Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Chicken Tacos

Crocked an entire bag of Chicken this weekend.  I decided I like doing that and then freezing portions better than cooking it separate every time I need it!  Last night I made Frito Salad (with the shredded chicken available in case my hubs wanted meat). Then, I separated into 4 different portions of chicken .  One, I added taco seasoning to and put in the fridge for today.  The other 3 went into the freezer for whatever I need them for later.

This evening, I took out the following and prepped for tacos:


Shredded seasoned chicken
Shredded Cheese
Black Beans
Diced Olives
Diced Tomato
Diced jalapenos
Salsa
Sour Cream
Lettuce
Tortillas

I fried up the tortillas individually and assembled.

Dinner took less than 10 mins. WOOT WOOT!

P.S. I encourage you to 'pan fry' cheese. Plain.........  Yes. You read that correctly.


Love tacos?  Can't get enough?
 Here's 4 other ways to get your fix:
Ground Turkey Tacos
Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Fish Tacos
Fools Day Tacos

Pulled Pork Tacos COMING SOON!

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Garlic Roll-Ups

In the process of trying to save the food that had defrosted in my friends freezer, we found the Rhodes Dinner Rolls and 'HAD' to use them. When I made Beignets last week, I really wanted to try a cheesy version of the roll up, so here it is!

Preheat the oven to the lowest possible setting (170)
Put frozen rolls on a cookie sheet and place in oven to rise (about 30-60 mins)

Once the rolls are defrosted and poofy, remove from oven.

Flour a surface and one at a time, roll each out.

Spread butter on the top, then season with a Garlic herb mix.

Take Cheese slices and break into 'strips'.
As you roll the dough up, insert cheese.........

Spray the pan and place rolls in to rise some more.

Once rolls have risen a bit, brush melted butter over the tops and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

It won't hurt things to brush more butter on them when they are done cooking.






'Don't Hesitate' Triple Berry Bread


You may want to double- even triple this batch.  It is so good, you can't help but eat it in excess and then share with friends, and then make another batch.  Perfectly fine to freeze it for later, but you may not have enough left to do that!



Mix/Cream together:
1 C Oil
1 C White Sugar
1 C Brown Sugar
4 eggs
2/3 C Sour Cream
2 tsp Vanilla

If you get lucky, your oil and vanilla with create a smiley face for you like mine did :)

Then add (Hand mix):
3 Cups flour
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Soda
1/2 tsp Powder
1 tsp Salt

Fold in:
2 1/2 C frozen Triple Berry Blend

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees.
Spray muffin or bread pans with non-stick spray.
Fill cups/pans NO MORE than 1/2 full.
Sprinkle Sugar in the Raw on top of batter (optional)

Bake:
Mini Muffins: 8-12 Mins
Regular Size Muffins: 14-20 Mins
Mini Loaf Pans: 35-45 Mins

Check regularly!

Test with toothpick and remove from oven when it shows clean.

Remove from Pan and let cool completely on a rack.


Our triple batch that we made resulted in:
10 mini loaves
4 dozen regular muffins
3 dozen mini muffins

I have 5 muffins on my counter and 3 loaves in my freezer.

This does NOT last!

Friday, July 19, 2013

Crockpot Tamale Pie


So here's a recipe that is never wrong.  The first time I wanted to make this after leaving home, I called my mom (who notoriously made this OFTEN) and asked for her recipe.  She hesitated for a looooong time, then said- "There isn't really one.  I just always put in it what I had on hand."  Well.... regardless, I never remembered it tasting different each time so I was like..."Geez Mother... could you give me a basic idea?!"  And..... I don't think I actually ever got it from her {the recipe} but with my memory and skillz, I have come up with a very similar comparison AND put it in my Crockpot.  

This= My Soul Food

You'll Need:


For Bottom Layer-Mush
1 Cup Cornmeal
1 Cup Milk (evaporated or other)
3 Cups water
1 Small Can diced Green Chiles
1 tsp salt

Put all in a pot and simmer until VERY thick.
Spray the bottom of the Crockpot and then spread mush evenly.
Top with a layer of shredded cheese.

For Main Layer
1 pound pre-cooked Ground Turkey (taco meat)
1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles (Rotel)
1 small can Tomato Sauce
1 Can drained Kidney Beans
1 Can drained Corn
1 Tbsp Taco Seasoning

Put everything in a pot, simmer and mix well.
Place mixture on top of mush in Crockpot.
Turn Crock on 'Low' for 4-6 hours.
Turn Crock OFF & vent (to let everything thicken)
Place a TON of cheese on top.
Chop entire can of drained Black Olives.
Sprinkle olives over Cheese.
Let SIT for 30-45 minutes to set up.

This is JUST like lasagna where if you cut into it before it 'sets', you will have a big BLOB of disaster.  Easier and prettier to serve once set. (And no- this below wasn't set.... we were hungry.)
Garnish with Sour Cream &/or Hot Sauce.

Variations:
Jalapenos
Green Peppers
Onions
Black Beans
Refried Beans
Whole Chilis (Layered)
Salsa
Ground Beef
Shredded Pork
Shredded Chicken

Click here to make REAL Tamales in the Crockpot!



Horseradish Panko Crusted Cod

**If you don't like horseradish... A LOT..... keep scrolling.  You will hate this if you don't have an abnormal like for that 'need to sneeze, burning but not spicy, aaaah ... now I can breathe' feeling that only horseradish can provide.  If that IS you.... Make this now.



This is quite simple and the ingredients are few.

You'll need:
Horseradish
Panko Crumbs
Cod (or other white fish)
Garlic Salt
Parsley

Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees.
Thaw the fish and line a baking dish with tinfoil.
Place the thawed fish in the dish and season generously with garlic salt.
Spread a thin layer of horseradish on the tops of the fillets.

Cover (Generously) with Panko Crumbs.
Bake for 30-40 mins or until fish is cooked thoroughly.
Garnish with parsley flakes.




Monday, July 15, 2013

EASY Beignets


When I was still living in Anchorage, My husband and I used to frequent this little restaurant called 'Little New Orleans'.  They had some AMAZING Cajun food and at the end of our meal we would always get these little doughnut thingies called Beignets. <-Definitely et Francais word. (That's my Frenglish for you).  I loved them and that is what this dessert reminds me of.  That and the dessert you get at *real* Mexican restaurants.  A cross between those two things and Naan, so really completely different.  But anyways.... 

***Note***This is how my mind works 99.4% of the time***

So.....After Church we were BBQ-ing with our friends.   Michelle and I were gathering food to prep dinner and I saw Rhodes Frozen Dinner Rolls in her freezer {Insert light bulb here} I asked her if we could use them cause I had an idea :D  My first thought was:  Rise, then roll out flat, season with garlic salt and grill (like Naan). Halfway into the process, we decided we needed sweets.

This is what happened:

Preheat the oven on the lowest setting possible. (Michelle's was 170)
Put frozen rolls on a cookie sheet and put in the oven to rise.

About 1/2 hour later, the rolls are defrosted and poofy. 

Pull out and one by one.............
Reset the temperature to 350 Degrees.







Lightly flour a surface.
Roll out flat.







Butter.








Cinnamon Sugar

Roll up or leave flat.






Bake for about 10 minutes (I actually have NO CLUE how long these cooked) We forgot to set a timer and just pulled them out when they were done.










Drizzle honey over all of them

Sprinkle Powdered Sugar on the top.








The rolled up ones were better (fluffier) than the flat ones.  I would like to do this with garlic butter and cheese rolled up and brushed with butter when pulled out.

Poor Mans Cheesy Garlic Naan.  <- I'll do this later this week with Spaghetti :)



Friday, July 12, 2013

Steak Fajita Quesadillas



I don't know what it is, but I can't just make something what it's supposed to be. Tonight's dinner for example.... I had purchased some Carne Asada from the meat counter and thought... "I'll make Fajitas!" Result: Fajita Quesadillas. With the leftovers, I made Fajita Burritos. Why can't I just make Fajitas?! I dunno. It's a sickness. Anyway, so.....we were making Fajita Quesadillas.....

