Tag Archives: cream cheese

creamy baked chicken taquitos

Posted in main dish, make ahead/freezer, mexican by



for a long time, i was unable to find a really good taquito recipe that did not involve frying. they are always fried (traditionally) and i am just not the frying type.
no thank you.
so i came across this one and was excited to try it, although i was a little skeptical.
but it said “creamy” so i was in.
and i wasn’t disappointed. these are wonderful!
they disappeared pretty fast in my house.
there is an option to freeze extras at the bottom of the recipe. i froze about half of the taquitos and was thinking that they would be perfect for lunch for the next week.
they were gone within 24 hours.

creamy baked chicken taquitos

ingredients

3 oz. cream cheese, softened (reduced fat is fine) – see note at the bottom
1/3 cup salsa verde
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp jarred minced garlic)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp chopped green onions (i didn’t have these on hand, so i omitted)
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (follow directions or use leftover chicken if you already have some)
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
8-12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
salt & pepper
cooking spray

directions

to prepare the chicken:
preheat the oven to 375. spread a piece of foil across a baking sheet, and arrange 2 chicken breasts in a single layer in the center. sprinkle both sides with salt & pepper, and season as you wish. fold the foil over the chicken and enclose to form a packet. bake the chicken on the baking sheet 35-45 minutes, or until cooked through.

to make taquitos:
1. preheat the oven to 425 and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. in a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with the salsa, lime juice, cumin, chile powder, cayenne, onion powder, garlic, cilantro, scallions, and 1/4 tsp salt. fold in the shredded chicken and cheeses. taste and season with additional salt & pepper if necessary.

3. working 3 tortillas at a time, stack them on a microwave plate or in between 2 paper towels and cook 30 seconds or until the tortillas are soft and pliable. spoon about 2 tbsp of chicken filling onto the lower third of each tortilla and roll tightly. place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. repeat with remaining filling & tortillas.

4. spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a bit of salt. bake 10-15 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden-brown. serve with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream (my personal favorite one to dip them in).

**to freeze:
prepare the taquitos, but before baking, place the baking sheet in the fridge until the taquitos are completely cold. wrap 1-4 taquitos in a piece of plastic wrap  and freeze. to bake, unwrap taquitos and cook in a 425-degree oven for about 15 minutes (no need to thaw first).

**another note: i’m pretty sure i wasn’t paying too much attention that night for some reason and i put the whole block of cream cheese in, instead of just the 3 ounces. needless to say, my taquitos ROCKED. so my oops could be your gain. you are welcome.

enjoy!

photo & recipe via

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black bottom (chocolate cream cheese) cupcakes

Posted in sweets by

photo (31)

we had a little dinner party the other night that consisted of lemon pepper grilled chicken, corn & rice with cilantro and avocado, cheddar-green onion muffins and then we finished the meal with these: chocolate cream cheese cupcakes. i mean, after such a healthy meal, you need some cupcakes like these.

it’s genius really – someone figured out a way to breed the chocolate cupcake with cheesecake. the devil’s food cake outer part of the cupcake is rich and moist, and then you have the creamy cheesecake center, flecked with chocolate chips that melt in your mouth.

you can thank me later.


black bottom (chocolate cream cheese) cupcakes
makes 18 cupcakes

ingredients

8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, at room temperature

2 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp salt

1 large egg

6 oz (half a package) semisweet chocolate chips

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

directions

1. preheat the oven to 350.

2. line muffin pans with foil or paper baking cups. using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1/8 tsp salt. add the egg and mix well. fold in the chocolate chips and set aside.

3. in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 3/4 tsp salt, the baking soda and cocoa powder. add 1 1/2 cups of water, the oil, vinegar and vanilla and stir until smooth.

4. fill each baking cup 2/3 full with the cake batter and top with 1-2 tbsp  of the cream cheese mixture.

5. bake until the edges are firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.


recipe via

lacey’s marinated cheese

Posted in appetizers by

 

marinated cheese | via she likes to eat
i make this appetizer for almost every potluck.
i made it for the little she’s first birthday party.
it is requested often throughout the year. and i swear i would make it for only myself for no other reason than to sit and eat it all in one sitting.
and i can only tout it that way because it is not my own recipe.
the credit belongs to my oldest and dearest friend, lacey.
we have been friends since we were 2 years old and lived across the street from each other.
she is a fantastic cook and i am always peeking in her kitchen for my next favorite recipe.

lacey’s marinated cheese

ingredients

1 block cream cheese

1 block cheddar cheese

½ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup olive oil

1 tbsp italian seasoning

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

¼ cup chopped green onions

3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

1 large roma tomato (or about 6 grape tomatoes), seeded & finely chopped (don’t use canned tomatoes, trust me) – optional

directions

1. in a bowl, combine the vinegar, EVOO, seasoning, sugar, basil, green onions & garlic.

2. slice up both cheeses and alternate them (cream cheese, cheddar cheese, cream cheese & so on) in two rows on a serving dish with sides at least 2 inches high.

3. pour vinegar & seasonings mixture over the cheeses and refrigerate for at least 3 and up to 8 hours.  every 30 minutes, take cheese out of the fridge and re-dredge the cheeses with the vinegar mixture in the bottom of the dish.

4. top with chopped tomatoes & serve with table water crackers.

(cook’s note: after your guests have polished off the cheese, save the marinade and use it the next day to marinate a chicken breast. or use it to dip italian bread in.)