Baked Tortilla Chips and Guacamole

These chips are amazing. They are so simple to make, virtually fat free and very crispy. Enjoy!

Baked Tortilla Chips
Serves 4

8 white corn tortilla shells, cut in half
salt
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400. On a cooking sheet, place shells on a single layer. Lightly coat with cooking spray. Flip and spray other side. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown, turn if necessary. Let cool and serve.


Guacamole
Serves 4

2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1/4 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, diced
Juice from 1 lime
Pinch of salt
Diced jalapeno, optional

In a medium bowl, mash avocados with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Serve with baked tortilla chips.

Meaty Vegetable Spaghetti

Spaghetti is a dish that you can really enhance with additional ingredients. I took a regular jar of tradional sauce and loaded it with vegetables. The texture of the vegetables almost mirrors the ground beef, making a very hearty and meaty sauce. This recipe also makes it very easy to hide plenty of vegetables from kids. Enjoy!

Serves 4
1 pound lean ground beef
2 large carrots
3 large staulks celery
1 large green pepper
1 medium onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1 jar traditional spaghetti sauce
1 small can petite diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 servings spaghetti pasta

Cut vegetables into 1 inch pieces. Place in a food proccesor and chop into fine pieces. Proccess in batches if needed. In a large sauce pan, add meat, vegetable mixture, salt and pepper. Cook on medium high heat, stirring frequently and breaking up meat. Once meat is cooked through, drain if necessary. Add spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaves and garlic powder. Bring to a boil and reduce to low. Cover and simmer. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta per directions on pasta, removing 2 minutes before recommended time. Drain and put back into pot. Poor sauce onto pasta and cook on medium for an addition 2 minutes.

Cilantro Lime Fajitas and Grilled Vegetables

Why eat out when you can cook this amazing meal at home. Saves you money and allows you to be creative!

Steak Fajitas

Serves 4
1 pound beef flank steak
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon rice vinegar or any white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
pinch salt and pepper
zest of 1 limes
juice of 2 limes

Place steak in a gallon size bag and set aside. In a food processor, combine all ingredients and process until thin paste forms. Add mixture to bag, tossing meat until coated. Squeeze out air and seal. Refrigerate for atleast 4 hours, turning occasionally. Remove from refrigerator 1/2 an hour prior to cooking. Turn grill on high heat. Cook on each side for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes. Slice meat thinly, against the grain. Serve on warm tortilla shells with grilled vegetables and your favorite taco toppings.


Grill Vegetables
Serves 4

1 red pepper, sliced into rings
1 orange pepper, sliced into rings
1 yellow pepper, sliced into rings
1/2 large red onion, sliced into rings
2 tablespoons olive oil
dash salt

Turn grill on meduim-high heat*. Toss vegetables in a bowl with salt and olive oil, until evenly coated.  Place a large sheet of foil or vegetable grill pan on the grill. Place vegetables in a thin layer on the foil or pan. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

 *If cooking at the same temperature as the steak, check vegetables more often and cook for less time*

Grilled Flank Steak

Flank steak is a very cheap and tough of beef. It is also very flavorful and, when marinated properly, it will melt in your mouth. For best results, cook to medium doneness.

Serves 4

1 pound flank steak
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or any white vinegar
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Zest from half a lemon
Juice of one lemon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper or 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in a gallon size bag. Squeeze out the air and seal. Refrigerate for atleast 4 hours. Half hour before cooking, remove and let rest on the counter. Heat grill to high heat. Cook on one side for 8 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered for 5 minutes. Slice thin against the grain.

Asian Chicken Skewers with Vegetable Stir Fry

I don't usually promote a pre-packaged sauce as a flavor base for a recipe, but this tastes amazing. Enjoy!!!

Asian Chicken Skewers

Serves 4

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup Ken's Steakhouse Lite Asian Sesame dressing
1 tablepsoon olive oil

Juice of 2 lemons

Pinch black pepper

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Let marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally. When using wood skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes. Slide meat onto a skewer and discard marinade. Do not over crowd meat. Grill on high for 8 minutes, turning halfway through.

Vegetable Stir-Fry

Serves 4

1 head broccoli, chop off florets and discard stem

20 whole white pearl onions or 1 large onion, cut into strips

1 can sliced water chestnuts

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove minced

Juice of 1 lemon

pinch pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add broccoli florets and cook until they are bright green. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl with ice and water. Once broccoli is cooled, drain ice and water. Add remaining indredients and allow to marinate for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Heat a wok or skillet on high heat. Add vegetables and half of juice. Cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and continue to cook until onions are tender. Serve with Asian chicken skewers and steamed rice.

Beef Pasties

This recipe came from one of my favorite pasty restaurants in St. Ignace, Michigan. It was called Paul Bunyan Pasties and closed a few years ago. These are often served with hot beef gravy poured over the top. Enjoy!

