Chicken, Corn and Black Bean Quesadillas

I made these tonight. I wasn't sure if my kids would eat it and Matt was still at work, so I invited some friends over. They were a hit! Everyone (except Ethan because he doesn't like anything!) loved it. And it was super fast. Probably 30 minutes start to finish...maybe less. I did a little less garlic and I used half pepper jack and half mild cheddar cheese. I also did butter instead of oil when cooking the quesadillas. I would really recommend these!

Photo by sugaredwhisk.

2 tablespoon canola oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups corn kernels
1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded or cubed*
1/3 cup water or broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 can black beans
2 ounces cream cheese
2 cups Mexican blend cheese (PepperJack would be great too)
4 large (burrito sized) flour tortillas

* I seasoned my chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and chili powder and cooked it stove top.

Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a large skillet, stir in the garlic and corn and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Add the chicken, water (or broth), cumin, chili powder, oregano, and black beans and bring to a light boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the cream cheese.

Heat another large pan (grill pan, or cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat, brush pan surface with canola oil. Place a flour tortilla onto the hot pan. Build a quesadilla by layering a handful of cheese, 1/4 of the chicken mixture and another handful of cheese on one half of the tortilla. Fold tortilla in half and apply pressure to top to create a sear on the bottom of the tortilla and to make everything stick together. Once the bottom of the tortilla is browned flip over and brown the other side, once again applying pressure to the top to help the browning process. When both sides are browned remove quesadilla from pan and cut into 4 even triangles with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Repeat process with remaining tortillas, brushing pan with canola oil before each quesadilla.

Originally posted here: http://www.sugaredwhisk.com/2011/chicken-corn-and-black-bean-quesadillas/

Tres Leche Cake

First of all, Love, Love, Love the look of this blog, nice work Rachel.

Disclaimer: I know this is not following the theme, but Rachel said I could post it.
Since yesterday was Cinco de Mayo, I decided to make a Tres Leche cake. I have never had it, nor has Tyler but he has been asking me to make one for quite some time. I found this recipe here, which does provide good step by step directions if you want.

But here is the recipe:

• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 5 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Sugar, Divided
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• ⅓ cups Milk
• 1 can Evaporated Milk
• 1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
• ¼ cups Heavy Cream
• _____
• FOR THE ICING:
• 1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.

Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can.

Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. To ice the cake, whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.

Chicken Empanadas

I made these tonight. So good! It wasn't too hard, but it did take time. I wouldn't recommend making them when you have two children who need your attention and no husband around to watch the kids for you. It was insane, but worth it. In fact, I am having to force myself to not eat five more right now!

1 box of pie crust (I ended up making my own because the pie crust I bought was c&*p - I used Alicia's pie crust recipe)
1 chicken breast
2 small potatoes
1/2 white onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 -1/2 cup salsa
Shredded Cheddar cheese
spices (season all, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne)
salt and pepper

Unroll the two crust and use a small cup (3 inch diameter?) to cut out circles, as many as you can get. Lay out on greased tin foil and cover with a towel.

Boil the chicken breast, when cooked shred it (really small) and season with salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder to taste.

Preheat the oven to 450. Peel and dice potatoes, really small! Finely dice the onion. Put a tablespoon of butter in a nonstick frying pan and cook the onions about 5 mins, then add potatoes. Cook until potatoes begin to soften. Add garlic and spices (chili powder, season all, a dash of cayenne, and cumin). Mix in chicken and salsa. Taste, add more salt if needed.

Stuff the dough circles with meat mixture and some cheese. Fold in half and press with a fork around the edges. Brush with an egg yolk and water mixture (about 2 yolks and some water to thin it).

Cook at 450 for 11-13 minutes (until golden on top)

Chicken Fa"Hotties"

I made these tonight and they were really good, not too different in taste than regular chicken fajitas, but way easier and the meat is shredded and I like that. Next time I will do the same thing but with beef. The best part is, you make it in the crockpot, so that right there is a winner in my book.

• 4-6 chicken breast boneless, skinless, frozen
• 3 peppers - sliced
• 1 med-large onion sliced
• 1 package Lawry's fajita seasoning
• 1-2 packages flour tortillas
• sour cream
• shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese of your choice)
• other favorite toppings
• crock pot

1. place frozen chicken and onion in crock pot
2. pour fajita seasoning packet over chicken (you might need two packets depending on the size and amount of your chicken)
3. add water as directed on packet
4. cook on Low for 6 hours
5. stir before adding the peppers to help the chicken shred
6. the last 1/2 hour add your sliced peppers
7. give it one more stir to mix it all together
8. place chicken on tortilla's
9. add your favorite toppings
10. eat and enjoy!

Chicken Taco Rice

1 lb. chicken- I like to use chicken tenders, they are the easiest to work with
2 Tb. oil
1 can chicken broth
1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning- mild
1- 12 oz. can drained corn
1 med. red pepper- sliced in strips
1 1/2 cup minute rice
1 cup shredded cheese
1 bag tortilla chips
some sour cream
Some guacamole

Sautee chicken in oil in a big skillet (big enough to hold all of these ingredients). When chicken is done, in skillet, just break into bite-ish size pieces with forks. Add broth, tomato sauce, and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, simmer for 5 minutes. Add drained corn and sliced pepper. Bring to a full boil. Stir in uncooked rice. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover again and let stand for just a little while. Serve with chips, sour cream and guacamole. This is even better hours after you make it so you can make it one night have it the next day or make it in the morning and have it that night. Obviously heat it up if you don't eat it right away. Yummy!!!

Chicken Fiesta Soup

1 can chicken stock

1 small can diced green chiles
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
1 can of dark red kidney beans (or any bean that you really like)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 12oz can of white chicken breast or 1 large chicken breast
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp cumin

Dump everything into a pot (including all the liquids from the cans). Cook on medium heat until it comes to slow boil (about 30-40 minutes) and voila you are ready to eat. Serve with sour cream, chips and cheese.

Taco Bowls

I just found this on a recipe blog Jacque guided me to, and I haven't tried these, but I thought they were a fun variation and kids might love them.

20 6 inch flour tortillas
1 lb ground beef
taco seasoning
16 oz shredded cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Trim about 1/2 inch from edge of tortillas, push into muffin tins.

Brown ground beef, add seasoning and about 2/3 cup of water, simmer until water is absorbed. Put about 2 Tablespoons of meat into each muffin tin. Cover with cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and tortillas are brown.

Serve with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, avocados, etc.

Chile Verde

4 T cooking oil
1/3 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped cilantro
3-4 jalapeno peppers
4-6 lbs boneless pork, cut into 1" cubes
1 can chopped green chiles
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
3 minced garlic cloves
1 cup mild salsa
14.5 oz chicken broth

In a frying pan, brown the cut up pork in olive oil. Pour into crock pot. Sprinkle with flour to coat meat. Add all the remaining ingredients. Simmer on high for 6-8 hours. Serves 8.

I learned this at an Enrichment cooking class tonight. My friend actually halved the amount of pork and kept the rest of the ingredients the same. It was to DIE for and fed seven women with lots of leftovers. Really, you should try it!

Salsa

2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 green pepper
1-2 jalapenos
6 green onions
Fresh cilantro and stems
2 tsp garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin

Blend in blender until evenly chopped.

Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa

We made this tonight and put it on salad with Guacamole Ranch dressing, cilantro, cheese, olives and tomatoes, soooooo GOOD!!! Tyler said it is pretty stinking close to the real thing, give it a try

CAFE RIO PORK (copycat recipe)
Slow cook your pork roast in a crock pot with garlic and a little water until you can pull it apart. At that point add the following

1 can diced green chilis
1 to 2 cans of medium or hot enchilada sauce (the red stuff), depending on how much pork you use
1 can of either Dr. Pepper or Coke (I used Dr. Pepper)
At least 1 cup of brown sugar but use as much more as you want to get your sweetness
salt to taste.
It is so easy to make too.


Tomatillo Dressing
1 Pkg. Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tomatillos
½ to 1 clove garlic minced
½ to 1/3 Bunch Cilantro, chopped
½ tsp. Lime Juice
½ to 1 small Jalapeno (seeds removed) (optional)
Blend all ingredients together in a blender.