Mango Tomato Salsa Recipe

I had discovered the beauty of mango and spice in the Strawberry Mango Salsa from the first of the month, so I thought I'd try a different combination. This salsa, is more similar to your traditional tomato pico de gallo with the added sweetness and smooth texture of mango. It's delicious AND (seriously) nutritious! Can't beat that on a hot summer day.


Mango Tomato Salsa Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 1 bowl of salsa

Ingredients

1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped

1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tsp chopped cilantro

cumin

Italian seasoning

salt 

pepper

1 Tbsp lime juice

Directions

In a 2-3 cup bowl, combine mango, tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Sprinkle with cumin, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add in lime juice. Stir to combine. Keep covered and refrigerate until serving. Serve with tortilla chips  or tacos. 

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Taco Pasta Casserole Recipe

Like I mentioned last week, Kevin and I have been on a Mexican food kick. Every. Single. Day. For another change up to the regular stand by of jacked-up-nachos or tacos, this casserole is the perfect option. It takes a little longer to prepare than a simple taco, but it's filling and delicious--and it could easily feed a large family if the recipe is doubled. 

Taco Pasta Casserole Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 box whole wheat penne pasta

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup frozen or fresh corn

1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped finely

1 small tomato, chopped

1/4 cup taco seasoning

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips (use up the bottom of the bag remnants!)

Directions

Boil water in a medium saucepan and cook pasta just before completely cooked. Strain and set to the side. 

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, crumbling it as you go. Drain the grease off the meat and return to the hot pan. Add in peppers, onions, garlic, and corn and saute until softened and fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes. Sprinkle the meat/veggie mixture with taco seasonings and stir in water. Let simmer 2-3 minutes. Stir in sour cream and cheese. Mix until melted and evenly distributed. 

Add the pasta into the meat mixture. Stir well. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9 inch 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Pour in the pasta/meat mixture and sprinkle evenly with crushed tortilla chips. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and browned. 

Serve with additional chips, hot sauce, and fresh cilantro if desired. 

Mexican Tossed Salad Recipe

My husband and I have been eating "Mexican" almost every day, enjoying the bounty of avocados, tomatoes, jalapenos, and peppers. This particular afternoon, I was looking for a new way to serve and enjoy these flavors, and I found a recipe for "Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad" on Tasty Kitchen. I took the basic idea and made it my own--it was a hit! We gobbled it up so quickly, there wasn't time for a photograph. Check out Lauren's post to get an idea of what this salad might look like.


Mexican Tossed Salad Recipe
adapted from Tasty Kitchen
Serves 2 or 3

Ingredients
2 cups shredded leaf lettuce
1/2 can (14.5 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4-1/2 cup crushed tortilla (or Dorito) chips, reserved until serving
1 whole avocado, diced, reserved until serving

for the dressing:
1/4 cup fat free Ranch dressing
1 tsp Srirachi (or other chili sauce)
1-2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp garlic powder
salt
pepper

Directions
Combine salad ingredients (except the tortilla chips and avocado) in a large bowl. Toss together.

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients, altering to suit your tastes. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

A few minutes before serving, toss in the crushed chips and avocado.

Serve!

Mexican Style Avocado Hamburger Recipe

I have come to love fresh avocado. Once a week or so, Kevin and I love to enjoy a freshly made guacamole along with homemade salsa and chips. I no longer consider the storebought super-green stuff real, true "guacamole." I'm not sure what's in that stuff, but I'll leave it on the shelf. 

Anyways, all that to say, this creamy fruit/vegetable (?!) is amazing and delicious. Why not place it on top of a spicy burger?! If you're unfamiliar with how to select an avocado, check out this post.

Mexican Style Avocado Hamburger Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground chuck, sirloin, chicken, or turkey

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp Sriracha chili sauce

1 avocado, sliced

2 slices of tomato

2 leaves of lettuce

Thinly sliced onion

Taco sauce

Hamburger buns 

Directions

Place the ground meat in a medium bowl and add in garlic, cumin, chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and chili sauce. Using your hands (remove your rings), combine the seasonings into the meat. (But do not overwork or this will result in tough burgers.) Score the meat down the middle and separate into two equal sections. Form into burgers, making an indent in the centers so that they cook evenly and don't bubble up. 

Bring a skillet up to medium heat and cook the burgers, 4-5 minutes on each side. 

Meanwhile, slice the avocado in half. Remove the pit. With the flesh still attached to the skin, use a knife to slice thinly. Then, peel back the flesh and transfer the avocado slices to a serving plate. 

Place the lettuce, tomato and onion on the serving plate along with the avocado. 

Lightly toast the buns and place the cooked burgers on the bottom half. Top with avocado, tomato, onion, and lettuce. Drizzle with taco sauce. Top with remaining bun and serve along with chips and salsa. 

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Fresh Salsa Soup Recipe

With a fridge full of fresh ingredients that desperately needed to be used, a chilly fall afternoon, and a husband who wouldn't be around for dinnertime, I knew soup was the perfect solution. I chopped and diced everything in sight and came up with a hearty, brothy, spicy, delicious soup that Kevin and I loved. It made enough for seconds and leftovers!  

Fresh Salsa Soup Recipe  

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 6 servings 

Ingredients

canola oil 

1/2 large onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

2 ears of corn, kernels cut off

2 large tomatoes, diced

1--14.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

2 tsp cumin

1 Tbsp chili powder

pepper

3 cups water

2 beef bouillon cubes 

Directions

In a large stock pot, drizzle canola oil once or twice around the pan. Once heated to medium or medium high, add onions, peppers, and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add in corn and tomatoes and cook another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir black beans, and spices then add the water and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium high for 10-15 minutes (minimum) to allow flavors to meld. (This can be simmered for hours, if desired.) 

Serve with a side of tortilla chips and sour cream!

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Refried Beans Recipe {from dry pintos}

I have become a big fan of refried beans--especially now that Kevin and I have, what we call, "Mexican fiesta" at least once a week. I make a quick batch of pico de gallo and guacamole. We doctor up a can of refried beans. He grabs the chips and sour cream. And we're off to deliciousness!

After tasting homemade refried beans made by my authentically Mexican friend, I knew I needed to try to make my own. I had no idea they were made with pinto beans, but once I discovered this, I thought why not try them from dry beans--cheaper and bit a more gratifying. Yes, the process takes a little longer, but if I used my crockpot, there would be hardly any work to do. I'll try that next time!

This bowl of beans makes a perfect dip, an appetizer for your next party, or a side dish to Mexican meal!

Refried Beans Recipe {from dry pintos}

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1/2 pound dried pinto beans

canola oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped (seeded to remove heat)

1/2 tsp cumin

salt

pepper

Directions

Drain and rinse beans until water runs clean. Be sure to remove any small stones that may have sneaked their way into the package.

In a large sauce pan or stock pot, combine beans and 3 cups water. Bring to boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then simmer for 2-3 hours, or until beans are completely cooked. 

Drain beans. 

While the beans are draining, in the bottom of the stock pot, drizzle canola oil and heat over medium. Saute garlic and jalapeno until softened. Add beans to the pot. Stir in cumin, salt and pepper. Mash beans until desired consistency is reached. 

Serve warm, as a side or as a dip. 

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Salsa Pasta

With homemade pico de gallo needing to be used and a hankering for pasta, I brainstormed this funky, fresh idea for dinner. (I probably shouldn't use "hankering" and "pasta" in the same sentence. Maybe it's in honor of my West-Virginian-Italian relatives...) With a few fresh ingredients I had on hand thanks to the bounty of summer produce, this was quick and easy to fix and a success for both mine and Kevin's palates. 

Salsa Pasta

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 2 

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta

1/2 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 green pepper, sliced

1 cup fresh pico de gallo

Canola oil

Directions

Fill a 2 quart sauce pan with water and bring it to a boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente. 

In the meantime, drizzle a skillet with canola oil and heat over medium. Add garlic, onions and peppers and saute until softened. Stir in salsa. Cover and cook 5-10 minutes, adding pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to achieve desired consistency. 

Drain pasta. Plate and pour salsa sauce over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. 

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Chicken Quesadillas

;

I apologize for pre-posting this the other night before it was completed. There were various technical difficulties that my loving husband had to help me with. Ooops!

In Quesadilla News....this is a crazy-delicious lunch or dinner idea that comes together quickly and easily. It's healthy--but only if you can keep yourself from going back for more and more and more. This would be perfect for parties and appetizer trays as well!



Chicken Quesadillas

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 green pepper, sliced

1/4 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

canola oil

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or white cheddar cheese

4 large soft tortillas 

Directions

Drizzle oil in a large skillet and heat over medium. Add chicken, peppers, onion and garlic and cook for 4 minutes. Stir. Cook 4 more minutes. Stir. Continue cooking until peppers are softened and chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Place 2 of the tortillas on large work surface and spread chicken and peppers mixture evenly across each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas. 

