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Monday, October 27, 2014

Tex Mex Lasagna



In a nod to my roots, we love "mexican or Tex-mex" food. Although Mexican food is centuries old, Tex-Mex is relatively young at only 150 years old.....

They are both full of more similarities than differences and therefore most people think of them as the same or alike.

My mother was born in northern New Mexico and has lots of relatives in the area. She is of Greek-Spanish-Irish descent. The influence of Spanish cooking on that part of America has evolved into some of the most beloved "mexican" recipes shared today. 

One of the staples in her family was a big ol pot of beans. 

Not just any beans, either, but true Chile Beans, the kind my grandmother and her mother made. 

Dried pinto beans cleaned and sorted, soaked and cooked with spices, onions and garlic. They are a staple in our home. I always make a big pot and the leftovers make so many different dishes, including the one here.



This lasagna is hearty, and full of the Tex-mex flavors we all love. 

Relatively easy to make, there's no noodles after all, it's still cheesy and just darn good!

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups red or enchilada sauce
1 lb. cooked taco seasoned meat-your choice, mine was lean turkey
3 cups cooked pinto beans-or 2 cans, hopefully seasoned
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped fine
8-8" flour tortillas, cut up into 8ths
2 cups shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with non stick spray. Ladle in 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce and spread.
Scatter tortillas to cover and spread the the meat to cover all the tortillas. Cover with 1/2 cup of the cheese.
If you're using canned beans, rinse and drain. In a saute pan, heat 1tbsn of oil and saute the onions and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add in the chili powder and cumin. Saute for another 3 minutes. Add in the beans and cook for 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
Scatter another layer of the the tortillas over all and spread the beans over this. Sprinkle another cup of cheese over the beans. 
Scatter the rest of the tortillas over this, and pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over all. 
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese to cover all the sauce and cover with foil, tightly. 
Bake in a preheated 350f oven for 25-30 minutes. Uncover, be careful, it's hot! Bake for another 10 minutes. 
Let rest for 15 minutes, in order to cut exact squares. 
Serve with sour cream, avocados, tomatoes and more cheese. 





Enjoy!










  This recipe is shared on My Link Parties. Also shared on http:// www.thecountrycook.net and http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/ and http://www.foodiefriendsfridaydailydish.com/

Monday, October 20, 2014

Cookie Dough/S'mores Crispy Rice Bars



I'd like to say that every time I make a batch of cookie, all the dough gets baked...

I can't. 
Ahem...

Somehow when the recipe says I should get 3-4 dozen cookies from the recipe only about 2 dozen actually get baked into cookies. 

So...my family eats cookie dough? Oh yeah, you bet. Even I indulge. 

I mean you have to taste it and make sure you didn't forget the salt, right?!

So, when my youngest offspring asked me to make crispy rice bars, I was thinking how could I change them up? 

Frost them with a cookie dough-like frosting and add in chocolate and marshmallows of course. 


They're ooey-gooey and hit all the right points for crispy rice, cookie dough and s'mores!

Win, win!

After you make these, hide the pan, cause they'll be gone in 2 minutes! Seriously.


Okay, are you done drooling?

Make these, NOW!

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Easy Ratatouille Chicken

It's been wonderful, seeing how our garden has produced lots of vegetables and herbs.

I get so creative trying to incorporate all of these babies. 

Then all of a sudden it's the first frost and my husband went out and picked EVERYTHING...

So I made a classic, and one of our favorites...


This dish comes together really fast and it's all made in one skillet on the stove. One BIG skillet.
It starts out huge and then of course all those delicious vegetables cook down and while it still is a copious amount, it no longer looks like it is going to overflow the pan-haha. 


The kicker at the end is to add your favorite cheese over the chicken and let melt.....yum yum nom!

Ratatouille is a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. Tomatoes are a key ingredient along with summer squash, bell pepper, eggplant, onions, garlic, thyme, parsley and basil.

In this easy version the chicken is lightly browned and set aside and the vegetables are all simmered together, the chicken is placed back into the mixture, covered and simmered until cooked through and tender. 


I love to serve this over couscous to make it a hearty one dish meal. It's delicious over pasta or rice as well!


Sunday, October 5, 2014

Baked Chili Cheese Dogs



Okay, some days you just don't have time to make a big meal, your lives are rushed because you've got a really important meeting at school after work, or a big volleyball game....

Kind of like my life right now. 

These babies always satisfy, they're fast, filling, cheesy. Oh and did I mention they're easy?!

They are. So easy. 


It's a no brainer, really. 

Get yourself some hotdogs, some buns, a can of your favorite chili or homemade, cover with cheese and bake those babies! 

Dressed with onions, sour cream, jalapeños, chopped tomatoes, or not. They will still feed your family and get you out the door in a flash! 








Yeah, that's what I'm saying...

Yum.


INGREDIENTS:
Hot dog buns
Hot dogs
2 cups of chili with beans(canned-easy or your own homemade)
1 cup of shredded cheese
*optional-your favorite condiments

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Place 6-8 buns in the dish and a hotdog in each. 
3. Spread 2 tbsp of chili over the top of each hotdog and sprinkle with a tbsp of cheese. 
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the buns start to brown, the hotdogs are heated through and the chili and cheese are bubbly. 
5. Take out and put another tbsp of cheese over each dog and serve! 

Top with your favorite condiments or not-you've got dinner on the table in 20 minutes baby!

*maybe this will be my next team builder meal-ya never know. cause you can make 8 as easy as you can make 48!!

Enjoy!


is recipe is shared on My Link Parties. Also shared on http:// www.thecountrycook.net and http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/ andhttp://www.foodiefriendsfridaydailydish.com/