GUACAMOLE

I adapted this recipe from On The Border. We love their Guacamole Live. Once you order guacamole live and they make it in front of you. You instantly know how to make guacamole. Yummy and easy to make.

http://www.ontheborder.com/

If you notice I didn't add any measurement. Add or take away as you please. 

GUACAMOLE

INGREDIENTS:

large hass avocados (peel and deseed)

chopped red onion

chopped jalapeno (deseed)

lime

chopped roma tomato

chopped cilantro

salt

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together, squeeze lime (this will prevent the avocado from discoloring). Serve with tortilla chips.

TURKEY BURRITO

TURKEY BURRITO

INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat large tortillas

Steamed rice

Cilantro (minced)

1 lime

1 lb ground turkey

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

1 or 2 roma tomatoes (chopped)

lettuce (chopped)

sour cream

cheddar cheese (shredded)

avocado slices (optional)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, scoop some steamed rice, squeeze lime and add some cilantro. Season with salt. Stir, cover and set aside.

Using a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium to high heat. Sauté ground turkey, season with salt and pepper. Once cooked, set aside.

Warm up each tortilla in the microwave just for a few seconds, or you can also warm it up stove top if you have a tortilla skillet.

Lay tortilla on a plate. Layer rice, turkey, tomato, lettuce, sour cream, cheese and avocado slices. Wrap and serve.

SAUTEED SPINACH WITH CHERRY TOMATOES

I adapted this recipe from the book Smart Cooking The Costco Way. You can't buy the book because they give it to Costco members free of charge. If you are a Costco member look out for the recipe book that they give away. I don't know if they do it every year, but I have one from 2009 and 2010.

This is really easy to make and really yummy :)

SAUTEED SPINACH WITH CHERRY TOMATOES

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large clove of garlic (minced)

6 pieces cherry tomatoes (each cut in half)

3 handfuls spinach

2 tablespoons fresh basil (chopped)

salt and pepper

feta cheese (crumbled)

Directions:

Using a medium sized sauté pan, heat oil over medium to high heat. Add garlic and tomatoes. Once garlic is golden, add spinach and basil. Stir constantly until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper and serve with feta cheese.

Quick Dinner (Roast Beef)

ROAST BEEF WITH GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:

1 slice of whole wheat bread

3 slices of store bought fully cooked roast beef

store bought gravy

instant or store bought mashed potato

steamed asparagus

Directions:

Put bread on the plate, top with roast beef and gravy. Serve with mashed potato and asparagus.

LASAGNA

I usually put ricotta cheese on my lasagna but my friend Lorie told me to switch it out with cream cheese. There is no going back :) 

LASAGNA

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz whole grain whole wheat lasagna noodle

1 can (26 ½ oz) traditional spaghetti sauce

1 lb lean ground beef

parsley flakes

dried basil leaves

garlic powder

salt

fresh ground black pepper

4 oz regular cream cheese

10 to 12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook noodle (al dente) according to package direction.  Drain. Immediately rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking. Drain.

Heat large sauté pan over medium to high heat. Sauté ground beef, season with salt and pepper while still raw. Once ground beef is cooked, add spaghetti sauce. Season with parsley flakes, basil leaves, garlic powder, salt and pepper according to taste. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir until softened.

Using a lasagna baking dish, layer lasagna noodle, sauce, a little bit of cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan. Repeat 3 to 4 layers. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes 375ºF.

layer noodles, sauce and cream cheese

spread the cream cheese

top it with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, repeat and bake

THIN SPAGHETTI with SHRIMP AND BAY SCALLOPS CREAM SAUCE

This is my sister's recipe. Her recipe calls for crab meat and squid, I switched mine out to bay scallops. Enjoy!

THIN SPAGHETTI with SHRIMP AND BAY SCALLOPS CREAM SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

10 oz medium sized shrimp (peeled and deveined)

5 oz bay scallops

¼ cup butter

half bundle asparagus (end trimmed and cut in thirds)

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cans 7.6 fl oz  Nestle table cream

water

salt

DIRECTIONS:

Cook spaghetti according to package direction (al dente). 

In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium to high heat. Sauté shrimp and scallops, season with salt. Once cooked, add asparagus and broccoli. Sauté for a few minutes. Make sure the asparagus and broccoli are cooked but still crisp. Add the cream and a little bit of salt and stir. Bring to boil, and then simmer for 1 minute. If to thick, add a little bit of water. 

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP WITH QUAIL EGGS

My aunt taught me how to make this, but I don't know what it's called so I made it up...

