Avocado Corn Salad

 

I have really been trying to make a push for healthier meals. I am always good about proteins each night because my family likes having the protein. The veggies though are a harder sell. So, I try to find things that I think are so tasty that I could eat them all by myself.

 

 

Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t try to get them to eat their veggies, I just keep it simple with things like steamed veggies. I also take stuff over to dinner with my parents; they are also interested in upping their veggies and are happy to test recipes out for me.

 

 

That said, this recipe is actually one my mom introduced me to. It was made for her by my sister-in-law and we all agree it’s delicious! It goes with so many different proteins. It adds color to your plate, flavor to your dish, and enjoyment to your meal.

 

 

Now, I’ve been referring to this as a side, but I will say, it is not hard to turn this into a meal. You can add shredded chicken to it, fresh sliced ham or shredded pork, or even rinsed chickpeas to keep it vegetarian while adding your protein.

 

 

This is definitely a salad worth trying. You will not want to stop eating, and you will feel so good the next day after eat this.

 

 

Avocado Corn Salad

 

2 c frozen sweet corn, thawed

2 15oz cans black beans, rinsed

1 large or 2 medium roma tomatoes chopped (or 1 c sliced cherub tomatoes)

1 avocado chopped

¼ of a large red onion, diced

1/3 c cilantro, chopped

1-2 limes, juiced

1 tsp salt

 

 

 

 

 

Simply mix everything together and serve, This can be made ahead of time, and is still good the next day. The lime juice helps prevent the avocado from browning, but only for a day or so. 

Sweet Corn Tamales (Pastel de Elote)

 

Tamales have always been such a staple in our annual meals. We especially enjoy them around the holidays for Christmas Eve. For some reason though, I never thought of trying to learn how to make them myself.

 

 

My mom and I had a tradition for years that we’d go to the local quilt show downtown and have lunch at an amazing local Mexican restaurant. As with many amazing places, they closed during the covid pandemic and decided to retire and not re-open afterwards. It was such a bummer!

 

 

There was a particular dish they called Pastel de Elote. It consisted of a delicious corn tamale with an amazing sauce over it. Whether it was a pineapple sauce, a bean sauce, or a cheese sauce, it was always a perfect part of a meal.

 

 

I needed to figure out how to re-create it. I began experimenting with tamale pie and sweet tamalitos but none of them were quite there. Meanwhile I started practicing making my own tamales, and I figured it was worth trying a sweet corn filling. Oh man!! That hit the mark! I had  finally found it! It was just a matter of practicing and perfecting my technique.

 

 

One of the nice things about this recipe is that you can use canned corn, frozen corn thawed, or fresh corn. It all works, and it all tastes good! It will come down to personal preferences and what you can available to you at the time.

 

 

I don’t fill mine. I like to cover them in sauce instead. You could add a filling though (think sautéed veggie mix, mmm…), and then use a sauce you’d like to use to finish it. It’s totally up to you. It shouldn’t impact your cook time.

 

 

Sweet Corn Tamales

 

 

24 corn husks, soaked and patted dry

5 (15 oz) can sweet kernel corn, drained and rinsed (about 6 1/3 cups)

2 c masa harina (I use Maseca and Maseca Tamal)

¾ c plus 2 Tbs granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2/3 c canola oil

 

 

 

 

 

Make sure to soak your corn husks beforehand. Place them in a large bowl and cover them completely with boiling water. Let them soak for about an hour. Right before you’re ready to use them, pull them out and pat them dry with towels.

In a blender, add the corn and blend until it’s a medium to finely ground. It doesn’t need to be completely smooth, but there shouldn’t be any whole kernels visible. Meanwhile, in a mixer bowl combine the masa harina, sugar, baking powder, and salt and blend together. Add the oil and mix together. The dough should feel a bit crumbly, almost like wet sand. If you press it into a ball, it should hold its shape. Finally. Add the corn from the blender and mix just until incorporated.

Grab a corn husk and identify which is the smooth side and which is the rough side. Place the smooth side up and add about ¼ - ½ cup of filling to the husk so that it’s smoothed out from about half way up the husk.

Fold the husk in on the sides, and then fold the top down to create a pocket. Place in a bowl with the open edge facing up and continue with the rest of the husks in the same manner.

Once all the tamales are ready, heat a steaming pot and line the bottom with corn husks. Place the tamales into the steamer. Make sure the open ends are all facing up when arranging them and cover them with more corn husks. Place the lid snuggly on top and allow them to steam for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes.

Once they’re soft and baked through, place them on a platter to cool for about 10 minutes.  Serve with your fave sauce. I love covering these in my black bean puree or my baja sauce. AMAZING!

 

*You can freeze these. I like to make packs of 6-8 for future meals. I’ll freeze them and then when we’re ready to have them, I thaw them for a couple hours and then steam to warm them the same way they’re cooked initially, except a much shorter time. Maybe only 15 minutes or so, just until they’re warmed through. 

Spanish Rice in the Instant Pot

I’m not going to lie, I am not good at making rice. I burn it all the time, and it’s become comical over the years. I’m not a huge fan of rice so it’s not really been a big deal, but my husband likes rice a lot and my daughter does too. I decided it was time to up my game.

 

 

I got my instant pot a few years ago and some of the first things I did with it was rice. It helped me build my confidence branch out and try some more complex stuff. After a few stove top fails (again), I decided to try some different things in the instant pot.

 

 

Success! I could add some flavors to the instant pot and get some great results. After playing with that a bit, my sister introduced me to a stove top Spanish rice that was awesome. My family loved it, but it was stove top and I wasn’t sure. So I decided to adapt it to the instant pot.

 

 

Works amazing! The rice is nice and fluffy and flavorful. I can set it up and let it go and not worry about it. Yummy Spanish rice ready for our Mexican meal. The leftovers are dreamy too. They heat up well and stay fluffy and flavorful.

 

Spanish Rice in the Instant Pot

 

 

2 Tbs EVOO

2 c long-grain rice (I use a mix of jasmine and long grain white rice)

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp chicken bouillon

¼ tsp cumin and cayenne pepper

1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce (my fave is la Mexicana)

1 ¼ c water

1 tsp salt

 

 

 

 

In the instant pot, turn on the sauté function. Once it’s warmed, add the oil and once heated add the rice. Allow the rice to cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally so none of it burns. Once it is a nice light brown, add the garlic and give it one more minute. Then add the spices and the tomato sauce. Mix that together and add the water and the salt. Turn off the sauté function and put the lid on the pot. Make sure the steam valve is closed and turn on the pressure cook, setting it to 4 minutes. When the cook is complete, let the instant pot natural release for at least 15 minutes, after that you can quick release the steam that’s left, being careful not to burn yourself. Remove the lid when it’s done and give the rice a fluffing with a fork, and it’s ready to serve.

 

*You can make this on the stove top as well. Prepare the rice the same way with oil in a sauté pan. Add the garlic, and then add the spices and the tomato sauce. Finally add 4 cups water, 2 tsp bouillon, and salt and give it all one more stir. Place a lid on your sauté pan and allow the rice to simmer for about 20-30 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed. Use a fork to fluff the rice and you’re ready to serve.

 

A New Quilt for my Son

 

While I was in the deep lockdown of covid, I was able to complete a ton of projects! It was an amazing feeling to be able to get so much done, and a little shocking how many projects I had backed up. One of the projects I had was a sailors quilt kit. I decided to use the fabric from the quilt to create a completely different project and my son loved it! He immediately claimed it as his own and it disappeared to his room.

 

 

Fast forward a few years and several inches of growth and that quilt is no longer long enough. He asked for a new one and had no special requests. I was stumped on what to make.

 

 

And then, I got a package from a dear quilter friend that included a set of fabric with cactus on it. It has tones of greens and browns; perfect for my son. It’s like she knew just what to send. I found a perfect pattern that is reminiscent of a Navajo blanket pattern, and got to work. 

 

 

 The only thing I needed to add was a background fabric. I found a nice mossy green that matched most of the fabrics and added enough contrast to see the blocks without being to light or dark.

 

 

After completing the blocks, I decided to add sashing with rust-colored cornerstones that add a nice pop of color and continue to pull the different colors together. My sons fave green in this quilt is the dark teal so I used that in the borders along with a striped fabric that was in the collection. I wanted to make sure the quilt was big enough so I added more in the length than the width.

 

 

For the backing, I decided to use up the rest of the fabrics I had in the set and did a patchwork. It’s kind of a nice, random backing that complements the front well.

 

 

I was a little stumped on the quilting. I decided to do a long, stretched out meander in the block patterns, and then a regular meander everywhere else except the rust-colored cornerstones. Those I left without any quilting, adding to the texture of the quilt.

 

 

Finally, the binding was the last of the pebble fabric, and of course my tag reminding me what year I made this. 

