Chicken Chimi's!

My sister in law loves to cook and I love that she passes on her good finds. This is a recipe she got from her "Food Network Magazine".  We loved it! We don't have great Mexican restaurants near us.  I had fun preparing this one and Jack even joined me. We felt like want-to-be chefs in a kitchen.  We called the kids to dinner and welcomed them to a mexican restaurant. They thought we were so silly, but it was fun to enjoy this delicious dinner together.

 This is supposedly a copy cat of "Chi-Chi's" chimichangas 

* I didn't take a picture of this one until I had started chowing down so you get what you get! At least it has a picture I haven't been that ambitious for a while ;-)

Chi-Chi Copy Cat Chimichangas

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (remove the seeds for less heat)
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
1 small tomato, chopped, plus more for topping
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup sour cream
1 (15 oz) can refried beans
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas (I used 10 fajita size and we thought they were perfect size! plus 2 10-inch)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, plus more for topping
Mexi-sauce, for topping (see recipe below)
Shredded lettuce, for topping
Mexican rice for a side

Preheat oven to 450. Melt the butter with 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet; transfer to a bowl.  Heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons oil in the skillet.  Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.  Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt, toast 30 seconds.  Add the tomato and cilantro and cook until slightly dry, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and sour cream and warm through.  Remove from the heat.

Brush a rimmed baking sheet with some of the butter-oil mixture. Spread 2 Tablespoons refried beans down the center of each tortilla, leave a 2-inch border on both ends. Top with 1 cup chicken mixture and 1/4 cup cheese.  fold in the ends and roll up.

Put the chimichangas seam-side down on the baking sheet; brush with the butter-ol mixture. Bake 8 to 10 minutes per side, brushing again after you flip.  Top with the sauce, more cheese, lettuce and tomato.  Serve with rice and the remaining beans.



CHI-CHI Mexi-sauce

Saute 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 cloves of in a skillet with vegetable oil.  Add a pinch of chili powder, cumin, sugar, and salt. (I really used my "pinch" spoon here); cook for 30 seconds.  Stir in two  4-ounce cans chopped green chiles (drained and rinsed); cook 2 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth and simmer until thickened, then puree. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

Green Tomatillo Chicken

My mom called me today wanting to know what I do with Tomatillo's so I am posting this recipe for her. We have had this recipe in our keeper pile since 2005. It won't have a picture because I haven't cooked it recently, but Jack loves the sauce. You can make it as mild or as hot as you wish by the salsa ingredients. We have used homemade salsa (recipe included below) or by it at the store when we don't have the fresh ingredients on hand. We love crockpot recipes that please our tastebuds. Mom I hope you enjoy this recipe! Good Luck

Green Tomatillo Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup green tomatillo salsa (a.k.a Salsa Verde on the store shelf)

1 1/2 cups sour cream (now you know why it taste so rich and creamy!)

Place the chicken breast in the crockpot. In a small mixing bowl, combine the onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and salsa. Pour this sauce over the chicken breast. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. Remove the chicken from the crockpot, stir the sour cream into the juices in the stoneware and blend well. Pour this sauce over each piece of chicken.

Makes 6 servings

WE LOVE TO SERVE THIS CHICKEN AND SAUCE OVER RICE!

We also make the Tomatillo Salsa Fresh whenever we can

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa (From Southernfood.about.com)

A tomatillo salsa recipe, made with fresh tomatillos and lime juice, along with chile peppers and seasonings.

2 Anaheim chile peppers, roasted, peeled, and chopped **

1 pound fresh tomatillos, peeled, stems removed, about 10 to 12 **

2 fresh Serrano chiles, cut in half **

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 medium clove garlic, minced

1/4 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pulse tomatillos in food processor until coarsely chopped. Add peppers and next 3 ingredients; pulse until small dice, but do not over process. Pour into a serving bowl. Stir in the olive oil, lime juice, and salt until well blended. Cover and chill.

** I always remove the husks and wash the stickiness off the tomtillos as best I can, then I cut them in half and place them as well as my peppers on a cookie sheet and roast them under the oven broiler for about 7 minutes. Then puree all the tomatillo salsa ingredients together in a blender.

