Smoky Three Pepper Hummus

After preparing the Grilled Shrimp Nachos, I had leftover grilled peppers in the refrigerator. I decided to experiment with a new hummus recipe. To my usual hummus recipe, I added one half of a grilled poblano and one half of a grilled green bell pepper. For some spice, I added some pickled jalapenos. Hence the name three pepper hummus. The grilled peppers give it a great smoky flavor too. I used lime juice instead of lemon because I think it really complements both peppers and grilled food. It turned out great. It was perfect with veggies and pita. I tried it with tortilla chips and it was delicious. I would suggest cutting back on the salt if you plan to serve it with tortilla chips. This hummus recipe is definitely a keeper.

Smoky Three Pepper Hummus

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

1/2 grilled bell pepper

1/2 grilled poblano pepper
(click here to see how to grill peppers)

1 Tbsp. pickled jalapeno slices

1 can garbanzo beans (drained, reserving liquid)

3 Tbsp tahini

Juice of 1 lime (3 Tbsp)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 tsp salt, to taste

Minced cilantro (to garnish)

Directions

Add bell pepper, poblano pepper, jalapeno, garbanzo beans, tahini, lime juice, garlic and salt to the food processor. Blend until smooth drizzling in about 1/3 cup of the liquid from the can. Add more or less liquid depending on how thick you like it.

To serve: I spread 2 or 3 spoonfuls on a plate. Make a moat in the hummus with the back of a spoon. Drizzle moat with olive oil. Sprinkle with minced cilantro. In the very center place a slice of pickled jalapeno. Serve with pita, tortilla chips or veggies for dipping.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: All My Bloggy Friends
Plaid & Paisley Kitchen: Tasty Tuesdays
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Leftovers

Grilling Tip: Soaking Skewers

I found this tip in a Cuisine at Home magazine. Use a clean empty wine bottle to soak wood skewers. Place the skewers in the bottle fill with water up to the top. Use the cork to hold the skewers down in the water. Soak the skewers for 20 minutes or longer. When ready to use remove the cork and the skewers will float out the top of the bottle. Genius! I love the fact that I don't have to use my 9 x 13 baking dish anymore. I can save it for the grilled food. Happy grilling!

Linking to:
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays

Grilled Shrimp Nachos

I am going to let you in on a secret. The secret to good restaurant style nachos is American cheese. Are you surprised? I was! This has been confirmed by two different waitresses, in two different states. In Texas, the cheese was shredded and topped beef, bean and cheese loaded nachos. When we asked the waitress what kind of cheese they use, she looked at us like we were crazy and said "American cheese". In Louisiana, the cheese was melted into a sauce on shrimp nachos. When we asked this waitress, she quickly looked over her shoulder and whispered "American cheese with a splash of milk and jalapenos". She knew she was giving away a treasured secret. I would mention the restaurant but I don't want to get anyone in trouble. These are the nachos I decided to re-create this week. 

Grilled Shrimp Nachos are so different, lots of grill flavor, perfect shrimp, creamy slightly cheesy peppers and onions, piled high on crispy tortilla chips. I made them twice. The first time I used green bell pepper. Dear sister and I loved them. The second time, I used half a green bell pepper and half a poblano pepper. They were a little spicier, but I liked it. I love poblanos! My advice is to use the peppers according to your taste. If serving little ones you may want to just use green bell peppers and skip the jalapenos. I plan to try a whole poblano next time. Trust me there will be a next time. These nachos are really good!

Grilled Shrimp Nachos

Serves 2 as a meal; 4 or more as a starter

Ingredients

18 Shrimp, peeled and deveined

Olive oil

Sazón (click here for recipe)

1 onion, sliced into thick slices

1 bell pepper or poblano pepper, deseed and cut into half or thirds

Salt, to taste

3 slices 2 % American cheese

1 Tbsp. pickled jalapeno, minced

3 Tbsp. reduced fat (1%) milk

Tortilla chips

Directions

Soak skewers in salted water for 20 minutes (click here for a grilling tip). Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Drizzle shrimp with olive oil, sprinkle with Sazón and place on skewers.

