Chili's South Western Egg Rolls

South Western Egg Rolls

Ingrediants:
1 chicken breast fillet
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp minced red bell peppers (optional)
2 tbsp minced green onion
1/3 c. frozen corn
¼ c. canned black beans, rinsed and
drained
2 tbsp frozen spinach, thawed and
drained
2 tbsp diced, canned jalapeno peppers
½ tbsp minced fresh parsley (dried is fine
too)
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp salt
Dash of cayenne pepper (important that
your spices are fresh)
¾ c. shredded Monterey jack cheese
5 >7-inch flour tortillas

Method
1. Cook chicken on the stove top
2. Set chicken aside until cool enough to handle, then shred.
3. Preheat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and sauté until tender.
5. Dice the cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to the pan.
6. Add the corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper to the pan and cook for another 4 minutes.
7. Stir well so that the spinach separates and is incorporated into the mixture.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese.
9. Stir until the cheese is melted.
10. Wrap tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes or until hot.
11. Spoon approximately one-fifth of the mixture into center of a tortilla.
12. Fold in the ends and then roll the tortilla over the mixture.
13. Roll the tortilla very tight, then pierce with a toothpick to hold together.
14. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls.
15. Arrange the eggrolls on a plate, cover the plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.
16. While the eggrolls freeze, prepare the avocado-ranch dipping sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
17. Preheat 4-6 c. of oil to 375°.
18. Deep fry the eggrolls in hot oil for 12-15 minutes and drain on paper towels or a rack for about 2 minutes.
19. Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise; arrange on a plate around a small bowl of the dipping sauce.
20. Garnish the dipping sauce with the chopped tomato and onion.

Note: If you don’t want to heat everything together as shown in the recipe you can just fry them and stick them in the microwave for a minute to melt the cheese and blend the flavors. We normally multiplies the recipe by at least 6 and freeze them.

Mediterranean Chicken & Artichoke with Spinach & Toasted Pine Nut Couscous

This is my own Creation.
Mediterranean Chicken, Artichoke, and Spinach with Toasted Pine nut Couscous.
Ingrediants:
2 lbs Chicken breasts
1 Can Artichoke Hearts w/ Brine
1 med. Onion Chopped
1 Clove Chopped Garlic
1 Can (14 oz) reduced sodium Chicken Broth
1 Medium Zucchini
1 Cup Halved Grap Tomatoes or 1/2 Cup Roasted Red Tomatoes
2 Cups Fresh Spinach (about 2 handfuls)
1 Box Toasted Pine Nut Mediterranean flavored couscous
2 Tbs. Mediterranean Spice
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar

Chopped Parsely for Garnish

Method:
In a slow cooker combine chicken broth, chicken breasts, can of Artichoke hearts, onion, garlic, and spices. Cook for 3-4 hours
Place Chopped Zucchini, Tomatoes, Spinach, and Balsamic Vinegar in pot. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until cooked completely.
Remove Chicken & vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Stir Couscous mix into the remaining liquid. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until the remaining liquid is absorbed.

Serve Chicken and Veggies over Coucous. Sprinkle Chopped Parsely over top.
Enjoy!

Soba Noodle Bowl

Ingrediants:

•1 pound Soba Noodles (Soba are buckwheat noodles used in Japanese cooking. Found in the oriental section of your local grocer. Can also substitute with Whole Wheat Spagetti noodles)
•Salt and freshly ground pepper
•1 tablespoons olive or grapseed oil
•1 pound medium shrimp, tails off, deveined
•4 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
•2 handfuls of string beans (about 1/2 pound), cut lengthwise into strips
•1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
•1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
•3 cloves garlic, chopped
•1/2 cup orange marmalade
•1/4 cup Tamari (dark soy sauce)
•1/2 cup chicken stock
•2 teaspoons hot sauce
•1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)

Preparation:
Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodles and cook to al dente.

Place a large skillet over high heat and add 1 tablespoon canola oil, once around the pan. Add the shrimp and vegetables and stir fry for 4-5 minutes until shrimp are pink and firm.

