Mexican Lasagna

I know, I know.  Thanksgiving is in two days, and I'm giving you a recipe that has nothing to do with turkey or pumpkin, what was I thinking?  I'll tell you what I was thinking.  I am without a doubt excited to overdose on all things Thanksgiving, but I save it until Thursday because I always have plenty of leftovers to last me through the weekend, and I don't want to get sick of those flavors before the day has come.  So, instead of calling the local pizza place to feed us before the feast, I wanted to make something that's the complete opposite of Thanksgiving- Mexican food. 

I've been making this recipe for a few years now, but it never had a name.  Then one day it came to us- it has all the components of a lasagna, but it's ingredients you find in Mexican food, so there you have it!  Mexican Lasagna.  This can easily be made a day or two ahead of time and then baked.  I also like to double the recipe and freeze one to make at a later date (up to 3 months). 

For the Sauce:

• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 2 C. chicken stock
• 1 Tb. cumin
• 1 Tb. Mexican Hot Chili Powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

For the Filling:

• 12 corn tortillas, cut in half
• 2 Tb. olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 2 jalepenos, ribs and seeds removed, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 Tb. cilantro, chopped
• the juice of half a lime
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 3 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 C. crumbled Queso Fresco

In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the sauce.  Bring to a boil, then bring down to a simmer.  Let simmer for 15-20 minutes, then take off of the heat.


In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions, peppers, jalepenos, and garlic and cook for 10 minutes.


Add the cilantro, beans, lime juice, salt and pepper to the onion and pepper mixture.  Cook for additonal 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.


Begin assembling the lasagna in a 13x9 pan.  Start with some sauce on the bottom, then 8 pieces of the tortilla, then the veggies, more sauce, and the cheese.  Continue this until you have three layers.  Your pan should look like this, from the bottom up-

Sauce

Tortillas

Veggies

Jack Cheese

Queso Fresco

Sauce

Tortillas 

Veggies

Jack Cheese

Queso Fresco

Sauce

Tortillas

More Sauce

Cheese

    Cook tightly covered in foil for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes or

    until cheese is melted and lasagna is bubbly.  Let rest for 15 minutes after taking it out of the oven

    so it doesn't fall apart when you serve it.  I like to garnish with sour cream, cilantro, and some

    crushed tortilla chips, but you can add whatever you like.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Pancakes

I developed this pancake recipe when my girls decided to go on a vegetable strike.  Knowing they would never even fathom going on a chocolate strike, I decided to combine the two in order to keep their vegetable intake at an acceptable level.  My children will devour nearly anything you put chocolate on or in, so these were an instant hit.  They are fluffy, flavorful, and come on- it's essetially cake for breakfast.  You can't get any better than that.

• 1 C. all purpose flour
• 1/2 C.  whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 C. shredded zucchini (about one medium zucchini)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tb. light agave nectar
• 1 1/4 C. whole milk
• 1/4 C. vegetable oil
• 1 C. mini chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Add the shredded zucchini and toss with your hands to coat each piece with flour.  This will help the zucchini from clumping.  It should look like this-

and then this-

 In a small bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients except for the chocolate chips.  Whisk

 until it's thoroughly combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is incorporated. 

Add the chocolate chips and stir.

Cook the pancakes in a skillet on medium high heat for 6-7 minutes per side.  You can tell when it's  time to flip them over when little bubbles form on the surface.

This recipe makes 12 medium size pancakes,but can easily be doubled.  I like to make a big batch on a Sunday and then freeze them in a Ziploc bag for easy breakfast all week long- you just need to pop them in the microwave. 
See?  All full of fiber and none the wiser-

Pecan Crusted Dijon Chicken

 

At least two or three times a month, I find myself with boneless skinless chicken breasts in my fridge or freezer and have no idea what to do with them.  Let's face it, when you find yourself in a chicken rut, chicken can just seem plain old boring.  However, chicken is a wonderful protein because it can be dressed up so many different ways.  The key to getting out of the dreaded chicken rut is by having a few tried and true chicken recipes in your repetoire that are fast, easy, inexpensive, and most importantly- delicious.  This recipe is all of those things and more.  The best part about this, aside from it being full of wonderful flavors, is that I can bet that you will have most, if not all, of the ingredients on hand. 

