Foodie Friday -- Fiesta Corn Casserole

This summer has been fantastic! The weather has been hot, but not drought/desert heat of the previous two summers, which makes it enjoyable to lay outside and read. And I have been reading lots and lots of books. Bliss!

Along with reading, we've had a couple of pool parties. I've tried a couple of new recipes, and have tweaked, a few of those recipes. This recipe is for a 13 x 9 inch pan, but it needs to be very deep (3-inches) pan instead of the normal 2-inch deep pan. Of course, you can cut the recipe in half or even one quarter of the amounts given here. Be sure to check out the tips and tricks at the bottom of the recipe.

Fiesta Corn Casserole

4 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/2 jar (2 oz.) chopped pimentos, drained

1 7 oz. can green chilies, drained

1 poblano chili, seeded, deveined, chopped

2 Serrano chilies, seeded, deveined, chopped

3 jalapeno peppers, seeded, deveined, chopped

2 36 oz. packages frozen corn, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Spray oil in 13 X 9 inch pan. 

Thoroughly mix softened cream cheese with spices. Taste for flavor. One ingredient at a time, add the next five ingredients, mixing in thoroughly until incorporated. Mix in corn. Place in a corn mixture in prepared pan, smooth top. 

Bake for about 45-60 minutes until hot and slightly brown on the edges. 

Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

• You could probably use the 1/3 less fat cream cheese. Let me know how it works. 
• All the spices can be adjusted to your family's personal tastes. I would probably add a touch more salt to this mix the next time I make it. 
• I added only a half jar of pimentos because that was all I happened to have on hand. A 4 oz. jar would add a bit more red color to brighten up the mix.
• I seeded and deveined the peppers because I didn't want the casserole to have too much heat. In hindsight, I probably would add the seeds and leave in the veins of one Jalapeno to give it a little more kick. 
• If you decide to half this recipe, don't forget to decrease the baking time. I'd start checking on it at the 30 minute mark.  

Later, Peeps!

FOODIE FRIDAY -- Cheese Spread for Sandwich Wraps

When I was blog hopping this week, I ran across this post on the Pioneer Woman, and it reminded me of a cheese dip that I make in the winter months. I use this cheese dip with crackers, assorted veggies and my hubby used to put it on bread and toast it open-faced in the oven for a quick meal.

I can’t take total credit for this cheese dip recipe, because my med tech friend, Patty W. asked a friend who works at Lambrusco’z what was in the recipe. They gave her a list of the basic ingredients and I took it from there. I’ll post this recipe and you can invent your own sandwich wrap from there.

Another reason, I was thinking along the lines of using this cheese spread in a wrap is because we are talking about taking a ROAD TRIP later this summer. Yes, my friends, remember piling into a car, DRIVING to your destination, and taking side visited to see the largest ball of twine or biggest gopher? Or National Lampoon’s VACATION to Wally World?

--Basically start simple and adjust to taste with this recipe.

--there is enough flavor in this recipe to go the fat-free route. And if you wanted to add more greenery, you could add a little thinly sliced basil or spinach.

--I have no ability to taste the strength of the garlic powder; I have to have the hubby taste it so I don’t over garlic it.

Margaret’s Cheese Spread

4 oz. Cream cheese

3 Tbls. Mayo
½ tsp. Garlic powder
1/3 cup Shredded Mexican 4-blend cheese mix
1/3 cup Shredded Italian 4-cheese mix
2 Tbls. Chives, snipped

Soften cream cheese and mix in rest of ingredients, adjusting to taste. Remember it needs to be soft and spreadable.

--to make a wrap, simply spread a thin layer on a carb balance flour tortilla, fajita or soft taco sized tortilla.

--pile shaved meats (ham, turkey, pastrami) in a line down the middle, add spinach or other firm lettuce/veg and roll tightly.

--the key to a good wrap to make certain all your ingredients are as dry as possible.

--roll up wrap, making sure the cheese spread sticks to the tortilla. Wrap in plastic and chill to firm up.

--and when you are eating a wrap you don’t want the darn thing dripping out the bottom and onto your lap, therefore you need a material that doesn’t leak like Ranch Dressing.

Later, Peeps!

Foodie Friday--Chocolate Cream Cake

I have no idea where my mom got this recipe. I just know that over the last 15+ years it has been the ‘fall-back’ birthday cake recipe.

Chocolate Cream Cake

3 oz. (squares) unsweetened chocolate, Bakers
2 ¼ cups sifted cake flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ cup butter, softened
2 ¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 cup boiling water

Melt chocolate over hot water.  Set aside. Cool. Sift flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat butter, sugar and eggs at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and cooled chocolate. Stir in dry ingredients, alternating with sour cream, beating until smooth.  Stir in water. Batter will be thin. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.  Tap out excess flour. Pour batter evenly into each pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks.  Cool.  Split each layer in half crosswise to make 4 layers.  Fill and frost with frosting.
 

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temp
6 Tbls. cream or milk
1 ½ lbs powdered sugar, sifted
6 Tbls butter
4 oz. (squares) unsweetened chocolate

Melt butter and chocolate together, beat in cream cheese. Alternating sugar and cream beat into chocolate mixture. Frost middle and sides of cake.  Refrigerate.

Enjoy! 
Later, Peeps! 

FOODIE FRIDAY--Chicken Wellington

This recipe originally came from the cookbook, BEST OF THE BEST OF TEXAS. I love this recipe. It’s quick. It’s easy. And it looks spectacular when presented on a plate with a lovely green salad. My ten-year-old LOVES this recipe.

I’ll type the ‘official’ version, but will offer hints at the end to make it lighter in fat.

Chicken Wellington

I sheet puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm—freezer section) room temp

¼ cup butter

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (fat trimmed off)

½ (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese (Philadelphia Brand) room temp

Knorr Swiss Aromat seasoning for meat, to taste (sometimes hard to find—try a German food store if it isn’t in your normal grocery store)

Lemon Pepper, to taste

1. When puff pastry reaches room temperature, unfold it onto a floured surface, sprinkle top lightly with flour, and roll it out as flat as you can, but to where you can still handle the dough.  Cut dough into 4 equal-sized pieces. (works with three breasts, too)

2. Using medium heat, melt butter, add chicken breasts, and cook 5 minutes per side.

3. Place each breast in the center of a pastry square; put 2 tablespoons of cream cheese on top of each breast. (work quickly as the hot meat will soften pastry and cause it to rip)

4. Sprinkle to taste with Knorr seasoning for meat and lemon pepper. (I’m heavy handed with this step)

5. Pull the edges of the pastry square up and fold them over the breast to seal the breast inside the pastry, tuck edges under the pastry.

6. Brush top of pastry with melted butter, if desired.

7. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. May need to broil for a minute or so to brown the top.

To lighten the fat content:

Delete butter.  Use a non-stick pan and lightly spray with butter-flavored cooking spray (Pam). 

Use low-fat Philly cream cheese.  I used 1/3 reduced fat and couldn’t tell the difference.  Non-fat might work, too, since the seasonings would cover any weird graininess you might experience.

Lightly spray the top of the pastries with butter-flavored cooking spray prior to cooking.