Delicious Finds via Pinterest!
I've been trying many different recipe finds from pinterest this year and I'm going to list them here along with any modifications I've made to them! Enjoy!
1.) Cilantro Lime Chicken Taquitos
(This recipe is actually two different pinterest finds meshed together - DELICIOUS and KID FRIENDLY)
Take the Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Recipe from here:
Then take the Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos recipe from here:Make recipe as stated but omit the fresh garlic and cilantro from the recipe as there is already plenty from the other recipe! When the recipe says to add chicken add the cilantro lime chicken from above and mix all ingredients together.
NOW - I roll my taquitos in taco/burrito size flour tortillas, so that one taquito is enough for my entire meal. I do want to make sure to note that you really shouldn't omit the kosher salt from the top, the first time I made them (original recipe) I thought why on earth would you put kosher salt on top, but I went ahead and followed the recipe, and I'm glad I did!
Directions in the Taquito recipe tell how to flash freeze then bag and freeze and reheat (freezer to oven) These are super yummy and if you make a batch to heat and eat later they are a super fast and an easy OMG whats for dinner fix.
NOTE: - Quick note - THIS does not always work but sometimes when your sitting down to dinner and you go to take a bite from your taquito if you breathe out (into the one end) steam will come out the other, so that it looks like you're smoking a taquito cigar....The sprouts absolutely loved puffing and eating their taquitos - who says you can't play with your food!
2.) Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
(I know this might sound strange to some of you, but Kraft mac and cheese literally gives me a headache - Sprouts love it, Meat and Potatoes is a die hard KRAFT fan, but when I was a kid I absolutely loved the taste of Stouffers Mac and Cheese from the oven, I have tried in vain for years to find a recipe for Mac and Cheese that reminds me of Stouffers without actually having to pay $8-10 for it. - - - If you are like me - - - THIS IS IT!
For a variation - I omitted the onions (for the sake of the sprouts) - Next time I'm going to go super old fashioned and crumble up some Ritz crackers, mix them with some melted butter (the real stuff) and put it on during the last 30 minuntes of cook time to add a little bit of crunch (we'll see how that goes over with the sprouts)3.) HOMEMADE Bagels - Yes I said Homemade and NO it really isn't hard to do!
I made these and then topped them in several different ways however my favorite is the everything bagel: Poppy Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, and a light Sprinkling of Garlic Salt (I didn't have Onion flakes)! I have made these twice now, I have a gas oven and the first time (following recipe to a T) they were, I felt slightly over done (the outside was a bit harder than I like) SO the second time around I baked mine on a bakers mat (silicone baking mat on cookie sheet) and changed the cook temp to an even 400 degrees. Wait it gets dirtier (I know I have a dirty mind but my friends really do love me for it!!) Insert your index and middle finger into the center of your bagel ball and push down, with bagel still on your fingers lift off the counter/cutting board and use your other hand to help work your finger through so that you make a hole in the center of your bagel ball to create the bagel shape! Viola! You now have a bagel to boil/bake!!
4.) Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes
While the title does not sit well with me- - a specialty cake shop owner "www.EverythingCakeCG.com" - I feel more comfortable calling these Chicken Pot Pie Muffins - Cakes should NEVER be anything except sweet so I now dub these the above mentioned MUFFINS - - not cupcakes!!
Aside from my aversion to the name, these were very yummy and filling! A great finger food, though I must warn those with children the tiniest sprout did not finish eating due to all the (OMG) veggies in it, the somewhat larger sprout ate it all even with the same dislike of said veggies and did not complain one bit!
I personally love me a good pot pie! I must say I fell in love with these at the first bite, it was like a pot pie exploded in my mouth and assaulted my taste buds in the best possible way. However after the initial pallette ecstasy drifted off I noticed that they were a bit salty.
SO I recommend using garlic powder in place of the garlic salt (1/2 the amount called for) and simply adding a dash or two of salt to taste. I also used Pillsbury Grands Biscuits (1 regular and 1 flaky layers) I say go with the flaky layers, they were both awesome but the flaky layers gives it more of the pot pie top texture! My Herbs de Province was in my travel trailer (cause thats how we roll when we camp, lol!) which is at the shop so I made do with Rosemary/Thyme and Marjoram. If you're like me and typically have only heard of Herbs de Province in recipes but would like to try it you can usually find it at The World Market (when it's in stock) or like me it could surprisingly come in the mixed seasoning containers at your local camping store (Camping World - trailer kitchen section).
NOTE: While contemplating making these I worried over what to have as a side?? I would have personally opted for a salad, however 3 out of the 4 people who live in my house routinely refuse to eat anything green and will grumblingly agree to eat green beans but NEVER anything leafy! So I finally just stopped worrying about it, because you've got your meat (Chicken), you've got you veggies and you've got your bread...it's a complete meal in 1, and portion control...awesome start with one, still hungry have another!! I froze my leftovers (as mine made 16) and I will pop them in the oven for reheat on another day!!
5.) Parmesan Baked Potato Halves
Or...as I like to make them - - - Supreme Potato Skins - - oh ya baby!Follow the directions (eaten this way they are still quite yummy!) I however am a lover of potato skins, but a lot of the time I feel that there's just not enough potato left in the skin. SO I transformed this recipe into a Supreme Potato Skin. Once they're finished cooking flip them right side up in the pan and top with shredded colby jack cheese, pop back in the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Once cheese is melted remove from oven, dollop sour cream on tops and sprinkle some chives and bacon bits.......OMG if I threw super bowl parties these would so be on the menu! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!
6.) Roasted Mushroom Medley
I made these one night as a side to go with some Salsbury Steaks. They were very, very, very super melt in your mouth yummy mushrooms, and let me tell you mushrooms are among my favorite foods. We actually eneded up carting this meal up to my in-laws to have dinner with my MIL since FIL was out of town on a business trip. Because we loaded up for travel to a different destination I spaced adding the parsley and vinegar, even without those last two ingredients I fell in love with these mushrooms!7.) Lemon Dill Chicken Skewers
I wasn't sure about this recipe, as dill is not an herb that I would typically put on chicken, but these were not only delish but a huge hit with the sprouts - they both gave it a 10 star rating out of a possible 5! Plus they can't wait to have them again, often times requesting them if they know I plan on BBQing.8.) Outbacks - Alice Springs Chicken
I can't stand honey mustard and strongly dislike food made with honey mustard so when I made this recipe I was prepared to run to the kitchen trash can to spit it out (yes folks I can be very juvenile when my taste buds are assaulted). You'll be happy to know that, that did not happen. I was terribly surprised to find that not only did I like the way it tasted but that I was extremely interested in having seconds. My wee sprout absolutely loved it and had seconds as well. The larger sprout was adament that honey did not belong on chicken and barely touched her food. Meat and Potatoes ate the chicken but picked around the bacon smothered in cheese, then refused to allow me to eat them, saying "I didn't need to be eating anymore bacon smothered in cheese." - - You must understand that while he eats junk food he's very body conscious - for both of us! And while my taste buds disliked him immensly for this, my mind understood where he was coming from and thanked him profusely for looking out for my tummy and hips and thighs!9.) Red Lobster Biscuits
These are (without a side by side comparison) an exact match from what my mouth is telling me - - we didn't have a single biscuit leftover at the table!
10.) Frozen Vodka Mudslide
Okay, so I am usually strictly a social drinker and limit my alcohol consumption to parties and or large social functions where drinking alcohol is allowed and I know I'm not driving (Just a reminder to never drink and drive!)
However I stumbled across this recipe and being a devoted follower of vodka I decided to give it a whirl. (On a Saturday night at home after the sprouts were tucked in for the night.) Being the nice considerate wife that I am, I made one for Meat and Potatoes too. As I handed it to him his snarky comment was I quote, "What kind of frufru drink are you trying to feed me now?" However after his initial sip he changed his tune to "That's actually pretty good." Now whenever I make them (they've become the staple pre-bed sipper on nights when the sprouts have driven me insane) I MUST make one for him as well. We've tried this recipe out on friends both, women and men alike and all of them have agreed that these mudslides are dangerous, due to the fact that you never want to stop drinking them!
NOTE: I use Stolichnaya - Vanilla Vodka, Dubois Coffee Liqueur and Saint Brendans Irish Cream
