Southwestern Egg Rolls with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

This month the Allrecipes Allstars Ambassadors received Herdez® Cooking Sauces.  I got the Classic Chipotle and Roasted Pasilla Chile. The Chipotle one has definitely got some ZING.  I felt it was best suited for the recipe I came up with.  I have had a few versions of different restaurants Southwestern Egg Rolls and I used the corn and black bean salad from my Grocery deli as a shortcut so I wouldn't have to do all the chopping. AND these are BAKED not FRIED!!!  Double Score.  I created a Cilantro sauce to help cool the sting from the Chipotle or to just add another layer of flavor.

Southwestern Egg Rolls with Cilantro Dipping Sauce
by JennyMac's LipSmack

1 lb ground beef
1 jar Herdez® Classic Chipotle Mexican Cooking Sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup corn and black bean salad (or see note to make own)
1 pkg. egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water
oil for coating
Cilantro Sauce:
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2.  Brown ground beef with green onion.
3.  Add Herdez® Classic Chipotle Mexican Cooking Sauce and cook until reduced. Set aside to cool.
4.  Add Corn and Black Bean Salad (a mixture of yellow corn, black beans, chopped red pepper, green pepper, onions and lime juice.
5.  Put one egg roll wrapper on cutting board. Turn, so it's a DIAMOND not SQUARE. Coat edges with beaten egg with basting brush.  Place 1-2 Tbsp of mixture on bottom of Diamond.  Fold up bottom point to just cover the mixture. Fold over each side (should resemble an open envelope).  Now roll up fold to the top tip of that "envelope/diamond"  Use fingers to press edges so egg can start the wrapper edges to stick to itself.
6.  Brush each egg roll with oil of choice.
7.  Bake for 10-15 until golden.
8.  While baking put cilantro, sour cream, onions, mayo in a food processor.  Blend until smooth.
9.  Serve cilantro dipping sauce with egg rolls for cool finish to with the ZIP of the Herdez® Chipotle Cooking Sauce.

Cook's Notes:
To make your own Corn Salad: 
Corn and Black Bean Salad can be found in your in your grocery store's Deli, perhaps near the potato salad?  If not, don't worry.  You can use canned or frozen corn.  Drain a can of black beans.  Chop up one red, one green pepper and one onion.  Squeeze one lime on chopped stuff. Mix it all up.  Reserve 1 to 1-1/2 cups of salad to put in your beef with Herdez®.  Eat the remainder of your salad another time or as a side.

These were a keeper!  I was shocked K-man loved the cilantro sauce.  No everyone is a FAN of cilantro.  I know it took me awhile to develop a taste for it.  I swore K-man was gonna ask for Ranch instead.  I believe the word he used was "Killer".  I'll take it.

Caliente!

Chicken a la Mexican

I make this little dish at least 3-4 times a month.  It's very versatile hence it's generic name.  It could have been Chicken tacos but why make you think you have to eat it with a shell/bread?  It's not a casserole because usually that has some kind of rice or pasta.  I named it Chicken a la Mexican because it's got Mexican type spices, peppers and onions.  But here is the fun part. You decide how/where you want it.  Put it on soft tortillas with shredded cheese.  Or put a giant spoonful on rice or pasta.  Top it with cheese or sour cream or both.  Put it on crushed tortilla chip on a green salad.  Slop it in a long crusty sub roll....Have you figured out how you want yours yet?


Chicken a la Mexican
a JennyMacLipsmack creation

4 chicken boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper cut into strips
1 yellow bell pepper cut into strips
1-2 jalapeno peppers cut into very thin strips
1 large onion, sliced, rings separated
1-15 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
cilantro for topping/garnish
oil for coating pan
shredded cheese, optional
sour cream, optional
Chicken seasoning:
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt

1.  Sliced chicken into strips, coat with seasonings, set aside.
2.  Slice and prep all veggies.
3.  Heat pan medium high with oil of choice about 2 Tbsp.
4.  When pan is hot start with chicken and constantly stir with wooden spoon.
5.  When chicken is half pink and white (about half cooked) add sliced veggies and tomatoes.
6.  Keep cooking until chicken it totally cooked through and no pink remains.
7.  Serve on soft flour tortillas, rice, pasta or sub rolls or a pupusa (as seen below)

Cook's Notes:
1.   Feel free to add a whole green pepper instead of jalapeno if you can't stand the heat.
2.  Feel free to use a pre-prepared Mexican seasoning that is your favorite.  I won't mind.
3.  Taste while you cook to add more of something.  I didn't add on the list an ingredient I don't know if you have available.  I found some Smokey chipotle dried peppers at Home Goods.  I better start looking to see where I can find more.  They are smokey and spicy.  I love them.  But I didn't want you to not make this because you couldn't find them.

