Category Archives: Spicy

September 25, 2012 · 10:25 am

Chorizo Mac and Cheese

The kids like mac and cheese and hubby and I like chorizo so I knew that this was going to be a complete hit or a complete bomb. It turned out that the kids and I really liked it and hubby was not impressed. He wanted more chorizo which is super easy to do, but if you are cooking for a group (or for people who you know don’t want their food too spicy like the kids) you might not want to add the extra chorizo.

Ingredients:
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon corn starch
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)
4 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese (about 1 cup)
6 ounces ground Mexican chorizo
1/4 cup red onion, finely minced
2 Tbsp flour
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp butter
Avocado slices, optional but highly recommended

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.

Combine cheese and cornstarch in a bowl and set aside.

Put the milk in a small saucepan to get warm. Do not let it boil.

In a large saucepan, cook chorizo until almost done and then add onions. Cook until onions are soft.

Add flour to the chorizo and stir well.

Add milk a little at a time. Continue to stir until you have a creamy mixture.

Add the cheese to the chorizo mixture and stir until it is well combined.

Add lime juice and pour mixture into casserole dish and spread evenly so the macaroni is level.

Add breadcrumbs to the top and dot with pieces of butter.

Bake for about 20 minutes.

We had this with a small salad and grapes with avocado slices on the side.

What did the family think? The boys loved it. Their dad did not. My favorite part was eating a bite of the warm, somewhat spicy chorizo with a bite of avocado to cool it down. Yum!

Did I change anything? I added less red onion and if you wanted it to be spicier you could definitely add more chorizo or use chunks of chorizo instead of the ground chorizo.

Where did this recipe come from? Simply Recipes

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Mexican, Spicy

April 12, 2012 · 11:27 am

Spicy Thai Peanut Enchiladas

Holy smokes these were good and I am super excited there were leftovers since that means I get to eat them again for lunch!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
2 green onions (sliced)
1 large carrot (julienned)
1 cups broccoli
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
1 cup spicy Thai peanut sauce
4 (8 inch) tortillas
1 cup jack and cheddar cheese (grated)
1/2 fresh jalepeno (sliced)
Cilantro and crushed peanuts, garnish

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a pan.

Add the red pepper and saute until tender.

Add the green onion, carrot, broccoli and jalepeno and saute until tender.

Remove from heat.

Mix in the chicken, cilantro and 1/2 cup of the peanut sauce.

Spread some of the peanut sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.

Place some of the filling in a tortilla, wrap it up and place it in a baking dish seam side down. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

Pour the remaining peanut sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle on the cheese.

Bake until the sides are bubbling and the cheese is melted about 20-30 minutes.

Serve garnished with chopped peanuts and cilantro.

What did the family think? These were too spicy for the boys, but hubby and I thought these were delis. I love all of the veggies and the spiciness. Yum!

Did I change anything? The original recipe called for sprouts, but I didn’t have any sprouts, but I did have broccoli. Also, the original recipe called for an extremely hot pepper. I just went with the jalepeno.

Where did the recipe come from? Closet Cooking

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Spicy

February 4, 2012 · 10:08 am

Gameday Bean Dip

This is something I learned how to make in college. I would like to credit one of my roommates for introducing me to this, but neither one of them remembers making it. Oh well, it is good, cheap, warm and yummy and sometimes that is just the kind of dip you’re looking for.

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans
8 oz. jar Cheez Whiz
a few dashes of Tobasco sauce (to taste)
Tortilla chips

Instructions:
Put first two ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Stir. Take off heat when warmed through. Add Tobasco; stir again.

Serve with tortilla chips.

What did the family think? I used to make this for my step-dad all the time when I would come home from college. He LOVED it!

Where did this recipe come from? One of my lovely college roommates

photo from Wikipedia

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Mexican, Six Ingredients or Less, Spicy, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

November 7, 2011 · 9:52 am

Spicy Thai Noodles

We like spicy, we like noodles, we like Thai and I had some leftover chicken I needed to use, so when I saw this on my friend Erin’s blog, I knew we had a winner.

Ingredients:
1 box angel hair pasta
1-2 T crushed red pepper (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sesame oil
6 T honey
6 T soy sauce
4 cups cooked chicken, cooked and chopped (optional)
1/2 cup green onions (only the green parts)
1 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup cilantro
3/4 cup peanuts, crushed

Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

Combine red peppers and both oils in a small pan over medium heat for two minutes. Drain oil to separate peppers from the oil. SAVE THE OIL. (I wasn’t able to get every last pepper out, but it was enough so that I didn’t burn my mouth off, but it still gave it some zing.)

Whisk together the reserved oil, the honey and the soy sauce.

In a large bowl combine cooked noodles and soy sauce mixture. Toss to combine.

Serve in bowls and top with chicken, cilantro, carrots, peanuts and green onions.

Did I change anything? I added the chicken and left out the sesame seeds the original recipe called for since I didn’t have any.

What did the family think? I wasn’t in the mood for experimenting with the kids last night, so they ate the pasta with red sauce. Hubby and I LOVED this dish though. SO good!

Where did this recipe come from? A Small Snippet

Why the picture of the Sriracha? This dish would have been even better had I had some in the house.

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Spicy, Vegetarian

June 21, 2011 · 7:55 pm

Chile Relleno Casserole

There was a time in my life where all I would order when we went out for Mexican was a plate of chile relleno. Those days are over, but when I saw this recipe I just had to try it…for old time’s sake.

Ingredients:
1/4 lb. ground chorizo
3 (7 oz) cans of whole green chiles
3 eggs
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp non fat sour cream
1 (3 oz) can of sliced black olives
1 cup of low fat Mexican blend cheese (or more if you want)
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 (15 oz) can red or green enchilada sauce
Sour cream (garnish)
Diced green onion (garnish)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook chorizo in a skillet until cooked through.

Combine eggs, flour, sour cream, olives, salt and pepper to taste then mix thoroughly.

Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Add a layer of the chiles, and then egg mixture, then cheese, then chorizo, then black beans; repeat layers until gone. Top with enchilada sauce and a bit more cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Top with sour cream and diced green onion.

Did I change anything? I added the chorizo and left out the olives.

What did the family think? The boys had been at a birthday party and were full of cupcakes and pizza, so they didn’t eat. Hubby liked it a lot more than he thought he was going to. He wished there had been more chorizo and that I had cut the peppers up so they weren’t so big.

Where did this recipe come from? For the Love of Cooking

photo from For the Love of Cooking

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Filed under Mexican, Spicy

June 2, 2011 · 9:19 am

Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

Oh my goodness! These are so good. Put these on your menu for next week. If you already made your menu for next week, change it. Really, they are super good.

Ingredients:
8 whole Flour Tortillas
Butter Or Margarine
2 cups Grilled Pineapple, Sliced
3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt And Pepper, to taste
3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
1 whole Jalapeno, Sliced
Cilantro
3 Tablespoons Barbecue Sauce

Instructions:
(To grill pineapple: cut wedges, stick on skewers, and grill over low heat. Cut into slices.)

(To pound chicken, place inside a Ziploc bag and pound with a mallet/hammer or large can to flatten to uniform thickness.)

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and Cajun spice (or cumin/cayenne) Drizzle olive oil on a grill pan and grill on both sides until done, brushing with barbecue sauce. Set aside and slice into very thin slices.

Warm griddle over medium heat and put sizzling butter or margarine in the pan. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside.

To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the surface. Add pineapple slices and jalapeno slices. Sprinkle on cilantro. If desired, drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. (You’ll have four complete quesadillas at this point.)

Add to oven to warm, or back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, and lime wedges.

Did I change anything? I forgot the butter, but they still turned out great. Also, it’s really important to thinly slice the chicken or else the quesadillas turn out so lumpy that they are very difficult to eat. Same goes for the pineapple…don’t make the pieces too chunky. Yes, I know all of this because I botched that part of the recipe.

What did the family think? Everyone ate these and loved them! I left the spicy stuff off of the boys’ quesadillas though.

Where did this recipe come from? The Pioneer Woman

photo from The Pioneer Woman

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Mexican, Spicy

March 29, 2011 · 7:58 pm

Creamy Italian Sausage Chili

This was so super good…hubby kept ooohing and aaahing over it all through dinner.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground Italian sausage
2 Tbsp. olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 can chicken broth
3 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans diced tomatoes, lightly blended
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/3 cup ketchup
1 can of each: black beans, pinto beans, chili beans
4 oz. cream cheese
Tortilla chips, crumbled (optional)

Instructions:
In a large pot, cook Italian sausage until no longer pink.

Add the garlic and the olive oil, then add the broth, spices, tomatoes, vinegar, ketchup and beans. Stir well and bring to a boil.

Let the chili simmer for about half an hour. Lastly add the cream cheese and stir in until completely dissolved.

We had this with breadsticks, some salad and some grapes.

Did I change anything? The original recipe used two separate pans to make this. I only used one and it was just fine. It was hubby’s idea to crumple up some tortilla chips on top of the soup.

What did the family think? Hubby and I thought it was uber delish. Our oldest ate his…it wasn’t his favorite but not everything can taste like mac and cheese. 🙂 Our youngest choked down some Italian sausage and called it a night.

from Family Favorite Recipes

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Italian, Spicy, Stew/Soup

March 1, 2011 · 11:24 am

Spanish Quiche

My boys love eggs and cheese, so I thought this quiche might be a hit with them.

Ingredients:
3 flour tortillas
16 oz. refried beans
4 oz. diced chiles
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
4 oz. grated cheddar cheese
1 3/4 cups egg substitute or seven eggs, scrambled
1/4 cup milk
1/4 lb. ground chorizo (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

If using chorizo, cook in a medium-sized skillet. Using a wooden spoon to crumble.

Cut two tortillas in half and place each half in the pan so that the rounded edge is 1/4 inch above the rim. Place the third tortilla in the center of the pan.

Spread beans over tortillas. (I only used about 1/3 of the beans.)

Top with chiles, onions and cheese. Mix eggs with milk and pour over the top. Put chorizo on top if you are using it.

Bake for 50 minutes or until knife inserted in the center come out clean. Let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

We had this with refried beans and fruit salad.

Did I change anything? I added the chorizo. I didn’t use all the beans in the quiche and I used about 1/2 the onions.

What did the family think? Whew! That chorizo was SPICY! Which is exactly why hubby and I liked it and the boys did not. Our youngest likes spicy, but this was a little much. Since the chorizo was on top, I just had them flip their quiche over and eat it from the bottom until they hit the chorizo part.

from Quick & Healthy, Vol.II

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Filed under Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Lent, Spicy, Vegetarian

February 20, 2011 · 8:03 pm

Cilantro Rice

A quick and easy side dish that gives your rice a little zip.

Ingredients:
Minute Rice (either brown or white)
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, chopped

Instructions:
Cook rice per directions for six servings. When the rice is done stir in the cilantro and green onions.

What did the family think? Hubby and I liked it. It went well with the chicken dish we were having. I am not sure the kids touched it, but we were in a hurry to get out the door, so I didn’t hound them about trying it.

Adapted from Martha Stewart recipe

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Filed under Easy, Side Dish, Spicy, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

February 14, 2011 · 9:54 pm

Spicy Lentil Soup

I got this recipe from my MIL and she got it from a friend of hers. It is spicy and full of all kinds of yummy ingredients. It was perfect for the rainy and chilly night we are having tonight.

Ingredients:
1/3 C water
1 onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 stalk, celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
6 cups vegetable broth
1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 cup canned red lentils
1 cup frozen chopped hash brown potatoes
2 tablespoons chopped canned green chilies
2 tsp chile power
½ teaspoon ground oregano
½ cup uncooked whole wheat spaghetti, broken in 1 inch pieces
¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions:
Place the water in a large pot with the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Add the broth, tomatoes, lentils, potatoes, green chilies, chili powder, and oregano. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the spaghetti and continue to cook for 10 more minutes. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

We had this with cornbread.

Did I change anything? I added some frozen meatballs. Since I added the meatballs I also added some more broth, green chiles and chili powder. I also only used about 1/2 the onion. I forgot to add the cilantro…and I even had some!

What did the family think? Hubby and I really liked it. Hubby loved the meatballs I added to it and so did the boys.

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Spicy, Stew/Soup, Vegetarian