Tacoritos

Tacoritos

I have modified the original recipe, this is how I fix them and we love them.  They are sort of like a Taco Bell Enchirito, if you ever had one of those.  Enchilada/burrito combo.  A pain to assemble, but very good.

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1/4 cup flour

4 cups water

3 Tbsp chili powder 

1tsp garlic salt

2 lb ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 cup refried beans

12 small/taco size flour tortillas, warmed

4 cups (?)bag of shredded mexican cheese

In a large saucepan, melt butter.Stir in flour until smooth, gradually add water.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for one minute or until thickened.  Stir in chili powder and garlic salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for ten minutes.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the beef and onion until meat is no longer pink, drain.  Stir in refried beans; heat through.

Spread 1/4 cup sauce in a greased 9x13 pan.  Spread 1 Tbsp sauce on a tortilla, then heaping 1/4 cup meat mixture.  Roll up and place seam side down.  Do this with all of them, pack them tightly in the pan.  Pour the remaining sauce over them (it looks like a lot).  Pour whole package of cheese all over it.  I top the whole thing with jalepeno slices, too.  

Bake at 350 18-22 minutes, uncovered, until cheese is all melted.  Take out and let sit a few minutes for sauce to soak in good.  Serve with lettuce, tomato and sour cream.  

I ended up with a little meat left over this time, I am saving it for leftover tacos.

Golden Cauliflower Bake

Susan In The Boonies posted a recipe for Roasted Broccoli that looks wonderful - paying it forward, I am going to share a veggie side dish of my own.


Golden Cauliflower Bake

I have made it per the recipe and made minor modifications - I will note the modifications to the side.

Cooking spray
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs (I used Panko crumbs this week and like them best)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4tsp black pepper
2 (10 oz) packages of frozen cauliflower florets (note - I have made this with fresh, steamed cauliflower and a large bag of frozen. Personally, I liked the frozen because it was one less step, and there was no difference that I could tell in the taste.)

Preheat oven to 400. Coat 8" square baking dish with cooking spray (I have used a variety of sizes of dish, whatever works, so that the cauliflower is all together, touching). In another small bowl, blend bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Dip each cauliflower floret in oil, then in bread crumb mixture (note - the first few times I did dip.each.one in oil. The other night I put the cauliflower in a larger bowl and drizzled the olive oil, kind of tossed it to coat, then tossed the pieces a few at a time in the crumbs. That was easier.), then place the breaded florets in the prepared cooking dish. Coat the florets with cooking spray (I did not do this, they are already drizzled with oil. When they were done with the baking time I stuck the pan under the broiler and toasted up the top a bit.)

Bake20-25 minutes, until golden.

Chicken Tortilla Chowder

This recipe comes from my good friend, Julie Bird.  Her husband Eric is the Pastor at Bloomsdale Baptist Church, in Bloomsdale, Missouri.  As the mama to 6 (so far), she knows how to make food that is quick and delicious.  She calls this "Corn Chowder" but I think the chicken and the south-of-the-border flavors should get the main emphasis.

Chicken Tortilla Chowder

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
3T butter
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup hot water
1/2 to 1 tsp cumin
2 cup half-and-half
2 cup (8 oz) Monterrey Jack cheese (I personally prefer pepper jack)
1 can cream corn
1 can whole kernel corn
1 4 oz can chopped green chiles, undrained
1 medium tomato, chopped (I also like to substitute a can of Ro-Tel, drained)

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.  In a large pot, brown chicken, onion and garlic in butter until chicken is no longer pink.  Dissolve the bouillon in hot water.  Add to the pan along with the cumin; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted.

Serves 6-8.  I like to serve with a salad and some nachos!  Fiesta!

A Few Recipes to Tide You Over...

I have lots to say, but not time to say it all.  However, I have been told that in order to keep up traffic to the blog, there needs to be regular posts. 

So........

I thought I'd post a few of my recipes.  Just until I have time to post some thoughts.  Though maybe you'll appreciate the recipes a lot more!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CAKE
2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
4 eggs
2 cup flour
tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil (I used ½ cup unsweetened applesauce and ½ cup oil to reduce fat)
2 cup cooked and mashed butternut squash
Cook and mash the butternut squash (you can also use frozen). Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake 350 for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.

Icing
8 oz cream cheese (I used 1/3 reduced fat and it was fine), room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb (2 cups) powder sugar (I cut this to 1 cup powder sugar and it was fine)

Mix together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until creamy. Add the sugar ¼ cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Enough to frost top of cake generously.



BUTTERFINGER TRIFLE

This dessert is lower in fat than most, but is still very rich and creamy tasting. You can substitute full-fat/sugar ingredients if you prefer and get the same results – but just more fat! It is also attractive in the serving bowl, and very easy and quick to prepare.

1 ½ cold fat-free (skim) milk
1 package (1 oz.) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding
2 cartons (8 oz each) frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 prepared angel food cake (16 oz.), cut into cubes
4 Butterfinger bars (regular size 2.1 oz each), crushed

In a large bowl, whish milk and pudding mix for two minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes, or until soft-set. Stir in 2 cups of whipped topping. Then gently fold in the remaining whipped topping.

In a trifle bowl, layer 1/3 of the cake cubes, 1/3 of the pudding, 1/3 of the crushed candy bars, in that order. Repeat layers two more times, ending with the candy sprinkled on top. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

I have also substituted chocolate pudding and Heath toffee bits, but the vanilla and Butterfinger is best!




BLUEBERRY POUND CAKE

This is a very pretty, fine textured cake.

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Lemon juice (bottled is okay)
½ cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen work too, but let them thaw out and drain them well)
2 tsp. Sugar
2 tsp. flour

Mix the berries with the small amount of sugar and flour, set aside. The sugar/flour keeps the berries suspended better in the batter. Cream butter and 2 cups sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one is added. Combine the next 4 ingredients. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well. Gently fold the coated berries into the batter. Pour into a greased/floured 10'' tube pan. Bake at 350° for 70 to 80 min.

Let cool in the pan 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen. Gently lift the cake out and set on a platter. Cover with glaze while still warm.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

I don't have anything earth-shattering to share today, but I did make some really good cinnamon rolls yesterday!

I got the recipe from this book, which I received as a gift at the homeschool mom Christmas party (thanks Shelley!).



Easy Cinnamon Rolls
2 cups biscuit baking mix
2/3 cup of milk
1/8 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 t. cinnamon

Mix biscuit baking mix and milk in a small bowl with a fork.  Knead dough gently 8 to 10 times on lightly floured surface.  Roll into a 12"x7" rectangle; spread thinly with butter.  In a separate small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle dough with sugar mixture.  Roll up tightly, starting with long end; pinch edges to seal.  Cut into 1" slices and put one slice in each cup of a lightly oiled muffin tin.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, or until rolls are lightly golden.  Makes approximately 1 dozen.

These were very quick and easy, and went over well.  I checked mine at 10 minutes and they were bordering on "too done", so I'd start checking around 7 minutes next time.  I also made a powder sugar glaze for them.  I have ideas for making orange rolls with this recipe, too. 

Bon apetit!  Maybe tomorrow I will have something deeper than, "Mmmmm, cinnamon rolls," to share!

Or maybe not, who knows!