Cook in the same skillet over medium high heat for 4 minutes on each side, or until dark golden and crisp. 

Remove from heat and cut into quarters. Serve with salsa and sour cream.  

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Mango Strawberry Salsa

I had the privilege of catering a small summer-themed party on Saturday, and I had a blast embracing the freshness of the season! This mango strawberry salsa was easy to make and a healthy, delicious choice for the guests!

I wasn't able to take any photos before the event, so this picture is the best chance of peeking at the salsa. It's pictured bottom left. 

Mango Strawberry Salsa

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 4-8 

Ingredients

2 mangoes, cored 

1 cup strawberries, rinsed and hulled

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp red onion, finely chopped

salt

Directions

Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse 5 or 6 times, or until desired consistency is reached. Refrigerate and serve with tortilla chips.

Best served the same day.  

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Baked Tortilla Chips

My husband and I love to much on chips and salsa, but I hate knowing I'm using a fried chip to scoop up a completely healthy vegetable dip. Do you relate? If so, you should definitely try making your own chips. It takes a few times to learn exactly when the chips are done or to keep them from burning. :) (I certainly don't speak from experience. *wink*) 

I wrote this recipe for one pan of chips, but typically I'll make 3 or 4 pans once I have the oven heated up. Then, I have plenty on hand for snacking emergencies!  

Baked Tortilla Chips

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

36 chips 

Ingredients

6--6 inch corn tortillas 

Non-stick cooking spray

Sea Salt 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Using a pizza cutter or large knife, cut tortillas into 6 even wedges. Arrange on large baking sheet and spray with a light coating of cooking spray. Sprinkle with sea salt. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden and center of chips are firm to the touch. You will want to check the chips frequently during the last 5 minutes of baking to be sure they do not burn. Some ovens may require longer than 15 minutes. If so, check chips at 1 minute intervals.  Remove from the pan to cool. 

Store in an airtight bag or container. 

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Breakfast Burritos

This is the perfect meal to throw together in 15 minutes--whether you need a hearty breakfast or a quick, delicious dinner. Eggs scrambled with peppers, onions and black beans and wrapped in a flour tortilla makes for a surprisingly tasty meal. Try it sometime! 

Breakfast Burritos 

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

canola oil

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic, grated or minced

sprinkle of cumin

sprinkle of chili powder

salt

pepper

5 eggs

1/2 cup black beans

4 flour tortillas

salsa, for topping

sour cream, for topping

hot sauce

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle with canola oil. Saute green peppers, onions and garlic 3-5 minutes, until fragrant and slightly softened. Sprinkle with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. 

In a medium bowl, beat eggs.  Add eggs to the pan with the pepper and onions and use a wooden spoon to stir even few seconds while cooking. Stir in black beans. 

Microwave tortillas for 10 seconds each, if desired. Fill tortillas with egg mixture, topping with desired amounts of salsa, sour cream, and hot sauce. 

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Chicken Tortilla Lime Soup

Inspired by a recipe in Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats cookbook, I spent half an hour putting this soup together yesterday afternoon to be enjoyed by our young adult small group in the evening. Overflowing with fresh vegetables and lean protein, this soup is uber healthy for you and your family. The heat factor is totally controlled by you--the cook. Feel free to add another jalapeño or more hot sauce (or less) if you wish!

The addition of the crushed tortilla chips was a new concept to me, and initially I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I thought it might result in little soggy bits of tortillas. On the contrary! By crushing the chips into fine bits, you aren't ending up with soggy chips, but with a lovely addition of flavor and consistency. The soup becomes a bit thicker as the tortilla bits absorb the juices and the salty flavor from the chips adds a perfect flair. Enjoy this soup soon!

Chicken Tortilla Lime Soup 

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com,

adapted from Rachael Ray: 365 No Repeats

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

canola oil

salt

pepper

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 whole medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 green pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 red pepper, seeded and chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 Tbsp cumin 

2 tsp hot sauce

4 Tbsp lime juice

5 cups chicken stock/broth

1-1/2 cups crushed corn tortilla chips 

sour cream, for topping

cilantro, chopped, for topping

Directions

In the bottom of a 6 quart stock pan, drizzle canola oil. Bring to medium heat. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and add to the hot oil. Salt and pepper generously. Stir/rotate chicken pieces after 2-3 minutes. Cook through. Add in the chopped vegetables (onion, garlic, green pepper, red pepper, jalapeño pepper, and celery) and cumin, hot sauce and lime juice. Cook 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Once vegetables are softened, add in chicken stock/broth. Stir to combine. Add the crushed tortilla chips and stir. Simmer over low heat at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours. 

