Mexican Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells

Happy Sunday everyone, I hope you're rested and ready for a short work week.  I am also looking forward to Thanksgiving and seeing our family.  I'm making appetizers for this Thanksgiving and have been creating some great appetizer boards on Pinterest. Here is what Bill and I had for dinner tonight..I didn't feel like going to the store and had a lot of things on hand so here is what I came up with.  I had bought the pasta shells awhile back to make an Italian dish but I had more of the ingredients for a Mexican theme. We loved them and you will too with the countless variations you can create. They are a repeat meal! (And a freezer meal)

Mexican Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells 

Mexican Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

preheat oven to 375
boil 1 large pot of water
Serves 8 

Ingredients:
1 Box Jumbo Pasta Shells
1 lb cooked lean ground beef or turkey
1 package taco seasoning
4 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups red salsa
1 cup taco sauce (or enchilada sauce works too)
1 chopped chipotle pepper in sauce (optional)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
9X13 greased baking dish

Garnish:
Woodall's Secret Sauce ( 1/2 c salsa, 1/2 c mayo, 1/2 sour cream)
Chopped Cilantro
Chopped Avocado
Limes


Directions: 
1.  Boil a large pot of water and cook jumbo shells according to package directions.

2. Drain pasta and place on a non-stick surface so shells wont stick together. 

3. While pasta is cooking start cooking your ground meat, drain fat, add taco seasoning and cook according 

to instructions on package, then add cream cheese and blend into meat. Add chipotle pepper if using at this time too.   

4. Pam your baking dish, Dump 1-2 cups of salsa into the bottom of the dish and begin to stuff 1-2 tablespoons mixture into each shell arranging standing up in the dish.

**Total 30 pasta shells  20 fit in the baking dish. I used an extra baking dish 8X8 for the extra 10 shells and froze them**

5. Finally add cheese:

6. Bake for 30-40 mins until cheese is melted and browning

7. Garnish on individual plate and enjoy!

 

Happy Cinco De Mayo: Easy Shrimp Tacos with Homemade Chips and Guacamole

Easy Shrimp Tacos with Homemade Chips and Guacamole

I made this post on Saturday and forgot to post it!  Here is to Cinco De Mayo - A few days late. 
If you're still looking for something quick to make for dinner tonight or to celebrate Mexican Independence these easy little tacos will hit the spot. Today is the best excuse to eat Mexican food.  ( Not that I even need an excuse to cook/eat and talk about Mexican food)

There are 3 recipes in this quick little meal so let me know if you have any questions.

Ingredient List:
preheat oven to 400 
Serves 4 

Shrimp Tacos:
1 Box Gordon's Popcorn Shrimp
1 bag of shredded Mexican cheese
1 bag shredded cabbage ( i used a coleslaw mix)
1/4 C house ranch sauce
1/4 C sour cream
2 jalapenos chopped and seeded ( optional)
4 tbls white vinegar
1 package small - hand made corn tortillas ( I used Pace Corn/Wheat blend)
2 chopped tomatoes
1 red onion ( 1/2 chopped 1/2 sliced)
Cilantro
Salt

Guacamole:
2 avocados - smashed
1 tsp salt
1 chopped jalapeno
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbls chopped cilantro
1 lime


Homemade Tortillas:
3-4 10 or 12 inch soft tortillas ( you can use anything you have on hand)
2 tbls canola oil
1/2 juice of a limes
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
salt


Directions and Picture Tutorial:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 and put full box of frozen shrimp into the oven.  ( 25-30 mins until crisp)

 2. meanwhile start to make your taco fixings.
Bowl 1: Mix ranch, sour cream and 2 tbls of white vinegar and one jalapenos together in a small bowl set aside. ( add more vinegar if you're looking to thin out the taco sauce) 


Bowl 2: In another bowl mix chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, chopped cilantro, 1 chopped jalapeno, 2 tbls white vinegar, salt to taste and set aside. 


3. Now prepare your guacamole.
Mix avocados, salt, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic powder, juice of one lime. 

4. Now you have your sauces made make we are going to make tortilla chips. Cut your soft tortillas into 6 pieces or 8.  

Then mix oil, lime juice, chili powder, salt, cayenne ( together) 

Spread out on cookie sheet :  Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 mins - flip 1/2 way through.  

finished tortillas 

5. Put your tortillas and guacamole together on a plate. 

6. Pull your cooked shrimp out of the oven - check to make sure 

add cheese to the shrimps on tortillas  and broil for 3-4 mins 

7. Plate and sever - Dress with cabbage and red onion - serve hot and enjoy!

 

Baked Chicken Taquitos

I am pretty excited about this post.  Taquitos have always been something I seek out on a menu regardless if it's a Mexican restaurant or a bar appetizer. I will also admit when I'm shopping at Costco and hungry, I sneak in a box of frozen taquitos into the cart.  I love taquitos! When I saw this recipe on The Girl Who Ate Everything's blog I thought about it for a week before I made it.  ( I am still thinking about them)  This recipe was fun, versatile and not fried! Delicious results, creamy, flavorful and easy! I made these with 20 flour tortillas and a few of  corn ( gluten free option, but the flour was better :) 

Baked Chicken Taquitos 

Recipe and Tutorial 
Make 20 Taquitos 
Prep time 30 mins 
bake time 
1 package cream cheese ( I used reduced fat) 
1 cup salsa ( green or red)  
1  fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup Tablespoons sliced green onions
3 cups shredded cooked chicken ( about 3 cooked chicken breast or 1 rotisserie chicken) 
2 cup grated pepperjack cheese ( or cheddar) 
1 small can fire roasted jalapenos peppers 
about 24 small corn or flour tortillas (we liked flour better)
kosher salt
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line baking dishes or cookie sheets with Pam or a silpat. Start by mixing cream cheese, salsa, lime, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder together in your mixer. 