Beef Fajitas

This recipe came to me by way of the butcher at Roger Meats. I really enjoyed the flavor as did our company. My kids aren't crazy about the stripes of meat, so next time I will have to mince or cube their pieces to make it easier for them to eat. I am excited to have this recipe to use up some more of our fajita meats in the freezer.

For: 1 lb. Skirt or flank steak

Marinade:

Juice of 1 lime

2 Tablespoons Oil

2 Gloves of garlic (I pressed mine)

1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Blend marinade ingredient in a food processor or blender. Marinade meat for 30 minutes. (I did mine longer-for a few hours, and it turn out fine.

Grill or pan fry the steak over high heat for 3 minutes per side or to desired doneness. (I did mine closer to 5 minutes on first side and 3 on the other. The meat was cooked to a medium doneness.)

Slice the meat across the grain into thin pieces. Serve with cheese, tomatoes, grilled onions (I made our favorite grilled onions and mushrooms), avocado, sour cream, and cilantro

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have been in one of my unmotivated, "I need something new, exciting, yet quick to cook!" modes. I snagged this recipe from the Pioneer Woman blog. It's nothing that new (I have a recipe similar for the crock pot, but different ingredients), but it is a nice change form the Taco (beef) Soup I make during the cold months. I really enjoyed it. I didn't use the whole corn tortillas. Remember I am unmotivated and lazy right now! I simply crunched corn chips into it-EASY! This recipe was easy but doesn't win the race for being the quickest start to finish.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

ADAPTED from Pioneer Women's blog (I've changed many of the spices)

2 Whole Boneless, skinless Chicken Breast

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Chili Powder

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 cup Diced Onion

1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper, diced

1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper, diced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 can diced tomatoes (Or use 1 can Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chilies)

1/2 (4 oz) can diced chilies (Omit if using the Rotel)

8 cups Chicken Broth (made with my chicken base or bouillon)

3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

4 cups Hot Water (I left this out hoping to not need to simmer for reduction to save time)

2 cans Black Beans, Drained

5 Whole Corn Tortillas, cut into uniform strips around 2 to 3 inches {or Corn chips ;-)}

Garnishes:

Sour Cream

Diced Avocado

Diced Red Onion

Salsa or Pico De Gallo

Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili peppers, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon olive oil chicken breast, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix. Place chicken breast on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red peppers, green peppers, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir. Pour in tomatoes, chilies, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings adding more if needed--add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to under salt. Turn off hear and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream and your other favorite garnishes.

Sweet Cafe Rio Pork

There are several recipes I have seen for the Cafe Rio meats. Having only eaten there a few times on my visits to Utah I don't really know if they taste like the restaurants meats or not, but we enjoy them anyway. Sorry I don't recall taking a picture of this meal. It makes a lot of food so prepare it when you have company coming or plan to freeze it.

Sweet Pork

1 (3 lb.) Pork loin roast, thawed if previously frozen

1 (16 oz/ 2 cups) jar of Salsa

1 can green chilies

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 can black beans, undrained

Tortillas

Cheese

Lettuce

Tomatoes

In the bottom of a large crock pot mix salsa, green chilies, brown sugar, and black beans. Add the pork roast and cook on high for 4 hours. Take the meat out of the crock pot and shred with a fork. Return meat to crock pot and cook one hour more.

Serve on tortillas with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes or your other favorite taco toppings.

Yeilds 8 servings (We actually served 4 adults for two meals, plus had enough leftovers for our family of 5 to have an additional dinner.) The recommended 8 servings must be HUGE because I felt like each time we served it everyone ate nice size helpings.

**We served it in both hard and soft shell tacos and both were great.

Make it meal and serve it with Cafe Rio Lime Rice, Cafe Rio Pico de Gallo, and Tomatillo Cream Cafe Rio Dressing (Awesome dressing!) if making it into a salad instead of a taco, but we also like the dressing drizzled on our tacos.

Cafe Rio Chicken (2 different recipes here)

My good friend Sharla served this at a surprise birthday lunch she hosted in my behalf. Everyone loved the recipe so of course I had to ask her a copy. And of course I had know idea about the surprise, so there is no picture. Doesn't a soft shell taco all wrapped up look the same anyway? It isn't hard to imagine it is it. YUM!

