Saturday, February 27, 2010

Kool-Aid Playdough


My mom made this with us when we where kids, This is a fun project for your kids!

Materials

* 1/2 cup salt
* 2 cups water
* Saucepan
* Food coloring, tempera powder, or Kool-Aid powder for color
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 cups sifted flour
* 2 tablespoons alum

Directions

1. Combine salt and water in saucepan and boil until salt dissolves.
2. Remove from heat and tint with food coloring, tempera powder, or Kool-Aid.
3. Add oil, flour, and alum.
4. Knead until smooth.
5. This dough will last 2 months or longer.

Add a

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos





1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

The ones pictured below are actually flour tortillas- which I found out I like just as well (maybe even better!) than corn ones.


Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing.

I forgot to write down how many this recipe makes, but I remember being happy that it made exactly the amount of tortillas I had and I think that was 16. I'll make sure to double check next time I make them!

Wanna make it a meal?
Serve with a side of Black Beans and a simple green salad with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing. Wash it down with some Brazilian Lemonade!This is one of my new favorite recipes, from ourbestbites.com

Santa Fe Chicken Fajita Soup!



1 pkg. (1.4 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Fajita Seasoning Mix
1/3 cup water
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 large red onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Fat Free Cream Cheese, cut into cubes
1 lb. (16 oz.) VELVEETA 2% Milk Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

COMBINE seasoning mix and water in medium bowl. Add chicken; toss to evenly coat. Refrigerate 30 min.
COOK garlic and cilantro in large nonstick saucepan sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 1 min. Stir in chicken mixture, onions and peppers; cook 10 min. or until chicken is done, stirring frequently.
ADD cream cheese, VELVEETA and broth; mix well. Cook on medium heat until cream cheese and VELVEETA are completely melted and chicken mixture is heated through, stirring occasionally.