Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

 This soup is a favorite at our house :)
Super Yummy!

Chicken

1 C onions

1 clove garlic

3 T butter

2 Chicken Bullion cubes

1 C hot water

1/2-1 t cumin

2 C half and half

2 C Monterey Jack Cheese

1 (16oz) can corn

1 (4oz) can chopped green chilies undrained

1/2-1t hot pepper sauce

1 medium tomato chopped

Cut chicken and brown in skillet with onion and garlic in butter.  Dissolve butter in hot water in a large pot.  Add chicken and cumin.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add half and half, cheese, corn, chilies and hot pepper sauce.  Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.  Top with diced tomoto.  

Leftover Hambone Soup

photo credit 

I made this last night, it was really good and even better the next day.  All of my kids ate it as well.  I added a little bit of oregano and basil as well :)

Recipe found here

Leftover Hambone Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 leftover ham bone
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 russet potato, peeled and diced
1 cup canned white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
3/4 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups leftover diced ham
INSTRUCTIONS

Place leftover ham bone in a large stockpot or Dutch oven and add enough water to cover the bone halfway, about 6-7 cups. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until very fragrant, about 30 minutes to 1 hour; remove and discard ham bone.
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in ham stock, beans, corn, thyme and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in ham until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Sweet Ham Sliders

I got this recipe from a neighbor, and I know they got it off Pintrest but I'm not sure which site. 

Sweet Ham Sliders

1 package Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Thin Sliced Black Forest Ham
Swiss Cheese
1 stick butter
2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1tsp onion powder
1 tsp poppy seeds

Melt butter and mix in worcherstershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and poppy seeds.
Cut rolls in half and place the bottom half of roll in the bottom on an 8x8 baking dish.  Brush a small amount of mixture on.  Place a slice of ham and swiss cheese on top.  Put the tops of the rolls on and brush the remaining mixture on top.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 mins.

These were quick and yummy!

Pesto Chicken Pillows

Pesto Chicken Pillows

I found this on http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com. It was super easy to make, and my kids really liked it.

Yield: 8 pillows

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup basil pesto
• 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 2 (8 ounce) packages Pillsbury® Crescent Rolls
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 cups seasoned Panko crumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl add the cream cheese, pesto, green onions, and chicken. Stir until combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Unroll the crescent dough. Take two triangles and press them together to form a rectangle.
4. Spoon about ½ cup of the chicken mixture in the center of the rectangle and bring the corners of the crescent dough together, pinching to seal.
5. Place the Panko crumbs on a plate. Dip each chicken pillow in the melted butter (or brush it on using a pastry brush) and roll it in the Panko crumbs.
6. Place the chicken pillows seam side down on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken pillows have turned golden brown.

Notes

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Read more at http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2013/11/pesto-chicken-pillows.html#Voxg2GvSOkJaX8i1.99

Chicken Gyros

I found this on www.thesisterscafe.com. We tried this the other day it was pretty good. The Tzatziki Sauce really does need to be made in advance. It tastes much better after it's had some time for the flavor to blend together.

Chicken Gyros

For the Tzatziki Sauce:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:

2 teaspoons minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon (2-3 Tablespoons)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

To assemble:
Pita bread

romaine or spinach leaves
Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
Red onion, sliced thin
feta cheese crumbles

Instructions

1. For the the tzatziki sauce, shred the cucumber or you could chop in a food processor. Be sure to wrap the shredded cucumber in a towel and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. This is VERY important!! Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
2. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
3. Now for the chicken: combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until well combined. Add sliced (or cubed) chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour but overnight is even better!
4. Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler. Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into strips. Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, spinach or romaine, diced tomatoes, feta crumbles and sliced onions. Serve immediately.

I found this one on "My Kitchen Escapes"  It was really really good BUT  I found that you have to take the time to let the juices boil down to a thicker liquid or the favor isn't as strong and it's not as good.  But if you do that it is super yummy!

