June 14, 2010
Black Beans with Corn
It doesn’t get much easier then this.
1 can black beans drained
1/2 can corn with peppers.
1/4 can Herdez Mexican Salsa. I like mine hot
1/2 – 1 teaspoon cumin
Heat through and serve
You can also serve it as a dip with chips, just don’t heat and add about a 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
February 22, 2010
Two Cheese Tomato Tart
I have a tomato pie that I posted a few months ago. I was playing around with the recipe and this is what it morphed into! I tried Crescent rolls and thought they were to fluffy. You could always use a pie crust too.
1 package of puff pastry, defrosted
2 -3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions thinly sliced
3 – 4 large cloves of garlic, cut into thin slivers
3 Tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons frsh thyme minced
4-5 Tablespoons fresh grated Parmesean
5-6 shaved pieces of fresh Parmesean
4 ounces of herb goat cheese
1 large tomato cut inot 4 thick slices
4 Tablespoons julienned basil leaves
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425°
Unfold the puff pastry on lightly floured surface and roll in to an 11 x 11 inch square. Cut 2 circles from the pastry 6 inch in diamiter each, or just use what ever size saucer you have. Line sheet pans with parchment paper and place circles on pans.
Heat olive oil in skillet and add onions and garlic. Saute for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the moisture is gone. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, wine and the thyme cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Score 1/4 inch border around each pastry circle, be careful not to cut all the way through. Prick pastry inside the score lines with fork and sprinkle a Tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round inside the circle. Place equal amounts of the onion mixture on top of the Parmesan. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese onto each round. Place a tomato slice in the center brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper and top with shaved Parmesan pieces.
Bake 20 – 25 minutes
Serve warm
January 11, 2010
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
I love when I can make something that I know my kids are going to want seconds! There are so many variation to this ever simple dish. I sometimes follow this recipe and sometimes I switch the cheeses around with ones like Guyre or pepper jack. I also swap the bread crumbs for Panko, a Japanese bread crumb.
1 8 ounce box of elbow macaroni
4 Tablespoons of flour
4 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons ground mustard
3 cups of milk
1 onion fine dice
1 bay leaf 
1 teaspoon paprika
12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar
10 ounces shredded Monterey jack
1 pound bacon cooked and crumbled- optional
Topping
1-2 cups fresh bread crumbs
3 Tablespoons butter
Melt butter and toss bread crumbs till coated.
Cook Macaroni according to package. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in skillet and add onion, sauté for about 5 minutes over med high heat. Whisk in flour and mustard and stir about 5 minutes till lump free. Add milk, bay leaf and paprika, stirring constantly simmer about 10 – 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf. At this point you may add 1 pound of crumbled bacon if desired. Layer a 9×13 dish with the sauce, macaroni and both cheeses. Repeat layers ending with the sauce and topping off with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.
January 11, 2010
Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder
This is yet another recipe from Tennis. Incredible easy. I would say you could do this in a crock pot, but be sure to add the cream during the last hour or it will probably curdle. Thank you Karen P. it is DELICIOUS 
3 Tablespoons of margarine or butter. I just sprayed the pan heavily with Pam.
4 skinned and boned chicken breast cut into bite size pieces.
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced or 2 Tablespoons of the stuff from the jar.
2 cups of half and half – I used fat-free
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 cans cream style corn
1 can chopped chiles, undrained
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce of choice. Clearly you can add more depending on your desired heat.
1/4 teaspoon salt – optional
1 teaspoon cumin
2 -3 Tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro.
In a dutch oven melt the butter over medium heat and add chicken, onions and garlic. Cook about 10 minutes. Add next 7 ingredients and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro.
I have not tried this in a slow cooker, but if I was I would place the onion in the bottom add chicken and all ingredients except the half and half and cook for 5 hours on low. Take the chicken out and shred, return to slow cooker and add half and half and cook on low for another hour.
December 3, 2009
Red Radish Dip
Sounds a little strange but worth trying. So easy and yet so good. Even if you don’t like radishes!
16 ounces of cream cheese
1 bag or 16 ounces of radishes trimmed cleaned
3 cloves of garlic
1-2 teaspoons of fresh or from bottle lemon juice
Put radishes in a food processor and blend till there are only very small pieces. Add the remaining ingredients and process until creamy. Serve with Crackers or Ruffles.
