Mexican Lasagna

I love checking out http://whatsgabycooking.com/ there is always something delicious looking. :)

Ingredients

• cooking oil spray
• 6 small corn tortillas cut into quarters
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mild chunky salsa (I used a spicy one since I don't have kids)
• 1 lb cooked shredded chicken breast
• 4 oz cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a baking sheet with oil.
2. Place the quartered tortillas on the baking sheet and lightly spray with the oil.
3. Bake for 5 minutes and then set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the milk, sour cream, salsa, chicken, cream cheese, cilantro, scallions and salt. Stir to combine.
5. Spray a 7x11 baking dish with oil. Arrange half of the tortillas in the dish. Spread half of the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas, then sprinkle half of the cheese on top. Repeat this for a second layer.
6. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is golden brown.

Chew M&M Oatmeal Cookies

These look irresistable. Oh my god.

Ingredients

• 8 oz unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups M&M's

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large mixer, combine the softened butter and brown sugar with a paddle attachment for 2 minutes.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
4. Add the flour, baking soda, sea salt and baking powder and slowly combine, making sure not to over-mix the batter.
5. Add the oats and M&M's and combine.
6. Refrigerate batter for 1 hour.
7. Using a 1 inch scoop, scoop 12 cookies onto each parchment lined baking sheet. Transfer sheets into over and bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies just slightly turn a golden brown color on the edges but are still soft and chewy in the middle. Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack. Repeat process for remaining dough.

Maple, Pecan and Bacon Stuffed French Toast

Yum! This is going to happen. Soon.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup pecans
• 1 pound sliced bacon cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• Salt
• 12 slices bread, crusts removed
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup pecans

Procedures

1. 1
   Heat a large stainless steel skillet over medium high heat, add pecans and toast until nuts are aromatic and beginning to brown, gently tossing the nut in the skillet while they toast, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and when cool enough to handle coarsely chop.
2. 2
   Add bacon to skillet and return to medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crisp, about 12 minutes. transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
3. 3
   In a large bowl combine half and half, milk, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt and whisk to combine. Dip sliced bread in batter then arrange bread along bottom of an 8- by 11-inch baking dish. Scatter pecans and chopped bacon over the bread, then dip remaining bread in the batter and arrange on top. Re-whisk batter then pour remaining batter over the bread and press down gently. Let stuffed French toast sit in the fridge for an hour, or up to overnight.
4. 4
   When ready to bake preheat the oven to 375°F and bake until top of French toast is cooked though and tops are browned, about 25 minutes. Slice and serve hot with maple syrup.
   
   
   I am loving this website: http://www.seriouseats.com/

Tortellini Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound frozen tortellini
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
• 1 ear steamed or boiled corn, kernels sliced off the cob
• 1 tomato, halved, seeds squeezed out, flesh sliced into strips
• 1/2 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out, sliced into strips
• 1/2 small red onion, diced or thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2/3 cup canola or olive oil or a combination
• salt and pepper to taste
• crumbled goat cheese to garnish

Procedures

1. 1
   Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions, usually until they float. Drain, rinse, and allow to cool while preparing the other ingredients.
2. 2
   In a small food processor (or whisk by hand in a large serving bowl), combine the vinegar and Dijon mustard. Process for 15 seconds until creamy, or whisk vigorously. Add the oil while the food processor is running to create a smooth emulsion, or dribble slowly into the bowl while whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. 3
   Combine the vegetables and dressing in a salad bowl. Add the tortellini and toss gently to coat. Season to taste, and serve with goat cheese crumbled on top.

Peeps Krispy Treats

I've actually made these before, they are fun :)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 35 Peeps
• 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Procedures

1. 1
   In large pot, melt butter over low heat. Add Peeps and stir until completely melted. If using different colors, melt in separate color sections within the pot. Do not mix colors until Step 2. Remove pot from heat once butter is melted.
   
2. 2
   Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.
   
3. 3
   Evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 1 1/2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool completely before cutting into desired shapes. Store in an airtight container.

Top Ramen Chicken Stir Fry

This is more like what I am cooking for dinner. College student dinners ftw...



Top Ramen Chicken Stir fry
Cut up about 1 pound of chicken breasts in small chunks and fry, boil or steam
Boil about 4 packs of the oriental flavored Top Ramen noodles
Add frozen or fresh vegetables to boiling noodles, do not use can vegetables because they will be very mushy after cooking them into the noodles. Drain noodles when done.
Combined chicken, vegetables and noodles in a big skillet, then add the Top Ramen seasoning packets. Add a half cup of water and cook on medium low, once water has boiled out make a space creating a bare space in the skillet to add a tbsp of oil, then add 2 eggs to scramble in that space. Once the eggs are scrambled, mix them with the rest of the ingredients in the skillet.
Add desired amount of pepper, salt and soy sauce
You can use just one or any combinations of the following vegetables and the recipe will be very tasteful.
Broccoli, Carrots, Cabbage, Peas, Onions, Pea pods, Green, onions and Corn
This dish is easy to make and the ingredients cost less than $12 for a family of 4 if you are only adding about 2 vegetables.

Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

Ingredients

• for crust
• 1 stick cold butter, cut into small chunks
• 1.5 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 T sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 T cold water
• for cheesecake
• 2 cups whole milk or 2% Greek yogurt (not non-fat)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 vanilla bean (seeds scraped out) or 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 T cornstarch
• 
  

Instructions

1. Make the crust first. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray and set
2. aside. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt. Cut in the
3. butter and blend in with your fingers until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add egg
4. yolk and cold water. Mix until dough comes together to form a shaggy ball (dough
5. may be dry). Cover in plastic wrap and let chill for half an hour.
6. Preheat oven to 375.
7. Roll out dough to same diameter as pan. You can do this easy by rolling out and
8. placing the bottom of the springform pan on top and gently cutting around the pan
9. with a dull knife. Place dough circle at the bottom of the pan.
10. Place tin foil on top of the dough circle and cover with dried beans or rice to weigh
11. down. Bake for 15 minutes then take off rice/bean/tin foil and prick all over crust
12. with a fork. Return to oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden.
13. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, sugar,
14. yogurt and vanilla. Blend until smooth then add cornstarch and pinch of salt and
15. blend again. Pour filling into hot crust, lower oven temperature to 350 and bake for
16. 35 minutes.
17. When the cheesecake is done, it will still be jiggly in the center but will have
18. a “done” look to it. The edges of the cake will start to pull away from the sides of the
19. pan. Make sure you don’t overbake.
20. Let cool then chill for 2-3 hours in the fridge before releasing springform. Arrange
21. fruit of your choice over top of the cooled cheesecake. Enjoy!