HOMEMADE REFRIED BEANS

If you live here in Utah, you're most likely familiar with Cafe Rio. It's a fresh Mexican restaurant that has very yummy food. Well the first time I ever ate at a Cafe Rio, I made the mistake of asking them if they had refried beans. I love refried beans! The response I got from the cute guy behind the counter was, "Miss, (I was a miss back then) If you had any idea what happens to the poor pinto bean in order to make it refried...you'd never eat refried beans again."

Honestly I'd never given the process of making refried beans much thought. But as I looked into it, most refried beans sold in stores and served in a large majority of your favorite Mexican restaurants, are loaded with fat or lard. I think that's what my Cafe Rio friend was talking about.

Well, needless to say I eventually came up with my own homemade refried beans. These do not contain lard and are full of flavor. They're also rather easy to make. I use this recipe to make all kinds of meals, dips, and side dishes. Some favorites include, tostadas, bean and cheese burritos, or 7 layer dip. But as I mentioned before, I love refried beans, so a big bowl topped with cheese works for me too.


HOMEMADE REFRIED BEANS
(Mindi Original)

2 cans Pinto Beans; drained and rinsed
2 T. butter
1-2 cloves garlic; minced
1 small can green chili's
1 T. fresh ground pepper
3/4 C. chicken stock

1. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a 2 minutes until the garlic is soft.
2. Add the beans, green chili's, pepper and chicken stock. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil.
3. Turn the heat back down to medium and allow to simmer/boil for 10 minutes, or until the stock has reduced by half.
4. Take off the heat and blend, using an immersion blender, food processor, or stand blender. You can blend as much as you like, either making the beans very smooth, or leaving chucks of bean etc.

AUTHENTIC SPANISH RICE

I have always wanted to know how to make authentic Spanish Rice! And I found a great recipe and tutorial over at Or So She Say's! Check it out by clicking HERE!

SPICY LIME CHICKEN QUESADILLA'S

Years ago when I was living in downtown Salt Lake, there was this hole in the wall "fresh Mex" little dive that my roommate and I absolutely loved. This was years before Cafe Rio, Bajio, Costa Vida etc... It was the first "fresh Mex" place I personally had ever come across. I thought it was kind of genius...Mexican food that was made fresh in front of you, not greasy, any way you liked it. They had homemade tortilla's, fresh grilled chicken, steak or pork, amazing salads, taco's, burritos, and my personal favorite...the quesadilla's. They were so simple; not a lot of ingredients. The chicken was tangy and juicy; full of flavor. They really didn't need much more.

We were a little obsessed, my roommate and I...and that's why we cried when they went out of business. Who would supply us with fresh made tortillas and juicy yummy chicken?? Cafe Rio was still a few years away... Our poor little dive was ahead of it's time. I really wish I could remember the name.

Anyway, that's why I had to come up with this recipe. It's about as close as I could get. Just be sure not to over cook the chicken. It needs to be juicy, not dry. I hope you love!!

SPICY LIME CHICKEN QUESADILLA'S

(Mindi Original)

For the Chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

zest of 1 lime

juice of 1 lime (about 1/4 C.)

1/2 C. hot sauce

1/2 C. canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1. Place the chicken in a large zip lock bag. Add all the ingredients for the marinate.

2. Seal the bag and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 6.

3. Grill the chicken. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes, then slice thin on a 90 degree angle.

4. Set the chicken aside.

For the Quesadilla's:

grilled tortilla shells

sliced chicken

mozzarella cheese

hot sauce (optional)

1. Assemble the quesadilla's by layering a tortilla shell, cheese, chicken, a splash of hot sauce (optional), then topped with another tortilla shell.

2. Place the quesadilla's in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.

3. Serve with guacamole, salsa & sour cream.

CHORIZO BLACK BEAN SKILLET

I have always wanted to try chorizo, so a few weeks ago I decided to do just that. I put together this little one skillet meal. It was so easy and came together really quickly. Both my husband and I really liked it. The chorizo was a little more fatty than I had expected, but I just drained off the fat, like I would bacon. We loved the smoky flavor of the dish and the creaminess of the Queso Fresco. It was definitely a success!

