Mexican Variety with Ro*tel

I found this on Ro*tel's web site and modified it.

Ingredients:

• Pam
• 2 pkg. (13.8 oz each) refrigerated pizza crust dough
• 1 15 oz. can Wolf Brand Chili - no beans
• 1 15 oz. can Ranch Style Beans - rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (I use 4 Cheese Mexican blend)
• 1 10 oz. can Ro*tel or Hatch Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles, drained
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Unroll pizza crusts. Cut each crust into 4 rectangular pieces, slightly stretching each piece.
3. Combine chili, beans and cheese in large bowl. Spoon about 3/4 cup filling onto one half of each rectangle. Fold dough over and press edges firmly to seal. Gently place pockets on baking sheets. Bake 13-18 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Combine drained tomatoes and sour cream in small bowl. Blend well. 
5. Serve sour cream mixture as a dip for pockets after cooling a few minutes.

MY VARIETY:
omit the sour cream and PAM

1. Mix all ingredients except the cheese together and cook on the stovetop. Heat taco shells and use the cooked mixture as taco filling - topping with the cheese.
2. Don't drain the beans or the chilies. Mix all ingredients together and cook on the stove-top adding a cup of water. Serve as a chili topping with diced onion and cheese.
3. I also added one pound of ground beef to the mixture.

All of these 3 varieties worked out well. This can be one of the meals I have dubbed "progressive". You can start one meal with the chili. Later, drain the mixtures to serve in taco shells.

Texas Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I got this one from Country Magazine - Oct/Nov 2009 edition:

Ingredients:

• 1 whole garlic bulb (or more if you like)
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, chopped fine
• 4 medium potatoes
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:

Prepare garlic:

1. remove papery outer skin - do not separate cloves
2. cut off top of bulb
3. brush with 1 tsp. olive oil
4. wrap bulb in foil
5. bake at 425 for 30-35 minutes until soft

Prepare onion:

1. cook over low heat in 1 tbsp. olive oil 15-20 minutes until golden brown
2. transfer to food processor and process until fully blended
3. note: I added some fresh cut chives here

Prepare potatoes:

1. cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil (I only washed them; did not peel them)
2. reduce heat - cover - cook for 15-20 minutes until soft
3. drain water
4. add butter, garlic, sour cream, cheese, milk, salt and pepper
5. beat until mashed

The recipe says it makes 6 servings, but those must be large servings :)

Tilapia and mac/cheese

Tilapia with Macaroni and Cheese

The tilapia recipe came from my butcher shop; the mac and cheese recipe came from allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tilapia fillets
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 4 tilapia filets (4-6 oz. each)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. lime juice

Directions:

1. Combine flour, salt and pepper on a large plate. 
2. Dredge fillets in flour mixture coating both sides. 
3. Heat olive oil, lemon juice and lime juice in a very large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. 
4. Cook fillets 2-3 minutes on each side or until done to your preference. If liquid reduces too much, add about 1/4 cup water.

Traditional Macaroni and Cheese


Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups dry, small elbow macaroni, cooked and strained
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 12 oz. can Carnation Evaporated Milk
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp. butter
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 375
2. grease 2 quart casserole dish
3. combine cornstarch, salt, mustard and pepper in medium saucepan
4. stir in evaporated milk, water and butter
5. cook over medium heat - stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil
6. boil for 1 minute
7. remove from heat
8. stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese until melted
9. add macaroni and mix well
10. pour into prepared casserole dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese
11. bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and turns a light brown

Beef and Beans

This is a new variation to an old favorite of ours.

Ingredients:

• 1 cans of chili bean
• 1 can of cannelloni bean
• 1 can black beans
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 lb. browned ground beef

Directions:

1. Mix beans, undrained, together.  
2. Add about 3/4 cup of water 
3. Add 1/2 pound of browned ground beef. 

The beans provide all of the seasoning that is needed.

Easy and quick to prepare. Nita called the taste "perfect", but I'm sure she exaggerates a bit. :)

Serve the leftovers over rice.

Guacamole

The amount of each ingredient depends mainly on your own personal taste, so I will simply list the ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 2 Fresh Avocados
• 1/3 White Onion - diced - I like the dices thick
• El Fenix Hot Sauce
• Garlic

Directions:

1. Mix and mash until the avocado is totally smooth.
2. Serve

For the two of us, I will use 2 avocados, 1/3 white onion and salsa/garlic to flavor until I get it right :)

Garlic Chicken

This one was basically a modification of a recipe in our slow cooker Owner's Guide.

Ingredients:

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh sage
• 2 sprigs fres Italian parsley
• Toasted French bread slices
• 40 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 4 pound whole chicken
• 2 stalks celery cut into 3 inch pieces

Directions:

1. Place 1/2 of the spices (except garlic) in the chicken cavity. (I don't use all of those spices for mine)
2. Place celery in bottom of slow cooker
3. Put chicken on top of celery and add garlic around the chicken along with remaining spices.
4. Cook on high 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

To serve, put all on a platter, squeeze garlic out of skins onto French bread and spread with knife.

Cabbage

Cabbage, I have been told, is a great food for those who want to lose weight. In the past 2 weeks, we have had 3-4 cabbage based meals, and I have lost 4 pounds (This was in 2010 and at that point, I was 18.5 pounds down from my highest weight ever - and that was before the cancer treatments).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb chicken breakfast sausage
• 5 links of Archer Farms Garlic and Spinach Sausage with no casing
• 1/2 head of cabbage 

Directions:

1. Brown the sausages and cut into 1/2 inch slices
2. Boil the cabbage until it reaches the consistency you prefer
3. Mix and serve

 No seasoning is needed.