Layered Mexican Shrimp Salad

This is an amazing salad. I take back my BEST SALAD EVER POST...this is really the best salad ever! 


I found this on Gina's Skinny Taste, of course. I love Gina's website. She is one of my favorite bloggers. I haven't met a recipe on her site that isn't amazing. I steal a lot of recipes from her. Yum Yum Yum. I also had to steal the recipe for the dressing as well. I made creamy tomatillo salad dressing to compliment this layered shrimp salad. I was so proud of myself because I've never made salad dressing from scratch before and it turned out to be addicting. 

Ingredients:

16 oz. cooked shrimp, tail shells removed

2 tbsp chipotle seasoning
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp cilantro paste or fresh cilantro

15 oz can of black beans, drained & rinsed

15 oz can of whole kernel corn, drained & rinsed

1 head of lettuce, shredded

1 small red onion, diced

2 tomatoes, diced
2 avocados, diced

2 cucumbers, diced

1 cup reduced fat, shredded cheddar cheese 

Directions:

Thaw & rinse shrimp.

Mix shrimp in a small bowl with chipotle seasoning, lime juice, & some salt to taste.

In a separate bowl combine corn, beans, cilantro, & red onion.

Place lettuce in the bottom of large clear bowl or trifle dish.

Layer bean/corn mixture on top. 

Then top with cucumber, then tomato.

Top with avocado. (I ran out of avocados so I just spread out the fresh guacamole I had in the fridge)

Then top with the layer of cheese. 

Finish off with the shrimp on the top.

Serve with dressing! 

BEST SALAD EVER!

I often run out of ideas on what to pack for lunch every day when I'm working. I refuse to eat the cafeteria food (I'm sure it's great, but I'm not in middle school anymore!) and I want something healthy, but easy. So it limits my options. Like I've said before, I used to be the frozen food lean cuisine queen. But I've gotten tired of that. So I'm on a new salad kick. 


I'll buy sliced cucumbers, chick peas, hard boiled eggs (no yoke) & baby corn usually just from the salad bar at Weis or some other grocery store. I like to mix in craisins and fresh avocado. For some more protein I heat up baked breaded chicken breast and cut into pieces. It's the perfect meal and it's super filling!  It's also really pretty to look at. 


Dressing? Depends what I'm in the mood for...sometimes I splurge on low fat ranch or honey mustard. But good ol' italian or balsamic vinaigrette is  staple for me too. I'm always looking for good salad options. So if you have any ideas...send them my way!

What do you think? Comments? Suggestions? I would love to know that you visited my blog. Please leave me a message letting me know you were here! Did you try out a recipe? Let me know! I would love to hear from you :-)

Santa Fe Pancakes (Inspired by Pancake Pantry)

We recently went on vacation with our friends to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. We all took turns cooking each day. For breakfast my husband & I made Zucchini Quiche. But that was not the main attraction. My husband is obsessed with these Santa Fe Pancakes from The Pancake Pantry in Nashville. We got to visit our friends, Matty & Tricia in Nashville every year that they've lived there and each time we make sure to squeeze in a trip to The Pancake Pantry before we leave. (Did I mention I saw Taylor Swift the last time we went to Nashville???) The pancakes at the Pancake Pantry are actually called the Village Smithy COLO Santa Fe Pancakes because they are from the Village Smithy restaurant in Carbondale, Colorado. Well, thank goodness we were able to track down this recipe and create it for our friends for breakfast. My husband did most of the work and they turned out great. They are really delicious and quite unusual. 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup UNBLEACHED flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 & 3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 & 1/4 cups buttermilk 
2 large eggs
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted & cooled
6 slices cooked bacon broken up into quarters
1 small can chopped roasted green chiles
4 green onions, diced
4 oz cheddar cheese slices, broken into smaller pieces



Directions:
Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, & salt in a large bowl. 
In a separate bowl whisk buttermilk, eggs, & butter.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
Spray a medium pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan. 
Right away top with the bacon, onions, cheese, & chiles (see picture above).
When the bottom is cooked (more than minute) then flip to the other side and cook for another minute. [This is an estimate, you may have to make the first few pancakes your practice ones.]
Repeat with remaining batter. 
Serve with honey, syrup, and hot sauce. YUMMO!

Those are some happy kids!

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Mexican Pot Pie

We had friends over putting in our new patio this past spring. (Thanks, guys!) They did an awesome job and we promised them a full meal for their help. So while they were working outside I was working in the kitchen to make this Mexican Pot Pie. It is from the Best of Pillsbury Bake-Off book. Yum! I wound up doubling the recipe and making two whole pies. (I had a lot of hungry men at my house). 


Instead of buying raw chicken and cooking it, I decided to take a short cut (no pun intended) and use the Purdue chicken breast Short Cuts - Southwestern Style. It seemed just too perfect (they were on sale) for me to pass up. 

