The Best Shrimp Tacos

This easy shrimp tacos recipe is made with spiced shrimp, cabbage salad, avocado crema, pico de gallo and a spicy mayo crema.  Its so easy to make and always a hit in my house.

What you will need: 

1 lb Shrimp

2 Avocados, mashed 

2 tomatoes

1 red onion

2 cups cabbage shredded

Garlic

White vinegar

Mayo

Franks hot sauce

1 tbsp Lime or lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp Sea salt, fine

1 Sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, fine

8-10Tortilla 

Red paprika

Chilly flakes 

For shrimp:

In a large bowl combine shrimp with chilly flakes, red paprika, salt and pepper and garlic.

Heat oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Cook the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes, flipping once, until they are opaque and cooked through.  Transfer to a clean plate and set aside. 

For cabbage:

Combine shredded cabbage, salt and pepper and 1/4 white vinegar and mix well. 

For avocado crema:

Combine mashed avocados, 1/2 red onion, salt and pepper and lemon juice.

For pico de gallo:

Combine diced tomatoes, 1/2 diced red onion, salt and pepper and garlic.

For spicy mayo:

Combine mayo and hot sauce, mix well.

Warm tortilla in the oven, and combine all ingredients (in any order you like!)

Master Bedroom Dresser Makeover

I have lived in my condo for almost two years and never got to finishing everything, design wise inside my house.

This past weekend I decided its finally time to update the dresser and my bedroom. 

I wanted to go with gold accents in the room and went on a search of a mirror.

I wanted something more vintage looking than round. I picked this one from structure and it works perfectly. I was able to put it up myself, fairly easily.

I finished the dresser with a tray that matches the style of the dresser, gold vases and gold speckled potted plans.

 

OOTD - Pleats and Red Lips

Lately I have been dressing up for the occasion (meetings, grocery shopping etc) and my mood (feeling pretty or having a good hair day). Usually, I don’t use beauty to complement my outfit but lately for a more glam outfit, I started doing a bold lip and a smoky eye. This dress is flirty but also work appropriate and can easily got form 9 to 5 to date night. 

dress; Nordstrom's

shoes: Aldo

OOTD - Satin Dress

Satin and I don't always get along, being a plus size girl satin shows too much., but this dress was so pretty I had to pick it up.

I love the buttons on top and the belt that cuts me off at the rights places making me look smaller than I actually am. I love the calf-length and how soft the satin is. Perfect for work events or date nights.

dress: H&M

shoes: Aldo

Shrimp Tempura

These were much easier to make than I though they would be. Yes I could have purchased tempura batter but this was simple too. I have made them in the oven as well as frying them Frying did result in more deliciousness but anything fried in oil is great. 

What you will need:

jumbo shrimp

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 /4 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon Paprika

1 teaspoon Vegeta

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup water (icy-cold)

Oil for frying 

How to make it: 

Clean and prepare the shrimp, (devein and remove the shell right up to the tail) and make few small notches on the “belly” of each shrimp. This will prevent them from curling up during frying. This is much easier with bigger shrimp. 

Combine cornstarch, vegata, paprika, salt and than toss shrimp in cornstarch mixture,

In a medium bowl combine egg with water and than stir in the flour. Do not overmix.

Dip each shrimp in batter.

Bring 2 cups of oil to 340 to 360 degrees F. Cook about 4-5 shrimps in the pot at a time and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side OR Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place shrimp on a rack (on top of a baking sheet so the batter does not leak), bake for 5-7 minutes per side.

Remove shrimp onto a paper towel-lined plate.

Serve with sauce of choice. 

original recipe inspo here.

 

DIY Personalized Jewelry Dish

2020 was a strange year, and my friends put me on a budget for our gift exchange. So other than picking up things from their list I also did a super easy project to do during a free afternoon – I made them personalized jewelry/trinket plates.

This is so easy and you won’t need to download any templates or special materials to make DIY trinket dishes, just bake safe dishware and markers.

You can customize them with any illustrations or color palettes to match your specific home décor. If you are good at painting you can make these SO amazing. Me designs were basics (but so are my friends and they are color averse) 

How to make them:

Wipe off your plates completely, and allow to dry.

Decorate your mugs with the Sharpie Oil Paint Markers in whatever pattern or design you like. Allow to dry.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Bake mugs in oven for 30 minutes, allow to cool.

Enjoy, You can wash those as normal.

I got the plates at home sense and markers at marshals.

I had the stencils from a previous project.

 

OOTD - Hoodies and Denim

Been living in this hoodie, but today decided to add heels and jeans to meet a friend for social distanced coffee.

hoodie: Balkan Bred

denim: Levi's

boots: Shoe dazzle

dress shirt: Hugo Boss (borrowed from my brother.)

OOTD - Winter White Dress

I pulled this dress out for one meeting I actually had on site, added a belt and layered it over a turtleneck.

Calamari

Calamari and I have a curious relationship... love eating it, and have attempted to make it multiple times but they did not turn out. SO I went on a hunt for a new recipe and these were pretty good. The original recipe used buttermilk but when I tried that didn't work for me, but using regural milk did. I also added more seasoning because the original recipe was a tad bland.

How to make it:

1 pound calamari rings 

1 cup milk

1  all purpose flour

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 teaspoons salt plus more for serving

1/2 teaspoon paprika smoked 

1/2 teaspoon vegeta 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

vegetable oil for frying

How to make it:

Place the calamari in a bowl with milk, cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat 3-4 inches of oil in a large deep pot to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl combine flour, bread crumps salt, paprika, pepper and garlic salt.

Remove each piece of squid from the buttermilk and dredge in the flour. Repeat the process until all pieces are coated.

Place 8-10 pieces of squid in the oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove the squid from the oil and drain on paper towels. 

Sprinkle with salt and lemon. Serve immediately.

recipe inspiration here.