MommaCooks

posted by Nina on Feb 4

This is something I learned how to make in college. I would like to credit one of my roommates for introducing me to this, but neither one of them remembers making it. Oh well, it is good, cheap, warm and yummy and sometimes that is just the kind of dip you’re looking for.

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans
8 oz. jar Cheez Whiz
a few dashes of Tobasco sauce (to taste)
Tortilla chips

Instructions:
Put first two ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Stir. Take off heat when warmed through. Add Tobasco; stir again.

Serve with tortilla chips.

What did the family think? I used to make this for my step-dad all the time when I would come home from college. He LOVED it!

Where did this recipe come from? One of my lovely college roommates

photo from Wikipedia

posted by Nina on Nov 7

We like spicy, we like noodles, we like Thai and I had some leftover chicken I needed to use, so when I saw this on my friend Erin’s blog, I knew we had a winner.

Ingredients:
1 box angel hair pasta
1-2 T crushed red pepper (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sesame oil
6 T honey
6 T soy sauce
4 cups cooked chicken, cooked and chopped (optional)
1/2 cup green onions (only the green parts)
1 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup cilantro
3/4 cup peanuts, crushed

Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

Combine red peppers and both oils in a small pan over medium heat for two minutes. Drain oil to separate peppers from the oil. SAVE THE OIL. (I wasn’t able to get every last pepper out, but it was enough so that I didn’t burn my mouth off, but it still gave it some zing.)

Whisk together the reserved oil, the honey and the soy sauce.

In a large bowl combine cooked noodles and soy sauce mixture. Toss to combine.

Serve in bowls and top with chicken, cilantro, carrots, peanuts and green onions.

Did I change anything? I added the chicken and left out the sesame seeds the original recipe called for since I didn’t have any.

What did the family think? I wasn’t in the mood for experimenting with the kids last night, so they ate the pasta with red sauce. Hubby and I LOVED this dish though. SO good!

Where did this recipe come from? A Small Snippet

Why the picture of the Sriracha? This dish would have been even better had I had some in the house.

posted by Nina on Jun 21

There was a time in my life where all I would order when we went out for Mexican was a plate of chile relleno. Those days are over, but when I saw this recipe I just had to try it…for old time’s sake.

Ingredients:
1/4 lb. ground chorizo
3 (7 oz) cans of whole green chiles
3 eggs
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp non fat sour cream
1 (3 oz) can of sliced black olives
1 cup of low fat Mexican blend cheese (or more if you want)
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 (15 oz) can red or green enchilada sauce
Sour cream (garnish)
Diced green onion (garnish)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook chorizo in a skillet until cooked through.

Combine eggs, flour, sour cream, olives, salt and pepper to taste then mix thoroughly.

Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Add a layer of the chiles, and then egg mixture, then cheese, then chorizo, then black beans; repeat layers until gone. Top with enchilada sauce and a bit more cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Top with sour cream and diced green onion.

Did I change anything? I added the chorizo and left out the olives.

What did the family think? The boys had been at a birthday party and were full of cupcakes and pizza, so they didn’t eat. Hubby liked it a lot more than he thought he was going to. He wished there had been more chorizo and that I had cut the peppers up so they weren’t so big.

Where did this recipe come from? For the Love of Cooking

photo from For the Love of Cooking

posted by Nina on Jun 2

Oh my goodness! These are so good. Put these on your menu for next week. If you already made your menu for next week, change it. Really, they are super good.

Ingredients:
8 whole Flour Tortillas
Butter Or Margarine
2 cups Grilled Pineapple, Sliced
3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt And Pepper, to taste
3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
1 whole Jalapeno, Sliced
Cilantro
3 Tablespoons Barbecue Sauce

Instructions:
(To grill pineapple: cut wedges, stick on skewers, and grill over low heat. Cut into slices.)

(To pound chicken, place inside a Ziploc bag and pound with a mallet/hammer or large can to flatten to uniform thickness.)

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and Cajun spice (or cumin/cayenne) Drizzle olive oil on a grill pan and grill on both sides until done, brushing with barbecue sauce. Set aside and slice into very thin slices.

Warm griddle over medium heat and put sizzling butter or margarine in the pan. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside.

To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the surface. Add pineapple slices and jalapeno slices. Sprinkle on cilantro. If desired, drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. (You’ll have four complete quesadillas at this point.)

Add to oven to warm, or back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, and lime wedges.

Did I change anything? I forgot the butter, but they still turned out great. Also, it’s really important to thinly slice the chicken or else the quesadillas turn out so lumpy that they are very difficult to eat. Same goes for the pineapple…don’t make the pieces too chunky. Yes, I know all of this because I botched that part of the recipe.

What did the family think? Everyone ate these and loved them! I left the spicy stuff off of the boys’ quesadillas though.

Where did this recipe come from? The Pioneer Woman

photo from The Pioneer Woman

posted by Nina on Mar 29

This was so super good…hubby kept ooohing and aaahing over it all through dinner.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground Italian sausage
2 Tbsp. olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 can chicken broth
3 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans diced tomatoes, lightly blended
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/3 cup ketchup
1 can of each: black beans, pinto beans, chili beans
4 oz. cream cheese
Tortilla chips, crumbled (optional)

Instructions:
In a large pot, cook Italian sausage until no longer pink.

Add the garlic and the olive oil, then add the broth, spices, tomatoes, vinegar, ketchup and beans. Stir well and bring to a boil.

Let the chili simmer for about half an hour. Lastly add the cream cheese and stir in until completely dissolved.

We had this with breadsticks, some salad and some grapes.

Did I change anything? The original recipe used two separate pans to make this. I only used one and it was just fine. It was hubby’s idea to crumple up some tortilla chips on top of the soup.

What did the family think? Hubby and I thought it was uber delish. Our oldest ate his…it wasn’t his favorite but not everything can taste like mac and cheese. Our youngest choked down some Italian sausage and called it a night.

from Family Favorite Recipes

posted by Nina on Mar 1

My boys love eggs and cheese, so I thought this quiche might be a hit with them.

Ingredients:
3 flour tortillas
16 oz. refried beans
4 oz. diced chiles
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
4 oz. grated cheddar cheese
1 3/4 cups egg substitute or seven eggs, scrambled
1/4 cup milk
1/4 lb. ground chorizo (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

If using chorizo, cook in a medium-sized skillet. Using a wooden spoon to crumble.

Cut two tortillas in half and place each half in the pan so that the rounded edge is 1/4 inch above the rim. Place the third tortilla in the center of the pan.

Spread beans over tortillas. (I only used about 1/3 of the beans.)

Top with chiles, onions and cheese. Mix eggs with milk and pour over the top. Put chorizo on top if you are using it.

Bake for 50 minutes or until knife inserted in the center come out clean. Let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

We had this with refried beans and fruit salad.

Did I change anything? I added the chorizo. I didn’t use all the beans in the quiche and I used about 1/2 the onions.

What did the family think? Whew! That chorizo was SPICY! Which is exactly why hubby and I liked it and the boys did not. Our youngest likes spicy, but this was a little much. Since the chorizo was on top, I just had them flip their quiche over and eat it from the bottom until they hit the chorizo part.

from Quick & Healthy, Vol.II

posted by Nina on Feb 20

A quick and easy side dish that gives your rice a little zip.

Ingredients:
Minute Rice (either brown or white)
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, chopped

Instructions:
Cook rice per directions for six servings. When the rice is done stir in the cilantro and green onions.

What did the family think? Hubby and I liked it. It went well with the chicken dish we were having. I am not sure the kids touched it, but we were in a hurry to get out the door, so I didn’t hound them about trying it.

Adapted from Martha Stewart recipe

posted by Nina on Feb 14

I got this recipe from my MIL and she got it from a friend of hers. It is spicy and full of all kinds of yummy ingredients. It was perfect for the rainy and chilly night we are having tonight.

Ingredients:
1/3 C water
1 onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 stalk, celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
6 cups vegetable broth
1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 cup canned red lentils
1 cup frozen chopped hash brown potatoes
2 tablespoons chopped canned green chilies
2 tsp chile power
½ teaspoon ground oregano
½ cup uncooked whole wheat spaghetti, broken in 1 inch pieces
¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions:
Place the water in a large pot with the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Add the broth, tomatoes, lentils, potatoes, green chilies, chili powder, and oregano. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the spaghetti and continue to cook for 10 more minutes. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

We had this with cornbread.

Did I change anything? I added some frozen meatballs. Since I added the meatballs I also added some more broth, green chiles and chili powder. I also only used about 1/2 the onion. I forgot to add the cilantro…and I even had some!

What did the family think? Hubby and I really liked it. Hubby loved the meatballs I added to it and so did the boys.

posted by Nina on Feb 7

It’s definitely still the time of year for warm and cozy comfort foods…

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups prepared enchilada sauce
2 chopped celery stalks
2 (14.5 oz) cans olive oil and garlic diced tomatoes (or some other “flavor” if you can’t find those)
2 (15 oz) cans pinto or kidney beans, undrained
1 onion, diced (or 1 tablespoon dried, minced onion flakes)
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

Instructions:
Pour enchilada sauce and canned tomatoes into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Add beans, celery, onion and spices. Stir to combine. Place chicken on top.

Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until flavors have combined. Shred chicken and stir back into slow cooker.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Did I change anything? I didn’t use as much onion, maybe half as much as the recipe called for and I left out the celery.

What did the family think? Hubby and I LOVED this! The boys aren’t huge enchilada fans, but they will pick out the chicken and eat that.

from A Year of Slow Cooking

posted by Nina on Nov 12

Hubby took one bite of this and said, “I hope you’re going to blog about this.”

Ingredients:
1 cup long grain white rice
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pkg (14 oz) smoked sausage
1 can red beans
Creole Seasoning

Instructions:
Cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans and cut the sausage into coins.

Add olive oil to skillet and cook sausage over medium-high heat. Sprinkle sausage lightly with Creole seasoning. You can always add more spice later, but it’s best to start on the safe side.

Cook sausage for about seven minutes, making sure to stir sausages so that they cook on both sides. Add rinsed beans and heat through.

Serve rice with beans and sausage.

What did the family think? Hubby and I LOVED it. So good. Our youngest ate the sausage and our oldest insisted it was much too spicy. Hubby also added quite a bit more of the Creole seasoning to his bowl.

from kevinandamanda.com