Pineapple Muffins

Posted in Breads by serendibbeginnings

This recipe was the result of my attempt to use up a bunch of crushed pineapple I had leftover. I debated between a cake and a muffin. The more I considered the options, the more I was leaning towards a muffin. Ultimately, one has to think of the end users – in this case, primarily my kids.

Muffins are a great grab ‘n go breakfast item – especially if they are homemade with some love added to it in the form of healthier ingredients. This was you don’t feel like your kids are eating cupcake for breakfast.

This is a rather simple recipe that could be put together in a jiffy. I actually made these while also preparing dinner.

Pineapple Muffins

Servings: 12
Time: 20 min plus baking time
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Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tablespoon ground flax
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
2 eggs
1/2 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen, thaw and drain)
1 tablespoon flour

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Combine all dry ingredients from flour till baking powder in a large bowl.
3. Lightly whisk eggs and combine with crushed pineapple, oil, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl.
4. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir gently to combine.
5. Coat blueberries in a tablespoon of flour so they don’t sink to the bottom of the muffins.
6. Slowly stir in the berries.
7. Scoop the batter and fill a 12-muffin pan almost to full. You can either use a paper liner or spray the pan with non stick spray. I went with latter to get a nice golden color.
8. Bake for about 18-20 minutes till muffin tests done (insert toothpick and see if it comes out clean).
9. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and remove for storage.

23Feb2014

Cajun Style Rice with Chicken Sausage

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish by serendibbeginnings

I am one of those people who loves to use up leftovers fast. If I don’t plan to use them in the next day or two, I promptly freeze them up for the following week or so. Both options come in handy when I am looking for a quick meal idea.

And that’s exactly how this recipe was born! I had cooked brown rice in the refrigerator and also some leftover coconut milk. I also had a package of lean apple chicken sausage. I used to prepare more dishes with sausages but have cut down to using occasional chicken or turkey sausages. They are very handy to use in pasta or rice dishes and I usually have a package on hand.

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This recipe utilizes the basic trinity – bell peppers, onions and celery along with kidney beans. It was a snap to put together and tasted so delicious that I will certainly make it again for a planned meal as well.

Cajun Style Rice with Chicken Sausage

Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes
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Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of cooked brown rice
1 can of kidney beans (or other bean of your choice)
1 pkg chicken sausage
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup chopped red peppers
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red onions
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
1/2 avocado, sliced thin

Preparation
1. Slice the sausages into bite size pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté all the chopped vegetables, including garlic.
3. Add the sausages and sauté for few minutes.
4. Add tomato sauce and thyme and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
5. Mix in the beans and rice.
6. Season to taste with salt. Be careful as tomato sauce and the sausage already add good amount of salt.
7. When the rice and beans and heated through with rest of the ingredients, gently stir in the coconut mil.
8. Serve immediately wit sliced avocado.

23Feb2014

Mediterranean Style Beef Kabobs

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish by serendibbeginnings

There is something about food on sticks…..satay, corndog, popsicle, lollipops, cakepops and kabobs among other delectables on sticks. My personal favorite is a well-spiced kabobs. This recipe uses beef, but I have made a mental note to attempt a vegetarian version one of these days.

You find a version of these kabobs in several countries. Frequently lamb is used but not everyone in my family is a fan of that, so I opted for extra lean ground beef. A blend of coriander powder, cumin powder, cayenne, paprika, garlic, onions and mint lends an enjoyable blend of flavors without one note screaming out too loud. Lastly, using extra lean meat is an easy way to cut down on excess saturated fat from your meals. I must say even though I used 93% lean beef, the kabob was enjoyable with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Mediterranean Style Beef Kabobs

Servings: 4
Time: 45 min
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Ingredients
1 lb extra lean ground beef (lamb or chicken)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted (or 1 tablespoon coriander powder)
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon or more garlic paste
1 tablespoon crushed dried mint leaves
12 – 14 small bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Preparation
1. Preheat the broiler at high setting. You can also grill the kabobs on an outdoor grill.
2. If using coriander seeds, grind them in a spice grinder or using mortar and pestle.
3. Add all seasonings to the meat and mix well. It works best to use your hands to really mix in all the spices and herbs.
4. Divide the mixture into 12-14 equal portions and shape them around the pre-soaked skewers like a long kabob.
5. Line a baking tray lined with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
6. Arrange the kabobs on the tray and broil for 12 minutes turning once. Spray with cooking spray after turning.

