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. 

Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Tenderloin

This is so easy, but amazingly, mouth-watering good. I have had it cooked on the grill and slow cooked in the oven. I can't decide which way is better. However, since I do not currently own a grill; oven it is. 

Only 3 ingredients, plus some seasoning. 

I use the cheaper bacon because it is easier to manipulate around the tenderloin. 

The tenderloin is usually already split down the middle, lengthwise; if not, just split it. Layer bacon underneath the tenderloin in the dish. 

Quarter the cream cheese and stuff in between the two pieces of meat. (Optional but good: Slather the outside of the tenderloin with cream cheese as well before wrapping in bacon) Season meat as desired. (I used pepper, garlic salt, and chipotle) Wrap bacon tightly around meat. 

Cover in foil. Bake in over on 250 for 7-8 hours. Baste occasionally with the excess juices. 

Slice and Serve

Spanish Rice and Papas (Mexican Potatoes)

These are two of my favorite Mexican food side dishes. 

PAPAS (Mexican Potatoes)

This is a great change from the normal side dish. Lots of flavor. 

Dice and boil potatoes (cover with water) with a cube of chicken bouillon. 

Saute bell peppers, jalapenos, and garlic in butter. Drain potatoes and add rest of ingredients. Cook on simmer until cheese is melted. 

Papas (Mexican Potatoes)

3 lbs. potatoes-diced

1 cube chicken bouillon

3 oz. cream cheese

1/2 C. heavy cream

10 oz. Velveeta

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. garlic

1/4 C. sour cream

8 oz. Bueno frozen green chili (I prefer Autumn Roast, but that might a bit hot for some)

1/2 C. bell peppers-diced

Dice and boil potatoes with chicken bouillon cube. Cover with water. Drain. Saute bell peppers, jalapenos, and garlic in butter. Add all ingredients to potatoes. Cook on simmer until cheese is melted. 

**This recipe is adapted from a well known restaurant, and my friend told me mine were even better than their's. 

SPANISH RICE

I cheat on this one because this is the best packaged Spanish rice I've ever found. I just spice it up a little bit. 

Spanish Rice

1 package Fiesta Sides Spanish Rice

1 can of Rotel (I prefer the one with Habaneros)

1 bell pepper-diced

Cook rice as directed on package. Saute diced bell pepper in butter. Add Rotel and pepper to rice. Stir. I like to add black olives as well; it just depends on my crowd. Serve

Avocado Chicken Enchildas

A couple of months ago, my friend, Jennifer, and I were going to hang out for the day. We decided we would make it day of cooking. We weren't sure what cuisine we wanted to try so I decided to look on Pinterest for something new to cook. I found this recipe and tweaked it to my own liking. 

Dice onions and Serrano pepper. (Serranos are hot, but more can be added if you appreciate the fiery flavor)Saute with garlic and butter. Add flour and stir for 1-2 minutes. 

While onions and peppers are sauteing, boil chicken in chicken broth. Take breasts out and shred cooked chicken. Reduce leftover broth water to 1 cup. 

Add chicken back to broth. 

Add sauteed veges. 

Add cumin, salt, pepper, cilantro, salsa verde, sour cream and cream of chicken soup. Bring to a boil. 

Fry corn tortillas until just slightly stiff. (The original recipe called for flour tortillas; which we tried, but we like the corn better) Place 2 T. of mixture on tortilla, add avocado slices and cheese. Roll and place in pan seam side down. 

Cover with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake at 425 until cheese is melted. 

 Cover with your choice of toppings. More avocados, sour cream, or salsa. For this meal we skipped the beans and served it with Spanish Rice and "Abeleos" Papas. 


Avocado Chicken Enchiladas

1 T. butter
1 Serrano Pepper-minced
2 cloves of garlic (I use jarred, since I haven't felt confident enough to cook with fresh yet)
1 T. flour
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1//4 tsp. pepper
1 cube cilantro (or 1/4 cup fresh)
1 C Salsa Verde
1/2 C sour cream
3 chicken breasts
1 small onion-diced
8 oz. shredded cheese
3 large avocados-chopped
12-15 corn tortillas

 Saute onion, pepper, and garlic in butter. Boil chicken breasts with chicken and cilantro bouillon. Add enough water to cover breasts. When onions, pepper, and garlic are slightly translucent, add flour and stir for 1-2 minutes. When breasts are cooked, remove from water and shred chicken. Reduce broth water to 1 cup. Add shredded chicken back to the broth. Add rest of the ingredients, stir and bring to a boil. 
Fry corn tortillas until slightly stiff. Add 2 T. of chicken mixture to tortilla. Top with avocados and cheese. Roll and place in pan seam side down. Once pan is full, top with the rest of the sauce. Cover in cheese. Heat in oven on 450 until cheese is melted. Top as desired.