After the holidays for some, there's nothing left but the crumbs of Christmas cookies; the turkey is long gone, and the candy canes have been devoured. For others, perhaps the menorah has been rinsed, dried, shined, and placed in a soft paper and a plastic bag to prevent tarnishing for next year. Regardless of how you celebrate the holidays, you've no doubt been cleaning and cooking and socializing with family for days, and now that it's all over? Undoubtedly you're tired, and the last thing you want to do is cook another complicated dinner or dish.
If you're ready for a breather, we're prepared some easy after-the-holiday recipes.
Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Slaw
Easy and fast to cook, and bursting with flavor. Get out your pantry spices and cook under the broiler for no more than five minutes; this is sure to be an after-holiday hit.
Ingredients:
- 1 and ½ to 2 pounds Easy Peel Raw Shrimp, deveined
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon ancho chile powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- ¼ cup very thinly sliced red onion
- ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
- 1 medium-sized avocado, mashed
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- Corn or Flour tortillas
- Optional toppings: sliced jalapeño, radish, and hot sauce
How to Make:
- Place your oven rack 6 inches from the heat source. Preheat your broiler. While preheating, toss the shrimp, cumin, coriander, ancho powder, garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a medium bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.
- While shrimp is set aside, combine the cabbage, red onion, cilantro, sugar, lime zest, and 2 tablespoons of the lime juice with ½ teaspoon of the salt and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a medium bowl, tossing to coat.
- In another bowl, mash the avocado, mayonnaise, sour cream, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of lime juice with ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl until smooth. You can also combine this in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Spread the shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil in your preheated oven until shrimp is cooked, roughly 3 to 5 minutes. Serve the shrimp with the slaw and avocado crema on a tortilla and top with optional toppings if desired.
Pork Chops with Acorn Squash
A sweet and tangy dish that can be placed in the slow cooker for a set-it-and-forget-it dinner ready for later without using the stove or oven.
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds of Pork Chops Center-Cut
- 2 medium acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
How to Make:
- Place pork chops in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker or crockpot. Add the sliced squash.
- Mix all remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the squash and pork chops.
- Cover, and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until the pork and squash are fork-tender.
Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew)
Hear us out. This fish stew can be made with your favorite fish and simmered in delicious coconut milk with onions, tomatoes, chilies, and lime. Easy, fast, and bursting with bright flavors. Serve this as is or over a bed or instant rice!
Ingredients:
For the Fish:
- 1 and ½ to 2 pounds of firm white fish such as Halibut, Cod, and Sea Bass. Thicker the cut, the better.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- One lime, zest, and juice
For the Sauce/Stew
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup carrot, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- ½ jalapeño, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup fish or chicken stock
- 1 and ½ cups diced fresh tomatoes
- 1 14-ounce can of coconut milk, liquids, and solids
- More salt if needed to taste
- ½ cup chopped cilantro, scallions, or Italian parsley for garnish
- Squeeze lime
How to Make:
- Rinse and pat dry the fish. Cut fish into 2-inch pieces. Place in a bowl and add salt, zest from half of the lime, and 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Massage lightly to coat all the pieces well and set aside.
- In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and salt and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn heat down to medium, add carrot, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeno and cook for five more minutes. Add the tomato paste, spices, and stock. Mix and bring to a gentle simmer, then add tomatoes, cover, and simmer gently on medium-low for 5 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
- Add the coconut milk and taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Nestle the fish in the stew and simmer gently for another four to five minutes while spooning the flavorful stew over the fish. Check for doneness. If needed, cook a bit longer for very thick pieces.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed, and add a squeeze of lime juice.
- Serve in a bowl or over a bed of rice, garnishing if desired with cilantro, scallions, or another squeeze of lime.
After the holiday hustle and bustle has settled and you're craving something quick and easy, Wholey's got your back with these easy-to-make after-holiday recipes. Don't forget that we can make it even more convenient by delivering the freshest meats and kinds of seafood directly to your front door, even to save you a trip to the grocery store!
Relax, put your feet up, and enjoy a leisurely meal courtesy of us!