Corn & Sweet Potato Chowder

Recipe From: Cook's Country via mykitchencafe.blogspot.com

The recipe calls for whole milk, but I used skim and it was still very thick and yummy. Below is the recipe cut in half, so it serves about 3-4.

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast (I boiled and shredded)
1 large sweet potato (peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces)
1/2 cup frozen corn (not thawed)
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 cup yellow corn muffin mix
1 tbsp butter
1/2 onion (chopped fine)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Mix milk and muffin mix in bowl until well combined. Meanwhile, heat butter in large pot over medium heat until foaming. Add onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, chicken and sweet potatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sweet potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in milk and muffin mixture and simmer until soup thickens, about 10 minutes. Add cheese and corn and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve with french bread.

Hula Joes

Recipe From: Rachel Ray

Not great, not bad...probably won't do again.Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/4 pound bacon (diced)
1 1/2 pounds ground pork (I used ground turkey)
1 sweet onion (finely chopped)
2 to 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup pineapple* (chopped)
salt and ground black pepper
4 Kaiser rolls (I used small dollar rolls)
cheddar cheese

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of olive oil, about 1 tablespoon. Cook bacon in the pan until crispy, about 3-4 minutes, and remove it to a small bowl.

Return the pan with the bacon fat back over the heat, add the ground pork and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.

While the pork and onions are cooking, in a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire and tomato sauce. Pour into the skillet with the pork and onion, cook about a minute, then stir in pineapple and bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the filling is cooking, split open the rolls and toast them under the broiler.

To serve, place a bun bottom on a plate with a scoop of Hula Joe mixture and a sprinkling of cheese. Top with the bun cap.

*The recipe calls for fresh pineapple, but I used canned and it worked.

Freezer Meals - Bean & Cheese Burritos

Recipe From: 30daygourmet.com

I joined a freezer meal group. We each take a recipe and make it 8x. 4 hours (start to finish + clean up) and $47 later, I have 96+ burritos chillin' in the freezer. The recipe called for corn tortillas, but they are so small and always break, so I made the executive decision to use flour tortillas. My overall opinion is whether or not it is worth $5-6 for a bag of frozen burritos...or not. I made a bunch of comments to the original recipe in smaller text.Ingredients:

8 cups onion (chopped) I used 5 yellow onions
2 tbsp + 2 tsp garlic (minced) 5 huge cloves
120oz cans kidney beans (drained & rinsed) (8) 15oz cans
120oz cans pinto beans (drained & rinsed) (8) 15oz cans
32oz diced green chilies (4) 7oz & (1) 4oz
2 tbsp + 2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp + 2 tsp oregano
96 tortillas I used Guerrero flour tortillas (fajita size)
8-10 cups cheddar cheese I used (6) 8oz bars of reduced fat
6 cups taco sauce Only used about 3 cupsHave on Hand Ingredients:
Salsa
Sour Cream
Shredded Lettuce

Assembly Directions:
In a medium saucepan, cook onion in water until tender. *I assumed this meant the garlic too...and I sauteed (instead of cooking in water) all garlic and onions in 1 tbsp butter for about 10-15 minutes. Drain & rinse all the beans and process in a food processor and/or hand mixer. Add onions, green chilies, cumin and oregano. Mix together. Soften tortillas in microwave or oven. *I cooked mine on a skillet because the Guerrero flour tortillas need a little cooking. Take a tortilla and evenly divide the mixture between all of them. Pour 1 tbsp of taco sauce on each and sprinkler with cheese. Wrap them burrito style. These came out a little smaller than I imagined. The tortilla can only hold so much before it is an unraveled mess. At the end, I had about 3 cups of mixture left and had a few leftover corn tortillas laying around, so I gave them a try. The first few were a disaster and fell apart. So, I grilled them on one side so they would hold their shape and the inside was still soft. They turned out well...but even smaller. I will put one corn in each bag so you can taste them and decide what you like better for next time.

Freezer Directions:
Place on a baking sheet seam side down. Freeze until solid. Place 12 burritos in a gallon freezer bag.

Serving Directions:
Thaw burritos. They can be warmed in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or in the oven at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not bake too long or the tortillas will dry out. Serve on top of shredded lettuce with salsa and sour cream on top.

Pineapple Terriyaki Stirfry

Recipe From:Inspired by HEB marketplace chefs
Yes, I got suckered into buying the $6.99 jar of HEB gourmet sauce. I couldn't help it. I got Chile Lime Sauce & Pineapple Terriyaki Sauce both for $6.99. Come to find out the only ingredients in PT sauce are: soy sauce, pineapple concentrate, sugar, garlic & ginger...even I can do that! Next time, I'll be all the wiser. I cleaned out the fridge and found all kinds of great veggies for this stir fry.

Ingredients:
1/2 bottle Pineapple Terriyaki Sauce (or see below)
1 chicken breast (thinly sliced)
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 bunch broccoli
1/2 red onion
1 can waterchestnuts

Saute chicken in about a 1/4 cup sauce. Add onions, zucchini, squash, broccoli and water chestnuts. Cook until veggies are crisp tender. Serve over steamed rice.

Pineapple Terriyaki Sauce
compliments of Amy Griffeth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup sugar or splenda

Shrimp Enchiladas

Recipe From: mykitchencafe.blogspot.com

I am loving enchiladas lately. This recipe is really, really good. We halved the recipe in an 8x8 dish and got 7 enchiladas, which is just enough for us.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sweet red pepper (chopped)
1/2 cup green pepper (chopped)
1/2 cup onion (minced)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup whipping cream (I use less of this & more FF sour cream)
1 tbsp flour
3 cups Monterrey Jack cheese (shredded)
1/2 cup sour cream (I use fat free)
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 pounds shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
2 cups ripe tomatoes (chopped)
8 (9-inch) flour tortillas (I use Guerrero fajita size)

Saute red pepper, onion and green pepper in butter until crisp-tender. Add oregano, salt, garlic powder, pepper, cayenne pepper, cream and flour; blend well. Continue cooking for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese; stir until melted. Add sour cream, stir to blend. Set aside.

In another skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Saute shrimp and 1/2 cup onion until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp and chop; return to butter and onion. Add chopped tomatoes and 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Spoon 1/3 cup shrimp mixture into each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top of shrimp mixture. Roll up tightly. Arrange seam side down in a 9X13-inch glass baking dish. Spoon remaining cheese sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Beef & Broccoli

Recipe From: thesisterscafe.blogspot.com

Next time I'll double the sauce and/or lessen the cornstarch...and use fresh ginger/garlic/onions instead of powdered. Also, instead of chunky peanut butter, I'll use reduced fat creamy.Ingredients

1/2 lb beef (thinly sliced)
2 cups broccoli (cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup water

1 tbsp chunky peanut butter
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp vinegar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp oil

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, peanut butter, water, cornstarch, vinegar, pepper, ginger, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well and set aside. Begin steaming the broccoli. In large skillet or wok, heat the oil. Add beef and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli (already partially steamed), and cook for another 3-4 minutes (or until meat and broccoli are almost done), stirring constantly. Add the sauce and mix thoroughly, then continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Serve over steamed rice.

Honey-Lime Enchiladas

Recipe From: mykitchencafe.blogspot.com & sisterscafe.blogspot.com

I guess this has changed a bunch from website to website. So, I also tweeked it a little. Blake doesn't normally appreciate enchiladas (or any Mexican food for that matter)...but we all loved these! Yes, even Sammie! I modified this recipe only to make about 7 enchiladas in a 8x8 dish. Ingredients:

1 chicken breast (boiled & shredded)
6-8 flour tortillas (I use Guerrero brand)
8oz monterey jack cheese (2%, shredded)
10oz can green enchilada sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream (fat free)
2 tbsp cilantro (chopped)

Marinade:
6 tablespoons honey
3-4 limes (freshly squeezed juice)
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Boil the chicken and shred. Mix the honey, lime juice, chili powder and garlic together and toss with the shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour.

Pour about 1/2 of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of an 8x8 baking pan. I use Guerrero fajita tortillas, so first I cooked them on a skillet one at a time. Fill tortillas with chicken and cheese & place seam down in the dish. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the heavy cream, sour cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese (I didn't use all the sauce). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with cilantro-lim rice and black beans.