Thursday, June 23, 2011

Green Chili Cornbread Casserole


Green Chili Cornbread Casserole                                                        Printable Recipe

1 cup plus 3 Tablespoons cornmeal, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
1 can creamed corn
1 cup milk 
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 to 2 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained (I used 2 here)
Your favorite flavors like cumin, garlic, pepper, or taco seasoning.
1 - 4 oz can green chilies (you may want 2 cans instead of 1)
2 - 3 Tablespoons grated onion

2 cups shredded Mexi blend cheese or cheddar 


Optional: 8 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 to 1 can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Sprinkle 9"x 13" baking dish with 1 tablespoon of corn meal.  Set aside.

Mix together beef, chilies, and grated onion until well combined.  If you don't you will have hot and spicy parts!  Stir in the tomato sauce and beans here if you are using them.
In medium bowl add eggs, corn, milk, and oil.
 Combine.
Add pre-mixed dry ingredients (cornmeal 1 c plus 2 T) baking soda, and salt.  Stir just until combined.
 Pour 1/2 of the corn mixture into pan.  It will be quite runny.
 Add all of your beef mixture.
Top with cheese (I only used 1 cup here.)
Add remaining corn mixture pushing down on beef to cover.  I think coverage would be better if you only used 1 pound of beef but we wanted more meat to make it a main dish.
 Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and not jiggly. Let set for 5-10 minutes before cutting.


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Hash Brown Casserole


Hash Brown Casserole

8 eggs
3/4 cup milk (can sub rice milk for DF version)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
few dashes cayenne pepper
24 oz frozen shredded hashbrowns, thawed
1 to 1-1/2 cups shredded Mexi blend or cheddar cheeese (or leave out for DF version)
1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced green pepper
(or any veggie combination you like...mushrooms, zucchini, squash, etc)
1 pound pork and bacon sausage (or any other combination of meat you like, bacon, ham, regular sausage)

Cook meat and veggies til done.  Drain as needed.
 In large bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
 Add potatoes, cheese, meat, and veggies.  Combine.
 Pour into greased 8" x 11" pan. 
Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 45 minutes or knife inserted  near center comes out clean.
Serve drizzled with ketchup.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Strawberries and Cream Mini Muffins


Strawberries and Cream Mini Muffins

1 cup strawberries, diced
1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 ounces low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add baking cups to mini muffin tins. Put strawberries in small bowl, toss with lemon juice.
 In medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, and baking powder.
In another small bowl whisk together oil, cream cheese, orange juice, vanilla, and egg.
Pour over dry ingredients, stirring just until combined with a spoon or spoonula. (If you don't switch you'll be digging the batter out of the whisk.)
  Fold in strawberries.

Scoop into mini muffin tins (I use small cookie scoop.) Bake for about 9-10 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool in the tins on a cooling rack for 5 mins. Take out the muffins and continue to cool. If serving right away, let them set for 5 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. If serving later wait until you are ready to serve to dust.