Mexican wedding cakes (cookies)

From December 12, 2012

Our homeschooling group is having an Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta tomorrow with a Mexican potluck. I wanted to bring something Mexican, but all of the go-to simple items were covered. I was looking for something quick and easy to make, since I was trying to nurse and put a newborn to sleep around the same time (sometimes it takes ALL evening). These Mexican wedding cakes looked just the thing. And they were.

Ingredients

1/2 pound (1 cups) butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped very fine or ground in a food processor
1 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar for dusting and rolling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl with beater attachment, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and beat again until smooth.

Scrape down sides of bowl. Add vanilla and salt, beat and scrape down once more. Turn mixer to low, add flour and ground toasted pecans. Beat only until incorporated and mixed well. Scrape bowl.

Using a medium sized cookie scoop or Tablespoon, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving a little room between each ball. Do not flatten.

Bake in 350 degree over for 14 minutes or until cookies are almost firm and the edges are lightly browned. Let cool just enough to handle.

Remove from oven and as soon as you can handle them, gently roll the cookies into the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Tap off sugar and place them on a cool cookie sheet.

When the cookies are all coated, start over again, and roll them in powdered sugar a second time. Shake off excess and place on cookie sheets.

I made mine a tad small, as I was trying to make more, but this should yield 30 cakes (I made 35).

Mexican lasagna

From 08/17/2012 (by Eye-Fi)

...totally experimental, but it got good reviews from all partakers. Abigail kept thanking me "so much!" for making it.

I was actually just trying to use up some ingredients we still had hanging around after our lake trip-- here's what went in...

~1 lb ground beef
~one onion, chopped
~4ish cloves garlic
~maybe 1/2 a packet of taco seasoning
~1 can enchilada sauce
~1 can black beans, drained
~1 cup salsa
~some pepper
~1.5 cups cottage cheese
~2 cups shredded cheddar/Mexican cheese
~lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 400. Brown meat, drain any fat and set aside. Saute onions and garlic and add to meat. Add taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, beans, salsa, pepper and simmer together for a few minutes. Layer meat mixture, cottage cheese, shredded cheese and lasagna noodles for 2-3 layers and end with last of meat mixture topped with shredded cheese. Cover with foil and cook for 45 min. Remove foil and cook for another 15 min. Serve with fruit and salad. Yum.

Southwestern chicken and rice bake

From 08/06/2012 (by Eye-Fi)

I've been trying new recipes out occasionally and even meaning to post some, but life has just been taking over. This recipe was one that I'll be making again, though, as it's healthy, relatively quick prep (despite the seemingly long list of ingredients), and all of the kids ate it gratefully-- often a difficult feat.

http://southernfood.about.com/od/chickencasseroles/r/bl51204a.htm
(This recipe made two meals for our family)

chicken tortilla soup

From 01/31/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

The other day when I happened to be in Giant Eagle, samples of this were being given out. It was very good-- I took one of the recipe sheets. It would have been too spicy for the kids, so I just did away with the hot peppers and only added half of the chili powder, and it wasn't spicy at all. I probably could have added a little more, but the kids liked it. And Iris discovered avocados, which I served with the soup, along with tortilla chips and salsa.

From 01/31/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

Chicken tortilla soup

3 Thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 C chopped green onions
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (we skipped this and replaced it with 1/2 a red bell pepper)
1 pablano pepper, diced (we skipped this too)
2 TBSP canola oil
1 stick of butter (we used a cup of Smart Balance)
1/2 C flour
1/2 C shredded Mexican 4 cheese blend
1/2 C fat free Greek yogurt
4 C chicken broth
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (7 oz) can fire roasted diced green chiles (we skipped this)
1 C frozen corn
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder (I used only 1 tsp)
salt, to taste

Directions--

Heat oil in large pan and saute chicken, onions and peppers, seasoning with 1/2 the cumin and chili powder.
While chicken is cooking, melt butter in large stock pot over med. heat. whisk in flour, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk 1/4 C at a time, then the cheese, yogurt, and chicken broth, ensuring each ingredient is well incorporated before adding the next.
Stir in remaining ingredients including the cooked chicken, bring to simmer and serve.

baked turkey taquitos

(image: Bree via the creative mama)

We had these tonight, and they were definitely worth a mention here- healthy, easy to prepare, easy for the kids to pick up and eat, tasty. Plus, we got to have "apple-cados"- one of Gail's favorites.