Chunky Monkey Pancakes

These pancakes are the bomb! And I can say that because we make and eat pancakes around here like they are going out of style. So we've been around the block when it comes to pancakes.

Bananas, chocolate chips and peanut butter is my absolute favorite combination in a pancake....EVER! I will typically add a banana to this pancake mix but adding chocolate chips and peanut butter syrup is an extra special treat that we don't do that often.

Whether you are a morning person or not, whip these up the next time you have an extra minute or two when you wake up (a lot to ask, I know...cause who the heck would get up earlier than they have to???).

Chunky Monkey Pancakes
1 egg
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 large banana, mashed
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine egg, oil and buttermilk. Whisk to combine. Add mashed banana and whisk again. Add dry ingredients and whisk until just incorporated, making sure not to over-stir. Let batter sit while griddle heats up.

Pour batter by 1/4 cup onto preheated griddle. Cook pancakes until they start to bubble and the sides start looking dry. Flip and cook another minute or two. Serve warm with peanut butter syrup.

Peanut Butter Syrup
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1/4 cup maple syrup

Put peanut butter and syrup in a small bowl. Warm 10-20 seconds in the microwave. Whisk together until smooth and creamy. Multiply syrup as needed.

Summer Berry Sweet Pizza

I think WinCo is my absolute favorite place to grocery shop!
1-because I can always find fresh basil there,
2-because their bulk section is a granola-maker's heaven,
3-chocolate covered cinnamon bears (need I say more???)
4-they have awesome deals on produce.

A couple of weeks ago they had amazing deals on their blueberries and strawberries and I found myself going back for more and more!!! I bought them mainly to support my green smoothie habit, so I froze most of them, but I couldn't help using some of them fresh; like on this pizza.

Pizza night is pretty much a weekly occurrence around here and we've finally upgraded to 2 pizzas instead of 1 for our little family. I usually make my girls a cheese pizza, per their request, and make something a little more fancy shmancy for my hubby and I. This time, I decided to divide the dough for the second pizza into 3 and make 2 individual pizzas plus a dessert pizza. Let me tell you , BEST DAY EVER!

This is the perfect summer pizza. Right now all the berries are in season, so they not only taste yummy but don't cost ya an arm and a leg to buy them either. And, how can you go wrong with chocolate and more chocolate?

This recipe is equivalent to one large pizza, divided into three smaller pizzas. I would only make as much dessert pizza as you will eat, as it does not keep well. Divide the topping ingredients accordingly for each pizza you make.

Summer Berry Sweet Pizza
1 recipe Perfect Pizza Crust (add additional 2 Tbsp. sugar with dry ingredients)
9 Tbsp. nutella
2-2 1/2 cups mixed fresh berries, cut into smaller pieces if necessary (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc.)
1 cup white chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. melted butter, for brushing the edges
3 Tbsp. turbinado sugar, for sprinkling the edges

Make pizza dough according to directions, making sure to add 2 tablespoons sugar when mixing. Allow dough to rise once. While dough is rising, preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 degrees F.

After the dough has risen, punch down and divide into 3 smaller dough balls. Let it rest for about 5 minutes. I highly recommend using parchment paper for this pizza because it may be too heavy to slide off onto the stone (or inverted baking sheet). Roll one dough ball out on a piece of parchment. Brush edges with melted butter. Spread with 3 tablespoons of the nutella, then evenly distribute 1/3 of the berries, topping with 1/3 of the white chocolate chips. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar around the edge of the pizza. Open oven quickly and slide parchment onto baking stone. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Repeat with remaining dough and ingredients. Feel free to bake more than one pizza at a time, if you have sufficient room.

SOURCE: Adapted form Donal Skehan

Apricot-Strawberry Smoothie

At our previous house we had apricot trees and I canned and froze those apricots until I had no room left! I'm a little ashamed to say that I still have some left in the far dark corners of my freezer and pantry. I made it my goal to finish them up in the next few months. It has led me on an apricot-smoothie-making journey. As I went down my list of combinations, I crossed them off as I went, knowing that I was not going to make THAT one again-blech! However, I when I threw this combination together, I knew it was a keeper...FINALLY! I've made this over and over the past month or so and we've all loved it.

Apricots are just about in season and strawberries are already here, so it's the perfect time to make this refreshing smoothie. Treat yourself, and your health.

Apricot-Strawberry Smoothie
1 cup apricots, pitted and halved
1 cup strawberries, hulled
1 banana
2 big handfuls spinach, rinsed
1 cup fresh orange juice
handful of ice
water as needed

Put all ingredients in blender, adding juice first, and blend well. Add water as needed for desired consistency. Pour into jar or container with tight fitting lid. Will last up to 48 hours, just shake well before drinking.

Homemade Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

Make my own peanut butter???? I think I can die a happy woman now! Next to chocolate, peanut butter is probably my second favorite food. Ever! I could eat it every day. I used to when I was a kid going to school and I still do more often than not.

With a bunch of kids running around here peanut butter is pretty much a staple in our house. We could not live without it. Although I'm usually not a food label snob, when it comes to peanut butter, I subscribe to the school of thought that "choosy mom's choose JIF." I have very rarely bought another brand. I'm oh so loyal.

So, why make homemade peanut butter if I love JIF so much? I have this thing for making everything from scratch that I possible can. Over the past few years we have been trying to get away from processed foods as much as we can. It is much healthier, gives the consumer more control over what goes in the food and it's down right satisfying knowing that you can provide for your family like that.

I've made peanut butter once or twice before and haven't been overly thrilled with the results, so I stuck with the brand name stuff. But, I was pumped about it again when I read about making honey roasted peanut butter, which I have tried before and practically fell flat on my face it was so good. I think I'm ready now to replace that jar of JIF in my cupboard for good with the homemade stuff...and that's saying a lot!

This is a super simple recipe and you don't even need a high-powered blender to make it. You can use a regular blender or a food processor with a chopper blade as well.

Homemade Honey Roasted Peanut Butter
1 lb. raw peanuts* (a scant 3 cups)
1-2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 Tbsp. coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine peanuts, honey and salt. Spread out on a cookie sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes, stirring half-way through. Remove from oven and cool slightly.


