Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos {She Made/Ella Hace}

My husband isn't a big seafood eater.  He'll eat tilapia, if I make it.  Oddly enough, he really likes octopus.  But the seafood he loves most of all is shrimp.  So he was super excited when I told him that Girlichef and I were going to be talking shrimp for this month's installment of She Made/Ella Hace.  Hubby would be a very happy man if I made him Coctel de Camaron (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail) at least once a week.  But I get bored eating the same thing week after week, so I try to mix things up.  These Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos are Hubby's second favorite shrimp dish.  They're full of spice from the ground arbol chilies, but they also have tasty undertones from the tequila and lime that linger on your tongue and the back of your throat.

When reading through the ingredients list, do not be alarmed by the 12 dried arbol chilies.  They're not all going into this dish!  I promise. That would be just way too much spice.  Before I get to the super easy Spicy  Tequila-Lime Shrimp recipe, I'm going to teach you how to make your own Homemade Red Pepper Flakes.  You can use the Homemade Red Pepper Flakes to season everything from fish to pizza to pasta.   When I get back from our annual Semana Santa (Holy Week) camping trip, I'm going to share one of my favorite guacamole recipes with you.  

Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos



Ingredients:

• 12 dried chilies de arbol, stems removed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Homemade Red Pepper Flakes
• Corn tortillas

Garnish:

• Shredded cabbage
• Pico de Gallo
• Lime wedges
• Homemade red pepper flakes (optional) 

How to make Homemade Red Pepper Flakes:
In a small skillet over low heat, toast the dried chiles de arbol, tossing constantly, just until they start to brown.  Remove from heat.

Puree the toasted chilies in a blender cup until you have tiny little flakes.  Pour the red pepper flakes into a cute little shaker or an airtight container.  Enjoy!!!  

And now onto the shrimp... 
Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, just until the butter has melted.  Add the shrimp and saute until they've all turned a bright orange color.

Add the tequila, lime juice, and the red pepper flakes to the shrimp.  Cover and let simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

For each taco, spoon a couple of tablespoons of the Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp onto two warm corn tortillas stacked on top of each other.  Garnish with shredded cabbage, Pico de Gallo, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.  Enjoy!!!  

Now head on over to Girlichef's blog to check out her amazing Queso Flameado w/ Shrimp & Salsa Ranchera!
 





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Tomato-Mushroom Beef #WeekdaySupper

Do people still use snail mail?  I barely remember it exists, because here in Mexico I rarely ever receive something in the mail.  With the exception of my phone/internet bill, most of my bills are hand delivered to my door by the light company and/or bank.  Almost all of my family and friends contact me through email or Facebook.  I don't even get junk mail.  The only time I ever get anything in the mail is if I order a book on Amazon, or a good friend decides to surprise me with a foodie care package.

I didn't mean for this post to be about snail mail at all, but this recipe always reminds me of the good old days when we used to receive snail mail on a regular basis.  When we lived in the States, Hubby called his mom and dad about once a month.  And about once a week, he'd write a letter back home to send pictures of us and the kiddies.  A couple times a month, we'd get a letter back from them.

I remember one letter in particular, because it included a note and a recipe for Tomato-Mushroom Beef from my eldest sister-in-law, whom I had never met in person.  In the note, she wrote about how she had just made a super tasty guisado (dish) for everyone that was so good, she was sending me the recipe so I could make it for her little brother.  It was because of that recipe I learned that the Spanish word for mushrooms is champiñones.  Up until then I had only used (and heard) the word "hongos".

I surprised Hubby with the Tomato-Mushroom Beef the very next day.  It's been a good 15 years since I first made this recipe and it's been an old family favorite ever since.  It's one of my go-to dishes that I turn to on those really busy days, when I only have about 30 minutes to get lunch on the table.  It's hearty, saucy, and oh-so-easy to put together.  And it's got bacon!

Tomato Mushroom Beef

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. bacon, sliced
• 2 lbs. thin cut steak, cut in strips
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 small (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp.  Transfer the bacon pieces to a paper towel lined plate; reserve the bacon grease in the skillet.

Season the beef strips with salt and ground black pepper.  Add the beef strips to the large skillet with the bacon grease; cover and let and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink.

Add the bacon and mushrooms to the beef and let cook for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato sauce.  Reduce heat to low; cover and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the beef strips are tender.  Serve atop Sopa de Arroz Blanco (White Rice).  Enjoy!!! 

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