Crab Fondue

Growing up a child in the eighties, it seemed that every time my mom had a party, she made fondue. This particular fondue was always a favorite, and the one she made most often. Even though my sister and I usually didn't get to attend the parties, we always were anxious to get our hands on a pre-party sampling of the fondue! My mom would always keep this warming in a crock pot, so we would always beg for a taste before being banished to our rooms with a babysitter, and being the cute kids that we were, mom usually caved and gave us a taste! As kids, neither my sister or I were really fond of crab, but just about anything can be eaten if you cover with cheese! This fondue has a mellow, creamy taste that is just divine and it is a snap to prepare and stays warm in the crock pot, making it the perfect party food!

This is one of my sister's all-time favorite things, and she used to request it every year for her birthday dinner. She wanted to have it for her birthday this year, but we were out of town and just never got around to it. Yesterday was our friend Kristen's birthday, and she wanted to just come over and hang out and watch movies. I said I would take care of some snacks, so I decided to go ahead and make the fondue, my sister was so excited! Everyone really loved this, it is one of those things that is hard to stop eating....which is why I don't make it very often!

Crab Fondue

from Mom

1 (6 oz.) can crab meat, drained
5 oz. white American cheese (You get this from the deli counter, just ask for a chunk)
1/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (I left this out, I didn't have any on hand)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 loaf French bread, cut into 1" cubes and toasted in the oven

Combine all ingredients except for the bread in a fondue pot or crock pot and let melt, stirring occasionally. Once everything is melted and combined, serve with toasted bread cubes.

Green apple slices are also good dippers for this!

Creamy Jalapeno White Sauce & Shrimp Enchiladas

Every summer when I visit Coronado with my family, there is one thing that I always have to do...go and eat at Miguel's Cocina! My family has been eating here since I was a toddler, and I have many fond memories of spending time there with both family and friends. When we first went back to stay in Coronado after about a 15 year hiatus, I was really excited to go back to Miguel's. It looked just how I had remembered it, but one thing that I didn't remember was the Jalapeno White Sauce that they serve alongside the chips and salsa. Let me just say....it was love at first bite! Maybe I never ate this stuff as a kid, or maybe it had just been too long, but I could not believe that I didn't remember it. Even though there are jalapenos in it, it is not really spicy, it is just a smooth, velvety white sauce that goes great with just about everything on the menu!

On my recent trip to Coronado, I was only able to get to Miguel's once (I usually try to sneak in at least two trips) but I savored every bite of the sauce, knowing that I wouldn't get to have it again for an entire year. Well.....I was wrong! The other day I was surfing around on the Internet and came across a website full of secret restaurant recipes, it got me thinking, and so just for fun I Googled "Miguel's Cocina Jalapeno White Sauce," and to my complete surprise it popped right up! In reading the blurb, apparently Miguel's will actually give you a recipe card if you ask for the recipe at the restaurant....who knew??!! With the secret recipe now in my hot little hand, I knew that I was going to have to try it out ASAP. And while I am always a fan of eating just dip for dinner, I decided I need to be a little bit more grown up and actually make some real food as well, so I got some shrimp at the butcher counter to make into some enchiladas with the sauce on top!

The instructions for the dip seemed pretty simple, but they did call for "clarified butter." I had heard of that before, but didn't know how to make it, so after some Internet research I was good to go. It actually was pretty simple, but a word to the wise, start with double the amount of butter that you actually will need, because the clarifying process reduces it by half. Once I had the butter ready it was smooth sailing, and the sauce came together in just 10 minutes! I tasted it, and it was almost a perfect duplicate of my beloved sauce from Miguel's! I think it could have used even a bit more jalapeno, so adjust according to your heat tolerance. Once the sauce was ready, I prepared the enchiladas and I had myself a delicious (although, not low fat at all) Mexican feast! I think next time I will try and make it using half and half and see how it works out!

The possibilities are endless for this sauce.....thank you Miguel!

Creamy Jalapeno White Sauce

2 c. whipping cream
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. chicken base
2 Tbsp. clarified butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (Or more if you like it hot!)
1 Tbsp. juice from jarred jalapenos
1/2 c. shredded cheese (Mexi-Mix)

Heat whipping cream in a saucepan over high heat. When cream is ready to boil, stir in sour cream. When sour cream dissolves, reduce heat to medium. Stir in chicken base and jalapeno juice and simmer.

While cream is simmering, make a roux by warming butter in a saucepan over medium heat, adding flour, and mixing with a wire whip until mixture starts to turn pale gold.

Just before cream mixture is about to boil again, add roux, whisking briskly until it is incorporated. Remove from heat and stir in minced jalapeno and shredded cheese.

Shrimp Enchiladas
(I just made enough for me, so adjust accordingly)

8 extra large shrimp, peeled and deviened
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
Olive Oil
1/2 c. Jalapeno cheese sauce
3 corn tortillas
1/2 c. shredded Monterrey jack cheese
Green onions, chopped

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add shrimp; sprinkle with seasonings and some of the onions. Cook until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp and roughly chop. Add in a touch of the cheese sauce.

Warm tortillas in microwave. Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a glass baking dish. Fill tortillas with shrimp mixture; roll up and place seam side down in dish. Spoon remaining cheese sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheese and onions.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Enjoy!

Lil' Devils

Even though I have been dealing with a terrible cold the past few days (my second cold of the summer..grr) I have been craving chocolate. Each night, as I sat on the couch with my box of tissues I tried to figure out something quick and easy that I could make with ingredients that I had on hand. Unfortunately, every recipe that I wanted to try, I was missing one of the vital ingredients! So Monday and Tuesday both passed without my chocolate craving being addressed. Today, I had to go and drop off some clothes at Goodwill (I did a little late summer cleaning, and donated 75 items!), and since there is a Fry's in the same parking lot, I decided to run in and grab a few things. I was also on a mission to get one of the missing ingredients so that I could finally get my chocolate fix!

I came across this recipe when I was Googling and trying to find something to do with Devil's Food cake mix, and since it combined both chocolate AND peanut butter, I knew that it couldn't be bad! One of the things that drew me to it was that it only had 4 ingredients, so it was really quick to prepare. The filling was a bit tricky because of all the marshmallow cream, so I ended up just patting it down with my hands. I let these cool for awhile before I sampled them, and the were quite yummy, and went perfect with a cold glass of milk. The main problem is that they came out a bit crumbly, making them difficult to eat, so I just dug in with a fork! Hopefully they will set up more the longer that they cool. This also could have been due to operator error and me not combining the crust ingredients well enough, but it didn't make them any less tasty!

Lil' Devils

1 box Devil's Food cake mix
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cake mix with melted butter. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture and pat the rest into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan to form a crust. Combine the peanut butter and marshmallow cream. Spread over the crust. Crumble the remaining cake mixture over the top; gently press down into the peanut butter layer.

Bake for 20 minutes. Before cutting, let cool for at least 30 minutes to let the marshmallows re-set.

Crispy Fish Tacos

As you all should know by now, I have a Mexican food addiction! One of the things that I really like, but don't typically order at restaurants is fish tacos, I usually go for enchiladas or green chile burros. But there is one place that I almost always order a fish taco, and that is Rubio's! What really makes Rubio's fish tacos so tasty is the creamy white sauce that they put on the taco, it really pulls together all the flavors and makes them divine. I have never tried to make fish tacos at home before because I didn't know how to make the white sauce. Well, last night I decided to do some Googling and came across the "Top Secret" recipe for it...and you know what, it is embarrassingly easy! Basically, it is just equal parts of mayonnaise and plain yogurt, yup, that's it! So I threw some breaded fish portions in the toaster oven, whipped up the sauce, heated up some corn tortillas, and then tossed on some shredded cabbage and cheese....and voila...a delicious fish taco! I couldn't believe how similar my impostor tacos tasted, and they were so easy! If I wanted to make them even more authentic, I could fry the fish myself, but I just didn't want to mess with that. I did doctor my sauce up a bit with some garlic powder and Mexican seasoning, but I don't think that it was necessary. I can't wait to have some more of these later...but first I think I need to stop and get some limes!

Crispy Fish Tacos

(Measurements are for 4 tacos, double as needed.)

Tacos
4 breaded fish fillets or 8 breaded fish sticks
4 corn tortillas
shredded cabbage
shredded cheese
lime slices

White Sauce
1/4 c. mayonnaise (I used light)
1/4 c. plain yogurt (I used fat free)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (optional)
1 tsp. Mexican seasoning (optional)

Cook fish in oven according to package directions.

Combine ingredients for white sauce, chill until ready to serve.

When fish is ready, warm corn tortillas on the stove-top. Spread white sauce on tortilla, top with fish, then more white sauce. Lastly, top with cabbage and cheese and a squirt of lime juice.

Enjoy!

Tuna Mac and Cheese Bake

I had such high hopes for this dish, but ultimately, I was disappointed. It is filled with things that are tasty; Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, tuna, peas and french fried onions...it should be good, right? Well, I am not sure if I just wasn't into it because I have been battling a cold and my taste buds are screwed up, or if I just didn't care for it, but whatever the case, it is going to be having a date with my garbage disposal very soon! I think one of my main issues (even taking into consideration my altered taste buds) is that it was soupier than I generally like things, and the soupyness really drowned out the cheesy flavors. The recipe calls for a can of cream of mushroom soup AND 1 1/3 cups of milk....just too much liquid!! The macaroni is already cooked, so there just wasn't enough stuff to absorb the liquid. I am usually a big fan of leftovers eaten cold, and I thought that in this dish's case it might help it, so I even came home for lunch today to have some cold, but it still was too soupy and turned to mush! I think this could possibly be saved by omitting some of the milk, but I am just not sure that I will try it. But I am still on the lookout for a good Tuna Noodle Casserole recipe...so if you have one...send it my way!

Tuna Mac and Cheese Bake
adapted from Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious Jan/Feb 2009

1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) Kraft macaroni and cheese dinner mix
1 can (12 oz.) chunk white water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
1 can (10-3/4) oz. condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1-1/3 c. milk (I really think this is way too much)
1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen peas and pearl onions
1 can (3 oz.) french-fried onions, divided

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Prepare macaroni dinner mix according to package directions. Add the tuna, soup, milk, peas and half of the fried onions. Place in a greased 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining onions; bake 5 minutes longer or until heated through.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

My love for all things food and cooking began at an early age; I started collecting cookbooks the way other kids collected baseball cards! My closet was filled with more cookbooks than shoes (which is saying a lot, since I have always been a proud "shoe whore")! When I was in middle school, the Internet age began. At first, I thought the best part was just being able to IM with my friends, but then I discovered what the "information super highway" was really all about...an unmatched database filled with anything and everything you could ever want to know! I immediately started searching (this was before Google) and seeking out recipes. I would print out copies of the ones that I wanted to try, and organize them in a three-ring binder both alphabetically and by course. I found the recipe for this dip back in those early days, before you could attach a picture or write a review, when you just had to try it out to see if it was any good! Well my friends, this turned out to be one of those recipes that is very, very good; a classic you might say. I can't count the number of times that I have made this, always getting raves and recipe requests from its consumers. I make it from memory now, no written recipe required, but it is just so good, that I thought I should share it with you all in written form.

(The picture below shows it served with salsa and sour cream on the side, this is known as "Chicago Style." This is my preferred way to eat it, but it is just as delicious all on its own.)

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies (This doesn't make it spicy, so if you want heat, add more)
1 c. Parmesan cheese, grated (I prefer grated, but shredded works fine too)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
8 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Preheat Oven to 350 °F

Mix all ingredients together and put in a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle a little bit of Parmesan on top, if desired. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until top is golden brown.

Serve with chips.

Kitchen Tip: The fastest, easiest way to chop the artichoke hearts is to drain them in the can, then using a pair of clean kitchen scissors, just cut them up in the can. This works great, doesn't require getting a cutting board dirty and makes the preparation so easy!

Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Okay, so I just couldn't do it. Once I got myself up and started baking, the baking bug took over! The Chocolate Chip Cookie Pretzel Bars had to bake for 30 minutes, so I figured I would just go ahead and bite the bullet and get these ready to put in the oven when they were ready. Otherwise, I had planned to get up early and make them before work, but for those of you that know me well, you know that I am NOT a morning person!

I have made peanut butter blossoms before, peanut butter cookies topped with a Hershey's kiss, but this were taking things to a whole new level with a mini Reese's peanut butter cup! I found these on Coleen's Recipes, and she referred to them as the "Ultimate" filled peanut butter cookie, they sure did live up to their name! Everyone loved them so much, that they were gone before some of our guests even arrived (sorry, Karen, Kyle, Drew & Liz)! I couldn't believe how incredibly easy these were to make, they look rather tedious, but really the hardest part is just unwrapping all the little Reese's cups!

Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

adapted from Coleen's Recipes

24 mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, frozen
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter flavored Crisco (I didn't have butter, so I used regular, it seemed to work fine)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the Crisco, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla until it is smooth and creamy. Next, add the dry ingredients and beat just until smooth. Roll the dough into 24 1-inch balls and place in ungreased mini-muffin pan.

Bake for 10 minutes until they puff up and are slightly browned. They will look like this below.


After removing them from the oven, immediately press a FROZEN mini Reese's cup into the center of each cookie, pressing down until the top of the candy is at the same level as the top of the cookie.

Let them cool in the pan for about 2 minutes before you try to remove them. To remove, insert just the tip of a thin knife between the cookie and the pan. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely. The chocolate will melt from the heat, so allow them to fully re-set (you can even pop them in the fridge to speed up the process) before serving.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pretzel Bars

The night before I left for California I had a lot of things that I needed to get done to prepare, but after having battled a head cold for the last few days, all I wanted to do was lay on the couch. I had planned to make a few sweets to bring along on the trip, but the longer I lay there, the more I began to reconsider my plan. I finally compromised with myself and decided that I would make one of the planned desserts, but not both.

I had found this recipe about a month ago on the Two Peas and Their Pod blog and instantly knew that I had to try them. I don't know about you, but the combination of salty and sweet is one of major weaknesses, once I start I just can't stop! My mom is like this with Kettle Korn, she has a serious addiction, I have even seen her eat if for breakfast to just get it out of the house! I have always loved chocolate covered pretzels, and who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies? Put them together and you have yourself a chewy, salty, crunchy, chocolaty treat that cannot be beat. These were so simple to put together, and since they are in bar form and not cookie form, the prep time is reduced even more. Everyone really enjoyed these...especially Meghan...who ate them for her breakfast one morning!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pretzel Bars
adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 c. mini pretzels, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Using a mixer, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. On low, beat in the dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Press the batter down with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Use a knife to go around the side of the pan to loosen the bars. Cut into squares and serve.

Mexican Cheese Corn Dip

So I haven't posted in a week, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been cooking! I just got back from a lovely 5 day stay in cool and breezy Coronado, California! As a kid, we used to spend the month of August there every summer, but as we got older, and school started earlier and earlier, we stopped going. When my dad "semi-retired" a few years ago, he and my mom started going for the month of August again to avoid the heat; and since they love me, I get to go and visit! We have stayed in a variety of houses over the last few years, with the house this year being the best because it can sleep 18 people! With so many extra beds to choose from, my sister and I decided to bring along a bunch of friends to share in the fun and escape the Arizona heat! There ended up being 9 of us total, plus my parents, and we had a great time relaxing, napping, playing cards and riding bikes around the island! Our friends all got in some beach time too, but I get too antsy just sitting on the beach, so I went to the outlet mall instead!

