Sweets...oh how I miss you!

We are well past the half-way point of our Lenten season, which means sweets are on the horizon for our household.

This unseasonably warm weather makes us both want to visit the local ice cream shop. But more so, I just want one of my favorite little Reese's peanut butter eggs. I love all things peanut butter and chocolate and Reese's definitely has perfected the peanut butter:chocolate ratio in their egg, pumpkin and tree-shaped versions of the all mightly cup! Of course, I will snag some in the grocery cart this week as they sell out nearly every year.

While reading one of my favorite blogs - The Domestic Wannabe - Ashley made a perfectly-Lorryn-treat - Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Bread. Hello? I think this may be on our meal plan for Easter Sunday! It sounds and looks heavenly.

Sweets have been difficult, but a little more tolerable since my sweetie gave it all up with me! I am a little excited for April 8th to arrive.

{Food For Thought} 

According to the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, subjects who ate candy or chocolate cake were found tro be more agreeable and helpful after snacking than those who munched on a salty cracker. The recent study suggests that people with a sweet tooth have nicer dispositions.

As read in the April issue of All You, {one of my favorite, quick-read, recipe-providing, coupon-oriented magazines}.

I believe I have a nice disposition and of course I love sweets! I can think of some "salty-snack-lovers" and their less-than warm personalities. Come to think of it...my boss loves to snack on Saltine crackers...hmmm.

Baja Blackened Fish Tacos {Recipe}

I have loved fish tacos for quite some time. I am thankful Jeremy now is now on the Fish Taco train! So, the first two Fridays of Lent have yielded attempts of fine-tuning our fish taco recipe.

Here is what we did this past week:

Baja Fish Tacos

We took cod, patted dry and then rubbed a home-made blackening seasoning mix on it.

Here is the recipe for the rub:

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

Then, we made a dressing:

1/3 c sour cream

1/3 c mayo

1/4 c. cilantro

2 tbsp taco seasoning mix

Mix together and chill until served.

Then, we made a crunchy slaw for a taco topper:

I just mixed some cabbage, red onion, cilantro, with 1 tbsp mayo, 1 tbsp lime juice and 1/2 tsp cumin

On to blackening the fish. We both have enjoyed blackened fish in restaurants, but never really had made blackened fish previously at home. So, we found a home video on Youtube.

Our side was the "best black beans" recipe that we have perfected over the last month or so.
Best Black Bean Recipe

Soo....a good base + a great rub on blackened fish + a fun slaw = a delicious fish taco and the perfect Lenten Friday dish! Last week, we finished it off with jalapeno corn bread (1 box Jiffy muffin mix with chopped fresh jalapeno)...a good "sweet" for the two of us who gave up sweets for Lent!




Stock photo sorry! We were dashing off to the bowling alley after dinner
this past Friday night and I forgot to snap a photo of our fish tacos!

Enjoy!

Fridays for Fat Tuesday

I've never been to Mardi Gras, but growing up we certainly did observe the celebration and meaning behind Fat Tuesday...as we prepared for Lent and our Lenten promises.

This year, J and I are giving up sweets - defined as - cookies, cakes, candy. I was half-tempted to give up alcohol...but let's face it - I gave that up for 10 months last year, I'm not yet ready to do that again.

We decided to celebrate Fat Tuesday with a Dessert Date to the local TGI Friday's.

We have already scoped out the dessert menu and selected two items to share and savor, as these will be our last sweets until Easter Sunday (we don't 'cheat' on Sundays or one day per week like others).




Brownie Obsession




Peanut Butter Pie