Shark Cupcakes

 

 

Dear Red Couch Readers.  we did not make it in time for Shark week, but I thought you might like a peek of these sweet cupcakes we made.  We were inspired by some cupcakes that we saw at Sweet Frostings, a cupcake store in our area. 

 

 

My daughter Talley did most of the work  I just made the life preservers.  We tried to mark the preservers with red fondant, but it kept on falling off, so we just piped some Royal icing on them. 

 

 

 

Now we just have to find someone to eat them.  Hope you enjoyed them.  Thanks for stopping b y my Couch. 



Mexican Fiesta Salad

 

Welcome to Red Couch Recipes.   I hope your summer is going well, and that you are finding time to relax a bit.  One of our new favorites this summer is this salad that I call Mexican Fiesta Salad. Why "fiesta' you ask?  I think, although I have not served this at a party yet, it would be a perfect party salad.  Your guests could pick and choose the elements of their salad.  As for my family, we just mix it all together, because I know what they like.

 

First start out with a nice bowl of lettuce.  I used Romaine lettuce.

 

 

 

Look at the cast of characters.  Avocados, bacon, black beans, Mexican cheese, corn, cilantro, corn tortilla strips, green onions all join in the party.    Ooops, I forgot to add the chicken and the tomatoes.

 

 

Then, of course you can serve the salad with the Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing.  I love this dressing so much, it is a staple at our home.  Ya, and the straw is there for a reason....

 

 

So there is really not a recipe, but I will try to  give a bit more detail.

 

Mexican Fiesta Salad

 

Romaine Lettuce -- I used two Romaine heads

1 pound chicken breasts, brushed in olive oil, rubbed with low-salt taco seasoning, and grilled until done.  After grilling, cover and let it sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing in strips.

1 can (14.5) ounce black beans, drained and washed

1 can (14.5) ounce corn, drained, or 2 cups frozen corn, cooked

12 ounces bacon, well cooked and broken into small pieces 

1 cup Mexican Cheese, crumbled  (the white cheese shaped into rounds)

6 green onions, chopped in small pieces

2 avocados, sliced in large pieces

Corn tortilla strips, I used about 10 corn tortillas, cut in strips, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with salt, in oven until lightly brown

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

 

 

Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing Recipe

 

1 cup buttermilk, I like full-fat

1 cup mayonnaise

4 tomatillos, with papery outer covering and stem removed

1 nice handful of cilantro -- I leave the stems on

1-2 cloves of garlic

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, more if you like hot

1 package, dry Ranch dressing

Pepper to season

 

Throw all ingredients in blender and process.  In a pinch, I have even put parsley, in place .of the cilantro, and it turned out fine.

 

Here is the salad with all the ingredients, minus the dressing, combined. 

 

 

This salad makes a lot, and would really be good for a fiesta.  Thanks for dropping by the Couch. 

 

Liberty Blues Fourth of July

 

 

 

Let us hear it for the red, white, and blue this Fourth of July!  Here at the Red Couch Recipes home we are festooned in red, white, and blue.  As some of you know, we moved to the Spokane area.  Much of my things are still in boxes, as we are moving again soon.  Lucky find!  I found my Liberty Blue dinner plates.   I haven't posted a tablescape in ages....

 

I only have the dinner plates.  Don't you just love the detail on the sides?

 

 

I set up the table outside.  A-hem, my husband has been building a 3-D printer on our dining room table.  Good thing we love to eat dinner outside!  I have no intention of using these dinner plates on the 4th of July.  I plan to be somewhere cool on a lake.  Washington has been hot, hot, hot lately.

 

I love using bandanas as napkins; they are so festive and bright, and it doesn't hurt either that they wash up so well.

 

Life looked through a bubbly glass is sweeter.

 



 

The patio space in this rental home is not like our old deck, but we still eat here almost every night.  

 



Thanks for dropping by my RED COUCH!

Posted with Tablescape Thursday.