 

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 C. pecans, finely chopped
• 1/2 C. plain bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 Tb. sugar
• 2 Tb. fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1/4 C. honey
• 1/4 C. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• cooking spray

 

Preheat the oven to 400.  Lightly spray a pan with cooking spray.



In a shallow dish, mix together the pecans, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, sugar, and fresh thyme.



In another shallow dish, whisk together the honey, mustard, and balsamic vinegar.



Evenly coat each chicken breast in the mustard mixture, then coat it with the pecan mixture, and place it in the baking dish.  Repeat for each chicken breast.



Spray the tops of the chicken with a light coating of cooking spray to promote browning.



Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.  Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

 

White Chocolate Cranberry Orange Scones

 

Scones make me feel fancy.  Plus, they're delicious, and when you have scones in your house it's fun to offer them to guests because then they think you are fancy.  Scones are great for breakfast, brunch, a late night snack, and are wonderful for entertaining.  These particular scones are so moist and flavorful that you don't need any butter or jam.  Make sure you try one right out of the oven- a warm white chocolate cranberry orange scone will change your life.  Or, at the very least, it will change your breakfast.

 

• 3 1/2 C. all purpose flour
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 1 3/4 Tb. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 C. VERY cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg
• 3/4 C. milk
• 1/4 C. half and half
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tb. orange zest
• 1 C. white chocolate chips
• 1 C. sweetened dried cranberries, chopped

 

 

Preheat the oven to 400.


In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. 


Add the cold butter to the flour.  Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter. If you don't have a pastry cutter you have two options- go old school and use two knives, or go new school and freeze the butter, then grate it into the flour using a cheese grater.


In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, vanilla, and orange zest.


Add the milk mixture into the flour mixture and combine.  Make sure not to overwork the dough because you don't want the butter to get too warm.


Add the cranberries and white chocolate chips to the dough.  You might have to use your hands at this point, the dough is relatively thick.


On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 30-40 seconds.  Form the dough into a log 2 inches in diameter. 


Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces on a little bit of a diagonal.  Place the pieces on a lightly greased baking sheet. 


Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

 

 

Tomato Basil Bread

 

About ten years ago, I tried the Atkins diet.  For ten minutes.  It was miserable.  I am a complete and utter carbohydrate enthusiast, and I think no meal is complete without them.  Being married into an Italian family means we make a good amount of pasta, and I tend to get sick of plain old garlic bread as an accompaniment.  In an effort to mix it up a bit, I made this bruschetta inspired delicious bread that is baked in the oven until crispy and warm and full of melted goodness.

 

• 1 baguette, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tb fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 Tb fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 400.


Slice the baguette in half lengthwise.  Scoop out some of the bread from the inside of the baguette to make room for the filling.


Mix all of the remaining ingredients together.  Spoon the mixture onto the bottom half of the bread, then place the othe half on top.


Wrap the filled baguette in foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.


Slice and serve.

Hot Spiked Cider

 

What do you do when you have leftover apple cider and nothing to do with it?  Why, add booze to it of course!  This  flavorful and inviting cider is warms your body from the inside out.  This cider is great for entertaining during the fall and winter months.  What better way to greet your guests in from the cold then with a warm cocktail?  I can think of none other.  The scent of the cider warming up with the cinnamon will make your house smell like fall heaven, so even if you aren't making the spiked cider, it's a nice trick to making your house smell amazing.

 

• 2 64 oz bottles of apple cider
• 4 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish
• small bottle of Brandy
• bottle of Sour Apple Pucker
• whipped cream (optional)

 

In a large saucepan, heat the cider over medium low heat with the cinammon sticks. 


Once the cider is warm, you can assemble the drinks.  Pour one ounce of Brandy and one half ounce of Apple Pucker into a glass or mug, then top with the apple cider.


Garnish with whipped cream and a cinnamon stick.

