Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas

This is one of our favorite weeknight dinners.  So easy and everyone in my family gobbles it up!  There's some spice to it, so if you're serving it to your kiddos as well, you may want to omit the jalapenos and customize it to their taste.

But, that's what's awesome about quesadillas - you can make them any way you like them!  I used McCormick's Montreal steak spicy grill seasoning to season the chicken - tons of flavor and I like the spice.  The cheese I used is a blend of Mexican cheeses and taco seasoning.  Use your go-to seasoning for chicken (even taco seasoning on the chicken would be great) and whatever cheese you love.

  

I make my own salsa a LOT.  My husband can't get enough of it!  You can get the recipe here, or just use your favorite store brand.  

I wrote this recipe for 2 quesadillas, but you'll probably have enough chicken to do another 1/2 (just use one tortilla and fold it over).  I don't like a ton of chicken on mine, so I use less than my portion, then make a smaller one for the kids!     

Serves 2-3 

Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
olive oil
1 tablespoon Montreal steak spicy grill seasoning
1/2 cup barbecue sauce, plus more for drizzling
4 flour tortillas (soft taco size)
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 tablespoons diced jalapenos
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

In a skillet over medium, heat olive oil until it starts to ripple, then add chicken.  Sprinkle the grill seasoning over the chicken and cook until done throughout.  Remove from heat and stir in the 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce.  Set aside.

Preheat quesadilla maker or a large skillet (if using a pan on the stove, you'll need to brush each side of the tortillas with olive oil or vegetable oil and spray the skillet with non-stick spray).  On one tortilla, sprinkle about 1/2 cup cheese.  Top with 1/2 of the chicken, 1 tablespoon of jalapenos and 1/2 tablespoon cilantro.  Top with another 1/2 cup of cheese and then drizzle more barbecue sauce (to taste).  Top with another flour tortilla.  Repeat to make the other quesadilla.

Place assembled quesadilla onto the quesadilla maker and close lid.  Cook until cheese is melted and top is golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.  If using the stove, cook for a couple minutes on one side, until the cheese starts to melt and the tortilla turns golden, then flip to heat the other side.

Serve with salsa and other favorite toppings.  

Ranch and Jalapeno Pinwheels

This is such a quick and easy recipe to throw together as an appetizer for game day.  I'm all about fun food for game day!  You can double this recipe and use 4 12-inch size tortillas.  They will be bigger around and a more substantial bite - I would definitely do this if I was having a party or taking them over to someone's house.

Spread the cream cheese mixture to the very edges of the tortilla - you can see that I didn't even follow my own instructions!  It makes a difference, because it will help seal the ends.  

Other add-ins that would be good too - diced black olives, diced green chilies (instead of jalapenos), green onions.  The pimentos and jalapenos you can find already diced in jars and cans.

 Serves 4

Ranch and Jalapeno Pinwheels

3-4 flour tortillas (soft taco size)
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese
1/2 package Ranch dressing mix
2 tablespoons diced pimentos
1/4 cup diced pickled jalapenos

Mix all the ingredients together.  Spread evenly (but generously) all over the tortillas, right up the edges.  Roll and slice.  Store in refrigerator and serve chilled.

Spicy Corn Dip

It's Football Saturday!!  In our house, that means one thing - good food and lots of it!  Corn dip has become a staple for football games since we moved to Savannah 6 years ago.  Our friends from Louisiana first introduced it to us and we've been hooked ever since.  She actually served hers warm in small Crock Pot and it was SO good.  This version is a cold version, from my sister-in-law and I think we love it equally as much.  

Probably a bit easier to keep something cold than warm at a tailgate or picnic - we've had this plenty for both types of events!  It's always a hit.   

Serve with crunchy tortilla chips, butter crackers, pita chips, whatever your preference.  Anything that you'll be able to scoop a big bite of this dip!  Kroger now has this blend of cheese called Fiesta Blend - it's shredded sharp cheddar and pepper jack cheeses mixed with jalapeno peppers and spices.  That's what I used this time, but I've also used a Nacho/Taco blend or regular sharp cheddar cheese.  

Spicy Corn Dip

2 cans Mexicorn

1 can Rotel

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup shredded cheese (your choice)

dash sugar

Drain Mexicorn and Rotel.  Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight to blend flavors.

