Chili Lime Taquitos

I found this recipe on my friend, Michele's, food blog the other day.  I gave it a try, and my family loved it!  In fact, we made it again a few days later because they liked it so much.  And it is so quick and easy if you prepare the chicken in advance, shred it and freeze it in one cup amounts, like I did.  Doing it that way, it probably only took 5-10 minutes to prepare.  Love an easy meal!

Chili Lime Taquitos
by: sweetluvininthekitchen.blogspot.com

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice (or the juice of one lime)
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1 c. shredded monterey jack cheese
6-8 tortillas

In a skillet, stir together the shredded chicken, chili powder and lime juice.  Add the cilantro and cheese and stir it all together.  Remove it from the heat, and put 3-4 tablespoons of the mixture on one end of a tortilla.  Roll it tightly, starting from that end, and then place it seam side down on a baking sheet.  Repeat with all of the tortillas and chicken mixture.  Leave a little space between each taquito on the baking sheet, so that they will cook all around.  Using a pastry brush, lightly brush a little oil over the top and sides of each taquito.  Bake at 425 degrees, for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Serve with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.

Fish Tacos with Lime Cilantro Crema

Ahh, fish tacos.  This is a new food choice for me, and I really love them!  I have made this recipe a couple of times, and both times I was so happy with how they turned out.  The fish is delicious, but the lime crema adds so much to them!  The only thing I wish I had been able to add was some cabbage to the taco.  We didn't have any, so lettuce had to do.  

Fish Tacos
adapted from: Cooking Light

1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 tilapia fillets

Lime Cilantro Crema
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. sour cream
1 tsp. grated lime rind
1 1/2 tsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. minced garlic

In a small dish, combine the cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt and garlic powder.  Sprinkle the spices evenly over both sides of the fish.  Bake the fish at 425 degrees for 9 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.  I think that the second time I made this, I actually fried the fish in a small amount of oil on the stove.  I say, try it either way!  While the fish is cooking, combine all the ingredients for the crema in a small bowl.  Chill it in the fridge until you are ready for it.  When the fish is cooked, break it into small pieces and then serve it on a soft taco shell (we used corn tortillas) with the lime cilantro crema and cabbage.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

This is my go-to dish when I need something easy and delicious!  I love these enchiladas, my husband loves them, and usually anyone that tries them wants the recipe.  As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t love to make the same thing all the time, but this dish is one exception.  These are a regular at our house!

The Sisters’ Café is one of my favorite blogs to get awesome recipes (like the Brie en Croute!!).  When I make these, I like to add black beans inside the enchiladas.  This adds a nice texture and flavor, but it also helps the chicken go a lot further!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Adapted from The Sisters’ Cafe

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs pork or chicken, cooked and shredded

Sauce:

1/3 c honey

1/4 c lime juice

1 Tb chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce

1-2 cans black beans

Equal parts mixed together of:

mozzarella cheese, shredded

cheddar cheese, shredded

flour tortillas

sour cream & salsa

Directions:

Mix together sauce ingredients then add to shredded pork or chicken. Let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.

Lightly spray 2 pans with non-stick baking spray.  (I usually fill a 9x13 and a 9x9. It may vary depending on how much chicken you put in each one.) Pour green enchilada sauce into pans to coat the entire bottom. Fill tortillas with shredded meat, black beans, and desired amount of cheese. Roll and place in dish.

Pour remainder of sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle a generous amount of cheese on the top! Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then turn on broiler and place enchiladas nearer the top of oven. Let it broil until cheese is slightly brown and crispy.

To serve, top with sour cream and salsa.  Delicious!

Key Lime Cheesecake

and yes, it is as amazing as it sounds. This is, supposedly, a Cheesecake Factory recipe. It's good enough to be a $47 cheesecake (yes, I looked it up). This costs under $10 for sure, and it's perfect. Creamy, thick, rich, I can't stop eating it.

The Cheesecake Factory Key Lime Cheesecake

1¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup sugar
3 x 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 tspn vanilla
½ cup fresh lime juice, about 5 limes worth (If using key limes or juice, use half as much)
3 eggs
whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine crumbs, butter and 1 tbsp sugar in a bowl. Stir well to coat all crumbs. Keep it crumbly.

When the crumb mixture seems ready, press the crumbs onto the bottom and half way up the sides of an 8" springform pan. Then, place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Do not turn off the oven.

In large bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Mix with electric mixer until smooth. Add the lime juice and eggs and continue to beat till smooth and creamy. Once ready, pour filling into crust.

Place the pie in the oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. If top is turning light brown, then the pie is done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool until room temperature. Then, put the pie into the refrigerator to chill.

Once chilled, remove the pan sides and cut. Serve with whipped cream.

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

I saw this recipe while browsing a food blog I recently discovered: Our Best Bites. One of the authors and her husband were in Dustin's Horticulture program at BYU. The recipes on this blog all look amazing. I have wanted to make everything I see!

I tried this banana bread recipe tonight. I am not a total lover of banana bread. It's ok, but not my favorite. This one looked just enough different that it was enticing to me. And I wasn't disappointed! The smell of this cooking was divine. The lime added just a little, tangy yumminess. And it was really pretty to look at. I used sour cream instead of yogurt, milk instead of apple juice and I reduced the sugar just a little, like maybe by 1/4 cup (I always do).

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

From http://www.ourbestbites.com/

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. real butter, softened

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. mashed, ripe banana (about 4 bananas)

1/4 c. sour cream or plain yogurt

3 Tbsp. apple juice or milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. coconut

Topping: 2 Tbsp coconut

Glaze: 1/2 c. powdered sugar whisked with 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Combine flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. In a large mixing bowl mix sugar and butter until well combined. Add eggs and beat well. Add bananas, sour cream or yogurt, apple juice or milk and vanilla and beat until well blended. Stir in 1/2 c. coconut.

Pour into a greased 9X5" loaf pan and sprinkle the top with 2 Tbsp. coconut. Bake for 1 hour. Note: Check after 40 minutes and if top looks brown and coconut is toasting, cover with tin foil and bake for the remaining time.

When done, let cool for 10 minutes and then remove bread from the pan. Prepare glaze by whisking powdered sugar and lime juice and then drizzle over the top of the bread. Let cool an additional 15 minutes before serving.