Bruschetta

The other day while doing our Christmas food shopping I came across this gorgeous yellow and orange tomatoes. I know how much the kids enjoy bruschetta so I made it for them. I love this recipe since is so easy to make and so nutritional. This is a great appetizer and is a great recipe for a dinner party since you can make it ahead of time.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Roma tomatoes
• 1/4 Cup Red Onions finely chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves finely chopped
• 8-16 Fresh Basil Leafs (more or less depending on your taste)
• 1 tsp Crushed Dried Oregano
• 4 tbs Olive Oil (or you can add to taste)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 Loaf of French Bread or Baguette

Directions:

1. Chop tomatoes in cubes about 1-2 centimeters and add to bowl
2. Add finely chopped red onion, garlic, and oregano to bowl
3. Mince fresh basil and add to bowl
4. Drizzle olive oil to bowl and season with salt and pepper
5. Slice bread and toast on either the oven or in the gridle
6. You can either put the tomato mixture on top of the bread or you can set the two together and let your guest make their own. (if this is for a dinner party is better to not serve or bread will become soggy).

New York Cheese Cake

This past Christmas I cooked up a storm and this year was my first time trying to make a new york style cheese cake. I found this recipe really easy to make and everyone who tried it said it was great. It's a great recipe for you to make with your kids. Without further ado here is the recipe. Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 Cup Flour
• 4 8oz Cream Cheese
• 1 1/2 White Sugar
• 2/3 Cup Milk
• 4 Eggs
• 2 packages Galletas Marias
• 1 1/2 Stick of Butter
• 1 tbs Vanilla Extract
• Shortening to line pan

Directions:

1. Grease up 9 inch springform pan. 
2. Crush Galletas Marias 
3. Mix flour, vanilla and sour cream in a bowl. Don't over mix. Then add milk and as soon as incorporated stop mixing and put it to the side.
4. In another bowl add cream cheese and sugar and mix well. Next add one egg at a time and make sure is well mix. 
5. Turn on oven to 350 degrees.
6. Melt butter 
7. Add coll butter to cookie crums. Mix well.
8. Line pan with cookie crums and press on it to compact it and to make sure you have even crust.
9. Mix together sour cream mixture with cream cheese mixture. Don't over mix you don't want to add to much air to mixture.
10. Pour mixture over crums carefully.
11. Pick up pan and give it a couple of taps on the counter to make sure it settles and any air bubbles come up.
12. Put it in the oven for 1 hour.
13. Let it cool down in the oven for 3-4 hours.
14. Don't open the oven door this will cause the cheese cake to break. If it breaks is ok it will taste delicious but you will not have a picture perfect cheesecake. 

You can top this with cherry, strawberry pie filling and some whip cream. 

Chocolate Cookies

Who doesn't love chocolate cookies?? Well if they don't, then don't try this recipe. LOL. Well here is the basic recipe. You can change the types of chocolate chips or you can use different type of nuts or no nuts.


Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Lg Eggs
• 1 Cup Butter
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Cups Chocolate Chips or chunks
• 1 1/2 cups Chopped Walnuts

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except chocolate and walnuts. Mix well in a large bowl.
2. Once the dough has become uniform then add the walnuts and chocolate chips and mix well.
3. Make little balls and press down on the cookie sheet.
4. In a 350 degree oven bake for about 9 minutes. Make sure you check them at this point to see if you need to take them out or leave a little longer. You want the dough to turn a little bit golden but not to look brown. 
5. Take them out and cool them.

Now how easy was that?? Hope you enjoy them. 

Sugar Cookies

This is the time of the year when I go crazy baking food and trying new recipes. So I will start posting different cookie recipes as well as food recipes. Hope you find them easy to make and you use your imagination so you can create new variations to this recipe. One reason I love this sugar cookie recipe is because you can do so much with it. Enjoy  : D

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of Butter
• 2 Cups of Sugar
• 3 Lg Eggs
• 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 6 Cups of All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• Sprinkles, raw sugar, icing, food coloring, preserve (raspberry, or any kind you like)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl add butter and sugar. Mix sugar and butter well until they form a even paste.
2. Add eggs and vanilla and baking powder. Mix well.
3. Start adding flour 2 cups at at a time. Keep mixing the until you have added all flour and the dough becomes into a nice and soft ball. 
4. At this point you can start rolling your dough and use your cookie cutters to make whatever shape you want. You can also use food coloring to create different things.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. Keep an eye on the cookies because all ovens work differently and you don't want to burn them.

Egg Rolls

I love egg rolls and sometimes if I'm in the mood I make a batch of them for dinner. They are supper easy to make and very tasty. Hope this easy recipe inspires you to try to make your own at home.

Ingredients:

• Egg Roll Wrappers (picture on the right)
• 1/2 lb Ground Chicken
• 2 Cups Shredded Cabbage
• 1 Julianne Carrot 
• 3 Chopped Scallions
• 1 Cup Bean Sprouts
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Oil

Directions:

1. Brown chicken and add salt and pepper to taste. 
2. Add cabbage, carrot, scallions and bean sprouts and let them cook for a couple of minutes until the vegetables are half way cooked. Set aside
3. Take an egg roll wrapper and place it sideways. You should be looking at a diamond not a square shape. Add about 2 tbs of chicken mixture.
4. Fold corner closer to you, then the two sides and continue rolling the rest. When you are at the end use a little bit of water to seal the end. Make sure you use only a few drops. Set aside and continue making them. Picture on the bottom to help you roll them.
5. Put oil in a deep pan and wait until is hot. Add only 1-2 egg rolls at a time and wait until the wrapper turns a nice golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside on paper towels to remove excess oil. You now can enjoy your egg rolls with chili oil or your favorite sweet and sour sauce. 

Mini Pizzas

I had my niece and nephew over this week and I decided that it would be fun for them to build their own pizzas. So I went to the store and got the ingredients and waited for them to come over. When lunch time came I rolled the pizza dough for them but let them build their pizzas however they wanted. They loved it and it was very easy to make. I would like to thank my friend Sandra for inspiring me to do make my own pizzas. Here are the ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pizza Dough (Fresh and Easy less than $2)
• 1 lb Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• Pizza Sauce
• Pepperoni
• Ham
• (Whatever other ingredients you want to add)
• Flour
• Oil

Directions:

1. Roll out pizza dough, if you are making mini pizzas then cut out into 4-6 sections. Make sure you floured the rolling pin and the counter. 
2. Drizzle some oil on a baking sheet and add pizza dough.
3. Add pizza sauce. If you want the kids to help here let them start from here.
4. Add cheese and whatever topping you want to add.
5. Bake for 10-18 minutes depending on how thick you made the dough. Take them out once you see the cheese bubbling and the crust is a bit brown.