23Feb2014

Perfect Waffle

Posted in Breads by serendibbeginnings

Everybody loves a good ol’ waffle right? I enjoy waffles as a meal item or as a base for an occasional ice cream sundae! Back in the college days, I remember how my friends and I looked forward to waffle bar Sundays, when there will be a nice little waffle bar set in the cafeteria with all sorts of yummy toppings. Yeah, those days, we would create our own masterpiece of fully loaded waffle that served both as a meal and dessert in one! But that extent of indulgence is far and few in between now a days, but I continue to make different type of waffles about once a week. At this rate, I keep telling myself I need to buy one of those Belgian waffle makers or at least a rotating type of equipment, but so far I am still holding onto my regular old basic machine. (Note to self: Take the plunge and buy a new one already! Yes, along with an ice cream maker!).

This particular recipe uses an unusual ingredient – cornstarch. It somehow helps to decrease the potential sogginess caused by steam during the cooking process and results in a waffle that is pretty toasted and crispy on the outside, yet soft and chewy on the inside. Also, incorporating stiff egg whites into the batter results in a light crispy texture.

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Personally, I prefer a plain waffle topped with fruits, honey and occasionally a tiny dollop of fresh whipped cream. Sometimes, I do like to make it a bit special with some semi sweet or dark chocolate chips and maybe a sprinkling of chopped nuts. Let your creativity run wild and use whatever topping your little heart desires! I promise you will enjoy every last bite of it!

A quick note about this recipe: Sometimes you hear people say when you use buttermilk/yogurt in a batter, you typically will have to use baking soda instead of baking powder. I used the latter in this recipe and it worked great!

Perfect Waffle

Servings: 4
Time: 20 minutes
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Ingredients
1 1/2 cups enriched all purpose flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, separated
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 teaspoon hazelnut extract (or vanilla)
1/4 cup oil
Cooking spray

Preparation
1. Measure out the dry ingredients and mix well in a medium bowl.
2. Combine egg yolks, yogurt, milk, extract and oil in another bowl and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whish egg whites till stiff peaks form.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix gently with a spatula or whisk.
5. Now, slowly incorporate the beaten egg whites in two batches, taking care not to overwork the batter. You want to retain as much of the air as possible.
6. Follow your waffle maker directions and make your waffles.
7. Serve right away with your favorite toppings.

22Feb2014

Coconut-Pineapple Flan

Posted in Desserts by serendibbeginnings

My love for flan, crème brulee, caramel pudding – whatever you call it- dates all the way back to my childhood. It was one of those treats we kids devoured no matter what else was around. Those days, I grew up eating the version made with tons of whole eggs, condensed milk and sugar. Using all those eggs and condensed milk results in a delicious “pudding” that is firmer and “sliceable”. Growing up, I remember my mom making this caramel pudding and slicing it up to serve. It had the decadence of a crème brulee with the satisfaction of relishing on a slice of cake. Mmmmm….

These days, since I am trying to cut down on carbs, especially sugar, I wanted to attempt a recipe that was not so calorific, yet satisfies the sweet tooth. I know I can NEVER give up on desserts. That to me is like depriving myself of oxygen – ok maybe not that desperate but close enough. Only thing that seems to work for me is finding lower calorie substitutes in my recipes. With that in mind, I attempted a flan recipe with low fat milk, lite coconut milk and some splenda. Since a light caramel sauce is a “must” for a good flan, I took the traditional route with regular refined sugar but reduced the overall amount of sauce.

Lastly, instead of the traditional vanilla flavor, I opted for coconut pineapple combination for a tropical flair – to go with the balmy 50F in the middle of winter!

The resulting flan, crème brulee or caramel pudding – again whatever you want to call it- was velvety smooth, light and had a nice tropical flavor. Just what I was looking for!

Coconut-Pineapple Flan

Servings: 4
Time: 4 hrs 30 min
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Ingredients

For Flan:
1/2 cup 1% or skim milk
7 oz unsweetened coconut milk, preferably the lite version
1/3 cup granulated Splenda
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons crushed pineapple, drained

