Mexican Pizza

 I've not ever had Mexican pizza in this sense. The author of this blog likens this to the Mexican Pizza from Taco Bell. I've definitely not had that, so I can't compare. 

This recipe has a bit of prep before you can put everything together. So you will need to plan so you have all your components cooked so you can put the pizza together. 

Overall it was tasty, but I think I'd stick to just tostadas - they're just simpler. This was a bit of a mess to eat.

Also I couldn't find taco sauce, so I used enchilada sauce. And I added a half of can of green chilis in with the meat because I had some left over. 

Mexican Pizza
Recipe from Butteryourbiscuit.com

Photo from ButterYourBiscuit

Serves 4

1 pound ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/4 c water
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas low carb
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2 (8 oz) jars taco sauce
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 c shredded pepper-jack cheese
1 large diced tomatoes
1 can sliced olives
1/2 c vegetable oil
green onions sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large skillet heat the oil up on medium heat.

Fry each tortilla in the oil just until lightly browned and crispy, remove and set aside on paper towels

Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain grease. Add taco seasoning, water and simmer then add 1/2 cup taco sauce. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a small pan on medium heat warm the refried beans

Place a single layer of the beans on the crispy tortillas, followed by a layer of the taco meat, Top with another tortilla. Spread 3-4 tablespoons of taco sauce, sprinkle some cheddar and jack cheese and top with a few tomatoes and olives.

Bakes in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly

Remove from oven let set for 5 minutes top with green onions and slice

Judy Hubbell's Baked Halibut

 Mrs. Hubbell is a family friend that had been in our lives forever. We lost her several years ago but her legacy in her food lives on. I have a couple of recipes from her, but this is my favorite. 

I'm a fan of halibut. It's expensive and I've been known to bake the crap out of it causing halibut jerky...but not tonight. Tonight I remembered to put the timer on!

Super easy. Super delicious recipe. But I made it better.

First, I added Parmesan and parsley to the panko. Oh and I used panko instead of bread crumbs. And lastly, I cooked it in the air fryer. 

Judy Hubbell's Baked Halibut
Recipe from Mrs. Hubbell!

Photo from the internet

Serves as many as you want

1 c butter
1 c bread crumbs ( I used Panko)
Johnny's Seafood Seasoning
Juice of one lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt butter, add lemon juice. 

Combine bread crumbs, salt, pepper and seafood seasoning. [JW: I added grated paremsan and parsley]

Dip halibut in butter mix, then dredge in bread crumbs.

Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Bake halibut at 400F until done.

Low Carb Pepperoni Pizza

Pizza is a fave of mine. Anyone who doesn't like pizza, in my opinion, has something not right in their noggin. But, trying to be low carb pizza isn't a great option. Enter Low Carb Pizza dough. 

There are a million and one recipes on the internet for FatHead Pizza dough. This recipe is just like all those really. The one main difference is the psyllium husk. Turned out I had run out of psyllium husk and so I didn't use it. The dough was just fine. 

This dough has tricked me in the past. Not mixing it well enough and the almond flour clumping and so on and so on. But this time I got smart. 

Researching and watching videos, I used fresh mozzarella. You know? Like in the ball, not the shredded kind in a bag. Those kinds have fillers to them that keep them fresh and so melting that is troublesome. 

The next thing I did was put the almond flour in with the cheese as I melted it. I mixed it all together so the almond flour was evenly distributed.

I took my time and mixed this really well. It's a wet dough and rolling it between two pieces of parchment paper with olive oil on them worked great. I also recommend cooking this ONE parchment. So much cheese means this may stick.

If you are expecting the taste and texture of pizza dough, you will be disappointed. If you're looking for a reasonable replacement for pizza while on low carb, this will work for you. 

Low Carb Pepperoni Pizza
Recipe from Ruled.me
Serves 2

Pizza Base
2 c (~8 oz.) mozzarella cheese
¾ c almond flour
1 T psyllium husk powder
3 T (~1.5 oz.) cream cheese
1 large egg
1 T Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Toppings

1 c (~4 oz.) mozzarella cheese
½ c Rao’s tomato sauce
16 slices pepperoni

Optional: sprinkled oregano

Microwave mozzarella cheese until completely melted, then add all other base ingredients (except olive oil) and mix together.

Knead dough into a ball, then spread out into a circle using the olive oil on the outside of the dough.