Cafe Rio Pork or Chicken (Sharla P. family recipe)

4 lbs. Pork Roast or Chicken

2 cups brown sugar

1 (12-14 oz) jar Salsa

2 cans Coke (24 oz or 2 1/2 cups)

FOR PORK:

Place roast in crock pot, fill half way with water and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Disgard water. Shred meat with forks and return to crock pot. Combine sugar, salsa, and coke in a separate bowl. Add to crock pot. Cook about 3 hours more on low. Stir Occasionally

FOR CHICKEN

Simply add chicken to crock pot. Combine sugar, salsa, and coke in a separate bowl; add to crock pot. Cook 5-6 hours on low (or until chicken is done I have several crock pots and they all cook at different rates). Stir occasionally.

Place in a warm tortilla on a plate. Top with Rice, Black beans, pork/chicken, lettuce, and top with plenty of Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing.

Cafe Rio Chicken (www.365daysofcrockpot.com)

5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thawed

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

1 Tablespoon Chili powder

1 Tablespoon Cumin

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients except the chicken in a bowl. Place chicken on bottom of a greased crock pot.

Pour mixture in a bowl over the top of Chicken. Cook on high 5-7 hours. Shred chicken with a fork and reserve juice to pour over chicken when serving.

Cafe Rio Lime Rice

This rice is a nice savory flavored compliment to off set the sweetness of the Cafe Rio pork/chicken.

Cafe Rio Lime Rice

2 Tablespoons butter

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves minced garlic

6 2/3 cup water

7-8 bullion cubes

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoons cumin

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups long grain rice

Saute butter, onions, and garlic. Boil everything else excepted rice in a large pot. Add onion and garlic--then rice. Cover and simmer.

Tomatillo Creamy Cilantro Dressing (Cafe Rio)

Simply stated, this dressing is awesome. I love homemade dressings that beat anything that you can purchase in the stores.

Tomatillo Creamy Cilantro Dressing

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing mix

1 cup Buttermilk

1 cup Mayo

2 Tomatillos (peel outer skin)

1 clove minced garlic or 1 tsp. minced jarred garlic

1/2-1/3 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1/2 teaspoon lime juice

1 small jalapeno (seeds removed)

Put all ingredients into a blender. Add extra mayo if dressing is too thin. Refrigerate.

Cilantro Lime Rice

I got this rice from Jamie Cook's it Up blog. It is a sweet rice. We enjoyed this recipe but I wouldn't serve it with the sweet chicken or pork recipe.

Cilantro Lime Rice

2 cups uncooked rice

1 Tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic minced

4 chicken bullion cubes

1 teaspoon lime zest

4 cups water

2 Tablespoon lime juice

1 Tablespoon sugar

3 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large skillet combine rice, butter, garlic, lime zest, bullion cubes, and water. Bring to a boil and stir well. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over the top of the hot cooked rice, and stir to incorporate. Enjoy!

Crock-Pot Enchiladas

These were not anything fantastic, but it was good and keep us all happily fed. I always enjoy a good crock pot recipe that takes care of itself while I am busy doing other things and it doesn't heat up our house. We served it with a fresh green salad.

Crock-pot Enchiladas

1 lb. Hamburger

1/2 cup chopped onion (I always use the whole onion)

1 can chopped green chilies

1 pkg. Taco seasoning

5-6 Tortilla

1 can Enchilada sauce

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

3 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (I use Colby Jack because its always on hand-Cheddar might have made it taste better!)

Brown the hamburger, onions, green chilies. Drain and add taco seasoning according to package directions. Mix the enchilada sauce and soup together in a a bowl. Layer in crock-pot: 1 tortilla, meat, cheese, soup mixture. Repeat layers. Cook on low for approximately 4 hours. Top with favorite toppings-sour cream, avocado's, diced tomatoes, lettuce, etc.

Chicken Breast with Avocado, Tomato, and Cucumber Salsa

I was looking for a quick and easy Cinco De Mayo recipe that called for Chicken because we had eaten beef the last two nights and I wasn't really interested in making our usual tacos. I got this in one of my e-newsletters yesterday morning and thought we'd give it a try. It was quick and easy. The salsa was different and refreshing, the cucumber gave it a sweetness that I liked, but I love cucumbers and tomatoes anytime. We made our own chips with tortillas that the kids always gobble up!