CHORIZO BLACK BEAN SKILLET
(Mindi Original)

14 oz. chorizo; skin removed, diced
3 C. cooked rice
1 Can black beans; drained and rinsed
1 Can Cilantro Lime diced tomatoes (or Mexican style diced tomatoes)
salt & pepper (optional)
½ C. rough chopped cilantro
1-2 C. Queso Fresco cheese; crumbled

1. In a large skilled sauté the chorizo until all the fat has been rendered. Once the chorizo has been cooked, drain off all the fat.
2. Return the chorizo to the skillet. Add the rice, beans and tomatoes, stirring to combine. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
3. When everything is nice and hot, stir in the cheese and cilantro. Continue to cook until the cheese melts, about 3-4 minutes. It won’t melt like regular cheese. Queso Fresco melts more like a fresh mozzarella. It will just get nice and soft.
4. Serve immediately. If you like, top with some additional fresh cilantro and crumbled cheese.
5. Serves 6.

It's like pizza and a salad...all in one...

You may remember the Pareo Chicken Wraps that I posted a couple weeks ago. I mentioned that the Chipotle Ranch Dressing for the wraps, made quite a bit. More than you really needed for the wraps, but that the recipe would be difficult to cut down.

Long story short, since we had some extra Chipotle Ranch Dressing hanging around, I decided to come up with a Chipotle Ranch Chicken Pizza!

All I'm going to say is that I made two 12" pizza's and we couldn't stop eating. They were so incredibly yummy!! You have to try this!

CHIPOTLE RANCH CHICKEN PIZZA

(Mindi Original)

1 Pizza dough recipe (Click HERE for my favorite recipe, or use one of your own. I'm going to come clean here and confess that this particular night I used frozen RHODES dough. It works pretty well when you're in a hurry and need a quick dough.)

1 C. chipotle ranch dressing (Click HERE for the recipe)

1 large chicken breast grilled (or boiled) then shredded

6 strips bacon; cooked and grumbled

1 recipe Pico de Gallo; divided (see below)

3-4 C. Mexican cheese blend (you could also just use Monterey Jack, or Mozzarella)

3 C. Romain lettuce; chopped

2 avocados; diced

2 t. lime juice

salt & pepper

1. Roll out the pizza dough into two 12" pizza's or one large pizza. (If making two pizza's, divide all the ingredients between the two.)

2. Spread the chipotle ranch dressing onto the dough, as the sauce.

3. Top with the shredded chicken and bacon.

4. Divide the Pico de Gallo in half. Spread one half on the pizza and save the other half for after the pizza is cooked.

5. Top with cheese.

6. Cook the pizza in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is nice and brown. (Be sure and use the cooking instructions for the dough recipe that you use. If you use the Rhodes dough, like I did, cook two pizza's at 400 for about 2o minute. If you make one large pizza, cook at about 375 for 25-30 minutes.)

7. While the pizza is cooking. Toss the Avocado's with 2 t. lime juice and season with salt & pepper.

8. When the pizza is cooked, remove it from the oven. Top the pizza with lettuce, avocado's and the remainder of the Pico de Gallo.

9. Serves 4.

PICO DE GALLO

(Mindi Origingal)

3 Roma tomatoes; diced

4 green onions; diced

2 T. cilantro; chopped

zest of 1 lime

juice of 1 lime

1 t. vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

1. Combine all the above ingredients, stir and allow to chill.

In memory of the Tahitian Noni Cafe...

A few months ago my good friend Lisa gave me a cooking challenge. She had a recipe for some yummy wraps that used to be served at the Tahitian Noni Cafe. When the cafe closed she and her friends asked the manager if they could get the recipe for the wraps. The manager kindly handed them the recipe, but it was written in bulk format and half the recipe was in ounces instead of traditional measurements. So Lisa asked me if I could cut the recipe down to a family serving size, as well as convert the measurements.

Well...challenge accepted, and challenge completed. It actually wasn't too hard, just required a scale and a little math. It's a good thing I have always been good at math...spelling, not so much...but math has always been a strong point.

