Throw It In A Dish and Bake It!

Bacon Jalapeño Deviled Eggs

2015-06-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

Last year for the 4th of July we were invited to a party at a close friends house and I was to bring an appetizer. I was craving deviled eggs but wanted to put a twist on traditional. This recipe came from playing in the grocery store and combining two of my most favorite things: bacon and jalapeños. I will warn you, these will go quick and you will be required to bring them again to the next event :) I love having these in my easy appetizer arsenal! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Ingredients

12 Hard Boiled Eggs (peeled and cooled)

8 pieces of cooked Bacon

3 small fresh jalapeno’s (finely chopped)

2-3 bunches green onion (chopped)

2 tbsp Zatarain’s Creole Mustard

½ cup Mayonaise (I prefer Duke’s)

¼ tsp Garlic Powder

½ tsp Tony Chachere’s

Paprika for garnish

Preparation

Cut the eggs in half and scoop out the yellow yolk into a mixing bowl. Set your egg white cups aside. Smash the egg yolks with a fork. Chop the Bacon and add to bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients (excluding the white part of the eggs) and mix well. Scoop the mixture into a Ziplock bag and seal. Cut the tip of the bag so you can squeeze the mixture into the egg hollow. This helps you have a pretty appearance. Sprinkle with Paprika for color and serve cold. Enjoy!

Southern Cornbread

2015-06-09T18:10:00.001-07:00

Okay so I thought that homemade cornbread was going to be the bane of my existence but finally, finally! I was able to conquer it, after many many failed attempts, and now I can't eat it any other way! My husband grew up eating homemade southern cornbread and I grew up eating semi-homemade out of the Jiffy box cornbread. Being a newlywed I decided that I would take on the challenge and try to conquer the southern way of making cornbread in a cast iron skillet. I have finally perfected my recipe and cook time and just had to share it with you! I love this cornbread so much and try to pair it with everything haha! I hope you love it too!

Ingredients:

1 cup self-rising cornmeal (I prefer yellow cornmeal)

1/2 cup self-rising flour

3/4 cup buttermilk *see below

2 eggs

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (you will need 3 additional tbsp for your skillet)

2 tablespoons melted butter

2-4 tablespoons of chopped pickled jalapeños *less if you don't like spice

½ tsp Onion Powder

½ tsp Garlic Powder

1 tablespoon of Dried Minced Onion

a few dashes of Tony Chachere’s

Preparation

Pour about 3 tbsp of vegetable oil in your cast iron skillet and put in the oven while it’s preheating.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine all ingredients and mix well in a mixing bowl. Once oven is preheated, remove cast iron skillet from oven and Pour batter into it. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about a minute. Serve warm with butter :)

*You can use almost ¾ cup regular milk and add about 1-2 tablespoons of white vinegar and stir with a fork then let it sit for about 7 minutes to create buttermilk. This is what I do because I never have buttermilk. I must confess that I have actually never made this recipe with real legit buttermilk because I always just do it this way.

Green's Soup

2015-06-09T17:58:00.000-07:00

I was craving soup one day and told my husband I was going to make up a recipe. He told me that he had some soup at a restaurant that had spinach and sausage and that it was really good. From there my mind began to run and I came up with this super yummy comfort soup. It is full of healthy vegetables so you don't feel guilty when you go back for seconds...and I bet you will! I love making this because it makes a full pot and you will have plenty of leftovers for a few meals to come. It also freezes really well so it is also great to give to people who have just had a baby, are sick, or are in need of a home cooked but quick meal. I hope you enjoy this soup as much as we do!

Ingredients

1 pack Andouille Sausage (sliced about ½ inch thick)

½ Rotisserie chicken (pulled apart into medium sized pieces)

1 red onion (chopped)

1 bell pepper (chopped)

3-4 stalks of celery (sliced about ½ inch thick)

3-4 carrots (sliced like celery)

1 bunch of Turnip Greens or ½ bag of mustard greens (sliced about 1 inch thick)

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 can Field Peas (drained)

1 can Black Eyed Peas (drained)

1 can Lima Beans (drained)

3 cups chicken broth (I use bouillon cubes and follow the pkg directions)

3 cups beef broth (again I use bouillon cubes)

½ tsp ground Chipotle pepper powder

½ tsp Hickory Smoked Salt

1 tbsp Garlic Powder

1 tbsp Onion Powder

3 Bay leaves

1 tsp Tony Chachere’s

Preparation

In a sauce pan, sauté the onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery, and carrots until slightly tender. At the same time in a separate pan, sauté the Andouille sausage until it is browned on both sides. Put the sausage onto paper towels when down to drain excess fat. Combine the veggies, sausage, and the rest of the ingredients into a large crockpot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low all day. You can also cook this on the stove in a large pot on medium for about half an hour then turn down to low and cover for 2 or more hours. This recipe makes a ton so it’s great for leftovers for a few days. Serve with “Southern Cornbread” and a couple dashes of Crystal Hot Sauce on top of the soup. Enjoy!

Easy Mushroom Crostini's

2015-06-09T17:39:00.003-07:00

I first had a variation of these at a friends house and fell in love! I had recently figured out that I can have parmesan and mozzarella cheese and not get a migraine so naturally I jump on anything with those ingredients. When I got the recipe from her I came home and immediately made them that weekend for a party we were going to. I changed them up a bit, I just can never resist, and voila! These are now my favorite appetizer or side to bring to parties or to serve at our house. The added bonus is that they are crazy easy to make and take very little time. You can even prepare the mushroom mixture ahead of time and then just scoop them onto the bread and broil right before you leave or before your guests arrive.

Ingredients
1 large can mushrooms & stems (drained)
1 cup Mayonnaise (I prefer Dukes)
1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly shredded/grated)
1 cup Mozzarella cheese (whole milk and freshly grated tastes the best)
1 cup French Fried Onions
1 tbsp Minced Garlic
a few dashes of Tony Chachere’s
½ tsp Garlic powder
½ tsp Onion powder
Optional: 1 heaping tablespoon of Cajun Mustard (I think it gives it a little zip)
1 French Baguette (sliced about 3/4 inch thick aka crostini’s)

Preparation
Turn oven on with Broil on High
Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Put a spoonfool of mixture on each crostini. Spray baking sheet with Olive Oil or lightly with Pam. Put crostini’s onto a baking sheet. Broil in oven for about 4-5 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and starting to become a light golden brown. Be very careful not to forget about them because they will burn super fast.