While the vegetables are cooking, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the marmalade, Tamari, chicken stock, hot sauce and some freshly ground black pepper.

Drain the soba noodles and toss them with all the ingredients in the skillet. Pour the sauce over the pan, toss to combine and then adjust the flavors – you can add a splash more stock or soy or hot sauce to your taste. Garnish noodles with toasted sesame seed sprinkles, if desired.

Leftover Pot Roast= Beef Tacos

Shredded Pot Roast Tacos
Ingredients:
•1 pound leftover pot roast Whatever type you have. (roast needs to be able to shred)
•1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
•1 cup beef stock
•2 teaspoons chili powder
•2 teaspoons cumin
•Tortillas
•Lettuce
•Cilantro
•Sour cream
•Avocado
•Lime wedges
Method:
I love using leftovers and creating another meal. If you have lots of meat for the tacos, it can be frozen and reheated when you are ready to eat.
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the leftover pot roast, shredding it as it becomes warm.
2. Add tomatoes, stock, chili powder and cumin. Stir ingredients together and cover. Let roast simmer in the sauce for about 15 minutes, until heated through and the roast is completely shredded.
3. Serve taco meat in warmed tortillas and top with your choice of garnishes.

Sloppy Joes Gumbo Style

I swear these Sloppy Joes are the reason my husband married me. The first time I made them he had 3. Add a green salad and you have a delicious meal.

Ingrediants:
1 lb. Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
1 med. Onion Chopped
1/2 Green/Orange/or Red Bell Pepper (Orange is especially good)
1 Cup Ketchup
1/8 Cup Mustard
1 Can Chicken Gumbo Soup
1/4 Cup Water
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic minced (or substitute 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Pepper


Method:
Brown Meat and add onions and Bell pepper to saute.
Add the rest of the ingrediants and simmer for 1/2 to 1 hour. Stirring occasionally.
Serve on Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns. Yummo

Quinoa with Carmelized Crimini mushrooms - Asian Style

Quinoa: Pronounced Keen-wah
Very Healthy Ancient Grain that originated in South America.
If you are attempting to increase your fiber and low-fat protein intake by consuming more whole-grain foods, quinoa is your ticket to success. One cup of cooked quinoa contains 5.2 grams and 8.1 grams of dietary fiber and protein, respectively. In addition, it contains high levels of folate. As much as I enjoy brown rice dishes, I don't always have time to wait 45 minutes while the brown rice cooks. Quinoa, on the other hand, takes a mere 20 minutes to reach a stage where the tender, nutty grain is ready to serve.

Ingredients:
•2 tsp olive oil, divided
•1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
•2 garlic cloves, minced
•1 cup quinoa
•2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
•1 tsp sesame oil
•8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
•1 tbsp soy sauce
•1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
Method:


In a medium saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon canola oil over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic. Sauté, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Add quinoa and stir to combine with the ginger and garlic. Add vegetable or chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook all of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon canola oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft and brown in spots, stirring occasionally. The trick with mushrooms is to cook them in a skillet that is big enough to give the mushrooms to room. If they are too crowded, the mushrooms will begin to release all of their liquid and steam, rather than brown. To optimize the caramelization, do not stir too often.

Stir the mushrooms into the cooked quinoa, along with 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Garnish with diced red bell pepper and serve.

Serves 4.

Blackened Chicken & Sweet Cilantro Dressing

Blackened Chicken
Ingredients:
•4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
•2 Tablespoons blackening seasoning
•5 - 6 c. Romaine lettuce, chopped
•1 cup diced watermelon, peaches or blueberries (any combination will work)
Method:


Preheat grill. Pour seasoning in a gallon size zip top bag. Dry chicken breasts and place 2 at a time in the zip top bag. Zip the bag shut and shake until chicken is evenly coated with seasoning. Place chicken on preheated grill and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from grill and slice. Serve over lettuce and fruit. Drizzle with Sweet Cilantro Lime Dressing.
Sweet Cilantro Dressing
Ingredients:
•¼ c. cilantro
•½ c. light mayo
•¼ c. honey
•¼ c. cream
•1 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
Method:


Blend all ingredients together in a blender until nicely pureed. Serve over blackened chicken salad.

