Chalupa Dinner Bowl

So there are days when having D work at at restaurant supply house makes finding ingredients easy.  This would be one of those days.  Kroger didn't sell a bone-in pork loin.  I wasn't even about to check Whole Foods (Kroger's butcher is mind boggling to me...they have the same cuts of meat as the meat department, just not wrapped).

So anyway, D made this. I helped by turning the Crock Pot onto low (yes, I had the difficult part).
We didn't use taco bowls because they were over $6 for 8 bowls.  We used baked chips because we had those for another recipe.

I came home to dinner ready to go. D said the pork shredded easily.  We both picked at the pork in the Crock Pot while preparing our plates.  Basically we had taco salads.  It was delicious.  D said it was restaurant quality.  There are enough leftovers for about 2 weeks...we made burritos with them as well.

Would definitely have again.  Would consider for a sports viewing party...Makes lots (more than 8 servings to us).  Allrecipes.com has a very similar recipe that they say is 16 servings for 474 calories (with burrito wraps instead of taco bowl).

Chalupa Dinner Bowl

This pork-and-bean mixture is versatile. Serve it spooned over cornbread or rolled up burrito style in flour tortillas. Make hearty nachos, quesadillas, or tacos too. It can even be used as a meaty addition to huevos rancheros (fried corn tortillas topped with fried eggs and salsa).

Yield: Makes 8 servings
Cook time:11 Hours
Prep time:30 Minutes
Bake:5 Minutes

Ingredients
1 pound dried pinto beans

1 (3 1/2-pound) bone-in pork loin roast
2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chiles
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles with lime juice and cilantro
8 taco salad shells
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded

Toppings: shredded Monterey Jack cheese, pickled jalapeño slices, halved grape tomatoes, sour cream, chopped avocado

Preparation
Rinse and sort beans according to package directions.

Place pinto beans in a 6-quart slow cooker; add roast and next 6 ingredients. Pour chicken broth evenly over top of roast.

Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour; reduce to LOW, and cook 9 hours. Or, cover and cook on HIGH 6 hours. Remove bones and fat from roast; pull roast into large pieces with two forks. Stir in diced tomatoes and green chiles. Cook, uncovered, on HIGH 1 more hour or until liquid is slightly thickened.

Heat taco salad shells according to package directions; place shredded lettuce evenly into shells. Spoon about 1 cup pork-and-bean mixture into each shell using a slotted spoon. Serve with desired toppings.

Note from Southern Living: For testing purposes only, we used RO*TEL Mexican Festival tomatoes and a Rival Recipe Smart-Pot slow cooker. Times may vary depending on the slow cooker used.

Southern Living OCTOBER 2005

King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese- Updated!

Update: So D removed the butter (and used Pam), used 4 oz of Velveeta and .75 C of Cheddar.  The taste was still there but the creaminess was not.  It did reduce the calories from 630 to 543 however.  Adding 4 oz of light cream cheese bumps it up to 590, if I wanted to go that route.  Going to 6 oz of Velveeta moves it to 570.

I think the next time we have it, we will try 6 oz of Velveeta and 1/2 C of Sharp Cheddar.  But use Kraft or Sargento Cheddar vs. Kroger, because they have better flavor.

The recipe is here.

Bacon and Broccoli Mac and Cheese

So I wouldn't call this Mac and Cheese. More of pasta casserole with a cheese binder.  It just wasn't the creamy globule mess that you think of when you think of a homemade mac and cheese. Of course this is a CL recipe so that may be why.

However, it was very good.  I love broccoli so that and the bacon...mmm.  And actually the green onions had a definitive flavor, as well.  It was really good and I would definitely have again.

D made it.  He didn't say anything but it did require 3 pots, I noticed when I was doing the dishes.  Eh.

We had with salad.

