JALAPEÑO POPPERS

JALAPEÑO POPPERS 
8 fresh jalapeños
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 slices thin bacon, cut in half crosswise
Cut the chiles in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds and membranes*. Fill each half with cream cheese, but do not mound it. Four ounces should be just about the right amount for 8 average size jalapeño halves. If you have extra large chiles, make sure you have a full 8 ounces of cream cheese on hand. Wrap each with 1/2 slice raw bacon, making sure to start with the end on the bottom of the chile. Stretch the bacon slightly to make it go all the way around each chile once, then tuck ends underneath. Place cream cheese side up on foil-lined baking sheet. These can be assembled and chilled until just before baking and serving. Bake at 375º 20-25 minutes. If bacon isn't quite done, broil a few more minutes to brown.

Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1/4 cup steak sauce
1 cup beef broth
salt and pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
In a large skillet heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the ground beef and brown while breaking up in chunks with a spatula or spoon.   Add the chopped green pepper and onion cooking for about 3-4 minutes until they start to become tender.  Drain all excess liquid.  Add the beef broth and steak sauce and bring the mixture to a boil.  Continue cooking until sauce is thick and bubbly.  While this is cooking, Split the hamburger buns and butter each side.   Place the buns side down onto a separate skillet until golden brown.  To make the cheese topping, melt the butter in the skillet and add the flour.  Cook for one minute.  Whisk in milk and continue cooking until it starts to thicken.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until incorporated.  To assemble, place the bun on the bottom.  Spoon the meat mixture on top and pour the cheese mixture on top topping with the bun.

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken & Rice

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken & Rice
1 (8oz) box Zatarain’s Yellow Rice, cooked according to package.
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or cheese blend
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (10.5oz) can cream of chicken soup (I used the healthy choice reduced fat and sodium)
1 (15oz) can of corn, drained
2 cups chicken stock
Place chicken into crockpot and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle your chopped onions on top of chicken.  Mix together the two cups of chicken broth and can of cream of chicken soup.
Pour mixture over chicken.  Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.  Right before serving, shred chicken with 2 forks.  Add in cooked & prepared Zatarain’s rice, cheese and corn.  Mix well, until cheese is melted.

Sweet Potato Stew

Sweet Potato Stew
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 small onions
4 cloves garlic
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
4 cups water
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
3 cups diced peeled sweet potatoes
2 (15-oz.) cans black beans
1 (4-oz.) can ORTEGA® Diced Green Chiles
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
HEAT oil in large saucepan. Add onions and garlic; cook until lightly browned. Add bell peppers; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in water, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, chiles, sauce, chili powder and cumin. COOK over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until thickened and potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and ground black pepper.

PHILLY CHEESESTEAK STUFFED PEPPERS

PHILLY CHEESESTEAK STUFFED PEPPERS
8 oz. Thinly Sliced Roast Beef
8 Slices Provolone Cheese
2 Large Green Bell Peppers
1 Medium Sweet Onion – Sliced
6 oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms - Sliced
2 Tbs. Butter
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Garlic - Minced
Salt and Pepper - to taste
(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)
Slice peppers in half lengthwise, remove ribs and seeds.  In a large sauté pan over low-medium heat, add butter, olive oil, garlic, mushrooms onions and a little salt and pepper.  Sauté until onions and mushroom are nice and caramelized.  About 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400°.  Slice roast beef into thin strips and add to the onion/mushroom mixture.  Allow to cook 5-10 minutes.  Line the inside of each pepper with a slice of provolone cheese.  Fill each pepper with meat mixture until they are nearly overflowing.  Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is golden brown.

El Dorado Casserole

El Dorado Casserole
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup chopped black olives
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
16 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 can green chiles, chopped
1/2 cup salsa
Cook beef until browned. Drain. Add onion, garlic powder, tomato sauce and olives. Cook over low heat until the onion is clear.  Combine sour cream, cottage cheese and chiles. Add meat mixture and 1/2 the Monterey jack cheese and mix slightly. Pour mixture into a greased 2 1/2-quart casserole. Cover with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Cheesy Bacon "Potato" Bake

Cheesy Bacon "Potato" Bake
1/2 medium head of cauliflower, cleaned and separated into florets
5 slices of thick cut bacon cooked and crumbled
3 green onions including green tops, sliced finely
4 oz cream cheese (I used Philadelphia)
1/4 cup sour cream (I used Daisy)
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to sprinkle on top, optional but adds a pretty color
Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large pot with half a cup of water, steam cauliflower until tender (about 15 minutes) Turn off the heat.  This is a very important step please don't skip it! Drain the cauliflower and add back to the hot pot. There will still be residual heat on the pot and that heat will help dry the excess moisture from the cauliflower. Mash the cauliflower roughly. It's better if it's not completely smooth.  Add the cream cheese to the cauliflower and stir until completely combined. Add the sour cream, green onion, bacon, and extra sharp cheddar. Mix until completely combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the mashed cauliflower to an oven safe pan. And top with paprika.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until it is hot and bubbly. Serve.

