Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Recipe taken from Chili Pepper Madness

Grew some poblanos in the garden. They were really good peppers! They were small, so just the filling on top, so next time, just cut it in large chunks as part of the meal. You do need to roast for 15 min in oven before hand. I didn't do it this time, but would roast the zucchini and bell pepper in there, too, with the poblanos.

Ingredients:

-poblano peppers

-1 small yellow onion, chopped

-1 jalapeno peppers, chopped

-5 cloves garlic, chopped --> I used whole bulb

-1/2 lb ground beef --> I used 2 lbs ground turkey

-black beans - cooked 1/4 bag

-corn - used like half a bag of frozen corn

-14.5 oz fire roasted tomatoes --> I used fresh tomatoes from garden

-1 TBSP chili powder

-1 tsp dried oregano

-1/2 tsp ground cumin

-salt

-pepper

-VEGGIES: cooked 1 green BP, 1 zucchini, + fresh 1 small white onion

Directions

1. Cut and scoop out poblano peppers + cut zucchini and bell pepper

2. Bake veggies in oven 425 for 15 min

3. Cook hot peppers and onions --> garlic

4. Add ground meat

5. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, seasonings (left out rice because cooked Spanish rice in cooker)

6. Served with Spanish rice, chopped white onion, cilantro, avocado, grated mozzarella 

Cilantro Chimichurri

Forgot to post this I made a month ago, and I served with steak, potatoes, and asparagus. Eric said it was the best thing I ever cooked.

Recipe taken from braziliankitchenabroad.com

Ingredients:

-2 cups of fresh cilantro - stems and leaves (I used 1 large bunch)

-3 cloves of garlic peeled (I didn't do more cuz not cooked and using raw)

-1/4 small red onion, peeled and cut into chunks

-2 tsp red pepper flakes

-2 tsp dried oregano

-2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

-1 cup olive oil (I used like 2/3 I think)

-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a food processor, add cilantro, garlic, onion, pepper, oregano, vinegar, and half the olive oil

2. Pulse the ingredients

3. Add remaining olive oil and gently stir to combine

4. Transfer sauce to a mason jar and let sit 20 min at room temp before serving

Chicken Tinga

I wanted a new recipe to use all of the tomatoes we have in the garden. 

Adapted from tastesbetterfromscratch.com

This was pretty good, although I am writing it down off of memory because I did this over a month ago.

Recipe called for shredded chicken, but I cooked cubed chicken and seasoned with Mexican spices and used the sauce from the recipe. Could consider doing the shredded next time with tacos.

Served with Mexican rice

EDIT: marinated chicken in lime, had cilantro-lime rice, and also made a pico with lime in it and it was TOO ACIDIC with the tomatoes

Tinga Sauce:

-4 roma tomatoes 

-1 onion, cut into chunks

-1 tsp chicken bouillon

-2 garlic cloves (used whole bulb)

-1 tsp adobo sauce (used the whole small can)

-1 tsp dried oregano

-1/2 tsp ground cumin

-1/2 cup chicken broth/bone broth (if not boiling chicken and taking from the pot)

Directions:

1. Marinate cubed chicken in Mexican spices (garlic, cumin, salt, oregano, paprika, chili powder etc.

2. Cook chicken and set aside

3. Cook tomatoes and garlic cloves ~2 min

4. Add onion chunks and cook ~2 min

5. Blend tomatoes, onions, 1/2 cup broth, cooked garlic cloves, 2 raw garlic cloves, can of adobo sauce, oregano, cumin

6. Pour mixture back into pot over medium heat and cook 5 min

7. Add chicken to sauce and coat

Spanish Rice in Rice Cooker

Taken from A Peachy Plate

Ingredients:

-1 cup Jasmine rice (regular, not rice, measuring cup)

-1 cup chicken broth

-1 cup canned diced tomatoes 

-1/4 cup onion, chopped

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 TBSP butter (would try omitting next time)

-1 tsp chili powder

-1/2 tsp cumin

-1/2 tsp oregano

-1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

-rinse rice

-Add rice to pot and all ingredients, stir

-Set rice cooker - took 65 min on mixed setting!

Notes:

Eric said he liked it a lot.

I thought it was a bit mushy.

Try without butter next time

Party salsa

 I've been using this salsa recipe for 15 years (yikes), so don't remember where I got it from.