Serve warm as an appetizer or side dish. Enjoy!

Bean & Pea Salad

2014-06-18T12:12:00.002-07:00

This is my favorite side dish this summer! I had a similar version of this at a friends house and loved it so I decided to make my own. Another one of the crazy foods I cannot have anymore is Kidney Beans but this salad works really well with Kidney beans too! At our house we normally eat this as a side dish to go with sandwiches or wraps for a quick lunch. I have also eaten it as a semi-meal. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

What you will need:

1 can Blackeye Peas (drained)

1 can Northern or Navy Beans (drained & rinsed)

1 can Artichoke Hearts, quartered (drained)

1 can Black Olives, whole medium sized (drained)

Small Package of Grape Tomatoes

1/2 of a Cucumber

1 Green Bell Pepper (or red, I have used both), remove the seeds inside and the stem

Red Wine Vinegar

Preparation:

Pour your drained beans and peas into the mixing bowl.
Cut the whole olives, artichoke hearts and grape tomatoes into slices and add to mixing bowl.
Dice the cucumber and bell pepper and add it to the mixing bowl.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar to the mixing bowl.
Stir it all up and then transfer it to a large tupperware and put the lid on then let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more before serving. If you are in a hurry, you can serve it right away. It tastes delicious for up to about a week! Enjoy!

Below is a picture of my favorite way to serve this delicious Bean & Pea Salad:

Migraines, Headaches and Cheese

2014-06-17T12:39:00.001-07:00

Most of you are looking at that title and wondering how those three things go together. I recently found out that I am very sensitive to cheese. It triggers headaches and migraines for me. I am no longer able to eat any of the cheeses that I love and love to cook with. The only cheese I can have now is Mozzarella, cream cheese, American, and Velveeta cheese. There are several other foods that I can no longer enjoy as well but none as sad as the cheese. So how will this affect you? Well, I have reworked many of my staple recipes to be either cheese free to have exchanged the cheese for one of the ones I can have. I am finding that it's not as big of a loss as I thought! If you would like to learn more about this "sensitivity" please feel free to message me.

Easy as Pie...Pie!

2014-06-17T12:22:00.001-07:00

What you will need:

• One package of Light Cool Whip

• One regular size fruit yogurt, you pick your favorite, I use blueberry

• One graham or dough pie crust

• Small pieces of fruit for topping

Preparation:

• Heat the pie in the oven according to package instructions, and let cool about 20 minutes

• Mix cool whip and yogurt thoroughly in a bowl

• Fill pie shell with cool whip/yogurt mixture and put in fridge to cool and set for an hour or longer

When you are ready to serve it, top the pie with fresh fruit and enjoy!

I'm Back...Finally!

2014-06-17T12:18:00.001-07:00

Oh my goodness it has been a while since I have posted on here! But don't worry, I have still been cooking this whole time and taking pictures so I have a lot of updating to do! Lots of fun new recipes are on their way!

Watermelon and Feta Salad

2012-05-20T18:57:00.003-07:00

As a native Texan, it is only natural that I love big things, especially big flavor and big food! Watermelon, being one of the biggest fruits I have ever encountered, is of course one of my favorite big things. Now here is the weird thing, I do not really love watermelon by itself, I know this is crazy. But I do love it paired with Feta Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. I think I could love most any food that involved Feta Cheese and/or Balsamic vinaigrette dressing. I got inspired to make this yummy salad after I received a coupon for a free organic watermelon at one of our local grocery stores. You know the saying “if it’s free, it’s for me”, well I do love some free food! Once I got to the store, I perused the big crates of watermelon’s they had and I chose one that I thought was just perfect...and of course possibly the biggest one they had. I got it home and got to cooking. I love this recipe so much because on a hot day it is so nice to eat something chilled and fresh! I hope you enjoy this big recipe too!

Watermelon and Feta Salad

What you will need:

Watermelon, sliced into small pieces

1 pkg Feta Cheese, crumbled (I prefer the reduced fat kind)

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Okay, so this quite possibly could be THE easiest recipe I have so don’t blink or you might miss it!

In a large mixing bowl, add your Watermelon pieces, Feta Cheese crumbles, and cover it with about 1/3 to ½ cup of Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. Mix it all together then cover it with saran wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more.

When you are ready to serve it just mix it up again and serve! Easy peasy! Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry

2012-03-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago we threw a pork tenderloin on the grill, not realizing it was only going to end up being two of us eating this huge piece of meat. We ended up with a ton of leftover pork tenderloin and after eating it for lunch the next day, I decided that for dinner I was going to change it up a bit. I knew that I had some ingredients for making a stir-fry and even though I have only ever used chicken or steak I decided that I was going to try to make Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry. As usual with any recipe concoction that I am unsure of, I always check to make sure I have a pizza in the freezer just in case the new recipe is a disaster. After a quick look I saw the pizza and decided to trudge forward with my Stir-Fry. I kept grabbing things out of the refrigerator and cabinet until I was satisfied that I had the ingredients I needed to make this “soon to be” yummy dish. What I ended up with was a surprisingly delicious treat! I think that I might have enjoyed the Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry more than I do when I use Chicken! I was so excited that it turned out great that I just had to share it with you! I hope that if you ever find yourself in the dilemma of having crazy amounts of Pork Tenderloin leftover that you will find solace in knowing you can just whip up a quick stir-fry to delight your palate. Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry

What you will need:

Pork Tenderloin (cooked and diced into small pieces), enough for 2 people

1 bag of Brown Rice (I used Uncle Ben’s Instant Rice), ½ a bag per person

1 can of Stir Fry Vegetables, drained (yes, they actually sell this, how easy huh?)

1 can Bamboo Shoots, drained

1/3 Onion, cut into strips

1/3 Bell Pepper or Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips

Stir Fry Sauce (any kind you like)

Sriracha Sauce (for added kick if you like spicy things)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

a Wok or big saute pan

What you can do first to make it super easy on you is go ahead and get your water boiling for the rice according to the package instructions.

Next grab your Wok and put in on the stove and add about 2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Heat the oil on medium to high heat and add the drained can of Stir Fry Vegetables, Onion, Bell Pepper, and Bamboo Shoots. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently so the veggies don’t stick.

