Chili Tostadas

This was just a quick and simple thing I came up with for lunch today. We were busy getting our garden started, and it was after 1:00, so we needed something fast and easy. I grabbed a can of chili and a bag of tortillas, and got a little creative!

Chili Tostadas
1 can chili con carne with beans
4 large flour tortillas
6 slices tomato, cut in half
4 oz (1 cup) shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350.

Lay tortillas on baking sheets. I used two sheets because all four wouldn't fit on one. Spread 1/4 can of chili on each tortilla. Arrange 3 half-slices of tomato on each, then top each with 1/4 cup cheese.

Place in oven and resolve to check on them frequently. Forget about them for several minutes as you check blogs. Remember about them when you hear them sizzling. Take them out of the oven when the edges of the tortilla are a much darker brown than you intended, but relax after removing the tostadas from the pan - the dark brown isn't burnt, it's just extra crispy, and the middle is soft and kinda chewy - delicious!
Eat and enjoy!

A Mother's Day Treat

I decided last minute to bake some cookies for my Mom, since we were going over today to visit with her. I had about two hours to decide what to make, mix up the dough, and bake them. I decided on these really simple sugar cookies, which I frosted with a simple, but delicious frosting. Mom absolutely loved them - as did everyone else in the house! Needless to say, they didn't last long!

Moist Sugar Cookies
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy; add the rest of the ingredients in the order listed. Beat until well blended. Keeping the drops small, drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Dip the bottom of a glass in granulated sugar, and press cookies slightly. Bake at 350 for 7 minutes. Do not over-bake (don't under-bake either; the cookies are done when they turn lightly golden around the edges). Cool on wire racks.


Decorator Frosting

2/3 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract(optional)
4 drops red food coloring

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, confectioners' sugar, and milk until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and food coloring. Spread on or between cookies.

Coconut-Cornflake Cookies

This is one Jeff found on allrecipes.com this afternoon and decided to give it a try. I'm so very glad he did! These are very yummy, chewy, crispy, sweet, and all-around good cookies. They're a refreshing departure from the basics like peanut butter, sugar, and chocolate chip (though, don't get me wrong, I love those too!).

Coconut-Cornflake Cookies
3 egg whites
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups cornflakes cereal

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Beat egg whites until stiff (the egg whites not your arm). Stir in sugar, salt and vanilla. Blend coconut and cornflakes and add to egg white mixture.

Drop on ungreased parchment paper (based on the reviews for this recipe, the parchment really is necessary to keep the cookies from sticking. When people tried this on greased baking sheets, the cookies stuck pretty badly. We had no problems with the parchment). Bake for 15-18 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.

This recipe can also be made with Splenda, to reduce the sugar content and calories. As it is, 2 cookies = 114 calories (actually, we made them twice as big, so one serving was only one cookie, but that's okay).

I chose to make these my entry for this month's Master Baker challenge. The ingredient this month is vanilla.

Salmon Patties

I am so thrilled to have married a man that loves to cook. Tonight I had another one of my migraines and didn't feel like doing anything for dinner. So Jeff stepped up and, as usual, created something delicious and healthy!

I'll put the half recipe that he did tonight. To make the original 6-serving amount, just double everything.

Salmon Patties
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed saltines (about 33 crackers)
1 tbsp. finely chopped onion
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 can (14.75 oz) salmon, drained, bones and skin removed

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, lemon juice, saltines, onion, salt, and pepper. Add salmon and mix well. Shape into 6 3-inch patties. Place in a greased baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned. 1 serving=2 patties.

We served these with a variety of salad dressings - Greek Vinaigrette with Oregano and Feta, my homemade Creamy French Italian dressing, and Asian Sesame with Ginger. They would also, of course, be fantastic with tartar sauce, but we didn't have any of that on hand this time.

Our Cinco de Mayo Festivities

Cinco de Mayo is another one of those slightly, but not entirely, random holidays that Jeff and I like to celebrate with an all-out meal. I started planning tonight's meal around lunchtime today, and started preparing right away. Now, hours later, we've eaten and enjoyed our meal, and I can say that all my work (though it wasn't really hard) has definitely paid off!

Our Cinco de Mayo Menu:

• Appetizer: Chile Onion Polenta
  
• Main Course: Soft Tacos with corn tortillas, taco meat, homemade salsa, fresh lettuce and tomatoes, cheese, and Creamy French Italian Dressing
• Side: Spanish Rice
  
• Dessert: Leche Quemada

The recipes:

Chile Onion Polenta
3 cups cold water
1 cup cornmeal
1 envelope onion soup mix
4 oz. can green chilies, drained
1/2 cup whole kernel corn
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Bring the water to a boil in a 3 qt. saucepan. With wire whisk, stir in the cornmeal and onion soup mix. Simmer uncovered, stirring constantly for 25 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the chilies and corn.

Spread the mixture in a lightly greased 9" baking pan and sprinkle with cheese. Let stand for 20 minutes or until firm. Cut and serve.

Taco Meat
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder

Combine meat and seasonings. Cook until meat is browned. Drain off fat.

Simple Salsa
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 4-oz. can green chilies, drained
2 tbsp. dried minced onions
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried parsley

Combine all ingredients in food processor. Process for a few seconds until mixture is blended but still chunky. Let mixture stand at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 1 cup.

Creamy French Italian Dressing
3 tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup

In a blender, process all ingredients until completely incorporated. Pour into 2-cup container with tight-fitting lid. Let stand at room temperature several hours. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Spanish Rice
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup salsa

Combine rice, water, and salsa in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the water reaches the level of the rice. Shut off heat, cover pan, and let sit for 20-30 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed and rice is done. Fluff with fork and serve.

Leche Quemada (Burnt Milk)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Whipped topping

Divide milk between 3 4-oz. ramekins. Cover each ramekin with foil. Place in shallow baking dish, and add water 1 inch deep. Bake at 425 for 1 hour. Serve warm or cold with whipped topping.

Another recipe for this is as follows: Place unopened can of milk on a rack in a large pot. Cover with water. Boil for 4 hours. Carefully remove can from pot and chill in refrigerator. When cold, open top of can and invert onto serving plate. Open bottom of can and push out the milk, now a firm custardlike burnt milk dessert.

Buen provecho!

Parmesan Baked Potatoes

This is a recipe I got from a Taste of Home recipe booklet. I adjusted and added some things, as I usually do. This is a really good version of baked potatoes - fancier and more flavorful.

Parmesan Baked Potatoes
6 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
6-8 small baking potatoes, halved lengthwise

Pour butter into a 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Place potatoes in pan with cut side down. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until tender.

The original recipe calls for 8 potatoes, but I was only able to fit 6 in the pan. I calculated the calories based on 6 potatoes, and 4 tablespoons of butter (there was about 2 tbsp. left in the pan, having not been absorbed). You can reduce the calories by using margarine (80 calories/tbsp. versus 100 for butter), and reduced fat Parmesan cheese.

1 serving (2 potato halves) = 200 calories.

George Foreman's Southwest Rub

Jeff put together this rub for a steak dinner that was supposed to be at our church. Due to some miscommunication, however, either the dinner never happened or we got the wrong day or time, or something, because we showed up and there was nothing there. So we took our rubs home and Jeff made a delicious chicken dinner with this one.

Southwest Rub
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground coriander (we didn't have this, and substituted a packet of Sazon Goya)
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Makes 1/2 cup.

Jeff used about two tablespoons of this rub on a couple chicken leg quarters. He simmered them in a covered skillet with chopped onion and about 1/2 cup leftover rice from the fridge. He added lots of water and cooked it all until the chicken was done (juices run clear), and the water had simmered off. It was so flavorful, a bit spicy, and just very good!