Ingredients
-1 can of Ro-tel original, 10 oz

-1 can of diced tomatoes, 14 oz

-1/2 small onion (white)

-1 jalapeno with seeds (have been using serranos lately to make it spicier)

-1 lime

-1 clove of garlic

-handful of cilantro

-1 tsp honey

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp cumin

Directions:

Blend everything together.  Add more salt or honey to taste.

*snacks

*Mexican

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Recipe modified from Skinnytaste.  It was pretty good, but the chicken breasts I bought were huge and almost 2 lbs of meat, so it was a lot for 6 servings.  I seasoned the chicken breasts with salt, but the canned sauces had salt, sooo too much salt.  It was also cool because I used the slow cooker bags and because I was at my parents and couldn't cook right away, I had Eric put the bag in the slow cooker as it was being held by the big red bowl in the fridge.  He just added the chicken broth and bay leaves.  Also, wasn't so much of a soup, more "soupy" which Eric liked better.  Eric said it was a 5 and he would eat again :)

UPDATED: cooked on low for 3.5 hrs and chicken was done already, so try 3 hours next time esp if cut them in half

Ingredients:

-16 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I had closer to 32 oz, oh well)

-kosher salt (didn't need)

-fresh black pepper

-1 tsp olive oil

-1 SMALL yellow onion chopped

-1 sliced shallot (I added last time I cooked)

-1 head of garlic

-1 jalapeno, sliced (USED MULTIPLE HABANEROS AND SERRANOS FROM GARDEN)

-4 cups of reduced sodium chicken broth (the whole box) --> USED BONE BROTH BETTER

-8 oz can tomato sauce (I used fresh tomatoes cooked on stove with olive oil and salt and pureed)

-1/2 Tbsp chipotle chile in adobo, chopped (used the whole 3.5 oz can)

-1 tsp dried oregano

-1/4 tsp cumin

-2 bay leaves

-1/4 cup chopped cilantro

VEGGIES:

-2 zucchini, chopped instead of spiralized

-1 red bell pepper, chopped

-1 green bell pepper

-1 SMALL white onion to add cold and fresh on top

-frozen corn (half a bag)

-consider adding garbanzo beans next time - YES, ADD GARBANZO BEANS YUM

-queso fresco - didn't use because it expired

-avocado

Directions:

1. Chop veggies - zucchini, red bell pepper, onion (divided), jalapeno - and set aside

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in slow cooker

2. Sauté garlic, half the onion, and jalapeno 3 min

3. Transfer to slow cooker with bone broth, tomato sauce, chipotle, cumin, oregano, half cilantro, and bay leaves

4. Cover and cook on LOW 4-6 hrs --> TRY 3 HOURS

5. Shred chicken with 2 forks

6. Add in rest of veggies while shredding chicken and cook on HIGH (10 min or so)

Served with some rice, avocado, and fresh cilantro. Eric made homemade tostadas.  A lot of food given 2 lbs of chicken.

*Mexican

Double Baked Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potatoes

Recipe modified from cleanfoodcrush.com

Ingredients for 6 servings (3 nights):

-3 large sweet potatoes or 4 medium ones

-1 lb ground turkey

-1 can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (7 oz can) - 1/3 for turkey, 1/3 for potatoes, 1/3 for veggies

-1/4 cup cheese (used queso fresco, but parmesan, mozzarella, colby jack mentioned)

-1 tsp dried oregano

-garlic powder

-pinch of sea salt and pepper

-red pepper flakes

-Veggie medley as side: zucchini, onions, bell pepper

-avocados

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper

2. Poke holes in sweet potato with fork and roast for 40 min - was more like 1 hour - depends on size

3. Meanwhile, cuisinart can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

4. Cook ground turkey with garlic powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

5. Then stir in 1/3 of the adobo sauce (3 TBSP)

6. Cool sweet potatoes. Slice lengthways, and spoon out flesh into bowl

7. Add and mix into that bowl: cheese, oregano, 1/3 adobo sauce (3 TBSP), pinch sea salt and pepper 

8. Put into those oven bowls, put turkey on top, then cheese on top, and put under broiler until cheese melted

Served with veggie medley - zucchini, onions, bell pepper.  Had leftover corn, but too sweet since sweet potatoes sweet.  Cook chopped garlic and jalapeños in oil.  Then add veggies.  Also added the 1/3 leftover adobo sauce.  Avocados on top.

Notes: just microwaved and didn't put back in oven for 2nd and 3rd nights.  Still tasted good.

