Posts Tagged ‘Greek yogurt’
Simple Lamb Meatball Gyros
May 24, 2013 | 
Author I have not touched a single plant other than my baby basil growing on my porch in weeks. Yet somehow last week I contracted what looks like a small patch of poison ivy rash on the back of my right hand. It is strategically placed in an area that leads me to believe I shook hands with someone who had it on their thumb. WASH YOUR HANDS PEOPLE. Ugh! I’ll be soaking it in the Atlantic ocean this weekend for my cousin’s bachelorette party so hopefully that will help dry it out.
Speaking of washing your hands, be sure to also do so whenever you immerse your hands in raw meat to make burgers or these lamb meatballs. Mixing and forming raw meat is one of my least favorite tasks while cooking, so I took advantage of Bob since he was visiting for BBQ fest/a long weekend and delegated this step to him. Add that to the list of reasons why I like cooking with others O:-). Don’t worry, I was kind enough to turn on the faucet and dollop soap onto his hands afterwards.
These gyros would be a perfect weeknight meal because it comes together quickly and satisfies. But if you feel the need for a side, go for a Greek salad or if you have more time, oven roasted Greek potatoes.
One year ago: Spicy Basil Chicken
Two years ago: Buttermilk Ranch Mac & Cheese
SIMPLE LAMB MEATBALL GYROS
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground lamb
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 whole grain English muffin, pulsed in a food processor for breadcrumbs
1 egg, lighten beaten
4 scallions, thinly sliced, divided
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I used 0% plain Chobani)
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
1/4 cup freshly chopped tomatoes, for garnish
1/4 cup sliced red onion, for garnish
1 lime, for spritzing
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with nonstick spray, set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the lamb, raisins, cinnamon, breadcrumbs, egg, 3/4 of the scallions, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Form meatballs about the size of a golf ball. Place them on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating every few minutes so they brown evenly on all sides.
- Heat the pita bread in the microwave until soft and pliable. Place 3 to 5 ball on each pita bread. Dollop with a little yogurt and garnish with remaining scallions, mint, tomato and red onion. Spritz with lime and serve!
Source: Bev Cooks
Mini Greek-Style Meatloaves
Meatloaves. Yes dad, if you are reading this I willingly made myself meatloaf for dinner. But I discovered the secret to overcoming their mushy texture which is the primary reason for my distaste for them all my life – minis! When you make them mini it’s just like eating a meatball and are less mushy. After I discovered this fact while reviewing The New Way to Cook Light cookbook, I decided to try out another mini recipe.
Since I recently received a ginormous shipment of Chobani Greek yogurt, I decided to make some mini meatloaves using some of it. Fittingly, I made Greek meatloaves with the Greek yogurt! With the additional flavors of mint and cucumber this meal is perfect for the spring-time and can be ready in under 30 minutes. Did I mention that I have now enjoyed my second meatloaf in my entire life? Crazy!
One year ago: Homemade Imo’s Pizza
Two years ago: Avocado Fries
MINI GREEK STYLE MEATLOAVES
Serves 4
Ingredients:
MEATLOAVES
10 oz. ground sirloin
5 oz. lean ground lamb
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup minced red onion
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
SAUCE
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt (I used 0% plain Chobani)
2 oz. reduced-fat feta, crumbled
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
SALAD
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 cups baby arugula leaves
1-1/2 cups 1/4-inch diagonally sliced, seeded, peeled cucumber
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat eight muffin cups with nonstick spray, set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine meatloaf ingredients. Press mixture into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 7 minutes. Turn broiler on to high and broil for 3 minutes.
- While the meatloaves cook, combine sauce ingredients in a mini food processor. Pulse 10 times to combine.
- In another large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add arugula and cucumber then toss to coat.
- Serve meatloaves with a cup of salad and feta sauce on top.
Source: Cooking Light, May 2013
Posted in Beef, Entree | 
Tags: arugula, cucumber, feta, Greek, Greek yogurt, ground beef, lamb, lemon, mint | 
9 Comments »
Birthday Overload Pancakes
Did you really think I would leave off for my birthday weekend with my post yesterday, lacking cake batter, peanut butter, and cookie dough? Yes it was a most splendid ice cream, but I refuse to spend my birthday without at least one of those 3 things! So I went ahead and made breakfast using all three…
Peanut butter pancakes.
Eggless chocolate chip cookie dough.
Funfetti “syrup”.
Put the three together and you get an overload of some of my most favorite things about the dessert world… but for breakfast! And since it’s my birthday it’s completely acceptable to eat this first thing in the morning.