Bacon and Broccoli Mac and Cheese

This one-dish meal will win over adults and children alike. Substitute English peas or fresh spinach for the broccoli, if you prefer.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
Hands-on:12 Minutes
Total:36 Minutes

Ingredients

Photo by: Photo: Johnny Autry;
Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

3 cups broccoli florets
8 ounces uncooked rigatoni
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 ounces reduced-fat processed American cheese, cut into pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup packed)

Preparation
1. Steam broccoli 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Pat dry, and keep warm. Cook pasta in boiling water in a large saucepan for 8 minutes or until al dente; drain and keep warm. Wipe pan with paper towels, and return to medium heat. Melt butter in pan. Sprinkle flour over melted butter; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add milk to the flour mixture in pan, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook for 1 minute or until slightly thick, and remove from heat. Add American cheese; stir until smooth. Stir in sliced green onions and the remaining ingredients. Stir in broccoli and pasta; serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 413; Fat: 13.3g; Saturated fat: 7.5g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.9g; Protein: 19.6g; Carbohydrate: 53.4g; Fiber: 3.8g; Cholesterol: 39mg; Iron: 2.8mg; Sodium: 772mg; Calcium: 317mg

Cooking Light APRIL 2012

BBQ Chicken Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella and Pickled Jalapeños

So I'm one of those people that can order a pizza and ask for red sauce on the side.  I like heavy sauce (this is why I like DiGiorno if I have frozen pizza).  But it has to be red sauce.This is why I'm constantly perplexed as to why I keep choosing pizzas that aren't red-sauced and shocked when I don't find them to be out of this world.

I think I chose this one because I know D likes BBQ pizza.  So we had this one before our 22 mile run.  It was good enough, but it was heavy on BBQ sauce.  I liked the sauce but D said all he could taste was cumin. On top of that, all the toppings slid off the crust.  So it ended up being BBQ crust with a side of toppings. D made it.

Like I said, it was good enough but not good enough to have again.

BBQ Chicken Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella and Pickled Jalapeños

Yield: Serves 6 (serving size: 1 slice)
Hands-on:20 Minutes
Total:38 Minutes

Ingredients
3 (4-ounce) chicken breast cutlets

Photo by: Photo: Brian Woodcock;
Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Cooking spray
12 ounces refrigerated fresh pizza dough
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup no-salt-added ketchup
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation
1. Place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in oven. Preheat oven to 450° (keep pizza stone or baking sheet in oven as it preheats).

2. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with black pepper and salt. Combine brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and ground cumin in a small bowl, stirring well to combine. Set aside 2 teaspoons spice mixture, and rub the remaining spice mixture evenly over all sides of chicken. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; sauté 3 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Let chicken stand 10 minutes, and slice thinly against the grain.

3. Roll dough into a 14 x 9-inch rectangle (or a 14-inch circle) on a lightly floured surface; pierce dough with a fork. Lightly coat dough with cooking spray. Carefully remove pizza stone from oven. Sprinkle cornmeal over pizza stone; place dough on pizza stone.

4. Bake at 450° for 9 minutes. Combine reserved 2 teaspoons spice mixture, ketchup, mustard, and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, and cook 3 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Remove partially cooked crust from oven; spread ketchup mixture evenly over crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Top with chicken, onion, jalapeños, and cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until cheese is browned. Sprinkle with cilantro. Slice.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 295; Fat: 7g; Saturated fat: 2.8g; Monounsaturated fat: 0.4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.3g; Protein: 19g; Carbohydrate: 39.7g; Fiber: 2g; Cholesterol: 40mg; Iron: 2.6mg; Sodium: 580mg; Calcium: 153mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2013

Sautéed Chicken with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

I really thought we had had this dish but I don't see it anywhere.  Anyway, it was really good.  I really like arugula.  We had the bacon on the side (because D forgot to put it in the vinaigrette and noticed it when he did the dishes).

Will have again.

Sautéed Chicken with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

If you can't find arugula, substitute mixed salad greens or fresh baby spinach.

