Cheddar Jalapeno Corn Bread

I was trying to find a mexican side dish that was not rice, and this is what I came across.  It is moist, and has a "kick" to it, which I am a big fan of :)  The recipe comes from Miss Ina Garten.  I will be making this again, like I said, it's a good alternative to your typical side dish of rice, and would be excellent with things like


Mexican Chicken with Jalapeno Popper Sauce

Chicken Crockpot Taco Soup

Southwest Shepherd's Pie

Bear's White Bean Chicken Chili

Pepperjack Potato Soup

Cheddar Jalapeno Corn Bread

3 cups flour 
1 cup yellow cornmeal 
1/4 cup sugar 
2 tablespoons baking powder 
2 teaspoons salt 
2 cups milk 
3 eggs, lightly beaten 
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup sliced scallions, divided
3 tablespoons fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

Directions
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and butter. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until most of the lumps are dissolved. Do not overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated cheddar cheese, about 1/3 cup scallions and the jalapenos.  Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.  Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. 

Chicken and Chiles

There are a few recipes similar to this I have on my list to try, and I decided to give this one a whirl first.  It comes from On My Menu.  It was good, not wonderful as is.  I am posting it because I think it would make a wonderful burrito filling down the road.  For some reason, just putting it over rice wasn't enough for me!  It had good flavor, and like I said in a burrito with some guac, cheese, sour cream, and cilantro....it would be delish!


-2-3 chicken breasts cubed 
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (4 oz) chopped green chiles
- 1 tsp. chili pepper
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- hot cooked rice
Toppings: sour cream, cheese, sliced avocado

Directions:
- Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Coat a large non-stick frying pan with no-stick spray. Add the chicken and cook over medium heat for five minutes or until the pieces begin to brown. Set aside until the chicken is cool enough to handle.
- In the same pan, combine the oil, onions, garlic, and 2 T. of the broth. Cook stirring frequently for 5-6 minutes until the onions are soft.
- Add the tomato sauce, beans and remaining broth to the pan. Stir to mix well. Add the chiles, chili powder, cumin and reserved chicken. Bring to boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. or until the chicken is tender and the liquid has thickened.
- Serve over rice and top as desired!

Cranberry Orzo

Another one from the Canyon Ranch.  Orzo is basically a rice shaped pasta, and cooks up quick.  I loved the addition of cranberries, it was perfect with the Chicken with Orange Marmalade and some steamed broccoli.  So if you are looking for a new side dish, this one comes highly recommended!

(This recipe doesn't make very much, so I doubled it.)

3/4 tsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. diced yellow onions
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2/3 c. dried orzo pasta
3/4 c. chicken stock (I needed to add more because the orzo was not fully cooked)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
pinch of pepper
3 Tbsp. dried cranberries

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Saute onions and garlic until onions are transluscent.  Add the orzo and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown.

Add the chicken stock and simmer, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost absorbed.  Romove from heat and stir in salt, pepper, and cranberries.

Chicken with Orange Marmalade

A few months back I went to Baltimore to watch my Aunt's kids while whe went to the Canyon Ranch with her hubby down in Florida.  It is basically a healthy based resort, offering lots of healthy food, and lots of exercise based activities from what I can gather.  It sounds awesome!  In any case, she brought me home a cookbook from there, which is filled with lots of yummy recipes, this one included.  It is so simple, but so good, and good for you :)  The description of the dish says it is a favorite of their guests, so it had to be good!  We did as it suggested and served it with Cranberry Orzo.

1/4 c. orange marmalade
2 tsp. lemon juice
four 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Stir together orange marmalade and lemon juice in small bowl. Set aside.

Season chicken breasts with the salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Sear chicken for 1 mintue on each side.

Transfer chicken to a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until internal temp reads 165 degrees.

Serve with 1 Tbsp. of orange marmalade mixture.

Banana Smoothie

I have been without a blender for 6 months...I'm not sure how  managed that!  I was so excited when we finally got one and I could start making my fruit smoothies again...they are always my favorite for breakfast.  This one was pretty good, although I love this smoothie recipe the best!  This one comes from Real Mom Kitchen.  It is a great (and healthy) way to get rid of some of those bananas browning on your counter :)

1 cup milk (I used skim)
1 cup ice (I used less because my banana was frozen and I didn't need this much)
1 banana (I used frozen)
1/2 tsp almond extract (I thought this was too strong...I'll use half this amount next time)
1 tsp. sugar (you may need a little more if the banana isn’t sweet enough)

Combine ingredient in blender and blend until smooth.

Skinny No Bake Cheesecake

Love cheesecake, hate the calories?  Well my friends, I have found the perfect solution for you!  I have been loving this site called Skinny Taste, which has many traditional recipes, only the "skinny" version.  This cheesecake doesn't taste "skinny", but only has 239 calories per slice (another one of the nice features, the calories are calculated for you).  It is lighter than a traditional cheesecake and is simply awesome!  Give this a try with some fresh fruit, you won't be sorry :)

8 oz Cool Whip Free
8 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
9 inch reduced fat Graham Cracker Crust
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese, lemon and sugar for a few minutes until fluffy. Add Cool Whip and whip until smooth. Spoon mixture into pie crust and chill for a few hours, until firm.