Bake crust for 10 minutes under 400F. Remove from oven, flip, and bake for 2-4 more minutes.

Top the crust with toppings of your choice and bake for another 3-5 minutes.

Let cool slightly, slice, and serve!

Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms with Parmesan

 Oh Mushrooms! How I love thee. They, like broccoli, I eat frequently and I often get bored with the ol' saute with garlic. So finding a simple, flavorful (layers of flavors), and delicious recipe made me happy. 

Now that I've made this, I'm even more happy. This will make it into my normal rotation for veggie sides. 

Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms with Parmesan
Recipe from Eatingwell.com

Photo from EatingWell.com

Serves 4

2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp ground pepper
¼ tsp salt
1 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 T balsamic vinegar
¼ c grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Stir oil, marjoram, pepper and salt together in a large bowl. Add mushrooms and toss to coat. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with vinegar. Sprinkle with Parmesan and continue roasting until the cheese is melted, about 5 more minutes.

Steak Marsala

I love steak. And I love steak with mushrooms. This is a nice marrying of the two flavors with some Marsala wine. 

I didn't pan fry my steak. I'm not a fan of that. I like the good old grill for steaks. So I started this recipe with the mushrooms, and then went on from there. 

Helpful hint: Have your ingredients out and measured. This sauce moves pretty quickly. I didn't have my stuff out and so I found myself rushing around the kitchen. When I do that I miss an ingredient. 

Steak Marsala
Recipe from Cook's Country Feb / March 2019

3 T extra virgin olive oil
12 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
Salt and pepper
4 (6 oz) top sirloin steaks, trimmed
1 shallot, minced
1 T flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
3/4 c plus 1 T sweet marsala
4 T unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled
1/2 c chicken broth
1 T minced fresh parsley
2 tsp lemon juice

Heat 1 T olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add cremini mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook, covered until mushrooms release their liquid, about 3 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are well browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. 

Pat steaks dry and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 T oil to pan at medium heat until smoking. Add steaks and cook until well browned on the first side, about 4 minutes. Flip steaks and cook until well browned on second side, 4-6 minutes. check temperature and continue cooking until it reaches desired doneness. 

Heat remaining 1 T of oil in empty skillet over medium-high heat. add shallot, flour, garlic, rosemary and salt and pepper. Cook until shallot begins to soften, about 1 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup Marsala wine, and 1/2 c chicken broth cook until reduced to 1 cup and slightly thickened, 5-7 minutes. 

Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time, until emulsified. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, cremini mushrooms and remaining 1 T Marsala wine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice steaks thin and transfer to warm platter. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.

Loaded Broccoli

 Broccoli is my go-to veggie. And because of that, I get bored with it pretty quickly. I've been looking for other options and found this little recipe. 

I have to admit, sour cream with broccoli was odd. When I make this again, I'll keep to just the cheese and bacon. 

Loaded Broccoli
Recipe from Thatlowcarblife.com

Photo from ThatLowcarblife.com

Serves 4

12 ounces broccoli florets
1 c freshly grated cheddar cheese
1/3 c sour cream
1/2 c fried and crumbled bacon
2 T chopped chives
salt and pepper, to taste

Add the broccoli to a steamer basket set over boiling water and cover.

Steam for 5 minutes or until broccoli is as tender as you'd like.

Divide the broccoli between four plates and top with the cheddar, sour cream, bacon, and chives.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Five Minute Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders

 Nothing about this recipe is wrong. I've used mayo on chicken for many years now after a friend told me about how it keeps chicken breasts moist. Adding Parmesan cheese to it just makes it better. 

This is a simple, delicious recipe.

Five Minute Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Recipe from Joyfilledeats.com
Serves 4

Photo from Joyfilledeats.com

1 pounds chicken tenderloins
1/2 c mayo
3/4 c shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine the mayo, 1/4 cup of the cheese, garlic, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Put the chicken on a large baking sheet. I put parchment on mine to save on the cleanup.

Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Optional: Broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the cheese. Watch the chicken closely if you are broiling so it doesn't burn.

Antipasti Cheese Ball

 Sunday dinner tonight. We're actually going to do it socially distant in Sister in Laws back yard. It's a perfect day for it. 

