Red Chile-Citrus Marinated Chicken and Tomatillo Guacamole

Tomatillos? What am I supposed to do with those? Apparently, the options consist mainly of guacamole and salsa. Fine by me. Zack and I are big fans of fresh Mexican, and I've had a lot of fun making fresh and healthy burritos, tostadas, and tacos since we got married. That's the way I like my Mexican. Fresh. I don't go for the mushy, melted, refried bean-covered soup on a plate. I know, I know. Maybe I haven't experimented enough with authentic Mexican (I'm sure there's good stuff out there), and don't worry, I'm not going to stop. Let's just say, it's not my favorite. Hence, fresh mission-style Mexican.

If you haven't added tomatillos to your usual guacamole recipe, than you should. Bright, green, and they blend beautifully after being husked, rinsed, and boiled for 5 minutes. This guacamole also contains a little onion, jalapeno, fresh lime juice, cilantro, and of course...avocados. Blend it all up and there you go. Oh, and don't lean in too close when you go to smell your guacamole. Eyes. Will. Burn. (Jalapeno and onion, anyone?)

The chicken marinade is all things citrus: fresh orange, lemon, and lime juice; plus, some olive oil and spices. I marinated the chicken for about an hour in the refrigerator. I've found that citrus is really a great option for Mexican. The intense squeezing fruit after fruit by hand can be a little intense, but it really gives you bold flavor.

Well, that's all for now. Keeping it fresh and simple. Keep an eye out for a red chard, potato, and white bean ragout showing up here soon. I may even throw in some more interesting vegetables, like romanesco (Roman what?)...more on that later. :)

Orange-Walnut Olive Oil Cake with Sweet Yogurt

The story: according to Power Foods, olive oil cakes are popular in Italy. They're usually made with orange-flavored liqueurs, but this recipe uses orange juice/zest instead, and it replaces the usual refined granulated sugar with brown sugar. The recipe called for dark brown sugar, which I really wish we'd had on hand, but we didn't so I used golden brown sugar instead. Definitely going to dark brown next time; I think it would give it a richer flavor and color. The cake also has finely ground walnuts in it, and plain Greek-style yogurt (sweetened with a little confectioner's sugar) on the side.

When you taste this cake, you can really pick out the orange. A bit of this is pretty much an explosion of orange and a pronounced fruity flavor, in combination with the occasional crunch of walnut. The yogurt goes perfectly. I never really thought of using yogurt as a replacement for, let's say, whipped cream. That's an idea for you health nuts out there.

Overall, this cake was different, but it really grows on you. It's moist and smooth, aside from the crushed walnuts. It's like a citrusy spice cake. I did add a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Just a touch, and I think it worked well. I probably wouldn't serve this to someone who doesn't like to "eat outside of the box," but if you like healthy alternatives and vibrant citrus flavor, then this is the cake for you. ;)