Tag: sour cream

Main Dishes, Pizza, Recipes

Taco Pizza

Sarah

Some people are pizza purists, and some people are me. I like trying the most ridiculous and random types of pizza ever. My most recent favorite at a local pizza place? Pecans, sweet onion marmalade, gorgonzola and fresh rosemary. So, so good. That is definitely a combo I will be ordering again and maybe even recreating at home! And I am sure it’ll be nothing but good. But for now, this Taco Pizza I made from Budget Bytes is my favoritest homemade pizza of all time. A high honor, and for good reason.

Taco Pizza | The Pajama Chef

Tacos and pizza are amazing on their own, and together in one dish is a party you don’t want to miss! Each bite has layers of hot and cold ingredients and is just so flavorful!

Taco Pizza | The Pajama Chef

When thinking about this pizza, it’s hard to tell what the best part is–the refried bean/salsa sauce? The crunchy corn? The cheese? [oooh cause you can’t have pizza without cheese!] Or the fresh, cold pico, cilantro, and sour cream on top of it all? I’m not sure, but you pretty much can’t go wrong with this idea because it’s so versatile. Any taco filling would be fabulous on this pizza. I think next time I might add some shredded chicken and sauteed peppers and onions for a fajita-type pizza. Oooh! And chunks of avocado and a drizzle of guacamole salsa. That’s what I’m talking about!!

Taco Pizza | The Pajama Chef

Even without meat though, this veggie pizza is super filling, and your family will be fighting over the leftovers. Ben and I sure were! Haha. Just kidding. I think.

It’s a good thing I didn’t make this yesterday on our fourth anniversary! 🙂 Instead, we spent the day picnicking at a local winery and enjoying each other’s company. Better than squabbling over a delicious pizza, methinks. Teeheehee. Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Taco Pizza

  • Servings: 4-5
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from Budget Bytes
Ingredients:

  • 1 batch pizza dough
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, minced + more for sprinkling
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 [15 ounce] can refried beans
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
  • 1 1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup corn
  • 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together tomatoes, onion, and cilantro for pico de gallo. Add black pepper to taste, set aside.

Add oil to a small saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.  Then stir in beans, salsa, and taco seasoning and cook until heated and smooth. Remove from heat.

Roll out pizza dough on pizza pan, par-baking crust if desired for 5-7 minutes [I usually skip this step!]. Then remove from oven and top with bean mixture, cheese, and corn. Bake for another 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Top with pico de gallo, cilantro, and a drizzle of sour cream [spoon into ziploc bag, cut off the corner, and squeeze over pizza]. You can also add a dash of hot sauce if that’s your thing. Enjoy!

P.S. SHAMELESS PLUG! Please check out and like my new blog Facebook page… thanks!

Appetizers, Recipes

SRC: Baked Jalapeno Popper-Ranch Dip

Sarah

This month for the Secret Recipe Club I was assigned Wendy’s wonderful blog, The Weekend Gourmet. As I’ve said before, numerous times, I absolutely love being part of the SRC. It’s a fun way to try new blogs and recipes and be part of a fun community. If you’ve missed my past SRC posts, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog… all while keeping your assignment a secret! Everyone else posts about their secret blog the same day. It’s fabulously fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

Anyway, when I first visited Wendy’s blog I was overwhelmed by the number of fabulous recipes there. Wendy is from Texas, and is as warm and welcoming as can be. I mean, how could she not be… she’s from Texas after all. Plus, she has a cat. Nice people always have cats. 🙂  I could hardly decide what to make. Peppermint White Hot Chocolate? Cranberry-Nut Caramel Popcorn? Citrus-Walnut Brown Rice Pilaf? Mmm, I wanted to make them all. In one day. What a delightful day that would have been! But I asked Ben, my chief culinary consultant what sounded good to him, and then we got to talkin’ about appetizers. Our church small group takes turns bringing snacks each week, and if left to my own devices, I would always bake something. But Ben wanted to do something different, so we settled on Jalapeno Popper Dip. But not just any Jalapeno Popper Dip… Baked Jalapeno Popper-Ranch Dip.

Baked Jalapeno Popper-Ranch Dip | The Pajama Chef

This dip is, in a word, awesome. Spicy and creamy and cheesy. Yum. In another word, addicting. It’s great hot right out of the oven [but beware… Wendy calls it hot lava right out of the oven, and I agree]… and it’s equally as good cold out of the refrigerator [ask me how I know… it’s a great 11 pm snack to finish off peppermint tea… ha!]. And in a last word, forgiving. The recipe I’ll give you will be Wendy’s, through and through… even though my version was laden with “mistakes.”

