If you weren’t aware, I am one of the leaders for the Columbus Food Bloggers group here in Columbus, OH and one of the fun things we got to do was create our own pizza specials at a local pizza joint in town, Paulie Gee’s, which we dubbed #cbuspizzaleague. Every week a different blogger got to choose their toppings and a proceed of the sales wen to the charity of their choice! Mine of course was a BBQ creation, but I’m not here to talk about that. What we need to talk about is Kayla’s (Crave Columbus) chorizo taco pizza topped with cilantro sauce made from another local restaurant, Arepazo.

While I sadly missed out on trying the real thing, I added it to my list of things I had to attempt to recreate. After getting my hands on the bottle of that delicious green stuff (cilantro sauce) I knew it was time. A blend of cheddar, Monterey jack, and cotija cheese is topped with tomatoes, red onion, and chorizo sausage. After getting all bubbly in the oven it is finished off with a drizzle of cilantro sauce. And then I may have served it with even more cilantro sauce on the side. And yes you most certainly should make this for watching football this Sunday instead of ordering, because you know it’ll take over an hour for them to delivery due to being over loaded. Looking for more football food for this weekend? Scroll down!

House updates: Bob buffed the wood floors on Sunday and we are currently painting the rooms that we want/need it. After that, we will move a bunch of small things by car first (mostly clothing and kitchen stuff so we can transition quickly) and then all the big stuff on Saturday. Which means we will be completely worn out by Sunday, ready to stuff our faces while watching the big game with friends. Thank goodness someone else is hosting! Hopefully I will be able to whip up something to bring, but it will likely be much simpler than this pizza. What are your favorite football foods? Check out the list of recipes from other bloggers below!

• Beef & Cheddar Stuffed Rolls by Tip Garden
• Spicy Touchdown Chili by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Quick and Easy Restaurant Salsa by Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
• Wisconsin Beer Brats by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Bacon Swiss Tarts by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• North Carolina BBQ Wings by The Freshman Cook
• Skillet Pizza Dip by Family Around the Table
• Deep Fried Pickles with Sriracha Ranch Dipping Sauce by Food Above Gold
• Chorizo Taco Pizza with Cilantro Sauce by The Spiffy Cookie
• Air Fryer Korean-Style BBQ Chicken Wings by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Spinach Artichoke Dip by Our Good Life
• Hot Dog Sliders by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Fried Bologna and Onion Sandwiches by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chili Cheese Beef Brats by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Mini Bell Pepper Nachos by Blogghetti
• Soda Glazed Kielbasa Game Day Bites by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Vegan Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower Wings by The Baking Fairy

Two years ago: Weekly Meal Plan: 5

Three years ago: BBQ Chicken Dip

Five years ago: White Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Six years ago: Blackberry Swirl Meyer Lemon Curd Ice Cream

CHORIZO TACO PIZZA WITH CILANTRO SAUCE

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 recipe pizza dough, risen

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated cotija cheese (or Parmesan)

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

1 chorizo sausage link, casing removed and crumbled

El Arepazo‘s cilantro sauce for topping (or here’s a copycat recipe if you don’t live in Columbus)

Fresh, chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Place pizza stone on middle rack and allow to preheat in the oven to 450°F.
2. Roll out dough to desired size and transfer to a pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) sprinkled with cornmeal.
3. Brush olive oil evenly over the dough, top with the cheeses, red onion, tomatoes, and chorizo.
4. Transfer to the hot pizza stone (it’ll take a couple shakes) and bake for 15 minutes or until it the crust turns golden and the cheese starts to bubble.
5. Remove from oven and immediately top with a drizzle of cilantro sauce and more fresh cilantro. Serve with more cilantro sauce for dipping!

Source: Inspired by the Crave Columbus pizza special at Paulie Gee’s.

It isn’t easy being cheesy, unless you are this cheesy corn dip in which case not only is is easy to make, it’s also super tasty.

Jump to recipe

Originally I had planned on sharing a recipe for vanilla peach jam on Monday before peach season runs out on us, but clearly it’s no longer Monday and this is clearly not a post about  jam, let alone peaches.

