Chicken Taquitos

I have a confession.  I hardly ever use my freezer.  Sure, for things like soy ice cream, frozen veggies and, of course, vodka it’s great…but I’m a bit of a freezer snob and can always taste when something has been frozen for a period of time.  Blech!

But, I have had to use my freezer a lot more often now that I am in school 3 nights/week and C is on his own. I refuse to let him eat nothing but take-out pizza and Chinese food.  Call me old-fashioned, but I like to be able to provide a tasty meal for my husband even if I’m not home.

These taquitos are perfect – I can make a bunch all at once and throw them in the freezer for C to heat and eat when he gets home from work.  And, from what I hear, they taste just as good as fresh.

Taquitos are not only tasty, but versatile!

I used the recipe from Our Best Bites and tweaked it a bit.  I subbed sour cream for the cream cheese and added tasty goodies like black beans, refried beans and corn.

Whip up some of these today to add to your Cinqo de Mayo festivities!

INGREDIENTS
3 oz. Soy sour cream
1T. Lime juice
1t. Cumin
1t. Chili powder
1/2t. Onion powder
1/2t. Granulated garlic
2T. Green onions, sliced
2C. Shredded cooked chicken
1C. Soy cheese (we always use SoySation 3-cheese blend – but of course feel free to use real dairy if you do not have any dietary restrictions)
Small tortillas (corn and flour are both good)
Kosher salt
Cooking spray

Optional add-ins
3T. Cilantro, chopped
1/4C. Salsa (we opted to dip the taquitos in the salsa instead of putting it in the filling)
1/3C. Frozen corn
1/3C. Black beans
1/2C. Refried beans

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine sour cream, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, granulated garlic, green onions and any of the add-ins that you will use (except for the refried beans).  Add cooled and shredded chicken and cheese and combine well.

Wrap a few tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave 20 seconds, or until soft and pliable.

If using refried beans, spread 1T. on the lower half of the tortilla.  Place 2-3T. of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet.  Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other.  (At this point, if you want to freeze for later, put the pan in the freezer for an hour, then package in labeled Ziploc bags – to cook directly from the freezer, just up the time to 25-30 minutes).  Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Husband Rating – 5 out of 5 – “Yum!  These are awesome!”

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Cumin Crusted Pork Tacos

Is anyone else guilty of this…You have a shelf full of cookbooks, and yet you always turn to the internet for recipe ideas?  Yeah, me too.

I decided it was time for that to come to an end this week.  I closed my eyes and pointed to a random cookbook and decided I’d make at least two meals from that cookbook this week.  The winning book?  Cooking Light’s Weeknight Meals cookbook.  Awesome!  Tasty, healthy and quick.  I’m all for that!

This recipe is really great.  I made a few tweaks (we made guac earlier today so we put that on the tacos instead of the avocado/onion/cilantro toppings individually and it worked well).  The pork is super-moist and the toppings compliment each other perfectly.

Christopher is very excited that there are lots of leftovers so he can eat them all week while I”m in class (speaking of class – we finish cakes tomorrow – tune in later this week for a wrap-up on the cakes course).

INGREDIENTS
Pork:
2t. Ground cumin
1t. Granulated garlic
1t. Paprika
1/2t. Salt
1/4t. Black pepper
2 (1-pound) Pork tenderloins, trimmed
1T. Olive oil

Salsa:
2C. Frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1C. Cubed peeled avocado
1/2C. Diced red onion
1/3C. Chopped fresh cilantro
2T. Fresh lime juice
1/2t. Salt
2 (15-ounce) cans Black beans, rinsed and drained

Remaining ingredients:
2C. Sour cream (we use Tofutti soy sour cream)
1T. Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
Corn tortillas

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare pork, combine first 5 ingredients.  Rub cumin mixture over pork.

Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add pork; cook 4 minutes or until browned on all sides.  Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155°.

Remove pork from oven; let stand 5 minutes.  Cut pork across grain into thin slices.

To prepare salsa, combine corn and next 7 ingredients (through beans).

Combine sour cream and chipotle in a blender; process until smooth.

Wrap tortillas, a few at a time, in a damp paper towel.  Microwave at high 20 seconds.  Place pork onto tortilla, top with salsa and sour cream mixture.

Husband Rating – 4 out of 5 – “These are awesome!”

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Beef and Sausage Chili

I’ve already admitted to liking not-so-popular foods like meatloaf, mushrooms and dried plums …so I might as well admit to another – I LOVE baked beans!  Like, love love them!  Hubs thinks it is hilarious how much I like baked beans.

When I saw this chili recipe on Milk & Honey, that includes a can of baked beans, I knew it was going to be a winner – and it was!  Wow!  This is ridiculously good.  Spicy (I’m still feeling the heat on my lips as I type this) but oh so good.  I am absolutely stuffed right now but already can’t wait for leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Source: Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook

INGREDIENTS
1T. Vegetable oil
1 Large yellow onions, chopped
3T. Garlic, chopped fine
3T. Chili powder
2T. Paprika
1T. Cumin
2t. Dried oregano
1lb. Lean ground beef
1lb. Italian sausage links, removed from casings and crumbled (I used hot sausage links)
2t. Kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 28 oz. can Crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can BBQ baked beans
1T. Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in an 8 quart heavy-bottom stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 7 to 10 minutes.

