Chocolate Chimichangas

Here is one of my favorite desserts. We used to get them at Rio Bravo when David worked there during college, but it is gone so we had to come up with our own version. We think they are just as yummy! In the pictures I made them with soft taco size tortillas. You can also use burrito size, just be sure to use a whole chocolate bar instead of half. I'm hungry just thinking about it!

Here is what you'll need for 1:

• 1 Flour tortilla
• 1/2 Hershey's Chocolate Bar
• cinnamon and sugar mixture
• Chocolate syrup
• Vanilla Icecream
  

Take half of a Hershey's chocolate bar, break it into individual squares. Heat the tortilla in the microwave 5-10 seconds, so that it is warm and you can fold it without breaking. Place squares in the center of the tortilla.

Roll up like you would for a burrito, folding both ends in, then the side and roll.

Complete this for all of them you plan to assemble, and then wrap in plastic wrap or put into a Ziploc bag. Put in the freezer for at least an hour. This helps them to stay together when cooking.

When you are ready to serve, preheat deep fryer (or you could do it in a pan of oil) and fry until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel, then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Drizzle your plate with chocolate syrup and place chimichanga on top of the syrup. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Don't you love our Camp Rock plates? Classy, huh?

Chicken Pillows

Here is a relatively quick and fun to make with the kids recipe. I'm pretty sure everyone has their own version of this, here is ours. And, if all else fails, just have fun playing with olives.

• 
• 1 rib of celery, diced
• 1/4 c. olives, diced
  
• 1/4 mushrooms, diced
  
• 1/2 onion, diced
  
• 1 chicken breast, diced
• 1/2 brick low-fat cream cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients and spoon onto crescent rolls and fold remaining dough over. To make this even unhealthier, we like to melt a little butter and mix in some garlic salt to brush over the tops before baking at 350 degrees about 10-15 minutes. (It all depends on how big you made these- you want them to be golden brown and not doughy.)

**This week I noticed that they had crescent sheets at Walmart which were very convenient for this. I just used my ravioli cutter to cut around and make nicely shaped pillows. With the "new" Walmart, who knows if they will still have them next week.**

And, the kids favorite part ***drumroll please*** THE SAUCE.

This is fancy, hold onto your pants.

1 can of reduced fat cream of chicken soup
1 can of water
2-3 tbsp light sour cream
Heat until warm!

Meatball Soup

This is totally not my recipe, but one I want to be able to access wherever I am, so onto the internet it goes. While it may look like a bunch of ingredients it really isn't. I was surprised at how quick it was to prepare, and while one part is cooking you are working on the other. It is also a great way to sneak in some veggies. Oh, and did I mention that we love soup around here?

Broth:

• 5 cans chicken broth (watch for msg if you are into that!)
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 carrots shredded
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 2 c spinach, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c orzo pasta
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Heat oil in large pot. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Heat to boiling. Add meatballs.

Meatballs:

• 1/2 lb. ground turkey
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 c. bread crumbs (I used seasoned)
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1/2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 c. grated onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients. Form into tiny meatballs and drop into broth to cook. When cooked, add carrots, spinach, and pasta. Cover and simmer 10-20 minutes.

**I had enough leftovers from the 1 lb of turkey I bought, so I made a mixture of extra meatball ingredients that I'm going to put in the freezer so that all I have to do is unthaw the next time I'm ready to make this as the rest of the ingredients are things I would have on hand anyway. A quick weeknight meal!**

And, We're Back - with BBQ Beef Cups

Long time, no blog. Sorry. It's life. It happens to the best of us.

Here is what we're having tonight (assuming I ever manage to wrestle the munchkins to the dinner table - right now they are playing somewhat nicely together, David is stuck in an airport somewhere, and I'm enjoying the closest to quiet it gets around here. Dinner can wait.)



Not the prettiest dish ever, but tasty, quick and most importantly, made from leftovers. This used to be a roast and a hamburger, but not anymore! Nope, now it is all fancy-like and goes by "BBQ Beef Cup."

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

So, for the biscuit cups, grab:

• 2 cups of Bisquick Mix
• 1/2 c. cold water (I usually have to add a tad more)

Mix together just until a soft dough forms. As with all biscuit dough, mix as little as possible or it will get tough. Press into 12 greased muffin cups so that a little cup shape forms.

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• leftover beef (I used roast and hamburger) or just 1 lb of ground beef
• 1/2 c. BBQ sauce
• 1/2 c. cheddar cheese (for sprinkling)

Cook onion and garlic until soft, heat beef until warm (or cook it all the way if you are starting with fresh beef.) Stir in the BBQ sauce and cook until warm. Spoon into cups and sprinkle with cheese. Cook 7-9 minutes or until biscuits are done. Dinner is ready! Yee-haw!

Cobb Salad Dressing

Here is one of my favorite salad dressings this summer. I seriously can't get enough. I think it is part of my red wine vinegar addiction. We love it over any kind of spinach salad.

• 1/4 c. water
• 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper
• 3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 3/4 c. veg. oil

Mix all ingredients in a jar and shake really well and serve quickly. It stores in the fridge forever!

Jay's Signature Pizza Crust

Here is my favorite no-frills pizza crust. It has a kind of crispy outside and soft and chewy inside. I love it for grilled pizzas! I usually make it in my bread machine, but you can certainly make it by hand, just be sure to knead it plenty and let it rise. I'm just usually lazy or busy doing other things.

• 2 1/4 tsp yeast
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 c warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

I put all of the wet ingredients in first, then the dry ingredients in last. (yeast very last.) Turn on the pizza dough setting, come back and hour later, and pizza dough. Unless it is humid. Then, I usually have to add another cup or so of flour and let it run some more.

Bake in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese and crust are golden.

Chicken and Rice Wraps

Here is a recipe that is great for making a big batch and putting in the freezer. I have these for lunch a lot, and they are a lot healthier than Hotpockets. (Do I have you singing the song yet?)

1 lb. chopped grilled chicken(or just boiled)
1 c. salsa
black beans (probably about 2 cups - whatever I have left over from the other night)
1-2 tbsp taco seasoning
2 cups cooked brown rice
12 whole wheat flour tortillas

Combine chicken, salsa, black beans and taco seasoning. Heat until warm. Stir in rice. Spoon over tortillas. Serve with extra salsa and sour cream.

The extras can be saran wrapped and then put in a freezer bag and into the freezer. Warm in the microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds or until the middle is warm.