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

Pan-Seared Salmon with Pineapple-Jalapeno Relish

I like to keep from getting bogged down in the chicken rut by making sure that we do a fish at least one night every week, sometimes it goes every two weeks. But it still helps to keep our menu fresh and fun. I really like this recipe because its sweet yet spicy and when paired with coconut rice your taste buds don't believe that you're eating healthy!

Menu: Pan-Seared Salmon with Pineapple-Jalapeno Relish and coconut rice

Pan-Seared Salmon with Pineapple-Jalapeno Relish

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped pineapple
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, chili powder, and black pepper, stirring well; sprinkle evenly over fish. Add fish to pan, skin side up; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with pineapple mixture.

Quick Coconut Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked basmati rice
• 1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped green onions

To prepare rice, rinse with cold water; drain. Combine rice, coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; stir once. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Let stand 10 minutes; stir in onions.

Super yummy and super simple salmon dinner. Now eat up!

Recipe and photo courtesy of CookingLight

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

Black Bean Quesadillas w/Corn Salsa

Beat the mexican night blahs with this great recipe. My husband is usually the first one to ask "where's the meat" but even he is a fan of these great healthy quesadillas. I try to make this on a Monday or Thursday night since the recipe calls for red bell peppers and their shelf life (at least in my fridge) is not more than a few days. This recipe for dinner is from one of my favorite sites - Cooking Light.

The Menu
Black Bean Quesadillas w/Corn Salsa
Salsamole & Tortilla Chips
Southwest Style Ensalada
Spanish Style Rice *optional addition


Black Bean Quesadillas w/Corn Salsa

Heating all of the quesadillas at the same time in the oven is
faster than cooking them one at a time in a skillet.


Quesadillas:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (3 ounces) preshredded Mexican blend cheese

Salsa:
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, chopped

To prepare the quesadillas, preheat the broiler.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup cilantro, and beans; cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Place tortillas on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Top each tortilla with 1/2 cup bean mixture and 3 tablespoons cheese; fold in half. Lightly coat tops with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts and tortillas begin to brown. Cut each tortilla into 3 wedges.

To prepare salsa, combine corn and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve with quesadillas.

Salsamole & Tortilla Chips

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 ripe peeled avocado, seeded and coarsely mashed
1 medium tomato, chopped

Combine the red onion, lime juice, cider vinegar, salt, garlic, and serrano chile in a medium bowl. Add cilantro, avocado, and tomato; stir well. Serve immediately.

Southwest Style Ensalada

I just buy a bagged salad, add a tomato, cucumber and red onions. Our family loves ranch dressing so to spice up the dressing I add a few shots of tabasco sauce and mix. Viola, fast and easy southwest flair to your standard salad.

*For an additional side you can serve your favorite boxed brand of spanish style rice and add a can of drained and rinsed tomatoes. Adding rice adds more starch to this already full meal though so please note that the health factor for this meal will decrease.