Tres Leches Cupcakes

To end our Cinco de Mayo fiesta, I made Tres Leches Cupcakes. I have made a Coconut Tres Leches cake before, which is utterly amazing, but it is labor intensive and for a weeknight dessert, I wasn't in the mood to exert that much effort, but I so badly wanted a little bit of Tres Leches cake. So, when I found a recipe for these cupcakes, I knew I had to try them. I am so glad I did. These were great! They were light and yummy! I could have eaten all 24, but don't worry, I didn't. I might have had more than one though, oops! But, they look beautiful and they taste great! Make them today!

Recipe by Our Best Bites

8 oz. evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

24 white cupcakes (I just used a box mix, but you could make homemade if you are cool like that)

1 pint whipping cream, divided

3-4 Tbsp. Hershey’s Caramel Syrup

Sliced fresh fruit (like strawberries, mangoes, and kiwis, optional)

Juice of 1 lime (optional: I didn't do this, but I did put a slice of strawberry on top)

Bake cupcakes according to recipe directions in FOIL LINERS. This is extremely important because it helps contain the milk mixture.

After cupcakes have cooled, use a bamboo skewer(I used a chopstick) to poke several holes in each cupcake. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and 3/4 c. of whipping cream. Use a ladle to pour the milk mixture over each cupcake. There might be some runover. Such is life with tres leches cupcakes. Place the cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, beat the remaining 1 1/4 c. of whipping cream until medium peaks form. Gently fold in the caramel syrup and pipe or dollop the whipped cream on each of the cupcakes. If desired, toss the sliced fruit with the lime juice and top the cupcakes with the sliced fruit. Serve on a small plate with a dessert spoon.

Hint: I made these cupcakes four hours before we ate them and they were perfect. Chris ate them 6 hours after I made them and he said they were divine, so the longer they sit the better! I wouldn't do overnight, though, they might get too soggy.

Chipotle's "Skinny" Cilantro Lime Rice

First off, Happy Cinco De Mayo!

My family and I normally go out to a Mexican restaurant for Cinco de Mayo, but after last year, waiting for hours to get a table at one of only like 2 Mexican restaraunts in this state, and the fact that my hubs has night classes this semester, we decided to stay home and cook our own Mexican dishes. I also didn't want to blow my diet completely, so I went to a wonderful source, skinnytaste.com. She did not disappoint.

I decided we would re=create burrito bowls from one of our favorite fast food Mexican joints, Chipotle. For me, the rice is my favorite part at Chipotle, but I have never found a recipe that tastes close to it...until now that is. This recipe tastes EXACTLY like the real thing AND it is not too bad for you, either! Double win here! Really, it tastes like I bought it from Chipotle, it is that good.

We topped this rice with romaine lettuce, sweet barbacoa pork, black beans, reduced fat Mexican cheese, avocado, salsa, and homemade tortillas. It was just as good as getting Chipotle, and it was half the fat and calories. I loved every bite of it! Oh, how I love Mexican food! I cannot wait to make this rice again for another mexican fiesta night, since we have a ton of pork left over, bummer right?

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Size: 3/4 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 201.0 • Fat: 3.4 • Carbs: 37.4 • Fiber: 0 • Protein: 4.0 g

1 cup extra long grain rice or basmati rice
1/2 lime, juice of
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
3 tsp vegetable oil

In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.

In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.

Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde

These were filling and delicious! My mom and brother came to visit and since my mom is trying to be more health conscious, like me, I decided to try out more recipes from skinnytaste.com. I am glad I did! These were really good and satisfied my craving for enchiladas. They were easy to make and tasted great! I will be making these again for sure.

Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 enchilada • Old Points: 4 • Points: 5
Calories: 230 • Fat: 7.3 g • Protein: 20.4 g • Carb: 28.7 g • Fiber: 12.2 g

Chicken and White Bean Filling:
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup minced white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
15.5 oz can Navy beans (or Cannellini beans)
8 oz cooked shredded chicken breast
1/3 can water
1 chicken bullion
1 tsp cumin

Green Chile Enchilada Sauce:
1 tsp butter
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 tbsp flour
1 cup fat free chicken broth
7 oz can chopped green chile
2 jalapeños, chopped (I used jarred)
salt
1/2 cup light sour cream
3/4 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese
8 medium low carb tortillas
chopped fresh cilantro or scallions (or both!)

Preheat oven to 375°.

