Chicken Fajitas

This is one of our default meals. We usually have the ingredients on hand, and everyone loves it. If fact it's one of Dave's favorite meals. I often stock up on bell peppers when they are on sale and then slice and freeze them. Admittedly, they aren't quite as crisp frozen, but still tasty, and it beats paying $1.50 a piece in the winter time.

Recipe adapted from Cancun Cafe

2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp season salt
3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 sliced onion
2 bell peppers, assorted colors, cut into strips

1 dozen flour tortillas


Marinate chicken in bowl with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic approximately 20 minutes. Pour into preheated pan over medium heat. cook until chicken is browned. Add vegetables and cook 1-2 minutes more. Serve wrapped in flour tortillas with sour cream and guacamole.

We always put Mexican rice in ours too.

Tangy Potato Salad

I am not a huge fan of traditional potato salad. I like this one because it doesn't have eggs in it, but it does have bacon. This salad is delicious when served warm or cold. I like it best served cold from the fridge on the second day, so if you have time, make this salad the day before you want to serve it. Also, this is a big salad - it fills my big Tupperware bowl - I usually make it for large gatherings.

5 pounds potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 T white sugar
3 T honey
3 T dried parsley
2 T grainy mustard (not yellow)
1 cup chopped onion (optional)
1/2 lb. of bacon, cooked and crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Cut raw potatoes into cubes and boil until tender but not mushy. While the potatoes are boiling, whisk together the mayo, vinegar, sugar, honey, parsley and mustard until well combined. When the potatoes are done, drain them and put them into a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and stir until they are coated. Mix in the onions and bacon and then salt and pepper to taste.

This salad can be served right away while the potatoes are still warm, or chilled for a few hours.


The vinegar creates a tangy flavor that might be overwhelming, taste the dressing before you pour it. You can add a little more honey or sugar to lighten it up.


I use a mixture of red and yellow waxy potatoes for this salad. Sometimes I leave the potato skins on, they give the salad color. However the skins are not my favorite part of the salad and I sometimes find myself pealing them away before I take a bite.


Some people feel that potatoes should be boiled whole. I've read that you should keep the skins on while boiling to give them more flavor. The potatoes can be boiled up any way that you like, but cubing them is the fastest way to get them cooked. Also, make sure that you have enough salt in the water - this will give your potatoes much needed flavor.

Almond Sheet Cake

I have never made this cake without someone asking me for the recipe. It looks like a regular yellow sheet cake but it is so much more!
It is easy to make but get the leftovers out of your house or you will eat the whole pan. (I am not kidding)

Bring to a boil :

1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Water

Let Cool

Combine in Mixer:

2 Cups flour
2 Cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

Add:

1/2 Cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
2 eggs

Add cooled butter and water mixture. Mix until incorporated. Pour into a 12x17 jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes.
Frost while still warm.

Frosting

Combine in Mixer:

4 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp almond extract

Bring to a boil:

1/2 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup Milk

Add to Powdered sugar mixture and beat until smooth.

Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad

I got this recipe out of Family Fun a few years ago. Sometimes I just crave it. I love the combination of lime and cilantro. It has been a hit whenever I take it to a function. You can serve it as a salad, or as a chunky dip with tortilla chips, which is what we do.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 cups fresh (don't cook) corn kernels, cut right off the cob (about 5 ears)
1 1/2 cups diced avocado; about 1/2 inch pieces (about 2 avocados)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered (I have also used Roma tomatoes)
1/2 cup finely diced red onion

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper. Add the corn, avocado, tomatoes and onion and toss to mix. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4-6

Tips: To remove corn kernels for a salad or salsa, stand an uncooked ear in a shallow bowl and use a sharp, thin bladed knife. I like to get the corn from one of the stands here in town because it is super fresh.

If you're not sure how to pick out the corn I've been told to look for tightly closed, bright green husks and it should feel cool in your hand. I don't know if its true, but it has always worked for me.

