Barbecue Sloppy Boy Sandwich

I wish you could have heard the Oooooooos and Ahhhhhhhhs and Mmmmmmms coming from the dinner table when I served these sandwiches tonight!  My version of a Sloppy Joe came from my oldest son, Andrew, requesting them for dinner last week.  What did I do?  I went to Walmart, bought a $1 can of Manwich, added some ground beef, and there it was...blah (no offense to the Manwich people).  So I started thinking about all the flavors that we like around this house, and my Barbecue Sloppy Boy Sandwich was invented!  As any mom knows, to make a meal that ALL the members of the family are raving about is very difficult, but this is that meal!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Ground Beef

1 Red Bell Pepper (diced)

1 Small Vidalia Onion (diced)

1 Garlic Clove (minced)

1 Tbsp Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley (Fresh)

2 Tbsp Chopped Cilantro (Fresh and Divided))

1 Tbsp Garlic Powder

1 TbspExtra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Sauce:

1 Cup Ketchup

1 Cup Barbecue Sauce (I recommend Sticky Fingers Memphis Original)

1/2 Brown Sugar

Step 1:  Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and warm over low heat in a small sauce pan.  Stir/whisk while cooking so it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Step 2:  Brown ground beef.  Season beef while it is cooking with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Drain grease and set aside. (I always wipe out the pan too to make sure there isn't a lot of grease left in the pan)

Step 3:  In the same pan that you cooked the ground beef, add about a tablespoon of oil and cook diced peppers, onions, and garlic over medium heat until onions are translucent.  Add parsley and 1 tablespoon cilantro and cook about 1 minute more.  

Step 4:  Return the ground beef to the pan with the peppers, onions, and garlic.  Add sauce and stir to incorporate.  Warm over low to medium-low heat.  Top with the reserved tablespoon of cilantro.

We like to eat our sandwiches on Potato Rolls!  And paper plates are a must!  Not only will you hear "Thank you for dinner, Mom!" but I can bet the next thing you will hear is "When can we have these again?"

Pin It Now!

Cheesy Smokey Corn Chowder

The picture does not do this corn chowder justice!  I just came up with this and it is SO good!! As you can probably tell, I love Mexican flavors!  And as far as I know, I have absolutely NO Mexican ancestors which is just a sad fact because I drink my tequila straight, love anything with jalapenos, and tacos are almost a weekly event at my house.  My husband said this corn chowder was the best he has ever had.  His advice, "You better write this one down!" so that is exactly what I am doing.

Ingredients:
4 ears of corn (about 4 cups if using frozen)
4 strips of bacon (cut into small strips...lardons)
1/2 of a sweet onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon (crushed) chipotle peppers
1 can of diced green chilies
2 cups heavy cream
1-15oz can chicken stock (low sodium)
1 Tbsp Mexican Oregano...the secret ingredient
1 cup smoked Gouda cheese
2-3 cups sharp Cheddar cheese
A few Tbsp on butter
Salt and Pepper

Step 1:  In a large pot, brown bacon.  Remove, place on a paper towel, and set aside.  I am a crispy bacon girl, and this is why I chose to set it aside instead of leave it in the chowder.

Step 2:  While the bacon is frying, chop onion and garlic into small pieces.  Cut corn kernels off the cob!  I have the BEST tip for this...put your corn in a shallow bowl while you do this so that your kernels don't fly all over the kitchen.  They land right in the bowl! (Thank You Claire Robinson!)

Step 3:  Add about 2 Tbsp of butter to the pan, add chopped onions and garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes.  Be sure to scrape all the bacon bits off the bottom of the pot...this is flavor!!

Step 4:  Add 2 more Tbsp of butter, corn, chipotle peppers, and green chilies to the pot.  Season with salt, pepper, and Mexican Oregano....I have to say, Mexican Oregano makes this whole chowder come together!  Cook about 4-5 minutes.

(Tip:  To get crushed chipotle peppers, put this whole can of chipotle peppers into your blender or food processor, fill 1/2 of the chipotle pepper can with water and add that to the blender also, then blend it together (about 30 seconds).  


Step 5:  Add chicken broth and heavy cream to the pot.  Slowly bring up the heat.  Add cheese, stirring constantly until it is melted.  Season with more salt and pepper to taste.  


Serve by adding the bacon to each individual bowl.  You will be sure to hear, "Thank you, Mom for dinner!  It was wonderful!"



Pin It Now!

Cucumber Salad with a Cilantro Vinaigrette

At every family get together growing up, my mom or grandmother would serve cucumbers and onions in vinegar.  I thought every family did this until I met my husband who grew up in New Jersey.  I will never forget the first Thanksgiving I brought him to and as we left he said, "What's the deal with the cucumbers in vinegar?"  I guess it is a Southern thing.  I liked it and it lead me to this recipe (which is soooooo much better than just cucumbers in vinegar).

