Pesto stuffed Pork Chops

A few months ago, I tried a recipe for stuffed pork chops, and didn't really care for it. It basically tasted like Stove Top stuffing inside pork. Blah. So, when I pulled some large pork chops out of the freezer last week, I decided to stuff them with my imagination!  And, of course, I had to coat them with Panko goodness to make them nice and crispy!
Pesto-Parmesan Crusted Stuffed Pork Chops

4 thick cut pork chops
1/2- 1 cup prepared pesto
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 cup flour
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1-2 Tb Italian Seasonings

Turn oven to 350. Cover a cookie sheet with foil, and spray the foil with cooking spray.

Cut a slit into the pork chops, on the long side. Do not cut them completely in half, just form as big a pocket as you can.

In a small bowl, mix pesto and Parmesan cheese together.  Stuff this mixture into the pockets on the pork chops. Use toothpicks to close the pocket, and to hold in the filling. (Warning: The toothpicks make it difficult to coat the chops. If you can coat them carefully, then secure pocket after dipping!)

Put the flour in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg. In a 3rd bowl, mix the Panko crumbs and Italian seasonings. Dip the pork chops in the flour, coating generously, and then shaking off excess. Dip chops in egg, and then in Panko crumbs. Cover well, and lay chop on the foil lined baking sheet. Repeat with each pork chop.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Check pork for doneness. It should not be pink!

Wonderful served with potatoes and a crisp salad! Enjoy!

Fabulous new meals

Hello! I'm back for a quick post. The last few months have brought a lot of food changes to our home. With PTA meetings, cub scouts, girl scouts, friends, etc, it's getting harder to be home for meal prep. Plus, I'm not experimenting as much, so we're making old favorites over and over again.

A few years ago, I did a workshop for the ladies in my church on meal planning.  I even blogged about it. Fast forward to this month, where I'm doing this same workshop in my new area.  As I'm looking over my materials and sprucing them up, I was reminded of my old neighbor who used to plan meals 6 weeks in advance. I was also reminded that I had sat down and done that as well.  When it came to execution though, I don't think it lasted long. 

However... I think my family is at the point now that we need this. It would be more stable and easier to plan.

 

(This one is more like our house!)

This looong story (sorry!) lead me to look at the new recipes we've made and loved the last few months. I have them all on a Pinterest board, but would like to share them here as well so they are all in the same spot.

Here they are- all pictures belong to the original blog.  Have fun!

 Quick and Easy Chinese Orange Beef

by Our Best Bites

 My 10yr old son has been asking for orange chicken. I found this recipe and had beef so we made it.  Let me just say, I really, really dislike Chinese food. But this dish? LOVED it!

 

Crockpot Boiled Peanuts

My husband served his mission in South Carolina. This is a popular street food there. He was in heaven! 

 

 Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

by Skinnytaste.com

I LOVE this dish.  It's so simple, but full of flavor. It makes a TON, so make sure you have lots of people to eat it! I serve it on rice, or even just plain. I like to add some crushed tortilla chips for some texture.

Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wraps 

by Our Best Bites

Another WOW from Our Best Bites. I really enjoy this dish. 4 out of 5 family members loved it as well. The 1 who didn't is my 7yr old daughter who doesn't like anything. Quick, easy, HEALTHY, and yum! 

 

This recipe is called The Best Pot Roast... Ever!  and it really is!

by youretoocrafty.blogspot.com

Make sure you make potatoes or rice with it so you have something to sop up the amazing gravy!

 

 This is a simple, yet delicious meatloaf recipe. 

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1 egg

1 box stuffing mix

1 cup water

Mix everything together and press into a loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Yum! 

And finally...

 Pork Carnitas

by mykitchenescapades.com

So. Very. Good. 

It is mandatory to broil the meat after cooking it. I cooked it in the crockpot, and it was really good. However, after broiling it- Amazing!

I think that's good for today.  There are some more great meals on my Pinterest board, and I'm always adding more.

Meaty Spaghetti Sauce

S

Ahhh... home cooked meals. Traditional goodness passed down from generation to generation. This was the spaghetti sauce I ate growing up. It's thick and chunky, and full of amazing flavor. After trying this, you'll never go back to canned sauce again!

You'll notice that the recipe allows for a few hours of simmering time. This is to get the best taste out of the herbs. Your house will also smell amazing! However, this spaghetti sauce is amazing after a short cooking time as well. Brown the beef, drain, and cook everything together for 30 minutes or so. Serve over hot noodles with warm bread and a salad!

