Easy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Ingredients 

      1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine

1 teaspoon canola oil
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sugar
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
cooking spray
salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine the onion, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil in a large saucepan. cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through (thickest part reaches 160 degrees), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onion mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.

Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly (skip this step if you don't like the crunch).

Reduce heat to 400. Remove enchiladas and pour sauce evenly on top. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc.

Yum Yum Orange Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:
Chicken-
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-1/2” cubes)
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 eggs (beaten)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Oil (for frying)
Orange Sauce-
1 ½ cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange zest (grated)
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ginger root (minced)
½ teaspoon garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons green onion (chopped)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture and shake in flour mixture to coat. Deep fry chicken in batches at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil.
Step 3: Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions. Enjoy.

Slow Baked Mac & Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk
One 12 oz can evaporated milk (I used skim, evaporated milk keeps the egg and milk from curdling)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled to room temp
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups (12 oz) shredded cheese (I used an Italian blend, recipe calls for Italian fontina cheese)
1/2 pound elbow macaroni or mini penne tubes, par cooked and drained (this means cook them for about five minutes until tender but not completely cooked)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Spray the inside of your slow-cooker with cooking spray or grease it with olive oil. Combine milk, evaporated milk, eggs, butter, and salt in slow-cooker and whisk until until smooth (or you can use an immersion blender to do the whisking for you).


Add the shredded cheese (not the Parmesan) and macaroni, sprinkle with black pepper (and whatever other spices you want to use). Stir gently with a spatula to coat evenly.



Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to LOW and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until custard is set in the center and the pasta is tender. The macaroni and cheese may sit in the cooker on the KEEP WARM setting for 30 minutes before serving. Before dishing it up, I sautéed some bread crumbs with olive oil and sprinkled them over the top to make it a little fancier

Spinach and Feta stuffed Chicken Recipe

Spinach and Feta stuffed Chicken

Combine: 
3/4 cup crumbled feta 
1/2 cup thawed frozen chopped spinach 
3 tbsp. cream cheese 
1/4 cup scallions 
2 cloves garlic minced

 Slice a pocket along the chicken, season and stuff the mixture inside. Heat 3 tbs EVOO on skillet on medium high about 4 min each side. Put in oven and bake 5-7 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy, this is so delicious!

Thai Chicken Tacos with Spicy Peanut Oil

Ingredients

• FOR THE TACOS:
• 1 pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ cups Organic Coconut Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Red Curry Paste
• 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Finely Diced Jalapeño
• 1 clove Garlic, Finely Diced
• 12 whole Six Inch Size Corn Tortillas
• 6 whole Radishes, Thinly Sliced
• 1 whole Carrot, Peeled Into Thin Strips
• ½ cups Roughly Chopped Cilantro
• 2 whole Limes, Cut Into 6 Wedges Each
• FOR THE SPICY PEANUT DRIZZLE
• ⅓ cups Peanut Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Warm Water

Preparation

For the tacos:
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Butterfly each chicken breast, so that they cook quickly, and season them with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to the pan and once oil is hot add the chicken breasts. Cook them for about 5 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the coconut milk, red curry paste, and fish sauce. When the chicken is cooked through, reserve to a plate to cool. Add the jalapeño and garlic to the pan, cook for about one minute, then add in the curry sauce mixture, and stir until combined. Turn the heat down to low and simmer. Once the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, shred them, then add them into the sauce mixture to keep warm.

For the peanut drizzle:
In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients until well combined

For the taco assembly:
Wrap the tortillas in a damp cloth and warm them in the microwave on high for 30-45 seconds. Remove them from the microwave and lay them out on your plates. Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas, about 1/4 cup for each taco. Top the tacos with the sliced radish and carrots, drizzle with about a teaspoon of peanut sauce, and top with cilantro. Serve three lime wedges per plate of tacos and serve!

