Taco Bell Chicken Quesadillas

I got this recipe from Top Secret Recipes because my husband and I LOVE Taco Bell's chicken quesadillas! The sauce is what really makes this recipe and it tastes nearly identical to the original. Please try this recipe!! It's a little spicy but honestly the ingredients make it look spicier than they really are. We usually eat this as a main dish but I suppose it could be an appetizer too.

Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla

Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp minced jalapeno slices (nacho slices)
2 tsp juice from jalapeno slices (nacho slices)
3/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
dash salt

4 chicken breast tenderloins
4 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
2 slices American cheese

1. Prepare creamy jalapeno sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill so that flavors develop. Stir occasionally. (We like extra sauce so I usually 1 1/2 the recipe).
2. Preheat grill or pan to medium heat.
3. Rub chicken tenderloins with vegetable oil. Salt and pepper each side of each tenderloin. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side. When chicken is done, slice it very thin. (I usually cut my chicken into pieces before cooking. I don't really know what is easier or better though.)
4. When you are ready to build your quesadillas, preheat a 12-inch skillet over medium low heat.
5. When the pan is hot lay one tortilla in the pan. Arrange about 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup of shredded jack cheese on half of the tortilla. Tear up half a slice of American cheese and arrange it on the other cheeses.
6. Arrange about a 1/4 cup of sliced chicken over the cheese.
7. Spread about 1 tablespoon (we like a little extra sauce) jalapeno sauce over the tortilla on the half with no ingredients on it.
8. Fold the sauce-covered half of the tortilla over onto the ingredients on the other half and press down with a spatula. Cook for about 1 minute, then turn the quesadilla over and cook for a couple more minutes or until the cheese inside is melted. Slice into four pieces and serve hot. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Hot Fudge Sauce

This recipe is actually a frosting for cake but to me it seems more like hot fudge so thats what we use it for. It's very smooth, more like a fudge that you'd get at an ice cream place rather than a "fudgey" fudge that is almost a gritty texture.

Hot Fudge Sauce

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

3 1/2 tbsp baking cocoa

dash salt

1 cup boiling water

3 tbsp butter or margarine

1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, cocoa & salt until no lump of cornstarch or cocoa remain (very important - if you don't mix well enough the frosting will be lumpy).

Heat water in microwave until boiling. Place saucepan with dry mixture on an already medium hot burner. Pour boiling water over mixture and stir until thick. Take off burner and add butter and vanilla. Stir until butter is melted. Serve.

Special BLT Sauce

Last year I went through a BLT kick. They are such an easy sandwich to make and came in so "handy" while we were packing and moving and I just couldn't get over how delicious they are! Brandon suggested that I find a "sauce" or something for BLT's to make them a little less plain. I remembered finding a recipe for a BLT with a sauce in Rachel Ray's magazine so I tried the sauce; it's a keeper and I'm sharing it with you! It really perks up the regular BLT. We love it and don't really eat BLT's without it anymore.

Special BLT Sauce

1 large garlic clove, pressed
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup mayo

Mix all together really well and put in place of mayonnaise or miracle whip on BLT.

Bean & Bacon Bake

Today we had our church Thanksgiving meal. The dish that I took was called Bean & Bacon Bake. The picture didn't look the greatest so I decided not to post it but these really are very yummy. They are special to me because the first time I ever tried them was at the reception after my dad's (Kayla's grandpa's) funeral. A close friend of the family, Kathy, had made them and they were delicious! She graciously shared her recipe with me that a friend of her Grandma's had given her Grandma around 1955. Be prepared for your whole house to smell wonderful while these beans are baking. Mmmm!


Bean & Bacon Bake

53 oz. can pork & beans
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
garlic as desired
1 c. ketchup
4 tsp. vinegar
2 tsp. worchestershire
Some slices of bacon crisply fried & crumbled to place on top when beans are done (if desired)

Bake beans at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes.
Top with bacon pieces.

Taco Soup

I got this recipe for Taco Soup from a good friend of mine and had been wanting to make it for awhile now. With the weather cooling off it seemed like a good day for it.

Taco Soup

2# hamburger
1 small onion
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 cans whole kernel corn, with juice
2 cans red kidney beans, with juice
2 cans tomato sauce, 15 1/2 oz.
1 large can whole tomatoes

Brown hamburger and onion. Add rest of ingredients and cook for 1 hour.
Pour into bowl and top with sour cream, cheese, and crushed tortilla chips.
Can also add salsa.
My friend also adds black olives when cooking it but I think they are totally gross so I leave them out.

Meltaway Cookies

These cookies are my dad's favorite. They aren't really very sweet at all. Not many other people in my family care for them as much because they just aren't sweet enough. My dad says he doesn't need them any sweeter because he's already sweet enough. Ha! ;) They are pretty tasty little "doughballs" (which is what we have renamed them) though and super quick to make. I can have an entire batch made in about 15 minutes. It makes about 20 cookies, depending on how big you shape them.

Meltaway Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

additional powdered sugar for coating

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix butter, sugar & vanilla thoroughly.

2. Measure flour & salt into a bowl; blend into butter mixture.

3. Drop onto cookie sheet (a cookie scooper works great for these cookies!)

4. Bake for 8 minutes. While warm, dip in powdered sugar. (I usually let them cool down just for a couple minutes as they are cooler and the sugar doesn't melt as quickly)

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

I absolutely love this dip! The first time I made it was a year or two ago for my sister and I. We ate the entire thing in one sitting! It's pretty quick and easy to make too; then again, it's a Pampered Chef recipe and their's are usually always very quick and easy.

Hot Artichoke & Spinach Dip

1 jar (6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

1 pkg (9-11 oz) frozen creamed spinach, thawed

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1/2 cups (2 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

diced red bell pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coarsely chop artichokes; place in a small bowl. Add spinach, mayonnaise & sour cream.

2. Press garlic into bowl and add grated Parmesan cheese; mix well. Spoon into a small baker/casserole dish that holds about 2-4 cups.

3. Bake 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with bell pepper, if desired. Serve with either baked pita chips, toasted baguette bread, or even tortilla chips. Enjoy!