While the veggies are cooking, add your rice to the boiling water and follow the instructions on the box.

Once you veggies are cooked, add your chopped Pork Tenderloin and mix through. Then add about 3-4 tbsp of your stir-fry sauce, just kind of eye it so it is not too dry and add more if needed. If you like spicy you can drizzle a bit of the Sriracha sauce on it. Mix it all together and cook on low heat for another 5 minutes or so.

Now, put some rice on a plate and top it with a couple scoops of the Stir-Fry and you are ready to eat! Enjoy!

Goat Cheese Bruschetta

2012-03-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

On Sunday night I decided to make an easy dinner but wanted something really yummy. I was originally planning on making Chicken Fettucini Alfredo and Feta Bruschetta (recipe is one here for you :). When I went to the grocery store to get some ingredients I found Crumbled Goat Cheese by the Feta and decided to give it a whirl. What happened later was delicious! I had so much fun making these two really simple dishes. I poured a glass of my new favorite Red Velvet wine by Cupcake Vineyards and got to cooking. It was so nice to be in and out of the kitchen in under an hour and able to just relax, eat, and watch a movie...my ideal Sunday night! You should try it, really!

Goat Cheese Bruschetta

What you will need:
1 pkg Crumbled Goat Cheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3-4 Roma Tomatoes diced
6-7 Green Onions chopped
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
Greek Seasoning
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Sea Salt
Wheat French Bread

This is really just a tiny variation from my Feta Bruschetta that I have previously written about. Both are so tasty that I can't even decide which one I like better. The biggest difference is obviously the cheese, Goat Cheese verses Feta but another difference is the textures and softness of the two cheeses. The goat cheese is way softer so I decided to mix all of the ingredients in a bowl first and then put them in a shallow dish to chill in the fridge and marry all the flavors together.

First, pour olive oil into your dish so it covers the entire bottom...just enough to cover the bottom will work great. Shake several dashes of the greek seasoning all over the olive oil.

Next you can begin dicing your tomatoes into small pieces and add them to the olive oil as you go. No need to stir yet. Chop your green onions into small pieces and add them to the dish. Now you can put the entire package of Goat cheese crumbles on top of the tomatoes and green onions.

Now for the spices, I used several more dashes of the greek seasoning and several dashes of Tony Chachere's seasoning. I then used about 1 tsp of black pepper and a couple dashes of sea salt. Do a few sprinkles of garlic powder and onion powder and then mix it all together. Stir gently because the goat cheese has a tendency to mush and become very creamy. Move the mixture into a shallow dish so the flavors have a chance to marry together.

After you have placed the mixture in the dish, cover it with saran wrap and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour or more.

When the bruschetta was ready I scooped a heaping spoonful onto each piece of freshly toasted Wheat French Bread.

I served this dish as both an appetizer and a side dish to my yummy Chicken Fettucini Alfredo. They were awesome together!

I hope you enjoy it!

Chicken Fettucini Alfredo, Easiest Ever!

2012-03-08T09:15:00.004-08:00

I absolutely love figuring out dinners to make that are super fast and easy yet still delicious! To me, Chicken Fettucini Alfredo is one of the fastest and easiest things that I make. Don't get me wrong, I love spending lots of time in the kitchen but sometimes I don't have the luxury of having all that time so I like to have "go to meals" that I can just whip up in a flash. This meal literally has 4 main ingredients and then 2 garnishes if you desire. How easy is that?! I loved serving this with my Goat Cheese Bruschetta (recipe to follow)! It is super hearty and comforting! We love having a relaxing Sunday night to start the week! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Chicken Fettucini Alfredo

What you will need:
1 pkg Chicken Breasts (thin sliced worked great because it cooked faster)
1 jar Bertolli Mushroom Alfredo, or any jar of Alfredo sauce that you prefer
3 servings of Fettucini Noodles
Tony Chachere's Spice N' Herbs Seasoning

Suggested Garnishes: chopped Green Onions and Diced Tomatoes

First thing to do is to lay your chicken breasts out on a plate where they are not overlapping. Sprinkle Tony Chachere's Spice N' Herbs Seasoning generously over all the pieces. Using a fork, flip each piece of chicken over and sprinkle the other side generously as well. We decided to grill the chicken in "The Big Green Egg" grill for fun but you can sauté it in a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Either way you choose, it will turn out delicious.

While the chicken is cooking, cook your noodles according to the package instructions.

After your chicken and noodles are cooked. You can warm up about 1/2 to 2/3 jar of the Alfredo Sauce on low in a sauce pan on the stove. It doesn't take long to warm so be sure to watch and stir it. Then cut your chicken into strips or however you prefer to serve it.

Then serve a nest of noodles with the Alfredo sauce on top of it and top it with your chicken breast. I love to sprinkle on a few pinches of green onions and tomatoes. I hope you enjoy!

American Cancer Society Chili Cook-off

2012-03-05T08:23:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, I was honored to be part of a team competing in the 23rd Annual American Cancer Society Chili Cook-Off in Mobile, Alabama. What an amazing cause to cook for! We had a great time cooking all morning and fellowshipping with old friends and making new friends. The team that I got to join used my Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Recipe and we had people coming back for seconds, thirds, and even fourths! Tons of people kept coming by and telling us that they had heard that they needed to come try our chili because it was the best! How cool is that?! We even ran out of 18 gallons of chili by 1pm and we only started serving around 11am! We had such a great time! Our team placed in the top 20 but didn't win when it came down to it, but it was such an honor to be in the top 20 that winning didn't seem to matter! I had to increase my recipe by 18 because my normal recipe yields about 1 gallon of chili...that meant we had 36 chicken breasts in there! Crazy huh? Below are some fun pictures from the day.

Above is the pot after we added all the veggies but before the chicken and cream cheese

Lots and lots of cream cheese went into this!

This is after the cream cheese had started to melt :)

Looking delicious! Cream cheese was almost melted!

It was such a hit that we completely ran out!

