Mac and Cheese Bites

These little macaroni and cheese cups are everything you could want- decadently creamy, super cheesy, and perfectly bite-size. They completely exceeded my expectations- nothing about these was dry or flavorless. Every bite is packed with herb-y, cheese-y deliciousness. They would be perfect for sport watching parties (aren't the NBA finals underway?), bridal or baby showers, or as a fun appetizer! And, of course, your mac and cheese bites can look much neater and more presentable than mine. I was in a hurry ;)

I made these for our youth group and they were a huge hit!

A couple of tips: 

• Always shred the cheese yourself. It will melt easier without the preservatives that keeps pre-shredded cheese from sticking. If, like me, you realize you're without a cheese shredder, chopping it into very small pieces can work!
• Boursin cheese can be found in the specialty cheese section or the deli at your supermarket- it adds tons of flavor and creaminess to the dish!

What You'll Need:
12 oz. elbow macaroni noodles
2 cups butter cracker crumbs (such as Ritz)
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste
1 (5.2 oz.) package Boursin garlic herb cheese
2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
2 large eggs
¾ cup milk
¼ cup sour cream
¼ tsp. salt
Pinch red pepper flakes

What To Do:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook the pasta according to the package directions until just shy of al dente.  Drain well.  Meanwhile, lightly grease standard size muffin pans with cooking spray or add cupcake liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, ½ cup of the shredded cheese, melted butter, and salt and pepper, and mix with a fork until combined.  Spoon a bit of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin well and press down with the flat bottom of a glass to flatten. 
• Once the pasta is cooked and drained, immediately add it to a large mixing bowl with the remaining shredded cheese, the boursin and cold butter.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine the eggs, milk, and sour cream and whisk to combine.  Add the liquid mixture to the bowl with the pasta.  Stir in the salt and red pepper flakes and mix until evenly combined.
• Divide the macaroni mixture between the prepared muffin wells.  Bake until light golden, about 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese or cracker crumbs if desired.  Let cool in the muffin pans at least 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and serve warm.
  
  Recipe from The Deen Bros. on Epicurious via Annie's Eats

Easy Guacamole

Fresh guacamole is one of life's most wonderful things. There's just something about the combination of rich avocado with diced onions, tomatoes and jalapenos with just a squeeze of lime juice that begs you to keep dipping tortilla chips into it. 


Okay, so guacamole is my crack.


And sometimes, I don't have onions, tomatoes and jalapenos on hand to mix in. So the trick I learned (from a legit Hispanic family, so don't hate) is to mix in some salsa! It already has all of the flavors you would mix into the guacamole all melded together in its own delicious form.  So if you don't have time to dice up all the fresh veggies, this is a perfectly acceptable and functional alternative. 

What You'll Need: 
3 Haas avocados
salt and fresh cracked black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
1/2 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons of salsa 


What To Do:
Scoop avocado into a bowl and mash with a fork to desired smoothness or chunkiness. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to taste. Mix in salsa and lime juice. Adjust to taste. Consume immediately and if, unlike me, you have enough self control to have leftovers, refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. 


So easy. So addicting. Enjoy responsibly.

Leftover Cake Shots

This isn't really a recipe but look how cute!

I got to put my new kitchen shot glasses to good use with this leftover cake. You see, when I made this strawberry cake that I've already talked about a bit... I had to level each layer so that it would sit evenly. It left me with some perfectly delicious cake crumbles that I could not bring myself to throw out. 

So for our youth Bible study, I layered leftover cake crumbles, leftover vanilla swiss meringue buttercream frosting, sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

The students loved it! 

These would be perfect for showers and parties

or even just as an afternoon treat

It's a great way to use up crumbly cake

but I'd totally create cake just for this purpose as well.

And isn't everything better in a Mason jar?

I'd say so!

Inspired by Oh, Sweet Joy

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

(great with queso blanco and guacamole!)

So yes, this is a terrible iPhone picture... but these taquitos are absolutely delicious and I wanted to share even without a nice, edited photo. These are far from the frozen, tasteless guys that you can pop in the microwave. 

These are:

 creamy

 full of flavor 

and can definitely constitute a meal. 

Plus because tortillas and pulled chicken are cheap, 

it's easy to make a large quantity all at once! 

And they're great for parties because they don't require utensils.

They're also healthier than the frozen/restaurant variety 

because these are baked instead of fried.

Have I sold you on them yet?

Definitely try these out, where or not you've got a fiesta planned for Saturday! 

What You'll Need:

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup green salsa
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp sliced green onions
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup shredded Mexican flavored cheese
• small flour or corn tortillas
• kosher salt
• cooking spray

What To Do:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Add the chicken and cheese; mix thoroughly.

(If you decided to prep this in advance, refrigerate the mixture at this point until ready to continue.)

Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 20 – 30 seconds).

Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.

Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone. Make sure the taquitos are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.

Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

**To freeze: Before baking, freeze the taquitos in a single layer on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes, then place in a labeled freezer bag and store up to 3 months. To bake a frozen taquito (no need to thaw first): Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Source: Pennies on a Platter, originally adapted from Our Best Bites

Queso Blanco

This Saturday is Cinco de Mayo! 

(my silly students)

Working at a predominantly Hispanic church , dating a Hispanic guy and living in Texas in general makes me really appreciate all the Mexican heritage around me. The culture is so vibrant and colorful... and the food is some of the best in the world!

(my love)

So I'll be sharing some of my favorite Mexican-influenced recipes between now and then to give you some fun ideas on how you can celebrate this weekend.

This queso blanco is the perfect dip for a Cinco de Mayo party or gathering because it's simple to throw together... and who doesn't like melted cheese?? Serve it with tortilla chips or warm tortillas. I've poured leftover queso over scrambled eggs!

I will note that I use quite a bit more milk/cream than this recipe calls for, probably about 1.5-2 cups as needed to keep it nice and smooth. However, if you can keep your queso dip warm in a crock pot or over a candle warmer, then there should be no problem!

The secret to this melty goodness is White American Cheese

(You can get it at the deli counter at the grocery store)

So make sure you don't substitute in a different white cheese

You can end up with a gooey mess! 

What You’ll Need:

1 tbsp cooking oil

¼ cup white onion, diced

1 large jalapeno, seeds and stem removed, diced

12 oz White American cheese, shredded (ask for 3 slices on 10 at the deli!)

4 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded (but not pre-shredded)

¼- 2/3 cup heavy cream or milk

1 roma tomato, seeded and diced

1small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

1 small avocado- optional

Tortilla chips 

What To Do:

Heat the oil in a sauté pan. Cook the onion and pepper until softened (about five minutes) and  reduce heat to medium-low. Add the shredded cheese and ¼ cup of the cream. Stir until mostly melted. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, and additional cream a little at a time until you reach desired consistency. Serve warm topped with sliced avocado, along with chips, tortillas or over tacos!

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride