More pictures from a wonderful Friday. . .

Spikey, originally uploaded by razzieswirl.

I have no idea what this is, it was growing out the top of a tree. A gorgeous garden.

Thai Goodness

Delicious Thai, originally uploaded by razzieswirl.

So we went to this great little antique fair (more like a really large, really good estate sale) and they have a thai food, really really good thai food, for a great deal. I was literally jumping up and down in excitment and in anticipation (the line was a bit long) for this food. Today was a very, very good day. I'm looking forward to this entire weekend actually. Yay for sunshine.

And finally ladies and gents. . . the recipe!

Paquito, originally uploaded by razzieswirl.

Last year for cinco de mayo we had a fairly large party. Complete with lime jello - tequila shots (may I advise against them, they tasted like what public bathroom cleaner smells like *yuck*). It was very successful and we had a ton of great food. Yum. Yum. This year was very low key, a bowl of Sangria, I made one blood orange margarita and we had these mini tostadas. They were delicious. Sooo, good. And all my roommate (Ashers) idea. What a great idea it was! I always go for the standard nacho, but these were fun and packed with stuff; beans, mexican rice, lettuce, 2 different kinds of shredded cheese, chicken, grilled onion, peppers, and to top it off avocado and a slice of fresh tomato. Mmmm. Here's a kind of rough recipe, because it's up to you what you top the suckers with.


Recipe: Mini Tostados

For the mini corn tortilla:

1 package of corn tortillas
Veggie oil
a round cookie cutter

Directions:
1. Cut out small rounds from each flour tortilla (about 3 mini's per tortilla)
2. Pour enough oil to cover bottom of pan and heat.
3. Fry tortillas on either side until golden brown and set on paper towels to catch some of the oil.

What we made for toppings:

- 1 box of mexican rice, follow directions on box.
- some chicken breast, yellow pepper, and sweet onion grilled with a fajita rub
- refried beans with some leftover onion and yellow pepper mixed in
- iceberg lettuce (for that extra crunch) mixed with green onion
- thinly sliced avocado
- shredded (extra small, to melt easier) sharp cheddar and monterey jack cheese
- thinly sliced fresh tomato

And this is how we layered them:

- tortilla then,
- beans then,
- cheese then,
- rice then,
-chicken mixture (not pictured) then,
- the lettuce mixture then,
- slice of avocado and finally,
- a slice of tomato


I should note what's pictured is the "vegetarian" option. we didn't make it that way on purpose, it just happened. after we made a plate of vegetarian we went for it full on with the chicken mixture.
It was delicious either way. But I love mexican food, in fact I ate a burrito Friday, these on Saturday and then made enchiladas on Sunday.

I'm really making myself hungry writing about these so I'm going to go cook dinner. On the menu tonight: Thai BBQ Chicken with a cold Thai Cucumber salad. Perfect after a gorgeous sunny day here in the Ham. It's so nice blogging outside in the sun after a good game of badmitton. I hope you are all enjoying nice weather as well!

Off to the BBQ!!

m.

Another Tostada Picture

Tostada, originally uploaded by razzieswirl.

mmmm. . . .

Fiske Pudding.

Fiske Pudding., originally uploaded by razzieswirl.

I posted on flickr that I would be posting about Fiske Pudding, so before I delve into Cinco De Mayo I figured I would post this first.

Fiske Pudding is one of those things I've been eating since, well, probably since I was in the womb *ick* but true. Generally I find that if you're not a fan of Fiske Pudding (if you're lucky enough for me to offer you some) I'm not a fan of you. Now this isn't always the case. Fiske pudding isn't the make or break in my relationships with people, that'd be silly. But I might like you just a tad more if you're willing to try it, and like it! If you don't like fish to begin with (shame on you, but ok) you get a little more slack, because hey, you don't like fish to begin with.

Fiske Pudding is just that, Fish Pudding. It is Norwegian (as am I) and probably one of my most favorite of Norwegian dinners, I think I equally adore Fiske Boller (not the kind in the white sauce, that falls in 3rd or 4th on my list), which is basically just Fiske pudding formed into patties, boiled and fried, but served the same way. In Norway we ate this both the way I grew up eating it pictured above with tatoes, peas and generally to my dismay boiled carrots, grilled onions and plenty of tartar sauce, (which is not norwegian, by the way. Or, fried on a slice of sweet dark bread (with my own tartar sauce, which I had to make with what was in the fridge since in Norway they didn't know what the hell I was talking about when I asked "for the tartar sauce, please").

I do not make this myself currently, though I should. I pick it up at the Scandanavian Deli near Ballard. My grandmother always, always, always made all of her fiske dishes from scratch. And only when the fish was just right. Both my grandmother and grandfather (and most of my Norwegian family even to this day) worked on a fishing boat in Alaska. She knew good fish. Although my grandmother spent her time in Alaska cooking on the boats for the fishermen, she and my grandfather both had extensive knowledge about quality fish.

Norwegians are big fish eaters, which only makes sense, if it weren't for Sweden Norway would be completely surrounded by water. And because of it's shape, most places are either on or very near water. I grew up with a general love for everything seafood. I think some people dislike seafood only because they've never actually had quality seafood. I simply adore it, in whatever form, as long as it's wild and fresh I'm there.

Okay, so I veered a bit from my original topic haven't I? I spent a lot of time with my grandmother growing up, after school and in the summers. I was raised in a very norwegian household, my heritage was something that was exteremely important to me at a very young age. And Fiske Pudding, or Fiske Boller were on the menu generally at least once a week. I love the stuff, I wish I could eat it more often, but even at the deli it's about $16 for a loaf pan of it. You buy that and a few Solo's and you're looking at a $60 bill. But once the purchase or making of the fiske pudding is out of the way it's fairly simple. You just grill some onions (which I hated as a child, but love as an adult), whip up some mashed potatoes, steam some peas and voila! Dinner is served! Oh, and don't forget the tartar sauce. I suggest you seek out a recipe or a Deli and try some.

Or, check out some Norwegian recipes. Explore, have fun, trust me, you might not think Norway = amazing food, but you'd be wrong. You're really missing out.
And while you're at it, pick up some Brunost!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Paquito Tostadas, originally uploaded by razzieswirl.

Get ready. I'll be posting these bad babies on here in just a little while. They were killer. Thanks Asher!

Blood Orange Margarita

Blood Orange Margarita, originally uploaded by razzieswirl.

Delicious! Beware though, this sucker is tart. You might want to add a little simple syrup. I think it would detract from the Patron though. If you don't use Patron (even if you do I guess) go ahead and throw some in. Depends on preference. We also made Sangria, so I just added a little of that because it was sweeter.


Recipe: Blood Orange Margarita

2 oz. Patron Silver
1 ripe blood orange squeezed
1 lime squeezed
1/2 oz. (or less) Grand Marnier
Plenty of ice

1. Put all of the ingredients into a shaker and shake very well, until frosty.
2. Put into a fun glass and enjoy.

xoxo
m.