Chicken Breasts with Avocado, Tomato, and Cucumber Salsa Baked tortilla chips make a crunchy companion for this simple summer supper. Try the salsa another night on grilled fish or shrimp. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 3/4 cup salsa) Cooking spray 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (I used regular Chile powder 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped seeded peeled cucumber (about 1 large) 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (I used diced Roma's) 1/2 cup prechopped red onion (I used white sweet onion) 1/2 cup chopped peeled avocado 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (I used 1 teaspoon minced-in adult half only) 1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder evenly over chicken; add chicken to pan. Cook for 6 minutes on each side or until done, and remove from heat. 2. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, tossing well. Serve with chicken. CALORIES 243 (28% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 1.6g,mono 3.5g,poly 1.3g); IRON 1.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 94mg; CALCIUM 34mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.3g; SODIUM 533mg; PROTEIN 35.6g; FIBER 2.7g Cooking Light, AUGUST 2008

Mexican Lasagna

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, via foodnetwork. The kids enjoyed it, so that's a plus. Cameron thought it was a spicy hot even though I cut the cayenne back to 1/8 teaspoon. Next time I might have to alter the Chili powder a little too. Every one else thought the spiciness was just fine. Another modification that my sister-in-law makes is to use flour tortillas because her kids don't like corn tortilla. We have had it both ways and both are great.

Mexican Lasagna (Food Network Robin Miller)

Ingredients

Cooking spray

12 ounces cooked chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)

1 cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (regular or low-fat), divided

1 cup shredded Cheddar (regular or low-fat), divided

1/2 cup mild, medium or hot salsa

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon ground chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 6 wedges

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat an 11 by 7-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, sour cream, 3/4 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, 3/4 cup of the Cheddar, salsa, chiles, cilantro, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Arrange half of the tortilla pieces in the bottom of prepared pan, overlapping pieces slightly to cover the surface. Top with half of the chicken mixture and smooth over with the back of a spoon to even the top. Layer remaining tortillas over top, and spoon over remaining chicken mixture. Top with remaining 1/4 cup each of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 more minutes, until top is golden and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

To reheat, bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 15 minutes.

Tex-Mex Beef Wraps

This crock-pot keeper came to me via e-mail one of my recipe newsletters. I printed it off and added it to the "to try" pile during the summer, but now that I have a chance to blog it I can't give the source-sorry about that! We enjoy the simplicity of using our crock-pot in many ways-easy meals and easy clean up are the top to reasons. As of late we have tried many different Mexican flavored meats in the crock-pot so I will try to spread them out in the postings. If you are looking for a quick toss it in the pot this one is for you. Takes 10 minutes tops.

Tex-Mex Beef Wraps

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 boneless beef chuck pot roast (2 1/2 to 3 lbs), cut into 4 pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup salsa, divided (I used my homemade salsa and added nearly 2 cups)

12 (6 or 7-inch) Tortilla corn or flour, warmed

1 cup shredded cheddar of Monterey Jack Cheese

1 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 ripe avocado, diced

Blend chili powder, cumin, salt and red pepper. Rub meat all over with spice mixture. Place onion and garlic in bottom of 4 1/2 quart crock-pot; top with meat. Spoon 1/2 cup (1 cup homemade) salsa over meat. Cover and cook on low 8 to 9 hours or on High 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours.

Remove meat from crock-pot; place on plate and use to forks to shred meat. Skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid; return meat to juices and mix well. Adjust seasonings. Place meat on warm tortillas; top with cheese, tomato, cilantro, and avocado. Roll up and enjoy!

We served with remaining salsa, sour cream, and a Mexican Lime Rice which I hope to post soon.

Bajio Chicken-Salad or Tacos

This quick and easy crock-pot was a good change to our traditional flavored taco meats. This is on the sweet side. It is great on a salad and as a taco-take your pick! I will however recommend that is you don't like your taco's juice you might want to strain the portion of meat you will be using, straight from the pot it has extra juices that will make the tortilla drip with juice. We topped it with our favorite toppings: cheese, cilantro, tomatoes (or the Pico salsa), and avocados.