Thinking cooking sweet potatoes in air fryer might be better since I am not re-using the skins.

*Mexican

Chicken Fajitas + Pico de gallo + "Easy" Guacamole

I have been using this recipe from mammy2grammy for oven baked chicken fajitas for a while, with some modifications of course.

This recipe was for 6 servings (3 nights for me and Eric)

Guacamole is "easy" because I made pico already, didn't need to add jalapenos, onions, or tomatoes.
Served with corn tortillas (30 count = 5 tacos per night for each of us).
I also made some rice, but didn't need it, was plenty of food already.

Still make with rice

DON’T USE STREET TACOS - too small

CHICKEN FAJITAS:

Ingredients:

-chicken tenders (sliced long-ways in 2 for more tacos)

-1 can ro-tel diced tomatoes

-sliced onions (1/2 of large or 1 med white)

-sliced bell peppers (2 medium green)

-sliced jalapeno (1 medium)

-sliced garlic cloves

Chicken fajita MARINADE:
-1 lime

-2 tsp ground cumin

-2 tsp chili powder

-1/2 tsp oregano

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

-1/4 tsp jalapeno salt or sea salt

-Next time add some cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken for 2-4 hours or overnight

2. Spray dish

3. Spread chopped veggies into dish

4. Chicken on top

5. Ro-tel tomatoes on top

6. Bake for 400 degrees for 20 min

PICO DE GALLO:

-1/2 white onion, chopped

-1 jalapeno, chopped

-1/8 cup lime juice (2 key limes)

-4 tomatoes (roma), chopped finely (remove juice)

-1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

-sea salt

"EASY" GUACAMOLE:

-1 avocado

-1 key lime juice

-cilantro

-garlic powder

-a little cumin

-a little jalapeno salt

Notes:

In subsequent uses, I cut chicken into cubes and pan cooked meat first with garlic (+/- serrano).  I then cooked veggies separately in pan - onion, bell peppers, hatch green chili (spicy!).  Made Mexican bowls with cilantro lime rice, chicken, veggies, pico, guacamole, and also homemade salsa made the night before.

*Mexican

Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa (served with Jamaican Jerk Chicken)

Taken from Unsophisticook

Ingredients:
-2 cups diced pineapples (1 small pineapple - I estimated when dicing because I added it last, but didn't use whole pineapple)
-2 cups diced Roma tomatoes (I saw this as 2 tomatoes, but in recipe, it calls for 5 Romas)
-1 cup diced orange bell pepper (1 medium pepper)
-1/2 cup finely diced red onion (1/2 small red onion)
-1/2 cup finely diced jalapeno pepper (I used just 1 jalapeno with seeds and all)
-1/2 cup chopped cilantro
-1 large lime, zest and juice
-salt to taste

Directions:
1. Mix together

Notes:
I served with Jamaican jerk chicken, jasmine rice, and broccoli.  I used the jerk seasoning from the front aisle at HEB.  Probably got too much (2 spoonfuls).  Eric said it would be good as a bowl. Next time, cube the chicken, and cook in pan with jerk seasoning (marinating before, of course).

Don't need broccoli either - just serve with chicken and rice and salsa (maybe use 4 tomatoes instead of 2).

*Other

*Pineapple

*Mexican (at least the salsa part)

Chimichurri sauce

Eric didn't like it, so not sure if I will make again, but I liked it.
Recipe taken from Gimme Some Oven

Ingredients:
-1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, tightly packed 
-1 cup fresh cilantro, tightly packed
-1/2 cup diced red onion
-3 Tbsp fresh oregano (I used 1 tsp of dried oregano)
-3 cloves of garlic, peeled
-2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (I used juice of one lime)
-2 Tbsp red wine vinegar (thought this was too much)
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (I sprinkled generously and could have used some more)
-1/2 cup of olive oil

Directions:
-Add all ingredients except olive oil to a food process, and pulse a few times until chopped.  Slowly stream in olive oil, while pulsing the mixture a few more times until combined.

Notes:
-more red pepper flakes
-too much red wine vinegar
-I served with chicken and asparagus

-I think I made this before and should try using with flank steak next time instead of chicken

----------------------------------------------

Tried a NEW recipe that was kind of combination of two recipes for cilantro-only chimichurri (Brazilian Kitchen) + roasted garlic (from WonkyWonderful), and STILL was NOT right.  