Since my parents were so gracious in letting a group of people invade their peaceful, tropical getaway, I figured I should bring some food for everyone to snack on! I always get rave reviews for my Mexican Dip, so I whipped up another batch, but I also felt that I should try something else that was new. I had been wanting to try this Mexican Cheese Corn Dip for awhile, so I decided this was the perfect opportunity. Let me just say, my friends could not stop eating this! It doesn't have a lot of heat to it (which could always be kicked up with more chilies or jalapenos or a dousing of Tabasco sauce, which is the route Kristen went), but the flavor is great and goes great with tortilla chips. This is the perfect dip to take to a party because it really needs to be made ahead of time to let the flavors blend and turn into something really yummy!

Mexican Cheese Corn Dip

3 (11 oz. each) cans Mexicorn, drained

2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

1 (7 oz.) can diced green chilies

2/3 c. green onions, chopped

3/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

3/4 c. mayonnaise (I used light)

8 oz. sour cream (I used light)

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise and cumin; stir well. Add corn, cheese, chilies, garlic salt, and onions to the sour cream mixture. Stir well to combine. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve with tortilla chips.

Beaver Street Brewery - Flagstaff, AZ

I have been a Cardinals fan since they moved to Arizona in 1988; I have this picture of me as a kid with the little Cardinal logo painted on my face! Well, after 20 years of ups and downs, the Cardinals finally got their act together and made it to the Superbowl! They didn't win, but they played a great game and silenced a lot of naysayers out there. Even though I have always cheered on my hometown team, I had never had the opportunity to go to one of their training camp practices, so I decided that this was going to be the year! They hold their training camp up in Flagstaff, AZ, which is about 2 hours North of Phoenix and about 30 degrees cooler! I hadn't been to Flagstaff in about 15 years, so my sister and our friend Cynthia decided to road trip it up North for a little Saturday day trip. Well, we definitely weren't the only ones with this idea, and 12,000 of our closest friends decided to join us that day! This was apparently the largest crowd in Cardinals training camp history, and I am guessing that their last season's performance had something to do with that, but at least Cynthia and I both knew that we were not band wagoners, but die hard Cardinals fans!

Even though it was crowded we were able to find seats on the hill and watch the practice, followed by the "Red & White" scrimmage. The most fun part came when Kurt Warner came over right in front of where we were sitting and got the crowd to start the wave...I love the wave! The weather was beautiful outside, and the backdrop of the mountains and all the green trees just added to the experience. Just look at this view!

When the session was over around 1:30, we were ready to grab some lunch. I had asked a friend of mine who went to school in Flagstaff for suggestions, and she suggested the Beaver Street Brewery. At the mention of the name I suddenly recalled that I had eaten there once as a kid, and that it was where I tried my first taste of BLT Pizza! I had my GPS with us, so I plugged in Beaver Street Brewery and off we went. The restaurant is located in a building on Beaver Street in the heart of Flagstaff; the building was originally a grocery store in the 1930's that was converted to a restaurant in the early '90's. The place was packed full of hungry Cardinals fans, but we only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table.

We were very thirsty when we first sat down, so we ordered a round of ice waters, and Laura got a strawberry lemonade, while Cynthia decided to try out some of their homemade brew and got a Bramble Berry Brew that had a hint of raspberry to it. Laura said that it was the best strawberry lemonade that she had ever had and Cynthia, usually not a big fan of fruity beers thought that this was excellent down to the last drop! Since it was already 2:00 by this point, we were famished, so we decided to get an appetizer to start with, and ordered the Chips and Southwestern Cream Cheese.

Basically, it was cream cheese mixed with pico de gallo and served with tortilla chips. The dip was tasty, nothing outstanding, it definitely could have used a bit more heat in my opinion. It is a little too cold still, and the chips didn't hold up very well when trying to dip. I have to say, and Laura and Cynthia agreed, that the chips were a bit on the stale side. They were stale, thin and cold; not a good combination for tortilla chips. But, we were hungry to so we ended up eating most of it.