Bajio Chicken

5 chicken breasts

1/2 cup salsa

1 Tbsp cumin

1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste, I added at least an extra 1/8 cup)

1 (4 oz. can) diced green chilies
6 oz.
Sprite (1/2 can)



Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water.
Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans and any other taco fixings.
If you want it spicier rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies.

Pico De Gallo
30-40 grape tomatoes, cut in half or about 4-5 large tomatoes, seeded
(I just eyed what I thought looked like a good balance between the tomatoes and onions.
1 onion (you can use any onion, red, sweet, yellow. Sweet onions are my favorite!)
1 green pepper (I didn’t have a bell pepper so I left it our and it turned out a little sweeter than I think it would had I used the bell
1/2 bunch cilantro (I added a whole bunch-We love cilantro. If you don’t have fresh try adding dried cilantro)
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice (I used concentrate from a bottle)
salt
pepper

You can dice all ingredients by hand, or use a food processor. Put the tomatoes in the food processor ( if using grape tomatoes have them cut in half. If using large tomatoes have them cut into 4ths) Pulse until tomatoes are desired consistency. Pour tomatoes into a large bowl. Next put the onion in the food processor. Pulse until reached desired consistency. Add to tomatoes. Next process the green pepper and cilantro. Pulse to desired consistency. Add to tomatoes and onions. Add garlic, vinegar, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, overnight is best. The longer you can let it sit in the fridge, the better it is because the flavors can meld together.

Taco Soup

Happy Cinco De Mayo! I love a good reason to have a gathering and good food. So today I thought I would post more Mexican Flavored dishes that I haven't posted yet, that our little family enjoys.

Growing up I remember my family eating Taco soup often. It is a comfort food and we enjoy it! I have tried a few different versions on Taco soup now, but I still love the my mom's soup recipe the best. Because I usually have all the ingredients in food storage and the spices are simple and not overbearing.

1 lb Hamburger, ground

1 onion, finely diced

1 pkg. Taco Seasoning

1 can Kidney Beans, rinse and drained

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 can corn

1 can olives, sliced

Grated Cheese

Chips

Sour Cream

Brown hamburger and onion together, drain off fat. Add seasoning and all canned ingredients. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Serve topping with cheese, chips, and sour cream.

*We love homemade tortilla chips too. The ones in this picture can be found under the snack label. These are a tasty substitute when you don't have actual chips to crush on top. I always have tortillas on hand so it works nicely.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

I have many a recipe for Black Bean Salsa's. This one taste great and it doesn't have a lot of vinegars or spices so it makes it easier to throw together quickly. I will have to post some of my other well loved Black Bean Salsa's as summer gets closer--seems to be the time we eat it more often with our ripe tomatoes out of the garden.

1 (15 oz) can Black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 teaspoon minced fresh Jalapeno pepper (optional)
1 avocado, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 Red bell pepper, chopped (my mother-in-law added some green bells too and it tasted great)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or substitute 1 teaspoon dried)
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes, squeezed)
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients except avocado and chips. Cover and chill for at least two hours. Add avocado just before serving. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

Healthy Chips and Dip

I am posting this per request from my sister. This is a simple way of making your own low-fat crisps from tortillas. The kids love them and they are so simple to make. I nice after school snack if you ask me. I got these ideas years ago from "Parents" magazine-November 2006. We typically make PLAIN and eat them with salsa, but they suggest other great options which I have posted for your enjoyment too.

Sweet Wheat

2 whole-wheat burrito-size tortillas

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Lean Green

2 spinach burrito-size tortillas

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of nutmeg

Tasty Tomato

2 sun-dried tomato burrito-size tortillas

1 Tbs. grated Parmesan

Pinch of paprika

PLAIN

Flour Tortillas (we don't add seasonings)

Follow the spritzing directions and bake as directed. These are our favorite.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut tortillas into wedges. In a large bowl, sprinkle tortillas with seasonings and toss.  Spray with vegetable cooking spray, coating well. Place chips in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp.

DIPS

Robust Ranch

Combine 1/3 cup ranch dressing with 3 Tablespoons cottage cheese.

