Unstuffed Southwest Chicken Poblano Skillet

 3 Tbsp avocado oil
4 poblano peppers, stem and seeds removed and cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 bottle SideDish southwest dressing
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup shredded  monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
Hot cooked rice

Preheat oven to 400.  Heat an oven safe skillet over medium high heat.  Add 2 Tbsp oil, poblano peppers, onion, salt and pepper.  Cook, tossing, until the veggies are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add chicken, southwest dressing and broth and stir to combine.  Spread contents in skillet in single layer.  Sprinkle top with cheese.  In small bowl, combine bread crumbs and 1 Tbsp avocado oil and stir until well combined.  Sprinkle over top of cheese in even layer.  Transfer to oven and bake until hot, bubbly and browned on top, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly before serving over rice.  

Serves 4

Italian Mac and Cheese Bake

 1 pound ground italian sausage
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
24 oz four cheese tomato sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 oz plain greek yogurt
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  In large oven safe skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add cooked pasta, tomato sauce, and season with salt and pepper.  Stir in yogurt and simmer until well combined.  remove from heat and stir in half of mozzarella.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake until cheese is bubbly and golden, about 10 minutes.  

Serves 3

Creamy Sesame Shrimp Stir Fry

 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
1 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp tapioca flour
2 Tbsp avocado oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch thick strips
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 baby bok choys, roughly chopped
1/3 cup creamy sesame dressing
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1-3 tsp crushed red pepper, adjust to desired heat preference
1 lime, cut into lime wedges
Hot cooked rice

Pat shrimp dry then add to a large bowl with salt, pepper, and tapioca flour.  Toss to combine.  In large deep skillet, heat oil over med-high heat.  Add shrimp in a single layer and cook until shrimp is browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  Reduce heat beneath skillet to medium then add bell pepper, shallot, and thicker portions of bok choy.  Add additional oil if skillet is dry.  Saute, stirring until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add leafy portions of bok choy and toss until it begins to wilt.  Add shrimp back to skillet.  Add creamy sesame dressing, sesame seeds and crushed red pepper.  Toss until shrimp and veggies are well coated.  Serve with lime wedge.

Serves 2

  

Cochinita Pibil

 2.5 pound pork shoulder or pork loin, trimmed of excessive fat and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
2 oz achiote paste 
3/4 tsp ground cumin
2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
Salt and pepper

Combine achiote paste, OJ, lime juice and cumin in food processor and blend until combined.  Place pork and peppers in crock pot and drizzle with achiote marinade.  Toss to combine.  Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours, until pork is tender and shreds easily with a fork.  Shred pork and toss in marinade.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Add additional lime juice if desired.  Serve with desired toppings, such as sour cream, cheese, guacamole, onion, cilantro, etc.  Serve on tortillas or rice. 

Serves 4

 

I found achiote paste on Amazon, but it might be worth checking in a hispanic market.  Cochinita Pibil roughly translates to "baby pig cooked in ground oven" and is a yucatan style bbq pork. 

Cheesy Monkey Bread

 1 cup shredded monterey jack
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup shredded parmesan
1/3 cup cold butter, shredded 
1 shallot, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper
1 pound pizza dough, cut into 1 inch pieces
Sauces for dipping:  marinara, basil vinaigrette, alfredo, or your preference

Toss cheeses, butter, shallot, garlic, parsley, and red pepper in a bowl; season generously with salt and pepper.  Transfer 1/3 of cheese mixture to a small bowl and set aside.  Add dough pieces, a few at a time, to remaining cheese mixture in original bowl and toss gently to coat.  Lightly coat medium cast iron skillet with nonstick spray.  Arrange dough in skillet in an even layer; pour any leftover cheese mixture (NOT reserved cheese in small bowl) in the bowl over the pizza dough balls.  Let sit in a warm place until beginning to puff slightly, 30-40 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375.  Bake bread until top is lightly browned and cheese is melted, 18-22 minutes.  Top bread with reserved cheese mixture.  Continue to bake until edges of bread are golden brown and firm and cheese is melted and oozing, 10-15 minutes more.  Serve hot with desired sauce.  

