Taco Wreath

This recipe was inspired by Spice Gals version. Click here to see their version CHUCK full of yumminess!!

INGREDIENTS

1 roll Pillsbury crescent rolls ( 8 count)
1/2 lb ground beef, turkey or pork
2 tbs. olive oil
taco seasoning
1 cup cheese (I used shredded mozzarella and provolone)
1/4 cup queso fresco
parmesan cheese for dusting
1 egg for brushing tops with

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat and brown meat through.
3. Add taco seasoning and a little water and let evaporate
4. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with non stick cooking spray
5. Line up crescent rolls in a circle pattern creating a wreath, placing the wide end toward the middle. You will overlap the edges and press to connect them.
6. Add shredded cheese mixture across the wreath without a break for each roll, just keep it going in circle fashion
7. Next add meat in the same manner, also spreading meat up the crescent roll toward the thin end
8. Top with a little of the queso fresco.
9. Fold the narrow end of the crescent roll toward the center of the wreath until all are done. I connected them together, you can tuck them under each roll too.
10. Brush top with egg and dust with parmesan cheese
11. Bake for 15-18 minutes (mine took 18)
12. Remove from oven and immediately top with remaining queso fresco and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
13. Top with sour cream, hot sauce, sliced olives and avocado!

Related articles

• Taco Braid (sweetheatchefs.com)
• Taco Roll-Ups (spoonful.com)

Loaded Bake Potato Soup Crock Pot Style

INGREDIENTS

6 large baking potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/2″size
1 large onion, chopped
1 quart chicken broth
3 garlic cloves, minced 
1/4 cup butter (REAL butter)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cream or 1 cup half-and-half cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 cup sour cream (optional)
8 slices bacon, fried & crumbled
cheese, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

Combine first seven ingredients in a large crock pot; cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours (potato should be tender).

Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thick. If you want it thicker, add 1/4 cup instant mashed potatoes.

Stir in cream, cheese and chives.

Top with sour cream (if used), sprinkle with bacon and more cheese.

Related articles

• Creamy Chicken Rice & Veggie Soup (sweetheatchefs.com)
• 33 More Easy Crock Pot Recipes (foodiefriendsfridaydailydish.com)

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake – Perfect for the holidays!

Have a holly jolly Christmas, it’s the best time of the year….Oh sorry I have these Christmas jingles in my head  this time of year and yes I know it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. 😀  I’m hopeless when this time of year comes around! Just imagine your friends and families face when you break out this beauty for desert! I think this is truly one of the best cheesecakes I have ever had.

As you know I am not the best baker around, so when I make a cheesecake that comes out looking at gorgeous as this one..I am a happy camper! You know what it means? It means YOU can do this too!! LOL

My mom gave me a ton of fresh cranberries and I was trying to figure out what the heck to do with them, when of course cheesecake comes to mind. The cinnamony chocolatey graham cracker crust paired with the creamy cheesecake and tartness of cranberries is like a bite of heaven in each mouthful. The cranberry compote is a MUST to save even after the cheesecake is gone. It is great on crackers with a sharp cheddar cheese or to add into your mixed cocktails! YUM

Cranberry Compote:

• 2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
• zest of one lemon or orange
• 4 tsp vanilla

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 2 3/4 cups of graham crackers
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened Cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling:

• 4 – 8 ounces packages cream cheese, room temperature (I used 2 full fat and 2 reduced fat cream cheese and this is crazy rich)
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup whipping cream or half and half
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• cranberry compote

Make cranberry compote:
Combine all ingredients except vanilla in large saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5-10 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to food processor and add vanilla. Puree until smooth. Strain into a bowl and cover  Refrigerate at least 6 hours or freeze for 3.

Make crust:
Spray 10-inch-diameter Springform pan (I used 2 pie dishes) with nonstick spray. If using a Springform pan, wrap outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Blend all ingredients except butter in food processor. Add butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of pan. Chill crust while preparing filling.

Make filling:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, half and half and vanilla.

Transfer 1/3 of filling to prepared crust. Dollop 1/3 of cranberry puree atop filling. Repeat layering of filling and puree 2 more times. Using knife, skewer or toothpick, swirl puree through filling, creating marbled design.

Place springform pan or pie dish in large baking dish or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan or baking dish to come halfway up sides of springform pan or pie dish. Bake until cheesecake puffs around edges, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour, leaving oven door ajar.

If using  springform pan: Transfer cake to rack. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool completely. Remove foil from pan sides. Cover cake and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Remove pan sides.

If using a pie dish: Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 6 hours or 3 hours in freezer.

Serve cake with Cranberry Compote either on top or on the side for dipping each tart bite into!

