Great Gelato

This is the information on the Gelato I bought at meijer in the ice cream section. It came in a lot of different flavors. We had the Limoncello one but we will certainly be back for more of this!  It was so fluffy, and creamy. It tasted just like the gelato I get at Gelaterias. 

I found it in the ice cream section and it came in a 30 fl. oz small rectangular, plastic container. I'm serious people... try this stuff!

IL Vero Gelato Italiano

Gelateria Italiana

Product of Italy

Beef Enchiladas

My husband loves these enchiladas. I don't care for red meat so I rarely cook with it, but these enchiladas have always been a crowd pleaser. Also, I love to freeze these little guys for future dinners.

Beef Enchiladas

1/2 lb ground beef, chicken, or turkey
1/2 chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 packet taco seasoning
1 (16oz) can refried beans
2 (10oz) cans red enchilada sauce
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
1 package flour tortillas
2 cups shressed Mexican Style cheese

1. Saute meat, onion, and garlic until lightly browned. Add taco seasoning and finish browning meat.
2. Add refried beans, and a little enchilada sauce to moisten. 
3. Put a little more sauce in the bottom of the baking dish you will be using. Grab a tortilla and fill the middle with the meat mixture and then roll. Place seam side down in the dish. Continue until you've used all the filling. 
4. Cover enchiladas with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle cheese to the top of the dish.
5. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and sides are turning brown. 

Serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream or even tortilla chips. 

Mexican Rice

I got this recipe from a trusted cookbook of mine called: Mexican Cooking Made Easy by Diane Soliz Martese. It's in both English and Spanish and from what I can tell (and what the author claims), has extremely authentic Mexican dishes. This rice adds a colorful addition to any meal. Did I mention, it's supper healthy too?

Mexican Rice

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 cup each, chicken broth, water
• 1 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup peas

1. Heat 2 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add rice and saute until lightly browned. Add onion and garlic and continue to saute until brown. 
2. Add tomatoe, carrots, broth, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Once boiling, simmer with lid for 20 minutes. 
3. After 20 minutes, mix in peas and continue to simmer for another 10.

Vietnamese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I believe these will continue to be a New Years Eve tradition. We made them last year as well and they are so tasty and pretty easy to make, minus the lettuce cups!  Marie and I both elected to use less cayenne pepper because these bad boys can get pretty spicy! For those of you who like spice, use the amount suggested.  

Vietnamese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 lb fresh ground chicken or turkey (we actually both used turkey)

1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 carrot, chopped or grated
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup water chestnuts, finely chopped
5 mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cooked vermicielli or bean thread noodles
1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
16 iceberg lettuce leaves

Spicy Sauce:
5 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese hot sauce, or any hot sauce
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

1. In large skillet over medium-high heat, warm peanut oil.  Add onion, ginger and garlic; sauté until onion begins to brown, about 3 minutes.  Add ground chicken and sauté until cooked throughout, about 5 minutes, breaking up chicken meat as it cooks.
2. Add carrot, scallions, water chestnuts and mushrooms; cook for additional 3 minutes.  Add fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and cayenne pepper.  Mix well and remove from heat.  Stir in noodles, peanuts and chopped cilantro.  Toss well to combine.  Transfer to large serving bowl and keep warm.
3. Combine all spicy sauce ingredients in small serving bowl; whisk well.  Place lettuce leaves on serving platter.  To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons chicken mixture over or on top of each lettuce leaf; drizzle with 1 teaspoon sauce.

New Years Party

Happy New Year!

Well, summer vacation has come and gone and now I'm winding down my last two days of Christmas vacation!  This post is long overdue to say the least but the dinner party I had last night inspired me to put the evenings menu on here!  We entertained some very special friends of ours, Marie (my very loyal workout partner, recipe swapper, and friend), her husband (my husbands twin separated at birth), and the coolest kid you'll ever meet, Mason. We rang in the new year together with an international cuisine:) You'll see what I mean!  

The menu was this:  

Vietnamese Chicken Lettuce Wraps (made by Marie)

Beef Enchiladas with red sauce

Chicken Enchiladas with green sauce

Mexican Rice

and for dessert...

Fresh Cannolis from a wonderful Italian market near my house as well as Limoncello Gelato that I bought at, get this, Meijer! And it was fabulous! If you haven't tried it, you must pick some up!

I will post each of these recipes separately. 

BTW, what did everyone else make to ring in the New Year?