Amazing Taco Casserole

Taco Casserole
1 lb ground beef
1 can of black beans
1 packet of taco seasoning, or you can use the good homemade kind.
1 c. sour cream
1 can dice chilies
1/2 c. salsa
1 can cream of chicken soup
corn tortillas (I used about 8-10 cut into quarters)
shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown beef in a large skillet.  When it's done throw in the black beans, undrained, and taco seasoning.  Cook until the liquid is just about gone.  In a large bowl mix together sour cream, chilies, salsa, and cream of chicken soup.  Cut your tortillas into quarters.  Layer your ingredients, starting with the sour cream stuff, in a 13x9 casserole dish.  Then tortillas, meat, cheese.  Repeat layers and top with lots of shredded cheddar cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes.  We topped ours with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, green onions, avocados, salsa and ranch.  Mmmmm...it was sure tasty!  Wish there were some leftovers for lunch.

Braised Short Ribs Recipe

Braised Short Ribs Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 whole Beef Short Ribs
•  Kosher Salt and Pepper To Taste
• 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
• 6 pieces Pancetta, Diced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 3 whole Carrots, Diced
• 2 whole Shallots, Peeled And Finely Minced
• 2 cups Red Or White Wine
• 2 cups Beef Or Chicken Broth (enough To Almost Cover Ribs)
• 2 sprigs Thyme
• 2 sprigs Rosemary

Preparation Instructions

Salt and pepper ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until complete crispy and all fat is rendered. Remove pancetta and set aside. Do not discard grease.

Add olive oil to pan with the pancetta grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat to medium.

Add onions, carrots, and shallots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan to release all the flavorful bits of glory. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.

Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid.

Put on the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Remove pan from oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, lid on, before serving. At the last minute, skim fat off the top of the liquid. (Can also refrigerate mixture, then remove solid fat from the top.)

Serve 2 ribs on bed of creamy polenta, spooning a little juice over the top.

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

Serves: 12 people

1 1 oz Envelope Taco Seasoning

6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, thawed

1 16oz jar Salsa

Dump all ingredients into a crockpot and give it a little stir to blend the seasoning with the salsa. You do not need to add any water to the taco seasoning. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork.

For tacos, serve the chicken with soft flour tortillas, guacamole, lettuce, shredded cheese and/or sour cream. This is very versatile and can be used for enchiladas, nachos, tostadas, quesadillas, etc. Any leftover chicken can then be used for tortilla soup (make it the next day or freeze the chicken to use at a later time).

When I don't want quite as much food I cut the recipe in half. You don't have to get too exact about the measurements. I use three or four chicken breasts--whatever comes in the smaller package at the grocery store--and use between half and 3/4 of the amount of salsa and taco seasoning called for in the full recipe. The only result of using too much salsa for the amount of chicken you use is that it will have more liquid when it's done. The flavor will be the same. Pour out a little of the liquid when the chicken is cooked and you're good to go!

Gluten Free Sweet & Sour Chicken

Gluten Free Sweet & Sour Chicken

INGREDIENTS

• ½ c. ketchup
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. Sriracha
• 1 tsp. oyster sauce
• 1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp. rice vinegar
• ¾ c. chicken stock
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• dash of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 
  
• 1½ lbs boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks
• ¾ c. cornstarch or tapioca flour
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 c. vegetable oil
• 
  
• ¼ onion, chopped into chunks
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped into chunks

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, lightly spray a 9x13 inch glass pan, set aside.
2. In a medium size mixing bowl (or a 2 c. measuring cup), whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, Sriracha, oyster sauce, worcestershire, rice vinegar, chicken stock, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, set aside.
3. Place the cubes of chicken into a bowl with the whisked eggs, toss the chicken (taking care to let the egg drip off it) into a large Ziploc bag full of the cornstarch. Zip and shake until evenly coated.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Working in batches (3-4), add the chicken and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
5. Add the fried chicken to the prepared 9x13 pan. Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce and pour over the chicken, add the chopped vegetables and stir to coat. Place in the oven and bake uncovered for 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Remove and serve immediately.

Spicy Beer Shrimp Recipe

Spicy Beer Shrimp

This recipe is a great recipe I found online for cooking with shrimp and beer. I have tried this with craft beer types as follows: stouts, lagers, IPA’s, and cream ale. Personally I thought the lightness of the lager and cream ale were the best they gave you a little bit of flavor and did not attribute the hoppiness that threw in a weird but delightful new flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (roughly 1 small onion)
• 2/3 cup beer
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (homemade or store bought)
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro or 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
• Few pinches of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 pound raw shrimp*, peeled, deveined, and patted dry
• Cooked rice or baked sweet potato, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter until melted. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the beer, tomato paste, sweet chili sauce, and cilantro. Bring to a boil. If you want more heat, add a few pinches of cayenne pepper.
2. Once boiling, add the shrimp in a single layer without crowding the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Flip then cook another 3 minutes or until the shrimp is pink, cooked through, and curled up (you may need to cut a test one since it'll be hard to tell with the sauce). The timing may vary depending on your size of shrimp. Serve on top of rice or baked sweet potato.