For caramel glaze:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon water

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Prepare caramel by heating the sugar and water till sugar starts to caramelize. Make sure you don’t scorch the sugar.
3. Transfer the cooked caramel to a 6″ baking pan and sprinkle with crushed pineapple. Set aside.
4. Simmer 1% milk and coconut milk till tiny bubbles start forming around the edges. Do not boil. Add the rum extract.
5. Beat the yolks and whole egg lightly. Slowly add the milk to temper the eggs, being careful to add the milk in a steady stream while continuously stirring the egg mixture.
6. Add Splenda to the egg-milk mixture and stir to dissolve.
7. Strain the mixture to remove any bits of solids and transfer the strained liquid to the prepared dish.
8. Place a wet kitchen towel in a large pan (13″x9″). Place the 6″ pan with the flan mixture on the towel and place in the preheated oven.
9. Slowly pour boiling water into the larger container, carefully avoiding the flan mixture.
10. Bake for about 45 minutes till the top looks set.
11. Once cooled to room temperature, carefully run a thin knife or spatula around the edges and invert the flan onto a plate.
12. Chill in refrigerator for 3-4 hours before serving.

22Feb2014

Mafalde in Creamy Avocado Sauce

Posted in Pasta by serendibbeginnings

If you are reading this, that means we share something in common – a love for avocados! Love as in anything with avocado in it – salads, smoothies, guacamole, desserts and whatever else.

Going back to my childhood years, the only way I remember eating these velvety smooth fruits is in the form of an Avocado Fool – a sweetened and chilled concoction of mashed avocado, sugar and milk (or just condensed milk). Even now, I can recollect admiring the huge smooth green fruits (like the Florida type) hanging from trees waiting for someone to transform them into a Fool, the only way I think anyone there knew how to enjoy them! Fast forward to the present time and gosh only imagination is the limit!

I love creamy pastas but cringe at the thought of consuming more than a day’s worth of fat in just a single meal. Needless to say, it is one of my kids’ favorites. Knowing that they don’t get treated to the full-fat version at home, they try their luck at restaurants and honestly, I feel like it is some sort of a dietary “abuse” every time I reluctantly allow them to order a creamy pasta dish. Now, being an aficionado of creamy sauces like alfredo, I look for ways to lighten up the recipes by substituting low fat milk for cream, less butter etc. Then I came across the idea for an avocado-based sauce at http://sweetlifebake.com. The original recipe calls for 2 ripe avocados for 4 servings but I found that just 1 worked perfectly.

Mafalde in Creamy Avocado Sauce

Servings: 4
Time: 25 min
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Ingredients
1/2 pkg of 16oz Mafalde* pasta or any other pasta of your choice
1 Hass avocado
1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup of chopped onions
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup of cilantro leaves
1 large Roma tomato, chopped
Salt to taste

Preparation
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté onions and garlic till lightly browned.
3. Transfer cooked onion and garlic to a blender.
4. Wipe the pan and add remaining tablespoon of oil.
5. Add chopped tomato to the pan the cook just until soft. Reduce heat to very low while making the sauce.
6. Scoop out pulp from the avocado and place in blender with the juice from 1/2 lemon, cilantro leaves and salt.
7. Start blending, incorporating just enough pasta liquid to make a thick sauce of desired consistency.
8. Transfer the pasta back to the pan with the tomato. Increase heat to medium.
9. Add the avocado sauce and gently stir to warm through.
7. Serve with extra sprinkling of cilantro and chopped tomato if desired.

* Mafalde pasta resembles a thinner version of lasagna pasta. It can be found in stores that carry a good variety of international ingredients. It can easily be substituted with other pasta of your choice.

22Feb2014

Moroccan Spiced Chicken Breasts with Caramelized Plantains

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish by serendibbeginnings

African continent, the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka (other South East nations) all incorporate similar spices in various combinations to produce dishes with distinct flavor and taste! Most commonly used spices include cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne and turmeric. If you are an enthusiast of these cuisines, you would have noticed that whereas one dish might have a more pronounced taste of cinnamon, another might have hints of the different spices peeking through.

African cuisine, as in other continents, differs widely across the continent in their use of spices, herbs and other seasoning including use of hot peppers for amped up heat. Moroccan food utilizes a blend of cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, paprika, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, peppercorn and turmeric (as in Ras el Hanout blend). It results in a well-seasoned meat or poultry dish that is not typically spicy (as in heat).

This dish is the result of wanting to infuse strong, yet enjoyable flavors into an otherwise, bland cut of chicken. I have been kind of staying away from the typical Indian/Sri Lankan curry flavors to try other exciting flavor combinations, and African flavors seemed to resonate with me this time around. After a quick inventory of spices on hand, I settled for a Moroccan inspired dish.

