Baked Vegetarian Taquitos and my Original Recipe for Crockpot Refried Beans

Here are two of my favorite Vegetarian Taquito recipes. I like the fact that they're Baked and not Deep Fried in Oil.
I created a recipe for Homemade Refried Beans. I prefer them to canned beans.
My recipe is at the end of this post.
Once you've tasted Homemade Refried Beans, it's difficult to go back to canned.

Baked Roasted Green Chile, Cheese and Corn Taquitos

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
1 - Sheet Pan lined with crinkled Foil.


12 Flour Tortillas
1- 4 oz. Can of Diced Hatch Green Chiles, drained.
1/2 C Corn
1 C Shredded Queso Quesadilla Cheese
1 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Adobo Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
Vegetable Oil

In a Medium Mixing Bowl:
Chiles
Corn
Cheese
Cumin
Adobo
Salt
Mix well.

Heat 2 Tortillas at a time, for 30 seconds in a Microwave, between two layers of Paper Towels.

After 2 are heated:
Spoon 2 TBS of the Mixture off to the side of each Tortilla and roll tightly.
Transfer them seam side down on the Sheet Pan.
Continue preparing all of the Tortillas.

Brush the tops with Vegetable Oil.
Bake for 25 minutes.

Serve Hot with Sides of:
Salsa
Guacamole
Sour Cream

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Baked Refried Beans and Sweet Potato Taquitos.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
1 - Sheet Pan lined with crinkled Foil.

3 Small Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces.
(place them in a large pot of boiling water (enough to completely cover them)
Boil for 25 minutes.
Drain and set aside to cool completely, in the Saucepan.
When completely cooled, mash them with a Potato Masher.

Add:
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Mix well.

You'll need:
3 Green Onions, sliced thin. Use the entire Onion.

Assembly:

Heat 2 Tortillas at a time, for 30 seconds in a Microwave, between two layers of Paper Towels.
After 2 are heated:
Spread a layer of Beans topped with a layer of Sweet Potatoes on each Tortilla.
Sprinkle with some Onion.
Roll tightly.
Transfer them seam side down on the Sheet Pan.
Continue preparing all of the Tortillas.

Brush the tops with Vegetable Oil.
Bake for 25 minutes.


Serve Hot with Sides of:
Salsa
Guacamole
Sour Cream

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



We eat a lot of refried beans in Texas. It's a staple ingredient on every Tex - Mex dinner plate.
As a Vegetarian, I'm never sure if the Refried Beans in a restaurant are Vegetarian. Traditionally they're made with Lard. I make my own at home. These are easy Vegetarian Crock Pot Beans.
We're planning to have a Tamale Christmas Dinner this year and I'll make these to accompany the meal.
These turned out perfectly. I don't think I'll ever buy canned Refried Beans again.

Pinto Beans

Crock Pot Refried Beans

1 - 2 lb. bag of Dried Pinto Beans
2 Onions, peeled and shredded in a Food Processor with the Shredding Blade.
8 Cloves of Garlic, minced. (I used 4 very large cloves)
2 TBS Cumin
The packet of Seasoning from the Bag of Beans
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
11 C Water

Place the Beans in the Crock Pot.
Layer in the following order:
Onion
Garlic
Cumin
The Packet of Seasoning
Salt
Cayenne Pepper
Water
Do not stir!

Cover, cook 12 hours overnight on low. (8 - 10) hours on high.
I didn't stir them until after 2 hours.

Blend the Beans with an immersion blender until creamy smooth.

Serve with the following garnishes:

Pickled Jalapeno Nacho Slices
Shredded Queso Quesadilla Cheese
Sliced Green Onions
Sour Cream
Cayenne Pepper

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Fig and Cambozola Cheese Cookies

Some foods just seem to go together well. They're almost meant to go together, like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Popcorn and Butter, Milk and Chocolate Chip Cookies.......... and Figs and Blue Cheese! Cambozola is a delicious combination of German Triple Cream Brie-Style Blue Cheese and Italian Gorgonzola Cheese.  It's rich like Camembert and sharp like Gorgonzola. It has the taste of Blue mixed with the creaminess of Camembert. Here's a great cookie pairing those two great food items together.

Fig and Cambozola Cheese Cookies

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Sheet Pans lined with Parchment Paper
A 2" Round, Fluted Cookie Cutter.
1 - Stainless Steel TBS Measuring Spoon.

1 1/4 C Flour
8 TBS Butter, Cold and Cut into Pieces.
4 oz. Cambozola Cheese, crumbled.
1/2 tsp Pepper
Bonne Maman Fig Preserves

In a Food Processor:
Flour
Butter
Cheese
Pepper
Pulse until the Dough forms into a ball.
Transfer to a lightly floured flat surface.
Knead the Dough gently. (add additional flour if it seems too sticky)

Roll it out 1/4" thick.
Use the Cookie Cutter and cut out the Dough.
Transfer to the Sheet Pan.

Use the back of the Measuring Spoon to create a well, for the Preserves, in the center of each cookie.

Add 1/4 tsp of Preserves in each well.
Bake 12 - 14 minutes.

Remove the Pan to a racket to cool for 10 minutes.

Transfer the Cookies to the rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cauliflower and Brussels Sprout Gratin

This is one of our favorite Casseroles for Thanksgiving.

