Mexican Cornbread

This has been a favorite since I was a little girl.  One of the things my mom would often cook.  As I was growing up I never cared for jalapenos so my mom would only put them on half of it for her and my dad.  Well, now that I make this dish I find myself doing the same thing for my kids.  When I made this tonight I added diced up Roma tomatoes, and really liked it.  Tomatoes have a way of adding a fresh flavor to just about any dish. 


Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 of an onion (diced)
4 Roma tomatoes (diced)
1 cup fresh grated cheddar or Monterrey jack
desired amount jalapenos
1 can cream style corn

Corn Bread
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350.

Dice vegetables into small pieces

On medium heat in large skillet cook ground beef, stirring often with fork to make fine.  Drain grease about 90% done, return to skillet and add onions.  Cook 3-5 more minutes, and remove from heat. 

In large bowl add all cornbread ingredients and mix together well.  Next mix in the can of cream style corn to cornbread.

Pour 1/3-1/2 of cornbread mixture in bottom of iron skillet.  Place all ground beef on top of this first layer.  Then add tomatoes, jalapenos, and cheese.  Pour remaining cornbread mixture on top.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown.

Fresh Bean Dip

I've had a bean dip recipe saved in my favorites on foodgawker for a while now, and just had a craving to make it tonight.  Of course while at the store I could not find all the ingredients the recipe I had saved called for.  So I had to do my best and work with what I could find and what I already had at home.  I was impressed with how it turned out.  Of course this is not your typical bean dip, and you must realize it is healthier.   My personal opinion is that is taste fresh, which comes from the onion, garlic and jalapeno.   I think I could have made it more spicy, and next time I'll plan to leave a few seeds from the jalapeno to help with that part.  Overall this is just a fresh tasting snack!
 Recipe adapted from Dinner With Julie

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 15(oz) can Dark Red Kidney Beans (drained & rinsed)
5 garlic cloves diced
2 jalapeno peppers (remove seeds & dice)
1/2 onion chopped
4 Tbsp tomato sauce
2 Tbsp golden curry
2 tsp red wine vinegar
squirt of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (1/2 Tbsp)
juice from a lemon

Preparation

Chop & Dice garlic, jalapeno, & onion

Heat Olive Oil in skillet over medium heat.  Then add garlic, jalapeno, & onion and cook until soft.  Add tomato sauce, golden curry, red wine vinegar, and Sriracha sauce to skillet mixing all ingredients thoroughly.  Set skillet aside.

Place beans in blender/food processor with mixture from skillet, and small amount of lemon juice and honey.  Blend until all is mixed well or until desired smoothness. Place in bowl, cover with cling wrap and place in fridge for 2 hours before serving.

Scrambled Eggs

I usually have eggs every morning for breakfast.  So sometimes the regular salt/pepper eggs gets old, and I do little something different.  These eggs are still easy using two main seasoning I keep in my cabinet.  They have good flavor and are moist, making for a nice twist on eggs.

Ingredients
2 tsp Tones Garlic & Herb
2 tsp Paula Deen Seasoning
4 eggs
1/2 cup fresh shredded cheddar (divided)
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp salted butter

Preparartion
1.  Crack eggs in large bowl, and add milk.  Using a wire whisk, I used my handheld Cusinart with whisk attachment, blend eggs, milk, and seasonings very well until smooth and blended.

2. Place butter in skillet and place on burner at medium heat.  Coat sides of skillet with butter also.

3.  Once butter is melted and kinda bubbly, add egg mixture and add 1/4 cup cheese.  Stir eggs continuously to keep from sticking and forming thin dry pieces.

4. Once cooked to your desire, remove from heat, and serve.  Garnish with extra cheese.

Serves 2 people

Panini Egg Sandwich

Growing up a scrambled egg sandwich was one of my favorites, and now that I have children of my own it is a favorite of theirs.   Since we have a Panini Sandwich press we make the egg sandwiches on it and they turn out perfect. 

Ingredients

2 pieces bread
1/2 cup shredded cheddar divided
spray butter
2 eggs scrambled

1. Scramble eggs in skillet, adding cheese just before they are done.

2. Place eggs on one side of bread, add shredded cheese on top. 

3. Place breads together, lightly spray outsides with butter.

4. Cook on Panini until lightly browned.
 

Chicken Sausage Bean Soup

I made this for the first time a couple months back and it is my husbands new favorite soup.  I used ideas from three different recipes, and made a soup with ingredients I already had.  The jalapeno sausage gives it a lot of flavor, while the tomatoes and peppers make it taste so fresh and light.  Really just a great combination for a soup.  Plenty of meat for the man but a light taste for the lady!

Ingredients
8-10 frozen chicken tenders
1-2 cubes bullion cubes
Paula Dean seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)
2 Tbsp hidden valley ranch seasoning mix
Montreal steak seasoning
3 cloves fresh garlic (diced finely)
3 medium jalapeno peppers (seeded and diced)
4-6 Roma tomatoes
2 Tbsp butter
3 links Slovacek's jalapeno sausage (buy at SAMS)
2 cans white kidney beans
Parsley flakes
Oregano
 
Sour cream
Fresh minced cilantro
Shredded mexican cheese

Preparation
Boil chicken tenders in water with bullion cube, Paula Dean seasoning, ranch seasoning, and montreal steak season.

In meantime dice garlic, tomatoes, and jalapeno.  Slice sausage in quarter inch thick slices.

Once chicken is done, remove from pot and shred using two forks.  Remove any fatty pieces from chicken.  Pour off top of chicken broth leaving bottom remains of juice and seasoning in pot.  Then pour this into crock pot.  Add chicken to this and turn pot on low.

In skillet heat butter on medium heat.  Add garlic and jalapeno and cook until softened.  Place vegetables in crock pot.

Using same skillet cook sausage to desired brownness.  Pour onto tripled layers of paper towels to soak up grease.  Place in crock pot.

Add beans, tomatoes, parsley and oregeno to crock pot and stir all ingredients together.  Add more of the reserved chicken broth if necessary.

Cook on low heat about 3 hours.  Serve hot and top with sour cream, cilantro, and cheese if desired.  Serve with cornbread.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients

1 box Devils Cake Mix	1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 stick softened butter	1 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 eggs	desired amount frozen Reeses, chopped
3/4 cup Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chips

 

Preparation

Preheat oven 350 degrees
Line 13x9 baking dish with foil and spray generously with nonstick spray.
In bowl mix cake, butter, & eggs until combined well and a dough forms. Spoon dough into baking dish. With clean hands press and spread evenly into baking dish. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. In small bowl mix peanut butter and sweetened condensed, then spoon as evenly as possible over cake. Use spoon to spread somewhat evenly. In bowl, use fork to chop Reeses, and sprinkle over top.
Bake 27-31 minutes until set. Let cool completely to assure it is totally set.

Chocolate Cupcakes

 

Ingredients

2 cups sugar	1/2 cup canola oil
1 3/4 cups All purpose flour	2 tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 cups Hersheys Unsweet Cocoa	1 cup Brewed Starbucks Dark Espresso Coffee
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder	2 sticks salted butter room temperature
1 1/2 tsp Baking soda	7 cups Confectioners Sugar
1 tsp salt	1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs	2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup milk

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine first 6 dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Stir in the hot coffee and mix well with a spoon (batter will be thin).
Pour 1/4 cup batter into each cupcake paper.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and then remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

*Icing
In bowl combine butter, 4 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes.
Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating for about 2 minutes after each addition, until icing reaches desired consistency; you may not need to add all the sugar.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.