Moroccan Spiced Chicken Breasts with Caramelized Plantains

Servings: 4
Time: 40-50 min
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Ingredients

For chicken:
4 small chicken breasts, about 1 ½ pounds total
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
2” piece cinnamon
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon canola oil (or nonstick cooking spray)

For sautéed banana:
2 large ripe plantains*
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Preparation

Begin by roasting the dry spices. In a small pan, dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and peppercorns till they are lightly toasted taking care not to burn them. This should take about 3 minutes under medium low heat.
Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the toasted spices to a fine powder consistency. Combine with paprika, salt and cayenne and blend well.
Wash and dry chicken breasts and sprinkle the spice mixture liberally on both sides. Cover and keep aside while you prepare the banana.
Peel the plantains and slice into ¼” slices or bigger.
Melt butter in a large skillet and sauté plantain slices under medium low heat for about 3-5 minutes. Turn them over.
Sprinkle the plantains with cinnamon, salt, turmeric and cayenne and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Plantains should now look caramelized.
Transfer to a plate and keep covered while you prepare the chicken.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or grill pan. Conversely, spray the pan with cooking spray.
When hot, add the chicken breasts and cook covered for about 4-6 minutes on each side till the meat is cooked through. One way to test is to cut through the breast in the thickest part. Meat should look cooked through and juices should run clear. Another option is to use the meat thermometer.
Serve the chicken with sautéed plantains and a vegetable of your choice (I served mine with carrots and shredded kale, cooked with a little bit of water till both vegetables turned tender).

NOTE about plantains – Plantains will turn yellow and may even have black spots all over when they turn really ripe and sweet. In less ripe form, they have starchy taste and flavor rather than sweet and fruity.

16Feb2014

Layered Meatloaf – a spinoff of “Xepa”

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish by serendibbeginnings

Meatloaf! Another word besides “chili” that makes my kids contort their faces in near disgust. I don’t make it often, but then I have been having nostalgic memories of “Xepa” these past several days and I thought I will reach out to my friend about it.

There is a nostalgic story behind “xepa” (a Portuguese word pronounced “shepa”). Back in my undergrad years, I had couple of awesome friends from Brazil. Every year, the International Student Association at the university put in a lot of effort to host one of the most memorable events of the year – International Festival! We students took over the cafeteria kitchen and cooked up various dishes from our different home countries and served them with pride to the attendees amidst international themed entertainment of songs, dances and skits. Ahhhh….what wonderful times!

One year, my two friends (don’t know if it mattered whether I mention they were both men or not, but in case you are wondering, yes, both were!) wanted to make something too. They made a pseudo meatloaf which really was almost a Swiss roll type of dish with various stuffing such as ham, boiled egg, onions etc.! I remember watching them make it with quite a bit of interest as they placed a layer of seasoned beef on an industrial size baking sheet and laying out all these fillings, end result of which was amazing!

Just last week I learned the truth about “xepa” when I asked one of the two guys for the recipe. The two talented “chefs” had actually winged it with that recipe and even came up with a name, which in Portuguese means “grub”. I should have probably guessed I was looking for a recipe that didn’t really exist after I failed to come up with any meaningful Google searches for “stuffed meatloaf” and other similar terms. But what sweet story! 🙂

So, I thought it might be really fun to do a version of that. However, since I had just about a pound of beef on hand, I decided to do it as a layered meatloaf – or ,may be I should call it layered “xepa”!

Going back to my kids, I am happy to report that one of them commented “oh, this is really good. Not like the one they serve in the cafeteria”. That to me translates to “good job Mom!”. 🙂

One important note though – even though it tasted really good, this was a bit on the dry side. I would imagine that was due to the meat being extra lean! We didn’t mind it knowing it was healthier, but just a heads up in case you guys don’t like the drier taste!

Layered Meatloaf

Servings: 4
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Ingredients:
1 1/4 lb ground lean or extra lean beef
1 slice bread, soaked in water, and squeezed to remove excess water
1 tablespoon ground flax (flax meal)
3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup of thinly sliced onion (white or red)
6-8 thin slices of smoked ham
1/2 cup of tomato sauce
1/4 cup grated white or yellow cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons minced green onions (green parts)
2 slices of center-cut bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Preparation:
1. Mix flax meal in water and set aside for 5-10 minutes. If you don’t want to use flax meal, you can easily substitute one whole egg for the recipe.
2. Prepare meat mixture by kneading the beef with squeezed out bread, flax mixture, salt, black pepper, minced onion and garlic.

