Chile Relleno Breakfast Casserole

A woman in my ward, Heidi Madsen, made this breakfast casserole for our ward Christmas breakfast. It is possibly my favorite breakfast casserole I have ever eaten! It is vegetarian which could be especially good for some, and so flavorful. 

Chile Relleno Breakfast Casserole

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 7 oz. cans whole green chiles (split and seeds cleaned out)
4 cups shredded cheddar
4 cups shredded jack cheese

Lightly grease 9x13" glass baking dish. Beat first 5 ingredients to blend. Arrange chiles from 1 can in prepared dish, covering bottom completely. Sprinkle with 1/3 of each cheese. Repeat layering twice. Pour egg mixture over cheese. Let casserole stand for 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350. Bake until casserole is slightly puffed in center and golden brown on edges, about 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Garnish with any of the following: diced tomato, avocado, onion, salsa, sour cream, or chives.

Grilled Vegetable Flatbread Pizza

The perfect lunch-when you have an extra minute, or have a "Make Your Own Pizza Night" with this as a recipe for Mom and Dad and all the regular pizza ingredients for the kids.  Thanks again, Our Best Bites.

Ingredients

·       2 8-9 ounce Flatbreads

·       Nonstick Olive oil or canola spray

·       1 zucchini small-medium, sliced diagonally in thin pieces

·       3 slices red onion horizontally sliced, keep rings intact

·       1 Pinch Kosher Salt

·       Black Pepper

·       4 Tablespoons Pesto

·       4 Tablespoons Ricotta Cheese part skim

·       1/2 Teaspoon Garlic minced

·       2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice fresh squeezed

·       2 Tomatoes sliced thin

·       4 Ounces Mozzarella Cheese fresh, sliced thin

·       2-3 Tablespoons basil fresh, chopped

·       2 Teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions

1.             Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.             Place flatbreads on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.

3.             Remove from the oven.

4.             Heat a large indoor grill pan (or outdoor grill) to medium heat.

5.             Lightly spray one side of the zucchini and onion rings and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

6.             Grill the zucchini and onions oil side down for 3-5 minutes or until grill marks appear.

7.             Spray the other side with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, flip the vegetables and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.

8.             While vegetables are cooking, combine pesto, ricotta, garlic and lemon juice in a bowl.

9.             Spread the mixture on baked flatbreads, layer the zucchini, onions, tomatoes and mozzarella on the flatbreads.

10.          Return the flatbreads to the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

11.          Sprinkle with basil and balsamic vinegar and serve.

Black Bean and Mango Quesadilla

Black Bean and Mango Quesadillas
Recipe by Our Best Bites

(You should really click that link to see just how delicious this recipe really looks...and is)

Ingredients
1  cup diced mango (about 1 medium/large mango, 2 small ones)
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1-2 tablespoons finely minced jalapeno pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon water
1-2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
4-6 small/med flour tortillas

Instructions
Preheat a non-stick griddle or skillet to medium high heat.

Combine mango, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl.  Sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt and a few cracks of pepper.  Gently stir to combine and place in fridge to chill.

Place beans, water, cumin, coriander, onion and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl and stir.  Cover with plastic wrap and prick plastic with a fork to vent.  Microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes (microwaves vary) until beans are hot.  Use a fork to lightly mash beans, leaving some beans still in tact.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly brush pan with a little oil and place tortillas on it.  Sprinkle tortillas with pepper jack cheese (I use a generous 1/4 cup on 6-inch tortillas) and cook until cheese is melted and tortillas are toasted and golden brown.

Remove from heat and divide bean mixture between tortillas, top with mango salsa and fold tortillas in half.  Use a pizza cutter to cut into wedges.  Serve with sour cream if desired.

Baked Kale Chips

I just love them!!

