French Toast

1 Loaf artisan bread (we like 9 grain from Costco)

2 Eggs

1/2 cup Milk

1 tsp. Cinnamon

Heat skillet over range top on medium high heat.

Beat eggs with milk and add cinnamon to mixture. Set aside.

Slice about 5-6 pieces 3/4" thick of the bread.

Dip the bread in the egg mixture on both sides, make sure mixture sinks into the bread.

Cook on low for about 3 minutes each side, or until a egg is no longer wet and some browning occurs.

Drizzle pure maple syrup and Nutella over the top, serve with strawberries on the side.

Pina Colada

We went out for virgin pina coladas on our first Cinco de Mayo dating, it's a tradition to make or go get one every year now. We enjoy these year round, they are always good.

• 1/2 cup crushed ice
• 1 small can pineapple juice (6 ounces)
• 2 fluid ounces coconut milk
• 1 fuid ounce cream (or half and half)
• 1 1/2 TBSP Sugar

Place all ingredients in a blender, mix well, enjoy!

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Jalapeño and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken

In honor of Cinco de Mayo and a BBQ with some new friends, I decided to come up with a grillable dish that had a little zest. We were fans, I hope you are too!

2 Chicken breasts

4 TBSP cream cheese (low fat works great)

1 roasted or canned jalapeño diced into strips (keep most the seeds)

4-5 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP Taco Seasoning

Pound chicken breasts until fairly thin (about 2/3 inch) and with a fillet knife cut a pocket down the middle horizontally.

In a food processor combine the cream cheese and the jalapeño and blend until there are fine chunks of jalapeño in the mix. You may mix a dash of the taco seasoning if you desire as well, we did.

Stuff the cream cheese mixture in the chicken breast. tuck the top layer of the chicken breast over the bottom and secure with a toothpick.

Combine the olive oil and the taco seasoning. Pour over the chicken breast and let marinade for at least 20 minutes.

Grill on medium heat for about 10 minutes on the first side and about 8 on the other.

7 Layer Dip

7 Layer Bean Dip

2 Small or 1 Large can(s) of refried beans

1 16 oz package of sour cream

1 package of taco seasoning

Guacamole (I make my own with 3 avocados mashes with a fork and about 1 TBSP olive oil mixed with about 1/4 tsp salt and some pepper to taste)

1 16 oz jar of salsa

2 cups of shredded cheese

1-2 large tomatoes chopped into small pieces

1 16 oz can of chopped olives

Spread refried beans in the bottom of 9x13 pan

Add the taco seasoning the package of sour cream, mix well, then spread sour cream mixture over the refried beans.

Make guacamole and spread on top of the sour cream mixture

Pour the salsa over the guacamole and spread.

Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.

Disperse tomatoes and olives over the top of the mixture.

Serve with tortilla chips

Alternatives: Some people add shredded lettuce for a crunch, but it makes it spoil faster, some add diced jalapenos or green chilies to the layer of salsa for spice, and some people mix the taco seasoning with the beans and add cream cheese to the sour cream to make a richer taste- it's just up to you if you want spicy, creamy, or crunchy!

Ebelskivers (Danish Pancake)

A few years ago I bought this pan at William Sonoma and just pulled it out of storage. Apparently ebelskivers (also known as aebleskivers) made a comeback because you can buy this pan again and there's even a recipe book at William Sonoma now! I'm on my way sometime this week to purchase it because THESE ARE THE BEST BREAKFAST we've ever made at home!

Filling:

- Nutella

- Finely cut bananas

*You can use anything, chocolate chips, jam, pie filling chopped, pudding, cream cheese- it's your preference! We LOVED the banana/Nutella mix

Batter:

• 7/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 Tbs. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 egg whites
  
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
• Use a hand mixer or Kitchenaid and whip the egg whites until white and stiff (looks like foam). Remove and set in a separate bowl. (You can clean out your bowl or just use it with the residue from the egg whites, it won't make a difference)
• Mix together egg yolks, milk, sour cream and butter in the mixer. Add all the dry ingredients and mix again.
• Get the egg white mixture and slowly spoon into your batter mixture. Fold in with a rubber spatula (it will be chunky and the egg whites won't blend perfectly- you want this, it makes the pancakes fluffy being just mostly mixed).
• Put the ebelskiver pan on the stove on medium heat. Spray the bottoms of the cups with a non-stick spray.

Place about 1 tsp. of batter in the bottom of the pan. Place half a spoonful of Nutella and about half a spoonful of chopped bananas on the this batter. Get another spoonful of batter and cover the topping with batter. See images below.

Let the batter cook for about 3-5 minutes, until you see some bubbles foaming or the sides turning a nice brown (like normal pancakes. It's then time to flip!

Lots of people use two chopsticks, but I like to use a small fork. Grab one side and turn it quickly. Gravity will do its job and make them round on the other side and look nice, don't panic, you're doing it right if they look like this.

Wait about 2-3 minutes and then take them off and set them on a plate. We covered them with tin foil to keep warm while we cooked the rest.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, syrup, Nutella, or eat plain.

Low Fat Chimichangas

Ingredients:

10 small tortilla shells

2 chicken breasts

Montreal Chicken Seasoning

1 1/2-2 cups of Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cup of Pace Picante salsa

Spreadable butter

Sprinkle Montreal Chicken Seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts. Grill chicken breast on a gas, charcoal, or George Foreman grill. When fully cooked shred chicken. Add the salsa to the shredded chicken.

Heat up a griddle to medium high and warm tortilla shells on both sides.

Place about 4 TBSP of chicken mixture in the middle of the tortilla. Sprinkle about a TBSP of cheese on top. Grab two sides and fold over the chicken mixture, then roll shells the opposite direction (like your traditional fast-food burrito wrap) so that all the mixture stays tucked neatly in the shells.

Lightly butter the side with the burrito shell seam. Place on the griddle so the shell "fries" and lightly butter the top. Turn after about a minute when the seam side in golden brown and cook the other side.

Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Olive and Jalepeno Stuffed Pork Loin

This one is truly a winner!

1-1.5 lb pork loin (a small loin roast from Costco or Wal-mart works great)

1/3 cup black olives

1/2 cup of sliced jalapeno chile peppers

Handful of parsley

8-10 slices of bacon

Preheat the oven to 400. Place olives and jalapenos in a food processor or blender (or you can finely chop) and chop until the pieces are finely grated, but not still a little chunky.

Slice the pork lengthwise about 3/4 of the way so you can open it up like a book. Spread the olive/jalapeno/parsley mixture onto one half of the pork opened like a book. Then fold over the top piece. Wrap bacon around the pork tightly and evenly and place in a roasting pan or casserole dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes on 400.

*If you buy a thinner roast reduce time to 20-30 minutes)

Turn the oven up to broil- choose a low broil not the high. Broil for 5-10 minutes until bacon is crisp.

To serve: cut the pork into thick slices.

We added spaghetti squash and chicken flavored rice as a side.

*If you have a sensitive palate and jalapenos scare you, trade the 1/3 olives and 1/2 jalapenos to 1/2 olives and 1/3 jalapenos. It will tone down the little kick but still add flavor