On Sunday we hosted out “Not Invited” party and as per usual I shared sporadic photos of the food on my Instagram story. And then the requests for the recipe to the corn dip I showcased came pouring in (both from party guests and on Instagram), so I am giving the people what they want!

As for it being Tuesday instead of Monday, well that’s no surprise by now is it?

This dip is as easy as it is delicious.

Funny thing about the ingredients, two friends who particular enjoyed it were trying to figure it out. One thought it had cottage cheese and the other mayonnaise and both respectively disliked those ingredients which meant at least one of them was eating something they normally don’t like. Well, the latter was correct because the base is mostly Greek yogurt but a little bit of mayonnaise.

I actually don’t normally like mayonnaise on it’s own, but give me an aioli, a creamy pasta/potato salad, or a dip like this and we are good to go. But if you’d prefer a non-creamy option, here’s another easy corn dip that’s more salsa-like.

Friday #DairyMonth Recipes

• 3 Ingredient Strawberry Cream Cheese Fruit Dip by Blogghetti
• Tropical Milkshake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cheesy Potato Casserole by Hostess At Heart
• Cheddar Cheese Crisps by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Cheesy Chive, Onion and Bacon Rolls Ups by A Little Fish in the Kitchen
• Fresh Cherry Clafouti by The Freshman Cook
• Fried Cauliflower Feta Balls by Magical Ingredients
• Fried Ice Cream Bars by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Easy Alfredo Sauce by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Marinated Boccancini Salad by Palatable Pastime
• Smoked Fish Dip by Art of Natural Living
• Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Honey Butter by Jen Around the World
• Three Cheese Garlic Grilled Cheese by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Vegetable and Cheddar Tarts by Karen’s Kitchen Stories

EASY CHEESY CORN DIP

Print

Yield: 8-12 servings Prep Time: 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 (15 oz.) cans of corn kernels, drained
• 1 (4.5 oz.) can diced green chiles
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cotija cheese
• 2 green onions, sliced

Directions

1. In a large bowl, blend together the yogurt, mayonnaise, salt, and cayenne. Fold in remaining ingredients until evening distributed. Adjust seasoning if desired.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving with tortilla chips.

Source: Adapted from Julie Blanner.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

Pumpkin can go just about anywhere and to prove it, I’ve made pumpkin enchiladas! Simply delicious.

I feel like I barely scraped the surface of apple baking for the season and here I am already posting a recipe using pumpkin. October is almost upon us so I suppose there’s no point resisting. The ingredients in these enchiladas are simple enough but produce a most wonderful flavor unlike any enchilada I’ve ever had before.

This recipe would actually be a great way to use up leftover turkey from Thanksgiving as it calls for 3 cups of cooked turkey. They actually made me wonder what it’d be like to make true Thanksgiving leftover enchiladas, with mashed potatoes inside (maybe some cranberry sauce?) and gravy as the sauce. Now I’m really getting ahead of myself arn’t I?

Need more pumpkin recipes for the season? Check out my giveaway at the end of this post for a cookbook dedicated entirely to pumpkins – Pumpkin It Up!

One year ago: Browned Butter Salty Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Three years ago: Gluten-Free Buckeye Brownies

Five years ago: General Tso’s Chicken

PUMPKIN TURKEY ENCHILADAS

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

8 (8-inch) flour tortillas

3/4 cup fined chopped onion

3/4 cup canned or cooked pumpkin puree, divided

3 cups chopped cooked turkey

2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese, divided

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles

3/4 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)

Chopped green onions, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a medium pan. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup pumpkin puree and cook until heated through.
3. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in the turkey and 1-1/2 cups cheese. Divide mixture evenly in the center of each tortilla. Rolls tortillas around the filling and arrange seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Whisk in the broth, and continue to cook while stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the chiles, remaining 1/2 cup pumpkin, and sour cream until heated through. Pour sauce over the enchiladas.
5. Cover with foil and bake 20-25 minutes, or until bubbling. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
6. Allow to cool slightly before serving, garnished with green onions.

Source: Adapted slightly from Pumpkin It Up!

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It’s the first Monday of the month which means it’s another Secret Recipe Club reveal day. This month I was assigned to Anna’s blog Cheese with Noodles. At first I was deciding between her slow cooker honey basil parmesan pork or peanut butter melts, but with a blog name like that way easily swayed to make this casserole recipe instead. I was also excited to make use of all the fresh herbs currently growing in my garden.

This casserole did not disappoint. Such creamy, cheesy goodness that reminds me of mac and cheese but this is a slightly more adult version with the use of Monterey jack, parmesan, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and tomatoes. I served it along with a side salad to justify that second helping of pasta ;-). Thanks for the great recipe Anna! Be sure to check out her blog, I know I will be revisiting soon to make her ginger apricot cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving!

One year ago: Bacon Peanut Butter Swirled Scones with Chocolate Drizzle

Two years ago: Roasted Garlic Kale Hummus

Three years ago: No-Bake Funfettinutter Granola Bars

Four years ago: Blue Cheese Ball

CREAMY HERB AND TOMATO PASTA CASSEROLE

Serves 10

Ingredients:

1 lb. shell pasta

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp dried basil (or 2 Tbsp fresh)

1 tsp dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp fresh)

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

4 cup milk, divided

4 Tbsp cornstarch

8 oz. freshly grated parmesan, divided

8 oz. grated monterey jack cheese, divided

1 (16 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, drained

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. In a large pot of lightly salted water, boil pasta until just before al dente. Drain, return to pot, and cover.
3. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic and seasonings and cook for 1 minute. Add 3-1/2 cups of the milk and heat almost to a simmer. In a measuring cup, whisk together remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch until smooth. Stir into sauce and stir constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in all but 1/2 cup of the parmesan until melted.
4. Add sauce to pasta and stir to coat. Taste and add more salt if if desired. Pour half of the pasta into the baking dish and top evenly with the stewed tomatoes and 1 cup of the monterey jack cheese. Top with remaining pasta, the rest of the parmesan, and the rest of the monterey jack.
5. Bake until lightly golden and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Cheese with Noodles

Make a cornbread that will steal the spotlight from the chili. This moist corn spoon bread had bits of whole kernels, a cheesy top, and even pumpkin in the batter!

I told you on Monday that I would be sharing the recipe for the lovely morsels served with my slow cooker BBQ pork chili and here it is as promised! It may look slightly familiar as I shared a recipe for corn spoon bread last year. This one is just as magical, causing you to question which is the main attraction: the chili or the cornbread? All I changed from the original recipes was substituting half of the Greek yogurt for pumpkin puree. PUMPKIN EVERYTHING!

Speaking of pumpkin puree, nearly all of my recipes that call for pumpkin puree use homemade not canned. Not that there is anything wrong with the canned stuff. Want to make your own pumpkin puree like me? I have a recipe for homemade pumpkin puree handy for you. And you can use any old pumpkin not just the “pie pumpkins”. I actually prefer using the regular ones because I can make a bigger batch and freeze for later. The only differences are that they are slightly less sweet and tend to have more moisture so you may have to cook it down a little more. Happy pumpkin-ing!

P.S. Every time I write a post about pumpkin my fingers always want to type “pumpking”. You have no idea how many times I had to correct that. Probably the same number of times “pumpkin” appears in this post.

One year ago: Slow Cooker Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili

Two years ago: Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

Four years ago: Stuffed Flank Steak with Potato Cakes and Amaretto Chocolate Cheesecake

PUMPKIN CORN SPOON BREAD

Serves 12

Ingredients:

CORNBREAD

4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 (8.5 oz.) boxes corn muffin mix

1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (15 oz.) can cream style corn

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 0% Chobani)

1 cup pure pumpkin puree

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

TOPPING

1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick spray
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, muffin mix, corn, sour cream, pumpkin, butter, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.
3. Bake for 40 minutes, sprinkle cheese on top and bake 5-10 minutes more, or until cooked.