Pork Carnitas


(recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated)
4 pound boneless pork butt, fat trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tb fresh lime juice
2 C water
1 medium orange, juiced and keep the spent halves

1.  Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat to 300 degrees.  Combine all the ingredients in a large Dutch oven, including the spent orange halves and juice.  Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered.  Once it simmers, cover pot and transfer it to the oven.  Cook until the meat falls apart when prodded with a fork, about 2 hours.
2.  Remove the pot from the oven and turn on the broiler.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and place it on a large foil-lined jelly roll pan.  Remove and discard everything from the pot except for the cooking liquid.  Place pot over high heat on the stove and boil until thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes.  You should have about 1 C of liquid remaining when it is finished.
3.  While the liquid is reducing, use two forks to pull each cube of pork into three equal sized pieces.  Once the liquid has become a syrup, gently fold in the pieces of pork into the pot.  Try not to break up the pork any further.  Taste and add additional salt and pepper.
4.  Spread the pork back onto the foil lined pan and evenly spread the meat around so there is a single layer of meat.  Place the jelly roll pan on the lower middle rack of the oven and broil until the top of the meat is well browned and edges are slightly crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes.  Using a wide metal spatula, flip the pieces of meat and broil the other side until well browned and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes.  Serve immediately in a tortilla with all your favorite toppings.

I found this one on  Jamie Cooks It Up!  We really liked this one.


Crispy Won Ton and Chicken Asian Salad
Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6-7 servings


***Note: This salad is best served in individual portions. I like to lay all of the components out on my counter and let my family make their own salad. It would also work fabulously  for a ladies luncheon. Please invite me at your earliest convenience. :) If you want to take this salad along to a pot-luck, bbq or party I would recommend leaving out the brown rice and mixing the other ingredients together in one big bowl, just before it's served.***

5 C cooked brown rice (tutorial found here)
5 chicken breast (about 2-3 pounds)
olive oil
Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 (12 ounce) package Won Ton wrappers
6 green onions
1 red bell pepper
2 (10 ounce) cans mandarin oranges
1 head romaine lettuce
Light and Creamy Toasted Sesame Asian Dressing (recipe below)

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Put some brown rice on the stove to cook. You can find a recipe and tutorial for that here.
3. Make some fabulous Light and Creamy Toasted Sesame Asian Dressing and toss it in your fridge. Recipe and tutorial found here.
4. Place 5 (completely thawed) chicken breasts out on a cookie sheet you have spray with cooking spray.
5. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top of each breast.
6. Sprinkle some Montreal Steak Seasoning over the top of each one. You want to be pretty generous with the seasoning.
7. Place the pan in your oven and let the chicken bake away until the insides are no longer pink. Should take about 25-30 minutes.
8. Grab a package of wonton wrappers. You can find these in the produce section of your grocery store. They are usually kept with the refrigerated veggies. Lay them out in two piles on a cutting board. Take a sharp knife and cut them into strips.
9. Heat up some canola or vegetable oil in a  deep skillet over medium high heat.  You will need about and inch and a half of oil. When the oil is hot carefully place some of the won ton strips into it. You won't be able to fry all of them at once, you'll have to cook them in 3-4 batches depending on the size of your skillet. Let them cook for about 3 minutes per batch,  or until golden brown. Take them out of the oil and place them on a plate that is covered with a paper towel. Give them a little sprinkle of salt. Alternatively, if you don't want all of the fat and calories that deep-frying gives us :) you can spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray, lay the strips out and spray the tops of them with cooking spray as well. Then pop them into a 400 degree oven and let them bake for about 10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them...you don't want them to get too dark. (Like the strips you see in the far left corner of this picture!) Baked or Fried...the strips are tasty either way. It just depends on your own personal preference. Do as you please. :) Also, if you feel like cooking a whole grundle of won tons is going to send you over the edge into a frazzled state of madness...don't make them, man. I feel your pain. Some days are not meant to be spent frying up wontons. I totally get it! Just find yourself some crunchy Chinese Noodles and add those instead. It will still taste great. Not as killer fabulous as eating fried won tons...but still great.
10. Set out all of your salad ingredients and let your family, friends or relatives  build their own salads. Place some brown rice on a plate, chop up some chicken and lay it on top of the rice. Add some lettuce, mandarin oranges, red pepper and green onion. Add some crispy won tons, pour on some Light and Creamy Toasted Sesame Asian Dressing and dig right in!

