Huevoes Ranchers

Let's start with a good homemade salsa.  Salsa is always better after it sits for a while.

None of these are exact but its what I used.  Alot of times I use mango too.
Roma tomotes
1 onion
1 bell pepper
2 avacados
2 jalopenos
3-4 cloves of garlic
fresh lime juice
cilantro
cumin and salt to taste

 Finely dice up the tomatoes

Dice up the bell pepper.  Cut off the ends and then remove seeds and membranes.  Cut into match sticks and the dice up.

Peel onion and cut in half.  Make cuts down the onion but leaving the end intact.  Then slice parallel to the counter. Finally cut down and you will end up with a fine dice

Take the jalapenos and cut off ends and remove seeds and membranes.  Cut into matches sticks and then cut cross to dice up.

Roughly chop up avocados.

Finely mince up the garlic.  I like a lot but you can do whatever you want.

Zest in about 2 tablespoons of lime zest. Add in seasoning to taste.  Let rest for a couple hours.  Drain off excess liquid.  You might need to adjust seasoning.  When ready to serve add lime juice to taste and cilantro.

Now for the assembly.  You need:
Salsa
corn tortilla
eggs
cilantro
feta
Mexican sour cream

Warm tortilla on a griddle. Then cook eggs how ever you like.  I poached one and fried one but you can scramble them. Then top top with salsa, feta, sour cream, cilantro.

French Onion Soup

My husband was less than excited about this dinner but then he said it wasn't too bad. Plus when you add bread and toasted cheese it makes anything better.  I made a half recipe since it was just the two of us.  It would feed about three people.  If you have more than that just double the recipe.

1 cup of white wine
2 onions
4 tablespoons of butter
2 cups of beef broth
1 teaspoon of chicken base
1 bagette
1 tablespoon of thyme or 1 teapoon of fresh thyme
3-4 cloves of garlic
4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
salt if needed

Finely dice up the onions.  I like small bites but you can just slice pole to pole too if you want bigger pieces. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan and add onions and cook until very tender about 10-15 minutes.

Place pan in a 400 degree oven with lid slight ajar and roast for an hour.  Stirring occasionally. When golden to brown in color add in a cup of wine and bring to a simmer on the stove

Zest in the garlic and add in thyme and Worcestershire sauce and broth. Bring to a simmer and then add the chicken base and 2 cups of water.  Then simmer for 45 minutes.

Slice up the baguette and place a double layer of Swiss cheese and place under the broiler until bubbly and golden brown.

Ladle the soup into a bowl and top with cheesy bread.

Green Chile Queso

This might be one of my new favorites.  I love green chiles so this only encourages that new obsession.

1 large can of green enchiladads sauce
2 pound of velveeta
1 small can of mild green chiles
1 onion
2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  They are spicy so you only want a little bit

Finely dice up the onion.  Melt a couple tablespoons of butter in a medium sauce pan and then cook until translucent.

Finely dice up the peppers so you don't get any big bites of pepper and add to onions.

Add in green chiles and enchilada sauce and bring to a simmer over medium low heat.

Slice up the velveeta and stir until cheese melts and is bubbly.

Then transfer to a crock pot or I used an electric fondue pot since I don't have a crock pot

Strombolie

This is basically a rolled up pizza. Just be sure you don't go to heavy on the toppings.

Pizza dough (I used homemade but store bought is fine too.
Tomato sauce
mozzerella cheese (I like whole milk but always be sure to grate cheese yourself.  It melts better since its not coated to keep from clumping together)
What ever pizza toppings you like.
1 egg beaten to bind seal together

Preheat oven to 400. Spread dough out into a rectangle and spread sauce on top.  You want enough sauce but probably a little less than you would want on a pizza.

Spread toppings onto sauce and then top with cheese.

 Roll us and brush seal with a beaten egg.  Bake at 400 for about 20ish minutes until slightly brown.  Then let rest for 10 min. This is very important so the cheese is not so runny.

Creamy Rosemary Potatoes

5 medium potatoes (I like red but you can use whatever kind you like)
1/2 cup of cream
1/2 cup of milk (or 1 cup of half and half)
4 tablespoons of butter
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 medium onion
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
Swiss cheese for topping
seasoning salt or salt and pepper to taste (a little red pepper flakes are good too)

Slice potatoes on a mandolin into a square baking dish.

Heat skillet on medium heat and add butter. Once the butter has melted add finely diced onion, and zest in garlic.  Cook until tender

Seasoning with a generous amount of seasoning salt and add chopped up rosemary. 

Add in milk and cream or half and half and cream cheese. Heat until bubbly.  Add some pepper and/or red pepper flakes if needed.  Add in 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and heat until bubbly again.

Pour cream sauce over potatoes and shake a little to get into all the holes and between all the potatoes. Bake for an hour at 350 or until potatoes are tender. You can top with cheese and place under the broiler for a min.  I didn't get around to it.

Thai Chicken Bites with Peanut Noodles

This might be our new favorite kind of chicken.  None of these need to be exact measurements.
Sweet chili sauce
chicken breasts
oil
1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup of flour
seasoning salt

Whisk together flour, panko, and seasoning salt.  Cut up chicken into bite size pieces and toss with flour.

Heat a layer of oil in a skillet on medium heat.  Once the pan is heated add the chicken and flip after a few minutes and golden brown on one side and then cook for a couple more minutes and brown on the other side.  Remove from heat and toss with sauce in pan.  It's not spicy so you can use quite a bit of the sauce.

Now on the noodles.  I used bottled peanut sauce but you can use your own. 
1 package of rice noodles
peanut suace
a few cilantro leaves
a lime
sesame seeds
bean sprouts and chopped peanuts would be great toppings too

Pour boiling and I mean boiling water not hot over noodles and let rest 5-10 min until tender and then drain.

Toss with peanut sauce to taste and top with fresh lime juice, sesame seeds and cilantro.

Mexican Chocolate Fondue

Super easy.  It takes less than 10 min.  Some of the flavors may seem odd but they add a nice flavor.

1/2 cup of chocolate chips
1/2 cup of cream
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of vanilla

Whisk cream with vanilla, and spices in a small sauce pan or fondue pot on a low heat.  Warm until it begins to bubble

Turn off heat and whisk in chocolate chips and let rest for 5 min. Then whisk together and turn heat back on low

 I diced up some soft pretzel and pound cake but you can use whatever.  Fruit is always good too.