Source: Adapted from my corn spoon bread.

Disclosure: I was provided with product from Chobani. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Check out Manwich like you have never seen it before. These Mexican Manwich stuffed zucchini boats will impress your family any night of the week.

Oh Monday here you are again ruining my weekends and the only cure is to go home at the end of the day and drown my sorrows in hearty comfort food. The cure this week? Manwich Monday! Everyone recognizes the messy sandwich known as the Sloppy Joe. Nothing is better than a sandwich that requires both hands, preventing you and anyone else in your family from sharing the experience on social media, and it’s completely worth it. Focus on the food in front of you! And this meal is made easy for a weeknight by using Manwich hearty and meatless sauces with a sweet and tangy flavor.

I recently discovered that Manwhich comes in different varieties. Beyond that long loved Original there is also Bold which is a bit tangier and Thick & Chunky, which has the same great flavor as the original but in a chunkier form (aptly named I would say). These sauces made me realize that they would be delicious on more than just sandwiches and I was actually inspired by the “recipe idea” on the side of the Bold can for Manwich tacos. I had been wanting to make Mexican stuffed zucchini for awhile so this transformed my thought process into Mexican Manwich stuffed zucchini boats!

If I served these stuffed zucchini to you, you would probably never guess that they were made with Manwich, but once told you could definitely be able to detect those signature flavors marrying oh so well with the addition of Mexican seasonings. These stuffed zucchini boats looks like a fancy, complicated meal while remaining a great weeknight meal that will capture your attention.

How will you start your week with Manwhich Monday? Be sure to check out more Manwich Monday Recipes and visit manwich.com and follow Manwich on Twitter for ideas and recipes. To find Manwich products in a store near you, use the product locator on ConAgra Foods’ Website. You can also sign-up for ReadySetEat eNewsletter.

One year ago: Watermelon Mojito

Two years ago: Healthier Buckeyes

Three years ago: Fall Recipe Roundup

Four years ago: Sausage Stuffed Pretzel Bites

MEXICAN MANWICH STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini (about 30 oz.)

1 lb. ground beef

1 (16 oz.) can Manwich Bold Sloppy Joe Sauce

4 oz. cream cheese

1 tsp cumin

1/2 cup corn kernels

1-1/2 cups salsa

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

3 green onions, chopped

Sour cream or Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4″ thick. Drop zucchini halves in boiling water and cook 1 minute. Remove from water.
3. In a frying pan oven medium heat, cook ground beef until no longer pink; drain grease then stir in Manwich sauce, cream cheese, and cumin. Cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Add corn and mix well. Set aside.
4. While ground beef is cooking, cut the zucchini and remove the seeds. Stuff each zucchini shell with the meat mixture.
5. Pour salsa on bottom of one 9×13 baking dish (or two 5×7). Place zucchini in the prepared pan, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes with the foil removed. Top with green onions and sour cream.

Source: Adapted slightly from my Mexican Stuffed Shells and Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Happier Hour at home including this queso fundido with chorizo baked right in a cast iron skillet. Pair with your favorite tamales, tacos, and/or taquitos.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DelimexFiesta #CollectiveBias

Before you start planning your Mother’s Day brunch menu, what are you doing for Cinco de Mayo? Since my 30th birthday is the day before (only the best day ever – may the fourth be with you), Cinco de Mayo is basically my birthday 2.0 Mexican style. But instead of wading through the crowds at a local Mexican restaurant, how about we throw a Happier Hour party at home with a taco bar?

After picking up a few Delimex tamales, tacos, and taquitos at Walmart all I had to do was plan a couple side dishes to pair with them to complete my Cinco de Mayo menu. What better partner than hot and spicy cheese dip? I made queso fundido with chorizo which was first cooked on the stovetop and ended in the oven where it got all nice and bubbly.

To make things even easier, I was able to pop the taquitos into the oven as well so that they were both hot and ready at the same time. Which by the way means that after 25 minutes of total cook time you’ll be ready to eat this fabulous feast. Just as fast as if you were at a restaurant!

