Mayo-Less (Avocado)Tuna Salad

MAYO-LESS (AVOCADO) TUNA SALAD

In my quest to eating healthier, I tried something new today when I had a tuna salad craving.

Using what I had on hand; I finely chopped some fresh jalapenos and red bell pepper. I soaked some minced onions. I added these to a can of tuna. I then added some dill relish; think next time I would like sweet better with this mixture. I then added a soft, ripe; but not over-ripe avocado. I had my light mayo out to use, but it was not necessary. The flavor is "restaurant quality". The fishy flavor of the tuna is even eliminated with this mixture. 

Tuna Salad

2 tsp. finely chopped, fresh jalapeno (add more if you like the spice--I might even try it with a serreno next time)

1 Tbs. minced onions (soak in water while mixing other ingredients)

3 Tbs. finely chopped red bell pepper (I like these best but it adds nice color for presentation too)

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 Tbs. relish (your choice of sweet or dill)

1 small, ripe avocado

Mix all ingredients together. 

Serve on toasted bread, croissants, crackers, or vegetables. Today I used toasted bread garnished with fresh spinach and Roma tomatoes. 

Enchilada Soup

(Pics to follow soon)

Got leftover enchiladas, but don't want to eat leftovers? Make soup! 

Just scoop those leftover enchiladas outa the pan and put them in your trusty crockpot. Depending on how many enchiladas you have left over will determine how much extra to add. If I have six or more, I add 2 cans of pinto beans, 2 cans of corn, 2 cups of chicken broth, and 1 can of Rotel. You can really add anything you want. This is just how I do it. Make use of those leftovers. Almost anything can be made into a soup. 

Enchilada Soup

Leftover enchiladas

beans

corn

chicken broth

rotel

(potatoes might be good as well)

Mix together in crockpot. Cook on low 3-4 hours. Serve with cheese, chips, guacamole, and sour cream. 

Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

I'm not sure where I came up with the idea to to stuff french toast, but it is amazing. I have a friend that wanted to know how I did it, so I decided to have her over one morning and make it for my boyfriend and my friends. 

There have been comments on my use of store brand items. I am not particular on staple items. I believe they are all the same. I decided for this meal, I would add fresh fruits. This meal is a little high maintenance but not terrible for someone who truly loves to cook. 

French bread is necessary to be able to stuff properly. Slice bread into about 1-1 1/2" slices. Cut a pocket in the middle of each slice. Do not cut completely though the bread. 

Mix a 16 oz container of whipped cream cheese (softened) and 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. This will be the creamy, yummy filling that will make your stuffing. 

Stuff each slice with an abundant amount of your filling. Gently squeeze each piece together. 

Mix two cans of evaporated milk, 2 eggs, and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Dip each slice of stuffed bread to thoroughly soak each slice. They will be slightly hard to handle, so be careful. 

Lightly spray your griddle with oil. Cook on medium until golden brown. Flip as needed. Make sure to cook until completely done throughout. The stuffing with caramelize once it hits the heat. It is pretty amazing! 

Serve with selected toppings. Today, I offered butter, powdered sugar, peaches and strawberries. 

Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

1 loaf of french bread

2 cans evaporated milk

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 16 ounce tub of whipped cream cheese

Slice bread about 1-1/2 inches thick. Slice a pocket in the middle of each slice. Mix cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. Stuff each slice with cream cheese mixture. Mix milk, eggs, and 1 cup powdered sugar together. Dip each slice into mixture. Cook on a griddle at medium heat flipping occasionally until golden brown. Serve with butter, powdered sugar, and/or toppings of your choice. 

Yields: 12-15 slices

Smothered and Covered Homemade Taquitos

SMOTHERED AND COVERED

TAQUITOS

Be prepared to spend some time in the kitchen. This recipe makes 120+ servings. It is time consuming but well worth it. Great for sharing with others, snacks for the kids, and easy on the go lunches. The taquitos can be eaten cold or hot by themselves. 

Taquitos

5 lbs. lean hamburger meat

2 T. garlic salt

1 T. oregano

1 T. cumin

1 T. salt

1 T. pepper

3 lbs. Velveeta--note: the knock off brands actually work best

8 oz. grated cheese of your choice (I prefer cheddar)

120 corn tortillas

Brown and drain hamburger meat. Mix seasonings with meat. Return to heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cheeses and heat until cheese is thoroughly melted. Spread meat mixture onto a cookie sheet. I have a deep one that I use and then cut each strip in half. Otherwise you will probably need more than one sheet. Normally at this time you would refrigerate for about 6 hours, but I am an impatient person, so I put the mixture in the freezer while I fry the tortillas. 

You will want to fry your tortillas in oil until they reach a firm but moldable texture. 

Take meat mixture out of freezer. Slice 1/4" slices. In my cookie sheet, I can get 3 taquitos out of one slice and then I cut that in half long ways. Roll meat into tortilla. Place on greased cookie sheet. Cook some for now to smother and cover and save rest for later. Freeze on cookie sheet and then put in freezer bags for later. I cook mine in the over at 400 degrees until crispy brown, but they can be deep fried as well if you choose. 

I kinda cheat on the smother and cover part since the taquito process takes so long. 

Chili:

1 16 oz. can of chili with or without beans (I prefer without)

1 can of Rotel (again I prefer hot so I use the one with habaneros) 

Puree Rotel. Add to chili and heat. 

I can make good queso, but I cheat on this part too with taquitos. Might be a good plan to make them when I have some leftover queso...Hmmm I just buy a jar of queso in the chips section.

Any toppings can be added at this point. Salsa, queso, chili, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, avocados, guacamole, or sour cream. Do it up like you want or just eat em plain. 

Not Your Ordinary Pasta Salad

My (healthy) sister challenged me to make a meal with no meat, no cheese, and no eggs. So I came up with this, and it came out really well. Of course, everyone knows I like, almost "need" spicy. 

NOT YOUR ORDINARY PASTA SALAD

8 oz. wide egg noodles

1 bag frozen corn

1 cup cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)

1 green bell pepper (diced)

1 Serrano pepper (diced and seeded)

2 T. Sriracha

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

2 avocados

1/4 cup Italian dressing

Put noodles on to boil. Saute bell pepper, Serrano, Sriracha, and crushed red pepper. When noodles are almost ready, add corn. Drain. Add pepper mixture and Italian dressing to noodles. Top with tomatoes and avocados. 

Mexican Meatloaf

I guess this is kinda a cross between Mexican meatloaf and a Mexican casserole. I planned on making meatloaf for dinner; which I have two recipes that use often. My roommate wanted me to add Rotel it, so I started thinking about what to add to it. Here's what I came up with. 

Mexican Meatloaf

2 lbs. hamburger meat (lean)

1 can of Rotel

1 can tomato sauce

1 cup shredded cheese

1 egg

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1 T. minced onions (soaked in water)

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 cup crumbled corn chips

Mix all ingredients together. Cook on 425 for 45 minutes to an hour. Drain any excess grease. (if any) Top with shredded cheese. Serve with corn chips. 

Cabbage Soup

I was looking for a cabbage recipe after New Year's since cabbage was on sale so cheap. As usual, I tweaked it to my own liking. 

Cabbage Soup

1 lb. ground beef

2 T. Cavendars (Greek seasoning) (original recipe calls for Paprika)

1 small onion-diced

2 carrots-sliced

4 cloves of garlic-minced

1 can of Rotel-of course I used the Habanero flavored (original recipe calls for tomato sauce)

2 beef bouillon cubes

1/2 head of cabbage-thinly sliced

1/2 C. of lettuce

salt and pepper to season. 

Thinly slice cabbage, add beef cubes, and cover with water. Boil cabbage until slightly soft. 

While waiting on cabbage to cook, brown hamburger with onions, carrots, and garlic. Drain off any excess grease. Then add the Rotel. Simmer. Cabbage water may need to be reduced before adding rest of the ingredients. Add rice and cook until rice is soft. 

Variation:

I had some things I needed to get out of the frig. I added approximately 2 cans of black eyed peas with jalapenos. I think this really made the dish great. Since I needed rice, I just added some leftover broccoli and rice casserole for the rice.