For the Filling:
In a medium pan, heat olive oil on low. Add onions, garlic and saute until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add green chiles, beans, water, bullion, and cumin. Mix well and cover. Simmer on low 15 minutes. Remove cover, add chicken and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until it thickens and liquid boils down. Set aside.

Green Chile Enchilada Sauce:
In a large nonstick pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add flour and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth. Whisk until the sauce becomes smooth. Cook over medium heat until the sauce boils and thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Add green chiles, jalepeños, and salt to tatse. Cook another minute then remove from the heat. Stir in the sour cream.

Spread about 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup of the chicken/white bean filling. Roll the tortillas and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling remainder of the tortillas.

Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with cheese. Cover with aluminum and bake 20-30 minutes, until the enchiladas are hot and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with fresh cilantro or scallions.

Chili Verde (Mexican Stewed Pork)

This is utterly, amazing! I only had a little bit, because I am dieting, but Chris could not get enough. Really, really good is all I have to say. Chris put this in a tortilla with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, romaine lettuce, diced roma tomatoes, avocadoes, and sour cream. He loved, LOVED it! I had it on top of a romaine salad with tomatoes and a little bit of reduced fat ranch dressing and it was delicious that way as well! It would be good inside enchiladas, really, anything it would be good on. It makes a ton, but freezes well, so I think it is worth making the whole batch. I did the crock pot method, so I cannot vouch for the oven method, BUT Mel over at Kitchen Cafe is like my food celebrity, I trust her, so I am sure either or is fine. I love how I act like I am personal friends with this lady, but seriously, all of her food is so good. Enjoy!
from My Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.com)

*Note: don't even think about skipping the step of reducing the sauce. It is absolutely essential to the flavor of the sauce! Just make sure to plan ahead - the roast takes 8-9 hours on low in the crockpot (or 3-4 hours in the oven) and an additional 30 minutes to reduce the sauce.

*Serves 8-10

2 tablespoons canola oil
5 pounds boneless pork roast, trimmed of as much fat as possible
Salt and pepper for seasoning roast
2 yellow onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed
1 (15 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 beef bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper

Cut the roast into 3-4 large chunks. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large heavy pot, ( I used my cast iron skillet and it worked well) the oil over medium heat until the oil is shimmering and hot. Add the pork, being careful not to crowd the pot (brown the pork in shifts, if needed). Brown the pork on all sides until golden and well-browned, about 30 seconds to a minute on each side. Leave the roast in the pot and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Place the pork and garlic and onions in the slow cooker (read below for oven-roasting method). Stir in the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. After the roast has cooked for the allotted time, remove the roast. Shred it into bite-size pieces and set aside, covered with foil to keep warm. Pour the remaining liquid and ingredients from the slow cooker into a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stove, and simmer vigoriously over medium-low or medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking or burning, until the mixture considerably reduced and thickened. Add the pork roast and sauce back to the slow cooker. Stir to coat the pork with the sauce. Turn the crockpot to low or high and allow the pork to heat through again. Serve with warm tortillas and desired toppings, such as sour cream, cheese, avocados, lettuce, tomatoes.

Oven-roasting Instructions: When beginning the recipe, make sure to use an oven-safe pot for the browning (such as a large enameled cast-iron pot). Follow the recipe up until the point of adding the pork to the slow cooker. Instead, keep the pork in the oven-safe pot. Add in all the other recipe ingredients plus 1/2 cup water. Stir to combine. Cover the pot and cook in the oven at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours. When finished cooking, remove the roast as directed in the above instructions. Follow the recipe to reduce the sauce.

Coconut Tres Leches Cake

This dessert is heavenly! Plan ahead, though, because it takes a while cooling. Seriously, there are no words for this delicious cake! It is seriously one of my favorite desserts now, and I am not even a cake person. It is just too darn good!
*Serves 12-16

Cake:
Make-ahead Yellow Cake Mix or other preferred cake mix or homemade yellow cake recipe (I used the make-ahead yellow cake mix and I definitely recommend it, way better than store bought mix)

Milk Syrup:
1 can (15 ounces) cream of coconut
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Garnishes:
2 medium-size ripe bananas
Sweetened cream (see instructions below)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake it at 350 degrees until golden brown, 7 minutes, or toast it in a skillet over medium-low heat on the stovetop)

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spray a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set the baking dish aside. Place the make-ahead cake mix, 1 1/4 cups warm water and 2 large room-temperature eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes (if using another cake mix or recipe, bake according to box or recipe instructions). Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until it is lightly golden and is slightly pulling away from the edges, 30-34 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely, 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the milk syrup: in a blender, combine the cream of coconut, evaporated milk, cream, and vanilla and process until smooth.

