Dulce de Leche Cream Cheese Brownies

That's right.  These have yummy, caramel-y dulce de leche AND cream cheese.  Oh, and chocolate.  Hello!  What's not to love, right?  Very easy to throw together.  In fact, I just made this recipe up with things I had on hand and it turned out sooo good!  The dulce de leche comes in a can the size of sweetened condensed milk.  I use LA LECHERA® Dulce de Leche.  I find it in the ethnic Mexican foods section at Wal-Mart.

Dulce de Leche Cream Cheese Brownies

1 (9x13 size) brownine mix (and the eggs & oil needed for mix)
1 cup chocolate chips, optional
1 (8 oz. package) cream cheese, room temp
1 (13.4 oz.) can dulce de leche
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix brownie batter according to package directions.  Add chocolate chips if desired.  Set aside.  In a separate mixing bowl, mix cream cheese, dulce de leche, egg, and salt.  Mix until smooth and creamy.  Grease bottom only of a 9x13 baking dish.  Spread about two-thirds of the brownie batter in pan.  Drop cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls onto brownie batter.  Spread remaining one-third of brownie batter on top.  Run a butter knife through mixture to slightly swirl.  Not too much.  Bake according to brownie box directions.  Mine was 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Do not overbake.  Let cool and cut with plastic knife.  (Makes it soooo much easier to get nice looking pieces with a plastic knife.)  Enjoy!

Black Bean Taco Salad With Lime Vinaigrette

This is really good.  I love the vinaigrette with it.  I was all ready to make this and went to get my green pepper and it had gone bad.  Bummer.  So I substituted a large zucchini and it was great!  I'm sure a green pepper in there would be great, too, but now that I've had it with zucchini I think it will always have to be in there.  I also added a small avocado to the vinaigrette which made it very creamy.  You could omit this or chop it up and mix it with the salad instead or leave it out entirely.  I served this salad in my baked taco salad bowls and dinner was a big hit!  You could also serve it in soft tortillas, as a filling for pita bread, or as a salad with crushed tortilla chips on top.

Black Bean Taco Salad With Lime Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette

1/4 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 small avocado, optional

Salad

1 cup chopped tomato

1 large zucchini, chopped (or 1 cup chopped green pepper)

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

1 cup frozen corn, partially cooked, rinsed with cold water and drained

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

lettuce greens, torn into bite-sized pieces or shredded

crushed tortilla chips, optional

-To prepare vinaigrette: combine first 11 ingredients in a blender or food processor, process until smooth.  Add avocado if desired.

-To prepare salad: combine all chopped veggies except lettuce.  Pour vinaigrette over top and toss well to coat.  

-Serve on a bed of lettuce greens.  Top with crushed tortilla chips if desired.  Also great in soft tortillas, taco salad bowls, or as a filling for pita bread.

Baked Taco Salad Bowls

These couldn't be easier and they are very crunchy and much healthier than the fried variety.  I use smaller tortillas, probably around 8", because they are more kid sized but you can use 10" or bigger as well.  Six 8" tortillas fit just right on my big sheet cake pan.  You might have to cook fewer at a time depending on how big your tortillas are and how big your molds are.  I use little ceramic ramekins turned upside down for my molds.  You can also use empty metal cans or oven safe glass bowls.  These can be cooked in advance and stored in an airtight container after they have cooled completely.

Baked Taco Salad Bowls

Whole wheat flour tortillas

cooking spray

salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place up to 6 tortillas between damp paper towels on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until steamed.  Arrange 6 empty metal cans or mold of your choice on a large sheet cake pan.  Drape steamed tortillas over molds and press sides down to form folds.  Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt if desired.

Bake taco salad bowls in 425 degree oven for 7 minutes.  Remove taco bowls from forms and turn right side up on baking sheet.  Place back in oven for about 3 minutes.  Let cool on rack.  Repeat until desired amount of bowls have been baked.

More Recipes

Don't forget...there are more delicious recipes to be found here:

These are  recipes that are all vegetarian.  I haven't been posting them on this blog just to avoid doubling up and I figure most people looking for a vegetarian recipe aren't looking for a mix of everything else.  The recipes on this blog are still good...they're just different.  

And sisters...keep the recipes comin'!  I want to see what you've tried lately!

Don't forget to post your recipes on here for all of us to enjoy! ;)

Baked Potato Pizza Variations

I've added a couple variations to this recipe:

You've got to give it a try!

Just click on the picture to find the recipe.