Serve with additional tortilla chips, sour cream and cilantro.  

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Taco Layer Dip {low fat}

It was Super Bowl Sunday. It was also just hours after saying good to the last student after a weekend of leading a trip of 27 to a youth conference. We were tired. We wanted rest and relaxation. And we wanted a private party chock full of delicious Super Bowl snacks. While Kevin cooked up store-bought fried ravioli, I went to work on this low fat dip of awesomeness. 

I have seen many varieties of this dip, so I went with my own instincts and created this delicious dip. I would highly recommend including a layer of homemade guacamole--it tips the scales to make this appetizer/snack/meal over-the-top perfect. 

Kevin has always claimed to strongly dislike refried beans, but after adding the additional spices and layering with fresh ingredients, he couldn't get enough--and neither could I. This is one appetizer that's downright healthy. With the low fat ingredients chock full of protein and fiber, combined with fresh vegetables, you can't be it! 

Taco Layer Dip {low fat}

serves: a party!

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Ingredients

1 - 15 oz. can fat free refried beans

1/4 cup water

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped (seeds and ribs removed to lower heat)

1 avocado, finely chopped OR 1 cup fresh guacamole

1 cup finely chopped tomatoes, divided

1/4 cup red onions, finely chopped

1 cup fat free sour cream 

Directions

In a medium bowl, stir together beans, water, chili powder and cumin until smooth and creamy.* Spread the beans along the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate (or other serving dish). Layer on jalapeno, avocado (or guacamole), tomatoes (reserving a few for garnish), and onions. Spread with sour cream. Garnish with additional tomatoes. 

Serve immediately with tortilla chips or cover and refrigerate. 

*Optional: Beans may be heated, topped with cheese then spread with remaining ingredients for a warm appetizer (or if you just plain prefer your refried beans hot).

Chicken Fajitas

This is the type of meal I whip up on a regular basis--normally when I have no advanced plan for dinner and I throw random things in a skillet and see what inspires me. This is delicious and easy--and don't be afraid to change things up to suit your pantry and palate needs. 

Serves 2-3 people 

Ingredients

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or one large sliced in half--butterfly style)

1/2 green pepper, sliced

1 small onion, diced

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Roma tomato, diced

1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped

Cumin

Taco Seasoning, optional

Salt

Pepper

5-8 corn tortillas (~5inch)

Directions

Heat a skillet to medium low and drizzle with EVOO or canola oil. Add onions and garlic and green peppers. Sauté until softened. Meanwhile, pat taco seasoning onto both sides of the chicken. Rearrange veggies in the skillet to make room for the chicken breasts. Cover and cook for about 4 minutes on one side--do not move the chicken around--let it cook. Flip chicken and stir veggies. Add in tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, and additional taco seasoning if desired. Cover and let cook for another 3-4 minutes. 

Heat another skillet to high. Place one tortilla at a time in the skillet for 20-30 seconds per side. Cover and keep warm. 

Fill tortilla with fajita mixture and top with sour cream and chopped cilantro if desired. 

Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Cheese Sauce

My refrigerator was overflowing with poblano peppers.
Ok, not quite overflowing. I had four.
And I had plans to use the in some scrumptious way.
Originally, I was going to roast them. Mostly because that's the typical first step in preparation of poblano peppers.
Though I'm not sure why.
I was browsing recipes for ideas and suddenly stuffed peppers sounded amazing.
I had never had a stuffed poblano.
The question was: how should they be stuffed?

I quickly started whole grain brown rice in my handy dandy rice cooker.
Because that takes FOREVER.
Or about 20 minutes.
Then I decided it needed black beans.
And tomatoes. And garlic and onions. duh.

And that's when it hit me!
I had a lovely batch of my favorite "dump" salsa in the fridge.
Black Bean Salsa.
I stirred this into the cooked rice.
Stuffed the peppers.
And BAM! We had a great dinner on our plates!

