"Taquito's" with Guac-ey-Pico

Thought you might enjoy a quick, easy, healthy weeknight meal recipe. These are simple and full of fresh ingredients and once you get the hang of folding the tortillas without them cracking... they are super easy to throw together! Play around with the ingredients and enjoy!

Chicken Taquito's

1 store bought rotisserie chicken
1/2 jalapeno pepper (finely chopped)
juice of 1 lime
1 t salt
1 t onion powder
1 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese
12 white corn tortillas

Shred the meat off the entire chicken and place in a large bowl along with all remaining ingredients, set aside. Warm tortillas in the microwave for 25 seconds then place a damp, warm kitchen towel over them (yo prevent drying). Fill each tortilla and wrap to close then place on a well greased baking sheet. Spray the top of each taquito with cooking spray as well. Heat oven to 375. Make the following:

Guac-ey-Pico

2 avocados
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 T finely chopped onion
1/2 jalapeno (finely chopped)
juice of 2 limes
2 t salt
1/4 t cayenne pepper

Chop avocado, tomato, onion and jalapeno in a dish. Squeeze lime juice over the veggies and add salt and cayenne pepper. Toss well. Serve alongside taquito's.

Bake taquito's for 15 minutes (until crispy).

I read that today is National Margarita Day... have one with this meal or serve this for dessert! Cheers!

Brunch

Let's talk brunch, friends. It's such a fun mealtime and offers so many dishes you wouldn't eat any other time of day. You can mingle breakfast foods with lunch foods and still make sense of the plate by throwing a mimosa in and calling it... brunch. I am a total potato girl. I love potatoes cooked almost any way and really, really love them at brunch. I always order a side of whatever potato is being served just to make sure I get a salty starch with my brunch. The following recipe is an easy and delicious addition to any brunch menu. We served it alongside thick maple french toast and coconut hot cocoa but I can see it with an omelet or biscuits and gravy or even fresh fruit and a bagel. I used a dutch oven and liked the deep sides but you could use a large, rounded edge skillet too. Be careful not to make your "patty" too thick or you will have deliciously crispy edges with a gluey center.

Potato Patty

5 large potatoes
1 T chopped green onion
2 T chopped chives
1 T Lawry's Seasoned Salt
6 slices thick cut bacon (I used a peppered bacon from Harmon's Butcher)
salt and pepper to your liking
2 T butter
1/4 C Parmesan cheese

Peel and scrub the potatoes and shred in your food processor (or grate them if you don't have a processor). Place a clean dishtowel over a large bowl and place the grated potatoes on the towel. Squeeze all of the water from the potatoes then toss them into another large bowl. Add finely chopped onion, chives, seasoned salt and salt and pepper and toss. Set aside to marinate. Cook bacon slices to a medium crispness, drain fat and chop then toss in the potato mixture and mix well.

Heat a large (12" or larger) dutch oven skillet and melt one tablespoon of the butter (coating the entire surface). Form a large potato patty into the bottom of the skillet, making sure to fill the pan and touch all sides. Brown the patty for 8-10 minutes (the bottom and sides should be a toasty brown). Turn off the heat and place a large plate over the patty, invert the patty out onto the plate, turn the heat back on, throw in the last tablespoon of butter then turn the patty back out onto the hot skillet. Brown again for 8-10 minutes, slide the patty onto a serving plate and top with freshly grated Parmesan.

Slice and serve.

Valentine Cupcakes

I love Valentine's Day. I know it's been dubbed "The Hallmark Holiday" and I understand the cynicism (bitterness) toward throwing away money on a stupid day created to give card and floral companies money and that we should show our love for others every day. Give me a break though... I do show my love for others every day but I also LOVE giving fun little Valentine's to those I love and making bright, girlie treats for such a day and I love decorating our little home with hearts and pinks and reds... it's fun. I think people miss the point... it's supposed to be "fun." In the spirit of fun and love and showering your loved ones with sweet surprises and flowers and romance and adoration... make some cupcakes and enjoy this mushy-gushy day of loooooove.

Cocoa Cuppies with Nutella and Buttercream

1 1/2 C Cake Flour
3/4 C Sugar
1/2 C Organic Cocoa Powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/4 C Vegetable Oil
1 T vinegar
1 t vanilla
1 1/4 C Water
12 T Nutella

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients and set aside. In a stand mixer, combine the oil, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix until well combined. Add the dry ingredients then pour into 12 prepared muffin cups. Place 1 tablespoon of Nutella in the center of each raw cupcake and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan and then completely on a wire rack. Frost with the following:

Buttercream

1/2 C Unsalted Butter
1 t vanilla
3 C Powdered Sugar
Pink Food Coloring (just a dab)

Cream all ingredients well then pipe onto your little cupcakes and decorate as desired.

The Nutella makes the cupcakes gooey and delicious. The recipe is great because the cupcakes are both butter and egg-less... and how great are the cute little birdie picks??!! I love them!