A New Take on Tacos: Herbie's Tacos

The secret ingredient to these tacos is Italian dressing! Sounds crazy, right? Herbie's Tacos is a recipe I found in Katie Lee's second book, The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions. Crispy fried white corn tortillas are stuffed with a spicy and extremely flavorful ground turkey filling and then topped with lettuce, scallions, cilantro, tomatoes and avocado that have been dressed in Italian dressing. According to Katie, "If they're not dripping down your hands, you didn't do something right."

Herbie's Tacos
Adapted from Katie Lee's The Comfort Table:Recipes for Everyday Occasions
6-8 servings (24 tacos)
For the taco meat:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
one 7-ounce can chopped green chiles (medium heat)
2 pounds ground turkey
2 tablespoons garlic salt (2 tbsp. is a bit salty, 1 tbsp. is probably enough)
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup hot taco sauce, plus more for serving
1/4 cup green taco sauce, plus more for serving
For the Salad:
1 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 cup minced cilantro
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup Italian-Style Vinaigrette Dressing
For the Shells:
1 cup canola oil
24 white corn tortillas
For Garnish:
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

For the Taco Meat: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil, cilantro, and scallions. Add the chiles and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the turkey, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat. As the meat is browning, stir in the garlic salt and chili powder. When turkey has cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, stir in the hot sauce and green sauce. Lower the heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally.

For the Salad: As the meat simmers, in a large bowl, toss all salad ingredients with the dressing. Refrigerate until needed.

For the Shells:
Line a baking sheet or large plate with paper towels. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, use tongs to place a tortilla gently in the oil one at a time. After only 5 seconds, in one motion, turn the tortilla over and fold it in half. Cook 20 seconds, flip and cook an additional 20 seconds. Lift out of the oil and drain on the paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, one at a time. (The shells should not be too crisp when they come out of the oil. If they become too crisp tacos will be difficult to stuff).

Assemble the tacos by spooning the meat into shells and topping with cheese, salad and sour cream.

Notes/Results: This recipe really exceeded my expectations. The taco filling had BIG FLAVOR, more so than any I've tasted before. Looking at the filling you could see all the green flecks of cilantro and scallions and there was hints of garlic with a little bit of heat from the chiles and the taco sauce. The salad with the Italian dressing was a fun touch and added extra flavor that married well with the taco filling. I didn't make my own taco shells as stated in the recipe and confess to using boxed taco shells but these were still some fabulous tacos. Loaded down with big flavor these tacos are a fabulously messy flavor explosion that will indeed drip down your hands and onto your arms as you eat. I will be making these again and also topping my tacos with Italian dressing in the future.


Note: I am a complete saltaholic and found the seasoning in this recipe to be right on. For anyone who does not like very salty food, I would suggest reducing the garlic salt to 1 tablespoon.

Popsicle of the Week: Katie Lee's Honey-Cherry Yogurt Popsicles

I've really been enjoying Katie Lee's newest book, The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions. Katie's book is organized by menus: Sunday Supper; Retro Cocktail Party; Spa Lunch; Garden Party; and Summer Barbecue to name just a few. These delicious Honey-Cherry Yogurt Popsicles came from the Summer Barbecue Chapter and are as simple as simple gets.


Honey-Cherry Yogurt Popsicles
Adapted from Recipes for Everyday Occasions The Comfort Table
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: at least 4 hours to freeze
1 cup plain greek-style yogurt
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted cherries (thawed, if frozen)

Mix the yogurt and honey until combined. Stir in the cherries. Divide among 6 ice-pop molds. Freeze at least 4 hours, until completely solid.


Notes/Results: I loved these popsicles, the kids did not. There is just something about chunks of fruit that seem to throw the kids off. Either way, I ate them all;-) I loved the use of cherries in this recipe but you could really use any kind of fruit.

WARNING: RANT IN PROGRESS!!

In other popsicle news: I divorced my Zoku Quick Pop Maker. The only time I plan on using it is for straight up fruit juice popsicles. I mentioned having problems with my Zoku a couple months ago and the folks at Zoku were kind enough to leave me a comment with some advice. At that time I was trying to use the Zoku for popsicles containing cream and half and half. The folks at Zoku informed me that the cream and half and half had too much fat content and would result in a "soft pull". "Soft pull" means that just the popsicle stick comes out leaving the popsicle in the mold. After quite a few failed attempts I was pretty frustrated. Then the folks at Zoku told me that I could use yogurt with good results. Well, I'm very sad (and quite angry to be honest) to tell you that you cannot use yogurt in the Zoku. I recently had another round of "soft pull" when using the "zoku recommended" yogurt while making this recipe for Honey-Cherry Yogurt Popsicles.

In case anyone from Zoku is reading, this little note is for you:

Greek yogurt ($2.99), Organic honey from Farmer's Market ($8), Bag of Organic Frozen Cherries ($4.49), time and frustration (priceless).

My note to all of you: Don't be seduced by the Zoku! Save yourself the $50 and just buy some old-fashioned molds like these (Kmart $2.99):

Sometimes it's just better to stick with the old-fashioned stuff that you know works!

This is my submission for the fabulous new event called Two For Tuesdays, co-hosted by my friend girlichef.

