Mexican Cornbread the Simple Way

So the other night I was craving some Mexican Cornbread. I have fond memories of eating it at my grandmother's house. She made it oh.so.yummy!

Anyway, my family prefers something a little less spicy than the original recipe, so I have been working to figure out what I can do to make it yummy, easy, and not spicy. I also prefer for the cornbread to be somewhat on top instead of having the meat and veggies all mixed in to the bread mix. This is what I came up with...

Brown 1 lb hamburger meat in the skillet
If you are daring, also brown a chopped onion with the meat :)

Once the meat is browned, pour in one can (drained well) of petite diced tomatoes, corn (drained well), and black beans (rinsed and drained well). Warm together.

Pour your meat/veggie mix into your dish (I used a 9x13). Add a sprinkling of grated cheese. Then, mix up your jiffy cornbread mix as directed on the box. (For a 9x13, I used 2 pkgs) Spread cornbread mix over top of veggie/meat/cheese. Bake as directed on cornbread box. At the last minute, sprinkle a little more grated cheese on top and pop it back into the oven for one or two more minutes until melted and yummy!

I suppose if you prefer your meals a bit more spiced up, you could always find a way to add in green chilies, or jalapenos, or you could use rotel instead of the diced tomatoes.

It is so good...possibly a little runny depending on how well you drained your veggies, but yummy nonetheless! We like to eat this with a little salsa and sour cream on top! My favorite is to have some lettuce, and then use the salsa/sour cream as my salad dressing.

I Am Unbelievably Lazy

This looks absolutely scrumptious, and a tad bit healthier/ lighter than most desserts.

Nathaniel's Frappachino Recipe

Nathaniel makes the BEST frappachino (sp?) ever! Give it a try....you'll be glad you did!

2 cups milk
4 teaspoons of hot cocoa mix
1 ice cube tray of frozen coffee
4 packets of Sweet-N-Low
(instead of the Sweet-N-Low, you can add 1/2 cup of Coconut Creamer...my favorite)

Blend well and serve! Yummy!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I found this yummy recipe at cooks.com and my family loves it! The neighbors love it too...I always send the second loaf over to them, and it disappears quickly, from what I hear!



Chocolate Zucchini Bread

1 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
3 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix first four ingredients first, then add the dry ingredients and nuts. Bake 2 loaves for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Green Sauce

Borrowed/ Stolen from Boomama's blog, and she evidently got it from Big Mama:

3 medium size green tomatoes, coarsely chopped
4 tomatillos, coarsely chopped
1-2 jalapenos,coarsely chopped
3 small cloves garlic
3 medium size ripe avocados
4 sprigs of cilantro (I think the cilantro is optional. But I’m not much of a cilantro fan.)(But Sarah is and 4 sprigs are not NEARLY enough!!!)
1 tsp. salt (more if you like)
1 1/2 c. sour cream

Place tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapenos and garlic in saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Peel, seed, and slice avocados, then set aside.

Combine tomatillo mix with avocados and (OPTIONAL) cilantro in food processor until smooth.

Add in salt and sour cream, then mix well.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips - and if the chips happen to be warm, all the better.

Eat until you’re sick.

Fiesta Tea

Yummy treat for the hot summer...my husband could drink this by the gallon if I would let him!

1 can Limeade concentrate
1/2 cup of Lemonade Tea powder mix

Put both into a 1 gallon pitcher, add water, and mix well. To make it look super snazzy for a party or picnic, float lemon and lime slices in the fiesta tea!

Enjoy!

Mexican Sundae's

This recipe was born in my head a week ago when I was waiting for fresh tortilla's from the tortilla maker at HEB.

Blue Bell Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Bag of Bunuelo Chips (tortilla chips coated in cinnamon and sugar, in Abilene you can get them at the tortilla maker stand on the bottom shelves under the fresh tortillas.)
Caramel Ice Cream Topping
Whipped Cream, I use the canned kind that you can squirt out.
Marisino Cherries

Dish out a couple of scoops of the vanilla bean ice cream. Crush a couple of the bunuelo chips on top, then drizzle caramel sauce. Cover top with whipped cream. Make it tall. Take a whole chip and stick it into the side of the whipped cream. Put cherrie on top. My kids also liked this with hot fudge topping in addition to or instead of the caramel.

