Pineapple Black Bean Enchilladas

This is a great vegetarian dish, but is also fabulous if you cook up some ground chicken before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Ingredients:

2 tblsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 20oz can pineapple tidbits, drained with 1/3 cup juice reserved
1 15oz can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 small can green chiles
1 tsp salt
3 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese OR shredded mexican blend
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 10oz can enchillada sauce
8-10 your favorite tortillas (I just use the burrito style)

• Heat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 dish with nonstick spray. In a 12-inch skillet heat oil, then add onion, and bell pepper.Cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes. (You would add the cooked ground chicken here) Add pineapple, beans, chiles, and salt. Cook and stir until thoroughly heated. Turn off heat and add 2 cups of cheese and cilantro.
• Spoon and spread 1 tblsp of enchillada sauce onto a tortilla. Add about 3 tblsp of pineapple-bean mixture to tortilla and roll up. Place rolled tortilla with seam side down in baking dish. Repeat until all of vegetable mixture is gone.
• In a small bowl, mix remaining enchillada sauce and reserved pineapple juice. Pour over tortillas. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of cheese. Spray a sheet of foil with nonstick spray and cover dish (spray side down) sealing tightly.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, removing foil during the last 5-10 minutes of bake time.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Here is a great recipe for shrimp scampi that you bake in the oven. It was DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:
2lb 12-15/lb uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp
3 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp dry white wine
salt and pepper (1 tsp each)
1 stick of unsalted butter, room temp (NOT melted in microwave)
4 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
1/4 c diced shallots
3 tblsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 egg yolk
2/3 c panko bread crumbs

• Butterfly all shrimp. Place them in a mixing bowl with the olive oil, wine, salt and pepper. Let them stand at room temp while you mix the other ingredients.
• In a medium mixing bowl combine the butter, garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, crushed red pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk and bread crumbs. Blend with a fork until combined.
• In a medium casserole dish (or shallow baking pan) arrange shrimp in a single layer, cut side down. Pour the oil/wine marinade over top.
• Spread the breadcrumb mixture over top of shrimp. Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes uncovered. Turn oven to broil and brown the top for 1-2 minutes. Serve with rice or pasta.

Chocolate Mess Dessert

This is a GREAT dessert to make to share on cold winter nights. I made this at halloween and it was a hit!
 I also like it because it uses the crock pot, so its really easy to make and enjoy later!

Ingredients:
1 Pkg of your favorite chocolate cake mix
¾ cup oil
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
4 eggs
¼ cup water
1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding
6 oz chocolate chips

• Spray crockpot insert with nonstick spray.
• In a bowl, thoroughly mix cake mix, oil, sour cream, eggs and water. Add pudding mix, then fold in chocolate chips. 
• Pour into slow cooker crockpot and level mixture.
• Cook on high for 2 ½ hours. VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT OPEN!!!

Center will be like pudding. Serve with ice cream and/or cherry pie filling.

Lazy Maple Crecent Pull-Aparts

This is a great Sunday morning treat to enjoy while reading the paper...

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tblsp maple-flavored syrup

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 tblsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

 

• Heat oven to 375°F. In ungreased 8-­ or 9-­inch round cake pan, place butter, brown sugar and syrup. Place in oven 2 to 4 minutes or until butter melts. Mix well; sprinkle with nuts.
• Remove dough from can in 1 long rolled section; do not unroll. Cut into 12 slices.
• In small bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon; dip both sides of each slice in sugar mixture. Arrange slices over butter mixture in pan; sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture.
• Bake 17 to 23 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute; turn upside down onto heatproof serving plate. Serve warm.

 

Sausage Tortellini Soup

This is one of our favorite fall soup recipes. Great with cornbread!

Ingredients:
1 lb bulk Italian sausage, cut into small pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped OR 1 can (16oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
5 cups beef broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 medium zucchini, peeled and chopped
3 to 4 carrots, sliced thinly
1 green pepper, diced
8 to 12 ounces uncooked tortellini
Salt and pepper to taste

• In a large stockpot, cook sausage with onion until well done. Drain fat.
• Add remaining ingredients, except tortellini, to the pot and simmer 30 minutes.
• Stir in tortellini and simmer and additional 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Before serving, skim off any melted fat that has risen to the top of soup.

4 to 6 servings.

Homemade Applesauce- A Fall Tradition

Every September and October I love to make homemade applesauce. It's become a tradition, and I always give most of it away to friends and family. Thought I would start this blog out by sharing this recipe, in honor of the season.

Ingredients:

3 dozen apples (I do not pay attention to type of apple - pick your favorite)
1 cup of sugar
2 tblsp cinnamon

Peel, core and chop apples to bit size pieces. Add all together in a large stock pot. Add sugar and cinnamon, mix well. Cook on medium to medium-low heat for 2 or 3 hours, or as long as it takes to cook down to a chunky sauce. Stir often so apples do not burn.

Your house will smell fantastic!