Pierce the cooled cake all over the top with the tines of a fork or a thin wooden skewer. We are talking all over! The more pokes, the more the syrup will soak into the cake. Using a large spoon or ladle, spoon some of the milk syrup over the cake. Let the syrup soak into the cake, then continue spooning the syrup on top until all of it has been used up. When you have finished, not all of the syrup will be completely absorbed and might be pooling on the top but that’s ok because it will absorb as it refrigerates. Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until all of the syrup is absorbed, 2 hours. Cut the bananas, if using crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Slice the cake and serve it with sliced bananas, sweetened cream and toasted coconut, if desired.

Sweetened Cream:
Pour 1 cup heavy whipping cream into a large (preferably chilled) glass bowl and beat it on high speed until thickened 1 ½ minutes. Stop the machine and add ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Makes 2 cups.
Source: Kitchen Cafe

Black and White Bean Dip

I was going to bring this to our ward RS's progressive dinner tonight, but the dinner was cancelled due to poor weather conditions. So, I still made it tonight, and we had it for dinner. I loved this so much! I could not stop eating it, really addicting this stuff is. Chris liked it, but could not get over the fact there was no refried beans in this bean dip. He has apparently never had bean dip without the stuff. But once he got over it, he loved it too!
I will say, we had a hard time finding the shoepeg corn. I have now learned that Green Giant is pretty much the only brand it comes in and in MI where we live, I was only able to find this type of corn at Kroger, also known as Fry's for my western friends :)And, I think you could sub a sweet white corn for the shoepeg if you cannot find it. Anyways, this is great for an appetizer, which is originally what I intended it to be, but it also works for lunch or dinner as I have now learned tonight. So enjoy, and I got this recipe from Sisters Cafe and Kitchen Cafe. I love when I find the same recipe on two different blogs, because I know it must be good if two people find it yummy.

1 can of black beans-drained
1 can of white beans-drained (I used navy beans, but Great Northern Beans work too)
1 can of shoepeg corn-drained (Green Giant is the only brand I found it in)
1 7oz can of Herdez salsa verde
2 cups of shredded Colby Jack cheese
4-6 chopped roma tomatoes (I used 4 and squeezed out some of the juice before cutting)
garlic salt to taste (I used 1/2 tsp)
Avocado-optional (if you ask me, it is NOT optional, so good with it)


Preheat oven to 400. Put everything (except for the avocado) in a bowl and gently mix together. Spray a shallow baking dish with nonstick spray before spooning in the bean mixture. Sprinkle a little cheese on top and pop into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and it is all warm and bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with diced avocado and serve with tortilla chips---YUM!!

Crock Pot Beef Tacos in Homemade Tortillas

Chris and I love Mexican food! But, sometimes I get bored with the same old, same old thing. Well, I saw this recipe over at Picky Palate and thought I would give it a try. I love that it simmers in the crock pot so that all the flavors have a chance to mingle and get good! We really enjoyed this! The meat has such a nice flavor to it. I halved the recipe for our little family and I still have some leftovers. I also made my mom's homemade tortillas to wrap up all the beef goodness and it was a perfect dinner for us! I garnished these tacos with shredded iceberg lettuce, sharp cheddar cheese (cabot brand is best), salsa, avocadoes, and sour cream. It was delish!

source:Picky Palate Blog

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 anaheim chili peppers, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 lbs lean ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s garlic salt with Parsley (I just used regular garlic salt)
1 Cup Herdez Mild Salsa, or your favorite brand
1. Place oil into a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, peppers and garlic for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add in beef, salt, pepper and Lawry’s. Cook until browned. Stir in Salsa then transfer to crockpot on low heat. Let cook on low for 2-3 hours* or until ready to serve. Right before serving, stir in fresh chopped cilantro if desired*.

*: I did not add the cilantro and it still was great! I also cooked my beef for 3 hours, I believe two hours would not have been long enough.

