Bacon Guacamole…yes you heard right…BACON!

There is one thing my household loves more than avocado and that is bacon. That is why when I saw this recipe I instantly knew I HAD to make it, and soon.

This recipe is from my sweetest and most awesome friend Bernadette. Her fabulous blog is Rantz From My Crazy Kitchen. You can find many amazing recipes there including a page with 58 bacon recipes from breakfast all the way through to dessert, which means you can have a PORK PARTY all day! You can view Bernadette’s recipe for her outta this world guacamole here. Below is my version with just a slight modification.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 avocados
• 4 slices thick center cut bacon
• 1/4 cup purple onion, diced fine
• 3/4 tablespoon jalapeno, diced fine 
• 4 heirloom cherry tomatoes diced
• 1/2 lime juiced
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (small cloves or 1 big one)
• handful of freshly chopped cilantro
• dash of salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut up bacon in bite sized pieces and fry the bacon with the onions until crisp. (this is money right here, in the voice of Guy Fierre!) If you prefer less done/burnt onions, remove as you are cooking. I enjoy crispy bacon and crispy onion and they cooked together the entire process in a pan of marriage bliss! Drain everything on a paper towels when done.
2. In a small bowl mash the avocado
3. Next add; tomatoes, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, cilantro and salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
4. Stir in the bacon and onion, cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed right on top of the guacamole and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour. 

This recipe fed 3 of us, 2 boys and myself. We ate every last drop.

I TEENY TINY PIECE OF ADVICE ON THIS RECIPE…..The yield here is NOT enough, plan to quadruple it for your first try. That way you won’t be licking the container clean just to get a little bit more.

Cornbread Casserole – Easy Weeknight Dinner!

This recipe is being shown over at Thursday’s Treasures!

Just in time for Fall! I have been down with a cold that won’t quit! My kids enjoyed every moment as I lost my voice for the entire week! This is a quick throw together type of meal that is perfect when your fam is on the go, just like Halloween, no one wants to sit around eating “good” food, they want that dang candy! You can feel good about having this ready in the oven and the little gobblins can have something yummy in their tummy before trick-or-treating.

Dressing

• 1/2 c ranch dressing ( I use the packet kind)
• 1/2 cup verde salsa
• 1 cup cilantro leaves

Topping

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1.5 lb ground turkey meat
• 1/4 cup taco seasoning
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 3 tbs cilantro, chopped
• 1 can corn
• 1 can diced roasted tomatoes and green chilies
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded

Crust

• 7  to 16 oz size – 1 package cornbread mix, i used a 16 oz package, we love cornbread (make as directed on package)
• 3/4 cup crushed corn tortilla chips (i used these colorful orange and black for Halloween)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Make ranch dressing and combine, ranch, verde salsa and cilantro in food processor until well combined. Cover and chill in refrigerator.
3. Heat olive oil and garlic. Heat until garlic is just fragrant, then add ground turkey. Cook until browned.
4. Combine taco seasoning and hot water, add to pan. Heat through on medium high for about 5-7 minutes.
5. Add canned tomatoes & cilantro and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
6. Drain all juices out of pan and set mixture aside.
7. Combine cornbread mix as directed on package.
8. Get a baking dish, should be around 9″ x 9″ size or use a pie dish will work. I used a circular baking dish. Spray with non stick cooking spray, crush up your chips and line the bottom of the dish with your chips. You can add more or less depending on the size of your dish.
9. Then add 1/4 cup of your corn and sprinkle on top of chip layer.
10. Pour your cornbread mixture over the top of that, and top the cornbread with your meat mixture.
11. On the very top add your cheese.
12. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly golden brown on top. Everything is cooked you are just heating through and browning the cheeses!
13. Allow to sit for 5-7 minutes after removing from the oven. This gives the casserole a chance to pull back and tighten up so when you cut it, it is not falling apart all over the plate.
14. Drizzle over the top, or if you are like me, drench the top with your ranch verde salsa dressing, top with more cilantro and avocado.