Baked Jalapeno Popper-Ranch Dip | The Pajama Chef

There were so many! I misread the recipe and put all the ranch seasoning in the cheesy mixture, instead of splitting it between the cheese and the topping. I forgot to buy the green onions so those were omitted. I accidentally used up the plain green yogurt in another recipe, so had to substitute some sour cream and mayo instead. I also rubbed jalapeno juice into some tiny cuts on my hand, which was fun. But you know what? Even with all that craziness, this dip was just SO good. It was just demolished by everyone who tried it, even an adventurous two year old. 🙂 You should totally make it for your next appetizer need… I wish I could have posted it before the Super Bowl, but alas… Ben loved it and says you can eat it anytime!

Baked Jalapeno Popper-Ranch Dip | The Pajama Chef

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Wendy’s blog for more recipe inspiration. Thanks for a great recipe, Wendy!!

Baked Jalapeno Popper-Ranch Dip [from The Weekend Gourmet]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened [I used Neufchâtel]
  • 6 ounces plain greek yogurt [I used 4 ounces sour cream + 2 ounces mayo]
  • 1 – 1 ounce package dry ranch dressing mix
  • 1 small can chopped jalapeno peppers, drained [I used 3 fresh jalapenos, about 1 heaping cup, and deseeded 2 of them]
  • 2 sliced green onions
  • 1 cup shredded co-jack cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • olive oil 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a shallow casserole dish [I used a 10 inch dish].

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cream cheese, yogurt, and half of the ranch seasoning. Mix on low until everything is combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add the jalapenos, green onions, and cheese. Mix again, then spoon into prepared dish.

In a second bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, parmesan, and the rest of the ranch seasoning. Spread on top of the cheese mixture, then spray or drizzle on olive oil.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and dip is bubbly. Turn dish around halfway for even browning.

Cool for 5 minutes before serving with tortilla chips.

Time: 40 minutes.

Yield: serves 10-12.

Be sure to check out other great SRC recipes here, and have a great day!

Also linked with: Weekend Potluck.

Appetizers, Recipes

Mexican Rollups

Sarah

So, I think I’ve mentioned a time or two that the first Sunday every month I organize food for a church event. It usually appears on my Menu Plan as an “appetizer and dessert” night. Sometimes “organizing” means planning, shopping, recruiting help to cook/bake, and setting/cleaning up the actual event. Other times, things are a little more involved. For one reason or another, I end up doing most of the cooking and baking. And that’s okay. For the most part, I don’t mind since I love food. But sometimes that gets a wee bit time consuming. So those months, I turn to something easy and delicious that I know everyone will love. Something that is always a hit are my Mexican Rollups. Mexican Rollups | The Pajama Chef I think I’ve made these on [or had a friend make them] no less than three separate occasions. For someone who’s an avid nonrecipe repeater, how could I not when I had a cheesy, spicy hit on my hands? Each of these two-bite appetizers is absolute packed with taco spiced deliciousness. Black beans and corn. Two kinds of cheese. Cilantro. Onions. Salsa. All wrapped up in a soft flour tortilla. Amazing. Though they aren’t really healthy, I do have ideas for healthifying them [add spinach, cut down on cheese, etc.]… but I just haven’t. Sometimes you gotta be a bit excessive. Besides being tasty, these Mexican Rollups are incredibly easy to throw together in about 15 minutes or less. You can even make them a day or two ahead–for ease on the day of a party or get-together, as well as for better marriage of flavors. All you gotta do before serving is cut them up. Perfect, right? Or guess what… if you happened to not be making these for an event, I won’t tell anyone if you just eat them burrito-style. I may have done that a time or two…. shhhh! Just kidding. But now I am uber-tempted. Mexican Rollups | The Pajama Chef Seriously though–these rollups are simple and well-loved. Every time I make them, I get so many compliments and recipe requests that I figured it would be easier to just blog about them. No one gets tired of them and they are always devoured [and I always make a double batch. Wowsers!]. One bite of this fresh yet indulgent Mexi-flavored app and you’ll see. 🙂 I guarantee anyone who tries them will agree… even those who say they don’t like black beans. There’s so much other good stuff in there. I don’t usually say that you have to try something… but you have GOT to try these. Enjoy!

Mexican Rollups

  • Servings: 80-100 slices, approximately 20-25 servings total
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  • 12 ounces cream cheese, softened [I used Neufchâtel]
  • 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
  • 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese [I’ve used Sharp Cheddar and a taco blend]
  • ½ bunch cilantro, diced
  • 6 green onions, chopped
  • 1 package – 2 ounces – taco seasoning
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 20 flour tortillas

Combine cream cheese, corn, black beans, cheese, cilantro, onions, and taco seasoning in a large bowl. Add sour cream and salsa gradually [if it seems too runny use less of either]. Microwave tortillas to just warm up before adding filling. Spread evenly in each tortilla and roll up tightly. Don’t overfill; you don’t want it to be difficult to roll.  Place all tortillas in a baking dish, separating each layer of rolled tortillas with foil or wax paper. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into small slices–approximately 4-5 per tortilla, and continue separating each layer with wax paper or foil.