This recipe is was shared over at:

Thursday’s Treasures

Wicked Good Wednesdays

Mini Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts + BONUS Recipe

DOUGHNUTS…anyone else feel like Homer Simpson when thinking of doughnuts? I do! And for that reason I stay my distance from the beasts that like to make my thighs bigger! My mom recently gave me a mini doughnut pan and I was like, REALLY mom? Are ya kidding me? This is the LAST thing I need.

After several hours of research online and seeing that there were some good recipes out there for them, I decided to give it a go. I mean they can’t be to bad, 1) they are baked, 2) they are tiny! Well, and after all it is: “All Things Pumpkin” here at Sweet Heat Chefs this week, so why not go for the gusto and make them Pumpkin doughnuts right?! Ok, let’s not be silly, we all know I can’t make much without chocolate being in it (yes that is the sweet tooth jabbering away at my inner self). So with regard to that I have included a BONUS recipe for that very inner self!

INGREDIENTS

1.5 cups canned pumpkin pie mix
1.5 cups granulated sugar, room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature and scrambled
1/4 cup coconut oil, room temperature (make sure it is in liquid form)
1/4 cup applesauce, room temperature OR sour cream OR non fat greek yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups flour + 2 tablespoons

Topping

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine everything except the flour, and beat until smooth.

Add the flour and mix until combined.

Pipe batter into mini-doughnut pans. Fill them just a little over half full. Aren’t they super cute?

Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. When touched they should spring back and not be doughy. The smell is heavenly!

Remove from pans and place on baking rack to cool. While still warm, but not hot, place a few at a time in bowl with your cinnamon & sugar mixture and coat lightly. Yes this step is needed. I saw lots of recipes with a more refined topping and drizzle, this is the best option. It give a little sweetness and changes the entire flavor in lieu of leaving the doughnut plain. Try it, eat one without first, then toss in this mixture…YOU’LL SEE!!

Makes approximate 4 dozen depending on size AND how quickly you devour the baby doughnuts before anyone notices because they are school and work…wait what?

A little plug for my favorite coffee maker Keurig my hubby Mr. Sweet Heat Chefs, my mom and mom-in law bought me for my birthday this year. This Coconut Mocha coffee is the BOMB with these doughnuts! WINK

Alternative ideas for the doughnuts are:

Add mini chocolate chips on top of batter after filling and drizzle with melted chocolate chips for topping

Add 1/2 teaspoon chopped pecans/walnuts to batter and drizzle with this:

Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (mix together until sugar is dissolved) and top that with crushed pecans/walnuts.

Woah, wait a minute…SECOND RECIPE DOUBLE

TAKE FOR FRIDAY MADNESS!!

Mini Chocolate Espresso Doughnuts

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp plain yogurt
¼ cup milk
1 egg
3 tbsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp vanilla extract
2 tblsp instant espresso, in hot water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl and wet ingredients in another mixing bowl.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet slowly stirring to incorporate evenly.
4. Fill doughnut pan with batter almost full and not overflowing
5. Bake for about 7 minutes. When touched they should spring back and not be doughy.
6. Melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips in a baggie (30 seconds) with 1 teaspoon of shortening and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. OPTIONAL: You could add espresso in with the chocolate chips while melting. Just make sure you dissolve it in hot water first.
7. Cut tip off end of baggie and drizzle over doughnuts

Gingerbread Pumpkin Cheesecake

Cheesecake you might as well know now…is a serious weakness for me. This time of year with pumpkin all around, I decided to add it to my cheesecake recipe. Talk about some exquisite delectability! This cheesecake has a really creamy center with a semi sweet gingerbread crust and is topped with a tangy sour cream yogurt mixture that rounds out this delicious dessert that is great for after your Thanksgiving meal or even a date night for 2 with a glass of Port. *Thank you to a reader who found some errors, this recipe has been updated!*

INGREDIENTS

1.5 cups gingersnaps or gingerbread cookies, crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2.5 packages cream cheese, softened
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin pie mixture (or canned pumpkin if you prefer, just add 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice to it)
1/2 cup of granulated sugar if using pumpkin pie; if using canned pumpkin use 1 cup sugar (can also use brown sugar)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Place cookies in food processor and pulverized until fine consistency.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Melt butter and add to cookie crumbs, place in a pie dish or tart pan and press firmly covering the bottom of the pan.
4. Bake in oven for 7 minutes.
5. In a bowl, cream together; cream cheese, vanilla, and pumpkin. Add beaten egg and continue mixing for 1 minute on low speed.
6. Pour mixture into tart pan or pie dish and bake for 45-50 minutes, until no longer “jiggly” or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

1. In a small bowl combine yogurt, sour cream and sugar, stir until well combined.
2. Pour over top of cheesecake and return to oven for 5 minutes.

