Two things I really love are cabbage Mexican food.  So why not combine the two, or at least that was my thinking when I found left over taco meat in the fridge and no lettuce.

It was a marriage made in heaven as they say.  It was warm, filling and spicy. You can’t ask for more than that.

• half a head of cabbage, shredded
• 1 tbsp. butter, oil or other fat
• half med onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup taco meat (1/2 lb before cooking)
• Add ins: mushrooms, onions, green peppers, (I had only had mushrooms)
• Toppings: sour cream, avocado sliced, black olives, chopped green onion, tomato slices.

1. Saute cabbage in fat until just tender crisp, remove to plate but keep warm (a bowl will allow it to keep cooking)
2. In same skillet, saute any add ins your using until tender.  Mix in taco meat and cook until heated. 
3. Mix cabbage back in and top with whatever you like.  I used sour cream and sliced avocado.

I have to admit this hit the spot and stayed with me for hours.  It was high on all the essentials, fat, protein and veggies.

While here, in Texas fall is still another month or so away, Ike blew in a taste of it this week. So my mind naturally turned to the heartier, heavier dishes we eat in fall and winter. The one thing I have been wanting for a long time is Chili. Yes a big bowl of hearty beefy chili with plenty of sour cream and cheese, sure to warm up the bones of the frozen mammoths of the Antarctic.

I've been dreaming of the first pot of chili I get to put on, smelling it simmering away on the stove, filling the house with it's spicy, tomatoey goodness. I know many people don't care how hot it is outside and eat chili year round. Heck Texas has chili cook offs all summer. But to me, it's a winter dish, the first sign that cooler nights and crispy fall days are on their way.

It was with these thoughts of Fall and all it's lovely cool breezy days and chilly nights and thoughts of a big bowl of chili keep dancing away in the back of my mind that I headed to my kitchen to prepare the bag of frozen chicken breast I had thawing the in fridge.

I had wanted to try a recipe I've had floating around in my head for a low carb version of Chicken Cordon Bleu, but unfortunately I didn't have all the ingredients I need for that. And I just couldn't bring myself to prepare one of my TNT recipes. After all, as a retired schoolteacher, the beginning of fall means a brand new year full of new things and wondrous possibilities.

Then it dawned on me, while it might be too hot for a heavy red chili,( Ike didn't cool us down that much), it was the perfect weather for the lighter white version. Having only attempted chicken chili once and with mixed reviews, I was a little hesitant. Nevertheless, I really wanted a bowl of chili and I intended to have one. And this my friends, is the end result. Not a fire-y hot heavy chili, but a light spicy chili that I think would be good even in the summer time.

I prepared chili lime chips to go with it, and in my not so humble opinion, it was absolutely, fabulous. It was very filling and I wasn't even able to finish the bowl I had, not something that happens to me often. It was spicy without being overly hot and the chips added the perfect crunch and flavor to top it all off.

Vikki's Mellow Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite sized pieces. I use chicken breast but I don't see why thighs wouldn't work
• ½ sm. Onion, diced
• 1 med. Yellow or zucchini squash, diced
• ½ green pepper , diced
• 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. Penzey's Southwest Seasoning or similar seasoning
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 can chopped green chilies
• 2 ½ cup liquid, I used 2 cups water, 1 ½ cup chicken stock with ½ tbsp. Better than Bouillon mixed in, but you can use whatever you have.
• ½ white Kidney beans often called Cannellini Beans* Optional*
• ThickenThin not/Starch Thickener, gaur gum, xanthan gum, glucomannan powder or whatever thickener you prefer.
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp. coconut or your favorite oil

Method:

1. Prep all veggies and chicken
2. Heat oil in large soup pan, add veggies and sauté until softened
3. While veggies are cooking add chicken and seasoning to plastic bag and massage to coat all chicken in seasoning
4. Add seasoned chicken and sauté until opaque
5. While chicken is cooking mix whatever liquids you choose to us, I find all chicken stock too strong, but use what you like
6. Add green chilies and beans
7. Pour the liquid over the cooked chicken and veggies, season with salt and pepper to taste and let simmer 20 minutes.
8. Thicken to desired thickness using your choice of thickeners. I used Thickenthin

Serve with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and some fresh crisp lettuce, or your favorite toppings. Don't forget the chips

* The beans do add a few more carbs (13 to the whole pot) and you can certainly leave them out if you prefer. But remember beans are full of resistance starch and may not cause glucose spikes so why not give them a try and see.*

For me, this was a cook ahead meal so I didn't thicken as much as I would have if I had been serving it right then. I didn't want to have to add water in order to reheat. The night we ate it, all I had to do was heat, which thickened it, make chips and shred some lettuce. It only took about 10-15 minutes.