Despite the ease and speed at which this Happier Hour spread was executed, I still managed to burn the roof of my mouth as I could not resist and started to devour the taquitos straight out of the oven. Bob actually told me I was starting to look a bit frenzied. Don’t get in between me and my cheese when I am hungry, folks.

Of course this situation was enhanced further by dipping the taquitos right into the queso fundido because what’s better than dipping a cheesy chicken taquito into more hot cheese? If that’s crazy, I don’t want to be sane.

Be sure to check out more delicious recipes at DelimexFiesta.com. What are your favorite Cinco de Mayo recipes to spice up your taco bar for an at home Happier Hour?

One year ago: Breakfast Sausage Ravioli

Two years ago: Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Greek Yogurt

Three years ago: Whole Wheat Thin Crust Pizza Dough

QUESO FUNDIDO WITH CHORIZO

Serves 8

Ingredients:

DIP

1/2 lb. (about 2 links) chorizo sausage, casings removed

1/2 medium onion, diced

Salt, to taste

2 jalapenos, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tbsp milk

8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

GARNISH

1/2 avocado, sliced

1 Roma tomato, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a medium ovenproof skillet (I used an 8-inch cast iron), cook and crumble the sausage until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet, leaving 1 teaspoon of oil behind, and pour the chorizo through a strainer, reserving the chorizo oil. Set both aside.
3. To the same skillet with 1 teaspoon of sausage oil, add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook over medium-high heat until the onion is soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 second to 1 minute. Add the milk and cook, stirring, until thickened slightly.
4. Remove from heat and stir in 3/4 of the chorizo, all of the cheese, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts and the surface develops golden brown spots.
5. Remove from the oven, top with remaining chorizo, a few teaspoons of chorizo oil (if preferred), avocado, tomato, and cilantro. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman, Smells Like Home, A Cozy Kitchen, and Kitchen Konfidence.

A new take on your favorite cream cheese chicken enchiladas made gluten-free and stuffed into an acorn squash! But still featuring all the creamy, cheesy goodness you love.

The #1 all time most popular recipe on this blog has been my cream cheese chicken enchiladas. (Second most popular? My favorite chewy chocolate chip cookies.) Every day it is the most viewed post which has lead me to believe that what you really want are enchiladas! As a result I have shared several other enchilada recipes such as cheesy veggie, chicken and spinach, and spicy avocado chicken. Yet the cream cheese version still reigned as king.

Since the cream cheese chicken enchiladas remain the most popular enchilada on my blog, I figured it was time to reinvent it a bit. This gluten-free version only has two changes from the original: the addition of bell peppers and substitution of tortillas with acorn squash! It was a huge success and may need to have a regular position on the menu. That says a lot folks because I rarely make the same exact thing without changing it at least a little bit (Exhibit A: this recipe).

One year ago: Giant Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle Cookie For One

Three years ago: S’mores Molten Lava Cake

Four years ago: Chocolate Chip-Peanut Butter Layer Pie

CREAM CHEESE CHICKEN ENCHILADA STUFFED SQUASH

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 dumpling or acorn squashes, halved lengthwise and seeds removed

Olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, plus more for topping (I used 4% Cobani)

10 oz. can of enchilada sauce, divided

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided

2 cups cooked shredded chicken

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed (canned, drained corn works)

1 red or green bell pepper, diced (I used half of each)

4 scallions, thinly sliced

4 oz. can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with nonstick spray.
2. Brush the insides of the squash with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place cut-side-down on prepared baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup of each type of cheese.
4. In a second bowl toss together the chicken, corn, peppers, half the scallions, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper (to taste). Add the chicken mixture to the cheese mixture and combine well.
5. When the squash is done, remove from oven and flip over so they look like bowls. Rake a fork across the inside of the squash. Divide the chicken mixture evenly between the four squash bowls. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place back in oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until cooked through and bubbly.
6. Serve with topped with remaining scallions, cilantro, and any other favorite toppings.

Source: Adapted from Peas & Crayons and my Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas.

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This month for Pass the Cookbook Club, Julie (White Lights on Wednesday) picked recipes from Chef Michael Symon’s 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners. This cookbook is a collection of recipes that can be made from 5 fresh ingredients (along with a few kitchen & pantry staples) in 5 minutes. The italicized items in each recipe are the “5” fresh ingredients.

The moment I saw the recipe for the burgers I knew I had to make them. Not only are they perfect for Memorial Day, they are also made with half beef and half chorizo. With all the flavors already involved in the combination of those two meats there was no need to add anything else to the mixture except for a little salt and pepper. Topped off with a slice of cheese, fresh cilantro, and a toasted bun there’s not much left to be desired – except maybe some avocado slices which I went ahead and put on there as well. Served with Healthier Elote (Mexican street-style corn) and Baked Sweet Potato Fries seasoned with chili powder and brown sugar.

The only other thing I changed to the recipe was the step that said to flatten the burgers once they were on the hot pan. I refused to follow this step as I prefer thicker burgers. Also, I have to point out that while yes it only takes 5 minutes to cook these burgers, it does take slightly longer than that to prepare from start to finish. But still quick and easy!

One year ago: Almond Toffee Applesauce Bread

SPICY 50/50 BURGER

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. ground beef (80% lean)

3/4 lb. fresh chorizo, removed from casing if not in bulk

Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4 slices Monterey jack cheese (I used Colby-jack)

4 challah-style buns, split and toasted (I used Kaiser rolls)

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 avocado, sliced (optional)

Directions:

1. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. In a bowl, mix to combine the ground beef and chorizo. Form the meat into 4 patties, each about 3/4 inch thick. Season the patties on both dies with salt and pepper.
3. Add the olive oil to the preheated pan, then add the patties. Cook without moving until a good crust forms, about 2 minutes. Flip the burger and cook until heavily caramelized, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and top each burger with a slice of cheese. Add 2 tablespoons water to the pan, cover, and allow the cheese to melt for 1 minute.
4. Put 1 burger onto each bun bottom, top with 1/4 cup cilantro and the other half of the bun, and serve.

Source: Michael Symon’s 5 in 5

Searching for a great meatless meal? These cheesy vegetable enchiladas are packed with so much flavor that you won’t even miss the meat.

For the past 5 days I’ve been on the opposite side of the country, visiting family in LA and San Diego because my nephew is turning two, doubling his age! Can you believe it’s already been another year since his first birthday? I certainly cannot. His birthday party was this past Saturday but I am waiting to share the photos until his actual birthday this Wednesday, March 26th. Stay turned for that if you’re into adorable two-year olds.

In the meantime, feast your eyes upon my latest enchilada creation. With  sweet potato, black beans, corn, bell pepper, rice and cheese, these veggie enchiladas are packed with so much flavor you’ll find that meat would be completely unnecessary. And then throw some avocado on top while you’re at it.

Three years ago: Blueberry Cookies

CHEESY VEGETABLE ENCHILADAS

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

1-1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1-1/2 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 Tbsp chipotle powder (or less if preferred)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 cup thawed frozen corn (or canned, drained)

1 cup chopped roasted red peppers, drained

1 can (15 oz.) low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce

1-1/2 cups shredded monterery jack cheese, divided

8 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas

Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (I used 0% Chobani)

1 avocado, diced

2 scallions chopped, greens only

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, toss potatoes in 1 tablespoon oil; spread on a baking sheet. Bake until potatoes are soft and browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Keep the oven on and lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray, set aside.
3. In a large pan over medium heat, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Add onion, chili powder, chipotle and cumin; cook until onion is tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add corn, peppers and black beans; cook 5 minutes. Add potatoes, rice and half the enchilada sauce to pan; cook 6 minutes. Stir in all but 1/2 cup of the cheese.
4. Place tortillas on a clean surface. Spread mixture evenly among tortillas. Roll and place seam-down in prepared baking dish. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
5. Serve with sour cream (or Greek yogurt), avocado, scallions and cilantro.

Source: Adapted from Self.