oven tacos {winner!}

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Oven Tacos from Beckie:
via Mommy I'm Hungry

2 lbs ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1 T chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 (8 oz) can low sodium tomato sauce
1 (16 oz) can fat free refried beans
2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese
18-20 hard taco shells

Optional condiments -
Lettuce, shredded
Tomato, diced
salsa
guacamole
sour cream
olives, sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess liquid. Return to pan, add chilies, refried beans, tomato sauce and spices. Mix well and cook for a few minutes if mixture seems runny.

Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9x13 inch baking dish, standing up. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell. Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through. Remove from the oven and top with any optional condiments for serving.

mediterranean orzo spinach salad. {winner!!}

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Mediterranean Orzo Spinach Salad from Shalee:

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
2 T olive oil, divided
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
5 green onions, chopped
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add orzo, cook for 5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain. Heat 1 T. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the meat and garlic in the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until evenly browned. Remove from heat, and drain. In a large bowl, mix the spinach, tomatoes, lemon juice and zest, mint, parsley, green onions, and remaining olive oil. Toss with the orzo, meat, and feta cheese to serve.

ceviche dip. {winner!!}

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Ceviche Dip from Michelle:

1 cup raw shrimp, chopped into bite size pieces

2 limes, juiced

2 lemons, juiced

8 oz package grape tomatoes, quartered

1/3 cup red onion, chopped small

1 tsp minced jalepeno (I used jarred)

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

2 clementine oranges, juiced

1 avocado, chopped

garlic salt

olive oil

coarse salt and cracked pepper

Cover shrimp with juice of limes and lemons in fridge and let macerate (the citrus juice will "cook" the shrimp and they will turn pink). It should take about 30 minutes. Drain the juices off the shrimp. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Drizzle with olive oil and season with garlic salt, salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips.

brownie batter dip {winner!!}

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Brownie Batter Dip from Shalee:

via Mels Kitchen Cafe

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar, plus more for stiffer consistency, if needed

5 Tbsp all-purpose flour

5 Tbsp cocoa powder, regular or Dutch-process

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2-3 Tbsp milk

Chocolate Chips for garnish (optional)

Pretzels, strawberries, graham crackers, animal crackers, apples for dipping

In a large bowl, whip together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Mix well. Add the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk. Mix until fluffy and smooth. Add additional powdered sugar and/or milk, if needed, until desired consistency is reached. The dip should be soft enough to easily dip a pretzel in without breaking it, but not so soft it spreads out instead of holding it's shape in a fluffy cloud of brownie batter goodness. garnish with chocolate chips, if desired.

seared chicken with avocado. {winner!}

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Seared Chicken with Avocado from Shalee:

1 1/2 tsp blackened seasoning

4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 tsp olive oil

1 diced peeled avocado

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)

1 lime, cut into fourths

Sprinkle seasoning on both sides of chicken. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chicken; cook 1 minute or until seared. Reduce heat to medium; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.

Combine avocado and next four ingredients. Squeeze lime over chicken before serving. Top with avocado mixture.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1/4 cup avocado mixture).

chipotle chicken skewers with creamy dipping sauce. {winner!}

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Chipotle Chicken Skewers With Creamy Dipping Sauce from Randi:

via Mels Kitchen Cafe

Chicken Skewers

2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (to reduce spiciness, scrape out seeds prior to mincing)

2 tsp adobo sauce

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

12 bamboo or metal skewers

Creamy Dipping Sauce

3/4 cup lowfat sour cream

1/4 cup lowfat mayonnaise or Greek yogurt

1/4 cup lime juice

1/8 tsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp cilantro leaves, minced

2 green onions, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Slice the chicken breasts into long, thin strips, about 1/2-inch thick. You should have right around 30 strips. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cilantro, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss the chicken with the brown sugar mixture coating all the pieces evenly. Cover the chicken (or place in a ziploc bag) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

For the dipping sauce, in a bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Cover the mixture and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes until the flavors combine. Alternately, you can make the dipping sauce in advance and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Be sure to season the dipping sauce with additional lime juice, salt and pepper to taste before serving.

30 minutes before grilling, cover the bamboo skewers with water and soak. Skip this step if using metal skewers.