Used on roasted veggies - mini potatoes, bell peppers, and onions with a turkey burger.  

Eric said tasted good, but too "wet" as in he would have preferred this as a dip and veggies be crispy.  Maybe next time:

-no red wine vinegar.  Try lime juice again.  Less olive oil.  Try raw garlic again.  Try shallot instead of red onion. Do the olive oil stream?

Ingredients:

-2 bunches of fresh cilantro (about 2 cups, not packed though)

-2 heads roasted garlic

-3/4 cup olive oil (added less than this and still too much)

-1/4 small red onion

-1 tsp dried oregano (recipe called for 2 tsp)

-1 tsp red pepper flakes (recipe called for 2 tsp)

-1 tsp red wine vinegar (recipe called for 2 tsp) - STILL TOO MUCH

-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

-Used a blender instead of food processor (so didn't do the olive oil stream)

Mexican Turkey Burgers (with Smashed Avocado)

Recipe taken from Once A Month Meals and adjusted for 1 pound of ground meat

Ingredients:

-1 pound of ground turkey (or chicken)

-1 egg

-1/2 white onion, diced (could do a little less)

-2-4 cloves of garlic, cuisinarted

-1/2 jalapeno (with seeds), cuisinarted (could do a little more)

-1/4 cup cilantro, cuisinarted
-1/4 cup panko crumbs
-1 tsp cumin
-1 tsp paprika
-1 tsp red pepper flakes (omitted, but is needed as jalapeno not spicy enough)

Avocado smash (not quite guacamole)
-1 small avocado
-1 small key lime or 1/2 of a regular lime
-garlic powder
-cilantro

Directions:
1. Combine into 4 patties and grill
2. Combine avocado smash ingredients and place first on toasted bun
3. Toast bun with some olive oil spray and garlic powder and/or jalapeno salt

Other
-burger also served with sliced white onion, sliced tomatoes, and jalapenos (for the hubby)

-served tonight with sweet potato fries and corn on the cob

*Burger

*Mexican

Cilantro Lime Rice

Self-explanatory recipe, but if cooking 1.5 cups of uncooked rice, 1/4 cup of lime juice is too much.  Try halving that or about 2 tablespoons of lime juice.  Still tasted good, though.

*Sides

*Mexican

Chili Lime Cilantro Chicken

Recipe from Rasa Malaysia.
Eric really liked this.  I am a little hazy on the instructions since I made it last week.

Ingredients: (halved from original recipe)
-Chicken (chicken tenders, 1.5 lbs for 4 servings)
-Olive oil (~2 tablespoons)
-1/4 cup Lime juice (also used for cilantro lime rice)
-Lime zest 
-Cilantro (~2 tablespoons chopped, but likely was a lot more)
-1 Jalapeno, chopped
-2 garlic cloves, chopped
-Honey (est 1/2 tablespoon)
-Salt
-Chili powder to taste

Directions:
1. Mix all for marinade with chicken in ziploc bag.  Marinate for 2 hours.
2. Grease baking dish and add veggies (chopped bell pepper and onion), add chicken on top.
2. Bake for about 20 min at 400 degrees.


Notes:
-Served with cilantro lime rice, half an avocado, and Eric made veggies (bell pepper, onion, zucchini combo he made up)

Notes, part 2:
Made again with more garlic (5 cloves) and added jalapeño salt, cumin.
He said it was bland. So, next time add more spices - jalapeño salt, cumin, and chili powder

Eric also wanted the chicken diced.

*Mexican

Fajita Cauliflower Rice - meal prep

Another good lunch for weekday meal prep.  Modified from Kirbie's Cravings.

Ingredients:
-1 lb ground turkey
-2-3 cloves of garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
-1 yellow onion, diced
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1 green (or yellow or orange) bell pepper, diced

FAJITA SPICES:
-2 tsp chili powder
-1 tsp ground cumin
-1 tsp garlic powder
-1 tsp paprika
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-dash of cayenne pepper for extra spice

Directions:
1. Mix up fajita seasoning ingredients in a small bowl
2. In  large skillet, saute garlic, ground turkey, and onion.
3. Add fajita seasoning and bell peppers.  Cook until tender
4. Add in bag of frozen cauliflower (can microwave beforehand for about 1 minute)

Notes:
-Didn't add cilantro or lime due to time
-Can add more bell pepper colors if wanted - depends on how much chopping you want to do

*Lunch

*Mexican