Taquitos

One of our family favorite meals is taquitos. Years ago I learned to make them at the side of a sweet women named Berta! She made the best food ever. I was shocked at just how simple these really are.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1 tbls kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cumin

canola oil, about a cup

40 small corn tortillas

Boil the chicken breast until cooked through, drain water and let cool. After cooled shred the chicken into small pieces. Add salt and spices mixing to distribute evenly.

Add oil to a large skillet heat over barely medium high.

OK here is where it gets tricky! Take 2 paper towels and place 5-6 corn tortillas on top. Wrap them up and put them in the microwave for 45 seconds. Take them out and open them up, like a cute little present!

Ok so now take a couple pinches of chicken and set them on the on edge of the tortilla and roll VERY tightly. Then you oh so gently set them in the skillet of warmed oil. Being sure to hold the rolled tortilla seam side down so that it will seal shut!

Now do that over and over until you finish them all warmed tortillas. Then you wrap up the next bunch and warm them up. When they are done the ones in the skillet should be ready to roll over.

I always add mine to the right. So that the one on the left is ready soonest. I never switch this routine. Does that make me crazy?!

This should be served with some serious guacamole!

avocados

tomatoes

green onions

a little red onion

cilantro

lime juice

salt and pepper

jalapenos if you are brave!

Rough chop all these and stir together! Real guacamole NEVER has mayo or sour cream in it!

Berta said so!

OH! And by the way, Berta does not soften her tortillas in the microwave. Nope, she holds them over the open flame of the burner. HELLO?

Apple Muffins with Praline Glaze

These muffins are incredible! They are not very sweet at all without the glaze and so very moist. So if you are looking for a simple muffin that works for a breakfast this is it! With the glaze it is decadent! Try them!!

First of all I toasted the nuts. You can use either walnuts of pecans but let's be real pecans are better! I toast them at 350 for about 10 minutes, just scattered on a cookies sheet.

For the muffins

1 Cup sour cream

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tbl vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cup chopped apple

1 cup chopped nuts

Mix sour cream and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients then add them to the sour cream mixture. Fold in apples and nuts. Make sure to spray you muffin tins well. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes then transfer to baking rack that has been placed over a large cookie sheet. (like the picture)

Glaze

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

heat butter and sugar together in a small pan over medium heat. Bring to boil and continue cooking for about a minute, stirring constantly. Drizzle over muffins. Let muffins completely cool then enjoy!

Krispy Kreme Donut Burger

We recently watched an episode of Man V. Food. They were traveling around the country to several different baseball stadiums. In Illinois they had the strangest burger we had ever seen. So we decided to give it a try!

It starts off in a reasonable manner...burger, bacon and extra sharp cheddar cheese. Now it gets crazy...you slice a Krispy Kreme donut in half, like a bun. Next you place it cut side down to kinda grill it. Place the burger on top of the rounded side and top with the other half. Everyone said it tasted awesome on the show. So we thought why not. Lets try something crazy and make these on Sunday.

Well let me give you the results:

Morgan = says it was sweet, the bacon was good, and she would have it again.

Chad = spit it out immediately saying it was disgusting! He said you can eat a donut or a burger but not a donut burger!

Charlie = It has a bit of everything, sweet, salty, meaty. He said for those who like tangy meat it would be good. He does not even like teriyaki because it is sweet. He would only it again if we were at the ball field where they make them.

Me = the flavor was fun. I do enjoy sweet meat. It was interesting. The truth is that I can hardly post about this because I feel like I am going to toss my cookies! I only ate a couple bites and they are not sitting well at all! Would I try them again? Not a chance!

Can You Say Squash??

I have been forced to ask myself a question: What in the world can I do with all this zucchini? Last year we planted one plant and got ZERO zucchini! This year we planted 4 just to be safe. FYI if you plant a zucchini plant right in front of your compost bin you get ENORMOUS plants!!! With an abundant amount of squash!

This picture shows some of the baby squash!

While speaking with my very good friend, Sandy, who happens to live on a farm! OK not really but what do you call it when you have 10 chickens, a rooster, 3-4 ducks, 2 rabbits, a cat, a frog, and a SNAKE! Yes Sandy, I know about the snake, thanks for not asking me to feed that! GROSS!! AND an orchard with a huge successfully producing garden!
Is that not a farm?

Back to the conversation...what the heck to do with all this squash? Well you make zucchini pie she replies!! Okey Dokey, Sandy! It is so yummy!!! A huge hit! The original recipe was good on its own...but you know me! We can make it better! I will post both recipes! I promise your family will enjoy it!


Pretty huh??? This pie is with my additions!


A slice of the original recipe!

Zucchini Pie

preheat oven to 375

in a pie pan spread 1 container crescent rolls, making a crust of sorts, set aside

4 cups sliced zucchini

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 butter

melt butter in a large skillet, saute zucchini and onion until tender

to that add

1 tbls oregano

1/2 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

stir well and ten add to the skillet

2 cups mozzarella cheese

2 eggs, beaten

stir together and dump it in the pie pan!! Bake for 20 minutes then let sit for 10 more! Slice and eat.

For my variation:

Do it all the same, expect I caramelized the onions and zucchini a bit! AND added 1 garden fresh tomato chopped (yep that would be from my garden) and swiss instead or mozzarella! I swear it was even better! Honestly this will be a summer favorite for a long time to come!

And that's good because we have a ton of squash left!

White Chicken Chili

2 Chicken breasts
3 T. olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-4oz can mild green chilies, chopped
2 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
3 -16oz can white beans, ( I use great northern)
5 c. chicken broth
3 c. shredded monterey jack cheese

garnish with sour cream, more cheese, and tortilla chips.

Place chicken in pot and cover with water, boil until cooked, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Heat oil in same pot over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, chilies, and spices. Cook on low until onions are clear. Add bean, undrained, broth and shredded chicken. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Add cheese 1 cup at a time. Stir to combine.

This Chile is great, people love it. Sometimes I will add cooked rice to my bowl then add the chili, that is yummy too. Also if you substitute low-fat cheese it is a great Weight Watchers dinner!

Fake Cafe Rio Pork Salad (for Sarah, Andrea and Tara)

Pork Roast ( I get mine from Costco, it costs about $10 and comes 3 in a pack, I use all three at once)
2 liter bottle of Coke (not diet)

Place the pork in crock pot, cover with coke.
Cook on high for about 8 hours. Drain off coke. Place pork back in
crock pot and shred, still set on high.
Add to that 1 large can green enchilada sauce and 2 Cups of dark brown sugar.
I also add 1/2 Cup molasses. Cover and let sit for about 10 minutes.
Stir and shred a little more.

1 package of tostada shells
romaine lettuce, washed and shredded
monterey jack cheese, shredded
rice and beans of your choice, heated
salsa and sour cream

I like to make a salad from the pork. I place the lettuce on the bottom
then add rice and beans, pork and some crumbled tostada shell.
Top with salsa, cheese and sour cream.

I don't like to use dressing. But if you really like the Cafe Rio salad dressing...
rumor has it you can google the recipe and come up with
something pretty close.

I hope you like this as much as me!