Sweet Potato Cakes with Black Bean and Corn Salsa

This recipe is quick and great for a party appetizer.  Since sweet potatoes are in season, I had a few on hand and thought I'd use em up.  You could totally make this a vegetarian meal by omitting the turkey bacon.  I love how cute this little appetizer is lol.

For the sweet potato cakes:
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs
1 cups flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. baking powder
4 tbsp. butter
1 green onion stalk, sliced into thin rounds
1 pinch cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees/ Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.  Next add the mashed sweet potato to a deep mixing bowl.  Next add in the eggs, butter and green onions.  Combine all of the wet ingredients, before adding in the dry ingredients.  Once all of the ingredients are in the same bowl, combine well, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place a dollop of the mix onto the surface of the cookie sheet- it should look like the size of a lemon (in diameter).  Flatten them down a little with your spatula and bake for 25-30 minutes.

 For the salsa:
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup corn kernels, thawed
5 strips turkey bacon, diced
1/4 cup red onion finely diced
1 tomato cubed
1 stalk  green onion, plus more for garnish
3 garlic cloves, grated
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp. cumin
salt to taste

Add the corn, tomatoes, black beans, onions, garlic and green onions into a bowl. Cook the bacon in the oven at 400 degrees until it is crispy.  Slice the bacon into thin pieces and add to the bowl.  Next add in the lime juice, olive oil, black pepper, cumin and salt and combine every thing well.

For the garlicky sauce:
2 tbsp light mayo
2 tbsp. light sour cream
1 garlic clove grated
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
salt to taste

Combine all of the ingredients well.  Making sure to remove any lumps- you want a velvety smooth cream.

Assemble  by placing a sweet potato cake down on a serving dish. Next spoon a dollop of the sauce, followed by a scoop of the salsa.  Garnish with some sliced green onions.

Shredded Chicken and Mayacoba Bean Enchiladas

I read an article recently about legumes that really inspired me to try some new beans.  I also realized that I've never made enchiladas.  I decided to make this dish not knowing how it'd turn out.  Thankfully they were delicious and even though they're enchiladas, I tried making them healthier than the traditional recipe by not frying and using reduced-fat ingredients.

 For the Beans:
1 package (16 oz.) dry Mayacoba beans (also known as Peruvian beans or Canary beans)
8 cups water
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tsp. salt

The first thing to do, is wash the beans to remove any twigs or debris.  Next transfer the beans to a pressure cooker with the water and salt.  Close the lid and turn up the heat to high.  Once the steam begins to come out of the pressure cooker, lower the heat to medium.  Let the beans cook for 30 minutes before turning off the heat.  I hate waiting for the pressure to release, so what I do is run cold water over the pressure cooker in the sink.  Remove the lid and check to make sure the beans are tender.  If not put the lid back on and cook for another 5-10 minutes, but they should be done within 30 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a food processor bowl.  Add about 3 tbsp. of the bean water from the pot, a little salt and grate the garlic clove into the bowl.  Blend the beans until you have a smooth consistency.   Set aside until you're ready to assemble the enchiladas.

To make this dish a little easier, you could just mash the beans with a potato masher, but that will yield a more chunky consistency.   If you don't have a pressure cooker, you could soak the beans overnight and then just boil them in a pot with the same amount of water for about one hour.

For the Chicken:
5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 medium onions, preferably white or yellow
1 green bell pepper
2 tbsp. minced green chili of your choice (like jalapeno or pasilla)- I omitted this because I didn't have any on hand, but for those of you who like it hot, go ahead and add these for some kick.
6 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tbsp.  olive oil
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

First boil the chicken breasts in a large pot of water.seasoned liberally with salt.  Once the chicken breasts are cooked through, transfer them to a cutting board and allow them to cool.   While the chicken is cooking, begin mincing your green pepper, garlic and green chilies.  Dice the onion finely and add the olive oil into a large non-stick skillet.  Turn the heat up to medium high and add in the chilies, onions and garlic to the pan.  Saute for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  While the veggies cook, take two forks and begin shredding the chicken breasts.  Transfer the chicken to the skillet and season with the cumin, salt and pepper.  Allow the chicken and veggies to cook together for about 3-4 minutes before turning off the heat.  In a separate mixing bowl, combine the sour cream and cheese and add it into the skillet, making sure to combine everything really well.

For the enchilada sauce:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

First add the butter to a non-stick sauce pan.  Next add in the flour and make a roux.  To that, add the chicken stock and whisk vigorously, breaking any clumps of flour that may have formed.  Next add in the sour cream and the cheese and blend well.  Season with a little salt.  Set the sauce aside until assembling the enchiladas.

For the assembly:
8 flour tortillas
cooking spray or melted butter
1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro to garnish.

First pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Next take a scoop of the beans and spread if evenly over one side of the tortilla.  Next add in a scoop of the chicken mixture and roll the tortillas.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with a little cooking spray and place the enchiladas, seam down in the pan.  Repeat this step until you have filled the entire pan with the enchiladas.  Next spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray, or brush with melted butter.   Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the tortillas are slightly crisp.  Remove the tray from the oven and pour the sauce over the top of the enchiladas.  Next sprinkle the cheese over the top and place the pan back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.  Garnish with some freshly chopped cilantro and serve.