** I used red salsa**

2. Add in cilantro, onions, chicken and cheese - until mixed 

** Do not over-mix**

3.  Next put tortillas in microwave for 20 sections with a wet paper-towel over them to make them easy to work with ( Work in batches of 5-6). Spray Pam on one side of tortilla then place 4 tbls mixture on one side and tightly roll. 

Roll then place in baking dish ( Do not let them touch) Place seam side down.   Pam side will be on the outside. 

4. Bake in oven until golden brown at 425 for about 25 - 30 mins ( check after 20mins) Some mixture will fall out but you can easily stuff back in. 

let cool on cooling rack. 

5. Plate and serve!  Or store in fridge and warm for 10 mins in oven to reheat. These also freeze beautifully too! 

Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole!  Enjoy. 

Love Lydia  

Individual 7 Lay Dip - Big Party Hit ( Pinterest Inspired)

I have always made 7 layer dip for parties but with my new Pinterest.com love - I discovered these from my fellow blogger  The Girl Who Ate Everything ( amazing site by the way).  Here is my regular old 7 layer dip with a new twist - Individual 7 Layer dips ( I used small tumblers I got for 99c at Fred Meyer) 

Individual 7 Layer Dip: 


1 16 oz can refried beans
1/4 cup water 
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 pint sour cream 
2 Tbls mayo
1/2 package taco seasoning package
1/2 package  dry ranch dressing mix
3 ripe avocados ( or 1 1/2 cups guacamole ) 
2 chopped roma tomatoes ( 1 cup) 
1 can ( 2 cup) sliced black olives
1 bunch sliced green onions


1 bag of corn chips 


1.  Mix 1/4 cup water with refried beans - set aside
2. Mix sour cream, ranch, taco seasoning and dry ranch together - set aside 
( This is a picture of a double batch but a good idea of what i used) 

3.  Mash avocado, guacamole about 1 1/2 cups - set aside

4. Slice onions, black olives, tomatoes, cheese 

5. Layer individual dips in mini cups - I wipe with a paper towel after each layer to keep clean. Order - Beans, taco sauce mix, avocado, cheese, tomatoes, olives onions - one chip for display 

California Pizza Kitchen's Carnitas Pizza with Habanero Salsa

This pizza was inspired by the California Pizza Kitchen's -Carnitas Pizza with Habanero Salsa .  Many of you know that when I go out to eat I can be somewhat of an embarrassment and always ask the server "what's in this?".  Usually they will tell me, I have even had the chef come out and tell me what is in dishes and how he made it......or I have them tell me it was a "secret". I usually get the "secret" line when the restaurant is trying to sell their own sauce, salsa and cookbooks. Nevertheless I will still try to re-create the dish at home.

Last month Bill and I went to CPK and had this new menu addition. It was amazing with a great blend of cilantro pesto and the Mexican spiced pork....with sweet hot salsa.


Here is the recipe and tutorial :

Pizza Details: Base: Cilantro pesto  fixings: Slow roasted Mexican style pork on a bed of mozzarella  and jack cheese garnished with red onions and cilantro.  Served with Habanero Salsa  


Final product was amazing!  I can't wait to hear what you think when you try it.

Ingredients:

Dough:
1 pkg of pre-made dough or make your own ( I used Trader Joe's $1.69 can't beat the price)

Toppings:
1-1 1/2 cup shredded pork- (Mexican spiced pork any kind will do butt/top round /shoulder see recipe below)
2 bunches cilantro
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup roasted chopped almonds
1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbls white vinegar
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup jack cheese
1/2 red onion sliced
garnish with cilantro


Salsa:
1 seeded Habenero finely chopped ( use gloves)
1/2 red onion finely chopped
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbls white vinegar
dash salt
finely chopped cilantro


Directions:

Preheat Oven to 400

1. Roll pizza crust out to desired shape and size - I use cornmeal as my base instead of flour it gives the crust more of a crunch.  Bake on corn meal dusted cookie sheet, pizza stone or silpat for 10 mins until softly cooked.

2. While pizza crust is cooking assemble your cilantro pesto. Using your food processor or blender.  Combine 1 whole bunch cilantro stems removed and washed and roughly chopped, 3-4 rough chopped cloves of fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, roasted almonds ( or any nut you want) a few shakes slat and pepper, cup olive oil, vinegar. Blend until pesto consistency.

3. Spread pesto on crust:

*you might have extra pesto - save for pasta or sandwiches*

4.  Add jack cheese, then onions, then pork.

Pork See Recipe below * I use this pork for pork tacos too and the meat freezes well so you can have tacos on Monday and this pizza on Wednesday*

5. Finish with mozzarella it locks everything in.

6. Bake at 400 for aprox 20 mins.  ( check at 15 and gauge from there)

7. While cooking make salsa:
Dice as fine as you can possibly dice with your knife. habanero, red onion, cilantro and orange juice. Should like something like this...... don't blend it or it will turn grey.

 8. Final Product

Pork Recipe :

In your crock pot take a 2-3 lb pork roast and rub with taco seasoning and a chopped onion. Set 6 hr setting and check when pork can fall off the bone or shed with fork.  This can be made in advance and used for tacos, enchiladas, taco salad, nachos and other Mexican dishes.