Roasted Shrimp Enchiladas with Jalapeño Cream Sauce and Guacamole Rice

This recipe turned out to be such a wonderful surprise. I made these on a whim last night for dinner, and my husband and I both agreed that these enchiladas made it into the top five of our all-time favorite things I have ever made.
I controlled the heat on these a few ways (noted below) as we don't like really spicy food. The result was just enough kick for flavor without an overpowering amount of spice.
I can't say enough how delicious these are, and the really great thing is, the filling isn't full of cheese or a heavy sauce, it's light and just so tasty.
I added the Guacamole Rice as a side and it was perfect also. All in all, a perfect Mexican dinner that we will definitely be repeating in the future.

Roasted Shrimp Enchiladas with Jalapeño Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons chipotle pepper, in adobo sauce (I only added the sauce from this, none of the actual peppers-this controlled the heat)
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I didn't add this to keep the recipe mild)
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
• 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese 

  
Jalapeño Cream Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 jalapeños, seeded & minced (I used the canned chopped versions of these, they worked great!)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place shrimp onto the prepared baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste, and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and roast just until pink, firm and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage, carrot, spinach, chipotle pepper, oregano and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach just begins to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Add shrimp and gently toss to combine.
• To make the sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken stock and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Add jalapeños and garlic powder and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
• To assemble the enchiladas, lay tortilla on a flat surface and spoon 1/3 cup of the shrimp mixture in the center; sprinkle with cheese. Roll the tortilla and place seam side down onto prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and shrimp mixture.
• Pour half of the jalapeño cream sauce evenly over the top. Place into oven and bake, covered, until lightly golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
• Serve immediately with remaining jalapeño cream sauce, garnished with cilantro.

Adapted from the original recipe on the blog Damn Delicious. Above photo also from this blog.

Guacamole Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and diced (I added a second avacado--this is really personal preference)
• Juice of 1-1/2 limes
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups cooked white or brown rice, quinoa, barley or couscous
• 1 garlic clove, crushed with press, or minced and ground into a paste
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (I only add some of the seeds to the dish. Do as you please.)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mash together avocado, lime juice and salt. Add remaining ingredients, toss to combine well. Serve warm or cold.

Original Recipe (and photo above) from the blog Foxes Love Lemons.

White Chicken Chili

My crock pot has been working overtime lately. I actually have two of them, and I can barely keep one clean to use it between cooking meals. My work schedule has made it harder for me to cook as much, something I absolutely love to do, so I am so thankful that we are still able to eat really great meals that my husband can throw together during the day, or I can prepare on the weekend to be enjoyed when I come home from work.

This recipe was actually a combination of a few versions I found on Pinterest, and it turned out really good. It will definitely go into our rotation of favorites, especially in the fall and winter.

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts (about a pound of chicken)- I used frozen and threw them right in the crockpot

 3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or great Northern beans, drained (or a mix of both kinds of beans)

1 large onion, chopped,

1 teaspoon cumin

1 packet ranch dressing mix (dry)

1 can Rotel tomotoes, undrained

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth

8 oz light cream cheese

2 cans corn (I used frozen)

Directions:

Put chicken breasts in crock pot and add all other ingredients. Stir often. When it is cooked, shred chicken breasts with two forks and mix in completely with all other ingredients.

Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 6-8 hours. 

Baked Ham and Cheese Poppyseed Sandwiches

I accidentally found this recipe on a blog one afternoon- I can't remember the original location, and there are variations on this recipe all over the internet. But, I still have this one, so I always use it. Sometimes I throw on some extra meat and mix it up with both turkey and ham, etc, but the spread is what makes these so good.

 

Ingredients:

Kaiser rolls
2lb thin sliced ham
Cheddar cheese slices
1 stick butter very soft
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp mustard

 
Directions:

Blend butter, poppy seeds, onion, and mustard to make a spread. Spread on both sides of rolls. Add ham and cheese. Wrap individually in foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Million Dollar Spaghetti

We eat spaghetti a lot around here, it is one of my husband's favorite meals. For me, it's an easy dinner to make, and I usually throw some frozen garlic bread in the oven, too. I use jarred sauce, my personal favorite is Newman's Own spaghetti sauces, which are all excellent.