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

creamy parmesan orecchiette with butternut squash and broccolini

From pinchofyum.com

INGREDIENTS

For the Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
• 3 tablespoons flour
   Coupons
• ½ cup white wine (optional)
• 2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or milk
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• lemon juice to taste
• salt to taste

For the Pasta:

• 16 ounces orecchiette (I used DeLallo whole wheat orecchiette)
• 3 cups cubed butternut squash
• 3 cups broccolini (I used regular broccoli)
• olive oil, salt, and pepper
• pumpkin seeds
• additional Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. SAUCE: Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and thyme and saute until soft. Add the flour and whisk until smooth - let it cook for a few minutes to avoid a floury taste. Add the wine and whisk to incorporate. Add the broth or milk, ½ cup at a time, and whisk to incorporate. When thickened slightly, add more liquid. Finish with the Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Sauce should be smooth and light.
2. VEGETABLES: Place the veggies on two separate baking sheets. Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, until tender but not falling apart.
3. PASTA: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Set aside.
4. FINISH: Toss everything together (sauce, pasta, vegetables, additional broth as needed to keep it loose) and top generously with pumpkin seeds and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce

From Cookie+Kate.
So Good!

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower

• 1 large head of cauliflower, sliced into bite-sized florets
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Seasoned lentils

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow or white onion
• 2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¾ cup brown lentils, picked over for debris and rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable broth or water

Chipotle sauce

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 to 3 tablespoons adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers) or chipotle hot sauce to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Everything else

• 8 small, round corn tortillas
• ½ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves (cilantro haters, substitute some fresh spring greens instead)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To roast the cauliflower: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss cauliflower florets with enough olive oil to cover them in a light, even layer of oil. Season with salt and pepper and arrange the florets in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway, until the florets are deeply golden on the edges.
2. Warm the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic with a dash of salt for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and turning translucent. Add the tomato paste, cumin and chili powder and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the lentils and the vegetable broth or water. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes to 45 minutes, until the lentils are tender and cooked through. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, and add more broth or water if the liquid evaporates before the lentils are done. Once the lentils are done cooking, drain off any excess liquid, then cover and set aside.
3. To prepare the chipotle sauce, just whisk together the ingredients and set aside (if you have no choice but to use whole chipotle peppers from the can, use a blender to purée it all).
4. Warm tortillas individually in a pan over medium heat. Stack the warm tortillas and cover them with a tea towel if you won’t be serving the tacos immediately.
5. Once all of your components are ready, you can assemble your tacos! Top each tortilla with the lentil mixture, cauliflower, a drizzle of chipotle sauce and a generous sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

Pesto Baked Rigatoni

HEALTHY PESTO BAKED RIGATONI

Author: Pinch of Yum

Serves: 8-10

 

INGREDIENTS

For the pasta:

• 1 lb. whole wheat rigatoni
• 2-3 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup shredded cheese of choice (I used Asiago)
• pesto (recipe follows)
• -I usually add bacon

For the pesto:

• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup kale
• 1 cup basil
• ¾ cup almonds or pine nuts
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup Parmesan or Asiago cheese
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 large cloves garlic
• juice of 1 lemon (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. While the water is boiling, chop up the tomatoes - I just cut the little ones in half. Add the past to the water and cook according to package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, place all the pesto ingredients in the food processor until smooth. You may have to push the spinach down periodically to get everything moving. I had to do this in two batches because my food processor is very small. You should end up with 2 heaping cups of pesto.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cooked noodles with the chopped tomatoes, pesto, and enough water to make it a little saucy. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with the cheese. Cover loosely with well-oiled aluminum foil and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Vegetable Lasagna

• From cooking Light
• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 
  
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup sliced carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 (26-ounce) bottle fat-free tomato basil pasta sauce
• 2 tablespoons commerical pesto
• 1 (15-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
• Cooking spray
• 6 hot cooked lasagna noodles (about 6 ounces uncooked), cut in half
• 3/4 cup (3 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Prep:

Preheat oven to 375º.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and the next 4 ingredients (mushrooms through onion); cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pasta sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Combine pesto and ricotta in a small bowl. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture in the bottom of a 8-inch square baking dish or pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodle halves over tomato mixture. Top noodles with half of ricotta mixture and 1 cup tomato mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining tomato mixture over noodles; sprinkle with mozzarella.