Pasta Aglio e Olio

Pasta Aglio e Olio

This is a simple to make satisfying pasta dish from the movie Chef. Man is this a good one I was drooling when I saw it in the movie so i decided with my love for pasta why not bring it home and give it a try. As always enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried spaghetti
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 12 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea salt
• Ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 2 lemons

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the spaghetti, cooking until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and stir frequently until the garlic is golden brown. Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
3. Add the drained spaghetti directly to the pan. Toss until spaghetti is thoroughly coated with the garlic oil.
4. Remove pan from heat, add the parsley and Parmesan and toss well. Check for flavor and adjust the salt if necessary. Squeeze lemons on to taste. Garnish with more Parmesan.
5. Serves 4.

Taco Bell Crunch Wrap Copycat Recipe

Taco Bell Crunch Wrap Copycat Recipe

To answer your questions now yes, this is damn good and of course like i say about all of my copycat recipes if you make them from scratch they are a heck of a lot better. My favorite part about making this taco bell classic from scratch was the fact the the juices were just flowing when you took a bite.

Ingredients

• Seasoned Beef Mixture
• 1 1/2 tablespoons masa harina
• 4 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon powder
• 1 1/3 pounds lean ground beef chuck
• Crunch Wrap Ingredients
• 6 large tortillas
• 6 corn tostada shells or broken taco shells
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• Taco Bell Sauce if desired

Instructions

Beef directions:

Mix together all the ingredients except the meat. Stir the spice mix well to make sure that all spices have been blended well.

Crumble the ground beef into a large skillet (preferably nonstick) and brown, stirring well. Remove from the heat. Dump the meat into a strainer in the sink, rinse with hot water, and drain off the water and grease from the beef. Return the beef to the pan. Stir in the spice mix and 3/4 to 1 cup water. Simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until most of the moisture has cooked away. Remove from heat before the meat is completely dry.

To assemble crunch wraps

Take a large skillet over low-medium heat. Place tortilla on the skillet and heat for about 30 seconds to make the tortilla pliable. Build crunchwrap by adding beef and spreading it out evenly in the center of the tortilla, add the corn shell(s), add sour cream, lettuce, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes and sauce (if desired). Fold tortilla fold the edges of the flour tortilla up over the center mixture. Continue to fold until it is completely wrapped and in the shape of a hexagon, if you can't get a hexagon during the first few efforts do not worry, as long as the insides are completely enclosed it will still taste the same. Brown for about 60 seconds on each side or until the tortilla begins to brown.

Garlic Butter Shrimp & Quinoa!

Garlic Butter Shrimp & Quinoa!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

5 teaspoons minced garlic, divided

2 cups uncooked quinoa

1 teaspoon chili powder, divided

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

6 tablespoons salted butter, divided

1 pound raw tail-on shrimp

salt and pepper to taste

fresh parsley for serving

fresh lemon juice for serving

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large nonstick pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons of the garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Add the uncooked quinoa and ½ teaspoon chili powder. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute for another 1 minute to add flavor to the quinoa. Add the broth, bring to a boil, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. When the quinoa is done, it will be soft throughout. Fluff with a fork and toss with fresh minced parsley.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot and the butter is melted, add the shrimp and sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon chili powder directly in the pan. Season with salt and pepper and saute until no longer translucent and golden brown on the outside. Just at the end of the saute, add 1 teaspoon garlic and swirl around in the pan until the garlic is very fragrant.

Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter with the 2 teaspoons garlic to make a sauce for drizzling (for this, crushed garlic or garlic paste would work really well but minced is also fine).

Serve the quinoa and shrimp together in one dish, topping with fresh chopped parsley and lemon juice if desired. When the butter is melted and cooled slightly, drizzle over the shrimp and quinoa. Serve immediately, while still hot.