Bacon Tater Bake

We were having a food day at work and I needed something to bring.  I decided, first of all, that I wanted to bring a main dish of sorts instead of just an appetizer or dip.  Before the food day, one of my friends asked me to make something with potatoes as she loved potatoes. (I mean, who doesn't love potatoes right?) So after some thought I decided I would do something with tater tots.  Before I had started my blog, I made a delicious tater tot bake for my boyfriend and decided I would make that for the food day!  Needless to say, this was supposed to be for lunch, but people at work devoured 2 9x13 pans before 10 am!

Bacon Tater Bake

Yield: 10 servings

2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 1/3 Cups sour cream
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 pkg (32 oz) frozen Tater Tots

In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream and onion.  Add the bacon and Tater Tots; stir until combined. 
Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Uncover and bake 8-10 minutes longer or until golden brown. 

This recipe is full of flavor!  I would do one thing differently with this recipe.  I wold saute the onions just a bit to make sure they fully get cooked.  When I made this recipe for work, I also added about 3/4 Cup of shredded Cheddar cheese to it.  It added an extra zip to this recipe.  I also made one mistake...I precooked the tater tots for time...this changed the consistency of the recipe.  The tater tots, being semi-cooked already, crumbled up when I stirred in the liquids.  It still tasted really good although the tots were not whole.  I would leave the tots frozen before you mix them together.  I ended up making 2 casseroles, one with bacon and one without bacon.  They were both very good, so if you have someone who doesn't like bacon, (ha ha) then you can make it without.  Enjoy!

Pastelitos

My mother was having a Mexican themed birthday party for 2 of her friends so I needed to bring a Mexican dish.  There is an awesome Puerto Rican restaurant in Buffalo and that my boyfriend and I love to go to.  We had recently gone and had the most delicious pastelitos!  When my boyfriend found out about the party he instantly wanted to make pastelitos.  We had a lot of fun making them and formed an assembly to get the 30 we made completed.  They are quite easy to make and well worth it when you are done!

Pastelitos

3 lbs ground beef, cooked and drained
3 pkgs taco seasoning
2 bags of shredded taco-style cheese
3 pkgs (10 each) orange empanada shells
flour
2-3 containers of vegetable or canola oil

Special utensils
rolling pin

Ground beef until no longer pink; drain.  Follow directions on taco seasoning mix and add to meat.  Allow to cool.  Place flour down on cooking surface.  Roll out empanada shell until thin but not breaking.  Add taco meat followed by cheese.  Fold empanada shell over and crimp edges with a fork to seal.  Heat oil in large pot.  Place pastelito in oil and fry until bubbly, crispy and floating on top.  Remove and let cool.  Serve with salsa or sour cream if desired!

                                        *my sister enjoying some pastelito fun!

These pastelitos came out great!  They were larger than expected due to the size we rolled out the empanada.  They were full of flavor and a great finger food.  The outside was crispy and delicious!  You can add whatever filling you like to make these pastelitos.  We made a few with the leftover chicken mixture my mom had made from her enchiladas.  There are a good recipe to make with kids as they will be able to help out!  If you have a deep fryer, you can also cook these in that as well.  Empanada shells can be found at Tops in the Goya freezer section.  We hope you enjoy these as much as we did!  Enjoy!

Baked Chili With Cornmeal Crust

I got this recipe out of my 300 Calorie cookbook.  We have been trying to eat healthier once in a while and still enjoy delicious food!  We love Chili and Cornbread so I thought this would be a new solution for a chili fix.  This recipe was very quick and easy to make without having to cook chili all day.  It really did taste like chili even though there were no beans in it!  The flavor was great.  I had it for lunch the next day and it was even better!

Baked Chili With Cornmeal Crust

Yield: 8 servings

1 lb. lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 Cup)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. Original Bisquick mis
3 Tbsp. water
1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes, undrained
1 can ( 15.25 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 tsp. salt
3/4 Cup Original Bisquick mix
3/4 Cup Yellow cornmeal
2/3 Cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In 2-Qt. saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
2.  In a small bowl, mix chili powder, 1 Tbsp Bisquick mix and the water; add to beef mixture.  Stir in tomatoes, corn and salt; break up tomatoes.  Heat to boiling, stirring frequently.  Pour into ungreased 8-inch square (2 Qt.) glass baking dish or 2-Qt. casserole dish.
3.  In a medium bowl, stir all remaining ingredients with wire whisk or fork until blended.  Pour evenly over beef mixture. 
4.  Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

I did a few things differently.  I used ground venison which is very lean.  I did not used whole tomatoes, I used crushed tomatoes, next time I think i would used diced tomatoes.  This is really your  preference.  I'm not a fan of tomatoes so I liked the fact that with the crushed tomatoes there was still still texture but not huge chunks.  When I make this again I will cook it a bit longer to make sure the cornmeal crust is more crispy.  At the end, we added cheddar cheese to this and it was delicious!  Make sure you mix in the crust when eating it because it is much better that way!  Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Phyllo Wraps

I had phyllo dough in the freezer that I wanted to use up so I found this recipe to make.  I needed a finger food for the Super Bowl and decided that these would be the perfect item!  Little did I know how excellent these would turn out to be!  The flavor was great and it was like you were eating chicken wing dip in a crispy shell! During the Super Bowl we were coming up with better names for this recipe as I changed the shape up...I like to call these Buffalo Chicken Triangles!

Buffalo Chicken Phyllo  Wraps

• 2 (5 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®)
• 6 sheets phyllo dough
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®)
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup light garlic-flavored cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Combine chicken and 1/4 cup hot sauce in a shallow dish; marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Grease a 9x13- inch baking dish.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place phyllo sheets on work surface; cover with damp towel to keep from drying out.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Remove chicken from hot sauce; season with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken in the oil until the juices run clear, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat; shred. Combine the shredded chicken, remaining 1/2 cup hot sauce, vinegar, and cream cheese in a large bowl. Stir until creamy. Allow mixture to cool, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove 1 phyllo sheet from stack; fold in half lengthwise. Brush lightly with oil. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture at the bottom of the folded phyllo, about 1 inch from the bottom. Fold bottom of phyllo over filling, fold in each side, roll wrap to the end of the phyllo sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets and chicken mixture.
5. Place phyllo rolls in prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven until phyllo is brown and flaky, 20 to 25 minutes.

Make sure you add the vinegar to this recipe even if it sounds out of place.  It adds a zip and tang that quite delicious!  I also added  a container of bleu cheese crumbles which turned out to be amazing!  The bleu cheese melts inside and combines all the flavors together.  I used the new cooking cream, savory garlic cream cheese, which is delicious!  I decided to make these into triangles instead of wraps.  I cut the phyllo dough width-wise  in about 3-4 inch strips.  I used 2 pieces of phyllo dough per one triangle.  I did use the oil on the top piece.  Since I was making appetizer I placed about a spoonful of the chicken mixture in the middle of one end of the dough.  I then folded the dough by taking the corner upwards til the top and bottom were aligned.  I then continued to fold the dough in the shape of a triangle (like a paper football) until I was out of dough.  Make sure all your sides are sealed.  Also, cook until these are brown and crispy.  You want these to be very crispy and not mushy.  Enjoy!

Cheesy Ranch Potato Cubes

I got this recipe from another fellow blogger who is also trying out new recipes!  It sounded so good I couldn't resist trying it.  I had most of the ingredients already so I whipped it up one night.  This recipe was so good!  I immediately thought of my sister because she loves ranch.  These potatoes were very ranchy with a rich flavor.  I will definitely be making these potatoes again!  I had them for lunch the next day and they were even better!  After the flavors had soaked in some more they were phenomenal!

Cheesy Ranch Potato Cubes

6-7 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheese

1.  Wash, cut and place potatoes on a generously greased (I used nonstick spray) 11x7 cookie sheet.  Dot with butter.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 for about 40 minutes (until tender).
2.  Combine sour cream and salad dressing mix, spoon over potatoes.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake, uncovered, for about 5 minutes or until cheese in melted.

This recipe was quick and easy.  I followed the recipe and it came out great!  If you enjoy ranch and potatoes then you will love this!  Enjoy!

Stuffed Chicken Rolls

Here is another crock pot recipe!  This recipe was very delicious!  The flavor was great and each bite was a little something different.  The condensed cream of chicken soup and does wonders and adds a whole other dimension to this dish. I will definitely make this recipe again! 

Stuffed Chicken Rolls

Yield: 6 servings

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
6 slices fully cooked ham
6 slices Swiss cheese
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 Tsp. rubbed sage
1/4 Tsp. paprika
1/4 Tsp. pepper
1/4 Cup vegetable oil
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 Cup chicken broth
Chopped fresh parsley, optional

1.  Flatten chicken to 1/8-inch thickness.  Place 1 slice ham and cheese on each breast.  Roll up and tuck in the ends; secure with a toothpick.  Combine the flour, Parmesan cheese, sage, paprika and pepper; coat chicken on all sides.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2.  In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil over medium-high heat. Transfer to a 5-Qt. slow cooker.  Combine the soup and broth; pour over chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.  Remove toothpicks.  Garnish with parsley if desired.

                                         *before the soup was added

I did this recipe a bit different as I used a whole chicken breast.  When I make this again I will make sure the chicken is thinner to work with.  It was hard to tuck in the ends and get the chicken all the way around the ham and cheese with a fatter piece of chicken.  So there I just improvised a bit and got them together as best I could.  Don't worry if the shape of these don't come out perfect or if they are closed up all the way.  The flavor will be great and the chicken will be moist!  Enjoy! 

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

I decided to try this recipe after reading the delicious ingredients!  Even the name draws you in and entice the taste buds!  My boyfriend and I love all things potato so how could we not love loaded baked potato casserole?  Well we did!  The flavors are great in this recipe and they all come together to form an awesome quick and easy meal!  Also, this casserole is only 300 calories per serving! 

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

Yield: 8 servings

1 bag (30 oz) extra-spicy and crispy potato wedges
2 Cups chopped cooked ham
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1 medium bell pepper, (any color), chopped (1 Cup)
1 Cup chopped green onions (about 16 medium)
1 jar (15 oz) cheese dip or process cheese sauce
1/2 Cup sour cream

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray 13x9-in (3 qt) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Arrange potato wedges in baking dish.  Bake uncovered 10-15 minutes or until thawed and beginning to brown.
Top potatoes with half each of the ham, bacon, bell pepper and onion.  Spread cheese dip on top.  Sprinkle with remaining ham, bacon and bell pepper.
Bake 20-30 minutes longer or until cheese dip is melted and potatoes are tender.  Top with dollops of sour cream and remaining onions.

I did change this recipe up.  I couldn't find extra spicy, extra crispy potato wedges.  I used extra crispy seasoned potato wedges instead.  If you want you can add whatever extra spices you like to the potatoes when you first cook them.  I also did not put the pepper or green onions in this recipe.  I did sprinkle about a 1/4-1/2 Cup of diced onion on top of the potatoes before the cheese sauce.  Before you add the sour cream to the top of the casserole try it without the sour cream first.  I love sour cream but this recipe is so flavorful I really thought that you didn't need it.  Enjoy!