Christina's Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon-Sugar Chips

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips - Our Best Bites

Choose your fruit based on color so it will be pretty.

Red: Strawberries, raspberries or pomegranate seeds could work.
Orange: Mango, peaches or nectarines.
Yellow: Pineapple, either fresh or canned.
Green: Kiwi or honeydew.
Blue: Blueberries. The original recipe also said blackberries, but I tried that and didn't like it.

If you are using any type of berries, you'll want to stir them in at the last minute so they don't dye the whole salsa.

If you want to add sweetener, you can add honey or sugar (white or brown), but I thought that the fruit with the cinnamon chips was sweet enough. You can also add extras like lime juice, coconut, mint or cinnamon. I think I added a little cinnamon and lime and I liked it.

Baked Cinnamon Chips

Flour Tortillas
Melted Butter
Cinnamon Sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with melted butter. You could use cooking spray instead of butter.Then sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar.

Use a pizza cutter to cut those tortillas into wedges.

Place them on an ungreased baking sheet and bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes. You'll see them crisp up. Watch for the edges to turn up.
Remove from oven and let cool.

Christina's Breakfast Tacos

from $5 Dinners

10-12 eggs
4-5 small potatoes, peeled and diced
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt/pepper
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
8 corn or flour tortillas

In large skillet, add olive oil and let warm for 1 minute. Add peeled and diced potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 6-8 minutes, stirring often. (Add a little water to help them cook faster!) Season with other favorite seasonings if you like!

In bowl, whisk together eggs. Add a few dashes of salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes after they have been cooking for 6-8 minutes. Cook eggs with potatoes and scramble them as they cook.

Warm tortillas in oven wrapped in foil or tortilla warmer (so they don't get crispy!).

Serve potato/eggs with cheese and salsa in a warm tortilla!

Christina's Acorn Squash Quesdadillas

from Smitten Kitchen

1 small/medium acorn squash
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons diced white onion
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
2 poblano chiles, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
4 10-inch flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Butter for frying quesadillas
Garnishes: sour cream and salsa verde

First, roast the acorn squash. Preheat the oven to 400° and lightly oil a baking sheet. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Lay the halves on prepared baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes, until soft but not cooked to mush.

When cool enough to work with, scoop out flesh with a spoon, leaving in chunks.

Saute the onions, poblano peppers and jalapeno in the oil until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a couple minutes more. Add the squash and cook for another 5 or 10 minutes, until the squash is tender and the flavors have melded. Season with salt and pepper and take off heat.

Spread a few tablespoons of the cooked squash mixture onto one half of a 10-inch flour tortilla. Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of the cheese. Fold over and place in a hot pan with melted butter, and fry until crispy. Cut the finished quesadilla into four triangles and top with your choice of garnishes. Eat while warm.

Christina's Pollo Paplanta

from What I Made for Dinner

6 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons cider vinegar, Japanese rice vinegar, or other mild-flavored vinegar

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice

1 vanilla bean, split

A few sprigs of cilantro, for garnish

Cooked rice or tortillas for serving (optional).

1. Season chicken with the salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces skin side down, and brown until golden on both sides, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes on each side.

2. When chicken is browned, pour off any excess fat from skillet and return to medium heat. Sprinkle cayenne and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper over chicken, turning pieces to coat evenly. Taste a pinch of the skin, and add more cayenne if additional heat is desired. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add vinegar, butter and orange juice. Scrape in pulp of vanilla bean and add bean. Stir liquid to blend.

3. Cook chicken skin side up, uncovered, basting occasionally with sauce, until sauce is reduced to a syrupy glaze, 20 to 25 minutes. If interior of chicken needs further cooking (it should be 170 degrees when tested in center with an instant-read thermometer), cover and cook over medium-low heat for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or as needed. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot, with rice or tortillas, if desired.

Christina's Sweet Pork Burritos

1 (2-3 lb) pork roast
salt
pepper
garlic salt
1/3 c water
1 pkg flour tortillas, warmed in microwave
2 (15 oz) cans mild green chili sauce or enchilada sauce, divided
1/2 c brown sugar
1 (15 0z) can black beans
1 bunch cilantro-chopped
Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Season roast with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Place roast and water in crockpot. Cook on high 4 hours or on low for 8 hours until meat is tender. Shred pork and place in a bowl. Stir in 1/2 cut green chili sauce and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Mix well. Spray 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray and pour 1/2 cup green sauce into bottom of the pan. Fill each tortilla with pork, 1-2 tbsp beans, and 1-2 tsp cilantro. Roll burrito and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour remainder of green sauce over the burritos and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings. Serve with the following garnishes: chopped tomatoes, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, etc.