Shrimp Risotto

Sorry I haven't posted anything. I been forgetting to take pictures of the food I make. The other day I made pasta rustica. Yesterday we ate some delicious tacos de frijoles! Today I wanted to try something new. I never made this recipe before, but I been wanting to make it. I was amaze of how filling this recipe is. I really liked the flavors and this is a great recipe to make at home because if you go out and order this dish it can cost you $16+ dollars a plate!!! Making it at home you might spend like $10-15 depending on what you have already. So without further ado, here is the recipe. Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 1-12oz Bag of Italian Arborio Rice or Carnaroli or Vialone Nano
• 1 Large White Onion Thinly Chopped
• 2 Tbsp of Garlic or Two Garlic Cloves Finely Chopped
• 2 Tbsp of EVOO, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Tbsp Butter
• 1-1/2 Cups of Parmesan Cheese Grated
• 7-8 Cups of Chicken Stock
• 1 Bag of Frozen Shrimp
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley if you have it

Directions:

1. In large pan add oil and onion. You want to stir the onions so they don't burn. What you want is the onions to become translucent.
2. Put chicken stock on a pot and bring it to a boil. You want to keep the stock hot. You will be adding a little bit a time and you want it to be hot. 
3. Add rice and garlic to pan. Stir the rice constantly to make sure it gets coated with oil and so it cooks evenly. What you are looking for is for the rice to become almost translucent. 
4. Add one cup of stock to the rice. Stir the rice and once you see the broth is almost gone you add another cup. You want to keep adding and stirring the rice.
5. While you are cooking the rice you can add the shrimp to the stock so it can cook in it. This will also help the stock get the juices from the shrimp and the rice will absorb it. Once shrimp are pink take them out of the stock and place them on a bowl or plate so you can peel them and if you like remove the tail as well. Set a side.
6. Once you are almost done with the stock, maybe you have a cup or so left add the shrimp, butter, cheese, salt and pepper. 
7. The rice should not be dry. It needs to have a milky consistency, kind of like rice pudding. Make sure you taste it to make sure the rice is fully cooked and that you have enough salt.
8. To finish it off you can sprinkle some fresh parsley on top and grate some more Parmesan cheese. 

If you like you can cut the recipe in half because it makes a lot. It fed all 6 of us and I still have enough for lunch tomorrow for me and my husband.

Oven Baked Chicken with Mashed Potatoes

This is one of the easiest recipes I have. One the reason I love this recipe is because you can start with the frozen chicken and in an hour is ready. So if you have tons to do around the house and you can't stay in the kitchen long this is the perfect recipe. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs Chicken Drums
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 1 Packet Chicken Seasoning and Bag (pic on the side)
• 6 Russet Potatoes
• 4 Tbsp Butter
• Salt and Pepper To Taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Remember you can make it with frozen or thawed chicken. Put chicken inside the bag that the seasoning comes with. Sprinkle seasoning on both sides of the chicken. Add water and close the bag. Don't forget to add 3-4 holes to the bag so the steam can escape. Put inside the oven. If you started from frozen leave it in the oven for 1 hour. If you have thawed chicken leave it for 45 minutes.
3. Wash the potatoes and add to pot with water and put it to boil. You always want to start cooking the potatoes with cold water. Potatoes are done when you can easily insert a fork through them.
4. To make the mashed potatoes simply remove the skin of the potato and put it on a bowl. Add butter, salt and pepper and mash them. If you want a bit creamier potato you can add some milk or cream. 
5. Once the chicken is done all you have to do is serve and enjoy. You can even use the juice from the chicken to make a gravy.
6. If you want to do the gravy, take the juice out and put on a sauce pan. Let it boil. On a different pan add equal parts of butter and flour. First add butter so it can melt and once is melted add the flour so it can cook. It only takes about 30 seconds to cook. Then add it to the chicken broth to make the gravy. 

Caldo De Res, Beef Stew

I think the weather is getting perfect to start enjoying some dishes that are too hot for summer. My husband has asked me to make him some caldo de res, but since is been too hot I haven't made it. Well I think this week the weather is starting to cool off a little and since I started this week making soups, I decided to make this dish. So if I don't post for a few days is because I never been able to make just a little bit of caldo. This dish is not only very healthy, but is very easy to make since most vegetables are cut very large and is almost nearly impossible to mess it up.

Ingredients:

• lbs Ox Tail
• 2 lbs Boneless Beef Chuck Roast
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 4 Fresh White or Yellow Corn
• 4 Large Zucchini
• 8 Large Carrots
• 1/2 Cabbage
• 1/2 Lb Green Beans
• 1/2 Bunch of Cilantro
• 8 Small White Potatoes
• 1-8oz Can of  Tomato Sauce
• Salt to Taste
• Water, approximately 3 Gallons

Directions:

1.  In a large pot place ox tail, garlic cloves, and water. Let it boil for about an hour.
2. Chop chuck roast into about 2-3 inch pieces. Add to the pot and add some salt.
3. When the beef foam forms remove it with a large spoon.
4. Chop corn into 3 sections. Add to pot at the same time you add the beef chuck.
5. Let it boil for 1-1.5 hours. Check the meat to see if tender. Add tomato sauce and cilantro to the pot.
6. Cut potatoes in half and carrots into 4 pieces. Chop cabbage in half and use the bottom part where the core is. Chop the core into 4 pieces.  Add to the pot
7. Chop zucchini into 2 inch rounds. 
8. Break off the ends of green beans, they should snap if they are fresh.
9. Once potatoes are almost done add green beans and zucchini.
10. Taste to see if you need to add more salt.

