I plan our menu for the week on Sundays. For 5 months out of the year, this is usually an annoying task that I rush to complete in the few minutes between finalizing my fantasy football line-up and kickoff of the Texans game. Tacos three times in 9 days? Sure! And God Bless that gallon baggie of ready-to-bake meatballs in the freezer! We see plenty of reruns because there’s no time to be creative and revolutionary. Okay, there’s time. I’m lazy. I feel like we’ve covered this before.

Like burger night (and pizza night, and most seafood nights…) taco night is His & Her night – same dish, different interpretations but we have tacos. His Tacos are pretty traditional: ground beef or shredded chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, and cheese. Her Tacos? He would call them… less traditional: Shrimp, tilapia, or halibut, Chipotle Mayonnaise, and Margarita Slaw.

Chipotle Mayo and Margarita Slaw are two of my absolute favorite ways to liven up otherwise boring burger and taco nights. A happy marriage of texture and taste. Chipotle mayo is creamy and spicy. Margarita Slaw is crunchy and has tequila in it. What else could you ask for?

Chipotle Mayonnaise
1 egg, at room temperature
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp fleur de sel
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
3-4 chipotle peppers, packed in Adobo sauce

Add the egg, lemon juice, mustard, and fleur de sel to the bowl of a food processor. Turn on and process. Slowly stream the oils into the food processor. After adding all of the oil, add the peppers and process until well blended. Place in a covered bowl, with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface of the mayo, and refrigerate.

Adapted from: The Gourmet Cookbook, 2004
Yields: Approx 1 1/4 cup mayo

Margarita Slaw
12 oz (about 7 cups) shredded cabbage (or rainbow salad or coleslaw mix)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Dash of sesame oil
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp lime zest
1 Tbsp fresh-squeezed OJ
1 shot Tequila
Dash of Tobasco
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Place cabbage and cilantro in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, lime and orange juices, lime zest, tequila, and Tobasco. Pour over cabbage and toss to coat completely. Season with salt and pepper. Serve cold.

Yields: 5 cups (the fixin’s for 10 tacos or burgers)
Source: Heavily revised from Bon Appetit, inspired by Canyon Cafe

Originally uploaded by Confections of a Foodie Bride.

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