Rub onions and peppers with olive oil and season with salt. Place onions and peppers on the grill. Grill for 10 minutes; 5 minutes a side. Place shrimp on the grill. Grill for 4 minutes; 2 minutes a side. Quarter onions and slice peppers; add to a microwave safe bowl with cheese, jalapeno and milk. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir and microwave for another 30 seconds until cheese has melted into a sauce.

Place tortillas on a platter, top with onion/peppers mixture and grilled shrimp. Enjoy!

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday
Memories by the Mile: Tuesday Trivia Link Party - Kentucky
Love Bakes Good Cakes: All My Bloggy Friends
Plaid & Paisley Kitchen: Tasty Tuesdays
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Who Needs a Cape: Super Sunday Party

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I have always been a bigger fan of chicken enchiladas instead of beef. I go for  enchiladas suiza, verde enchiladas or sour cream enchiladas. I decided to try to make Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas like I might get at a local restaurant. They are really simple, soft flavorful chicken rolled in a corn tortilla and topped with sour cream sauce, sharp cheddar cheese and slice jalapenos. They turned out great in the flavor department. The chicken was moist, tender and had great flavor. The crock pot did a great job. The chicken would be great for tacos too. I loved the tang of the sour cream sauce and sharp cheddar. Where I think the recipe needs work is in technique and presentation. The sour cream sauce took a long time to thicken. I think next time I may warm the broth before I add it to the roux. I found that my favorite part of the enchiladas were the saucy ends. Next time I will put a teaspoon of sauce in the center before I roll it up. I think that will insure a saucy center too. As far as presentation I may try fixing individual plates like the restaurants do. Their plates are always so pretty. When you make enchiladas in a casserole they are hard to serve as individual enchiladas they stick to each other. I will work on that and take another photo. In the mean time, these enchiladas are creamy, saucy, and very delicious.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

1 onion, sliced

1 tomato, sliced

2 large boneless, skinless, chicken breast (approx. 1-1/2 lbs)

Adobo Seasoning (click here for recipe)

2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth

For the Enchiladas

1/4 cup light butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 cups sour cream (I used 1 cup light and 1 cup regular)

12 corn tortillas

2 cups shredded 2% sharp Cheddar cheese

Jalapeno, sliced

Directions

Layer sliced onion and tomato in the bottom of a slower cooker. Season chicken breast with Adobo Seasoning, place on top of tomato. Pour in 2 cups of chicken broth. Cook on high for 4 hours. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Discard broth and solids. When chicken is cool shred with two forks.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 8x8 and a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Over medium heat in a saucepan, melt the butter, add the flour, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for a minute or so. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, and cook until mixture thickens and bubbles. Reduce the heat, or remove from the burner, and stir in the sour cream. Do not allow sauce to boil, but gently heat through.

Soften the corn tortillas by placing on a plate wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and microwaving for 40 seconds. Place an equal amount of the chicken on each of the 12 tortillas, add a tsp of sour cream sauce in the center, roll them up and place them, seam side down, in the baking dish.

Pour the sauce evenly over the tortillas in the dish, top with cheddar cheese and bake for 24 minutes at 375°F. Garnish with sliced jalapeno, and serve hot.

Makes four servings of three enchiladas each or six servings of two enchiladas each.

Linking to:
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday
Carole's Chatter; Food on Fridays: Sauces

Farmer's Salad

I saw this recipe in one of those recipe magazines you pick up in the check-out line. When I saw it I knew I had to make it. My family loves green beans and sweet corn. I was a little concerned about the number of jalapenos in the recipe, but after removing the seeds it is really not that spicy. What did surprise me was the bite of the red onions. The recipe said to serve immediately. I liked it better the next day. By then the red onions had mellowed. If you plan to serve right away I suggest soaking the red onion in water or vinegar to remove some of there bite. This was my first time trying Cotija cheese, it really adds the finishing touch to this salad. I like the salty creamy flavor it adds to the salad. I may have used a little more than the recipe called for. So don't bother measuring a little more is great. All in all, I really enjoyed this salad and will definitely make it again. 

