Jack in the Box's Tacos (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)

Prep time: 15- 20 min

Cook time: 15 min
Ready in: 30- 40 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 

1 lb. ground beef (for Recipe Club, Jen used turkey)

1/3 c. refried beans

1/4 tsp. salt

2 T. chili powder

1/4 c. taco sauce

12 corn tortillas

3 c. vegetable oil

6 slices American cheese- cut in halves diagonally

1/4 head lettuce- finely chopped

Directions:
- Slowly brown meat over low heat, using a wooden spoon to chop and stir meat, keeping it very fine

and smooth

- When meat is browned, drain fat

- Add refried beans and use wooden spoon to smash any whole beans into mixture

- Remove from the heat

- Add salt, chili powder, and 2 T. of the taco sauce

- In another skillet, heat 1/4" oil until hot enough that a small piece of tortillas bubbles when dropped

into it

- Spread an equal amount of mixture on center of each tortilla

- Fold tortillas over and press so that filling holds sides together

- Drop each taco into hot oil and fry on both sides until crispy

- When cooked, remove tacos from oil and place on a rack until cooled slightly

- Pry open each taco slightly and add 1/2 slice cheese, lettuce, and about 1 1/2 tsp. taco sauce

- Serve hot

*Jen found recipe here

Chili's Queso Dip (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 10- 15 min
Ready in: 15- 20 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
16 oz. Velveeta- cut into cubes
3/4 c. Milk
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 (15 oz.) can chili with no beans
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin

Tortilla chips (for serving)

Directions:
- Heat all ingredients in pan over medium heat stirring frequently until melted and combined
- Serve hot, with tortilla chips

*Karen found recipe here

Mini Lemon Curd Cheesecakes (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 12- 15 min
Cool time: 1 hour, 5 min
Ready in: 1 hour, 47- 50 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 

CHEESECAKES:

2 (8 oz.) pkg.'s cream cheese- softened
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. graham crackers- crushed
1/2 c. lemon curd

WHIPPED CREAM:
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 T. sugar

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Grease mini muffin tin
- Fill each muffin cup with 1 T. graham cracker crumbs
- Use a spice jar or small kitchen tool to firmly press crumbs into pan
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time

- Add vanilla extract and beat until mixture is light and fluffy

- Pour cream cheese mixture into pan, filling each muffin cup to 3/4 full
- Bake 12- 15 min

- Turn off oven, leave door slightly open and allow cheesecakes to cool for 5 minutes before removing from oven

- Cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour

- Just before serving, whisk together sugar and cream in a cold bowl until stiff peaks form
- Top each cheesecake with 1 tsp. lemon curd

- Pipe whipped cream on top

*Julie found recipe here

Irish Cream-Topped Brownies (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 23- 26 min

Cool time: 3 hours
Ready in: 3 hours, 53- 56 min
Serves: 6- 8

Ingredients: 
BROWNIES:

1 (10 1/4 oz.) box fudge brownie mix

1/4 c. vegetable oil

2 T. Irish cream liqueur

2 eggs

TOPPING:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix

3 T. Irish cream liqueur

1 chocolate-covered toffee candy bar- crushed

Directions:
- Heat oven to 350

- Grease bottom only of 8" square pan with shortening

- In large bowl, stir all brownie ingrdients with spoon until blended, about 50 strokes

- Spread batter in pan

- Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 23- 26 min

- Cool completely, about 1 hour

- In medium bowl, beat whipping cream, milk, pudding mix and liqueur with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, 4- 6 min

- Spread mixture over cooled brownies

- Sprinkle with crushed candy

- Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving

*Anne found recipe here

Cucumber Avocado Caprese Salad (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 15 min

Ready in: 15 min
Serves: 4- 6

Ingredients: 

1 T. olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

2 cucumbers- diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes- halved
2 avocados- diced
2 T. basil- chopped
1 c. mozzarella- small balls or chopped into bite-sized pieces

Directions:
- Mix oil, vinegar, and spices until well combined
- Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl
- Pour dressing over salad, and mix well
- Enjoy immediately

*Michele found recipe here

Sautéed Broccoli with Mint, Basil & Pine Nuts (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 10- 15 min

Cook time: 20- 30 min
Ready in: 30- 45 min
Serves: 4- 6

Ingredients: 
1 lb. zucchini- sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (Karen used shredded broccoli for Recipe Club!)
3 T. oil
3 small cloves garlic
20 mint leaves
10 basil leaves
1 T. capers- rinsed
1 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 T. pine nuts- lightly toasted

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Directions:
- Heat 1 T. olive oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat
- When oil is hot, add 1/2 lb. zucchini and sauté, flipping and turning every few minutes, until golden brown, about 15 min
- While zucchini cooks, chop together garlic, 10 mint leaves, 5 basil leaves, and capers so that they intermingle and turn into a sort of knife pesto
- When zucchini is golden, remove from pan and cook remaining zucchini in 1 T. oil
- Add first batch back into pan, along with herb mixture and vinegar
- Add nuts, salt, and pepper and toss well
- Tear remaining mint and basil, for garnish
- Put zucchini in serving dish and garnish with torn herbs

*Karen found recipe here

Chicken Piperade with Pilau Rice... aka: "A Pot of Loveliness" (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 1- 3 hours
Ready in: 1- 3 hours, 30 min
Serves: 4- 6

Ingredients: 
CHICKEN:

1 T. flour

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

3 1/2 lb. chicken thighs
2 T. olive oil
2 onions- thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves- lightly crushed
4 red bell peppers- seeds removed, thickly sliced
1 T. tomato paste
5 T. dry sherry
5 T. white wine
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 T. parsley- finely chopped

RICE:
2 T. vegetable oil
1 onion- finely diced
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 c. rice
3 c. water
2 bay leaves
1 lemon- sliced

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Sprinkle flour onto a plate and season with salt and pepper
- Dredge chicken pieces in flour
- Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat
- Sauté chicken until golden brown, 2- 3 min per side
- Remove from pan using a slotted spoon, and transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish
- Heat remaining olive oil in same pan
- Sauté onions, garlic and peppers until just softened, 4- 5 min
- Stir in tomato paste, and continue to sauté for 1- 2 min
- Pour in sherry and wine
- Bring mixture to a boil
- Stir in tomatoes, cayenne pepper, paprika and sugar and return to boil
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste
- Pour sauce over chicken
- Cover and bake until chicken is cooked through and no trace of pink remains, peppers are tender, and sauce has thickened slightly; 1- 3 hours (the longer this cooks, the tastier it gets)
- About 30 min before chicken is done heat vegetable oil in a large, lidded frying pan over medium heat
- Add onion and sauté until softened but not browned, 2- 3 min
- Add cloves and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, another 1- 2 min
- Add rice and stir well to coat in oil
- Pour in water and stir again
- Add bay leaves and 2 lemon slices
- Cover pan with lid and reduce heat until just simmering
- Cook rice until it is just tender, and all liquid has been absorbed, about 15- 20 min
- Remove cinnamon stick, lemon slices, and bay leaves before serving
- To serve, stir parsley into chicken and season again with more salt and pepper, to taste
- Serve with pilau rice, garnished with remaining lemon slices

*I found recipe here

Burrata with White Wine and Garlic Sautéed Tomatoes (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 10 min 

Cook time: 13- 19 min
Ready in: 23- 29 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
1 baguette
1 T. olive oil, plus more for garnish
3 tomatoes- diced
2 cloves garlic- minced
1/4 c. pinot grigio
1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp.  pepper
8 oz. burrata- room temperature
1 T. basil- chopped

Directions:
- Preheat broiler
- Slice the baguette into 1" slices and place on a baking sheet
- Lightly drizzle baguette slices with 2 tsp. olive oil
- Place under broiler and toast until lightly golden, about 3- 5 min
- Flip and toast the other side until lightly golden, about 2- 4 min
- Remove from oven and set aside
- Heat remaining oil in a sauté pan over medium heat

- Add tomatoes, garlic, wine, salt, and pepper

- Bring to a simmer and cook until wine is reduced by half, about 8 to 10 min

- Place burrata into a serving dish

- Pour sautéed tomatoes over cheese and garnish with basil

- Serve with toasted baguette slices

*Jen found recipe here

Caramelized Onion Tart with Gorgonzola and Brie (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 50 min
Ready in: 1 hour
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
2 T. olive oil
4 c. onions- thickly sliced
1 T. brown sugar
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
8 oz. puff pastry- defrosted, if frozen
2 oz. Brie cheese- chilled, rind removed, diced
2 oz. blue cheese- diced
2 T. tarragon- chopped

Directions:
- Heat oil on medium-high heat
- Add onions and cook until starting to brown,  about 10 min
- Add sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper
- Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, until caramelized, about 20- 25 min
- Let cool
- Preheat oven to 400
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Roll pastry out to desired thickness and shape
- Place pastry on prepared baking sheet
- Prick pastry with a fork several, scattered times
- Spread onions over pastry, up to the edges
- Dot with cheese
- Sprinkle with tarragon
- Bake until cheese has melted and pastry is crispy, about  18- 20 min
- Cool for 5 min before serving

*Dina found recipe here

Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 25 min
Ready in: 35 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 
1 (24 oz.) pkg. bacon
16 Medjool dates- pitted
3 1/2 oz. blue cheese- softened

Directions:- Preheat oven to 350
- Stuff each date with 1 tsp. blue cheese, re-sealing dates over cheese after stuffing
- Cut each slice of bacon in half
- Wrap each date with a half slice of bacon, spear with a toothpick, and place on a baking sheet
- Bake until bacon is crisp, 25- 30 min

*Dina found recipe here