The theme is wine tasting and appetizers. This sounded like the perfect appetizer to me. And whoa boy is this delicious. I almost didn't put in the perroncinis and am so glad I did. Not spice at all and added that nice vinegary tang.

After I made this my first thought was, this slathered over chicken breast would be delicious.

Antipasti Cheese Ball
Recipe from Cuisine at Home Oct 2019

Photo from Cuisine at Home

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 c grated Parmesan
2 T olive oil
2 T minced fresh garlic
1 T red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp anchovy paste (a must)
Black pepper to taste
2 oz hard salami, finely diced
1/4 c finely diced roasted red peppers
1/4 c finely diced pepperoncini
1/4 c each finely diced kalamata olives and Castelvetrano olives

Beat together cream cheese through anchovy paste, stir in black pepper.

Stir in salami through olives. 

Line a 3 1/2 c bowl with plastic wrap, press cheese mixture into bowl, smooth top, then cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight, or up to 1 week. 

Alternative for decorating: half olives placed against the cheese.

Beef and Vegetable Soup

Today was a bit cooler than a normal August day, so I decided soup was the answer. I was told today that the first weekend in August here is, traditionally, wetter and cooler than the rest of August. Soup it is then. 

Super flavorful soup. I'm sure I've made this before, but I have no record of it. It's a Cook's Illustrated recipe so it's a bit more involved. But I've learned my lesson to follow their recipes word for word...you won't regret it.

Beef and Vegetable Soup
Recipe from Cook's Illustrated Oct 2007
Serves 6

Photo from McCormicks

1 lb sirloin tip steaks, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2" chunks
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 lb cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
1 large onion, chopped
2 T tomato paste
1 med garlic clove, minced
1/2 c red wine
4 c beef broth
1 3/4 c low sodium chicken broth
4 med carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 " slices
2 med celery ribs, cut into 1/2 " pieces
1 bay leaf
2 T mince fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Combine beef and soy sauce in medium bowl; set aside for 15 minutes. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and onions; cook stirring frequently until onion pieces are brown and dark bits form on the bottom of the pan, 8-10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to bowl. 

Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally until liquid evaporates and meat starts to brown, 6-10 minutes.

Add tomato paste and garlic, cook, stirring constantly until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add red wine, deglaze the pan and cook until syrupy, 1-2 minutes. 

Add beef broth, chicken broth, carrots, celery, bay leave and browned mushrooms and onions; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until vegetables and meat are tender, 25-30 minutes.

Taco Empanadas

Ever since I made these hand pies a couple of weeks ago, I've been wanting to make more. This recipe is anything but low cal, but it was delicious. It's like a taco inside a biscuit. What could be bad about that? 

Taco Empanadas

Recipe from Amandascookin.com

Serves 8 - if you make them small. 4 if you make them a bit larger, like I did.

1 can of large refrigerator biscuits

3/4 c refried beans, divided

1 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided

3/4 c prepared taco meat, divided

Optional garnishes: chopped tomato, chopped green onion, sour cream

Preheat oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Flatten a biscuit on the foil using the heel of your hand, starting from the center and working your way outward.

Spread one tablespoon of refried beans onto the flattened biscuit.

Top refried beans with a tablespoon of shredded cheese.

Add a heaping tablespoon of prepared taco meat onto the cheese.

Fold the biscuit by pulling one side up over the other and sealing the edges with your finger. Crimp the edges and poke a few holes in top with a fork.

Drizzle some of the juice from the taco meat over the empanada. Top with another tablespoon of shredded cheese.

Repeat these steps for all empanadas.

Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

Pan Seared Chicken with Balsamic Cream Sauce, Mushrooms and Onions

I'll make this recipe again, and I'll follow the actual recipe. I wanted to try something with the air fryer and learned a very valuable lesson.

I wanted to see if you could get a crispy crust using the traditional dredge of flour, egg, bread crumbs. Certainly not low carb, but wanted to see if it would work. 

Turns out it really doesn't. At least in my air fryer. The egg cooked so it was pretty eggy, and the bread crumbs just got hard. All together not a great combo. I may need more oil in the air fryer since that's usually what drys things out. But following another recipe I covered the chicken cutlets with a spray of Pam on both sides. Still not sure it's enough. 

The other modification I made is I cooked the mushrooms separately. I like browned, really cooked down mushrooms and this recipe has you just adding them in to the liquid. 

