Mango Salsa

These days the week seems to drag on, and on, and on. So, to liven up our Friday nights and to give us something to look forward to, my family and I decided that every Friday will be a theme day. We did this last week and went with a tropical beach theme. It was so much fun! We all got decked out in our island attire, had piña coladas for happy hour (virgin ones for the youngster), cooked an awesome island dinner, and then watched Lilo and Stitch while sprawled out on beach towels in the living room.

Piña Colada

I thought you and your families may enjoy playing along with us. I hope you don’t mind me mixing it up a bit. Recipes will of course be a big part of the festivities.

Each week you will find a themed graphic with some inspiration for attire, movies, and some other fun touches you can do to create a special vibe. I will also include links to some theme based recipes to plan a menu around.

If you do participate in any of the theme nights please be sure to post your pics and tag me on Instagram @DivaDiCucina and use the hashtag #DivasThemeNight. I would love to see how you and your family incorporate any of the themes and put your own twist on them. Please also share any other ideas you have or links to other tropical themed recipes you enjoy in the comments below.

I hope you have as much fun with this as my family and I!

Family Theme Night—Tropical Beach Party

FOOD IDEAS
Click on the name of the food item below to be directed to a page with that recipe. Please note some of these link to recipes shared by other awesome food bloggers which will redirect you to their sites.

Appetizers/Snacks
Mango Salsa
Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade
Easy Hawaiian Dip

Drinks
Blended Mango Margaritas
Summertime White Sangria
Piña Coladas
Rum Punch

Main Course
Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut
Shrimp Tacos
Homemade Fish Sticks and Tartar Sauce
Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Caribbean Baked Chicken with Mango
Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

Side Dishes
Tropical Macadamia Nut Rice
Mango and Bok Choy Salad
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Tropical Fruit Salad

Dessert
Piña Colada Pie with Drunken Rum Sauce
Mini Key Lime Pies
Personal Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
Hawaiian Poke Cake

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken and Grilled Pineapple

Dinners

Recipe—Shrimp Tacos

June 11, 2012January 29, 2018 Diva di Cucina

Seafood and Mexican are a match made in heaven. Throw in a margarita or Corona with lime and I am in heaven! For how delicious this recipe is you would think it would take longer to make, but that is not the case. It is relatively easy and comes together very quickly. The shrimp are so good that when I am on a low-carb diet I just eat a bowl of the shrimp with cheese and avocado. This meal is light, refreshing, and yummy in my tummy. Add my mango salsa and it’s a flavor explosion. I hope you enjoy the tacos as much as my family does. Buen provecho!

Note: This recipe is written for tacos but sometimes I use large tortillas filled with black beans and rice for some awesome burritos.

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil
1 c white onion, chopped
2–3 serrano chilies, deseeded and thinly sliced
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp garlic, minced
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 c fresh cilantro, chopped
kosher salt
tortillas, warmed
2 limes

SOME FABULOUS GARNISHES
shredded pepper jack cheese
guacamole or sliced avocado
sour cream
mango salsa (see recipe below)
pico de gallo

STEPS

Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat.
Add onions and chiles and cook stirring frequently until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Remove vegetables from heat and place in a small dish to the side.
Melt butter in the frying pan over medium-high heat.
Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
Add shrimp to pan and cook until bright pink and no longer translucent. (Cooking time will vary based on the size of your shrimp. Cut to test and be sure they are cooked in the middle.)
Return cooked vegetables to your pan and stir in with shrimp.
Add cilantro, salt, and the juice from one lime.
Put shrimp into the tortillas and serve with a slice of lime on the side.

See my mango salsa recipe here for a great pairing with these tacos:
https://divadicucina.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/recipe-mango-salsa/

Appetizers, Sauces

Recipe—Mango Salsa

January 25, 2012January 29, 2018 Diva di Cucina

I have traveled to the Hawaiian Islands several times and I can’t even begin to describe how incredible the regional cuisine is. Hawaii is known for it’s tropical fruits grown in rich volcanic soil and some of the best quality fish in the world. Every time I make this vibrant colored salsa it takes me back to the islands. It goes great served with just tortilla chips, but pairs incredibly well with grilled fish, shrimp tacos, and crab cakes. Another favorite way to dish it up is over warmed Brie served with Triscuits. It may seem like more of a summer recipe, but I enjoy making it year round. Mix yourself up a refreshing Mai Tai and pretend like you are on an island getaway while you are enjoying this tropical treat.

INGREDIENTS
2 mangos, diced
1 jalapeño, diced (deseed the pepper if you don’t want it to be too hot)
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1 green onion, chopped
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sugar
pinch of salt

STEPS

Mix together mangos, jalapeño, red bell pepper, green onion, and cilantro.
In a separate small bowl mix together lemon juice, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until sugar and salt are dissolved.
Pour liquid mixture over salsa and mix well.
Cover and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

See my crab cake recipe here for a great pairing for this mango salsa (skip the spicy remoulade if serving with the mango salsa):
https://divadicucina.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/recipe-crab-cakes-with-spicy-remoulade/