Cauliflower and Brussels Sprout Gratin:

2 1/2 C heavy cream
1/3 C chopped shallots
1 TBS  chopped fresh sage leaves
Kosher salt to taste
2 TBS olive oil
1 C bread crumbs
1 1/2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 pounds small-medium brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered if medium sized), halved if they are small. (I bought a 2 pound bag and used it all)
1 medium head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1" florets.
2 C grated parmesan cheese, divided

Butter a 9"X13" baking dish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cream, shallots and sage leaves in a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture is reduced to about 2 1/2 C, this should take about 10 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat.
Add breadcrumbs and stir until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.
Stir in parsley.
Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Arrange half of the vegetables in the buttered dish.
Sprinkle with half of the parmesan cheese.
Arrange remaining vegetables over the first layer.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Pour cream evenly over the casserole.
Cover with foil.
Bake for 50 - 60 minutes.
Remove foil.
Sprinkle casserole evenly with bread crumb mixture and return to bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or until bread crumbs are browned.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Basic ingredients.

The Cream Sauce cooking.

This is after its baked for 1 hour.

The final dish after the Bread Crumbs have browned.

Zucchini Casserole

This recipe comes from Pampered Chef. We have a lot of their products. This is baked in a Crescent Roll Crust.

Zucchini Casserole

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - Deep Dish Oval Casserole Pan or a Rectangle.

Crust

1- 8 oz. tube of Pillsbury Original refrigerated Crescents.
2 tsp of Dijon Mustard

Filling:

4 Large Zucchinis, sliced thin using a Mandoline.
1 C Coarsely chopped Onion
2 TBS Butter
1 Clove of Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Dry Italian Seasoning
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 TBS chopped Fresh Parsley
2 Large Eggs
2 C Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Unroll the Dough and separate into Triangles.
Arrange them evenly in the Pan, (points in the bottom, wide end going up the sides.)
Gently press the seams to create 1 piece.
Spread Mustard evenly over the bottom only.

In a Skillet on Medium High Heat:
Butter, until melted. Swirl evenly over the bottom.
Zucchini
Onion
Garlic
Seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Stir Gently to keep the Zucchini Slices Whole.
Cook 5 minutes.
Remove and gently Fold in Parsley.

In a Large Mixing Bowl:
Eggs
Whisk well.
Fold in Cheese.
Add:
Zucchini Mixture.
Fold gently to combine.

Spoon evenly over the Dough.

Bake 30 minutes.
Center should be set and the Crust should be Golden Brown.
Serve immediately.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

This recipe comes from Betty Crocker.
It's a Chocolate Cake that creates it's own Hot Fudge Sauce as it bakes.
The cake is spooned into individual serving bowls, topped with a scoop of Ice Cream and some of the Sauce.

This is my favorite Baking Cocoa.

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 9" X 9" un greased Baking Pan.

1 C Flour
3/4 C Granulated Sugar
2 TBS  Baking Cocoa + additional listed below.
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 C Whole Milk
2 TBS Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Vanilla
1 C Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 C Cocoa
1 3/4 C Boiling Water, set aside until ready to use. It just needs to be Hot!

In the Pan.
Sprinkle evenly with:
Flour
Granulated Sugar
2 TBS Cocoa
Baking Powder
Salt
Mix together roughly with a Blending Fork.

Mix in the following with a Fork:
Milk
Oil
Vanilla

Stir in the Pecans.

Sprinkle evenly, in the following order, without mixing:
Brown Sugar
Remaining Cocoa
Gently pour the Boiling Water evenly over the entire Batter.

Bake 40 minutes.
Serve immediately in individual serving bowl, topped with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream.
Spoon some of the Sauce from the pan over the Ice Cream.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Baked Caprese Sliders

We were on vacation in Florida and someone made Hawaiian Sliders. They're made with Ham and Cheese. I like this Vegetarian version adapted from The Pampered Chef. Photos by Zestuous.

Spread generously with a layer of Softened Butter.

Add Salt and Pepper to taste.

Brushed evenly with Butter/Italian Dressing Mix.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 9" X 13" Glass Casserole Pan lined with Foil extending 2" over all 4 sides.
I cut two separate pieces to fit the pan.

24 King's Hawaiian Honey Wheat Rolls (you can slice the entire package horizontally at one time with a Bread Knife)
Butter, softened.
1 Bunch of Fresh Basil, Large Leave only.
6 Tomatoes, sliced
16 oz. Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, sliced.
8 TBS Butter, melted
2 TBS Dry Powdered Italian Dressing Mix

In the Casserole Pan:

Place the bottom half of the rolls in the pan, cut side up.
Spread with a layer of Softened Butter.

Cover with a layer of Basil Leaves.

Cover with a layer of Tomatoes. (Salt and Pepper to taste)

Add a layer of Cheese.

In a small bowl:

Butter

Italian Dressing

Whisk well.

Cover with the tops of the Rolls.

Brush the tops evenly with Butter.

Cover tightly with Foil.

Set aside for 10 minutes.

Bake covered for 10 minutes.

Uncover and continue baking to 5 minutes.

Serve Hot!

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

 

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Biscuits

Here's a great recipe for Biscuits:

http://www.thecountrycook.net/20…/…/butter-dip-biscuits.html

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!