Recipe Swap: Taco Dip

Football season is upon us. Sadly, the only sport I actually enjoy watching is hockey and they are still on lockout (BOO). And to be honest, when it comes to watching sporting events, my favorite event is the epic eating fest of foods that are just far too bad for you. When else is it considered acceptable to park yourself in front of a tv and eat tons of greasy chips, dips, and other unhealthy yet awesome foods?

This recipe swap theme was Game Day and I submitted the Outback copycat Blooming Onion with Dipping Sauce recipe. I received a traditional Taco Dip from Nicole at Cookies on Friday. It's a recipe of unknown origins that has been handed down through the family.

Though I've eaten taco dips many times before, I've never made one.  Since there was no game for me to watch, after having a few generously dipped chips and staying true to the recipe, I ended up turning this into a taco salad dinner. Somehow this made me feel like it was an acceptable meal but I still ate far to much of it. It's like crack. So creamy and addicting even with fat-free and low-fat substitutions!  It's also amazingly simple to put together.  Yum.

Checkout the rest of the swap submissions in the blog hop below and thanks as usual to Sarah at Taste of Home Cooking for hosting!

One Year Ago: Cheesy Chili Mac
Three Years Ago: Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Taco Dip

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or turkey 
• 1 package taco seasoning (I used a low-sodium version)
• 15 ounce can refried beans (I used a fat-free version)
• 1-1/2 cups sour cream (I used a low-fat version)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese 
• Toppings: Sliced olives, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, red onions, jalapeno peppers
• Tortilla Chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have a large pie plate ready.
2. In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef over medium high heat. Drain the meat and add the taco seasoning as the package directs. Allow to cool slightly.
3. Spread the refried beans in the pie plate. Top with the ground beef. Top with a layer of sour cream and then with the cheese.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are heated through. Top with desired toppings before serving. 

Source: Submitted by Nicole at Cookies on Friday

Guest Post by The Barbee Housewife: Chicken Bacon Ranch Taquitos

So what did you think of my latest Secret Recipe Club post on Monday?  It was nice to be back and "talking" with you again, even if it was scheduled in advance.  By now, I've now jetted off to my second Asian destination...but still a few days yet before I get to come home.

And so continues the series of guest posters.  We're on #3 of 6 so the fun is still just beginning!  Caroline of The Barbee Housewife is another What's Cooking message board member.

For her post, she chose to share a taquito recipe.  Now, I have tried the Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos that have been floating around the blogosphere before and enjoyed them (freeze well, too!).  I can't wait to try this version as well because can you really go wrong with the addition of bacon?  No, you cannot.  Plus, it gives me another reason to use my Homemade Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning!

Other things that caught my eye on Caroline's blog?  Pig Candy (Candied Bacon), Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin, and S'mores Popcorn!  Looks like I'll have quite a bit of cooking to do once I return home!

One Year Ago: Potato and Tomato Gratin and Foil-Baked Fish with Black Beans and Corn (featured on Once a Month Mom's freezer cooking May 2012 Diet Menu!)

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Hi, I am Caroline, of The Barbee Housewife, and I have the great honor of featuring on Christine's Kitchen Chronicles today, and I am so excited! My blog is a way for me to share my love for cooking with the world, because otherwise it would only be for my husband and myself, which seemed like a shame to me. We love to entertain at the Barbee household so on my blog you will find a lot of delicious appetizers that will impress others and the ease of the preparation will be just our secret!

Today, I am going to share one of our very favorite appetizers, chicken bacon ranch taquitos. The ingredients in the name say it all, who couldn't like these? It is perfect for a crowd, they are delicious and I think even your pickiest eaters will love them. These are a win-win situation because you can prep them before hand and just throw in the oven minutes before your guests arrive so you will have your house smelling amazing. Did I just say throw in the oven and taquitos? That is right, a good, ole' fashioned favorite baked instead of fried, and you will not miss the fried one bit, I can promise you that.  This recipe is for a party appetizer so it makes twenty, however,  it can easily be halved!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Taquitos
Source: Carrie's Sweet Life, via Six Sisters' Stuff

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Cream Cheese, 8 oz. softened
• 12 slices of Bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 cups of Chicken, cooked and shredded, Rotisserie Chicken is perfect for this
• 1 packet of Ranch Dressing Mix
• 2 cups of Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded
• 3-4 tablespoons of Green Onions, chopped
• 20 Flour Tortillas, 6-inch size
• Salt
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Directions:

