Best Salad...EVER...Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad

I saw this recipe on Pinterest a while back and thought it was THE best salad ever. My family started eating it a few times a month- which is big. There are very few recipes I make more than once a month!  This is the best salad- especially for those hot summer months when all you want to eat is salad.

The recipe is from Lauren's Latest, but when I went back a few months ago, she had changed the recipe. So I adjusted it back to the way it was originally- since I need it to make more and I don't like like using half a can of anything in a recipe (what do I do with the rest!?)  Enjoy!

Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad
Source: Lauren's Latest

What You'll Need:
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
1 head Red Leaf Lettuce, chopped
1 green or red pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, diced (optional)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped finely
Doritos or tortilla chips

Dressing:
1/3 c. mayo
1/3 c. plain greek yogurt
1/3 c. sour cream
1 T. Ranch seasoning
1 T. Taco seasoning
Milk- to reach desired consistency

What to do:
For the dressing, combine the ingredients together and add milk until you reach your desired consistency. Test it to see if it needs more taco seasoning- if you add too much milk, you will definitely want more Taco seasoning.

I always boil my chicken breasts with a little taco seasoning and then stick them in the mixer to shred them- it's super fast and easy.

Chop up all your salad ingredients and toss together. Crumble Doritos on top and top with the dressing.

Enjoy!

Fiesta Chicken Casserole

I was searching for something easy to make tonight and stumbled across this recipe on Plain Chicken. It looked simple enough and called for things I already had on hand- always a bonus!  I boiled frozen  chicken in taco seasoning and then shredded it in the mixer, so that was the the most "difficult" part of the recipe. Other than that- this is super easy and was so good!

I loved the flavor and the bit of kick that it had (I used mild Rotel). I would recommend the sour cream for garnish- it makes it a little more kid friendly. :)  I also fed three hungry boys and they all went back for seconds and complimented me on how good it was. So that is a plus as well!  So if you're in the mood for something easy, Mexican inspired and delish- You'll enjoy this!

What you'll need:
3 c. cooked shredded chicken
1 c. instant rice (uncooked)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and chiles, undrained
1 T. Taco Seasoning
2 T. milk
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 c. crushed tortilla chips or Doritos

Optional:
Sour cream for garnish
tomatoes for garnish

What to do:
Preheat oven to 350.

Combine chicken, rice, soup, Rotel, seasoning, milk and 1 1/2 c. of cheese. Pour into a lightly greased 9x9 pan. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Top casserole with crushed chips and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

White Chicken Enchiladas

I was part of a dinner group a few years ago and one of the gals brought over some White Chicken enchiladas. They were really good and my hubby even said he liked them almost as much as he likes my regular Red Enchiladas. After perusing the blogosphere for a bit looking for a good recipe, I found a few that looked interesting, but I really wanted this one gal's recipe. I finally got around to asking her for it and decided to combine it with a few of the other recipes I'd found to make the ultimate White chicken enchiladas. I must say- this one turned out pretty dang good! It's a bit different, but really good. Hopefully you'll enjoy the change-up from regular old red enchiladas.

Combination of recipes from HERE and HERE and my friend Ashley.

Here's what you'll need:

3 c. cooked, shredded chicken
1 can rotel tomatoes
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. green salsa, divided
1 lb. shredded cheese, divided (colby or cheddar works great)
1 sm. can diced green chilis
Taco seasoning
8-10 Tortillas
1 pint heavy whipping cream

What to do:
Preheat oven to 350.

Note: I like to boil frozen chicken breasts (about two large breasts make 3 c. shredded chicken) in Taco seasoning for this recipe. I don't have to worry about burning it this way and it just cooks relatively quickly with no mess. Once the breasts are finished, it works great to stick them in a kitchen aid with the paddle attachment to shred them.

Combine the shredded chicken, softened cream cheese, drained rotel tomatoes, cream of mushroom soup, 1/4 c. green salsa, green chilis and 1/2 c. shredded cheese. Add taco seasoning to taste. (I like mine really flavorful, so I add anywhere from 1 T. to 2 T.)

Place 2-3 T. chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla. Roll and place in 9x13 pan. I can usually fit 8-9 tortillas in one pan.

Once all the tortillas are rolled an in the pan, cover with 1 pint heavy whipping cream mixed with 1/4 c. green salsa. I know this sounds odd- but just coat all the enchiladas in this thick goodness (and try not to think of the calories... but rather the creamy yummyness!).

Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.

Garnish with tomatoes, olives, lettuce, sour cream and salsa and enjoy!

Pork Carnitas

Here is the third and final part of our perfect Pork Carnitas! It is super easy, low--maintenance, and has a great smoky (not sweet!) flavor.  I found the recipe on Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen and my sister and I tweaked it just a bit to enhance the flavor.  Sadly, our tweaking resulted in a bit more work and one more dish to clean, but it definitely strengthens the flavor.  But even without our little addition, this is still a great pork for tacos, burritos, taco salad, and of course, my beloved carnitas.

Recipe Source: Tasty Kitchen
Serves: 6

3.5 lbs. Pork Shoulder Roast or Pork Butt

1 quart chicken stock

3 Tbsp. tomato paste

4 cloves garlic

1 whole onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 Tbsp. Cumin

1 Tbsp. Oregano

1 Tbsp. Pepper

2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chipotle chili powder

Additional taco garnishments:
shredded lettuce
shredded Monterey Jack cheese or crumbled Queso Fresco
small corn or flour tortillas
Chipotle Ranch Dressing
Corn Salsa

1. In a small bowl, combine the stock, tomato paste, garlic, onion, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and chipotle powder.  Stir everything to combine.

2.  Place your pork in a large pot or crockpot.  Pour your seasoned mixture over the pork.  If cooking on the stovetop, bring the pork to a boil, turn down to low and simmer, covered for 3-5 hours, or until the meat easily shreds.

3.  If cooking in a crockpot, simply cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until the meat easily shreds.

4.  Once the meat is tender and shreds easily, transfer to a cutting board and trim the fat.  Then shred or pull into small pieces.  Save the liquid. from your pot for later.

5.  Preheat your oven to 450°F.  Transfer the shredded meat to a large baking dish.

6.  In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. slightly cooled pork liquid.  Stir well, making sure there are no lumps.  Set aside.

7.  In a small saucepan, bring about 2 cups of reserved pork liquid to a boil.  Once it's boiling, stir in the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.  Boil for 1-2 minutes, or until thickened.

8.  Pour this slightly thickened mixture over your shredded pork and stir to combine.  Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes.  (I usually cover the pork for the first 15 minutes and then bake it uncovered for the remainder of the time to get it slightly crispy.)

As an alternative to the thickened mixture, you can just pour a couple cups of reserved pork liquid over the pork before you bake it.  I liked how the thicker mixture really coated the meat and I liked the texture and added flavor it gave the meat. However, you can save yourself some time and another dirty dish by just pouring the straight liquid over your meat.

9.  If serving in tacos, top the pork with the corn salsa, chipotle dressing, shredded Monterey Jack cheese or queso fresco, and shredded lettuce. 

These carnitas are probably in our top 3 favorite recipes of all time so we hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Corn Salsa

So, before Cafe Rio showed up in Las Vegas, I had to get my fresh Mexican salad fix elsewhere.  (Believe me, it was painful.  I had to wait years or drive to Utah to get my fix...)  Luckily, my husband stumbled on a fresh Mexican grill, called Zaba's here in town and they were a very good substitute.  What I liked about Zaba's was that they had the same idea behind their salads and food, i.e., fresh meat, homemade tortillas, and delicious dressings, but different sauces and accompaniments, giving their food an entirely different flavor.  One of my very very favorite things to order there is their pork carnitas tacos. They are the perfect blend of smoky pork (NOT sweet!... I do NOT like sweet pork), cilantro, delicious corn salsa, and an awesome chipotle ranch dressing.  I love the tacos so much, that I could easily eat them once a week.  So, I decided I needed to re-create them at home.  I went searching for bits and pieces of the meal and ended up with an almost perfect substitute for my Zaba's tacos.

The next three posts will have all you need to make your very own Zaba's inspired Pork Carnitas.
And here's part 1 of our perfect pork carnitas meal... the corn salsa.

So, in my quest to recreate my beloved Zaba's carnitas, I had to find a corn salsa. They use this delightful medium corn salsa, that had something weird in that I couldn't quite label.  Obviously, I don't eat a lot of jicama because that's what it is... and I didn't recognize it.  I loved it, though.  It tastes sort of like a cross between an apple and snap pea.  I looked high and low for a corn salsa recipe that was similar to the Zaba's variation and I couldn't really find one, so Dacia and I created one ourselves.  Granted, there isn't much to it... just throw some veggies together and call it done.  But, as simple as it is, it's mighty tasty.  It was spectacular with tortilla chips and of course delicious over the carnitas tacos.  It's super simple to whip up and a nice change from your typical tomato salsa.  I highly recommend this stuff.

2 Cups frozen corn, defrosted, and drained of excess liquid
1 cup diced red onion
1 cup diced jicama
juice from 1 lime
1/2 -1 cup cilantro (you can probably bet which way I lean...)
salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder to taste

1.  Throw your corn, onion, and jicama all together in a bowl.

2.  Add lime juice and seasonings to taste.  And that's it.

Taco Chicken

I tried this chicken about a year ago for dinner group and it was the first time EVER where everyone in dinner group asked me for the recipe. On the surface, the recipe seems really basic and simple. But somehow, the combination of the taco seasonings with the red wine vinegar and lime juice makes wonderful things happen. The chicken is literally bursting with flavor and juiciness. I cannot emphasize enough how much you must try this most basic chicken recipe. It is easy and it is awesome.

Feeds 4-6

Source: Our Best Bites

1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs

A couple of juicy limes

A splash of red wine vinegar

2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or coarsely chopped

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1. Juice the limes and combine with a couple splashes of red wine vinegar. Add garlic. Pour over chicken. This will not completely cover the chicken; just turn it occasionally as needed. Marinate for at least 4 hours, no longer than 8.

2. Fire up your grill, broiler, Foreman grill, etc. Combine the salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper in a small bowl. Liberally sprinkle the seasoning mixture all over your chicken.  (I make this chicken recipe so often, I made an extra large batch of this seasoning blend and keep it in my pantry at all times.)

3. Grill the chicken until done, being sure to flip the chicken over during the grilling process. Allow the meat to rest for several minutes before cutting into it. Serve it in tacos, enchiladas, soup, fajitas, or with rice and beans, or anything else that lights your fancy.

Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Chowder

Crock Pot Goodness! Oooh, this was soooo good! I've tried a few new recipes lately, but none of them have been "blog" worthy (since we decided we could only post good recipes...I know...lame!) ;) I found this recipes on THIS site and thought it looked good and I thought I had all the ingredients on hand (thought, being the operative word here). I was so set on making this dish that I didn't care that I didn't have all the ingredients I thought I did have and therefore had to go to the store after her first nap and then before her 2 o'clock nap and before it would be too late to start a crock pot cooking (said all in one breath!). Anywho. It was worth it.

Emily insists that we made this at Dad's a few years ago and that it wasn't good...but I don't recollect this.... Oh well.

Mmmmm...it was so good. I made a few adjustments to make it taste more "enchilada-y."

Here ya go!

Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Chowder

Makes 6 servings

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn (I did 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Pepperjack cheese (4 ounces)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
4 chicken breasts

4-5 T. taco seasoning ( I did this to taste...however much you want)

In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, drained tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker and mix.

Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

I boiled my four frozen chicken breasts with about 3 T. taco seasoning for 15-20 minutes. Then I chopped it up and added it to the crock pot for the last 30 minutes of cooking. It was soooo good and tender and very flavorful. Mmmm.

I also added about 1/4 cup taco seasoning and some salt and pepper to the soup to give it a little more punch- it hit the spot perfectly!

Stir in shredded cheeses. Can be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips and more cheese! Yum!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I've been making this soup for several years now and it's one of our family favorites. Problem is, it changes a little bit everytime I make it. It's a soup that I stand over the stove a lot, adding a pinch of this and a pinch of that. It's no secret that I like it WELL seasoned so I typically add taco seasoning, cumin, and lime juice as I go, until I get the flavor that I like best. So, it's hard to really nail down exact amounts of spices. This recipe is really just a rough road map. There are a lot of ingredients listed with an "optional" behind them. Feel free to start with this and add to it as you make it, or scale it back a bit.

For instance, we like it soupy and not very "tomatoey" in our house, so I never add the tomato sauce/enchilada sauce. As you can tell from the pictures, it still has plenty of tomato. But my mom likes it very stew-like and always adds that extra tomato liquid, and usually a little less other liquid. Plus, I like a lot of lime and usually use the juice from 1 large lime... versus that of a small lime. Or, the ways you cook your chicken can really change the flavor of your soup. If you cook it in taco seasoning or marinate it beforehand, you won't need as many seasonings. If you're lazy like me and usually throw the chicken into the crockpot frozen... you need more. The seasonings listed are based on chicken being cooked completely naked... in fact I just boil it real quick when I'm not using the crock pot. The ways to personalize it are numerous.