So if you follow this recipe it would not only be low carb, but likely dellicious. Like I said, I'll make it again and actually follow the recipe.

Pan Seared Chicken with Balsamic Cream Sauce, Mushrooms and Onions

Recipe from Peaceloveandlowcarb.com

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Photo from PeaceLoveandLowCarb

5 T butter, divided

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

½ c chicken stock

1 c heavy cream

2 T balsamic vinegar

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved

½ c grated Parmesan cheese

2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Lightly season the chicken breasts with sea salt and black pepper on both sides. In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the onions. Cook until the onions are nice and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. In a separate pan, over medium-high heat, pan-sear the chicken breasts in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Brown the chicken on both sides and then remove from pan and set aside. (Chicken will not be fully cooking during this stage)

De-glaze the pan with chicken stock. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the pan and mix in any remaining bits of chicken. Let simmer for 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low, add the heavy cream, balsamic vinegar, mushrooms and a little sea salt and black pepper. Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the chicken breasts back to the sauce pan, and simmer until the chicken is cooked all the way through, about 12 minutes

Remove the chicken breasts from the pan and plate. Add the Parmesan cheese and caramelized onions to the sauce and stir until the cheese is melted into the sauce. Pour the sauce over top of chicken.

Garnish with fresh parsley, if using.

Per Serving – Calories: 482 | Fat: 33g | Protein: 42g | Net Carbs: 6.5g

Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken

If you don't have an air-fryer, and you like crunchy food, you should get one. I bought a small one and use it all the time. When I first got it, I used it nightly. Then, as is the case, the new toy rubs off and it ends up being used a couple times a week. Still...it makes GREAT crunchy. And, surprisingly, cooks burgers really well too. There's a ton you can do with them, and I'm only just beginning. 

This recipe I kept low carb and didn't use panko on the whole batch. I was curious how they'd be with or without Panko. I mean, Panko makes everything crunchier. 

Both chicken sets were delicious. Adding the mayo really does a good job keeping them moist when cooking in an air fryer. Frankly, I liked the version without the Panko better. The Parmesan had a chance to really crisp up as it was the only thing on the chicken. 

Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Recipe from Adventuresofanurse.com

2 Large Chicken breasts

1 c Parmesan shredded

1 c panko bread crumbs

1 c real mayonnaise

Split chicken breasts in half to make "cutlets". Pound each piece with a meat hammer ( so they are even )

Spread Mayo on both sides of each piece of chicken. 

Mix together Panko and Parmesan ( for keto skip the panko). Coat each piece of chicken in the panko/Parmesan mixture

Preheat air fryer to 390

In a single layer place in air fryer, cook for 15 minutes turning once after 10 minutes.

Steak Fried Rice

Chinese food is my #2 favorite food - a very close #2 after Italian. Unfortunately there aren't any great Chinese food restaurants in my area. There used to be, but they closed (Thanks COVID). So when I'm craving carbs, and Chinese food, fried rice is my go to. 

The ONLY modification I made to this was I used brown rice. I'm not a fan of brown rice, but I'm trying to be a little better. 

I also cooked the rice last night and let it sit in the fridge. Fried rice to me turns out better when you use left over rice. 

Steak Fried Rice

Recipe from...I have no idea. 

Serves...I have no idea. 4 maybe?

3 quarts water

1 1/2 c long grain white rice

5 T soy sauce

2 T hoisin sauce

1 T sriracha

1 skirt steak, trimmed

2 T toasted sesame oil, divided

4 scallions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin on bias

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 c frozen peas and carrots, thawed

Cook Rice.

Combine soy, hoisin, and sriracha in a bowl; set aside. 

Cut steak with grain into 2" wide pieces, then slice pieces thin against grain. Heat 1 T oil in nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add steak and 2 T soy sauce mixture to skillet and cook until steak is well browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer steak to a bowl; set aside. 

Add remaining 1 T oil to skillet, add scallion whites and garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in rice and remaining soy sauce mixture. Cook, stirring often, until rice is sizzling and popping loudly, about 4 minutes. Push rice to 1 side of skillet. Pour eggs into empty side and skillet and cook until just set, about 1 minute. Stir eggs, steak,scallion greens and peas/carrots into rice. 

The Best Garlic Grilled Flank Steak

The only modification I made to this is I used a skirt steak instead of flank steak. They're a bit more reasonably priced. Super flavorful marinade. I only left it for an hour, and it was fine. 