1. First, pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Next, get out a large baking sheet and line it with aluminum foil. Spray it with your non-stick cooking spray.
3. Now, get out a large bowl. Mix together the cream cheese, bacon, chicken, ranch dressing mix, cheese, and green onions. Make sure all of these ingredients are combined well so you get some in each bite.
4. Now, you are going to roll these taquitos one at a time so get ready. Have one tortilla and place 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture in each taquito and roll it up. Place it seam-side down on the cooking sheet. Repeat until all of your tortillas are made and no mixture is left to spare.
5. Next, spray the tops of the taquitos with your non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with a little bit of salt.
6. Finally, place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes for the last 30 seconds-1 minute change the temperature on your oven from bake to broil so these taquitos will get a nice browning on top.
7. When you pull them out of the oven, let cool and then slice in half diagonally and serve with ranch dressing for dipping.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

SRC: Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps

How's it going friends?  Miss me yet?  Unfortunately I'm not back quite yet but I do hope that you're enjoying all my wonderful guest posters so far (2 down, 4 more to go!).  I can't say it enough but they are making my life infinitely easier this month as I'm busily globetrotting in Asia for work.  They really are a great bunch of ladies with drool-worthy blogs, aren't they?

Anyway, it's time for another edition of Secret Recipe Club.  Has it really been a month already?  It seems what goes around, comes around because this month I received my fellow Jazzercising friend Joanna's blog, Cairns Manor.  For those who are facebook fans or that follow me on twitter, you might recognize her name because last month I gave her a shout out for being my SRC swap partner and making my Watermelon Slush.

As I perused her blog, I also considered Sriracha Macaroni Salad which I would have brought to our annual family Labor Day picnic...except it rained so there was none.  Another one that I'd like to try when I have more time is her Char Siu Bao.  If you've followed my blog for any period of time you'll know that this was my FAVORITE growing up and I was left with my Grandpa's original recipe on an old scrap of paper.  But when I made it, it just wasn't right to me.  So, I vowed that it would be the first trial of many in order to tweak the recipe and get it just right...but...I haven't done it any more trials yet.  D'oh!  Of course, I digress so back to this post.

Ultimately I ended up choosing these chicken fajita lettuce wraps.  Not only am I a fan of trying people's original recipes but I might just be obsessed with lettuce wraps lately what with my BLT Corn Salad Wraps, Chorizo and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps, Asian Lettuce Wraps, and not-yet-posted California Roll Up Lettuce Wraps!  Fajitas are one of my favorite Mexican foods so this was an awesome way for me to keep the Summery lettuce wrap theme going AND cut some carbs.  The flavor was very good and came together quickly though in the future, I'd probably only use a single lime instead of two.  It was a bit too limey (is that a word?) and tart for me.  Also, I didn't have any chipotle peppers on-hand so substituted 1/4 tsp of chipotle chili powder in the dry rub and added a few slices of minced jarred jalapenos.  Perfect level of spiciness and added smoky flavor!

As usual a special thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead, SRC ring leader and Debbi of the blog Debbi Does Dinner, our new Group C Hostess!

Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite sized pieces
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• Several slices of jalapeno pepper, sliced (optional for added heat)
• 1 Tbsp honey
• Juice of 1 lime
• Lettuce leaves
• Toppings as desired: diced tomatoes, avocados, cheese, sour cream, etc.

Directions

1. In a plastic ziplock bag, add the onion powder, garlic powder, coriander, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper.  Add the diced chicken then seal and shake and squish the bag to combine.  Allow chicken to  marinate in the dry rub for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan.  Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until just starting to get soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the jalapeno peppers, honey, and lime juice stirring to combine.  Bring to a light simmer and add back in the chicken, cooking until warmed.  Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with lettuce and whatever toppings you like.

Source: Slightly modified from Cairns Manor

Spicy Beans and Rice Burritos

This recipe is for my facebook fans Lauren and Sara who requested that this be my next post.

I really enjoyed this vegetarian meal and Chris called it like homemade Chipotle but better.  This was a light and refreshing meal that came together easily.  It made a lot of burritos (6) so I had many burritos for lunches that week.  I also saved some of the extra beans and rice mixture to serve with taco salads that we had for dinner that same week.

Enjoy!


