Apr 29 2013

From Our Kitchen: Spicy Bacon Ranch Quesadillas

Posted on April 29, 2013 by thepoli3

Yum.

If you are anything like me, you probably just prayed that this plate magically appeared in front of you, right now.

You simply cannot go wrong with anything that includes both bacon and cheese. You just can’t. Thats why these quesadillas are simply AMAZING. Husband approved too, might I add. Ok, so my hubby has somewhat of an obsession with bacon but thats neither here nor there.

Pair this with a healthy side serving of Black Bean & Corn Salad and you will feel guilt-free in no time.

Spicy Bacon Ranch Quesadillas

Quesadilla Ingredients:

*Makes 2 quesadillas (8 slices)

4 flour tortillas (make sure you get the soft taco size ones)
1/4 cup chicken, shredded
1/4 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
shredded cheddar cheese

Spicy Ranch Ingredients:

*I adapted this to only make 3/4 a cup (the original recipe makes 1 & 1/2 cups)

1/2 (16 ounce) bottle ranch salad
dressing (such as Hidden Valley Original Ranch®)
1-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such
as Tabasco®)
1-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such
as Frank’s RedHot®)
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. Stir together the ranch-style salad dressing, the two hot pepper sauces, cayenne pepper, and chili powder. Chill for at least one hour.

2. When spicy ranch dressing is ready, spread about 1-2 tablespoons of it on 2 tortillas.

3. Sprinkle cooked shredded chicken, cooked crumbled bacon, and cheese on top of the ranch on each tortilla. Top with remaining tortilla.

4. Coat a large grill pan (or a frying pan, which means you will probably have to cook one at a time on) with olive oil spray (or Pam) and heat over the stovetop on medium heat. Place tortilla(s) in pan and cook 1-3 minutes or so on each side until cheese melts and tortillas have slightly browned.

5. Remove tortilla(s) from pan and carefully slice into 4 wedges. You can use a knife or a pizza cutter but it is best to let cool for about a minute before slicing so its not too messy.

6. Serve with an extra side of Spicy Ranch sauce and guacamole (if desired) for dipping and enjoy!

Sep 6 2012

From Our Kitchen: Easy at Home Happy Hour

Posted on September 6, 2012 by thepoli3

Sometimes after a long, stressful day all you want to do is kick back and relax at home. Around here, that usually means it’s time to bring out the red wine. One day, I had (what I thought was) the greatest idea ever- an at home Happy Hour! I grabbed some simple snacks at the store, including a Rotola, stuffed olives, and roasted red peppers, and -voila- we had a picture perfect appetizer spread. You can also make your own appetizers with things as simple as cheese & crackers, assorted deli meats (we usually do a quarter pound of the deli sale items, such as special salamis, prosciutto, etc.) or even with a homemade spinach and artichoke dip with fresh bread. Don’t like wine? You can also mix this up with cocktails or beer. Just look up what pairs well with your drink of choice. Even if you don’t drink at all, you can whip up a delicious lemonade (we recently rated some delicious recipes) or a punch with some fresh fruit inside to be a little more festive than usual. You can even do this when you have guests over before heading out for the evening. This is a relatively quick, cheap, and easy way to unwind and treat your family and friends. One of the most important elements of an at home Happy Hour is the music, so remember to turn on some tunes to help set the mood (my favorite free music player is Pandora). I personally usually tune it to the Jimmy Buffet or Eric Clapton stations.

Try this tonight in your home! You will be amazed at how relaxing it truly is!

Enjoy!

Jun 28 2012

Leftovers: Guacamole

Posted on June 28, 2012 by thepoli3

Nothings worse than having leftovers that “go bad” fairly quickly and, sadly, guacamole is definitely one of those items. But fear not- there is something you can do with your day-old guacamole so as not to waste those precious & expensive avocados.

Seven Layer Dip

It’s easy to make, vegetarian, and can even been vegan (if altered a bit) so it is sure to please many picky palates. Best of all, since your fresh, homemade, guacamole is sandwiched between two layers, it extends it’s fridge life a bit. Hubs and I enjoyed ours for a good 3 days until I felt it was time to throw out any leftovers.

Now I’m sure there are many delicious Seven Layer Dip recipes out there but this one is my all-time favorite – the only change I make is that I put the guacamole layer on top of the refried beans layer, then top that layer with the sour cream mixture. This way the guacamole is between two other heavy layers, which keeps it away from any air exposure and stops it from rotting so quickly.

Your wallet and tastebuds will thank you!