Chicken Nachos

So this is not exactly very healthy but, it's a great meal for game night or even just an appetizer. Serves 2-3 as a meal or 4-5 as an appetizer.  This is the way I make them so add or subtract anything you want!

1/2 bag good tortilla chips

grated cheese of your choice, I use a mexican blend

1/2 can black beans

pico de gallo, recipe follows

1-2 boneless, skinless cooked chicken breasts, shredded

chopped cilantro

1 ripe avocado

green or red salsa, for dipping

sour cream, for dipping

Lay out tortilla chips on baking sheet covered with foil.  Warm the oven on the broil setting. Sprinkle the chips with about half of the cheese, then add beans, pico, & chicken. Follow with the other half of the cheese. Broil in oven until cheese is melted and chips are slightly golden.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cilantro and avocado.

Serve with salsa and sour cream. Enjoy!

Pico de gallo

1 ripe medium sized tomato, diced

1/2 small onion, diced

1/4 to 1/2 jalepano, diced small

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

juice of 1/2 lime

Combine all ingredients and set aside for 10-15 minutes to let flavors meld. 

Mexican Fiesta Meal

I made this dinner tonight and it was actually pretty good. . . if I do say so myself. I'll definitely try it again.  Sorry this pictures are so terrible, 

I was in a hurry!

Creamy Verde Chicken Enchiladas

Prepare Chicken*:

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt & Pepper

5 garlic cloves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Season chicken with salt and pepper; place with garlic on a baking sheet.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until done.  Cool chicken and shred meat.

*You may skip this step and use a roasted chicken from the market. It works just as well.

32 oz. medium green tomatillo salsa (homemade or store bought, I used Trader Joe's and it was great!)

3/4 C. heavy cream

12 corn tortillas (6 inch)

3 C. monterey jack cheese

1/2 C. fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large bowl, combine salsa and cream.  Peel and chop garlic.  In another large bowl, combine chicken, garlic, and 1/2 cup salsa mixture.

Lay tortillas flat on damp paper towels and cover with damp paper towels. Microwave for 1 minute to soften.  One at a time, dip tortillas in salsa mixture and fill with 1/3 cup chicken.  Roll up and arrange, seam side down in a 9x13 baking dish.  Top with remaining salsa mixture and cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until cheese is browned and salsa is bubbling.  Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

2 C. uncooked basmati rice, rinsed

2 T. butter

3 to3 1/2 C. chicken broth (depending on if you like a more firm or more soft rice)

salt & pepper to taste

2 small limes, juice & zest

1/4 to 1/3 C. chopped fresh cilantro (depending on how much cilantro you like)

Melt butter with rice in skillet.  Add broth, salt & pepper, juice & zest of limes, and cilantro.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat & cover.  Simmer on low for about 20 minutes or until desired doneness occurs.  Optional, add a little tomatillo salsa on top for extra flavor & garnish.  Enjoy!

MoNkEy BrEaD

This is an old favorite. I happen to LOVE breakfast and anything SWEET is perfect!

4 cans refrigerated Biscuits(about 40)

1 1/2 T. Cinnamon

1/2 C. Butter

1 C. Sugar

1 C. Brown sugar

Butter a bundt (or loaf) pan and preheat oven to 350.  Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces.  Combine sugar and cinnamon in large ziplock bag and shake until well mixed.  Add biscuits and shake to coat. Place half of the biscuits in the buttered pan.

Bring brown sugar and butter to a boil. Cool 10 minutes and pour half over biscuits in pan.  Add the rest of the biscuits and the other half of the sauce.

Bake for 45 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes in pan. 

Inverse on serving plate and serve.

Avocado and Jicama Salad

This is one of my absolute favorite summer salad recipes. It's refreshing and delicious. This is a Martha Stewart recipe and it was one of the first of her recipes I ever tried.  It sparked the beginning of my interest in cooking as a young teenager.

1 small jicama

2 ripe avocados

juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

1/2 small red onion-minced

1. Peel the jicama and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut the slices into thin strips. Set aside.

2. Cut avocados in half lengthwise.  Remove the pit.  Peel avocado halves.  Squeeze lemon juice over avocados to prevent browning.

3. Whisk together vinegar, oil, salt, & pepper.

4. Make a bed of jicama on 4 plates.  Top each with one avocado half.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with onion and pour dressing into avocado cavities and around avocados.

*Optional: To serve the salad for a group.  Cut the avocados and onion into slices, lengthwise.  Combine all ingredients & dressing, toss, and serve.

Lemon Bars

So this one reminds me of my dear Meredith.  We used to make these growing up all the time. We have been having a ridiculous heat wave...I know that sounds bad when some of you are suffering with snow but, no AC means it is HOT at a scorching 90 degrees.  

Not quite ready for the heat yet.

These are just the refreshing treat you need on a warm day.

Crust:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 cups flour

dash salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Press into 9x13 pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Filling:

4 eggs-slightly beaten

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In medium bowl, combine flour and sugar.  Mix in eggs and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until smooth.  Pour into crust and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

HoMeMaDe OREO'S

These are delish.  They went sooo fast I didn't get a chance to take a picture.  This recipe makes quite a few cookies, you could half it if you only want a few.

Cookies:

2 packages Devil Food cake mix

4 eggs

1/2 C. shortening

1/2 C. butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cake mix, eggs, shortening, and butter with electric mixer.  Using a small ice cream scoop, place balls of dough on cookie sheet.  Flatten dough with fingers to make smooth.  Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Let cool an additional 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting:

6 T. cream cheese

1/2 C. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

3 C. powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients with electric mixer until thoroughly combined. Spread frosting between 2 similar sized cookies. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Brownies

This is one of those celestial pairings...peanut butter and brownies.   These happen to be Tyler's two favorites and combining them seems like a no brainer.Usually I make them from the box but, I thought i'd go all out and bake from scratch, they just taste so much better.

FOR THE BATTER

• 1/2 c.  unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 oz. good-quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 4 oz.  good-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp. good-quality vanilla extract
• FOR THE FILLING
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 c. smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. good-quality pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 8-inch square baking pan ; set pan aside.

Make batter: Put butter and chocolates in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted. Let cool slightly.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, and set aside.Whisk granulated sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs, and whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture; stir until well incorporated.

Make filling: Stir together butter, confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.  Pour one-third of batter into prepared pan, and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Place dollops of filling (about 1 tablespoon each) about 1 inch apart on top of batter. Drizzle remaining batter on top, and gently spread to fill pan. Place dollops of remaining filling on top.With a butter knife, gently swirl filling into batter, running knife lengthwise and crosswise through layers. 

Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15minutes.  Enjoy with a tall glass of milk!