Chicken Piccata

2012-02-29T10:33:00.002-08:00

I absolutely love Chicken Piccata so I wanted to try and make it at home...which by the way I found to be much healthier than when you order it at a restaurant. This is such a fresh dish with all the lemon taste and the light sauce. I really like the taste of lemon so this dish is certainly full of it but don't worry, you can tone it down a bit if you'd like. I served this with the Feta Bruschetta recipe that I have on here and it was a delicious compliment to this yummy dish. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Chicken Piccata

What you will need:
3 chicken breasts
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp Butter
2-3 lemons juiced
1 cup Chicken Broth (I prefer the reduced sodium and less fat kind)
5 tbsp of Capers (drained)
Flour
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Linguini Noodles

First, cut your chicken breasts into thirds then grab a large cutting board, saran wrap, and a meat tenderizer. Place 3-4 pieces of chicken with about 2-3 inches of space between them onto the cutting board. Completely cover them with saran wrap leaving excess saran wrap around the edges. Take the meat tenderizer and beat the chicken to make it flat and thin. You do not have to beat it a lot, just so it spreads out and is flat so it can cook quick. Place the beaten pieces of chicken onto a plate and repeat the process until all of your chicken has been thinned out.

In a medium sized bowl, pour about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of flour in and add 1 tsp of Ground Black Pepper, 1 tsp Garlic Powder, 1 tsp Onion Powder. Next grate the rind of one lemon into the bowl so you get the zest. Mix it all together with a fork.

Now you can put a piece of chicken into your flour mixture and coat thoroughly on both sides. After you have it coated, place the piece of chicken onto a plate and repeat the process of coating the chicken with flour until all of your pieces are coated. Set this aside.

Next place a large sauté pan on the stove top and add 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Turn your heat on medium-high and grab the plate of coated chicken. After the oil is hot but not burning, add pieces of chicken with tongs or a fork one by one until you cover the pan's surface. I usually have to do 2 batches of chicken. Let the chicken cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side and then flip them over using tongs or a fork and cook for 3-4 more minutes. After the chicken is cooked, remove each piece and set onto a large clean plate. Repeat this process until all of the chicken is cooked. I usually add more olive oil to the pan for each new batch. Once you have pulled all of the chicken out, you can turn the burner onto low/simmer for the next step.

Now grab a sauce pot and begin boil your linguine noodles using the directions on the box. The great thing about noodles is that you can let them be and you can go back to cooking your chicken.

Go back to your sauté pan and add 1 cup of Chicken Broth, 2 tbsp Butter, Juice from 2-3 lemons (love lemons? use 3), and 5 tbsp Capers. Be sure to mix it all up while scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the browned pieces left from cooking the chicken. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes your sauce should be a little thicker. Now add all of the chicken back to your sauté pan with the sauce. Let this cook together covered on low for about 5 more minutes.

By now your noodles should be ready and you can drain them and you are ready to serve! Place a nest of noodles about the size of your fist on a plate and then place 2 pieces of chicken on it. Next you can drizzle the sauce over it and serve. This dish makes enough for about 4-6 people. I served this with the Feta Bruschetta as an appetizer and a glass of Cupcake Vineyards' Red Velvet Wine. I hope you enjoy this delicious meal!

Garden Markers

2012-02-28T13:45:00.001-08:00

Last year we planted an awesome garden full of tons of different kinds of vegetables and herbs. When we would have guests over I loved taking them out to the garden to show them all of our "treasures" and where some of the ingredients in our dinner were coming from. Well, here's the problem...we planted so much at once that I forgot where everything was. Was that where I planted the cilantro or the parsley? Is that were the cucumbers or the watermelons are planted? Of course when everything started growing you could tell what was what but I decided that this year, we would put Garden Markers to identify our various veggies and herbs. Below are all the simple instructions you need to make these super cute, cheap, and easy Garden Markers. I have already begun using some of mine since we still have our Collard Greens from last year growing, yummy carrots are finally growing big enough to eat, and we planted some more yummy veggies on Sunday afternoon! I hope you have fun making these!

Garden Markers

What you will need:

Wine Corks...I save mine after we finish the bottle b/c they are super handy for all kinds of things
Bamboo Barbecue Skewers (they make it easy to put in the cork b/c they are sharp on one end)
Acrylic Paint
Super Fine Point Paint Brush

First you will need to insert the Barbecue skewer into the cork where it already has a hole from the cork screw. No need to push far in, as I found that it tends to be kind of difficult, but just enough that the cork is secured onto the skewer.

Now get whatever paint color of your choosing. I chose to coordinate the color with the color I think of for each plant. Squirt a tiny dab of paint onto a paper plate or any throwaway surface. Next dip your paint brush into the paint and then begin writing on your cork. Don't worry about being precise, it looks fun when it is not perfect. I painted the name of the plant on two sides of the cork and then put the first letter of the plant on the top of the cork.

To let them dry, you can stick them in the ground, garden, or another potted plant you have so they do not roll around and smudge.

When they are dry, stick them in the garden or pot with the corresponding plant and voila, you know what is planted where!

How simple is that?

Feta Bruschetta

2012-02-22T10:18:00.000-08:00

I came across a recipe the other day for a dip that used feta, tomatoes, green onions, and olive oil and thought that it sounded yummy. As I was preparing it, I did my usual and added a zillion different spices that I like to spruce it up a bit. I served it on Wheat French Bread and it was a hit! I ate so much of it that I could have just made my meal out if it alone. I definitely recommend this recipe for any time you need to just throw something together and have an appetizer ready or when you need to take an appetizer or side dish somewhere. I know I am going to be making this a staple for dinners. It is absolutely incredible! And just as good the next day!

Feta Bruschetta

What you will need:

Tupperware or dish that is 8"X8" or a bit larger (see image below)
3-4 large Roma Tomatoes (I like roma's because they are denser and have less seeds)
3-4 green onion bunches (about 7-8 of the long green parts)
1 package Feta Cheese Crumbles...I love the reduced fat kind
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Tony Chachere's Seasoning
Greek Seasoning
Ground Black Pepper
Sea Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Wheat French Bread

First, pour olive oil into your dish so it covers the entire bottom...just enough to cover the bottom will work great. Shake several dashes of the greek seasoning all over the olive oil.

Next you can begin dicing your tomatoes into small pieces and add them to the olive oil as you go. No need to stir yet. Chop your green onions into small pieces and add them to the dish. Now you can put the entire package of feta cheese crumbles on top of the tomatoes and green onions.

