Mini Mexican Pizza

Its been awhile... Thanks to pinterest, I have lots of fun new things I have tried...hopefully I can get back on the ball!!

 Here are some Mini Mexican Pizzas.  Everybody loved them!!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 large whole wheat tortilla’s, or enough to cut out 12 small circles (I prefer low carb/high fiber tortillas)
• 1 cup lean ground turkey, cooked (OR lean ground beef OR 1 cup Morning Star Meatless Crumbles)
• 1/2 cup salsa of choice (I used one with corn)
• 2 tsp dry taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup low fat refried beans
• 1/2 cup low fat shredded mexican blend or 2% cheddar cheese
• Optional Toppings: sliced black olives, shredded lettuce, low fat sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 12 count muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Start by laying each tortilla out individually on a flat surface, and use an empty can, glass cup, or cookie cutter to cut 3-4 medium circles out of each wrap.
3. Press each wrap circle into muffin tin using your fingers. (Note: it doesn’t have to cover the entire side of the tin, it should just fit snuggly!)
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the ground meat, salsa, taco seasoning, and refried beans. Stir until well combined.
5. Scoop 1/8th cup of meat mixture into each wrap.
6. Top with shredded cheese, (dividing evenly between each pizza), and olives if desired
7. Bake in pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
8. Wait for mini Mexican pizzas to cool, and remove from muffin tin using a fork or knife. Pizza’s should pop out with ease!

Serve with a side of salsa, low fat sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and/or shredded lettuce if desired!

Found the recipe here

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

This recipe came from our best bites!  it was so good.  My whole family loved them. 

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.
Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.Then roll it up as tight as you can Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown



Sweet Barbacoa Pork

This one is for all you Costa Vida/Cafe Rio lovers! But unlike their 1300 calorie sweet pork salads... this one is only 202 calories per serving! (for just the meat part.) Gotta love that! This is from skinnytaste.com

 We made it into burritos and/or salads. Delicious!

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 2.5 lbs pork loin roast, all fat trimmed
• salt and pepper
• garlic powder
• 6 oz Coke zero
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)
• 1/4 cup water

Step 2

• 8 oz Coke zero
• 6 oz can sliced green chilies
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp chipotle chili powder (to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

Season pork with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place in the crock pot. Add 6 oz of coke and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Marinate refrigerated for a few hours or overnight turning meat at least once while marinating.

Remove crock from refrigerator, add water, and cook on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily). Remove pork from crock pot and discard any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork with two forks.

Step two: In the crock pot, combine 8 oz coke, green chilies, tomato sauce, chipotle chile, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder and remaining brown sugar.

Put shredded pork back in the crock pot and combine with sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook on high 1-1/2 hours more.

 

Just for the MEAT mix:

Servings: about 10 • Serving Size: 3 oz •
Calories: 202.5 • Fat: 6.3 g • Protein: 26.2 g • Carb: 11.5 g • Fiber: 0.6 g

Chicken Tortilla Soup 2

So I promised you another good Tortilla Soup Recipe, and here it is! Again, another easy and delicious recipe. It makes a lot, and leftovers are just as delicious!
Find the other recipe HERE.

I didn't have any avocados, or my picture would be much prettier. :)

I LOVE it when my food is beautifully colorful! :)

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

Servings Size

• 
  

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1/2 medium green pepper
• 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce

Toppings Optional

• 1 cup non-fat tortilla chips
• Avocado
• Lime  

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

1. Sauté onion, garlic, jalapeño and green pepper with olive oil in a large pot until soft.
2. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the large pot and bring to a boil.
3. After about 15 minutes, remove the chicken breasts and shred.
4. (Two forks work well to pull the chicken apart!).
5. Return shredded chicken to the pot and simmer an additional 45 minutes.
6. Serve with additional toppings if desired.
7. Enjoy!

Mexican Chicken "Lasagna"

This is a Pampered Chef recipe, but since I don't have the 'special' Pampered Chef stuff, I had to improvise a little... Like, using the oven instead of the microwave. And using a 13x9 pan, instead of their Deep Covered Baker. Still came out DELICIOUS!

 Ingredients:

1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (28 oz) enchilada sauce *

12 (6 in) corn tortillas (may need a few more if using a 13x9 pan) **

3 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded

Directions:

• Place cream cheese in microwave save bowl, microwave on HIGH 30-45 seconds or until very soft. Add cilantro and 1 1/2 cups cheese. Mix well.

• Chop onion, set aside. Spread 2/3 cup enchilada sauce over bottom of 13x9 pan.
• Dip tortillas into enchilada sauce (in a bowl) and arrange in pan covering bottom. Overlapping if necessary. 
• Spoon half of cream cheese mix over tortillas. Top with 1 cup of chicken, and 1/3 of the onions. Repeat layer. (Dip tortillas, arrange, add cream cheese mix, chicken, and onion.)

• Dip remaining tortillas in sauce, and arrange on top. Top off with remaining chicken and onion. Pour remaining enchilada sauce, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
• Bake 350 for about 30-45 minutes. (til cheese is melted, and center of lasagna is warm)

Enjoy!

Sorry I forgot to take a final pic. Oops.

* If desired, 1 bottle (22 oz) medium salsa combined with 1/2 cup water can be substituted for the enchilada sauce. *

** Corn tortillas are pretty strong, in flavor, (I think) so next time I may add a couple flour tortillas. Only a few cuz they will get soggy faster than corn.**

Chicken Tortilla Soup 1

This is super easy (love those kind) and pretty healthy too! (love those kind too)
No real measurements, just make however much you need.
Quick and easy.(this is a version of what is served at El Toro)
This is only one of my awesome Chicken Tortilla Soup recipes, click HERE to check out the other.

Ingredients:
Onion, chopped
Jalapeno, chopped (add seeds if you want it really hot)
Garlic, minced
Chicken broth, (low sodium of course :) )
Tomatoes, diced - canned or fresh
Chicken, shredded (already cooked)
Chipotle Chile pepper -found in spices-
(or you could get real, fresh, chipotle peppers, you'd have to get them from a Mexican grocery store most likely.. they may have them in cans, but be careful cuz they can be really hot)


What to do:
In sauce pan, saute over low heat in a little bit of oil - onions, garlic, and jalapenos.
Add a lil CC Pepper, and keep stirring until onions and peppers are somewhat tender.
***Your HEAT will come mostly from the CC Pepper. So don't be skimpy on the jalapenos. :) They're delicious! So start small with the CC, and add more later if you'd like it a lil spicier. ***
Add tomatoes.
Add chicken broth.
Add chicken.
Turn up heat and cook til hot throughout, or starting to boil.

Serve it up! Add some tortilla strips/chips, avocados and limes for extra deliciousness.



**For an example on measurements... For two of us, I used about 1/2 an onion, 1/2 a pepper, 1-2 garlic cloves, 2 cans tomatoes, 2 cans Chicken broth, and about 2 large chicken breasts cooked and shredded. Amount of spice depends on how spicy you want it.... I just add til it tastes delicious. :)**

Chicken Enchiladas

Another super easy, super delicious recipe brought to my attention by Tessa. And since she won't post, I will. :)

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts, shredded
Cheese, 8 oz bag
Small can of Chopped Green Chiles
Sour Cream
Tortillas (corn or flour)
Enchilada sauce

Amount of ingredients really depends on how much you plan to make. I had 2 LARGE chicken breasts and it made 8 enchiladas. (also depends on how full you stuff em)

Mix shredded chicken and green chiles. Add Sour Cream til you get a consistency like you would tuna for a sandwich. Add a lil cheese if you'd like. Put a lil enchilada sauce in bottom of pan (i also sprayed a lil cooking spray so they wouldn't stick), put a couple spoonfuls of mix in tortilla, and roll up, place in pan with fold down. Once all tortillas are in, cover with sauce and cheese. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. YUM!

Thanks Tessa! :)