And since today is also star wars day (may the fourth be with you), I had originally made these pancakes with star wars vehicle pancake molds, but they didn’t come out right so I ended up just making the rest regular. So you’ll have to just imagine these as cool Millenium Falcons and X wings and Tie Fighters.
One year ago: Funfettinutter Cupcakes for Two (or One Birthday Girl)
Two years ago: Peanut Butter Cup S’mores Ice Cream
BIRTHDAY OVERLOAD PANCAKES
Makes about 1.5 dozen
Ingredients:
COOKIE DOUGH
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
PANCAKES
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups milk
1 egg
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (I used 0% vanilla Chobani)
CAKE BATTER “SYRUP”
1/2 cup dry white cake mix
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp sprinkles, plus more for garnish
Directions:
- To make the cookie dough, in a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Mix in milk and vanilla.
- Stir in flour and salt and mix on low until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips. Set aside.
- To make pancakes, in a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, combine the milk, egg, sugar, peanut butter, and Greek yogurt. Beat with an electric mixer on low until smooth. Add mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.
- Heat a large griddle over medium heat. Ladle the batter onto the griddle and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Keep pancakes warm by placing on a oven-proof tray in an oven preheated to 200 degrees.
- To make the “syrup”, whisk together the cake mix and water until smooth. Fold in sprinkles.
- To serve, layer pancakes alternating with crumbled bits of cookie dough, topped with a drizzle of cake batter “syrup”. Add extra sprinkles if desired.
Source: Cookie Dough from The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook. Pancakes adapted from The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook. Cake Batter “Syrup” adapted slightly from Little Bitty Bakes.
Posted in Breakfast, Pancakes | Tags: cake mix, chocolate, Funfetti, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, sprinkles | 15 Comments »
Guacamole Tortilla Chip-Crusted Nacho Chicken
Prepare yourself, for an awesomely different looking chicken dish – it’s GREEN!! This is not Dr. Seuss’s green eggs and ham, we’re talking about Cinco de Mayo food!
In addition to the delicious strawberry margarita mix from On The Border, which I used to make the cupcakes I shared yesterday, I also received their Monterey Jack Queso, Medium Salsa, and Guac Blast Tortilla Chips. Did I get your attention with that last item? Because it surely caught my eye when I first saw them. They really are very green and since they taste like guacamole you almost don’t need to dip them in anything. But that didn’t stop me from dipping them into the Monterey Jack Queso… MmMmm.
I decided to have some fun with these products and used the chips as the breading for an oven-fried chicken. It resulted in a fabulously green and festive exterior, which was packed with flavor and crunch to boot. The queso was mixed up with some Greek yogurt (my favorite sour cream substitute), to then be dolloped on top of the cooked chicken along with some salsa and cheese. It’s a full blown Mexican fiesta all on one piece of chicken!
One year ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
Two years ago: Butterscotch Truffles
GUACAMOLE TORTILLA CHIP-CRUSTED NACHO CHICKEN
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/4 cup buttermilk
4-4 oz. chicken breasts
1/2 cup finely ground On The Border Guac Blast Tortilla Chips
Cooking spray
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream) (I used 0% plain Chobani)
1/4 cup On The Border Monterey Jack Queso
1/2 cup On The Border Medium Salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place buttermilk in a shallow dish. Add chicken to buttermilk, turning to coat.
- Place ground chips in another shallow dish. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture; discard buttermilk mixture. Dredge chicken in ground chips, pressing slightly and turning to coat.
- Arrange chicken on rack; coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake for 13 minutes or until chicken is done.
- While the chicken cooks, combine the Greek yogurt and Monterey jack Queso in a small bowl. When the chicken is done, top with queso mixture, followed by salsa and shredded cheese. Put back in the oven until the cheese starts to melt; about 1-2 minutes.
Source: Adapted from The New Way to Cook Light and Kraft.
Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary On The Border products by Truco Enterprises. I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Posted in Chicken, Cinco de Mayo, Entree, Holidays | Tags: buttermilk, cheddar, chicken, Greek yogurt, monterey jack, salsa | 8 Comments »
Nutella-Stuffed Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies have been popping up all over so I decided it was finally time to jump on the bandwagon. After all, it’s difficult to imagine a world where anything stuffed with Nutella would not be worth while. Let alone the addition of browned butter and some sprinkles of sea salt. Speaking of sea salt, for some reason I refuse to buy fleur de sel online, and has become my mission to find it in person. Somehow even the local spice store doesn’t carry it. But thankfully, I’ve seen more recipes calling for coarse seas salt rather than the fancy stuff lately and the mad hunt had been put on hold for the moment.
These cookies rival the Nutella chunk cookies I made awhile back. But instead of chunks of Nutella dispersed like chocolate chips, these have an entire blob of Nutella inside! As a result they are definitely best when served right out of the oven so that the Nutella in the middle is still nice and gooey. But you if somehow have any left over after the first day, 10 seconds in the microwave will rejuvenate them.
One year ago: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Two years ago: Bacon-Corn Fritters
NUTELLA-STUFFED BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Makes approximately 2 dozen
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Nutella
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
2-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Greek yogurt (I used 0% vanilla Chobani)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
Directions:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dollop teaspoon-sized mounds of Nutella onto the baking sheet (about 2 dozen total*) and pop in the freezer until firm, at least a few hours.
- Add the butter to a medium skillet set over medium heat and let it start melting. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter becomes golden brown and smells nutty. Pour the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Allow to cool completely.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and sea salt together in a medium bowl. Add both sugars to the bowl of the mixer along with the cooled brown butter. Beat on medium speed until blended. Add the egg and egg yolk, mixing until incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla and Greek yogurt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in two additions, beating just until incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a small cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), portion the dough into balls. Working with one ball at a time, use your thumb to create a well in the center of the ball. Add a dollop of frozen Nutella to the well then seal the cookie dough around it so it’s completely enclosed. Repeat with all of the dough and Nutella, placing the balls of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (Note: the Nutella may soften as it sits at room temperature. If necessary, you can throw it back in the freezer to firm up.)
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and set (the centers may look underdone). Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and immediately sprinkle the cookies with additional sea salt. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then remove to the wire racks.
*I got 30 cookies and therefore made 6 extra dollops of frozen Nutella
Source: Adapted slightly from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures, originally from Ambitious Kitchen via Annie’s Eats.
Posted in Cookies, Desserts | Tags: browned butter, chocolate, Greek yogurt, Nutella, sea salt | 15 Comments »
Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Greek Yogurt
There are two situations in which I will always struggle to stay awake: journal club/seminar and watching TV while lying down. For journal club or seminar, it has nothing to do with the quality of the material presented but rather the darkness of the room or auditorium. No matter how energized I am before entering, I without fail will bob my head at least once. Of course when it’s over I return to my alert, awake state. Bizarre.
Then there’s falling asleep watching TV. If you ever watch TV with me, do not let me turn horizontal because I will be out before you know what happened. Again, I do not necessarily have to be tired but it’s probability of occurring increases with the lateness of the day. For this reason I have a chaise lounge attached to my sectional couch allowing me to stretch out yet stay upright and awake! And yes I own a huge sectional and live alone. ::sprawl::
However, I will never fall asleep in front of food so let’s talk about these burgers. Chicken burgers sometimes can end up a bit dry, but with the addition of Greek yogurt that does not happen here. I was drawn to these not only because of their use of Greek yogurt, but also the rosemary. The last time I made a chicken burger with rosemary it blew my mind – fresh rosemary adds such great flavor!
One year ago: Whole Wheat Thin Crust Pizza Dough
CHICKEN BURGERS WITH GARLIC-ROSEMARY GREEK YOGURT
Makes 4 burgers
Ingredients
GARLIC-ROSEMARY GREEK YOGURT
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (I used 0% Chobani)
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
BURGERS
Garlic-rosemary Greek yogurt (full quantity from above)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb. ground chicken
4 toasted burger buns
Lettuce, tomato, mayo, etc. (for serving)
Directions:
- Set a grill pan over medium to medium-high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, rosemary, and garlic until well combined. Add the salt, pepper, and ground chicken and use your hands to gently mix together.
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions, and shape each into a 3/4-inch thick patty. Transfer to the grill pan, and cook the burgers for about 6 minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 F.
- Serve on toasted buns with lettuce, tomato, extra mayo or your favorite burger toppings!
Source: Adapted slightly from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures.
Posted in Chicken, Dressing Sauces & Condiments, Entree, Sandwiches | Tags: chicken, garlic, Greek yogurt, rosemary | 7 Comments »
Strawberry, Mango, and Yogurt Smoothie & Red Jacket Juice Giveaway
Everyone’s had apple juice, but have you ever had FUJI apple juice?Leave it to Red Jacket to create an entire line of fantastic juices including strawberry apple, raspberry apple, blackcurrant apple, grape apple, tart cherry stomp, apricot stomp, apple cider, and even spiced apple cider. And their company is close to where I grew up, so it’s great to support a local company!
Located in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of New York State along the rolling hills of Seneca Lake, Red Jacket was originally planted in 1917. Today, the orchard and juice company is managed by the second and third generation of the Nicholson family, who have spent over 50 years mastering the art and science of quality fresh fruit and juice production.
But what makes their juice so special? It is 100% juice, never from concentrate, cold-pressed, unfiltered (so it retains the fiber of the fruit), 50% more antioxidant activity than clear juice, and made right on the orchard in Geneva, NY. It’s as close to eating the whole fruit as you can get! And I’m giving away a 6-bottle variety pack and the end of this post! (US residents only – but they cannot ship to CA.)
After thoroughly enjoying drinking a couple juices straight up, I decided to make a smoothie using the Fuji Apple Juice. I make green monster smoothies almost religiously, so it was fun to change it up a bit. The tangy-ness brought by the Greek yogurt and mango was well balanced with the sweetness of the strawberries and juice. I may need to add some of their juice to my green monsters!
One year ago: More Fudge Less Pudge Brownies
Two years ago: Coconut Chicken Salad with Apricot Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
STRAWBERRY, MANGO, AND YOGURT SMOOTHIE
Makes 2 large or 4 small smoothies
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups Red Jacket Fuji apple juice
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (I used 0% vanilla Chobani)
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
2 cups fresh or frozen mango chunks
Directions:
- In a blender, combine all ingredients and puree until smooth.
Source: Adapted slightly from Everyday Food, June 2010.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I was sent a variety pack of juice from Red Jacket. Giveaway provided by Red Jacket. I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Posted in Beverages, Breakfast, Giveaways, Smoothies | Tags: apple juice, Greek yogurt, mango, strawberries | 27 Comments »
Creamy Pesto with Mini Ravioli, Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes
On one of my most recent adventures to Nashville, I (of course) stopped in to Trader Joe’s to stock up on old and new favorites. This particular journey I found myself flinging all kinds of newly found items into my shopping cart. One item that became a projectile happened to be dried mini cheese ravioli. Just like a girl, I got all excited over their small cuteness.
Once I got them into my kitchen I found I couldn’t just throw them into just any old sauce – they were just too special. So I made a creamy pesto sauce by mixing pesto and Greek yogurt together and tossed in some roasted asparagus, garlic, and sun dried tomatoes. Roasting vegetables has become my go-to vegetable cooking method and the combination definitely did the mini raviolis justice. But feel free to use regular (less exciting) sized ravioli if you cannot find minis.
Two years ago: Guiltless Cajun Chicken Alfredo
CREAMY PESTO WITH MINI RAVIOLI, ASPARAGUS AND SUN DRIED TOMATOES
Serves 4
Ingredients:
8 oz. mini cheese ravioli (I used Trader’s Joe’s)
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed
1/2 head of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup basil pesto
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use 2% Chobani)
1/3 cup julienned sun dried tomatoes, drained
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well and return to pot.
- While the pasta cooks, place the asparagus in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Top with garlic slices, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste; gently toss to combine.
- Place into the oven and roast for 8-12 minutes, or until tender but crisp. Let cool before cutting into 1.5-inch pieces.
- In the pot with the pasta, add and combine the asparagus, pesto, Greek yogurt, and sun dried tomatoes. Serve.
Source: Adapted from Damn Delicious and Little Bitty Bakes.
Posted in Entree, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tags: asparagus, garlic, Greek yogurt, pesto, ravioli, sun-dried tomatoes | 12 Comments »
Pear Yogurt Almond Cake with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Buttercream
Every year on the first hot day of the year, I finally cave and turn on my central air only to find out that it does not blow cold air. Every year the apartment maintenance guys have to come out and do something with the freon, and then it works. But meanwhile, every year I somehow decide to bake something and turn my already 80+ degree apartment into an uncomfortable place to be. Sure enough, two days ago my car said it was 87 degrees outside when I was driving home at 5:30pm. And true to form, I thought it was a great idea to bake a cake before checking to see if the central air worked. As a result I am once again reminded how how I am not looking forward to the coming of the Memphis-summer-sauna. It’s early April, I shouldn’t be sweating already! Spring is such a farce here.
