Taco Bake

Hello! I tend to make A LOT of taco meat when we have tacos. Mostly because too many times we ran out and the kidlets were still hungry. It's amazing how many tacos they can eat! Anyway...I ended up with a decent amount of taco meat left over in the fridge and decided to experiment. It turned out really good, so I thought I'd share it with you all. :) This is just how I did it. As with all recipes, it can be tweaked to fit your tastes. :)

Spread taco meat on the bottom of a lightly oiled/sprayed baking dish appropriately sized for the amount of meat you have. It doesn't need to be a thick layer. Just cover the bottom of the dish.

Drizzle taco sauce over the taco meat....enough to moisten it. You can mix it in and spread the meat back out, but it's not necessary. I've done it both ways.

Spread shredded cheese (your choice...I like sharp cheddar for tacos) over the meat to cover.

Okay, if you're using a small pan like an 8" round cake pan or a casserole, you'll only need one of the following. If you're using an 8x11 or 9x13, you'll need at least two. According to package directions, make cornbread batter (of course, can be done from scratch but this is supposed to be a quick, easy recipe). I've used regular cornbread and the Mexican Cornbread mix. Both were good. Pour the batter evenly over the cheese and bake according to the mix directions adding about 5-10 minutes to the bake time, or until the bread tests done.

I like mine piled with lettuce and sour cream, but it's good the way it comes out of the dish as well. It also keeps well in the fridge for lunch the next day. :)

Raspberry Tapioca Pudding

Not your typical pudding! Think "raspberry sorbet of puddings" - tons of flavor, a hint of lemon, no dairy or eggs... Just perfect for a warm summer day! I think we'll be making this one again, and maybe trying it with some other berry flavors.

10 oz. frozen raspberries, THAWED (don't forget this part!)
1 c. red grape juice (I actually used white grape/raspberry blend -worked fine)
1/4-1/3 c. sugar
1 lemon peel strip (1 inch)
1/4 c. quick-cooking tapioca
whipped cream

Mash and strain raspberries, reserving juice. Discard seeds. Add enough water to the juice to equal 2 cups. Combine with red grape juice in large saucepan; add sugar and lemon peel. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 min. Remove lemon peel, add tapioca, and cook and stir for another 10 min. Pour into bowls, cover and chill 4 hrs or until set. Serve with whipped cream, and maybe additional fresh berries.

The recipe says it serves 6, but the half-batch I made for Naomi and myself (the boys were on a camp-out!) would have been hard to stretch for another person. It did set up really fast and thick for me though, so maybe elevation and dry climate had something to do with that...

Anyway, Enjoy!

Tilapia and Mango Salsa

So I am not really a fish person - but this was the best fish I have ever had! So delicious.

However many tilapia fillets you need

Grated Parmesan cheese

Bread crumbs

Milk

1-2 Mangos

1-2 Avocados

3-4 roma tomatoes

2 green onions

2 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp Sea salt

Red pepper flakes to taste

Mix parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a 3 to 1 ratio (3 cheese 1 bread crumbs) enough to coat all the tilapia fillets. Dip fillets in milk then roll in cheese. Bake at 425 until done (spraying the top of the fish after being rolled in the cheese mixture will help them to cook more evenly…so I have been told). Chop mango, avocado, tomatoes, green onions and mix with salt, lemon juice and however many red pepper flakes you want. Serve the salsa beside or on top of the fish.

Bread Pudding and Cheese Blintzes

For Tonya :)

Bread Pudding
6 cups bread pieces
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs (or more - I use more because I like it more custard-y)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
about 2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup raisins or apples (optional)

Beat eggs, add sugar, vanilla and milk. Pour over bread and raisins, mix together. Bake in lightly greased 9x13 at 350*F for about 30 minutes. The middle should not jiggle when it is done.


Cheese Blintzes
2 loaves thin-sliced sandwich bread
16 oz cream cheese
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
cinnamon sugar mixture
sour cream

Cut crusts off bread, roll each slice flat. Beat cream cheese, egg yolks, and sugar with mixer until smooth. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling on each slice of bread. Roll up, cut each roll in half. Dip blintzes in butter, then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350*F for 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, with sour cream if you like. Makes about 100 blintzes.

Cafe Rio

Cafe Rio Pork
5-6 lb pork roast
21 oz Dr Pepper
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
7 oz can chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
6ish oz jar red taco sauce (mild, medium or hot - whatever you want)
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Place roast in crock pot, cover half-way with water and cook on low overnight or for 12 hours. Then drain pork. Mix remaining ingredients until sugar dissolves. (I use the Dr Pepper to rinse the chipotle chilis to get the sauce off, then throw away the actual chilis. It has plenty of spice just from the sauce.) Add the Dr Pepper mixture to the roast and cook on low an additional 4 hours. Then shred the roast and cook another 2 hours.

Tomatillo Dressing
1 package ranch dressing mix
3 tomatillos
1 cup mayo
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cilantro (or more - I just use half a bunch)
3 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp green tabasco sauce
juice from 1 lime

Dump everything in the blender and blend until smooth.

Cafe Rio Rice
4 cups water
2 cups rice
4 tsp chicken bouillon
4 tsp garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilis
3/4 tsp salt
1 T butter
1/2 an onion

Blend cilantro, green chilis and onion together in food processor. Bring water to boil and add all ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes.

Serve with:
tortillas
black beans
lettuce
pico de gallo (or salsa)
guacamole
cheese
sour cream

Black-Eyed Peas for New Years?

So I never was a huge fan of Mom's "black-eyed peas on New Years for good luck!" But here's a recipe that after only a sample tasting became a hit with me! You've got to give it a try!

Bean Salsa

2 cans black beans (drained & washed)
2 cans shoe peg canned corn (drained)
1 can black-eyed peas (drained & washed)
2-3 avacados, chopped or diced
6-7 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 bunches green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 pkgs (dry) Zesty Italian dressing (Good Seasoning brand) - Mix it as directed, but use only half the amount of oil.

Toss together and enjoy with tortilla chips - it's a light meal all by itself!

Pumpkin Swirl Bread

Mom asked me for this recipe yesterday, so I thought I'd share! I like it because it's very much like pumpkin cake roll, but much faster and simpler. It's also not as sweet - a good recipe for kids, especially if you use whole wheat flour. Cutting the sugar in the pumpkin part makes even makes it breakfast worthy!

1 8oz pgk cream cheese, softened
1/4 c sugar
1 egg, beaten

Combine the above, beating until smooth, then set aside.

1 3/4 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 c pumpkin
1/2 c butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c water

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 1 5x9-in loaf pan - grease & flour, or spray.

Combine the dry ingredients and spices. Combine the wet ingredients, then mix together with the dry until moistened. Reserve 2 cups - pour the rest into prepared pan. Pour cream cheese mixture over pumpkin batter, then top with reserved batter. Cut several times with a knife to swirl.

Bake 1 hour. Allow to cool to facilitate cutting. Enjoy!

Note: If you're like me and just eyeball it, be generous with the amount you hold back for putting on top of the cheese mixture - I always find I should have saved a little more. Maybe I should actually measure next time!