Place peanuts in a blender or food processor with a chopping blade and blend for about a minute. Scrape sides down and blend for another minute or so.



Scrape sides again and add coconut oil, 1 tablespoon at at time and blend until desired consistency is reached. Check flavor and adjust honey and salt as necessary.



Store in an airtight container for about 2 months in the fridge.

*According to Alton Brown, Spanish peanuts are good for making peanut butter because they have a higher oil content, so that is what I've used. You can choose to leave the skins on or off. I've left them on.

SOURCE: A Sweet Pea Chef

Penne Pasta with Smoked Ham and Pepper Cream Sauce

I thought I would pull this out of the archives and give it a face lift. This is one of our family's most beloved pasta dishes and we have been eating it for I don't know how many years. If I'm remembering correctly, this recipe came from a pasta book my mom gave my older brother in college YEARS ago and all three of our families continue to make, eat and LOVE it.

Spring is the perfect time of year to pull out this pasta. Ham is usually on sale often and sweet bell peppers are in season. It's also quick and easy and although it does have cream it's not a heavy dish, but definitely satisfying!

Penne Pasta with Smoked Ham and Pepper Cream Sauce
1 1/2 cups ham, cubed
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1-2 fresh jalapeno or ancho chili peppers, seeded and finely minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup white cooking wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 lb. Penne pasta
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

In a large frying pan over medium heat, saute the ham until slightly golden.  Remove ham and add red and yellow peppers and spicy peppers.  Saute until crisp tender; 3-4 minutes. Remove peppers from pan and deglaze with the wine.

Add chicken broth and reduce to 1/3 cup over high heat.  Add heavy cream and reduce over high heat about another 5 minutes, or until desired consistency. (Keep a careful watch so it doesn't boil over.) Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Add the ham and peppers back in and reheat.

Meanwhile heat a large stock pot full of water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook to al dente, according to package directions.  Drain.

Place hot pasta into a large serving bowl and pour sauce over it.  Toss well.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Let sit about 5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken up a bit.  Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

S'mores Brownies (Take Two)

Man, we haven't even hit the first day of summer and I'm already craving s'mores. S'mores are one of my most favorite summer treats and I love eating them all summer long. I love that you can throw them in the microwave if you want to do it quick, put them over the grill when you don't have a camp fire around or even use a kitchen torch (which I have done more often than I care to admit!).

Last summer I made s'mores all sorts of ways to curb that craving: s'mores pancakes, s'mores cake in a jar, s'mores pops, and s'mores ice cream. Even before that I made these delectable s'mores bars, as well as s'mores cookies and a different s'mores brownie. Oh, and the s'mores addiction doesn't end there. Thanks to pinterest, I have yet to try the s'mores truffles, turnovers, rice crispie treats, pudding, cupcakes... and oh my gosh, does it ever end? I don't think I'll ever get tired of those things.

The other day I was going to make s'mores with my girls and it ended up not happening, but I still wanted them! I opened my pantry to find a box of brownies, some mini marshmallows, some milk chocolate chips and graham crackers and the wheels in my head started turning. Luckily, thanks to google, I didn't have to reinvent the wheel and found a recipe rather quickly that embodied what I had envisioned.

These brownies were exactly what I had in mind and they were absolutely perfect. I love the crumbly buttery graham cracker crust on the bottom, and the milk chocolate on top of the brownies. When it comes to me and chocolate, it's usually the darker the better. But, when it comes to s'mores, you HAVE to use milk chocolate to get the right taste. You just have to ok?


S'mores Brownies
For the crust:
7 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (8 or 9 whole graham crackers)
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
pinch of salt

For the brownies:
Your favorite recipe or box mix to fit an 8x8 or 9x9-inch pan

For the topping:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows
about 1/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs (1 whole cracker, crumbled)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 8x8-inch pan with foil so it hangs over the edges a bit. Spray with nonstick spray.

Prepare crust: In a medium bowl, mix butter with crumbs, sugar and salt. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden; about 10 minutes.

Prepare and bake brownies according to directions.

Remove pan from oven. Turn up heat on the oven to broil. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the brownie, then top with the marshmallows. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top.

Place pan back into the oven. Toast under the broiler until golden- KEEP AN EYE ON IT- it can go from golden to burned in a matter of seconds. 1 to 2 minutes under the broiler should be plenty.

Cool for a few minutes, then use foil to remove brownies from the pan and set on a cutting board. Carefully pull the sides of the foil away from the marshmallows and brownies. Cut brownies into squares. Helpful tip: Use a large, WET & SHARP KNIFE to cut the brownies. Slice through the brownie, then clean the knife and slice through again with a clean, wet knife. Keep cleaning off the knife after each cut for the cleanest cuts.


SOURCE: Slightly adapted from RecipeGirl

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza

So, um, prepare to have your socks knocked off, mm-kay! What an unlikely combination, this pizza is; strawberries, cilantro, bacon, balsamic vinegar and a few other things. I was completely intrigued by this pizza and I happened to have every single ingredient the day I stumbled upon this recipe. So, as any good food blogger would do, I made it-like immediately, that very day!

Unfortunately, the power went out the first time I made this pizza (right as I was putting it in the oven), and although it tasted wonderful, the crust didn’t turn out quite right because it was only being cooked with the residual heat left in the oven. Well, I had no problem making it again, in fact I could hardly wait.

Now is still a great time to get strawberries in season, so I suggest you make this pizza rapido!! Your family and your belly will thank you.

So, without further ado, here are the cast of characters.....

Doesn't it look pretty all put together? I love all the colors! Colorful food is yummy food in my book.

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza
For the sauce:
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup good quality strawberry jam or preserves
1 Tbsp. sriracha sweet chili sauce

To assemble:
1 ball pizza dough
olive oil, for brushing
1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken
4 slices bacon, diced and cooked until crisp
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
Scant 1/2 cup hulled strawberries, small-diced


Add the balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let cook 4-5 minutes or until reduced by about half with a thick, syrupy texture. In a small bowl, combine the balsamic reduction with the strawberry jam and sriracha chili sauce. Set aside.