As Laura looked over the menu, the only thing that stuck out to her was the Salmon BLT, but minus the salmon! She said she was just really craving a BLT, so when she ordered it, she asked for no salmon, extra bacon. When the sandwich arrived, she was a bit disappointed in the amount of bacon on the sandwich, it was only 4 slices, which is what was supposed to originally come on the one with the salmon. There also wasn't any mayo on the sandwich, so she had to get a side of that, because you can't eat a BLT without mayo! Once she got her sandwich all slathered with mayo and took a bite, she declared that overall, it was a good version of a BLT. The bacon was extra crispy and the bread was toasted to a golden brown. The fries that came on the side were cooked perfectly, and she dipped them in a combination of ranch and ketchup. When the check came, the lack of extra bacon was made up for since our server just charged her for a regular BLT which was $2.00 cheaper than the salmon version. (Nice move Justin Bobby...oops...I mean Jared!) (Sorry, I had to throw this in, but you had to be there to fully understand)

Beaver Street is also well known for their array of wood fired pizzas. There were a few that looked good to Cynthia that day, but she decided to try the special of the day, the Pineapple Express (such a fitting name for a town like Flagstaff!). The pizza was topped with pineapple, ham, bacon, red onions, cilantro and banana peppers. Cynthia doesn't like bacon (we are not sure what is wrong with her!) so originally she had asked if she could substitute chicken for the bacon. Our waiter got a bit confused at this point, he asked if she wanted the ham or not, she didn't realize there was ham and said oh, leave the ham no chicken....well, Justin Bobby didn't quite get the message and went ahead and added chicken. Cynthia was fine with it, especially since it just added more topping goodness! She said the pizza was delicious, and the crust was thin and crispy. The pizza was a good size portion, and she ended up taking half of it home with her.

Lots of items on the menu looked good to me, but I ended up going with the Shrimp Gordita Platter. Basically, they were crispy shrimp tacos on flour tortillas, but the menu referred to them as gorditas, so I went with it. On the side, it was served with more stale chips and some guacamole and salsa. The tacos were excellent! The shrimp were some of the best battered shrimp I have ever had; a light, airy batter that was cooked to a perfect golden brown. A creamy chipotle coleslaw and shredded cheese was also stuffed into the tortilla giving an excellent explosion of flavor. They were some of the best shrimp tacos (gorditas, whatever) I have ever had, and I would happily venture to Flagstaff to have them again!

With our bellies full, it was time to hit the road and head back down to the Phoenix inferno. Cynthia got a take home growler of beer for her brother (which I seem to have lost the picture of), and when Laura asked her why they call it a growler, her response was, "Because beaver's growl...grrr!!" We all got a good laugh out of that one, and it pretty much summed up our day; good friends, good food, and good fun! Even with the stale chips (I guess I should give them a break, it's not a Mexican restaurant) we all decided that we would happily return to the Beaver Street Brewery.

Beaver Street Brewery

11 S. Beaver St.

Flagstaff, AZ 86001

www.beaverstreetbrewery.com

Bacon Tomato Garlic Cheese Toasts

On Friday I was not feeling very good, I had somehow managed to catch myself a summertime cold, which, is not a good time. I was feeling run down and tired, so I decided to go home from work early and just relax on the couch. On my way home I decided I needed to get some movies, so I went to Safeway to see what the RedBox had to offer and while I was there decided to pick up a few items for the road trip that I was taking the next day up to Flagstaff for Cardinals training camp. But as I was wandering the aisles, I couldn't help but think that later on I was going to need to eat something (you know, "feed a cold") so when I was on the freezer aisle and spotted the garlic bread, I immediately remembered a recipe that I had just seen that morning on Krista's Kitchen. The recipe originally came from Food Network Magazine, which I am a subscriber to but have yet to make anything from it, even though it all looks delicious! The recipe originally calls for plain Texas Toast, but Krista had used garlic toast, and I thought that that sounded like the way to go for me as well. I scanned my memory banks and realized that I had just about everything at home already, I just needed to get the garlic bread and a tomato.

After laying on the couch for a few hours, my stomach told me that it was time to make some food, so I set off to throw these toasts together. I have to say, they were pretty simple; cooking the bacon is what took the longest. I generally cook my bacon in a skillet to collect the grease to make beans, or just toss it in the microwave, but that night I decided I wanted to give it a try in the oven....and the results, this is my new favorite way to make it! It is so easy, you don't have to turn it and if you line the pan with foil, the clean up is a cinch! So if you haven't tried this method, just cook at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes until your desired level of crispiness...and voila...hands free bacon!

