Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes-Cheesecake Factory Copy

Salsa Verde
2 tomatillos, roughly chopped
1 (4oz) can diced chilies, drained
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 T chipped Cilantro
1 1/2 t sugar
1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 t salt
1/8 t black pepper

Pico de Gallo
1 lrg Roma Tomato
1 T Red Onion
1 T Fresh Cilantro, minced
1/2 t lime juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Southwestern Sauce
1/2 c Mayo
1 t white vinegar
1 t water
1/2 tsp white sugar
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t paprika
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t onion powder
1/8 t garlic powder

Corn Cakes
1 1/2 c frozen sweet corn
1/2 c butter, room temp
3 T sugar
1/8 t salt
1/2 c Corn Masa Harina-Corn flour in Mexican Food section
2 T flour
1 1/2 T olive oil

Garnish
Avacado
Cilantro
Sour Cream

Pico de Gallo
Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Toss and cover and chill at least 1 hour

Southwester Sauce
Add all ingredients in small bowl and mix until well combined. Cover and chill 1 hour

Corn Cakes
Add 1 c frozen corn in a food processor until coarsely pureed. In a medium bowl add the pureed corn, softened butter, sugar and salt. Mix until combined.
Add masa and flour and mix until no flour streaks remain.
Add remaining 1/2 c frozen corn and mix until evenly distributed
Measure 1/2 c portions and use hands to form into 3" wide patties
Add olive oil to large skillet and preheat over medium/low heat. Add patties to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 5-8 minutes.  Flip and cook on other side, another 5-8 minutes.
*They seem to get really mushy when cooking. Don't worry, they set up as they cool a little bit. Just be careful when flipping. Keep oil level down, it can get foamy.
Assemble by putting salsa verde on bottom, corn cake, pico de gallo, Southwestern Sauce, garnish

Skinny Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving  size: 1 Quesadilla

Ingredients:
15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen yellow corn
1/2 cup reduced-fat Mexican cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and divided
1 cup tomato salsa, divided
4-9" La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb, High Fiver Tortillas
1 ripe avocado, diced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

*Optional toppings
jalapenos
lime wedges
tomatoes, diced

Instructions:

1. Combine beans, corn, cheese, 1/4 cup cilantro, and 1/4 cup salsa in bowl
2. Place tortillas on a large baking sheet or platter
3. Spread filling on half of each tortilla (a little more than 1/3 cup on each).
4. Fold tortillas in half, pressing to flatten
5. Add oil to large frying pan and brown tortillas on medium-low heat until cheese is melted, flipping once, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
6. Or grill on T-fal OptiGrill o the sandwich setting
7. Repeat until all tortillas are golden brown and cheese is melted
8. Slice in halves and top with remaining fresh salsa, cilantro, avocado, and any other toppings of your choice.

I

Fried Rice

Ingredients
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 pound ham, diced, or about 2 cups cooked, cubed or shredded meat
1 onion, diced
Salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
3 whole scallions, thinly sliced on the bias, white and green separated
1 1/3 cups (6 ounces) medley frozen corn, peas, carrots
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups cold cooked long-grain rice 

Directions
Heat a large heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over high heat. When hot add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the ham and cook stirring occasionally until lightly browned. Add the onions to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until onion is fragrant. Add the garlic and scallion whites and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the frozen vegetables. Cook until just defrosted but still crisp. Transfer contents of the skillet to a large bowl.
Return the pan to the heat and add 2 more tablespoons of oil. Add the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Stir the eggs constantly and cook until almost set but still moist, then transfer egg to the bowl. Break the eggs up with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining oil. Add the rice to the pan and use a spoon to break up any clumps. Season with salt and pepper and stir-fry the rice to coat evenly with oil. Stop stirring, and then let the rice cook undisturbed until its gets slightly crispy, about 2 minutes. Stir the rice again, breaking up any new clumps. Add the scallion greens. Transfer to the bowl. Stir all the ingredients together with the rice, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve.

Superfood Salad

1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 orange, peeled and segments chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
seasonally either: 1 cup pomegranate arils (about 1 pomegranate worth) or 1 mango, chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper

Lemon Vinaigrette:
2 lemons, juiced (need 1/4 cup juice)
2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely minced
dash of sweetener (agave nectar, honey, or sugar)
salt & pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside to cool.

For the Lemon Vinaigrette: add lemon juice, garlic, sweetener, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk in oil.