NOTE: My daughter is going back to school tomorrow. I can hardly believe that summer break is over with! I am going to close out the Popsicle of the Week feature next week with two yummy popsicle recipes!!

A Katie Lee Spa Day with Dessert!!

Katie Lee's second cookbook, The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everday Occasions combines two of my biggest loves: cooking and bath and body products. You all know how much I love cooking, but I also love bath and body products. Creams, lotions, bars of soap, scrubs, face masks, bath bombs, massage bars, you name it....I want it! That's why I was so happy and thrilled when I borrowed Katie's newest book from the library and found the chapter entitled Spa Menu. Spa recipes at home? Count me in!

Katie's Spa Menu consists of a Honey Oatmeal Facial; Strawberry Hand and Foot Scrub; Cucumber Cooling Mask; Rose Petal Steam; Oatmeal, Almond, and Avocado Body Scrub; and a Shiny Hair Rinse. Each treatment requires only a few ingredients and is simple enough that anyone can and should do it. The kids and I chose four treatments and had a very fun Spa Day at Home!

First up and probably the most effective is Katie's Shiny Hair Rinse. The Shiny Hair Rinse is 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 quart water. To make a smaller amount, use one tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 cup water. The Shiny Hair Rinse is poured onto your hair after you've shampooed. You can leave it on or rinse it out. Either way this is a fabulous hair treatment. I am a firm believer of all hair products/treatments that contain vinegar. When I worked at Lush Handmade Cosmetics, we always had the best results with the hair products that contained vinegar. Why? Lots of reasons. One of the most important reasons being that vinegar closes your hair cuticles which results in smooth, soft and shiny hair. Also, the acetic acid in vinegar removes product build up and strengthens the hair shaft. Vinegar also restores your hair's PH balance, kills bacteria, and soothes itchy scalps. Of all the treatments we tried today, this one was the most effective and costs just pennies to make. I highly recommend it, especially if you have dry, thick, coarse, or curly hair.

I love a great face mask and was really excited to try Katie's Honey-Oatmeal Facial. Katie's facial is a combination of 1/4 cup oatmeal (rolled oats work best), 1 tablespoon honey, and 3 tablespoons of yogurt. The oatmeal is ground in the blender and then mixed into the honey and yogurt. Smooth the mask over your face and neck and leave on 10-15 minutes for best results. I could write a whole page about why this mask is so good for your skin. Basically this simple mask manages to be anti-aging, hydrating, deep cleansing, moisturizing, and soothing. Honey is one of the very best things for your skin. It is a natural humectant, meaning that it attracts and retains moisture without making the skin oily. It also reduces swelling and lightens your skin (great for those puffy eyes and dark circles). Honey aids in tissue healing and is a popular ingredient in anti-aging products. The oatmeal heals minor irritations, restores moisture, cleanses deeply, and provides gentle exfoliation. Then the yogurt steps in and soothes your skin, knocking out any redness while providing gentle moisture.

The third treatment, and probably the most fun for the kids, was this Strawberry Hand and Foot Scrub. All you need is 1 cup of strawberries, 1/4 cup coarse sea salt, and 1/4 cup shower gel. I chose a shower gel with a similar strawberry color, but any shower gel would work here. Stem the strawberries and add them to the blender along with the sea salt and the shower gel. Massage into hands and feet. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Follow with moisturizer.

Did you know that strawberries were used by the Romans to heal cuts, wounds, and sunburn? They are also packed with Alpha-Hydroxy Acid, AHA, to help slough off dead skin cells and reveal new and fresh skin.

The last treatment we made was Katie's Oatmeal, Almond, and Avocado Body Scrub. One-half cup almonds, 1 cup oatmeal (rolled oats are best), 1 ripe avocado (pitted, peeled, and diced), and 1/4 cup plain yogurt. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Rub mixture all over body. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Follow with body lotion. This body scrub was green and fun! The almonds and oatmeal provide excellent exfoliation while the avocado and oil from the almonds add moisture back to your skin. Exfoliation without getting dried out! My daughter and I really enjoyed this one.

Notes/Results: I am not a doctor or skin specialist in any way. Any information shared here comes from what I learned while working for Lush Handmade Cosmetics. I highly recommend making any bath and body products at home. It is a fun and rewarding experience. We were able to make all four treatments for no more than ten dollars and had a very fun time doing so. With exception to the Shiny Hair Rinse, we had lots of leftovers which I covered and placed in the refrigerator. The treatments may discolor slightly, but are still good for at least a week. We thoroughly enjoyed all the treatments, but the Shiny Hair Rinse was the one that showed the best results. The Strawberry Hand and Foot Scrub was probably our second favorite and really did a great job polishing up our toes so they can look good in those summer sandals. All in all, they were all great! It was a very fun way to stay inside and beat the heat!

To cap off our Spa Day at Home I made Mark Bittman's Strawberry Fools, found on the NY Times website HERE. Strawberries, cream, sugar and a splash of vanilla and you have the perfect summery light dessert that everyone will love. A perfect way to stay inside and BEAT THE HEAT, this week's theme over at I Heart Cooking Clubs.

They went so fast it was hard to get a good picture of them!

My three year old son was completely thrilled with them. He kept saying "Mama, I want more of that fluffy stuff."

The look of complete satisfaction is written all over his sweet little face!