Farmer's Salad (Ensalada Grangero)

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Makes: 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

3 ears fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

3 cups grape tomatoes

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup snipped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup olive oil

3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

2 shallots, chopped

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced roasted garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (2 oz)

Directions

In a Dutch oven cook corn in a large amount of boiling salted water for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Remove corn from Dutch oven; set aside to cool. Add beans to the boiling water in Dutch oven; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or just until crisp-tender. Drain beans in a colander; rinse with cold water and drain well. Cut kernels from corn cobs.

In a large bowl combine corn kernels, beans, grape tomatoes, and red onion. Toss gently to combine.

For dressing, in a food processor or blender combine cilantro, oil, chile peppers, shallots, vinegar, garlic, and salt. Cover and process or blend until nearly smooth. Drizzle dressing over vegetables; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday
Memories by the Mile: Tuesday Trivia Link Party - Kentucky

Grilled Fingerling Potatoes with Rosemary

These potatoes were great with the Mixed Grill with Spicy Piri-Piri Sauce. They could not have been easier. I love the fact that they have grill marks even through the foil. They turn out soft on the inside and very flavorful. You could use other herbs to change things up. I just have an abundance of rosemary growing in my yard. So I was happy to use it. This will be a go to recipe from now on.

Grilled Fingerling Potatoes with Rosemary

Serves 6

Ingredients

1-1/2 lbs fingerling potatoes (I used a mixed bag of blue, red and gold potatoes)

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp olive oil

2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

Preheat grill to medium.

Cut potatoes into similar size pieces. Small potatoes can remain whole but larger ones need to be cut so all will cook at the same rate. Combine potatoes, garlic, oil, rosemary, salt and peppers in a medium bowl and toss until evenly coated. Using 18” wide heavy duty foil, layer two 20”x18” sheets on top each other. Place potato mixture in the center of foil and fold making a packet.

Place packet on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Open packet carefully there will be a lot of steam to escape, transfer to a serving dish.

Linking to:
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays

Father's Day and Mixed Grill with Spicy Piri-Piri Sauce

We had a great Father's Day. I grilled and brought it with me to my parents house. Mom took care of the salad and dessert. We tried to make it Dad approved with little to no clean up. See at my parents house, we cook and Dad cleans up the kitchen after us. Poor Pa Pa! We are very lucky to have him put up with our mess. He does it for no pay just food. So on his day we made sure he did not have to clean. This Mixed Grill is something I have made at least four times now. Everyone always enjoys it. Dad really likes it, after all it has two of his favorite foods: Pork and Italian Sausage. The Piri-Piri Sauce is amazing! It is spicy as a raw sauce but really mellows out once cooked. I love the sweet flavor of the red peppers, they are great with the pork. Then you add a drizzle of the reserved sauce and the spice of the jalapeno and garlic comes through. This mixed grill has something for everyone.

Father's Day Menu

Long Island Iced Tea

Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Grilled Vegetables (Eggplant, Zucchini and Squash)
Grilled Fingerling Potatoes with Rosemary

Mixed Grill with Spicy Piri-Piri Sauce

Blackberry Cobbler-Pie

Mixed Grill with Spicy Piri-Piri Sauce
Adapted from: Weight Watchers Healthy & Happy Celebrations
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers
1 jalapeno pepper
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 lb skirt steak or flank steak, trimmed
3/4 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 18 cubes
3/4 lb Italian sausage

Directions

Combine bell peppers, jalapeno, lime juice, oil, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in blender; puree. Measure out and refrigerate 1 cup sauce. Transfer remaining sauce to zip-close plastic bag; add garlic and cumin. Add steak and pork tenderloin cubes. Squeeze out air and seal bag; turn to coat meat. Refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

If using wood skewer, soak skewers in water 20 – 30 minutes. Preheat grill to medium heat.

