Dip Creations

Last week I received some goodies in the mail. Thanks to the Tastemaker program from Foodbuzz, I received some samples of Tostito's new product called Dip Creations. In the package is three flavors, two of each.

2 Freshly Made Guacamole
2 Country Ranch
2 Garden Onion

Dips are fun. Great for parties or just by yourself as an afternoon snack like I did. As it just so happens, I had exactly 3 avocados waiting in my fridge, so it was perfect timing that I get to use one of the guacamole packets.

 

I like my guacamole in a mix of smooth and with chunky bits. So half of the avocados I blended in the food processor and the other half I did a rough mash. Added in the seasoning. I also like fresh tomato and onion in my guacamole to I chopped some up as well. 

Since i didn't have any cilantro or peppers the seasoning mix covered that. It had a nice tang and a hint of spice to give the guacamole a nice tiny kick. It's an easy way to jazz up an old chip favorite.

Easy Peasy Guacamole

2 medium to large ripe avocados
2 small tomato
1/2 medium sweet onion
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 packet Tostito's Dip Creations Seasoning Mix (Freshly Made Guacamole)

Scoop the avocado from its skins and throw out the seed. Mash (or blend in food processor) the avocados. Add in the lemon juice and Tostito's Dip Creation guacamole seasoning and mix well to combine.

Dice the tomato, remove the seeds. Then fine chop the onion. Add both into the avocado mix and fold the mixture until all is mixed.


Serve chilled with tortilla chips of bread.

Baked Catfish with Tomato Salsa

Here fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy. One of my favorites is catfish. For this, I simply baked it. Sometimes the simpler the dish, the better it tastes. No need to complicate the flavors. I've been enjoying the Emeril's Original seasoning quite a bit since I received them a couple months ago. I just seasoned the catfish on there good. Gave the fishy fillet a little massage and a little bit of rest that way the meat can absorb the spices. You can use any seasonings you prefer.

I baked it for a good 10-15 minutes. The end result is a tender flaky fish that's flavorful and juicy. I paired it with simple tomato salsa that I mixed it with some chopped sweet onion, chopped parsley and lime juice.

Served it with a little dome-shaped ball of rice that I drizzled some of the tasty fish juices on top and extra salsa on the side.

Serves 2-3

Baked Catfish with Tomato Salsa


2 catfish fillet
Emeril's Original Seasoning
    (or your choice of seasonings)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Tomato Salsa (recipe below)


Preheat your oven 375˚F

Pat the fillets dry. Lightly coat each fillet with some extra virgin olive oil. Then coat with the seasoning (or your own blend/choice of seasoning) Be sure to rub it into the flesh of the fish and let it sit for at least 15-30 minutes.

Place the fillets on a foil-lined baking pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Depending on thickness.

When cooked let it sit for 2 minutes to let the juices redistribute within the fillets. 

Serve warm and drizzle some of the fish juices that may have collected on the baking pan.

Top with some salsa.

Tomato Salsa

2 small to medium ripe tomato - diced
1/4 c Parsley - chopped
1/2 small sweet onion - diced
Juice of half lime
salt and pepper to season

Combine all ingredients together. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Tomato-Corn Salsa

Here's a super simple salsa that can liven up your party. This is what I had topped my ginger maple mahi mahi with. It brought a nice blend of flavors to the dish. Though, this isn't that spice mango-corn salsa I had on the set of Bones, this will do just fine for now. A blend of fresh tomato, corn, cilantro (or parsley for the non-cilantro loving crowd), shallots, lemon juice and an optional jalapeño or two.

Chop the whole thing together and you've got yourself a little crowd pleaser. Keep chilled in the fridge if you're not serving it right away.

Oh, don't forget the chips. Or do what I did and serve up as a crostini.

Makes roughly 2-3 cups.

Tomato-Corn Salsa: 

2 medium rip tomatoes - chopped
2 c corn kernals
3/4 c cilantro or parsley - chopped
1 large shallot - chopped
juice of one lemon
1-3 jalapeño (optional) - chopped
salt
pepper

Chop the tomatoes, cilantro or parsley, shallot, jalapeño, and place in a large bowl. Add in the corn kernals, then the lemon juice. Mix together thoroughly. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste. If not serving right away keep covered and cool.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Salsa number TWO! I remember Reeni from Cinnamon and Spice using these green guys for one of her recipes lately. I've seen them many times, but I never really had them. I've mentioned many times on this blog that I LOVE tomatoes, so why haven't I tried these? I finally had my chance to get a hold of them I when I walked into the farmer's market over the weekend. I go to one of the usual vendors I shop with and the first thing I see...voila! Tomatillos! Fresh and a whole bunch of them, too. I literally perked up with delight proclaiming, "They have tomatillos!!!!" Trying to sound like I know what I'm talking about. So I pick out 5 good ones.

pic from wikipedia

They have a kind of sticky residue on them once you peel the leaves off. Just gently wash it off with some water and it'll be fine. Since I didn't want to do the conventional way of roasting them. I placed them in the broiler for 5-10 min to soften them up. Gave them a quick turn half way to even out the roasting.

