Sunday Recipe! Veggie Nachos!

Ahhhh the long awaited return of Recipe Sunday! I haven't really been cooking much since I mean, I hate cooking for just me and then having leftovers for like a week but today I made an exception. For Father's Day, I offered to take my dad out to lunch wherever he wants, on me, and if he wanted I would make something too.  We went to lunch and before I left town, I made him some of my nachos that my whole family loves! I did make some alterations as to how I usually make them but he loved it nonetheless!

Here's the ingredient list, method, and some pictures I snapped today!

Veggie Nachos

Ingredients

• Your favorite tortilla chips (my dad loves On the Border)
• 1 can light red kidney beans (as prepared HERE)
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• ½ large or 1 small/medium white onion, diced
• 2 fresh jalapeños, diced
• small handful cilantro, chopped
• Pace Picante Sauce (Medium)
• Hot Sauce (Cholua all day every day!)
• ½ jar Pace Queso con Salsa
• handful shredded cheddar cheese
• (Other items I didn't use but you might like- sour cream, pickled jalapeños, black olives, etc.--I usually add shredded lettuce too but my dad doesn't like it so I didn't add it today)

Method

1. Preheat the oven for 400 deg F
2. Spread tortilla chips on a non-stick cookie sheet
3. Prepare the kidney beans like I did for the Mexican Pizza recipe HERE
4. Spread the kidney bean mixture on the tortilla chips
    
5. Spread the queso con salsa over the tortilla chips (be conservative here because more cheese is coming later)
    
6. Sprinkle the tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños evenly over the entire tray 
    
7. Add in any other veggies or spreads you like!
8. Add the Cholua hot sauce and picante sauce LIBERALLY over the veggies!
9. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over all your veggies and toppings 
10. Finally, add the chopped cilantro on top of the cheese 
     
11. Bake Nachos for 6 minutes or until cheese and toppings are all bubbly and yummy
12. STUFF YOUR FACE AND ENJOY!
     

My dad LOVED these nachos! If I were making this just in general (UM YES SUMMER FIESTA) I would have added shredded lettuce, not used the queso con salsa, and more tomatoes, onions, and cilantro! 

BONUS PICS FROM SATURDAY

He loves me!

a hot Saturday morning!

 

Did you make anything special for your dad this Father's Day??

Sunday Recipe- Homemade Potato Wedges/Fries (& Grilled Cheese)!

I was at a loss as to what to make for my Sunday recipe so I figured I would use a recipe I made last week.  I actually was inspired to make potato wedges (you know, like the ones you get from like 'southern' restaurants?) and since it was National Grilled Cheese day when I decided to make these, my mom and I had a great lunch that made me feel like I was a kid again!

I didn't really use any particular recipe (I did the first time I made potato wedges) but this time I just used the same method but switched up the spices based on what enjoy.  I even had some extra spice mix leftover so my mom and I made some roasted asparagus as well with the spice mixture! The meal was so big we both only had half our sandwich and only a few potato wedges and more of the asparagus.

I have a printed recipe that inspired this recipe but I had no idea where it is or where I got it from but just rest assured, I did not make this recipe up. I got the basic idea from some pin on Pintrest and then made my adjustments to my liking (but followed the recipe exactly on my first try).

Ingredients:

• 2 XL Baking Potatoes
• Canola Oil (for seasoning mix and potatoes)
• 3 FRESH Garlic Cloves (minced)
• Seasoning Mix
• ¼- ⅓ C Cornstartch (I used ½ C and that was WAY too much-- def test this out but with my experience, less is more)
• 2 tsp Hot Paprika
• 2 tsp Kashmiri Mirch (hot Indian pepper from the northernmost Indian state)
• this is hands down one of my top 5 Indian spices- gives food a beautiful red color and some extra spice but not too intense (more of a fruity spicy flavor than hot spicy)
• I buy it at the local Indian grocery but you can also buy it HERE or HERE for relatively cheap.
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp Oregano/ Italian Seasoning
• 2 tsp Salt
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper (couple grinds of the pepper mill, depending how much you like)

Method:

1. Scrub/wash potatoes (leave the skin on, it tastes so good when these are done!)
    
2. Cut potatoes in half (I did this in thick thirds since they were so large)
3. From each thick slice, cut 3-4 wedges and put all the wedges into a microwave safe dish (I used my mom's vintage blue cornflower corning ware dish from the 1980s!)
    
4. Coat the wedges with the Canola Oil and the minced garlic (don't use the bottled stuff- it's processed, old, &filled with preservatives)
    
5. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and zap in the microwave for about 3-4 minutes (this step saves you baking time if you are in a hurry, if not, then skip this step). I put mine in for about 6 minutes (way too long) since my mom and I were hungry and it didn't work out so well.
6. While the wedges are in the microwave, assemble your spice mixture. Learn from my mistake- use less cornstarch!!! I listed my own preferences for spice so adjust the amount of Kashmiri Mirch, garlic powder, etc based on your preference!
    
7. Take the potatoes out of the microwave, take off the plastic, and drain any excess oil and water from the dish (very important to drain or else your wedges will be a soggy mess, not crispy/yummy).
    
8. Liberally toss the potato wedges in the spice mixture. Be careful not to break up to potatoes too much or else it will look ugly like mine.
    
9. Spread out the wedges on a large sheet pan in an even layer.  If you are not using a non-stick cookie sheet (I used a large aluminum cookie sheet), then make sure to spray your sheet pan with spray cooking oil or use parchment paper so the wedges don't stick and for easy cleanup (I forgot this step!)
    
10. Bake the wedges on 400degrees F for about 12 minutes. If you skipped step 5, then you will likely need to add 6-10 minutes depending on how big your wedges are cut.
11. Flip the wedges half way through so they can get crispy on all sides.  Make sure that the end pieces are skin up on one rotation to get that delicious crispy outer layer! (Those are my favorite ones!)
     
12. Remove from oven, add to plate, and ENJOY!
    (my mom's plate- she used pepper jack for her grilled cheese)
    (my plate! fuzzy but I had a cheddar grilled cheese with the potato wedges and roasted asparagus)

Thoughts:

• I would definitely use less cornstarch next time than I did on this attempt.  The purpose of the cornstarch is to create a nice skin/layer surrounding the flesh of the potato and make it more crispy.
• I would be much more liberal with the salt in the seasoning mix (I love salty food) because I had to add it on the end and I don't like eating "raw salt" on my food.
• If you use the microwave method, definitely put it in for no more than 4 minutes or else the wedges will become mush!
• Try something a little lighter than the grilled cheese to accompany the wedges so you can actually enjoy them! I ate all my asparagus and wedges and could barely eat half my sandwich!

 

Hope you try this at home! What's your favorite vegetable? Do you love potatoes as much as I do??

 

 

 

Sunday Recipe- Mexican Pizzas

I  posted on twitter earlier this week that I made Mexican pizzas for my mom and I for lunch one day and I would use that recipe this weekend.  Well, you don't have to wait any longer! I am always on a quest to find recipes that I can make for one (helllooo being single forever) and if not just one at least smaller portions with reusable leftovers.  I was inspired to make these mexican pizzas last fall after my mom and I discussed our former love from Taco Bell and I was determined to make them at home, but healthier.

I did some research on the internet and some of my favorite blogs and pins on Pintrest and found a healthy version of the taco bell mexican pizza when I came across this blog post: Honey What's Cooking: Mexican Tortilla Pizza.  I love that I can use my favorite whole wheat carb balance tortillas and bake them instead of fry (I can't eat anything fried, it makes me sick).

I used her recipe for ideas and made my own up based on my personal tastes and flavors my family and I enjoy.  We like kidney beans instead of the refried beans in the can and we like a TON of veggies since we're vegetarians so I changed the recipe/method based on some of these differences.  Still a great meal and extremely filling too.

Ingredients

• 2 whole wheat flour tortillas per serving (I made 4 for my mom and I)
• Canola Oil for brushing
• 1 can of light red kidney beans
• ½ Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Packet: Hot 'n' Spicy
• ½ Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Packet: Low Sodium 
• 1 bag shredded lettuce
• 2 Roma Tomatoes (one per person)
• 1 small white onion
• Shredded Cheese (I prefer cheddar but we only had mozzarella in the house)
• Your favorite salsa/hot sauce (I LOVE CHOLUA)

Method: PREP

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Take 2 tortillas per person and brush canola oil on both sides on a cookie sheet (I just used my fingers- a cook's best tool!)
3. With a knife, make tiny holes in the tortilla so it won't inflate as it bakes.
    
4. Bake tortillas for 6 minutes, flipping halfway through.  Keep in oven until golden and crunchy
    
5. Strain kidney beans and wash all the excess liquid from the beans
6. In a saucepan, put kidney beans, water (just to cover the top of the beans), and half of each of the seasoning packets.  You can adjust how much of each to put in based on your personal taste.  My family likes it spicy so we use more of the Ho t'n' Spicy seasoning.
    
7. With a potato masher, mash all the beans and mix with the seasoning and water.
8. Once all the beans are smashed, take an immersion/handheld blender (I use this one) to make the bean mixture smooth.
9. Cover the beans over low heat and let the water cook out  for about 5-8 minutes (depending on how watery the beans are and what consistency you like) and so the seasonings and flavors infuse in the beans.
    
10. Dice the tomatoes and onion.

Method: ASSEMBLY

1. Take one of the baked tortillas and put a generous dollop of the bean mixture on your base tortilla and spread it out. Be careful not to break your tortilla in half!!!
    
2. Put a little bit of your salsa or hot sauce on top of the beans
3. Put the second tortilla on top of the beans topped tortilla
4. Put a tiny spoon of beans on the top tortilla to ensure the veggies stick a little
    
5. Top with lettuce, then tomatoes, and onions.
    
6. Add a sprinkle of your favorite shredded cheese (I love cheddar but used mozzarella here)
    
7. Put the fully assembled mexican pizza back onto your cookie sheet and back into the oven for few (3-5) minutes to melt the cheese and heat through (you technically can put this in the microwave but it'll become soggy, trust me)
   We put ours in the microwave since we were super hungry and didn't want to wait!
    