To make the pizza, heat the oven to 500˚ F and preheat a pizza stone. Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-14 inch round. Lightly brush the perimeter of the dough with olive oil. Spread the balsamic-strawberry mixture in a thin layer over the crust. Layer with the chicken, bacon, onion, cheeses, cilantro, and strawberries.

Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing and serving.


SOURCE:Slightly adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from The Cafe Sucre Farine

Spicy Basil Chicken with Sweet Peppers and Snow Peas

I cook a lot of Asian and Thai-style dishes, partly because they don't use dairy, but mostly because they are so delicious! I have really grown to love this style of food.

As you know from my last post, I was looking for anything and everything that I could make using fresh basil. The stuff just speaks to me. I walk by it in the grocery store and I JUST CANNOT RESIST! So, when I came upon this recipe recently, I knew I would have to make it soon.

Let me tell you, this is not your mamma's chicken and rice dinner!

If you have never used fish sauce, don't be intimidated! I was for a while. And then even after I bought a bottle and opened it up I wondered if it really would taste good, because, honestly it doesn't smell that good by itself. There's something about it though when you add it in Asian dishes. It magically transforms them, deepening the flavor and giving it that salty bite. Be warned though, don't be heavy handed...a little goes a long way.

The dish is balanced out with a little sweet and spicy from the sweet chili sauce and, of course that pop from the fresh basil added in at the very end.

Spicy Basil Chicken with Sweet Peppers and Snow peas
olive oil
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
2 red bell peppers
1/2 lb snow peas, trimmed and cut in half, if desired
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
4 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
2 tsp. water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup sliced basil leaves

Thai Coconut Rice (omit cilantro for this recipe)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle olive oil and swirl to coat. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes, then add peppers and peas and saute another 3-4 minutes, until they are crisp-tender. Add garlic to pan during the last 30 seconds or so of cooking. Remove veggies to a plate and set aside.

Add another drizzle of olive oil to the pan and let it heat up. Add the chicken pieces and cook until chicken is no longer pink. While chicken is cooking, combine fish sauce and the next 4 ingredients in a small bowl Stir with a whisk to combine.

Return veggies to the pan with the chicken and add fish sauce mixture. Cook for 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring to coat chicken and veggies. Remove from heat. Stir in basil. Serve warm with Thai Coconut Rice.


SOURCE: Adapted from Cooking Light on myrecipes.com

Italian Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

So, I recently had a birthday. For once, it took me a while to decide what kind of cake I wanted to make, but I had no problem deciding what I wanted to make for dinner. It was easy, anything and everything with fresh basil! I swear that stuff is completely intoxicating to me. I love the smell, I love the bright taste and how it perfectly accents so many dishes.

Salads are one of my most favorite things to eat for lunch or dinner and I especially love making my own dressings to go with them. So as part of my meal, I decided to make this Italian salad with a basil vinaigrette. The salad itself, although wonderful, is pretty traditional, but the vinaigrette is brilliant! What better way to get that basil-y goodness jam-packed into every bite than to whiz it up in the dressing? I loved it, slurped it and doused my salad in it. De-lish!


Italian Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
For the salad:
1 head romaine lettuce
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
2 tomatoes on the vine, (sliced, diced or chopped)
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
olives (black or kalamata)
croutons (optional)
grated Parmesan cheese

For the vinaigrette:
Handful of basil leaves (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp sugar, to taste
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Prepare the salad ingredients and place in a large salad bowl, topping with croutons and grated Parmesan cheese.

To prepare the vinaigrette, you can do it one of two ways. Most of the time, I like to just put all my ingredients in a small mason jar, put the lid on and shake it up. However, I wanted the basil to be chopped up more than a rough chop so it would be more evenly distributed throughout the dressing, so I put it in my little Cuisinart and blended it up real well.

Serve over salad. Enjoy!


SOURCE: For the Love of COoking

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Spicy Broccoli

This right here is my kind of meal. It's healthy, quick and easy, and with just a few ingredients. It's also something my kids would eat and that I would enjoy as well. Broccoli is one of my girls' most favorite veggies and what kid doesn't like noodles? It was a thumbs up all around!

Because of it's simplicity, this dish is pretty adaptable. You can add some cooked meat (grilled chicken, bacon, Italian sausage or ham). You can also pump up the veggie factor by adding in sauteed mushrooms and onions, grape tomatoes or really whatever you'd like. I can't wait to try this again.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Spicy Broccoli
2 large crown of broccoli
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
Salt
1/2 pound (8 ounces) whole wheat, whole grain or regular spaghetti
1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded, or to taste


Bring a large stock pot full of water to a boil.

Cut the he stalks off the broccoli and cut the florets into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté about 1 minute. Turn off the heat, and stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt.

When the water comes to a boil, drop the pasta and cook until the almost al dente, about 5 minutes, then add the broccoli.
Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

Add the spaghetti and broccoli to the skillet and toss over high heat. Add the reserved cooking liquid to moisten the dish. Divide into bowls, top with cheese, and serve immediately.


SOURCE: Ezra Pound Cake

Baked Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Taquitos

I guess I still have Cinco de Mayo on the brain from last week because I keep thinking of Mexican-style meals to make. It's a good thing though, because we love Mexican food here and I don't make it enough!

I am always looking for quick and healthy meals that a) don't involve a lot of dairy and b) don't involve a lot of meat. I saw a version a of these taquitos a while ago and knew with some tweaking they would be a new family favorite. I love the combination of beans, corn and chicken with Mexican flavors. The roasted red pepper was a great addition that lends a unique flavor and the spinach and cilantro not only pump up the health factor, they add great color and eye appeal! If you don't have roasted red pepper, you can roast your own (tip below) or just use fresh and saute it with the onion.

You'll want to add these to your dinner rotation soon! Tasty and quick to prepare, they make a perfect weeknight meal.