Meaty Spaghetti Sauce
The Double Dipped Life


1 lb Ground Beef
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 teas salt
1/4 teas pepper
1 TB Basil
1/4 teas minced garlic
2 TB chopped (or dried) parsley
1 bay leaf
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
spaghetti noodles
Parmesan or mozzarella cheese

Brown meat, drain fat. In the same pan, add in onion, celery, and mushrooms. Cook until soft.
Add browned meat and remaining ingredients and simmer 2-3 hours until sauce thickens. Stir occasionally. Add water if too thick.

Serve over hot noodles! Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and/or mozzarella cheese.
Enjoy!

Creamy Coconut Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

So, by now you know that we are avid coconut lovers. Any recipe with the word coconut in it immediately gets my attention. Just for fun, I searched my blog for coconut and came up with 27 recipes that include this wonderful ingredient! Wow!

I found this recipe on Pinterest; originally from Publix. I know my chicken looks a little colorless, but the flavor was incredible. I changed the cooking instructions to grill the chicken next time; either on an outside grill or inside.

Even though I have a wonderful recipe for Black Bean Salsa, I decided to go with the recipe included on Publix with the chicken. My original recipe calls for balsamic vinegar, and has to sit for a while.  This one does not. (Although it's best after sitting for at least 15 minutes) 

I also served this with rice, so the wonderful sauce would have a place to live. I changed up the spices a little as well. The chipotle peppers really work well with the cool coconut.  Enjoy!

Creamy Coconut Chicken with Black Bean Salsa
Heavily adapted from Publix

Make the Black Bean Salad first. It will blend in the refrigerator while you are making the chicken.

12-16 sprigs fresh cilantro
 2 (15.25-ounce) cans black beans (drained)
1 (11-ounce) can Mexican-style corn (drained)  (I just used plain, frozen, corn)
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced green onions
3/4 cup red wine vinaigrette
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper


1. Chop cilantro coarsely; place in medium bowl. Rinse black beans and drain thoroughly; add to bowl.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients until well blended; cover and chill 15 minutes or more. Serve. (Makes 6 servings.)


Now, you can start your chicken!

1 lb boneless chicken cutlets
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (The original recipe calls for adobo seasoning)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup pre-sliced green onions
1 lime
 3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Rice to serve


1. Preheat large sauté pan, or grill, on medium-high 2-3 minutes. Season both sides of chicken with chipotle pepper and pepper.
2. Place butter in pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken; cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until browned and internal temperature reaches 165°F.  Remove chicken from pan.
3. Place garlic, cumin, and green onions in same pan; cook 1 minute. Squeeze juice of one-half lime into pan; stir in coconut milk and salt. Cook 1-2 minutes or until sauce begins to boil.
4. Make rice
5.. Return chicken to pan; turning to coat. Serve sauce over chicken and rice.

Enjoy!

Green Verde Enchiladas

 

It's that time again! Time for a recipe from the Secret Recipe Club! This is such a fun club. I get secretly assigned to a brand new blog, and get to cook anything I want from it. 

This month was especially fun. I was assigned Prevention RD. Nicole is a registered and licensed dietitian. Her blog has a great mixture of food, all with a great balance for eating healthier. I was especially happy to see that she had done MY blog a few months ago! She made Crispy Baked Breakfast Taquitos! Check out her beautiful pictures. 

 

So, now it's my turn to make one of her recipes shine, and let me tell you, it was super easy! I picked these amazing enchiladas. They require you making your own Verde (Green salsa), but it was really pretty easy, and so, so worth it.  I would recommend doubling the salsa. I also made the mistake of using the whole 8oz of cream cheese, instead of 4.  That made these waaay too rich and creamy, and overpowered the salsa. That is not recommended! But, even with that mistake, we could tell that this recipe is a keeper. 

 

These are tomatillos, the basis of green Salsa Verde. My local grocer sells them, and they are becoming increasingly popular.  You peel them, chop them up, and add them into the salsa. They are great raw, and they are fabulous roasted.

 

Green Verde Enchiladas
Adapted from Prevention RD for the Secret Recipe Club

(I would recommend doubling the sauce ingredients!)


12 tomatillos, paper skin removed and cut in half
2 poblano peppers, quartered
1 head of garlic
1/2 large onion, cut into large chunks
1/4 cup cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (A rotisserie would be fabulous)
4 oz 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese, cut into cubes
6 oz part-skim Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
10 whole wheat tortillas



In a large skillet, combine tomatillos, poblano peppers, garlic cloves, and onion. Allow to dry roast over medium heat 3-5 minutes until tomatillos become very soft, garlic and onion begin to brown and peppers begin to blister.

