Green Chile and Chicken Chimichangas

Every month I look forward to getting the Food Network magazine and seeing what new recipes look good. And every month I am not disappointed! This recipe was delicious and it really did taste like something you would order at a good Tex-Mex restaurant. Andrew thought it was so good that he tweeted about it!

I tweaked the recipe a bit to better fit the tastes of my family. I substituted refried black beans for the refried beans, omitted the jalapeno, and I halved the recipe. If you want to make chimichangas, I'd recommend buying the larger size tortillas because I had a problem getting the regular tortillas to stay folded. And don't forget to make the Mexi-Sauce to top the chimichangas - the ingredients and directions for the sauce are at the bottom of the recipe. Here is the link to the original: Almost Famous Chimichangas

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Stuffed Pizza Rolls

This is one of our favorite comfort foods! We have spent many nights eating these while watching a movie and drinking wine. While these take a little more time to prepare than a pizza would, I just love these bite-size nibbles and think they're worth the extra effort. I've made them ahead of time (like during nap time) and then I popped them in the oven when Andrew got home from work.

You can stuff the pizza bites with any pizza toppings but we prefer good ole pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. We always use ranch dressing for our dipping sauce but marinara is good too. http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/06/stuffed-pizza-rolls.html

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Fried Mozzarella Sticks

What else can I say except YUMMY! And they really are easy to make so you'll never need to buy the frozen ones again. The recipe that we use is from The Pioneer Woman's website so you know it has to be good - and unhealthy! But everyone deserves a little caloric splurge every now and then...right?!?

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/05/fried-mozzarella-sticks-oh-dear/

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Cowboy Quesadillas

I loved this one, and I bet that if you like BBQ chicken pizza, you will too. I make quesadillas a lot for dinner when I'm short on time. This was a great switch-up from the more traditional salsa quesadillas I usually make. Another great thing about this recipe is that you probably have most of the ingredients in your fridge and pantry already. Love those kind of dishes!

My changes: I omitted the rice altogether, upped the quantities of beans and corn a little and added a handful of chopped fresh cilantro. The dipping sauce is yummy too so make sure you don't forget to make it! Here's a link to the original recipe: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/10/cowboy-quesadillas.html

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Penne a la Vodka

I'm a little embarrassed to make this confession, but I was watching a Jersey Shore marathon and had a strong craving for some Italian food. I decided on Penne a la Vodka because I'd never tried making it before and they were having it on the show. It only seemed fitting that I use the Penne alla Vodka recipe from my The Sopranos Family Cookbook!

Penne alla Vodka

adapted by Erin from The Sopranos Family Cookbook

3 T butter

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 oz pancetta, chopped

1 28-oz can Italian peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped and sauce reserved

1/4 to 1/2 t crushed red pepper, depending how spicy you like it

1/2 c heavy cream or non-fat half-and-half if you're feeling healthy

1/4 c vodka

salt to taste

1 lb penne

1/2 c parmigiano-reggiano, freshly grated

parsley or basil, for garnish

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until it is softened and slightly translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the pancetta and cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly golden.

Add the tomatoes, sauce and red pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook, stirring often, for about 1 minute. Add the vodka and cook for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large pot. Cook penne to al dente according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 c cooking water.

Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking liquid if the sauce seems too thick. Add the cheese and basil or parsley and toss again. Serves 4-6.

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Baked Potato Soup

Ah, fall is here and with it comes soup! Baked Potato Soup is so warm and comforting and I love serving it when the weather gets cooler. This recipe reheats well too. I made the soup earlier in the day and reheated it when Andrew got home from work. Easy! I used the recipe from Our Best Bites (www.ourbestbites.com), which is another one of my favorite food blogs. I first sauteed half of a small white onion in a tablespoon of butter and then I followed the recipe's directions.

www.ourbestbites.com/2008/03/baked-potato-soup.html

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Summertime Orzo and Chicken

Delicious! I've already made this recipe three times in the last month! I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs - www.noblepig.com - so if you haven't checked it out, you should. Anyway, I tweaked the recipe a little bit by adding fresh spinach, arugula, and orange tomatoes to it. Always trying to sneak in a few more veggies!

http://www.noblepig.com/2010/07/28/summertime-orzo-and-chicken.aspx

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