Preheat an oven broiler or grill. Weave two strips of chicken onto each skewer. Broil or grill the chicken for 5-8 minutes until cooked through, using nonstick cooking spray on a foil-lined pan if you are broiling. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

italian stuffed mushrooms {winner!}

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Italian Stuffed Mushrooms from Melanie:

via Bon Apetit

2 Tbsp olive oil

24 large (about 2-inch-diameter) mushrooms, stems removed and chopped, caps reserved

1/2 cup chopped fresh fennel bulb

1/4 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup grated Fontina cheese or crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup (packed) chopped fresh basil

1 large egg

Additional olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Brush 15x10x2 inch glass baking dish with oil. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped mushroom stems, fennel, tomatoes and garlic. Sauté until stems and fennel are tender and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes; transfer to medium bowl. Cool 10 minutes. Mix in cheeses, then basil. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in egg. Arrange mushroom caps in prepared dish, cavity side up. Brush mushroom cavities lightly with additional oil. Mound filling in mushroom cavities, pressing to adhere. Bake until mushrooms are tender and filling is heated through, about 25 minutes, and serve. 

rosemary & olive oil pita chips with tuscan white bean dip {Winner!!}

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Rosemary & Olive Oil Pita Chips with Tuscan White Bean Dip from Tamara:

Ingredients: 

• dried rosemary (not fresh) (I used about 1T)
• extra virgin olive oil (I used about 1/2 cup) 
• 15 ounce can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
• 2T fresh lemon juice along with and the grated lemon peel of one lemon
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

1.  Soak some dried rosemary in a bowl of extra virgin olive oil.  This mixture is used for brushing on the pitas.  Let this soak for at least an hour.  

2.  Blend beans, parsley, lemon juice & grated lemon peel, garlic, salt and pepper (to taste) in food processor.  Drizzle 1/3 cup of olive oil in a constant stream while blending.  Blend until creamy and smooth. 

3.  For the pita chips, buy a bag of fresh pitas.  Cut each pita into long strips - 8 per pita (I used a pizza cutter) Snip the tips off (with kitchen shears) each strip to square them off and separate.  After separation you should have around 16 individual chips then per pita. Brush each strip with the rosemary olive oil mixture on the rough side of the pita, the inner side, place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with kosher salt and bake in a 400F oven for about 7-8 minutes, or until golden brown. Let them cool on a rack.   If you want to make them ahead and store them, place in a cookie tin between sheets of wax paper. They will stay crunchy and delicious for up to 3 weeks!  

coconut and lime sour bars {winner!}

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Coconut and Lime Sour Bars from Brittany:

(via Natalie Anderson)

Crust:

2 cups flour

4 T sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 stick plus 2 1/2 T butter

Mash together (dry but holds together). Pour into a 9x13 pan. Press into pan as evenly as possible. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Filling:

4 eggs

1 cup chopped almonds

3 cups coconut flakes

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

Mix and spread over hot baked crust. Bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Glaze:

4 T lime juice (2 limes)

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp lime zest

Glaze while HOT. Work quickly. Can add a little more lime juice to thin the glaze a bit.

slow cooker tomato basil parmesan soup {winner!}

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Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup from Tamara:

2 (14 oz) cans S & W Italian Recipe diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 bay leaf
1/2 cup flour
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (make sure to use freshly grated, not powdered)
garnish (optional)
1/2 cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed (substitute milk for less calories)
Kosher salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.  **If putting in crock pot less than 7-8 hours, sauté celery, carrots and onions until slightly soft before putting in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft. At this point I used a hand immersion blender to blend vegetables to a smooth texture. (You can also transfer to a blender in batches) If you prefer a chunkier texture you can leave it as is or even blend just some of it. Return to blended vegetables back to the slow cooker.

About 40 minutes before serving prepare the roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add the flour. Stir roux constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

Serve with additional grated Parmesan, if desired.

