Mexican Pasta!

I stumbled upon this dish one night when there seemed to be NO food in the house & I add to be creative. This is improv to the max & it turned out fantastic! 

INGREDIENTS:
1 14 oz can diced tomato
1/2 can chipotles pureed ( 2 chipotles in adobo w/ 1-2 T adobo sauce...add more or less depending on your preference of spiciness)
1/2 small white onion
2 Garlic cloves, minced
Splash of good tequila
Swirl of Whipping Cream
16 Medium shrimp, uncooked, deveined & fresh or defrosted
1 lb Penne pasta, uncooked
Fresh cilantro
Queso Fresco

DIRECTIONS:

Sauté the onion in olive oil until nicely golden

Add the garlic & cook it for 30 sec....until you smell it. Don't leave it!

Toss in the can of tomatoes, with the juices & cook on medium heat until slightly reduced

Add the chipotles & finish the simmer

*At this point, get your penne boiling in salted water....set the timer for 11 minutes.

[Back to the Sauce mmmm....]

As the sauce begins to thicken, add a good glug of tequila to the sauce. Keep simmering...

...you want the uncooked "heat" of the tequila to cook out.

Now...(almost done).. take the whipping cream & give it a swirl in the pan.

This is a good time to also season it - give it a good pinch of kosher salt & cracks of pepper

Almost lastly, tuck the shrimp in the sauce to cook until pink & curled...but not tough & too curled.

As the shrimp is finishing, which is only a few minutes...Chop your cilantro & crumble your cheese for your finishing touch..

Time to plate! Let's take one more look. Holy moly. This was delish. Please go make it. GO!

When you do, share a pic with me! 

Mexican pasta is where it's AT! 

Salsa for a CROWD!

INGREDIENTS:

6 lb can of Whole TOMATOES [THE HUGE Costco or Sams can] 
16 cloves of GARLIC (roasted - directions below)
1 (7oz) can of CHIPOTLES in adobo
1 medium white ONION chopped finely & rinsed in cold water
2 squeezed LIMES
1 bunch of chopped CILANTRO

2 tsp kosher salt (add more to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

Pulse the tomatoes smooth in a food processor & pour them into a large serving bowl. 

Roast the garlic. Don't be afraid that there are 16 cloves. They are necessary to this recipe!

*to roast garlic: Place foil on a pan. Set heat to medium-high. Place skin-on garlic on plan. Turn often until skin is fairly blackened & inside is soft & smells delish...this could take 15-20 minutes.

RECIPE CONTINUED..
Peel the garlic & pulse them into a pulp with the chipotles

Add to the bowl of tomatoes

[Prep the remaining ingredients & add to the bowl]

Chop the onion into a fine dice & rinse it in cold water, in a strainer. [this takes away the fiery, over powering onion + onion breath issue] :D

Squeeze the 2 limes completely

Rinse & chop the cilantro
2 tsp salt (add more to taste)

[yields about 14 Cups]

Stir & eat! If you're able to put it in the fridge to meld the flavors - 20 min, even better. 

That's it!!! GO - Make it! Take 1/2 to your party & leave 1/2 at home....or take it all & send all of your friends home with a cup! 

Happy dipping! 

xo Momma :) 

**the recipe is adapted from a combo of different Rick Bayless salsas**

Angry Birds Sandwich

Made from mini-bagels, cream cheese, salami, cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese, raisons & green olives. 

Man, this guy is MAD!

As seen on Pinterest :)

Christmas Salad

I first ate this beautiful salad at a women's Christmas brunch at church & I was blown away. It was like a bruschetta, served on toasted baguettes..

Yummo. The combo of avocado, orange, pomegranate, cilantro..amazing flavor & a totally beautiful sight. 

This Christmas, I made a salad version for our family Christmas dinner & it was a keeper for sure.... 

First, begin with...

Orange vinaigrette: 

3T olive oil

1T Juice from an orange

3/4 t dijon

1 tsp honey

Kosher salt (good pinch)

Fresh cracked pepper

Next, prepare the other ingredients to toss in...

2 heads of Romaine lettuce

1 pomegranate, slice in half. Hammer back of pomegranate to drop seeds out. Be careful of bright, staining juice. Rinse seeds.

2 Avocados, diced

1/3 Cilantro bundle, chopped

1-2 Cutie Clementines, peeled & diced, 1/2 mixed into vinaigrette

1 small block of Gouda (4 oz.), diced. Any other mild, creamy, white cheese will do too.

Toss just minutes before...and enjoy! 

Overnight Egg Casserole

I'm letting you in on a little Smith family tradition. This egg casserole reminds me of waking up on Christmas morning at my grandparent's house in Chicago. When I taste it, it takes me right back there...but if you've never had it, you'll be sold in the first bite & nibbling the crispy edges until it's put away. The sage sausage, english muffins, cheese...just trust me & do it ok? Besides, you make it the night before & it bakes away while you open gifts!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Jimmy Dean sage breakfast sausage

9 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1 1/4 tsp. salt

3 c. milk

1 package of English Muffins, diced in 1 inch cubes

1 (10 oz.) pkg. grated cheddar cheese

Dash of nutmeg (optional)

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

Crumble and brown sausage. 

Mix eggs, mustard, salt and milk. 

Cube the english muffins & lay cubes over bottom of 11x13 inch baking dish. 

Sprinkle cooked sausage over bread. 

Sprinkle cheese over sausage. 

Pour egg mixture over all and refrigerate (covered) overnight. 

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. 

Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Pizza Snake

[Inspired from Pinterest] 

Ingredients

• 1 tube (11 ounces) refrigerated crusty French loaf or Pizza Crust (thick)
• Pizza sauce (canned or quick recipe)
• 1 bag (12 ounces) Italian 5 cheese
• 1/2 pound Italian Sausage 
• 1 lil bag of mini pepperonis 
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Unroll the pizza dough into a large rectangle; spread with a 1/2 ladle of pizza sauce to within 1 in. of edges. 

Sprinkle with cheese and sausage. Cut a forked tongue from a pepperoni slice. 

Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal and tuck ends under. 

Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet and shape like an "S". 

Brush with an egg wash (beaten egg w/ a little water)

Bake at 425° for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. 

Warm remaining pizza sauce; serve on the side. Yield: 5 servings.

Slice & serve!

Stuffed Shells

Oooh baby. This is one of my favorite dishes, ever. 

Ingredients: 

4 oz. Pancetta (thinly sliced from deli)

1/2 med. white onion (diced)

2 28 oz can of Crushed Tomatoes

1 lg garlic clove

pinch of pepper flakes

2 T Olive Oil

Directions: 

Add the crushed tomatoes 

Meanwhile, boil shells

Drain

Cheese mixture: 

1 Egg, beaten

16 oz Ricotta 

1/2 C grated Parmesan

small handful of shredded Mozzerella

handful of fresh parsley, chopped

pinch of Kosher salt & a few twists of fresh cracked pepper

Stuff this little babies

Season sauce w/ salt before topping

Top 'Em w/ sauce & cheese & place in 350º oven