Adventure #11: Breakfast Pizza

Merry Christmas! There's nothing better on Christmas than waking up to presents under the tree and stockings filled with goodies. Then, when the presents are all unwrapped, it's breakfast time! Making a special Christmas breakfast or brunch is a tradition that everyone can enjoy. Try this delicious breakfast pizza the next time you want something special in the morning. Enjoy!

By folding the pizza over before baking, you can transform it into a delicious calzone!

Breakfast Pizza (or Calzone)

Ingredients:

• For the pizza dough (courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book):
• 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Toppings:
• 3-5 slices bacon, chopped and cooked
• 3-4 large eggs, fried and cut into pieces
• 1 roma tomato, sliced
• 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Procedure:

1. For the dough (I used a Kitchenaid to mix the dough, which significantly reduced the kneading time and the strain on my hands. haha):
1. In a large mixing bowl combine 1 1/4 cups of the flour, the yeast, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; add warm water and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Divide dough in half. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Form dough into a 12-14 inch pizza and top with the ingredients above. I find it helpful to use a pizza peel (aka paddle) to aid in transferring the pizza into the oven. I also like using a pizza stone, which helps the dough to cook evenly and crisp nicely. When using a pizza peel, dust it with a small amount of cornmeal to prevent the dough from sticking to it and also to add a little extra crunch to the crust.
3. Bake pizzas 5-7 minutes in at least a 450 degree oven. (The higher the temperature, the more crispy the pizzas will be and the shorter it will take to cook. However, if your pizza dough is not stretched very thinly, it may not cook all the way to the center. If you formed each half of the dough into a 12-14 inch pizza, you shouldn't have any trouble though.)
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
5. Enjoy!

Mini-Adventure #4: Simple Bruschetta

Nearly every time I go to a grocery store, I walk past the "Manager's Specials" in the bakery, thinking that I should buy something. I want to get a great price on some baked goods, but then I realize that I probably wouldn't be able to use the baked goods before they begin to grow. However, I did buy some today because I knew that I would be able to use it today, before the bread would mold. I hope that you enjoy this simple bruschetta (just a fancy italian word for toast)!

Simple Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• Old Bread (any kind will do, but if you want it to be a little fancier, use a quality loaf like a skinny french baguette)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Italian Seasoning
• Parmesan Cheese
• 2 roma tomatoes
• 1/4 of an onion
• fresh (1-2 Tablespoons) or dried (1-2 teaspoons) basil (fresh is better for a fancier bruschetta)
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Slice the bread on the bias (at an angle) to make 1/4 inch thick toast slices. Arrange the slices on a cookie sheet.
2. Brush a small amount of olive oil onto each slice of bread and sprinkle with italian seasoning.
3. Broil on hi until crispy and golden brown (the edges will be a little darker, but try not to burn them to badly).
4. Flip each slice and brush the opposite side with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Return the cookie sheet to the broiler and toast until crispy.
5. As the bread slices cool, prepare a simple bruschetta topping by combining finely diced tomato, finely diced onion, basil, 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
6. Bruschetta make great appetizers or hors d'ouevres for any occasion. To serve, arrange the toast slices around the topping in a bowl. Allow each guest to spoon the topping onto their toasts to prevent them from becoming soggy too early.
7. Enjoy!

Adventure #10: Sausage Gravy Breakfast Burritos

It's no secret that my favorite meal of the day is breakfast. I love breakfast foods! From omelets to breakfast skillets, I can't get enough of eggs, bacon, and hash browns. This morning, I got to thinking and asked myself, "Why not combine two of my favorite breakfast foods into one?" And the Sausage Gravy Breakfast Burrito was born! A perfect combination of the best parts of biscuits and gravy and the classic breakfast burrito. Enjoy!

