Tracey's Black Bean Salsa

I found it!

Ingredients:

• 2-4 Ripe Tomatoes, diced
• 3-5 Ripe Avocados, diced
• 1 Red Onion, diced
• 1 Can Black Beans, drained/rinsed
• 1 C. White Corn
• Fresh Cilantro
• 1 Dry Pack of Italian Dressing, prepared with 1/2 oil called for on back packet

Toss & Serve

Poppyseed Salad with Homemade Croutons

Dressing:

Add all of these ingredients into a blender, blend and slowly add 1 C. of vegetable oil

• 1/2 C. red wine vinegar
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 1 clove of fresh garlic (or 1 clove of garlic, minced)
• 2 Tbsp. poppyseeds
• 1/2 tsp. dried mustard powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. red onion, chopped

Salad:

• 1/2 head of romaine lettuce
• 1/2 head of green leaf lettuce
• 1/2 C. mozzerella chees
• 1/4 C. sugared nuts (I personally use glazed walnuts)
• 1 C. homemade croutons (see recipe below)
• 1/2 lb. freshly cooked bacon, crumbled (=1 C. cooked, crumbled bacon)
• 1/2 C. Craisins

Toss together and enjoy!


Homemade Croutons:

Cut up into cubes:

• 1 loaf artisan cheese bread/garlic bread (I always get it at Costco)

Melt

• 1 C. salted cream butter

Pour butter over bread cubes toss to coat

Spread on a cookie sheet.

Drizzle:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil 
• 1 tsp. kosher salt (sprinkle on top)

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Toss a few times while cooking.

Remove from oven and place hot croutons back into the bowl you used for tossing and let them sit in there till cool.

These will melt in your mouth!

Creamy Mushroom Chicken Bake

Creamy Mushroom Chicken Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Rhodes dough thawed and risen (If you want to do 2 loafs of Rhodes dough you can. Don't double your inside but it is easier to wrap everything up with 2 loaves and less likely to spill open while cooking)

In a saute pan combine these ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 2 C. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 C. yellow onion, diced 

After all is sauteed remove from pan and set aside, place 2 C. raw cubed or striped chicken breast in pan and cook until done

In a bowl put all cooked ingredients in and add:

• 1/2 C. sun dried tomatoes italian style (drain off oil and rinse or it will be to oily)
• 1 C. shredded mozzarella
• 1 C. shredded parmesan
• 1 tsp. dried oregano (crush herbs in your hand before adding)
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 C. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. kosher salt

Mix it around with a spoon.

Roll out your dough onto a 13x9 pan (or I use a cookie sheet). It should still be about 1/4 in. thick.

Place chicken mixture onto dough and fold up like you would a very large burrito.

Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle 1-2 Tbsp. of italian bread crumbs over the top.

Bake on the lowest rack in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 min. If top is getting too brown then reduce heat to 300 degrees.

Let the Chicken Bake stand for 15 to 20 min. before cutting into. Place a piece of saran wrap or foil over the top and then put a clean kitchen towel or 2 over it. It will stay warm and allow the insides to coagulate. (that word is gross)

Enjoy! We just cut into it with a big knife and cut it into slices. Like a HUGE calzone. So good! 

Cinnamon Bun Caramel Corn

Hi girls!
I guess it’s time I posted this recipe. It’s the only good thing I’ve got, so this is my first and last post. And it’s plagiarized too!
No photo either. My scanner is broken. Just imagine deliciousness!
12 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup un-popped kernels, popped)
1 cup roughly chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup real butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup (honey makes a good substitution)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 squares almond bark
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

2. Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside.

3. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2-quart capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop the butter into chunks and place on top of the sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over every thing. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

4. Remove from microwave and add vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. The mixture will foam and rise. Pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn and pecans and stir very well so everything is well coated.

5. Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Place the pan in the over and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and spread mixture out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

7. Melt the almond bark according to package instructions. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. When the almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy!
source: Our Best Bites cookbook

Green Smoothie

GREEN SMOOTHIE

If you want a quick healthy breakfast this is always a good one...Its the only way I can get kinley to eat spinach too..shes loves these!

• 2 Frozen Bananas (I always freeze them without the peel, when the bananas are starting to go bad).
• 2 Tbs. Peanut Butter
• 1 Tbs. Unsweetened Cocoa
• A Heaping of spinach leaves
• Almond milk to desired thickness

Just add all ingredients to the blender, blend until smooth.

Serves around 2-4 people depending on how much you want. Pretty filling, and its good for you!

Honey-Glazed Chicken

Image from Food.com

Honey-Glazed Chicken

3/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/4-1/2 t cayenne pepper
14 tenderlions
1/3 c. butter, melted and divided
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 t. curry powder

In a bowl or bag, combine flour, salt, and cayenne pepper, add chicken pieces and dredge or shake to coat.  Pour 3 T. butter into a 9 x 13 pan (dark works best).  Place chicken in pan, turning once to coat.  Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for about 5-7 minutes. While chicken is cooking, combine brown sugar, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, curry powder, and remaining butter. Pour over chicken.  Turn oven up to 350 degrees. Baste chicken several times with pan drippings while it bakes.  Bake until chicken is cooked and sauce starts to thicken.   

We love to serve this with Uncle Ben's Original Recipe rice.  Photo from Unclebens.com

Chipotle Pork Tacos

Picture Courtsey of OurBestBites.com

This is similiar to "street tacos" I have had a couple of times.  Yet again it is another recipe from Our Best Bites.  These are D.E.L.I.S.H! 

Chipotle Pork Tacos
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, April 2011

1 pound pork tenderloin, sliced thin
1 ½ tsp grated lime zest
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
2 tsp minced fresh oregano, or a heaping ½ tsp dry
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (use the peppers for heat and the adobo sauce for a mild smoky bite. I used 1 1/2 Tbs of sauce and no peppers and it was hardly spicy at all.)
2 tsp bottled minced garlic
¼ tsp kosher salt
3 tsp olive oil, divided
1 C thinly sliced shallots, or green onions
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
Sour cream
Chopped cilantro

Combine thinly sliced pork, lime zest, lime juice, oregano, brown sugar, chipotles, garlic, and salt. Set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tsp olive oil. Add onions and sauté for 4 minutes or until tender. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 2 tsp olive oil to pan and add pork mixture. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until no longer pink. Add pork to onions. Warm tortillas on a hot grill and fill with pork mixture. Top with sour cream and cilantro. Serves 4.