I didn't put the sliced zucchini on the toasts as the original recipe called for because mine in the fridge had passed the point of no return, and I also omitted the parsley because I don't really think it adds much flavor and then I have a whole bunch leftover in my fridge that just shrivels up and dies. I just went the plain and simple route, cheese spread, bacon and tomato. These were quite rich, but they were tasty, and I could definitely see myself making them again once the weather gets cooler.

Bacon Tomato Garlic Cheese Toasts

adapted from Food Network Magazine Aug/Sep 2009

1 large, ripe tomato
Kosher salt
8 strips bacon (Cooked using your preferred method)
4 slices Texas Toast Garlic Bread, thawed

3/4 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

3/4 c. mayonnaise (I used light)
5 scallions, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil.

Core the tomato and thinly slice. Place in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt; let drain for at least 15 minutes.

Combine the cheeses with the mayonnaise and scallions in a bowl. Spread cheese mixture on the toasts, reserving about 1/3 cup. Crumble 2 slices of bacon onto each slice of bread. Shake off any excess liquid from the tomatoes; distribute tomatoes among the toasts. Dot with the reserved cheese mixture. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Ever since last football season I have been trying to figure out the best way to make Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers. They are tricky little suckers between seeding the jalapeno, stuffing them, wrapping them with the bacon and then trying to get them cooked without the cheese exploding all over the grill or the bacon falling off! Due to the multiple debacles I had with the whole process, I had decided to abort my popper mission. But while visiting my grandma in California this past February, I happened upon the coolest gadget ever, a gadget that I hoped would convince me to give the poppers another go! It is a Chili Pepper Grill Rack! Basically, it allows for the chili's to be propped upright in little stands so that none of the cheese escapes! Finally, the gooey goodness of melted cheese, hot jalapenos ad crispy bacon was going to be back in my life!


The first time that I went to use the rack, I got a pleasant surprise; not only did it come with the rack, but a jalapeno slicer and corer! If you have ever attempted to core a jalapeno, it can be a frustrating experience, but not with the slicer! It allows for the top of the jalapeno to be sliced off, and then scoops out all of the seeds, it is so easy!


The part closer to the handles the slicer, and then the top part is able to dig into the jalapeno and remove the seeds! I easily prepped a dozen jalapenos to stuff in less than 5 minutes...I was just amazed! I am going to list what I used for my poppers, but you can change things up and substitute whatever your favorite ingredients are! But a word to the wise, it took me a couple of tries to get these right. I finally discovered that you really need to use the pre-cooked bacon, otherwise, the peppers are ready and the bacon isn't cooked through, resulting in burned peppers!

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

12 fresh, jalapeno peppers

8 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, sliced into sticks that fit peppers

1 pkg. pre-cooked bacon (Like Hormel)

See and core the jalapenos. Insert a stick of cheese into each pepper. Wrap one slice of the pre-cooked bacon around the pepper, overlapping if necessary; secure with a toothpick. Place peppers in grill rack.

Grill over medium heat until cheese is melted and bacon begins to crisp up, 5 - 10 minutes!

These are really fun for barbecues or in my case, tailgate parties! The rack can also go into an oven, but place it on a cookie sheet first to make it easier to remove and clean up!

If you want to get your own Chili Pepper Grill Rack, they can be found on Amazon, just click below!

Chili Pepper Grill Rack

Peanut Butter Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

A couple of weeks ago my local grocery store had Rice Krispies on sale for super cheap, so I decided that it was the perfect opportunity to make the Rice Krispie treats that I had been craving. I love Rice Krispie treats, but I couldn't tell you the last time that I had actually made them, and the homemade ones are just so much better than the pre-made kinds. While rooting around in my baking cupboard, I found a bag of peanut butter and milk chocolate swirled chips that I had picked up on a super sale around the holidays. I hadn't yet found something to use them in yet, so I decided to kick up my treats and add them to the mix! And I am sure glad that I did, they added the perfect amount of peanut buttery goodness and chocolate to the sweet treats. I brought the pan into my office the next day and they were devoured immediately, and I got multiple requests for the recipe. It is almost embarrassing how easy these are, but they are the perfect no bake sweet treat for a hot summer's day!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

3 Tbsp. butter
20 oz. pkg. jumbo marshmallows
6 c. Rice Krispies
10 oz. pkg. Nestle Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Swirl Chocolate Chips.