Remember that when seasoning anything start with a little bit a time, is easier to add more if you need to than it is to take it away. Hope you enjoy this recipe, is great for when you are going to have family over. To finish it off I like to add some lemon to my bowl and some valentina sauce or chiltepin pepper to spice it up a bit. We also like to enjoy the caldo with corn tortillas on the side. Personally I like to take out some meat out and roll it into a taco so I can eat it along with the vegetables :)

Battered Shrimp with Buttered Rice

Isn't it funny that sometimes you plan for something and ends up not happening? Today I had planned to cleaned the house and to get ready so I can look pretty before I started cooking for my husband. We planned to have lunch together. Well I didn't get the message that he was on his way and I was in the middle of mopping! He didn't have much time so I quickly gathered the ingredients and made lunch in less than 15 minutes. So this dish will be ready as soon as the rice is done cooking. Hope you enjoy this recipe which is easy to make and you can either make two ways just by changing what sauce you serve with it.

Ingredients:

• 1 Bag of Frozen Cooked Shrimp Peeled
• 1 Cup of White Rice 
• 2 Cups of Water
• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup Corn Starch
• 1 Egg
• 3/4 Cup Water
• Salt and Pepper To Taste
• Oil
• 3 Tbsp of Butter

Directions:

1. In a sauce pan add white rice and 2 cups of water and put it to boil. This is the step that takes the longest so start here. Add a little salt to the water.
2. Open frozen shrimp bag and in another pan add enough water to cover them.  Put them on the stove just long enough for them to unfreeze, but not so they are warm. Turn off heat and start removing the tail and place them on a container.
3. To to the batter you need flour, corn starch, egg, 3/4 cup of water, salt and pepper. Whisk ingredients well, you want the batter to be thick not runny.
4. Add oil to pan, I used a sauce pan so I can have use less oil, bur you want about 1/2 inch deep. Once oil starts shimmering, test with a little drop of batter. If it stays whole and bounces right to the top sizzling is ready for the shrimp.
5. At this point the water in the rice should be half way gone. Add butter to the top and continue cooking.
6. Dip shrimp in batter and drop carefully in oil. Since the shrimp are cook you are just looking for a golden color in the batter. Once it turns like the picture above take out of oil and put over some paper towels to remove excess oil. Continue until you are done with all the shrimp. 
7. Once rice is done you can serve the rice and shrimp either with lemon or sweet and sour sauce. If you are going for sweet and sour sauce don't add butter to rice so you can have a more authentic Chinese dish. 

Hope you find this recipe easy to make. I like to keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer because they come very handy when I don't have much time to cook or I lack imagination. 

Menudo

I think today's weather was perfect for soup. I had a few recipes in mind, but I decided to make menudo. I haven't made it in years! I went to the store to get the ingredients and I was really shock on how inexpensive it really is to make it and how pricey it is to buy it at a restaurant. I was reminded why food is so much cheaper to cook at home. I will start making it more often since my husband and the kids love it. So if you have the time or you want to use the crock pot so you have dinner ready for when you come home I highly recommend this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Fresh Honeycomb Tripe
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 6-8 Dried New Mexico Peppers without steam and seeds
• 1 lg Can of Hominy
• About 2 Gallons of Water, (30-32 Cups)
• 2 tbsp Dried Oregano
• Salt to taste
• (you can also add either pig of beef feet)
• 1 Bunch of Cilantro
• 1/4 White Onion
• Lemon
• Bolillo Bread

Directions:

1. Cut tripe into 1 inch cubes.
2. If you added the pig or beef feet, add water to pot and the feet and let it boil for an hour before doing next step.
3. In large pot add water, tripe, garlic, peppers, and bay leaf. You will boil it for about 2-3 hours. 
4. About 10 minutes into cooking take out the peppers and garlic and blend it. You will then add it again to the pot so it will give a nice red color. Or if you want white menudo just don't add the peppers.
5. Add oregano and salt to taste.
6. After you have the pot boiling for 3 hours, you will drain the can of hominy and give it a rinse with cold water before you add it to the pot. Then let the menudo boil for another 30 minutes after you added the hominy.
7. If you put the ingredients on the crock pot set it on low before you leave home and when you return you can do step 4, 5, 6, and 8
8. Taste the menudo before turning off the fire to make sure you added enough salt. 

Let the menudo sit for a few minutes. Once you plate the menudo add some cilantro, onion, and lemon to the plate. Enjoy with a crispy buttered bolillo. If you want to spice it up you can also add some crushed chiltepin pepper or crushed red chilly pepper.

Tacos Dorados

The last couple of days have been a bit crazy that's why I haven't posted anything. The night I made this was to say the very least emotional. Thank God things weren't as bad as they look and we still got back in time to share a meal. So if you made the shredded beef from the previous recipe, making tacos dorados won't take very long. This dish is very easy to make and is part of my comfort foods. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Shredded Beef
• 4 Boiled Potatoes
• 16-20 Thin Corn Tortillas- I use Tortillas for Tacos and Tostadas
• Oil 
• 1/2 Lettuce Head Shredded
• 2 Diced Roma Tomatoes
• 1/4 lbs Fresh Cheese or Mozzarella
• Salt to taste
• Sour Cream or Crema
• Salsa

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes until they are tender. Remove the skin and mash them. Salt to taste
2. Add about 1 cup of shredded beef. Add more if the potatoes were big. Mix well.
3. Add oil to pan, I would say you need about 1/4 of an inch of oil.
4. Make a ball of about 2-3 tbsp of the potato and meat mixture. Add to the tortilla and flatten it on one side. Fold the tortilla in half.
5. Once oil is hot, grab the taco from the edges and let the flatten part sit on the oil for about 20-30 seconds before you lay it on the side.
6. Once one side is a nice golden brown color turn to the other side. make sure you keep an eye on it because if the oil is too hot it will burn rather quickly. And if the oil is still cold when you add them, they won't crisp and all you will have is a soggy mess.
7. Repeat step 4 and 5 until you make all your tortillas. 
8. Now time to put the rest of the ingredient in the taco. First add some shredded lettuce, then some tomato, and cheese on top. If you want to add the sour cream you can. what I do is set it on the the table and let everyone add as little or as much sour cream as they would like. 

You can also just make the tacos dorados and set them up on the table with all the different toppings on the table so everyone can build their own to their liking.  

Flautas

Yesterday we kicked off our Mexican food week with Flautas. Flautas are my husband's favorite food but he is better at rolling them than I do. We usually make them as a team, actually he usually makes them for me. I love making food for him and I really appreciate when he cooks for me. Yesterday I wanted to cook something special for him. So here is the recipe for flatutas which are extremely easy to make.