Sausage Gravy Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients:

• Tortillas
• 1 lb pork sausage
• 8 large eggs
• 1 cup southern style hash browns (the little frozen cubed potatoes)
• 1 package country gravy, prepared
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Procedure:

1. Brown sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. In a separate skillet, cook hash browns in butter until golden brown. Add to browned sausage.
3. Scramble eggs in the skillet used for hash browns until cooked. (I don't really care what skillet you use, but I'm just trying to save you some hassle when it comes to washing dishes. Also be sure to season the eggs as you cook them so that they aren't bland.) When the eggs are cooked, add them to the sausage/hash brown mix and stir together.
4. Pour gravy over the sausage/hash brown/egg mixture and stir together. (You can also add the cheese here so that it begins to melt in with the burrito filling.)
5. Spoon some of the delicious filling into a tortilla and roll it up, folding in the ends so that the filling doesn't squeeze out.
6. Place rolled-up burrito into a hot skillet to crisp up the exterior a little before serving. (If you don't like your burritos crispy, skip this step.)
7. Serve with a tall glass of milk or your favorite juice.
8. Enjoy!

Adventure #9: Chicken Milanesa

One of the best foods that I enjoyed while serving as a missionary in Argentina was Milanesa! These delicious chicken or beef fritters are sold everywhere in Argentina in the form of sandwiches, milanesa napolitana (with tomato sauce and cheese melted on top), or with just a lemon wedge. Milanesas are simply breaded and fried in oil. Try out this recipe and you will surely enjoy!

Chicken Milanesa

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2-4 Tablespoons olive oil

Procedure:

1. Cut chicken breast into two thin pieces. (This is pretty much "butterflying" the chicken breast and cutting all the way through so that you have two pieces.)
2. Coat the chicken pieces with the seasoned flour and then dip in the beaten egg. Finally, coat the chicken pieces in the breadcrumbs to finish the breading. (It helps to have a three-bowl system here: one for the flour, one for the egg, and one for the breadcrumbs.)
3. Pour olive oil into a skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to heat up to a good frying temperature. (You can tell that it is a good temperature when a small drop of water causes the oil to sizzle.)
4. When the oil is hot enough, gently place the milanesas in the pan and cook until golden brown on each side. It should take approximately 1-2 minutes per side, but check often to prevent burning.
5. Drain oil from milanesas when done by placing them on a clean paper towel.
6. Serve with pasta; on a sandwich with ham, cheese, a fried egg, lettuce, and tomato; with mashed potatoes, or with your favorite side.
7. Enjoy!

Adventure #8: Gourmet Asian Stir Fry

You don't have to have a lot of time to cook to make gourmet food. With just a few quality ingredients, and a little bit of innovation, you can make something delicious in under 30 minutes. Tonight, I made and ate this tasty asian stir fry in less than an hour. Try it out and you will enjoy it!

Gourmet Asian Stir Fry (in under 30 minutes)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• salt
• 2 Tablespoons Private Selection Signature Asian Rub (Available at King Soopers)
• You can also make your own rub by mixing the following ingredients:
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon sweet pepper flakes
• 3/4 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 Tablespoon green chile pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 cup frozen stir fry vegetables
• 1-2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Procedure:

1. Season whole chicken breast with salt and the Asian rub. Sear the chicken breast over medium-high heat in a lightly oiled skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side (or until browned). The chicken probably won't be cooked all the way through. Slice the chicken breast into strips and return to skillet.
2. Add stir fry vegetables and soy sauce to pan and cook, stirring regularly until the vegetables are cooked through.
3. To form the rice tower shown in the picture, pack rice into a 1 cup measuring cup or other smooth sided cup that can be used as a form. Invert the cup onto the serving plate and gently tap on cup until the rice comes free (a plastic or metal cup would probably work best). 
4. Arrange half of the stir fry mixture around the base of the rice and pour a small amount of the sauce formed in the pan onto the top.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the second serving.
6. Enjoy!

Adventure #7: Pumpkin Pie Crepes

It's the day after the day after Thanksgiving and I haven't eaten any pumpkin pie yet. What can I do to put a new spin on this holiday favorite? How about some crepes . . . filled with pumpkin pie? Yes, please! Try it out and you will enjoy it!