Cover and bake at 375º for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Notes: To make ahead, assemble as directed; stop before baking. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature; bake as directed. For easy cleanup, assemble in a disposable 8-inch aluminum-foil pan. If you're making for a gift, deliver uncooked with baking instructions.

Butternut Squash Soup

You can cook it as the recipe directs, or roast the squash in the oven, and add it during the simmer process. Personally, I think peeling a squash and cutting it is a pain.


Ingredients:

1 Butternut squash, about 2 pounds

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot

1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoon finely minced jalapeno pepper

2 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream
4 oz. cream cheese

Dash of Cayenne Pepper

Directions

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Peel the squash and cut into 1 inch pieces. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, and then add squash, jalapeno pepper, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15- 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and puree the soup using an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Return to the heat, add the cream, cream cheese and cayenne pepper and adjust the seasonings. 

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Bekah got me wanting to try veggie enchiladas. Don't know if these are the ones she used, but man were they delicious! We loved them, and I will definitely be making them again when I have the time. Might use a little less cauliflower next time. I also added summer squash. Great thing about these is you really can vary the veggies quite a bit and it will still be delicious! From http://www.perrysplate.com/2011/03/stacked-roasted-vegetable-enchiladas.html

Ingredients:

1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks
2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, halved and slivered
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 T heat-safe oil like grapeseed or coconut
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups homemade or store bought salsa/pico de gallo
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)
9-10 corn tortillas, halved (try making homemade tortillas!)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-Monterey Jack blend)
sour cream and thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.
Place poblanos, red bell peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting. Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Prepare an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir the cilantro into the salsa. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.
Serves 4-5

adapted from The Roasted Vegetable by Andrea Chesman

Zucchini Almond Burritos

zucchini almond burritos

3 cups chopped zucchini
1/3 c chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup salsa
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup sliced almonds
oregano, cumin and basil to taste
salt and pepper

cheese
sour cream
avocado
tortillas

in a skillet, sautee veggies and spices in oil until nicely softened. add salsa and beans and heat thoroughly. add almonds. fill tortillas with mixture and top with cheese, avocado, etc.

Grilled Pepper Poppers

I know I haven't posted anything in forever, but this recipe is definitely worth sharing!  We had friends over and grilled last night and I decided to try these for an appetizer.  They are so delicious!  This is a Cooking Light recipe, and it came with the suggestion that if jalapenos are too spicy you can substitute with a milder chile.  I even think it would be good with sweet mini peppers.

1/2 C soft goat cheese
1/2 C light or fat-free cream cheese
1/2 C grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/2 C finely chopped seeded tomato
2 Tb thinly sliced green onions
2 Tb chopped fresh sage (I skipped this)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
16 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 Tb chopped fresh cilantro

Prepare grill to medium high heat.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well.  Spoon cheese mixture into each pepper half.  Place the pepper halves, cheese side up on a grill rack coated with cooking spray.  Grill about 5 minutes.  Enjoy!

Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

 

Cookinglight

Ingredients

    1 cup uncooked orzo

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and drained

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered

3 green onions, sliced

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons light sour cream

2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 peeled avocado, cut into 8 wedges

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

 

Preparation

1. 1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse; drain well. Place orzo, corn, and next 3 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl; toss.
2. 2. Combine buttermilk, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle over orzo mixture; toss. Top with avocado; garnish with remaining cilantro and parsley.

Tortellini Soup

I know I'm lazy at posting here, but that's because I'm lazy at typing.  A friend asked me for this recipe and so I thought I'd copy it here too....