Serves 6

Filling:
1 1/2 pounds uncooked ground sirloin
3 cups thinly sliced potatoes
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon butter

Mix ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

Crust:
3 cups flour
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
pinch salt
2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons water

Mix flour, shortening and salt together with a fork. Stir in water until soft ball forms. This dough does not need to be kneaded. Split dough in half and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 8 inch circles. Repeat with other half of dough. Place 1 cup of filling on half of each circle and fold over. Seal with a fork. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and brush top with milk. Bake at 475 for 20 minutes. Reduce to 375 and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Freeze:
These freeze very well. Bake them for the first 20 minutes. Wrap in foil and freeze. To cook, thaw completely in the fridge. Bake for remaining 20 minutes.

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs with Rice Pilaf

This meal is packed with flavor and is very low in fat. Add your favorite vegetables for variety. Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs
Serves 4

Chicken Marinade
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use low sodium)
1 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash black pepper
juice from quarter lemon

Combine chicken and marinade in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes so they don't burn. Slide chicken onto skewer and set aside. Discard remaining marinade.


Vegetables
1 large red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on skewers. Be careful not to overcrowd. Grill on medium-high, flipping every 5 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the chicken. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes on each side or until no pink remains. Remove from heat, cover and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with rice pilaf (see recipe below)


Rice Pilaf
Serves 4

3 tablespoons margarine or olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 stalk celery, chopped
Dash salt
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon
Dash black pepper
1/2 cup real bacon bits

In a medium sauce pan, melt margarine on medium heat. Add onion, celery and salt, stirring occasionally until soft. Add garlic and rice. Saute for 2 minutes, until rice is light brown. Add water, bouillon and black pepper. Turn on high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Add bacon and simmer for 5 more minutes. Fluff with fork and serve with kabobs.

Pupusas

Pupusas are a Salvadorian tradition which is a stuffed corn tortilla. I made them for the first time last week and found the construction to be rather difficult. After brainstorming, I came up with a more user friendly version. I also put a mexican spin on the recipe. My spanish rice recipe makes a great addition to this dish. Enjoy!

Makes 8 pupusas

2 1/2 cups masa harina flour (only $1.08 at Walmart)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 cups cold water
1 serving shredded chicken taco meat
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 cup mozzarella cheese

In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add water and stir until dough is stiff, slightly moist and can be handled. Divide into 8 equal balls and cover with a moist paper towel. Heat skillet on medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Put one ball between wax paper and press down with bottom of a frying pan into a 6 inch circle. Remove from wax paper slowly so it does not tear. Lightly moisten hands with water if dough wants to stick. Place in skillet and cook one side until light brown. Flip and cook other side. Remove to a plate. Repeat with remaing dough. Respray pan as needed.

Topping

Turn oven to broil. In a bowl, combine shredded chicken taco meat and black beans. Place cooked tortillas in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Evenly spoon meet mixture on each shell and top with cheese. Broil for 3 minutes, until cheese is melted and light brown.

Shredded Chicken Tacos with Avocado and Black Bean Salad

We hummed all the way through this meal. It tastes amazing. The Avocado and Black Bean Salad is a great accent. Enjoy!

Shredded Chicken Tacos
Serves 4

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3 inch pieces
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
Juice from 1 lime

In a bowl, toss chicken with chili powder and salt until coated. In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium high. Line chicken in the hot oil and sear 3 minutes on both sides. Stir in onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Pour chicken broth over chicken and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low, cooking for 1 hour. Shred with a fork and cook for an additional 15 minutes uncovered. Stir in lime juice and serve in a warm flour tortilla with Avocado and Black Bean Salad (below)


Avocado and Black Bean Salad
Serves 4

2 ripe avocados peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced tomato
3/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice from 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve on your favorite mexican dishe or as a dip.

Chicken (Not so) Parmesan

Why it is called chicken parmesan is a mystery to me. Most restaurants I have ordered it from does not come with parmesan on it. For that I am greatful, as I do not like parmesan. This recipe is very simple to make and packs so much flavor. Enjoy!

Serves 4

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
salt and pepper
2 cups bread crumbs
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 large egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 jar pasta sauce or homemade sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
4 servings cooked thin spaghetti

On a plate, sprinkle bread crumbs and toss with italian seasoning. Salt and pepper chicken and coat with the egg mixture. Cover with bread crumbs. Repeat until all chicken is coated. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Place chicken in pan and sear on each side for 3 minutes, until light brown, and remove. Chicken will not be cooked all the way. Pour pasta sauce into skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Place chicken on top of sauce and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Top each breast with 1/4 cup cheese. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve chicken and sauce with cooked pasta. Enjoy!!!