Ingredients:

• Shredded beef
• 2 package of  Think Corn Tortillas
• Oil
• Sour Cream or Crema

Directions:

1. You first need to make the shredded beef. I buy tamale meat at the local market. If they don't label it like that you can get beef shoulder roast. You can get 2 lbs of meat then put it on a pot. Cover it with water and add 2 garlic cloves. When meat is half way cooked season with salt. Let it boil until the meat is tender enough to break it with a fork. 
2. Once meat is ready take it out of the water and shredded it. You can set aside what you will need for this food and the rest you can set aside for the following meals. 
3. Get the oil hot on a pot. You need about and inch of oil. Once oil is hot you will start rolling the flautas.
4. The key of rolling the flautas is that the tortillas need to be warm and you can't over stuff them. You want a tight roll. Once you roll them grab them with thongs and dip them in the oil and keep holding them in the oil for about 30 seconds so the tortilla keeps rolled.
5. You want the flauta to be a nice golden color. Take it out and put it on a bowl lined with paper towels and start standing them up so all the extra oil is drained. 
6. You can enjoy them with sour cream, crema, guacamole, or salsa. On the picture above I laid them over some shredded iceberg lettuce, Mexican fresh cheese and sour great. 

Shrimp Ceviche

Yesterday was labor day and we went over to my mom's house to have fun with the family and jump in the pool. I wanted to make something that is great as an appetizer and a meal. Yesterday was more as an appetizer since we wanted to also grill. This recipe is very simple and what I like the most is that we cut the cooking time by more than half by starting with frozen cooked shrimp. Is great on  hot summer days.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cucumbers
• 1/2 Medium White Onion
• 4 Roma Tomatoes
• 1 Bag of Frozen Cooked Shrimp
• 6 Small Lemons
• 1/2 Cilantro Bunch
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Dice tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion.
2. Defrost shrimp in water. Don't cook the shrimp again since it will become like rubber.
3. Juice lemons and strain juice before adding.
4. Chop shrimp into small chunks
5. Chop cilantro and add to bowl
6. Mix all ingredients well
7. Season with salt

You can enjoy this recipe with tostadas or chips. The picture below also has avocado on the top and Valentina Salsa.

Chicken Alfredo

Today when we got out of church I was hungry. I asked the kids what they felt like eating. My oldest son said pasta. I know we couldn't afford going to eat at Olive Garden so I decided to cook their favorite meal at that restaurant, Chicken Alfredo. So we stopped at the store to pick up some chicken, fettuccine, and heavy cream. I came home and cranked the music and started working on lunch. Oh did I forget to mention that today was the first time I made Alfredo sauce from scratch? It came out great! The kids loved it and I know that I'll be making my own sauce whenever possible. Hope you try this recipe and enjoy sharing a great meal with your family.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Heavy Cream
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1-1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese
• 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Chicken Breast fillet
• 1 packet of Fettuccine
• Salt and Pepper    to Taste
• 2 tbsp of Butter

Directions:

1. Put water to boil for the pasta. This would be the longest step. Waiting for the pot to boil and waiting for the pasta to cook. Don't forget to salt the water before you add pasta. 
2. Fillet chicken breast thinly
3. In a large pan heat 2 tbsp of butter and add one garlic clove. Then add chicken fillet to pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook the reminder chicken and set it aside.
4. Clean the pan and now add butter and heavy cream. You can either chop the garlic clove and add it or you can add it whole. Once it starts to boil add cheese, pepper, and parsley. Stir and lower the heat. 
5. Place chicken in the Alfredo Sauce.
6. Drain pasta well and then add to sauce. Toss pasta in sauce and enjoy. :)

You can enjoy this with a Caesar salad and some garlic bread. 

Lemon Butter Tilapia Fillet with Potatoes

Today when I was thinking of dinner I had in mind to make something very special for my kids and husband. I went to the store and saw this beautiful orange bell pepper. Immediately it caught my attention. I had the fish in the freezer so I just picked up the scallions and bell pepper and went home ready to prepare our meal. My oldest kids are very funny, as soon as I plated the food they sat down and started critiquing the food. They went over the textures and the flavors of the dish. LOL! I love them dearly and they know how much I enjoy making food for them. I hope your family also enjoys it.

Ingredients: 

• 5 Tilapia Fillets
• 4 White Potatoes
• 1 Orange Bell Pepper
• 1 bunch of Scallions
• 2 Roma Tomatoes
• 4 tbsp of Butter
• 2 Small Lemons
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• Lemon Pepper 

Directions:

1. Cut potatoes in 1/4 inch medallions. On a skillet add 2 tbsp of butter and place medallions. Season with salt and pepper. You are looking for a nice golden brown sear on both sides. 
2. Chop tomatoes and bell pepper into triangles and scallions diagonally. Add juice from one lemon to pan and then add bell pepper. Once bell pepper is half way cooked add scallions and cook for minute or so before you add the tomato. Season with salt and pepper and set it aside.
3. Once potatoes are done put them aside and on the same pan cook tilapia. Add remainder butter to pan. Season the fish with salt and lemon pepper. Once you flip fish for the first time add the juice of the lemon on top of the fish. Sear the fish on both sides.
4. Time to build the dish. Place potatoes on the bottom. I made a flower shape then added some of the salsa on top before I placed the fish on the top. 

Huevos Rancheros

I will try to post at least one video of a recipe a week. I'm still learning how to do it. I hope you enjoy this recipe. I love to make huevos rancheros like on a Saturday morning or a morning since we can sit down and enjoy our meal and have a nice conversation. I learned this recipe from my mom. This recipe takes me back to when I was a child in Mexico and my parents where in the kitchen singing and cooking breakfast for us. When I cook this recipe I hope to create the same wonderful memories with my children and maybe one day they would do the same with their children. The recipe is for two eggs only, but you can adjust for making more.