8 servings

Momma Farrelly's Homemade Flour Tortillas
5 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening
2 cups water

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut shortening into flour either with a pastry blender, two knives, or I use a potato masher, tip from my mom that works for this really well, until crumbly.
Add 2 cups water, knead dough on floured surface. My mom does this by hand, but I knead mine in my kitchen aide for about 3-5 minutes, it works great! Divide dough in half. (I only used one half for my family and it made about 8 tortillas, rolled pretty thin. I took the other half of dough, made 8 more dough balls, rolled each ball in wax paper and placed them in a freezer ziplock bag. My mom has never froze the dough, but I did tonight, so I will let you know if it works well being frozen).
Roll each dough ball out as thin as you would like and then lightly brown in a dry skillet over med-high heat, just a couple minutes per side. Be very careful, they can burn easily if not watching. then, all done. Place favorite toppings inside and enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

This is Y-U-M-M-Y! When I was cooking it, Chris kept walking in saying, "It smells yummy, but it doesn't look yummy!" I kept saying, "Alright, alright, it will be great!" Well, Chris and I both agree that it not only smells yummy, it tastes yummy as well. And, once the sauce is mixed with the penne it looks yummy too! This is really good. Lexi ate it and her little friend, David, loved it as well, they are 2 and 3 years old people, so that is great that they would eat it. It is a unique twist on pasta. We love mexican food, especially chicken enchiladas, and we love pasta so for us the combination was a match made in heaven. Give it a try if you are sick of the same old pasta dishes. It is worth it. Oh, I need to add, that it is really easy to make as well. It was not a lot of prep and did not call for fancy smancy ingredients, so it is a great weeknight meal.

Serves 6 to 8
*Plan Ahead: the recipe calls for cooked chicken so use leftovers or plan enough time to cook the chicken beforehand.

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded ( I used two and next time I will use 3, we felt it needed a little more chicken, I also cubed mine)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) can green chili enchilada sauce (I used mild)
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 can large black olives, cut in half
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!). Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions or crushed tortilla chips ( we garnished with sour cream and cheese and it was just fine).

Note: I used a 14.5 oz box of penne, so we had leftover sauce. I am freezing the sauce so that I can use it later. So, it freezes well, just so you know.
souce:Kitchen Cafe

Shredded Sweet Pork Salad: Cafe Rio Style

Okay, I have a confession to make. I have never eaten at a Cafe Rio restaurant. Even living in AZ and visiting Utah, I have never been inside one. I know, shame. However, I have had their sweet pork salad, it was at a RS meeting I went to once. And, I have had it in people's homes that have made the knock off recipes. So, even though I haven't been to the actual location, I know what it is suppose to taste like. Well, this knock off recipe is the BEST in my opinion. This pork is delicious and so easy since it is cooked in a crockpot all day. We had friends from the ward over for dinner to try it with us and they loved it too! Making all the elements was a little time consuming, but it was good. I have always wanted to try making it myself and now I can say I have. So, even if you have had versions of this before, try this one and I am sure it will be your new favorite too! I think I might even make just the meat and rice and just have that for dinner on its own. Those two things were my favorite part. Enjoy!

Assembling your salad:
Toast a large tortilla sprinkled with cheese (I used extra sharp cheddar) under the broiler until slightly crisp. Then layer chopped romaine, rice and beans, shredded pork, pico de gallo, guacamole (I made homemade), and crispy tortilla strips (I didn't worry about this and it still was great). Drizzle on dressing, sprinkle with cotija cheese (again, I used extra sharp cheddar) and garnish with a lime wedge...and voila! Dinner is served! Yummy!

Shredded Sweet Pork
3 lb pork roast (I used pork tenderloin)
1 c brown sugar
1 c Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tb dried minced onions

Cook all ingredients in a crock pot on low all day (abt 8 hours). One hour before serving, remove roast and shred it. Dump out all cooking juices and place shredded pork back into crockpot and add...

1 c brown sugar
1 c red enchilada sauce

Cilantro Lime Rice
3 c water*
3 c Minute rice*
4 cubes chicken bouillon
4 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tb canola oil
2 Tb fresh lime juice
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/2 onion
1 can green chilies

Blend cilantro, onion, and chilies in food processor. Bring water to boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked. *I hate Minute Rice and never buy it - you can substitute regular rice, just adjust the water to rice ratio accordingly.For mine, I used 2 cups water to 1 cup rice.

Garlic Black Beans
1 can black beans
1/3 c tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)
1 tsp cumin
2 Tb canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tb chopped cilantro

Heat oil then add cumin and garlic until garlic begins to pop. Add rest of ingredients and serve warm.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
3 tomatillos, peeled and quartered
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sour cream
1 pkg dry buttermilk ranch dressing
1 c fresh chopped cilantro
6 green onions with ends, chopped (I might add less next time, like 4, 6 was a little much, I think)
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)
3 tsp sugar
1 jalapeno, sliced thin - add to taste (I used less than half of a big jalapeno) It gets spicy fast and the longer it sits, the spicier it gets, so don't be liberal with this :)

Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

I made homemade guacomole that was amazing! For the recipe, go to my post on Crispy Southwest Wraps (vegetarian) under the Mexican tab. Delicious!