Add peppers, tomatillos, garlic cloves, onions and cilantro to a food processor and process until smooth.

Add tomatillo sauce back to skillet. Season with salt and cumin. Season additionally to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to simmer over medium low heat for 3-5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of tomatillo sauce. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Add shredded chicken to remaining sauce in skillet over medium low heat. Add cubes of cream cheese to sauce. Stir to blend.

To assemble, spray 9 x 13 pan with non stick cooking spray. Spread 1/4 cup of reserved sauce in bottom of pan. Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of chicken mixture onto one side of the tortilla; roll to close. Lay seam side down in pan. Repeat process until all filling or tortillas are gone.

Top enchiladas with 1/4 cup remaining sauce. Top with shredded cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Yield: 5 servings (2 enchiladas each).
Nutrition Information (per serving): 501 calories; 15.4 g. fat; 67 mg. cholesterol; 653 mg. sodium; 58 g. carbohydrate; 6.2 g. fiber; 32.6 g. protein


Thank you Nicole for the fabulous recipe!

Enjoy!

Herb Crusted Tenderloin

I rarely cook tenderloin, just because of the high prices. However, when I saw this recipe at A Spoonful of Thyme, it looked too good to resist. I put it on my menu plan and went shopping. It just so happened that my store had tenderloins on sale too! So we had a guilt-free, divine dinner! 

 
Herb Tenderloins

Aspoonfulofthyme.blogspot.com


½ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 Tb fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 ½ Tb fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 ½ teas coarse salt

1 teas coarsely ground black pepper

4 beef tenderloins, cut ¾ inch thick (about 1 pound)

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil


In a shallow baking dish, thoroughly mix together the parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Using the palms of your hands, and your fingertips, gently flatten the beef tenderloins to about ½ inch thick.

Coat the beef tenderloins by gently pressing them into the herb mixture on one side, and then the other.


Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the first wisp of smoke appears, use tongs to set the coated beef tenderloins into the pan in a single layer. Cook until darkly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side, until deeply browned, another 2-3 minutes (or to desired doneness).


Transfer cooked tenderloins to a warmed platter and rest for 5 minutes before serving.


Enjoy!

White Chicken and Veggie Lasagna

Well, I've given up and joined Pinterest. And found yet another source of great recipes! Now I'm really never going to get through my "new recipe" file! 

I love lasagna. Mainly the traditional red beef lasagna, like my family favorite.  When I saw this White Chicken and Veggie Lasagna on Pinterest though, I knew I wanted to try it. 

I added a few veggies to the original recipe, and feel free to add more.  I cut down the amount of cream cheese, since it was just too rich and creamy for me. The original recipe called for 2 bricks of cream cheese and 1 cup of milk. If you like extra creamy, go for it!

Creamy White Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna

Adapted from Taste of Home.com


2 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 cups spinach, finely chopped
½ Red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cans chopped tomatoes, drained. Chop into smaller pieces

1 8oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup milk
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teas Pepper
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh basil, chopped, divided

12 lasagna noodles, cooked

Heat oven to 350°F.
Start cooking your lasagna noodles according to the package directions.

Combine chicken, artichokes, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, red bell pepper, and tomatoes. 

In another bowl, beat cream cheese, milk, pepper, and garlic with mixer until well blended (it will still be a little lumpy, especially if your cream cheese is cold). Stir in 2 Tb basil. Mix half the cream cheese mixture with the chicken.

Spread half the remaining cream cheese mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with 3 noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers of noodles and chicken mixture twice. Top with remaining noodles, cream cheese mixture and mozzarella; cover with foil.

Bake 25 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining basil. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

Enjoy!

Lasagna

This is yet another Mom recipe. I LOVE this lasagna. I crave it, and so does anyone else that tastes it.
We had some neighbors over for dinner a few months back, and the husband lived in Italy for 2 years. He said my lasagna rivaled the lasagna he had there.  But I'm not bragging... ;) 

Now, you will notice I use cottage cheese. Don't panic. You can use the more traditional ricotta if you desire. I don't like the texture of ricotta, so I use cottage cheese. Just trust me and use it the first time. You won't be disappointed! (It's also cheaper!)

Lasagna

1 lb hamburger or ground turkey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TB basil
2 6oz cans tomato paste
2 16oz cans diced tomatoes
10 oz lasagna noodles
2 eggs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 TB parsley
1/2 teas pepper
3 cups cottage cheese
1 lb mozzarella cheese, grated

Brown meat, drain off fat. Return to large sauce pan, and add garlic, basil, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Simmer uncovered for 30 min. Stir occasionally.