Ingredients:

• 1 Green Bell Pepper
• 1 Roma Tomato
• 1/2 Small White Onion
• 3/4 cup of Water
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 Eggs
• 3 Corn Tortillas
• Oil

Directions:

1. Dice tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers.
2. On a sauce pan add 2 tbsp of oil. Once pot is hot add bell peppers. 
3. Add onions when you see that the bell peppers are getting soft and stir them.
4. Onions will become translucent and that is when you will add the tomato. Season with salt and pepper at this point and add water.
5. Once water starts boiling, reduce heat and simmer.
6. While salsa is simmering, add oil to a pan to crisp tortillas. Make sure you don't leave them too long. 
7. Repeat  step 6 until you are done with tortillas. Place them on a plate.
8. Keep an eye on salsa. You don't want it to go dry. If you see the water has reduced to half, remove from heat.
9. Fry eggs to your liking and season them. Place them on top of tortillas.
10. Add salsa on top of tortillas. Enjoy :)

Chicken Shish Kabobs with Saffron Rice

Today I had a craving for rice, so I started thinking what I could make to go with it. I looked in my freezer and I saw boneless chicken tights. I started to cook the rice and I remember I still have some saffron in the freezer as well so I decided to make saffron rice with peas. Now I had to figure out how to cook the chicken. I wanted to make a simple recipe but a great tasting one. So what is easier than shish kabobs? I took out and onion and a red bell pepper that I had left over from another recipe and voila! Today's recipe was a great summer dish, easy to make, and very colorful. Before I go on to the recipe, let me tell you my new favorite thing, Mahatma Jasmine Enriched Thai Fragrant Long Grain Rice. I love how the aroma just fills the house as it cooks. Is like a floral sweet flavor and makes me happy thus making cooking even more pleasurable.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Mahatma Jasmine Rice
• 1-1/12 cup of Water or if you have some Chicken Stock
• 1/2 Cup of Frozen Peas
• 1/2 tsp Saffron threads
• 1.25 lbs Boneless Chicken Tights or Chicken Breast
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1/2 medium Onion
• 1 Lemon
• Salt to taste
• Lemon Pepper to taste
• Bamboo Sticks

Directions:

1. Place rice, water, and saffron treads on a pot and cook it over medium heat. Add salt to taste. Once the water starts to boil add frozen peas. Lower the temperature and cover it. Rice takes about 15 minutes to cook.
2. Cut vegetables and chicken into about and inch squares.
3. Start building the shish kabobs with red bell pepper, chicken, and onion. 
4. Once you are done building the shish kabobs, turn on the grill. Once grill is hot, turn the temperature to medium. Season the shish kabobs with salt and lemon pepper to taste. Place them on the grill and keep an eye on them. 
5. Cook shish kabobs for about 15-20 minutes. 
6. Serve with saffron rice and a wedge of lemon. 

Beef Tostadas

As you know, I love cooking and since is 6 of us I cook for I have to watch out budget. Yesterday I made spaghetti and only used half of the beef that came in the package. The other half I saved so I could cook another meal. Today as I was trying to figure out dinner I noticed I was missing a few ingredients for what I wanted to cook and felt a bit lazy to go to the store to get them. So I put my thinking cap on and looked at what I had in the fridge and the pantry. I came up with beef tostadas. I usually make tostadas with shredded beef, but I thought this would be great for dinner. I was right, the kids loved them. Plus this helped me take care of two left overs I had, the beans and the beef. Hope you enjoy this easy recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups of Refried Beans
• 3/4 lbs Ground Beef
• 3 cups of shredded Lettuce
• 2 diced Roma Tomatoes
• 12-14 Tortillas Tostadas 
• Sour Cream 
• Salsa
• Shredded fresh Cheese

Directions:

1. If you don't already have the beef prepare. Brown ground beef with a garlic clove and drain excess fat. 
2. Heat refried beans. 
3. Chop all you vegetables and shred cheese.
4. If you want to add salsa and sour cream, you can either put them on while you are building the tostada or you can place on the table for everyone to put as much as they would like.
5. Time to build your tostada. If you are putting sour cream- grab one of the tostadas then spread about 1 tbsp of sour cream.
6. Then add about 1-1/2 tbsp of refried beans and top it with ground beef. 
7. Now if you want every bite to have some cheese you can add cheese now or you can just sprinkle it on top at the end.
8. Add shredded lettuce and tomatoes.
9. You can top your tostada with some salsa, cheese, or sour cream. 

Spaghetti

I don't know about you, but I have a few recipes that I make when I know my husband won't be joining us for dinner. I know it sounds kind of mean, but there are foods that he doesn't really care about. However, the kids love some of them. One of these recipes is the classic spaghetti. I think everyone probably knows how to make spaghetti, but I will post it since is something we ate. I forgot to mention that this recipe is very good for when you are on a budget. I usually save half of the beef so i can use it the next day for another recipe. So this recipe should cost you at the most $5!

Ingredients:

• 1 box of spaghetti (I actually like vermicelli better)
• 1 jar of your favorite Spaghetti Sauce
• 3 tbsp of Butter
• 1 clove of minced Garlic
• 3/4 lbs of Ground Beef
• Salt
• Water

Directions:

1. In a large pot put water to boil and add salt. Add pasta and cook for about 5 minutes for vermicelli 8 for spaghetti.
2. Brown ground beef in a skillet along with garlic. Salt to taste.
3. Once beef is cook add spaghetti sauce and simmer it over a low heat for a few minutes.
4. Once pasta is ready, drain well, and put it back on pot along with butter. Mix well so butter will coat the pasta. This will help the pasta not to stick together.
5. Now is time to serve. Place some pasta on the plate, then add spaghetti sauce on top. Enjoy :)

BBQ Ribs

A few months back my husband wanted ribs for his birthday and since we are on a very tight budget going to our favorite rib place was out of the question. Last time we went we spent over $100. So I made them for the first time and they were a sensational hit with the family and not to mention our budget. We probably spend $30 tops if not less on all the food that you see here. This meal is perfect for Sundays. While we are at church the ribs can cook and when we come back they are ready for the grill.

Ingredients: 

• Beef Ribs cleaned and fat trimmed
• 6 cups of  Water
• 1-1/2 Bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce
• 1 package of Green Beans
• 1 Box Mac & Cheese
• 1 French Bread
• 1/4 White onion Thinly sliced
• Butter
• 6 Red Potatoes
• 1 tbsp Rosemary
• Famous Dave's Dry Rib Rub
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place clean ribs on a 1 inch deep oven safe dish. Add dry rub to both sides of the ribs. Then add 3 cups of water to the dish. And cover it with aluminum foil.
2. Place ribs in a 200 degree oven for 2 to 2.5 hours. 
3. Once time is up take them out and add your favorite BBQ sauce.
4. Heat up the Grill on low heat. Add the ribs to the grill and cook them for 30 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on them since they can easily burn. Flip them once about half way through the cooking time. If they are becoming too dry, you can add more BBQ sauce.
5. Once time is up, let them rest for about 5 minutes before you dig in. 
6. Potatoes- cut them in medium cubes. Add 2 tbsp of butter salt, pepper and rosemary. They take about 20 minutes to cook on medium heat. 
7. Mac & Cheese- just cook them as directed on package
8. Green Beans- Add two tbsp of butter to pan and the onion. Once the onions are translucent then add the frozen green beans, salt and pepper to taste. They probably take about 8 minutes to cook if not less. 

