Chile Tilapia Tacos with Quick Mexican Rice

So I haven't posted in quite a while.  Last week I was a slacker, having just gotten back from vaca, and the week and a half before that, I was so spoiled eating all sorts of delicious foods in Myrtle Beach and Key West (and on the road at numerous fast food establishments-Nacho Cheese Chalupas at Taco Bell.... mmmmm).  I can't say I totally missed cooking but I definitely missed it a little bit.  It's hard when you just spent a week eating delicious buffalo chicken salads, platters of numerous fried wings dredged in a variety of hot sauces OR eating huge garlic bagels with bacon, egg and cheese OR gooey, cheesey lobster and shrimp mac & cheese OR crab cakes OR ginormous lobsters dipped in butter OR... well, you get the point.  I had to get to it and I promised myself I would really try to work on this blog or as long as I could and I figured being pregnant is really no excuse to stop.  I flipped through a few of my magazines and found this recipe for fish tacos and adapted it, adding a side of some pseudo homemade Mexican rice, and then Eric devoured it, which totally surprised me considering the face he made when he saw our menu posted on the frig for the week.  He went back for seconds and then thirds.  Be careful-it can be on the hot side!!!

1/2 c mayo
1 7 oz can of chipolte chile peppers in adobo sauce
3 tbsp flour
1/2 c cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tbsp Canola oil
1/2 lb Tilapia fillets, cut into bite size pieces
6 flour tortilla shells
1 c shredded red cabbage carrot mix OR coleslaw veggie mix
1/2 c salsa OR 1 roma tomato diced
1 c shredded Mexican cheese

rice side:
1/2 c uncooked brown rice
1/2 c canned diced tomatoes
1/2 c black beans, rinsed
1/2 tsp cilantro
1 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp adobo sauce (from chile peppers)

Combine mayo and 1 to 2 chile peppers and some of adobo sauce into a blender.  Add more sauce or heat and less for less heat.  Blend till combined and spoon into small bowl.  In shallow bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, and flour.  In another shallow bowl, beat eggs.  Heat canola oil in a large non stick skillet.  Dip fish chunks into egg, then cornmeal mix, and then into pan.  Cook until golden brown on each side.  Move to paper towels to drain and set aside.  Microwave tortillas for 10-15 seconds.  Make tacos, topping with fish, cabbage or coleslaw mix, salsa or tomatoes, cheese, and adobo chile sauce.

To make rice:  cook rice according to package.  Remove from heat.  Add tomatoes, beans, seasonings, and adobo sauce.  Return to a low burner for 3-5 minutes to heat through.  Serve as a side to tilapia fish tacos.

Serves 2-4