Blackened Chicken and Cilantro Lime Quinoa

Ingredients

• 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• ½ Teaspoon of Paprika
• ¼ Teaspoon of Salt
• ¼ Teaspoon of Pepper
• ¼ Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
• ¼ Teaspoon of Onion Powder
• ¼ Teaspoon of Cumin
• 1 Teaspoon of Olive Oil
• 2 Cups of Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 1 Cup of Quinoa
• Juice and Zest from One Lime
• A Dash of Salt and Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons of Cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. Combine all the dry seasonings in a small bowl. Mix them together and then season both sides of each chicken breast.
2. Add the teaspoon of olive oil to a large pan or skillet. Heat the olive oil for a minute over medium/high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan. Cook for seven minutes on each side with the lid on.
3. Add the chicken stock and quinoa to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium/low heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes with the lid on, until all the stock has been absorbed.
4. After the chicken breasts have cooked all the way through, remove them from the pan and let them rest for seven minutes before slicing them.
5. Add the warm quinoa to a large bowl. Toss in the lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper, and chopped cilantro. Mix to combine.
6. Serve the sliced chicken breast on top of the quinoa. If you find the blackened seasoning too spicy, you can add a quick and easy avocado cream sauce to cool it down.
7. Just place the flesh from an avocado along with two tablespoons of Greek yogurt in a food processor and puree until smooth.

Cilantro Sour Cream

Stir together:
½ C. sour cream
2 T. heavy cream
2 t. chopped fresh cilantro

Hot Pepper Wings with Cilantro Sour Cream

Whisk together in a large bowl:
2 C . soy sauce
1 C. Dijon mustard
1 C. water
3 ¼ C. Tabasco sauce
1 ¼ C. chopped garlic
2 t. chopped fresh sage
2 t. chopped fresh thyme
2 t. chopped fresh rosemary
2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
Remove & refrigerate ½ C. marinade for basting.
Add, cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally:
18 whole chicken wings
Remove chicken wings from marinade and discard this marinade.
Heat reserved marinade and use for basting during cooking.
Grill or broil wings on medium-low heat turning often until just cooked through for about 15 minutes. No pink should show near the bones. Must cook slowly so glaze doesn’t burn.

Southwest Chicken, Black Bean & Cilantro Salad

In a large salad bowl, combine black beans, corn, red pepper, green onions, and chicken.
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11-ounce) Mexican-style corn, drained
1 medium red pepper, cut in thin strips
1/2 cup chopped green onions
¼ cup sliced black olives (jalapeno flavored, optional)
4 cups lettuce, torn (romaine, red leaf, green leaf, or iceberg)
1½ cups cooked or grilled chicken, cut into strips
Dressing
Combine oil, lime juice, cilantro, sugar, garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk or mix to blend. Pour dressing over bean mixture:
1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1½ teaspoons sugar
1clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon salt, optional
¼ teaspoon pepper
Place lettuce on individual plates or a large serving platter. Put bean and chicken mixture on top of lettuce.
Serves 6.

Lime-Cilantro Rice with Pineapple

Like I said, you really can just make this to taste, but here’s the basics.
1 cup dry white rice, cooked in 2 C water.
2 T real butter
Juice from 1 large lime, or two smaller ones (taste as you go, I add a lot!)
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained. (You may want 2 small cans)
½ - ¾ C chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice. As soon as it’s done, toss in the butter and stir to melt. Add lime juice, pineapple, and cilantro. Stir to combine, and then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

* You’ll want to serve this right away, if you don’t, the flavors tend to mellow a bit and you’ll probably need to add more lime juice because the rice kind of sucks it up. If you’re not quite ready to eat when your rice finishes cooking, just toss in the butter and keep a lid on it so it stays warm. Then right before you serve it, toss it all together.

Serve with Chili Lime Mango Chicken Skewers

Ensenada Lamb Tacos

Combine:
Chopped cooked lamb, heated
Finely chopped white onion
Fresh chopped cilantro
Season with:
Lamb ouzos
Hot sauce
Wrap in:
Warm flour tortilla

Enjoy!

Café Rio Rice

Blend together in food processor:
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
½ onion
Bring water to a boil:
3 C. water
Add & simmer covered for 30 minutes.
4 t. chicken bouillon
4 rt. garlic minced
3 C. minute rice
¾ t. salt
1 T butter

Café Rio Tomatillo Dressing

Combine & refrigerate 2 hours::
1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet
1 C. mayonnaise
1 C. buttermilk
¼ jalepeno without seeds, chopped
1 tomatillo, husk removed and diced
½ bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime

Mom’s Enchilada Casserole that Dad and Matt love!

Melt: 1 T. butter, or light oil
Sauté: ½ onion
Add: 1 pound hamburger
Add and simmer:
1 can mild enchilada sauce
½ pkg. enchilada seasoning
1 t. cumin
Dash Tabasco
Layer in 9x13 casserole dish:
1 C. white rice, cooked
1 can refried beans
¾ C. sour cream
1 C. grated cheddar cheese
4 corn tortillas, cut in strips
hamburger mixture
½ C. sour cream
¾ C. grated cheese
Warm in 350 degree oven
30 minutes.
Top with:
Chopped, fresh cilantro
Squeeze of lime juice

Vanessa's Corn and Black Bean Salsa

2 cans black beans
2 cans corn
1/2 c green onions
1/2 c red onion
1/2 c cilantro
1 t salt
1 T cumin

In food processor or blender:
2/3 c vegetable or olive oil
1/4 to 1.3 c red wine vinegar
2 t sugar
1.2 t salt
1.2 t pepper
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, with some of the sauce. (try to scrape out some of the seeds if you don't want it very spicy)