmon and Whipped Cream Cheese

My morning started with this Whole Wheat Bagel with Smoked Salmon, Whipped Cream Cheese and Capers and my most recent Food and Wine Magazine which also has a Salmon/Rice Bowl on it that I have to make this week because it just looks so healthy and fresh, just like this bagel this morning.

I whipped room temperature cream cheese with lemon zest, the juice of one lemon, fresh dill and salt and pepper. Not only did this help it spread much easier, the added ingredients added so much flavor to the cream cheese and the lemon and dill go perfectly with the smoke salmon.

Whole Wheat Bagel with Smoked Salmon, Whipped Cream Cheese and Capers

I used wild Alaska smoked salmon from my local HEB, but you can use your preferred choice. You may even want to smoke your own salmon. Here’s a link for what I used: https://www.heb.com/product-detail/h-e-b-select-ingredients-alaskan-wild-smoked-sockeye-salmon/2234573. I used Capote Capers and they are the really large capers. Here’s a link for those: https://amzn.to/2tMtTN0.

This Avocado Toast with Poached Salmon may be another recipe you’d like with Salmon for breakfast: https://the2spoons.com/avocado-toast-with-poached-salmon/.

Whole Wheat Bagel with Smoked Salmon, Whipped Cream Cheese and Capers

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, brunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

4 bagels, toasted (I used whole wheat)
1-2 4 oz package of smoked salmon
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1-2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
salt and pepper
capers
red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

Combine the cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh dill and a pinch of salt and pepper to the bowl of your food processer and pulse until combined and smooth. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Toast your bagel. Top each bagel with a generous amount of the whipped cream cheese, slices of smoked salmon, thinly sliced red onion and finally lots of capers. Serve with more lemon slices if you like. Enjoy!

Keyword bagel, bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese, breakfast, brunch, capers, cream cheese, smoked salmon, whole wheat bagel

Simple Awesome Homemade Baking Powder Biscuits

January 10, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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We love biscuits for breakfast and these Baking Powder Biscuits are simple yet delicious. We love them with a good country pork sausage, soft scrambled eggs and some cottage fries! Perfect breakfast!

Allen loves his biscuit with Strawberry Jelly! I love mine sometimes with sausage gravy! Sausage gravy is simple. For two I brown about 1/4 pound of a good breakfast sausage with 1 tablespoon butter. Then add 2 tablespoons flour and combine, cooking for about a minute or so. Then I add two to three cups whole milk, starting with two and add more if too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with these yummy biscuits!!

Simple Awesome Homemade Baking Powder Biscuits

Here’s a couple of tips about biscuit making. First don’t overwork your dough. When it comes together turn it out onto a floured surface and gently gather all the pieces and bits and form into a round or square. Fold over like an envelope two or 3 times, then roll out for cutting. I like to use a sharp biscuit cutter so you don’t have to twist. Twisting prevents your biscuit from rising like they should. I like to use these cutters. https://amzn.to/2R3kBE5.

I have other recipes on the blog. Here’s a couple:https://the2spoons.com/my-easy-homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/ and https://the2spoons.com/decadent-black-pepper-buttermilk-biscuits/

Hope you enjoy these recipes!

Baking Powder Biscuits

Print Recipe

Course Bread, Breakfast, brunch, dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Biscuits

Ingredients

3 Cups All purpose flour
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Tbsp Sugar
6 Tbsp Butter at room temperature
1 1/8 Cup Cold whole milk or buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper portion. Get out a baking sheet; there's no need to grease it. Line it with parchment if you like, for easiest cleanup.
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
Work the butter into the flour mixture using your fingers, a fork or pastry blender, a stand mixer, or a food processor; your goal is an evenly crumbly mixture (think breadcrumbs).
Drizzle the smaller amount of milk evenly over the flour mixture. Mix quickly and gently for about 15 seconds, until you've made a cohesive dough. If the mixture seems dry and won't come together, don't keep working it; drizzle in enough milk — up to an additional 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) to make it cohesive.
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Pat it into a rough rectangle about 3/4" thick. Fold it into thirds like a letter and roll gently with a floured rolling pin until the dough is 3/4" thick again.
Cut the dough into circles with a biscuit cutter for traditional round biscuits; a 2 3/8" cutter makes nice-sized biscuits. Or to avoid leftover dough scraps, cut the dough into squares or diamonds with a bench knife or sharp knife.
Place the biscuits bottom side up on your prepared baking sheet; turning them over like this yields biscuits with nice, smooth tops. Brush the biscuits with milk, to enhance browning.
Bake the biscuits for 15 to 20 minutes, until they're lightly browned. Remove them from the oven, and serve warm.

Keyword baking powder, baking powder biscuits, biscuits, bread, homemade, homemade biscuits

Easy Self-Rising Flour Buttermilk Biscuits — Baking Powder Biscuits

Love This Chocolate Cheesecake

January 2, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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What is there not to love when he comes to a Chocolate Cheesecake? Chocolate cookie crust, chocolate in the cheesecake, then chocolate ganache, topped with shaved chocolate!!

Love This Chocolate Cheesecake

The cheesecake itself has two chocolates, bittersweet and cocoa powder. I believe the secret to any recipe is the best ingredients and I feel that is especially true with chocolate. I like to use Ghirardelli chocolate and here’s a link if you aren’t familiar: https://amzn.to/2QiL1mb. This is a great chocolate. It comes in unsweetened, semi sweet, bittersweet along with all the various flavors you can find. I love to buy it in the cocoa powder too: https://amzn.to/2rKZgXo.

I’m not a huge fan of sweets, but there’s some desserts I really love. I always love chocolate and I always love a good cobbler like Peach Cobbler. I have a great Peach Cobbler on the blog. Here’s the link: https://the2spoons.com/perfectly-peachy-peach-cobbler/. Want another cheesecake recipe? Try this:https://the2spoons.com/easy-pumpkin-cheesecake-bars/.

Perfectly Peachy - Peach Cobbler — Perfectly Peachy – Peach Cobbler

Hope you try this chocolatey, fudgy, delicious cheesecake. Love This Chocolate Cheesecake Hope you try this chocolatey, fudgy, delicious cheesecake.

Love This Chocolate Cheesecake

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 1/2 cups Chocolate Cookie crumbs (I used Oreo Cookies)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Chocolate Cheesecake

2 cups bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 lbs full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder
4 large eggs plus 2 yolks at room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache

1 1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Instructions

For the Crust
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan in layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. You’ll be placing this pan in a water bath, so be sure the pan has been wrapped from every angle.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chocolate wafer crumbs and melted butter. Pat the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool the crust completely. Leave the oven on.

For the Chocolate Cheesecake

Fill a medium pot one-third full with water and bring it to a low simmer over medium heat.
Place a heatproof bowl that will fit on top of the pan snugly, but will not touch the simmering water, on top of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate into the bowl over the pot. Heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally with a silicon spatula. Remove the pot from the heat, leaving the bowl of chocolate over the hot water. Set aside until needed.
In the bowl of a food processor (or high-powered blender), pulse the cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. Add in both sugars and cocoa powder and beat smooth. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream and mix until just combined, about 20 seconds. Fold in the chocolate. Finally add in the vanilla and pulse for another 20 seconds.
Remove the bowl from the food processor and, using a rubber spatula, stir the filling several times to ensure it’s evenly blended.
Scrape the filling over the partially baked crust in the prepared pan.
Place the springform pan in a roasting pan or large baking pan. Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven and pour enough hot water into the pan to come 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake in the water bath for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the center of the cake is set but still slightly jiggly. The cake will set completely as it cools.
Remove the cake from the water bath and place the pan on a wire rack. Carefully loosen the foil, then immediately run the tip of a knife around the sides of the pan, to prevent the top from cracking. Cool completely (in the pan), then transfer cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours before removing from the pan and slicing.

For the Chocolate Ganache

Add chopped chocolate to a medium bowl; set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-heat, bring the cream to a low simmer. Pour half of the cream on top of the chocolate pieces and set aside for 1 minute. With a whisk, begin to incorporate the melted chocolate into the cream. Slowly add the remaining cream and continue carefully whisking until smooth and glossy.
Add in the butter and use a spatula to stir until the butter is completely melted. The mixture will be dark and glossy. Set aside, at room temperature, until needed.
Pour ganache over cooled cheesecake. Set aside until ganache is set, about 1 hour.
Store, loosely covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

Keyword chocolate, chocolate cheesecake, dessert, desserts, love this chocolate cheesecake