recipes – Page 7 – The Wild Gems

White Enchilada Sauce With Green Chiles

January 5, 2022December 17, 2025 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

It’s all in the sauce. This enchilada sauce is so delish. There’s a bonus to this recipe as well. It can also make a great cheese dip for tortilla chips.

Typically I’ll use left over chicken or rotisserie chicken and mix in corn to use as the enchilada filling. If I don’t have chicken I’ll use white beans mixed with corn or spinach as the filling.

Once the sauce is complete, take about a cup of the sauce and mix it with your chicken filling or bean filling until all combined.

Roll your enchiladas in corn tortillas and pour the entire sauce over the enchiladas. Top with jack cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

Pan suggestion: a glass 9×13

Servings for: 10-12 enchiladas

What You Need:

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1/4 chopped sweet onion

1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic

8 oz block of monterey jack cheese shredded

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

8 oz of cream cheese

3/4 cup whole milk

1 cup of heavy cream

(2) 4oz cans of green chilies

Salt and pepper for taste

2 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro

Steps:

1. Begin with a medium sauce pan on a low heat (between a 2 and 4) and melt the butter. Add in your onion and garlic and sauté until onions are soft.

2. Add your heavy cream, milk, and cream cheese. Mix until cream cheese is completely melted.

3. Next add the parmesan cheese and add 3/4 cup of the jack shredded cheese. Once melted in, add both cans of green chiles.

4. Season with a couple of dashes of salt and pepper. Add the paprika and 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro. Mix continuously on low for 5 to 7 mins.

5. Reserve a cup of the sauce and mix with your enchilada filling.

6. Once your enchiladas are rolled up and placed in your 9×13 pan, pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Top the enchiladas with the remaining Monterey Jack cheese and chopped cilantro.

7. Bake your enchiladas at 350 for 25 mins.

Hope you enjoy the sauce!

Muffin Frittatas

January 5, 2022 The Wild Gems1 Comment

Servings: 12 muffin frittatas

What You Need:

8 eggs

1/2 cup of whole milk

4-5 pieces of chopped deli meat

1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1-2 tablespoons of fresh parsley chopped

Steps:

1. In a medium size bowl whisk all ingredients together.

2. Spray a muffin tin pan with cooking spray and pour egg mixture into pans evenly.

3. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 mins until slightly bubbly and a little golden on top.

Enjoy! Great to get your kids involved in and also kid approved. I like to enjoy these with a little salsa or hot sauce as well.

Spinach Artichoke Dip With Green Chiles

January 2, 2022October 16, 2022 The Wild Gems1 Comment

What You Need:

10oz of fresh spinach

2 14oz cans of artichoke hearts (rinsed and drained)

1 1/2 cup of whole milk

8oz of cream cheese softened

1/2-3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

2 cups of shredded pepper Jack cheese or Jack cheese

Salt and pepper for taste

1/4 cup of minced garlic (jarred is fine)

8 tablespoons of unsalted butter

2 4oz cans of green chilies

Steps:

1. In a large skillet melt 4 tablespoons of butter with the garlic. Add spinach, season with salt and pepper and sauté until spinach is wilted. Transfer to a strainer.

2. In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the artichoke harts. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 7 mins. Transfer artichokes to strainer as well.

3. Keeping the same skillet, add the remaining butter (2 tablespoons), the milk, and cream cheese . Once cream cheese is melted add the pepper Jack cheese (leaving a little left out to top it off with) and Parmesan cheese. Cheese mixture will become a little curd like. Add the green chilies and turn on low heat, while watching carefully and mixing.

4. Chop up the spinach and artichokes, then add to the cheese mixture. Turn off heat and mix well until all combined.

5. Pour into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish, top with additional pepper jack cheese and bake at 375 for 15 to 20 mins until cheese is bubbly and a little golden on top.

Enjoy with tortilla or pita chips!

Easy Alfredo Sauce

November 23, 2021April 25, 2022 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

This Alfredo sauce is so yummy! Enjoy!

What You Need:

2 cups of Parmesan Cheese

1 (8 tablespoons) stick of unsalted butter

1 cup of heavy cream (8oz)

A few dashes of salt and pepper

1 teaspoon of fresh parsley finely chopped and a little extra chopped for garnish

Steps:

1. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan on medium heat, once butter is melted add heavy cream. Allow to simmer while mixing for 2 minutes seasoning with salt and pepper.

2. Add Parmesan cheese and parsley. Add a few dashes of milk or pasta water to thin sauce out a little. Allow to cook and very low heat until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken Thigh Dry Rub Recipe – Taste So Good On the Grill

October 30, 2021October 31, 2021 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

This recipe only requires a few ingredients and it’s delicious. I’ve only ever used this dry rub on chicken thighs, hence the title.

I prepare the dry rub, then rub it all over the chicken really good. Afterwards I allow the chicken to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Then, we grill it. This dry rub with the smokey flavor from the grill really provides a great flavor.

What You Need:

1 tablespoon of chili powder

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

2 teaspoons of salt

(Dry Rub Recipe good for 1.5 to 2 lbs of chicken)

Steps:

Mix all seasoning together in a bowl and then rub all over the chicken thighs. Be sure to open the thighs and really make sure it’s rubbed all inside as well.