Yield: Serves 4
Hands-on:26 Minutes
Total:26 Minutes

Ingredients

Photo by: Photo: Johnny Autry;
Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 cups arugula

Preparation
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; sauté 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken; let stand 8 minutes. Slice and keep warm.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add bacon to pan; cook 6 minutes or until crisp, turning once. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings; drain. Crumble bacon. Add shallots to drippings in pan, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in broth, syrup, and mustard; cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Arrange 1 1/2 cups arugula on each of 4 plates; sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Top each serving with 1 chicken breast half. Drizzle 2 tablespoons dressing over each serving; top with crumbled bacon.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 350; Fat: 15.7g; Saturated fat: 4.1g; Monounsaturated fat: 6.9g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.7g; Protein: 43g; Carbohydrate: 6.8g; Fiber: 0.6g; Cholesterol: 106mg; Iron: 1.9mg; Sodium: 697mg; Calcium: 71mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2012

Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Nuts

Yum.  D made this and it was good.  He didn't even add bacon!

Will have again. We had with a salad.

Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Nuts

Kids like the chewy gnocchi, sweet broccoli, and crunchy nuts. Look for shelf-stable packaged gnocchi with the dried pasta. To cut costs, swap in chopped almonds or pecans for pine nuts. Spinach, cauliflower florets, or green beans would also work nicely here. If you use spinach, simply stir it in when you add the cooked gnocchi to the skillet.

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

Photo by: Photo: Johnny Autry;
Styling: Cindy Barr

2 (16-ounce) packages prepared gnocchi (such as Gia Russa)
5 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1.5 ounces shaved fresh pecorino Romano cheese (about 1/3 cup)

Preparation
1. Cook gnocchi in a large Dutch oven according to package directions. Add broccoli during last minute of cooking; cook 1 minute. Drain.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and oil; cook 7 minutes or until butter browns. Add gnocchi mixture and pepper to pan; toss to coat. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups gnocchi mixture into each of 6 shallow bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons pine nuts and about 2 teaspoons cheese.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 368; Fat: 12.8g; Saturated fat: 3.8g; Monounsaturated fat: 5.1g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.2g; Protein: 7.9g; Carbohydrate: 56.6g; Fiber: 5.7g; Cholesterol: 13mg; Iron: 1.2mg; Sodium: 614mg; Calcium: 104mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2013

Vietnamese Chicken Sandwiches

This recipe worked nicely in the rotation since we needed 3 oz of bread for the Greek Bread Salad and 12 oz for this.

D made it.  It required lots of ingredients but was really very good.  Spicy too.  Would definitely have again.

We had with salad.

Vietnamese Chicken Sandwiches

Yield: Serves 4
Hands-on:38 Minutes
Total:50 Minutes

Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) French bread baguette

Photo by: Photo: Brian Woodcock;
Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 pound chicken cutlets
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1 cup very thinly sliced radishes
2 cups thinly sliced English cucumber
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)

Preparation
1. Cut bread in half horizontally; hollow out, leaving a 1-inch-thick shell.

2. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Sauté 3 minutes on each side or until done. Let stand 10 minutes. Slice chicken; toss with 1 teaspoon garlic.

3. Combine remaining 1 teaspoon garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and hoisin in a bowl; add chicken. Toss. Combine sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan; cook until sugar dissolves. Add carrot and radishes. Cool; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons vinegar mixture.

4. Arrange cucumber and lettuce on bottom half of bread; drizzle with vinegar mixture. Top with chicken, radish mixture, cilantro, Sriracha, and bread top. Cut into 4 equal portions.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 400; Fat: 7.7g; Saturated fat: 1.1g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.1g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.1g; Protein: 25g; Carbohydrate: 59.3g; Fiber: 3g; Cholesterol: 54mg; Iron: 2.9mg; Sodium: 802mg; Calcium: 38mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2013