Tacos de Carne Asada

I think those who know me, know that my favorite food is carne asada. I like the meat to be seasoned with just salt nothing else. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water :) So when my husband suggested we make carne asada for dinner I immediately said yes! I think the pic above really shows how great they can be.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs Chuck Steak, Flank Steak, Chuck Steak or whatever is on sale :)
• 3 tomatoes
• 1/4 of a small head of Cabbage
• 1 Avocado thinly sliced
• 2 Lemons
• Salsa (I'll post salsa recipes later)
• Salt to taste
• Flour or Corn Tortillas. 

Directions:

1. Turn on grill. You want the grill to be nice and hot before  you put the meat. Meanwhile you can add the salt to the meat. Be sure to add salt just before you cook it, otherwise you will let the juices out of the meat and it will become dry.
2. Put meat on the grill. If the meat is thinly sliced then it shouldn't take too long. You want a nice chard color on both sides. Turn meat only once.
3. You can either cut it in small pieces (that is what I do for my kids), or you can put it in a pot in the middle of the table so everyone can grab a piece so they can build their own taco.
4. Heat the tortillas on a griddle or on the grill. 
5. Dice tomatoes, shred the cabbage, slice avocado thinly, and cut lemons into wedges. Today I forgot to buy some scallions, but they go great with carne asada. If you decide to make some. Wash them and cut off a bit from both ends and wrap them in aluminum foil and throw them on the grill. They will become a bit translucent once they are cooked.
6. Now you are ready to build your tacos. The kids love to put some beans on the bottom then the meat, then their favorite vegetables. I like avocado as well as some salsa. 

Hope you enjoy this recipe. Is great for family gatherings, parties, cookouts, well in my opinion any time is good to have carne asada. 

Crepes

Thursday night my oldest son asked me to make him some crepes for breakfast on Friday. I went to the store and forgot to buy fruit. Last night I remembered that he was craving some crepes so I bought some strawberries so we could eat crepes this morning. The kids really like them because they get to put whatever toppings they want and they can have different combinations.


Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Flour
• 3/4 cup of Milk
• 1/2 cup of Water
• 3 tbsp of melted Butter
• 2 lg Eggs
• 2-1/2 tbps of Sugar
• 1 tbsp of Vanilla Extract
• Butter to coat the skillet
• 2 Bananas sliced
• Whipped Cream 
• 1 carton of Strawberries
• Any other berries you would like 
• Lechera or Chocolate Syrup
• Cream Cheese

Directions:

1. Combine flour, eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and water in a bowl. Make sure you whisk the batter completely so there isn't any lumps. Then let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour. If you want you can prepare the batter the night before.
2. Once you let the batter rest is time to cook the crepes. You want to heat your skillet and then add some butter to coat it so the crepe won't stick to the pan. Then add 1/4 cup of batter to skillet and make sure you move it around the pan so you can make a very thin layer of batter. 
3. Depending how high you have the stove, it may take anywhere from 15-45 seconds before you flip the crepe over. You want the batter to dry on the top and that some bubbles are forming. When you do flip it be careful not to rip it. Then let it be cook on the other side approximately the same amount of time. Take it out and place it on a plate.
4. You want to repeat step 2 & 3 until you have used all the batter. 
5. Now have all the toppings on the table for everyone to build their own combination. The ones you see on the pics are one made of cream cheese, lechera, whipped cream, and strawberries. The other is the same thing but banana instead of strawberries. 

This is a simple breakfast meal but has great flavors and I'm sure your family will enjoy it. 

The Classic Hamburger

It's Friday!!! The kids are excited the weekend is finally here. Since they have no school tomorrow they invited a couple of their friends over. So what do you feed a bunch of hungry kids? Today I went for the classic homemade hamburger. As you know I love the idea of build your own (toppings bar), so everyone can have exactly what they want. The hamburgers were a hit with the kids. When you are craving a hamburger, try making your own at home instead of going to a fast food joint. This recipe is also great for those hot summer days when you don't want to heat up the house. 


Ingredients:

• Hamburger Patties
• Hamburger Buns
• Butter
• Cheese
• 1 Tomato
• 2 cups of lettuce
• 1/4 of a small White Onion
• 1/2 Avocado
• Mayo
• Mustard
• Ketchup
• Pickles
• Jalapano  

Directions:

1. Heat the grill for about 5-10 minutes. 
2. Put the patties on the grill once the grill is hot. You want to cook the hamburgers on high heat for about 5 minutes before you flip it. Only flip that patty once. Don't try to flatten it with the spatula. Just let it be, then wait another 4 minutes or so and then take it out. 
3. While you have the patties on the grill you can cut your veggies. Some tomato slices, onions, avocado. Wash your lettuce and place it on a plate so everyone can build their own hamburger.
4. Turn on your flat griddle so you can heat the buns. I like to add some butter to the inside. I seen people use mayo instead of the butter. You want the bread a nice golden brown color.
5. By this time the hamburgers should be ready. Place buns and patties on a platter, then your condiments and let everyone build their own hamburger to their liking. That way you don't have unhappy customers.
6. You can either have some chips with your burgers or you can just heat up a package of frozen fries. I heated the fries on the grill instead of the oven. 

Later I will share a homemade hamburger patty recipe. At the moment I'm too full to think of food. Good night people. Oh... Before I forget keep tuned Sunday I'll be making BBQ Ribs!!

Orange Chicken

Today I woke up feeling much better. Yesterday I didn't feel like blogging since I was feeling sick. I did cook for the family, but just wasn't up for it. Since I was feeling better I decided to make something I know the kids love, Orange Chicken! It does takes a little longer than the other meals that I have posted but I think is worth it. Specially if you have a big family like me. Getting take out can get pretty expensive. So here is my take on orange chicken. I hope you like it. 