Fried Rice

This rice definitely falls into the category of top 5 meals for me. It meets all of the important criteria:
1. Tastes great
2. Everyone in my family likes it
3. I usually have all of the ingredients on hand
4. It is really easy and fast to make
5. It makes great leftovers the next day (I recommend doubling this recipe)

Lately I have been adding small dices of chicken to the recipe so I can make the rice into a one dish meal. Usually I would serve it along side a stir fry, but when I add the chicken I guess I consider it more of a complete meal. If you decide to add chicken to this recipe, dice 2 chicken breasts into small dices. Cook the chicken before any of the other ingredients for the fried rice. Make sure your pan is hot, I mean really hot. Add a small amount of oil. Drop the chicken into the pan, but don't move it around to much. Let the chicken sear so it gets that nice brown color on the outside. Remove chicken from pan then add chicken back into the rice at the very end.

Tamari is a dark soy sauce. I really think it adds a better flavor to the rice. It does not have the overpowering salty flavor of regular soy sauce. Tamari can be found at both grocery stores in town.

2-3 c. cooked rice, cooled or cold leftover rice (leftover rice works best)
3 T. veg. or canola oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, grated (optional)
1/2 c. shredded carrots
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 c. frozen peas
1/4 c.- 1/3 c. Tamari, dark soy sauce
Sesame oil

Cook rice. Spread rice on cookie sheet to quick cool it. Heat a wok or a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tsp. oil to the pan. Add a little sesame oil whenever you add canola oil. Add eggs and scramble, then remove from the pan. Adda little more oil to the center of pan and add garlic, ginger, carrots and green onion and quick fry veggies for 2 minutes or until soft. Add rice and combine with veggies. Incorporate scrambled eggs and continue to another 2-3 minutes. Add peas and Tamari and stir fry 1 more minute.

Tortilla Casserole

This is a quick dish that has great flavor. You can make it hot or mild depending on the type of enchilada sauce that you use. Really you could probably throw whatever you want into this dish and it would still be a hit.

This is how we put it together for the previously mentioned Throwdown.


2 (12.5) oz cans of chicken
1 C chopped tomatoes
3/4 C chopped zucchini
1/2 C chopped green onions
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10 oz.) can of enchilada sauce
1 (8 oz.) container of sour cream
1 packet Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch dip
1 bag corn chips or 8 corn tortillas halved
2 C shredded Colby-Jack Cheese
1 can of black olives
Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oven to 375. Spray 13 X 9 dish with nonstick cooking spray. Reserve 1/3 C of enchilada sauce for later.

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, tomatoes, zucchini, onions and beans. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, Fiesta mix and the rest of the enchilada sauce.

To assemble: spread 2-3 T of the cream mixture to coat the bottom of the dish. Arrange corn chips or tortillas over the sauce. Spoon 1/2 of the chicken mixture over the chips. Cover with 2/3 C of cheese. Repeat layering with 1/2 of the remaining cream mixture, another layer of chips, the rest of the chicken mixture, 2/3 c of cheese and then the rest of the cream mixture. Save the last 2/3 C of cheese for later. Top cream mixture with reserved enchilada sauce. Cover dish with foil and bake @ 375 for 30-35 min. Remove dish from oven - uncover and top with the last of the cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes. Finish off the dish with the black olives and cilantro.


I hope these instructions make sense, just picture it like lasagna: Sauce-chips-filling-cheese-repeat. This is a really versatile dish - use real chicken or beef or no meat at all. Throw in some corn, green chillies or whatever you like. Endless possibilities!

Vegetable Cashew Stir Fry

I made this last night and it is SO good!! I haven't convinced my family that it is okay to eat at least one vegetarian meal a week, so next time I am going to add either chicken or beef. I doubled the recipe, and probably should have tripled it. Doubled, we all had seconds, and Rocky was supposed to take some for lunch. Tripled, it would have been for lunch today. I got it off of the fresh365 blog if you want to see a picture. It was gone before I could take one!


Vegetable Cashew Stir-fry
adapted from Gourmet, May 2007 . serves 4
3 T vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 small head broccoli, chopped
1/4 lb snow peas (apx 2 c)
1 bunch scallions, chopped (and green parts separated)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 T grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 t dried red-pepper flakes
3/4 c vegetable broth
1 1/2 T soy sauce
1 1/2 t cornstarch
1 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 c salted roasted cashews
1 T sesame seeds

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add oil, then stir fry bell pepper, broccoli, peapods, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes, and scallion whites until vegetables are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, salt and pepper. Add to veggies in wok. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in scallion greens, cashews and sprinkle with sesame seeds.