Summertime Salsa

I know it's not the official start of summer yet, but it was just Memorial Day weekend, and that pretty much makes it feel like summer.  This salsa is the epitome of summer - fresh ingredients and the freshest of flavors.  

I'm trying to pay a lot more attention to my garden this year - as opposed to other years where I didn't really bother to prune, just kind of picked off what I needed.  It paid off!  I just picked my first (huge!) batch of cilantro.

This salsa is so easy - everything rough chopped, into the food processor, pulse and done. 

Puree it as smooth or chunky as you like it.  My husband and I have to compromise a little so I puree mine so everything is in teeny tiny dices.  You'll actually end up with more of a liquidy salsa the longer it's in the food processor. 

The colors are gorgeous and looks even prettier topped with a little more fresh cilantro as a garnish.  And by the way, I typically double this recipe, even if I'm making it just for our family.  If I don't, it's gone in one sitting.  We are addicted!

Makes about 2 cups

Summertime Salsa

5 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons diced jalapenos (from the jar)
2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, leaves removed from stems
2 teaspoons minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the ingredients and pulse until it's the consistency you prefer.  Serve with tortilla chips for a snack or as a garnish with tacos, nachos, etc.

Mexican Chicken Soup with Limes

This is a very light, although very spicy, quick and easy soup!  It could easily be thrown in the Crock Pot but I started it too late in the day so I used my stove top.  The ingredients came together in minutes and I even threw in my chicken breast still frozen.  It will simmer for about a hour to cook the chicken, but I didn't even look at until the hour was up and it was time to shred the chicken.

I found this recipe on the blog, Budget Bytes, which I love because she breaks down the cost of each ingredient and the total recipe cost.  So, this soup is tasty and super cost friendly!  

I love the sourness from the lime juice that gets squeezed in at the end.  And the creamy, coolness of the avocado takes the bite out the spiciness.  And it is spicy!  That tickle the back of your throat spicy...my husband I were clearing our throats and coughing a bit while eating this.  You can absolutely omit the jalapeno if you want to cut down on the heat.  

 Serves 4

Mexican Chicken Soup with Limes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno (I used from a jar, but you can use 1 medium fresh)

4 cloves garlic, minced (I used minced from a jar which would be 2 tsp)

1 large chicken breast

6 cups chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes with chiles, 14.5 oz

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1 or 2 limes

1 avocado

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Cook the onion, celery, jalapenos and garlic in the olive oil for about 5 minutes or until tender.  Add the chicken breast, chicken broth, tomatoes and cumin to the pot.  Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low, place a lid on top and let simmer for one hour.  

After simmering for an hour, remove the chicken breast from the pot and shred with two forks.  Return the meat to the pot.  Squeeze the juice of 1 or 2 limes into the soup.  Serve and top with a few chunks of avocado and tortilla chips.  

(Source:  Adapted from Budget Bytes)

Baked Southwestern Flautas

I love Southwestern egg rolls - you know, the kind you can get at any number of restaurants like Chili's or Applebees.  I love the crispy outside and melty center, but they're not exactly the best things for you!  All in moderation, I suppose.  I decided to try baking these and making them more of like a flauta instead of an egg roll and they turned out great!  Skinny flautas, yay!  No more frying for me.    

Chicken and veggies, black beans and tons of flavor from the cumin and chili powder.  I know your whole family will love these.  They make a great party food dish too - very easy to multiply this recipe if you need to make more.

Serves 2-3 

Baked Southwestern Flautas

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

1/2 tablespoon grill seasoning (I use Weber's Kick'N Chicken)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons minced bell pepper

1/3 frozen corn

1/4 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons diced, canned jalapenos

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

3/4 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese

five 7-inch flour tortillas

vegetable oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken and grill seasoning.  Cook until chicken is almost done; add bell pepper and saute until tender, 2-3 more minutes.  Add corn, black beans, jalapenos, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne to pan and cook for another 4-5 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and stir in cheese until melted.  

Place tortillas between 2 damp paper towels and microwave for 45 seconds until soft.  Spoon about one-fifth of the mixture down the center of the tortilla and wrap tightly, placing on baking sheet seam side down.  Repeat until all tortillas are filled.  

Lightly brush the top of the tortillas with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.  Serve topped with more shredded cheese, sour cream, ranch, etc.
  