Now, a word of caution.
Poblanos are a tricky pepper.
They're not always spicy hot.
And they're not always pleasantly mild.
In our batch of 3 stuffed peppers we had two delightfully mild peppers.
And one burn-your-tongue-off-because-it's-hotter-than-a-jalapeno poblano pepper.
So tread lightly, folks.
And beware of the sneaky poblano.

Ingredients

3-4 large poblano peppers 

3 cups cooked brown rice 

2-3 cups black bean salsa

• Stir together: 
• 1-15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-15 oz. can whole corn, drained
• 1-15 oz. can diced tomatoes with chilis
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1 small onion, finely chopped 
• 2 Tbsp Italian dressing
• salt and pepper 

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp flour

1 clove garlic, minced 

salt

pepper

sprinkle of chili powder, if desired

1-2 cups milk

1 cup grated cheese

Directions

Cook rice. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. When rice is cooked stir in black bean salsa to desired proportion. Make a thin slice lengthwise down each poblano pepper. Do NOT cut all the way through. Leave stem attached, but remove veins and seeds. Stuff each pepper with the rice mixture.  Place in a greased 8x8 inch pan. Add 2-3 Tbsp water. Cover with tin foil. Bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil (VERY carefully! The steam from the peppers can burn.) Place back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes while you make the cheese sauce. 

Heat a small saucepan to medium heat high. Add in butter and melt. Stir in garlic, salt and pepper. Saute 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Whisk in flour forming a thickening agent (known as a roux). Cook out the flour for 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk--just one cup at first. Let thicken. Add more milk if needed. Stir in cheese and cook until melted. (Add more cheese if it needs to be thickened; add more milk if it needs to be thinned.) 

Place one pepper on dinner plate and top with cheese sauce. 

Spicy Fiesta Soup.

I wanted a hearty soup. 

I wanted spice. zip. intensity. 

I wanted Spicy* Fiesta** soup***.

*Spicy because it is.

**Fiesta because of the fun colors of the peppers and it's Mexican flair. 

***Soup because it has a broth base not a tomato base.

Yes, I had this ideal picture in my mind as I looked at the chorizo and pretty yellow and red peppers in my refrigerator. This was exactly what I wanted. Though the ingredients could be transformed into a great chili with the addition of canned tomatoes we decided to go with the thinner broth consistency to hold everything together.  Feel free to add small cooked pasta (like dittalini or cut up rigatoni) into the dish just before serving.  We loved this and hope you will too!  Just don't be surprised at the intense spice! :D 

Ingredients

1/2 lb Spanish chorizo

1/2 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 30oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 15oz cans diced tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth or bouillon 

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

salt (limit use as the broth is high in sodium)

pepper

Directions

Preheat a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot to medium heat.  Remove chorizo from casing and cook thoroughly. Drain in a colander and set aside.  (You may want to rinse the chorizo and/or dab with paper towels to eliminate the excess grease.)  In the same pot add about 2 Tbsp oil.  Saute onions, garlic, jalapeno, and peppers until soft and fragrant. Stir into drained pinto beans (or other beans of your choice), tomatoes, chorizo, and spices.  Add chicken broth and stir to combine.  Heat to boiling and then lower heat and simmer at least 2 hours.  

Optional: Just before serving place the cooked pasta in the bottom of the individual serving bowls and pour soup over top.  Stir together.   

Taco Chili

When I saw a recipe for Taco Soup on a great recipe blog called For the love of cooking I new I needed to try it. The recipe ingredient list was filled with items I keep on hand and the techniques were simple. I am so glad I put this on our menu right away. It delicious and better than I imagined. With my alterations it becomes more of a taco tasting chili than a soup--namely because of it's heartier consistency. Try this TODAY!

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Taco Seasoning Ingredients

1 tsp of cumin

1 tsp of oregano

1 tsp of chili powder

1 tsp of paprika

1 tsp of garlic powder

1 tsp of onion powder

1 tsp of coriander

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Soup Ingredients

1/2 to 1 lb of lean ground beef

1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced (not pictured)

1 can of pinto (or black) beans, rinsed and drained

1 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup of frozen corn

2 cans of diced tomatoes

1 4.5 oz can of diced green chilies (or 1-2 jalapenos, diced)

1/2 oz of package of ranch salad dressing mix (half a packet) (I omitted this)

1 8oz can tomato sauce

8 oz (1 cup) water (rinse out tomato cans with water and add to soup)

Directions

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat then add the ground beef. Add all the taco seasonings and mix into the ground beef, making sure to break it up into crumbles. Add the diced onion and garlic then mix thoroughly and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chilies and ranch dressing packet, mix well then cover and simmer on low for 2 hours, stir occasionally. Taste and re-season with sea salt or pepper if needed.