Any way you make it though, it is delicious. It's the perfect comfort soup and relatively healthy. Plus, when you make it in the crockpot, it's a snap to put together.

1.25 lbs. chicken, cooked and shredded

1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small green pepper, diced (optional)

1 can (4 oz.) green chili peppers (optional)

oil for sauteing

2 cans chicken broth, plus enough water to make about 4 cups liquid

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce or 1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce (optional)

2 tsp. cumin

1-2 Tbsp. Taco seasoning

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen corn

2 medium avocadoes, sliced or cut into large cubes

cilantro

2 limes

sour cream

1. Saute onion, garlic, green pepper in vegetable oil for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add shredded chicken, tomatoes, broth and water and any other liquid you choose to use.

3. Add cumin, salt, pepper, taco seasoning, and chili powder and bring everything to a boil. Allow to simmer for 2-25 minutes.

4. Add corn, chopped cilantro, and juice from 1 lime. Continue to simmer until corn is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. (At this point, I often add a bunch of cilantro to the soup and simmer it with the soup for the last 10 minutes, just to infuse a bit more cilantro flavor into the broth. I usually tie it in a bundle and then remove it right before serving. I have no idea if it actually does anything. But it makes my husband happy and makes me feel better.)

5. Serve over chopped avocadoes, and garnished with cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, lime wedges and tortilla chips.

Alternately, in your slow cooker:

1. Place chicken, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and peppers in your crock pot. Pour broth, water, and any other liquid over that. Add seasonings and cook on low for 6-8 hours or low 3-4 hours.

2. When using the slow cooker, feel free to add you chicken breast uncooked, and even frozen at the beginning. Then, with about an hour left, pull it out and shred it. Then add it back to the pot.

Restaraunt Style Salsa

So, Jared and I are total salsa snobs. Water snobs, too, but that's another story. We're really, really picky about our salsa and will only eat about 2 varieties. And they're both the fresh variety sold in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. We HATE canned salsa. I hate tasting vinegar in my salsa and I really detest large soggy chunks of tomato. So there you have it. Our salsa snobbery on display for the whole blogosphere to see. We should probably be ashamed of ourselves, but we simply can't help it. Salsa is important stuff.

Imagine my total delight, thrill, ecstasy, and joy when I found this post on Pioneer Woman. I already loved her, but now it seems we're destined to be BFF's! Or at least salsa buddies. All of her pre-requisites for salsa, like lots of cilantro, no vinegar, and no big chunks are identical to mine. So I was super excited to try out her insanely easy salsa recipe and even more excited to discover that I LOVED it. I mean really, really excited. I think I told Jared no less than 5 times yesterday that I was in love with this salsa. Luckily, he loves it, too.

It's easy, cheap and tastes a million times better than anything you'll buy in the store. Plus, it makes a lot. Keep it in the fridge for as long as it lasts... I'm not sure how long that is, seeing as how mine probably won't last through the weekend.

A couple notes: I actually only gave a rough chop to all these ingredients, since I knew I'd be using my food processor to make it. Once I pulsed it, my ingredients were finely chopped. So don't worry about chopping your stuff too finely if you'll be pulsing it a lot. Also, word to the wise... Pioneer Woman lied! She said it wasn't too spicy, but I found that 1 whole jalapeno made this plenty spicy. Jared thought it was perfect... it was almost too spicy for me. If you don't like too much heat in your salsa, consider just using 1/2 a jalapeno.

1 can (28 oz.) Whole tomatoes, with juice (I actually used regular diced tomatoes with juice here... worked fine)
2 cans (1o oz.) Rotel tomatoes (Diced tomatoes and green chilies)
1/4 cups chopped onion (I used about 1/2 a medium sized onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole jalapeno, chopped
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt (I used closer to 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 cup cilantro (or more to taste--we ended up using about 1 cup)
Juice from 1/2 lime

Combine everything in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to your desired consistency. Pioneer Woman recommends 10-15 pulses. I probably did more than that. Test your seasonings and adjust as needed. We added more cilantro, but we're cilantro freaks. Also, I have a small food processor and didn't feel like using my blender, so I did it in batches.

(One poster noted that the correct method for making salsa means pulsing the cilantro, onion, jalapeno, garlic and seasonings with the reserved tomato juice first. Then add the tomatoes and Rotel. In case you want to try it that way.)

If you can control yourself, refrigerate the salsa for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld. But be warned... the longer this stuff sits, the spicier it gets. Serve with chips.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken Stacks

This was our crock pot dinner a couple Sundays ago. The pictures are kind of scary again... the shorter days are killing any decent food pictures. There's just no decent light. But it was delicious! All my boys devoured it. It's more of a dip sort of thing, but we're big dip fans. Although you could easily use it to fill tortillas, too. It's super easy and you can easily customize it to suit your preferences. Add a bag of chips or tortillas and some toppings, and we were all appropriately stuffed. Perfect Sunday night fare for us.

I found it here and just added a couple of the things we liked in it. We don't like canned salsa at all so I always add a little taco seasoning to offset the acidic flavor that canned salsa gives. Be sure to look at the original recipe to see a more appetizing picture. Mine just don't do this justice. It was sooo good and could not be easier.

2 cups frozen corn

1-2 cans black beans, rinsed (We personally like more beans, so use as many beans as you like. And feel free to substitute pinto)

2 large frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.)

1 1/2 cups salsa

1 can olives, sliced (optional)

1-2 tsp. taco seasoning (this is my addition... I definitely think it needed a little extra)

splash of lime juice

Additional toppings:

cilantro (not really optional, if you ask me)

tomato

avocado or guacamole

cheese

sour cream

lime wedges

lettuce

1. Lightly grease bottom and sides of your crock pot. Pour frozen corn into the bottom of the slow cooker and place frozen chicken breasts on top. Cover with beans and salsa, and olives and taco seasoning if you're using them. Cover an cook at low for 6 hours. Remove chicken and shred with forks. Return to slow cooker and stir until everything is combined, and add your splash of lime juice and any more taco seasoning if you desire.

2. Serve with tortilla chips or as a burrito filling, topped with additional garnishes.

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork Salad (KSL)

Sweet Pork

Ingredients:
1 (3-5 lb.) sirloin or boneless pork loin roast
1 cup salsa
1 cup packed brown sugar
(I've also seen this using a can of Coke and 1 cup brown sugar, which was very good, but I think I would like the salsa one too)

Method:
Place ingredients in a greased 3 ½ - 5 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat 8-10 hours. Shred pork with a fork or potato masher before serving. Use meat in salads, burritos, or tacos.


Cilantro-Lime Rice

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked converted white rice
1 teaspoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated lime peel (zest)
1 can (15 ounces) chicken broth
¼ cup water
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
3 Tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

Method:
In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, lime zest, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice. Serve warm.


Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
1 envelope Ranch Salad Dressing
½ envelope Fiesta Ranch Salad Dressing
6 tomatillos, husked and cut in half
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice from 2 freshly squeezed limes
¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a blender. And blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Dinner Group 9/25: Tacos Beef and Homemade Churros

Dinner for the Week: Tacos and Homemade Churros (of course as I was grabbing my bag of taco shells, I dropped them on the floor, breaking them all into bits and pieces leaving us with more of a 7 layer Dip than tacos...

Taco Beef (from Allrecipes):

2 pounds ground chuck
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped

Taco Seasoning to Taste

1. Place the ground chuck in a large skillet, and season with chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and garlic. Pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 hour. Add more water as necessary during cook time, and break the meat into small pieces.

2. Mix the bell pepper and onion into the skillet, and continue to simmer 30 minutes. Drain and reserve juices. Skim the fat off the juices(or, if not preparing the tacos right away, place juices in the freezer until fat may be easily removed from the top). Mix 5 tablespoons of the remaining juices back into the skillet with the beef, and cook until heated through.

I browned the meat a bit and drained off the fat before I added the water to save some time and work. I also added another healthy Tbsp. of Taco seasoning for more flavor. But I really liked the addition of the green pepper and onion and this made for good taco meat!

Churros (from Allrecipes)

2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
1 cup water
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. In a heavy deep skillet or deep-fryer, heat oil to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Oil should be about 1 1/2 inches deep.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat water and margarine to a rolling boil. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the boiling mixture. Reduce heat to low and stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and beat in the eggs one at a time. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.

3. Carefully squeeze out 4 inch long strips of dough directly into the hot oil. Fry 3 or 4 strips at once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from hot oil to drain on paper towels. Stir together the sugar and cinnamon; roll churros in the mixture while still hot.

I got a cookie press for my birthday two years ago that I finally got to use to make little star churros! This was fun and fairly simple and the boys really liked shaking the churros around in a bag with the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat them.

Quesadillas

Sadly, I think I may have experienced my 1st "real" Quesadilla this year and I am hooked! I crave them, well, a lot, and have loved experimenting with them. Especially using things from the garden. So although this is a no-brainer to most (except me who always thought a Quesadilla was a tortilla with sliced cheese, rolled up and popped in the microwave....hmmm), here is just a reminder of something yummy, easy, and different to try for a meal.

For this Quesadilla, I used the fresh tortillas that you brown yourself, topped with pre-shredded mexican cheese (gotta love those Smith's cheese specials), and then with pre-sauted zucchini and onion in a little bit of butter, and then a little more cheese to stick them together. Grill until a little crisp. Yum, yum, YUM.

I also just had one with some leftover grilled and seasoned chicken. Also supper yummy. Be creative. I actually like them plain, but most recommend serving them with salsa and sour cream and the like.

Check out some other fun ideas from the beloved Pioneer Woman.

Enjoy!

Smoked Chicken Chimichangas

I've been on a recipe bender the last couple weeks and came upon this one last week at Tasty Sensations (linked at the bottom) and liked it so much I made it twice in one week! Also, I had a bag of slaw and can of chipotles that I needed to use and had no other use for... We really liked this. Even Caden devoured them. I realize the recipe is called "Smoked Turkey" chimichangas, but I'll admit that we did NOT love the turkey in them. I loved the flavor, but the turkey was kind of slimy and spongey and didn't' seem to fit. So when I made them two nights later, we used shredded chicken instead, which we liked much, much better. I would recommend the chicken over the turkey, but will admit the turkey made it much much faster... it was very easy and quick to whip up. So if you don't have issues with deli meat, use the turkey and you'll have a fabulously fast meal. But we have lots of issues with deli meats... Regardless, the flavor in this dish is great! And I loved the crispy tortillas.

Recipe Source: Tasy Sensations
Feeds: 6-8

1.25 lbs. Shredded, cooked chicken (or 1 lb. deli turkey, sliced into thin strips)
1/2 T. chili powder
2 C. shredded slaw cabbage
1/2 chipolte in adobo sauce (I used 1 whole chipotle plus several extra Tablespoons of the marvelous adobo sauce)
1 C. tomato sauce
3 scallions chopped
salt and pepper
6-10 tortillas
1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese or pepper jack
2 T. vegetable oil
sour cream (optional)
cilantro (optional)
1 tomato finely chopped (optional)

1. Place chicken/turkey in a bowl and season with chili powder.

2. Add cabbage, chipotle, tomato sauce, scallions. Mix filling ingredients well and season with salt and pepper.

3. Place cheese near top of tortilla and add some filling. (I just mixed my cheese in with my chicken mixture for ease.)  Roll up tightly. Brush with vegetable oil and bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes.

4. Top with sour cream, parsley/cilantro and tomato. Fast, easy and delicious!!

Taco Bake

1 pkg. Macaroni and Cheese
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning Mix
3/4 cup Water
3/4 cup Sour Cream
1 1/2 cups Shredded Cheese
1 cup Salsa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare Macaroni dinner as directed on package. While macaroni is cooking, brown the meat and drain. Add taco seasoning mix and water to meat; simmer for 5 minutes
Stir the sour cream into prepared Mac'n Cheese dinner. Spoon half of the mac'n cheese mix into an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish. Top with layers of the meat mixture, 1 cup of cheese and remaining mac'n cheese mixture.
Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Top with salsa and remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake uncovered for another 5 minutes for the cheese to melt.

Avocado Jack Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves (I used 2 big ones and just cut them in half...)

1/2 tsp. chili powder (or however much you want to use!!)

1/4 tsp. salt (again, however much you want to use!)

1 1/2 oz. colby jack cheese (or enough to have 4 slices)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium avocado, chopped

2 tsp. lime juice

1 cup picante sauce (I just used normal salsa and added some hot sauce to it)

Pound your thawed chicken to about 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle both sides with chili powder, salt and pepper. Cut Colby jack cheese into 4 slices. Wrap a piece of chicken around each piece of cheese. Secure it with a toothpick. Then take brush and rub each chicken with olive oil.
Grill either on normal grill on medium heat, or in Foreman grill. Turn a couple times until cooked through or thermometer inserted in middle reads 180 degrees.

