Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (since not everyone loves tacos). Today's double post includes a yummy Ham and Pepper Frittata and Salsa Verde Rice and Chicken Bowls. Enjoy!

BARBECUE COWBOY PINTO BEANS (SLOW COOKER)

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

16 oz package dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over

4 cups hot water

2 medium onions, chopped

1 Tbs chili powder

3/4 cup hickory-flavored barbecue sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1 1/2 tbs prepared yellow mustard

Dash of Tabasco sauce

In crock pot, mix together the beans, hot water, onions, and chili powder. Cover and cook on low heat setting about 7 hours, or until the beans are tender but not falling apart.

Drain off all cooking liquid. Stir in barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, and Tabasco sauce. Cook, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes longer, until heated through.

CREAMY PINEAPPLE ORANGE REFRESHER PUNCH

This also comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

1 - 46 oz. can of pineapple juice

1 1/2 pints vanilla ice cream

1 quart orange sherbet

2 liters ginger ale

Directions

In a punch bowl, place the vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet. Slowly add and stir in pineapple juice and then ginger ale.

SALSA VERDE RICE AND CHICKEN BOWLS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Chicken tonight? Give it a glow-up with this salsa verde rice twist. Start by stirring in Old El Paso™ Creamy Salsa Verde sauce and green chiles to cooked rice before adding in a scoop of shredded rotisserie chicken. Everyone can sprinkle in their favorite taco fixings to make this chicken rice bowl recipe a hassle-free, flavorful success."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/salsa-verde-rice-and-chicken-bowls.

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice

1 cup water

1/3 cup Old El Paso™ Creamy Salsa Verde sauce

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ Chopped Green Chiles

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 1/2 cups chopped deli rotisserie chicken

1 package (0.85 oz) Old El Paso™ Chicken Taco Seasoning Mix

1/4 cup water

1 package (8 count) Old El Paso™ Soft Tortilla Bowls, heated as directed on package

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

In 1 to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, heat uncooked rice and 1 cup water to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Stir in sauce and green chiles; cover and keep warm.

In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken, taco seasoning mix and 1/4 cup water; cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is heated through. Remove from heat.

To assemble, divide rice and chicken mixtures among warm tortilla bowls; top with cheese, tomatoes, cilantro and additional sauce, if desired.

Expert Tips

Precooked rice is available for purchase in the frozen section of the grocery store and is a convenient alternative to the cooked rice in this recipe. You may also use 1 1/2 cups leftover cooked rice, heated in microwave, before adding the sauce.

Deli rotisserie chicken makes these bowls quick and convenient!

Topping the bowls with your favorite salsa or fresh pico de gallo is a great alternative to the tomatoes and cilantro.

HAM AND PEPPER FRITTATA

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings, Serving size: 1/4 of recipe

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Book Title: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/ham-and-pepper-frittata.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or canola oil

1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup diced, lean, reduced-sodium ham

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 cups fat-free egg substitute

1 cup shredded, reduced-fat, white Cheddar or Swiss cheese

Directions

Coat a large ovenproof skillet with the olive oil and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, ham, parsley, and black pepper and saute for several minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the ham is beginning to brown. Spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the skillet.

Pour the egg substitute over the skillet mixture and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook without stirring for about 6 minutes, until the eggs are almost set (the edges will be cooked but the top will still be runny).

Remove the lid from the skillet and wrap the handle in aluminum foil (to prevent it from becoming damaged under the broiler). Place the skillet under a preheated broiler and broil for a couple of minutes, until the eggs are set but not dry. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and broil for another minute to melt the cheese. Cut the frittata into 4 wedges and serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 222; Fat: 8.3 g; Sodium: 690 mg; Cholesterol: 32 mg; Protein: 28 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 4 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

MAC AND CHEESE MUFFINS

This comes from Joy Bauer at TODAY. She wrote, "This lightened-up mac and cheese utilizes nutrient-rich legume pasta (made from chickpeas, lentils or black beans) because it contains about double the protein and triple the fiber compared to most standard noodles. I kick things up a few notches by baking it in a muffin tin to create portion-sized delights that are crunchy on the outside and ooey-gooey cheesy on the inside."

This can be viewed online at https://www.today.com/recipes/mac-cheese-muffins-recipe-t155178.

Ingredients

One 14-ounce box elbow macaroni pasta (either chickpea, lentil, bean or whole-grain pasta)

2 1/4 cups low-fat milk

1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 to 5 drops hot sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

10 to 12 ounces (or 2 1/2 to 3 cups) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cook the macaroni according to package directions for al dente pasta. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

While the macaroni is cooking, prepare the cheese sauce: In a large saucepan, combine 2 cups of the milk with the soy sauce, onion powder, nutmeg, dry mustard, paprika, bay leaf, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Place the mixture over medium heat, and cook until it comes to a gentle simmer.

In a small bowl or cup, mix the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup milk. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and stir to combine. Return the sauce to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thick.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, discard the bay leaf and add the shredded cheese. Stir until the cheese is completely melted and no lumps remain. Add the butter to the cheese sauce and stir until it is completely melted and combined. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked macaroni and stir until everything is coated.

Liberally mist 1-2 standard muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. Split the macaroni mixture among 20 muffin tins (about 1/4 cup mac and cheese in each). Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the tops and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the tops are slightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes so the muffins have a chance to firm up before serving. After muffins have slightly cooled, carefully remove by loosening up the sides and enjoy.

JUMBO CHEESY ITALIAN MEATBALLS

This is from the Food Network. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/jumbo-cheesy-italian-meatballs-2268948.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

3 1/2 cups torn stale Italian bread (about 1/4 loaf)

1 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

2 pounds ground beef chuck

1 small bunch parsley, chopped (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, grated

Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini)

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

3 to 4 sprigs basil, plus chopped leaves for topping

Kosher salt

Ricotta cheese, for topping

Directions

Make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Pulse the bread in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Transfer to a small bowl, add the milk and set aside to soak. Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the beef, parsley, parmesan, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes; mix with your hands to combine. Add the bread-milk mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix).

Dampen your hands and shape the meat mixture into 4 large balls. Make an indentation in the center of each with your thumb and stuff with a mini mozzarella ball, then mold the meat around the cheese. Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake until browned and firm, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, the basil sprigs and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and add to the sauce, spooning some of the sauce on top. Continue cooking, occasionally spooning the sauce over the meatballs, until tender and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Serve with ricotta and chopped basil.

You can form all of these meatballs a day ahead; cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.