Combine cooled quinoa with red onion, orange segments, avocado, beans, pomegranate arils and/or mango, corn, cilantro, salt and pepper.

Pour Lemon Vinaigrette over the salad and stir to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Veggie Cobbler

FOR THE FILLING:

1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into a 3/4-inch dice

1-1/2 cups of peeled and thinly sliced carrots

1-1/2 cups frozen peas

1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup broccoli florets

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup diced butternut squash

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons flour

2-1/2 vegetable bouillon cubes dissolved in 1-1/4 cups hot water

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon thyme

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

 

FOR THE TOPPING:

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400º. Place the potato, carrots, peas, broccoli, corn, and squash in a medium-size pot and fill it with enough water to cover the vegetables plus one inch. Lightly salt the water, bring it to a boil, then allow the vegetables to continue boiling for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse the vegetables with cold water and set them aside.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onion and mushrooms and sauté them, stirring often, until they're soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook the mixture, stirring nonstop, another 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth, milk, salt, pepper, thyme, and celery seed and continue to stir until the sauce thickens, about 4 minutes.

 

Add the vegetables to the sauce and stir well. Add more salt and pepper, if desired, then stir in the Parmesan and bring the filling to a simmer. Thin it with water if its consistency is thicker than potato soup. Transfer the filling to a casserole dish.

 

Make the corn bread topping. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, egg, and oil and stir until evenly blended. Spread the batter over the filling. Bake the cobbler until the top is golden brown and the sides are bubbly, about 25 minutes. Allow it to cool slightly before serving.

 

Serves 8.

Chicken Enchilada

29 ounces tomato puree
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2 packets of taco seasoning
1 chopped onion
4  chicken breasts cut into strips
grated cheese
queso
Put into crockpot on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. When done, mix a con of refried beans with queso and smear on tortillas with a spoonful of crockpot chicken mix (use slotted spoon to limit juice). Sprinkle grated cheese on top and wrap. Place in a baking dish and sprinkle with more cheese. Bake at 375 degrees until cheese is melted.
leftovers can be used as taco soup. add a dollop of sour cream and serve over Fritos.

Texas Confetti Rice Salad

Taste of Home Recipe

 

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth

2 cups uncooked long grain rice

1/2 cup water

4 cups cubed cooked turkey

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

 

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring the broth, rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Transfer to a large bowl; cool completely.

Stir in the turkey, tomatoes, corn, green pepper and onion. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, cilantro, chilies, vinegar, lime juice, mustard, cumin, garlic salt and pepper flakes. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Chill until serving. Just before serving, stir in avocado.

 

Yield: 12 servings (1-1/3 cups each).

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Servings: 6-8

Poached Chicken:  ***(This will make the chicken more tender)
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt

***My side note:  A quick trick would be to a store bought rotisserie chicken from the deli section and just shred or chop it up (without skin) and add it to the soup base towards the end of cooking just to heat through

Soup Base:​
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 -2 tablespoon lime juice
1 cup chunky salsa ***(I use a high quality fresh salsa – not bottled salsa)
1 can of diced tomatoes
***Optional:  You may also add a can of rinsed black beans and/or cooked rice

Condiments/Toppings:
Chopped Cilantro
Sour Cream
Tortilla chips
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Diced Avocado

DIRECTIONS:
Poaching Chicken Breasts:
Place chicken breasts in bottom of a small, heavy-bottomed pot. They should fit in a single layer but fit quite snugly. Pour in just enough water or broth to cover the chicken. Add seasonings.

Bring to a boil, and then quickly reduce heat to low so that the water is barely at a simmer. Partly cover with a lid and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat completely, and allow chicken to remain in hot water for 15-20 minutes. Remove from water/broth and allow to cool slightly before shredding or chopping it for desired recipe.

Making the Soup Base:
In a large pot over medium heat, add all listed soup base ingredients.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes.  After this is completed, add the precooked chicken.  Stir and serve with the optional toppings.  Enjoy – Freeze any left overs (without the toppings) for future meals.

Creamy Potato Soup

1 bag Bear Creek Potato Soup

1-2 cans white or cannelloni beans

Corn- however much you like

1 lb bacon

Cayenne pepper to taste

Salt and pepper

Make soup according to package. Add in the rest while it simmers. Simmer until beans are tender- about 15 minutes. Super easy!