So if you were also a fan of the Pareo Chicken Wraps at the Tahitian Noni Cafe, today's your lucky day! I hope you enjoy.

* I actually used just a regular tortilla for my wraps, but I'm sure the Tomato Basil tortillas would be awesome. Also the Chipotle Ranch dressing makes quite a bit, but I couldn't really reduce it by much more. So you will have extra, however we have been using as a dip for corn chips and veggies and it's yummy...so I'm not complaining.


PAREO CHICKEN WRAPS

6 12” Tomato Basil Tortilla
1 recipe Island Lime Rice (see below)
1 recipe Black Bean Salsa (see below)
2 C. shredded chicken
2 C. Monterey Jack Cheese- shredded
1 recipe Chipotle Ranch Dressing (see below)
2 C. shredded lettuce
2 roma tomatoes; diced

1. Lay the tortilla flat and layer ingredients as follows:

rice
black bean salsa
shredded chicken
cheese
chipotle ranch Dressing
lettuce
tomatoes

2. Wrap the tortilla tight, tucking in each end.
3. You can eat fresh or place on a George Forman grill for about 2 minutes.

ISLAND LIME RICE

1 C. Jasmine long-grain rice
1 C. cold water
½ C. chicken stock
1 T. butter
½ t. salt
¼ C. cilantro- chopped
2 T. lime juice

1. In a large sauce pan bring the water and chicken stock to a boil.
2. Add the rice, butter and salt.
3. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.
4. When the rice is cooked, fluff then stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Mix well.

BLACK BEAN SALSA

1 Can black beans; drained and rinsed
1 C. frozen corn; thawed and drained
1 small or ½ large red pepper; diced
Zest of 1 lime
2 T. lime juice
3 T. cilantro; chopped
1 jalapeno; diced
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper

1. Mix all ingredients together to form the salsa.

CHIPOTLE RANCH DRESSING

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
½ C. mayo
½ C. sour cream
1 C. milk
1 Chipotle Pepper with 2 T. Adobo sauce (from 1 can of Chipotle Peppers packed in Adobo sauce. You can find these in the Mexican section at most supermarkets.)*

1. In a blender pour the milk and the ranch dressing powder. Mix on high until well blended.
2. Add the mayo and sour cream. Blend on high again for a few second.
3. Add 1 chipotle pepper and 2 T. of Adobo sauce from the can. Blend again until the dressing comes together.
4. Allow to set up in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

* I use these peppers as well as the Adobo sauce in quite a few recipe, so when I open a can I divide it up into small ice cube trays and freeze small potions. I never use a whole can at a time.

Ever heard of Cauli-Rice??

Last week a good friend of mine commented on one of my posts and mentioned that she has been serving Cauli-rice as a substitution for regular rice with her meals. I had never heard of Cauli-rice so I did a little research on-line, and asked my friend for more info.

It turns out this "Cauli-rice" stuff is amazing! It's basically Cauliflower shredded to the consistency of rice and cooked dry, giving it a similar texture to rice (see recipe below). It can be used in a variety of applications while cooking. I knew I had to try it, so I came up with a simple casserole recipe to test it out.

It was a huge success! We absolutely loved it. I can't say that it tasted "exactly" like rice, but it was pretty darn close and worked as an amazing substitute. Especially considering that a cup of cauli-rice has no carbs, is high in fiber and only about 20 calories, as apposed to regular rice that is loaded with carbs, and is high in calories.

I will definitely be doing some more experimentation and using cauli-rice on a regular basis! Thanks Natasha!!

*This recipe can easily become a vegetarian dish. Simply double the beans and leave out the beef. Season the beans exactly as you would have seasoned the beef.

