Don't eat Mexican without fresh lime juice and cilantro!

I just had to write about how I am currently addicted to freshly squeezed lime and cilantro. I've been adding it to all sorts of random mexican-like things and it just makes my food seem so fresh and delicious. I first got the craving after making Chicken Taquitos, and then our friends Mary and Samy made us a yummy Gordito dinner and offered us fresh limes to squeeze and cilantro to sprinkle on the top... and I was hooked! Here are a couple of my favorite ways to use it:

Easiest Taco Dinner: Place chicken breasts and a jar of salsa in a crockpot on low all day. (Read the ingredients in your salsa or you will mistakenly get HFCS!) Serve with your favorite type of tacos/tortillas/gorditos/rice/quinoa and any/all of the following add-ons:

sliced avocado
sour cream or cream cheese
sliced lime
cilantro
diced cucumbers
soaked and cooked beans
lettuce
shredded cheese
*Remember to squeeze the lime juice on last!

My favorite easy lunch:
Fill a pita or tortilla with turkey or chicken breast, top with a bit of salsa and cheese, sprinkle on some cilantro, and squeeze some lime juice on top just before toasting in the toaster oven.

Easy chip dip:
Slowly heat equal portions of salsa and cream cheese on stove top on med-low, mixing regularly. Or bake in oven, at about 350 for 20 min, layered with cream cheese on the bottom and salsa on the top. Sprinkle cilantro and drizzle with lime juice right before serving. You can also add shredded cheese if desired.

Amazing melt in your mouth flourless chocolate cake

This cake is divine. It is not flourless because it is healthy. No, it is flourless because the other ingredients are so rich that no flour is needed. Oh, how I love this cake. It is the ultimate reward to a chocolate craving. It is the perfect way to treat yourself after a rough day. You simply have to try it. My awesome friend Heather made it for a cook-out and was so kind to give me the link for the recipe.

Ingredients:

Cake 1 cup water 3/4 cup sugar 9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, diced 18 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped 6 large eggs Ganache 1 cup heavy whipping cream 8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Preparation:

For cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment round; butter parchment. Wrap 3 layers of heavy-duty foil around outside of pan, bringing foil to top of rim.

Combine 1 cup water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat.

Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly. Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan.

Bake cake until center no longer moves when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes.

Remove from water bath; transfer to rack. Cool completely in pan.
For ganache:

Bring whipping cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat.

Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour over top of cake still in pan. Gently shake pan to distribute ganache evenly over top of cake. Refrigerate cake in pan until ganache is set, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides.

Cut cake into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

This post is part of Kelly's SUYL desserts! Click on over for more yummy desserts!

Missouri and Rhodes Smothered Club Sandwich

My MIL got this recipe from a the Miller and Rhodes Tea Room that used to be in Roanoke, VA. People used to eat this sandwich (amongst other delicious treats) while being entertained by a fashion show at the tea room :) My husband loves this sandwich and recently asked me to get the recipe from his mother. The cheese sauce is super easy to whip up and is so yummy!

*Note-- we prefer to eat this as an open-face smothered sandwich with less bread and more meat. We also skip out on the Tabasco sauce and add a little more Worcestershire sauce instead :)

Ingredients:
6 oz. thinly sliced fully cooked turkey
6 oz. thinly sliced fully cooked smoked ham
8 thin tomato slices
8 slices white bread, toasted lightly
4 thin slices sharp cheddar cheese (Optional; we usually find that the cheese sauce is enough cheese for us :)
8 crispy cooked slices of bacon

Tangy Cheese Sauce Ingredients:
2Tbs. flour
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. white pepper (I just use black pepper)
2-3 drops of hot sauce (we skip that because we don't like it spicy :)
1 Cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar or Swiss cheese
pinch of paprika

Directions:
For Sauce: In a heavy saucepan, blend flour with margarine until smooth, add milk, stir in seasonings, gradually add cheese until it melts and thickens slightly.

For Sandwiches: On individual oven proof serving plates, evenly layer turkey, ham, and two tomato slices on each of four slices of toasted bread. Top each with a slice of toast and spoon cheese sauce generously over each serving. Then top each with a slice of cheese. Place under oven broiler until cheese is melted, bubbly hot, and lightly browned. Top each sandwich with two pieces of crisp bacon. Serve immediately. Serves 4

Lynne's Layered Mexican Dip

My MIL makes this easy, yummy dip often when we come to visit :)

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
either a can of chili or homemade hot dog chili
1 can of diced Mexican style tomatoes with diced green chilies
1 bag pf Mexican shredded cheese
sour cream

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Spread cream cheese in the bottom of a medium baking dish. Layer the chili and then the tomatoes. Top with the shredded Mexican cheese and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve hot with nachos or whatever chips you like and sour cream on the side.