Tortilla Cheese Crisps

This dish is so easy, it's hardly a "recipe".  I've been making a version of this since I was a teenager, when I accidentally discovered it.  I was trying to just melt cheese on a tortilla in the oven so I could roll it up and eat it that way.  I left it in too long and it got all crunchy, crispy, and delicious.  It turns out these are a real thing, though!  Check out this link for Arizona Cheese Crisps.  After deciding to put this on the blog, I googled these and found many variations, some using butter, green chilies, or corn tortillas.  My version is very simple- take your favorite flour tortillas, layer on favorite shredded cheese, and bake for a few minutes in a very hot oven until it gets crispy.

I made these to go with for dinner for my kids a few weeks ago because I had tortillas and cheese to use up.  I think I made them to go with soup- I can't remember.  I was thinking they might not like them because they've been food-weird lately.  Well, they were all excited to try them and LOVED them.  Now they ask for them.  I think it's because I cut it like a pizza- seriously.  Who knows the mayhem that may have happened had I left it in a whole circle shape.  

Tortilla Cheese Crisps 

by What a Dish!

favorite flour tortillas

favorite cheese, shredded (I like cheddar, or Colby-jack)

salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole, for serving, optional

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a large baking sheet or pizza pan, lay out tortillas flat.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake in the hot oven until the edges turn brown and tortilla is crispy, about 5-10 minutes.  Let cool for one minute and then cut into wedges, if desired, and serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole.  

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Baked Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans (One-Dish Meal)

A cooking friend made this not too long ago, and I was intrigued at the idea of such an easy one-dish meal.  I made it right away, but couldn't get a good picture because of it being too dark outside.  My fam really enjoyed this, even if the kids didn't like the green beans... they loved the chicken and most liked the potatoes. My husband and I (along with our baby) ate all the green beans and it was fine, because they are really good.  (Those are flat green beans, BTW, the kind I can usually get here.)  Anyway, I made this again recently and tried to get some better pics.  The fam still enjoyed it, and I didn't even need to look at the recipe to make it- is' so easy.

The recipe is just potatoes, green beans, and chicken, with a little butter on top, and a packet of dry Italian dressing mix.  If you don't want to use the mix, I'd just sprinkle with my favorite seasoned salt (or even salt-free, if you want) and a mix of dried herbs, like basil, oregano and parsley.  The first time I made this, I used salted butter and it was a little too salty because of the seasoning packet.  I used unsalted butter next time and it was great.  

Baked Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans

adapted from Domestic Creativity

4-6 medium potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups green beans, cut into even pieces
1 lb chicken breasts
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 package dry Italian dressing mix

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.  Fill half of the pan with green beans.  Fill the other half of the pan with the potatoes.  Cover the vegetables with the chicken breasts.

2.  Cut butter into small pieces (like 1/2 tablespoon) and layer over the green beans, potatoes and chicken.  Sprinkle Italian dressing over the entire pan. Cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

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Homemade Ice Cream Without a Machine (Three Recipes)

Ever since making this Two-Ingredient Dulce de Leche ice cream, I've been intrigued about making ice cream recipes without an ice cream machine.  (I do own and love an ice cream machine, but it's so quick and easy not using one sometimes.)  To make these types of ice cream, you whip 2 cups of whipping cream and add one can of sweetened condensed milk.  I think the sweetened condensed milk is somehow the secret to making this ice cream.  So with the basic recipe of two cups whipped cream, one can sweetened condensed milk, you can add pretty much anything to this and come up with your own flavors.  I did two of my "own", and got the third recipe from another blog.

First up, I made Toffee Ice Cream, pictured above.  Next, I will post the recipe for Cookies and Cream using this method (middle pic), and finally, Nutella & PB Chip ice cream (last pic).  Enjoy!  Come up with your own flavors.  It's really fun.

