Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas

 Appetizers, Holiday Leftovers, Holiday/Entertaining  Comments Off on Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas
Dec 302014
 
Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas
Recipe Type: Appetizer
[url href=”http://cookingqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/b3-200×300.jpg”][img src=”http://cookingqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/b3-200×300.jpg” width=”200″ height=”300″ class=”alignnone size-medium” title=”b3″][/url]
Ingredients
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs (about 4)
  • 16 ounces Beer (or chicken broth)
  • 2 cups Water
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 1 Jalapeno Pepper, minced
  • 3 cups Baby Spinach, chopped
  • 5 burrito-size Flour Tortillas (9 inches)
  • 6 ounces Queso Quesadilla or other melting cheese, shredded
  • 1 teaspoon Olive Oil, or cooking spray
  • Salsa, for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 450*F.
  2. Put the chicken thighs in a deep sided saute pan and cover with the beer and water.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred it.
  5. Mix together the chicken and seasonings.
  6. Pour out all but ¼ cup of the cooking liquid.
  7. Add the jalapeno and spinach and cook over low heat until for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.
  8. Cut the tortillas in half.
  9. Spoon 1/10th of the chicken (about 1 tablespoon) along the long edge of a tortilla.
  10. Repeat with the spinach and cheese.
  11. Roll the tortilla up, starting with the straight edge.
  12. Place seam-side down on an oiled baking sheet.
  13. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
  14. Brush the flautas with olive oil or spray with cooking spray.
  15. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake for until 10 minutes, or until crispy.
  16. Serve with salsa.

 

Pumpkin-Shrimp Bruschetta

 Appetizers, Easy Recipes, Entertaining Ideas And Tips, Holiday Leftovers  Comments Off on Pumpkin-Shrimp Bruschetta
Dec 302014
 
Pumpkin-Shrimp Bruschetta
Recipe Type: Appetizer
[url href=”http://cookingqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/b2-300×300.jpg”][img src=”http://cookingqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/b2-300×300.jpg” width=”300″ height=”300″ class=”alignnone size-medium” title=”b2″][/url]
Ingredients
  • 20 fresh or frozen jumbo shrimp in shells
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese, at room temperature (2 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 cup arugula
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds*
  • 1/4 cup bottled Italian vinaigrette salad dressing
  • 20 3/4-inch-thick slices baguette-style French bread
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved (optional)
Instructions
  1. Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact.
  2. Rinse shrimp.
  3. In a large skillet, cook shrimp in a large amount of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque.
  4. Drain well.
  5. Preheat broiler.
  6. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, goat cheese, lemon juice, and honey; set aside.
  7. In a large bowl, combine shrimp, arugula, onion, pumpkin seeds, and salad dressing; set aside.
  8. Brush both sides of baguette slices lightly with olive oil.
  9. Arrange on a large baking sheet.
  10. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat about 2 minutes or until toasted, turning bread over once.
  11. Spread pumpkin mixture on one side of toasted baguette slices.
  12. Top each with a shrimp and some of the arugula mixture.
  13. If desired, top each with shaved Parmesan cheese.
  14. Makes 20 appetizers

 

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

 Appetizers, Easy Recipes, Entertaining Ideas And Tips, Holiday Leftovers  Comments Off on Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Dec 302014
 
Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Recipe Type: Appetizer
[url href=”http://cookingqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/b1-300×199.jpg”][img src=”http://cookingqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/b1-300×199.jpg” width=”300″ height=”199″ class=”alignnone size-medium” title=”b1″][/url]
Ingredients
  • 2 (12 ounce) packages white button mushrooms, cap size doesn’t really matter
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
  • 1 (8 ounce) package sausage
  • 1/4 cup butter (melted, quite optional!)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
  2. Separate caps and stems while cleaning the mushrooms.
  3. If cleaning with water, let them drain for a bit.
  4. Start cooking the sausage in frying pan, at a medium to medium/high temperature.
  5. While the sausage is cooking, put the cream cheese into a mixing bowl so it can soften and mince the stem pieces.
  6. Spice the sausage to taste. Garlic is a good addition.
  7. Just before the sausage is done, add the stem pieces and finish cooking.
  8. Drain off the excess grease and add the sausage/stem mixture into the cream cheese.
  9. Mix together well using a wooden spoon or your hands. Be careful, as it will be rather hot.
  10. Set the caps into a 13×9 pan (or larger) with sides.
  11. Optional! Melt enough butter to just put a little in the bottom of each cap or just brush some over the top of each after they’re filled. You can put any extra butter in the bottom of the pan.
  12. Fill the caps with the cream cheese/sausage/stem mix.
  13. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan, just enough to cover the bottom.
  14. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the tops are crusty and the mushrooms have turned dark.
  15. Scoop them out of the pan with a slotted spoon and arrange them on a plate.
  16. Serve warm. They reheat well, so you can make them ahead of time.

 

Turkey and Cranberry Wreath a Recipe

 Appetizers, Easy Meals, Easy Recipes, Entrée, Holiday Leftovers, Poultry, Turkey  393 Responses »
Nov 202011
 

Here is another way to use up those holiday leftovers. You can even entertain guests with this one and they will be impressed every time. I promise.

Ingredients:

  • 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
  • 2 cups chopped cooked turkey
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded swiss cheese
  • 1/2 cup sliced celery
  • 1green onion, sliced thin (optional)
  • 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
  • 3 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons honey dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375*F.
  2. In bowl, combine turkey, 1 cup of the cheese, celery, green onion if using, cranberries, parsley, mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper. Mix well. Set aside.
  3. Unroll the 2 packages of crescent rolls; separate into 16 triangles in a circle on a large pizza pan or stone with wide ends 3 inches from the edge of pizza pan and points towards the outside. Points will extend off the edge of the pan(depending on size). Arrange the remaining triangles in the center of the pan, matching wide ends with triangles already in placed. The points will overlap in center.
  4. Using small rolling pin(or small round jar or drinking glass), roll over seams of triangles where wide ends meet, making a smooth surface for filling. Don’t seal center triangles.
  5. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop filling evenly over the dough in a continuous circle.
  6. Beginning with the last triangle placed in center of pizza pan, bring point of triangle straight across filling. Next, bring point of the opposite outside triangle diagonally across filling, covering point of previous triangle. The filling will show.
  7. Repeat, overlapping points of inside and outside triangles to form a wreath. Tuck the last end under first.
  8. Brush top of wreath with egg white.
  9. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
  10. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Turkey Cranberry Wreath

Sweet Potato Turkey Pie Casserole

 Easy Meals, Holiday Leftovers, Potatoes, Turkey  408 Responses »
Nov 202011
 

 

Here is a great way to use up those left-overs. Everyone is going to have different leftovers so how you follow the recipe depends on what you have left. It is quite simple – Make a sweet potato crust and mix chunks of turkey with your green bean casserole and then spread it over the sweet potato crust and top with the fried onions. It may not be gourmet but it will satisfy your family especially the kids!

CQ- TurkSweetpotpie

Ingredients 1 Can (24 ounces) sweet potatoes, drained

2 Tablespoons margarine, melted

1/4 Teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Vegetable cooking spray 2 Cups COOKED TURKEY, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 Can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat and reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup 1 Package (9 ounces) frozen French-style green beans, thawed and well drained

1 Can (2 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained

1/2 Teaspoon each salt and pepper

2 Tablespoons canned fried onion rings, crushed

1 Can (8 ounces) cranberry sauce, optional

  1. In medium bowl blend sweet potatoes, margarine and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. In 9-inch pie plate, lightly sprayed with vegetable cooking spray, line plate with potato mixture to form a pie shell; set aside.
  2. In medium bowl combine turkey, soup, beans, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Pour mixture into prepared shell. Sprinkle onions over top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until hot. Serve with cranberry sauce, if desired.