Serves 8

Unstuffed Bell Pepper Soup

1 Tbsp EVOO 
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound mild italian sausage
1.5 Tbsp tomato paste
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
15 oz can tomato sauce 
2 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 cup minute rice

In large pot, heat EVOO over medium high heat.  Add onion, bell peppers, and garlic.  Cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add beef and italian sausage and cook.  Break up meat with spatula and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Drain off excess fat.  Add tomato paste, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir until well combined.  Pour in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, oregano, basil.  Bring soup to a simmer.  Reduce heat to a light simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Add rice during last 3 minutes of cooking.  

Dole Whip

 4 cups frozen pineapple chunks (can replace with your desired frozen fruit)
 2 bananas, sliced and frozen
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice (may replace with other juice that would compliment other chosen fruits)
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
2 Tbsp lime juice

Blend pineapple chunks, bananas, pineapple juice, coconut milk, and lime juice in blender until fully combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to airtight container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.  Texture should be like soft serve ice cream.  

Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla Dupe

 Creamy Jalapeno Sauce:

1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup ranch dressing
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 Tbsp hot sauce
1/2 Tbsp pickled jalapeno juice
1 Tbsp taco sauce, whatever your heat preference
1/2 cup drained sliced pickled jalapeno
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Chicken Filling:

2 Tbsp avocado oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

Quesadilla:

2 Tbsp avocado oil

4 burrito size tortillas

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

Make the creamy jalapeno sauce.  In a blender, combine all ingredients.  Blend until completely smooth.  Set aside.  

Make the chicken filling.  In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over med-high heat.  When the skillet is hot, add the diced chicken and spices.  Toss to combine.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides and cooked through (about 5-7 minutes).  Transfer to a plate and set aside.  

Prepare the quesadillas, one at a time.  Heat 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil over med-heat.  Lay the tortilla in the oil and quickly fry on each side until flexible and easy to fold, about 20-30 seconds on each side.  Spread about 1/4 cup of the jalapeno sauce over tortilla, ensuring sauce reaches the edges.  On half of the tortilla, add 1/3 cup of the chicken, 1/3 cup cheddar and 1/3 cup Monterey jack.  Gently fold the tortilla in half to form a quesadilla.  Cook until golden brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes.  Using a large spatula, carefully flip the quesadilla and cook on the other side until golden brown, another 2-3 minutes.  Repeat quesadilla preparation until all are cooked. Using a pizza cutter, cut each into 3-4 triangles.  

Serves 4

Green Chile Stew

 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 pound pork roast, fat trimmed
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 yellow onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
16 oz jar hatch green chiles (your preferred spice level, I use medium)
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Optional toppings:  cilantro, cubed avocado, shredded cabbage, cotija cheese, tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese

Cut pork into 1/2 inch cubes and season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in large skillet.  When hot, add pork and brown on all sides (about 2 minutes per side. It will continue to cook so it's ok if it is not fully cooked)  Place browned pork and all other ingredients (except optional toppings) in crockpot and stir to combine.  Let cook on low for 8 hours or until pork is very fork tender.  

Serves 4

Cornbread Cupcakes with Maple Butter

 1 package (6.5 oz) cornbread mix
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup canned cream style sweet corn
4 oz chopped green chiles
1 egg
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Maple Butter:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 Tbsp real maple syrup
2 1/2 tsp coarse salt

Heat oven to 400.  Place baking cups in regular size muffin pan (or spray with nonstick cooking spray).  In bowl, stir cornbread mix, 2 Tbsp melted butter, corn, chiles, egg and cheese just until moistened.  Spoon about 3 Tbsp batter into each muffin cup.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.  Immediately remove from pan.  Cool 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat softened butter and syrup with fork until well blended.  Spread topping on each cupcake; sprinkle each cupcake with about 1/4 tsp salt.