I put everything in the food processor and scooped away with some blue corn tortilla chips.

Again, I put the non-food processor version as well. For those who don't like cilantro, you can substitute it with parsley for a milder flavor.

Make around 3 cups.



Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

5 medium tomatillos
1-2 jalapeno peppers (removal of seeds is optional)
1-2 c fresh cilantro or parsley
4 green onion stalks
juice of one lime
salt to season


Preheat your broiler.

Remove the leave and genty wash the tomatillos with cold water to remove the sticky residue. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and roast for 5-10 min. Give them a turn halfway through.
Remove from the broiler and let them cool completely.

Finely chop the cilatro/parsley, jalapeno peppers and green onions. Place them in a large bowl.

When the tomatillos are cool enough. Quarter and finely chop them. As you place them in the bowl lightly mash them to release some of their juices.

Squeeze in the lime juice and season with a little salt. Mix thoroughly.

Place in the fridge, if not serving immediately.

Food Processor:
Place the cilantro/parsley, jalapeno peppers and green onions in the food processor and pulse chop until they are look fine. Place the mixture into a large bowl.

Place in the tomatillos and pulse chop until it looks of a mashed consistency. You still want some chunks. Remove and add to the bowl.

Squeeze in the lime and season with some salt. Mix Thoroughly.

Mango Pico de Gallo (and a guest post)

Hey dudes and dudettes!! Before I get started, just want to let you know that I'm doing a guest post over at My Food and Life Encounters today. It's a completely different and new recipe, so stop on by and check it out. It's Sweet Potato Croquettes with Yogurt Sauce. (here)

Now on with today's recipe.

Today and tomorrow will be salsa. Woohoo!!!! I was in a salsa mood, so I decided to make two. I do like to dance the salsa, too. A little too much info there? Haha... Alright. Here's the first. Mango Pico de Gallo. It's got the base for your usual salsa, tomato, cilantro or parsley, green onion, garlic, jalapeno peppers. Then there's the star ingredient, the mango.

The reason I put parsley on the list is because some people aren't fans of cilantro. It just won't have that kick usually has, but parlsey is a great substitute for a milder taste. It's still taste awesome!

I used a food processor to finely chop all the ingredients. The knives I currently have a pretty old and the sharpness of them isn't worth risking my fingers make this. You can also just finely chop them. I put both methods in the instructions below.

I don't need buy that store jarred stuff. It's better to make salsas at home. Really easy too. A lovely mango flavor all around. Mmmm...I wish I had made a bigger batch. I have a habit of taking big scoops of salsa on one little tiny and sometimes flimsy piece of tortilla chip. But it's so good! Did I mention I love salsas?

I had these with some blue corn tortilla chips. Yum yum!

Makes about 2-3 cups.



Mango Pico de Gallo

1 ripe medium mango
2 medium to large tomatoes (remove seeds)
2 c cilantro or flat leaf parsley
1-2 jalapeno peppers
2 garlic cloves minced
4 green onion stalks
juice of 1 lime

Non-food processor method:
Finely chop the cilantro/parsley, jalapeno pepper, and green onion and place them in a large bowl.

Mince the garlic cloves and add them to the bowl.

Quarter the tomato and remove the seeds. Finely chop the quartered slices as well. Add them to the bowl, lightly mashing when to release some of the juices of the meat.

Cut out the bone from the mango and scoop out the meat. Finely chop it and add to the bowl. Squeeze in the lime juice and mix everything together until blended.

For Food Processor:
Place the cilantro/parsley, garlic, green onion, and jalapeno into the food processor and finely chop them. Remove and place into a bowl.

Then quarter the tomatoes and remove the seeds and pulse chop until is a mashed consistency. You'd still want some tomato chunks. Add the tomatoes into the bowl

Do the same with the mango. Remove the core and scoop the meat into the food processor and pulse chop until it's little pieces. Add it into the bowl.

Squeeze the lime juice and mix it all together.

This may be made in advance. Keep in the fridge, if not serving right away.