3. Layer half the beef mixture in a loaf pan.
4. Distribute sliced onions, sliced ham, grated cheese and about a tablespoon of minced green onions evenly over the beef.

5. Cover with remaining half of the beef mixture.
6. Pour the tomato sauce over the beef and sprinkle with rest of the green onions. If you are using uncooked bacon, you can sprinkle it on top before baking. If using cooked bacon, sprinkle at time of serving.

7. Cover loosely and bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes till meatloaf is done.

I served the “xepa” with steamed veggies and mashed red potato. And it was one delicious dinner!

14Feb2014

Citrusy Quinoa Salad with Edamame and Spaghetti Squash Strands

Posted in Salads by serendibbeginnings

Citrusy Quinoa Salad with Edamame and Spaghetti Squash Strands

Servings: 2-4
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cups cooked spaghetti squash, loosely packed
1/2 cup boiled, shelled edamame
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced green pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato (or 1/2 cup cherry tomato, halved)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely minced/grated
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbls of chopped cilantro leaves (or more if desired)
2 tbls of feta cheese, if desired
Preparation
1. Prepare quinoa according to cooking instructions (usually cooked in twice the amount of water on stovetop or in rice cooker)
2. Combine all vegetables in a medium sized bowl.
3. Combine lemon juice, zest, olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk well to combine.
4. Add to vegetables and toss to coat.
5. Serve and sprinkle with cilantro leaves and feta chees, if desired.

14Feb2014

Easy as 1-2-3 Chili

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish by serendibbeginnings

Easy as 1-2-3 Chili

Servings: 8
Difficulty: moderate easy
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There is nothing quite like a steaming bowl of chili (with all your favorite toppings of course!) to make the winter blues melt away – at least when it comes to warming your tummy! You might have your favorite type of soup/stew that you look forward to, but I kind of favor chili because I can easily incorporate veggies, beans, additional fiber in the form of my secret ingredient (yes, I will disclose it pretty soon here) and also a sneaky dose of antioxidants (hello cocoa!).

Chili receives a mixed reception in my household! My kids usually whine “why??!!” when I tell them I am making it but usually polish off their bowl – even if half-heartedly at times! May be that goes back to one of my earlier posts about eating habits forming early in childhood. Despite their little whimper about not wanting any chili, I proceeded to make some the other night because I had all the ingredients on hand and I will be able to whip this up rather easily to share with my neighbors (you may remember that I was going to share some with them for helping us clear the snow).

I really prefer to go the route of made-from-scratch rather than semi-homemade.  I think you can be much more creative with using things on hand and coming up with something quite unique and delicious. So, except for couple of canned items, most ingredients are freshly prepared.

Before you go to the list of ingredients, here is a disclaimer. Do not let the rather longish list discourage you from trying out this recipe. Once you prepare the ingredients, it is really a snap to put it all together – and you will be glad you did when you savor the first spoonful of this delicious chili with your favorite toppings!

Ingredients:

1lb ground lean beef or turkey

2- 15-oz cans of beans of your choice

1 cup diced red pepper

1 cup chopped carrots

½ cup chopped onions

2 large cloves of garlic (minced)

1 cup of diced celery

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 ½ teaspoon cumin powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt (adjusted to taste)

1 tsp minced chipotle pepper with a bit of sauce

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup chopped cilantro, if desired

Thanks for still hanging in there.

Preparation:

1. Start by preparing all the vegetables, including garlic and cilantro. Have your seasoning containers laid out or even better measured out. Now you are ready!

2. Heat a large pot over medium high heat and brown the meat for few minutes (about 5 minutes or so). To that add the onions, garlic and celery. Saute for few minutes till onion and celery become a bit soft.

3. At this point, add the oats and toss them around. Follow with the ground spices, herbs and salt.

4. Drain the canned beans and rinse well. Add them to the pot and stir briefly. FYI, in the picture below, you will see some strange brownish beans. These are brown pigeon peas leftover from another recipe the previous day and I just used them up as well.
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5. At this point, you are ready to add rest of the chopped veggies, tomato sauce and chipotle.

6. Cover the pot with a lid, reduce heat to medium low setting and let simmer for about 25 minutes.Now, add the “secret” ingredient (which is not so secret anymore) and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes till all the flavors meld together and you get a delicious pot of awesomeness.

7. Serve a bowl of this with your favorite toppings – sour cream, bacon bits, cheese, green onions/chives, crushed tortilla chips or just a toasted slice of bread. Enjoy!

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