Spicy Beans and Rice Burritos

Ingredients


For the filling:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo, minced
• 1 tablespoon sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Several dashes cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups cooked rice (brown rice, if desired)
• 1/4 cup fresh salsa of preferred spiciness

For serving:

• 6 burrito-sized tortillas, warmed (we like to use Flatout Flatbread Wraps)
• 8 ounces shredded cheese
• Shredded lettuce
• 4 green onions, chopped
• Fat-free Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

Directions:

1. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle, adobo sauce, cumin, and cayenne. Cook briefly until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Add in drained and rinsed beans, and water. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to medium-low and cook for 8 minutes, mashing the bean mixture slightly. Remove from heat, and stir in rice and salsa.
2. Divide mixture evenly among the center of each tortilla. Top with cheese, lettuce, green onions, and greek yogurt. Roll up and serve!  Make extra burritos and wrap in foil for an easy future meal :).

Source: As adapted by and seen on A Bitchin' Kitchen from Cooking Light

Chorizo and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps

Yum yum and another YUM!  Every once in awhile you make a recipe that is so ridiculously good that you feel like you need to drop everything and share it with the world.  This was one of those recipes for me.

I'm sure everyone's familiar with the Asian Lettuce Wraps that are available at places such as P. F. Chang's and I even shared a similar version of that on my blog here.  But this.  This was even more flavorful, even more amazing.  

The cool, crisp lettuce leaves contrast nicely with the slightly spicy chorizo and smoky roasted corn and sweet potatoes.  The color is also quite vivid and gorgeous.  Now, in my case, my husband accidentally picked up Oriental sweet potatoes which I guess are white unlike normal orange sweet potatoes so ours wasn't quite as colorful.  Still delicious and the leftovers became filling for regular flatbread wraps for lunches the rest of the week.  Personally, I preferred the dish without the sauce but it adds another layer of cool creaminess to the meal.  I kind of forgot about the feta, too.  The tang of that would have been a nice addition if you have it but I don't think we missed much by not having it.

One Year Ago: Singapore Mei Fun
Two Years Ago: Orange Berry Muffins

Chorizo and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

For the Chorizo Sweet Potato Filling

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup frozen or fresh corn
• 3 Tablespoons canola, divided
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• pinch of cayenne
• pinch of sugar
• kosher salt
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 10-12 ounces chorizo, casings removed (soy or pork both work!)
• juice from 1 lime
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the Cilantro Cream

• 1 cup  Greek yogurt 
• 2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 T chopped fresh cilantro
• pinch of salt

To Assemble

• 1 head of leaf lettuce (green, red, butter, or Bibb), leaves separated, washed, and dried
• 1 cup crumbled feta
• Additional lime wedges, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place sweet potato cubes and corn on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 T of the oil and sprinkle with cumin, cayenne, sugar, and a good pinch of salt. Use your hands to toss the vegetables and coat them well with the oil and spices.  Spread them into a single layer and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring a couple of times during roasting, until the potatoes are tender browned in spots.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the chorizo, breaking up the clumps with the woolens spoon.   Stir and cook until the chorizo is browned and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. Add the sweet potato mixture to the skillet, then stir in the lime juice and cilantro.  Taste and season with additional salt if necessary.
3. As the chorizo mixture is cooking, combine the sour cream, lime juice, and chopped cilantro in a small bowl. Stir to combine, adding a pinch of salt to taste.
4. Assemble the wraps by putting a couple spoonfuls of filling into the middle of a lettuce leaf. Drizzle with the cilantro cream sauce and sprinkle with feta.  Serve with extra lime wedges.

Source: As adapted by and seen on Pink Parsley from Perry's Plate

Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Look what I have for you today...ANOTHER "stuffed" recipe!  You'd think I have a slight obsession but oddly enough, I had this recipe chosen for our Cinco de Mayo themed Dinner Club well before any of the other stuffed recipes were planned for my blog postings.

I've seen this recipe called several things: Healthy Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, Mexican-Inspired Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, and Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.  It's a mouthful to type or say.  So, let's just put aside our differences and as in the age old potAYto versus potAHto argument we'll just call them "delicious".

You will have leftover filling.  That is, unless you're like me and start eating it by the spoonful.  But, if you do happen to have some left, I hear they make an awesome quesadilla filling!

Look for my other Cinco de Mayo Dinner Club dish later this week!

One Year Ago: Guacamole
Two Years Ago: Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup

Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Photo Credit: Emily H.

Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can corn, or 1.5 cups frozen corn, rinsed and patted dry
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano (optional)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 c cilantro, chopped
• 1 oz cream cheese (light is fine)
• 1/4 c sour cream (light is fine), plus more for serving
• 1 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced or pureed (adjust to your spice tolerance)
• 6 Tbsp shredded Mexican cheese (or other preferred flavor)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until fork tender. Remove from the oven and allow to set until cool enough to handle.
2. While the sweet potatoes are cooling, saute the corn in a dry heavy skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle with salt, cumin, chili powder and Mexican oregano. Cook until the corn is roasted and browned (about 7 to 10 minutes). Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
3. Wipe the skillet clean and heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until just translucent and tender. Transfer to the bowl with the corn. Add the black beans and cilantro to the onion and corn. Gently stir to mix.
4. Cut the cooled sweet potatoes in half, lengthwise. Scoop the flesh into a large mixing bowl, leaving the skins intact (leaving a thin layer of potato helps to hold the skin together.) Add the cream cheese, sour cream, chipotle pepper(s) and salt to the mixing bowl with the sweet potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or blender to desired texture. Gently stir in the roasted corn, onions, black beans and cilantro mix.
5. Preheat the broiler. Fill each potato skin with the mashed potato mixture, topping each with 1 Tablespoon of cheese. Broil for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and hot. Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Source: As seen on and adapted by Pennies on a Platter from Pinch of Yum

Tex-Mex Meatloaf with Chipotle-Tomato Glaze

Hi friends.  Did you have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with food, friends, and family?  I know I certainly did...as evidenced by my lack of posting last week.  I had myself THREE Thanksgiving meals (yikes!) and surprisingly (and proudly) found myself still having an ab line and the scale was still within normal fluctuation the follow day.  I guess that Jazzercise session pre-Thanksgiving helped lessen the blow ;).  Plus, I was having far too much fun holding my adorable cousin's baby, Michaela, and watching her first crawl, too!  What did you do for Thanksgiving?  What did you eat and who did you spend it with?

Today's recipe that I'm sharing is a twist on an American classic.  It is a little tangy and a lotta spicy.  Definitely a fun change.

Tex-Mex Meatloaf with Chipotle-Tomato Glaze

Yields: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

For the glaze

• 1 c. crushed canned fire-roasted tomatoes  
• 1/2 to 2 canned chipotle in adobo
• 2 TBSP lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt, to taste

For the meatloaf

• 1/2 TBSP vegetable oil
• 1/4 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb. chorizo, removed from casings
• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
• 2 large eggs
• 1 c. finely ground tortilla chips, crackers, or combination of the two (I highly recommend using chips)
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Either line a large baking sheet with greased foil or grease a loaf pan.
2. To make the glaze, combine all ingredients except salt in a blender or food processor and puree.  Add salt to taste.
3. To make the meat loaf, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and salt and cook 30 seconds more.  Slide the onion mixture into a large bowl.  Add the all remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Form the meat mixture into a loaf and move to the baking sheet.  Alternately, gently press into a loaf pan.  Spread half the glaze on top of the meatloaf.  Place in the oven and bake 50 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and spread the remaining glaze on top.  Place back in the oven10 minutes more.  When done, remove meatloaf from the oven and let sit 15 minutes.  Slice with a serrated knife and serve. 

Source: Lisa Fain, The Homesick Texan Cookbook as seen on Apple A Day

Fish Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Crema

Tomorrow, I'm going to check something off of my bucket list.  I'm going whitewater rafting!!  I'm incredibly excited for this trip and glad I was finally able to make it on my friend Vanessa's annual trip.  There are 18 of us going to a huge 9BR/9BA cabin and then 16 going rafting.  We'll be spending a full day going down the Lower New River (dubbed the Grand Canyon of the East) which is Class I - V.  I have ZERO experience and was told that even though some of these rapids are almost the most challenging class possible, this run is suitable for beginners.  Pray that I come back intact in one piece and don't end up swimming with the fishies too much!

That brings me to my recipe for today.  Fish!  I previously posted a recipe for fish tacos and they're both quite nice.  What makes this recipe stand out is the Lime-Cilantro Crema.  Don't skip that.  The contrasting cool and fresh flavor is outstanding!  I was also excited to use my cabbage and tomatoes to top these tacos.

PS:  I just realized 3 recipes I've posted this month have cilantro in them.  Clearly I'm on a cilantro kick.  I just LOVE the unique flavor!  For those that aren't fans, you can leave it out.  And, just for you, I promise my next post won't have cilantro in it :).


Fish Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Crema
Printer-Friendly Version

Yield: 4 servings (2 tacos each).

Ingredients

For the Crema

• 1/4 cup (about 3) green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 Tbsp low-fat mayonnaise (I used unflavored Greek yogurt)
• 3 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 tsp lime rind, grated
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice
• pinch of salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced

For the Tacos

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 lbs mahi mahi fillets (I used tilapia)
• Cooking spray
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 2 cups cabbage, shredded

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. To prepare crema, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
3. To prepare tacos, combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through garlic powder) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 13-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Break fish into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tablespoon crema.

Source: Cooking Light, December 2006 as adapted by and seen on Prevention RD

Nutrition Information (per serving): 323 calories; 7 g. fat; 124 mg. cholesterol; 401 mg. sodium; 28.5 g. carbohydrate; 3.3 g. fiber; 35.5 g. protein

Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw

Two words can be used to describe this sandwich - YUM and oooh-spicy!  The first time I had this sandwich was at one of my Dinner Clubs when Emily made them as sliders complete with homemade buns.  As an aside, honestly, I wouldn't see her doing it any other way than homemade, though ;).  It definitely had my taste buds singing and I realized I had actually bookmarked the recipe myself so to the top of the "to make" list it went.  I was also delighted because I could use my CSA cabbage for the slaw.  Win-win!

I made mine with beef though because would you believe it?  The day I went to the grocery store to shop I could not find any pork for sale!  It was completely baffling.  I brought it over to my parent's house to celebrate 4th of July and everyone loved it.  Folks were even eating the slaw as a side dish (but the spiciness of the jalapenos caught many off gaurd...tee hee!).  I'd imagine that it'd taste great made with pork or chicken too.  A perfect summer sandwich!


Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw

Yields: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 whole Onion, Peeled And Quartered
• 1 whole Pork Butt (pork Shoulder Roast)
• Salt And Pepper
• 1 can (11 Ounce) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
• 2 cans Cola (Dr Pepper, Coke, Etc.)
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 12 whole Good Quality Kaiser Or Deli Rolls
• 12 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/2 head Cabbage, Sliced Thin
• 1/2 head Purple Cabbage, Sliced Thin
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Halved Lengthwise And Thinly Sliced
• 1/2 cup Whole Milk
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon White Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 2 cups Cilantro Leaves, Barely Chopped

Directions

For the meat*:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.
3. Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.
4. Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.
5. Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.)

*Note: I chose to use a crockpot instead of the oven to avoid heating up the house on a hot summer's day.  Plus, you can leave it unattended all day without touching it.  I put mine on low for 8 hours then shredded with two forks.  Yummo!

For the slaw: Combine shredded cabbage and sliced jalapenos in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne. Pour over cabbage. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate two hours.  Before serving, toss in cilantro leaves.

To assemble sandwiches: Butter both halves of Kaiser rolls, then brown them on a griddle or skillet until golden and crisp on the surface. Load up each sandwich with shredded pork, then with the slaw.

Source: The Pioneer Woman

Recipe Swap: Bob's Mexican Stuffed Chicken

It's been in the mid-90s for the past 2 weeks.  Definitely NOT weather that you want to turn your oven on in.  So, I procrastinated on making this recipe...praying for a cooler day so as to not heat up the house.  That day, unfortunately for me, never came.

So tonight for dinner I reluctantly preheated my oven, prepared my bowls for dredging (another task I dislike...I've now left breaded foods to restaurants as I hate the mess and time involved!), and (not-so-)patiently waited for my food to bake.

I used all green peppers instead of a mix since that's what I had on-hand from this week's CSA share.  I also omitted the mushrooms because Chris is a mushroom hater.  As recommended by my swap partner, Elliemonster2012, I used crushed tortilla chips instead of corn flakes...also because it's what I had onhand.  Theme here?

I won't lie, I didn't think I was going to be too excited by this recipe but it turned out better than expected and my husband?  He was a fan!  Personally, I found it tasted much like what I imagine Dorito Chicken to taste like if you were to use the taco flavored chips (though, I wouldn't know for sure because I've never actually made that...).

This week I submitted my go-to chicken marinade, honey lime grilled chicken.  It's perfect for summer grilling which doesn't heat up your house on the dog days of summer!  Check out the recipe swap round-up on A Taste of Home Cooking's site as usual.

Bob's Mexican Stuffed Chicken
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients

• 2 cups crushed corn flakes
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 (1.27 ounce) packet dry fajita seasoning
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped orange bell pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 medium red onion, diced
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup salsa

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
2. In a shallow bowl, mix the corn flakes, chili powder, and fajita seasoning. In a separate bowl, mix the red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, orange bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion.
3. Dredge the chicken in the corn flakes mixture to evenly coat. Sprinkle one side of each breast with 2 tablespoons Cheddar cheese, and layer with 1/4 the vegetable mixture. Top with equal amounts salsa. Carefully roll the breast halves over the filling. Seal seams with toothpicks, then dredge again in the corn flakes mixture.
4. Arrange the rolled chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Top with remaining cheese, and continue baking 10 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear and cheese is melted.

Source: Nestie elliemonster2012 (The Wanna Be Cook)

Recipe Swap: 7 Layer Taco Pie with Cornmeal Crust

Confession: I just may have gone a little crazy with modifications on this week's recipe swap.

Usually I stick as close to the original recipe as possible (swapping in things here in there due to preferences or just not having an ingredient on hand).  With this one, I saw so much potential.  As an aside, I recently took a "test" called StrengthsFinders and found one of my top strength themes is Maximizer.  Essentially someone with this strength likes to take something from good to great.  So, my mind went to concocting something grand...

I noticed that this recipe used a pastry puff crust but to me, that didn't feel very Mexican.  Valerie at Love Through the Stomach never claimed it was authentic anyway.  But then I thought...why not make a cornmeal crust instead?  And while we're at it, let's bake it in a tart pan so it looks pretty (and heck, my lovely tart pan deserves to be used more than once since it's arrival at Christmas time!)

Crust figured out.  Now for the filling.  I'm sure everyone's familiar with 7 Layer Taco Dips.  They're cold dips and usually the base layer is refried beans doctored up with taco seasoning and then there are 6 other layers...usually sour cream, guacamole, salsa, shredded cheddar cheese, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and/or olives are somewhere in that mix.  It's really not all that much of a recipe as just layering whatever sounds good.  And that's where I drew my inspiration for this filling.  Which just by chance happened to be 7 layers once I put them in and counted.  Just my luck!

Ooooh, layers!

What resulted was something extremely comforting and soooo filling.  I quickly realized we could have used some help to finish eating this one because this was one literally heavy pie!

For this week's swap, I submitted Roasted Tomatillo Enchiladas and the swap round-up as always can be found at A Taste of Home Cooking's blog.

7 Layer Taco Pie with Cornmeal Crust
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Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optionally added for a little "kick")
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 2 large egg yolks

For the Filling

• 1 pound lean ground turkey or beef
• 1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning
• 4 oz (1/2 package) Neufchatel low-fat cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz reduced fat sour cream
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 
• lettuce, shredded (in this case I had leftover Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw so that's what I used today)
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

For the Crust

1. Whisk flour, cornmeal, salt, and cayenne pepper in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl to blend. Beat in egg yolks. Add dry ingredients and beat just until blended. Roll dough into a ball then flatten into disk shape. Wrap dough disk in plastic and refrigerate 20 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before using.)
2. Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly grease a 9" diameter tart pan with removeable bottom (if you don't have one, a springform pan or pie dish will also do).  Unwrap dough disk; press onto bottom and up sides of tart pan.  Blind bake for 15-20 minutes, until crust is lightly golden brown.  Set aside to cool.

To Assemble the Pie

1. While the crust is cooling, brown the ground turkey or beef.  Drain fat and add taco seasoning, preparing per package directions.  Cover and set aside.
2. Combine cream cheese and sour cream in a bowl.  Spread an even layer into the bottom of the cooled pie tart.  Add a layer of browned beef followed by black beans.  Continue layering rest of ingredients.  Serve by cutting into slices and enjoy!

Source: A Christine's Kitchen Chronicles original drawn from many inspirations including my swap partner Love Through the Stomach, cornmeal crust modified from Bon Appetit, December 2000, and 7-Layer Taco Dip filling inspiration from All Recipes.

Cinco Recipes to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Feliz Cinco de Mayo everybody!  

 

Today it's finally stopped raining (as it apparently has been doing the past 3 weeks...thank goodness we were gone for 2 of those!) and so we're making Grilled Chicken Fajitas from Annie's Eats.  Though I'd like to invite everybody over to our personal fiesta I simply can't.  And so, here's a round-up of my recent Mexican food posts that you can make yourself to have your own fiesta!

 

 

1.  Churro Bites

2.  Guacamole

 3.  Spicy Lime and Honey Wings

4.  Shrimpo de Gallo

5.  Tres Leches Cake

Still need more inspiration for your fine fiesta?  Because I love you, I'm giving you some bonus recipes to consider adding to your spread.  Why not try...

Starters
Cha Cha's White Chicken Chili
The Easiest White Bean Chicken Chili
Avocado, Tomato, and Mango Salsa
Corn and Avocado Salsa

Entrees
Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas
Copycat Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bols
Fajitas
Fish Tacos
Grands! Taco Melts (AKA Homemade Hot Pockets)
Mexican Casserole
Mexican Chicken Spaghetti 
Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole
Roasted Tomatillo Enchiladas
Slow Cooker Carnitas
Tacos in Pasta Shells

And remember your trusty friend to the rescue if you happen to over-fiesta ;)

Tres Leches Cake

And since no meal is complete without dessert, I bring you this Tres Leches Cake to round out my Cinco Recipes for Cinco de Mayo series!

Let's just say that this is one sweet treat and hey, you get your calcium from all the milk ;).  I have a love/hate relationship with the milk-soaked texture of the cake.  On one hand its super moist because it's drowned with three milks.  On the other hand, it's a little mushy...almost like it's...regurgitated.

I'd hate to leave you with that lovely thought so how about a fun picture of Pepto-Bismol with a sombrero on its head riding its trusty rainbow colored pinata and a crunchy taco by its side in case hunger strikes.  Am I the only one that is amused by Pepto-Bismol's ever changing profile pictures?  Love!

Two Years Ago: Avocado, Tomato, and Mango Salsa - Another perfect accompaniment to tortilla chips or use to top tacos, fish, or chicken.


Tres Leches Cake



Yes, that's an Argentina flag and not Mexico but I'm recycling a recipe that I made for our Olympics Themed Dinner Club last fall in which I was representing South America :).

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

 For the frosting

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter or margarine and the 1 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time; mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.  
5. Once cake is cooked, pierce cake several times with a fork.  Combine the whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake.
6. Whip whipping cream, the remaining 1 cup of the sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla together until stiff peaks form.  Be careful not to overbeat.  Spread over the top of cake.  If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon.  Be sure and keep cake refrigerated until ready to enjoy! 

Source: All Recipes

Shrimpo de Gallo

It's recipe numero quatro of the Cinco Recipes for Cinco de Mayo series.  We're nearly done but don't worry, the fiesta has yet to begin!  The title of this particular recipe makes me laugh...as does Ree's (AKA Pioneer Woman) struggle to determine what it should be named... 

Shrimp Pico de Gallo
Shrimpy Pico de Gallo
Pico de Shrimpo
Shrimpo de Gallo
Shrimp Salsa

No matter what the name, this dip is a nice change from the traditional salsa and will win your heart over.  (And then give you some heartburn if you can't take the heat and/or you over-fiesta!).  It can be thrown together quickly for those last minute fiestas if you get your slicing and dicing on.

This recipe is Tapas Themed Dinner Club approved and once again, I suck and forgot to take a picture so thank you Emily for the photo!  The dip is in the center and NO, you don't dip the churros into the Shrimpo de Gallo.  Use tortilla chips, silly!  (The items were plated this way for ease of transport.)

One Year Ago: Hm yeah seriously...apparently I took the entire month of May off so...nothing.  I blame being on vacation and then trying to catch up from vacation.  Sorry!
Two Years Ago: Blonde Brownies...because blondes have more fun?

Shrimpo de Gallo
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 12 servings 

Ingredients

• 1 pound Cooked Cocktail Shrimp (tails removed), Chopped
• ½ whole Red Onion, Diced Finely
• ½ cups Green Or Black Olives, Chopped (I omitted...I hate olives, yuck!)
• 2 whole Tomatoes, Diced
• 2 whole Fresh Jalapeno Peppers, Minced (I used about 15 slices from a jar)
• 2 whole Avocados, Chopped
• 2 whole Limes, Juiced
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• 2 cups Cilantro, Chopped

Instructions

1. Combine shrimp, red onion, olives, tomatoes, and jalapenos in a large bowl. Add lime juice to taste, then a dash of kosher salt. Add cilantro. Stir gently with a spoon, then taste on a tortilla chip so you’ll have an accurate gauge of the salt content. Add more salt and/or lemon juice if needed.
2. Chill until serving. Note that the avocado will brown if too much time passes, so if you want to make this ahead of time, leave out the avocado until just before serving.
3. Serve with tortilla chips!

Source: Pioneer Woman

Spicy Lime and Honey Wings

Here we are on Day 3 of Cinco Recipes for Cinco de Mayo!  If you've missed Days 1 or 2, no worries, I'll be posting a recap recipe roundup on Thursday which is the day of celebration :).