**If you blend soup smooth with blender, you can make a healthier version by cutting roux in half as the blended vegetables help create a thicker texture.

christmas slush {winner!}

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Christmas Slush from Mindi:

1 big Tupperware 

2 bottles apricots juice and all, put in blender

Then add lots of grapefruit, oranges, 2 cans mandarin oranges and juice, 1-2 can crushed or pineapple tidbits, pears in juice and a can of lemonade concentrate. Add bananas when serving. Freeze and serve with 7-Up.

enchiladas {winner!}

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Enchiladas from Randi:

1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and chopped or shredded

4 green onions

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

3 cans (10 oz. each) green enchilada sauce

8 flour tortillas

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray and [lace over medium-high heat.  Adds green onion and cilantro.  Saute for 2 minutes.  Add chicken and 1 can of enchilada sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Pour the 2 remaining cans of enchilada sauce in a medium bowl and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes.  Dip each tortilla in the heated sauce and fill with about 1/8 of the chicken mixture.  Roll up and place, seaside down, in the baking dish.  

Pour remaining heated sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake until they are heated though and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

Top with sour cream, tomatoes, salsa, lettuce……

truffle hot chocolate balls {winner!}

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Truffle Hot Chocolate Balls from Michelle:

Recipe from Mels Kitchen Cafe

book: Polar Express

*Makes about 9-10 hot chocolate balls

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Microwave for one minute intervals, stirring often, until the mixture is combined and very smooth and silky. When you first start stirring, after the first minute or so, you'll wonder if this mixture will ever come together. It will look grainy and messy but after it heats thoroughly and is whisked to combine, it will magically become beautifully smooth. Be careful not to overheat as the chocolate can seize. The trick is to stir often since the mixture will blend together even when it looks like the chocolate chips haven't melted completely.

Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until the ganache mixture is firm and scoopable, about 2-3 hours. Scoop out about 1/4-cup spoonfuls of the mixture and place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. My cookie scoop is about 1 1/2 tablespoons. I mounded two of the heaping cookie scoops full of ganache on top of each other to form one ball. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the mounds harden slightly, about 15-20 minutes. Roll the chilled mounds into balls and place on squares of plastic wrap (about 4 inches by 4 inches). Pull the sides of the plastic wrap over to cover the ball and place the balls in the freezer until ready to use.

To make the hot chocolate: pour 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups (depending on how rich you like your cocoa) milk into a microwave-safe mug. Carefully drop one unwrapped truffle hot chocolate ball in the milk. Microwave for about 2 minutes. Stir well until the chocolate is combined with the milk. Serve warm!

mint and lemonade slushy {winner!!}

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Mint and Lemonade Slushy from Jenn:

2 1/3 cups water

2 1/3 cups sugar

1 lemon thinly sliced

2 1/3 cups fresh lemon juice (about 10 lemons)

Bring water and sugar to a boil in medium saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cover and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sliced lemon. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Stir in the lemon juice. Pour mixture through a strainer into an 8-cup glass pitcher and discard the lemon slices. Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours or until chilled.

Slushy

4 cups ice

Mint leaves - to taste

Lemonade

Pour ice into blender. Add mint leaves as desired and pour lemonade to the top of the ice. Blend until slushy. Serve with a sprig of mint or a lemon slice.

muffins {winner!!}

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Muffins from Heidi:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar, or to taste

2 large bananas, mashed

1 (4.5 ounce) jar baby food squash

2 carrots, grated

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup oat bran

1 tsp baking soad

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 24 mini muffin cups or 12 standard muffin cups. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in the mashed bananas, squash, carrots and eggs. Stir in the flour, oat bran, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt until just combined. Spoon the batter equally into the prepared muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 15-20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Store at room temperature for up to two days or freeze.

cinnamon pull-apart bread {winner!!}

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Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread from Beckie:

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 package active dry year (2 1/4 tsp)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 heaping tsp. baking powder
1/2 scant tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
Cinnamon

Glaze:

8 oz. powdered sugar
4 T melted butter
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Enough milk to make a glaze to desired consistency

Instructions:
In a large (at least 4-quart) pot or saucepan, combine milk, sugar and oil. Heat just to boiling, stirring occasionally, and then remove from heat. If you've got lots of ice handy, dump all that you have into a clean sink and then place the pan of scalded milk over the ice. This way, the milk mixture cools quickly and the melted ice just drips down the drain.

