Next thing on my plate.. RoTel!

Rotel is having a fabulous cooking contest!

Deep South Dish is having a fabulous contest for cans of RoTel!

I love it!

There are plenty of times I'm not sure what to cook,

and as long as I have a few cans of RoTel.. I'm set..

Like...tonight

I had some super tasty chicken sausages, pasta, cream cheese (yes I know..blame Paula Deen),

and cans of Rotel!

Well my toddler, Isabelle, was pretty sure that it was crack.

I'm not sure how "Toddler Crack Pasta" would fly as a recipe title..

*Note to self..rework title with a more family friendly spin..

And that's just the start of it because that delish RoTel dish was

solely created on what what hadn't expired in my kitchen.

Just wait till I really try!

Gourmet Mom Entry

Spicy Grilled Chicken Chipotle Pizza

2 tbsp olive oil

4 oz cream cheese, softened

2 oz feta cheese

1tbsp oregano

½ tbsp red pepper

1 tbsp chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo

2 tbsp minced garlic

½ tsp salt

Pizza dough (can be bought at pizza restaurants or you can use the grocery canned dough)

1 large sweet onion – cut into slices

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

2 cups cheddar/Monterey mix shredded

Directions

Rub grill with paper towels that have been soaked with 2 tbsp. olive oil.

Preheat grill to high heat.

While grill is heating up, in a medium bowl blend the cream cheese, feta, oregano, red pepper, chipotle peppers, garlic and salt.

Form the pizza dough into a long rectangle, about ½” thick.

Carefully place dough onto greased grill. Allow to puff and cook until the crust is lightly browned.

Flip dough over with grill spatula.

Quickly spread the cream cheese mixture on the pizza dough. Top with sweet onion, chicken, and cheese.

Close grill lid and cook until the cheese has melted.

Enjoy!

Day 24 - On The Road Again

Wow! May is crazy! We had a great time in Park City, and now the kiddo & I are off to visit my folks. The hubs is going to stay home and get stuff done..

So I started entering contests a little bit before I started this blog (First of week of April to be exact). In that time, I've entered ***51*** cooking/drinking recipe contests. I've won 1and I'm a finalist in another..will know later this month if I won. And I have 9 confirmed losses :P

I have moments of elation, hope, frustration, and want to give up. A fellow cooking contest enthusiast reminded me that this is a "hobby".

So for now, it's been a pretty fun ride!

I'll try to post more while I'm gone, and of course I'll post if there is any fabulous news (aka. Paula Deen!)

In the meantime, I'm off to eat some fabulous contest entries... yum,yum,num!

Adaptable Avocado Recipe #10

Perfect Pudding

2 avocados, peeled and pit removed

1 banana, very ripe

1/2 cup soymilk

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 mango, sliced

Preparation

In blender combine avocados, banana, soymilk, sugar, honey, and cocoa powder until a smooth consistency.

Chill for 1 hour.

Divide into 2 dessert bowls and top with mango slices

Adaptable Avocado Recipe #9

Ogre Avocado Bread

(because my toddler thinks it looks like "Shrek" food..)

Ingredients

· 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

· 1 teaspoon baking powder

· 3/4 teaspoon salt

· 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

· 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

· 1/2 cup butter, softened

· 1 1/2 cups white sugar

· 3 extra large eggs

· 1 cup mashed ripe avocado

· 3/4 cup buttermilk

· 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

· ½ cup Craisins

· ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

· 1 tablespoon grated orange zest

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the mashed avocado. Stir in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk until just mixed. Fold in the walnuts, Craisins, chocolate chips, and orange zest. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans.

3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow loaves to cool in pan for at least 20 minutes before removing.

Adaptable Avocado Recipe #8

Triple Threat Tacos

Fish

1 lb. cod – cut into 2 oz portions

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

¼ tsp paprika

1 egg

1 cup beer

Shallots

12 shallots – cut very thin

4 tsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

Avocado

1 cup flour

¼ tsp cumin

½ tsp red pepper

1 avocado – peeled, pitted, and cut into slices

1 egg

Corn tortillas

Condiments- sour cream, salsa, and cheese

Directions

In a large bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and paprika. Blend egg and beer, then quickly stir into the flour mixture

Dust fish pieces lightly with flour. Dip into beer batter and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle the 4 tsp. flour on shallots and toss gently to coat.

Fry the shallots for about 12 minutes and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle salt over shallots.

Blend the flour, cumin and red pepper.

In a shallow bowl, beat egg.

Dip avocado slices in egg and then dredge in flour mixture.

Fry avocado for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside

Warm tortillas in a wet paper towel in the microwave.

Plate tacos with fish, shallots, avocados, and condiments.

Enjoy!

Adaptable Avocado Recipe #7

Avocado Undercover Brownie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cups butter, softened

• 2 cups sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 11/4 cup flour

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup milk chocolate baking chips

* ½ cup chopped avocado

• Chocolate frosting

• 1 cup toasted pepitas

Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter melted

• 1/3 cup cocoa

• 2 cups powder sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 13 by 9 inch pan.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Gradually stir into butter mixture. Add chocolate chips and avocado. Spoon into greased pan. Bake for 35 minutes.

To make the frosting combine butter, cocoa, powder sugar, vanilla and milk in a large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until dry ingredients are moistened. Beat at high speed until spreading consistency.

Allow brownies to cool. Frost and sprinkle pepitas on top.