Copycat: Taco Bell Fiesta Bowls

Do you remember Fiesta Bowls from Taco Bell? I always liked those things. Here is a "shortcut" way to make them at home. It's hardly any real cooking at all. It uses the stove top and the microwave-no reason to heat up the kitchen in the Summer. This is an easy, family favorite at my house.

Copycat: Taco Bell Fiesta Bowls


Ingredients:
1-6.8 ounce package Spanish Rice a Roni (made with canned tomatoes)
1-15 ounce can chili with beans
1 jar beef tamales, drained and cut into 1 inch pieces (take off paper first)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Prepare the Spanish rice according to package directions. Put the chili into an 8 inch square baking dish. Top with the prepared Spanish rice. Layer the tamale pieces and top with the cheese. Heat in the microwave at 80% power for 6-7 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Mexican Microwave Risotto

I just submitted this original recipe to Kraft for their RWoP contest. I've already gotten a great response from their website. It is super-easy! It's not fun to stir "real" risotto constantly for half an hour, so this version eliminates that problem. If you want a complete meal and have some leftover rotisserie chicken, you can stir it in near the end of the cooking process.

Microwave Mexican Risotto

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 37 minutes | Total time: 47 minutes | Servings: 6

• 1- 10 ounce tub Philadelphia Cooking Creme-Santa Fe Blend
• 2 tbsp. of butter
• 2 tbsp. of olive oil
• 1 cup(s) of rice (standard, not arborio)
• 3 1/2 cup(s) of chicken stock
• 1 cup(s) of onion, diced
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced (not a very, spicy pepper)
• 1 cup(s) of frozen corn kernels, defrosted

Steps

1. In a large, microwave-safe, uncovered dish (ie-a 10x10x2 casserole), cook the butter and oil for 2 minutes on high. (This was cooked in a 700 Watt microwave.)
2. Add the onion and stir. Cook for 3 minutes on high.
3. Stir in rice to coat and cook on high for 4 minutes.
4. Add the broth and the diced poblano pepper to the rice and cook on high for 18 minutes.
5. Stir the rice, and add the corn and half (5 ounces) of the Santa Fe Blend Cooking Creme. Combine well and cook for 5 minutes on high. Stir the rice mixture (this is the point where you can stir in cooked, leftover meat) and cook for the final 5 minutes on high.

The Real Thing: SCONES

I got this recipe years ago from a friend of mine whose parents were from England. This version is "the real thing", and I prefer it to any other scone I've ever eaten. They are not hard to make either.

The Real Thing: SCONES

Ingredients:
2 cups self-rising flour
6 tablespoons butter, near room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup milk

Directions:
Crumble butter and flour in a large bowl. Add sugar. Then add the milk to make a dough. Stir the raisins into the dough.
Place the dough on a floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes. Roll out or pat the dough into a rectangle. Cut into circles using a standard biscuit cutter.
Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
Makes 16-20 scones.

My WINNING RECIPE: Easy Buffalo Chicken Quiche

I just got back from the Georgia Egg Commission Cook-Off. I took second place-SWEET! I am tickled pink about it too. I'll provide the link to the Egg Commission's web site later. Here is my very affordable, easy-to-prepare quiche recipe for you try.

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quiche

Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
2-5 ounce cans chicken breast, drained
1 small onion, diced
1-3 ounce package cream cheese, cubed in small pieces
1 cup sharp, cheddar cheese, shredded
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup baking mix-like Bisquick
1/2 cup hot sauce-like Texas Pete
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a standard pie pan with the cooking spray. Mix the chicken, cubed cream cheese, onion and shredded cheddar in the pie pan. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, baking mix, hot sauce and salt for about one minute with a hand-mixer or until smooth. Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the pie pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the center is set. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4-6

Pecan-Crusted Chicken

Taste of Home has published this recipe I submitted in three of their cookbooks. The latest one is Contest Winning Recipes 2011. It's on page 114. I ate at Chicago's restaurant in Marietta and recreated their Pecan Chicken at home using simple ingredients. I don't pay $14.95 a plate any more.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken

Ingredients:
3 egg whites
1-4.2 ounce package seasoned coating mix (Oven Fry brand is recommended)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/8 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
4 to 6 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Beat the egg whites in a shallow bowl. In another bowl or plate, mix the coating mix, pecans and five-spice powder. Dip the chicken in the egg whites, then roll it in the coating mixture.

Place the chicken breasts on a large baking pan with an edge. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until internal temperature is 170 degrees.

Chicken Oriental Slaw Salad

I made this recipe last week. I almost forgot how delicious and easy it is. This is an "oldie but goodie"-probably 25+ years old. It uses a bag of the prepared cole slaw, crunchy chicken ramen noodles and some cooked chicken. VERY budget-friendly! You can omit the chicken for a great cole slaw, side dish too.

Chicken Oriental Slaw Salad

Ingredients:
2-3 ounce packages chicken ramen noodles
1-16 ounce package cole slaw mix
one bunch of green onions, diced
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
8 ounces cooked, diced chicken breast (or rotisserie)

Dressing:
2 flavor packets from the ramen noodle package
2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
pepper to taste

Directions:
Crumble the ramen noodles before you open the package. Remove the flavor packets from the ramen package and set aside. Mix the ramen noodles, cabbage, green onion, toasted almonds and sesame seeds in a LARGE bowl.

Combine the dressing ingredients and toss lightly with the cabbage mixture. Makes 4-6 servings.

Monkey Bread Muffins (using canned dough)

I got the 2011 Pillsbury calendar because it was free. They had a recipe for making a dozen pull-apart muffins on March. I tweaked the recipe to use just one can of Pillsbury Grands. I love that old, monkey bread recipe, but this is much more practical and budget-friendly! Get ready to INHALE these things...

Monkey Bread Muffins

Ingredients:
1-10.2 ounce can Pillsbury Grands
4 tablespoons of butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Spray a 6 muffin tin with oil. In a small bowl, mix the butter and brown sugar together.
Put 1/6 of the butter/brown sugar mixture in each muffin tin.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a one gallon zip-lock bag. Cut each biscuit into 6 pieces. Shake the biscuit pieces in the bag to coat them. Place 5 pieces of coated biscuit in each tin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 min. Allow to cool for a minute. Invert the muffin tin to get all the gooey goodness out of the pan, and serve the muffins upside down.