Grilled Banana Quesadillas

The weather did not cooperate for the second weekend in a row. Made grilling difficult so we had to broil instead. Rain and thunder storms could be moving in again this weekend so dessert will be cake we can bake in the oven. Bananas, caramel, chocolate, ice cream, and hot fudge...what is there not to love? I bought fried ice cream since it is the most Mexican I could find and my daughters favorite. I would have chosen chocolate peanut butter or chocolate mint. Even found chocolate peanut butter morsels on sale but stayed true to our Mexican theme. Getting this dessert melted inside and not torched is challenging. I rolled them as a burrito instead of a quesadilla for a better fit under the broiler. Dessert is my favorite part of any meal especially if it includes ice cream and hot fudge. Thanks Paula!

Best Butterscotch Pie

If you like cream pies you will like this recipe. Don't make the mistake I did when you are cooking the pie filling, I put the sugars in the sauce pan with the butter and was trying to melt them down without the milk, I almost ruined it, but I was able to save it by stirring like crazy after I added the milk, whew! I like butterscotch and wasn't sure this was going to taste like butterscotch when I was putting it together but it amazingly does! I'm not a huge fan of meringue, but I went ahead and followed the recipe exactly and the meringue was not bad on this pie, and believe it or not it was the first time I have attempted meringue and it turned out really good, I was proud of myself. Enjoy!

Jamie's Southwestern Avacado and Black Bean Salad

Happy Cinco De Mayo! Today was the day to celebrate but not everyone celebrates including many areas in Mexico. It is a regional holiday in Mexico. Especially celebrated in Puebla. It has also become a popular holiday on the Mexican US border. Avocado's are a favorite of mine. So this recipe caught my eye. Not difficult to make. Quite a few healthy ingredients. As I was hunting for hot sauce I came across "Red Hot Sweet Chili Sauce". A little more expensive than most on the shelf but different. It took a bit more than the recipe called for but really liked the flavor. My daughter loves dipping sauces so the remainder will be put to good use. The majority of ingredients could be easily found organic which is very important to me. The recipe called for Romaine lettuce. I think I would use a less flavorful variety next time. Maybe even add a third avocado. So decorate the table, put up the decorations, and enjoy. Thanks Paula!

Jalapeno Corn Casserole

A great Mexican side dish. Easy to put together. I found organic canned corn on sale, used fat free cream cheese, chose low fat evaporated milk, and sprinkled Pepper Jack cheese on top when it came out of the oven. I have always loved corn and this recipe highlights it perfectly. Take the chilies and cheese out and you have a side dish that could be served with any meal. Thanks Paula!.

Black Bean and Chicken Enchiladas with Smokey Mole Sauce

Everything was festive at Michael's this weekend. The Mexican theme put us in the mood to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. The enchiladas were easy to make. Boiling the chicken breasts and chopping them took the most time. The cream cheese and sour cream give a great flavor to the other ingredients. I made it the night before so all I had to do was put it in the oven before leaving for Michael's. We were happy to have Mary and her friend join us. My sister-in-law and daughter were unable to celebrate with us. They were missed. Weekend number five was a success just like the past four. Thanks Paula!

Cilantro Pesto Chicken Pizza

Wow was this good! The only thing that took a little time was making the pesto in the food processor and cutting up the chicken. This is a very easy and delicious recipe, it would be good anytime you could make this on a rectangle pizza crust and cut it into small squares and serve as an appetizer. This is one that even the kids will love! Thanks Paula. Enjoy!

Green Chili Squares

This recipe was so easy to put together about 5 minutes was all and it is really good! This could be used as a side dish for any meal, and it really worked for our "Cinco de Mayo" Mexican theme. I was born and raised in Southern California where Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more I think than in other parts of the country, and this dish was perfect for the occasion! Enjoy!