Southwest Quinoa Bites

INGREDIENTS*yields 12 regular muffin sized bites

2 cups cooked Quinoa

1 cup shredded, cooked chicken

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 cup pepper jack cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup black beans

1/2 cup canned corn

1 medium red pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3-4 scallions, chopped small

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

3 eggs, lightly beaten

salt & pepper to taste

ranch dressing for dipping

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Place your Quinoa, bread crumbs, cooked chicken and cheeses in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

3) Heat your olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Once the oil is heated, add your black beans, corn, red pepper, garlic, scallions, cumin and chili powder and saute for 3-5 minutes.  The goal here isn’t to cook the vegetables through, but simply allow the flavor of everything to combine a bit before adding it to the rest of the mixture.

4) Add the veggie/spice mixture to the quinoa/chicken/bread crumbs/cheese and allow it to cool for a few minutes before adding the eggs (about 5 minutes).  You can then add the beaten eggs and combine the mixture.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5) Take a regular sized muffin tin (12 muffins) and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Add about 1/3 cup of the mixture to each muffin slot.

4) Bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Serve with a side of Ranch dressing for dipping!

Since this was dinner, I decided to use a regular sized muffin tin vs. the mini-muffin tin, but these would certainly be great bite sized as well!  Served with a nice side salad, it was a perfect, healthy and scrumptious dinner.  If you wanted to add a little kick to these, you could always toss some crushed red pepper flakes in with the cumin and chili powder! 

We had this for dinner tonight and loved it! Well, Gary and I did. The kids didn't seem to care for it, strangely enough. I actually never made or ate quinoa before this week, but this week we've had it 3 times. I LOVE it!! It's a great alternative to brown rice, which I don't care for and this cooks ten times faster! Yea for healthy eating!

Recipe from And They Cooked Happily Ever After

We ate this with a yummy Fiesta Bean Salad found here. We served it on top of spinach because it seemed like it needed a little something else. Both delicious recipes, but probably a little excessive on the beans all in one meal!!!

Creamy Mexican-style Chicken

1 can black beans
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 1/2 c shredded cheese
1 can chopped green chilies
1 T chile powder
3/4 c enchilada sauce
3/4 c heavy cream
4 chicken breasts, cut up

Spray 9 x 13 pan.  Put chicken on bottom; mix all other ingredients and pour over chicken.
Bake covered 350 for 40 minutes.
Serve over rice.

I got this recipe from Sister Blue.  It is easy and delicious!

Lemon Parfait

18 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used 2 pkgs - 16 oz.)
2 1/4 c powdered sugar
3 c heavy cream (I used regular whipping cream)
9 T lemon juice
3 t lemon zest

Beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
Add cream and beat on low until smooth.  Increase speed and beat until billowy and holds medium firm peaks (a couple of minutes).
Add lemon juice and zest.  Stir briefly to blend.
Keep in frig until ready to serve.
(I had leftovers, and it kept well in the frig for a few days.)

Crumb Topping
1/2 c walnuts, chopped  (I used almonds, because that's what I had and I refused to pay the price for walnuts here in California!)
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c flour
1/4 c packed brown sugar

Mix together and place on cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool completely and break into crumbs before serving on top of Lemon Parfait.  (You can make this ahead of time and keep in frig for up to a week, or it can even be frozen and kept longer.)

Place some frozen mixed berries in parfait dish (plastic drinking cups work well too).  Let these thaw for a while until they start to soften.  Spoon on some of the parfait and top with crumb topping.  You can layer this according to your creativity and it is very pretty.  But it tastes great no matter how your serve it, in any kind of bowl!  ~~  One of the Relief Societies served this at zone conference to 50 of us!   

Apple Toffee French Toast with Apple Syrup

8 cups French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tart apples, peeled and chopped
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c apple juice
2 t vanilla, divided
1/2 c English toffee bits
5 eggs
3/4 c milk

Place half of the bread cubes in a greased 9 x 13 pan; top with apples.  Beat cream cheese, sugars, apples juice and 1 t vanilla until smooth; stir in toffee bits.  Spread over apples.  Top with remaining bread cubes.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, milk, and 1 t vanilla; pour over bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the frig 30 minutes before baking.  Bake incovered at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

While this is baking, prepare the syrup.

1 c sugar
2 Tbs cornstarch
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
2 c apple juice
2 Tbs lemon juice
5 Tbs butter

Whisk everything except butter together and heat to a boil, whisking constantly.  Boil for 1 minute, then stir in butter. 

Serve over French toast.

(November 2010  The Costco Connection)

This is dang fine!!