Ingredients:
3 cucumbers sliced
7-8 cherry tomatoes halved (optional)
1/2 onion thinly sliced (optional)

Cilantro Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1 Tbsp Honey (maybe a little more)
1/2 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Canola Oil
1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste
*For this vinaigrette, you really need to season to taste.  You may want to start with 1/4 teaspoon of the above seasoning and add a little more as you go.

Step 1:  Slice cucumbers about 1/4 inch thick.  Place in a bowl.  If using tomatoes and onions, add those to the bowl.

Step 2:  Whisk together all ingredients for the vinaigrette and pour over cucumbers.  Mix with your hands (a kitchen's best tool) and ENJOY!

A side note:  I bought my Mexican Oregano at a specially store, but I use it all the time!  I am not a huge fan of Italian Oregano but LOVE Mexican Oregano!  I use it in my chili and tacos.

Pin It Now!

Sinfully Easy Cherry Cobbler

One of my favorite things to do is to take a boxed cake mix and dress it up or use it in another way.  This Sinfully Easy Cherry Cobbler is one of those recipes.

Ingredients:
3 cups of cherries (I used almost all of a large bag)
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar
Yest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp Grand Marnier (but lemon juice is a nice substitute)
1 Butter Golden Cake Mix (recommend Dunkan Heinz)
1 stick butter (maybe a little more)
5 ramekins (a baking dish would work too...it is just special to give each family member their own dessert every once in a while)

Step 1:  Pit the cherries.  I did it by hand because, let's just be honest about it, I am too cheap to buy a cherry pitter.

Stept 2:  Mix cornstarch, brown sugar, lemon yest, and Grand Marnier with the cherries and let sit a few minutes while your oven heats up to 350°.  Then butter your ramekins.

Step 3:  Put about 3/4 cup of the cherry mixture into each buttered ramekin.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cake mix on top of each.  There will probably be a little extra cake mix left in the bag so just evenly divide it up and spread that on top of each ramekin too. (See picture below)

Step 4: Thinly slice butter and lay slices over the cake mix, trying to cover it completely.  You will use the whole stick of butter and maybe a little more.  It is a lot of butter...just accept that it is not a healthy dessert and move on!  Or you choose to focus on the cherry part of the dessert and pretend it is healthy like me.

Step 5:  Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes.  After about 30 minutes check to make sure that there are no cake mix lumps that are not covered in butter.  You may need to add a little bit more butter to some ramekins.

This is such a simple dessert!!!  I think next time I make it, I will add some chopped almonds to the cake batter for more crunch.  I have also made this dessert with blueberries and blackberries.  Just adjust the sugar level if you decide to use different berries...some are sweeter than others.  I have tried to add cinnamon to this dessert, but I didn't prefer the taste.  You have to try this sinful dessert! Pin It Now!

Mexican Lasagna with Roasted Jalapeno-Corn Cheese Sauce

As a working mom, I try to find ways to use my crock-pot as much as possible, and I have come up with several partial crock-pot recipes...meaning: part of the recipe is cooked in the crock-pot while the rest involves some extra cooking or preparation.  This Mexican Lasagna is one of those recipes.

Mexican Crock-Pot Chicken Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup store bought salsa (I use Pace Medium)
1 Tbsp Chipotle Peppers in Adobe (crushed...I will explain)
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
2 Chicken Breast
1 small onion (sliced)

*Combine all and cook on High 4 to 6 hours.  When chicken is cooked through, use a potato masher and shred.

Ok!  So let me talk to you for a second about Chipotle Peppers in Adobe...this little can has to be my favorite of all things canned!  I use it in so many recipes!  Now, I think it is a pain to pull out one pepper at a time and chop it up because it is difficult to measure how much heat you are getting from that one pepper AND most of the adobe sauce (which is the best part!) gets on my cutting board instead of in my dish, so here is my solution.  Put this whole can into your blender or food processor, fill 1/2 of the Chipotle Pepper can with water and add that to the blender also, then blend it together (about 30 seconds).  You now have a crushed chipotle pepper paste/sauce (it will be a little bit thicker than a sauce and a little bit thinner than a paste),  I store it in my refrigerator and use it in dips, tacos, and chili.  YUM!