Baked Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Taquitos
olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. cumin
pinch cayenne pepper (optional, especially if you have little mouths to feed)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup chicken, cooked and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, un-thawed
*1 roasted red pepper, small-diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups fresh spinach, washed and chopped
1/4 cilantro, chopped
1 cup shredded cheese (Monterrey or Pepper Jack, Mexican blend, etc.)
12 8-inch whole wheat tortillas

In a large skillet, heat a good drizzle of olive oil (about a tablespoon). Add onion and saute over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add garlic, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper and saute about 30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the cheese, and stir to coat evenly with the spices. Cook until the chicken broth has just about evaporated completely. Turn off the heat, but keep pan on burner and stir in the spinach and cheese. The residual head from the burner with wilt the spinach and melt the cheese. Add cilantro just before filling taquitos.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wrap tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and warm them in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds. Spray a large baking sheet, such as a cookie sheet, with cooking spray. Lay one tortilla at a time on a large plate. Scoop about 1/4-1/3 cup filling across the bottom third of the tortilla. Roll it up, leaving the ends open. Place on cookie sheet, seam side down. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas.

Once all the taquitos have been assembled, brush the tops with olive oil and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. (This would also work as a great freezer meal. You could stop before brushing the tops with olive oil, cover the cooking sheet with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen, remove taquitos from cookie sheet and place in a zip-top freezer bag. When you're ready to bake, remove desired amount of taquitos, brush with olive oil and bake about 5 minutes longer.)

Serve warm with desired garnished: fresh lime, sour cream, guacamole, salsa

*To make your own roasted red peppers, cut fresh red peppers in half removing stem and seeds, and place them on a cookie sheet. Place under the broiler until they are mostly black and charred. Remove from oven and immediately place in a bowl with a lid or a paper bag. Once they are cooled, remove as much of the skin as you can (sometimes it's tricky and it doesn't all come off, but it's not a big deal). Use immediately, refrigerate for 3-5 days or freeze. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest you portion them into 1-2 peppers pr baggie. I usually place each pepper in a little sandwich bag, then place all the sandwich bags into a larger zip-top freezer bag so they are all together.


SOURCE: Adapted from Savour the Senses

Cinco de Mayo Round-Up

If you still need some last minute ideas to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, or if you just like Mexican food, I've rounded up some of my favorites for you! (Beware though, some of these posts are OLD!)


Dinner
Baked Chimichangas
Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa
Chiles Rellenos with Mexican Tomato Sauce
Chipotle Bean Tostadas
Tortilla Soup with Southwest Cabbage Slaw
Chipotle Lime Shrimp
Crockpot Tamales
Cafe Rio Style Sweet and Spicy Shredded Pork
Cilantro Lime Rice
Spanish Rice
Posole

Dessert
Arroz con Leche
Dulce de Leche Banana Trifle
Pina Colada Ice Cream
Cinnamon-Honey Ice Cream
Tres Leches Cake
Chocolate Chipotle Cupcakes with Chili Chocolate Ganache
Pastel Frio

Dressings and Sauces
Dulce de Leche
Tomatillo Salsa
Tomatillo Dressing

Baked Chimichangas

Chimichangas are one of my most absolute favorite Mexican foods. My mom has been making these as long as I can remember and they have been the star of many a family gathering. So a little while back I got the hankering for some chimichangas and actually thought I could find a better recipe. So I looked and looked and found a recipe I thought would be good. Well, it got rave reviews and it was good, but it wasn't THIS good. It didn't really compare to my mom's recipe. So, I will never search for another chimichanga recipe again! This is my go-to; perfectly seasoned, wonderful taste!

If you're looking for a main dish to celebrate Cinco de Mayo look no further! These will be the star of your feast. They are easy to throw together, can be made a day in advance and they still get that flaky, crispy outer layer, resembling it's fried form, but healthier since it's baked.

Baked Chimichangas
for the Mexican Meat Mix:
2 lb. beef roast
1-2 cups beef broth
olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles
1 7-oz. can tomatillo salsa (salsa verde)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. cumin
3 Tbsp. flour
juices from roast
salt & pepper

for the chimichangas
12 8-inch flour tortillas
sour cream
roma tomatoes, diced
salsa
lettuce, shredded
guacamole

Set out a crock pot large enough to fit your roast. Turn on low.

Heat a small drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Generously season both sides of roast with salt and pepper and place in skillet. Brown on all sides. Place browned roast into warm crock pot and add beef broth until it reaches about half way up the roast; between 1-2 cups. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours. Alternately you could put the roast in a roasting pan in the oven at about 275 degrees F for about 2-3 hours.

Once roast is cooked, remove meat to a large platter, reserving juices. Shred meat and set aside. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds, then sprinkle with flour and saute another minute or so. Add green chiles, tomatillo salsa and cumin, then reserved meat and juices (should be around 1 1/2 cups-feel free to add more broth if you don't have many drippings). Cook about 5 minutes, until it has thickened. Cool slightly.

*Preparing the Mexican Meat Mix can be done a day in advance to minimize time spent in the kitchen during dinner prep.

To assemble the chimichangas: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Warm tortillas in the microwave about 20-30 seconds so they are pliable when rolling. Spread about 1/4 - 1/3 cup Mexican Meat Mix on lower third of tortilla. Fold bottom edge up over filling, then fold sides toward center and roll up the rest of the way. Place on greased baking sheet and continue with remaining meat mix and tortillas. Brush the tops of each chimichanga with olive oil and bake about 20-30 minutes or until lightly golden.

Serve on top of a bed of shredded lettuce. Top with your choice of garnishes: sour cream, chopped fresh tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, cheese, olives, etc.

*These freeze very well. Once you are done rolling them all up, stop there and place them in a zip-top freezer bag. When you're ready to bake, continue with the rest of the instructions, baking slightly longer to account for them being frozen.

Arroz con Leche

Have you ever heard that children's song that goes, "Arroz con leche, me quiero casar, con una senorita de san Nicolas. Que sepa coser, que sepa bordar, que sepa abrir la puerta para ir a jugar." Well, probably not if you don't speak Spanish. That song goes through my head every once in a while and it makes me want to make rice pudding, or as it directly translates, rice with milk. This is a treat that I often enjoyed while living in South America many years ago. We ate it plain and simple, no special ingredients, just rice, milk, sugar and a little cinnamon. Sometimes we'd put a little dollop of dulce de leche on top and boy, was that ever delicious!

