Mario Batali's Chiles Rellenos Casserole

The Captain and I love spicy texmex meals . . . this one doesn't look like it will disappoint us!

The recipe comes from Mario Batali from The Chew, so you know it has to be good :)

Ingredients

10-12 peppers (either Hatch or Anaheim, 1 pepper seeded and chopped)

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion (peeled, sliced)
2 cloves garlic (peeled, thinly sliced)
4 teaspoons ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (plus more to taste)
1 can evaporated milk (13 ounces)
4 large eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups jarred salsa (divided)
10 ounces cheddar cheese (shredded)
10 ounces monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
sour cream (to serve)
raisins (to serve)
pecans (to serve)

Directions

For the Roasted Chile Peppers: 

Char the peppers, by putting them either over the open flame of a gas grill or under a broiler for a few minutes, turning them to make sure they don't burn. Put the charred peppers in a zip-top bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap and let steam for 20 minutes. The skins should easily slip off. Pull the stem off to remove the seedpod. Slit open the side of the chiles and scrape out the remaining seeds and veins. Discard the skins, pods, seeds, and veins. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, chopped Anaheim pepper, onion, and garlic. Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt to taste.

In a bowl, beat the milk, eggs, cilantro, and flour together.

Arrange half the chiles in a single layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the ground beef mixture, half of the salsa, half of the cheese, the remaining peppers, the milk mixture, the remaining salsa and the remaining cheese. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are brown. Turn on the broiler and put the casserole under the broiler for 6 to 8 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown.

Let rest for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with sour cream, raisins, and pecans.

Tip: If you can't find Hatch or Anaheim peppers use poblano peppers.

Source

Taco Salad Casserole

Love these type of taco recipes, 

not only because they are quick 

and easy, but so delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
• 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Toppings: chopped lettuce and tomatoes, sliced ripe olives, sour cream and picante sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  Drain. 

Stir in taco seasoning and water . . . cook and stir until thickened, about 3 minutes.  Set aside.

Place chips in a greased 8-in. square baking dish. 

Stir refried beans in a small bowl and spread over chips. 

Top with beef mixture and cheese.

Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until heated throughly. 

Top with lettuce, tomatoes and olives.  Serve with sour cream and picante sauce. 



Yield: 4 servings




Nutritional Facts

1 cup: 405 calories, 12g fat (0g saturated fat), 47mg cholesterol, 1181mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (0g sugars, 6g fiber), 37g protein 

© 2016 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC


Recipe and Photo Source

Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 6.9 ounce package chicken-flavor rice and vermicelli mix
1 14 ounce can chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (10 ounces)
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes (2 medium)
3 tablespoons canned diced green chiles, drained
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

Directions

Preheat oven 425 degrees F. 

Cook onion in hot oil over medium heat until tender n a medium saucepan. 

Stir in rice and vermicelli mix with contents of the seasoning packet. 

Cook while stirring for 2 minutes. 

Add in broth and the water. Bring to a boil . . . reduce heat. 

Simmer (covered) for 20 minutes.  Please note: liquid will not be fully absorbed

Transfer the rice mixture to a large bowl and stir in chicken, tomatoes, green chiles, chili powder, basil, cumin, and black pepper. 

Transfer to an ungreased 2-quart casserole.

Bake (covered) about 25 minutes. 

Uncover and sprinkle with cheese, let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens (BHG.com)

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Another yummy recipe from Sandra Lee!

Ingredients

Makes: 4 servings

• 1 1⁄2 cups cooked rice 
• 1⁄2 cup shredded grilled chicken breast 
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided 
• 1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce, divided 
• 1 teaspoon chili seasoning 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided 
• 8 corn tortillas, warmed 
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream (optional), for serving 
• Salt and pepper 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine cooked rice, chicken, half the cheese, 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce, chili seasoning, and 1 tablespoon cilantro in a medium bowl.

Cover bottom of a baking dish with a layer of enchilada sauce. 

Distribute rice mixture among 8 tortillas . . . roll up each one. 

Place them seam side down in a single layer in baking dish and top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. 

Bake for 15 minutes, until cheese melts.

Remove from oven and top with remaining cilantro and sour cream, if desired. Season to taste. Serve hot.


Source

Quesadillas de Camarones (Shrimp Quesadillas)

As I watched The Pioneer Woman on the Food Channel this morning, I realized that we have not had shrimp in quite some time and since it is my favorite food, I'm craving it and have posted lots of recipes that include shrimp lately!