Pancetta and White Bean Crostini

 

A few years ago, my husband and I attended one of those hands-on cooking classes.  We were paired up with another couple, given some recipes to make, some wine to drink, and then we all ate our creations in a family style setting.  It was quite fun, but I seemed to misplace the list of recipes that we were to take home with us.  Did I mention the wine?  Anyways, we made these crostinis with white beans, rosemary, and some other stuff I can't remember, and I've always wanted to try and replicate the recipe.  My rendition of the recipe uses pancetta, bacon's less smoky Italian cousin, which pairs wonderfully with the creamy white beans and nice crusty bread.  The bean mixture can be made ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator, and then heat up on the stove before you are about to serve the crostinis.  If it seems a little dry, add some more olive oil.

 

• 2 cans cannelini beans (white beans), drained
• 1 Tb + 4 Tb olive oil, divided
• 2 Tb rosemary, finely chopped
• 8 oz pancetta, diced into 1/4 in. cubes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2 in pieces

 

Preheat oven to 350.


Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush with the 1 Tb of olive oil.  Bake until golden brown and crispy- about 10-15 minutes.


In a nonstick skillet, brown the pancetta until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is crispy- about 6-8 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside.  Keep the fat in the pan.


Sautee the garlic, beans, rosemary, salt and pepper over medium heat until heated through and fragrant.  Remove from heat.


In a small food processor, add the bean mixture.  Turn on low, then slowly drizzle in the remaining 4 Tb of olive oil, one Tb at a time.  Stop once you have reached a thick but creamy consistency.


Return the mixture to the pan and all but 2 Tb of the reserved pancetta.  Let it heat through for a few minutes, then top each crostini with a generous layer of the mixture.


Top the crostinis with the remaining 2 Tb of pancetta.


Enjoy!

 

Everything Dip

 

I love an everything bagel.  I also love a good dip.  Hence, the birth of the everything dip.  All the fixins' from a savory everything bagel all packed into a creamy dip and sure to be a star at your next party.  You can make this dip the night before you will be serving it since it only gets better the longer the flavors have to mingle in the refrigerator.  This stuff is seriously yummy.  I serve it with bagel chips, buttery crackers, or cut up vegetables.

 

I was inspired to make this recipe up from another recipe I made from a magazine that reminded me of chive and onion cream cheese.  I took that idea, gave it a little kick in the pants, and the result was this dip.

 

•  8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 C. sour cream
• 1/2 C. mayonaise
• 3 Tb garlic powder
• 3 Tb minced dried onion
• 2 Tb sesame seeds
• 2 Tb poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• chopped green onion for garnish

 

In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until lightly golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Give the pan a shake now and then to cook the seeds evenly.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients including the sesame seeds until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerator for one hour or up to overnight. Serve with cut up vegetables, bagel chips, or crackers.

Ham and Cheese Mini Quiches

 

Anything I can eat for breakfast that I can hold in one hand while getting the kids ready for the day in the other is a definite winner in my book.  These mini quiches fit the bill perfectly.  They are actually great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even appetizers for your next party.  I like mine with ham and cheese, but you can switch up the ingredients to suite your own unique taste.

 

•  2 premade pie crusts (or you can make your own)
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 C half and half
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/3 cup shredded swiss
• 1 Tb chives, chopped
• 2 slices of deli ham, chopped (I use Polish ham, but any kind will work)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 425.


In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, salt, and pepper.  Make sure the yolks and whites are fully combined.


Add the remaining ingredients, stir.  Set aside.


Roll out your pie crusts onto a large floured surface.  Using a 2 inch circular cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles out of the dough.  If you don't have a cookie cutter, you can use a small ramekin or souffle dish and use a knife to cut around the dish. 


Fit the pie crust circles into the bottom of an ungreased muffin tin.


Spoon the egg mixture into each individual muffin tin.  Each pie crust should be filled almost to the top.


Bake for 18-20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

 

 

 

Garlic and Herb Infused Mashed Potatoes

 

These potatoes are everything mashed potatoes should be- creamy, buttery, and full of flavor.  The addition of garlic and herb infused cream gives the potatoes a delicious punch of flavor while allowing the potatoes to keep there uniform, creamy consistency in every single bite.  Be sure to make extra, because you this will disappear in minutes.

 

• 3 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 5 Tb butter at room temperature
• 1 C heavy cream
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 Tb whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp salt, plus more for the boiling water

 

Peel and quarter the potatoes.  Put them in a large pot and cover with cold water.


