Loaded Nachos 2 Ways

Loaded Nachos 2

We love nachos at our house! These recipes make for a great appetizer for a big gathering or a family meal.

Vegetarian Loaded Nachos

Organic corn chips (I like Costco brand)

4 cups Monterrey Jack or white cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cans refried pinto beans

1 cup medium salsa (I like the Costco brand)

1 jar pickled jalapenos

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced

4 avocados

Juice of 1 lemon

Sea salt and pepper

Sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray. Heat the refried beans and salsa in a small sauce pan. Layer the pan with corn chips and half of the bean mixture. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Put in the oven until cheese has melted, about 5-10 minutes. Layer again and repeat. Make the guacamole by mashing the avocados, add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Top with tomatoes, jalapenos, guacamole and sour cream. Eat right away and enjoy!

 

Loaded Nachos 1

Loaded Meat Nacho

Organic corn chips (I like Costco brand)

1 pound ground turkey or beef

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 can refried beans

4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 jar pickled jalapeno peppers

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 can sliced olives

2-3 avocados, chopped

Sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray. Cook the meat and season with the cumin, chili powder and sea salt and pepper to taste. Add the refried beans to the meat. Layer the pan with corn chips and half of the meat/bean mixture. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Put in the oven until cheese has melted, about 5-10 minutes. Layer again and repeat. Top with tomatoes, jalapenos, olives avocadoes and sour cream. Eat right away and enjoy!

 

Slow Cooker Hearty Beef Stew

Crock-Pot Beef Stew

This stew is simple to make and very hearty!  No need to brown the meat with this recipe.  It’s got all the flavor without all the labor!

Recipe

2-3 tablespoons good olive oil

3 onions, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1  1/2 cups organic chicken broth

1  1/2 cups organic beef broth

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 bay leaves

1 (4-pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

Salt and Pepper

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes (about 5-6), chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 pound carrots (about 6), peeled and chopped

2 cups frozen peas

Heat the oil in a large skillet.  Add the onions, tomato paste, garlic and thyme and saute over medium high heat until softened and lightly browned.  Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits.  Add to the crock pot along with beef broth, soy sauce and bay leaves.  Season the beef with salt and pepper and nestle into the crock pot.  Add the potatoes and carrots.  Cook on low for 9-11 hours or on high for 5-7 hours.  Add the peas at the end just before serving to heat through.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with homemade bread or rolls and a salad.

Quinoa Black Bean Bake

Quinoa Black Bean Bake

This recipe makes for a nice appetizer at a gathering or main dish at home! Serve with organic tortilla chips.

Recipe

1 cup quinoa, cooked

1 lb. ground turkey (optional)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large green bell peppers, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen or fresh corn

1 (15 oz.) can black beans

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish, set aside.  Cook quinoa in a rice cooker or stove top with 2 cups water.  In the meantime cook ground turkey in a large dutch oven until browned.  Add the onions, peppers, garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper until vegetables are softened.  Take off the heat and add the quinoa, corn, black beans, cilantro and 2 cups cheese.  Transfer to a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, top with remaining cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve with tortilla chips.

 

 

 

Navajo Tacos with Homemade Scones

Navajo Tacos

These are a family favorite!  I love meals that are simple, filling and healthy!  You can go vegetarian or use meat.  Be sure to use my recipe for Honey Whole Wheat Scones for these.  The sweetness of the scone and savory flavors of the toppings make this a real treat!

Recipe

One recipe of Honey Whole Wheat Scones or your own recipe.  Pinch dough off into balls and roll out into disc shapes.

Your favorite browned turkey or beef taco meat recipe ( I like to make it simple by adding a chopped onion to the meat, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder and 2 teaspoons dried oregano, salt ans pepper).

1 can drained black, pinto or refried beans

Lettuce

Sharp cheddar cheese

Sour Cream

Salsa or chopped tomatoes

Guacamole or sliced avocado

Top your scone with whatever you want and enjoy!

 

 

Easy Enchiladas “Your Way”

Enchiladas

Hearty and delicious!  This recipe comes from my mother-in-law with a few differences to make it my own.  They are really more like smothered burritos!  Simple comfort food!

Recipe

1 lb. ground turkey or beef (you can even use shredded cooked chicken too)

1 large onions, chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 can green chilies

2 cans refried beans

2 (15 oz) bottles or canned enchilada sauce (I like Sprout’s brand)

16 flour tortillas (I like the brand from Costco you have to cook)

3-4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Green onions

Tomatoes

Lettuce

In a large dutch oven pot, brown the meat on medium high heat.  Add the onions and seasonings.  Add the chilies, beans and half of one bottle or can of enchilada sauce to thin out the bean mixture.  Cook until heated through.  Cook the tortillas if needed.  Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with oil.  Fill each tortilla with the bean mixture and roll the outsides in and then roll bottom up.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas in the dish and top with cheese.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the cheese is bubbly and melted.  I like to serve it over a big bed of lettuce with sour cream, tomatoes and green onions!

 

Spicy Mexican Salad Bowls

Spicy Mexican Salad Bowls

I love this dish!  It’s healthy, satisfying and delicious!  My mom made it for me a while back and I just had to share!  This healthier version of Cafe Rio’s salad with green tomatillo ranch dressing is mouth watering!  I like it vegetarian style but you can always add a tender shredded beef or chicken if you want!  This recipe serves 6-8.

Cilantro Lime Rice:
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1 lime
2 cups chicken broth or water
Cook all ingredients above in a rice cooker or over the stove in a pan according to directions on the rice package.
Off the heat add:
2 limes juiced
2 teaspoons agave or organic sugar
3-4 tablespoons chopped cilantro (1/2 bunch)
Set aside.
Fresh Tomato Onion Salsa:
In a large bowl mix together:
5 large tomatoes
1/2 white onion, minced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Set aside.
Tomatillo Ranch Dressing:
1 cup water
1 cup cashews
Blend well.
Add:
2 tomatillos
1 jalapeno, seeded
1 lime zested
2 limes juiced
1 bunch cilantro
1 package of ‘Simply Organic’ brand ranch dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas: (found this great recipe from a friend.  It makes 6 large or 12 small tortillas)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic canola oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup warm water
Beat ingredients in an electric bowl fitted with a paddle attachment and mix for 3 minutes.  Divide dough into 6 or 12 pieces, roll out into circles with oil on the counter and grill on a hot flat skillet that has been seasoned or oiled.
*Place lots of fresh organic lettuce on the tortilla (melted with cheese, optional)
Add rice and black beans or meat if using
Top with fresh tomato salsa and dressing and enjoy!

Growing and Using Herbs: Oregano

Fresh Greek Oregano

Oregano can be grown in any flower bed or vegetable garden!  It’s beautiful green leaves have a spicy fragrance and adds depth and savor to any dish!  I like Greek Oregano, it tends to have a little more heat and flavor than other varieties.  This week I harvested an entire plant before it flowered.  It will come back with a vengeance and I’ll be able to harvest again or let it flower so the bees can benefit from the plant too!  Oregano has many health benefits and is used for many purposes.  It’s  full of vitamin K, antioxidants and minerals.  It is also a natural antibiotic!

Oregano 2

With all the oregano I harvested I decided to dry it all!  There are a few ways to dry herbs.  They can be strung up and hung upside down to dry by air.  They can be dried outside on a screen under a shady tree.  Or they can be dried in a dehydrator.  First pulling off the leaves from the stems and then placing them on a dehydrator tray.  As you can see I dried them in the dehydrator.  I first pulled all the leaves from the stems and then placed them on a tray to be dried.  I had enough to fill 8 large trays.   I set my dehydrator on the lowest setting (about 95`) and dried the oregano for 24 hours.

Dried Oregano

My oregano is stored in a half gallon glass jar, kept in a cool, dark room to maintain it’s potency.  We won’t use all this especially if I harvest again this year or even next year.  So I plan to divide the oregano out and put into smaller 4 oz. jars, add cute labels and give them as homemade Christmas gifts!   There are so many things we can do with herbs!  Here are a few recipes we enjoy at our house!

Fresh Herb Spaghetti

Fresh Herb Spaghetti

Olive oil for cooking

1 pound ground organic turkey

1 large yellow onion

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound chopped baby mushrooms

Kosher salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning

2 bottles or cans (28 oz. each) crushed tomatoes

1 package cooked whole wheat pasta spaghetti noodles

1/2 cup mixed fresh chopped herbs, like rosemary, oregano, thyme and basil

Fresh Cut Herbs

Heat oil in a large dutch oven and add ground turkey.  Add the onions and cook until lightly browned.  Add the garlic, mushrooms, kosher salt and pepper and Italian seasoning and continue to cook for a few minutes longer.  Add the crushed tomatoes and allow to simmer on medium low for 20 minutes.  In the meantime cook the noodles according to the directions on the package.  Strain the noodles and add to the pot of sauce.  Add the fresh herbs at the end and cook for just another minute or two.  Serve with fresh Parmesan or shredded mozzarella!

 

White Bean Panzanella

White Bean Panzanella

This savory salad is one of my favorites!  Made with homemade sourdough croutons, white beans and fresh herbs, it is a meal all by itself!  Perfect for a spring or summer time gathering!

1 loaf of sourdough bread, cut into bite size cubes

olive oil

kosher salt and pepper

Place the cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over the bread.  Toss gently with hands.  Bake at 350` for about 20 minutes until golden.  Allow to cool.

In a large bowl place:

6-8 ounces of organic spring mix

1 1/2 pounds chopped tomatoes

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 small red onion, halved and sliced very thin

3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano

1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Top with cooked croutons and dress with an Italian or balsamic vinaigrette just before serving.