Thankfully a storm came through last night to bring the temperatures back down into the 60s for the next few days. But moving on to this cake. I find it very difficult to not make cupcakes instead of full cakes. Cupcakes are just easier to manage with decorating and serving. Plus it always seems like cupcakes get eaten faster than cakes even though it’s the same quantity. But I have two beautiful cake stands that rarely get used for their actual intended purpose, so I decided to practice my cake decorating skills and use my hand painted (by me) cake stand. I was pretty excited by this cake because it’s the first pear recipe to appear on The Spiffy Cookie. The cake is a blend of pear (Chobani’s pear Greek yogurt) and almond flavors (extract and almond meal) topped with a browned butter and brown sugar cinnamon buttercream. And doesn’t it just looks dandy on that cake stand?
PEAR YOGURT ALMOND CAKE WITH CINNAMON BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM
Serves 12 (makes 1 layer cake)
Ingredients:
CAKE
2-1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
1/2 cup almond meal/flour, sifted
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
6 oz. Pear 0% Chobani Greek yogurt
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
BUTTERCREAM
1/2 cup browned butter, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 pinch of salt
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Sliced almonds, for topping (optional)
Directions:
- For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of 2 nine-inch rounds with vegetable pan spray.
- Whisk together flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then almond extract and vanilla extract to creamed mixture and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add in pear Greek yogurt.
- Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until just incorporated.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake 30 -35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 10 minutes. Gently run a thin spatula around edge of cake. Turn out onto cooling racks. Cool completely before icing.
- For the buttercream: In stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment or with hand mixer, whisk brown butter and shortening until fluffy. Add brown sugar, salt, vanilla and cinnamon and beat until smooth.
- Add in one cup of powdered sugar at a time, beating well after each addition.
- With mixer on medium high speed, steadily pour in the heavy whipping cream pouring nice and slow until desired consistency. When incorporated and fluffy stop mixing.
- Spread frosting onto the top of one layer, place the second layer on top and finish frosting the layered cake. Top with sliced almonds, if desired.
Source: Adapted slightly from Country Cleaver.
Posted in Cakes, Desserts | Tags: almond extract, browned butter, cinnamon, Greek yogurt, heavy cream, pear | 10 Comments »
Baked Chicken Bacon Ranch Taquitos with Avocado Ranch
After the quesadillas I posted earlier this week, I had to make something else with the avocado ranch. Judging from your responses I don’t think you’ll have any complaints about it’s reappearance today. This time you get to dip taquitos in it! I made these for my friend’s house-warming party and they were a huge hit. Guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise since they contain cream cheese, bacon, and ranch. They can do no wrong!
In case another recipe featuring this avocado ranch wasn’t exciting enough, I am also off to NYC for some serious food blogger action tomorrow! I’ll be teaming up with Tara (Chip Chip Hooray), Tracey (Tracey’s Culinary Adventures), Joanne (Eats Well With Others), Lauren (Keep It Sweet Desserts), Kayle (The Cooking Actress), and Jennifer (Bake or Break) starting with brunch and then we are following our bellies from there!
P.S. Kita (Pass the Sushi), Carolyn (All Day I Dream About Food), Audra (The Baker Chick), Miriam (Overtime Cook), Samara (Deconstruct the Girl) – you will be missed!
One year ago: Funfetti-Peanut Butter Layer Pie
Two years ago: Apple Maple Turkey Burgers with Maple-Dijon Sauce
BAKED CHICKEN BACON RANCH TAQUITOS WITH AVOCADO RANCH
Makes 20 taquitos
Ingredients:
TAQUITOS
8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups shredded pepperjack cheese
3 to 4 Tbsp chopped green onion
1 (1 oz.) package dry ranch dressing mix
20 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Sea salt
AVOCADO RANCH
1 ripe medium avocado
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 0% Chobani)
2 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley
2 Tbsp freshly chopped dill
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Mix together cream cheese, chicken, bacon, cheese, and green onions. Add in about 1/2 of the dry ranch dressing mix and taste. Add more for stronger ranch taste. Mix well.
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into a flour tortilla and roll it up. Place taquito seam-side down on the baking sheet. Repeat about 20 times. Once finished, spray the tops of the taquitos with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.
- Place pan in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until edges and tops are golden. Let cool for a couple of minutes.
- While the taquitos are baking, make the avocado ranch. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally when needed. Taste and season additionally if desired.
Source: Taquitos adapted slightly from Taste and Tell originally from Six Sisters’ Stuff. Avocado Ranch adapted from How Sweet It Is.
Posted in Appetizers & Snacks, Chicken, Entree | Tags: avocado, bacon, chicken, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, pepperjack, ranch | 10 Comments »
