Vegetarian Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Mexican is always one of my favorites and this is one of the best stuffed pepper recipes I have tried.  It has a great blend of spices, making it super flavorful and hearty enough with the rice and beans to be filling.  I loved the slight crisp of the onion and sweetness from the pepper.  And, if you have rice leftovers from dinner a previous night, it makes the cook time much quicker. 

Elote

I love when inspiration hits!  After a Cubs game outing last week I joined some friends at Moe’s Cantina for a drink and dinner.  We ordered a bunch of food to share and one of the dishes was called Elote.  Oh, my, goodness, it was DELICIOUS!  We couldn’t get enough…corn in a cheesy, creamy, spicy Mexican dish.  So, I set out to find a recipe to try and found this one.  I am definitely making this again and bring it to an upcoming air & water show party – it is sure to be a crowd pleaser!  Summer is still here and it is prime corn season, so I would strike while the iron is hot! 

Enchilada Mac & Cheese

Oh man, I think I have found the mother of all comfort food – enchilada mac & cheese.  The perfect combination of two of my favorite foods.  It kind of reminds me of hamburger helper, but SO MUCH better and just as easy.  I was looking for a recipe that sparked my interest this week when I came across this.  Now, keep in mind, I have been working out quite a bit lately and watching what I eat (bathing suit season is coming soon – or that is what  I keep telling myself even though it is in the low 20’s today), so when I saw this,  my mouth started salivating.  I knew I had to let myself splurge and try this out.   

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

Finally! Warm (well somewhat warm) weather in Chicago that lasts more than a day!  It has been fun to see Chicagoans emerge from their winter hibernation.  Everyone is looking forward to summer barbecues and spending time outdoors.  In celebration of that and the fact that Cinco de Mayo is one week away, I thought I would share my ‘famous’ corn and black bean salsa recipe.  Okay, okay, maybe it isn’t famous, but it is AMAZING, and I plan on entering it in our Quaker Cinco de Mayo salsa competition this week (fingers crossed!).  This one is definitely a keeper and a crowd pleaser.  Don’t be shy with the lime juice and salt…it makes the difference.

Chicken Enchiladas

The holidays are a time to spend with family which is exactly what I am doing.  Like most families around the holidays, many things revolve around great food.  For my family, when you think of the usual Christmas cuisine, enchiladas are not the first food to come to mind.  However, since we have a few days until Christmas, I thought I would try a new recipe I stumbled on. I knew it was a hit when my brother said “this is great!” as he was shoveling another bite into his mouth and then again the next morning when the fam was warming them up to eat for breakfast.  Don’t be afraid of the onions and green chilies...the enchiladas still are pretty mild.  Enjoy!