Baked Pancake Squares

Every now and then I get in the mood for pancakes.  When that happens we head to our local diner "Gab N Eat".  Mike has tried to make pancakes from scratch many times and just can't seem to master it.  I hate making them.  I don't like standing over the griddle only able to cook a few at ta time.  Then it gets too hot, so some burn.  Ugh!

When I found this recipe I thought it was more for me.  The pancakes are thick, which I like.  They aren't like our local greasy diner but they were still good.





Recipe:

Pancake Squares
3/4 cup milk
2 T. melted butter
1 large egg
1 T. sugar
1 cup flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease an 8×8 baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, beat together milk, butter and egg. Add sugar, then gradually beat the flour in. Carefully stir in the baking powder and salt. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serves 4-6.

From:  http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2008/08/pancake-squares/

Crockpot chicken chili

Fall is here and that means cooler temperatures and a busy schedule for me (its soccer coaching season).  So I try to use my crockpot more often.  This was an easy meal that i found online and had my husband throw together.  It was delicious.  We talked about trying to reduce the amount of cream cheese next time to make it a little healthier. 

Recipe

1 can black beans
1 can corn, undrained
1 can Rotel, undrained
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 8 oz package light cream cheese
2 chicken breasts

Drain and rinse black beans. Place chicken at bottom of pot, then pour out whole can of corn (undrained), rotel, and black beans. Top with seasonings and ranch mix. Stir together. Place cream cheese on top. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir cream cheese into chili. Use 2 forks to shred chicken. Stir together and serve.

Creamy Baked Chicken Tacquitos

These tacquitos were delicious.  They could be an appetizer at a party or have for a meal.  I actually made them ahead of time and froze them since I am so busy with soccer.  It is great to just pull them out and pop in the oven for a quick little meal or snack.  I also served them with avocado dip.  Yummy!

Recipe:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro  ( I didn't have any of this)
2 Tbsp sliced green onions (I didn't use these either)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Mexican flavored cheesesmall flour or corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Add the chicken and cheese; mix thoroughly.
(If you decided to prep this in advance, refrigerate the mixture at this point until ready to continue.)
Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 20 – 30 seconds).
Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.
Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone.
Make sure the taquitos are not touching each other.
Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

Recipe from:  http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/02/baked-creamy-chicken-taquitos/