October 23, 2009
Light Pimento Cheese
Being from California I had NO idea what Pimento Cheese was. Now that I am in the south I am learning that people eat this amazing cheese spread on bread (I prefer rye or pumpernickel) and call it a sandwich. Who knew it was this good. Enjoy
I love when I get great new recipes from Bunco….. Thanks Wendy.
2 tablespoons block style fat-free cream cheese
¼ cup low-fat mayo
1 teaspoon finely grated onion
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of salt
Dash of ground red pepper
4 oz shredded 2% sharp cheddar
2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
2 oz jar diced pimento
Dash of smoked paprika, optional
Mix together and allow to chill for several hours
October 23, 2009
I found this recipe in a California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook. I have never had this dish at their resturant but I can only assume it is as good as what I make at home! I have made my own revisions. Hope you like it as much as my family does.
1 pound dry spinach fettucine, or mix spinach and a plain fettucine if you think all the spinach will be to overwhelming. My favorite brand is Al Dente Pasta. Cook pasta according to directions.
3/4 cup of fresh cilantro + 3 tablespoons for garnish
3 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper ( seeds and veins removed for milder flavor)
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter (reserve 1 tablespoon for saute)
3/4 cup of chicken stock
3 -4 tablespoons gold tequila
2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast diced about 3/4 inch
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper thinly sliced
1 1/2 – 2 cups of heavy whipping cream
Cook the 3/4 cup of cilantro, garlic and jalapeno in 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add stock, tequila dn lime juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until reduced to almost a paste consistency. Remove from pan and set aside.
Pour soy sauce over diced chicken and set aside for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile cook onion and peppers, with the remaining butter over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add Cream and boil for about 5 – 10 minutes depending on desired consistency. Add tequila/lime paste and chicken and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. When chicken is done toss with drained fettucine and sprinkle with reserved cilantro.
October 23, 2009
Went on a girls weekend and discoverd some amazing recipes. The company was great the secnery was beautiful. Needless to say we ate, drank, laughed and had a wonderful time. Thanks Michelle
2 ready made pie crust
2 large tomatoes cut into thick slices. You should have about 5 or 6 slices from each tomato
1 bag of shredded cheese of choice
1 pound of bacon cooked and rough chopped.
3 tablespoons of fresh chopped basil
Unroll pie crust on a cookie sheet in the middle of the crust add 1 of the tomatoes top with 1/2 of the chopped basil, 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the chopped bacon. Repeat with 2nd crust. Bake at 350° for about 15 min. Till cheese is melted. I like a lot of basil so I add some chopped basil to the top after cooking. Plus it looks pretty!
October 8, 2009
Chunky Vegetable Hummus Dip
I am finding the simpler the recipe the better it is!
1 7 ounce container of plain Hummus or Roasted Garlic
1/2 – 3/4 of a medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup diced red onion I use a little more.
1 plum tomato, diced
1/4 cup feta cheese
About 4-6 leaves of fresh Basil fine chopped and sprinkled on top
In a medium size shallow dish combine hummus, about 2 tablespoons of the cucumber, about 2 tablespoons of the red onion, 2 tablespoons of the tomato and 2 tablespoons of the feta. Smooth the top and garnish with remaining ingredients. Serve with Ritz Roasted Vegetable crackers. The dish should have a wide surface to evenly distribute the toppings.
September 25, 2009
Beef Barbecue
4 – 5 pounds of boneless chuck roast ( I trim the fat after cooking… much easier)
3 large onions rough chopped
32 ounces of Real Coke. Do not use diet. Reserve 8 ounces for later
1 1/2 cups of Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons white vinegar
3 teaspoons beef bouillon granules. You can use beef or chicken bouillon cubes too (3)
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
6 cloves of garlic minced – you can use the jar kind just use 3 Tablespoons
1 1/2 cup of ketchup
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
Hamburger buns
Place roast in 6 quart crock pot; add onion. Combine the cola and the next 7 ingredients; remove and chill 2 cups of sauce. Pour remaining sauce over roast. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours or high for 6 till roast is very tender. Remove roast from cooker and shred with 2 forks. Discard remaining juice and onions and add meat back to crock pot.
Combine reserved sauce, ketchup, 1/4 -1/2 cup of Coke and butter in a saucepan; cook over medium heat stirring constantly till thoroughly heated. Pour sauce over shredded meat. Mix together well and serve onto buns.
This is an easy recipe to divide in half or even quarter. We are a family of 4 so I love the leftovers for weekend lunches.