During the last 15 minutes of simmer time, cook the noodles until tender, drain, rinse.

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper. Mix well.

In a 13x9 baking pan, layer noodles, 1/2 of the meat, 1/2 of the cottage cheese, and 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with cheese.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

You won't need much else to compliment this meal. Some French bread with Garlic Seasoning, and a nice salad will fill out the meal.

Honey Chipotle Chicken

Happy Tuesday everyone! In case you missed it on Facebook, this recipe was featured on Perry's Plate yesterday. Thanks again Natalie!

Since we just had Thanksgiving, I thought some Mexican food might be in order, just to have something different! This recipe is quick and easy; very versatile; and the flavor is truly amazing!

Recently, I spotted a dish from a restaurant that sounded really, really good. Honey Chipotle Chicken! I haven't tried the ones at the restaurant yet, but I thought I'd give it a try at home. It was perfect. The lime and honey added smoothness and tartness; with the chipotle adding it's smokey kick. 

If you've never used Chipotle in Adobo Sauce before, no fret. It is found in the mexican aisle by the salsas. You only usually use one pepper, and maybe some sauce. It's really spicy! The rest of the chipotles and sauce can be chopped up, placed by Tablespoons into ice cube trays, and frozen for later use!

Now, on to the recipe!

Honey Chipotle Chicken 
The Double Dipped Life

 In a bowl, mix the following ingredients:

6 Tb honey
5 Tb lime juice (1 large lime)
1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce, finely chopped
1/2 - 1 teas Chipotle sauce
1/2 teas garlic pepper

Add 3 cooked chicken breasts, or the meat off of one rotisserie,  and toss.  Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour, up to overnight.

Isn't that easy? You can now use the chicken for so many yummy things!  Use in Quesadilla's, burritos, enchiladas, taco salads... any Mexican dish you want!

Enjoy!

Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Before I made my "tv debut" last week, I watched several of the videos available to see what to do. One of the videos I watched was a chef from Stein Lodge in Utah making Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder. I knew I had to make it.  Apples, carrots, cider... it just screams Fall.  Plus, it bakes for a few hours in your oven or crockpot, making it a great end of day meal!

The finished product got two thumbs up from me and my husband. The meat is moist, and so flavorful. My 8yr old said "I like pork now!" It's definitely a make-again recipe !

The video can be found on Connect2Utah if you need visuals. I served the pork with some Butternut Squash, which recipe will be up soon!


Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Steinlodge.com (KUTV)  
Serves 8-12  
Can also cook in the crock pot! Just brown the meat, saute the onions, and place everything in the crockpot.


Ingredients:
1 pork shoulder (or pork butt)
2 Tb olive oil
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
tsp cinnamon
tsp ground clove
tsp garlic salt
5 bay leaves
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 apples, green or granny smith, cut into wedges
4 cups apple cider
2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp cornstarch

Directions:
1. Clean pork shoulder of excess fat, rub the shoulder with the spices (pepper, salt, cinnamon, cloves, garlic salt)
2. Heat a thick bottom roasting pan over medium/high heat. Add the oil to the pan, then add the pork and brown on all sides for 3-5 minutes per side.
3. Add the bay leaves, onions, carrots, apples to pan and saute until onions are softened. Add the cider and the Worcestershire sauce.
4. Place a lid on the pan and place into a pre-heated oven. Cook at 310 degrees for 5 hours.
5. Remove the pork from the pan and pull from the bone, removing the fat.
6. Add cornstarch to the sauce remaining in the pan, place over medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer.
7. Strain the sauce, adjust seasoning and pour the sauce over the meat.

Enjoy! I know we did! 

Summer Vegetable Pesto Chicken Wrap

It's that wonderful time of year when gardens are producing, and farmer's markets are full of fresh veggies. This is a great lunch recipe using basil, squash, or even zucchini. You could even go all vegetarian by removing the chicken. Enjoy!


Summer Vegetable Chicken Wrap
The Double Dipped Life

Flour tortillas
Basil pesto
Chicken flavored with mexican seasonings, cooked
(Try making your own, or buying the pre-made frozen chicken)
Yellow squash, chopped into matchsticks, or zucchini is good as well
Tomato, chopped
Romaine leaves or spinach

Dip:
Ranch dressing
Basil pesto

Warm the tortillas in the microwave. Layer the tortilla with basil pesto, and then stack the rest of the ingredients on top.  Fold ends of tortilla over the filling, and roll. For the dip, mix 2 parts ranch dressing with 1 part basil pesto.
Enjoy!