The Best Garlic Grilled Flank Steak

Recipe from Sweetcsdesigns.com

Photo from Sweetcdesigns.com

Serves 6

1 1/2 lb flank steak

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper, freshly cracked

1/2 c olive oil

1 tsp Italian herb mix

1/4 c diced garlic

2 oz lemon juice

1 T garlic powder

zest of 1 lemon

Lay flank steak out flat, trim any extra fat or silver skin.

Generously season steak with salt and pepper.

Add olive oil, herbs, lemon zest and juice, and diced garlic to a large bowl or (preferably) a large plastic bag and mix well.

Add steak to bag and let marinate for 40 minutes up to two hours.

Heat grill or start charcoals - aiming for high heat (about 400 degrees).

Remove steak from bag, and sprinkle with garlic powder.

Cook steak on very hot grill, flipping every 4-5 minutes.

Wipe a little olive oil on the grill's grates before adding steak.

For medium rare steak, the steak will cook for about 10 minutes (this will vary depending on your grill, how hot it is outside, if it is windy, etc so be sure to check your steak and how quickly it's cooking).

For a steak that is medium all the way to well done, cook the steak directly over the heat, flipping twice, for 10 minutes as listed above - and then move slightly away from the heat (to a higher rack, or spot where the flames aren't directly underneath) so it will continue to cook to your preferred doneness without becoming too charred.

Remove from grill when steak is at your preferred doneness.

Place a small piece of foil over the steak to "tent" it and let it finish carryover cooking as it rests for 10 minutes.

When steak has rested for at least 10 minutes (don't rush - if you cut it right off the grill the steaks juices will all run out), slice it width-wise (so you have lots of thin strips instead of just a few long strips) against the grain - which is essential to keeping the steak from being too chewy or tough.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Spicy Asian Marinated Flank Steak

Marinades are my jam. While I like a nice steak on the grill with nothing by Montreal Seasoning, I really like to use marinades when it comes to skirt steaks or flank steaks. They both take to marinades nicely. 

I made no modifications to this, except I couldn't find crushed pineapple. All I could find was chunks. I drained them and I put the whole kit and kaboodle in my magic bullet. 

I put in the full tsp of cayenne too. I assumed that's what ground red pepper was. And was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too hot. The pineapple, I think, helped. 

Spicy Asian Marinated Flank Steak

Recipe from MyRecipes.com

Photo from MyRecipes

Serves: 4

2 T less-sodium soy sauce

1 T fresh lime juice

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp ground red pepper

2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp dark sesame oil

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed

Cooking spray

1/4 tsp salt

Combine first 10 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak; seal and marinate in refrigerator 24 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

Remove steak from bag; discard marinade. Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Sprinkle with salt, and let stand for 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Spicy Garlic Chicken

This is spicy, but not too spicy. Garlicky, but not too garlicky. And oh so delicious. It'll become part of my rotation for sure. Super easy to make and super flavorful.

My only modification is I didn't have Tabasco, so use Chalula Hot Sauce instead. I think it tastes better than Tabasco. 

Spicy Garlic Chicken

Recipe from Cuisine at Home

Photo from Cuisine At Home

Serves 2

2 boneless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1/4 c panko bread crumbs

2 tsp minced fresh garlic

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp minced fresh lemon zest

2 T fresh lemon juice

2 T honey

2 tsp Tabasco sauce

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Stir together panko, garlic and oregano; place in a shallow dish. dredge both sides of chicken in panko mixture. 

Whisk together zest, lemon juice, honey and tabasco. 

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté until browned on both sides and cooked through; about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. 

Add lemon juice mixture to the skillet and reduce until syrupy, about 1 minute. Return chicken to skillet, flipping to coat in the glaze. 

Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken

I feel like I'm always looking for the BEST yogurt marinade for chicken. I've some good ones in the past and I've had some real bad ones. 

This one I put in the Good Ones category. I cut the recipe in half because it's just me and maybe one leftover. It was a really delicious recipe. I will be marking this one as a favorite.

Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken

Recipe from Bon Appetit

Photo from Bon Appetit

Serves 6

8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)

2 c plain whole-milk yogurt

1 c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems

1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped

1/3 c olive oil plus more for brushing

6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 T fresh lime juice

1 T garam masala

2 tsp kosher salt plus more for seasoning

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 2'piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Working with one chicken breast at a time, put chicken between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound to 1/2" thickness. Transfer chicken breasts to a resealable plastic bag.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, seal bag, and turn to coat. Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Build a medium fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Brush grill grates with oil. Scrape excess marinade off chicken; season with salt. Grill chicken, turning once, until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.

Big Mac Cheeseburger Salad

I made a version of a Big Mac Salad back in October and really think that recipe is WAY better than this one. 

The dressing for this one wasn't great. It really didn't have a lot of flavor. It was super thick too so I added water to it. If you want to make a Big Mac Salad, I'd make this one instead. 

Big Mac Cheeseburger Salad

Recipe from Isavea2z.com

Serves 6 - if this is a side dish. Feeds more like 3 if it's a full meal

Big Mac Cheeseburger Salad Ingredients

Photo from Isavea2z.com

11 oz Ground Beef precooked

4 to 5 cups mixed greens

4 slices of bacon crumbled

3/4 c sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1/2 c Monterey jack cheese shredded

2 T dill pickle relish

1/2 c tomatoes diced

Big Mac Dressing Ingredients

1/2 c mayonnaise sugar free

2 T dill pickle relish

2 T olive oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 T ketchup sugar free

2 T mustard

2 T white onion minced

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix it until it's fully combined. Keep this mixture refrigerated until you are ready to use it.

Combine the chopped lettuce in a medium-sized bowl.

Add the diced tomatoes, precooked ground beef (be sure to warm the beef slightly), cheddar cheese, Monterey cheese, pickle relish, and bacon.

Top the cheeseburger salad with the Big Mac dressing you prepped earlier.

Toss the salad until all the ingredients are fully coated with the dressing.

Serve immediately.

Carne Guisada

Carne guisada is a food I've never had. When I saw this recipe, it seems like it has everything in it I love. So I'm making it. It's in the oven right now! 

What is carne guisada? According to the interwebs: 

Carne guisada is a simple, traditional beef stew flavored with cumin, jalapeños, and chili powder. It is popular throughout Latin America, especially in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The dish is usually simmered over low heat for about two hours until the meat becomes tender.

This recipe has a few modifications from that, but either way I'm sure it's going to be delicious. 

Paul - Make this one!!

Carne Guisada

Recipe from Cook's Country

Serves 8

3 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt and pepper

2 T vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped

2 T tomato paste

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 T chili powder

1 T dried oregano

2 tsp ground coriander

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

1 T all-purpose flour

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 c chicken broth

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch strips

24 flour tortillas, warmed

fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef and cook until browned on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to plate.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add onions and 1 teaspoon salt to pot, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, oregano, coriander, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and broth and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in all of beef and any accumulated juices. Cover, transfer pot to oven, and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove pot from oven and stir in potatoes and bell peppers. Cover, return pot to oven, and continue to cook until beef and potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes longer.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon small amount of stew into center of each tortilla, top with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Mexican Chili Verde Chicken Casserole

I think Mexican is one of my top favorite foods. I could likely eat tacos every day. Sometimes, though, it's fun to put everything you'd get on a plate at a Mexican restaurant in one bowl. This recipe did just that. 

Mexican Chili Verde Chicken Casserole

Recipe from MyRecipes.com (basically Cooking Light)

Photo from MyRecipes.com

Serves 4

6 (4-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-in. pieces

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

1 T canola oil

3/4 c uncooked long-grain white rice

1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/4 c chicken stock or water

1 c fresh corn kernels (3 ears), or frozen, thawed, and drained corn

1 c tomatillo salsa, divided

6 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups), divided

Position oven rack 8 inches from heat source. Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken; cook, stirring once, until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. (Chicken will still be raw at this point.) Transfer chicken to an 8- x 8-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Add rice to skillet; cook over medium-high, stirring often, until most of the rice turns white, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in beans, stock, corn, and 3/4 cup of the salsa; bring to a simmer over medium. Stir in 4 ounces of the cheese and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer mixture to baking dish; stir to combine. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake in preheated oven until rice is tender and chicken is done, about 45 minutes.

Remove from oven; uncover and sprinkle with remaining 2 ounces cheese. Increase oven temperature to high broil. Return baking dish to oven; broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Top with remaining 1/4 cup salsa.