PARMESAN SQUASH

PARMESAN SQUASH
3 tablespoons butter
2 pounds zucchini and yellow squash, 6 medium
1 medium onion, 4 ounces
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 ounce parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, then into half moons. Slice the onion in slivers. Sauté the squash and onion in butter in a large skillet over high heat, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid evaporates and the squash starts to brown slightly. Turn down the heat to about medium-high and continue cooking until tender, stirring often. Season to taste then sprinkle the cheese over the squash. Cover the pan for a couple minutes to melt the cheese.

ROSY RADISH HOME FRIES

ROSY RADISH HOME FRIES 
16 ounces radishes, washed, dried and trimmed
1 small onion, diced, 2 1/2 ounces
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Quarter the smaller radishes and cut any larger ones into eighths. Heat the butter and oil in a medium skillet; add the radishes and onions. Cover the pan and turn heat to low. Let cook for 5-10 minutes. Uncover, turn heat to medium and cook until nicely browned, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Baked Fish

BAKED SALMON
1 pound salmon or other fish fillet, thawed if frozen
2-4 tablespoons butter, softened
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Place the fish in a greased baking dish. I line mine with heavy foil for easy clean up. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dot with soft butter and spread over the surface of fish. Bake at 425º for 6-12 minutes, or until the thickest part of the salmon is just done. Baking time will depend on the thickness of the fish so start with the minimum time and check frequently to prevent over-cooking. If desired, put the fish under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the top.

BAKED TILAPIA 
1 pound tilapia fillets, thawed if frozen
Garlic powder
Spicy Seasoning Salt
Salt and pepper, to taste
3-4 tablespoons butter, melted
Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty foil to save on clean-up and spray with cooking spray. Arrange the fish in a single layer on the baking sheet. Season the fish on both sides with the seasonings listed. Pour the melted butter over the fillets. Bake at 425º about 8-10 minutes, just until opaque. Do not overcook. Serve with the browned buttery pan juices.

JAMBALAYA SOUP

JAMBALAYA SOUP 
2-4 chicken breasts, cubed and coated with 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced, 2 1/2 ounces
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped, about 4 ounces
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoons onion powder
1 pound ham, cubed
1/2 pound smoked sausage, in bite-size pieces
15 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 14-ounce cans beef broth
3 cups water
1 chicken bouillon cube
Heat the butter in a large soup kettle; brown the chicken in the butter. Remove and set aside. Sauté the onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in the kettle until tender, adding a little oil if necessary. Add the ham and sausage; sauté a few minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except the chicken; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add the chicken and heat through.

CREAMY SOUTHWESTERN TACO SOUP

CREAMY SOUTHWESTERN TACO SOUP
1 pound ground beef
2 3/4 ounces onion, chopped, 1/2 cup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 10-ounce cans Ro-tel tomatoes, undrained (tomatoes with green chilies)
2 14.5-ounce cans beef broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
In a large soup pot, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic; drain. Add the spices and cook a couple minutes. Drop the cream cheese in bits into the meat. With the back of a big spoon, smash it into the meat until no bits of white remain. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat through.

GREEN BEAN AND HAMBURGER CASSEROLE

GREEN BEAN AND HAMBURGER CASSEROLE
1 pound ground beef
2 14-ounce cans French cut green beans, well-drained
4 ounce can mushrooms, drained
1 small onion, diced, 2 1/2 ounces
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Brown the hamburger, onion, celery and mushrooms; drain the fat. Mix all ingredients in a 2 to 2 1/2 quart greased casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350º for 40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

YUMMY CHICKEN STUFF

YUMMY CHICKEN STUFF 
2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 4-ounce cans mushrooms, drained
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 packet ranch dressing mix, 1/2 ounce or a scant 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1 ounce
Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in a 9x13" baking dish; season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides. Cover with the mushrooms. Blend the sour cream, mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix and cream; spread over the mushrooms. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over everything. Bake at 375º 45-60 minutes or until the top is brown and crusty and the chicken is done. I baked mine 45 minutes and the chicken was a little over done and dry. I suggest checking it after 30-35 minutes.

ALICE SPRINGS CHICKEN

ALICE SPRINGS CHICKEN
4 boneless chicken breasts
8 pieces bacon, coarsely chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
Season the chicken with the seasonings of your choice (I use Spicy Seasoning Salt); grill until just done. Keep the chicken warm. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels. In the same skillet, sauté the mushrooms and garlic in butter, seasoning with salt to taste. Cook until the juices have evaporated. Place the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet. Top each piece of chicken with 1/4 of the mushrooms and bacon, then with the shredded cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly.