Ritzy Green Salad (a must have recipe)

Is it just me or does it seem a good green salad recipe can be hard to come by?  They all seem so similar, with some basic lettuce, maybe a hint of cheese and a few scarce tomatoes and a few basic options of that cringe worthy bottled dressings that has been straying in the refrigerator for months.  
This salad is one of my all time favorite salads!  How can you go wrong with cheese, bacon, almonds and homemade croutons?  I changed this salad up a lot to make it my own, but this recipe was inspired by a recipe that came from a famous restaurant called The Lion House Restaurant.  My family has been making this salad for years.  Whenever it's brought to a party everyone is coming back for seconds and thirds until the last person heading to the empty salad bowl is utterly disappointed when they find it has all been completely devoured.  
Try this salad and it's very likely to be come one of your favorites too!
Oh and warning, once you've had homemade croutons you will never go back to store bought croutons.  Homemade croutons are at least a thousand times better =) and they are actually very simple to make.
  

Ritzy Green Salad
Yields 6 servings


Ingredients:
1 (10 oz.) pkg Hearts of Romaine Lettuce
1 cup grated Swiss cheese (4 oz.)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
7 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup grape tomatoes, diced into halves
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups homemade croutons, recipe follows (recipe makes more than needed, refrigerate or freeze extra for a later use)


Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, toss together lettuce, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese, crumbled bacon,  almonds and tomatoes, set aside.
In a blender combine vegetable oil, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, onion powder, pepper and salt.  Blend on low speed for 15 seconds.  Pour mixture over salad and toss to evenly coat.  Fold in croutons.  Serve immediately.


Homemade Croutons


Ingredients:
1/2 loaf day old french bread
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried parsley 
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper


Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Cut bread into slices about 1 inch thick, then cut into 1 inch cubes.  Place diced bread on a cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and pour toasted bread into a large mixing bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine olive oil, parsley, basil, salt and pepper.  Drizzle oil mixture over toasted bread.  Toss to coat (I usually toss it for a few minutes to evenly coat).  Return bread to cookie sheet and bake 15 - 18 minutes until golden.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Store in an airtight container.  

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Individual Berry Cream Pies

 Why pay for mint leaves when no one really eats them and they just end up straggling behind on the plate, then in the trash =)?  If you didn't notice I garnished these with the leaves of the strawberries rather than buying mint leaves just for looks.  Not sure if they're edible but they look fancy.  I can't get enough of these mini pies!  These are elegant, simple to make, luxuriously delicious, personal size cream pies that can be made in 10 minutes!  I love the versatility of these pies.  You could switch up the berries, and even use peaches or bananas (mmm love banana cream pie).  I like to call the pastry cream I use in these, cheaters pastry cream because it tastes like pastry cream but its made from instant pudding in 2 minutes.  These pies are perfect for the upcoming Valentines holiday or anytime you need a delicious sweet!  Make these for a party and allow everyone to believe you spent enduring, long, laborious hours in the kitchen for such a fine dessert =). 

Mini Berry Cream Pies
Yields 6 individual pies


Ingredients:
6 mini store-brought graham cracker crusts
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 (3.5 oz) pkg white chocolate, vanilla or cheesecake instant vanilla pudding mix
10 oz strawberries or raspberries (it should yield about 2 cups when diced)
4 Tbsp powdered sugar, divided


Directions:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup heavy cream, milk, vanilla and instant pudding mix for 2 minutes until very thick.  Cover and refrigerate.  Dice strawberries into small pieces (if using raspberries dice into halves).  Pour strawberries into a small mixing bowl and stir in 2 Tbsp powdered sugar, set aside.  
In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, whip together 1/2 cup cream until soft peaks form.  Stir in 2 Tbsp powdered sugar then whip until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.
Remove pudding mixture from refrigerator, stir once more then fill each graham cracker crust with 1/4 cup mixture.  Smooth tops of pie then equally divide diced strawberries over filled pies (its a few heaping tablespoons over each).  Pipe sweetened whipped cream over each pie.  Serve immediately.

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Shredded Beef Taquitos

Please, no more frozen taquitos =).  I love these taquitos!  Perfectly crisp on the outside with flavorful tender beef on the inside.  Yum!  I like to have several dipping options when I make them, the three I always serve these with are guacamole, sour cream and fresh salsa but I also love these dipped in cilantro lime ranch (you can fallow the links below for the fresh salsa recipe and cilantro lime ranch recipe).  When I make guacamole I keep it simple, I don't like the chunks of onion in it so I always use powder.  I mash two ripe avocados with the juice of 1/2 a lime then add in 1/4 tsp onion powder and 1/4 tsp garlic powder then I season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, wallah so simple.  If you like Mexican food you will love these taquitos!  Also, if you are looking to get two dinners worth out of the beef (like I do by making tacos one night then taquitos the next) you could always buy a 4 pound roast and double the remaining ingredients (I still only use one can beef broth though).

Shredded Beef Taquitos

Yields about 15

Ingredients:

1 recipe Shredded Beef Tacos (beef portion only)

15 corn tortillas

Vegetable oil

Extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Toothpicks

Serve with optional:

Salsa

Guacamole

Sour Cream

Cilantro lime ranch

Directions:

Cook shredded beef according to directions.  Drain beef well, set aside.  Heat a non-stick griddle over medium high heat.  Cook tortillas for about 15 - 30 seconds on each side until soft and flimsy (can't think of a better word =).  Immediately remove tortillas to a plate in a stack and cover with a saucepan lid large enough to cover diameter of tortillas (this seals in moisture and helps them roll well without cracking).  Repeat this step until all the tortillas have been cooked.  

Fill a non-stick sauce pan with mixture of a few tablespoons vegetable oil and a few tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, it should be a layer of oil about 1/2 inch high (this is where the extra virgin olive oil is optional, you can use all vegetable oil, I just prefer both for flavor and health benefits).  Heat oil over medium heat.  

Remove one tortilla at a time, place about 1/4 cup shredded beef on tortilla in a line down the center of the tortilla.  Roll the tortilla snugly then insert a toothpick through the center so ends of tortillas stay in place.  Using metal tongs, gently place taquitos into hot oil (I usually fit 4 - 5 taquitos in at a time). Cook until lightly browned then remove toothpick, and using tongs, rotate taquito and cook opposite side until lightly browned.   Using tongs, remove from oil to a paper towel covered plate.  Add additional oil to pan as needed while cooking taquitos.  Serve warm with salsa, sour cream, guacamole or cilantro lime ranch for dipping.

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Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats

My new favorite Rice Krispie Treat... these, Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats!  I love cinnamon rolls and I love Rice Krispie Treats so I had to find a way to combine the two, so I created these.  I love dressing up classics with a new and exciting twist.  I'd have to say I like these equally as much as cinnamon rolls (which is really saying something because a fresh warm cinnamon roll is one of my favorite foods).  The incredible thing about these is that they taste just like a cinnamon roll but they can be made in a tenth the amount of time it takes to make a cinnamon roll.  Bonus, they don't have nearly as many calories as a cinnamon roll.  You can make these two different ways, as pictured, or spread into one even layer and cut into squares.  Either way, completely and utterly delicious (I ate 3 just after making them, oops =)!   They are even incredibly good without the frosting.  These would also be good with chopped pecans sprinkled on top or folded in along with the cereal if you like nuts in cinnamon rolls.
You may also like to try Cookies and Cream Rice Krispie Treats, Rice Krispie Treats with oreos and white chocolate, cant go wrong with that =).

Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats

Yields 12 Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter

1/8 tsp salt

2 tsp unsulphured molasses

2 tsp cinnamon

1 (10.5 oz) bag miniature marshmallows

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions:

Butter a 9x13 dish, set aside.  Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat.  Stir in salt, molasses, and cinnamon.  Add marshmallows and stir constantly until marshmallows have completely melted.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Fold in Rice Krispies Cereal, stirring until evenly coated.  Pour Rice Krispie Treat mixture into buttered dish.  Spread mixture evenly into pan with a buttered spatula.  Allow to cool several minutes, then cut while still slightly warm.  Using your hands, round edges of cut squares by cupping your hands around the edges and gently pressing.  Allow to cool completely then pipe Cream Cheese Frosting over tops of Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats.  Optional, dust the tops lightly with cinnamon.

Alternately, for a simpler method, simply spread Rice Krispie Treats mixture into buttered pan after folding in cereal.  Allow them to cool then spread Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over top with a butter knife or an icing spatula.  Cut into squares.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together butter and cream cheese until fluffy.  Stir in vanilla.  Slowly add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth and fluffy.

Note: if you don't like a lot of frosting then half the recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting is plenty.

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Shredded Beef Tacos

These loaded shredded beef tacos are definitely at the top of my list of favorite foods.  This recipe for shredded beef tacos yields perfectly tender, wonderfully seasoned and flavorful beef.  I cook almost all my meat in the slow cooker because it basically guarantees tender meat, slow and low.  I've mentioned before Mexican food is one of my favorites.  Good Mexican food is never skimpy on flavors and its flavors are so distinct.  This recipe for shredded beef is so versatile. The beef can be used for tacos, enchiladas, taquitos or burritos.  That is one of my favorite things about this recipe.  It yields a lot of shredded beef, so I get dinner for more than one night out of it.  I usually always do tacos the first night then enchiladas or taquitos the next.  I love these tacos served along with Mexican rice and homeade refried or black beans.  It makes a meal fit to make someone believe they are dining at an amazing Mexican restaurant.  Did I mention how easy this beef is to make?  You've got to love that!
If you love these tacos then you may also want to try my recipe for Shredded Chicken Tacos (a Cafe Rio Copycat recipe).

Shredded Beef Tacos
Yields about 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 (2.5 lb) chuck roast
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Juice of 1 lime


Serve with:
Warmed corn tortillas or warmed fresh flour tortillas*
Romaine or Iceburg lettuce, chopped
Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded
Guacamole or diced avocados
Sour cream
Fresh salsa
Cilantro
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Hot sauce



Directions:
In a small bowl whisk together chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Place roast in a slow cooker, pour beef broth over roast then squeeze with fresh lime juice.  Sprinkle roast with spice mixture.  Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low heat 8-10 hours.  Remove roast from slow cooker, shred beef (remove fat) and return shredded beef to slow cooker.  Cover with lid and cook additional 30 minutes.  Remove beef from slow cooker with tongs to remove juices when plating or drain in a colander.  Serve with desired toppings.  

I use two different kinds of tortillas when I make these tacos.  Most of the time I use corn tortillas but I also love these tacos using fresh flour tortillas.  For the corn tortillas, I heat a griddle over medium high heat then I make a mixture of a few tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and a few tablespoons vegetable oil, then I baste the oil mixture on the tortilla and cook each side until golden on each side.  Then move tortilla to a plate lined with a paper towels to soak up extra oil.

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Banana Oatmeal

Wait!  Don't throw out that last unwanted overripe banana!  You see it sitting there that last straggling spotted banana, but what do you do with it?  There's not enough for banana bread or cupcakes and it's way too ripe and soft to simply eat on it's own.  I don't know how many times I've been in this situation and have sadly just tossed the last straggler out because I can't find a purpose for it.  I've even tried freezing that last random banana laying around but I never really end up using it.  I just end up with those dark, strangely colored bananas lounging around my freezer and there so unappealing I've never dared actually use them =) and end up tossing them out anyway.  So, I was sitting there one day tired of wasting so many good, prime bananas I decided I needed to find a use for them.  Something with a similar, soft texture that would be enhanced by the delicious flavor of bananas.  Here it is, utterly amazing banana oatmeal.  One of the best bowls of oatmeal you will ever eat!  And what a perfect way start your year off right with this healthy, antioxidant and nutrition packed oatmeal.  I love when I can make something I feel great about eating that actually tastes amazing, not like a flavorless piece of cardboard that I have to talk myself into eating because it's "good for me."  I even feel okay about throwing in the small bit of butter or cream because the fat will help a body absorb more nutrients, right =)?  Have a great new year everyone and start your year of right with this banana oatmeal, something healthy AND delicious.  It doesn't have to taste like old socks to to healthy and taste delicious =).
You may also like to try Blueberries and Cream Oatmeal.

 It's crazy the different mood you get from adding a bit of sunlight to a pic.

Banana Oatmeal
Yields 2 servings (if your me, just 1)


Ingredients:


1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup Old Fashioned oats
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 overripe mashed banana
1-3 Tbsp packed light-brown sugar*
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp butter or 2 Tbsp cream (optional)
2 Tbsp chopped pecans (optional)


Directions:
Bring water and milk just to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium low and stir in oats, buttermilk, mashed banana, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Cook 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove oatmeal from heat, stir in vanilla and optional butter or cream.  Cover with a lid and let rest 3 minutes.  Serve warm topped with optional chopped pecans.
For alternate cooking method:  In a very large microwave safe bowl, combine oats, milk, buttermilk, water, mashed banana, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Microwave on high for 3 1/2 minutes.  Allow to rest in the microwave for 2 minutes.  Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla, optional cream or butter and optional pecans.  Serve warm.


*Depending on how ripe your bananas and how sweet you like your oatmeal.

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Best Ever Carrot Cake

Are you looking for the perfect cake?  Literally perfect.  Without flaws.  Amazing.  Tender.  Moist.  Heavenly.  Flavorful.  Sweet.  Fluffy and dense all at once.  Healthy(ish =).  Wowing.  Decadent.  Stunning.  Pleases young and old alike.  Then here it is!  I love this cake!  And I can brag it up like that because it's not my recipe, if it were my own then it would be a bit tacky to brag so much.  I've been making this cake for years and have no desire to find a new carrot cake recipe, ever.  This carrot cake turns carrot cake haters into carrot cake lovers.  Believe it or not I didn't used to like carrot cake and now because of this cake, it is my favorite!  You have to try this cake.  Thank you allrecipes.com for another incredible recipe!

Carrot Cake

Yields 12 servings

Ingredients:

4 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup applesauce

2 cups granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3 cups lightly packed finely grated carrots*

1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

2/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 9" round cake pans with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on two side.  Grease foil and dust with flour, set aside.  (This cake can also be made in a 9x13 dish just increase baking time to 40 - 50 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, I have even halved the recipe and baked it in and 8x8 dish).  

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, combine vegetable oil, applesauce, eggs, granulated sugar and vanilla.  Slowly stir in dry ingredients and mix until well blended.  Stir in grated carrots.  Divide mixture evenly into 2 prepared cake pans.  Bake cakes in preheat oven for 37-39 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes in cake dishes before removing to a wire rack to cool.  Lift cakes out of pan with foil overhang and allow to cool on wire rack completely before frosting (once cool I cut about 1/4" off the tops to even them out before frosting, you'll notice the centers don't rise as high as the rest).  Flip cakes upside down when frosting with Cream Cheese Frosting.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans.  Store cake in airtight container.

*Grate carrots on small grate of a grater.  This is usually 6-7 medium carrots.


Cream Cheese Frosting


Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar


In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy.  Stir in powdered sugar and mix until well combine.  


Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

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