Watermelon Fire and Ice Salsa

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped watermelon
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, green bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno and garlic salt. Mix well and serve.

Pico de Gallo Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into strips
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 (12 inch) flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream, for topping

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add chicken and saute until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
3. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the hot skillet and saute the sliced onion and green pepper until tender. Stir in the minced garlic and saute until the aroma is strong. Mix in half of the pico de gallo and chicken breast meat. Set aside; keep warm.
4. In a heavy skillet, heat one flour tortilla. Spread 1/4 cup shredded cheese on the tortilla and top with 1/2 the chicken mixture. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup cheese over the chicken and top with another tortilla. When bottom tortilla is lightly brown and cheese has started to melt, flip quesadilla and cook on the opposite side. Remove quesadilla from skillet and cut into quarters. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve quesadillas with sour cream and remaining pico de gallo.

Debbie Baggett’s Armadillo Eggs

• Jalapeno Peppers
• Cream Cheese
• Bacon

1. Clean and seed the jalapeno peppers. Cut in half and parboil.
2. Fill each half with cream cheese.
3. Wrap with bacon and secure with toothpicks.
4. Grill until bacon is completely cooked.

Taco Soup

• 1 pound of Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
• 1 Finely Chopped Medium Onion
• 2 Cans of Pork & Beans (do not drain)
• 2 Cans of Mexican Stewed Tomatoes (do not drain)
• 2 Cans of Whole Kernel Corn (do not drain)
• 2 Cans of Red Kidney Beans (do not drain)
• 2 – 15 oz Cans of Tomato Sauce
• 1 packet of Taco Seasoning (any flavor)

Combine the ground beef and onion in a large skillet, brown meat until no longer pink in the middle. Drain the meat and pour into pan. Add the pork and beans, stewed tomatoes, corn, kidney beans, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Bring this taco soup recipe to a boil. Reduce heat and cook taco soup for 25 minutes. Serve with a dollop or cheese and serve with tortilla chips.

Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon
• 10 eggs
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
• 10 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and set aside. Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm in the oven.
2. Fry the eggs in a greased skillet until firm. In a small sauce pan heat the refried beans.
3. Top each tortilla with refried beans, 2 strips of bacon, 1 egg and a little cheese. Roll tortillas into burritos and serve.

Jalapeno Corn Muffins

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for tin, melted
• 3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels
• Unsalted butter, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with melted butter, and set aside. Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and sour cream in a medium bowl until combined, and set aside. Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, jalapenos, and corn in a large bowl until combined.
2. With a rubber spatula, fold buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture until well combined. Fold in melted butter. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let muffins cool in tin 5 minutes. Turn out into a basket or bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel; cover to keep warm. Serve with butter.

Mexican Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 (6 inch) corn tortillas
• 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
• 8 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• 2 green onion, chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 1 tablespoon black olives, sliced

Directions

1. Heat the refried beans.
2. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Stir in the seasoning packet.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Place a small amount of vegetable oil in a large skillet. Let the oil heat, then place one corn tortilla in the skillet. After 15 seconds, flip the tortilla over and let it fry another 15 seconds. Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas, letting them drain on paper towels once they have been heated. When the tortillas have drained, arrange them on a cookie sheet.
5. Spread a thin layer of beans on the tortillas, followed by a layer of beef, and cheese.
6. Bake the tortillas in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Slice the tortillas into wedges and arrange them on plates or a serving platter and garnish them with the sour cream, tomatoes, green onions, chiles, avocado, and olives.

Asparagus Guacamole

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon fat-free Greek-style yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce

Directions

1. Place the asparagus into a steamer insert and set into a pot over one inch of water; bring the water to a boil. Place a cover on the pot and steam the asparagus for 5 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Combine the asparagus puree with the yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno pepper, garlic, tomato, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce in a large bowl; gently stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Chill in refrigerator until completely cooled.

Coconut Margaritas

Ingredients

• 2 cups ice
• 3/4 cup coconut cream
• 4 1/2 fluid ounces tequila
• 1 1/2 fluid ounces triple sec
• 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

 Directions

1. Fill a blender with ice; add the coconut cream, tequila, and triple sec; blend at high speed until smooth. Scatter the coconut onto a plate. Wet the rims of four glasses. Dip the glass rims in the coconut. Serve the margaritas in the prepared glasses.

Spicy Southern Spinach Cheese Dip

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 10 ounces shredded fiesta cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Saute onion in skillet over medium heat in oil until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and chiles, let cook 2 minutes.
3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in spinach, cheese, cream cheese, half and half, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into shallow baking dish.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the dip is bubbly and the top is light brown, about 35 minutes.