Pierogi Casserole

Good afternoon bloggers! I want to get started today by mentioning that I used to live in New England, and New Englanders love pierogi. If you don't know what a pierogi is, I have no choice but to fill you in, because you are missing out my friend. A pierogi is a dumpling filled with potato filling, ground meat, cheese, or sauerkraut. They are first boiled, then baked or fried in butter with onions. The taste is like Heaven in your mouth. There's no other way to describe it.

Our dish today takes the taste of pierogi, but twists it into the form of a casserole. It's super simple to make, and it will be even easier to consume! So, whenever you're ready, I'll meet you in the kitchen.

Pierogi Casserole

Yields 12 servings

You will need:

• 9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 4 cups hot mashed potatoes
• 1/2 cup Philadelphia Herb & Garlic cream cheese spread
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 package Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Recipe Pieces, divided
• 2 cups Kraft Double Cheddar shredded cheese, divided

Ready?

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook noodles as directed on package, omitting salt. 
3. Meanwhile, combine mashed potatoes, cream cheese spread, onions, 1/2 cup bacon and 1 cup Cheddar.
4. Place 3 noodles in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray, then cover with 1/3 of the potato mixture. 
5. Repeat the layers twice. 
6. Top with the remaining bacon and Cheddar, then cover.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through. 
8. Uncover and bake 3 to 5 minutes or until Cheddar is lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting to serve.
9. Enjoy!

Once again, thank you for joining me for another amazing recipe. Stay tuned this week for our guest blogger, Dani. You should expect her post come Wednesday. For now, have a great day, and happy blogging!

Triple Whammy, Cinco de Mayo Style!

Good morning bloggers, and Happy Cinco de Mayo! Today, we have a triple whammy in celebration of today's holiday. We are going to start on a wonderful note with a meal, followed by dessert, and then we will finish everything off with a classic beverage for us older folks.

Everything is pretty straight forward, so there's really no unnecessary commentary to be made today. Aww, I know... all of you are probably making sad faces because you love my commentary, right? Haha, it's okay though. I promise boring commentary in later posts. It's a staple in this blog. So, let's get in the kitchen and make some food!

Enchiladas Verdes

Yields 4 servings

You will need:

• 2 bone-in chicken breast halves
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 pound fresh tomatillos, husks removed
• 5 serrano peppers
• 1/4 white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 pinch salt
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. 
2. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 20 minutes. 
3. Reserve the broth, set chicken aside to cool, and discard onion and garlic. 
4. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with your hands. 
5. Place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a pot with water, enough to cover them. 
6. Bring to boil, and continue boiling until tomatillos turn a different shade of green (from bright green to a dull, army green). 
7. Strain tomatillos and chiles, and place in a blender with another quarter piece of onion, 1 clove garlic, and a pinch of salt. 
8. Pour in the reserved chicken broth, so that liquid just covers the veggies in the blender by about an inch. Blend all ingredients until they are completely pureed. 
9. Pour salsa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil. 
10. Pour oil in a frying pan, and allow to get very hot. 
11. Slightly fry the tortillas one by one in hot oil, setting each on a paper towel afterwards to soak some of the oil. 
12. Finally, dip the slightly fried tortillas in low-boiling green salsa, until tortillas become soft again. 
13. Place on plates, 3 per person. 
14. Fill or top tortillas with shredded chicken, then extra green sauce. 
15. Top with crumbled cheese, chopped onion, and chopped cilantro.
16. Enjoy!

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Tres Leches (Milk Cake)

You will need:

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Grease and flour one 9x13 inch baking pan.
3. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
4. Cream butter or margarine and the 1 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time; mix until well blended. 
6. Pour batter into prepared pan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 
8. Pierce cake several times with a fork.
9. Combine the whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. 
10. Pour the milks over the top of the cooled cake.
11. Whip whipping cream, the remaining 1 cup of the sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla together until thick. 
12. Spread over the top of cake. 
13. Keep the cake refrigerated until serving.

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Classic Sauza®-Rita

Yields 7 servings

You will need:

• 8 ounces Sauza® Blanco Tequila
• 4 ounces DeKuyper® Triple Sec
• 12 ounces fresh lime juice
• 12 ounces simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar)

Instructions:

1. Pour Sauza Blanco Tequila into pitcher with ice. 
2. Add in 4 oz DeKuyper Triple Sec and 12 oz fresh lime juice. 
3. Lastly add 12 oz simple syrup, stir and serve over ice. 

Okay everyone, I've had a blast giving you guys some fun ideas for Cinco de Mayo. Stay tuned this week for our guest blogger, Dani, and her amazing recipes. Be safe today, and I'll catch you all on the flip side! Adios!

Gorditas with Picadillo

Good evening bloggers! Welcome to a new edition of Everyday Meals! I'm your host, Mandie. Tonight, we are continuing with our Cinco de Mayo celebration. We are going to try some street food that's sure to be a big hit with your party guests!