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce

Sarah

So, if you’re on Pinterest, you probably have the same problem as the rest of us: you pin about a kazillion things on all your boards but never actually do any of them. Sigh. In order to remedy this, Lisa at The Splattered Apron has started an every other week linkup called Pinteresting Recipes. This is my first time to participate, and I am so excited!!

I love Pinterest and the ability to find great blogs and new ideas, as well as the obviously ability to save and share things for later. However, I absolute hate the way some people discuss the popular pin in the name/comment section. “Some pinner says…” Then they usually talk about how this is the best or most wonderful thing ever. Ugh. Don’t know why, but that just bugs me. And it kinda makes me want to boycott all pins that have those words attached to them, since they’re somehow tainted. Tainted with what? Popularity? I’m weird. But for this post, I decided to suck it up and try one of those popular pins. Because they must be good if they’re so popular, right?

I chose White Chicken Enchiladas from Joyful Mama’s Kitchen.

Here’s a photo of the original:

The pin of this recipe that I then pinned was labeled as “According to many pinners-THE BEST white chicken enchilada recipe ever!! Easy too.” See? Pet peeve right there! But is it worth the hype?

Here’s how mine turned out.

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce | The Pajama Chef

I must say, these White Chicken Enchiladas were pretty tasty and easy. The best? Well, I’m not sure I’d go quite that far, but they were delicious.

We loved how each bite of these enchiladas was full of flavor: tender shredded chicken and sharp cheddar cheese absolutely drenched in a luscious white sauce made with sour cream and sweet green chilies. The original recipe used all white cheese [Monterey Jack], but when I made these my grocery store was completely out, so I had to improvise. I’m sure they would be awesome either way–cheese is cheese, after all!

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce | The Pajama Chef

Will I make them again? Sure thing. They aren’t healthy or authentic Mexican food, but they do provide a good dose of cheesy comfort food. You can never have too many comfort food recipes. 🙂  So thanks to Pinterest for pointing me to this awesome new recipe and blog. On that note, I’ll close with a link to a post I recently read about Pinterest/blogging/internet etiquette. It’s a great read, so I hope you check it out. 🙂

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce [from Joyful Mama’s Kitchen]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  • 2 cups shredded cheese [Sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack]
  • 10 soft tortillas [I used wheat]
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 ounce can diced green chillies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, stir together chicken and half the cheese. Divide bewteen tortillas, roll up, and place in pan.

Next, make the sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly pour in broth and whisk until smooth, then heat until sauce thickens and begins to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and chilies.

Pour sauce over enchiladas, then top with the rest of the cheese.

Bake enchiladas for 22 minutes, then broil for a minute or two until cheese becomes brown and bubbly.

Time: 45 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 5 servings.

Breakfast, Pancakes, Recipes

Edna Mae’s Sour Cream Pancakes

Sarah

I love pancakes. And breakfast food in general. I even had it at my wedding as breakfast for dinner. Ha ha–take that, tradition! 🙂

I grew up a Bisquick gal but in the past 2 years have been making my own from scratch because it’s just so easy. This is a fabulous pancake recipe. The pancakes are light and flavorful, and easy as can be. Plus they are from the Pioneer Woman and she’s just great.

One thing I really liked about this recipe was that it didn’t make a huge amount. Since it’s just the two of us, we usually halve breakfast recipes, but we didn’t with this one. If you’re making it for a bigger family or a large group, double it at will. We made these one night recently for dinner and they were devoured in minutes between the two of us. Mmmhmmm, that good. Well, two were leftover that Ben heated up for breakfast the next day. But they were gone just like that! Enjoy!

Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes | thepajamachef.com
YUM.

Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes

  • Servings: 2
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from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fat-free sour cream
  • 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
  • canola oil

Directions:

Preheat a griddle on the stove over medium-low heat. In a medium bowl, mix sour cream, flour, sugar, and baking soda. Stir together but don’t worry about everything being incorporated–PW suggests “interesting texture” is better. 🙂 In a measuring cup, mix the eggs and extract. Whisk the mixture to break the yolks, then pour into the sour cream batter and stir together.

Pour some canola oil in the skillet to fry the pancakes. Add batter to skillet in 1/4 cup increments. Cook pancakes for about 90 seconds, then flip and cook for another 45-60 seconds and remove to a plate. Repeat until batter is gone, serve, and eat with butter and syrup.