Buffalo Chex Mix

I had an over abundance of Chex mix and Cheerios so I decided to do what anyone would do with it.  Make Chex mix!  Wanted something a little different than the original stuff so I went with the buffalo flavor.  I loved the almonds in it, but none of the kids did so next time I will substitute it for something else, maybe some little goldfish and/or pretzels.  Don't think I can go wrong there!  Frank's Red Hot adds a little zip and heat to this crispy, crunchy snack but it doesn't take it over the top to hot and spicy. Feel free to add a little more than is called for if you want additional heat.

4 cups Rice Chex cereal
4 cups Corn Chex cereal
2 cups Nuts (I used almonds and pumpkin seeds)
(Next time I will use Parmesan-flavored goldfish crackers)
2 cups pretzel twists
8 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 packet ranch dressing mix
2 teaspoons dill weed

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
2. In microwavable dish melt butter in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Add the hot sauce, ranch dressing mix and celery seed. Stir to combine.

3. Place cereals, nuts or fish crackers and pretzels in a large roasting pan. Pour butter mixture on top and stir well to coat pieces. Bake in oven for one hour, stirring every fifteen minutes. Remove from oven and cool mixture on paper towels. Store in air tight container when completely cooled, enjoy!

Lemon Bars with Toasted Coconut

So we had another game night and I was feeling the urge to make something sweet.  Had some coconut and was hoping to make Samoas but didn't have carmel, or the stuff to make it, nor did I have chocolate...so after I did a little browsing I came across this.  Citrus and coconut, how can you go wrong with this combo?

I had all the ingredients in my kitchen cupboards so I got to cooking, wishing I had a food processor, (hint hint to my husband for my birthday!) but was reduced to using my pastry blender which has about seen the end of its days...but it got the job done.  The end result was a luscious lemon bar with a wonderful toasted coconut topping. 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup cold butter or margarine
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup flaked coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a bowl, combine flour and confectioners’ sugar; cut in the butter until crumbly.

3. Press into the bottom of a lightly greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and baking powder until well mixed. Pour over crust; sprinkle coconut evenly over the top.

5. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Recipe found at My Baking Addiction.

Cauliflower Gratin

Yet another dish that will steal my heart...I am definitely a veggie girl, especially when there is cheese involved. Does that defeat the purpose of veggies?

1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
6-8 slices of bacon, grease reserved
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Fry bacon until crisp, set aside to cool. When cool crumble into pieces. Reserve bacon grease.

3. Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons worth of bacon grease in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

5. Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature and enjoy immensely!

Samoas Bars

Ok, so I have never had a samoas before until this year...my daughter joined Girl Scouts and when it came time to sell cookies I bought a box, mistake, I should have bought like 6 or 7 of them!  They are like a cookie sent down from heaven above.  I just hope this recipe is as close as it can get! 

Amanda over at Fake Ginger is not big on chocolate so these aren't dipped in chocolate, but that is what I am going to do!  Bring it on!  Just melt a bag of chocolate chips instead of the 1/2 cup that this recipe calls for. Once it’s melted, dip the bars one at a time and then place on parchment (or wax paper) to harden.

For the crust:
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together. Pour crumbly dough into prepared pan and press into an even layer.

3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.

For the topping:
3 cups shredded coconut
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

2. Place caramels, salt, and milk in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the caramels have melted and everything has come together as one mixture. Fold in the toasted coconut.

3. Spread the caramel mixture evenly over the cooled crust. Allow to cool completely before cutting. Cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter (it’s easy to get it through the topping).

4. Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a double boiler, a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, or a microwave. Once melted, allow to cool slightly and then transfer to a pastry bag with a small round tip (or ziploc bag – cut a corner off after the chocolate is in) and drizzle over tops of bars. Store in an airtight container once chocolate is set.

Photo and recipe found at Fake Ginger.

Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos

Another Mexican dish I am going to try out asap!  Crispy fried taquitos sold in Mexico are often called tacos dorados ("golden tacos") or flautas ("flutes"). Typical toppings and sides include cabbage, crema (Mexican sour cream), guacamole, green chili or red chili salsa and crumbled Mexican cheese such as queso fresco.  So try some tonight!

One year ago: Leek and Saffron Soup with Sauted Shrimp.

3 oz cream cheese, softened (reduced fat is fine)
1/3 cup salsa verde
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbs chopped scallions
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken *
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Pepperjack cheese
8-12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with the salsa, lime juice, cumin, chile powder, cayenne, onion powder, garlic, cilantro, scallions, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Fold in the chicken and cheeses. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

3. Working 3 tortillas at a time, stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with plastic wrap. Cook 30 seconds, or until tortillas are soft and pliable.

4. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling onto the lower third of each tortilla, and roll tightly. Place seam side-down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

5. Spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden-brown. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole and enjoy!  Great with rice and beans on the side too.

*This is how I prepare my chicken if I don't have leftover chicken to use: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread a piece of aluminum foil across a baking sheet, and arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and season as you wish. Fold the aluminum foil over the chicken breasts, and enclose them to form a "packet." Bake the chicken (on the baking sheet) 35-45 minutes, or until it is cooked through.

**To freeze, prepare the taquitos, but before baking, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the taquitos are completely cold. Wrap each taquito in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and freeze. To bake, unwrap the taquitos and cook in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes (no need to thaw first).

Recipe and photo found at Pink Parsley.

Spicy Dill Popcorn

So lately popcorn is my favorite go-to snack.  Wish I had an air popper to make it even more calorie friendly.  As it is, it is a lot better for me than those girl scout cookies I got yesterday...But those new Dulce De Leche ones, I have to hid them, from myself!  They are tasty.  So back to the more healthy of the two popcorn...my sister-in-law made me some with fresh dill last year and that is what got me started, she also melted butter and Worcestershire sauce  and poured it over the top, can we say yummmm!  But alas, not too calorie friendly there, so I have omitted that step and still and very pleased with the results.  Without the butter the spices don't "stick" as well as they would with it, but I still get a good coating without that extra fat.

Splash of olive oil
handful of popcorn
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic granules or garlic powder
2 teaspoons dill weed
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper

1. Pop your popcorn over medium heat till all popped, make sure to shake the pan occasionally so you don't burn it.  When the popping slows down take it off the burner for a minute or so.  Pour popcorn in a large bowl, sprinkle with seasonings, make sure you have a drink and enjoy!

Ropa Vieja (Old Clothes)

In the mood for something Cuban tonight!  The origin of ropa vieja is from the Canary Islands (Spain), which were the last place ships from Spain would stop on the way to the Americas.  The original version of Ropa Vieja contained leftovers, but later became a shredded meat dish with chickpeas and potatoes in the Canary Islands.  The dish is a national feature of Cuba, and does not have garbanzo beans or potatoes in Cuba; it is just the shredded meat in sauce.

There are many theories as to how the dish was named. One of the more popular ones is a story about a man whose family was coming to his home for dinner. Being very poor, the man could not buy them enough food when they came. To remedy his situation, he went to his closet, gathered some old clothes (ropa vieja) and imbued them with his love. When he cooked the clothes, his love for his family turned them into a wonderful beef stew.  Now I am not about to go cook my clothes or anything, but I will try it with meat!

1-1/2 lbs flank steak (frozen or defrosted),
cut in half if necessary to fit into the cooker
1 14-oz can Ro*Tel
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
3/4 cup of your favorite salsa, homemade or store-bought

1. In a 4-quart slow cooker, place the meat, Ro*Tel, onion, chili powder, cumin and Mexican oregano. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or on LOW for 6 hours, until the meat practically falls apart when you lift it.

2. Remove the meat and, when it's cool enough to handle, cut across the grain into 3-inch chunks. With a fork shred the meat, and return it to the slow cooker. Stir in the salsa.

3. Leave the lid ajar, and turn the heat to HIGH. Cook for 30 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked out.

4. Remove ropa vieja from the slow cooker and use for quesadillas, burritos, or a topping with rice or beans. As with many stews, ropa tastes better on the second day, and it freezes well.  Enjoy!

Recipe from The Perfect Pantry.