Mexican Chicken Soup

We love Tex-Mex food at our house, which I'm sure you already knew based on the number of times Tex-Mex ends up on the menu. When the kids were really little there was a Mexican restaurant over by my parents that we would sneak away to on dates. It had this delicious Mexican chicken soup that they would serve topped with avocado slices, sour cream, and cheese with chips on the side. It was a favorite of mine and I finally got it mastered using my 8 qt. Instant Pot. It has tons of flavor and is fairly simple with the help of the Instant Pot.

Texas Caviar Casserole

Tex-Mex is a favorite cuisine in our family. Rice, beans, cumin, chili powder, garlic, cilantro, cheese, etc., it's all good. I love how this recipe combines all those flavors into one big dish. This dish is inexpensive, versatile, full of flavor, and contains a variety of textures. It can be used as a main dish by adding meat to it, a side with or without meat, an appetizer with tortilla chips, breakfast (leftovers topped with eggs and hot sauce), or maybe even a bedtime snack. The vinaigrette can also be used as a marinade or salad dressing for other dishes. It easily feeds 6-8 people.

Buffalo Chicken Pot Pie [Skillet]

Today was National Pi Day 2016 and my hubby suggested that we should have pie for supper, Buffalo Chicken Pot Pie in particular.
It's been at least a year or more since my last attempt and I couldn't find the recipe that I'd used, which meant I must experiment.
Now, it was less than two weeks since my last experimental meal and that had totally flopped (only Mr. R. enjoyed it). I even had a hard time finishing my helping at the time, which just shows how truly terribly it was. With that in mind, I wasn't real excited about experimenting tonight. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how well this dish turned out and will probably start putting it on the menu more regularly. Why? You ask. A few reasons: 1. I love chicken pot pie (even if it's non-traditional), the family loves buffalo chicken wings, and 3. it's a one dish meal and we all know how much I love those (since I really don't enjoy doing the dishes).

Versatile Chipotle Vegetable Chili

We all love Tex-Mex, and chili is a favorite. I have recipes for white chicken chili, traditional tomato based chili, and cowboy skillet (basically chili cooked in a large cast iron skillet topped with cornbread batter and baked). When I saw a recipe for sweet potato and black bean chili I decided to get creative. It was delicious and has become a new favorite for my hubby. I have made it 3 or 4 times and am finally getting the recipe posted for you. The great thing about this dish is it's versatility. You can use whatever veggies you have in the house. You can use up leftover turkey after the holidays. You can even make this recipe for your favorite vegetarian by leaving out the meat and using vegetable stock.

Roasted Quad Pepper Hot Sauce

A few of years ago I stumbled on a recipe for jalapeno hot sauce. My hubby LOVES him some hot sauce and uses it all the time so I decided to give it a try (here's my original version). I made my version a couple of times and we really enjoyed it. However, as time has passed, both of us have developed a taste for spicier foods. This year we planted a couple of new varieties of pepper so I decided to tweak my recipe and roast four different kinds of peppers. I also added some new spices that we discovered thanks to The Spice House. Unfortunately, our peppers this year were not as spicy as they usually are (I'm wondering if the cooler weather played a part in that) so the sauce still wasn't as hot as we would have liked. 

Pumpkin Chicken Curry Soup

I love fall and the flavors that it brings, which I'm sure I mentioned in my post about pumpkin cake with salted caramel frosting. Anyway, pumpkin, squash, and sweet potato are a few of my favorite fall items to cook with this time of year, so when I recently had a cup of chicken curry soup I knew I had to attempt my own curry soup and pumpkin appealed to me. The resulting soup, pumpkin chicken curry, was delicious. There was a smoky, spicy flavor from the curry spices and poblano pepper, as well as, a certain creaminess from the pumpkin and coconut milk. Then there is a little punch of sweet and tangy flavor from the cranberries, carrots, and tomato. It was a big hit with the hubby and some friends.

Creamy Cajun Pasta

Tonight I just couldn't decide what to make for supper. It's been a crazy busy last few weeks and I haven't had time to work on October's menu so I had zero ideas. So I did what every mom does when she's out of ideas on what to make for dinner. I took a mental trip through the fridge, freezer, and pantry to see what I had to work with. Then it hit me, I'd throw together something with the smoked sausage, shrimp, veggies, and pasta that I had on hand. I had also just picked up a bottle of cajun seasoning so I decided to wing it and make dinner up as I went. It was a hit with everyone.