Sweet Tamale Cakes

Have you ever been to a restaurant and ordered something you loved and thought to yourself, '"I bet I can make this at home"?  One of the dishes I've been meaning to try my hand at is the Sweet Corn Tamale Cake from Cheesecake Factory.  I finally got around to making these this weekend and thought they came out EXACTLY like the real thing.  This was probably the closest I've ever come to recreating a restaurant dish at home.  I looked online for a few recipes and modified one that I thought sounded like it would turn out well, and I was not let down.  All in all, it was a pretty simple dish, but a little tedious since you have to make three separate sauces.  Totally worth the effort in my opinion.

For the Tomatillo Salsa:
4 tomatillos, diced
2 tbsp. green bell pepper, minced
2 green onion stalks, minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
1  tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Chop up the tomatillo, pepper, green onion and cilantro.   Dump all of the ingredients into a food processor and gently pulse to get a smoother consistency.  Place the contents into a bowl and begin adding cumin, sugar and salt.   Stir well, cover with plastic wrap and place the bowl in the fridge to chill until you're ready to assemble the cakes.

For the Pico de Gallo:
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp. minced Spanish onions
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. green bell pepper or mild chili like pasilla, seeds removed and minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. light olive oil

Dice up the tomatoes and add to a small bowl.  Mince the onions and peppers and add to the bowl.  Next, finely chop the cilantro and add to the bowl along with the rest of the ingredients.  Stir well, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool until you're ready to assemble the dish.

For Southwestern Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used light)
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp.water
1 tsp.  granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 tsp.  salt

Add the mayo, ketchup, water and vinegar to a bowl.  Whisk well to combine the sauces and remove any lumps.  Next add in the paprika, cayenne powder, chili powder, salt and garlic clove and whisk to combine all of the ingredients. Cover and put in the fridge to chill.

 For  the Cakes:
3 cups frozen sweet corn
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
2 tbsp. water
6 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 cup corn flour (masa harina)
1/4 cup regular flour

Start out by pre-heating your oven to 400 degrees.  Thaw out  the corn kernels.  They don't have to be completely thawed, just tender enough to where they'll blend in the food processor.  Add the corn and the water to a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse chop.  Transfer the corn to a large mixing bowl and add in the butter.  Blend well with a spatula.  Next add in the corn flour and the regular flour, the salt and sugar and blend well.  You should have a sticky consistency.  If it feels too dry, add a little water.  Spray a non-stick cookie sheet with cooking spray and begin forming the cakes.  You should have a  shape similar to a crab cake.  Place the cakes down on the cookie sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes and remove the tray from the oven to flip the cakes.  Bake for another 10-15 minutes.

For the Garnish:
1 hass avocado
6 tbsp. sour cream
3 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

To Assemble:
Spoon the tomatillo salsa along the bottom of your serving platter.  Place the cakes over the tomatillo salsa and then top with the pico de gallo.  Next drizzle a little of the southwestern sauce over the top of the cake.  Cut the avocado into small chunks and place on top of the cakes.  Dollop one tbsp. over each of the cakes and sprinkle the top with some fresh chopped cilantro.

Huevos Rancheros done in a flash

This dish is extremely easy. Not to mention a good way to get extra veggies in the morning. Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which helps prevent several cancers (especially prostate), as well as protect the skin from free-radicals. The lycopene in tomatoes is more potent when tomatoes are cooked, so eating this dish is a good way to get some antioxidant action at the start of your day. If you're trying to watch your carb intake, simply omit the tortilla. So here's how you make it.

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup chunky salsa (home-made is best, but store-bought will work too)
5 sprays of Pam (or enough to coat the pan)
1/3 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese
1 tsp. light sour cream
4 corn tortillas
2 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

Spray the pan and place it on the burner over med- low heat. Once the eggs are cooked on one side, flip them. Next pour the salsa over the eggs and sprinkle the cheese on top of them. Warm the tortillas and put them on a plate to wait for the egg to cook. Roughly chop the cilantro. Remove the eggs from the pan and place each egg, a top a tortilla. Top with sour cream and cilantro. For those that like it hot, add a dash of hot sauce.

Mexican Tomato-Lime Tortilla Soup

These days I have been eating lots of soups.  This recipe is really easy and you can make it in about 15 minutes. Its low-fat and filling too. So here's how you make it:

Ingredients
1 box chicken stock (32 oz.)
1 large can crushed tomato
1 small can tomato paste
1 large onion
4 garlic cloves
1/3 red pepper
1/3 green pepper
2 limes
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
1 bay leaf
2 corn tortillas
1 tsp. canola oil
1 tsp. reduced-reduced fat sour cream
1 tbsp. sliced scallions
Salt to taste

The first thing I did was dice up the onions, peppers, garlic and cilantro. Don't worry about chopping it perfectly because you'll throw everything in the blender later. In a medium size pot, I sauteed the veggies in olive oil until they became tender and added the cumin. Next, I added the chicken stock and crushed tomato and tomato paste. Lastly, I added the bay leaf and lime juice. I let this simmer over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Add salt to taste.

While the soup was simmering, I lined a small cookie sheet with foil. I then took the corn tortillas and with a pastry brush, brushed them with canola oil. I cut them into slices and lined them on the cookie sheet. I baked until nice and golden brown on a 400 degree oven.

Next I added the soup and all of the veggies into the blender and mixed on high speed until the soup was nice and silky. Be sure you remove the bay leaf before doing this. Also blend really well so you have a really smooth soup. Pour in a bowl. Add a dollop of sour cream, and top with the scallions and tortilla strips. Enjoy!