Thia Doughnuts

Thia Doughnuts

Don't ask me why they are Thai, we had these at a restaurant trying to use up some funds from groupon and I thought they were so yummy! I thought to myself, "Why pay $6.50 for these, I can make them at home for nearly nothing!" These are beyond easy.

Recipe
dough (whether store bought or made from scratch. I went easy and purchased mine)
flavored syrups
-Chocolate
-Cherry
-Caramel
-Anything you want, you can make a raspberry one very easy
oil to cook the dough

Cut the dough into little pieces (maybe 1 inch) and throw in your hot oil to make little baby doughnut holes. Cook until light brown. Put on a plate and drizzle your syrups of choice on top. That's all folks, easy and yummy!

Chicken Enchilada Spaghetti

Chicken Enchilada Spaghetti

serves 2-4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/2 pound of dry whole wheat spaghetti

1 10-ounce can of red enchilada sauce

3/4 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

cilantro for topping

Boil water for pasta and prepare pasta according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions, peppers, salt and pepper and let cook until vegetables are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, then stir in chicken, cumin, cayenne, paprika and chili powder, along with the can of enchilada sauce. Turn the heat down to low, drain the cooked pasta, then add pasta to the skillet too. Fold in cheese and mix thoroughly to combine. Toss with a set of kitchen tongs until everything is mixed, then serve with a bunch of fresh cilantro.

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili 

4 large chicken breasts, cooked
2 15 oz. cans white beans with juice
2 4 oz. cans diced green chilies
2 14 oz. cans chicken broth
2 15 oz. cans white corn with juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup minced dried onion (or real onion, sauteed)
4 fresh limes
corn or tortilla chips
sour cream
grated cheddar and monterrey jack cheese
 

In a large pot mix beans, chilies, broth, corn, garlic, onion and seasoning.  Shred the cooked chicken breasts and add to the pot.   Heat to a simmer on the stove. 

*Serve with cheese, fresh squeezed lime juice, sour cream and crushed chips on top. 

For the chicken, you can used a Rotisserie if you're short on time.  Otherwise, bake the chicken breasts in the oven or cook in a pan on the stove, then shred. 

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 6 Tablespoons honey
• 5 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 2 cups green enchilada sauce, divided
• 1 cup sour cream
• 8-10 flour tortillas
• 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the honey, lime juice, chili powder and garlic powder; toss with the shredded chicken and let marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Pour about ½ cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Fill each tortilla with about 2 Tablespoons of the chicken, a pinch of cheese, making sure to reserve about 1 cup of cheese later. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the sour cream, and any leftover marinade. Pour the sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on top.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Ingredients:
For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For the muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree (see Note)
1¼ cups vegetable oil

For the topping:
½ cup sugar
5 tablespoons flour
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Note: A standard sized can of pumpkin is 15 ounces, just shy of 2 cups (16 ounces). You could open another can if you want and freeze the extra or just use one can which is what I did. The amount is so little I don't think it makes a difference in the final product.

Directions:
To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours. The mixture will still be somewhat soft but firmer.

To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. I always get inpatient here and mix it together with my hands so that it looks like the texture of wet sand. I know you aren't supposed to do it this way but I'm impatient. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill until ready to use.

To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. You want to put the cream cheese lower than you think because it will rise a lot during the baking process. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving. I like them warm, cold, and room temperature.

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies 

Here's one of my fav healthy pumpkins cookie recipes. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 TBS butter  ( I use extra virgin coconut oil)
1 1/2 TBS unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar ( I used sucanat sugar)
1/4 cup honey ( I used agave nectar)
2 egg whites
1 TBS water
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup pureed pumpkin

 (For all of the spices I substituted for 1 TBS of pumpkin pie spice)

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350
2. Mix together butter, applesauce, brown sugar, honey, egg whites, and water.
3. Add in your dry ingredients, and then your oatmeal and pumpkin.
4. Spoon onto cookie sheet (sprayed with Pam) and bake for 12 minutes