Red Pepper Ranch Dip

This dip is so easy and makes a ton!  I made it one night when I had a girlfriend over and we didn't even make a dent in it, although believe me, we indulged.  The rest of my family and I ended up eating it for snacks over the next couple of days and it just got better as it sat in the fridge.  Such a great go-to dip for a party and especially wonderful when you have unexpected company because you can throw this together FAST.

I typically don't like olives, but I do like the tangy flavor in this dip.  So, I used already chopped black olives - and when I say chopped, it's more liked minced.  The teeny specks of black you see in this dip are really the olives.  If you're a fan, feel free to use whole or sliced olives and chop them as small or big as you like. 

Makes about 4 cups

Red Pepper Ranch Dip 

2 (8 oz) bars reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 red pepper, diced
1 can corn (drained)
3 tablespoons diced pickled jalapenos
1 tablespoon diced black olives
1 packet Ranch dressing mix

In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients until everything is combined.  Let sit in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving with butter crackers, pretzels or veggies.

Barbecue Chicken Egg Rolls

Don't you just love Chinese food?  We order out a couple of times of month...those nights where there's no way I'm cooking.  We've all had them, right?  I always order an egg roll with my chicken and broccoli (my husband and I are such creatures of habit - we ALWAYS order the same thing) so I was extremely excited to discover that you can buy egg roll wrappers at the grocery store.   I've made Southwestern egg rolls many times and was actually planning on doing that again as a fun Saturday night appetizer (or dinner), when I realized that I didn't have any black beans.  Yea, I could have done without, but I don't think they would've been as good.  We LOVE barbecue chicken in my house...on the grill, as a sandwich, on nachos...you name it.  So, this is what I came up with.  They were scrumptious!!  Crispy on the outside and just that right amount of softness in the middle that is typical of a traditional egg roll.  

Definitely use your favorite or go-to barbecue sauce.  We love Sweet Baby Ray's, so tangy and such a great flavor.  Monterey Jack cheese would be great in these also; I used a Mexican blend with 4 different types of cheese and some taco seasoning mixed in.  I was horrible at rolling egg rolls until I took time to read the instructions on the back of the packaging...seriously?!  It's so easy.  So, you can read my instructions because I took them right off of the egg roll package, but there are pictures too, so definitely refer back to that once you're ready to roll em' up.  It's so fun!!   

 Makes 6-8 Egg Rolls

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

1/2 tablespoon spicy Montreal grill seasoning

1 tablespoon minced jalapenos

3/4 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

3-4 cups vegetable oil 

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.  Add the chicken and grill seasoning and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, breaking up into smaller pieces as it cooks.  Once the chicken is done, add the jalapenos and saute for another minute.  Remove from heat and add cheese and barbecue sauce; stir until the cheese is melted.

In a medium, deep pot, add the vegetable oil (enough that the egg rolls will be completely covered) and heat between medium and medium high heat until the temperature reaches 350 degrees.  Meanwhile, start assembling your egg rolls.  Place each egg roll in front of you so it looks like a diamond and add about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture across the center.  Fold bottom corner over filling and roll snugly half-way to cover filling.  Tightly fold in both sides against filling and moisten edges of last flap.  Roll up and seal top corner, lay flap side down until ready to fry.  

Once the oil temperature reaches 350 degrees, add half of the egg rolls and cook until crispy and golden brown on the outside, about 5-6 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.  Repeat with remaining egg rolls.  Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.  

Cheesy Jalapeno Corn Muffins

When I think of baking, I immediately go to something sweet, as do most people. Tonight I thought, why not savory? I love cornbread and sure do get my fill living in the south. The combination of the sweet cornmeal and honey mixed with the heat of the jalapenos gives these such an amazing taste, with a real good bite (said with my best southern accent)!! Sprinkle a little cheese on top a couple of minutes before they are done and you get a cheesy, golden brown top that is too yummy! By the way, I used a Mexican blend of shredded cheese, but colby jack or even cheddar would be great - your pick.

Makes 24

1 cup flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking poweder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/3 cup shredded cheese, plus more for sprinkling

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 of a 4 oz. can of diced jalapenos

3 tablespoons honey

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper and cheese. Whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, jalapenos and honey. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, stiring until combined.

Spoon the batter into the tins, filling 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 1o minutes and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Continue baking until golden brown, another 2-5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and serve warm.