Cheesy Taco Pinwheels

Sorry I don't have a picture to post with this one, but they were gone before I could take one! We had these at a gameday party some friends of ours threw and, may I just say, these are GREAT for watching the game - small enough you can eat it in one bite, and not too messy. Party on!

1 lb. ground beef, drained, seasoned with taco seasoning according to pkg. directions

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. Mexican blend cheese

1 small can diced black olives

1/3 c. diced onions or snipped green onion tops

1/2 c. sour cream

flour tortillas

Cool the ground beef, then mix with remaining ingredients except tortillas. Spread beef mixture evenly over tortillas, roll up, and wrap tightly with cling wrap. Chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, cut into pinwheels and serve alongside sliced jalapenos and salsa. Olé!

Tabouli

 After meeting with TJ's dietician, we're going to have to change our eating habits a bit! One of my favorite summer salads is tabouli, which is an excellent light source of grain and vegetable. Try it - you'll like it!

1 pkg. couscous, cooked according to package directions

2 packages fresh mint, chopped

1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

drizzle or two of olive oil (to prevent sticky clumps)

lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together in a big bowl and refrigerate overnight. The lemon juice just MAKES this dish, and really highlights the flavors of the herbs so don't be afraid to be generous with the juice! This dish is really beautiful served in hollowed-out tomatoes or peppers and, as I said before, is a perfect summer dish - flavorful and light.

Homemade Granola

Found a cool homemade granola recipe online and thought I'd try my hand at it - it was super easy, but made more granola than we'll be able to eat in a month! I'm considering making a batch to give away as Christmas gifts, and must assure you that it's really, REALLY good (especially warm, right out of the oven!) Serve between layers of yogurt and fruit for a healthy way to start your day!

1 box uncooked oats

1 2 lb. box trail mix (I used cranberry, almond, sunflower seed)

1/2 c. honey

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. applesauce

2 T. canola oil

Preheat oven to 300. Mix all ingredients together and spread half on a rimmed cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake 45 min., stirring every 10 min. When first batch is done, place in a gallon size zip bag and start cooking the 2nd batch. Make sure to vent the bag as the granola cools! 

Blackened Tilapia

Check out Gollum's blog for other Foodie Friday recipes!

Ok, so on to this week's recipe . . . Love, love this stuff - and SO easy and quick, and PERFECT for humid summer weather! I keep a bunch of fresh cilantro in a plastic cup of water in the fridge door for occasions such as this, and love whipping up a tasteful, healthy meal that's not too "heavy"! Serve alongside a tossed salad or right on top, skipping the salad dressing.

Serves 4
Start-to-finish: 15 minutes or less

Blackened Tilapia:
4 frozen tilapia fillets, thawed
1 T. blackened seasoning (our favorite is Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic)
1 T. olive oil or 1/4 stick butter

Homemade "Salsa":
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 to 1/3 c. fresh cilantro, chopped (small handful)
1/2 a small onion, chopped
lemon juice

Heat oil or melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium until hot. After fish has thawed, sprinkle half the seasoning over the fillets and place, seasoning side down, in the skillet. Sprinkle the rest of the seasoning on the top. Cook on one side until a brown crust has formed, then flip and cook on the other side until it crusts over.

NOTE: This part takes patience! I have to *make* myself leave them alone and not check for crust for at least 4-5 minutes. If you turn them too soon or check too often, the fillets will break into pieces or the beginnings of the crust will be disturbed and fall off - not good!

While the fish is cooking, mix the tomatoes, cilantro, onion and a squeeze or two of lemon juice in a bowl to make the salsa.

After fish has cooked, serve with the salsa spooned over the top. It's amazing how the fresh cilantro and lemon cut through the rich, smoky flavor of the blackened fish - truly a delight!

* If you're feeling adventurous, make a fruit salsa of tomato, mango, pineapple, and cilantro with just a *tad* of onion; or if you're really in a hurry, a "tropical" fruit cup, drained, with or without fresh herbs stirred in.

Hot Wing Dip

After discovering a version of this recipe in the Moms League of Birmingham cookbook, I altered it to suit our family's tastes. It's become one of my most-requested recipes, even from one friend who works in the hotel and restaurant industry! If you're as big a fan of hot wings as we are, this dip is sure to quickly become one of your favorites.

1 12.5 oz. can chicken in water, drained
1/2 cup hot sauce (We use Frank's or Crystal)
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a small skillet, combine the drained chicken and hot sauce and heat over medium. Break the chicken up with a fork, and cook until thoroughly combined and heated through. Meanwhile, soften cream cheese in the microwave. When chicken/hot sauce is hot and bubbly, pour it over the cream cheese and stir in ranch dressing and shredded cheddar. Mix to combine, and turn into a small crock pot (dip size). Serve with celery sticks or assorted crackers.

Truck Stop Breakfast Bowl

One of TJ's favorite weekend rituals is when I wake up and make truck stop breakfast bowls. I don't know why it's such a big deal - they're one of those things that you just put together on a whim, but I guess it's become a weekend "thing" now that I just can't stop! Since TJ can't eat the original truck stop breakfast because of his sharp limitations on carbs, this tides him over until the day when he can have biscuits again. (By the way, I don't eat this - too much fat and grease for me, but TJ LOVES it!)

6 slices (1/2 lb.). thick-cut bacon, fried and drained
2 eggs
3 slices cheese

Fry the bacon, then remove to a paper plate to drain. With drippings still hot, crack two eggs in the pan and fry in the bacon grease, then remove and drain. In a bowl, lay down one fried egg, top with 1 slice of cheese, then 3 slices bacon. Make another layer of egg, 1 slice of cheese, then bacon. Finally, top with cheese and microwave about 30 sec. on HI to melt the cheese on top.

I rocked the "original" truck stop breakfast during my pregnancy, when insomnia had me up at 3 am making biscuits from scratch. Since TJ had to get up at 4:30 or so, I usually had him a hot breakfast sandwich to take with him, consisting of a fried egg and a piece of cheddar between two slices of fried bologna sandwiched within the aforementioned biscuit. One time I got fancy and put grapes on the side - he wanted to know why I tried to mess up his breakfast with something healthy! :-)

Kahlua Cake

I first experienced this wonderful cake while staying with my host family at Alabama's Junior Miss state finals in Montgomery in 1997. Diane Brown, consummate hostess and Mom #2, had whipped up this delight and invited another host family over for dessert and coffee. It looked so pretty on the plate, I just knew it'd taken her hours to make - wrong!

Sadly, Diane passed away this year, but I will always think of her when making Kahlua cake - the twinkle in her eye like she was always "up to something", her loving spirit of generosity and kindness, and the pleasure she took from giving joy to others. I know she's up there in heaven laughing WITH me, AT me, and FOR me!

2 boxes ice cream sandwiches
2 tubs Cool Whip
1/2 cup Kahlua
chopped Heath Bars
Hershey's syrup and/or cocoa powderfor garnish

Fold together Cool Whip and Kahlua, set aside. Create a layer of ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of a baking dish, add a layer of the Cool Whip mixture, then repeat with another layer of sandwiches and more Cool Whip "fluff". Top with a sprinkling of chopped Heath bars and freeze overnight. To serve, cut into squares and drizzle a zigzag pattern with the Hershey's syrup and/or add a light dusting of cocoa powder. If you've got one on hand, a little mint sprig is pretty too.