On the menu tonight, we have Gorditas with Picadillo.
A gordita is a small cake (but not the typical sweet kind), filled with all types of delicious goodness, like cheese, meat, and other stuff. The gordita is prepared like a thick tortilla, and then fried. Picadillo is like a hash. It's made with ground beef, tomatoes, etc. The ingredients vary by region.

So, I'm going to spare you anymore of my awesome ramblings so we can get into the kitchen and make some comida (that means "food", in Spanish).

Gorditas with Picadillo

You will need:

• 1.75 cups masa harina (corn flour)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbs. shortening, softened to room temperature
• 1.5 cups water
• Oil for frying

For the Picadillo, you will need:

• 1 Tbs. oil
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 of an onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 jalapenos, diced with stems and seeds removed
• 1 Tbs. chili powder
• 1 Tbs. dry oregano
• 1 Tbs. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 5 plum tomatoes, diced
• 2 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 Tbs. lime juice

Ready?

1. In a large skillet heated with the oil over medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the beef has browned and the onion has turned translucent.
2. Add the garlic, jalapenos, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cayenne, cilantro, tomatoes, potato, and a large pinch of salt and pepper to the skillet with the beef. 
3. Stir until everything is well-combined. 
4. Add water, turn down the heat and cover, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes have become tender. 
5. Taste for seasoning and add the lime juice, then set the skillet aside.
6. While the picadillo is cooking, mix the masa harina, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. 
7. Add the shortening and water, and stir until a smooth dough has formed.
8. Divide the gordita dough into 8 equal portioned balls. 
9. Press each ball until it has formed a disk that is approximately 4 inches across.
10. Heat a skillet with enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet over medium heat. 
11. Once the oil is hot, fry the gorditas in batches, browning each side until it is golden brown (approximately 2-3 minutes per side). 
12. Drain the gorditas on a paper towel-lined plate until ready to serve.
13. Once the gorditas have cooled to the point where you can handle them, using a sharp knife, split the gordita in half. 
14. Stuff the gorditas with the picadillo and your desired toppings.

I want to end on a great note by letting you all know that starting sometime soon, there will be a guest blogger joining us. She's one of my good friends, and such a doll! I'll catch you all tomorrow. Enjoy your gorditas, and good night!

Chipotle Beef Taquitos

Good evening bloggers! Welcome to a brand-spankin' new entry of Everyday Meals! Today, we continue with our Cinco de Mayo theme. If you weren't with us yesterday, we made Chicken Tinga. You can find that entry by clicking here.

I want to get things started by stating that I love, love, love taquitos. They are easy to handle, easy to make, and delicious. Not just that, but you can put virtually anything you desire in them!

If you have absolutely no idea what a taquito is, let me clear things up for you. A taquito is a dish consisting of a rolled-up tortilla, and some sort of filling, such as beef or chicken. From there, the filled tortilla is then fried and served with some sort of yummy condiment.

Okay, if you are still confused, stay tuned and you will see just how awesome this meal is!

Chipotle Beef Taquitos

Yields 20 taquitos

You will need:

• 3 cups cooked, shredded beef
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon minced chipotle in adobo
• 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles
• 1 tablespoon adobo (from the canned chipotle in adobo)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• zest of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 12 ounces crumbled Cotija cheese
• 20 white corn tortillas
• cooking spray
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt

Ready?

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the minced chipotle pepper, green chiles, adobo sauce, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, chili powder, lime zest and lime juice. 
3. Add the beef and toss to combine.
4. Wrap 10 of the tortillas in a damp kitchen towel and microwave for 1 minute. 
5. Place 1 tablespoon of the Cotija cheese down the center of 1 tortilla, then top with 1-2 tablespoons of the beef mixture. 
6. Roll tightly and place on a baking sheet, seam side down. 
7. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, then heat the remaining 10 tortillas in the damp towel. 
8. Repeat filling and rolling until all the tortillas are filled.
9. Spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt. 
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. 
11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a minute or two before serving.
12. Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me, and I hope to see you all back here for another Cinco de Mayo inspired recipe tomorrow! Adios!

Chicken Tinga

Hey everyone! I know it's been over a year since I last posted. Life got hectic, there was a move, loss of a couple computers, etc. I know, I know... No excuse. I'm back though to get this blog rolling. As you may very well know, Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. It's one of the many celebrated drinking days that we have. Haha, but no. It's actually celebrated here in the US and in Mexico as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. Originally, it was to a way to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War.

So to celebrate the upcoming holiday, I want to do a few days of authentic meals that hail from Mexico. To start us off, we will be making: Chicken Tinga. For those of you who do not know what that is, it's a dish of shredded chicken in a tomato and chili chipotle sauce. It's super versatile, as well as quick to make. Please note: if you do not like smoky flavors, or even the slightest hint of spice, then this dish is probably not for you. Now, let's begin!

Chicken Tinga

Yields 10-12 servings

You will need:

• 6 cups water
• 2 pounds skinless/boneless chicken breast
• 4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
• 1 large vine ripened tomato, quartered
• 1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 large vine ripened tomatoes, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 12 Flat tostada shells, packaged or corn tortillas

You can choose whatever toppings you enjoy. I recommend iceberg lettuce, avocados, or queso fresco.

