Tex-Mex Egg Rolls

When we made this recipe, we only made half of what it called for. Trust me, half is still a pound of meat plus other ingredients. Oh! A great thing to dip these egg rolls into is SALSA!!! Trust me. It's fabulous!

Ingredients:
2 lb lean ground chuck
2 medium chopped onions
2 minced garlic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 (4 oz) cans diced green chilies
4 cups shredded longhorn cheese (we used cheddar)
1 package egg roll wrappers
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons water
oil for deep frying (we just use our deep fryer =) )

Directions:
1. In a medium skillet, brown beef over medium heat. Drain off the fat and return to heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, and black pepper to browned beef. Continue cooking over medium heat until onion is transparent. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in green chilies and shredded cheese, stirring until thoroughly combined and until cheese is completely melted. Set aside.
4. Mix together flour and water to make a paste for sealing the egg rolls. Set aside.
5. Wrap the egg rolls with 1/4 cup of filling mixture per egg roll. (see picture)
6. Use the flour paste to seal the egg roll's last flap.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This recipe came from an episode of "Cook Yourself Thin." I have not tried the cookies with the raisins. However, they are some of the best oatmeal cookies I have made besides the recipe in the oatmeal canister. They are even healthier options!


Makes about 40 (2 1/2-inch) cookies
Calories per cookie: 116


Ingredients
2 tablespoons whiskey or rum
2/3 cup raisins
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup natural unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups oats (not instant)


Directions
1. Set the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.


2. Sprinkle the whiskey or rum over the raisins in a bowl and let stand while you assemble the batter.


3. Using a handheld or standing mixer, beat the butter, applesauce, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Beat in the egg and egg white, milk and vanilla.


4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon, add to the batter, and beat just until the flour is absorbed. Gently fold in the oats with a rubber scraper.


5. Use 2 spoons to scoop out the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are set but still soft in the centers and beginning to brown on the edges, 17 to 20 minutes.


6. Let cool on a wire rack.

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Jambalaya is fabulous. This slow cooker recipe makes it more convenient. This is a Robin Miller recipe. She makes food that can be prepared ahead of time and made later in the week. This one lets you mix the spices in a baggie (they keep for a week). You can also pre-chop all the veggies and store them in a baggie in the fridge. However, they only will only keep for 3 days.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage, diced
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 pound frozen peeled and cooked shrimp, thawed
• 2 cups cooked rice

Directions

In a slow cooker, combine chicken, sausage, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery, and chicken broth. Stir in oregano, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, bay leaves, and thyme.

Cover, and cook on LOW for 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Stir in the thawed shrimp, cover and cook until the shrimp is heated through, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves and spoon mixture over cooked rice.

Mac and Cheese Lorraine

This is a Rachael Ray recipe. Don't be scared of the Gruyere cheese. It makes a great made-from-scratch sauce. To make this vegetarian, just leave out the bacon.

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound gemelli pasta or other short cut pasta
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
• 2 onions, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup whole milk
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded Gruyere
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions

Heat water for pasta, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta water comes to boil, heat extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add bacon and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add onions and cook 10 minutes until soft and beginning to caramelize. Add wine and cook out, 1 minute.

While onions cook, heat a sauce pot over medium heat. Add butter, melt and whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk and bring to a bubble. Thicken a few minutes then season with salt and pepper. Melt in cheese stirring it in a figure-8 motion with a wooden spoon. Add nutmeg and mustard and adjust salt and pepper.

Drain pasta, toss with onions and stir in cheese sauce to coat. Top with crispy bacon and serve.

Cajun Catfish Wraps with Slaw

This is a Cooking Light Recipe. So fast, so easy, so good!!

Ingredients

• SLAW:
• 3 1/2  cups  thinly sliced red or green cabbage
• 1/4  cup  light mayonnaise
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  cider vinegar
• 1/2  teaspoon  sugar
• 
  WRAPS:
• 1  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon  paprika
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  dried thyme
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon  garlic powder
• 1  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 4  (6-ounce) farm-raised catfish fillets
• 1  tablespoon  butter or stick margarine
• 4  (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas

Preparation

To prepare the slaw, combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl; cover and chill.

To prepare the wraps, combine flour and next 7 ingredients (flour through red pepper) in a shallow dish. Dredge fillets in flour mixture. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fillets; sauté 5 minutes. Turn fillets over; cook 4 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Heat the tortillas according to package directions. Cut each catfish fillet lengthwise into 4 pieces. Arrange 4 fillet pieces on each tortilla; top each serving with about 3/4 cup slaw, and roll up.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

397 (27% from fat)

Fat:

11.7g (sat 3.7g,mono 3.9g,poly 2.7g)

Protein:

35.6g

Carbohydrate:

36.6g

Fiber:

3g

Cholesterol:

106mg

Iron:

4.7mg

Sodium:

918mg

Calcium:

126mg