Let cool for about 20 minutes and begin to loosen edges with knife. Continue to let cool for 30 more minutes. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.

Featured at: Foodie Friends Friday!

Walking Tacos

Adapted from the Picky Palate, a great site that helped me get through prepping for my camping trip not only on food ideas, but camping with a toddler ACK! So after our camping trip I now know these walking tacos are terrific. Making sure to make what you can at home first really makes the prepping at the camp site easy peasy! This version is for at home eating, if you want the actual camping version click here.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
2 orange bell peppers, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2.5 lb lean ground turkey
Pinch of kosher salt and black pepper
1 can organic tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilis
1 cup of your favorite salsa
2 cans of beans, drained. I used black and red kidney
1 can black olives sliced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1.5 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon hot sauce
Juice from 1 lime
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 cup masa harina
water for masa harina
6 Bags or cans of Fritos chips
1 bag shredded cheddar cheese, mexican blend
Sour cream
Jalapenos and/or green onions
1 lime cut in wedges

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Saute onion, garlic and peppers for 5 minutes or until softened.
3. Add ground turkey, salt and pepper. Cook until browned.
4. Pour in tomato sauce, tomatoes, salsa, and stir to combine.
5. Add in beans, olives, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, lime juice, salt, pepper as needed.
6. In a small bowl add masa harina and water mixing with a whisk until a thin consistency. 
7. Add masa mixture to meat and stir to combine.
8. Add chopped cilantro and reduce heat to low to simmer until ready to serve.
9. Place frito chips on plate and add chili, cheese, squeeze lime over top, dollop the sour cream, add sliced jalapenos and cilantro and dig in! Perfect for game day with a COLD ONE!!

Cooking is a messy job and always remember….

DON’T WEAR WHITE SHIRTS when preparing tomato based sauces!!!

 

These walking tacos are part of the Foodie Friends Friday page!

Walking Tacos, Camping Style

No one wants to spend their time camping making food. The easier the better, with less mess and little prep. These walking tacos are just the thing every time! I will never go camping without taking these with us. Make sure you do all the prep work ahead of time at home, you will be so happy you did.

This version was adapted from the Picky Palate, a great site that helped me get through prepping for our camping trip not only with food ideas, but camping with a toddler (ACK!)   This recipe is for camping, if you want the at home version click here. Yes you can make this on game day at home and eat tacos on the couch without the mess!

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
2 orange bell peppers, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2.5 lb lean ground turkey
Pinch of kosher salt and black pepper
1 can organic tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilis
1 cup of your favorite salsa
2 cans of beans, drained. I used black and red kidney
1 can black olives sliced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1.5 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon hot sauce
Juice from 1 lime
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 cup masa harina
water for masa harina
6 Bags or cans of Fritos chips
1 bag shredded cheddar cheese, mexican blend
Sour cream
Jalapenos and/or green onions
1 lime cut in wedges

DIRECTIONS

1. The day before camping get this made and put in a ziplock baggie, you will have a much funner and easy time cooking dinner. It takes about 5 minutes to get everything together at the camp ground!
2. Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
3. Saute onion, garlic and peppers for 5 minutes or until softened.
4. Add ground turkey, salt and pepper. Cook until browned.
5. Pour in tomato sauce, tomatoes, salsa, and stir to combine.
6. Add in beans, olives, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, lime juice, salt, pepper as needed.
7. In a small bowl add masa harina and water mixing with a whisk until a thin consistency such as pancake batter.
8. Add masa mixture to meat and stir to combine.
9. Add chopped cilantro and reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30-40 minutes.
10. Take off stove and let cool. Once cool place in ziplock baggie and refrigerate until ready to serve.
11. when you are ready to serve, place chili in pot and heat up to desired temperature.
12. Open bag of fritos or can and add cheese. If using the can fritos close can with lid and shake until cheese starts to melt. If using the bag, stir the cheese until it starts to melt.
13. Next add the lime juice, dollop on sour cream, sliced jalapenos or green onion and top with cilantro and dig in!
14. All you have for clean up is the pan you reheated the chili in!

TO MAKE AT HOME:

Could these legumes be any prettier? I could eat them just like this with a spoon! such a nutritional food for us, especially kids to help fill their bellies!

WHEN YOU GET TO THE CAMPSITE AND ARE READY TO EAT:

Camping stove with 2 pots of chili mixture, 1 without beans on left 1 with beans on right

I was lucky enough to find these cool cans of fritos. They were a little TOO full, so we pulled some chips out before adding the taco mixture. These cans rock because you can put a lid on and shake up the ingredients, or if your kids are fanatics about bugs, they can close it while they take a drink or whatever so nothing accidentally makes its way into the food 😀

Chili/Taco mixture added into frito cans

I ALWAYS say…DON’T FORGET MY LIME!!!