Adult Popcorn

We enjoy popcorn and it doesn't really matter how it's made - caramel corn, cheesy popcorn, butter lover's, etc. But all of these come with extra calories so we don't make them much anymore. We needed to come up with a recipe for popcorn that had huge flavor without being high in calories. That's when my hubby thought of it - curried popcorn, a very grown up version of regular old buttered popcorn. Delicious (and simple)!

Blackened Chicken over Dirty Rice

The hubby and I really enjoy spicy food (and the kiddos are beginning to). I have always been a fan of blackened chicken so I decided that it was high time I attempted some. It was so simple, spicy, moist, and delicious we will definitely be making it again! You can prep your chicken (pound and lightly rub with oil ahead of time) and seasoning mixture ahead of time (combine and store in an airtight container), then quickly throw it together at suppertime. I used the spice rub from Guy Fieri's Cajun Chicken Alfredo and served it with my version of Emeril's Dirty Rice.

Jalapeno Hot Sauce

A couple of years ago I had an AMAZING pepper crop. I harvested over 150 jalapenos (off 4 plants) and around 75 cayenne peppers (off 2 plants). The only problem was that we couldn't use them up or give them away fast enough so I knew I needed to do some research on what to do with large crops of hot peppers. That is when I stumbled on this recipe for jalapeno hot sauce. My hubby LOVES him some hot sauce and  uses it all the time so I decided that this was the recipe for me! I have made a couple of minor changes (increased the garlic and salt, added cayenne peppers, and added black pepper).

• 1 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 22 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced
• 3 fresh cayenne peppers, sliced (I added these for a little extra kick so if you'd rather just use only jalapeno you can sub extra jalapenos for the cayenne)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1 teaspoons salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 1 cups distilled white vinegar

Directions

1. In a medium sauce pan over high heat, combine oil, peppers, garlic, onion, black pepper and salt; saute for 4 minutes. Add the water and cook for 20 minutes (still on high heat), stirring often. Remove from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
2. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. With the processor/blender running, slowly add the vinegar.
3. Pour into a sterilized jar with a tight lid. This sauce will keep for 6 months when stored in the refrigerator. 

I bought a dozen 10oz hot sauce jars and filled them all with only 2 batches, so 1 batch would give you around 7 cups. I gave about half away as gifts, you just have to be sure you tell people to put them in the fridge.

Restaurant-Style Chicken Wings

Our family really enjoys chicken wings. In fact, before we started really pinching our pennies BWW was one of our "go to" Sunday lunch options. We've tried wing recipes in the past and they've turned out pretty good but never had that restaurant-style taste, until now. Once a month our college/career's group meets after the Sunday evening service for a time of food and fellowship. Each month we do a different theme (subs, tacos, nachos, salads, etc.). This month we did sweet or savory snacks/appetizers and we made chicken wings. I did change up the recipe a little because I am a huge fan of seasonings.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on your personal taste)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 20 wings
• oil for frying
• dipping sauce or sauce for coating (if you use a prepared sauce I suggest Sweet Baby Ray's creamy buffalo wing sauce, honey chipotle BBQ sauce, or signature sauce, but then, I am a HUGE fan of anything Sweet Baby Ray's)

Directions

1. In a small bowl mix together everything but the chicken and oil. ;o) Place chicken wings in a large nonporous glass dish or bowl and sprinkle flour mixture over them until they are evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). The oil should be just enough to cover wings entirely, an inch or so deep. 
3. Fry coated wings in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until parts of wings begin to turn brown (12 minutes seemed about perfect when I made them). Remove from heat, place wings on a paper towel to remove some of the excess oil. If coating prior to serving, toss in your sauce. If not, place them on a serving dish along side your dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Chili Dog Sauce

I LOVE chili dogs but am not a fan of how unhealthy the store bought sauce is for you so I decided to make my own a couple of weeks ago. It turned out beautifully! A friend, who is not normally a fan of hot dogs, commented on how good it was. The sauce has a nice amount of spice, a lot of flavor, loads of extra nutrients, and makes a huge batch. I like that it makes a great big batch because then I have leftovers - leftovers that can be used in a tomato chili, frozen for future chili dogs, or added to nacho cheese for chip dip.