Toppings Ingredients

Corn tortilla strips (directions below)

Sour cream

Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Green onions, diced

While the soup is simmering, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut a few corn tortillas into strips. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray then place the tortilla strips on it and spray them with cooking spray and season with sea salt. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.

Ladle the soup into bowls then top with corn tortilla strips, soup cream, cheddar cheese and green onions. Enjoy.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas has always been on Kevin's "top 10 favorite meals of all time" list. I've tried this Mexican dish only one other time and it was tasty--but quite a bit of work and I wasn't perfectly pleased with the results. When I saw Annie post an all new chicken enchilada recipe and I had all of the ingredients on hand, I knew this was a must for this week's menu. Kevin was, of course, excited. However, I don't think either of us anticipated how delicious these would be. It was a little bit of work, but nothing too challenging--just a few extra dishes to wash. Which is why I went ahead and made the entire recipe, though it could easily feed four adults. The other half of the enchiladas are in the freezer--hopefully they'll be perfect for a last minute reheated meal.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped fine

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine

1 tsp. canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. cumin

1 tbsp. sugar

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

Salt and pepper

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided

½ cup minced fresh cilantro

12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas

Cooking spray

Directions:

Combine the onion, jalapeno and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through (160˚ F on an instant-read thermometer), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the onion/tomato/pepper mixture. Add in ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of each of the shredded cheeses, and the cilantro. Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown slightly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Garnish with cilantro, green onions, sour cream, etc.

Chicken-Tortilla Soup

This was a recipe I had copied from a friend's Southern Living's Slow Cooker Cookbook. I was in the mood for soup. Something hearty. But flavorful. Nutritous. and of course Delicious. I believe this hit the nail on the head. I messed around with some of the ingredient quantities (most changes are noted in parentheses), as per usual--namely the chili powder which added lots of zing!

Kevin gave this a two thumbs up and definitely wants it again sometime soon!

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cube

1 (10 oz) package frozen whole kernel corn, thawed (I used a little over 1 cup and left it frozen)

1 large onion, chopped

2-4 cloves garlic, minced/pressed

2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth (I used 2 chicken bouillon cubes to yield 16 oz, I liked the thicker consistency, though I totally "messed up" on accident.)

1 (10 3/4 oz) can tomato puree (I used a 10 oz can of tomato sauce)

1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chiles (my can was 14.5oz)

3/4 tsp salt (optional, as the broth adds lots of sodium)

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp (or more!) chili powder

1/8 tsp (or more! to taste) ground or crushed red pepper

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 bay leaf (I'd say this is optional as well, considering I didn't have a bay leaf to add in.)

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Garnish:

4 (5.5 inch) corn tortillas

Fresh Cilantro

Sour Cream

Combine first 13 ingredients in a 4 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 6 hours. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Cut tortillas into 1/4 inch wide strips; place on lightly greased baking sheet. Baked at 375 for 5 minutes. Stir strips. Bake 5 minutes more or until crisp. Serve with soup and garnish as desired.

Spicy Homemade Salsa

This is an incredible use of your garden tomatoes! I found this salsa recipe over at Annie's Eats and as I've mentioned before, she never fails me. :) I had all the ingredients on hand--though I did substitute a few items (like lemon juice for the lime juice). You'll want to be very very careful about adding in the jalapenos. I love spicy foods and I only incorporated the 2 that were called for, but man alive is our salsa every spicy. There's many people I know who could definitely not be able to handle the heat. If that's you, just lower the amount of jalapeno added or eliminate altogether. For the rest of us, bring on the heat!

I loved getting to use my food processor for this recipe and I loved all the ingredients used. I enjoy a chunky salsa but also a more processed salsa such as this. It's perfect, people, it really is. P.S. The 3 containers of salsa shown in the picture is two full batches.

Ingredients:

2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and very coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, halved

5-6 large vine-ripened tomatoes (OR 2 tomatoes and one 28oz. can diced tomatoes)

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar (or apple cider--what I used)

1 tbsp. cumin

1/2 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (I didn't add this)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

juice of one lime (or 2 splashes of lemon juice)

Directions:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the jalapenos and garlic. Process until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add all other ingredients to the food processor. Pulse in very brief pulses until the vegetables have reached the size you desire (it does not take many pulses so don’t overdo it). Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.