Tuscan Chicken

Have you ever had a dish at home that was restaurant quality? That people might accuse you of buying instead of making? This is one of those dishes. It's a fancy dish that is actually pretty simple to make. 

Tuscan Garlic Chicken
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

*Serves 4-6

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 Tb salt
1 teas pepper
1/2 teas dried basil
1/2 teas dried oregano
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or chicken tenders)
5 Tb extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 Tb finely minced garlic (about 4-5 cloves)
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips or chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
6 oz fresh spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teas cornstarch
1 cup low fat milk
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound fettuccine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a shallow pie plate or similar dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Dip each chicken piece in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated.

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 Tb of the olive oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and browned but not cooked all the way through (they’ll finish up in the oven). Gently remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until al dente. Also, wipe out the skillet with a couple paper towels and return it to medium heat, adding the remaining 2 Tb olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sautéing for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in one Tb flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small liquid measure, whisk together the cornstarch and cream. Add the spinach, milk and cream mixture to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with half of the cheese sauce. Place some of the coated pasta on each plate. Top with a breaded chicken breast and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and pasta. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Tropical Pancakes

Growing up, my favorite dinners were breakfast. And not any ordinary breakfast, but pancakes or waffles or french toast covered in strawberries and whipped cream. So, basically dessert and breakfast in one, for dinner. Make sense? I know it makes sense to me... and to my tastebuds! 

This all came to me the other night while I was making pancakes. I had strawberries, I had whipping cream... it was dessert time! As I started whipping the cream, I had another epiphany. Why not use the Tropical Shortcake topping on the pancakes? Using lime and coconut could only elevate this breakfast/dinner/dessert, right? Right. 

So, click on over to my Tropical Shortcake recipe and enjoy! 

Here's a great from-scratch pancake recipe too!

Strawberry Walnut Chicken Salad on Pie crust

 

I really like chicken salads. Every kind from traditional chicken salad to teriyaki chicken salad, to Good Life Eats Santa Fe Chicken Salad that I featured last week, I love them all!

This salad is a wonderful Strawberry Walnut Chicken Salad. The salad itself is just divine with moist chicken, flavorful sauce, and the bite of fresh fruit. The fun part? Serve it on baked pie crusts for a cool appetizer or fun lunch! 

It's also fantastic in a lettuce wrap, or on bread. Use your imagination! 

Strawberry Walnut Chicken Salad on Pie crust

 The salad is adapted from bettycrocker.com

Pie Crust

1 box refrigerated pie crusts, softened. 

Remove crusts from pouches and spread out. Cut crusts into 2-inch squares; place on ungreased cookie sheet. (I actually just cooked the crust whole, and then cut it. It might be better to pre-cut so your pieces don't crack afterwards.)

Bake 5-7 minutes at 350 or until golden brown. Cool completely before topping. 

Strawberry Walnut Chicken Salad

Lemon-Ginger Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/4 cup Lemon burst yogurt (1 small container)

1/2 teas sugar

1/4-1/2 teas ground ginger

dash salt

Salad

3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

3/4 cups chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup sliced or quartered strawberries

1. In a small bowl, mix all of the dressing ingredients.  Let the mixture sit while you make the salad. 

2. In a large bowl, mix chicken, celery, and walnuts. Add dressing; toss. Fold in strawberries.  Serve on pie crusts, or as a salad or sandwich. 

Enjoy! 

Grandaddy's Tostado Sauce

I grew up in Arizona, poolside! My memories include long swimming days at my Grandparents with yummy food cooking away on the bbq or in the kitchen. The two recipes that I can attribute to my Grandaddy are his teriyaki sauce and this. Spicy, flavorful, run-down-your-arm goodness of Tostado Sauce. I don't know what it is about this sauce that makes it so addicting, but it's the only thing worthy of topping tostados! Just trust me on this.

Grandaddy's Tostados

Corn Tortillas: Spray each side with cooking spray, and lay on a cookie sheet. Cook in a 450 degree oven for 3-5 minutes. Flip, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until crisp. Watch carefully!

Tostado Sauce:

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 can diced green chilies

1 small onion, diced

1 Tb white wine vinegar

1 teas ground garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

Ok, so here's the trick. Put all these yummy ingredients in a bowl, and mix them up- not with a spoon, mind you, with your HANDS! That's right. Reach in there and squish things up. Somehow, it just works better. I promise. 

Make your favorite tostados. Toppings can include beans, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, lettuce, olives, guacamole, chicken, etc. 

Then, top with the magic sauce.

Enjoy. 

Caution: Will need lots of napkins!