Even though I am not Mexican, have never been to Mexico and have no distant relatives there I still love the food; simple yet delicious. And I love celebrating Cinco de Mayo. To get you in the mood for Cinco de Mayo this weekend, I've given in to the little song in my head and made this treat so I could share it with you. Hope you enjoy!

Arroz con Leche
8 cups whole milk (2% is ok)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup rice (medium or short grain is nice if you have it)
1/2 cup sugar

Dulce de Leche (optional)

In a sauce pan, slowly heat the milk, salt and cinnamon stick. Bring to a low simmer. Add the rice and sugar and stir. Continue cooking the rice for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes to prevent sticking and burning on the bottom.

Remove from heat and ladle into individual custard cups. Top with dulce de leche and sprinkle with additional cinnamon.


SOURCE: Cannelle et Vanille

Homemade Dulce de Leche

I love, love, love Mexican food and am so excited about Cinco de Mayo this weekend that I've planned my whole dinner menu this week with almost all Mexican food. I've also got a bunch of Mexican recipes to throw your way to get you in the mood too and give you some ideas if you're like me and love to celebrate.

The first is this dulce de leche. I'm sure most of you have heard of it. It's a dessert sauce, almost like caramel, sweet and creamy. I'm not sure if it's typical in Mexico, but I know they eat it all over South America and I ate it by the kilo when I lived there, so I'm going with it.

This is one dessert sauce you will never want to live without, especially when you find out how easy it is to make. There is one, and only one ingredient: sweetened condensed milk. Now, I know you can do this in your crock pot without ever taking it out of the can, but man, I just can't wait that long. This'll take you just over an hour from start to finish, and you 'll be enjoying this over cake, ice cream, or just by the spoonful (my favorite way)!

Homemade Dulce de Leche
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Open the can of milk and pour into a shallow baking dish, like a pie plate. Cover tightly with foil. Make a water bath by placing the shallow dish in a larger dish; a roasting pan works great. Fill the roasting pan with water until it reaches about half way up the smaller dish. Bake for about an hour, then lift the foil to check the color. If it's not a caramely brown color, let it bake another 15-20 minutes.

Remove pans from oven and transfer dulce de leche into a jar with a tight fitting lid-I used a canning jar. You can let it cool some before doing this but don't wait too long or it will start to set and get too sticky and messy to scrape out of the pan.

Enjoy warm or chilled.

Blueberry Banana Granola

I've been making my own granola for quite a while now and I think I can say with fair certainty that this granola is my favorite one yet! In terms of crunchiness and flavor, this is a real winner. To kick up the crunch a little, I added just a bit of brown sugar to my wet ingredients and while I usually use applesauce as a binder, I decided to use pureed banana. It not only added a touch of natural sweetness but flavor too. Blueberries and bananas go so well together.

If you have never made granola before, don't hesitate, it couldn't be easier. The few minutes it takes to throw together is well worth the end result, and in our house it lasts a couple of weeks. By making your own granola, you get to control what goes in it; that means no preservatives and the amount of sugar you like. If you're not sure where to pick up the nuts, seeds and dried fruit, typical in granolas, check out your local grocery or health food stores that have a bulk foods section. There you can purchase what you want and in the quantities you want as well.

Blueberry Banana Granola
6 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
3/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup pureed banana (about 1 medium banana)
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom (if you don't have cardamom, just use more cinnamon)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups dried blueberries

In a large mixing bowl, add the oats, nuts, seeds and shredded coconut and toss. In a smaller, microwave-safe bowl, add the honey, coconut oil and brown sugar. Microwave it on about half power until coconut oil is melted. Add banana puree, cinnamon, cardamom (or another 1/2 tsp. or cinnamon) and salt and stir until combined. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and toss until evenly coated. Spread over 2 cookie sheets and bake at 325 for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes. Cool and toss in blueberries. Store in an airtight container (in the fridge if you want it to keep longer).

SOURCE: adapted from Bob Vivant

Salad Demos

For those of you who came to my class night at the church, here are the salads I demoed. Thanks to all who attended, I had so much fun!

Asian Slaw with Roasted Peanuts and Ginger Lime Dressing

Mango Chicken Salad (Since mangoes were not ripe when I went to the store, I substituted mandarin oranges, and to keep it more budget friendly, I omitted the chicken.)

I realized that I actually demoed the Greek Pasta Salad (swapping lettuce for the pasta) rather than the Greek Panzanella I originally posted. However, I love them both and they do use the same dressing, which is one of my favorites. So, make either or both. Enjoy!

Lemon Basil Penne with Grilled Chicken

One of the things I love to cook with most of all is fresh basil. Is that weird? I love the bright, fresh flavor that just makes a dish pop! I've tried growing it on my window sill, but we don't get very much direct sunlight here and we don't have a yard (because believe me I would be growing mounds of it if we did). I have a couple of local grocery stores near me that sell fresh basil for a reasonable price, so I splurge every once in a while.

Fresh basil is one of those hallmark flavors of spring and summer fare and pairs perfectly with fresh lemon. I grabbed my basil at the store the other day, not knowing before hand I was going to with it (even though I just had to have it). When I got home and found three lemons in my fridge that needed to be used, I immediately knew I wanted to make this pasta dish. It is so quick and easy and delivers up tons of flavor! I love how just a few fresh and simple ingredients can make some of the best food. This pasta can be served with or without the chicken.


Lemon Basil Penne with Grilled Chicken
for the marinade:
4 chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
good drizzle of olive oil
juice of 3-4 lemons
a good squirt of Dijon mustard (about 1 Tbsp.)
dash of salt

for the pasta:
1 pound penne Pasta
4 Tbsp. butter
3 whole lemons, juiced
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
20 basil leaves, chopped into ribbons
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Pour all the marinade ingredients into a gallon zip-top bag and add chicken, tossing to coat. Marinate several hours, up to overnight.

Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

While pasta is cooking, grill chicken either on an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. Cook until no longer pink. Let cool at least 5 minutes, then slice into strips.