CAULI-RICE BLACK BEAN CASSEROLE
(Mindi Original)

1 large head of cauliflower; for cauli-rice
1 lb. lean ground beef
salt & pepper
½ t. cumin
½ t. garlic powder
1 t. chili powder
1 can black beans; drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes (Mexican style)
1 can chopped green chilies
1 C. fat free or low fat sour cream
3 C. Monterey jack cheese; grated

1. Grate the cauliflower in a food processor or with a hand grater. You can also chop the cauliflower with a knife until it resembles small rice granules.
2. Put the grated cauliflower in a large microwave safe bowl. Do not add water and do not cover. Microwave for 5 minutes. Drain off any water. It will be very little.
3. Fluff and set aside.
4. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, seasoning with salt & pepper.
5. Add the cumin, garlic powder and chili powder. Stir to incorporate into the meat.
6. Stir in the beans, diced tomatoes and green chilies. Then add the sour cream.
7. In a 9x13 pan or a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray, layer as follows:

½ cauli-rice
½ ground beef mixture
½ cheese
½ cauli-rice
½ ground beef mixture
½ cheese

8. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or hot and bubbly!
9. Serves 4-6

A childhood remake...

Growing up my mom used to make something similar to this, but I never liked it...I could be a picky kid at times. Well I've grown up, and the other night I started thinking about this dish and wondered if I could remember how to make it. So I started throwing some things together that I remembered, added a few more ingredients and spices, and came up with my very own version. It tasted very different from my moms, but we all loved it.

I will warn you though, it makes a ton! I would definitely cut it in half next time. But if you have a big family, this is one yummy and economic meal.


MEXICAN RICE SKILLET
(Mindi Original)

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion; minced
2 cloves garlic; minced
salt & pepper
1 T. chili powder
½ T. dry mustard
½ T. cumin
1 green pepper; diced
1 C. corn; frozen or fresh

1 can black beans; drained and rinsed
1 15oz. can Tomato sauce
3 C. beef stock
3 T. lime juice
1 cup rice
1 cup cheese
½ C. scallions; diced (optional)
Sour cream & cilantro (optional)

1. In a large skilled (with a lid) brown beef, onion, and garlic. Season with salt & pepper.
2. Add the chili powder, dry mustard, cumin, green pepper, corn, black beans, tomato sauce, beef broth and lime juice. Bring to a full boil.
3. Stir in the rice, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer.
4. Continue cooking for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.
5. Serve topped with cheese and scallions. You can also top with sour cream and/or cilantro if you wish.
6. Serves 6-8 people.

Another way to "wrap" up lunch...

Ok Mom's (or anyone for that matter) here's another lunch idea. This one's going to be a little more work, but the good news is...I think your kids will like it too. And I guarantee from start to finish they'll take just about as long as a box of mac & cheese. Also, feel free to leave out the chicken, if that's more work or if you simply don't eat meat. These are my husbands and little "r"'s favorite...meat or no meat. They are loaded with flavor and pretty healthy too.


HONEY LIME CHICKEN WRAPS
(Mindi Original)

¼ C. fresh cilantro; minced
¼ C. lime juice
1 t. red pepper flakes
2 T. honey
2 C. shredded chicken (2 chicken breast)
1 C. fresh or frozen corn kernels; thawed if frozen
1 can black beans; drained and rinsed
1 large avocado; diced
1 C. diced tomato
¼ t. salt
4 flour tortillas
low fat sour cream
Cheddar cheese

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cilantro, lime juice, red pepper flakes, and honey.
2. Add the shredded chicken and toss gently to coat.
3. Add the corn, black beans, avocado and tomato. Season with salt.
4. Serve wrapped in tortillas with sour cream and cheddar cheese.
5. Serves 4.

A "Super" delish thumbs up!

This is just a little something I whipped up on Super Bowl Sunday. I had some ripe avocado's that were at the "use or throw away" stage. For some reason I wasn't in the mood for just plain old guacamole, so I decided to be creative. The risk paid off. This got a "super" thumbs up from my hubby!


BLACK BEAN CORN AND AVOCADO SALSA
(Mindi Original)

1 Can Mexican style diced tomatoes; do not drain
1 Can black beans; drained and rinsed
1 Can sweet corn, or 2 C. frozen corn; defrosted
2 avocados; diced
½ large red onion; finely diced
½ C. cilantro; chopped
2-3 T. lime juice
1 t. cumin
3 cloves garlic; crushed and minced
salt & pepper to taste

1. In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients and gently stir to combine.
2. Serve with chips, on tacos, or over fish or chicken.

