Where do I begin? With the recent trip to the lovely and sunny Georgia and my introduction to tomatillos? Or the best salad I ever had the luxury to experience? Or the overwhelming pang of sadness I felt while listening to my oldest grandgirl speaking in a newer, almost grown-up tone? Or the much required trip to the local Georgian Publix grocery store, while fondling produce I can't find here...? Or the sense of depression I feel when I have to leave my family once again?
With every experience in my life, I have found the need to make lemon-aid out of lemons, and count my many blessings, in spite of my sometimes sad moments. Like that salad Gen made. Since I left Georgia, my brain has been salivating for layers upon layers of fresh flavors from that salad, not necessarily duplicating, but keeping the recipe fresh. Hers included a sweet chicken breast, slow cooked in cola and brown sugar, atop a bed of crunchy romaine lettuce, with so many levels of lime, cilantro, tomatillos, crunchy won-ton strips, basmati rice and beans, and a HOMEMADE ranch that rocked my world.....I could have slurped it from the bowl, it was that good.
I would happily drive the 1300+ miles this second if I knew she were preparing it again.
Regarding tomatillos, I need to locate seeds, so I can cultivate once the winter has released it's frozen, miserable grip up here in the northeast. Any suggestions? Tomatillos aren't exactly indigenous to this area, but I see no reason why I can't grow them here.
With that being said, my "lemon-aid" was this simple, fresh, recipe for chicken tostadahhhh's, brought me back for a second, to a wonderful, warm state. Complete with grandgirls, a fresh new house, new life/jobs outside of the military, and not a single uniform to be seen.
You could easily prepare this without the chicken if you wish, or add fresh tomatillos, or anything you like. The choices are endless.
Yields 6 servings
6- 8 inch flour or corn tortilla shells
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 in. strips (across the grain)
1/2 of a dry packet of chili seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1- 15 oz. can refried beans (heat this in a bowl in the microwave for 1 minute, it will spread easier when heated)
2 peppers, seeded and cut into strips (I used red and yellow)
1 large onion,peeled and cut into strips
1 avocado, pitted and removed from shell, and diced or sliced.
1 c. romaine lettuce, cut into this strips
1 lime, cut into wedges
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
1/4 c. sour cream, thinned with 2 T. milk
1 c. shredded cheese-your preference
1 c. black olives, roughly chopped
3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
Salsa Cruda
3 roma tomatoes, diced ( I would have used tomatillos, if they were available....waaah)
1/2 of a small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lime
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T. olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
The key to this recipe is prepare all your ingredients ahead, this will make the prep oh, so easy. I had many bowls of fresh, chopped/minced/sliced ingredients, and it was well worth the effort. Make the Salsa Cruda first and set aside in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Combine the sliced chicken breasts in a bowl with the chili seasoning, garlic, and enough olive oil to blend all ingredients, set aside.
Saute the peppers and onions in a large skillet with a touch of olive oil, add salt/pepper to taste, until softened, but not over-done. Set aside pepper/onions onto a platter.
Rinse out skillet, and dry. Add enough oil (I used canola) to skillet to crisp and brown tortilla shells, about 1/2 in. in the skillet. Heat over medium to med-high heat, and cook shells until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt.
In another skillet, over medium high heat, add the chicken and saute until just cooked through.
The Assembly:
Arrange a tortilla shell on a plate. Spread refried beans as a base on shell. Add some chicken to the base, and then some peppers/onions. Then add some black olives, shredded romaine, cilantro, Salsa Cruda, and then drizzle with a spoon, the thinned sour cream. Top with avocado, scallions, and serve this with lime wedges.
With every experience in my life, I have found the need to make lemon-aid out of lemons, and count my many blessings, in spite of my sometimes sad moments. Like that salad Gen made. Since I left Georgia, my brain has been salivating for layers upon layers of fresh flavors from that salad, not necessarily duplicating, but keeping the recipe fresh. Hers included a sweet chicken breast, slow cooked in cola and brown sugar, atop a bed of crunchy romaine lettuce, with so many levels of lime, cilantro, tomatillos, crunchy won-ton strips, basmati rice and beans, and a HOMEMADE ranch that rocked my world.....I could have slurped it from the bowl, it was that good.
I would happily drive the 1300+ miles this second if I knew she were preparing it again.
Regarding tomatillos, I need to locate seeds, so I can cultivate once the winter has released it's frozen, miserable grip up here in the northeast. Any suggestions? Tomatillos aren't exactly indigenous to this area, but I see no reason why I can't grow them here.
With that being said, my "lemon-aid" was this simple, fresh, recipe for chicken tostadahhhh's, brought me back for a second, to a wonderful, warm state. Complete with grandgirls, a fresh new house, new life/jobs outside of the military, and not a single uniform to be seen.
Yields 6 servings
6- 8 inch flour or corn tortilla shells
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 in. strips (across the grain)
1/2 of a dry packet of chili seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1- 15 oz. can refried beans (heat this in a bowl in the microwave for 1 minute, it will spread easier when heated)
2 peppers, seeded and cut into strips (I used red and yellow)
1 large onion,peeled and cut into strips
1 avocado, pitted and removed from shell, and diced or sliced.
1 c. romaine lettuce, cut into this strips
1 lime, cut into wedges
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
1/4 c. sour cream, thinned with 2 T. milk
1 c. shredded cheese-your preference
1 c. black olives, roughly chopped
3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
Salsa Cruda
3 roma tomatoes, diced ( I would have used tomatillos, if they were available....waaah)
1/2 of a small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lime
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T. olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
The key to this recipe is prepare all your ingredients ahead, this will make the prep oh, so easy. I had many bowls of fresh, chopped/minced/sliced ingredients, and it was well worth the effort. Make the Salsa Cruda first and set aside in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Combine the sliced chicken breasts in a bowl with the chili seasoning, garlic, and enough olive oil to blend all ingredients, set aside.
Saute the peppers and onions in a large skillet with a touch of olive oil, add salt/pepper to taste, until softened, but not over-done. Set aside pepper/onions onto a platter.
Rinse out skillet, and dry. Add enough oil (I used canola) to skillet to crisp and brown tortilla shells, about 1/2 in. in the skillet. Heat over medium to med-high heat, and cook shells until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt.
In another skillet, over medium high heat, add the chicken and saute until just cooked through.
The Assembly:
Arrange a tortilla shell on a plate. Spread refried beans as a base on shell. Add some chicken to the base, and then some peppers/onions. Then add some black olives, shredded romaine, cilantro, Salsa Cruda, and then drizzle with a spoon, the thinned sour cream. Top with avocado, scallions, and serve this with lime wedges.