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet, I truly thought I had. This is one of our favorites. I came up  with it a little over a year ago, I guess and we've been enjoying it ever since.

Like all my recipes, it changes a bit each time I make it. Like this time, I had a green pepper in the fridge that was on it's last leg. So, I added it to the recipe. I also added a few more spices than normal, just because I was feeling it. You know you get in the kitchen, you get in the swing, and sometime it just leads you in a completely new direction. This time the direction was the same but the temperature was definitely warmer…giggle

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pre-cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
• ¼ cup onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 green pepper, chopped small (not a normal ingredient)
• 2 cans green chilies
• ¼- ½ cup chicken stock or broth
• Spices of chose, this time I used
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. Mexican oregano
  • A dash or two of smoke paprika
  • ½ tsp. ancho chili powder ( milder than most chili powder blends)
  • Salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2-3 oz cream cheese
  • Shredded cheese of choice, I Wal-Mart brand Mexican blend

Method:

• Sauté onions and garlic in a little butter or oil (if using the green pepper add it too). Sauté until onions are translucent. Salt and pepper
• Add both cans of green chilies and just enough chicken stock to make it sauce-y looking.
• Add seasonings
• Add in chicken. Cover and simmer until chicken is warmed through.
• Stir in the cream cheese and allow it to melt.
• Add sour cream and mix well
• Pour into a baking dish and sprinkle top with cheese
• Bake at 400 just until the cheese starts to brown, about 15 minutes

Serve topped with crisp shredded lettuce, juicy ripe tomatoes, slices of avocado and a low carb tortilla cut and toasted or fried into chips.

If you get a little too much chicken stock and it's too soupy, thicken with a bit of gaur gum to thicken.  It should be a little wet, but not soupy.

What's for dinner tonight? Well, let's see I have taco seasoned chicken and beef in the fridge. So we could have taco salad, stuffed zucchini, tostadas or maybe a taco casserole. Of course then there is one of Cleo's many Mexican food recipes. Now it's a matter of deciding what I want to eat, and what everyone else wants. I like days like this, when I have several options. It makes getting dinner on the table much easier. So what will you have for dinner tonight?

Update:   So what did I end up having for dinner?  Well I went in the kitchen and added this and that until I came up with something I really like.

Taco Casserole Vikki Style

Ingredients:

• 1/2 med. zucchini, sliced into even thin rounds
• 3/4 cup shredded cheese divided
• 1/2 cup taco meat
• Red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 sour cream
• 3-4 pork skins crushed
• taco seasoning
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450 if using.
2. Mist lg. ramekin /sm. baking pan with cooking spray. Mine is a  4-5 inches across
3. Layer zucchini circles to cover bottom of the dish.
4. Salt and pepper generously.  Sprinkle with taco seasoning and 1-2 tbsp. grated cheese.
5. Bake or microwave until cheese is melted and zucchini is done.
6. Drain off any water cooked from the zucchini
7. Then layer the Taco meat, red peppers, and sour cream.  Sprinkle with more taco seasoning ( the sour cream)
8. Mix remaining cheese with the pork skins and cover the top.
9. Microwave until the cheese is melted and gooey.  Or you could place it under the broiler for  few minutes to  brown and crisp the top. 
10. I microwaved mine because I didn't want to heat up the house. But I think I will broil the top a few minutes next time.

I also  made Jamie's Better Than Crisp Bread Flax Cracker I added 1 tsp taco seasoning and 1 tbsp shredded cheese to her recipe and made according to her directions.  Mine needed to cook about 3 minutes.

Add half a sliced avocado and you have a yummy mummy meal in a hurry. Without heating up the house during these hot hot summer months.

 I wanted to post this because it's such a wonderfully quick and easy.  If you have pre-cooked chicken you can have this on the table in less than 20 minutes. And who doesn't like fajitas?

Ingredients:

• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breast pre-cooked, I use my left overs from Vikki's Mexicali Chicken
• 1/2 each red and green peppers, cut into slices
• 1/2 medium onion, cut into slices
• Any other veggie you might want to add, I added zucchini because I had half of one that needed using.
• Salad greens of your choice, I used Romaine and some bag salad mixed
• Shredded cheese, your choice I used a Mexican blend
• Sour cream
• 1 Tomato sliced into wedges
• 1 Avocado sliced

Preparations:

1. Slice your veggies
2. Cube or slice your chicken breasts
3. Shred salad greens
4. Saute veggies in a little coconut oil
5. Add chicken when veggies are close to done
6. Mix cheese with salad greens
7. Pour fajitas over the salad
8. Top with sour cream and tomato wedges.

I normally add  avocado so I added to ingredient list, but I was out they wanted nearly a dollar for one!

Enjoy!

I created this dish in an attempt to get my family to eat grilled chicken breasts.  They had only had dried, tasteless grilled chicken and I wanted to show them it could be delish.  It's now one of their favorites.  This can be done in either on the grill or in a grill pan.  I'm sure it would work in a regular skillet, just without the grill marks. Give it a try and see what you think.

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast for each person
• fajita or taco seasoning
• salt and pepper
• bacon drippings or oil of choice
• pepper jack cheese or favorite
• Optional: Jalapenos; bacon strips; tomato slices; sliced mushrooms; black olives

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and preheat grill or cast iron if using.
2. Wash chicken breasts thoroughly.
3. Spread a large sheet of plastic wrap on the counter or cutting board.  Place on breast on one half of plastic
4. Season both sides of the chicken
5. Fold plastic wrap over the chicken
6. Working from the center out pound chicken with glancing blows until you have an even thickness
7. Brush with bacon drippings or your choice of oil
8. Place on grill, turning when brown.  Do not cook through.
9. Top with any optional ingredients and cheese.
10. Cook until cheese is melted and chicken has an internal temp of 165. 
11. Place on platter and cover with foil and let rest.
12. If using a cast iron pan like I did, grill breast in batches, taking out when browned but not cooked through.  Place on baking sheet unless you like cleaning cheese off cast iron...giggle
13. Top each with optional items if using and cheese.
14. Bake in until cheese is melted and chicken has an internal temp  of 165
15. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

I served with zucchini ribbons and a small salad.  Yummo!

• 1 cup shredded chicken ( I used a left over Teriyaki Chicken Breast)
• onions and peppers ( I used the ones from the chicken)
• shredded cheese
• 1 slice of Joseph's Lavash Bread
• coconut oil for frying
• toothpicks

Preparation:

1. Saute peppers and onions in a little coconut oil.
2. Add precooked chicken and heat.
3. Cut bread into 4 equal pieces
4. Layer chicken, veggies and cheese on one end
5. Roll tightly and secure with toothpicks
6. Heat about a inch of coconut oil ( I heated in my smallest sauce pan)
7. Fry taquitos until brown and crispy

Serve with salad, sour cream guacamole and salsa.

I took out a package of taco meat from the freezer a day or two ago.  So tonight it's tostados.  There are no measurements for this because it's such a matter of taste.  Use whatever it is you like and the amounts you prefer.  But this is the way I did it tonight.  Mom and I had tostados and Sister had a salad.  It all uses the same ingredients and I have pictures of the finished salad as well.  Mom and I had a small salad on the side topped with a drizzle of lime juice, olive oil and a little salt and pepper.  A few shakes of cumin on mine.  We all know how I like my cumin...giggle

So here is my recipe.  Hope you enjoy!

Tostados

Ingredients:

• taco meat
• cheese, shredded ( whatever kind you like)
• low carb tortillas ( I use mission at 4 net carbs each)
• sour cream
• avocado
• tomato, chopped
• lettuce, shredded
• Onions ( for the salad)
• coconut oil
• salt and pepper or spices of choice
• any other toppings you might like such as black olives.

Preparations:

1. Gather ingredients
2. Preheat oven to 450
3. Lay out tortillas and prick with a fork on both sides.
4. Brush each side of tortillas with melted coconut oil.  Be generous but don't over oil or they can be soggy.
5. Pop in oven and watch closely, there is only a second or two between golden brown and burnt.
6. Top each tortilla with heated meat ( if using precooked taco meat like I did, simply heat in the microwave until hot)
7. Top that with shredded cheese.
8. Pop back in the hot oven for a minute or two until cheese melts.
9. Top off with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocados.
10. Serve with a fresh bowl of salad! yummy.

For salad simply put all the ingredients in a bowl and serve with fried tortilla chips if you like.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, crushed and minced
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 cup of chopped bell pepper, mix of colors is nice
• 3/4  med head of cauliflower, chopped or grated.
• 1 sm. can Rotel tomatoes

Preparations:

1. sauté the onion and garlic in the butter until tender
2. add the Cauliflower, peppers and Rotel
3. Simmer until cauliflower is tender