When the milk has cooled to around 105-115 degrees, remove from ice and sprinkle yeast over the milk mixture. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes. Stir. Mix in 4 c. flour and cover. This can be done with a wooden spoon; the dough is VERY soft, more like a batter. Allow to stand for 1 hour.

Mix remaining 1/2 cup flour with baking soda, baking powder and salt. Sprinkle over the dough and then mix it in with the wooden spoon. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the pan and refrigerate for at least a few hours and up to 24 hours.

Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and set it aside.

When you're ready to use the dough, turn it onto a lightly floured surface.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 18 inches wide by 9 inches tall. Spread with 6 T of melted butter or softened butter. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and an even sprinkling of cinnamon.

Using a pizza wheel, cut the dough into six 3" strips. Stack the strips 3 strips high (so you have 2 piles). Cut each of the stacks into three 3" squares. Place the squares, cut side up (not the flat, sugared side) into prepared pan, being careful not to stuff too much dough into the pan. Any leftover dough can be baked in mini pans or muffin tins.

Melt 2 T of butter and drizzle over the loaf. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

While the loaf is rising, preheat oven to 350.

Bake for 25-35 minutes (or until baked through). If you don't want your fire alarm to go off, place a baking sheet on the rack below the loaf pan. If the loaf is getting too brown on top, lightly place a sheet of aluminum foil over the loaf while it finishes baking.

Remove from oven and cool completely.

Whisk together glaze ingredients until smooth and desired consistency is reached. Place the glaze in a Ziploc bag and snip a small corner off the bag. Drizzle over the loaf.

Source: Our Best Bites

pei wei's crab wontons {winner!}

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Pei Wei's Crab Wontons from Lauren:

1 can (6-7 oz) white crab meat

8 oz cream cheese (softened)

2-3 sliced green onions

1/2 T garlic powder

Splash of soy sauce

Wonton wrappers

Cooking oil

Mix the first five ingredients into a paste. Spoon mixture into wonton wrappers and fold corners into center. If they aren't sticking together, wet your finger tips and press seam together. (Too much water will mess it up, so you just want wet fingertips, not entire splashes of water). Fry the wontons in one inch of hot oil until browned. Drain on paper towels. Serve with sweet and sour dipping sauce.

margaux's curried chicken sandwich {winner!}

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Margaux's Curried Chicken Sandwich from Heidi:

Celebrity: Oprah

Makes 6 servings

20 whole black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

2 whole cloves

1/2 lemon

3 lbs medium chicken tenders

1/2 cup plus 2 T spicy brown mustard

1/2 cup honey

1 1/4 tsp curry powder

3/4 tsp lemon pepper

1/8 tsp salt

Butter for spreading

1 loaf challah or other rich egg bread, cut into 12 thick slices

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 bag (about 5 ounces) mesclun salad greens

Red grapes and assorted berries for garnish

In a large saucepan over high heat, add peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves, lemon and 14 cups water; cover and bring to a boil. Add chicken and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, 7 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through; drain. Once cool, quarter each tender crosswise.

In a large bowl, combine mustard, honey, curry powder, lemon pepper and salt; stir in chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day.

Butter both sides of bread slices. In a heated nonstick skillet over medium-high flame, cook bread in batches 3 to 5 minutes or until browned, turning once.

Combine carrots and almonds with chicken mixture. Divide chicken curry among 6 bread slices. Top with tomatoes, mesclun and remaining bread slices. Serve with fruit.

pasta pine nut salad {winner!}

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Pasta Pine Nut Salad from Beckie:

1 bag/box pasta, cooked and rinsed in cold water

1/2 lb. bacon, cooked to crisp

1/2 c. toasted pine nuts

1 basket cherry tomatoes

1 c. crumbled feta cheese

2 T. chopped fresh basil

Dressing:

1 tsp garlic, crushed

1/4 cup grated/shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

S&P to taste

Combine pasta - basil. Add dressing and toss gently.

m&m cookie bars. {winner!}

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M&M Cookie Bars from Lori:

2/3 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 bag chocolate chips
1 tsp baking soda overflowing
1 small bag M&M's

-Mix sugars and butter
-Add eggs and vanilla
-Mix flour, salt and baking soda, then add to wet mixture
-Add chocolate chips
-Press dough into cookie sheet
-Press M&M's into dough
-Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes