Tex Mex

This is the easiest tex mex soup in the world. Big flavor in such a short time. I love it and everyone is always asking me to make it. It also freezes well and heats up so nice. It's a good one for the crock pot. 

 

Truly Tex Mex Soup

1 medium onion

1/4-1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp oil
4 cups low sodium chicken broth (GF)
12 oz shredded rotisserie chicken breast meat
1 cup frozen corn
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 ripe avocado + a spoonful of salsa, chips

 

n 5-quart sauce-pot, cook onion, cumin and chili powder in oil on medium-high for 5 minutes, or until onion starts to brown. Add chicken broth. Heat to simmering; stir in rotisserie chicken breast meat, corn, lime juice, and cilantro. Simmer 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped avocado and a scoop of salsa and tortilla strips.

 

If you want to use a slow cooker, literally just drop everything in and save avocado for the end and a scoop of salsa and tortilla strips.

 

 

Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers

2 Bell Peppers, tops sliced off and hollowed

1/2 cup prepared taco meat

1/4 cup cotija cheese

1/4 cup cheddar or blended cheese 

1 small can of green chillies chopped small

1/2 cup mashed black beans or re-fried beans 

In a baking dish, lightly spray the bottom of the pan or place peppers atop non stick tinfoil. Pour in 1 tablespoon water. 

In the bottom of each pepper start with refried beans, then taco meat, a scoop of green chillies and then top with cheese mixture. Back at 350o for about 20-25 minutes. The edges of the pepper should start to curl. If the cheese looks like it's starting to get to brown, place a little bit of tinfoil over the top. 

When they come out of the oven, let them sit for about 5 minutes. 

Top with:

 Sour Cream, Salsa, Tomatoes, Onion, Avocado, Olives, shredded lettuce or whatever your favorite toppings are.

Salad Change Up

We all love those restaurant recipe salads, they are a big go to. We think we are getting a healthy salad, but in most cases we are not. Here are a few of those favorites, but they are lightened up a bit.

Oriental Chicken Salad feeds 4
1 (16 oz) bag of coleslaw mix
2 cups romaine chopped
2 cooked chicken breasts- grilled or baked with 
                 1 tsp tamari, 1/2 tsp coconut oil/oil pepper and onion powder
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (I used red)
1/2 cup cooked edamame (If you're watching soy, replace with a green onion or celery)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
11 ounce can mandarin oranges
sliced almonds, toasted
2 tbsp crunchy chow mein noodles*
sesame seeds
Dressing:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, splenda or honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
salt and pepper pinch

*I have yet to find a gluten free chow mein noodle, sorry 



Lemon Chicken Caesar 

3 romaine lettuce heads, chopped (or torn)
12 oz grilled chicken breast, boneless, skinless, sliced
3/4 cup Lemon Caesar dressing
1/4 cup whole wheat or GF croutons
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese 

Dressing:
8 oz nonfat plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 to 2 tsp. anchovy paste in a tube (This is a better method than opening a small can)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Sea salt and ground black pepper

Buffalo Chicken Salad makes 4 salads
2 chicken breasts
       marinate your chicken in franks red hots with a squeeze of lemon and 1/2 tsp oil. Bake chicken on foil lined sheet until thoroughly cooked about 15 minutes at 400o. Remove and let cool. Do not slice until your salad is assembled

2 tbsp crumbled blue cheese 
1 tbsp ranch dressing (I used lighthouse brand)
1 tsp franks red hots sauce
2 carrots peeled and sliced into rounds
2 stalks celery cut on the bias
4 cups mixed romaine and iceberg lettuces

Mix greens, celery and carrots with ranch. It doesn't seem like very much ranch dressing, but it will be. Portion out your salad, top with chicken and blue cheese crumbles and drizzle the buffalo sauce on top of chicken. 





This next salad is my very favorite. I swapped out the sour cream in the dressing for low fat plain yogurt and an extra pinch of cumin and a squeeze of lime. It made it even better. Trust me on this one, it's better than the original. The object of the game is to bump up all the veg, mix the salad with as little as 1 1/2 tsp dressing and mixing your own bean salsa instead of buying homemade. I do recommend the black bean salad at The Store. It's all natural and full of really yummy seasonings that are all gluten free and fresh. If I use that salsa mix, I use 1 tbsp total for my salad.

 
Chipotle Chicken Salad makes 4 servings
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce*
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

*If you don't like your dressing with heat, try adding 1 small can of green chilies instead of the chipotle in adobo.  

2 chicken breasts, seasoned with cumin, salt and pepper and cooked in a skillet or baked in oven
4 cups romaine or mixed blend
1 avocado cubed
1/4 cup black bean salsa
                 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
                 1 large tomato diced, seeds removed
                 1/2 can sweet corn
                 1/2 bell pepper diced (I used red)
                 1 shallot sliced in rings or minced
                 1 small jalapeno minced
                 1/2 tsp cumin
                 1 tsp oregano
                 1/2 tsp salt
                  2-3 dashes pepper
                  2 limes juiced
                 1/2 tsp cider vinegar 

Toss your greens with dressing, then top with all veg and chicken. Drizzle a little more dressing if needed. Enjoy!

BBQ Yummies

This bbq chicken recipe is for a crowd. It probably feeds about 12 easily. I cook it up even if I'm not feeding that many and I freeze it for up to 2 months.

Shredded BBQ Chicken with White Sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
8 chicken on the bone or skinless breasts
2 tablespoons veggie oil or coconut oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow or white onion
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1-2 tablespoons liquid smoke

White BBQ Sauce 
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise 
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar 
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish     
Put everything in a mason jar and shake


Drop your chicken into a crockpot. Combine all listed ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6 hours or 3 on high. Pull the chicken out when fully cooked and let it cool before shredding. There are a couple ways to shred the chicken. 
Use your electric beaters inside the crockpot or high walled mixing bowl or you can use my preferred method which is using shredding claws. Amazon has them for $12 Worthit!

Curry Oooolala!

I love me a good curry. I usually prefer Thai curry, but Indian curry has started to really grow on me. I love the spices, I love the aroma and the easy way it can be made once you just get the hang of the spice mixture. It's so so easy to make at home. 
I prefer to use an electric skillet to make my curry because it tends to contain the spice smell and then when I'm done cooking it, I can take the skillet outside. If you love your house to smell like warm lovely spices for a week then by all means cook directly on your stove top. I'm just being real!

Here is an EASY PEESY beginner curry

Butter Chicken with Veg

For chicken & marinade: Place everything in a plastic bag and let chicken sit in fridge 24hrs
2lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast cut in 1" - 2" cubes
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp kosher salt

For sauce:
2 tbsp cup vegetable oil or coconut oil
1 cups chopped onion (I do thin slices)
2 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
2 tbsp garam masala
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
2 cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tbsp butter cut into small cubes
     Mixed veggies like sliced tomato, potato, carrot, cauliflower, zucchini
Chopped cilantro
Plain Yogurt

Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Add onions and slowly cook until golden, about 20 minutes, reducing heat if they are getting crispy or browning quickly.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in garam masala, paprika, cinnamon and salt; cook 1 minute more. Add tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. At this point I add this sauce mixture to the blender or use my immersion blender and make it smooth. 

Add chicken to the skillet with a little bit of oil and brown on all sides. Add sauce back into the chicken and simmer until the chicken is completely cooked through. As I add the chicken in, I also choose to add veggies. Some like to just steam veggies which is fine, but my family prefers the veggies cooked with the chicken and in the sauce, it's up to you. I add small potatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, carrot and golden raisins. Do not boil the sauce, just keep it at a gentle simmer. 

When the veg it tender and the chicken is fully cooked, top with butter slices and let it melt in. You can also stir in some yogurt or serve it along the side and a sprinkle of cilantro. Enjoy!

Indian Smashed Potatoes with Mint Coriander Chutney
Red, white or any variety of small potato
1 metal spatula or the back of a metal measuring cup
Coconut oil or canola oil for, very little 
    seasoning mixture:
                          course salt
                          curry powder
                          garam masala

In a non stick pan, add potatoes and cover the bottom with water. Cover potatoes with a lid, leaving a little corner open to steam. Cook on high to a rolling simmer until all the water has evaporated. The potatoes should be tender when a knife is inserted into them, but not mushy. Remove potatoes to a plate and heat the skillet on medium high adding coconut or canola oil. Add potatoes back to pot, use the back of your spatula or measuring cup and lightly smash each potato carefully not to break the potatoes. Sprinkle with seasoning mixture and roast them in the pan until they are browned. Serve with chutney and a little yogurt sauce seasoned with lime or lemon. 
                         


Chutney
1 cup fresh chopped mint leaves
1 cup fresh chopped coriander/cilantro leaves
1 green chilli ( add more chillies if you want the chutney to be spicy)
1/2 inch ginger
1 tsp cumin powder
1 or 2 tbsp lemon juice
salt or black salt or rock salt

Mix everything into a blender or immersion blender and keep in an airtight container. 






 
Check out some of my other recipes here

http://keepitinthepantry.blogspot.com/2015/02/sweet-spicy.html

Orange Marmalade

I found a jar of Orange Marmalade in my fridge that I just haven't used in the last couple of months. I thought I should think up some tasty recipes to use it up. 

Orange Honey Chicken

2 chicken breasts or 6-8 chicken drums
1 1/2 tsp honey mustard
1/2 tbsp honey
1 sprig of rosemary removed from stem and sprinkled over chicken
1 tsp season salt + pepper, salt, garlic powder and a squeeze of lemon
1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 tbsp coconut aminos or soy

You can either put the seasoned chicken in the crock pot and cook on low for about 3 hours, cut it or shred it and then combine all other ingredients and mix into chicken, cook for an additional 30 minutes. OR place chicken breasts in a glass dish sprayed with coconut oil or pam, season chicken and bake for 30 minutes. Combine all other ingredients and pour over chicken, bake for another 15 minutes until lightly browned. 

I served this with some buttered rice, broccoli and a salad. It's one of our favorites. 



This pizza is being served at Settabello pizza and it's super yummy! I found a great recipe for it at aducksoven.com 

Brie, Bacon and Orange Pizza

*1 round of pre-made dough. I purchased a gluten free dough from my favorite bakery
1 4 oz wedge brie cheese, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
6 slices thick cut pepper bacon, cooked and roughly crumbled
2-3 tbsp orange marmalade
1 tbsp white truffle oil or white balsamic oil which is easier to get
6 large leaves basil, chiffonade

Preheat oven to 450o Roll the dough out until 1/4-1/2 inch thick, leaving the edges a little thicker to make a crust.
Remove pizza stone from oven and carefully transfer the crust to the stone. If you're not using a stone, use a baking sheet and modify the shape of your pizza. Top with mozzarella cheese, brie cheese, and bacon. Evenly drizzle orange marmalade over the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until crust is just golden and cheese is melted.
Let cool for 5 minutes, then top with basil and drizzle white truffle oil over the top.


If you'd like to make your own dough here is a great recipe

Pizza Crust

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 – 3 cups flour

Gently whisk the water, yeast, and sugar together. Let sit until proofed and foamy, about 10 minutes.
Add the salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and olive oil and mix until combined.
Using the dough hook on your standing mixer, slowly add the flour, ½ cup at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is no longer sticky.
Using the dough hook, knead the dough for 4 minutes. Let rest for 3 minutes. Knead for another 4 minutes.
Coat a bowl with olive oil, add the dough, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.



This recipe is really yummy. It's not to overly sweet and it can be equally converted with Pillsbury gluten free flour. I adapted this recipe from EverythingBritish

Orange Marmalade Cake
2/3 cup orange marmalade, divided 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, set  1/2 tablespoon for glaze, and more for greasing pan 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons grated lime zest 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest 3 large eggs, at room temperature 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or equal Pillsbury gluten free flour blend 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Chop any extra-large chunks of peel in the marmalade. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together softened butter, sugar, lime zest and orange zest until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in 1/3 cup marmalade and the orange juice.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Fold dry ingredients into wet until just combined.
Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake until surface of cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer pan to a wire rack. Cool 10 minutes; turn cake out of pan and place on rack right-side up. Place a rimmed baking sheet under rack to catch the glaze.
Heat remaining 1/3 cup marmalade in a small pot over low heat until melted; whisk in confectioners’ sugar and 1/2 tablespoon butter until smooth. Slather warm glaze over top of cake, allowing some to drizzle down the sides. Cool completely before slicing.