Shrimp Ceviche Tacos

Here is a yummy, simple, and healthy lunch. However you do need to budget at least an hour after your prep is done before you can eat it.

Ingredients: 

• shrimp
• scallops (optional) 
• 2 lemons
• 1 lime
• butter lettuce/romaine lettuce
• 1-2 avocados
• cherry tomatoes 
• salsa 
• cilantro 

Instructions:
1. Sprinkle salt and pepper and over the scallops and shrimp. Heat oil in a pan and saute the scallops and shrimp for about 2 minutes until you see the shrimp just start to turn pink.  

2. Place the scallops and shrimps on a paper towel to drain the excess moisture. Afterwards dice the shrimps and scallops.

3. Juice the lemons and limes.

4. In a larger bowl mix the scallops, shrimps, avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour. ***

5. Wrap ceviche in lettuce leaves and flavor with salsa .

***You can also keep the avocado, tomato, and cilantro out of the lemon lime mixture and mix it in later on right before eating.

Cake-like Cookie

So one day I was itching to bake. Unfortunately we didn't have any sugar or flour left in the house. I was bummed out. I really really needed to bake and relieve some stress. Luckily while perusing the pantry I realized we had way too many boxes of chocolate cake mix. My parents have been stock piling on the cake mixes for our next trip back to the Philippines. Since that trip isn't happening for another year I figured that I could replace it later. I was also in the mood for cookies so I had to figure out how to use the mix to make cookies. This is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of cake mix
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract 
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil 
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Mix all of the ingredients together.
3. Form balls with the dough and place on an ungreased baking sheet. I like to use my mini ice cream scoop.
4. Bake for 8-10 min. 
5. Let cool on the sheet after taking them out for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

It's yummy with some ice cream on top.

Why not make an ice cream sandwich? Just one sandwich is enough. The cookies keep for more than a week so you could have an ice cream sandwich every night.

It's Super Bowl Sunday and my mom has asked me to make the dreaded seven layer dip. You might be wondering why I would dread making such a simple recipe. It's because I've never liked eating this wretched dip. The first time my mother pressured me into making this dip it was for her Christmas holiday party. Apparently it was so popular that she didn't really get a chance to eat much of it. These measurements aren't exactly precise since this I'm making this just for my family.

On another note, I hate olives! So this recipe strays from most seven layer dips since I don't include them. The only time I've ever liked eating an olive was at this great french restaurant in Baltimore called The Brass Elephant. The SGC girls and I went out for dinner and we decided on a cheese platter that had different looking olives on them.

Ingredients:

• 1 taco seasoning packet (I use the cheesy one)
• lettuce, shredded 
• 1 can refried beans 
• container of chunky salsa 
• sour cream
• cream cheese
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1-2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1lb, ground beef 
• 1 small white onion

Instructions

1. Chop up the white onion. Cook the onions with the beef and half of the taco mixture. 
2. In a medium sized bowl take the refried beans and blend the taco seasoning with it. 
3. In another bowl blend the cream cheese and the sour cream.
4. In your serving container spread the refried bean mixture. Then the cream layer.
5. In top of the cream mixture spread the layer of salsa, beef, peppers, tomatoes, and lettuce. 
6. Top with the cheese. 

Optional: I love guacamole but apparently my parents don't. I would have some guacamole on the side for an extra layer. Or if you get some avocados I would slice them and squeeze some lemon juice and sprinkle some onion powder on top. You could toss it in with the tomatoes and bell peppers.