Mediterranean Piadina Pizza

Grilled Mediterranean Piadina Pizza
Ingredients:
•Piadina Dough:
•4 cups flour
•3 tbsp olive oil
•1-1/4 cups warm water
•Generous pinch of salt
•Garlic infused olive oil
•Toppings:

•Spreadable Feta Cheese
•Prepared Basil Pesto
•Marinated Red Peppers
•Marinated Artichoke Hearts
•Sweet grape tomatoes, halved
•Fresh Basil, snipped
Method:


Mix together water, oil, and salt. Mound flour on a work surface and make a well in the center. Slowly pour water mixture into the well and mix together with fingertips, adding a little more water if needed. Knead dough for 5-6 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough may also be made with an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment. Roll dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for about a half an hour. Divide dough into small portions and roll out each one until very thin; about 1/16 of an inch. The oil in the dough should keep the dough from sticking.
Heat grill to medium heat. Brush grill with olive oil and cook dough on one side for about 3-5 minutes or until browned. Turn over and remove from grill. On cooked side, layer on feta cheese, pesto, marinated artichokes, marinated red peppers, and sliced grape tomatoes, sprinkle with fresh basil and return to grill for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Makes about 4-6 servings

Texas Roadhouse Pork Chop Peppercorn Sauce

Roasted Garlic Peppercorn Sauce

1 whole head garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground mixed peppercorns
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Slice off the top third of the head of garlic so the tips of the cloves are exposed. Place in a small baking dish, and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the dish. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the garlic, then cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix together the flour and milk so there are no lumps, and pour into the pan with the butter. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skin, and mash. Stir garlic into the sauce, and season with salt, peppercorns, and nutmeg.

Cafe Rio Creamy Cilantro Dressing

CAFE RIO CREAMY CILANTRO DRESSING

•1/2 c. light mayo
•1/2 c. FF sour cream
•1/2 c. sugar
•1/2 cup cilantro
•1/4 tsp salt
•1/2 tsp cumin
•2 cloves garlic
•2Tbsp lime juice
•1 pkg of Ranch dressing dry mix
•8 oz jar of salsa verde (tomatilla salsa)

Mix together & wa-la.

Banana Nut Flax Bread

Ingrediants:
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (if sweetened, lower sugar to 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup(approximately 2-3 tbsp) fat free plain yogurt
1 cup mashed bananas
7 tbsp (about 1/2 cup) ground flax seed
1/2 cup natural sugar
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Lg. Eggs
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts

Directions:
Cream together the applesauce, eggs, sugar,vanilla, and yogurt.
Add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, walnuts, and mashed bananas.
Mix until combined.
Pour into bread pan and bake at 375*F for about a 40 min.

Easy and Yummy Enchilada Sauce

Homemade Enchilada Sauce
•2 cups chicken broth
•4 Tbs Chili Powder
•1 tsp. ground cumin
•2 heaping tsp. garlic powder (with no salt added)
•3/4 tsp. salt
•1 pinch ground cinnamon (less than 1/16 tsp.)
•1/3 tsp. sugar
•5 Tbs. cold water
•5 Tbs. white flour

Directions:

In a 2 quart sauce pan add the chicken broth, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, cinnamon and sugar (the sugar is a little secret to eliminate any bitter taste from the chili powder).

Use a whisk to mix everything well. Heat to a boil, reduce heat to a low boil and cook for 3 minutes.

Whisk frequently to make sure all spices dissolve. This is important for flavor and a nice smooth sauce.

While the sauce is on a slow simmer/boil, add 5 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl.

With another whisk mix 1 tablespoon at a time of flour. Whisk vigorously to avoid lumps. If you have lumps here, you will definitely have lumps in your sauce.