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP WITH QUAIL EGGS

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb chicken breast (boneless, skinless) (cut into bite size pieces)

2 tablespoons canola oil

salt and pepper

2 cans 10 ¾ oz condensed cream of mushroom soup

2 cans water (use the cans from the soup to measure the water)

1 can 8 ¾ oz peas and carrots (drained)

½ can 8 ¾ oz whole kernel corn (drained)

20 pieces hard boiled quail eggs

Directions:

Using a medium or large soup pot, heat oil over medium to high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper. Once chicken is cooked, add cream of mushroom soup and water, stir. Bring to boil (3 minutes). Add peas, carrots, corn and quail eggs. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt according to taste.

CHICKEN ASADO

This is my grandma's recipe. The last time I remember making this was back in 2005. I love my Lola Zeny :) 

CHICKEN ASADO

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs chicken legs

¼ cup soy sauce 

1 medium sized lemon (squeezed, set juice aside)

1 clove of garlic (chopped)

¼ medium sized white onion (cut into strips)

8 oz tomato sauce

1 cup water

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 to 3 pieces bay leaves

Directions:

Marinade chicken legs with soy sauce and lemon juice for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Using a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium to high heat, pan sear the chicken. Save the soy sauce mixture.  Once chicken has a little bit of color, transfer to a baking pan lined with foil. Bake chicken for 20 to 25 minutes, 425ºF.

Using the same sauté pan, sauté garlic and onion. Once onion is opaque, add the chicken, tomato sauce, water, soy sauce mixture and bay leaves. Stir and bring to boil, switch to medium heat, cover and let it boil for 5 minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

LECHE FLAN

LECHE FLAN

INGREDIENTS:

12 fl oz evaporated milk

14 oz condensed milk

12 large or extra large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For caramel:

1 cup brown sugar

¾ cup water

Note: You will also need 4 aluminum foil pans 14.3 cm x 8.1 cm x 4.9 cm

Directions:

Bring water and sugar to boil until sugar caramelized (3 to 4 minutes). Pour mixture into each foil pan (about 3 tablespoons each). Set aside.

Mix evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Using a mesh strainer, strain mixture transferring to another bowl. Pour mixture (divided evenly) into each foil pan.

Cover each foil pan with aluminum foil.

Fill 11” x 15” glass baking pan with water, a little bit less than half way. Line up the foil pans. Bake for 52 to 55 minutes. 370ºF.

caramelized sugar

caramelized sugar in foil pans

add mixture into foil pans that has caramelized sugar

line up foil pans in glass baking pan with water for baking

run knife around the egd to loosen the flan

place a plate on top of the foil pan and quickly turn upside down

MUNG BEAN SOUP (MONGGO)

MUNG BEAN SOUP (MONGGO)

INGREDIENTS:

½ lb Mung Bean

10 cups water

1 to 2 tablespoon canola oil

1 lb pork cutlets (cut into bite size)

1 large roma tomato (chopped)

¼ cup chopped white onion

2 clove garlic (chopped)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/8 cup fish sauce

handful spinach

Directions:

In a medium soup pot, boil water and the mung bean over medium to high heat (30 to 45 minutes, you know that the beans are ready when the skins are cracked). 

While waiting for the beans, heat oil, sauté the pork. Once pork is cooked, add onion and garlic, stir until onion is opaque. Add tomato and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Stir for 1 minute. Set aside until mung bean is ready. Add the pork mixture to the mung bean, add 1/8 cup of fish sauce, and continue to boil for 5 more minutes. Remove the soup from heat. Add spinach and stir. Serve with rice.

SICILIAN CHICKEN STEW

This recipe is adapted from Rachel Ray show. I remember watching her cook this back in 2008. While I watched I was already telling my husband what ingredients I wasn't gonna add on mine. This is my husbands favorite soup dish. It's really good.

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/sicilian-chicken-stew/

SICILIAN CHICKEN STEW

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)(cut into small pieces)

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

half medium sized white onion (chopped into large pieces)

4 stalks celery hearts (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (grated)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

32 oz chicken broth

28 oz can whole plum tomatoes (I use Hunts)

¼ cup basil (chopped)

½ cup parsley (curly)(minced)

parmesan cheese for topping

Directions:

Using a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium to high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper and then stir occasionally until chicken is cooked. Add celery and onion, once onion is opaque (2 to 3 minutes), add garlic (stir, 1 minute). Add balsamic vinegar; let the chicken absorb the vinegar (1 to 1 ½ minutes). Add chicken broth and whole peeled tomatoes. Crush tomatoes using a potato masher. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add parsley and basil. Add salt to taste. Serve with Italian bread and top with parmesan cheese.