Add the ground beef, sausage, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt.  Increase heat to medium-high and cook the meat, stirring frequently, until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

If the meat is looking a little greasy, tilt the stockpot and spoon out some of the fat.  If you used lean meat, then you shouldn’t have to do this.

Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin and oregano and stir until the spices are coating the meat.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Adjust the seasonings with more kosher salt or chipotle chiles if necessary. Serve with your favorite chili toppers (and if you’re like us, serve over elbow noodles).

Husband Rating – 4.5 out of 5 – “Almost the perfect chili recipe.  This is amazing!”

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Garlic Mashed Cannellini Beans

This week I found myself wanting something other than our usual side dishes to go along with some boneless pork chops I picked up on sale.

I ended up finding the perfect thing in these garlic mashed cannellini beans.  They were wonderful!  Very flavorful and a delightful alternative to mashed potatoes!

Adapted from Proceed with Caution (who adapted it from Elly Says Opa).

INGREDIENTS
2t. Olive oil
3 Garlic cloves, pressed
1 small Yellow onion, diced
1 can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2t. Fresh chopped parsley
3/4C. Chicken or vegetable broth
2t. Lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Heat a skillet over medium heat and then add the oil until shimmering.  Saute the onions in the oil until soft.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Next, stir in the cannellini beans and parsley.

Add broth to the skillet and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the lemon juice off the heat and mash the beans with a potato masher (I used my stick blender – worked perfectly).

Husband Rating – 4.5 out of 5 – “Delicious!”

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Crockpot Salsa Chicken Tacos

I have just recently started enjoying salsa.  I’m not sure why I didn’t like it before…the stuff is delicious!

So, to take advantage of my new found love, I decided to do some Googling and figure out how to cook with salsa.  I found a recipe for salsa chicken on Crockpot 365.  I didn’t feel like serving it over rice, and I had tortillas in the house, so I decided to shred the chicken and turn it into soft tacos.  These were delish!  We will absolutely be making them again!

INGREDIENTS
1lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
1C. Salsa
1C. Frozen corn
1 15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed
8 Tortilla Shells (hard or soft)
Your favorite taco toppings – cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS
Add chicken, salsa, beans and corn to crock pot.  Cover and let cook 6-8 hours on low.

Remove chicken and shred with two forks.  Ladle out some of the liquid from the crock pot and discard.

Return chicken to the crockpot and keep warm while preparing tortilla shells and toppings.  Assemble and devour!

–

Husband Rating – 4 out of 5 – “Very tasty!”

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Smokey Black Bean Soup

Every winter my office holds their annual Soup Off.  A few people bring in crock pots of soup and all the employees taste and judge.  Last year I won the coveted “Golden Ladle Award” (a cheesy spray painted award that the winner gets to keep in his/her office for the year) with this spicy black bean soup.  I saw the recipe on Dave Lieberman’s show “Good Deal with Dave Lieberman” and made a few tweaks.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
10 Slices Bacon, finely chopped
2 Medium Onions, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 Garlic Cloves, pressed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) Can Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth
1 1/2C Canned Chopped Tomatoes
2T Ketchup
2t Worcestershire sauce
1T Chili Powder
1t Ground Cumin
4 (15 1/2-ounce) Cans Black Beans, drained but not rinsed
Kosher salt and Freshly ground black pepper
1 Bunch Cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
2C Small Pasta of your choice (I like elbows)
Scallions, Cheddar Cheese and/or Sour Cream for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat.  Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute.

Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, cumin and chili powder.  Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.  Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup when it has been simmering 10 minutes. Add pasta and cook until the soup is thickened, about 7 minutes (until the pasta is al dente).

Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the garnishes.

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White Bean and Italian Sausage Chili

Hubby found this recipe in his most recent copy of Esquire Magazine.  Readers sent in chili recipes and world-famous chef, Daniel Boulud judged the entries.  This chili was the winning entry.  It might not be the prettiest chili ever, but the flavor was fantastic!  I definitely recommend giving it a try.

INGREDIENTS
1T Vegetable oil
1lb Italian sausage links
1T Olive oil
5oz Pancetta, diced
1 Large yellow onion
6 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Green bell pepper, diced
2C Dry cannellini beans, rinsed
1T Oregano leaves, finely chopped
2t Red pepper flakes
2qts (8C) Chicken stock
S&P to taste
Sour cream, Green onions, leeks – optional for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Film a large stock pot with vegetable oil and place over moderately high heat.  Brown sausage on all sides.  Reduce heat to low and cook through, 8-10 minutes.  Remove sausage from pan and cool.  Discard grease.

In the same pan, add olive oil and pancetta.  Render pancetta over low heat until crisp, about 7 minutes.  Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, 5-6 minutes.  Add garlic and saute until golden, about 3 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, increase heat, and bring to a boil.

Dice reserved sausage and return to chili mixture.  Lower heat and simmer until beans are tender (at least 90 minutes), stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with optional garnishes (we used green onion…it was fabulous)!

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