Tortellini Soup

easy, 30 minutes prep and cook combined

heat 2 T olive oil

add 6 cloves chopped garlic (I put about 3 T of pre-chopped, refrigerated garlic)

add 48 oz chicken broth and some red pepper flakes

when boiling add tortellini (packaged in pasta aisle... I prefer the spinach and cheese for this recipe)

cook for half the tortellini cook time

add 14-28 oz crushed tomatoes (the recipe calls for 14, I always do about 26)

cook for remainder of tortellini cook time

add some fresh spinach leaves, cook for a minute or so

Broccoli Pasta

This is from my friend Ashley who is great at cheap and easy meals....

1 head of broccoli
1 box of pasta
Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil

1.  bring broccoli to boil
2.  add pasta to water and broccoli
3.  when pasta is finished,drain
4.  add parmesan cheese and olive oil

Everyone in my family gobbled it up, and it was soooo easy.

Grilled Vegetables

I love grilled vegetables. They look great, they taste great, they are great! I don't remember who, but somebody has asked about vegetable sides for BBQs and it is easy to throw different combinations together. I usually just drizzle them with olive oil, mix it around, and sprinkle with kosher or sea salt and ground pepper. This recipe and picture come from Kalyn's Kitchen. She uses salad dressing rather than olive oil, which I've done before but Jacob prefers them with plain olive oil.

World's Easiest Grilled Vegetables
(The amount shown in the photos is 2-3 servings of grilled vegetables)

1 medium zucchini
1 large sweet onion (Kalyn uses Vidalia onion - I most often just use red onion)
1 large red bell pepper

(I like to add quartered mushrooms)
(See below for other vegetable combinations. You need about 4 cups of cut-up vegetables.)
1/2 cup Italian Salad Dressing (I likeNewman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing for this, be sure to use a dressing with oil as the first ingredient.)
pinch of dried herbs like thyme, oregano, or fennel (optional)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to season vegetables after grilling

Cut ends off the zucchini, then cut in half lengthwise and cut into slices not quite 2 inches thick. Peel onion, cut off ends, cut in half, then break apart into individual layers and cut each one into same-size pieces. Cut red bell pepper in half, cut out seeds and stem, and cut into pieces the same size as the onion and zucchini.

Put the vegetables into Ziploc bag or plastic container with tight-fitting lid, choosing the smallest size you can to fit all the vegetables so they get well coated with the marinade. Pour in enough dressing to coat the vegetables, about 1/2 cup. Add dried herbs if desired, then close the bag or container and marinate in the fridge for 4-6 hours (or all day is fine if you're at work.)

When you're ready to cook vegetables, put the grill pan on the grill grate and preheat grill (and pan) to medium-high heat. (You can only hold your hand there for a few seconds at that heat.) Drain vegetables into a colander placed in the sink and let dressing drain off while you preheat the grill. (This is very important to prevent flare-ups when you add the vegetables to the grill pan.)

When grill and pan are hot, pour in the vegetables and spread them around so as many as possible are touching the surface of the pan. Cook with grill lid closed, stirring the vegetables every 5 minutes or so to insure that they get lightly browned on all sides. Cook about 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked but still slightly crisp and starting to char on the edges. (I don't mind if mine get a bit charred, but keep an eye on them if you'd like them less browned.) Serve hot, with salt and fresh ground pepper to season. (If you have some good balsamic vinegar, a drizzle of that is good on these too.)

The types of pans which are good for this:

We have often grilled green beans, which are one of Jake's favorites, and we like asparagus grilled too.

Other Vegetable Combinations Kalyn Recommends for Grilling:

--Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Sweet Onions

--Sugar Snap Peas, Red Bell Pepper, Sweet Onions

--Sugar Snap Peas, Par-boiled Carrots, Sweet Onion (boil the carrots for 2-3 minutes and drain before you marinate)

--Sweet Potato, Zucchini, Sweet Onion (marinate sweet potato separately and cook it about 5 minutes before adding other vegetables to the pan)

--Asparagus, Red Bell Pepper, Sweet Onion (cut asparagus into fairly short pieces, cut on the diagonal)

--Eggplant, Zucchini, Red Bell Pepper

--Eggplant, Red Bell Pepper, Sweet Onion