La Bamba Casserole

La Bamba Casserole will make your mouth want to do the mambo! It is one of my favorite recipes. It just always blows people away whenever I first serve it to them, they love it. This recipe goes way back, again to college, when I found it, made it, loved it, therefore made it for my Spanish class as a demonstration and needless to say I got an A. I love it because its so easy and versatile too. First off it can be as healthy as you want to make it or it can be semi-unhealthy. But since I'm (not on a diet) doing a healthy lifestyle eating, I try to make it the healthy way. And since we love spice I kick up the full spice on this baby.

Menu: La Bamba Casserole and can be served with a side salad and/or tortilla chips

La Bamba Casserole

Ingredients:
1 (5.25-ounce) can whole green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained (aka rotel, hot or mild your choice)
2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped green onions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Cut green chiles in half lengthwise. Arrange chiles in a single layer in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add turkey, onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add diced tomatoes; cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates.

4. Spoon turkey mixture over chiles. Top with corn. Carefully spread beans over corn. Sprinkle cheese over beans.
   

5. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes; top with chopped tomato and green onions.

I just can't express how much I love this dish! I usually add a dollop of sour cream and scoop it up with a few tortilla chips. It works great as a meal but you could just as easily serve this as a dip at a party. Ok I'm going to stop blabbering and scarf up this yummy yummy!

Recipe and photo courtesy of CookingLight

Honey Chipotle BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

With summer winding down the time for backyard barbeques is running out but with this yummy meal you can savor the summer even in the dead of winter. Oh but who are we kidding, its still 90 plus degrees outside and here in Texas we've still got plenty of time. So go ahead and pour a glass of ice cold tea to wash this summer favorite down.

Menu: Honey Chipotle BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Green Bean & New Potato Salad, corn on the cob, and of course ice cold sweet tea

Honey Chipotle BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup canned tomato puree
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (1 1/2-ounce) sandwich rolls
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced
4 (1/8-inch-thick) slices red onion

1. Ok our changes start at the very beginning. Instead of doing this in a saucepan dump it all in the crockpot, then move to step 2 after about an hour. Combine water, 1 teaspoon cumin, 4 sliced garlic cloves, and chicken in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Drain, and place chicken on a cutting board. Cut chicken across grain into thin slices; keep warm.

2. Remove 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from can; set aside. Remove 2 chipotle chiles from can; finely chop and set aside. Reserve remaining chiles and adobo sauce for another use.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Add 1 teaspoon cumin; sauté 1 minute. Ok here's the second change, now dump the sauted spices in the crockpot and then continue to dump remainder of ingredients in making sure to stir well. Stir in tomato puree; cook 4 minutes or until mixture thickens to a pastelike consistency, stirring constantly. Stir in reserved 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, 2 chopped chipotle chiles, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add sliced chicken to sauce; simmer for 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. You want to allow the chicken to cook in the pot for about 3 hours after this, your time might vary but you want a nice thick bbq sauce. Don't let it get dry or pasty.
   

4. After chicken has cooked, take it out and slice it up, then return to crockpot and mix with sauce again.
   

5. Preheat broiler.

6. Split rolls in half; arrange in a single layer, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 1 minute or until lightly toasted. Remove top halves of rolls from baking sheet. Divide chicken mixture evenly among bottom halves of rolls, and top chicken mixture evenly with cheese. Broil chicken-topped rolls 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; top with onion and top roll halves. Serve immediately.

Green Bean and New Potato Salad

To streamline the preparation of this salad, cook the potatoes and green beans in the same pot of simmering water. The beans take less time, so add them to the pot after the cooked potatoes are scooped out. You can combine the mayonnaise dressing and store it in the refrigerator overnight. Toss with the potatoes and remaining ingredients just before serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
• 2 cups (1-inch) cut green beans (about 3/4 pound)
• 2/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Dash of salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. (I'd cook the corn on the cob at this time too) Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon; place on a cutting board. Let cool to room temperature. Add beans to simmering potato cooking water; cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; let cool slightly. Cut potatoes into quarters.

2. Combine mayonnaise and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add potatoes, beans, onion, and basil; toss gently to combine.

Now everything is ready and I know you're just dying to take that first big bite, but be sure to pour that ice tea 'cause you might need it after you gobble up this spicy sandwich.

Mexican Lasagna

Pastor Ryan's Mexican Lasagna

This recipe is amazing and again, you just can't go wrong with mexican food in our house. My hubby jokes that if its got tortillas, meat, cheese and (usually cream of mushroom soup) its a WIN. Well this recipe doesn't have cream of mushroom soup but it scored big points. Since this recipe came courtesy of the Pioneer Woman's Pastor Ryan, I'm going to redirect you to the blog posting with great step-by-step directions with pictures. Now remember I have already cut our quantities in half so try not to get confused.


Ingredients:

Paprika, Cumin, and Chili Powder to make up your own “Taco Seasoning”

1 box of chicken broth
1 can of salsa verde
1 can of enchilada sauce
3 tomatoes
1 1/2 white onions
1 head of garlic
1 bag of mexican blend cheese
6 flour tortillas
1 to 2 lbs ground beef (we have an overstock of venison so we used that instead)
2 cups uncooked white rice

Now here are your directions...... MEXICAN LASAGNA

Red Chile Pork Tacos

At my house you can never go wrong with tacos, or nachos or how 'bout anything mexican or TexMex. I guess its only natural with us living in Texas and so close to great authentic flavors. And these tacos are a favorite, there's something about the spicy yet sweet pork and the crunchy taco shells. Its making my mouth water just thinking about it! I'm changing up the directions a little bit because as you know we've been in a crazy heat wave and I don't dare use my oven. So everything's going in the crockpot.

Menu: Red Chile Pork Tacos, fruit salsa and black beans(go ahead throw in a frozen margarita, I promise not to tell)

Red Chile Pork Tacos with Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 cups thinly sliced onion
8 hard taco shells
1/2 cup chopped tomato
8 teaspoons chopped green onions

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Or set your crockpot to low.
   

2. Combine first 3 ingredients; rub evenly over pork. Here's where I'm changing it, throw it in the crockpot for about 8 to 10 hours, you know the drill. Place pork on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Remove pork from oven; let sit 5 minutes before slicing. If you're preparing the night before, just pop in the fridge and when you're ready for dinner reheat and continue to step 3.
   

3. While pork cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add onion; cover and cook 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Uncover and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4. Fill each taco shell with about 2 ounces pork, 3 tablespoons sautéed onion, 1 tablespoon tomato, and 1 teaspoon green onions.

Now I'm not a banana fan, actually can't stand the smell or taste of them but my hubby and son love them with a passion and they both need to eat more fruits and veggies so this one's for them.

Fruit salsa: Combine 2 cups sliced banana, 1/2 cup diced pineapple, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 diced seeded jalapeño peppers in a large bowl; toss gently.

Because I won't eat the salsa I throw together a 2nd side dish. Open up a can ob black beans and drain them. Dice up a red bell pepper and a jalapeno. Add a few handfuls of them to the beans and heat them up. After warming the beans, put a dollop of sour cream and there you go.

Grab a plate of tacos, add your side dish and go to town.

Recipe and picture courtesy of my favorite website CookingLight.com

Maple Glazed Salmon

I'm feeling fishy! Let me preface this with the fact that I have only recently became a fish eater. Oh I'd gladly eat tuna fish out of the can, yes its very yummy and a great way to lose weight. Oh and I'd eat swordfish because lets be honest, it tastes like steak when grilled. And call me strange but I could eat my weight in sushi. I think it had to do with the fact that raw fish just doesn't taste fishy. But no not until the last year have I became a fan of fish. Now I can't eat a large variety of fish but I'm loving salmon and so I've started fixing more salmon dishes lately. And one of my favorite is this quick fix meal. I can't wait for dinner tonight!

Menu: Maple Glazed Salmon, Scrumptious Sweet Potatoes and Orange Zest Broccoli

Maple Glazed Salmon

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon maple syrup

1. Prepare grill, heating to medium.

2. Combine first 5 ingredients. Sprinkle fish with salt; rub with paprika mixture.

3. Place fish on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 7 minutes. Drizzle fish with syrup; grill 1 minute or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Scrumptious Sweet Potatoes
I usually like to buy the prepackage sweet potatoes, you know the kind that are wrapped up in plastic. They have the microwave directions on the side and only take 5 minutes to cook. So I suggest looking for these at your grocery store, otherwise bake your sweet potatoes in the oven.

While the potatoes are baking combine a few tbsps of butter with brown sugar and chopped pecans, you could even throw in a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and chili powder. After the potatoes are done, split them open and drop a tbsp of your butter mixture in and let the ooey gooey goodness melt all over them.

Broccoli
Another quick fix convenience, I buy the steam-fresh packages of frozen broccoli. Pop it in the microwave and out comes perfectly steamed broccoli. But to dress it up, while its steaming, I take an orange and get some yummy zest. Put the zest aside and then cut the orange in half. After the broccoli has steamed put it in a big bowl, add the juice of 1 half orange and the zest. Mix it up and you're ready to go.

Now everything is ready to go so plate and serve!

Recipe and picture courtesy of my favorite website CookingLight.com