Oven Baked Chimichangas

These are from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and are so good!  I didn't have all of the ingredients, so I adjusted the recipe slightly...

Ingredients:
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice
2-3 cups diced, cooked chicken (I used closer to 2 cups)
1-2 tsp. minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (I didn't have these, so I used chipotle chili pepper that I had in my spices and it turned out delicious)
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese (or a combination)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper
6 large burrito-size flour tortillas (I only had the tortillas that you buy and cook yourself, so I used those...they are smaller and I had enough filling for 10)

Directions:
Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees.  While the oven is heating, in a large skillet, heat 2 Tblsp. of the oil over medium heat until the oil is shimmering.  Cook the onion until it is just softened, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the beans, rice, chicken, and chipotle chiles and cook until the mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes.  Off the heat, stir in the cheese and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper to taste (I used a few grinds of each).

Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel.  Microwave the tortillas until they are warm and pliable, about 1 minute.  Top each warm tortilla with some of the chicken mixture, leaving about a 2-inch border at the bottom of the tortilla.  Fold in the sides and roll up the tortilla tightly.  Brush the wrapped tortillas with the remaining oil and arrange them seam side down on the hot baking sheet that has been preheating in the oven.  Bake until the chimis are golden brown and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Serve.

Baked Ziti

This is a quick and easy dish that we have had a few times, and everyone loves it!

1 Tblsp. olive oil
6 garlic cloves
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp.)
salt and pepper to taste
2 (15 oz.) cans crushed tomato
3 cups water
12 oz. ziti (3 3/4 cup) or your favorite short pasta
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh basil (1/3 of that if using dried)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (more if you like it really cheesy)

Place oven rack in middle position.  Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp. salt in 12-inch oven safe nonstick skillet and saute over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add crushed tomatoes, water, ziti, and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Cover cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer, until ziti is almost tender, 15-18 minutes.

Add cheese and bake.   Stir in cream, parmesan, and basil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over ziti.  Transfer skillet to oven (or a 2 quart glass dish if your skillet isn't oven safe) and bake until cheese has melted and browned.  About 10 minutes.

Chicken and Rice Quesadillas

So my neighbor just gave me this recipe for the easiest and super yummy quesadillas!  I adapted it to what I had on hand so it wasn't exactly as given, but I will note the actual recipe.

One box Rice-a-Roni  (her recipe called for the broccoli chicken flavor, but I think lots of the flavors would work well)
shredded, cooked chicken
cheese, whatever you have on hand, shredded (I used some colby jack and I did one with gouda, which was delicious)
Tortillas (I also used some of those thin wrap breads from costco...I actually liked them better than the tortillas)

Using a large skillet or quesadilla maker, make into quesadillas and serve immediately.  Super easy and delicious!!

Chicken Apple Sausage Couscous

This recipe is from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I tried it because I bought some of the precooked chicken apple sausages from Costco to try. We have had it a couple of times since, and the whole family likes it.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/2 yellow onion, sliced into thin half moons  (I have also used red onion and it worked out well)

1 Tblsp. extra virgin olive oil

12 oz. precooked sweet apple chicken sausages, or other type sausage/kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. coriander

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided

1/3 cup dried cranberries (I use Craisins)

1 cup dry whole wheat couscous (I just made this again and didn't have couscous so I made it with quinoa            instead and it was still delicious!)

DIRECTIONS

Start the couscous cooking according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet (12-inch), toast the pine nuts over medium-low to medium heat, tossing frequently, until they are golden. Remove the pine nuts to a small bowl and return the skillet to medium heat.

Heat the olive oil until rippling and hot. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken sausage and brown lightly, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of the chicken broth to the skillet with the salt, pepper, thyme, cumin, coriander, and curry powder. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the onion is very tender and most of the liquid has evaporated and/or absorbed. It should still be slightly wet but not soupy.

Add the cranberries and the remaining chicken broth (2/3 cup) to the skillet. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the cranberries are heated through and softened a bit. Stir in the cooked couscous and let the entire mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed but the couscous is not dry. It should still have some tender moisture to it but not be saturated with broth.

Stir in the toasted pine nuts and serve immediately.

Lindt Truffle Chocolate Cupcakes

Okay, so I have been meaning to post this recipe for over a year now. These are seriously divine!! I made them last year I think it was for valentine's day, and have been meaning to make them ever since. My problem is that I need to have an event to take them to or I will eat them all. The funny thing is that chocolate is not usually my thing, but these are different! I found the recipe on The Sister's Cafe.

1 box devils food cake mix

1 box instant vanilla pudding (small box)

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

1 cup sour cream

Milk chocolate Lindor truffles by Lindt - about 24 (and the Milk Chocolate ones are a MUST!)

DIRECTIONS:

Unwrap milk chocolate Lindt truffles and place in a bowl for use later. In a separate bowl, add all ingredients and mix well. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees. After five minutes, lightly press a Lindt truffle into each partially baked cupcake. Let the cupcakes bake and additional 13 minutes (total of 18 minutes). Cool completely, then frost with cream cheese frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

1/2 cup butter

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese together, then add vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar.

Baked Potato Soup

This may be the best potato soup I've ever tasted! Having the potatoes previously baked makes it taste so different in a good way. The recipe is from Our Best Bites.

3 Tblsp. butter

2-3 cloves garlic, minced (I think I used at least 4 garlic cloves)

1/2 Cup flour

4 1/2 Cups milk (low fat is fine)

1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth

4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 lbs.), baked

2 Cups grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 Cups sour cream, divided

1/2 Cup chopped green onions, divided

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add flour to pan. Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. (If you get to this point and don't have a smooth liquid, stop, and put the mixture in the blender, then continue.) Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low. Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

Angel Hair Pasta Salad

I found this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and it is soooo good. I think it will seem even more amazing when it is so hot outside that I can hardly stand it!

1 pound angel hair pasta

1/2 cup olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese

2-3 fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced

handful of fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

1 (4 oz.) package pine nuts, lightly toasted (do this over medium-low heat in a non-stick skillet)

coarse salt

DIRECTIONS:

Boil water for pasta. When water starts boiling, add a handful of rock salt (i.e. ice cream salt)(I didn't have any of this and I still thought it was delicious!). Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain pasta and place in serving bowl. While pasta is boiling, saute garlic in olive oil until sizzling and lightly browned (don't burn the garlic or it will taste bitter). Pour garlic and olive oil over warm pasta and toss. Sprinkle a teaspoon or so (to taste) of coarse salt over the noodles and add 1 cup of the parmesan cheese. Toss again. Let noodles cool slightly. Right before serving, top noodles with diced tomatoes, pine nuts, torn basil and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Very lightly toss, being careful not to let all the toppings go to the bottom. Serve.