Mexican Lasagna with Roasted Jalapeno-Corn Cheese Sauce:

Mexican Crock-Pot Chicken (see above)
8-10 Flour Tortillas
2 Jalapenos (if you would rather something milder, Poblanos peppers are fine)
1 cup fresh or frozen  corn (If fresh, roast 1 corn cob in its husk for 30 minutes and then cut the kernels off.  If frozen, dethaw)
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
2 cups cheese (I use a combination of the following: sharp cheddar, smoked Gouda, and/or a smoked cheddar)
1 1/2 cup Simply Salsa (see recipe) drained. (I am sure a store bought salsa would work just fine too but be sure to watch the liquid...you don't want a soggy lasagna!)
1/2 can of black beans
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 Tbsp butter
2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese

I use to have a square baking dish that was the BEST for this recipe, but it broke so I am using a 9 X 13 dish.

Step 1:  Cut jalapenos in 1/2 and lay them seed side down a baking sheet.  Put under a broiler for about 5 minutes or until the outside skin is charred.  Remove and place in a plastic or brown paper bag and let cool about 5-15 minutes.  Remove outer skin, seeds, and stem.  Finely chop.

Step 2:  In a small sauce pan combine chopped jalapeno, chopped garlic, and corn with butter and cook about 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat.  Add the heavy cream and allow the cream to get warm (about 3 minutes).  Add 1/2 cup cheese at a time and whisk until the cheese the melted.  Continue adding cheese until your mixture is thick.  Keep whisking...you don't want burnt cheese on the bottom of your pan!  Set aside.

Step 3: Cut 8 flour tortillas in half.  Spray your baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Lay the tortillas down so that they cover the bottom of the baking dish.  (If you are using a square baking dish, 4 halves should cover it).

Step 4:  Using a slotted spoon, spread 1/2 of the Mexican Crock-Pot Chicken evenly over the tortillas.  Be sure that you get out as much liquid as you can.  Next evenly spread 3/4 cup of the drained Simply Salsa and 1/2 of the black beans over the chicken.  Then pour 1/2 of the Roasted Jalapeno-Corn Cheese Sauce over that.

Step 5:  Add another layer of the flour tortillas, chicken, salsa, black beans, and cheese sauce.  Cover with Mexican Blend Cheese and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes.

As you can see from my picture, one small corner is not covered in the Mexican Blend Cheese.  This is because my son does not like melted cheese on top of ANYTHING.  For some reason he now likes cheese sauces, which is strange...don't worry, I am working on him!

Step 6:  Slice and serve with sour cream and/or guacamole.  Enjoy!







Pin It Now!

Simply Salsa

So...I have been thinking and thinking about what recipe I should post first on this blog and decided to start at the beginning.  Simply Salsa is the first recipe I created.  I was pregnant with my first son and was craving celery with salsa (I know...totally weird).  I tried several different store bought salsas but they just didn't do the trick, so I read the back of all the salsa labels I had to see what ingredients were the same in each.  Tomatoes. Peppers. Jalapenos. Onion.  Cilantro.  I thought to myself, "I can do this!" And I came up with this recipe and have been making it ever since!

1 (28 oz) can Petite Diced Tomatoes

1-2 Jalapeño Peppers (stems and seeds removed)  I like it hot so I use 2…and sometimes I leave some seeds in too!!

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 clove garlic  (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

½-1 red onion

Splash of red wine vinegar

Hand full of fresh cilantro leaves (chopped) about 3-4 Tablespoons

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pour can of Petite Diced Tomatoes (undrained) into a bowl.  Chop all vegetables into small cubes and add until you get the desired ratio of vegetables to tomatoes.  Chop cilantro (I can’t stress enough to use fresh cilantro leaves).  Add a splash of red wine vinegar.  Combine.  Add salt and pepper (more salt than pepper) to taste.  Allow the flavors to marry together a few hours before serving.

A few notes:

1)   Chop the vegetables by hand.  I have tried using a blender and a food processor and I do not like the taste or texture.  I don't know if it is possible to change the flavor by doing this, but to me, it does.

2)  Last year, I made a huge batch of this salsa and gave it to my kids' teachers for an end of the school year present.  I also gave them a small cilantro plant with the recipe card placed inside the plant.  This gift was a hit!  Whenever my son's 3rd grade teacher sees me, she tells me how much she loved that gift and that she makes the salsa all the time.

Additional Ideas for using Simply Salsa:

1) Guacamole:  Add a few tablespoons to 3 avocados and mash together with a fork.  Add salt to taste.

2)  Black Bean and Corn Salsa:  Make Simply Salsa but partially drain the tomatoes and add…

1 (15oz) can of corn (drained)

1 (15oz) can of black beans (drained and rinsed)

Season with a Mexican Spice Blend...I season mine with Tastefully Simple’s Fiesta Dip

*This is GREAT to make quesadillas with!  Just add cheese!

Pin It Now!