Toffee Ice Cream

by What a Dish!

makes quite a lot- maybe 10 servings

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evap. milk)

1 bag (about 8 oz.) toffee baking pieces

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch salt

1.  Whip the heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks.  I used my stand mixer and it's very quick and easy.  With mixer on low, slowly add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and pinch salt.  Fold in the toffee bits gently with a rubber spatula.  Transfer to a large freezer-safe container and freeze for 6-8 hours before serving.  (Or until ice cream is hard enough; this took a really long time with this recipe for some reason.)

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

by What a Dish!

makes a lot- maybe 10 servings or more

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evap. milk)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

15-20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

1.  Whip the heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks.  I used my stand mixer and it's very quick and easy.  With mixer on low, slowly add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.  Fold in the chopped Oreos gently with a rubber spatula.  Transfer to a large freezer-safe container and freeze for 6-8 hours before serving.  

Nutella & Peanut Butter Chip Ice Cream

adapted from Kevin & Amanda

makes quite a lot- maybe 10 servings or more

2 cups heavy cream

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evap. milk)

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup Nutella

1 cup peanut butter chips

1.  Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks (I like to use my stand mixer).  Whisk sweetened condensed milk, butter, and Nutella in another large bowl.  Stir in peanut butter chips.  Fold in whipped cream.  Pour into a 2-quart freezer-safe container and cover.  Freeze 6-8 hours or until firm.  

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Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing

Here's a great salad to have for dinner in the spring or summer.  The chicken is very flavorful and really makes this salad.  We also really enjoyed the Chili Croutons and Avocado Dressing.  I used pickled jalapenos instead of fresh for this.  The recipe calls for mozzarella cheese, but I would use feta or a Mexican cheese next time for more flavor.  Also, the recipe calls for a ton of beans & corn.  We only used a fraction of what was called for, so I'll reflect that below.  I also added the juice of one lime, and some fresh cilantro to the dressing.  PS:  The recipe looks huge, but most of it is spices, and a lot repeat.  I had most of the stuff on hand... don't be scared.  

Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing

adapted from Cooking for Keeps

2-3 servings

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken (about 2 medium chicken breasts)

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste!)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-2 romaine hearts, chopped

2-3 tablespoons pickled jalapeno slices

1/2 cup feta or similar Mexican cheese

1 large tomato, diced

3 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro

1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed (add more if desired)

1/4 cup black beans (add more if desired)

Avocado Dressing (recipe below)

Chili Croutons (recipe below)

Buttermilk Avocado Dressing:

1 1/2 cups diced avocado (or 1 large avocado or 2 small ones)

1 1/4 cups buttermilk (to taste- I only used 1 cup)

2 tablespoons mayo

one lime, juiced

2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

pinch black pepper

Chili Croutons: (I doulbed these for us to snack on; did not double the salt)

2 1/2 cups cubed day old bread

1 1/2 tablespoons sunflower, grapeseed or canola oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1.  In a small bowl, combine chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne, and salt.  Sprinkle chicken evenly on both sides with seasoning.  Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium-high with a little oil.  Cook chicken until cooked through and slightly blackened, about five minutes per side.  Let sit for a few minutes, and then cut into strips.  (I bet this would also be delicious grilled.)

2.  Pile lettue onto serving platter.  Sprinkle jalapeno, cheese, tomato, cilantro, corn, and black beans over.  Top with sliced chicken, then drizzle with dressing and top with Chili croutons.

3.  Avocado Dressing:  Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth and creamy.  Add more buttermilk if dressing is too thick.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  

4.  Chili Croutons:  In a medium bowl, toss bread with oil, salt, garlic powder, and chili powder.  Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350 for 5-8 minutes until crisp and lightly brown, turning once.    

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Mini Pizza "Sliders"

This is an idea I saw on Pinterest.  They are tiny little pizzas, or "Pizza Sliders".  I used our Pizza Hut pizza dough recipe and just cut out circles with a 4-inch round cookie cutter.  So, that's how big the pizzas are- about 4 inches.  Only about 2 pieces of pepperoni fit on each one.  The kids LOVED these!!!  I think the recipe made about 24 mini pizzas.  They are fun, but I don't love cutting out dough with cookie cutters, so I think this will be just a once-in-a-while thing.  

Mini Pizza "Sliders"

from a few ideas on Pinterest

favorite pizza dough

pizza sauce

mozzarella cheese

toppings like pepperoni, olives, veggies, etc.

1.  Make pizza dough and let rise one hour.  Preheat over to 450 F.  Roll out to about 1/4-1/2 inch, and cut out circles using a 4-inch cookie cutter.  Place on baking sheets or inside cast-iron skillets.  Place sauce and toppings on pizzas.  Bake in the preheated oven for 8-15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.  

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Mother's Day 2013

My husband planned a special Mother's Day meal for me and made it, all by himself, including shopping for ingredients.  (He does not cook often but often stresses that he CAN cook, lol!)  My daughter planned a Mother's Day cake and made it with the help of my husband.  It was an awesome day with great food!!  The drink above is a Virgin Belgian Orange Blossom.  It was very good and the kids loved it too.

In the pic above is the Cashew Chicken and Parmesan-Roasted Asparagus that was the main dish.  He also made both white and forbidden black rice to go with it.  It was all very good, went very well together, and it was the first time we've tried the black rice, although I bought it a while ago.  Here is the recipe for the Cashew Chicken.  

Above is the special Mother's Day cake my daughter and husband made.  I made this back in 2007 and blogged about it a few years ago.  My daughter looked up a chocolate frosting recipe on my blog and used this cream cheese one.  

Later in the day, we snacked on chips with Pico de Gallo my husband had made earlier.  It was definitely a day filled with deliciousness.  Happy late Mother's Day to everyone!

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Vanilla Orange Almond Cookies

I LOVED these cookies.  LOVED.  They were so good- chewy and soft, wonderful flavors all combining together (vanilla, almond, orange); texture of Pignoli Cookies or Spanish Panellets.  I love cookies made with almond paste or almond meal.  These cookies are also gluten-free and butter-free!  I brought some almond paste back with me on my last trip to Germany.  If you can't find it in a store, you can buy it online (I think Nuts.com has some) or make it at home (bottom of post).  

You're supposed to make a three-fingered imprint on these cookies, but they were too small to fit all my fingers up in there, and my fingers aren't huge or anything!  I used my smallest cookie scoop, which is about a Tablespoon, so maybe they were supposed to be bigger.  I liked the small size, though.  Anyway, I just used two fingers for the design.  

When making cookies like this, sometimes the batter can be too wet if using all the eggs.  So, I always start out adding about half and see how the texture is.  It should be like cookie dough; not really spreading at all.  If it's too dry, add more of the egg.  If it's too wet, add some almond meal/flour.  I don't remember if I ended up using all the egg whites in this recipe; I don't think I needed them all.  Make sure to beat them well so they don't all gelatinous-ly plop into the bowl at once.  

Vanilla Orange Almond Cookies

adapted from Joy the Baker

18-21 cookies

1 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons fresh orange zest

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

10 ounces almond paste

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

powdered sugar

1.  Place two racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2.  In a small bowl, mix together granulated sugar, orange zest, and scraped vanilla seeds.  Use your fingers to works the zest and vanilla into the sugar, creating a fragrant, moist sugar.

3.  Place sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Add the almond paste and salt.  Beat on medium speed creating a crumbly sugar and almond mixture.

4.  While almond mixture is combining in the mixer, place two egg whites in a small bowl.  Whisk  with a fork until loose and frothy.  (This will help in pouring the egg whites into the mixer.  If the eggs are unbeaten, they’ll just plop into the mixing bowl and not pour in.)

5.  With the mixer on medium speed, gradually pour the egg whites in to the crumbly almond and sugar mixture.  Do not pour all of the egg whites in at first; it might make it too loose.  You want a thick dough that is like cookie dough, not loose.  Beat until a smooth paste is formed.  Add the almond extract and beat to combine.

6.  Spoon or scoop batter by the heaping tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheet.  I used my smallest cookie scoop and it was perfect.  Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.  Using the tips of two or three of your fingers, make indentations in each cookie.

7.  Bake cookies for 15 to 25 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned on top.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan.  Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.  

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