8. Finally, take your delicious mexican pizza out of the oven and top with more of your favorite hot sauce (mmmmmmm cholua) and devour.
   YUMMMMMMM 

 

I hope you try this recipe the next time you are craving mexican food! It is SO much better quality than Taco Bell/eating out, so much healthier, and 100% vegetarian.  It is definitely super filling and kept me full all day long but I think I skipped dinner the day I made this for my mom and I. One way to make this meal a little less intense, try using only one tortilla and then topping the bottom layer of beans with all your veggies to have your homemade version of Taco Bell's Tostadas (my mom and I LOVED those back in the day too)!!

 

What is your favorite Mexican food eatery? Do you make Mexican food at home? What's your favorite Mexican/tex-mex food item??

 

 

 

Sunday Recipe!- Broccoli & Cheese Soup

Ok, so if you are anything like me, you love anything with cheese and veggies right?? Growing up, a staple in my house to get us to eat our veggies was to put a slice of that orange Kraft American cheese on top of whatever my brother and I wouldn't eat.  One of my favorite food memories as a child was when my mom would steam broccoli in the microwave and then put a couple Kraft cheese slices on top and then my brother would get half and I would get the other.  Even now, I love broccoli and cheese on almost everything (baked potatoes, bread, sandwiches, SOUP).
Over the years, I've had a lot of trial and errors with broccoli and cheese soup at a number of restaurants but they so many have chicken stock in it so it's always a no-go. Fair warning, these places have broccoli and cheese soup that IS NOT VEGETARIAN: Panera, Au Bon Pain, Jason's Deli, Applebees, Subway, Quiznos.  Some places have vegetarian options of this amazing soup, one of them being Cafe Carolina here in Greensboro, NC.  I always make sure to ask/make a worker if they would check their ingredient list before I even think about ordering the soup.  I figure, it's more likely than not that the soup in restaurants will have chicken stock so why not just make it at home??

I came to this conclusion last April and started doing some research for the best vegetarian recipe for a Broccoli & Cheese Soup.  I ultimately ended up finding this recipe on tastykitchen.com and later found out it was Ree Drummond's recipe!!  I wasn't a big fan of Ree Drummond when I first caught her show on Food Network a couple years ago but I've grown to appreciate her recipes and simple methods! Needless to say, I am a big fan now (but I still won't dvr her show).  Check out her website for great cooking ideas! You can find her recipe here: Pioneer Woman's Broccoli-Cheese Soup.
Here is my printed recipe with my notes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole Onion, Diced
• I stick, ½ C butter
• ⅓ cup Flour
• 4 Cups Whole Milk (I used 1%milk- who uses whole milk anymore??!! It's practically cream haha)
• 2 cups Half-and-Half
• 4 Heads Broccoli Cut into Florets (I used more just because I love broccoli!!!!!!)
• 1 pinch Nutmeg (play with this amount, based on how much you enjoy the flavor- I used more than just a 'pinch')
• 3 Cups Grated Cheese (mild Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Jack, Etc.) (I used sharp cheddar, can't go wrong with a classic)
• Small Dash of Salt (more if needed)
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Chicken Broth (Nope, just more milk) If Needed for Thinning 

METHOD

• Melt butter in a pot over medium heat, then add the onions.
• Cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes, then sprinkle the flour over the top.
   
• Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute or so, then pour in milk and half-and-half. 
• Add nutmeg, then add broccoli, a small dash of salt, and plenty of black pepper.
   
• Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. 
• Stir in cheese and allow to melt.
• Taste seasonings and adjust if needed. 
• Then either serve as is, or mash it with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender in two batches and puree completely. (If you puree it in a blender, return it to the heat and allow to heat up. Splash in chicken broth if needed for thinning.) I like it as is, and not a liquid pureed soup so I didn't mash/blend the final product!

 So, this soup was absolutely delicious but here are a few tips that I learned making the soup that I would take into consideration:

1. If you like a thinner soup, add less flour (it's used as a thickening agent for the soup) in the beginning stages.
2. I added more cheese than the recipe called for because I like how the cheese gets stringy.  I used the extra cheese when serving and put on top of the bubbling/hot soup in individual bowls.
3. This is definitely a heavier, more filling soup so try have some crusty bread to eat with it or even take Ree's recommendation for making your own bread bowl at home!
4. I love this soup re-heated as well but it had a tendency to become a thick mess after taking it out of the fridge but a simple fix= add some more milk when re-heating on the stovetop (no silly microwave re-heating!!).  It tastes so fresh and delicious!
5. If you love baked potatoes like I do, try topping off your next baked potato with a bit of this soup for a very filling and semi-naughty meal! (I say semi-naughty because of all the cheese but hello, you are totally eating your veggies too!!)

Hope you enjoyed today's recipe!

Do you have any favorite soup recipes? What are your thoughts on Broccoli&Cheese on practically everything? Which restaurant serves your favorite Broccoli&Cheese Soup??