Corn and Potato Chowder

Serves 6 – 8

from foodnetwork.com

 

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 pound bacon, diced

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped green pepper

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons flour

4 cups chicken broth or stock

4 cups peeled, finely diced all-purpose potato

1 1/2 cups shredded carrot

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 cup half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

 

Directions

 

Sling the butter into a soup kettle and melt over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook till crisp. Scoop out the bacon and drain on paper towels. Save for later--don't nibble too much.

 

Pour off all but 1/4 cup of fat from the pot. Toss in the onions and peppers, seasoning them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook till soft and then throw in the garlic, cooking it all for 1 minute more.

 

Sprinkle on the flour and mix into the veggies. Dump in the broth and potatoes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil; then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or till the potatoes are tender.

 

Add the shredded carrots and corn. Cover and simmer everything 5 to 6 minutes longer to blend the flavors.

 

Stir in the half-and-half. Season with the thyme, cayenne, some more salt, and lots of freshly ground black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and the bacon bits you've been saving. Give it one last stir, and ladle it up piping hot.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Serves 8-10.

3 cups chicken stock

2 skinless, chicken breasts

2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

4-6 jalapeno peppers, minced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups frozen corn

1/2 cup tomato paste

8 ounce Pepper Jack cheese, divided

1 cup cilantro, chopped

Tortilla chips

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add chicken stock and heat over medium heat. Add chicken breasts, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Simmer about 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside. Add tomatoes, jalapenos, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the pot. Simmer about 30 minutes, covered until tomatoes have begun to break down. Add black beans, corn, and tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Add half of the pepperjack cheese and stir to melt. Return chicken to soup and cook about 20 more minutes until desired consistency.

Add cilantro, reserving some to top individual bowls if desired. Ladle into serving bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, reserved pepperjack cheese and cilantro if desired.

Summer Corn Fettuccine

Salt

1 pound fettuccine

extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

6 slices smoky bacon, chopped

6 ears corn on the cob, shucked

3 shallots, finely chopped

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup half-and-half or cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

hot sauce or 1 or 2 pinches cayenne pepper

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano

1/2 cup torn sweet basil leaves

Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium heat. Salt the water, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook a few minutes until rendered and crisp. Put a small bowl inverted into a large bowl, steady the corn cobs on the smaller bowl and scrape the ears. Add 3/4 of the scraped corn and any corn liquid into the pan with the bacon. Add the shallots and red pepper and liberally season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the remaining corn and half-and-half to a food processor and puree until smooth.

Pour the stock into the corn and vegetables, and simmer over low heat for a minute. Stir in the thyme and corn-cream mixture and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, to thicken. Add the hot sauce or cayenne and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Drain the pasta and add it to a large serving bowl. Pour in the sauce, add a couple handfuls of cheese, about 1/2 cup and toss. Top with torn basil or chopped tarragon and pass the remaining cheese at the table.

Serves 4 to 6

BBQ Chicken Salad

2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cooked chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup Cilantro, if desired

1. Mix salad dressing and BBQ sauce in bowl.
2. In large bowl add chopped lettuce, chicken, corn and beans. Add dressing and toss.

Corn & Grits Casserole

4 cups (1 qt) whole milk

1 cup quick-cooking grits

1 can (15-1/4 oz) corn niblets, drained

1-1/4 cups (5 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

6 scallions, chopped

1 large egg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp pepper

Heat over to 375 degrees. Lightly coat shallow 2 qt baking dish with nonstick spray. Bring milk to a gentle boil in a 3 qt saucepan; slowly whisk in grits. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in corn, 1 cup cheese, the scallions, egg, salt, thyme, and pepper. Pour into prepared dish. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes more until set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8

Prep: 15 min/ Total 45 min

Planning tip: can be baked up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate covered. Bring to room temperature before reheating in microwave or in oven.

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 14 oz cans corn, drained
2 14 oz cans pinto beans, drained
2 14 oz cans black beans, drained
1-4 chicken breasts
About 1 cup of your favorite salsa

Put in crock pot. Add 1/2 cup water if you want. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours.

Serve with: shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, green onions, whatever you like.

Southwest Chicken Burrito Filling

1 bag frozen corn
4 chicken breasts
1 can black beans, drained
1 jar salsa, any kind
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Cheese
Lettuce
Tortillas

Throw corn, chicken, beans and salsa all in the crock pot in that order and cook for 8 hours on low. Shred the chicken and mix together. You may need to take out some excess liquid. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in tortillas with guacamole, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, etc. Makes a lot.

Good for feeding a lot of people. If you want to make more, just increase how much of everything you put in. It doesn’t have to be exact.