Birthday FOOD

Chili's Southwestern Egg rolls

Ingredients
1 chicken breast fillet
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp minced red bell pepper
2 tbsp minced green onion
1/3 cup frozen corn
¼ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 tbsp diced, canned jalapeño peppers
½ tbsp minced fresh parsley
½ tspn cumin
½ tspn chili powder
¼ tspn salt
dash cayenne pepper
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 5 x 7" flour tortillas

1. Preheat barbecue grill to high heat
2. Rub chicken breast with some vegetable oil then grill it on barbecue for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Lightly salt and pepper each side of chicken while it cooks. Set chicken aside until it cools down enough to handle.
3. Preheat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add red pepper and onion to pan and sauté for a couple minutes until tender.
4. Dice cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to pan. Add corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeño peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper to pan. Cook for another 4 minutes; stir well so that spinach separates and is incorporated into mixture. Remove pan from heat and add cheese; stir until cheese is melted.
5. Wrap tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high temperature for 1½ minutes or until hot.
6. Spoon approximately one-fifth of mixture into center of a tortilla. Fold in ends and then roll tortilla over mixture. Roll tortilla very tight, then pierce with a toothpick to hold together. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls. Arrange eggrolls on a plate, cover plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.

for avocado-ranch dipping sauce :
¼ cup smashed, fresh avocado (about half of an avocado)
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 tbsp buttermilk
1 ½ tspn white vinegar
1/8 tspn salt
1/8 tspn dried parsley
1/8 tspn onion powder
dash dried dill weed
dash garlic powder
dash pepper for garnish :
2 tbsp chopped tomato
1 tbsp chopped onion

1. While eggrolls freeze prepare avocado-ranch dipping sauce by combining all of ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Preheat 4-6 cups of oil to 375°F. Deep fry eggrolls in hot oil for 12-15 minutes and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes. Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate around a small bowl of dipping sauce. Garnish dipping sauce with chopped tomato and onion

Macaroni Grill's Lemon Passion tres leche Cake

Tre leche

12 oz Evaporated milk

1 cup Sweetened condensed milk

1 cup Heavy cream

1 tsp Vanilla

1 Tbsp rum extract

Cake

1 box of french vanilla (super moist) cake mix.

1 small box instant vanilla pudding

1/2 cup oil

3 eggs

water recommend on the cake box. I think its 1 1/2 cups of water.

1/2 tsp. lemon extract

mousse

1 lemon -- zested and juiced

2 tablespoons simple syrup( I used light caro syrup)

1 package unflavored gelatin

1 cup heavy cream -- chilled

1 cup lemon curd ( I bought mine at smiths)

2 cups heavy cream topping(fold this in gently)

Topping

2 cups sweetened whipped cream

Mix the cake Ingredients and bake using the box directions.

Cool completely.

While cake is baking combine the ingredients for the tres leche and set aside.

After cake has cooled use the end of a wooden spoon and punch wholes through out the cake, Drizzle some of the tres leche sauce over the cake but not so much as to make it soggy.

In a small saucepan combine the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons simple syrup and gelatin. Stir to soften the gelatin. Place over low heat and cook until the gelatin dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour into a mixing bowl add the heavy cream. Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Combine the gelatin mixture, lemon zest and lemon curd.

Mix well. Add the lemon mixture to the whipped cream. Continue to beat until the cream forms stiff peaks. Spread lemon cream over cake and place in the refrigerator to set - 3 to 4 hours. To serve, pour tres leche sauce on a plate, top with a square of the cake and dollops of the whipped cream. Drizzle with a tiny bit of the sauce.

CALIFORNIA EGGS BENEDICT

2 English muffins, toasted( I used left over focaccia bread I would recommend it)

4 strips bacon, cooked crisp

1/2 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced

4 eggs 3 tbsp.

Directions
Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: about 15 minutes total Top muffins with avocado and bacon; set aside. To poach eggs, break into buttered custard cups and set in a pan filled with 2 inches of simmering water. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until eggs are cooked as you like. Alternatively, poach in 4 inches water with a little rice vinegar.

Hollandaise Sauce
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
Pinch cayenne
Pinch salt

I also used some basil.

Directions
Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl and until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the eggs Benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.

Spoon sauce over eggs and top with pepper. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.