When I came across this recipe, I was worried that it would be too rich, too heavy, and it was a little more work than my usual spaghetti dinner. But, oh my goodness, is this ever yummy. It isn't too rich at all, it has quickly become our favorite, and I honestly don't know when I will make plain old spaghetti again. For this recipe, I use whatever jarred sauce is on sale, usually something with a lot of garlic- as we are garlic lovers. I use low fat or fat free cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese, and it doesn't affect the flavor at all. (I found this recipe through Pinterest, it's original location is here).

Ingredients:
 

1 lb. of Ground Beef

1 jar of Spaghetti Sauce

8 oz of Cream Cheese

1/4 cup of Sour Cream
1/2 lb. of Cottage Cheese
Whole Stick of Butter
8 oz. of Noodles
1 1/2- 2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Directions: 

Set your over on 350. Boil the noodles. While they are boiling,  mix the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese with a hand or stand mixer until completely combined. In a skillet, brown ground beef completely, drain, and then add jar of spaghetti sauce and mix together in the skillet and heat together. Take a few slices of your butter and put them in the bottom of the casserole dish, Then layer HALF of the noodles in the bottom of the dish. Pour the cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese mixture on top of the noodles and spread it across the length and width of the dish on top of the noodles. Then add the rest of the noodles and put a few slices of butter on top of those noodles. Pour the spaghetti sauce and meat mixture on top of the last layer of noodles, spreading it out evenly. Place the casserole in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Then, take the casserole out of the oven, add the shredded cheese on top, and put back in the oven for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream

This is my new favorite pasta recipe. I don't cook with sausage a lot, and this recipe isn't going to win any Weight Watchers awards, but this was just excellent. The flavor of the sausage was perfect with the cream, and there was just enough of a kick from the red pepper flakes to add a little heat.



Anytime I try a new recipe, I always follow it exactly, and then make any changes later. I wouldn't change a thing in this recipe-- and I can't wait to make it for our dinner guests next week.

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage and pepper flakes until sausage is evenly brown. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, cream, and salt. Simmer until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Stir cooked pasta into sauce, and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley.

The Best, Simple, Tastiest Guacamole

I love guacamole, but I am a bit picky. I don't like it processed or mixed too much, just all the ingredients barely mashed together. I am also not a fan of adding fancy ingredients beyond the basics- simple is best for guacamole.

To me, this recipe is perfect, my husband raved over it, and we finished off this batch in record time. This is the last guacamole recipe you will need!

Ingredients

• 3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad

I was in the grocery store one night and decided I wanted to get the ingredients to make some pasta salad. I literally googled 'pasta salad recipes' on my blackberry and read through a few and settled on this one (on myrecipes.com). What a find! This is absolutely, postively, hands down the BEST pasta salad I have ever had.
Since that night, I have made this salad so many times, my husband and I both love it, and every time I have taken it to an event or potluck, several people ask for the recipe. Make this and enjoy- and I promise you will thank me!

Ingredients: 

•  1/4  cup  balsamic vinegar

•  2  tablespoons  chopped dried tomatoes

•  1 1/2  tablespoons chopped fresh or dried rosemary

•  1  tablespoon  sugar

•  1/4  teaspoon salt

•  1/4  teaspoon  pepper

•  1/2  cup  olive oil

•  2  (9-ounce) packages refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini, cooked, rinsed, and drained
•  1  pint grape tomatoes, cut in half

•  3  tablespoons  minced red onion
 

Preparation:

Process first 6 ingredients in a food processor; stop to scrape
down sides. With processor running, pour oil in a slow, steady stream
through food chute.Toss together tortellini, tomato halves, onion, and
dressing in a large bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Chicken Puffs

I found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com, and variations of it all over the web. But, this version came out so perfect, I wouldn't change a thing. In my opinion, anything wrapped in crescent rolls is going to turn out delicious, but this recipe exceeded my expectations. Best of all, my husband went nuts for them!

Ingredients:                   
                    2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
                    3 tablespoons chopped onion
                    3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
                    3/4 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
                    6 tablespoons butter
                    3 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough


Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, slowly cook and stir skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, onion and garlic. Cook until onions are tender and chicken is lightly browned.               
In a medium bowl, blend chicken mixture, cream cheese and butter until creamy.               
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).               
Unroll croissants and divide in half to create 12 rectangles. Place approximately one tablespoon of the chicken mixture on each rectangle. Fold into balls.               
Arrange balls on a large baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 12 minutes, or until golden brown.