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Chipotle Beef Taquitos

By on March 7, 2013 in dinner, dorothy's dish, recipe, Uncategorized

Can I get a “Woop woop!” for baked taquitos?!  So good.  My husband showers me with compliments when I make this dish. Tonight he was talking about these taquitos to his brother, and it was so flattering that I blushed. For real. I will say that they take a little bit of time, but you can cook and shred the roast the day (or two!) beforehand to make quick work of it all. They are worth the extra effort, that is for sure.

Chipotle Beef Taquitos

from Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen

3 C cooked, shredded beef roast (great use of leftovers!)
1 minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (be sure to remove the seeds, and use gloves when mincing to protect your skin)
1 (4 oz) can green chilies, undrained
1 Tbsp adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp coriander
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
Zest from 1 lime
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
8-12 oz queso fresco, crumbled
15-20 6-inch white corn tortillas
Olive oil or cooking spray
1 ½ tsp kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Combine chipotle pepper, chilies, adobo sauce, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, chili powder, and lime zest and juice in a bowl. Stir to combine, and then gently toss together with shredded beef.

3. Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute to soften.

4. Crumble about 1 Tbsp queso fresco in a line across the center of the tortilla. Top with about 2 Tbsp shredded beef mixture and roll tightly. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Serve with guacamole, salsa, and black beans on the side.

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Lemon-Herb Zucchini Fettuccine

By on February 20, 2013 in dinner, dorothy's dish, recipe

This recipe got rave reviews from all chairs at the table, including those of the pickiest eaters.  It is a much healthier alternative to my favorite cream-sauce pastas, and it is packed full of flavor!  An added bonus?  EASY and FAST.

I found the recipe in an ourbestbites.com cookbook (which I la-la-love!).  I’ve added my own tips, tricks, and notes below.  I know you will love this dish!

image via ourbestbites.com

Lemon-Herb Zucchini Fettuccine
recipe by Our Best Bites

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 lemons
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
olive oil
1/2 lb fettuccine (1/2 box)
2 medium zucchini
1 C shredded parmesan
5-6 cloves garlic
1/2 C fresh basil (or 3 Tbsp dried)
1/4 C fresh oregano (or 1 1/2 Tbsp dried)
salt and pepper

The recipe calls for a grill, but it was fa-reeeeezing outside when I made this for the first time so I did it all on the stove top in a skillet.  It worked perfectly!

Zest both lemons and set aside.  I like to cook smaller pieces of chicken, so cut your chicken at this point if you are like me.  Place chicken in a zip-lock bag with the juice of one lemon, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar.  Mix it all up and set the bag aside.

Put a pot of water on the stove to boil the pasta.  While you’re waiting for the water to boil, slice the zucchini in half length-wise.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Press or finely mince garlic cloves.  (I cheated and used a few teaspoons of chopped garlic from my huge jar in the fridge.)  In a small sauce pan on the stove place 1/4 C olive oil and add garlic.  Heat over low-medium and let the oil get gently garlic-infused.  You don’t want the garlic to brown, keep it white!

Heat skillet over medium-high.  Remove chicken from bag and salt and pepper both sides.  Place chicken and zucchini on skillet.

Add pasta and a Tbsp of salt to boiling water.

Juice second lemon and add it to zest.

When chicken and zucchini are done cooking, remove from heat and cut the zucchini into bite-size pieces.

Drain pasta and immediately place in a big serving bowl.  Add zucchini, chicken, lemon zest and juice, cheese, herbs, and garlic-olive oil.  Toss with tongs, garnish with parmesan, and serve!

So.  Good.

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Grandma Jean’s Rolls

By on November 13, 2012 in bread, dinner, dorothy's dish, recipe, rolls

These rolls are amazing!  I learned how to make these from my mother-in-law, Henry’s Grandma Jean.  {That is a day in the kitchen that I will never regret!}Plain, buttered, strawberry-jammed, hot-out-of-the-oven, next-day snack, however you please… these are the rolls you want.  I  made them this past Sunday to go with my husband’s shepherd’s pie {recipe coming in the next Dish!}and they were all gone before the little one had even retired to bed.  Try this recipe and tell me you’re not impressed.  I dare you!

Here we go.

  • 1 cake yeast {2 1/4 tsp}
  • 2 tsp + 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/2 C lukewarm water {if you need to, use a thermometer and get it to 110 degrees – it makes a difference!}
  • 1 1/2 C milk
  • 1/4 C shortening
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 6 C flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 Tbsp wheat gluten***
  • 1 Tbsp dough enhancer***
  • butter

***The wheat gluten and dough enhancer are optional.  I made these rolls for two years without these ingredients, and the bread was still delicious.  Adding this stuff, though, takes these rolls from amazing to amazingly magical.  Magic, people.

  1.  Dissolve 2 tsp of sugar in the water.  Dissolve the yeast in the sugar-water.  Let stand for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, scald the milk.  Add the shortening, 1/2 C sugar, and salt.  Set aside to let cool.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine the milk mixture, and 2 C of flour mixed with the wheat gluten.  Beat smooth.
  4. Add yeast mixture, eggs, dough enhancer, and remaining flour.  Knead until smooth.  Dough will be pretty wet/sticky.  Let rise.
  5. Shape rolls as desired.  Our family favorite is the crescent roll:  Cut dough into fourths.  Roll each section into a 1/4″ circle.  Butter well.  Cut each section into 12 pie-shaped pieces.  Begin rolling at largest end and form crescents.  Let rise.
  6. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.  For extra magic, butter the tops as they come out of the oven.
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