In the same pot used to cook the pasta, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and whisk until hot. Add cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Pour pasta back into the pot, along with the basil and tomatoes, stirring to coat. Pour into a large serving dish. Top with sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately.


SOURCE: Lightly adapted from Pioneer Woman

Chocolate Crepes with Nutella and Whipped Cream Cheese Filling

Crepes are one of my husband's my favorite foods. We even got a crepe pan a couple of years ago to celebrate something or other and it sat unused in my cupboard, behind all the other pots and pans. Why it stayed there, I do not know. I mean, who doesn't love a good crepe?? They are so easy to make (you don't even really need a crepe pan, a frying pan will do just fine) and the fillings are endless; both sweet and savory. So, when another little celebration came rolling along, my husband asked for crepes and I heartily agreed, deciding it was time to dust off that pan! I'm so glad we did and I'm happy to report we've made crepes several times since then, not even having time for dust to gather.

I decided that these chocolate crepes would be the first we'd make. I knew nutella, strawberries and whipped cream were a must but I also decided to do a flavored whipped cream cheese. The combination was heavenly! I'm dreaming about them right now as I write this!! Hope you enjoy these as much as we did.

Chocolate Crepes with Nutella and Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
For the crepe batter:
1 cup milk
4 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup Hershey’s Dark Cocoa Powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the fillings and toppings:
Sliced fruit-we love strawberries and bananas
Cool Whip or Whipping Cream
Whipped Cream Cheese (recipe below)
Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
Chocolate syrup (optional)
Powdered sugar (optional)

To make the crepes, put all the batter ingredients in a blender and blend until well-incorporated.

Heat a non-stick crepe or frying pan on medium heat. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter in the pan, swirling the batter out around the edges. Crepe should be very thin, so you may need more or less batter depending on your pan size. Cook crepe about 30-60 seconds until slightly browned on bottom and top is just about cooked. Carefully flip and cook another 15-30 seconds on the second side. Remove to a plate and continue with the rest of the batter.

There are a couple methods to assembling crepes. Probably the most popular is the burrito way, where you spread out the crepe, lay your fillings down the middle, roll it up then top with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce. I like to do it another way. Spread out the crepe. On one half, spread the nutella then whipped cream cheese on top of it. Fold the top over, in half, then fold it over again, in fourth. Top with sliced strawberries, cool whip and a drizzle of chocolate sauce and powdered sugar.


Whipped Cream Cheese:
8-oz block of cream cheese
2-4 Tbsp. powdered sugar
a couple drops of coconut extract (although almond, orange or vanilla would also be delicious)

Soften cream cheese to room temperature. Place in a mixing bowl and whip until light and fluffy. Gently add the powdered sugar until incorporated and to taste, then add the extract last. Refrigerate leftovers.

SOURCE:Crepe batter from The Clever Culinarian

Balsamic Chicken Tortellini Salad

This little salad has easily become one of my new favorite quick and easy dinners. It's kind of funny because it's also the salad that got my two older girls to eat sweet peppers. I had brought home a big bag of mini sweet peppers one day, primarily for this salad, and they thought they were the cutest thing and just ate them whole! Now they love them.

You can tackle this salad in the time it takes the tortellini and chicken to cook, making it ideal for a soccer night or any weeknight for that matter. I use fresh baby spinach as well as a little fresh basil, which makes the flavor just pop! Fresh basil can be pricey if you don't know what to look for. Sometimes grocery stores will carry small, unpackaged bunches that are near the fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro. That seems to be the least expensive that I have found, but I have also found a living basil plant that comes with roots, which you can keep for a while at home. Of course, the easiest and most definitely least expensive would be to grow your own in your garden or even on your window sill.


Balsamic Chicken Tortellini Salad
For the salad:
1 7-10 oz. package cheese tortellini (or multiple smaller packages)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded thin if they are thick)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 sweet bell peppers, seeded and diced
fresh baby spinach, chopped (about half a 10-oz bag)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

For the balsamic vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the vinaigrette, put all ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid and shake to combine. Add about 1/3 of the vinaigrette to a zip-top bag. Add the chicken and marinate for 1-2 hours. When it's time to cook the chicken, remove it from the zip-top bag and discard the marinade. Cook either on indoor grill pan or outdoor grill. Once cooled, chop into bite-sized pieces.

Bring a large pot of water to boiling and cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and cool.

While the chicken and tortellini are cooking, chop the veggies and greens and add them to a large salad bowl. Add cooled chicken and tortellini. Toss with remaining dressing and parmesan cheese.

Snickerdoodle Cake

I'm so lucky, I get to make desserts and goodies most often for our family parties, usually once or twice a month. It's almost my favorite thing to do, next to sleeping (not that I get any) and eating chocolate. I happened upon this cake on pinterest, no surprise there. I remembered the ONE time I made my girls snickerdoodle cookies instead of chocolate chip and they couldn't stop eating them! They were the new favorite around here. Then I remembered these snickerdoodle muffins that my sister makes, which are heavenly and I decided that this cake was probably worth a shot.

I'm so glad I tried it, it totally was worth the shot. The cake baked up beautifully and was dense and moist. The frosting is absolutely heavenly; incredibly creamy and totally unique. The brown sugar in it gives you little bursts of flavor and texture with every bite.

I liked this cake more than I thought I would and can't wait to make it again. It is on the sweeter side, so when you dish up, make sure you have a tall glass of milk!

Snickerdoodle Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy and pale in color. Beat the eggs in one at a time, then add the vanilla.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk in three 3 batches, starting and ending with the dry. Scrape down bowl as necessary.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake, rotating midway through, for about 35 minutes or until the cake tests done.

Let the cakes cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes before turning out onto the racks to finish cooling. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate (preferable overnight).


Brown Sugar Buttercream
3 sticks butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
6 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbsp. heavy cream

Mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Alternating, add powdered sugar and heavy cream. Beat 1-2 minutes longer until light and fluffy.