Sweet Salsa

1/2 cup prepared mild salsa, 1/4 cup corn kernels, 1/4 tsp. sugar

Calypso Black Beans and Rice and Taquitos

My family enjoyed this meal. It makes it a TON so be prepared for left overs. I served it with Chicken Taquitos and it was a lot of food.  The black beans and rice are suppose to a meal by itself.  It says it serves four generously, but it fed my family of four with left overs for another meal. On the second day we served it as a side dish on a last minute family pot lock Mexican dinner (four adults and 6 kids and there was still more left). It still got good reviews from everyone. We LOVE  extra LIME juice on top!

Calypso Black Beans

This is Claudia Bushman's recipe from 5 Star Latter Day Saint recipes.

1 cup peppers (various colors), diced

1 cup onions, chopped

2 Tablespoons prepared garlic

Half a dozen good shakes of hot pepper sauce (I used 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper made it kid friendly, but there wasn't much of a kick)

2 (16 oz) can black beans, drained

2/3 cups water

Salt and pepper, to taste (I used 1/2 teaspoon salt)

1 (10 oz) package, yellow rice mix (I found it at Walmart in the Mexican section)

1 tomato, diced

2 limes, cut in wedges

In an olive-oil-sprayed skillet, saute pepper and onions over medium-high heat until somewhat cooked. Add prepared garlic and half a dozen food shakes of hot pepper sauce. Add black beans and water. Cook for 6 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook yellow rice mix according to package directions. Put rice on a platter and spoon bean mixture over rice. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the rice. Top with diced tomatoes and the other lime, cut in wedges and place on the side. (We also added slices of avocado, cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream.)

Serves 4 generously !!!!

Simple Chicken Taquitos--Sarah Babbel's recipe

Cooked Chicken

Corn Tortillas (White or Yellow Corn)

Taco Seasoning packet

Canola oil

Cut or shred chicken with a fork. Place in a bowl and add a season packet. (Jack and I thought ours were a little dry so we might try adding cream cheese to them or something else to add moisture--it might have been because I used canned chicken instead of using freshly prepared chicken).

Add a small amount of oil to a skillet and add a corn tortilla one at a time to warm them so that they are easier to roll up. Add desired amount into corn tortillas, roll it up, carefully place in the pan with oil. ( I found seam side down to help them stay rolled up. Placing several in the pan at one time also helps.) Turn them until all sides were cooked.

Eat with guacamole, salsa, or beans.

Three Cheese Beef Enchiladas

I got this recipe from one of my girlfriends in Billings at "Foodies". She admits she is a picky eater. She loves this as does her kids, and all of my family. It is high calorie and fattening, so how can it not be delicious?

1 lb Hamburger

1 1/2 cups Shredded cheddar cheese

1- 3 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup salsa (I use my homemade salsa)

1/2 sliced green onion

1 teaspoon cumin

10 flour tortillas (7 if they are Burrito size)

Brown hamburger (I also added some chopped onion), and drain off fat. Combine 1 cup of each cheese, cream cheese, 1/2 onions (I leave out if I have added chopped onion to the brown beef.), 1/4 cup salsa (salsa) and the cumin.  Mix well with the hamburger. Spoon into tortillas and roll. Place in baking dish seam side down. Spoon remaining salsa and remaining cheese over all tortillas. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until desired crunchiness.

Creamy Chicken & Chile Enchiladas

I thought I might as well put all my enchilada recipes on the blog while I was at it. I only have three and we love them all.  They are all Carpenter Kid approved, don't know that that will mean much for anyone checking this blog out.  My kids are good eaters and aren't to picky --Thank GOODNESS! I hope you enjoy these simple and tasty recipes.

1 lb cooked chicken, diced

1-8 oz pkg cream cheese, cut into cubes (I use 1/3 less fat version-can't tell)

1 -4 oz can chopped green chiles

1 dozen flour tortillas (soft taco's or fajita

2 -10 oz cans green chile enchilada sauce

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a 10-inch non-stick skillet cook chicken until no longer pink. Add cream cheese and chiles, reduce heat to medium.  Cook until blended and cream cheese is melted.

Spoon chicken filling into tortillas, roll up and place seam side down in a baking dish. Pour enchilada sauces over the top; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.

We typically serve this with a nice Green toss salad, and corn or other vegetable.