Ingredients:

• 3.5 lb    Chicken Tenders or Boneless Chicken Breast 
• 1 lg       Egg
• 1/2 cup    Corn Starch
• 1/2 cup   All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup    Water                   
• 3 cups    Oil
• 1-1/2 cup    Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

1. Cut chicken in 1 inch cubes.
2. Beat Egg in a bowl, then add corn starch, flour, water, salt and pepper and beat well. You want a nice smooth batter.
3. Put all chicken in the batter and stir it to make sure is coated evenly. 
4. Heat up oil in sauce pan. Test how hot oil is by putting a bit of the batter in the oil. Is ready when you drop batter and you see lots of bubbles and comes right to the surface. 
5. Once oil is ready, put a few pieces of chicken at a time. Chicken piece should get a nice golden brown color. Once it does take it out and place it on paper towels to drain excess oil. 
6. Repeat step 5 until you are done with all chicken.
7. On a skillet add the Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce and once it starts boiling add chicken. Stir well so the sauce coats the chicken evenly. 
8. Serve with Rice.

Fried Whole Tilapia

I guess I had a fishy feeling today cause we ate fish both for lunch and for dinner. But let me tell you, both were delicious. I think there is something wonderful about a whole fish being fried that you don't need to add to much flavors. So I just used a simple seasoning and to the oil bath they went. My family really enjoyed the meal and it gave us time to just sit and talk about the day. So when you have 30 minutes to cook and the fish is on sale, I would recommend you try this recipe. Is great for dinner or a Sunday meal. 


Ingredients:
Whole Tilapia Fish
1 cup of Rice
2 cups of Water
3 tbsp of butter
1/2 head of Lettuce
3 Roma Tomatoes
1/2 White Onion
2 Avocados
4 Lemons
1/4 cup Cilantro
Salt to taste
Don Sazon Fish Seasoning
3-4 cups of Vegetable Oil


Directions:
1. In a sauce pan add rice and 2 cups of water and put in on the stove over medium heat. Cover once it starts to boil and reduce heat. Once rice is almost done remove from heat and let it sit with the cover. Add butter and salt once you are ready to serve.


2. Shred Lettuce and set to the side. Cut lemons. 


3. Dice tomatoes, onions, and avocados and put on a bowl. Then mince cilantro and add to bowl. If you want your raw salsa spicy you can add either a fresh jalapeno or a serrano pepper. 


4. Wash the fish thoroughly. Then make 1 inch insertions or slashes along the side of the fish. This would help the fish cook faster and the season to be absorbed better. Then season it with Don Sazon Fish Seasoning. If you don't have that you can mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley and sprinkle some on both sides of the fish and on the inside as well. 


5. Heat up oil and once it starts shimmering you can add the fish. you will cook it approximately about 3-4 minutes on each side. Once ready take them out and place on paper towel so the excess oil will drain. 


6. Now enjoy your fish. Serve with rice, shredded lettuce, raw salsa, and lemon. You can also serve it with corn tortillas and make fish tacos. Enjoy :) 

Tuna Sandwich

One of my favorite foods I have to say are sandwiches. I love that you can create different things with whatever you have on your fridge or even left overs. Today I made a simple Tuna Sandwich and I decided that to start practicing recording what I cook. So I hope the video helps. Please comment any recommendations and please be gentle, is my first time. Btw, when i finished editing I was laughing because of the song I chosed. Enjoy and happy cooking :)

Ingredients:

1/2         Bell Pepper
5 oz        Light Tuna in Water
1/2         Roma Tomato
1/4         White Onion
2 Tbsp    Mayo
1 Tbsp    Mustard
4 slices   Sandwich Bread

Directions:
Dice tomatoes, onions, and bell pepper and place in a small bowl. Then drain tuna completely and add to veggies. Add mayo and mustard and mix well. If you like to spice it up you can add jalapeno or put it on the side. Then just assemble your sandwich. It makes 2 sandwiches.

Easy Cheese Enchiladas

Dinner time came and I wasn't sure what I wanted so I asked my husband what he felt like eating. He didn't know either. So I kept throwing name of different dishes until cheese enchiladas came up and his face light up. So I went to the local store and bought some cheese and the enchilada sauce (I was feeling a little lazy to make my own). So I hope you find this recipe easy to make. The few ingredients makes this a perfect recipe for when you are on a budget. I spent $8 total for all ingredients, maybe even less!

Ingredients:
1 lb Fresh Cheese
1/2 medium White Onion
6 cups Shredded Lettuce
16 Corn Tortillas
Oil
1-28 oz Enchilada Sauce Can
Sour Cream

Directions:
Grate fresh cheese and set aside. Finely chop the white onion and also set aside. Shred lettuce and rinse and leave it on colander to make sure all the water is drained. On a sauce pan drain the enchilada sauce and put it to boil while you get the tortillas ready. I used Las Palmas Enchilada Sauce mild. On a pan add some oil so you can fry them for maybe 10 seconds on each side once the oil is hot. If the oil is too hot reduce the time. Now you have everything ready to assemble the enchiladas. Dip tortilla in the enchilada sauce, then put on a plate. Add about 1 once of cheese then about a tbsp of onion to the tortilla. Roll it up and set on a plate. Repeat that until you are done rolling all 16 tortillas. Then top it off with lettuce, cheese, onions, and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy :)

Serves 4 people, 4 enchiladas each.

Build Your Own Nachos Night

Today we finish eating the Sopa de Fideos for lunch and when dinner time came we didn't want something too heavy. My husband said he wanted nachos, so we made our famous build your own nachos bar. Well is not so much a bar when I'm the one serving them, but I think you get the idea. We do like making a build your own nachos bar when we play poker with friends. Which now that I mention we haven't had in a while. This recipe is also great for when you have left over meat, or in a tight budget.

Ingredients:
1-2 Bags of Tortilla Chips
2 cups of Refried Beans
1/2 lb of Ground Beef
Salt
Nacho Cheese
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Canned Jalapenos

Directions:
Brown meat and season it to taste with salt. If you have refried beans at home awesome, if you don't you can use the can ones. Heat up the nacho cheese. I usually buy the big tin can nacho cheese because I like to store the rest in sandwich plastic bags and freeze them for whenever we want some. Once meat, beans, and cheese are warmed is time to assemble the nachos. Start with some chips on the bottom then add some cheese on top then add some more chips then layer the cheese, beans, ground beef. You can put a dollop of sour cream and guacamole. You can spice it up with some jalapenos. If you want you can add tomato or onions.

Sopa de Fideos

My husband woke up not feeling so good. Before he went to work he asked me to make him something to help his stomach. I made him a Sopa de Fideos or vermicelli soup to help him feel better. One of the reasons I love making this soup is because is easy to make, has a few ingredients, and a brings back great childhood memories. So when you are feeling sick or you want something to warm you up, I highly recommend you try this recipe. I'm sure you will love it.

Ingredients:
1 lb Stew Meat
4 tbsp Oil
3 medium white Potatoes
2-3 Carrots
1 large Zuchini
1 bag Vermicelli  or Fideo that come precut in small pieces
1 Garlic clove
4 qt of Water or 16 cups of water
1- 8 oz Tomato Sauce can
Chicken Flavor Boullion to taste
Cilantro
Salt to taste

Directions:
Prep all the vegetables before you start cooking. Cut all vegetables into 1/2 inch cubes. Also have water ready to add to pot. Cut the stew meat into 1/2 inch pieces and put in in a pan with the oil and garlic to cook. Add salt to meat as it cooks. Once all the juices are gone and the meat begins to brown set aside. Remove garlic clove. In the same pot that you will use for the soup, add 2 tbsp of oil and add the vermicelli. Keep an eye on the vermicelly and keep stirring so it browns evenly. You want the pasta to be a nice golden color. Now you are ready to put it all in the pot. Add meat, tomato sauce, and water to vermicelli. Once it starts to boil add the vegetables, cilantro and bouillion. I think I add about 6 tbsp to mine but you should start with less and keep tasting the soup to make sure you have it to your liking. Once all the vegetables are cook remove from heat and is ready to eat this should take about 15-20 minutes.

Sonoran Style Hot Dogs

Today I won't cook dinner because we were invited to a dinner party so this is what I made for lunch. Sonoran style hot dogs! This is the hot dog that I grew up eating is so easy to make but so different than the typical American hot dog. So when you feel like trying something with flavors south of the border, why not try

Ingredients:
Hot Dog Bun
Beef Franks
Roma Tomato
White Onion
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayo
Avocado

Directions:
You can either boil, grill, or saute your frank. Then warm up the buns on the skillet. Dice tomato and onions. Once you have all the ingredients ready you can start assembling the hot dog. So inset frank in bun then top it with tomato and onions then lightly cover with mayo. Then add the slices of avocado on top and finish it with mustard and ketchup. If you like a like of a kick to your hot dog you can definitely add jalapenos on top of one on the side to bite on. Enjoy :)

BBQ Chicken with Red Potato Salad

Today I had a very interesting day, my mother in law came over at the same time I had to get ready to go to my job interview. It was a bit of a chaotic mess since she was using the computer in my room while I was trying to get ready. But, things went as planned and I make it to the interview. Hopefully they liked me and I get the job. On my way home from the interview I started thinking of what to make for dinner. I wanted to eat something different that we haven't had in a while and voila! BBQ chicken with red potato salad came to mind. Hope you enjoy this recipe as my family did.

Ingredients:
1 bottle of you favorite BBQ sauce
2 lbs Chicken thighs
8 small Red Potatoes
3 hard boiled Eggs
1 bunch of Scallions
1/2 a Pickle
1/3 cup Mayo
3 tbsp yellow Mustard
1 canned Jalapeno
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Start by putting the potatoes to boil since they are going to take almost as long as the chicken. Then fire up the grill and put it on low to medium otherwise you will burn the chicken. Trim any excess fat from the chicken and add salt before putting on the grill. Next put the 3 eggs to boil. A very easy way to boil eggs to perfection is to put them in a pot, add water and make sure that they are not overcrowded. Once you see a rolling boil then you turn it off and wait 10 minutes and voila perfect boil eggs. Next chop scallions and a little bit of jalapeno and pickle and put in the container where you later will add the big chucks of potatoes. Check on the chicken and turn it so it can cook on both sides. Once the eggs are done peel them and dice them in small pieces and add them to the scallions. Very important to not overcook the potatoes so they won't turn into mashed mess. Take them out and rinse them in cold water or a container with water and ice to shock them and stop the cooking process. Then I chop them into 8 pieces and put them with the scallions. By this time you need to take out the chicken out of the grill and add the BBQ sauce. I find it easier to turn off two of my burners and let just one on so the chicken can cook with the BBQ without burning. Leave on the grill for another 5-10 minutes. During this time you can finish up the potato salad by adding mayo, mustard, salt and pepper to taste.

A simple recipe with stuff you most likely would have in your refrigerator or very inexpensive to get.

Breaded Chicken and Green Bean Dinner

Today was one of those days that inspiration was no where to be found. I took a long time to decide on the menu for our family dinner. However, I closely surveyed our fridge and pantry to help create a wonderful dish the whole family would love. What I came up was Caesar salad to start and as our main meal, breaded chicken breast with green beans and Alfredo rotini. The kids loved it and they finish everything on their plate. Hope your family would enjoy this meal as well.

Ingredients:
Caesar salad- I used the a package of Dole ready light Caesar salad
1 pkg frozen green beans
1/2 medium red onion or white onion thinly sliced
4 tbsp butter or margarine
1 pkg rotini pasta
1 jar of  Ragu Alfredo Sauce or whatever sauce you like
1 Chicken breast thinly sliced
1 egg
1-2 cups of bread crumbs
oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Salad just follow direction of package but wait until the end to put this together so lettuce doesn't get soggy.
Green beans- Add butter to a skillet and let it melt then add slices of onions salt and pepper to taste. Once onions are almost transparent add the frozen green beans and stir. You can lower the heat and add salt and pepper to taste when you see that they are almost done. This should take about 10 minutes. Make sure you don't overcook them. You want them to be cook but still crunchy.
Pasta- Put a pot of water to boil. Once you have a rolling boil add salt and then pasta. It takes about 9-11 minutes. I prefer to cook it for 9 then drain it. To the same pot then I add the Alfredo sauce and drained rotini.
Breaded Chicken. Cut chicken breast in thin slices long wise. Then dip them in the egg and later on the bread crumbs. Then add chicken to a pan with oil . Leave chicken for only a couple of minutes and then turn and leave on pan for another couple of minutes since the chicken is pretty thin and you don't want to overcook.