damn bug

For some reason when I add lots of pics the typed words get all messed up when I publish it. This is nothing I can fix, it's the blogger itself. 

FISH TACO

                                                    Fish taco with homemade tomatillo sauce


 We have never had fish tacos and searched the web for recipes, keeping it original we used our own recipe.
We used the ingredients as followed.

-tilapia fish cut into strips
-cumin to taste
-olive oil
-whole garlic grated
-pepper/salt
-cayenne pepper to preference
-Zatarain's seasoned fish fry
-cilantro good hand full
-5  tomatilloes
-2 mangoes
-4 tomatoes
-2 lemons zested and juice reserved
-soft tacos or hard
-sour cream
- 1 onion
-oil for frying fish
-feta cheese tomato and basil flavored
-shredded mozzarella cheese

                                                        Fish is defrosted in refrigerator for a day

                                                  Fish is cut into four strips per fillet and marinated in
                                                  olive oil , salt, pepper, lemon zest, garlic grated.
 

                          
                                           Coated in seasoning fish is fried to a golden brown in
                                           about a half inch of hot oil.

                                         tomatillo are husked and washed well to get off the sticky stuff
                                         then slice into 2 and laid flat side down on olive oiled baking sheet

                                         tomatillo are a bit tangy about like a green tomato but much sweeter

   
                                         after cooking in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes to soften ,place in
                                          blender

                                           tomatilloes

 
                                             add a hand full of cilantro and lemon juice from one lemon add the
                                            zest too, a good two tbsp of olive oil, garlic chunk, puree then it's done

                                                 spicy and tangy tomatillo sauce

                                                      mango salsa is easy, just chop some green pepper,
                                                      onion, tomato, cilantro , and add juice of lemon into a bowl and stir
                                                      we did not add jalapenos but did add hint of cayenne pepper

                                                 CHUNKY mango salsa

                                                start the taco with the tomatillo sauce and shell

                                                       add a few strips of the fried fish

                                                               mango salsa

                                                      feta garlic rosemary

                                                                   FISH TACO!


               IT WAS GREAT!  Top with sour cream or anything you like on taco's. We will make this again no doubt about it. Took an hour to prepare.
                            

Orange Roughy

Orange roughy is a large deep sea fish from the waters of theWestern Pacific Ocean, eastern Atlantic Ocean (from Iceland to Morocco; and from Walvis Bay, Namibia, to off Durban, South Africa), Indo-Pacific (off New Zealand and Australia), and in the Eastern Pacific off Chile. They have a long life span of up to 149 years.

 I paid 15 dollars for one pound of this fish wich gave me two good size fillets. The fish flesh is a very white looking oily flesh and has a very powerful fish scent before cooking after cooking the smell is an aroma of good food.I used the recipe as follows:

oven at 350

-the fish
- ginger paste or dry
- jamaican whole allspice
-drizzle olive oil over it
-top with some chopped garlic as much or less as to your taste
-salt pepper to taste
-oregano
-anise a very little pinch on each fillet
- chopped green pepper as much as you like
bake for about 25 minutes
put on plate throw on some chopped avacodo and lemon butter sauce serve with some asparagus and top with capers.
The meat is very flaky and thick like a pork chop in a way, a bit chewy in spots,( may be over cooked).
This was my first time trying this fish and I like it alot. A very good ,melt in your mouth , mild fish flavor.

Very handy but about 4 bucks so It is not something I'd buy alot

Capers not too bad of a price of about 3 bucks but very tart , adds that zing of like vinegar where needed.

         
In cooking with meats it is never a bad thing to experiment on your own to add what fancys your own pallet, so try out the spices you have in the rack.

                                 
I poured a butter, lemon and olive oil sauce over the top, and it was pretty good with this dish.

 As you can see here, the meat is very solid and flaky. It is a very filling fish and one fillet filled me up.

Jar of white asparagus. Paid only 2 bucks for it and found it was a bit woody. Would not purchase again.

Reuben Wreck

 This is another favorite of my family's, we have tried many versions of the classic reuben sandwich and found that you really can't go wrong with what you choose to put on it. I made up the reuben wreck, we love sloppy sandwiches and the more messy the better for flavor in my opinion. I got ideas on this sandwich from food network when I seen a cook slam some onion rings and slaw on a huge sandwich.

 I start with a beef brisket slow cooked to fork tender and shred it up on a carving block. I then take Texas toast and toast it in the oven and put a handful of the shredded brisket on a slice of the toast.

 I then add a slice of swiss cheese and put it in the microwave for a few seconds to melt it.

 We use Catalina dressing but you can use any dressing you like. I pour it on over the cheese, then add my homemade slaw.
My homemade slaw is as follows : 1 head of cabbage shredded, a small bag of shredded carrots
3 tbsp of sugar
4 tbsp of vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups mayo
1/4 cup milk
 Mix all together and refrigerate over night and stir before serving

The slaw is a replacement for the sour kraut  in the original Reuben and very tasty. I then add deep fried french fry's on top the cole slaw.

Top this messy sandwich off with another piece of  toasted Texas toast and indulge.

Reuben Wreck

Lasagna Night

 This is a dish my family loves, no one leaves the table hungry. Lasagna with salad and garlic bread on the side. This is a simple and quick way to have a homemade meal. Lasagna is an easy meal you can add and take away ingredients to your liking.

-Boil 12 to 13 noodles or entire box (as some will tear)of lasagna noodles until soft add 2 tsps. salt to the   water, drain.
-brown 2 pounds burger and drain... to that add
-half a big jar of prego spaghetti sauce (any spaghetti sauce will do we just prefer prego it's the best)
- sprinkle meat and sauce mixture with a handful of fresh shredded parmesan cheese  and stir
-in a 9 by 13 or larger baking pan add a thin layer of spaghetti sauce from jar then add a layer of noodles
-add half the meat mixture and spread over noodle layer
-add another layer of noodles
-spread a layer of ricotta cheese over the top of the noodles how ever much you like
-poor some spaghetti sauce over the ricotta cheese
-put another layer of noodles
-rest of meat mixture
-noodles-smooth sauce over this layer then add
-shredded mozzarella cheese over the entire top and sprinkle with some shredded parmesan add as much cheese as you like
-bake at 350 for 30 minutes and enjoy serve with your favorite sides

                                      Add half the jar of sauce to the meat and a handful of parmesan cheese

                                         add some sauce to bottom of pan

                                        add a layer of noodles, torn noodles can be used

                                           ricotta

                                         sauce over ricotta

                                           another of meat then more noodles then cheeses

                                              Bake at 350 for half an hour or until cheese is melted and lightly golden
                                        unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it after baking it was attacked as soon as I
                                         sat it on the table
                                        

New York Style Cheesecake

I am writing this blog in memory of my father (John Hamilton) whom was one of the best men I ever knew,he lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on Dec. 27th 2009 at age 57, he was from a HUGE family he was one of 16 brothers and sisters and his father a Baptist preacher and if it's one thing that brings a big family together, it's GREAT food. My father could cook a mean meal, him and my step mother and many,many, others have taught me through my 36 years of life how to cook, My sisters are GREAT cooks and holidays are great. It helps I married into a large family whom has many great cooks as well,My husbands sisters can bake a mouth watering treat that will make you beg for more. I was told by my grandmother..."If you can read, you can cook, do what the recipe says, and learn as you go, from your disasters... to your master pieces...if you want it to taste good you have to enjoy cookin". And she is ever so right. I want to share with you some recipes and ideas and have fun doing so...so get ready for some fun and some great recipes with photos and even some videos. I'm a hometown girl with a big heart and lots of ideas in the kitchen for that craving. the orange kitchen is the name because when we got this old house we had to remodel it before moving in and we painted the kitchen a VERY bright orange, and as we were painting we smelled oranges and found it strange the paint wasn't scented and then realized it was an air freshener gel that was scented orange in the window seal is what we were smelling, so every since then it has the name, The Orange Kitchen. We love cooking, and having people come over and enjoy good food and good company. Please share your recipes as well we would love to try them.I am going to start this blog with my fathers favorite dessert I make , a cherry New York Cheesecake, a very thick and rich dessert that will leave you pleased.

New York Style Cheesecake

-16 crushed graham crackers
-half cup butter melted

mix the two and press into a sprayed with cooking spray 9 inch springform pan

-4 (8 ounce)packages of cream cheese softened
  beat this until creamy then add
-1 and a half cups sugar then beat again
-add 4 eggs one at a time
-add 1 cup sour cream beat then add
-1 tbs vanilla extract then beat in
-one forth cup of flour just half of this then add
-3 fourths cup of milk just half of this then add the other half of flour beat then add the rest of milk and beat   until  smooth

poor into crust and bake in preheated oven at 350 for one hour or until lightly golden brown, then turn oven off and let cheesecake set in oven for 2 to 3 hours, then put in the fridge, this prevents bad cracking, add any topping and enjoy.