• 1 lb Ground Turkey (you could also sub beef, venison, chicken, etc.)
• 1 1/2 cups Small Red Beans (Dry)
• 2 cups Spinach leaves - Raw
• 2 cup Carrots, grated
• 1 medium Onion, cut into chunks
• 1 cup red bell peppers, cut into chunks  
• 2 cans Red Gold - Chili Ready Diced Tomatoes 
• 1/2 cup Ketchup
• 3 teaspoons Jalapeno Hot Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Chili Powder
• 1 tablespoon Paprika
• 1 tablespoon Cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 tablespoon Oregano, dried
• 3 cloves Garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Rinse and cook beans (never cooked your own, here are some cooking instructions / tips).
2. while beans are simmering, throw all the ingredients (except the meat and beans) in a food processor or blender and puree. Then pour them into a 6 quart slow cooker on low. (You may need to process/blend in a few batches as it may be too much liquid for just one.)
3. Brown turkey with salt and pepper; drain and add meat to the slow cooker.
4. Once the beans are cooked, toss them into the food processor or blender and pulse till they are small crumbles in size (you can also leave some whole for texture; add to slow cooker.
5. Let everything simmer for 3-6 hours. 
6. Then enjoy!

If you like a meatier sauce, by all means, add more meat. I may add another half a pound next time I make this.

1 serving = 1/4 cup of sauce (36 calories)

Spicy Teriyaki Sauce

I needed some teriyaki sauce for a recipe tonight but didn't want to run to the store for some. Instead, I made my own. I used this recipe on Food.com.

• 1/4 cup Kikkoman Low Sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/4 cup water
• ground ginger (about 1 tbsp or to your taste)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sauce is thickened. 
2. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. If the sauce is too thick add a little water or soy sauce to thin.

Read more: http://low-cholesterol.food.com/recipe/teriyaki-sauce-55859#ixzz1nLlPy6d1

Chipotle & Orange Grilled Chicken

Jared and I are big fans of Bobby Flay. We may even be slightly addicted to his shows. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact the both of us love southwestern flavors (our first "date" was even at a Tex-Mex restaurant called the Tumbleweed, but that's another story altogether). Anyway, Bobby uses chipotles in a lot of things and has "introduced" them to us.

Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce

The hubby (and all our kids) LOVES TexMex food so I try to do a "South of the Border" style meal every couple of weeks. Tonight, I settled on chicken (actually turkey) enchiladas but I wanted something that included green chiles. This is a modified recipe of what I found.

• 8 burrito size wheat tortillas
• 12-16 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken/turkey, shredded
• 3/4 cup minced onion
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion about 3 minutes, add chicken/turkey till warm. 
3. Divide meat mixture and 8 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese among the tortillas. Roll up each tortilla and place seam side down in a greased 9x13 baking pan.
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan with and 1/4 cup of broth over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until mixture begins to boil. Slowly add the remaining broth, stirring with a whisk until thickened. Mix in the sour cream and chiles, heat thoroughly but do not boil, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture over the enchiladas.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Top with remaining Monterey Jack cheese and bake for 5 more minutes. Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro.

You can also do this in the crockpot (see pictures below). However, I find it easier to just make this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge till I'm ready to bake it. The recipe also freezes nicely (unbaked) for a nice go to meal when you don't feel like cooking but don't want to shell out the $$ for a dinner out. 

Place about 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom, then top with enchiladas.

Cover with remaining sauce.

Top with cheese. Cook on low for 2-3 hours.

Man Pleasin' Jambalaya

I found this recipe over a year ago and the whole family LOVES it. I especially like this dish because it only uses one pot. I've always just given the link to the original recipe in my weekly menus. So here is my adaptation of this recipe.

• 2 skinless, large boneless chicken breasts - diced
• 6 cups chicken broth (I use the low sodium broth)
• 2 1/2 cups long grain white rice
• 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced (for a healthier option use smoked turkey sausage)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 (8 ounce) can mushroom pieces, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste 
• Hot sauce to taste 
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently until soft. Add the chicken and garlic; continue cooking and stirring so that it does not stick. When the chicken is browned, add the carrots, celery, mushrooms, bell pepper and sausage.
2. Pour in the broth, and bring to a boil. Add the rice, and season with cayenne, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, until rice is tender and broth has been absorbed.

Yield: 12 servings

I've also got an adaptation for the kiddos - Kid Pleasin' Jambalaya.
Original Recipe: Man Pleasin' Jambalaya on allrecipes.com