Now for the spices, I used several more dashes of the greek seasoning and several dashes of Tony Chachere's seasoning. I then used about 1 tsp of black pepper and a couple dashes of sea salt (not too much though because the feta already has a sort of salty taste). Do a few sprinkles of garlic powder and onion powder and then mix it all together. The below picture is what it will look like when it is all mixed together...getting hungry yet?

After you have it all mixed together, cover the dish and put it in the refrigerator. I let mine sit in there for about an hour while I cooked the main course for dinner, which was yummy Chicken Piccata (recipe to come soon!). I then served a spoonful of the mix onto warm freshly toasted wheat french bread. I hope you enjoy this super easy and delicious recipe as much as we did!

Taco Soup w/ Mini Cheese Quesadilla's

2012-02-09T14:47:00.000-08:00

Taco Soup is one of my favorite cold weather treats! I would be lying though if I said I only eat it when it is cold outside...I love it year round! It is so easy to throw together and let it cook while you go about doing other things around the house. You could easily use this recipe and throw it in the crockpot all day too. I always have thought that Taco Soup is like making Chili but with a Tex Mex flare so since I eat grilled cheese sandwiches with my Chili, I thought why not make the Tex Mex version of a grilled cheese, which to me is cheese quesadilla's, to go with my Taco Soup? I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did! This made so much that I had plenty of leftovers to take to work for lunch and to eat for dinner again. You can also freeze this in a freezer bag for another time when you don't feel like cooking.

Taco Soup

What you will need:
**Do not drain any of your cans! You will want to use the sauce and all!

1 deep cooking pot (this recipe makes a lot!)
1 package Ground Turkey (about 1.2 lbs)
1 packet Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch mix
2 packets Taco Seasoning
2 cans of Black Beans (reduced sodium if you can find it)
1 can Navy Beans
1 can Whole Kernel Corn
2 cans Rotel (or diced tomato's with green chili's)
1 28 ounce (large can) of Whole Tomato's
1 Red Onion (medium sized)
1 Green Bell Pepper
Messina's Cajun Creole Season (from New Orleans)
Cumin
Garlic Powder
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

First, put your ground turkey in a skillet and let it brown slowly. Add in a few dashes to your liking of the Messina's Cajun Creole Seasoning and 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder and Cumin.

While the ground turkey is cooking you can start chopping your onion and bell pepper. Add it to your big pot (not the skillet with the meat) and put about 1 tbsp of Olive Oil in and let it sauté on medium. You will want to stir this often as the veggies have a tendency to stick to the bottom.

After the veggies are sautéed, you can add in your browned ground turkey. Add one packet of the Taco Seasoning and mix it around well with the meat and onion and bell pepper.

Next, add your Black Beans, Navy Beans, and Whole Corn. On top of those sprinkle the packet of Fiesta Ranch and the other packet of Taco Seasoning. On top of that add your Rotel and Whole tomato's. Now you can sprinkle on some dashes of garlic powder and cumin and more cajun seasoning if you like spicy :)
Now mix it all together and let it cook on low for about an hour or more. The longer you let it cook on low, the more the flavors combine. I cooked mine for about 2 hours. Be sure to stir it often so nothing sticks to the bottom.

When you are ready to eat you can serve this with a dollop of sour creme and Mini Cheese Quesadillas if you'd like. I hope you enjoy it!

Mini Cheese Quesadilla's (makes 2 servings)

Shredded Cheese (I prefer sharp cheddar or mexican blend)
2 tortilla's

You will want to sprinkle plenty of cheese onto one side of the tortilla that you can already have sitting in a skillet to be browning on medium heat. Top it with another tortilla and let it cook for about 1-3 minutes on each side. Just keep checking it with a spatula and look for a golden brown color. When the bottom side is cooked, flip it over carefully because the cheese tends to make the tortillas move around and put the uncooked tortilla side down on the skillet. Cook for about 1-3 more minutes. When it is golden brown and the cheese is melted, with a spatula remove it from the skillet and place it directly on a cutting board and cut it in half and then half again and then half again to form 6 triangular pieces. Serve immediately with your Taco Soup.

Goat Cheese Tomato Basil Puffs

2012-01-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

I am always looking for fun little side dishes or quick and simple appetizers to make with dinner when I am having family and friends over. This was one of my favorites from late summer that I made with fresh tomatoes from our garden. While perusing the deli's cheese section of my grocery store I got inspired to make something using my fresh tomatoes and goat cheese. I love goat cheese, especially the flavored ones and they just so happened to have it on sale. I am a sucker for a sale so I bought a little log of Garlic and Herb Goat Cheese and set off through the grocery store to find my other ingredients. I already had the tomatoes so I decided to grab some fresh basil and a package of crescent rolls. I got home and began making these fun treats and realized I was onto something...I had found a super quick and yummy appetizer that was so simple to whip up! I hope you enjoy it!

Goat Cheese Tomato Basil Puffs

What you will need:

1 pkg Crescent Rolls (I use the off brand reduced fat kind)
2 large Ripe Tomatoes (diced)
Fresh Basil
Goat Cheese (I used garlic and herb flavored)
Cooking Spray

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees

First, take the entire roll of crescents out of the package/tube. Place it on a large cutting board and unroll it, try to not separate it even though they have already perforated it. Next you will go along the perforated spots and try and pinch them together slightly so your end result will be one big sheet of crescent roll dough. Next, with a sharp knife, cut the dough into small 3" X 3" squares or whatever size you prefer.

On a separate cutting board, chop your fresh tomatoes and set aside. Now chop your basil leaves into small pieces. Combine the tomatoes and the chopped basil together.

Next, spray Cooking Spray on a cookie sheet. Place the crescent roll dough squares about 1-2 inches apart. Top each square with a spoon full or so of the goat cheese. Then layer on the tomatoes and basil mixture.

Place the cookie sheet on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes. You will want the pastry to be a little golden brown. After the pastry is done you can pull the pan out of the oven and set aside to cool. After a few minutes, using a spatula remove the puffs from the cookie sheet and place on your serving dish and serve! Super fast huh? Enjoy!

Chicken and Chips Casserole

2012-01-18T13:21:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love throwing ingredients together in a pyrex dish and baking them which is one reason why I enjoy making this casserole so much! Even though it is super simple to make, it tastes incredibly delicious! I love making this for dinner and then taking the leftovers to work for my lunch. I always serve this with a side of black eyed peas or hoppin' john (which is jazzed up black eyed peas). I hope you enjoy this yummy comfort casserole!