To assemble the cake:Slice each of the chilled cake layers in half horizontally. Place one of the bottom layers on a cake board or platter. Top with a layer of frosting, spreading evenly as you go. Repeat with remaining layers. Crumb coat the top and sides (very thin layer-you will still be able to see the cake in some spots), then refrigerate for about 30 minutes. With the remaining buttercream, frost the top and sides again, smoothing it out evenly as you go. Refrigerate for about an hour or so before serving.




SOURCE:Slightly adapted from Always with Butter

Brown Butter Risotto with Lobster

We don't often buy lobster, in fact we may only have it once or twice a year. But, my husband loves lobster and I thought this would be the perfect addition to some risotto for a special date night at home. Using lobster tail, which I bought on sale, allowed us to feel a little indulgent without breaking the bank.

This turned out to be a beautiful dish and tasted amazing! It was also easier than you might think to put together. Instead of using chicken or fish stock to cook the rice, I decided to use the water I boiled the lobster in, with a dash of Old Bay to spice it up. Pair that with delicious brown butter, and I couldn't have been happier with the results.

Brown Butter Risotto with Lobster
1 pound (about 2 medium) frozen lobster tails, thawed
4 1/2 cups lobster stock
dash Old Bay seasoning (or more to taste)
4 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white cooking wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chives, for garnish, if desired


Bring a stockpot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster tails and boil for 8 to 10 minutes until the shells curl and the lobster meat turns white. Remove tails, reserving 4 1/2 cups of the stock, drain and transfer to a cutting board; cool for 15 minutes. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through the top shell lengthwise. Remove the meat and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, keep the stock hot over low heat. Add Old Bay and stir to incorporate.

In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to foam and then turns brown, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add the onion and cook, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the white wine and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Continue adding the stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of stock to absorb before adding the next. Cook until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and the remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Transfer the risotto to a large serving bowl. Arrange the lobster meat on top of the risotto and garnish with the remaining chives, if desired.


SOURCE: Giada De Laurentiis

Spicy Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

I had to hurry and sneak this soup in while the weather is still in limbo. It's been unseasonably warm this winter and now that spring is on the verge, we've got snow in the forecast. Silly weather.

Anyway, whether the weather cooperates or not, you'll be happy you tried this soup. It is amazingly delicious! My husband and I couldn't stop eating it. It's also super fast to throw together. Make the soup while the rice is cooking and it will all be ready at the same time.

This soup gets it's kick from serrano peppers and it's slight sweetness from the coconut milk. The flavors balance out with the addition of fresh lime, ginger and basil leaves. Don't have shrimp around? Go ahead and switch it out for a couple of cut up chicken breasts.

Spicy Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 serrano peppers, seeds removed and finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. ginger, peeled and minced (or grate it on a microplane, if you have one, no peeling necessary)
5 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cans (13.5-oz) coconut milk, light or regular
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
8 whole basil leaves, chopped into ribbons
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 lb. large shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined, tails Off (can Substitute 1 Cup, Chopped Raw Chicken)
Hot cooked Thai Coconut Rice (omit toasted coconut and cilantro)

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chili and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the ginger. Stir frequently until you can smell the garlic, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and coconut milk and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the shrimp is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to your personal preference.

Serve with a large spoonful of hot cooked coconut rice.


SOURCE: Adapted from Domestic Fits

Tropical Smoothie

It is not very often that I try a new combination in my green smoothies that I immediately like and continue to make. So, I was really surprised when I made this the other day and absolutely loved it! I made it like three days in a row (until my cilantro and mangoes were gone). I was a little hesitant about the cilantro but was so glad I tried it. It is so refreshing in this smoothie.

If you don't have a high powered blender, you may have to blend this for a longer time to make sure there aren't pieces of orange floating around. Your other option would be to just juice the orange and use that.

Tropical Smoothie
1 mango, peeled and seed removed
1 cup fresh pineapple
1 whole orange, peeled
2 cups baby spinach
small handful of cilantro
1 cup water (add more to your liking)
handful of ice

Place everything in a blender and blend until liquid and smooth. Add more water as desired.

Chicken Enchiladas

I am so glad I finally got to post these. I didn't think I would ever find (or make) an enchilada that looked or tasted so good. You see me and enchiladas, we don't get along-uhh we didn't until now. Years ago, when I first got married, I searched and searched for a good enchilada recipe and tried a few different ones out. They never ended up any good. I usually didn't like the sauce and they always fell apart on me! After much searching, I came upon these Chicken Enchiladas that had a green sauce and used flour tortillas. I actually really liked them and made them quite a bit for a while. However, there was still something in the back of my head that wanted to find that perfect traditional enchilada recipe.

Well folks, I think I have found it! When I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats a while ago, I bookmarked it because I knew it would be good. Her recipes are always spot on! When I got around to trying it the first time I was blown away by how good they were, especially the sauce. They tasted even better than a traditional enchilada and looked pretty good too. My only complaint the first few times I made these was that the tortillas always broke when I tried to roll them up. Very frustrating; no fault of Annie's though, I just needed to learn how to do it.

I was almost ready to bag the whole roll-it-up way and make it lasagna-style like my other enchiladas when I happened to randomly pick up some freshly made tortillas from a Mexican bakery. Score!

Let me tell you! It made such a difference using the fresh tortillas. They were much more pliable with rolling and filling them up and they didn't break all over the place.

Now, I'm sure I won't be able to get fresh tortillas ALL the time, so I may have to learn a trick or two when using regular store-bough tortillas so they won't break. Or I might just stack instead of roll. Either way this is a keeper! You will want to try these.

Chicken Enchiladas
for the sauce:
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
1 tsp. canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper

3-4 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided (Feel free to substitute mozzarella cheese here, farmers cheese or a soft Mexican cheese such as cojita.)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
Cooking spray


Combine the onion, jalapeno and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste. Add shredded chicken to onion mixture, as well as 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup of each of the shredded cheese and the cilantro. Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Stack half of the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown slightly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SOURCE:Lightly adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from America's Test Kitchen

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

I know I'm a breakfast person, but I almost never make french toast. I don't know why. I like it. I eat it. I just don't really think about it much.