Source: The Sisters Cafe Blog, of course!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have had a lot of chicken tortilla soup made by a lot of different people. And, because it is one of my favorite soups, I have liked them all. However, I have just made this recipe tonight for dinner, which I got off of the Sisters Cafe blog, and let me tell you, it is now my favorite! It was so easy to make as well and it was utterly delicious! Chris LOVED it and he is a tough critic when it comes to soup. And, bonus, it is quite healthy! Nevermind the huge dollop of sour cream I added, but besides that, it is really good for you. Okay, so now that it is fall, go ahead and make this.

Ingredients:
1 Tb olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 can diced green chilies
1 lb chicken-cooked and shredded
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (opt. but I added it)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
1 can small white beans ( I used Great Northern Beans)
1 can chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 lime squeezed over soup (I added juice from a whole lime and it was great)
salt and pepper to taste


In a large pot, heat oil and sauté onion and chilies. Saute until tender. Add the chicken (*I have been using the frozen chicken tenders from Costco--I just put them on a plate in the microwave frozen at 50 % power for 15 minutes--they are super tender and moist and shred up beautifully!)and spices. Add tomatoes, beans and fresh cilantro. Add the broth.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or longer (I simmered mine for 20 minutes) to bring out flavors. Ladle into bowls & garnish.

Garnish:
10 yellow corn tortillas-sliced and baked*
1 large avocado
Sour cream

*Cut tortillas into thin strips using a pizza cutter. Spray with cooking oil ( like Pam), sprinkle with kosher salt and bake in 350 oven until lightly brown and crisp.

Add garnish of a handful of tortilla strips, avocado chunks and a dollop of sour cream to each bowl. SOOOO GOOD!!

Crispy Southwest Wraps (Vegetarian) with Homemade Guacomole

Source: Sisters Cafe Blog

In an attempt to eat healthier, I made these for dinner tonight. They are so good and good for you. I knew I would like it, and knew Lexi would only have a cheese crisp, but Chris was the wild card. Well, the verdict is in, and even he liked it and if filled him up. I was worried about the latter because there is no meat in it. But, it was a hit for us! The guacomole really made this meal fantastic! It was my first time making homemade guac and let me tell you, this is now my recipe. so easy, and so so good and fresh tasting. I want to try it again using the cilantro, though, and see if it makes a huge difference. Anyways, try it you will like it!

1 cup cooked brown rice, warm or at room temperature ( I used Minute brown rice and it was such a timesaver)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced ( I used red, and am glad I did)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (I left this out, forgot to buy it, and I think it is worth buying, it would add just more flavor, so next time I will add it)
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1-2 cups shredded cheese (I used colby monterey jack and did not measure, just guessed)
6 medium tortillas ( I used whole wheat, and it was good)

Directions:
Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas with cooking spray or brush lightly with olive oil. Heat a large non-stick skillet (or panini maker) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve with salsa or my favorite, homemade Guacamole--yum!

My Favorite Guacamole
2 avocados, mashed
1 jalapeno minced (I took the seeds out)
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped (I left this out, and I thought it was just as good without it)
1 small tomato diced (I used a roma)
kosher salt to taste
squeeze of a lemon

Mix together and enjoy!

Mexican Lasagna

We love this recipe. I got if from a cookbook my mom gave me, entitled, 101 ways to use ground beef. Made this for a relief society meeting and it was a huge hit! Great for entertaining with. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef
1 can (16 oz) refried beans
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 Tbsp. hot salsa
4 cups (16 oz) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack Cheese, divided
12 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles ( I buy the oven ready lasagna noodles)
1 jar (16 oz) mild salsa
2 cups water
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
3 green onions, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped, optional

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, chilies, taco seasoning, and hot salsa.

In a greased 13 by 9 inch baking dish, layer a third of the noodles and meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Repeat layers twice.

Combine mild salsa and water, pour over top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until heated through.

Top with sour cream, olives, onions, tomatoes, if desired, and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer.

Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Note:
Can easily be cut in half to fit in an 8 by 8 inch pan for smaller families