Ingredients:

1 container of pie crusts (2 crusts per box)

1 package refrigerated southwestern-seasoned chicken breast strips, thawed

1/2 cup uncooked instant rice

1 15 oz. can of black beans, drained & rinsed

1 can kernel corn with red & green peppers, drained

1 can of whole black olives, drained & sliced

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup fat free sour cream

1 cup chunky-style medium salsa

2 cups shredded cheese, mexican-style

1 egg, beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare pie crust as directed in pie plate.
In a large bowl mix chicken, rice (uncooked), beans, corn, olives, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, sour cream, & salsa.
Pour into each crust-lined pie plate.
Top with second crust. 
Seal edges and attempt to make the edges fancy. (I didn't bother).
Cut slits in several places.
Brush top with beaten egg and top with parsley.
Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Then cover edges of crust with foil and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. (this prevents the edges from burning too much).
Let stand for a few minutes, then serve. 

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Healthified Chicken Tortilla Casserole

http://www.bettycrocker.com/ has some awesome recipes, check them out and enjoy exploring. In the meantime here is a great, HEALTHY recipe. Can't go wrong with Mexican!

Ingredients:
1  can (10 3/4 oz) 98% fat free condensed cream of chicken soup

1  can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles

1  container (8 oz) fat-free sour cream

1/2  cup skim milk

2  tsp chili powder

1/2  tsp ground cumin

2 1/2  cups shredded cooked chicken breast

8  yellow corn tortillas (6 or 7 inch), torn into bite-size pieces

1  medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

1  large tomato, chopped (1 cup)

1 1/2  cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend (6 oz)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 13x9 glass baking casserole dish.
In a large bowl mix soup, chiles, sour cream, and milk. Blend well.
Stir in chicken, tortillas, and bell pepper.
Stir in tomato and 1 cup of cheese.
Spoon and spread mixture in baking dish.
Cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes.
Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake uncovered 5 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is bubbly.
Let stand for a few minutes before eating.


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Southwestern Pasta Salad

Perfect for those summer barbecues. Cut down on the pasta, skip on the cheese & oil, and replace with vegetables & beans to keep the calories/fat down.


My husband & I were going to a picnic on Sunday night and I needed to come up with a salad recipe. I wanted to do something besides macaroni salad or Amish pasta salad. I wanted to do something healthy & light so I looked up some ideas on All Recipes and pulled this together. Lots of leftovers to eat throughout the week!

Ingredients (serves 12+):

• 1 package of colored rotini pasta 
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 15 oz. cans of whole kernel corn
• 2 15 oz. cans of black beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro paste (goya)
• 4 roma tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

• Cook pasta according to box directions.
• Meanwhile, chop of peppers & tomatoes.  
• In a large bowl combine lime juice, chili powder, cumin, cilantro paste, salt, & garlic. Stir in pasta.
• Mix in veggies, corn, & beans. 
• Stir well, use hands if necessary.
• Chill in fridge until ready to serve.

 Serve in this awesome Mickey Mouse bowl if you have one :-) 

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Chicken Stuffing Casserole

I have A LOT of friends who've had babies lately. I've been making lots of dinners to bring to them and here is a great one to try out. Easy to make, freeze, and then serve later.


Can you guess where I got this recipe from???


The original recipe calls fro lots of mushrooms and mushroom soup, but I want nothing to do with mushrooms so I left that out. You can add them in, your choice. 


Ingredients:
2 packages (6 oz) chicken stuffing mix
butter for stuffing mix
1 can of cream of celery or cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
3 cups of cubed chicken, cooked
2 cups frozen corn or frozen mixed vegetables (with corn)
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese


Directions:
Prepare stuffing according to directions.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine soup and milk, set aside.
Spread the stuffing into two greased 8-in. square baking dishes.
Layer with the cooked chicken, corn, soup mixture, and cheese.
You can cook now or freeze for later.


If you choose to cook immediately...
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until cheese is melted.


If you choose to freeze for later...
Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.
Remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking.
Cover and bake at 350 for 60 to 90 minutes.
Uncover and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.


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Crab Bisque

Here is another hit from my Freezer Pleasers book. MMMMMmmmmm...Crab Bisque! This makes about 6 to 8 servings.  

Ingredients:
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 can cream-style corn
1 can condensed cream of potato soup
1 can condensed, reduced fat cream of celery soup
1 cup of skim milk
1 cup half and half cream
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
3 6 oz. cans of crabmeat, drained, flaked, and cartilage removed.



Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute the celery, onion, and green pepper in butter until tender.
Add corn, soup, milk, cream and seasonings. Mix well.
Stir in crab, heat through.
Serve with crackers or croutons now...


Or to freeze for later...
Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
Transfer to large frozen container. Freeze for up to 3 months


When ready to eat...
Thaw in fridge overnight.
Heat in saucepan or use microwave.





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Veggie Enchiladas

I'm very excited about this recipe. I love all things Mexican. Let me rephrase that, I love all Mexican foods. I especially love enchiladas. I'm learning that not all Mexican foods have to be bad for you. I've been trying to make enchiladas as low-calorie and as healthy as possible. Whenever, I cook with ground beef or chicken I always choose extra lean. Also, sometimes instead of using beef, I'll just use beans & rice. I try to use La Victoria enchilada sauce which isn't too bad (fat & calorie-wise) plus I'll cut down on cheese and oil too. So when I came across this vegetable enchilada recipe I was thrilled at how easy it was, how healthy it was, and how good it is. Instead of a can of enchilada sauce you make your own tomato-flavored sauce. I use Soy-full Heart tortillas that are high in fiber, low calorie, and low in fat. This recipe is awesome because of all that. but also all the pretty colors. 


Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 can low fat chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth
salt & pepper
1 cup shredded mexican cheese
1 can 15 oz. beans (kidney or black), drained & rinsed

10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed some-what dry
10 oz. frozen mixed vegetables (with corn)
6 green onions, thinly sliced
16 tortillas 


Directions:
In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. 
Add 1 teaspoon cumin, flour, and tomato paste, whisk together while cooking.
Whisk in broth and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes.
Season with salt & pepper, set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 1 cup cheese, beans, spinach, corn, green onions and additional salt & pepper. 
Spray casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray.
Place 1/3 or 1/4 cup of veggie mixture into each tortilla.
Roll up tightly and place in casserole dish, seam side down. You may be able to fill up 2 casserole dishes if you use all 16 tortillas.

Top evenly with sauce (and additional cheese if desired).

Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly about 15 to 20 minutes. 

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On Fire Sam Adams Turkey Chili

Love Love Love Chili. I can remember when I was younger my father making chili in our kitchen and pouring in beer to the concoction. As a kid I didn't really understand what he was doing. I just figured it was my dad, being my dad. But now that I cook on my own I often add beer to my chili. We had a variety pack of Sam Adams left at our house from the Man-Meat-Night at our house this weekend. So I decided to add a bottle of Samuel Adams Winter Lager while simmering the chili. I also added A TON of spicy seasonings. Warning! This recipe is on fire! Be sure to serve with cornbread & rice to cool of your taste buds.

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 can of dark red kidney beans
1 can of whole kernel corn
1 can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 bottle of Samuel Adams Winter Lager
1 tbsp of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
2 tbsp of chili powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp of red pepper flakes

Directions:
Brown ground turkey in skillet.
Mix in garlic, corn, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and beer.
Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer.
Add all spices and mix well.
Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Serve with cornbread & rice!




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Crock Pot Corn Chowder

There is this cool website called A Year of Slow Cooking about a women who set a New Year's Resolution to cook, using her crock pot, every day in 2008. It's great because she has a TON of slow cooker recipes. There are desserts, drinks, entrees, soups, etc. All kinds of recipes. I found this corn chowder one and decided to give it a try.

I did this recipe a little differently. The original recipe has you throw everything into a slow cooker, cook for 4 hours, then puree the soup using a small hand mixer while the soup is hot. I didn't have the resources or the skill to do that. So I pureed everything in a blender first, then put it in the slow cooker and cooked it after everything was blended together. I was still happy with the results. You may want to add more seasoning, or garlic, or other types of vegetables. But the corn and potatoes is what gets it done. 

Ingredients:

2 quarts of low fat chicken broth

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced red pepper

1/2 cup diced celery

1/4 cup shredded carrots

32 ounces of frozen corn

6 small white potatoes (i didn't peel mine, but you can choose to take the skins off of yours)

1/2 cup low fat shredded cheese (optional)

olive oil or fat free cooking spray

fresh parsley

salt & pepper

Directions:

Brown the onion in oil until cooked.

Add onion, red pepper, celery, carrots, broth, & corn into a blender and puree. You can do this in sections, if needed.

Add potatoes and blend more. 

It should be a creamy consistency and there shouldn't be too many lumps. 

Transfer to slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours.

When ready to serve top with cheese & parsley, add salt & pepper to taste. 
Serve with toast. 

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Cornbread Chicken Suiza

This is from the Pillsbury Bake-Off book, but I'm not sure which of these products is supposed to be a Pillsbury product. That's not important anyway, because this dish is delicious no matter what brand you use.


My husband raved about it, went back for seconds, then had more as a late night snack the following evening. I guess it was good!


Suiza refers to a cream-based white sauce. So this dish is cornbread topped with a creamy chicken sauce. It's delicious mixed in with real corn & red peppers.

Ingredients: 

4 Tbsp of butter

1/2 cup of chopped onions

2 cloves of garlic

1 can of whole kernel corn, drained

1 can of cream-style corn

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 box 7.5 oz corn muffin mix

3/4 pound of chicken

1.5 cups of fat free sour cream

2 tbsp of chopped, canned green chiles

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups reduced fat monterey jack cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook chicken using preferred method and cut into cubes.

In a 6-inch skillet, melt butter on medium heat, add onion and garlic. Cook & stir for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Set aside.

Grease or spray 9 x 13 inch baking dish. 

In a large bowl, mix together corn, cream-style corn, eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, & corn muffin mix.

Then add butter mixture, mix, and pour into baking dish.

In another large bowl, mix together chicken, sour cream, chiles, 1/4 teaspoon salt, & pepper.

Spoon over cornbread, but leave about an inch all around the sides.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes.


























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