Combine your avocado and lime juice in a small bowl and toss to coat. Spoon picante sauce and avocado mixture over the chicken.

This was so so yummy!! Topher and I also made some yummy rice with cajun spices, hot sauce, corn and peppers to go with the chicken. Definitely a very very yummy meal. Everything can kind of be played with too. Use as much chili powder as you want depending on how spicy you like it, use as much cheese as you like, depending on how cheesy you want it etc...

Em's Super Yummy Chicken Enchiladas

I had to post something so that Jen's eggplant recipe wouldn't be the first recipe people see when they check out this blog. ;) She complains that her son is picky and then tries to feed him eggplant...am I the only one seeing the irony in this? J/k. Love you Jen!

2-4 Chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 pkg. of Cream Cheese, softened
1 can Enchilada Sauce (one of the bigger ones)
Taco Seasoning to taste (ususally about 2-3 Tbsp.)
Tortillas
Cheese (lots of it!)

Toppings:
Cheese
Sour Cream
Salsa
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Olives
Guacamole

Directions: Cook Chicken and shred. Set aside. Mix Cream cheese, Chicken soup and Taco seasoning together in a bowl. Add shredded chicken. Mix well.

Next, get a large plate, coat it in a light layer of enchilada sauce. Lay tortilla on top and then spread more enchilada sauce over the tortilla. Put some of your chicken mixture on top, add cheese, roll up and stick in your 9x13 pan. Make as many enchiladas as you have filling for. Once you are finished, cover them with the remaining enchilada sauce and bake. I often divide my enchiladas between two square pans and freeze one for later in the month.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with all your toppings and I also serve mine with a side of rice.

Chicken Enchiladas

I made this recipe for Aaron's birthday party. We had lots of leftover turkey so I subbed that in and everyone loved it!!

8 tortillas
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t coriander (I didn't use this, instead I used a lot of fresh cilantro)
1/4 t pepper
2 T butter
3 T flour
1 8-oz tub sour cream
1/2 cup chopped jalapeno peppers (didn't use these either)
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese, divided (I used a cheddar-jack blend)
2-4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 can black olives (didn't use these)
2-3 tomatoes, chopped

Sauce: In large saucepan, cook onion, garlic, coriander, and peeper in butter until onion is tender. Stir flour into sour cream and add to onion mixture. Stir in broth, chili peppers, and black olives all at once. Cook and stir until thickened an dbubbly. Remove from heat and stir in half of the cheese.
Filling: Mix half to 3/4 of the sauce into the chicken. Place about 1/4 cup of the filling into a warm tortilla, roll up and arrange seam side down on lightly greased 9x13 pan. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas. Bake covered for 35 minutes at 350. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with chopped tomatoes.

White Chicken Enchiladas

½ cup chopped pecans (opt.)
½ cup chopped onion
2 Tbs butter
2 4-oz cans diced green chili peppers, drained
6 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs milk
½ tsp ground cumin
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 10/34 oz can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
16 oz sour cream
2 cup milk
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey jack or cheddar cheese
2 Tbs chopped pecans

Cook the ¼ cup pecans and onion in butter over medium heat till onion is tender and pecans lightly toasted. Remove from heat and stir in 1 can of the chili peppers. Combine cream cheese, 1 Tbs milk, and cumin; add nut mixture and chicken. Spoon into tortillas and roll up.

Mix soup, sour cream, 1 cup milk and 1 can chili peppers. Pour soup mixture over the tortillas and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or till heated through. Remove foil. Sprinkle with cheese and the 2 Tbs pecans. Return to oven and bake about 5 minutes more or till cheese melts.

Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas

This is fast, easy and very delicious!

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
2 fresh green chilies, chopped, or 1 small can
2 bullion cubes, dissolved in about ½-1 cup of water

Cook on low in your crock-pot for 4-5 hours or longer and/or on high if chicken breasts were frozen. Meat should shred easily when done. Roll up in a tortilla with a little bit of shredded cheese.

For the topping: Mix together 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, ½ cup sour cream, and milk to desired consistency. Put a little of the sauce on the bottom of baking dish and the rest on top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Microwave for 10 minutes or bake until heated through.