Chili Rellano 'Quiche'erole

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 small yellow onion-diced

1 glove garlic-minded

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

2 4oz. cans chopped green chilies

½ 15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes-drained

3 eggs

¼ cup flour

1 cup milk

5-6 dashes Tabasco sauce (more or less according to taste)

2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 375°

2.      Brown beef, garlic, onion, and seasonings on medium high heat until meat is no longer pink

3.      Remove from heat and add chilies and tomatoes

4.      Mix eggs, flour, milk and Tabasco sauce until well blended

5.      Grease a pie pan, or small baking dish

6.      Add beef mixture to the dish

7.      Pour egg mixture over the top

8.      Sprinkle cheddar on top to cover

9.      Bake for 35 or until cheese is melted and golden

Recipe Notes:  I recently went to a restaurant that served nuts and raisins on top of their version of a stuffed chili rellano.  My friends and I did NOT like it all; however, this adaptation was tasty! It was a first attempt at this recipe.  I missed the crispy fried taste you get with a stuffed chili rellano, so I think I might try to add crushed corn tortillas chips as a bottom crust next time. Other versions might be tried with more flour for a thicker batter to get a crustier top.  I will update this post the next time I make it to let you know how it evolves.  Happy Tex-Mex eating!

See below for other ideas: 

• I don’t like to measure ingredients; I like to throw things into a pot and taste to see what it’s missing. ALWAYS taste your cooking before you serve it to others! 
• If you like things spicier, add more chili powder; more timid peeps can use less chili powder.   
• 'The Lazy Way' - Use a taco seasoning packet instead of the spices listed. Use frozen chopped onions instead of chopping your own.
• 'The Over-Acheiver' - add shredded, seasoned chicken or brisket for more flair.

Posted by Buffie

NOTcho Momma's Queso

Ingredients:

2 lb. box of Velveeta

3 roma tomatoes, diced

3 jalapeños - deseeded and finley diced

1 medium onion, diced

1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. Cut Velveeta into small cubes
2. Add all other ingredients into a microwavable dish or crock pot
3. Stir well to coat all ingredients with the sour cream
4. Microwave 10-15 minutes, stirring after the first 5 minutes, or turn crock-pot onto high
5. Serve in a crock-pot to keep warm with tortilla chips

Recipe Notes: This recipe comes from my best friend in high school.  We both share an undeniable love of cooking and Mexican food.  When I say love, maybe I should say obsession?!  We still get together for lunch whenever we can, and we almost always have Mexican food.  Queso is usually the appetizer of choice.  This one can stand up to any of the best restaurant quesos or certainly any I have tried.  Try it! I think you will feel the same ;0)

Posted by Buffie

Can You Salsa?

Ingredients:

2 15 oz. cans fire roasted diced tomatoes

1/4 cup red onion, coarsely chopped

3 pickled whole jalapeños

1 clove garlic

1 tsp sugar

A handful of cilantro

½ fresh lime juice

Directions:

Dump everything into a food processor and blitz to the consistency you like (about a minute)

Recipe Notes: This one is so easy, but I cannot take full credit for it. A version of this was given to me by a friend many moons ago. I have since added my own touches. It is always a crowd pleaser and can be jarred to give as gifts. And YES, you must always serve it with a side of Corona! Now, turn up the music and let's dance!

Posted by Buffie

Crazy Cajun Pasta

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh (peeled and deveined w/o tail) or frozen shrimp (thawed)

1 box Penne or other small pasta (cooked)

2 cups whole milk

4 TBSP butter

2 TBSP flour

1TSPS olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic-minced

½ medium red or yellow onion-diced

1 cup shredded parmesan or jack cheese

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or more if desired)

Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

Sauce

1.  Melt 2 TBSP butter in a sauce pan on medium heat

2.  Add flour and stir to combine

3.  Heat 1-2 minutes to cook out the flour taste.  Do not let brown; you are making a ‘blonde roux’

4.  Slowly whisk in milk

5.  Stir in cheese

6.  Add Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper

7.  Simmer on low until cheese is melted and sauce is thickened; stirring occasionally

Shrimp

1.  Melt 2 TBSP butter and olive oil on medium high to high heat in a heavy skillet

2.  Add onions and garlic

3.  Sauté until softened (about 2 minutes)

4.  Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper

5.  Toss in with onions and garlic

6.  Cook until shrimp curls and turns a pinkish color-5 minutes

7.  Pour shrimp mixture into sauce

8.  Add to cooked pasta

9.  Stir to combine

10. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes: This idea came from a box!  A friend made a frozen meal similar to this, so I just made up my own version.  You can make it spicier of you like by adding more cayenne.  You can also substitute the shrimp with chicken or a spicy sausage; OR go crazy and add all three!  I think I will try THAT next time I make it. :-)

Posted by Buffie

Eat Your Vegetables - Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

2 blocks cream cheese - softened

1 cup heavy cream
½ cup sour cream

1 bag frozen cooked chopped spinach –thawed and squeezed of water

1 16oz can artichoke hearts

2 cups jack cheese shredded

1 cup real Parmesan cheese shredded

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt and pepper

Cooking spray    
          

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º

2. In a food processor, blend softened cream cheese, whipping cream and sour cream until smooth

3. Add spinach and pulse 3-4 times

4. Add artichokes and pulse until broken apart

5. Pour mixture into a bowl and add jack cheese and seasonings 
6. Stir until blended

7. Pour mixture into pre-sprayed casserole dish

8. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese top over the top

9. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling 

10. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving

11. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers, salsa and sour cream  

Recipe Notes:  I've made something green for St. Patrick's Day! Even if you don't like spinach, you might want to try this dip.  It is creamy and flavorful. You can freeze it and pull it out whenever you have surprise guests.  Enjoy!

                                                       An Irish Blessing

May you have love that never ends,

lots of money, and lots of friends.

Health be yours, whatever you do,

and may God send many blessings to you!

Posted by Buffie

Chicken Alfredo Flatbread

Chicken Alfredo Flatbread is just perfect for a light lunch, dinner or even as an appetizer.  Who needs to go out when you can cook like this right at home!

Ingredients:

4 flatbreads – premade purchased at a grocery store
2 chicken breasts
1 cup Alfredo sauce (premade or see recipe below)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Montreal chicken seasoning

Small onion, sliced thin
1 garlic clove

Flatbread Directions:

1.  Slice chicken breasts into small thin strips.  Season with Montreal seasoning and place in a skillet over medium heat with olive oil.  Add sliced onions and cook chicken until chicken is cooked through (5-8 minutes)

2.  Preheat oven to low broil.  Place flat bread on stone cooking sheet, brush with olive oil and seasonings if you would like and place under broiler until the top is slightly browned.

3.  Remove flat bread from oven and flip over. 

4.  Peel garlic clove, create a paste out of garlic by chopping and smashing with knife.  Add olive oil to paste and brush the flat bread using pastry brush.  .

5.  Spread a thin layer of Alfredo sauce on flat bread.  Add cooked chicken and onions and top with mozzarella cheese.

6.  Place back into the oven on low broil until the mozzarella cheese melts.

7.  Remove from oven and Enjoy!

Alfredo Sauce ingredients

2 tbs butter

½ package cream cheese

1 cup cream or half and half

½ cup parmesan cheese

Alfredo Sauce Directions:

1.    Melt butter and cream cheese in small sauce pan

2.    Add cream and heat to just below boiling

3.    Add parmesan cheese and continue to using a whisk to mix cook until smooth

Hot off the Press - A Panini Story

Ingredients:
1 small, loaf Focaccia bread
3 slices paper thin honey ham
3 slices paper thin oven roasted turkey
1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
1 glove garlic
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 TBSP butter, softened
1 TBSP olive oil


Directions:
1. Pre-heat a Panini press, George Foreman grill, pan grill or a heavy skillet on medium high
2. Add cheese, garlic, mustard and butter to a food processor and pulse until a paste is made
3. Slice the loaf of bread in half horizontally
4. Evenly spread the cheese paste onto both sided of the bread
5. Layer the ham and turkey on to one side of the bread
6. Top the sandwich with other half of bread
7. Spread ½ of the olive oil on one side of the bread, turn and spread the other half of oil.
8. Place the sandwich on the press, lower the top, and press firmly. Be careful not to let the sandwich slide out of shape. Alternately, add the sandwich to the grill pan, or skillet and press with another heavy pan or brick covered with foil.
9. Grill for 7 minutes or until bread is golden brown and crunchy (or 5 -7 minutes on each side if using a skillet or grill pan)
10. Let stand to cool 5 minutes. (It’s hard to wait, but it really does taste best if you let it cool)