1. In a large stockpot, over medium to high heat, add water, chicken, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 clove garlic, and quartered onion. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Set aside.
2. Remove the chicken and allow it to cool. After the chicken cools off, shred it.
3. In a blender add the boiled onion and garlic clove, quartered tomato, chipotle peppers including adobo sauce, 2 teaspoons salt, and enough chicken broth to fill the blender half way. Puree until smooth.
4. Heat the oil in a large and deep pan over medium heat.
5. Once it is hot but not smoking, stir in the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes.
6. Add chopped tomatoes and chopped garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
7. Add the cooked shredded chicken, the chipotle sauce from the blender and more chicken broth if it is too dry. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Add salt to taste.

For the Tostadas:

1. In a heavy skillet, heat one-quarter inch of oil. 
2. Drop tortillas carefully into hot oil, one at a time, for 20 to 40 seconds on each side or until crisp and golden. 
3. Drain on paper towels.

To Assemble:

Place a tostada on a serving plate, spoon on the Chicken Tinga, garnish, and enjoy!

How easy was that? I hope you enjoyed joining me for this amazing recipe. Stay tuned for another exciting Cinco de Mayo inspired recipe tomorrow! Adios!

Linguini with Roasted Vegetables and Tomato Basil Chicken Meatballs

Good morning bloggers. I know it's been a while since I've posted anything. I have to say that I've missed everyone. These past few weeks have been crazy. My family had an emergency. My brother ended up in the hospital, but he is now back on the road to recovery. As for me, I'm in the midst of trying to land an awesome apartment with my husband. I mean, REALLY awesome apartment. There are spiral stairs, a fireplace, and a huge patio. We may or may not get that apartment, but whatever we do, we are definitely getting an apartment there. Now, on the topic of food, we will be making linguini with chicken meatballs. I know, I know... Who uses chicken to make meatballs? Simple answer: we do. So, grab those aprons and let's meet back in the kitchen. See you there!

Linguini with Roasted Vegetables and Tomato Basil Chicken Meatballs

You will need:

• 1 package Tomato & Basil Chicken Meatballs
• Extra virgin olive oil with garlic
• 1 pint fresh red cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 pound asparagus, cooked and drained
• 1 white onion, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 3 fresh garlic cloves
• 8 ounces linguini pasta, dry
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil leaves
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Ready?

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss the cherry tomatoes, asparagus, onion and garlic with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper.
3. Spread the mixture on the sheet pan, and roast for 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Stir half way and continue to roast until nicely browned.
5. Meanwhile, cook the linguini according to package instructions.
6. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta liquid.
7. Drain the pasta and keep warm.
8. Prepare a large saute pan with cooking spray.
9. Brown the tomato basil chicken meatballs over medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
10. Add the cooked pasta in with the roasted vegetables and toss together.
11. Lower the heat to medium, add remaining olive oil, basil, Parmesan cheese, salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then toss well.
12. Serve immediately with crusty Italian bread.

Thank you for joining me today. I am making a heavy effort to try and get my behind back into gear. As long as I am still located where I am, I will do my best to be back here most days. Once I move, I will be on here as soon as possible. Have a great day and I'll catch you on the flip side. Happy blogging to all! <3

Diabetes, Conquer the Recipe Beast!

Good afternoon bloggers! Welcome to another issue of Everyday Meals. As always, I'm your host, Mandie. Today, we are going to begin our transformation in this blog. I found out some news the other day that was less than entertaining. I think it's important for everyone to have a little knowledge on diabetes. There are 3 main types, Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes. I'm not going to lie and say that these are the only kinds of diabetes, because they aren't. Type 1 and Type 2 can be controlled with medication. Neither of them can be cured. I have the offspring of a type of diabetes. I have Hyperglycemia. This is where the body circulates an excessive amount of glucose in the blood plasma. If these are not properly taken care of, they can become harmful and even life threatening. If you think that you might have diabetes, contact your doctor and make an appointment as soon as possible. Now, moving on. Our recipe for today is indeed a diabetic recipe. This is due to the fact that I have to make changes in my life, including food. I'm not going to constantly spam you with diabetic recipes, but I think it is wise to have some options. Now, grab those aprons and let's get in the kitchen! I'll meet you there!

Macadamia and Oat Encrusted Halibut  

You will need:

• 6 halibut fillets
• 1 cup oats
• ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• dash salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 egg white  

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
3. Combine the oats, nuts, thyme, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large dish.
4. In another medium-sized dish, beat the water and egg white until frothy.
5. Dip the halibut fillets into the egg mixture and coat the fillet.
6. Dip the halibut into the oat mixture.
7. Place the halibut fillets in the casserole dish and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the fish appears to flake easily with a fork.
8. Plate and enjoy!  

Thank you for coming out to enjoy an awesome recipe. Be aware that, even if you have diabetes, you can eat some amazing meals. Don't let the misconception fool you. It's about eating properly and being aware of labels. Go out into the world, and enjoy the rest of your day. Seize the day! Carpe Diem my friends and happy blogging to all! <3