Pumpkin Pie Crepes

Ingredients:

• For custard filling (courtesy of Taste of Home):
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• chopped pecans (my addition, sprinkle into crepe during assembly)
• For crepes (courtesy of Alton Brown):
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• Butter, for coating the pan
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (my addition)
• For whipped cream topping:
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (approximately) white sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Procedure:

1. Begin by mixing the ingredients for the custard filling in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the filling thickens slightly (it won't get as thick as actual pumpkin pie, but with an extra egg, it might get a little thicker than it did when I made it). When cooked, remove from heat and set it aside to prepare the remaining components of the dish.
2. Mix all of the ingredients for the crepes in a blender until no lumps remain. (Be sure to include both the milk and the water, or the batter will be too thick and will taste a lot like flour. Don't ask me how I know.) Cook crepes by ladling out a small amount of batter into a hot buttered skillet and spreading by tilting the skillet to spread the batter. Each crepe should only take about 20 seconds to cook. As each one is cooked, slide them out of the pan (a nonstick skillet works best) onto a plate with the other crepes.
3. Mix all of the ingredients for the whipped cream topping using a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. (It might take a little while and there might still be a few little chunks of cream cheese mixed in, but it tastes amazing!)
4. Assemble each crepe by spooning some of the custard into a crepe and sprinkling some chopped pecans onto the custard filling. Fold the sides of the crepe over to form a finished roll (be sure to assemble on the plate you are serving the crepes on. They will fall apart if you try to move them!). A good sized serving is two crepes per person (this recipe should make plenty for a family of five).
5. Pipe whipped topping onto the plated crepes and garnish with a pecan half and a sprig of mint. (To pipe the cream, I just used a plastic bag with the corner cut off.)
6. Serve with bacon and eggs or your favorite breakfast proteins. :)
7. Enjoy!

Adventure #6: Biscuit-topped Chicken Pot Pie

What to make with a can of chicken? I was too lazy to take any meat out of the freezer to make something delicious, but luckily, I did have a can of chicken that I could transform into an amazing culinary adventure in under 30 minutes. Try it out and you will enjoy it!

Biscuit-topped Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 large can of chicken (if you aren't as lazy as I was, you can used a cooked, chopped chicken breast)
• 1/2 cup mirepoix (that's a fancy french word meaning a mix of diced carrots, onions, and celery. I used a frozen mix that I found at King Soopers, which made it super quick to cook)
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 Tablespoons flour (to thicken the stew part)
• 1 cup chicken broth (I used chicken bouillon) or stock (if you are feeling fancy)
• 1/2 cup green beans or green peas (you have to have something green in there, besides the celery that is)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 cups biscuit mix (aka Bisquick)
• enough water to make a wet biscuit dough

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Saute mirepoix and garlic in oil until tender (use a small saucepan to make a 2 serving meal).
3. Add flour and toast lightly in oil to bring out the flavor (it will turn into a golden brown paste in the bottom of the pan mixed with the veggies).
4. Add broth to pan while stirring to incorporate veggies and flour mixture. The broth will thicken. Add chicken to the pan with green beans or peas. The stew portion of the pot pie is complete.
5. To make biscuit top, mix Bisquick with water until a wet dough forms (you should use a fork to break up any lumps. The dough will also be very sticky).
6. Evenly spoon dough onto top of stew mixture in pan, covering as much of the stew as possible.
7. Bake entire pan until the biscuit top is golden brown, 10-15 minutes (be sure to use a saucepan with an oven-safe handle!)
8. Scoop out individual portions and serve! (if it turns out like mine, you will have plenty of biscuit on top to serve the top-most part with honey as a dessert afterwards)
9. Enjoy!

Adventure #5: Simple Breakfast Hash

It has been a while since I posted a delectable culinary adventure. I guess that a busy life limits the number of adventures in said life. Nevertheless, I did have a delicious breakfast yesterday which I would like to share. It was incredibly simple and can be easily adjusted to fit your tastes in breakfast foods.

Simple Breakfast Hash (I would call it a skillet if I had a fancy skillet to serve it in, but I'm not as well equipped as Village Inn haha)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 cups of frozen southern style hash browns (essentially cubed potatoes that have been blanched)
• 2-3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup frozen peppers and onions (or fresh if you feel like cutting up some peppers and onions)
• 1-2 Tablespoons butter (you gotta get some yummy flavor on those hash browns)
• 1 handful shredded mexican blend cheese

Procedure:

1. Saute (medium-high temperature) peppers and onions in butter until they are tender. Season to taste (salt and pepper).
2. Add southern style hash browns and begin to brown them (That's why they are called hash browns, right?)
3. As the potatoes get brown, form a little "nest" in the skillet and crack the eggs into the middle of the nest. Reduce heat to medium-low to ensure that the potatoes won't burn as the egg cooks.
4. Cover the frying pan and allow egg to cook until the white is no longer runny (If it's still a little runny on top, it's OK. The next step is to broil the whole pan.)
5. Sprinkle cheese onto the eggs and hash browns and place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
6. Serve with buttered toast, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whatever else you like with your breakfast.
7. Enjoy!

Mini-Adventure #3: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Fall has arrived and the leaves are changing. I walked into King Soopers the other day and saw an interesting display of baked goods. There were pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin loaf, pumpkin cake, and even pumpkin scones! After seeing all that autumnal goodness, I had to make some of my Grandma Bullock's special pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. They are super simple, and delightfully delectable. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 large can pumpkin puree
• 1 spice cake mix
• 1 regular bag chocolate chips
• That's it! Just three ingredients!

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all of the ingredients until there are no more clumps of cake mix.
3. Spoon dough onto greased cookie sheet*
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cookies no longer jiggle when shaken. (If you aren't sure, lift up one cookie to see if the bottom has begun to brown. If it has, the cookies are done.)
5. Enjoy!

*You can also use parchment paper or a silicone cookie sheet liner. There is a difference between waxed paper and real parchment paper. Don't go for the cheaper waxed paper! I have used it for the last few things that I have baked and it sticks to both the pan and to the baked goods. Parchment paper, on the other hand works great even for more sticky baked items. Of course your best bet is a silicone cookie sheet liner, but they are more expensive than the other two options.

Adventure #4: Gnocchi or Ñoquis or (Nee-Okee)

Another of my favorite foods from my time in Argentina is a traditional Italian potato dumpling called gnocchi. Gnocchi may be difficult to pronounce for the first time, but they are delicious and only require a handful of ingredients. Set aside an hour or two to prepare the dough and enjoy a tasty Italian favorite!

Gnocchi or Ñoquis or (Nee-Okee)

Ingredients:

• 6-7 medium potatoes, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3-4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Boil potatoes with garlic cloves and salt until fork tender. You are essentially making mashed potatoes for the first part of gnocchi. Drain potatoes, reserving about 1 cup of the water in a large bowl. Place drained potatoes into bowl with reserved liquid and mash until smooth. (If you have  a potato ricer or food mill, that would make the mashing process go by quickly.)
2. Once you have your mashed potatoes, allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes in the fridge before moving on to the next step.
3. While the potatoes are cooling, warm your favorite pasta sauce or make the one I did:
4. Quick and Easy Pasta Sauce
• Ingredients:
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1-2 Tablespoons honey (helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes)
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 Tablespoon italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• Procedure:
1. Heat oil in a small saucepan and saute the garlic in the oil. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Allow sauce to simmer until your gnocchi are ready.
5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil to cook the gnocchi in.
6. Once the potatoes are cool, mix in the egg until smooth. Then, slowly add the flour (1/4 cup at a time) while mixing to form a slightly firm dough. (The dough will be stickier than you think after adding flour. Keep adding flour until the dough is just barely firm.)
7. Allow dough to rest for a few minutes, then begin to form gnocchi by making dough "snakes" about 1/2 inch in diameter.
8. Cut each snake into 1/2 inch balls and form gnocchi using a gnocchi board (you probably don't have one, but they make the gnocchi look a lot prettier) or a fork. Roll the gnocchi on the lightly floured board or fork with your thumb to create ridges on one side and an indentation with your thumb on the other side (I'll put up a video sometime soon)
9. Boil the gnocchi in small to medium batches until they float. They cook quickly and can begin to fall apart if they boil too long. Once the gnocchi float use a slotted spoon or a skimmer to remove the gnocchi from the pot and mix them with your sauce. (Be sure to keep the sauce-to-gnocchi proportion correct so that they are evenly coated without drowning.)
10. Continue boiling the remaining gnocchi until you have made enough to serve. If you don't use all of them in one meal, you can spread them evenly on a cookie sheet lightly coated with flour so they don't stick and freeze them. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag and store for  1-3 months. To cook them, boil frozen gnocchi until they float (30-60 seconds?).
11. Enjoy your gnocchi!

Mini-Adventure #2: Oven-baked Potato Chips

For a while now, I have wondered if it would be possible to make home-made potato chips by using a vegetable peeler to slice potatoes and then cooking them some way. So, tonight, while making something else with potatoes (see Adventure #4), I decided that I would finally try it. I grabbed an extra potato and peeled away to make a cookie sheet of thinly sliced chips. It was a tasty experiment and I hope that you enjoy it.

Oven-baked Potato Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 potato, thinly sliced using a vegetable peeler
• 1-2 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste (try out other seasoning options as well)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Evenly coat cookie sheet with oil (do a really good job with this or else the chips will stick and you won't be able to get them off of the cookie sheet).
3. Arrange thin potato slices in a single layer (no overlap at all!) on the cookie sheet and season lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Bake for about 3-5 minutes or until chips are golden brown and crispy (watch them carefully or they will burn!).
5. Enjoy a taste of homemade goodness!

Mini-Adventure #1: Oreo S'mores

Tonight at Family Home Evening, we had a bonfire and had some fun trying to roast some marshmallows on that blaze. It was hot, but I took some time experimenting with some of the s'mores ingredients and some oreos that were laying around. This is the result. Enjoy!

Oreo S'mores

Ingredients:

• Oreos
• Marshmallows
• You should really just experiment with your favorite cookies and marshmallow-esque fillers

Procedure:

1. Roast marshmallows over an open flame.
2. Split oreo cookie in half.
3. Use oreo cookie halves to pull marshmallow off of roasting stick.
4. Enjoy!

Adventure #3: Locro!

As a missionary in northern Argentina, I was introduced to Locro and absolutely fell in love with it. It is a traditional dish in Salta, Jujuy, Tucumán, and Santiago del Estero. Though the ingredients available in the US aren't quite the same as the ones in Argentina, you can still create an amazing dish using things found in nearly every grocery store. Every Locro is different and you can adjust the proportions to suit your tastes. Be sure to invite lots of friends to come and enjoy Locro when you make it as it makes a LOT. Locro also gets better with time, so save leftovers either in the freezer or in the fridge depending on when you want to eat it again. It is quite filling and I'm sure that you will enjoy.

All of the ingredients beginning to boil in the pots

Dinner is served!

Locro (Argentine Stew)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. tenderized round steak, cut into pieces (or you can use stew meat)
• 1/2 lb. bacon, cut into pieces
• 1 lb. italian sausages, cut into pieces
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 large sweet potato, coarsely diced (not a yam, but the whiter fleshed sweet potato)
• 1 large acorn squash, coarsely chopped
• 1 butternut squash, coarsely chopped
• 2 large cans of hominy
• 4 regular sized cans of great northern (or other white) beans
• 1-2 teaspoons cumin
• 2-4 Tablespoons kosher salt, to taste
• fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Procedure:

1. Render (cook) bacon in a LARGE stew pot, add garlic and other meats. Don't worry about cooking the meat thoroughly right now as Locro needs to boil for 3-5 hours to achieve the correct consistency.
2. Add the squash and sweet potato to the pot and stir. Pour all of the contents of the cans of hominy and beans into the pot and stir again. Add seasonings, and top off the pot with water (about 2 inches below the lip of the pot). Bring to a boil.
3. Cook for 3-5 hours, stirring frequently.
4. When the stew begins to thicken because the squash starts breaking down, the Locro is about ready to serve. At that time, you should make two of the sauces traditionally served with Locro.
5. • Sauce #1
   • Ingredients:
   • 2 bunches green onion
   • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
   • 1-2 Tablespoons paprika
   • pinch of salt
   • Procedure:
   1. Heat oil in a small saucepan and sweat (lightly cook) the green onions in the oil. Add paprika and salt and stir. Remove from heat.
   • Sauce #2: Ají
   • Ingredients:
   • 1 small onion
   • 1 clove garlic
   • 4-6 small roma tomatoes
   • 1 serrano (or other mildly hot) pepper, with seeds and white veins removed
   • 1-2 pinches of salt
   • Procedure:
   • Blend the ingredients above until smooth. (This sauce is also served with Argentine empanadas.)
6. Once the sauces are ready and the Locro is thickened, you can begin to serve. Locro is best served in a large bowl with a spoonful or two of each of the sauces, to taste. You should also serve it with a crusty bread to dip and wipe the bowl clean. A light salad on the side helps to balance out the heaviness of Locro and gives some color variety to the meal. Enjoy!

Adventure #2: Taco Salad

Dinner tonight was thrown together from a few ingredients that I had on hand, mostly because I was too lazy to actually cook anything. A great taco salad would, of course, require a little bit more effort, but this one is a good 10 minute dinner. I promise that my next adventure will be something other than mexican food and something that is even more special and tasty than a mexican breakfast tart. Until then, enjoy!

Easy Taco Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 flour tortillas
• lettuce
• salsa
• canned black beans with jalapeño, warmed in microwave
• mexican blend shredded cheese
• sour cream

Procedure:

1. Toast tortillas under the broiler until lightly browned and crispy. (I used a toaster oven with a glass door so I could keep an eye on them.) Once toasted, cut each tortilla into 8 triangles (you could also cut them before toasting).
2. Toss shredded or torn lettuce with a few Tablespoons of salsa and about a handful of cheese. If you want to add tomato or other veggies, toss them in as well. Serve salad in a bowl with tortilla triangles arranged in bowl to catch salad.
3. Spoon the desired amount of beans on top of salad and garnish with sour cream, one tortilla triangle, and extra cheese.
4. Enjoy!

Adventure #1: Mexican Breakfast Tart

After I made this one morning and shared it to my Facebook timeline, I received a few comments that I should start a blog and/or YouTube channel to begin sharing my culinary inventions on a budget. I guess that this will be Adventure #1 for this college chef. I hope that you enjoy.

Mexican Breakfast Tart

Ingredients (for each breakfast tart):

• 1 fajita size flour tortilla
• 3 large eggs
• 10-15 frozen tater tots
• salsa to taste
• 1 handful shredded mexican blend cheese

Procedure:

1. Thaw tater tots in microwave, then break them up with a spatula in a small (6-8 inch) skillet over medium heat. Cook until golden-brown (or until warm).
2. Add eggs to skillet and scramble together with salsa, salt, and pepper to taste.
3. Once eggs are nearly cooked, add half of the cheese to the egg and potato mixture. Mix until cheese is melted.
4. Remove all of the tart filling (egg mixture) from the skillet and ensure that the skillet is free of any egg residue.
5. Place tortilla in skillet then scoop tart filling into tortilla pressing down to form tart shape in skillet.
6. Sprinkle remaining cheese over tart and let tortilla cook over medium-high heat until toasted. If cheese hasn't melted by then, place tart under broiler to finish melting the cheese.
7. Enjoy!