Our Fabulous Bites

photo cred: http://damndelicious.net/ We had this last week, and while I felt it could have used something extra to give it zing, we all enjoyed it. I think I would add extra cilantro and lime, and more heat. Quinoa Enchilada Casserole 1 cup quinoa 10 oz Enchilada Sauce (recipe below) 1 can diced green chiles corn, I used frozen 1/2 c black beans, drained and rinsed (feel free to use more) 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro  1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp chili powder s&p, to taste 3/4 c cheddar 3/4 c mozzarella 1 avocado, diced 1 roma, diced In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook quinoa according to package instructions; set aside. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil an 8x8 or 2 quart baking dish.  In a large bowl, combine quinoa, enchilada sauce, green chiles, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin and chili powder; season with s&p, to taste. Stir in 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spread mixture into prepared baking ...

We've been on a quinoa craze lately. All four of us really enjoyed this dish, and it was really simple and quick to make. I could eat a lot of this stuff. Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa 3/4 lb shrimp (honestly I don't know how much shrimp WE used, but this was the recipe) 4 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped 1/2 c. chopped yellow onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp tomato paste 3 tbsp olive oil 2 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning (again, I didn't measure this, just sprinkled as I desire) 2 1/2 c. cooked quinoa 1 c. shredded fontina cheese S&P to taste Fresh cilantro for garnish  Toss the shrimp and 1 tsp cajun seasoning together, set aside. Toss the tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp cajun seasoning, set aside. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet (or any oven-safe skillet. If you don't have one, just transfer from a regular pan to an oven-safe dish before placing in the oven). Cook...

On Master Chef this guy made mac and cheese with a crust on top, which I've never had but thought it sounded good. It just so happened that one of my books had a recipe for this so I had to try it! I wasn't paying attention and bought regular cheddar instead of white cheddar, so I'd like to try it again with white. As well as I found a recipe that used potato chips instead of crackers for the crust, so that sounds good for the next time around. Josh really liked this, and I thought it tasted like a grilled cheese sandwich, and turned out really creamy:) Creamy White Mac & Cheese For the topping- 1/2 stick butter (4 T) 1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed For the macaroni & cheese- 1/2 lb dry elbow macaroni 1 cup pasta water 2 T butter 2 T all-purpose flour 3/4 c whole milk 3/4 c heavy cream Pinch of nutmeg 2 c white cheddar, shredded 4 oz. cream cheese Preheat oven to 400 degrees; rub inside of four 8 oz baking dishes (or one 2 qt. baking dish) with softened b...

I got the above image & the below recipe from here . It is an Irish dish so I made it for St. Patrick's Day. I'll admit I was a bit worried about the potato cabbage combo, but it was good. I think even Jon & Kristin might like this. And I read that cabbage is good for you so here is another way to eat cabbage. Colcannon 6 large potatoes, peeled 4-6 Tb half-and-half 1 tsp kosher salt 1 1/2 onions, finely chopped 6 Tb butter, divided 1/2 of a small head of cabbage, sliced thinly 1. Cut peeled potatoes in quarters and place in pot. Fill with enough water to cover and boil for 25 minutes, or until soft. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tb butter in large saucepan. Add minced onion and stir to coat with butter. Add cabbage over onions. Cover saucepan and cook over med-low to medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until cabbage is soft. 2. Drain potatoes and add half-and-half (or milk) and salt. Mash with electric mixer. Stir together onion and cabbage ...

1 lb. ground beef 2 cups hot mashed potatoes 1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed 1 cup beef gravy PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Brown meat in large skillet. Meanwhile, mix potatoes, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and the garlic until well blended. DRAIN meat. Return to skillet; stir in vegetables and gravy. Spoon into 9-inch square baking dish; cover with potatoes and remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. BAKE 20 min. or until heated through. Many of you know Jon and I are picky eaters. This is one recipe we came across in the Krafts Food magazine when we were searching for meals we'd both like. I have never had Shepherd's Pie before, but I liked it. I especially like that it is pretty quick and easy. It tastes good as leftovers too. We haven't mixed the cheese into the potatoes because we didn't really feel like it or added garlic just because we didn't have any, but I'm sure it'd still taste good.