We had some day old french bread and cream in the fridge that I didn't have plans for and needed a home. My brain went right to french toast. And not just regular french toast. Baked french toast. I wanted yummy deliciousness but didn't want to have to stand around dippin' and flippin' all morning. I figured Ree-Pioneer Woman-would have something worth writing home about. And she did. I went right for it.

This stuff does not disappoint man! I cheated on the whole soaking over night part, 'cause, you know I only had patience to wait like 10 minutes before putting it in the oven. It still turned out heavenly. If you have the foresight to put this together the night before, more power to you. All you would have to do in the morning would be toss it in the oven. This would be great for company, or a lazy weekend.

Beware of those ooey-gooey little pieces though, they are dangerous! You'll want to snitch one because it's poking out making the row uneven. Then you'll keep snitching and snitching and before you know it, you've eaten a whole other row. By yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Cinnamon Baked French Toast
For the toast:
1 loaf day old french bread
8 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cups Sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into bite-sized cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.

Mix together eggs, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge several hours or overnight. (Or if you're like me, you can just wait 10 minutes or so, while the oven heats up.)

In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and cut into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in and airtight bag or container the fridge if you're not baking the french toast right away.

When you're ready to bake the french toast, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove pan from fridge and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.




SOURCE: Pioneer Woman

Dulce de Leche Banana Trifle

I have a love-hate relationship with trifles. First of all, I love them because they are totally a fool-proof dessert, you can't mess them up if you tried and they have lots of layers of deliciousness. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, I hate, hate, hate trying to photograph them! I am by no means a great, or even good, photographer, so I have no skills in trying to take a nice picture of these tricky things.

Lately trifle has been my go-to dessert when I need something for a crowd and there is NEVER ANY LEFT! I guess that's a good thing, or I'd be scooping that stuff right out of the bowl and into my mouth. This trifle is no different. I stumbled upon it a while ago but finally found the right occasion to make it a few weeks ago. I was teaching an Italian-themed cooking class at my home for some girls in my church and this just fit.

Seriously, I couldn't believe my mouth when I had the first bite of this stuff-SO delicious! And rich. Don't think you can get away with eating just one bite of it either. And you may just have to add a few more miles on the treadmill for it as well.

I've actually made this a couple of times and I have to admit the first time I made it I accidentally bought sweetened condensed milk instead of dulce de leche. I used it anyway because really, it's the same stuff, just not cooked down as long, and even though it has a different flavor it was still really delicious. So, you know, just use which ever one you want.

Dulce de Leche Banana Trifle
1 box white cake mix
8 ounces mascarpone cheese,
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 can dulce de leche
3 ripe bananas
1 package toffee bits

Make cake mix according to package instructions in a 9x13 baking pan. Cool completely and cut into 1-inch cubes.

In a mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the mascarpone cheese. Slowly add the heavy cream and whisk on high making sure the cream is incorporated into the cheese. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. Whisk until the mixture is thick and forms soft peaks. Add the vanilla and sugar, mix.

In a trifle bowl, layer 1/3 of cake cubes, 1/3 of the dulce de leche, 1/3 of the bananas, 1/3 of the mascarpone cream, and 1/3 of the toffee bits. Repeat two more times. Cover and chill, at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.


SOURCE: Adapted from Stonewall Kitchen

Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce

Goodness we have been eating some fabulous food around here lately. I'm not sure if it's the food that's a little extra special or if it's just we haven't had real food in so long anything and everything sounds soooo delicious!

I was looking at my long line-up of posts waiting to debut and deciding which was the next most delicious thing I could post. It was a hard decision (ok, it really only took me about 3 seconds to decide), but this coconut curry totally won.

This seriously is one of the most tasty meals I have had in a while. (Do I say that a lot, because it sounds a little deja vous.) Even better, it's so easy and quick to prepare...AND my kids gobbled it up! You really can't get better than that.

I love coconut curries. This one has a milder taste, but you could certainly intensify the flavor a bit by adding more curry paste and jalapenos, or better yet, try the smaller Thai chilies if you really want a kick. All the flavors go together so perfectly and completely balance each other out. I like to serve this curry with Jasmine rice, but feel free to use whichever rice you prefer.

Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce
1-2 tsp. red curry paste
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 large red onion, cut into thin wedges (1 cup)
2 fresh jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 13 1/2 - 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
3 Tbsp. snipped fresh basil
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
3 cups hot cooked Jasmine rice

In a medium bowl combine curry paste, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the chili powder. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

In a large frying pan or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, jalapeno peppers, and garlic to wok; cook and stir about 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove onion mixture from wok. Add chicken to the wok. Cook and stir for 4 to 6 minutes or until no longer pink. Return onions, jalapenos and garlic mixture to wok.

Pour the can of coconut milk into the wok and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir and allow to simmer a few minutes, until heated through. Stir in basil and ginger. Cook another minute or two. Serve over hot rice.

SOURCE: Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Orange Cranberry Granola

I'm always looking for new and tasty combinations for my granola. I don't know why I never thought to add orange to my granola, it's so light and refreshing and pairs wonderfully with cranberries.

Granola is one of my breakfast staples. We eat it a lot. I love making my own because it's much cheaper than buying it at the store, I can control the amount of sugar and I know exactly what goes into it. Plus, sometimes, I like to give it an extra healthy boost by adding some ground flax, sesame seeds or wheat germ. I love that my girls enjoy eating granola too. It gives me great satisfaction that they enjoy eating something healthy.

Whether you eat this for breakfast or for an afternoon snack, this deliciously crunchy, slightly sweet granola is sure to be a winner for any member of your family!


Orange Cranberry Granola
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup almonds (whole, chopped, slivered or sliced)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup Honey
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
pinch salt
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, coconut and almonds. In a small microwave safe bowl, add the coconut oil, honey and brown sugar. Heat in microwave about 20-30 seconds until coconut oil is melted. Stir to combine, then add the vanilla extract, salt, orange zest and cinnamon. Stir again until completely combined then pour over the oat mixture. Stir with a long wooden spoon until oat mixture is evenly coated. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, and stirring about every 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. Stir in cranberries and white chocolate. Store in an airtight container.