Southwestern Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Southwestern Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Recipe found here: Comfort of  Cooking

1 medium spaghetti squash

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced (leave seeds in for more heat)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 Tablespoon oregano

1/2 Tablespoon chili powder

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup freshly torn cilantro, plus more for garnish

Juice of 1 lime

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place whole squash on a baking sheet and roast for 50 minutes. Let cool another 30 minutes, then cut in half (a serrated knife is best for this). Spoon out the seeds and discard, then scrape up the spaghetti squash flesh with a fork, creating the “spaghetti.”

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and red bell pepper. Sauté 2 minutes. Stir in cumin, oregano, chili powder, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté 1 more minute. Stir in beans, corn, half of cilantro and lime juice until well combined. Add the “spaghetti” from each squash to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Taste and season as desired.

Set oven to broil. Stuff each squash half with the squash-vegetable mixture and top with grated cheddar. Broil until cheese melts and gets brown and bubbly, 1-2 minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and serve warm.

Enjoy!

Enchilada Sauce

Enchilada Sauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons self-rising flour 2 Tbsp. chili powder 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 1/2 cups water 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion salt salt to taste

1.	Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.
2.	Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.

Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchiladas

sLOW cOOKER eNCHILADA qUINOA

Adapted from this recipe by Creme de la Crumb

INGREDIENTS

2 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 15-ounce can yellow corn, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes 

1/4 cup flour1/4 cup chili powder2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce3 cups water1/2 teaspoon ground cumin1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1/2 teaspoon onion salt

2 cups un-cooked quinoa + 1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste (I used about 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper)

2 cups shredded Mexican style cheese

optional: chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Add beans, corn, half the enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, quinoa, water, and salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir everything together.

Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top, then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover and cook 4-5 hours on high or 5-7 hours on low.

Uncover, top with tomatoes, avocados, sour cream, and chopped cilantro and serve.

NOTES

*For added flavor, I like to add 2 teaspoons each cumin and garlic powder.

*You can use 4 cans of enchilada sauce rather than adding the flour, chili powder, tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt. You still need 1 cup of water for the quinoa.

*I usually use frozen corn, rather than canned.

*We like to serve this as taco filling in tortillas.

"Green Enchiladas" (Cali's Chicken Burritos)

My kids call this meal "Green Enchiladas" even though it is clearly more like a smothered burrito. This is probably the most requested meal at our house. 

Cali's Chicken Burritos

{Santa Fe lime rice}

1 cup rice, either long grain or basmati

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

juice of 1/2 lime

2 TBSP butter

1/4 tsp cumin

1/3 cup cilantro

Melt butter in a pot & add all seasonings & cilantro. Add rice & cook over

medium heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add stock & lime juice return to 

simmer, turn to heat to low. Cover & cook about 30 minutes. Set aside.

{chicken}

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

{sauce} *I double the sauce*

1 cup salsa verde

1 package buttermilk ranch

1/3 cup cilantro

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayo

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 Tbls fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 cup sugar

Put in a blender and blend away

( I usually do one and a half of this for the six burritos. 

I love the sauce so I like more of it then the recipe calls for.)

{Burritos}

6 burrito size tortillas

shredded cheese

1- 15 oz can black beans, drained

rice, recipe above

I put the chicken, rice, beans and cheese in the tortillas. Wrap them up,cover 

them with sauce,and then put them in the oven on 350 for 30 min covered with 

tin foil, then I take the tin foil off sprinkle more cheese on top and then cook 

them for another 10 minutes.

Top with pico, avocado, & sour cream.

** I double the sauce and pour a little bit into each burrito.

**This filling is also good in quesadillas. 

Southwest Chicken Soup

Southwest Chicken Soup
Source: Macaroni and Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 (12 oz.) jar salsa verde  (*I use about 8 oz)
3 cups chicken, cooked & shredded (approximately 2 large chicken breasts)
1 (15 oz.) can canellini or great northern beans, drained & rinsed
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained (optional)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
pinch cayenne

For Serving:Shredded Cheese
Light Sour Cream
Cilantro, chopped
Tortilla Chips

Directions:
Add salsa verde to a large saucepan and cook for 2 minutes over medium to medium high heat.  Add in chicken, beans, chicken broth, corn, black beans (if using), chili powder, cumin & cayenne.  Bring to boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low to simmer.  Let cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Dip soup into bowls and top with shredded cheese, sour cream & cilantro and serve with tortilla chips for dipping.  Can also serve in bread bowls and use the bread to dip in.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

These taquitos are probably our family's very favorite meal.  They are fast, easy, and everyone likes them. This recipe is from Our Best Bites.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Original Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (low fat is fine, avoid fat free)
1/4 cup green salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoon sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated cheese
small flour tortillas
cooking spray or olive oil

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.   You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges.  Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another.  Lightly brush with olive oil.  Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.  Dip in sour cream, or guacamole.

Freezer Instructions: Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Yields 12-16, when using 6″ tortillas, depending on how full you make them.

Fish Tacos

Fish Tacos

2-3 lbs tilapia filets  (10-12 filets from the frozen Costco package)
1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (seeds removed for less heat)
2 cups diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cilantro Cream sauce:
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (optional)

5-inch white corn tortillas
Avocado slices
Shredded cabbage

Saute onion and garlic in oil until translucent.  Add fish filets and cook over medium heat until fish flakes easily (about 4 minutes), flipping part way through.  Add the tomatoes, jalapeno, lime juice, and spices.

Serve meat mixture in corn tortillas, with shredded cabbage, a dollop of cilantro cream sauce, and an avocado wedge.

*I combined two recipes to come up with this one that works for our family.  The originals can be found here:
Fish tacos with lime cilantro crema
Cilantro Lime Tilapia Tacos