Hawiiaan haystacks with coconut jasmine rice

I love Hawaiian haystacks, and I love using coconut jasmine rice whenever I can so I thought "why not combine the two?". It turned out great, but if we want to be healthier just use brown rice.

Makes 4-6 servings

Sauce Recipe

10 To 12 chicken tenders, cut in chunks

2 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

Preparation

Place chicken in greased 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker.

Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.

Cook on high heat 3-4 hours or on low heat 6-8 hours.

Serve over hot rice with a variety of cold toppings that could include grated cheese, peas, pineapple tidbits, shredded coconut, raisins, Chinese noodles, olives, diced tomatoes, diced green peppers, sliced green onions, and other family favorites.

Coconut Jasmine Rice

• SERVES 4
• 2 cups Thai jasmine-scented white rice
  
• 2 cups good-quality coconut milk
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 2 heaping Tbsp. dry shredded unsweetened coconut (baking type)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. coconut oil, OR other vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Rub oil over the bottom of a deep-sided pot. You will also need a tight-fitting lid.
2. Place rice, coconut milk, water, shredded coconut, and salt in the pot and set over medium-high to high heat. Stir occasionally to keep rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
3. Once the coconut-water has begun to gently bubble, stop stirring and reduce heat to low (just above minimum). Cover tightly with a lid and let simmer 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. To check, pull rice aside with a fork. If most of the coconut milk-water is gone, go on to the next step.
4. Replace the lid and turn off the heat, but leave the covered pot on the burner to steam another 5-10 minutes, or until you're ready to eat. Tip: Your Coconut Rice will stay warm this way for up to 1 hour or more, great for when you're expecting company

Taco Soup

I really just improvised on this recipe but it came out pretty good, it makes a ton so be sure to invite some friends over for this one!

3 chicken breasts or 1 pound ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can kidney beans with liquid
1 can corn, drained
1 8 oz. tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 package taco seasoning
1 package ranch mix

Brown beef in skillet, drain and transfer to crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low 8 hours. Fry some corn tortilla strips and serve over soup (or use crushed chips if you are feelin lazy). Top with cilantro, cheese, avacado, sour cream.

Best Taco Meat

This recipe came from the recipe exchange from Deseree too, and it was soo good!
Browned taco meat
1 or 2 cups salsa
Brown and cook your taco meat how you normally cook it. Puree salsa in a blender or use immersion blender. Then add cooked meat and salsa to the crock pot cook on low for 2 – 4 hours.
I know it’s annoying to cook the meat and THEN place it in the crock pot, but believe me it is worth dirtying the crock pot. yummy

Cheesy Garlic Bread

My friend Rozannah made this bread for the recipe exchange the other night, and I was in heaven! It's definitely not fat free, but it was soooo good!

1 stick butter (softened)
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (i have used the cheaper grated kind in the shaker)
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp garlic salt
mix ingredients and spread on french bread. wrap in foil and place in 350 oven for about 25 minutes.

Corn bread

For a 9x9 pan
1pkg Jiffy corn bread mix
1/3 cup corn meal
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter
1- Mix together jiffy mix, cornmeal and sugar
2- Mix together eggs, milk and butter & pour into dry ingredients
3- Do not over mix
4- Bake at 350o on greased 9x9 pan for 40 minutes. Be careful not to bake too long because it will dry

The BEST refried beans ever!!

My friend Deseree makes these crockpot beans that are to die for, I finally got the recipe..now I just need to invest in an immersion blender! 2 lbs of beans (I used pinto) Garlic to your liking (I used about 4 TBLS) 1 onion minced (I love the purple onions, but this time I used a sweet onion) Large Pot of boiling water Salt Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. While water is starting to boil, clean 2lbs of beans and place in a large crock pot, (mine is about a 5.5 quart size). Add garlic and onion with the beans in the crock pot. If your family loves garlic add lots, if they don’t like it just do a little. For the onion, if you have picky eaters like I do who like onion flavor but not the texture of the onion, this is what I have done in the past: first option just use onion powder maybe 3 or so TBLS of powder? (again if you like onion flavor use a lot if don’t – use less). Second option place whole onion in pot and after it is done cooking squeeze out flavor and remove the entire onion. Both options are fine. The third option and best option in my opinion is to invest in an immersion blender “) (I have a kitchen aid one which I LOVE right now – my older one that broke after about 4 years was cheaper but lasted 4 years and it did great too it was a Braun) after cooking puree the onion. Fourth option is just to dice the onion. Stir beans, garlic, and onion to combine. Once water has started to boil pour boiling water over beans and fill your crock pot. Quickly close lid and cook on high for 4 hours. Pinto beans take 4 hours, black beans take about 5 hours. Crock pots do vary so you might have to experiment a little at first with time. After 4 hours remove excessive water and reserve the water in a bowl. (I use the extra water to cook my rice with when we have rice with our beans- it gives the rice a little extra flavor). If you like your beans whole (for salads or chili) add salt to your liking and you’re done. If you want refried beans mash beans with a potato masher or immersion blender to the texture you like, add the reserved bean water to make it thinner. Remember your beans will thicken after a while. Add salt to taste. Enjoy!

Lettuce wraps

• 6 Boston Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
• 1 pound ground chicken
  
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil
• Chopped mushrooms (as much as you want)
  

Sauce:
1T rice vinegar, 2T soy sauce, 1 T chili paste & 1t sesame oil
Mix together and pour over each wrap

1. Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground chicken in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion and mushrooms in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

Baked Taquitos

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Recipe by OurBestBites.com
1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
about 16 small corn or flour tortillas
kosher saltcooking spray
Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.The corn tortillas are harder to roll without cracking. For the corn tortillas: work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.
Then roll it up as tight as you can.
Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.
Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Makes around 16 taquitos.