My Cafe Rio substitute!

If you live in Utah, or the surrounding states, then you've definitely indulged in Cafe Rio! Most of us here in Utah love our Cafe Rio. Well this recipe is my version of Cafe Rio. A while back I decided that I better come up with something comparable to make at home, or Cafe Rio would soon bankrupt me. Of course I love Bajio too...I'm still trying to crack the recipe for their chicken and sweet green chili. If anyone has something close...please share!

(I took this picture before I rolled it up into a burrito. I wanted you to see all the inside goodness.)

SHREDDED CHICKEN BLACK BEAN BURRITOS
(Mindi Original)

For the Chicken:
1 packet Italian dressing mix; prepared according to package instructions
¼ C. lime juice
1 T. cumin
1 T. chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (frozen or fresh)

For the Beans:
2 cans black beans in juices
1 can diced cilantro and lime tomatoes

For the rice:
4-6 green onions diced
¼ C. cilantro, chopped
2 T. lime juice
salt
1 ½ C. raw white rice
2 C. water

8-10 tortillas
cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
guacamole (optional)
olives (optional)

1. Add to the prepared Italian dressing, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well.
2. Place the chicken in a crock pot. Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and cook on low 3-4 hours or until chicken is done.
3. Remove the chicken from the crock pot and shred.
4. Place the shredded chicken back in the crock pot with the juice and allow to cook for an additional 30-60 minutes.
5. About an hour before the chicken will be done, mix together the beans and tomatoes in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer for about 45-60 minutes.
6. In a separate sauce pan mix the water, onions, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Bring to a boil.
7. Add the rice and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff.
8. Assemble the burritos by putting rice, beans, chicken, cheese, sour cream, olives and guacamole into each tortilla. Wrap and enjoy.

Dip Inspiration!

Over the holiday break I was watching an episode of Rachael Ray where she came up with a casserole inspired by the famous 7 Layer Dip. Well this dip happens to be an absolute favorite of my husbands, so I had to give it a try. I ended up altering the recipe a bit for ease and to better suite my cooking style, but I think Rachael would still be proud. And although my husband said that it's no substitution for the "real thing", it was still pretty good. For my version see below and for Rachael's full recipe click HERE.

In the vein of dip inspired recipes. I will be appearing on Studio 5 tomorrow! The producer Kellie and I are still finalizing the recipe I'll be demoing, but I'm hoping to demo my latest creation; Spinach Artichoke Pasta. It's my own dip inspired meal, taking my yummy Spinach and Artichoke dip and turning into a to-die-for pasta dinner. If for some reason it's not the recipe I end up demoing...no worries, I'll still post the recipe tomorrow. Stay tuned...


7 LAYER "INSPIRED" CASSEROLE
(Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray)

1 lb. ground beef
1 Can diced tomatoes with cilantro and lime
1 Can pinto beans
1 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
salt & pepper
6 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked according to package instructions
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1 C. chicken stock
1 C. whole milk
4 C. cheddar cheese, grated
4 C. crushed tortilla chips
2 C. shredded lettuce
1 C. diced tomatoes
3 large avocados, diced
Juice of 1 lime
1 C. Cilantro, chopped
1 C. olives sliced

1/2 C. scallions, diced
Sour cream

1. In a large skilled brown hamburger, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add pinto beans and diced tomatoes. Cook until heated through. Pour mixture into the bottom of a large casserole dish or 9x13 baking pan.
2. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the flour to form a rough. Slowly add the chicken stock and milk, stir until it starts to thicken. Add cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Once the cheese has melted and formed a thick cheese sauce, add the cooked elbow macaroni and stir to combine. Pour the macaroni and cheese over the beef mixture.
3. Bake in at 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.
4. While cooking, combine the diced avocado with the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Once the casserole has been removed from the oven, layer on the crushed tortilla chips, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado mixture, cilantro, olives and scallions. Top each serving with a small dollop of sour cream.

Friday Favorites - We could all use a little less grease...

I got this great recipe idea here, for an ungreasy taco shell. After a little experimintation, it worked great and they were crunchy good! Thanks Elizabeth. I hope you're enjoying your cute new little guy.

