Southwesthamandcheese Recipes

SOUTHWESTERN MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package for al dente pasta. Rinse under cold water; drain well
• Melt butter in same saucepan on medium heat. Sprinkle with flour and spices. Cook and stir 2 minute or until well blended. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Stirring constantly, cook 3 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. Stir in cheeses until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add pasta, tomatoes and chiles; toss gently to coat. Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle panko evenly over top
• Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Let stand 5 minutes before serving

CHEESY SOUTHWEST APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Cut cheddar and monterey jack cheeses into small triangles. Top each cracker with some cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper and olives. Place on baking sheet.
• Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 1 to 3 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.

SOUTHWESTERN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat, crumbling beef, until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Drain macaroni; stir into beef mixture., Preheat oven to 375°. Transfer macaroni mixture to 2 greased 2-qt. baking dishes. Top with cheese and jalapenos. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until bubbly and heated through, about 10 minutes longer. Serve 1 casserole. Cool the second; cover and freeze up to 3 months., To use frozen casserole: Thaw in refrigerator 8 hours. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°, 20-25 minutes.

SOUTHWEST QUICHE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325ºF.
• Reserve 2 Tbsp. each onions and tomatoes for later use. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels. Add mushrooms to reserved drippings; cook and stir 2 min. or until tender. Remove from heat. Crumble bacon. Add to skillet with remaining onions and tomatoes; mix well.
• Whisk eggs, sour cream and paprika until blended; pour into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with vegetable mixture and cheese.
• Bake 30 min. or until center is set; top with reserved onions and tomatoes. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

SOUTHWESTERN HAM AND CHEESE PARTY POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13x9 glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In very large bowl stir together fiesta cheese soup, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and 1/4 cup melted butter; mix well. Stir in Simply Potatoes and ham. Spread into baking dish.
• In small bowl stir together remaining 1/4 cup melted butter and crushed crackers. Sprinkle crackers evenly over top of Simply Potatoes.
• Bake, uncovered, 50 to 55 minutes or until edges are bubbly and center is heated through.

SOUTHWEST SAUSAGE BAKE

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease.
• Grease a 10x9-inch baking dish. Layer half the tortilla pieces into the bottom of the prepared dish; top with 2 cans green chilies, half the cooked sausage, and half the cheese, respectively. Repeat layering.
• Beat eggs, milk, salt, garlic salt, onion salt, black pepper, and cumin together in a bowl; pour over the layers in the baking dish.
• Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
• Remove dish from refrigerator and let warm at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake the casserole bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Arrange a layer of tomato slices atop the casserole and continue baking until a knife inserted into the middle of the casserole comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let casserole cool 10 minutes before cutting.

SOUTHWESTERN CHEESE APPETIZER

Steps:

• Whisk together first 3 ingredients until mixture is blended; stir in diced red peppers and next 6 ingredients.
• Set marinade aside.
• Cut block of cheddar cheese in half lengthwise.
• Cut halves crosswise into ¼-inch thick slices.
• Repeat procedure with Monterey jack cheese and cream cheese.
• Arrange cheese slices alternatively in a shallow baking dish, standing slices on edge.
• Pour marinade over cheeses.
• Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
• Transfer cheese to a serving plate, and spoon remaining marinade over top.
• Serve with assorted crackers or even tortilla chips.

SOUTHWESTERN QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Mix cheeses together and sprinkle evenly over pie shell.
• Mix eggs, salt, pepper, cream, olives, chilies, scallions and ham; pour over cheeses.
• Bake 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

EASY SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine cumin, salt, dried chipotle pepper, and paprika in a large, resealable plastic bag. Seal bag and shake to mix. Measure 2 teaspoons of the seasoning into a large bowl; add diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, black beans, and corn to the bowl and stir.
• Put chicken in the bag with the remaining seasoning; shake to coat.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Turn seasoned chicken out into the skillet, add red onion, and saute in the hot oil until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-high. Stir tomato mixture with the chicken; bring to a boil, add rice, and stir.
• Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the chicken mixture. Place a cover on the skillet and simmer until the rice is tender and the chicken no longer pink in the middle, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

SOUTHWESTERN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crushed chips and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes; set aside.
• Beat cream cheese and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add shredded cheese and chilies; mix well. Pour over crust.
• Bake 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Spread sour cream over cheesecake. Run small knife or spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Top with remaining ingredients just before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

SOUTHWEST MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except cheese in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat.
• Cover and simmer 10 to 14 minutes, stirring frequently, until macaroni is tender. Stir in cheese until melted.

SOUTHWEST CHEESE BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°.
• Mix all ingredients except bread and cheese. Spread on one side of each bread slice. Sprinkle with cheese. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 5 to 6 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is slightly toasted on bottom.