It looks pretty and tastes delicious. If you have ever had the Dessert Nacho's at Abuelo's this is basically the same thing but it is put together like a sundae instead. Yummy.

Sarah's Kick-Butt Homemade Pizza

This really isn't MY recipe -- I got it from this blog -- but I shared the info with all of my friends and referred to it as "Sarah's Kick-Butt Homemade Pizza". It works!

1 pkg. Quick Rise dry yeast (Red Star)
1 c. lukewarm water
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. honey
2 1/2 c. flour
(I add about 1/2 TBSP. salt, also).
Mix yeast in water , then add other ingredients. Mix well by hand. Cover with dishtowel and let sit in bowl for 5-10 minutes.

Flatten on greased pan. Add your own toppings. Bake at 450 degrees for about 12 minutes.

Layered Ice Cream Cake

15 oreos
1 TBSP. milk
8 or 9 ice cream sandwiches
1 pint mint chocolate chip ice cream (I used regular chocolate chip -- we don't like mint)
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 pint strawberry ice cream
1 8-oz. container, Cool Whip

Coat bottom and side of a springform pan w/ nonstick cooking spray. I then lined it with Saran, using the cooking spray to help it stick.

Finely crush 12 of the oreos using a food processor. Add milk; pulse just until mixture holds together. Set aside.

Unwrap ice cream sandwich and cut into quarters by cutting it in half lengthwise, then crosswise. Stack strips of sandwiches on end, packing them snugly together, around the edges of the pan.

Repeat with enough sandwiches to form edge -- work quickly!

Spoon cookie crumbs into center of pan; press firmly over bottom of pan. Freeze for 1 hour.

Remove ice cream from freezer and let sit for 15 minutes. Transfer one flavor to a bowl and stir until a firm spreading consistency (I don't know what this means -- you'll figure it out!) Repeat for each flavor. Remove pan from freezer. Spread choc. chip ice cream on bottom, then top with vanilla and strawberry, spreading all layers level. Top with whipped topping, "swirling top decoratively"! Crush the remaining oreos and sprinkle over cake. Return to freezer, freeze overnight.

Strawberry Daquiri Dessert

Pretzel Crust in a 9x13 pan

1 can Eagle Brand Condensed Milk
1/2 c. fresh lime juice
1 c. pureed strawberries.

Combine those 3 ingredients, then fold in:

1 container Cool Whip.

Freeze for at least 4 hours. Serve with fresh strawberries (I put a few slices on top of each square).

Sunny Spring Lemonade

6 c. white grape juice, chilled
1 (12 oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
5 1/2 c. club soda, chilled

*Stir together all ingredients in a 1-gallon pitcher or punch bow. Serve over ice.
*Yield: 3 quarts

Tex-Mex Black Bean Dip

1 t. oil
1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. chopped tomato
1/3 c. bottled picante sauce
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
1/4 c. (1 oz.) shredded reduced-fat Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. lime juice

*Heat the oil in skillet
*Add onion and garlic to the oil to saute
*Add tomato though black beans, cook 5 minutes stirring constantly to thicken.
*Remove from heat; mash some with a potato masher.
*Add cheese, cilantro, and lime juice. Stirring until the cheese melts. Serve warm or at room temp.

Grilled Corn Salsa

3 ears fresh corn
1 lg sweet onion, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 red bell pepper
2 lg tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cumin
1 T. olive oil
1T. lime juice

*Grill first 3 ingredients, covered with grill lid, over med-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until tender, turning some
*Cut corn kernels form the cobs. Coarsely chop onion and bell pepper halves.
*Combine grilled veggies, tomato and next 7 ingredients in large bowl: cover and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days. Serve w/chips, grilled chicken, fish, or beef.
*Yields 5 cups.

Cowboy Pot Roast

1 1/2 t. salt, divided
1 1/2 t. pepper, divided
1 (14.5 oz) can petite-cut diced tomatoes, drained
1 can Rotel
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 T. chili powder
1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb) eye of round roast, trimmed (I use what was on sale!)
2 T. veggie oil
2 cans of Pinto beans, drained
1 can of Black beans, drained

Combine 1 t. salt, 1 t. pepper, and next 4 ingredients in bowl.Sprinkle reast evenly w/remaining salt and pepper. Brown roast on all sides in hot oil.
Transfer roast to a crock pot. Pour tomatoe mixture over roast. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 to 6 hours.
Remove roast from the slow cooker and cut into large chunks; keep warm
Skim the fat from the crock pot. Mash 1 1/2 cans pinto beans and add to the crock pot. Stir in black beans and remaining pintos. Add the roast pieces back to the crock pot; cover and cook on HIGH 20 to 25 more minutes. Top w/jalapenos, if desired.

Now add some cornbread - if ya know what's good for ya!

Easy Fruit Salad

by Roxanne
I'm a fruit salad purist (no nuts please) and was skeptical of this one. . .it's more like really sloppy fruit salad but is also really yummy and fast to make.

Easy Fruit Salad
1 Can Comstock peach pie filling
1 lg. can pineapple tidbits drained
1 sm. can mandarin oranges
2 bananas sliced
1 pkg. frozen strawberries thawed

Combine all ingredients and chill.

Carolyn's Carrot Cake

(by Roxanne)

(Makes one bundt or two 9" layers)
2 C. flour
2 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2-1 tsp. ground cloves
1/2-1 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
4 eggs
1 C. oil
4 C. grated carrots (about 8 lg.)
1/2 C. chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 C. raisins (optional)
Beat eggs 'til frothy, add oil and mix, add dry ingredients and mix (batter will be VERY thick), add carrots and mix (batter will get thin), stir in raisins and nuts. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes for layers and 50 minutes (or so) for bundt. Cool in pan 10 minutes then turn out.

Cream Cheese Frosting (good for whatever ails you. . .also delicious on any baked good)
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
4 C. powdered sugar, sifted

Cream 1st 3 ingredients together, add powdered about a cup or so at a time. You can add more or less sugar to make it creamier or stiffer.

Glenda's Oatmeal Cookies

by Roxanne
This is my mom's recipe. . .I've had them all of my life and they are great--if in doubt (on whether they are done or not), pull 'em out--of the oven that is--and they will be chewy. Hope this one works for you.

OATMEAL COOKIES
1 C. butter or margarine
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 C. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 C. oats
1/2 C. chopped nuts or raisins
Cream butter and sugars, add eggs and beat in, add dry ingredients, then stir in nuts or raisins. Bake at 350 15 minutes or until light brown at edges.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Request

I need a good recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies. I'd like it to use butter, not shortening. The recipes I have tried recently have made a really dry, crumbly dough, which means the cookies don't flatten out when they bake, resulting in dry, crumbly cookie balls. Ick.

Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken

I got this from the Flylady website. So easy and DELICIOUS!

Put 1 or 2 whole chickens in the crockpot and sprinkle them with Lemon Pepper seasoning. Cook them on high 6-7 hours, or low 8-10 hours.

Hawaiian Roll Sandwiches

This recipe is from Rene Owens and she served these in our potluck last night. They are so yummy, my kids will go crazy over these. O.k. they are not real low fat, but they are worth the splurge.

Hawaiian Roll Sandwiches

2 Pkg. Hawaiian Rolls
1 1/2 lbs. Thin Sliced Ham or Roast Beef
10 Slices Swiss Cheese or American Cheese

Slice rolls in one piece all the way across to make a top and bottom layer. Place meat and cheese on bottom layer.

Sauce:
1 stick butter
3/4 tsp. Worcestershire
1 1/2 Tblsp. Brown or Regular Dry Mustard
1 1/2 Tblsp. Poppy Seed
1 Tblsp. Onion Flakes

Melt, mix, and pour 3/4 of sauce over meat and cheese on sandwiches. Replace the top of the sandwiches. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the sandwiches. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into squares and serve warm.