Wish me luck...

So my life has been a little crazy this week. Tomorrow is my Studio 5 appearance and I spent over 3 hours tonight prepping and getting everything ready. I've been on TV quite a bit over the years, working in Advertising and Marketing, but I've never done a cooking demo. This should be interesting. I just hope it goes smoothly.

Anyway, It's also been a difficult week, because my Aunt passed away. She had been sick for some time. It's funny how you can think you're prepared for something, but it still feels like a punch in the gut when you finally get that phone call.

I hope you'll all forgive me for taking the rest of the week off, as I'll be headed out of town for the funeral.

I'll leave you with two recipes though. These could either be two side dishes to a fabulous Mexican entree, or like us, you could make the combination of the two a meal in and of themselves.

I know making beans from scratch seems like a lot of work, but really it's not. It just takes some forethought. Once you get them soaking and cooking, it's just a matter of time. No effort.

As for the rice...yum! This is a great option for left over rice from your favorite take out, or you can cook some up just for this dish. It's worth it, I promise!

Enjoy! I'll be back on Monday!


SAVORY BLACK BEANS
(Mindi Original)

4 C. dried black beans
8 C. Water

6-8 C. chicken stock
¼ C. lime juice
1 T. salt
2 t. pepper
2 t. cumin
2 t. chili powder
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. thyme
1 small onion grated, or 2 T. dehydrated onion flakes
2 bay leaves

1. Wash the black beans and put them into a large mixing bowl. Add the water, cover and allow to soak in the refrigerator for 12 hours (overnight).
2. The next morning, drain the beans and wash again. Put into a large stock pot and add the chicken stock.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Allow to rapid boil, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.
4. Turn the heat down to simmer, cover and allow to cook for 4-6 hours or until the beans are tender to your desired taste. (I like mine really tender, so I usually let them cook for about 6 hours.)
5. Serves 6-8 people.
6. Serve with Mexican rice, grilled chicken, or use in a variety of yummy recipes.

CHEESY MEXICAN FRIED RICE
(Mindi Original)

4 C. prepared white rice
1 T. vegetable oil
1 can diced tomatoes with cilantro and lime
1 t. ground cumin
salt & pepper
2 C. shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)

1. In a large skillet heat oil over high heat. Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until heated through.
3. Add the cheese, stir until melted.
4. Serve immediately
5. Serves 4-6 people

Sweet Goodness! - Sweet Potato Enchilada's, as seen on KSL Studio 5

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

I know I'm going to get a least a handful of raised eyebrows with this one. Some may even think it's just too crazy to try, but I'm hoping you'll give this the benefit of the doubt. I don't think you'll be sorry.

I have to tell you the story behind this recipe. I was in Macy's one day getting groceries and I had a brief conversation about different food combinations, with one of the nice ladies that works there. She told me that she and and her husband used to get these delicious sweet potato enchilada's at a restaurant while on vacation. She had always wanted to try and find a recipe for them. Needless to say, I was inspired. I came home and did a little research. I found a few different recipes online, but in the end decided to come up with my own creation. I experimented on my husband, brother and our friends Meghan and Mike. I got a thumbs up all round. It was a keeper.

And so I share it with all of you! I hope you enjoy!

A couple side notes: The day I made these (still experimenting with ingredient quantities), I had some extra sweet potato filling. I gave the filling along with the recipe to my friend and neighbor Iliana to try. She decided to use green enchilada sauce and to leave out the chicken. She said they were really yummy. So if you're a green sauce lover, and/or a vegetarian, there's another option for you.


SWEET POTATO ENCHILADA'S
(Mindi Original)

2 large sweet potatoes
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
4 green onions, chopped
2 t. chili powder
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. oregano
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 Can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 C. shredded chicken (about 1 large chicken breast or 2 small)
12 (7 inch) corn tortillas
1 (19 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
1 (16 ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (mozzarella or cheddar would also work well)
Sour Cream & Cilantro for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat, and boil the sweet potatoes until tender, about 15-30 minutes. Cool and peel the sweet potatoes.
2. Place the sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl, then mash with the cream cheese.
3. Add the green onions, chili powder, cumin, oregano, black beans, salt, and pepper until well mixed.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 13x9 inch baking dish.
5. Heat the tortillas in the microwave or in a skillet with a small amount of oil for easy handling purposes.
6. Place a generous scoop full of sweet potato filling, shredded chicken, cheese and 1 T. of enchilada sauce down the center of each tortilla. Place filled tortillas seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
7. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas, and top with cheese.
8. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the enchiladas are bubbling and the cheese is beginning to brown.
9. Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream and diced cilantro. (optional)
10. Serves family of 6-8.

Once upon a Sunday dinner...

Years ago when I was single and living in downtown Salt Lake, I had a group of amazing friends. We were like a little family. We did everything together and supported each other through a lot of highs and lows. One of the best things we did together was Sunday dinner. We would always get together and spend Sundays, just like a family. Most of the time we would gather at my house. Sometimes and Ken & Jeremy's, but mostly the cooking was all me. I would experiment with all kinds of recipes on my poor friends, and they always let me know what they liked and didn't like.

I don't know why I'm writing about this time in my life, except that this soup always reminds me of my salt lake family. We've all come a long way in our lives and moved to various places through out the valley. We don't get to see each other as often as we'd like, but sometimes when I eat certain foods it take me back to those Sunday dinners and reminds me of some very amazing people, that in my heart will always be family! And you all know who you are.

If you ask Jeremy he will tell you that the best way to eat this soup is putting the sour cream, cheese, cilantro, & chips at the bottom of the bowl and pouring the soup over top. And I would have to agree, but for photo purposes that didn't work.

TORTILLA SOUP

1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 (32 oz) can chicken stock
2 C. shredded chicken
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 can green chilies
2 cans beans, with the juices (black, white, or chili…pick your favorite)
2 cans corn (or 1 large bag frozen corn)
¼ C. lime juice

Toppings
grated cheese
sliced limes
chopped cilantro
sour cream
spiced tortilla strips (see recipe below)

1. Sauté onion and garlic in large stock pot for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-30 minutes to emulsify flavors.
3. Serve each bowl topped with grated cheese, sour cream, spiced tortilla strips, cilantro and fresh squeezed lime.


SPICED TORTILLA STRIPS

15 white corn tortillas
1 T. chili powder
2 t. kosher salt
¼ C. veg. or olive oil

1. Cut tortillas into small strips of desired length.
2. In a large plastic bag drizzle with olive oil, salt and chili powder.
3. Toss bag to coat all strips.
4. Spread strips on a foil lined cookie sheet, sprayed with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until desired crispness.

More time to do laundry...

Sometimes I look at recipes like this and while I know it will be easy to cook, it just looks like it will take too long. Some days that's OK; some days I have all the time in the world...Oh I'm sorry I was thinking back to the days before I was a mom. Who am I kidding, I never all the time in the world. But I do love to cook so I've found a way to take the process of cooking, and well...simplify it as much as possible.

While this recipe isn't hard, there are a lot of steps. So the first thing I do is prep. Just like the TV cooking shows. I go through the recipe and prep all the ingredients first. When you do it all at once, it goes much faster. Once everything is all together and within arms length, the meal really comes together rather quickly. I also try to find preparation methods that save time.

For instance; I used my immersion or stick blender to incorporate all the ingredients for the slaw, instead of pulling out my entire food processor. It was much faster and a much easier clean up. I also crushed the tortilla chips in a baggie with a rolling pin, rather than using my grinder. I'm pretty handy with a knife and can dice veggies rather quickly, but if that's something that seems to take you a long time try using one of those quick choppers. The ones you see on TV. I have one, and really like it when I need something done super fast. They really work.

I'm not saying this recipe doesn't take some time. There are three different components to think about. But with a little ingenuity, you can cook smarter and faster. The recipe said it would take 1 hour. From start to finish I had dinner on the table in 35 minutes. I say...25 minutes saved...is 25 minutes more time I have to do laundry...augg...!

(I chose this picture, because I thought it was so cute to see my little "R" enjoying this tasty meal in the background.)

