Southwestern Egg Rolls

Don't you just love those recipes that you tell your family that you're making for dinner, and every single one of their eyes light up?  These Southwestern Egg Rolls are that dish for us.  Every single member of my family goes crazy for these - even my picky 2 year old.  

They are packed full of hearty ingredients, and then baked off for a wonderfully crispy crust.  I always serve these with my Cilantro Cream Sauce because the 2 flavors are just destined for each other.  You can eat them by themselves, or with ranch too - but I'm tell you.  If you don't serve them with the cilantro cream sauce, you're really missing out!
You simply saute all the ingredients in a large pan for your eggroll stuffing pleasure.

I love how colorful the mixture is after the fresh spinach has been added.  Don't you?

Then you simply roll the ingredients up in a taco sized flour tortilla, give it a nice brushing of olive oil, and bake it them off in the oven until crispy.

I just love this dish, and I really think ya'll will too.  
Make sure you head over to get the recipe for my cilantro cream sauce so you can puree you up a batch real quick to serve along side this dish to make it even more delicious.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

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Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts - diced
• 1 medium-large onion, minced
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 (14.5)oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
• 2.5 cups fresh baby spinach
• 2 jalapenos, seeded & minced
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
• salt & pepper to taste
• 10 taco sized flour tortillas

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. 
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium.  Add in the chicken, season with salt & pepper to taste, & saute for 5 minutes.  Stir in the diced onions & cook until the chicken is cooked through.  Stir in the spices, jalapeno, black beans, corn, & baby spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted. Remove from the heat, and stir in the pepper jack cheese.  Spoon about 1/4 cup of filling into the center of each taco sized flour tortilla, and roll up like a burrito.  Brush each side with a good coating of olive oil, and place in a baking dish.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy.
Serve with Cilantro Cream Sauce, if desired.



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Homemade Chicken Nuggets

I had the pleasure of meeting Laura from MOMables while on the California Dairy Tour. We recently decided to get together to do a back to school series.  MOMables has all sorts of homemade, fresh ideas for your kids lunchbox - great ideas just like the one she is sharing today.  

Chicken nuggets are a favorite of most kids. I know mine would eat nuggets every day, if I’d let them! They are found on the menu in most restaurants and even in school cafeteria hot lunches. At the store you can find them taking up entire freezer sections, with different shapes and varieties for kid appeal. They also come in the refrigerated boxed lunches. The ingredients alone will scare any semi-health conscious person.  Yet, parents buy them because kids eat them.

The prepackaged, store bought chicken nugget lunch is quite a disappointment. The first thing we noticed was how little food it contained: Four processed nuggets, ketchup for dipping, and two sandwich cookies.

Where’s the nutrition? My child surely won’t be full on a meal like this. Most importantly, the mix of chemicals that make up what they call a nugget can hardly be called food.  Because of this, we are happy to share with you our version of homemade nuggets.  They are silly-easy to make and you can freeze them and have them ready for when you need them! Talk about convenience.

The MOMables lunch version contains four fresh homemade chicken nuggets (recipe below), dipping sauce, and two sandwich cookies. In addition, ours has the fruit & vegetable servings missing from the boxed lunch; crunchy carrot sticks and juicy grapes.

The only reason to pay for the boxed lunch is for a colorful box; but since you can get some pretty cool lunch boxes now-a-days, it’s a mute point.

MOMables menu plans provide you with healthy, fresh meals you can make in 10 minutes or less, but unlike store bought lunches, they allow flexibility in portioning and choice of sides so you can customize each lunch to suit your family’s tastes and appetites. We even tell you what to make and prep ahead so you can save time and money on wasted food.

MOMables Homemade Chicken Nuggets

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Ingredients:

·         1 lb ground chicken
·         1/4 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
·         1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
·         1 tsp Zatarain's Creole Seasoning,divided (or paprika)
·         1/2 tsp garlic powder
·         1/4 tsp black pepper
·         3/4 cup breadcrumbs

Instructions:

1. In large bowl, combine chicken, oatmeal, half the grated parmesan (1/8 cup), half the Zatarain's seasoning (or paprika) (1/2 tsp), garlic powder and pepper. Knead dry ingredients into ground chicken.

 2. Moisten hands to prevent sticking and form 1 tbsp of chicken mixture into a ball. Press into a cookie cutter for shaped nuggets or flatten with fingers for a basic nugget shape.

 3. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with remaining Zatarain's seasoning and grated parmesan.

 4. Press nuggets into bread crumb mixture and turn over, patting crumbs into surface to coat evenly.

--At this point you can freeze-- or

5. To bake: Preheat oven to 375° F. Arrange nuggets on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Lightly spray nuggets themselves with cooking spray or olive oil for a crispier coating (optional).

6. Bake 15-20 minutes, turning once, and checking - don't overcook! These baked nuggets will not really brown (unless you pan fry in oil) - if browning is desired, place under broiler for a couple of minutes at the end of cooking.

These nuggets don’t have to be baked right away; you can freeze the breaded nuggets on a cookie sheet, then transfer them to an airtight bag or container and store them in the freezer until you’re ready to bake as few or as many as you like for up to 3 months. Add about 3-5 minutes to your usual cooking time if baking from frozen.

-- Laura Fuentes shows parents how to make fresh school lunches over at MOMables™.  A wife, mother of 3 and a lunch enthusiast who insists on healthy, wholesome food for her family.  
On her personal blog, Super Glue Mom, she writes about managing motherhood on a deadline.  She’s also a food contributor and recipe developer to numerous sites, and helps busy parents overcome the difficulties of cooking real food in a hurry. You can find Laura on Twitter and on Facebook and MOMables on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. 

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Chicken Fried Steak with White Gravy

Here in the South, we definitely love our fried food.  Fried chicken, fried squash, fried okra - I mean, can you blame us? At the top of that list of favorite fried foods sits Chicken Fried Steak smothered in white country gravy.  Add you a side of mashed taters - also smothered in gravy, along with a buttermilk biscuit to sop up whatever gravy is left on your plate - and you've got a plate straight outta foodie heaven.
Wow, I sure said gravy a lot there.  I like gravy.  A lot.  It's hereditary, so blame my mama.  (Sorry Mama)

This chicken fried steak of mine has the perfect amount of crispy breading, and the steak itself is super tender.  Then the gravy - oh the gravy.  You'll be licking the bowl the gravy is served in, trust me.  
Now, make sure you serve this classic southern dish with another classic piece of the South - my Mama's buttermilk biscuits.  If you ain't tried them yet, well you best do so because you have never tried a better biscuit than hers.  Even if you've never been able to make a good biscuit, you can make my Mama's.  
And, don't forget Great Granny Brown's mashed taters.

Chicken Fried Steak with White Gravy

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Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 pound cube steaks
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 3 cups vegetable shortening, for frying
• 
  
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Place 2 cups of flour into a shallow bowl, or pie plate.  Stir stir together the baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, hot sauce, & garlic powder.  Dredge each steak first in the flour, and then in the batter, and again in the flour.  Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.
Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet.  Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown - about 3-5 minutes per side.  Place the fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain.  Drain the fat from the skillet reserving 1/4 cup of the oil and as much of the solid remnants as possible.
Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil.  Whisk the remaining flour into the oil.  Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release the solids into the gravy.  Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer; cook until thick, about 7 minutes or so.  Season to taste with salt & pepper.  Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.


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Crockpot Taco Chicken Chili

There are few things I like better on a busy (or lazy!) day than a really good crockpot recipe for dinner.  One that really hits the spot!
Throwing everything in & then simply forgetting about it until dinner time. Now, that speaks volumes to me.

This chicken chili is SO delicious, full of flavor, and super simple.  Just some simple pantry ingredients, and chicken - and by that evening you have fantastic & hearty bowl of goodness to feast upon.

Crockpot Taco Chicken Chili

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Ingredients:
2 (16oz) cans black beans, drained & rinsed4 garlic cloves, minced1 medium onion, diced1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded & finely diced10oz frozen corn1 (8oz) tomato sauce1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes3 tablespoons taco seasoning2 boneless, skinless chicken breastsCilantro (optional)Sour Cream (optional)
Instructions:
Combine the first 8 ingredients together in a slowcooker.  Top with the chicken breasts.  Cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 4 hours.  
Thirty minutes before serving, remove the chicken breasts & shred with 2 forks.  Stir the shredded chicken into the mixture in the crockpot.  Cook for 30 minutes.  Serve with cilantro and sour cream if desired.






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Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Heart-Shaped Carrots

Ah, Chicken Noodle Soup - A universal comfort food, and the best cure to a bad cold.  Gotta love it.  I know I do.  
Homemade chicken noodle soup has nothing on the stuff from the can.  You need a microscope to find the chicken in that stuff.  You certainly don't need one here - this contains one whole chicken's worth of meat.  This is one that certainly won't leave you hungry at the end of the bowl.  
This recipe is the best I have made - and if you have leftovers, it freezes wonderfully.  You can do so in freezer bags, or in my method for freezing individual servings.

To make this one a little more special - whether it's for the upcoming Valentines Day - or just for any other time when you want an extra touch. With a few strokes, you can transform normal sliced carrots into the cutest little hearts to adorn your soup with.  

How cute is that??

It's simpler than it looks too.  Here's a little tutorial to help you along.
After peeling your carrots, cut them in half or even into thirds if you have extremely long carrots.  It's easier to do in smaller pieces.  Now, make a slanted cut into one side of the carrot with a sharp knife all the way down to the opposite end.  Like this.

Now, do the same thing on the other side, making a 'V'.

Make 2 small slanted cuts on each side of the bottom to make the rounded bottom more of a sharp, pointed edge - making the bottom of your heart.

That's it.  All done.  Adorable, right?

Now, on to the recipe for this fantastically delicious Chicken Noodle Soup.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

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Ingredients:

• 1 whole cut up fryer chicken
• 3 whole carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 16 ounces egg noodles (dried or try homemade)

Instructions:
Cover chicken in 4 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove chicken from pot with a slotted spoon. With 2 forks, remove as much meat from the bones as you can.  Set aside.  Return the bones to the pot & simmer in the broth for 1 hour.  
Remove the bones from the pot with a slotted spoon, taking care to not leave any small ones behind.
Add the carrots and celery to the pot, followed by the herbs and spices. Stir to combine & simmer for 20 minutes.  
Increase the heat to medium high and add the chicken.  Cook for 10 minutes. Add in the egg noodles, and cook for 10 more minutes.  
Serve and enjoy.

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TGI Fridays Jack Daniels Sauce

Years ago, my family and I lived in an apartment community that was right beside of TGI Fridays, and whenever we ate out - that is usually where we went.  You would think it was the convenience that kept us going back, but that thinking would be wrong.  It was the Jack Daniels sauce that they carried at that time.  If you have ever tried it, then you know exactly what I mean - and you will be so eager to try this recipe.  If you haven't tried it, then this is something that you must do.  This stuff is ah-mazing - and this recipe tastes spot on to what they serve in the restaurant.  

Here, I served it on wings.  But, don't limit yourself.  This is good on anything. Chicken of all shapes and forms, fish, shrimp, steak, roast - heck, I bet it would even be good on a hot dog.  It's that kinda good.

TGI Fridays Jack Daniels Grill Glazeadapted from Todd Wilbur's Top Secret Recipes

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Ingredients:

• 1 head of garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 heaping tablespoons minced white onion
• 1 tablespoon Jack Daniels whiskey
• 1 heaping tablespoon crushed pineapple
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions:
Cut about 1/2 inch off the top of the garlic. Cut the roots so that the garlic will sit flat. Remove the papery skin from the garlic, but leave enough so that the cloves stay together. Put garlic into small casserole dish or baking pan, drizzle olive oil over it, and cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove the garlic and let it cool until you can handle it.
Combine water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, & cayenne pepper in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Stir occasionally until mixture boils. Reduce heat until mixture is just simmering.
Squeeze the sides of the heat of garlic until the roasted garlic is squeezed out. Add remaining ingredients to the pan and stir.
Let mixture simmer for 50 minutes, or until sauce has reduced by half and is thick and syrupy. Make sure it doesn't boil over.
*Makes one cup of glaze

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Tamale Cups

Tamales are one of my favorite things, and if you have been with me for a while - then you know that every Christmas Eve I make tamales.  I absolutely crave them throughout the entire year.  Even though my method of making tamales is less labor intensive than the traditional recipe since it incorporates the help of the crockpot, it still takes a good bit of time to spread the masa on the corn husks, roll them up, and steam them.  Obviously, they are worth the time it takes to get them done - out of this world good for sure.  But, some days I want them - like right then.  And, I don't have the spare time regular authentic tamales require.

That's where these come in.  All the flavor of a tamale in a fraction of the amount of time - and served to you in a cute little cup.  And you know that is most beautiful of all?  You can make these with LEFTOVER shredded meat. Oh yeah.  I used beef this time - but don't be afraid to use leftover shredded chicken or pork.  It all seasons up and works out fantabulous.  

Tamale Cups

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Ingredients:
For the Masa:

• 2 cups masa (corn flour)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1.5 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 1/3 cups beef broth
• 2/3 cup vegetable shortening (like Crisco), melted

For the Meat Filling:

• 2 cups shredded beef, chicken, or pork
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (8oz) can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 cup water
• a few splashes of hot sauce

For the Garnish:

• crumbled Queso Fresco (Mexican crumbling cheese)
• cilantro

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add in the onions.  Cook until translucent.  Stir in the shredded meat and garlic.  Cook for about 2 minutes.  Mix in the tomato paste, taco seasoning, & water.  Cook for about 10 minutes, or until all the liquid has rendered out.  Stir in however much hot sauce you desire.
Mix 2 cups of masa with the baking powder, salt, and taco seasoning.  Add the beef stock and mix to a crumbly consistency.  Pour in the melted shortening and mix by hand until smooth.  
Spray your muffin tins with non stick cooking spray.  Roll the masa into golf ball sized balls.  Place each ball inside of each muffin opening.  Using your fingers, press the masa ball to form the inside of the muffin tin - making a cup.  
Fill each masa shell with the meat mixture.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  
Allow the tamale cups to cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack before removing them from the tins.  To remove, use a small knife to lift one side, then gently lift them out with your fingers.
Garnish with crumbled queso fresco and cilantro.  Serve warm.

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Authentic Tamales - with your crockpot's help!

Every year for Christmas Eve dinner, I make homemade tamales - and I have done so for many years.  It took me quite some time to come up with that 'perfect' recipe.  I made different recipes I found in cookbooks & online, and even though they were quite good, they just weren't the one.
These, however....this little gems are by far the one.  The best recipes come from trial & error - and baby, I had many errors before these came about. From a dry tamale to a tamale that the masa wasn't cooked through on - heck, I've even ran people out of my house with tears pouring down their face with the bright idea of boiling dried peppers to add to the mix.  
My apologies to that poor cable man.

Now, these do take some work - but they make a lot, and once you taste them you will know that the time and effort that goes into these is well worth it.  If you have leftovers, please send them to me they freeze beautifully.  Making the meat in the crockpot takes away a lot of that work though. 
 Gotta love the slow cooker! 

Chicken Tamales - Just swap out the beef for chicken & use chicken broth

I like to make the meat the day before I assemble the tamales.  You can sub out the beef for chicken too.  The meat is SO GOOD, and it is great used in a variety of Mexican recipes - like tacos & enchiladas.  Don't just limit the meat recipe to these tamales.  I don't.

The Mrs's Homemade Tamales

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Ingredients:
For the The Meat Filling:

• 1 (4 pound) beef chuck roast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 (7oz) cans diced green chiles
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 (5oz) bottles hot sauce (I like Franks)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• *water & 1 beef bouillon cube

For the Masa Dough:

• 3 cups lard (or vegetable shortening, although it won't be as moist)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 9 cups masa harina
• 5 cups beef broth

For the wrapping:

• 3 (8oz) packages corn husks

Instructions:


Salt & pepper the chuck roast on each side.  Heat the olive oil in a skillet, and brown the roast on each side.  Place the roast in a slowcooker & top with the onion, green chiles, chili powder, garlic powder, & hot sauce.  Pour in enough water to cover 1/3 of the roast & toss in the beef bouillon cube.

Cover & cook on high for 6 hours, checking to be sure there is always at least a small amount of liquid in the bottom.  Reduce heat to low & continue cooking for another 2 hours.

Shred the meat, and let it cool.  Taste it, and add more hot sauce if you want it spicier.  I like mine plenty spicy.  I refrigerate mine overnight & assemble the tamales the next day.

Soak the corn husks in a large container full of warm water & allow to soak for 3 hours.

Now, for the masa.  Place the lard & salt in a large mixing bowl & beat on high speed until fluffy.  Add masa harina & beat at a low speed until combined. Pour in beef broth a little at a time while mixing until the masa is the consistency of soft cookie dough.

Drain water from husks.  One at a time, flatten out each husk, with the narrow end facing you, and spread about 2 tablespoons of prepared masa mixture onto the top 2/3 of the husk.  Spread about 2 tablespoons of meat mixture down the middle of the masa.  Roll up the corn husk starting at one of the long sides.  Fold the narrow end of the husk onto the rolled tamale & tied with a piece of cooking twice or a small strip of corn husk.

Place tamales in a steamer basket in a stockpot.  Steam over boiling water for 1 hour, or until masa is firm & holds it shape.

Make sure the pot doesn't run out of water!  

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