Spinach, Bacon, and Ham Quiche

So this was my first experience making quiche.  It turned out quite tasty :)  This recipe came from Dish Delish, and it is awesome.  Being my first time, I didn't let it set long enough before cutting it and thought it wasn't done because it looked a little liquidy.  After letting it sit for about 15-20 minutes it was perfect.  I definitely halved this one and only made one quiche for me and the hubsters tongiht.  He liked it as well, probably because it is packed full of meat!


½ lb. bacon
10 oz. package spinach
1 c. sour cream (I used light)
salt and pepper to taste
2 unbaked pie crusts (I just went with store refrigerated store bought ones to save time)
1 onion, minced
½ lb. diced mushrooms (left these out)
2 c. diced ham
16 oz. Colby Jack or sharp cheddar cheese
4 oz. Parmesan cheese
8 eggs
1 c. half and half (I used fat-free)
1 Tbsp. parsley
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown bacon, drain, crumble, and set aside. Saute spinach in bacon drippings. Drain. Saute onions. Add mushrooms. Stir in ham and bacon. Combine spinach, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Add meat mixture. Mix in cheese. Divide into each pie crust.


Mix eggs, half and half, and parsley. Pour over pies. Place pies in oven and bake 45-50 minutes or until tops are puffed and golden brown. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Each pie serves 8.

**If reheating, cover pie with foil and bake at 325 for about 20-30 minutes, checking frequently to make sure it's not getting too brown. **

Meatball Stromboli

I have loved making strombolis!  They are so easy, and so versatile as to what you can put in them.  We had the missionaries over again last night, and this is what we ate.  They ate lots of them, so they must have liked them!  Like I said before, my Father-in-Law told me how to make strombolis, and there is a great tutorial on how to make them here.

Rhoades frozen white bread loaves
Frozen pre-cooked meatballs (about 12 per stromboli)
1 c. mozzarella per stromboli (I like to 50/50 mozzarella/provolone mix at Sam's Club)
Italian seasonings you prefer (I used a McCormick Italian grinder)
Pesto (1-2 Tbsp. per stromboli)
1 egg, beaten
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Let bread dough rise until doubled per package directions (usually takes me 4-5 hours). Cook meatballs per package directions (without sauce directions) and slice in half.  Roll each into 12 X 15 inch rectangles. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella down the center of the bread. Season as desired.  Arrange meatballs over cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan and pesto. Fold 2 sides over toppings, tucking ends and sealing seams. Repeat with remaining loaves of bread and ingredients. Place seam side down on greased baking sheets. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with additional Parmesan. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with pizza sauce.

Chipotle Corn Dip

I know I've mentioned that I am drawn to any recipe that has buffalo in the name.  I am also just as obsessed with those that have chipotle in the name.  This dip is great!  The kick of the peppers combined with the sweet corn...YUM!  My mom got this recipe from one of the lovely ladies she works with and shared it with me :)


Chipotle Corn Dip
From: the ladies at the OAC


2 cans corn (can use 1 white and 1 yellow)
1/2 c. sour cream

1 c. mayonnaise

1/2 onion, chopped fine (I use red, raw yellow onions are yucky!)

chipotle peppers (as many as you want. The more, the spicier...I used 2 plus some extra adobo.  I love spice!)

1 c. shredded cheese

2 Tbsp. cilantro chopped

Mix all ingredients. Allow to chill for several hours and keep refrigerated.

Pesto Parmesan Chicken

I am a sucker for pesto, and chicken is my meat of choice, so this was right up my ally!  I saw this on my friend's menu plan for the week and knew immediately I had to try it, too!  It comes from the Progresso Foods website.  This was my first time checking their site out, and there are a few things that look really tasty :)  This chicken is moist and has AMAZING flavor!  The only downside, it didn't get as crispy as I would have liked, I probably put too much of the pesto mixture on it!


Pesto Parmesan Chicken
From:  Progresso Foods 


4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
3 tablespoons basil pesto
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 cup Progresso® plain panko crispy bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese
Fresh basil leaves, if desired


Heat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray. Between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place each chicken breast smooth side down; gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/2-inch thick.


In shallow dish, mix together pesto and mayonnaise. In another shallow dish mix together bread crumbs and cheese. Dip chicken into pesto mixture then dip in panko mixture. Place on baking sheet.


Bake 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (165°F) and coating is golden brown. Garnish with basil.

Pesto Spaghetti Squash

I've been branching out lately and trying a lot of new things.  Neither Nate nor I had ever had spaghetti squash, for one reason or another.  I loved it, he was okay with it, and surprisingly my 2 year old ate it (he has a serious aversion to veggies, haven't got him to eat one in probably a year!).  My 2 year old is especially fond of pesto, and I'm sure that's the only reason he did, but whatever works, right?!  This recipe comes from Home Cooking.

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup pesto sauce
4 ounces smoked or plain mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
To cook spaghetti squash, I cut in half lengthwise (it takes some serious muscle!), drizzled olive oil over the cut side, and placed it cut-side down on a cookie sheet.  Cook at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until tender.  Use your fork and shred squash down its length.

Place skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add olive oil and cooked spaghetti squash. Stir in pesto with a fork. When spaghetti squash is heated through, add mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and stir. When cheese begins to melt, remove from heat and serve hot.

Sweet Berry Bruschetta

So I've heard a few people in the ward tell me how yummy these are, and therefore I had to try!  They did not disappoint, that's for sure :)  I had high ambitions of waking up Sunday morning and making these for breakfast, but there were 2 problems...A) 9:00 church, and B) I am NOT a morning person.  So when all was said and done we ended up eating them for dessert Sunday night instead.  They are so yummy and would be a great breakfast for a special occasion, but easy enough to have any day!  The recipe comes from Melinda Christensen.

10 slices french bread, 1/2 inch thick
5 tsp sugar, divided
6 oz. fat free cream cheese (I used the lower fat kind)
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3/4 c. fresh blackberries
3/4 c. fresh raspberries (too expensive!  Strawberries were a nice substitute :)
1/4 c. slivered almonds, toasted
2 tsp. powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting

Place bread on an ungreased baking sheet; lightly coat with cooking spray.

Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Broil 3-4 inches from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, almond extract, powdered sugar, and remaining sugar.

Spread over toasted bread. Top with berries and almonds; dust with powdered sugar.

Asian Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Oh how I love a good juicy pork tenderloin!  I'm sure you couldn't tell,  but I've made a lot of them lately.  They are so versatile and delicious, why not?  This recipe comes from My Kitchen Cafe as many of my pork tenderloin recipes do.  If you've missed out on her other yummy pork tenderloin recipes, try Brown Sugar Spiced Tenderloin or my favorite, Chili Rubbed Pork with Apricot Glaze.  This one is right up there, though.  It was a good change from my usual Asian chicken recipes, the glaze is amazing!

3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of excess fat and any thin silver skin
1 scallion (green onion), white and green parts, thinly sliced for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a small roasting pan (or use a 9X13-inch baking dish) with foil and lightly oil the foil. This is important because the glaze has a high sugar content and will scorch during roasting.

Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon ginger, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper in a self-sealing plastic bag and mix to dissolve the sugar. Add the pork tenderloins and close the bag. Toss the meat in the bag to coat it with the marinade. Marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

Remove the pork tenderloins from the marinade and place in the roasting pan. Drizzle about half of the marinade over the pork. Discard the remaining marinade. Roast for 15 minutes. Baste the pork with the marinade in the roasting pan. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer reads 150-155, about 25 minutes more. The marinade will eventually thicken and scorch, but the foil will protect the pan, so don’t worry. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes.

While the pork is resting, bring the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon ginger, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 minced garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan.

Cut the roast pork crosswise on a slight diagonal into thin slices and arrange the overlapping slices on a platter. Drizzle the hot marinade over the pork, sprinkle with the scallion, and serve immediately.

Santa Fe Burger

Have you ever seen the show The Best Thing I Ever Ate?  Well, Claire Robinson told of a burger from Bobby's Burger Palace (yes, Bobby Flay's Burger Palace) that sounded awesome!  This was the one.  Only a few ingredients, but so great! It is our first burger of the year, and I'm sure it won't be the last time we will be eating it.  The cheese sauce is so yummy, we dipped our Spicy Potato Wedges in it as well!  I actually found the recipe on Racheal Ray's site. 

1 large poblano chile
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup whole milk (2% worked great :)
8 ounces monterey jack cheese, coarsely grated (I had some colby jack on hand)
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
4 hamburger buns
1 cup crushed blue corn tortilla chips (lets be honest, I'm not gonna buy a whole bag for 3 burgers...regular corn tortilla chips are fine!)

1.Preheat a grill or grill pan to high. Add the poblano and grill until charred on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Peel, halve and seed the poblano, then coarsely chop.

2.Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute. Add the milk, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the cheese until melted; season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

3.Shape the ground beef into 4 patties; season with salt and pepper. Grill until charred on both sides, about 8 minutes for medium.

4.Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and top each with some warm cheese sauce, chopped poblano (we just mixed the chile in with the cheese) and tortilla chips. Set the bun tops in place.

Spicy Potato Wedges

These oven fries are so good, you won't want to dip them in anything!  They have so much wonderful flavor packed in, they make the perfect side dish....in our case, burgers :)  The recipe made its way to my table via Taste of Home, one of my favorite sites for everyday cooking.

1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3-1/2 pounds large red potatoes, cut into wedges (I used good old russets)

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; add potatoes and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning once. Yield: 8 servings.