Recipe Notes: I’m kinda like Joey on Friends; I LOVE sandwiches and will fight you if you want a bite outa mine! It stems from my brief stint growing up on the East coast. I have to say, no one makes a sandwich better than a Yankee. However, I never had a Panini until I made one myself. They are fantastic! This one is my all time favorite. Its flavors are strong, unctuous and absolutely lip smackingly good. There are many more versions of Panini’s and sandwiches to come, so keep your taste buds tingling!

Posted by Buffie

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 medium onion – finely chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 12oz can cream of chicken soup
1 16 oz. sour cream
1 small can chopped green chilies
1 10 oz can green enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded jack cheese
1 cups shredded peppered jack cheese
6 taco size flour tortillas
1TBSP chili powder, plus 1 tsp
1 TBSP garlic powder, plus 1 tsp
1 tsp cumin
1 each tsp salt & pepper
cooking spray

Directions:

1. Poach chicken with all spices until fork tender
2. Remove chicken and shred (save broth for Spanish rice, if desired, or discard)
3. In the same pot, melt butter; add onions and sauté at medium heat until transparent.
4. Add chicken and enchilada sauce to onions
5. Remove from heat and set aside
6. While chicken is poaching, mix soup, sour cream, chilies and 1 tsp each chili powder and garlic powder in a bowl until well blended
7. Spread ¼ cup of sour cream mixture into greased 9x13 pan
8. Spoon chicken mixture along center of tortilla; add a spoonful of cheese (saving 1/2 cup of each for later), roll enchilada style and place seam side down in greased pan
9. Repeat until all are made
10. Spread remaining sour cream mixture over enchiladas
11. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top
12. Cover with foil; bake at 375° for 20 minutes
13. Remove foil bake uncovered 10 more minutes

Recipe Notes: Everything is bigger in Texas, right? I used to make a TEXAS sized version of these with burrito tortillas. This recipe came from Belinda many moons ago. I have played with it so much, I don't remember what the original was. It's a family, friend and stranger favorite. I say stranger because if I make it for a pot luck, or send it to a friend in need, I always get asked for the recipe. You can make it as spicy or mild as you like by the amount of chili powder you use in the sauce. I wouldn't reduce the amount in the poaching liquid as this makes the chicken taste great. You can also use the poached chicken in many other mexican style recipes...more to follow!

Posted by Buffie

Carmela's Chicken Rigitoni (Macaroni Grill Favorite)

Ingredients:

·              2 tablespoons butter

·              2 tablespoons olive oil

·              4 grilled chopped chicken breasts

·              salt and pepper

·              1 teaspoon sugar

·              1 large onion sliced

·              8 oz of sliced mushrooms

·              2 garlic cloves chopped

·              ½ cup white wine

·              20 ounces heavy cream (or half/half for a lighter version)

·              1 box (24 ounces) rigatoni pasta (pre-cooked)

·              1 ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1.    Grill Chicken to get the best flavor.  Pound the chicken to make ½ inch thick filets and season (best chicken seasoning that I have found is Montreal chicken seasoning).  Grill 15-20 minutes so that the filets are cooked and remain moist.

2.    The next step is to make the caramelized onions.  Melt butter and add olive oil to a large frying pan. Toss in sliced onions, salt and pepper. Add in 1 teaspoon of sugar and cook on med-low until the onions are soft and brown.

3.    Finish the sauce by adding chopped garlic and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes over med heat.

4.    Add wine and simmer the flavors for 3-4 minutes. 

5.    Next add the cream and bring sauce to just below a boil.  Add 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese and cook until the cheese is melted.

6.    Add pasta and sliced grilled chicken, stir until all pasta and chicken are covered with sauce. 

7.    Before you serve, top with parmesan cheese and enjoy! 

posted by Belinda