You'll need:
2 LARGE onions sliced thinly
1 ea red, green, & yellow bell peppers
Olive Oil to sautee the veggies
2 lbs Carne Asada 1 bottle fajita marinade
Tortillas
~4 cups shredded cheddar jack blend
2-3 Avocados (for simple quac)
Sour cream for garnish

 In the AM- put the meat and marinade in a Ziploc bag in the fridge.
 Mix the avocados with salt, pepper, & paprika. Set aside.

Slice up all the veggies (keep the peppers & onions separate)

Saute onions in olive oil until mostly translucent.

Remove from pan & set aside.

Saute ALL peppers in same pan- you may need to add more oil.

Remove from pan & set aside.


Put meat (with marinade) in pan and turn heat on LOW & let cook till just about done.

Discard about 3/4 of the marinade.

Put meat in a bowl and chop/cut up. I used kitchen shears to get the meat in nice smaller chunks.

Put meat & veggies all back in pan on low heat and mix all together.

On a griddle or panini press, place a folded tortilla with cheese and the fajita filling then more cheese and fold in half.

Grill until cheese is melted and outside is browned.

Serve with Sour Cream & Guac.

Triple Chocolate Chunk MnM Cookies


Nothing like overdoing it, right?
Must... overdo.... everything.
Wanted to get 'rid' of the double chocolate cookie mixes in my pantry, but I also wanted to do something 'Red, White, & Blue' for the 4th. Eh- double it up :)

 Make the 2 separate cookie doughs.
I made a double batch of both and ended up with 6 dozen cookies.
 *Chocolate Chunk cookies- Follow package directions, put in a bowl to the side for later.

 For the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies I have EVER made- (The top portion of these cookies):

You'll need the following:

 2 1/4 C Flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp powder
1/3 C (3/4 stick) Real Butter
3/4 stick/tray shortening
1/2 C White Sugar
1 C packed Brown Sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Eggs
1 tbsp Vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips
2 cups M n M candies

 Mix the butter, shortening, sugars, eggs, & vanilla well. ...add the salt, soda, powder and flour. Beat so its all fluffy. Gently mix in the chocolate chips and MnM's.

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.

With a small scoop, place chocolate batter on the sheet.
With a medium scoop, place light batter on top of chocolate batter. Don't press down or shape.











Bake exactly 13 mins on middle rack and pull out of oven (even though they don't look done).

Let cool on sheet for 5 mins. Transfer to cooling rack.

 Sure wish I could find mini MnM's in the Bulk section!!!!

Ranch Chicken Cutlets

I will have to admit. This chicken would be fabulous breaded and pan fried, but it was AMAZING on the grill! I think the trick was pounding it out (so it was even) and then it cooked quickly. 


Dethaw some chicken breasts.

Lay chicken on top of wax paper and season both sides with dry ranch dressing powder and some Cajun seasoning.

Lay another piece of wax paper on top and pound chicken (with flat side of meat tenderizer) until the thickness is even. 

Grill (about 5 mins on each side) and then slice up to put over salad or in pasta or plain. 

Fire CRACKers

These are crack. I'm not kidding. Highly addictive! I decided it would be great to make these for the 4th of July BBQ we were going to, so thats what I did :)

It's a darn good thing I made a double batch, because we ate a TON before we even made it to the BBQ. I doubled the batch so that they would fit nicely into the container. Listed below is for 1 batch.

You'll need:
1 box Saltine Crackers
1 cup Oil of your choice
1 packet dry ranch seasoning
2 tbsp crushed red peppers








Pack the (stacked vertical) crackers nicely into a tupperware container with a lid.

Mix up the oil, seasoning and red peppers. Drizzle the oil mixture over the crackers as evenly as possible- make sure to keep it mixed up or you'll have chunks at the bottom when the liquid part is gone. When all the seasoned oil is gone, put on the lid.




Flip over for 5 minutes, flip again for 5 minutes.  Do that 4 times total.

Done.

I questioned needing a dip for these, but nope, didn't need one.