Chicken and Chips Casserole

What you will need:

11" X 7" Oven Safe Baking Dish
3 Boneless Chicken Breasts (cooked and shredded)
1 can Water Chestnuts sliced (you will chop them later)
1/4 cup Green Onions (chopped)
1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper (chopped)
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1-2 tbsp Dijon or Spicy Mustard (depends on which you prefer)
2 hearty scoops of Sour Creme...about 1/4 cup
4 hearty spoonfuls of Mayonnaise...about 1/2 cup (I use the kind with Olive Oil that is reduced fat)
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded...you can also use white cheddar or swiss
Lay's Potato Chips...the old school regular thinly sliced kind
Garlic Powder
Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
Black Pepper
Sea Salt

If you haven't already, you will begin by cooking your chicken. For this casserole I prefer to boil the chicken in water for about 30-45 minutes. If you cut the chicken breasts in half you can boil them for just 30 minutes. Be sure to watch the water though because chicken has a tendency to get a little foamy and boil over. After the chicken is cooked (it will have no pink in the center) you can pull the pieces out of the water and set them aside to cool. After cooling, you will want to shred your chicken with a fork but leave it a bit chunky.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

After the chicken is cooked, you will want to rinse your green onions with water then place them on a cutting board and chop them into about 1/2 centimeter pieces. Then de-seed your bell pepper and cut it into small pieces as well. Next you will get your water chestnuts and chop them up into fourths. You do not have to be precise about it because it is yummy to get some bigger pieces mixed in.

Next, place the shredded chicken in a mixing bowl along with the green onions, bell pepper, and water chestnuts. Now you can get a spoon and scoop two hearty scoops of sour creme and about 4 hearty scoops of mayonnaise and add them to the mixture in the bowl. On top of that you will add your mustard and Lemon Juice. Next, sprinkle on a few dashes of garlic powder, Tony Chachere's, black pepper, and sea salt.

After you have everything in the mixing bowl, be sure to mix it all through really well. Now scoop the mixture into your 11" X 7" baking dish and spread it evenly. Top the mixture evenly with shredded cheese. Next top the cheese evenly with the potato chips that you can crush with your hands over the casserole dish until you have completely covered the cheese and you have your desired amount of crunchiness :)

Put the dish in the oven and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes. You want the chips to be golden brown and the mixture and cheese to be bubbling. After you pull the dish out of the oven, let it sit for a few minutes then serve with black eyed peas. Enjoy!

I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light's "Hot Chicken and Chips Retro"...below is the link

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/easy-chicken-recipes-00412000068136/page13.html

Easy Grilled Chicken Tacos

2012-01-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

I love this recipe because it is such a great change from regular grilled chicken served with vegetables. You get to have the fun of grilling the chicken outside on the grill mixed with the comfort food that is tacos. We have a ton of beautiful days here in the south with nice temperatures and lots of sunshine so it is always nice to enjoy the weather and throw something on the grill and have friends and family over. I can't think of many things I would rather do enjoy the day or evening outside with friends and family.

This recipe is also great if you have leftover grilled chicken as you can warm it up quick and add these ingredients and you are set. I hope you enjoy these yummy tacos!

What you will need:

Grilled Chicken (for this recipe you could do a dry rub of cumin, sea salt, Tony Chachere's, and garlic powder or you could marinate the chicken in lime juice and olive oil to give it a Tex-Mex flare)

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Cilantro Lime Rice (*recipe on previous blog entry)

1 Tomato

Verde Salsa

Sour Creme

Flour Tortillas

What I love about this recipe, and really most taco recipe's that I make, is the simplicity of making it yet you get extraordinary taste results!

Pull your chicken off the grill and set aside to cool.

Cut your tomato with a knife into small pieces and place them into a serving bowl. Now shred your cheese. I love sharp cheese so I usually use Extra Sharp Cheddar. Other variations that are tasty are monterey jack, pepper jack, and colby cheese.

Next, put the Grilled Chicken on a cutting board and shred it with a fork. You can either shred it finely or leave it chunky just whichever you prefer.

Now, arrange your tortillas in a stack and place them on a microwave safe plate. Get a sheet of paper towel and run it under the faucet then ring it so it is damp. Cover your tortillas with the damp piece of paper towel and microwave for about 20-30 seconds. Depending on how many tortillas you are cooking you may want to flip the stack over half way through heating them.

Now for the fun part: Place your tortilla on a plate and layer on a layer of Cilantro-Lime Rice, Chicken, Tomatoes, Sour Creme, Cheese, and Verde Salsa. Now you are ready to eat! Enjoy!

Cilantro-Lime Rice

2012-01-17T08:15:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love this recipe! It takes no time to make and is so simple! I have found myself using this over and over again for all sorts of things. I have made this rice as a side dish for many of my mexican food entree's as well as have used in in other recipes. One of my favorite ways I have used it in another recipe was with my Bean and Cheese Quesadilla's (recipe to come soon). If you like spicy things then I think you will love this rice...if you do not like spicy you can simply omit most of the Sriracha sauce. I hope you enjoy this yummy rice!

Cilantro-Lime Rice

What you will need:

1 bag of Instant Rice
1/4 cup Cilantro (finely chopped)
1 Lime (try to find a large one)
1-2 tbsp Sriracha Sauce
Sea Salt
Ground Chipotle Pepper
Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

Cook the Rice in a pot using the directions given on the box.

While the rice is cooking, chop your cilantro into fine pieces. I prefer to only use the leaves of the cilantro and not any of the stems. You can use a food processor if you'd like to get the cilantro really fine.

Next you will want to get a mixing bowl and squeeze your fresh lime on both sides to give you about 4 tbsp of fresh lime juice. If you do not have a fresh lime you can substitute for 4 tbsp of concentrated lime juice. Add the cilantro to the lime juice and mix it through.

When your rice is done cooking, add it to the mixing bowl with the cilantro and lime. Next add about 1-2 tbsp of Sriracha sauce...less for mild, more for hot. If you really like spicy go for the 2 tbsp. Now, sprinkle a few dashes of Chipotle Pepper, Sea salt, Tony Chachere's, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder. Mix all of this thoroughly and serve. Easy huh? Enjoy!

