vegetarian picadillo tacos

With the boyos gone, I have been eating many more vegetarian meals.  I even took the time and made myself the crispy avocado tacos I posted.  So good.  Before the boyos left, I tried putting vegetarian picadillo into tortillas with a few more toppings.  It was excellent and I would highly recommend.

Put vegan picadillo in a tortilla, a few beans, avocado cream, goat cheese, cabbages, salsa. 

Eat to your hearts content but get a fork and napkin because you will need it.

Now, you will notice that I did not put a real recipe here.  That is because I have a plan for tomorrow night.  My one complaint was there was not enough different texture.  Sprinkling tortilla chips on the tacos may have helped that. 

But because I want tacos, I have a plan (Good plan, lady, good plan.  It is from Gerald and Piggy books)!  I am going to try to make a roasted type of picadillo tomorrow so there are crispy edges.  Texture with flavor!  More tacos!  More experimentation!

Yes, I know I am being very silly but I admit to hurting most of the day.  Silly is helping to deal with pain.  Tea helps too.

being very quiet

Our weather has been interesting and my flowers are bedraggled.  My vegetables and zinnias are doing very well.  But the mosquitoes are out in droves.  I am going to have to start drinking some tonic water every day again to help with welts.  I find when I drink tonic water the welts are just not as big.  It is the quinine.

I was very quiet this weekend.  The sweater I am working on grabbed me.  I really want it done for my gallivanting so I decided to work on it.  I watched Eureka and crocheted.  I find it is easier to work on the more intricate bits when it is something I have already seen before and can just follow the dialogue. 

I am liking how this sweater is coming together and really cannot wait until I can try it on.  I am thinking about taking apart the sweater I made myself from Sunshine's fleece and making something more similar to this.  A sweater that just fits a bit better and is not quite so asymmetrical.  I did do it on purpose but I do not appreciate it as much in practice as I thought I did.  I like more the classical cardigan shape even if it is a bit big on me.

I got teased by a friend at work on Friday that yes, I get rid of clothes.  But I make them into something different and not give them away.  Or remake them so many times that they are no longer clothes.  I am thinking about that one for Sunshine.

I have a feeling it is a fiber week.  More on that later.  But, I am finishing some tea, trying to put my crochet hook down, and trying sleep.  Notice all the tryings?

and the boyos are off!

The boyos are off!  They hooked up the Suburban, loaded the car on a trailer, and left yesterday.  I admit that the whole week felt a bit like getting them prepared.  I did a lot of mending and cooking.  I got a text yesterday at lunch saying they were raring to go.  I was not surprised at all and told them such.  They were off!  I have gotten pictures from the road of them reheating food I made them.  They should be almost to Koda Bear soon.

I, on the other had, did normal things like go to work and clean.  I am reblocking a rug a made so the edges do not curl.  So much easier when there are not people around who wish to use the rug.  It is a grand yoga mat.

I did go out with co-workers last night but I would have been just as happy staying home and working on one of the sweaters I am making like tonight.  I do hermit well. 

I am going to be spending time on this sweater because I would like it done for when I go gallivanting.  The reservation for a camp site is made on the Oregon coast.  Hoping to see my best friend.  Hoping to see other friends but it will completely depend on their schedule and how flexible timing can be.  I just want some time to walk a beach.  It will be much to cold really to put my toes in the ocean!

crispy avocado tacos

When we were at MotoGP, we found a taco place that had better mojitos then margaritas but also had crispy avocado tacos.  Personally, I thought maybe not for me but I decided to give them a try.  Most everything else on the menu was too heavy or too much chicken.  I find chicken just hurts.  I had a fish taco and I had a crispy avocado taco.  Usually fish is my favorite but not at this place.  We went back for more tacos and I just ate the crispy ones.

These I decided to replicate.  I read more then a few recipes.   Came up with a plan and proceeded.  Oh my gosh!  Heaven.  The recipe I came up with is gluten free.  It can also easily be vegan if you so wish.  I just did not have any almond or hemp milk in the house.  I had a very full tummy after two tacos, which is half an avocado.  Very happy but very full.  Just be aware.

crispy avocado tacos

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced into eighths.  It should be soft but firm.

1/2 cup millet flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons dairy or non-dairy milk

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/16 teaspoon ground chipolte pepper

1/16 teaspoon ground ancho pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

4 corn tortillas

1/2 cup black beans

coleslaw, vinegar and oil based

salsa of your choice

avocado crema

goat cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a shallow dish, put the millet flour.  In a shallow disk, whisk together the oil and milk.  In another shallow dish, mix the almond flour, salt, pepper, and spices.

Dust an avocado slice in the millet flour.  Shake off extra.  Dredge the slice through the oil/milk mixture.  Dredge in the almond flour mixture.  Place on the baking sheet.  Continue until all the slices are done.

Bake for 20 minutes or golden.

Warm the tortillas.  Warm the beans.

When the avocados are roasted, take out of the oven.  Put a tortilla on a plate.  Smear with a bit of bean.  Put two avocado slices.  Add avocado crema, cole slaw, and goat cheese crumbles or anything else you wish.  Repeat until you have four tacos.

Happy belly!

vanilla brioche

Yes, we like chocolate around here.  But we really like vanilla as well.  My Beloved asked for vanilla brioche so I decided to give it a try.  He really liked the vanilla cream that is used in the brioche au chocolat that I make.  He asked if the brioche could be filled with just that.

I have been liking the little brioche and did not want to make a whole sheet.  The little muffin sizes are perfect for breakfast or with tea.  That became tricky.  How to get the cream in them.  I really did not but they do have a lovely vanilla flavor. 

vanilla brioche

the dough from the chocolate brioche

1/4 of the vanilla cream from the brioche au chocolat

When the dough is at the point for shaping in the chocolate brioche recipe, have the vanilla cream cooled and eighteen small muffin pans buttered.  Portion the dough into eighteen pieces.  Flatten into a round in the palm of the hand.  Push into the muffin form, leaving a well in the middle.  Spoon a teaspoon of vanilla cream into the well.

Cover and let rise until puffy, about one hour in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 424 degrees Fahrenheit.  Sprinkle the brioche with sugar.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

These are lovely warm or reheated.