Bring the water to a boil.  Once it's boiling, add a generous amount of salt to the water.  (Note- it's important to start with cold water so the potatoes cook evenly).


While the potatoes are boiling, put the cream, garlic, thyme, and peppercorns in a small saucepan.  Bring to a simmer and simmer this on low for about 15 minutes.  Make sure to stir it in order to prevent a film from forming on the cream.


When the potatoes are fork tender (15-20 minutes depending on their size), drain them, then return them to the pot.  Add the butter.


Slowly strain the flavored cream into the pot.  You can use a sieve or a cheesecloth.  If you have neither of these, just fish out all the garlic, thyme, and cream with a slotted spoon.  Add the tsp of salt.


Use a hand mixer to gently whip the potatoes.  At this point, you can make them as chunky or creamy as you want- they're delicious either way.


Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

 

Cobb Salad Sandwich

 

Who doesn't love a sandwich?  Sandwiches can be a quick and easy lunch or dinner, and a great use for leftovers from the night before.  That's how this sandwich was created.  I had some leftover chicken and veggies, but I really didn't want to make another salad for lunch.  I was in a mid-week lunch slump, and I'm sure you've all been there before.  So instead of making a salad, I made my salad into a big juicy sandwich.  Yum!  Lunch slump was solved. 

 

• 4 Kaiser Rolls, toasted
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked (leftover will work)
• 8 leaves of red leaf lettuce, or your favorite kind
• 8 slices of tomato
• 2 avocados, scooped out of the skin and mashed (I use the back of a fork)
• 4 harboiled eggs, sliced
• 4 Tb crumbled blue cheese
• 8 slices of bacon, cooked
• 4 tsp of mayonaise, divided

Serves 4

 
 

Spread the bottom of each roll with 1 tsp of the mayo.  Spread the top of the roll with a thin layer of the avocado.  This will help the ingredients stick to the bun, and as an extra bonus it also tastes super delicious.


Layer the rest on the ingredients on the bun.  I do it as follows, from bottom to top- bun, mayo, chicken, blue cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce, bun.  But hey, it's your sandwich, layer it however you want.


Press the top of the bun onto the sandwich, and get ready to eat. 

 

 

I'm not going to lie, this is a messy sandwich folks.  Go ahead and get your hands dirty, you deserve it chef.  I promise, it's worth it.

 

Spinach, Tomato, and Goat Cheese Pizza

 

 

I follow the mainstream American feelings about pizza in believing that it is a savory gift from the heavens meant to brighten even our most despicable of days.  Ok, maybe not everyone feels that way, but I wholeheartedly believe that there is no better food than a pizza pie.  It's versatile, it's personal, and there's no wrong way to top it.  I've had lots of fun trying hundreds of different topping combinations, and this spinach, tomato, and goat cheese pizza is one of mine and my husband's tried and true favorites.  I usually pick up a pre-made stone baked pizza crust from Whole Foods, but feel free to use your own homemade crust if you feel like showing me up (I'm looking at you Mrs. Overachiever).  This is great straight out the oven, and even better as leftover pizza the next day.  I've been known to eat a slice or five for breakfast. 

 

 

• 6 oz herbed goat cheese, room temperature
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2-4 small or medium plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 large bunch baby spinach, about 1 lb
• 1 pre-made pizza crust, our your own homemade crust
• salt and pepper to taste

Serves 4 (or if you are my husband and I, serves 2 very hungry adults)

Preheat oven to 450.


In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil.  Sautee the garlic in the oil until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the red pepper flakes and cook an additional 30 seconds..


Add the spinach to the pan.  It may seem like a lot, but don't worry it will wilt down.  Keep folding the spinach over onto itself as it wilts.  Season with salt and pepper.


Set the spinach and garlic aside to cool.


Spread the goat cheese on the pizza crust in one even layer.  You can dot the crust with pieces of the cheese if you like, but I prefer an even layer so I make sure to get goat cheese in every bite.


Layer the spinach and garlic on top of the goat cheese.  Then layer the tomatoes on top of the spinach.  Finish the final layer with the shredded mozzarella cheese.


Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly golden brown.

 

Pair this with a nice green salad for the perfect dinner, or cut it into smaller pieces to serve as an appetizer at your next party.