This rice saves well in the refrigerator. Just be sure to put it in a tupperware with a lid. When you are ready to serve it again you can just add a bit of water and microwave for about 30-45 seconds then mix and serve.

Tex-Mex Pizza!

2012-01-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

I made these Tex-Mex Pizza's last night and they were amazingly delicious! I got inspired to make mexican style food and was going to make some simple tacos but decided to spice things up and do something different. After a little thought, I decided I would make Tex-Mex Pizzas! I had so much fun picking out ingredients and throwing a little of this and that together to get this full of flavor dish. These are super fun because they are individual sized and so you can personalize them with different toppings. If you are a lighter eater, you will find that you can split one pizza and save the rest for later. I served this with a side of spicy corn and it was an all together fabulous Sunday dinner! I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Tex-Mex Pizza's

Here is what you will need:

A food processor that is able to hold at least one can of black beans. I have a mini Cuisinart that is fantastic!
1 package (usually around a lb) Ground Turkey...you can use ground beef but the turkey is healthier :)
8 Flour Tortillas (fajita/taco sized)
1 can Black Beans (drained)
1 can Red Enchilada Sauce
1 can Diced Tomato's (drained)...I used the no salt added kind
1 packet Taco Seasoning
1/3 of a White Onion (chopped)
4 Green Onion's (chopped)
1/4 cup Cilantro
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
4 tbsp Lime Juice
Sriracha Sauce (a spicy chile sauce)
Spices--just a few dashes of each of these to your liking:
-Garlic Powder
-Onion Powder
-Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
-Black Pepper
-Sea Salt
-Ground Chipotle Pepper

**If you are not a lover of spicy food you may want to omit the Sriracha Sauce, Ground Chipotle Pepper, and go light on the Tony Chachere's seasoning.

First you will want to chop about 1/3 of a white onion into small pieces. Now put the ground turkey into a sauté pan. Top it with a few dashes of garlic powder, Tony Chachere's, Black Pepper, and Onion Powder. Begin browning your meat on medium/low heat. Add the chopped onion. Be sure to stir and mix often so the meat makes small pieces and doesn't burn.

While the meat is browning, add the can of drained black beans to your food processor. Add about 1/2 tbsp of Sriracha sauce. You may want to omit the Sriracha if you do not like spicy food. Next add your cilantro, 4 tbsp lime juice, a few dashes of Garlic Powder, Sea Salt, and Tony Chachere's. Process that until it is smooth. Now put that mixture into a small sauce pan and let it sit. You do not need to heat it until later as it heats up really fast.

Preheat your oven to 365 degrees

In another sauce pot, add the Red Enchilada Sauce and your drained Tomato's. Mix in a few dashes of Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Tony Chachere's, and Ground Chipotle Pepper. Mix all of that together and then heat on low/simmer. You will need this last so just heat it, stir it occasionally and let it simmer.

Your ground turkey should be browned now. Be sure to drain the grease from the meat. I use a strainer over an old coffee can so I do not clog up my drains and so it is easy to discard. After you have drained the meat, return it to your pan and add the Taco Seasoning and follow the directions on the packet. The only directions on there not to follow are when it tells you the cook time. You can omit that and just turn the meat on low/medium and let it cook and mix together while you do everything else.

Turn your black beans onto low and stir often as they like to stick to the pan.

* If you are doing the side dish of Spicy Corn you will want to put them on to cook now as well..

Take your tortillas and poke a few holes in them using a fork. This helps them to not bubble up while they bake and makes it easier for you to do the layers with them. Now put them straight onto the oven's top rack and let them bake for 6-8 minutes. You will want to check them and make sure they don't burn. You want them to be crispy and a little golden brown.

If you haven't already, now is a great time to chop your green onions and shred your cheddar cheese.
While the tortillas are cooking, make sure to stir your meat, beans, and sauce.

When the tortillas are nice and crispy, pull them out of the oven and set on a plate or cooling rack.

Now you can pull this all together. Take one tortilla and put it on a plate. Next put a layer of black beans and cover the whole tortilla only leaving about a half inch of tortilla showing. Now put about 1 1/2 scoops of the meat on top of the black beans, leaving the same 1/2 inch border. Put another tortilla on top. Pour about a cup or more if you'd like, of the Red Sauce on top of the Pizza. Layer on cheese and green onions. Repeat these steps with the other tortillas. Yields 4 hefty servings. Enjoy!

*I served this yummy dish with a side of Spicy Corn.

Spicy Corn

2 cans Whole Kernel Corn (un-drained)
Tony Chachere's
Sriracha Sauce

Pour the undrained corn into a sauce pan. Add a few dashes of Tony Chachere's and a squirt or two of Sriracha Sauce. Mix together well. Cook on medium/high heat. Stir occasionally. You can cook this for anywhere from 10-15 minutes, just watch it to make sure that you don't cook it so long that the liquid boils completely out. Be sure to use a slated spoon so the corn doesn't make your Pizza soggy. I served the corn in a separate serving bowl on the side.

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili in the Crock Pot!

2012-01-12T13:20:00.000-08:00

I saw a similar recipe the other day online and it sounded delicious! I used that recipe as an inspiration for this one, and in my usual style I changed it up a bit and added a lot of yummy spices and other ingredients. I put everything in the crockpot around 11am and it smelled great all day while it cooked slowly. We finally sat down to eat at about 7pm and the chili was perfect! I topped it with white cheddar cheese, which I love because it is so strong, and it made the chili that much better! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

What you will need:

Crock pot (4-6 quart sized works best)

2-3 chicken breasts (uncooked)
1 10 oz can Whole Kernel Corn (undrained)
1 10 oz can Black Beans (undrained)
2 cans Rotel (undrained)
1 10oz can Navy Beans
1 can Green Chile's (diced)
1 block of Cream Cheese (you can use the Neufchatel that is 1/3 fat to make it healthier)
*secret ingredient
1 tsp Onion Power
1 tsp Tony Chachere's seasoning
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Ground Chipotle Pepper
1 tsp Sea Salt
a few dashes of Ground Cayenne pepper (to your liking but be careful b/c it can get spicy)

First you will need to spray the inside of your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray (Pam works well). Then place the two-three uncooked chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot.

