Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I've seen these floating around the blogosphere for a little while now and I finally made them. 

Three things:

1. These are PERFECT for football season!

2. They are absolutely delicious.

3. They can be made ahead of time, frozen, and popped in the oven when you're ready to eat.

Need I say more?

From Pennies on a Platter

Makes 12

INGREDIENTS:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup green salsa

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 Tablespoons chopped green onion

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (My go-to recipe is here. Just cook it, then shred it.)

1 cup shredded Mexican flavored cheese

Medium-size flour or corn tortillas

kosher salt (optional)

cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

In a large bowl mix the first 7 ingredients. Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Add the chicken and cheese and mix thoroughly. 

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 heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of the 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 lightly with kosher salt. (For a healthier option, eliminate the salt. It's not necessary.)

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden. 

Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole. 

For tips on freezing, click here. 

Taco Dip

With college bowl season in full swing and NFL playoffs about to start, this is the perfect time for chips and dip. I made this taco dip on New Year's Day and it is de-lish. It's one of those recipes where you start to eat then, 10 minutes later, half of the dish is gone and you're not sure how it happened. 

From Karen Fishback

INGREDIENTS:

1 pint sour cream

1 - 1-1/2 cups guacamole (about two avocados worth)

1 packet taco seasoning

7 oz. salsa

1 large tomato, chopped

chopped olives (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Layer ingredients, in order, on a deep plate, or pie pan, spreading over the entire surface each time. Serve with tortilla chips or Nacho Doritos.

Happy Snacking!

Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts

Sugar and spice and everything nice. There's no time like the holidays for sweet treats. A couples weeks ago, my mom and I woke up early to check out a sample sale and once we were finished shopping, my mom said, "I'm so hungry!" I pulled out a plastic baggy of these nuts, and they were the perfect, mid-morning energy boost. I can use all the energy boosts I can right around this time. 

Recipe from Buns In My Oven

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds nuts (any kind, including mixed nuts)

2 egg whites, room temperature

2 tablespoons water

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/3 cup white granulated sugar

3 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or paprika if your palate is more mild)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Add nuts to large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites and water until frothy. Pour over nuts and stir to coat all the nuts. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugars, salt, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. Pour over nuts and stir to coal. Spread nuts in a single layer on a parchment (or wax paper) lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and separate nuts if they are stuck together. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in airtight container.  

Potato Latkes

Happy Hanukkah! In celebration of the last night of the 8-crazy-nights Jewish holiday, I am posting a recipe for potato latkes. These are de-lish. Also, here is a very fitting song for Hanukkah and latkes (Thanks Katie). Listen to it, but beware, it will get stuck in your head. 

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups peeled and shredded potatoes (about 3-4 large potatoes)
1/4 onion, finely chopped
3 eggs, beaten
4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:

Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth or old dish towel and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.

In a medium bowl, stir together the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and salt.

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side (about 3 minutes). Turn, and brown on the other (about 2 minutes). Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot!

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Serve with cinnamon applesauce on top.

Cinnamon Applesauce

Someone I know well has a deep love for applesauce. According to this person, applesauce is "the perfect food: it's a solid and a liquid, sweet but not overbearing, goes down smooth." I love this person. And he loves this applesauce.  

Adapted from Just Cook Already

INGREDIENTS:

5 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
juice of half a lemon

DIRECTIONS:

Place apples and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When water starts to boil, lower heat to medium, cover, and let simmer until apples are sauce and slightly mushy, about 15 minutes.

When apples are soft, remove from heat and add nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash all ingredients together until desired consistency is reached. Serve warm or chill in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Guacamole and Homemade Tortilla Chips

Happy Labor Day weekend!

(and the start of college football season)

Is there any better snack than fresh guacamole and chips? I submit that there is not. After stocking up on avocados on our bi-weekly grocery trip, I purposely made a point to buy tortilla chips, knowing I would be making guacamole. By Tuesday, the chips were gone, having been devoured with their other lovely friend, salsa. I still had six avocados, but no chips. Thus, my creative mind got to work and I decided to make my own baked tortilla chips--super delicious!

GUACAMOLE -- this isn't really a recipe, just a guideline. Guacamole should be made however you like it. 

INGREDIENTS:

3 avocados, pitted and peeled

1/4 onion, finely chopped

juice of 1/2 lime

handful of cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Using a large bowl and fork (or pastry blender, if you have it--I don't but wish I did) mash the avocados. Don't worry about leaving some chunks. Add onion, lime juice, cilantro and salt & pepper to taste. Feel free to adjust ingredient amounts to however your mouth desires. 

HOMEMADE TORTILLA CHIPS

INGREDIENTS:

5 tortillas

cooking spray

salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 

Cover two baking sheets with foil and spray with cooking spray. Using a pizza cutter, cut the tortillas into several "chip-shaped" sections. Arrange cut tortillas on two baking sheets so that none of them overlap. Spray with more cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, until chips are browned and crispy.

Enjoy!