Suggested Ways To Serve:

We enjoy making chicken tacos or nachos with this recipe. You can also enjoy with rice or potatoes on the side.

Enjoy!

Arroz Con Leche – ‘Mexican Rice Pudding‘

Featured The Wild GemsLeave a comment

What You Need:

7 cups of water

1 cup of white rice

1 teaspoon of cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick

1 12oz can of evaporated milk

1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 cup of whole milk

1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Steps:

1. In a medium/large simmering pot bring the water, rice, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to a boil or the cinnamon stick. Boil for 18 minutes, uncovered.

2. Drain the liquid from rice and add the milks and vanilla extract to the pot. Keep the stove on a medium heat and mix for 20 mins consistently until thick and creamy.

3. Pour the rice pudding into a round 2 1/2 qt dish. Mix in the rest of the cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon) and continue to mix while still hot.

4. Serve right away warm or chill for 2 to 4 hours. Dash some more cinnamon on top for appeal. Enjoy!

Naked Pasta With Grape Tomatoes, Spinach, And Rotisserie Chicken

August 18, 2021 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

Servings: 4-6

What You Need:

6 tablespoons of A Hearty Olive Oil

1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic

2 generous handfuls of grape tomatoes cut into halves

A bouquet of fresh spinach chopped lightly (the Spinach will shrink)

About 8oz (half of a 16oz packet) of thin Spaghetti (I used ‘American Beauty’)

Salt, pepper, and rosemary for taste

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (give or take)

Note: use my measurements as a guide. If you want less, do less. If you want more, do more. Cooking is about experimenting and getting creative!

Steps:

1. Fill a pot with water and turn on to a high-medium heat. In the meantime add 2 tablespoons (two times around the pan) of olive oil with minced garlic and grape tomatoes in a skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until tomatoes are soft and garlic becomes caramelized on a medium high setting. Add tomatoes and garlic to 2 1/2 qt dish. Keep stove on.

2. When water begins to boil, add a few good shakes salt into the water (at least 1 tablespoon. It is possible to over salt pasta water) break pasta noodles in half and add to simmering pot.

3. Add spinach to skillet with leftover garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until just a little wilted. Will begin to shrink fast, watch closely. Add spinach into dish with tomatoes.

4. While pasta is still cooking, shred the rotisserie chicken and add to dish with tomatoes, garlic, and spinach.

5. Once pasta is complete (no white in the middle of the noodle) drain, and add noodles to dish.

6. Add remaining olive oil, add Parmesan cheese and mix well. Top with Rosemary.

Suggested Sides: Caesar salad and toasted French bread with olive oil and garlic.

Batter For Waffles Or Pancakes

August 16, 2021June 1, 2022 The Wild Gems1 Comment

This batter is delicious. Works great for pancakes OR waffles. Whatever you and your family are in the mood for!

This batter is good for 3 days in the fridge. What you can also do is make ahead and then freeze. Great for school mornings. Just pop the waffles in the toaster!

Quantity: Makes about 8-10 waffles or pancakes. We are a family of 5 and we usually always have leftover batter.

What You Need:

2 cups of all purpose flour

1/4 cup of sugar plus a few dashes of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of baking powder

2 teaspoons of baking soda

2 cups of milk

1/2 cup of vegetable oil plus 2 tablespoons

2 eggs

(Unsalted for butter for pan or waffles maker)

Steps:

1. In a medium size bowl add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. (Dry ingredients) mix and set aside.

2. In a different medium size mixing bowl mix together the milk, vegetable oil, and eggs. (Wet ingredients)

3. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix well. Set aside for 25 mins.

4. If you are making pancakes: add 1 tablespoon of butter to pan until melted. Add a ladleful of batter to skillet. When batter begins to bubble flip over pancake until both sides are a golden brown color.

If you are making waffles: spray your waffle maker with a vegetable oil spray. Add a small ladle size of batter to waffle maker. Careful not to add too much otherwise it will spill over. Press waffle maker until light turns green or a nice golden color.

Serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup or a type of fruit compote with whip cream. yum!

Simple Breakfast Tacos

April 14, 2021April 14, 2021 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

Simple Breakfast Tacos

What You Need:

6 eggs

1 1/2 tablespoons of milk (eye it)

6 pieces of chopped up ham or turkey lunch meat

1/4 or 1/2 diced jalapeño (depending on your heat level)

1/4 of a purple onion diced (more or less)

A spoonful of jarred minced garlic

2 times around the pan of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)

1 large avocado sliced

A couple of dashes of your favorite hot sauce

Salt, pepper, and oregano

Steps:

1. Whisk together your eggs, milk, and season with salt, pepper and a little bit of oregano.

2. Coat your pan with the olive oil and add the garlic. Then add your jalapeño, onion, and turkey or ham. Sauté until soft and a little brown. (You can also raise the heat to give it a little crisp)

3. Add egg mixture to veggies and meat and let the magic happen. Scramble as you would with basic scrambled eggs.

4. Serve on heated corn tortillas with sliced avocado, topped with hot sauce.

Delish!