In a large pot, melt butter, once butter is melted, add marshmallows. Continue to stir over medium heat until they have all melted and become smooth. Stir in Rice Krispies and combine well. Stir chips into the mixture, and they will begin to melt.

Line 9 x 13 pan with foil, sprayed with cooking spray. Press mixture into pan, and let cool.

When cool, cut and serve!

Pollo Fundido

Oh no friends, I am in trouble! Why am I in trouble? Because I have figured out how to make Pollo Fundido at home...and I have to say it is just as good, if not better than versions that I have had in Mexican restaurants around town! And adding to the trouble....it is way too easy to make...which makes it way too convenient for me to make it way too often! I am going to have to put some limits on myself on how frequently this can show up on my plate...but it is going to be oh so hard!

For those of you not familiar with Pollo Fundido, it is one of my all-time favorites to order at Mexican restaurants. It is basically a chicken chimichanga, covered in a jalapeno cream cheese sauce and melted cheese. It is cheesy, gooey and spicy all rolled into one, basically it is just plain delicious! I have been on a mission for the last few months to try and re-create the jalapeno cream cheese sauce that comes with fundidos, and not because I wanted to make a fundido, but because I am obsessed with using it as a dip for chips...it is like a cold queso dip...divine! I have tried a few versions before, and none of them ever quite worked out. I recently came across a recipe for a version of the cream cheese that called for chicken base. I wasn't quite sure what chicken base was, so I of course googled it, it turns out that it is a liquid form of chicken bouillon. Well, chicken base is not that easy to track down, I searched grocery stores far and wide, and was finally able to find some at Super Wal-Mart...jackpot!

So tonight was the night that I decided to put all the pieces together, to make one of my favorite meals! The chicken cooked in the Crock Pot, and then after that, the sauce came together in about 2 minutes, and 10 minutes later, I had dinner! This chicken was delicious, and I am not usually a chicken person, I much prefer beef or pork, but I can for see using this in quesadillas, tacos, burritos and tostadas too. I am planning to freeze some to keep for another time...which means I can have Pollo Fundido....pronto!

Pollo Fundido

Chicken Filling

1.5 lbs. chicken breasts (I just threw mine in frozen)

16 oz. jar Salsa Verde (I used La Victoria Thick N' Chunky)

2 cubes Chicken bouillon

Throw everything in the Crock Pot and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken and shred, put chicken back into Crock Pot with remaining sauce and mix thoroughly. Keep warm until ready to use.

Cream Cheese Sauce

8 oz. cream cheese (I used light)

1/4 c. Half & Half

2 Tbsp. chopped jalapenos (I got mine from a 4 oz. can and then saved the rest)

1 tsp. chicken base (liquid bouillon)

1 tsp. garlic salt

Soften cream cheese, and then mix in all the other ingredients. Add more jalapenos if you like things really spicy. Set aside. (I mixed mine in my Magic Bullet.)

Other Ingredients

4 - 6 burrito size tortillas (I buy the ones you have to cook first)

4 - 6 slices cheddar or American cheese

Canola Oil (about 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a medium sauce pan until hot. Place about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chicken filling on each tortilla. Fold one end over filling, then fold in the sides and continue to roll up burrito style until sealed well. Place burritos, one at a time, in hot oil, flipping over after about 30 seconds. Once golden brown, drain on paper towel or cooling rack. Place drained burritos on baking sheet. Spread cream cheese mixture on top, then top with a slice of cheese. Bake for

5 - 10 minutes until cheese melts.

Serve with rice and beans if desired....delicioso!