After 3 minutes of cooking sauce, turn the heat up to high. Very slowly, pour the flour mixture into the boiling sauce. Here you must whisk the sauce vigorously while adding the flour to avoid lumps.

After all the flour is added, continue to whisk for one minute. You can turn the heat down to medium during this time. Just make sure the sauce is boiling.

Turn off the heat, this enchilada sauce recipe is done.

You will notice that as this sauce sits it will form a "skin" on the surface. This is normal and in fact the longer the sauce sits the thicker this skin becomes. All you have to do is peel the skin off and throw it away.

As you can see, this enchilada sauce recipe is very quick to make.

So go on, make some cheese enchiladas tonight for dinner.

Chicken & Cheese Enchilada Chowder

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

In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, drained tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.
Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Cut chicken into bite sized cubes. Cook over medium heat until cooked all the way through. Add into soup.
Stir in shredded cheeses. Can be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips.

Also check out my Easy Enchilada sauce if you dont have a can in your pantry.

Crockpot Jamaican Pork Chops

I have been looking through my pantry for something I could make with Pork chops. We love the Jamaican Jerk spice when used at resturants and bought some. I thought it was time to give it a try. This recipe is my very own and I tried hard to bring out the yummy Jamaican Jerk Spice.
Ingrediants:
5 Pork Chops (Frozen or Fresh)
1 Can Stewed Tomatoes
1/2 Cup frozen corn
1/2 Cup Dry Black Beans or 1 Can drained
1 Cup Sliced Bell Peppers (Frozen is easier. Tri-color)
1 Small Onion sliced
1 Can Chicken Stock
1 Garlic clove smashed
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Directions:
Place everything in the crockpot starting with the pork chops. Season liberally with the Jamacian Jerk Seasoning. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours. Serve over Brown Rice.

Crockpot Apple Cranberry Pork Chops

I came up with the ingrediants for this yummy and sweet Pork Chop Dish. Enjoy!

Ingrediants:
4 Boneless Pork Chops
1 Can Cranberry Sauce
1 Can Applesauce (8oz.)
1/2 Cup Cranberry Juice or Apple Juice
1/4 Cup Dried Cranberry's (Optional)
1/8 Cup Sugar (Optional)
1 TBS Dijon Mustard or Spicy Brown Mustard
1 TBS Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (Optional, but if withhold I would recommend 1/2 tsp of Cloves)
1/4 Cup Cold Water
2 TBS Corn Starch
1/4 Tsp Salt
Dash of Pepper

Method:
Put Pork Chops in Crockpot. Add the Cranberry and Applesauce to the crockpot, no need to mix beforehand just stir in pot. Add Juice, Dried Cranberry's, Sugar, and Mustard, and Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. Cook in Crockpot for 4-6 hrs on high, or 7-8 hours on low or until the meat is tender.
When cooking is complete mix together the cold water and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add in the cooking juices and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in Salt and Pepper and Serve over Chops.

This is also really good served over brown rice or whole grain noodles. Stuffing also makes a great side dish with this meal.

Remember, one serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards.

Spinach Artichoke Pasta

Ingredients:
8 oz. pasta, cooked according to package instruction
1 large or 2 small chicken breast, cubed
2 t. veg. or olive oil
½ C. onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper
1 T. butter
1 can artichokes, chopped
1 C. packed chopped spinach
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 C. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. sour cream
½ C. chicken stock
½ C. half and half
6 oz. parmesan cheese, grated
2 T. hot sauce
salt & pepper

Method:
1. Cook pasta, drain and set aside.
2. In a large skilled heat oil or medium/high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for a couple minutes or until onion starts to become translucent.

3. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until chicken is done and juices run clear.

4. Add the butter and cook until melted. Add the artichokes, spinach and tomatoes.

5. Stir in cream cheese, and sour cream. Cook until they are melted and incorporated into the mixture.

6. Add the chicken stock, half and half, parmesan cheese, and hot sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until heated through. Salt and pepper to taste.

7. Pour the mixture into a large casserole dish, top with additional parmesan cheese and bake at 350 .