Grilled Spice Rubbed Chicken Tacos

My goodness, I had no idea so many of my dear readers were in the motherly way. It's hard to notice a bump in your belly from my angle, all the way over here behind my computer screen. For census purposes, if you are pregnant, please remain seated. Holy Toledo, there's more of you than I thought. Please get plenty of rest, drink water, read What to Expect When You Are Expecting obsessively, and avoid cinnamon cake at all costs. Unless you are 41 weeks pregnant, in which case, I offer you not only my deepest sympathy, but also a labor-inducing recipe below.

Oy, what a week I'm having. I've been substituting a few extra classes at the college for a colleague who had a son graduating from Princeton. Some people will use any mundane excuse for a day off. I've also been at girl's camp, where I'm no longer a girl, but a leader of girls, so I have mind my ps and qs. (I apparently left a questionable legacy in some parts of southern California for my behavior at girl's camp. This is why I had to marry someone as far removed as upstate NY.) But I still liked it. Besides, there are no safe pranks anymore, are there? This generation can't even crank call, for pete's sake. And a neighborhood boy almost got sent to juvy for ding dong ditch. Don't even try to raise a bra up a flagpole, or they'll call in the FBI.

So anyway, this has been a busy week. (I'm still waiting for a slow-moving, boring week.) Plus I've got my sister laid up on bedrest, and another sister visiting with her six children, and my own charges who yearn obsessively every moment that they are separated from their cousins. It's kind of handy. Still, I feel sorry for any relative who passes through town; they end up having to babysit for me and generally pick up some of the slack that perpetually overflows from my crammed full life. So by all means come for a visit, but don't say I didn't warn you.

On the bright side, my payback is edible. I'll reciprocate with dinner. Like this for example, that I made last week for a different visiting sister with her four kids. (Don't try to keep track of my mammoth family. One of these days I'm going to post a family tree instead of recipes.) I saw this southwest stunner years ago as a quick dinner party idea from Bon Appetit. I only read the recipe once so I have no idea how close mine is to their original recipe, but I'm surrendering credit just in case. Hubba hubba. I could eat this all summer, and if I do I won't have much left to blog about. It's so fast, you could be eating these babies yourself in about 35 minutes. And since so many of you are pregnant, that gives you plenty of time to make them before your real babies arrive. Have a fantastic weekend, everybody.

Money Saving Tips:

Look for a good deal on chicken breasts and stock them in your freezer. You can make extra spice rub to keep for about a month in the cupboard. Chop your own cabbage or lettuce in place of the bagged coleslaw. Hit up a gardening neighbor for free peppers and zuchinni, or better yet, plant some yourself.

Spiced Rubbed Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Tacos

Estimated Cost: $10.00

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken

1 zuchinni, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices

1 red bell pepper, halved, stemmed and seeded

10 to 12 corn tortillas

1 tablespoon butter

1 10 ounce package cole slaw mix

1 bunch cilantro

juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons olive oil

shredded cheese, optional but yummy

Preheat grill for medium hot cooking. Combine spice mixture in small bowl. Brush chicken and vegetables lightly with a small amount of olive oil or coat them with olive oil cooking spray. Rub with spice mixture. Meanwhile, spread tortillas lightly with butter and wrap them in a foil bundle and place away from direct heat on the grill to warm.Grill vegetables until softened and tender, about 8 minutes for the zuchinni, 15 minutes for the bell pepper, and grill the chicken until no longer pink, about 8 minutes per side for chicken breasts. Slice veggies and chicken into strips. Combine cole slaw mix, cilantro, lime juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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