Greek Quesadillas

I started using a service this year called emeals. They give you a week long menu plan WITH a shopping list and you can choose from tons of different meal plan types. Family friendly, 2 person, crock pot meals, diabetic friendly etc. I tried this one today for lunch and it was not a big hit with my kids, but I enjoyed it. I thought that a lot of my siblings would probably enjoy it too so, I thought I'd share it. The first time emeals called for Greek seasoning I ended up just googling it and mixing together my own. I don't have a clue what recipe I used. I probably did a mix of different recipes I found.

Greek Quesadillas

1 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp Greek seasonings
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced yellow onion
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 (2.25 oz.) can sliced black olives
1/3 (8 oz.) pkg. sliced mozzarella cheese, cut into strips
3 oz. feta cheese crumbles
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

Melt butter in a large skillet and add Greek seasonings. Toss in sliced red pepper and onion. Sauté until just crisp tender. Add chopped spinach and heat to wilt, tossing with peppers and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the spinach, onion, red peppers, black olives, sliced cheese and feta on one side of each of the tortillas. Fold empty side of tortilla over filling. Brown each side in a large greased skillet until cheese is melted. Cut in wedges and serve.

The dinner meals (I haven't tried their lunch, breakfast or dessert menus) always include a side. This one recommends serving with pita chips and tzaziki sauce.

Tzaziki Sauce
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup shredded peeled cucumber
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Dash garlic salt
Stir together ingredients, chill until ready to use. Serve with quesadillas and chips.


P.s. I'm currently using the Budget Friendly Plan for 2 because my kids aren't huge eaters and it's easy enough to figure what I'll need more of. The meals tend to be on the simple side for budget sake. Sometimes I have to doctor for flavor. But I didn't with this one.

Tortellini Salad

Confession, I don't have the whole recipe for this salad. All I actually have is the dressing recipe. But that's kind of the most important part right?

Tortellini Salad Pesto

1 cup lightly packed fresh basil
1 large clove of garlic chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2.5 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

The rest of the salad is just cooked and cooled tortellini and sliced bell peppers.
Yum!

Grandma Maggie Salad

Grandma Maggie Salad

Salad
1 lb. deboned chicken
8 oz. pasta shells
Bacon to fit griddle
3 cups lettuce
1 big tomato chunked

Dressing
1/2 c Miracle whip (aka salad dressing - non brand name)
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp BBQ sauce
1.5 tsp vinegar
1.5 tsp chives
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper

Cook, cut, mix enjoy. :)
Note, I always feel like this amount of dressing is not enough. It feels a little dry to me. I like to double the dressing.

Buttermilk Syrup or Magic Sauce

Someday, if I remember, I will type that all out. But for now I just want to preserve as quickly as possible. :)


12-21-15
Finally updating and typing out the recipe.

1 cube butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp Karo (corn syrup)

Bring to boil, remove from heat and stir in:
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda

* Mixture will fizz to twice the size. Make sure you use a big enough saucepan.


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Summer Sherbet Dessert

I got this recipe from a RS recipe swap. I haven't made it in a while so I don't remember all of the details, like how long to let the sherbet soften, but I do remember that I like it a lot. It's been a hit at the family parties I've taken it to in the past, though it does melt pretty easily. I'll have to make it this summer and then do an addendum with my tips. And pictures. :)

Summer Sherbet Dessert

1 carton pineapple sherbet
1 bag frozen raspberries
approximately 3 bananas, sliced

Soften sherbet, I usually do this by simply setting it on the counter for ... 20 minutes or so. Then empty softened sherbet into a mixing bowl and stir in raspberries and sliced bananas. Serve or refreeze. Remove from freezer about 20 minutes prior to serving.

So simple. I love that about this "dessert". A few thoughts/ideas: fresh vs. frozen fruits - fresh will mash easier while stirring, so if you don't want the fruit to be very mashed then I recommend using frozen fruits. If you freeze your bananas slice them first. If you want less dishes then stir and serve in the same bowl, preferably one with a lid. If you want a cleaner presentation then use separate bowls for stirring and serving. Lastly,
If you happen to have an ice cream maker like this one, then I suspect you could run it all through there to resolidify and possibly even for the mixing part.


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Huevos Racheros

Hey guys, Brittny asked me to post the recipe for Huevos Rancheros, aka the fried egg on fried corn torttilla with the yummy black bean soup recipe, on here like a month ago..... so I am getting to it.  And in record time I might add.  Usually, it takes about 2 months for me to do something like this.  ;)

Huevos Rancheros

Black Bean soup: You want to make this first.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Veggie Oil
1 Medium Onion
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Large Carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
3 Cloves of Garlic
2 (15oz) cans Black Beans
1 (14oz) can Chicken Broth
2 Cups cubed cooked Ham ( I've never put ham in it because it is expensive, though I did once at home and it tasted just fine, FYI)
1/4 Teaspsoon Cumin ( I LOVE Cumin)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Some Pepper to taste

Soup Directions:
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.  Stir in onion, bell pepper, carrot and garlic.  Cook for 5 mins, until tender.  (I learned in a relief society cooking class that garlic burns really easily so you should add it like the last 30-60 secs, FYI)  Mix in 1 can drained and rinsed black beans and chicken broth.  In a blender, puree remaining can of beans until smooth.  ( I don't drain the 2nd can of beans because you need to "juice" to help puree the beans)  Mix in pot.  Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to low.  Mix in Ham ( if you use it) 1/4 t cumin, 1/2 t salt and pepper.  Simmer on Low for 20 mins.


Pico de Gallo (aka my made up Salsa):
Ingredients:
Tomatoes
onions
lemon or lime juice
1 red bell pepper
salt and pepper

In the past this has been what I've used.  I just play around with how many tomatoes and onions I use depending on what I have or how many people are going to eat.  For my family, I use about 4-5 tomatoes but I always have extra Pico.  The lemon and salt and pepper I use until I like the flavor.  And I always do 1 red bell pepper unless I know its gonna be a large group then I use 2.  I've also thought about using garlic and rice vinegar.


Huevos Rancheros:

Ingredients:
White or yellow corn tortillas
Eggs
Shredded cheese
Veggie Oil

Directions:
I didn't put amounts on the ingredients list because it just depends on how many you are feeding.  Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Once oil is hot enough, put one corn tortilla and cook for a few mins or until lightly crisped.  Turn the tortilla over.  Put some cheese on the tortilla and then crack an egg over the cheese.  Let cook for a few mins so that the side of the tortilla on the pan is crispy to your liking.  Carefully flip tortilla over.  Good luck.  Some times I just slide the egg off on to the pan and then flip the cheesy tortilla on to the egg.  Cook to your liking.  Aka, a runny yoke or a hard yoke.

Plate the Cheesy egg fried corn tortilla and add black bean soup and pico to your liking.  Enjoy!  

Oh!  And I bet if you added Missy's Guacamole recipe, posted on this blog, it would be yummy too!  

Banana "Ice Cream"

This is another Pinterest find. Click on the title below to take you to the recipe, if you want. I tried this for the first time recently, even though I pinned it like a year ago. It was quite a hit.

Banana "Ice Cream"

3-4 bananas, sliced and frozen (slice before freezing)
A spoonful of peanut butter
2-3 tsp. Cocoa powder

Blend the bananas. (She recommends using a food processor, goes so far as to say don't even bother trying with a regular old blender.) Then add the cocoa powder and peanut butter, or any add ins you'd like to try - berries etc.









It was pretty good. Avery had a few bites. Gavin cried when I put it away. If you try a different combination let me know. Especially if it's good.


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