Chicken Mole' Pizza

I am posting this recipe tonight for my baby sister, who is pregnant, and has certain cravings.

 

 I love this yummy, fast, easy dinner. My family is always excited when I make this fun and different pizza for dinner.  The sauce is a Mole' sauce, which is a spicy chocolate and peanut sauce used in Mexican and Spanish cooking.  Don't be intimidated though, because this is a very simple recipe for a "mock" mole' sauce.

This recipe comes from Pampered Chef 2005.  I often use a prepared (Boboli) pizza crust, but you can make your own as well.

Preheat Oven 425 degrees.

Mole' Sauce - 

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

2 Tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoons creamy peanut butter

3/4 teaspoons chili powder (I suggest starting with 1/4 teaspoon, then adding for more heat after tasting.  Especially if you're feeding kids.)

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 small garlic clove, minced (1 teaspoon bottled)

Combine and melt in microwave safe bowl, in microwave for 30-60 seconds.  Stir well, make sure all the chocolate chips are melted in.  Spread sauce over crust.

Pizza - 

Prepared and pre-baked pizza crust

Toss together - 

2 cups shredded, cooked, chicken breast (I open up 1 large can of chicken from Costco.)

1 bell pepper diced, about 1 cup

1/4 cup onion

1/4 cup sliced black olives

Spread the chicken/veggie mix over the sauce on crust.

Top with sliced tomatoes and shredded Mexican cheese blend (colby and monterey jack).

Bake 16-18 minutes at 425 degrees.

Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Sweet Hot Cucumber Salad

 I love to make this and eat this year round.  It is especially good with fresh cucumbers from the garden.  It is a great side to any meal.  I've even served it for Thanksgiving.

1 cup vinegar                     1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

3/4 cup water                     dash of Parsley

3/4 cup sugar                      1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt                            Dash of Basil

3-4 sliced cucumbers

Very refreshing side dish!

Heat to boiling all ingredients except cucumbers.  Pour hot liquid over sliced cucumbers.  Put in refrigerator to cool for several hours.  Serve chilled. 



Spicy Potato Wedges

This recipe is from Cooking Light Magazine September 2008.  It was printed with the recipe for Chicken Breasts with Gorgonzola-Tomato Salsa.  I always make them together and the kids love it!  The flavors go really great together.  But mostly I just love how awesome my kids think I am for making "homemade french fries."  That is what they call these.  By they way I double this recipe as well.  I will post the original.

2 1/2 lbs. of Yukon gold potatoes, each cut lengthwise into wedges. *I peel them as well.

1 1/2 Tbsp. Canola oil (I have also used Olive oil)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (I have fun using all kinds of spicy seasonings.)

Cooking Spray *I do not use cooking spray, I bake these on my large Demarle Flexipat.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine potatoes and oil in a large bowl, tossing well to coat.  Toss in with seasonings.  Arrange potatoes on sprayed large cookie sheets, use two if needed to make sure they are in a single layer.  Bake for 25 minutes, then turn them over and bake an additional 20 minutes.  **Because I bake them on a flexipat I do not turn them, just bake them for 35-40 minutes.

Serving size - 6 oz.

Calories 164; Fat 3.7g; Protein 3.2g; Carb 29.9g; Fiber 4.6g;



Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

This is one of my new favorite meals!  It is completely vegetarian and SO yummy!  My friend Emily posted it on her blog.  She found the recipe on Our Best Bites.  A couple of my kids don't really like this dinner.  They like the filling, just not the pepper. 

4 very large or 6 medium sweet peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
1 Tbs salt
1/2 C white rice (or brown if you want to take the time to cook it), quinoa also works *Corinne's note: I have always used quinoa in this dish, YUM!*
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 – 1 jalapeno, minced (or you could sub a small 3oz can of mild green chilies)
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 green onions, sliced *Corinne's note: I have never had these on hand, and do fine without them.*
1/2-1 tsp chipotle chili powder (you can start with 1/2 and add more to taste) *Emily's note: I used regular chili powder*
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 black pepper, plus more to taste
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
1 1/4 C jack or pepperjack cheese, divided
3-4 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
tortilla chips, just a handful and more for serving if desired.*Corinne's note: I never add the tortilla chips on top.*

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.

Add rice to boiling water and cook until tender, about 13 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno (or chilies) and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, beans, green onions, chipotle chili powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Place peppers in a baking dish. Remove skillet from heat and add rice, tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, and cilantro. Stir to combine well and give it a taste. Add additional salt, pepper, and chipotle powder to your liking. Then evenly divide mixture between peppers.

Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese (or more if you can fit it on there :) and crushed tortilla chips.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Our favorite side dish with this meal is Sweet Corn Cake.  They go so well together!



Sweet Corn Cake

This is a Southwestern version of Corn Pudding.  It is very much like the Corn Pudding served at the restaurant Chevy's.  My friend Alyssa found this recipe somewhere and handed it over to me.  My kids get very excited when I put this on the table! 

The original recipe is for a 8x8 pan, but I double it and prepare it in my 11x8 sized pan.  This is the original recipe.  If you are feeding a crowd, as I am, I suggest you double it!

1/4 cup butter, softened          1/4 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup masa harina          1/3 cup sugar

(or flour + 1 Tblsp Cornmeal)     2 Tablespoons milk

1 can creamed corn        1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder                             

 In a medium bowl, or food processor, beat butter (margarine) till creamy.  Add Mexican flour (masa harina).  In a blender, or add to the food processor blend the creamed corn.  Mix in with the flour and butter.

Add in remaining ingredients.  Pour into ungreased 8x8 pan.  Cover with foil (I always forget to do this part).  Place pan in a larger, glass pan filled 1/3 of the way with water.  Bake in water bath at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. 

In my oven, in the water bath.

We usually have this as a side dish with Mexican kinds of foods.  We especially love it with Southwestern Stuffed Peppers.

Cheese & Vegetable Soup

                I love this soup, it is my favorite soup.  The pictures above were taken on my birthday 2006.  This is often my birthday dinner request, even as I was growing up.  This is one of my mom's recipe's.  I do not kow where she got it from.  

It is like eating Fondue with little bits of Veggies in the dip.  It is SO good!  Of course, it has to be served in a toasted bread bowl.  Sourdough is my favorite.

1½ cups peeled, diced carrots                           1 cup diced celery

½ cup onion, diced                                              ½ cup margarine or butter

4 cans chicken broth, or 5 cups chicken bouillon

2 cups shredded cheddar (sharp)                      2 cups half n half

1 cup bisquick                                                      ½ t paprika

1/8 t pepper                                                           1/8 t cayenne pepper

Cook celery, onion and carrots in butter until tender.  Stir in bisquick and spices.  Remove from heat.  Gradually stir in chicken broth.  Heat again to boil, stirring constantly boil for 1 minute.  Reduce heat and add half n half and cheese.  Heat until cheese is melted.  Serve in a hot bread bowl, dip bread pieces in like fondue.  YUMMY!

Veggie Pizza

This is great for Summer.  I usually save it for potlucks, barbecues and partied.

2 packages of crescent roll tubes

Spread on a jelly roll sized baking pan.  Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes.

Let cool.

Mix - 16 oz. Cream Cheese (can use fat free)

          1 packet Ranch dressing mix

          1/2 cup Mayonnaise (I substitute fat free plain Greek yogurt when I have it on hand.)

Spread this over the crust, carefully.

Top with chopped veggies.  I like Cauliflower, Broccoli and Carrots.