 

 

Hopefully this one will last a little longer. He was so happy to have a new quilt, he immediately snagged it out of the dryer before I could take pictures of it. I had to go back to get it to be able to post about. Being the first official finish of 2025, I didn’t want to miss out on sharing this one. 

 

Civil War Stars Quilt

 

After finishing my flags quilt, I had some scraps left and I really wanted to use them in one more lap quilt. I wasn’t sure what to do though, and decided to just sew the pieces together so that I wouldn’t have anymore leftover scraps. Mission accomplished.

 

 

I really only had blue and red left, which worked perfect for compiling a patriotic look. Once all the stars blocks were ready, I had to think about layout. I still had a little fabric left and decided they’d make great accents in the sashing. I was all out of print whites so I kept it simple with regular white. I kind of like how it makes the stars pop even a little bit better.

 

 

Layout for the quilt wasn’t too challenging when there’s only two colors to work with. Fortunately, I had enough of each to make it work. I was able to trim the blocks along the side and in the corners to make it work. 

 

 

I added a white border to isolate the stars and then added a red border to really frame the whole thing. 

 

 

The backing was a collection of civil war reproduction fabrics that I wanted to use up.

 

 

For the quilting, I decided to practice some of my pattern quilting. I was able to practice making my feathers free-hand, which was a lot of fun and I really felt came out well. I finished the quilting with a nice meander in the sashing and borders.

 

 

The binding was the last of the civil war fabrics I had and it worked perfect. I added the label and hand stitched my binding.

 

 

 

 

 

This was a fun finish that allowed me to finish up some fabrics I’ve had kicking around and practice some techniques that I want to improve. This was my last finish for 2024 too. Now it’s time to move on to 2025!

Chicken Frickassee

 

I always joke in our house that we’re going to have fricassee for dinner. I think it’s just a fun word to say, and it gets a lot of quizzical looks.

 

One night I said it and my daughter asked what that was. Hmm… let’s look it up and see. It was an interesting little lesson in the wording of foods we eat.

 

 

We found that Fricassee is very similar to Couq a vin, or chicken in a white wine sauce. Of course, that takes much longer to cook as it needs to braise the wine off, leaving the flavors behind.

 

 

It’s also very similar to Chicken Marsala, which is a recipe we make often in our house. When I described that, we realized it’s probably something we would enjoy trying out.

 

 

This was a lot of fun to explore with my kids. Recipes like this allow you to use veggies you’d like to use, and omit ones you’re not as much a fan of. We serve it with rice, but it would also go great with noodles or a potato mash. It keeps everyone happy with a sauce and a starch to soak up all the yumminess.

 

 

Chicken Fricassee

 

8 pieces chicken; boneless, skinless (thighs are best, but breast works too)

2 Tbs EVOO

1 tsp salt

 ½ tsp pepper

1 Tbs butter

½ medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

8 oz mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

2 Tbs flour

½ c white wine

1 ½ c chicken stock

½ c heavy cream

 

 

Heat a deep cast iron skillet (I use my le creuset for this) to high heat. Pat the chicken pieces dry and add salt and pepper for seasoning. Add some oil to the skillet and sear the pieces of chicken in batches, so as not to overcrowd the pan. Between each batch allow the pan to heat back up and add a bit more oil. Once all of the chicken has been seared, set aside and heat the pan to a medium heat. Add the butter and the onion and brown it without over cooking, maybe a couple minutes. Add the mushrooms and carrots and allow them to soften a bit. Next add the garlic and thyme and cook for just another minute. Finally add the flour and cook it into the mix, making sure it’s all incorporated and becomes a bit of a brown with the butter.

 

Now it’s time to add the wine. Add it slowly and use it to clean the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the wine to cook off, it should be half the amount of liquid, about 3-5 minutes. Now add the pieces of chicken and the chicken stock and bring it to a boil with the lid on. Reduce the temperature and allow it to simmer for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced a bit. To finish it off, add the heavy cream and turn the heat up a bit to allow it to simmer for a few minutes. Serve with rice, noodles, or potatoes.

Roasted Onion Chicken on a Sheet Pan

 

When we were first starting out, we had a limited understanding of cooking, and an even more limited budget for food. We kept things simple but tasty, and as our budget grew, so did the foods we tried and the way we prepared it.

 

 

This is one of the meals that has endured. It stands the test of time for flavor, ease in prep, and the way it can please everyone at the table. I’ve served this meal more times than I can remember, from large groups of 12-15 all the way to food prep for 2.

 

One of the nice things about this meal is the flexibility in prep while keeping things healthy. I have used everything from carrots, sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, whole baby potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini (yellow, Mexican, any variety), celery, mushrooms, and asparagus. The key is to cut everything to relatively the same size. You can use larger pieces of chicken, but I have found the thin cut and strip cuts work the best to keep everything cooking at the same rate.

 

 

This meal will please even the picky eaters, and keep everyone happy at the table. There’s a reason this meal has endured the test of time, and it is something that will continue to appear in our regular rotation.

 

 

Roasted Onion Chicken on a Sheet Pan

 

 

1 ½ lbs chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

4-5 medium potatoes, any variety, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces

2 c baby carrots

1 zucchini, chopped into bite size pieces

2 packet dry onion soup mix

½ c EVOO, divided

½ tsp garlic powder, divided

 

 

 

 

 

Heat your oven to 400. Line a jelly roll or sheet pan with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray to help keep food from sticking. Set aside as you prepare all the components.

 

In a bowl with a lid, add ¼ c of the EVOO, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and one packet of onion soup mix. Place all the veggies that you’ve prepped into the bowl and secure the lid. Toss the contents to ensure good marinade distribution, and then pour it all onto the prepared cooking tray. I usually divide the veggies so my picky eaters can easily get what they want and not waste anything.

 

In the same bowl, add the other ¼ c oil, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and packet of onion soup mix. Mix together and add the chicken pieces. Secure the lid on top and toss to distribute the marinade. Once mixed, remove the lid and pour the chicken and marinade onto the tray. I usually place it down the middle which helps keep the chicken soft and juicy.

 

Place the tray in the oven and cook for about 30-35 minutes, checking the chicken for doneness. Veggies should be soft and the chicken should be cooked through. When done, remove the tray from the oven and allow it to cool for a minute before serving. No sides, necessary; everything you need is on this tray. Serve and enjoy!

Air Fryer Herbed Salmon

 

I have been trying to find more uses for my air fryer lately. So far we have used it a TON for reheating leftovers like pizza and chimichangas to help preserve the crunchy texture you look for with those foods. I’ve also used it for making “sautéed” veggies without as much oil to try and keep it a bit healthier. But as far as meals go, I haven’t had too much experience.

 

 

As we move into summer heat, I’m also looking for ways to cook without heating up the kitchen with the oven for long periods of time. The air fryer is great for that as it cooks faster and doesn’t require as long a preheat time as the full oven does. It also cools down faster than a conventional oven, so it’s a win all around.

 

 

I’ve also found that my kids enjoy fish if I keep the flavors mild and savory, and this meal hits the spot. The salmon is so moist and the herbs create a nice balance of savoriness. It cooks as quickly as the pasta I serve with it, and the kids are happy to eat it all up. This is a great weeknight meal that comes together in about 20 minutes. Leftovers taste great in a salad for lunch the next day too. Who wouldn’t love this meal.

 

 

Air Fryer Herbed Salmon

 

 

4 pieces of salmon, about 4-6 ounces each

2 Tbs EVOO

2 Tbs lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

2 tsp garlic and herb seasoning

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a small bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, seasonings, salt and pepper. Place the salmon on a plate and pat it dry. Use a basting brush to cover the fish pieces, reserving some (about 1/3) for after the cook.

 

Preheat the air fryer at 400. Once ready, place your salmon pieces on the tray, skin side down (if you’re using pieces with skin). Cook at 400 for 8-12 minutes, an internal temperature of about 145. The amount of time needed will depend on how thick your salmon pieces are and what level of doneness you like your salmon to be.

 

Once done cooking, pull your salmon out onto a plate and allow them to rest for a minute. Brush a bit more of the marinade on each of the salmon pieces and you’re ready to serve.

Summer Salsa Fresca

 

I don’t know about you, but I am constantly trying to find a jarred salsa that I like. So far, not so much. So, instead of continuing to try and find someone else’s salsa, I decided it was time to make my own.

 

 

I use salsa for all sorts of things. I LOVE chips and salsa. I can’t get enough of it, and always ruin my appetite at the restaurant eating too many chips and salsa (don’t worry, it just means more meals at home with leftovers).

 

 

I also use salsa in cottage cheese to get a protein packed snack in the afternoon. It’s perfect with chopped peppers as your vessels to keep it extra healthy. You can also add it to slow cooker recipes to add some kick and flavor.

 

 

When I’m making salsa, I’m looking for something that has smaller chunks and consistently sized bites. I also want something with a little heat that hits at different points when you eat it. The lime juice balances out the sweet from the tomato and the onion with the heat from the peppers.

 

 

All together, this just hits the mark on a warm summer day! Cold and refreshing, it’s great as an appetizer, as a snack, and as part of a main dish. This is a winner every time! And the best part is that it is quick to put together. You can have this done in a pinch and be ready for some wonderful food.

 

 

Summer Salsa Fresca

 

3 Roma Tomatoes

1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes

½ yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic clove

2 jalepenos, chopped

2 serrano peppers, chopped

1/3 c cilantro, chopped

1 tsp salt (more to taste)

1-2 limes, juiced

 

 

 

 

Place all the ingredients into the blender, saving the diced tomatoes and lime juice for last. Run the blender on low to create a fine chop. Only a couple of seconds. Check for dicing, salt and lime juice. Return the lid and pulse a couple more times. Pour the salsa into a container and set in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving.  

 

 

Saucy Instant Pot Beef and Noodles

 

You know those nights when you really want some classic, old school comfort food? I’m talkin’… things mom used to make on a busy weeknight that was husband-pleasin’ while also appealing to picky children? If you’ve ever had that kind of night, this is the recipe for you. 

 

 

I was looking for something I could make for the kiddos for dinner that was fast and tasty. I also wanted something that was familiar; a meal that was something we could identify as a regular meal to add to our rotation.

 

 

 

I’ve been making a real push to master my instant pot so that it really can make my cooking quicker, easier, and still super yummy and flavorful. This recipe was originally a slow cooker recipe that I decided to convert to a pressure cooker recipe so it would be fast.

 

 

 

It hit all the marks! The kiddos loved it, it was fast and easy, and it was the whole meal in a pot. It’s really flexible too. You can use whatever pasta you have in your pantry, and you can also mix up what meat you use. I used diced beef, but ground beef would work, as well as larger chunks of stew meat. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken or diced turkey or chicken. So many possibilities. If you’re using turkey or chicken, I would recommend using chicken broth instead of beef broth. Otherwise, it works nicely as a kitchen catch-all making it even friendlier than ever.

 

 

Serve with some delicious green beans, broccoli, carrots, or asparagus. You can also add some fresh mushrooms to the sauce, making it even healthier and more hearty.

 

Saucy Beef and Noodles

 

1 lb beef stew meat (I like the diced beef, but larger cut stew meat will work too)

1 small onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1c beef broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp dried basil, dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

8 oz penne pasta (or your favorite pasta shape)

1 c shredded parmesan cheese

 

 

 

 

Turn the Instant Pot to “saute” and allow it to heat up. Pat the meat dry and season it with salt and pepper. Sear the meat in 2 or 3 batches, placing each batch in a bowl as it finishes searing. Once the meat is ready, saute the onion for a couple of minutes in the pot. Once it starts to get some color, add the garlic and cook for just a minute.

Once the onion and garlic are ready, turn off the instant pot and slowly add the beef broth, and scrape the bottom of the pot to clean it while pouring. Next, add the soup, heavy cream, basil and oregano, and mix with the broth. Add the meat and mix everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste at this point and adjust as needed.

 

Pour the pasta on top of the mix and gently push it into the sauce without mixing it together; DO NOT STIR. You want the pasta to stay near the top for the best cook. Put the lid on and secure it, and make sure the pressure valve is turned for pressure. For pressure cook time, you need to take the number of minutes the pasta package recommends for cooking, divide it in half and subtract 2 more minutes. For example, if the package says 10 minutes, you will cook for 3 minutes.

 

Set your cook time on high pressure, and once it’s done let it naturally release for 10 minutes before doing a quick release. Remove the lid and stir everything, making sure your pasta is cooked to your liking. Add the parmesan cheese, and your meal is ready to serve.

 

Slow Cooker Instructions:

In the cooker add the soup, broth, heavy cream, basil, and oregano and mix it together. Place the meat, onion, and garlic in the mix and give it a stir.  Put the lid on and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours; until the beef is tender.

About 30 minutes before serving, cook the pasta to package directions to el dente on the stovetop and drain. Add it to the slow cooker along with the cheese and allow it to cook for another 15 minutes to let the sauce infuse the pasta. Now it’s ready to serve. 

 

*Adapted from this recipe on Then and Now Recipes