Mexican Tortilla Pizza


Ingredients:

• 4 corn tortillas, or whole-wheat tortillas (6-inches in diameter)
• 1/2 cup Black Bean Dip, purchased
• 1 large tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 cup shredded green cabbage
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Optional:

• Guacamole
• Sour Cream
• Salsa

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the tortillas onto a baking sheet and spread 2 tablespoons of black bean dip on top of each tortilla. Top with tomato and cabbage and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pizzas from the oven and sprinkle some cilantro on each one. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into wedges.

Serves: 4

Fiesta Chicken

This is a favorite dish to make in just minutes, especially if you already have chopped green peppers, onions, and chicken pieces on hand. Many grocery stores sell fresh or frozen chopped onions and green peppers in the produce section, freezer section, or even salad bar.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil
4 chicken breast halves, cubed
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 cups chunky salsa
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup quick cooking rice
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and chicken and sauté until the chicken is lightly browned. Add the green pepper and onion and sauté until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Add the salsa and broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and mix well. Toss the cheese on top of the dish, cover, and remove from the heat. Let rest for five minutes to cook the rice and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Buttermilk Cole Slaw with a Kick!




Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
  
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
  
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  
• 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
  
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  
• 1/4 cup Tabasco Green Jalapeno Pepper Sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  

Cole Slaw:

• 16 ounces shredded red cabbage (about 4 cups)
  
• 8 ounces shredded green cabbage (about 2 cups)
  
• 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

Mix the dressing together in a jar. Shake well. In large bowl, combine the coleslaw ingredients.
Pour dressing ontop. Refrigerate overnight or for a few hours.

Serves:4-6

Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• garlic salt to taste
• 18 (6 inch) corn tortillas, torn in half
• 1 (28 ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) container reduced fat sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
2. Season chicken with garlic salt. Arrange in the prepared baking dish. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Cool, shred, and set aside.
3. With metal tongs, char each tortilla half over the open flame of a gas stove burner for about 1 minute, until lightly puffed.
4. Pour about 1/2 inch enchilada sauce in the bottom of a medium baking dish, and arrange 6 tortillas in a single layer. Top with 1/2 the chicken, 1/3 cheese, 1/2 the sour cream, and 1/3 of the remaining enchilada sauce. Repeat. Coat remaining tortillas thoroughly with remaining enchilada sauce, and arrange on top of the layers. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and top with any remaining enchilada sauce
5. Cover, and bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool slightly before serving.

Tea Time Treasure's

I love it when my knit-group comes over to my house in the Spring. We set up the back lanai, with tables for knitting, tables for food and drink ( we all love to cook & bake!) and lots of new projects or projects 911 at another table. We are coffee and tea drinkers. Sometimes we try new tea recipes, brew a new coffee and always enjoy new goodies and the recipes! The recipes below are fast, easy and delicious.

Peach Tea Bread

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 cup finely chopped dried peaches
( I grow peaches but prefer dried in this recipe)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 5 loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In medium size bowl, combine peaches and lemon juice. In another bowl, combine oil, milk, eggs and vanilla. Add oil mixture to flour mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overbeat. Fold in peaches and nuts. Spoon into greased pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until top is golden brown and center springs back when lightly touched, or test for doneness with a toothpick. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Lavender Tea Bread

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. dried lavender flowers, finely chopped, or 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped flowers
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat milk with lavender almost to a boil, then steep until cool. Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in bowl. In another bowl cream butter and gradually add sugar, then eggs, one at a time, beating until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with lavender milk, in three parts. Mix until batter is just blended, do not overbeat. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool. When completely cool, drizzle with a simple sugar glaze or sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Garnish with sprigs of fresh lavender.

Banana Coconut Crunch Muffins

Muffin ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons buttermilk
2 large bananas, mashed
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping ingredients:
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup coconut, shredded
1/4 cup pecans, chopped (optional)
4 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 Tablespoon cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners (or grease and flour 16 muffin cups).
3. In a small bowl, sift or stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter for one minute. Add sugar and mix for 30 seconds. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk and bananas. Mix until combined.
5. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture. Mix until combined, making sure to scrape down sides of bowl.
6. Spoon the batter into 16 muffin cups.
7. Bake for 16 - 18 minutes, until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin.
8. While muffins are cooking, prepare topping. In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, coconut, pecans, butter and cream together. I mix the ingredients with my hands to make sure that the topping is an even consistency. A mixer works just as well.
9. Remove muffins. Keep oven on, and spread topping over hot muffins. Place muffins back in the oven for 3 minutes (to cook the topping).
10. Remove muffins, and with back of spoon, spread the topping to edges (if topping is not already at edges).
11. Let cool 30 minutes, giving the icing a chance to harden.

This recipe can be made ahead, and actually tastes just as good the third day as it did the first. But, sadly, it will never make it to day three - too yummy. Enjoy.

Serves 16

Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches

3 cups chicken broth or water
2 whole boneless chicken breasts with skin (about 1
1/2pounds) halved
I cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup minced shallot
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
24 very thin slices homemade-type white bread
1/2 cup finely chopped smoked almonds (about 2 ounces)

In a deep 12-inch skillet bring broth or water to a boil
and add chicken breasts in one layer.  Reduce heat and
poach chicken at a bare simmer, turning once, 7 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and cool chicken in cooking
liquid 20 minutes. Discard skin and shred chicken fine.
In a bowl stir together chicken, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise,
shallot, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste.  Make
12 sandwiches with chicken salad and bread, pressing
together gently.  With 2 inch round cutter cut 2
rounds from each sandwich.  Put almonds on a small
plate and spread edges of rounds with remaining 1/2
cup mayonnaise to coat well.  Roll edges in almonds.
Sandwiches may be made 2 hour ahead, wrapped in plastic
wrap, and chilled.

Makes: 24 tea sandwiches

SMOKED TURKEY TEA SANDWICHES WITH ARUGULA MAYONNAISE 
    

1/2 Cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup (packed) coarsely chopped arugula leaves plus 30 whole arugula leaves (about 4 large bunches total)
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
12 thin slices firm white sandwich bread, crusts trimmed
10 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey

Mix mayonnaise, chopped arugula, shallot, parsley and lemon peel in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Place bread slices on work surface. Spread mayonnaise mixture on each slice, dividing equally. Top 6 bread slices with turkey, dividing equally. Place 5 arugula leaves on top of turkey on each sandwich. Top with the remaining 6 bread slices, mayonnaise side down, pressing to adhere. Cut each sandwich diagonally into quarters.

Serves: 6

Turkey and Earl Grey Honey Butter Tea Sandwiches