Sweet Heat Grilled Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

I don’t really care if it is winter, spring, summer or fall, I am down for the BBQ any time any day. That is what is nice about California where I live, I have the liberty to do so. So, now that fall is officially almost here I don’t let that deter me from que’ing 😀 Last night was Taco Tuesday at our house and instead of the traditional tacos we normally have, I switched it up…NOTE TO SELF: make more next time! I came across a yummy recipe from Elle’s New England Kitchen and tweaked it to our (my) liking. It came out great and everyone wanted more.

MARINADE

4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pricked with fork several times all over breast
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 2 limes + zest
2.5 tsp adobo sauce + 1 chipotle chili sliced
1.5 tsp cumin
2 pinches cinnamon (no one will ever know it is in there!)
1 tsp onion flakes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tbsp honey

Add all marinade ingredients to a ziplock  bag except the chicken. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Add chicken breasts and close the bag really well. Mix everything together to get a nice even coat on the chicken. Place in refrigerator to marinate overnight or as long as possible to soak up all the flavors this sweet and spicy sauce offers. I started my marination in the early afternoon for an evening dinner it was very tasty! My only regret was I didn’t do it over night! A great tip from Elle’s New England Kitchen, which I absolutely LOVED was to make this and freeze it. When it is un-thawing it is soaking up all the marinade as well!! 

Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to barbecuing and allow it to come close to room temperature. While doing this you can prepare the salsa which is a…take your thumb and middle finger and…SNAP, SNAP, SNAP!

PINEAPPLE SALSA
1/2 fresh pineapple, diced 
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 of a large red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lime juiced + zest

Combine all ingredients well and let sit in refrigerator at least 30 minutes to chill and merry all ingredients.

Barbecue chicken until cooked thoroughly. I use the bag of marinate to coat chicken as I cook it to jeep it juicy! I just snip the tip off at the bottom corner and marinate while I cook. Discard any remaining marinade as it can not be re-used.

Remove from que and let sit on a platter covered with foil until ready to serve. This keeps it warm and keeps all yummy sweet heat juices inside.

Let’s talk tortillas. There are lots of tortillas out in the market. It is ultimately up to you what you choose. the while flour vs. corn debate is yours alone. All I can say is I am a CORN kinda girl when it comes to my tacos. To put a lower fat spin on mine, instead of frying them up (which I LOVE) I brush each side of one with extra virgin olive oil and brown for a few minutes on each side in a skillet.

Now, you are looking at this tortilla and saying…UM that is NOT corn! Well you would be wrong if you were gambling folks! This awesome tortilla is corn AND wheat. I can’t believe I haven’t seen these before, but this is a blue corn, wheat and flax-seed tortilla! YOUR WELCOME!

I heat the tortillas to order. In other words, I don’t cook them ahead of time and let sit. I think the best way to enjoy a taco is warm with a nice crispy tortilla at the base of the all goodies. You can serve these tacos with rice or beans or whatever Mexican side dish tickles your fancy. Assembly wise I just add some chicken in the tortilla, top with pineapple salsa, drench the whole thing with 1 slice of lime and a sprig of cilantro.

Featured on Foodie Friends Friday!

 

Tasty Southwest UFO Pockets

What do you get when you let your kids name your food? A name such as UFO pockets. I had to throw in the Southwest so as not to throw people off thinking I am some kind of alien worshiper or something, no folks, I’m just a mom who let her kids name this dish! 😀  

 

I am not sure if I am offended my kids think this food is alien like, or flattered that it is so good it is out of this world! I found this recipe from Budget Savvy Diva who has some pretty awesome stuff. I adapted the recipe to fit the likes of my family and tried it first using regular large egg roll wrappers which I will post too, then I had leftover filling and froze it. As I was cleaning out the freezer to my surprise I found it and this is how UFO’s were born!

 

Getting the kids to LIKE spicy flavor that is next on my list of things to do. I mean chipotle is like the new ketchup of this decade. I simply want it in everything. I sometimes tend to go overboard not realizing my kids are…well KIDS! My chipotle ranch this time around is much more tailored to their liking than my own.

 

There is just something about a nice ICY cold beer that goes sooooo good with southwest food. I froze my Corona and sipped as I fried 😀 I am confident you don’t need the recipe for that!

 

 

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb. ground turkey meat, cooked and cooled
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1-15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
4 oz can diced green chiles, drained
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 package of egg roll or wonton wrappers (I used the round ones for the UFO effect)

1 small bowl of water for sealing the edges
oil for deep frying

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oil to get ready for frying. Temperature should be around 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl mix all the egg roll ingredients together (except the egg roll wrappers).
3. Place two round wrappers side by side on your work surface, place 2 teaspoons of filling on each wrap.
4. Seal the edge all around using the water and your fingers. Place another wrap on top of the wrap you put the filling in and press to seal. I used a fork to ensure they were set. Continue until all filling is gone. I set them on a baking sheet and sprayed them with a little cooking spray so they didn’t stick.
5. Depending on the size of your pan or deep fryer place about 4 UFO’s into the oil and cook.
6. Takes about 5 minutes at the most, you will see them brown up and you know they are done.
7. Place on paper towel of paper bag to drain the oil and salt the outside.
8. Serve with Chipotle Ranch Sauce, avocado and lime wedges

Cilantro Cornbread Muffins

 

My new found love of cooking with lime and cilantro inspired a whole meal using these ingredients. This is one side dish that goes great with any Mexican dish or just on its own. For the other parts to this meal see Stuffed Poblano Peppers and Cilantro Lime-Pepper Rice to make the entire meal!

Ingredients:

1 box corn muffin mix, prepared according to directions
4 T. Sweet Heat Chef Signature Sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup mexican blend cheese, shredded (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare muffins according to directions on box or bag.
2. Add Sweet Heat Chef Signature Sauce, chopped cilantro, lime juice and cheese (if using) to batter mixing thoroughly.
3. Bake according to package directions, I topped each one with 1 cilantro leaf before baking.
4. Serve warm with a drizzle of honey and lime juice mixture for best results!

 

Stuffed Poblano Pepper

Brightly green inspiring herbs and veggies for this sweet heat dish! I love the Spring when all the yummy vegetables and herbs are surfacing and ready for us to eat and experiment with. This recipe was inspired by so many of them. This main dish goes well with Cilantro Lime-Pepper Rice and Cilantro Corn Bread Muffins.

INGREDIENTS

5 large poblano peppers 
2 chicken breasts, diced
1/2 – 1 cup Sweet Heat Chefs Signature Sauce
4 T olive oil 
1 cup corn (fresh is best, but canned is fine, too)
1 can Dei Fratelli tomatoes 
Handful fresh cilantro, chopped 
salt and freshly ground black pepper 
1 cup jack cheese shredded 

DIRECTIONS

1. Place poblano peppers on a sheet pan and place under preheated broiler. Drizzle with olive oil and toss coating all sides.  Blacken all sides, then remove to a heat resistant safe bowl and cover with saran wrap; let sit for around 10-15 minutes.  This process is known as “sweating”. This sweats the skin so it is easily removed. Remove one pepper from bowl at a time and carefully remove blackened skin.  Cut a slit lengthwise down each pepper and carefully remove seeds (don’t worry about getting every last seed, just get the bulk of them).
2. Marinate diced chicken breasts in Sweet Heat Chefs Signature Sauce for at least 10 minutes, but for an hour is desirable.  Preheat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken breasts cooking thoroughly.
3. Add black beans, corn, tomatoes and cilantro, salt and pepper to chicken mixing thoroughly and heat through.
4. Stuff each pepper with chicken mixture until completely full.  Top each pepper with jack cheese, and bake for 7 – 10 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven until heated through and cheese is melted.