Light and Creamy Toasted Sesame Asian Dressing

***NOTE: This dressing will store in the fridge for up to a week.*** Time: 10 minutes Yield: 2 cups 3/4 C mayonnaise (I use Best Foods Light) 1/2 C apple cider vinegar 1/4 C soy sauce 3/4 C sugar 1/2 t salt 2 T minced garlic 1/2 C peanuts (dry roasted) 1/4 t sesame oil 1 T toasted sesame seeds pinch red pepper flakes 1. Grab some mayonnaise. I like to use this Best Foods Light. It has much less fat than regular mayo and tastes great. Measure out 3/4 cup and spoon it into your blender. 2. Add 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 3/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. 3. Peel and roughly chop 2 tablespoons of fresh garlic. Add it to the blender. 4. Mix everything together for about 1 minute. 5. Add 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, cover the blender and let it mix for several minutes, or until the peanuts are finely chopped and have blended in a bit. You will still have a few  tiny pieces, that's okay. Add 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Mix just for a few seconds more and you are ready to roll.  Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

My kids even liked this one :)

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded BBQ chicken
1 avocado, chopped
2 tbsp White Cheddar cheese, shredded
2-4 tbsp BBQ sauce
2 scallions, chopped
cilantro for garnish
Instructions

In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, corn, black beans, chicken and avocado. Season with salt and pepper
Transfer mixture onto a bowl and top with shredded cheese, BBQ sauce, scallions and cilantro.
Serve warm or at room temperature
Notes

This recipe calls for already cooked chicken so plan ahead! I prefer to cook my chicken in the crockpot, using 6 chicken thighs, 1 white onion sliced and 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce. I cook on low for about 6-7 hours and then shred and refrigerate for later.

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

We really liked this one!  I added Black beans as well :)

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken stock
1 tablespoon chicken soup base
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 (8 oz). can tomato sauce
1 (19 oz.) can enchilada sauce (or two 10 oz. cans)
6 small corn tortillas*, minced
16 oz. Velveeta, cubed
1 cup co-jack cheese, shredded
1 22 oz. bag Tyson roasted and diced chicken, thawed
1 can whole kernel corn**, drained (optional)
Garnishes: pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded cheese, crunchy tortilla strips

In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and saute' the onions until they are tender. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute or two, then scrape the onions and garlic into your crock pot. Add all the other ingredients, except the chicken and corn. Cook over high heat for two hours or low for four. Whisk until smooth (you may wish to use a stick blender). Add the chicken pieces and corn and heat through, maybe another 30 minutes to one hour. Check seasonings, and garnish as you like before serving.

BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza

This is another Our best bites recipe, I seriously love almost everything I try from them.  This one is good.  I usually make a pork, doing the Kahlua pork here and then use left overs on this.  I cover the pork with our favorite BBQ sauce and we are good to go :)


BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza

As pizza is an easily adaptable dish that can be customized to the creators liking, exact measurements are not given here.  Eyeball it for the specific size pizza you are making.

Pizza Dough, either homemade or store-bought
vegetable or olive oil
Leftover BBQ Pulled Pork
BBQ Sauce (Use the same one you used to cook your pork)
1 part smoked cheddar
2 parts Mozzarella cheese
thinly sliced red onion
diced pineapple, fresh or canned
chopped parsley or cilantro

Prepare your pizza dough.  When it has just 5-10 minutes of rising left, preheat outdoor bbq grill to medium-high heat.  Place all other prepped ingredients on a tray so they’re ready to go and easily accessible.

Divide dough into 4-6 pieces.  Roll out each piece on a floured surface to about 1/3 of an inch thick.  Lightly brush with oil.

Bake according to dough recipes instructions :)

Havana Pork Tenderloin (from the recipeguru ap on my tablet)

1 pound pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspooondried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
Julice from 3 limes or 1/2 lime juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 bunch spinach (I used baby spiniach)
4 oranges (we only used 2)

Slice tenderloin into medallions 1 to 2 inches think. Heat olive oil in large skillet over meaduim heat. Add meat, garlic, oregano, and chilli powder.

Flip meat over after it is well browned on the first side, and allow to brown on the other side, about 2 minutes per pound. reduce heat to low.

In a small bowl, stir together juice of three limes, sugar, cilantro, and soy sauce. \. Add to meat in skillet and stir well. Remove from heat.

On four plates, arrange spinash leaves. Pell the oranges and remove as much white pulp as possible. Slice oranges crosswise and arrange on top of spinach. Place meat on top of greens and oranges. Drizzle remaning pan juices over all.

Serves 4

(so at first I thought the spinach and oranges were more for looks. Turns out they seriously tasted great with the flavor of the meat. My girls wouldn't eat the spinach but they loved the pork)

Sesame Noodles with Chicken and Veggie

image via pinterest


So a while ago Chad and I went on a health challenge with a bunch of other people.  Chad lost 26 pounds in 8 weeks, I lost 9 pounds in 5 weeks and then got pregnant :)  But we tried a bunch on healthy recipes and so I am going to start posting again on here and I'll start with the healthy stuff we liked. 


Sesame Noodles with Chicken and Veggies




Cook some spaghetti noodles, we used wheat ones.  We really liked the ronzoni ones because they tasted very similar to regular noodles.  My kids couldn't tell the difference.  Set the noodles aside


In a bowl mix this sauce together
1/4 cup soy sauce (we used lite)
2 T sugar
1 T minced garlic
2 T rice vinegar
I T sesame oil
1 t hot chili sauce (use more for Josh)
2 T olive oil


Add what you want, we did chicken, red peppers, mushrooms and broccoli. But you could add anything, it would be good with snap peas or cabbage or what ever... anyhow cook your meat and saute your veggies and then dump the noodles and sauce in a hot skillet and mix, cooking for maybe 3 to 5 minutes until all mixed and warm. Then eat and enjoy!

Teriyaki Burger

This is more of an idea then a recipe....

The other day I wanted burgers on the grill. I was also craving a Teriyaki Burger from Carls Jr. I decided to make my own. I had a fresh Pineapple in the house so why not!

Hamburger Patties
Hamburger Buns
Teriyaki Sauce
Freash Pineapple
Lettuce
Tomato
Cheese (swiss if you want it to be like the Carls Jr. one

Grill burgers, put on bun, add the toppings you like and enjoy. (you could also add Mayo if you like it. I do not like it and it isn't very good for you so I leave that off)

Crispy Shrimp Pasta

I found this YUMMY recipe over at http://www.kevinandamanda.com/  We liked it alot.  I loved that it was an Alfredo sauce that didn't have a pound of cream cheese and butter in it :)  Same yummy flavor just lighter and not as bad for you.  Chad and I ate it with the shrimp and the kids ate it without.. it was good both ways!  ENJOY!!!!

via kevin and amanda blog

Crispy Shrimp Pasta

4 oz fettuccine pasta
3/4 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
Cook pasta according to package directions. Sprinkle shrimp with salt, pepper, and toss to combine. Sprinkle 1 tbsp flour over the shrimp, and toss to coat the shrimp. Sprinkle 1 more tbsp flour and toss to evenly coat the shrimp. Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook on each side, flipping once, until golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to plate. Pour in the chicken broth. Cook for about 5 minutes, whisking the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium and pour in cream, whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium heat until bubbly and the cream starts to thicken the mixture, about 5 minutes. Taste the sauce and add seasonings as desired (salt, pepper, cajun seasonings, etc.) Add the drained pasta and shrimp to the sauce, and stir to combine.
*If you have trouble getting the sauce to thicken, thoroughly mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 4 tbsp cold water and add to the sauce. Sauce will thicken immediately.

Crispy southwest Chicken Wraps

I found this on My kitchen cafe    and they are way yummy :)

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

*Makes 6 wraps*

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken

1 can black beans, rinsed and drianed

1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)

1/2 red or green pepper, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)

Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center - it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

Lasagna Soup

Recipe take from http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com and is super DELICIOUS!

for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Servings:  8

Source:  adapted from 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, as seen in the February-April 2011 edition of At Home with Kowalski’s magazine

BBQ Grilled Shrimp Tostadas

Image via Jane Deere

I found these on http://janedeereblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/bbq-grilled-shrimp-tostadas.html

 So incredibly yummy!  As mentioned before I do not eat seafood, but lately I am liking shrimp.  I loved these.  But if you hate seafood I really think the seasoning would be great on chicken and then substituting the shrimp for chicken on the tostada's would be so yummy!

BBQ Grilled Shrimp Tostadas

3 cups shredded cole slaw

1 lime

2 T fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & diced

½ cup mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, minced & mashed

12 tostada shells

1 cup crumbled Queso Fresco

3 tomatoes

4 avocados

3 limes, cut into wedges

Prepare shrimp and grill according to recipe (see below).  Toast tostada shells in oven according to package directions. 

Cut avocados in half, remove seeds and scoop out pulp.  In a small bowl, coarsely mash avocados and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In another medium bowl, combine slaw, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, mayonnaise, garlic and juice of 1 lime.  Set aside.

Chop tomato and set aside.

When ready to serve, each person can build their tostada as they wish.  Serve with lime wedges.    Calories:  445 ▪ Fat: 23g ▪  Carbs: 30g ▪ Dietary Fiber: 6g ▪ Protein: 30g

Bbque Shrimp

3 pounds (21 to 24 count) large shrimp, peeled & deveined, tail on

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons Lawry’s Season Salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cloves coarsely chopped fresh garlic

Whisk together the chipotle chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, season salt and pepper in a small bowl. 