Remove steak and pork from marinade; discard marinade. Thread pork on skewers drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle pork and steak with remaining salt. Place skewers, steak, and sausages on the grill rack; grill flank steak 5-6 minutes per side until well marked for medium rare, if using skirt steak grill 4 minutes per side until well marked; transfer to cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. Grill skewers, turning frequently, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Grill sausages until they are well marked and skin blisters slightly, about 8 minutes.

Transfer pork skewers and sausages to cutting board with steak. Slice steak across grain and transfer to platter. Remove pork from skewers and place on platter. Transfer sausage to platter. Transfer reserved 1 cup sauce to small bowl and place in center of platter.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays: Sauces
Anyonita Nibbles: #GetHimFed

Chicken Tortilla Salad with Pineapple Pico de Gallo

The inspiration for this salad comes from a salad I had at Cheddar's. I don't remember what they called it. All I remember is how much I enjoyed the Pineapple Pico de Gallo with the southwest flavors in the salad. I am not going to lie, this is more work then what I usually do to make a salad. But it is worth it. I can't think of a single item I would leave out. The stand out ingredient is still the Pineapple Pico. I just love the sweet spicy pieces it adds to the salad. It would also be good with chicken, pork or even shrimp. In fact I may try this salad with shrimp one day. The other amazing ingredient is the Avocado Ranch Dressing. It is creamy, tangy and fresh. Just a little twist on typical ranch. I love the avocado and herbs together. It would be great on tacos too. So when you find yourself will a little time on your hands treat yourself to this salad. If you are short on time just try the Pineapple Pico or the Avocado Ranch. They are so good!

Chicken Tortilla Salad with Pineapple Pico de Gallo

Makes 2 large dinner salads

Ingredients

For Tortilla Strips:

2 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2” by 2” strips

Olive oil cooking spray

Salt

For the chicken:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

Sazon, to taste

Lime juice

Olive oil

For the salad:

1-1/2 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped

1/4 cup can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup can corn, drained

2 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup Avocado Ranch Dressing (recipe below)

1/2 cup Pineapple Pico de Gallo (recipe below)

1/4 cup reduced fat, sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the stack of tortillas into strips and arrange the strips in a single layer on a baking rack on top of a cookie sheet.

Spray each tortilla strip with cooking spray until slightly moist. Sprinkle strips with salt.

Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, rotate the pan halfway through. Bake until the strips are crisp, but not too brown. Set aside.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (10 min).

Season chicken breast with sazon. Drizzle chicken with olive oil, lime juice and turn to coat. Grill chicken 4 to 6 minutes a side, until cooked through. Set a side to rest for 10 minutes. Dice chicken into bite size pieces. Set aside.

Toss the lettuce with black beans, corn, green onion and avocado ranch dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and top with pineapple pico de gallo, diced chicken and tortilla strips.

Pineapple Pico de Gallo

Makes approx. 5 cups

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 medium red onion, diced

1 Tbsp pickled jalapeno peppers, minced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits drained, 1 Tbsp juice reserved

3 Tbsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally until chilled and flavors have combined. Serve with tortilla chips, over grilled chicken/fish or salads.

Avocado Ranch Dressing

Makes approx. 1 cup

         

Ingredients

1/2 medium/large avocado

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup light sour cream

2 Tbsp low fat buttermilk

1-1/2 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cilantro, minced

1 tsp green onion, minced

1/2 tsp dill, minced

1/2 tsp garlic, minced

Dash black pepper

A sprinkle cayenne pepper

Directions

Place the avocado in a bowl and mash with a fork until it is smooth. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Stir until everything is mixed well. Place, covered in the refrigerator to let flavors blend. Serve as a salad dressing or dipping sauce.

Linking to:
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Mondays
Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Six Sister's Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen: Show Me Your Plaid Mondays
Who Needs a Cape: Super Sunday Party

The Tumbleweed Contessa: Chicken - Saturday Dishes Linky Party

Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Salads
My Pinterventures: Summer Salads Party

Malibleu Beach Salad with Grilled Chicken

A co-worker introduced me to this salad years ago. We would go to dinner at Semolina’s Restaurant. She would always order the Malibleu Beach Salad with Grilled Chicken. I developed this recipe after our Semolina’s closed. It is delicious with or without chicken. The sweet raisins are great with the blue cheese. And I love the tart tang of the sun-dried tomatoes. This salad has a lot of great texture too; the apples and walnuts add great crunch. It makes a great chopped salad. Just chop everything in similar size pieces.

Malibleu Beach Salad with Grilled Chicken

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the chicken:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Red pepper flakes, to taste

Lawry’s Seasoned salt, to taste

Olive oil

For the salad:

1 bag of Spring Mix salad greens

6 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped

1/4 cup Raisins

2 Tbsp walnuts, chopped

1 scallion, sliced

1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbles

Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (10 min).

Re-hydrate sun-dried tomatoes (if using dry packed).

Season chicken breast with salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and Lawry’s. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and turn to coat. Grill chicken 4 to 6 minutes a side, until cooked through. Set a side to rest for 10 minutes. Slice chicken into bite size pieces.

Toss the salad greens with some(4 to 6 Tbsp.) balsamic vinaigrette and top with tomatoes, apples, raisins, walnuts, and scallion. Sprinkle with blue cheese and top with sliced chicken.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes approx. 1/2 cup

Ingredients

3 oz olive oil

1 oz Balsamic vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced (approx. 1/2 tsp)

1 tsp honey

1 tsp parsley, chopped

1 tsp basil, chopped

Salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

Mix vinaigrette ingredients in a small mason jar. Secure with lid and shake until emulsified. Store remaining dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week.



Linking to:
Life on Lakeshore Drive: A Bouquet of Talent Linky Party
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Mondays
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Six Sister's Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen: Show Me Your Plaid Mondays
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Salads
My Pinterventures: Summer Salads Party

Avocado Delight

This is one of those sandwiches you just can't put down. Yes it is that good, but the real reason is that it will fall apart. This can be a very messy sandwich. You have been warned. You really should pick up a half and not let go until it is gone. 

I can't take credit for this sandwich combination. It is from the menu of Counter Culture Yogurt. While I can't make their yogurt at home, I can make this delicious sandwich. I use light and reduced fat ingredients to try to lower the calories a bit. I promise there is so much flavor in the fresh ingredients you will not miss the full fat ones. I love the avocado, mayo and cheddar combination. Pick a perfectly ripe avocado and you can't go wrong. Don't worry if you cannot find sprouts. It is great without them, but if you find them they do add great texture. Lastly, go to a Counter Culture if you can. Their yogurt is wonderful and I love the "David's Drink" there.

Avocado Delight

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices of soft light wheat bread

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup reduced fat, sharp cheddar cheese

2 lettuce leaves, ribs removed

2-4 tomato slices

Alfalfa sprouts (optional)

1 medium/large avocado, diced

Jane’s Krazy Mixed-Up Salt to taste

Directions

Spread mayo on one side of each piece of bread. Top two slices of bread with cheese. Layer with lettuce, tomato and sprouts, sprinkle with Jane’s. Top with avocado, also seasoned with a sprinkling of Jane’s. Assemble sandwich and cut in half.

Linking to:
Life on Lakeshore Drive: A Bouquet of Talent Linky Party
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Mondays
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Six Sister's Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen: Show Me Your Plaid Mondays
Who Needs a Cape: Super Sunday Party
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Sandwiches