It's a rainy cool Monday night, around 11:15pm, and I'm
watching Dog the Bounty Hunter and his wife on Chelsea Lately..the finale to an evening of tv watching after dinner
starting with Two Fat Ladies on Cooking Channel, the Premiere of Real Housewives of Atlanta on Bravo and re-runs
of Arrested Development on IFC...and falling asleep on and off in between.  Why am I at the keyboard now writing?
Insanity?  perhaps.  Or, just compelled to share yet another fun dinner and "food" holiday with you.  On that random
calendar of all things food, today is designated National Vodka Day ( yeah for all you barflies), and National Taco
Day.  After the awesome Oktoberfest party at my cousins' house on Saturday, I'm thinking something Mexican-esque
would be nice.  All the ingredients were in the fridge, I shopped last night ( so relaxing to me, insane right?) so I
still had a grip on what convenient for me to cook with. 
Last night I made a Polpettone, meaning big meatball, but it's the Italian word for Meatloaf.  I used beef and pork so
chicken was up at bat tonight for it's taco transformation.  My first thought was to go with a faita like saute', but
then they would feel like we were eating, well, faitas.  I channeled an evening in Dana Point at a great oceanfront
restaurant, Olamendi's on Pacific Coast Hwy, http://originalolamendis.com/index.htm, and thought of a crispy
fish taco...but there is no fresh fish in the house, so...let's cut some chicken into cubes, give it an egg and flour
seasoned coating that will crisp up, and use the red cabbage in the fridge to mimic the cabbage served in a
traditional fish taco.  Here is what I did:
For 8 soft tacos, the larger size soft taco that is.  use 3 boneless breasts.  Trim them of their fat (why pay the
butcher or the supermarket extra for something that you can do yourself, and actually learn more about the meat
you are eating) and slice them each into thirds, lengthwise.  Then into 11/2 cubes.  Add them to a bowl.  Add 1 tsp.
granulated garlic (add it here , not to the breading, it will taste better), 1 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. of a good Chile powder,
I used some of the Chimayo Red Chile powder I picked up in New Mexico...great spice, great flavor. Let this sit
for 10 minutes.  Now sprinkle 2 tbs. of flour over the chicken and make sure each piece is coated.  Beat 1 large
egg well, and pour over the chicken, again making sure they are all coated.  Now add 2 tbs. of flour which you
have seasoned with salt and pepper, and 1 tsp. of chile powder and again make sure all of the chicken is coated.
In a large skillet (cast iron is best) add 1/2 inch. vegetable oil.  Bring to medium high heat.  In batches fry the
cubes, about 4 minutes per side.

Drain on paper towels.  sprinkle with a little salt while they are draining.  Use one quarter of a red cabbage,
shred it, and cut 1 medium onion into slices.  In a small pan, add a little oil, saute the cabbage and onion just
until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper, chile powder, and oregano.  Reserve. 
In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup of sour cream, 2 tbs. milk, 1/2 tsp. of pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika), some
salt and pepper, and 2 tbs. of thin sliced green onion (scallion). Mix well, this is your crema.
Have some shredded lettuce on hand, and also some shredded Monterey Jack cheese (not the pepper jack).
Assemble the tacos spreading the crema on the soft taco, then add some red cabbage and onion, then
about 5 pieces of the chicken, the lettuce, then some cheese, roll up and do this till you've run out of chicken.
Makes about 8.  Heat them in a medium oven for about 6 minutes and serve with a nice seasoned rice or
beans, or rice AND beans.. When Radishes are in season, they go nicely in the taco too.


There you have it, my celebration of National Taco Day...just one of countless ways to prepare tacos, whether
traditional, or non traditional.
And for dessert...use a Brownie mix, or make your own homemade (like I did tonight, no real recipe, just
combined melted butter, chile,cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, baking powder, milk, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, flour)
but add a dash of chile and cinnamon to the mix...it's a nice way to mimic the flavors of Mexican chocolate.
Serve that up with a little fresh fruit, like berries..Adios and Buenos Noches...time for bed...