Oiled poblano peppers before being chared

Poblano peppers after being broiled to char skins

Charred poblano peppers being sweated

Poblano pepper after skin and seed removal

Chicken cooking in sauce

Poblano before going under broiler

Poblano Pepper after broiler

Finished Stuffed Poblano Pepper, Cilantro Cornbread Muffins & Cilantro Lime-Pepper Rice.

Coconut Mango Chicken Bites

Inspired by my love of BITE sized food!

Picture from Kitchen Simplicity, gorgeous homemade wrappers!

INGREDIENTS
24 wonton wrappers
1 tsp coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger (may sub 1 tsp dried ground)
2 cups cooked chicken, small dice
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 mango,  peeled and diced
1/2 c. pineapple, diced
Lime juice approximately 3 limes
salt to taste
Cilantro chopped

WON TON DIRECTIONS

1. To make the wonton cups. Take 1 wrapper and lay flat, take a second wrapper and put on top off center.
2. Press fresh wonton wrappers into muffin tins, pressing any folds firmly to the sides.
3. Bake at 350°F for 5 minutes, until golden. **WATCH THEM CLOSELY, THEY WILL BURN ON YOU** Set aside to cool.

FILLING DIRECTIONS

1. Heat about a teaspoon of oil in a skillet and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, or until soft.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
3. Add the chicken and saute until browned.
4. Add coconut milk, lime juice and salt/pepper.
5. Cook, stirring often, until bubbly and thickened.
6. Cool slightly or chill before spooning into won ton cups.
7. In a small bowl combine mango, pineapple, cilantro, lime juice.
8. Add mango mixture and cilantro on top just before serving.
9. Serve over a bed of coconut rice and garnish with 1 lime slice

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

Picture submitted to Sweet Heat Chefs

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat – cubed 
1/8 cup red wine vinegar 
1 lime, juiced 
1 t. white sugar 
1/2 t. salt 
1/2 t. ground black pepper 
2 green onions, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 t. dried oregano 
10 (6 inch) flour tortillas 
1 tomato, diced 
1/4 c. shredded lettuce 
1/4 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese 
1/2 c. salsa 
Sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes.
2. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano. 
3. Simmer for an extra 10 minutes.  Warm tortillas. 
4. Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, salsa or whatever you like on your tacos. 

Cilantro Pesto

INGREDIENTS
2 Bunches of cilantro rough chop including stems except for hard tough ends
3-4 Cloves garlic rough chop
3-4 Slices of onion rough chop
Juice of 1 Lime or lemon
Small handful pepita seeds
Chili Powder
Cumin
Sea Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil and Water to thin a bit

DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to a food processor and puree until well combined.

This sauce is so versatile. You can dip chips in it, marinate chicken, shrimp or pork in it, serve on tacos, burritos, or tostadas. Lower fat than using guacamole on your Mexican dishes and just as tasty if not more!

This tasty recipe is being show over at Bobbi’s Cozy Kitchen Manic Monday Party!

Cilantro Lime-Pepper Rice or Green Rice

My new found love of cooking with lime, inspired a whole meal using an abundance of them.  There is just something about the tartness, the smell and the way they look that makes me happy. This rice is a side dish to a full meal. 

INGREDIENTS 
1 cup long-grain white rice 
2 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock (make it good quality for this dish, you’ll be happy you did)
1/4 C Sweet Heat Chefs Signature Sauce (more or less to your taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a pot, add chicken stock and rice
2. In food processor, make the Sweet Heat Signature Sauce, and puree until smooth. If too thick add more olive oil.
3. Add about 3 tablespoons of the puree to rice with the chicken stock and cook according to the rice package directions.
4. When rice is finished, add puree and stir, serve immediately.

Sweet Heat Signature Sauce, can be used in lots of food and in different ways. You can use it on: tacos, topping for baked potatoes, a dip for french fries instead of ranch or ketchup, on top of barbequed steak and so much more.

Made your own combination? Tell me about it!