Lovely cilantro and sour cream to top it all off

Shake Shake Shake…

Here is proof it is GOOD! 

Cornbread Gone Wild…

I am convinced I was either Hispanic in my previous life or a poblano pepper. I just can’t get enough Mexican  food and the spiciness that goes with it! This recipe is an adaptation from another recipe I have. If you want to make it vegetarian omit the turkey meat, it is just as tasty! I love cornbread but also like nontraditional such as with butter and honey. So baking it this way makes it seem like you are having it an entirely new way, which essentially you are. You could add black beans in this recipe instead of corn or along with the corn to make it more tex mex. This is a spicy dish, if you want it less spicy omit the jalepeno and make sure all seeds are removed. I left some seeds in and used the jalepeno, 1 of my kids was in tears it was so spicy for them 😦 I also served this over my Chipotle Lime Refried Beans. Be prepared for >hotness<

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground turkey meat
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt/pepper to taste (for ground turkey)
2 tablespoons butter
6 large, fresh green chilies; such as Anaheim or poblano, roasted, peeled and seeded
1 jalepeno pepper; roasted, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Monterrey jack cheese
4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
1 can corn, drained
3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt (for cornbread batter)

 DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to Broil
2. Char peppers until bubbly, brown and aromatic; about 10-15 minutes.
3. Place in bowl and cover with saran wrap to “sweat” the peppers to be able to easily remove the skins.
4. Once skins removed, carefully slice open and remove seeds.
5. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
6. Cook turkey meat with garlic and salt/pepper until cooked thoroughly. 
7. Place the chiles in a layer on the bottom of the pan, sprinkle 1/2 the turkey meat, top with 1/2 half the cheese, add remaining turkey meat.  
8. Beat the egg whites until fluffy, almost stiff.
9. In another bowl, mix together the egg yolks, corn, cornmeal, flour, milk, sour cream and salt.
10. Fold egg whites gently into the cornbread mixture and spoon over the cheese and peppers.
11. Top with butter pats and add all remaining cheese on top
12. Bake for 25 minutes. 
13. Let set for about 5 minutes and cut into sections to serve.
14. Serve on top of my Chipotle Lime Refried Beans.
    

Prepping the peppers for charring

Peppers after sweating

Make sure your 2 year old has something to play with while you get hot pepper seeds on your hands!

Shredded cheeses

De-skinned & de-seeded peppers in baking dish

on top of peppers goes the turkey meat

on top of turkey meat goes cheese, then the rest of the turkey

fluffy egg whites

egg whites and cornbread mixture added to pan, topped with butter pats

top with remaining cheese and bake, bake, bake. Enjoy the wonderful aromas that arise from your oven.

Taco Braid

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
4 oz of Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Salsa
1/2 lb ground turkey, with a Taco seasoning mix
1/2 can (15oz) of refried beans
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
olive oil
sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Once dough is thawed, spray cutting board and hands with cooking spray and knead dough for a few seconds to form smooth ball.
2. Roll dough into a 15-in. x 12-in. rectangle. sprinkle a greased cookie sheet with the Parmesan cheese and place dough rectangle on the greased cookie sheet. It’s very important to place the dough on the cookie sheet before you fill it because once you fill it, it will be too heavy to move onto the cookie sheet. Mix salsa and cream cheese in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Spread the refried beans lengthwise down center third of rectangle leaving an edge for braiding.
4. Add turkey meat on top of the beans
5. Spread cream cheese mixture over the top of the turkey meat
6. Add cheese on top of turkey meat.
7. On each long side, cut 1 inch wide strips about 2-1/2-inches into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling.
8. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Drizzle with olive oil. Let sit for 10 minutes.
9. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before cutting into.
11. Serve with sour cream, taco sauce, avocado, olives, limes, tomatoes or whatever you like on your tacos!

 

Roll dough into a rectangle. Before placing on cookie sheet I added some Parmesan cheese.

Spread the refried beans lengthwise down center third of rectangle leaving an edge for braiding.

Spread cream cheese mixture over the top of the turkey meat.

On each long side, cut 1 inch wide strips about 2-1/2-inches cutting toward the center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across the filling.

Kinda reminds me of a mummy! I think I will add olives and taco sauce to make a face for Halloween!!

Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Drizzle with olive oil. Let sit for 10 minutes. Drink a beer since there is nothing better to do.

Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before cutting into.

Serve with sour cream, taco sauce, avocado, olives, limes, tomatoes or whatever you like on your tacos!