I'm not sure that chicken wings are exactly Mexican but it does have some Mexican-inspired flavors.  Besides, with the culinary melting pot that is America, everything's a bit fusion nowadays anyway.  The adobo sauce gives it great heat (omit it if you can't handle it) while the lime provides a good sour note (can you say Margaritas?!).  Finally, the honey balances the tartness but watch it on the grill because it will burn more easily.  Oh and don't do like my husband did and throw away the marinade before serving...otherwise you'll have to be flexible and glaze yours with bottled BBQ sauce in a hurry like I did.  Or end up with dry, unappetizing looking wings.  Oops.  Live and learn.

This was the first time that I ever dissected chicken wings.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be so that was a pleasant surprise.  Just cut where the joints are and with a good sharp knife, it cuts almost like butter.  I made these as part of my Dinner Club's Tapas themed dinner club.  To be honest, that particular dinner club is the only reason that I have enough recipes to have "planned ahead" and share with you!  Pfft like I'm ever that organized and ahead of the game haha :).  Thank you Emily for taking a picture of my wings since I clearly forgot to take one of my own in my panic to find a quick makeshift glaze.

One Year Ago: Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup
Two Years Ago: Szechwan Chicken...I can't get enough of spicy foods!

Spicy Lime and Honey Wings
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Ingredients

For the chicken

• 3 pounds chicken wings/chicken drummettes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the sauce

• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest (preferably organic)
• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - optional)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. To prepare the wings in the oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the wings in a bowl with salt, pepper, minced garlic and olive oil. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Cook until just cooked through, about 30 minutes. 
2. Make the sauce: Combine the lime zest and juice, honey, cumin, adobo sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper in a bowl. Pour over the warm wings and let marinate at least 30 minutes.
3. To prepare the wings on the grill: Preheat a grill to high. Grill the wings until marked, 10 to 15 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the marinade to a saucepan and cook until slightly thick, about 8 minutes (you can do this on the grill as well). Drizzle or brush the wings with the sauce and top with cilantro, if desired.  Note: If you don't have a grill, you can use a grill pan indoors, bake them in the oven or saute in a little butter in a skillet until warmed through. 

Source: Joelen's Culinary Adventures as adapted from Guy Fieri

Guacamole

I'm baaack!  We had a wonderful time in Italy, Greece, and Turkey these past couple of weeks.  I saw many ancient World Wonders, took a dip in the (freezing cold) Mediterranean (stupid idea!) off the coast of Capri, and was inspired by lots and lots of food.  I'm also delighted to announce that despite all my fear (and not to mention previous track records on cruises), I gained ZERO weight over the course of the past couple weeks.  It's truly a miracle!

Anyway, remember how before I left for vacation I left you with these Churro Bites as a Cinco Recipes for Cinco de Mayo teaser?  Well, here comes the rest of the series since Cinco de Mayo is rapidly approaching.  No Mexican Fiesta is complete without everyone's favorite (and relatively healthy) dip, Guacamole!  Personally, I think that Chipotle has the best guac but at the crazy caloric content of those burritos and the extra they charge to add guac, it's only good as an occasional treat.  This homemade version is a very close second in my mind and was ridiculously easy to make.  Take that, Chipotle!

By the way, to add more to your fiesta or in case you "over-fiesta", check out the Build Your Own Pinata Smash video on Pepto-Bismol's YouTube page!  //End shameless plug//

One Year Ago: Slow Cooker Carnitas are also an easy Cinco de Mayo crowd pleaser
Two Years Ago: Focaccia Bread (I had THE most delicious Focaccia EVER this past trip at Babbo's in Rome!)

Guacamole
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Yields: 2.5 cups

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 ripe avocados, peeled and halved
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 green onions, white plus 3-inches of green chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1.5 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• Tortilla chips

Directions

1. Put garlic and jalapeno into your food processor with the motor running. Process until finely chopped. Add half of the avocado and all of the lemon juice. Process until smooth.
2. Transfer to a mixing bowl, and add remaining avocado. Mash with a spoon, leaving as chunky or smooth as desired.  Add the remaining ingredients (tomatoes through cilantro). Mix thoroughly with a fork.
3. Serve at room temperature within 1-2 hours. If you're going to store it, press plastic wrap all over the top to prevent it from browning.  Enjoy with tortilla chips.

Source: The Piggly-Wiggly as passed along by her co-worker Sharon's sister