Caprese Stuffed Chicken

 
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups baby spinach
4 chicken breasts, pounded very thin
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
4oz mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees then line a sheet with with foil, spray with nonstick spray and then set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat then add onion, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds. Add spinach then cook just until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Brush and season both sides of the pounded chicken breasts with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mound 1/4 of the spinach mixture on one end of the chicken breasts, then layer on sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil then sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper. Fold other end of chicken over and secure with a toothpick. Place onto prepared baking sheet then bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.

Pistachio Crusted Chicken

Pistachio Crusted Chicken Recipe

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• ¾ cup shelled pistachios
• ¾ cup Italian seasoned Panko bread crumbs
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tbsp. honey mustard
• Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the pistachios in a food processor and pulse until they turn into small crumbs. Pour the pistachios into a shallow dish. Add the panko and toss to combine.
3. Pat any excess moisture off of the chicken breasts using paper towels. Brush the honey mustard onto both sides of the chicken breasts (or you could rub it on if you don’t have a brush). One at a time, place a chicken breast into the dish with the pistachio mixture. Press the pistachios into the chicken until the chicken is well coated on all sides. Discard the extra pistachio mixture.
4. Place the chicken on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear (about 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts).

Notes

I used chicken breasts that were about 1-1/2 inches thick. Don't use chicken breasts that are too thick. Otherwise, they will take longer to cook and the nuts may burn.

Crock Pot Cashew Chicken

 Crock Pot Cashew Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (About 4 pieces), cut into smaller pieces
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp grated fresh ginger
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ cup UNSALTED cashews

Instructions

1. Combine flour and pepper in resealable food storage bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with flour mixture.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker.
3. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken.
4. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Add cashews and stir.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

 

Yield: Serves 8-10
Cook Time: 4 hours

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

An easy and flavorful chicken soup made in the slow cooker, topped off with shredded cheese and seasoned tortilla strips.

Ingredients:

1lb chicken breast, trimmed
15oz can sweet whole corn kernels, drained
15oz can diced tomatoes, drained
5C chicken stock
3/4C onion, chopped
3/4C green pepper, chopped
1 serrano pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp ground pepper, divided
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Seasoned tortilla strips

Directions:

 

To your slow cooker add first 9 ingredients plus 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp ground pepper. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

Prior to serving, remove chicken breasts. Transfer chicken to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for easy shredding. Alternately you may shred chicken by hand. Season chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Return shredded seasoned chicken to slow cooker bowl. Stir gently.

If serving immediately, divide among bowls. Top off with a generous helping of shredded cheese and seasoned tortilla strips. Soup may be stored in the fridge for up to several days. If freezing, label containers well with soup name and date.

 
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Seasoned Baked Tortilla Strips

Crunchy homemade seasoned and baked tortilla strips. A perfect topping for salads, soups and more!

Ingredients:

8 small corn tortillas
4 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Dash cayenne pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Cut corn tortillas into 1/2-inch strips. Add to a large bowl, toss with vegetable oil to coat. Sprinkle with seasonings. Toss to coat tortilla strips evenly.
Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes. Toss and return to the oven. Continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes or until desired crispness is reached.
Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Beef Lo Mein

 
Beef  Lo Mein

Ingredients:

8 oz Thin spaghetti broken in half
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cups hot boiled water
1 Tbsp better than bullion
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
oil for frying
1 pound beef
2 large carrots
2 Cups Broccoli
1 large onion
4 garlic cloves

Directions:
1.  Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Into cooked spaghetti ass sesame oil and stir to combine.
2.  Into hot skillet, brown both sides of the beef.  Let the beef cool and slice it into 2 inch pieces.
3. Add sliced beef into the same skillet, fry until completely cooked.  Into the cooked beef, add sauce mixture, cook all together for about a minute and set aside.
4.  Dice carrots, broccoli and onion into 2 inch pieces.
5.  Using the skillet where you have cooked the beef, saute onions until golden brown.  Remove from heat.
6.  In a separate oiled skillet, saute carrots until softened, add broccoli and cook for about 3 minutes.  Press garlic into the same mixture.
7.  In a large dish, combine spaghetti, vegetables, and beef together.  Toss to combine and serve warm.

Note: can use Chinese egg noodles instead of spaghetti if you can find it,

 

Beef 

Serving size:

6

servings

• • 8 ounces
  • Thin Spaghetti; broken in half
• • 1 teaspoon
  • Sesame Oil
• • 1/4 cups
  • Hot Boiled Water
• • 1 tablespoon
  • Beef Better Than Bullion
• • 3 tablespoons
  • Soy Sauce
• • 2 tablespoons
  • Brown Sugar
• •  
  • Oil; for frying
• • 1 pound
  • Beef
• • 2
  • large Carrots
• • 2 cups
  • Broccoli
• • 1
  • large Onion
• • 4
  • Garlic Cloves

- See more at: http://momsdish.com/recipe/400/beef-lo-mein-recipe?render=print#sthash.9tgPNFjq.dpuf

 

 

Instructions 

Cook spaghetti per box instructions. Into cooked spaghetti add sesame oil and stir to combine.

Into hot, boiled water add Better Than Bullion and brown sugar; stir to dissolve. Into the mixture, add soy sauce and set aside.

Using a hot skillet, brown both sides of the beef. Let beef cool and slice it into two inch pieces.

Add sliced beef into the same skillet, fry until completely cooked. Into the cooked beef, add sauce mixture, cook all together for about a minute, set aside.

Dice carrots, broccoli and onion into two inch pieces.

Using the skillet, where you've cooked beef, sautee onions until golden brown. Remove from the heat.

In a separate oiled skillet, sautee carrots until softened, add broccoli and cook for about three minutes. Press garlic into the same mixture and remove form the heat.

In a large dish, combine spaghetti, vegetables and beef, together. Toss to combine, serve hot.

Note: I used regular spaghetti and they worked well in this recipe, but Lo Mein is typically prepared with Chinese egg noodles.

- See more at: http://momsdish.com/recipe/400/beef-lo-mein-recipe?render=print#sthash.ycR4Pleh.dpuf

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

Crockpot Orange Chicken

 

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

6 hours

Total time

6 hours 15 mins

 

Author: Amanda@MomsWithCrockpots.com

Recipe type: Dinner

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds boneless chicken, cut in 2-inch chunks
• ½ cup flour (I used Oh My Gluten Free Flour Mix)
• olive oil, for browning the chicken
• dash of salt
• 6 ounces (1/2 can) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons ketchup

Instructions

1. Dredge the chicken pieces with the flour, and shake off the excess. Go ahead and throw away any remaining flour, we won't need it.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on the stove and brown the chicken on all sides. There is no need to fully cook it, just sear it enough for the flour to stick and get a nice coating. Plop the chicken pieces into your slow cooker.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the orange juice concentrate, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and ketchup; Taste. If you'd like the chicken to be a bit sweeter, add a touch more sugar. Pour sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, and toss gingerly to coat. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3. Serve over white or brown rice.
4. **I plan on making a double batch next time so I can use a full can of OJ. There will be plenty for leftovers, or the freezer for dinner another night!**

Mongolian Beef

 

 

Ingredients

• 4 tsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. ginger, minced
• 2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1 c. soy sauce
• 1 c. water
• 1 c. brown sugar (packed)
• 2 c. vegetable oil
• 2 Lb. flank steaks
• ½ c. cornstarch
• 3 large green onions

Instructions

1. Make the sauce by heating 4 tsp. vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Don’t get the oil too hot. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to medium and boil the sauce 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens a little bit. Remove sauce from heat.
2. Slice the flank steak against the grain into ¼ inch slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak so you get wider cuts. Dip the steak pieces into cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit about 10 min. so the cornstarch sticks. As the beef sits, heat up 1 c. oil in a wok (or skillet). Heat the oil over medium heat until its hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and saute for just 2 minutes, or until beef just begins to darken on the edges. Stir the meat around a little bit so that it cooks evenly.
3. After a few minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour most of the oil out of the skillet. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the sauce, cook for 1 minute while stirring and add green onions. Cook for 1 more minute. Now at this point you can either remove the beef with a slotted spoon or tongs and discard the sauce (this is what P.F. Chang's does) OR thicken the sauce with a cornstarch-water mixture to desired thickness and serve it over rice with the beef.

Chicken Avocado Burritos

 

 

Chicken Avocado Burritos

Author: OMGChocolateDesserts.com

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  15 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Serves: 4

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (or 2 chicken breasts, salt and pepper- to taste, 1 Tablespoon mustard, 1 Tablespoon olive oil)
• 1 cup grated cheese (I use mozzarella)
• 1 avocado -diced
• 2 Tablespoons cilantro-chopped
• 4 large tortillas
• 4 Tablespoon sour cream
• 1 Tablespoon oil

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan, place chicken breast sprinkled with salt and pepper and roast for about 5 minutes on each side. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard over the chicken, add about ¼ cup water add cook covered for a few more minutes.
2. Cut cooked chicken into thin stings.
3. Mix the chicken, cheese, cilantro, and the diced avocados.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon sour cream on each tortilla, add ¼ of the mixture, form a roll.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil into a pan and place all four tortillas on the pan, cook for 2 minutes on medium- high heat. Flip on the other side and cook for another minutes or until the the tortillas are golden
6. Serve warm.

One Pan Caprese Pasta

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 main dish servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups dry pasta
• 1 package of grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 5 fresh whole basil leaves
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups fresh, diced Mozzarella (about 8 oz)
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• Chopped basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat a 12 inch skillet or saute pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft.
2. Add dry pasta, sliced tomatoes, fresh whole basil leaves, water, salt and pepper. Stir together to combine.
3. Bring pasta mixture to a boil. Continue to cook pasta over medium heat, stirring often, until pasta is cooked and the liquid is reduced; about ten minutes.
4. Top evenly with mozzarella cubes and cover the pan so the cheese can melt.
5. Sprinkle with Balsamic vinegar and chopped basil for garnish.

Creamy Bow Tie Asparagus Pasta

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. bow tie pasta
• ½ c. (1 cube) butter (the real stuff)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 pint heavy cream
• salt & pepper to taste
• 10-15 spears asparagus, blanched and cut into pieces
• ½ c. bacon, crumbled
• ½ c. toasted pinenuts (or to taste)
• Parsley, to taste
• Parmesan cheese, to taste

Instructions

1. Boil bow tie pasta in salted water until al dente. Do NOT over cook.
2. In wok or heavy skillet melt butter. Add minced garlic and saute a minute or so.
3. Add Parmesan Cheese and bouillon cube(s). When the bouillon cube is dissolved, slowly stir in heavy cream and salt & pepper. Add cooked pasta to cream sauce and toss until pasta is well covered. Add blanched asparagus. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, toasted pinenuts, parsley & Parmesan cheese and toss together. Serve immediately.

Note: My new favorite pasta

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

 

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad:

• 12 ounce pack Spiral pasta ( I used Wacky Pack Veggy Spiral Pack)
• 3 chicken breast, chopped
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 chopped tomato, or a handful of cherry tomatoes chopped in half
• 6 pieces bacon, cooked hard and crumbled
• 1 zucchini shredded
• 1 tomato chopped or a handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half

COPYCAT RANCH DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pack Ranch Dressing (the original recipe called for 1 teaspoon dry Ranch dressing Buttermilk Recipe)
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Here’s what you do:

COPYCAT OUTBACK RANCH DRESSING:

• Mix together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Ranch dressing pack, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
• Refrigerate
• Makes 1-1/2 cups and I used it all in this pasta salad.

CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes in the oven 350 degrees.
• Cut the chicken breast up into bite sizes,
• Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
• In a large bowl, combine the chopped chicken, cooked and drained pasta, ranch dressing, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, zucchini, and 6 pieces of bacon cooked hard and crumbled.
• Mix well and serve or refrigerate.

Spaghetti and meatballs

Italian Meatballs:
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. dehydrated onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. parsley
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt*
*If you want, you could substitute all the Italicized ingredients with 3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning found here.
Gently combine meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. Shape into balls, whatever size you like, but I prefer using my standard cookie scoop (about 1 Tbsp.) to shape meat into balls and then rolling it between my hands to make them even more round. Place on a broiler pan
and broil until the meatballs start to brown–I actually use my toaster oven. Just because I can. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to use (or freeze for later use).
Sauce
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Olive oil
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
16 oz. tomato sauce
1-2 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of baking soda (to help neutralize the acid)
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add remaining sauce ingredients and combine well. Bring to a simmer and add meatballs. Simmer on low, uncovered, until desired consistency is reached–about 25-30 minutes for a sauce that’s of medium consistency (my husband, bless him, likes it very thick while I like it a little on the thin side. Whatever will we do??)
Serve over hot spaghetti (shhhhh…I used linguine!), maybe with some breadsticks and some freshly grated Parmesan on top. Serves a lot–like probably 12 regular people or 2 teenage boys.
FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare meatballs as directed, but divide the meatballs among two freezer-safe containers. Prepare sauce through adding all ingredients to the pan, but don’t simmer; rather, divide the sauce among the two containers. Freeze until ready to use. When ready to use, place in slow cooker and cook on low for about 5-6 hours, although you’ll want to keep an eye on the sauce and make sure it’s not burning if you go for the whole 6 hours.

Spicy Honey Chicken

Ingredients:

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (Yes, Thighs!!)
everyone is always asking me if they can use breasts for this. Sure you can, but I’m tellin’
ya right now it’s better with thighs.

2 t vegetable oil

Rub

2 t granulated garlic
2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chipotle chili powder

Glaze
1/2 C Honey
1T Cider Vinegar

Instructions:

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces.Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

I’m gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It’s sugar, and it’s gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It’s totally worth it once you taste this stuff.

If you don’t have a bbq, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!

Remember how I had you reserve that extra couple tablespoons of glaze? Ya, drizzle that on top now. Your taste buds will thank you.

Sesame Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 piece (3/4 pound) filet of beef, cut in 3/4-inch strips (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 scallions, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound broccoli, florets cut into small pieces, stalks peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• Cooked rice, for serving

Directions

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add beef, and sprinkle with the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a plate.
2. Add scallions and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is dry, about 3 minutes. Stir together broth, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and add to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is no longer cloudy, 1 to 2 minutes. Return beef and any juices to pan; cook, stirring often, until beef is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in sesame oil. Serve with rice.

Note: Kids loved this and we love it with fried rice made with brown rice.

Alice Springs Chicken like Outbacks

Ingredients

Honey Mustard Marinade

½ C Dijon mustard

½ C honey

1 ½ tsp vegetable oil

½ tsp lemon juice

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

1 Tbl vegetable oil

2 C sliced mushrooms (10 to 12 mushrooms)

2 Tbl butter

salt

pepper

paprika

8 slices of bacon, cooked

1 C shredded Monterey jack cheese

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

2 tsp finely chopped parsley

Instructions:

1. Use an electric mixer to combine Dijon mustard, honey, 1 ½ tsp vegetable oil, and lemon juice in small bowl.  Whip the mixture about 30 seconds.
2. Pour about 2/3s of marinade over the chicken breast and marinate them, covered, in the refrigerator about 2 hours.  Chill the remaining marinade until later.
3. After the chicken has marinated, preheat the over to 375 degrees F. and heat up an oven proof frying pan large enough to hold all four chicken breasts and 1 Tbl oil over medium heat.  (if you don’t have an oven proof skillet transfer chicken to a baking dish after searing for baking.)  Sear the chicken in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown.  Remove the pan from heat but keep the chicken in the pan.
4. In a small frying pan sauté the mushrooms in butter
5. Brushed each seared chicken with a little of the reserve honey mustard marinade (not what the chicken had been sitting in), being sure to save a little extra to serve on the side later.
6. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika.
7. Stack 2 pieces of cooked bacon crosswise on each chicken breast
8. spoon the sautéed mushrooms onto the bacon, being sure to coat each breast evenly.
9. Spread a ¼ C Monterey jack cheese into each breast followed by ¼ C  of cheddar.
10. Bake the prepared chicken breast for 7 to 10 minutes or until cheese  is thoroughly melted and starting to bubble.
11. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with the honey mustard marinade.
12. note: we serve over mash potatoes and leave off the mushrooms.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

BAKED CREAMY CHICKEN TAQUITOS
recipe from: Our Best Bites and Pennies on a Platter
Yield: 12 taquitos
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Mexican flavored cheese
small flour or corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Add the chicken and cheese; mix thoroughly.
(If you decided to prep this in advance, refrigerate the mixture at this point until ready to continue.)
Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 20 – 30 seconds).
Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.
Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone.
Make sure the taquitos are not touching each other.
Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

**To freeze:  Before baking, flash freeze the taquitos in a single layer on a baking sheet then place in a labeled freezer bag and store up to 3 months.  To bake a frozen taquito (no need to thaw first): Preheat oven to 425˚F and bake for 20 minutes.  (Flash Freeze means freezing the taquitos in a single layer for 15-20 minutes)

Notes:  From Sarah.  We loved!!  Served with guacamole and sour cream.  Also made homemade corn tortilla chips to go with.

(until hardened) so that when you add them to the freezer bag, they will not all stick together).

Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

4 large russet potatoes, each about 3/4 pound each, scrubbed and dried
2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup sour cream
1 scallion, finely chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg, optional
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the potatoes directly on the rack in the center of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Pierce each potato in a couple spots with a fork and continue to bake until tender, about 30 minutes more. Remove potatoes from the oven, and turn the heat down to 375 degrees F.

Hold the potato with an oven-mit or towel, trim off the top of the potatoes to make a canoe-like shape. Reserve the tops. Carefully scoop out most of the potato into a bowl. Take care to leave enough potato in the skin so the shells stay together. Mash the potato lightly with fork along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the butter and sour cream. Stir in the scallion, nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Season the skins with salt and pepper. Refill the shells with the potato mixture mounding it slightly. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the potato filling. Brush the reserved top with the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper.

Set the potatoes and lids on a baking sheet, and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.