K-man smiles real big when he sees this dinner.  He always puts his on a soft flour tortilla.  I prefer the corniness of the tortilla chips on a salad is my favorite.  If you have pre made pupusas in your ethnic section, this is a great topping as well.  Find yours!

Fiesta!

Beefaroni/Sausaroni

One of my assignments as an Allrecipes.com Brand Ambassador was to take a ground beef recipe and change it using Johnsonville Sausage.  All righty!! Don't need to ask me twice!
I know the picture is not stupendous but it was nighttime, it was dinnertime and we were hungry- nuff said.

This recipe was for Beefaroni.  Ground beef, tomato sauce, cheese and pasta. Being JennyMac who is notorious for playing with food.  I did some tweaks.  Those ingredients was just TOO boring.  I had to add some onions.  Double onions.  Raw onions in the mix and French's Onions on top.  It was great!  Of course if you are a fan of Johnsonville and have a FB page, try Johnsonville Kitchens- its another source of recipes plus this way you get a more open forum of things people are doing/sharing.

Now since this is a tweak, I will put the original recipe and provide the link to Allrecipes - following it I put my notes.  Here is a link to my customized Sausaroni recipe.

Beefaroni
from Allrecipes.com

1 pound ground beef
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 (16 ounce) package uncooked elbow macaroni
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Crumble the ground beef into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until evenly browned. Drain.
3. While the ground beef is cooking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, and stir in butter. Transfer to a large casserole dish, and mix in the ground beef, tomato sauce, and Cheddar cheese. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top.
4. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until heated through and bubbly.

Cook's Notes:
1.  Substitute one package of Johnsonville Sausage, I used HOT Italian.
2.  I added half chopped RAW onion to step 3.  We wanted the onion with a little bit more bite....not faded and mooshy.
3.  I added salt and pepper and 1 tsp. garlic powder to the whole mix not just on top.
4.  I sprinkled half a container (about 1 cup) of French's Fried Onion on top for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
5.  Next time I will do this half tomato sauce and half diced tomatoes!
6.  Added BONUS!  Did you know that they make CORN ELBOW pasta for those who are GLUTEN FREE?

I am sure your KIDS would love this.  Using the mild or sweet sausage I am sure would be good,  not sure hot your kids can take it.  I am so used to HEAT that my tongue may be OFF.  lol  Serve with a salad and garlic bread. 

YUM!

Family Secret Meatballs and Sauce

I don't think I told you but I was accepted in a little fun program called Allrecipes Allstars.  I have been a member of the web page Allrecipes.com for years.  Sheesh, back in those days they had many sites.  Cookierecipes.com, Maindishrecipes.com, Christmasrecipes.com....there were tons....then they wised up and condensed.  Long story short....they are a place where people like me can post or look up recipes that are TRIED and TRUE.  All the members post their own pictures of how it turned out (if they want)...tons of reviews, suggestions, videos....I've been a member for 13 years.
So I see a FB friend post about this program where you do fun stuff each month they assign.  Sounded like fun AND would give me something to do on my own blog.
This month one of the activities we could do was to select a 'faceless' (no picture) recipe on allrecipes.com and give it try in our kitchen, review it and provide a picture.  Completion would be 3 faceless....or do more if you so desired.
The first one I did not like much.  It was OK, even though I took a picture of it....to start my AR CRED. lol  It was Lemon-Dijon Grilled Chicken. I was not thrilled about it and my review said as such.  Eh.  It needed some herbs.  Too much honey as well.  Ok next recipe....

YAY!  Winner!  I wondered why someone would put a Secret Family Recipe online...I guess we are now at the time in our lives when there are no more secrets anymore....everything good or bad goes on the Internet.  Well HONEY....this is one of those GOOD things to put out there.  Awesome stuff.  These were called Secret Family Meatballs and Sauce.  These are an appetizer kinda thing.  One person pictured theirs on a bed of spaghetti....um, not seeing that.  The sauce has ketchup, onion, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce.....not an Italian thing.  Are people eating BBQ on spaghetti now?   We ate these with a salad and some homemade jalapeno mac and cheese and garlic bread.  I can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow!

Here is the recipe to look over, however the link above is easier to print from if you like:

2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup rolled oats
6 tablespoons chopped sweet onion (such as a Walla Walla)
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups ketchup
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons white sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion (such as a Walla Walla)
4 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup water

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Mix together the ground beef, rolled oats, 6 tablespoons of sweet onion, milk, salt, and black pepper until thoroughly combined. Roll the mixture into 2-inch meatballs, and place meatballs into the prepared baking dish.
3. In a bowl, mix the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, 4 1/2 tablespoons of sweet onion, apple cider vinegar, and water until the sugar has dissolved, and pour the sauce evenly over the meatballs.
4. Bake the meatballs and sauce in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbling and thickened and the meatballs are no longer pink inside, about 1 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).


Delish!

Flourless Almond Cake (Gluten Free!)

The holidays killed me and it's been a struggle to get back to my Paleo lifestyle.  But I swear that bread and sugar is like a crack to me....lol....Anyhow, I saw this cake recipe and had to try it.  I tweaked it a bit and it really turned out awesome.

Flourless Almond Cake
adapted by Jenny Mac's Lipsmack

1 1/2 cups whole almonds, toasted
5 large eggs, at room temperature, separated 1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping: 
Peach Preserves
1/4 cup almonds, toasted (they used sliced, I had only slivered ones to use up.)

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the paper. (they suggested a springform, I used a regular cake pan with the parchment  and it popped right out).
2.  Beat 5 egg whites in large bowl with the electric hand mixer on medium speed until very foamy, white and doubled in volume, but not stiff enough to hold peaks, 1 to 2 minutes (they said to not over whip which will cause it to sink).
3.  Process whole almonds in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Beat 5 egg yolks, 1/2 cup honey, vanilla, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl with an hand mixer. Add the ground almonds and beat on low until combined.
4.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the nut mixture until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
5.  Bake the cake until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Cake should pull from the sides and be easy to pop out of pan.
6.  To serve, glaze the top of the cake with peach preserves (or whatever you have available or more honey) and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Cook's Notes:

1. I loved how lightly sweet this was.  Not a sickening sweet like some Paleo stuff can be.  When you think about the 1/2 cup honey and how the cake sliced into 6 pieces...that is Tbsp and 1/2 of honey.  The topping is ridiculously thin (just to make the almonds on top stick really.).

2.  I've noticed something....I read alot about food 'stuff'.  I've been a Diet Coke drinker my WHOLE life.  Never a regular soda has touched my lips (unless by a careless server mixed up my drink order with my husband).  They say...Sugar Free drinks are just as bad....for it still makes your body crave sugar.  At work, I drink nothing but seltzer water.  I have no cravings and will make cookies with the club after school, no desire to eat them.  However when I go home I will allow myself a diet coke (trying to taper off) and will notice I am hunting around after dinner for something sweet....I really think there is something to this theory.  I am beginning to see this....OH HOW CAN I GIVE UP my FRESCA, DIET COKE and CRYSTAL LIGHT??  The TORTURE!!!

3.  Very light and spongy.  Great for breakfast too.  I passed some out to my Paleo Pals at work....still waiting on their opinion!

Enjoy!

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Happy Super Bowl Weekend Kids!I have a fun and easy recipe for you.  If you'd like to change up a familiar recipe for your Super Bowl food tomorrow here's a nice recipe I created.

Sriracha Deviled Eggs
created by JennyMac's Lipsmack

12 hard boiled eggs
2-3 Tbsp of mayonnaisse
2-3 Tbsp of Sriracha
1/8 tsp of dry mustard
salt to taste
cayenne to taste
smoked paprika

Split your hard boiled eggs and remove the yolks.  Here's a fun tip if you choose to try it....place all your yolks in a ziploc bag.  Arrange your whites on a pretty plate.  Close the ziploc and smush all your yolks in the bag until no more chunks.  Add the mayo and sriracha, salt and cayenne (I left the measurements for you to taste and add more or less to your liking).  Taste and make adjustments.  Squeeze out air from bag and close again.  Cut hole on bottom bag about 3/4 inch.  Squeeze most of yolks to bottom of bag.  Squeeze out yolks into eggs.  Use a little pulsing squeeze to get the 'rippled' affect on your yolks as seen on mine.  Top with smoked paprika.  Serve to hungry guests.  Stand Back!

Cooks Notes:
1.  How picky are you?  Some days I am picky about my food some days I could care less.  The boiling and hoping of are they cooked enough or are they over cooked I am tired of the stress of that.  The peeling of the eggs...ugh.  Fresh eggs are NOT to be used for hard-boiled eggs.  The membrane takes out chunks and it makes your eggs look awful.  Hard to believe the older the eggs the better.  I guess fresh is out since you need air between the white and membrane to easily peel eggs.  ANYWAY- my point....do you realize they have already hard boiled eggs in your local grocery?  Yes, they do!  However....they are little more rubbery for my taste.  You own boiled ones are much more soft and delicate.  But if you have a husband who is crazy for deviled eggs....his craziness just may over rule his taste in soft vs. rubbery eggs.  LOL.
Just thought I'd share that with you.

Since my Redskins couldn't make it this year.  I will put a Shout out to our neighbors the RAVENS!  We'll be rooting for you this year!


Enjoy!

Hmmm, is it worth it?

I know when you are hungry or having a craving for something you see on a blog, TV or Pinterest- not all that you want is right down the street.  Heck, I have Georgetown Cupcakes right across the river and even though I watch every episode and own both of their books....I still have not ventured.  I really avoid driving in DC at all costs.  I know I could take the metro but have you seen their long lines in front?....Anyhow....(paleo posting pals- stop reading now)
I decided to splurge and see was ordering from Carlo's Bakery worth it?  Like DC cupcakes, I watch all Buddy's shows, I own all of his DVD's (my students love them) and I have all his books.  UM, not taking a special vacation to HOBOKEN for some baked goods.  They have talked about going 'global' on the show and now with a large factory in Lackawanna, they finally started their delivery of their baked goods (some goods, not all). 
They are offering cookie trays, biscotti, rugelach and crumb cake.  All of which can withstand TRAVEL.  I can't see their flaky 'lobster tails' or cannoli being thrown in a Fed Ex truck.  I wasn't interested in the cookies (hello, we just finished the holidays) or the biscotti.  It was either the rugelach or crumb cake.  I like both but which.  I remembered printing off many a crumb cake recipe for it was not being published in his books.  I ordered the crumb cake, not thinking it was right before the holidays.  I realize that cake delivery was risky.  OMG all those crumbs....they are gonna be a hot mess.  It's going to be expensive.  Any cake delivered days after it's baking can't be as good as picking it up right from the store.  Online it said it would be made Monday or Christmas Eve but not sent until the day after Christmas.  Okay....perhaps I should wait....but what if I have 'drop-in' guests?.....It came today.
I immediately thought about the CRUMBS....eww would these be a HOT mess?  I opened the box and found the LARGE BUBBLE wrap.  Their was no room for the cake to bounce around in its box.  After I lifted the bubble wrap. I see the whole cake is sealed in plastic.  No one GOLF BALL sized CRUMB was out of place!







I closed up the box.  I'll try it for breakfast with an awesome cup of coffee.  I think I made it for an hour and said "What the hell?"  I cut into it.  If you are anything like me...when you cut into something baked you HOPE for stuff to fall.  Ohhh taste test!  I put it on a plate and took a forkful...um, ok.  I thought buying an Entennmann's crumb cake from the grocery would be softer.  The receipt tells you to go to their website for 'care instructions'.....This is essential.  I did not go but I did what my instincts told me.  All things taste better warm.  I nuked it for 30 seconds in the microwave. WOW....Huge difference!...Now I was singing and wiggling in my chair as I ate this.  It cost 29.99 online and with 2 day Fed Ex delivery it came to 41.99 (2 day delivery is your only option smack in the middle of a holiday, normally it's overnight, they provide you a schedule)

Here my picture of my slice made on Monday, sent on Wednesday, arrived on Friday.









This is a picture of Buddy's crumb cake from his webpage. I am SURE is it was freshly baked and the picture taken shortly afterward.  It looks all soft and fluffy.  You can tell that a cake that has been traveling sure does 'settle'.  This is what is written about the CARE Instructions:

"When you receive your crumb cake it is wrapped to maintain freshness and can be enjoyed immediately.
Store crumb cake at room temperature in covered container
Crumb cake should last about 5 days if covered properly
Freezing
Place crumb cake in freezer with plastic wrapper on.
When defrosting remove plastic wrapper, defrost until crumbs on top are soft (about 1 hour at room temperature)
Reheating
To reheat remove outer plastic wrapper and place into a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 minutes or 30 seconds on high in a microwave oven (exactly what I did!)
NOTE: Crumb cake can be reheated in paper tray

Buddy recommends reheating....as there is nothing like a warm crumb cake!" (this is HUGE!)

So, you have a decision to make.  Is it worth it to YOU?  To me....40 bucks can be the going rate for any upscale cake in our area.  Was it worth it to me?  Hell yeah, I love Buddy....this is the closest of a 'piece' of him I probably will ever get. LOOLOLOLOLOLL.  Would I buy it again?  Yes....but now I'd like to try the rugelach for I KNOW they have tons more moisture due to the preserves rolled in the dough.  I am excited to try it again.  So if you love crumb cake and don't have a problem forking out 40 bucks for a quality Crumb Cake, get one.  If anything, if you have Cake Boss fans in the family...it would make for fun conversation during a gathering!  I say go for it!

Who wants to eat CAKE?