BLACK BEAN CAKES STACKED
(Recipe from Cuisine at Home)

For the Slaw…
1/3 C. sour Cream
¼ C. scallions, thinly sliced
10 sprigs of fresh cilantro
½ Jalapeno, seeded, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 C. cabbage, shredded
Salt to taste

For the Rice…
1/3 C. each of onion, carrot, and celery, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
1 T. tomato paste
½ t. each of kosher salt, ground cumin, and paprika
¼ t. cayenne
1 bay leaf
½ C. converted white rice
1 C. chicken broth or water

For the Cakes…
1 can black beans, drained, rinsed, divided
1 egg white
½ C. corn tortilla chips, ground
¼ C. red bell pepper, diced
2 T. onion, grated
½ t. each of kosher salt, ground coriander, and chili powder

1. Puree the first 5 ingredients for the slaw in a food processor or blender; toss with the cabbage, season with salt, cover and refrigerate. Allow to chill while you prepare the rice and black bean cakes.
2. Sauté the vegetables for the rice in 1 T. of oil. Add the garlic, tomato paste, spices, and bay leaf. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the rice and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered; while you prepare the black bean cakes.
5. In a bowl mash all but ½ C. of the beans, with the egg white.
6. Add the remaining beans, chips, bell pepper, onion, and seasonings.
7. Refrigerate the mixture for 10 minutes.
8. Form into 4 round cakes.
9. Fry the cakes in 2 T. oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until heated through; about 4 minutes per side.
10. Serve the bean cakes stacked on Mexican rice, and topped with the slaw.

Shout Out to another great food blog.

We tried these yummy enchiladas over the weekend. I got the recipe and photo from here. Check out http://phemomenom.blogspot.com for this and several other great recipes.

Is it a salad or a salsa??

I'm headed to a neighborhood baby shower tonight and will be taking this yummy salad with me.

It's actually a recipe I've had for years, adapted from my "Body for Life" cook book. The only thing I really do differently is add cheese. But when I'm not taking it to a group function or I'm trying to be really healthy, I leave the cheese out. It's still really yummy and full of flavor.

It's definitely a family favorite and works well as a salad or served with tortilla chips as a salsa or dip.


MEXICAN RANCH SALAD
(Recipe adapted from Body for Life Cooking)

2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained (or 1½ C. fresh corn, cooked and cut off the cob)
½ large red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper diced
2 C. shredded cooked chicken (or 2 can’s cooked chicken, shredded)
2 C. sharp cheddar cheese
½ C. light mayo
½ C. reduced fat sour cream
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
1 ½ t. cumin
½ t. salt
½ C. cilantro
½ t. red pepper flakes

1. In a large mixing bowl add beans, corn, red onion, red pepper, chicken and cheese.
2. In a small mixing bowl add mayo, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, cumin, salt, cilantro, and red pepper. Mix well, forming a dressing.
3. Mix the dressing in with the bean and corn mixture.
4. Allow to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
5. Serves 6-8 people.

I'm a little bipolar in the kitchen...

Some nights I'll spend hours putting together a complicated recipe with unusual ingredients, making everything from scratch. But other nights I love those quick and easy recipes that use can food and/or mixes, take no effort, and still taste great.

I'm the kind of cook that loves to watch The Barefoot Contessa one day and Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade the next.

What can I say...I'm a bit bipolar with my cooking!

This recipe is one of the easy one's. Developed some time ago when I was too lazy or tired to roll my simple beef enchilada's. It tastes the same, and is a whole lot easier.


ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
(Mindi Original)

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 can enchilada sauce (your favorite brand and heat level)
9-12 corn tortilla's (amount depends on the size of your casserole dish)
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Brown the beef, onion, and pepper in a medium sauce pan, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add enchilada sauce to the beef mixture.
2. In a small bowl mix the two cheese together.
3. Spray a medium casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Layer the ingredients in the casserole dish as follows:

3-4 corn tortillas
1/3 beef mixture
1/3 cheese
3-4 corn tortillas
1/3 beef mixture
1/3 cheese
3-4 corn tortillas
1/3 beef mixture
1/3 cheese

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.