These quesadillas look awesome!  One of the things I love about this recipe is the opportunity to vary the ingredients. Pork or chicken would also work well with this recipe. 

The Captain and I love spicy texmex type of food and the combination of ingredients is perfect for our taste. Sometimes we make our own tortillas to make these type of dishes extra special.  Try it sometime when you have some extra time on your hands . . . you won't be sorry!

Ingredients

• Flour Tortillas
• 12 whole Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
• 8 ounces, fluid Mexican Red Sauce
• 1 whole Large Onion
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper
• 2 cups Cheese, Grated (Monterey Jack Is Best)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Salt To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Pour red sauce over shrimp. Set aside.

Chop vegetables into large pieces. Heat skillet over high heat and add olive oil.

Cook vegetables over high heat until they start to get brown/black. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Return skillet to high heat, then dump in the shrimp with the sauce. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until shrimp is opaque. Add in a little water if the sauce gets dry. 

Remove from skillet and chop into bite-size pieces.

In a separate skillet, heat butter. Place a tortilla in the skillet, then layer on ingredients: cheese, vegetables, and shrimp. Top with a little more cheese and a second tortilla. Cook on both sides, adding butter before flipping to the other side so the tortilla isn’t overly dry.

Remove from skillet and slice into wedges. Serve with rice, beans, salsa, sour cream, guacamole—whatever you’d like!


Source:  The Pioneer Woman

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

A delicious twist to traditional stuffed peppers!

Recipe and photo source

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 4 -6 bell peppers
• 1 (19 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 -16 ounce) jar salsa
• shredded cheddar cheese
• sour cream

Directions

Combine beef, onion, seasoning mix and egg in a large bowl.

Add rice and mix well.

Cut peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membrane.

Spread tomatoes on the bottom of an ovenproof 12 X 9 inch baking dish. The liquid from the tomatoes will reduce during cooking so if (like me) you like lots of sauce, add about a cup of water. This also helps make the peppers softer.

Place peppers, cut side up, on top of the tomatoes.

Spoon beef mixture into peppers, mounding as necessary.

Top each pepper with salsa.

Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 40-45 minutes or until beef is cooked thoroughly and peppers are soft.

Cover each pepper with cheese and return to oven, under the broiler, until the cheese melts- less than a minute, so watch carefully!

Serve with sour cream and additional salsa.

Nutritional Facts for Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

Serving Size: 1 (398 g)

Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

Calories 435.7

 

Calories from Fat 120

27%

Total Fat 13.3 g

20%

Saturated Fat 5.1 g

25%

Cholesterol 120.2 mg

40%

Sodium 1455.9 mg

60%

Total Carbohydrate 50.0 g

16%

Dietary Fiber 7.4 g

29%

Sugars 11.7 g

47%

Protein 30.4 g

60%

Nacho Stuffed Chicken

Would you believe this chicken stuffed with refried beans and cheese, topped with more cheese and crushed tortilla chips is healthy?

The Captain and I will be looking into using more of Hungry Girl's recipes since we are modifying our eating lifestyle with a balance of healthy meals along with our favorites.

Recipe and photo courtesy of 
The Cooking Channel
2010 Hungry Girl. All Rights Reserved. Show: Hungry GirlEpisode: To the Mex


Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fat-free refried beans
• 4 wedges light spreadable Swiss cheese (recommended: The Laughing Cow), room temperature
• 1/4 cup shredded fat-free Cheddar cheese
• 16 low-fat baked tortilla chips
• 1 teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix
• 4 (5-ounce) raw, boneless, skinless lean chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 1/3-inch thickness
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup taco sauce
• Fat-free sour cream, for topping, optional
• Salsa, for topping, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside.

To make the filling: Combine beans, cheese wedges, and shredded cheese in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Put chips in a sealable plastic bag and crush with your hands or a rolling pin. Add taco seasoning and give it a good shake to mix. Transfer crumb mixture to a plate and set aside.

Place cutlets flat on a clean, dry surface, and season with salt and black pepper. Spoon filling onto the centers of the cutlets, dividing it evenly among them. Carefully roll each cutlet up over the filling (which may ooze a little, but don't worry!) and secure with toothpicks, if needed. Transfer to the baking sheet.

Cover each stuffed cutlet with 1 tablespoon taco sauce, using the back of the spoon or your fingers to coat. Coat cutlets with crumb mixture.