Place the shrimp in a large bowl, toss with olive oil and garlic.  Add the spice rub and stir well to coat; set aside.

Heat grill to high. 

Skewer shrimp with 2 skewers to prevent difficulty in turning shrimp.

Place on a grill to cook until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

HOME GROWN TOMATO SOUP

Sprinkle this soup with some Orzo before you serve it and it tastes a lot like Zuppa's Tomato Basil soup. In the fall when we have an abundance of tomatoes I make a huge pot of this without the cream and then I bottle it. (if you bottle it make sure to add a few tbls. of vinegar) Then I just pull out a quart from our storage dump it in the pot, add the milk and dinner is served. My kids LOVE this soup.

Home Grown Tomato Soup

-8 large tomatoes blanched and chopped

-2 TBLS butter

-1 medium onion

-2 cloves garlic

Saute onion and garlic in butter then add tomatoes and enough water to cover them.

Add:

1 TBLS paprika

1 TSP dry mustard (I just use regular mustard)

2 TBLS bouillon

2 TBLS parsley

1 TBLS basil

Bring to a boil then simmer for 15-20 minutes. Blend in blender and return to pan.

Add: 2 cups heavy cream or 1 cup canned milk and one cup regular milk with. Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg before serving. (If using milk instead of cream, add 3 TBLS flour to the milk and whisk it together before adding it to the soup)

Coconut Chicken

These were VERY good... and here is the kicker, I don't like coconut, but I loved these.  Not overwhelmingly coconutty!  I tried to find where I found this recipe and I can't find it anywhere, so whoever you are THANKS for sharing your recipe!

Coconut Chicken

2 lbs.       boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 large    eggs

1/4 cup  coconut milk (optional)

1/2 cup  all purpose flour

1 cup      panko bread crumbs

1 cup      shredded coconut

1/2 tsp    salt

1/2 cup  vegetable oil, divided

1 cup      sweet chili sauce

TOTAL 

Cut off any extra fat globules from your chicken breasts. Cut each breast into 6 strips, diagonally to prevent the end strips from being really short.

Prepare your breading station by gathering three bowls. In the first bowl combine the flour and salt. In the second bowl, combine the eggs and coconut milk. Whisk together until well combined. In the third bowl, stir together the panko bread crumbs and shredded coconut.

Place 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a large heavy duty skillet and heat over medium/high heat until it is just below smoking. You can test the heat by throwing in a little bit of flour. When it is hot enough, the flour will sizzle and create a lot of bubbles.

While the oil is heating, dredge the chicken strips. First, coat each strip in the flour and salt mixture. Then dip each into the eggs/coconut milk and finally coat each in panko and shredded coconut. I find it easiest to coat all of them in the flour then go back and then do the egg wash and panko/coconut for each before moving onto the next.

After breading the strips, the oil should be hot enough. Place about 6 strips in the pan at once. There should only be one layer in the pan and there should be about an inch between each strip. If you over crowd the pan it will get too cold and the strips will soak up a lot of oil instead of frying. Fry the strips for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown and crispy. Place them on a plate with paper towel to drain and move on to the next batch. After a couple of batches you may need more oil so you can add the second 1/4 cup to the pan. Allow the oil to come up to temperature before frying the next batch (2-3 minutes). Because the strips are thin, they should be cooked through by the time both sides are browned. You can tell by the texture of the chicken; it should be stiff when pressed. If you cut your strips thicker, you will need to bake off the chicken after frying to make sure the insides are cooked through.

When all of the strips are done frying, serve immediately with sweet chili sauce to dip in.  I found mine in the asian section at the grocery store (ours was Panda express kind)

Orange Yougurt Pancakes

LOVE LOVE LOVE THESE :)

Orange Yogurt Pancakes

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. orange juice
orange gratings (optional)
3/4 c. plain yogurt
1 egg
6 Tbsp. butter, melted, divided

In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together juice, gratings, yogurt, egg, and 4 Tbsp. of the melted butter. Stir into the flour mixture until just combined (batter will be quite thick).

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium high heat until quite hot. Brush pan with some of the remaining melted butter and spread batter with a spoon onto pan in 3-inch pancakes. When pancakes bubble and are browned, flip and continue cooking until cooked through and browned on the second side. Brush pan with melted butter before each batch. Serve warm with maple syrup.