Next pour the undrained cans of corn, black beans, Rotel, navy beans, and diced green chile's on top of the chicken.

Sprinkle all of your spices (onion powder, cumin, chili powder, chipotle pepper, sea salt) and the *secret ingredient on top. Then mix that together with the beans, rotel, etc but do not move the chicken from the bottom of the pot.

Next you will put the entire block of cream cheese on top of the beans, etc. Do not mix it in. It will melt slowly throughout the cooking process. Don't worry, because even a few hours into cooking it may still appear to not have melted. You will mix it all together at the end right before you serve it. Because I like things spicy, I added a few dashes of Ground Cayenne Pepper on the top :)

Now let it cook on low for 4-7 hours and then mix in the cream cheese.

Serve with sharp white cheddar cheese on top. Cabot makes a good one.

Hope you enjoy!!

7 Layer Mexi-Dip

2012-01-11T08:44:00.000-08:00

This is one of my go to dips to take to parties, tailgates, and to make at home for guests. I love anything with a mexican food flare so this dip always satisfies that craving. It is easy and is always devoured by everyone and since it is in layers you can eat around the things you don't like or just dig in and get all the flavors if you'd like. I prefer to get a big chip and dip down to the bottom and get all of the flavors, making sure I get a jalapeño on top to finish off the bite. It even makes good leftovers, that is if you have any left ;) I hope you enjoy this recipe!

I usually make this in a 13" X 9" casserole dish but you can make it in anything that is similar depth and size. I have also made this in a larger tupperware (it was about 11" X 7" and probably 5" deep) so I could transport it easily, throw it in a cooler or refrigerator and then pull it out to serve when needed. This recipe will definitely serve plenty for a party of 10-15. I like to prepare it in advance, up to the night before so it is nice and chilled. Letting it sit in the refrigerator also helps thicken it up since the Rotel, no matter how well you drain it, seems to still want to be a bit runny. Do not worry though if you do not have time to chill it, it still serves up great immediately.

7 Layer Mexi-Dip

You will need:

1 13"X9" casserole dish or dish of your choosing (see above)

1 can fat free refried beans, I have also used the refried black beans and they are yummy, just whichever you prefer

16 oz container of sour crème (I usually use the reduced fat one or fat free)

1 pack of taco seasoning

1 pack quacamole seasoning (at my grocery store it is usually on the side of the little display that holds the avocado’s in the produce section)

2-3 ripe avocados (you will need to squeeze them slightly and you want them to be a little soft, not hard, but not squishy…kind of the consistency of a banana)

1-2 small cans sliced black olives (if you really like them then use 2 cans)

Pickeled Jalapenos (at Kroger they do make some that are Kroger brand that are No Heat, I use these sometimes if I don’t know if they people like spicy)

1 2 cup package of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, you can also use a block of cheese and shred it yourself to make it a bit healthier because less preservatives

2 cans rotel (be sure to drain it well before you use it in the dip)

2 bags of chip (tortilla chips work good and so do frito scoops, sometimes I do one bag of both)

**If you don’t want to make guacamole or can’t find ripe avocados you can buy the premade guacamole in the deli area by the cheeses and dips.

Okay now that you have all of your ingredients. You will need to get your dish out that you are going to use for the dip. You do not need to grease it or anything. Spread your can of beans onto the bottom of the dish using a spatula. Try to make your layers flat and even.

To make the guacamole that is the next layer, you will need to get a little mixing bowl, sharp knife, fork, and a spoon. Cut the avocado in half (remember there is a big seed in the center) and pull it apart so you are looking at two halves, one with the seed and one without. To get the seed out, you can hit the seed with a sharp knife's blade, please do not have your fingers anywhere close holding the avocado, just let it rest on the counter/cutting board and when you hit it with the sharp side of the knife it will hopefully cut into the seed a bit and then you can turn your knife clockwise and it will loosen the seed and you can pull up on the knife and the seed should come right out. Then go to the trash and you can hit your handle of the knife on the side of the trashcan so the blade doesn’t touch, gross, and then the seed should shoot off into the can. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, you can simply grab the spoon and dig the seed out and then discard it. Then go back to the avocado and get a spoon and go around the inner edge of the avocado’s skin to extract the avocado from the shell. Put it in a bowl and discard the skins (be sure that the stem does not come out into your avocado and stays with the skins). Add the guacamole mix to the avocado and mash it together with a fork. This will make you a semi chunky guacamole. Be sure to mix the guacamole mix in well. Now spread the guacamole on top of the beans lightly by dropping dollops of it all over the beans to it will spread and not mix together. Use a spatula for best results. It is okay if you miss spots.

Next, get your sour crème and your taco seasoning. Right in the container that the sour crème is in, using a fork, make a dip in the middle of the sour creme and then put your taco seasoning in and mix it around so then you end up with taco seasoned sour crème. Then spread that mixture on top of the guacamole, using the same dollop method as before as not to mix but to spread.

Now get your shredded cheese and spread a thin layer on top of the sour crème.

Next you will get your drained rotel and spread it by spooning it over the cheese, you will want to kind of shake the spoon so it doesn’t mix in with the cheese and sour crème below. Next you will do the same with your sliced black olives by shaking them over the entire dish but not mixing them with the other stuff, it is okay if it kind of mixes with the rotel.

Now do another layer of cheese, this time make it thicker and cover the whole dish with it so you can still kind of see the below ingredients but not super well. Now spread the drained jalapeno’s on top of the casserole in whatever fashion you prefer. I have done it where I cover every single inch with them but have also done them sparsely as well. People tend to love them though so I usually opt for the more is better method.

If you have prepared this in advance you can just cover it with saran wrap and stick it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Serve with chips.

**I sometimes put out small plates and a spoon by this because it can get kind of messy when people try to dip straight out of the dish because the chips sometimes break with the denseness of the dip. I hope you enjoy it!! I love this stuff! Usually when I make it people clear the dish, and if they don’t it does keep well to snack on for a couple of days as long as you cover it back up and refrigerate.

It's Been a Long Time...Hello Again!!!

2012-01-03T14:51:00.000-08:00

Hello Again! I am back! I am excited to share tons of recipes and adventures from this past year with you! I have been cooking a ton and venturing into new kinds of foods and I am so excited to share them! Lots of great recipes and ideas to come soon!