Cover the baking sheet with foil, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Carefully remove foil. Bake until chicken is cooked through and outsides are crispy, about 15 additional minutes.

Let cool slightly and top with sour cream and salsa, if using. Enjoy!


PER SERVING (1/4th of recipe, 1 stuffed chicken cutlet): 270 calories, 4.25g fat, 780mg sodium, 13g carbs, 2g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 40g protein

Originally from FoodNetwork.com

Beef and Bean Burritos from The Pioneer Woman

Fast and easy . . . semi-homemade from The Pioneer Woman.  A delicious meal in 16 minutes!

Burritos are one of my favorites.  Actually, The Captain introduced me to the versatility of tortilla wrapped meals and we have many meals of this type with all kinds of variation.  Coming up with new combinations is half the fun!

This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman's website included in one of my favorite sections . . . 16 minute meals.  Click here to go to that section of her website.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion
• 1 can (7 Ounce) Mexican Tomato Sauce Or Enchilada Sauce
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Cumin, Oregano, Chili Powder, Garlic To Taste
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Refried Beans
• 3/4 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 12 whole Burrito-sized Flour Tortillas
• Extra Grated Cheese, For Sprinkling
• Extra Sauce, For Drizzling
• Cilantro Leaves (optional)

Optional Filling Ingredients: 

Mexican Rice, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Green Chilies, Pico De Gallo

Preparation Instructions


Brown ground beef with onion and season to taste. Pour in sauce and simmer over low heat. Add water if mixture gets too dry.

Heat refried beans in a saucepan. Add cheese and stir in till melted. Keep warm.

Heat tortillas in microwave for one minute.

Spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add meat. Fold over ends, then roll up. Place two burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Drizzle red sauce over the top and sprinkle with more grated cheddar. Microwave for one minute, or until cheese is melted and burritos are very hot. Serve immediately.

Tex Mex Mac and Cheese

Who doesn't love macaroni and cheese?

The Captain and I often make it as a snack.  He tends to love the spicy versions of everything, so I know this version of macaroni and cheese will be a regular part of our menu.

This recipe comes from Pillsbury . . . love their website!

Ingredients

1

box (16 oz) penne rigate pasta

1/2

cup butter or margarine

1/2

cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon salt

4 1/2

cups milk

3

cups shredded Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese (12 oz)

2

cans (4.5 oz each) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles

1

cup crushed Green Giant® zesty Cheddar roasted veggie tortilla chips (about 16 chips)

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. 

Spray 3-quart glass baking dish with cooking spray. 

Cook and drain pasta as directed on box.

• Meanwhile, in 5-quart Dutch oven or saucepan, melt butter over low heat. With whisk, stir in flour and salt until smooth. Increase heat to medium; cook until mixture is smooth and bubbly, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. 
• Remove from heat; gradually stir in cheese and chiles until cheese is melted. 
• Stir in cooked pasta.
• Pour mixture into baking dish; sprinkle with crushed chips.
• Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

http://www.pillsbury.com/

Southwest Skillet Chili Mac

How awesome does this look?

I love those meals that come together in one pan.

Love the ingredients, the spices . . . we are a chili-loving family and have been looking for new chili recipes that include black beans.  My favorite way of enjoying chili is with macaroni!

Can't wait to try this recipe . . .

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 medium, finely diced red onion 
• 1/2 green pepper, finely diced  
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 pound (500 g), ground beef 
• 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder  
• 1 tsp cumin  
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper  
• salt and pepper 
• 1 15 oz (400 g) can diced tomatoes, with liquid 
• 1 6 oz (140 g) can tomato paste  
• 1 1/2 cups water  
• 1/2 cup corn, canned, drained 
• 1 15 oz (400 g) can black beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 1/2 cups macaroni, uncooked 
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded 

Instructions:

Heat the oil over medium low heat and add the onions and pepper.  Cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another minute or two. 

Increase the heat to medium high and add the ground beef, breaking it up well and cook until browned. 

Add chili powder, cumin, cayenne and salt and pepper and mix well. 

Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, corn, beans and macaroni - mix well. 

Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta is just tender. 

Stir in half of the cheese. 

Transfer to baking dish unless using an ovenproof skillet.

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and put in the top third of your oven with the broiler on 400 F (200 C), allow the cheese to brown, then serve.  

Photo and recipe source