4 Easy Recipes From Your Favorite Local Eateries For You To Try at Home
Raise your hand if you can’t get enough of Sweet Reba’s sweet treats or the fresh Mexican flavors at Island Taco. Well, you are in luck! Both of these local favorites are sharing how to make their simple recipes for a dip, sweet bread, soup, and cookies!
Jump to recipes:
Chicken Tortilla Soup by Island Taco
Oatmeal Cream Sandwich Cookies by Sweet Reba’s
Guacamole by Island Taco
Let’s start with a fan favorite – Island Taco’s Guacamole. For those who don’t count cooking as one of their specialities, this easy recipe will have you chowing down on some delicious guac and chips in no time.
You Will Need
3 Whole Ripe Avocados 1/4 Cup Chopped White Onions 1/2 Tsp Granulated Garlic 1/2 Tsp Salt 1 Whole Lime
Directions
In a medium bowl, mash the avocados, lime juice, and salt together. Mix in onion and garlic.
Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor.
Serve immediately with crispy corn chips.
Morning Glory by Sweet Reba’s
Featuring apples, pineapple, carrots, raisins, walnuts, and coconut this Morning Glory will have you watching the clock as you wait for it to cool. With only a few steps to filling your home with the smell of sweet baked bread, you will not regret trying out this recipe.
You Will Need
Dry Ingredients
1 1/4 Cup Sugar
2 1/4 Cups Flour
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut
3/4 Cup Raisins
1 Large Apple, Grated
1 Cup Crushed Pineapple, Drained
2 Cups Carrots, Shredded
1/2 Cup Walnuts, Chopped
Wet Ingredients
3 Eggs
1 Cup Oil
1 Tsp Vanilla
Directions
Preheat yor oven to 350° F
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl
Add wet ingredients and mix
Pour batter into a greased loaf pan
Bake for 45-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
Let cool for 15 minutes and remove from loaf pan
Chicken Tortilla Soup by Island Taco
If you’re looking for a simple dinner idea full of flavor, Island Taco’s Chicken Tortilla Soup is a must try. To make it at home you’ll need quite a few ingredients but the steps to put it all together into a delicious dish make this recipe easy.
You Will Need
Sauté Ingredients
2 Ribs Celery, Diced
2 Carrots, Peeled & Diced
1 Yellow Onion, Diced
1 Potato, Peeled & Diced
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
Herbs & Spices
1 1/2 Tbsp Mexican Oregano
3 Tsp Granulated Garlic
3 Tsp Paprika
3 Tsp Chili Powder
3 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Black Pepper
3 Tsp Chicken Base or Dry Chicken Bouillon
Soup Base
2 Cans Diced Tomatoes in Juice (15 oz)
1 Cup Tomato Sauce
1/2 Gallon Water
1/3 Cup Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
1/2 lb Chicken Breast, Cooked & Shredded
Toppings
Fried Tortilla Strips
Cotija Cheese
Cilantro Leaves
Directions
Sauté celery, carrots, yellow onion and potato in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until onions are translucent.
Next, add all of the herbs and spices and stir to coat the vegetables.
Finally, add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, fresh cilantro and cooked, shredded chicken breast and bring to a boil.
Serve in a bowl garnished with fried tortilla strips, cotija cheese, and cilantro leaves.
Oatmeal Cream Sandwich Cookies by Sweet Reba’s
We saved the most complex (and arguably the best) for last. This recipe does call for a stand mixer (if you have one, this will make it a lot easier) but you can also mix up the ingredients by hand. These Oatmeal Cream Sandwich Cookies are well worth the effort and definitely worth a try.
You Will Need
Cookies
2 Sticks Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature
2 Cups Packed Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla
3 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Tsp Salt
5 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
Filling
2 Sticks Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature
1 Pound Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
Directions
Heat oven to 350° and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until fully incorporated. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. Add vanilla and mix until slightly lighter in color. With mixer off, add flour, baking soda, and salt. Turn mixer on low and add oats while mixer is on. Mix until just combined.
Using a small ice cream scoop or a large spoon, place dough on parchment lined cookie sheet at least 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, or until evenly brown. Remove from oven and let cool while you make the filing.
For the filling, put powdered sugar in bowl of stand mixer and turn on low. Add butter gradually and mix on low until it comes together. Add vanilla and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip or plastic storage bag with corner cut off with filling mixture. Pipe an even amount of filling onto one cookie, and sandwich with a second cookie. If you don't want to use the bag method, you can simply spread one cookie with the filling and sandwich together.
And there you have it! Some of the best kept recipe secrets of The Crossroads Carmel!
Not in the mood to cook yourself? Island Taco’s full menu (great for take out) includes grilled beef, chicken or fish tacos, burritos, rice bowls and more. View More
Looking for a sweet treat you don’t have to bake? Sweet Reba’s offers a variety of tasty treats from dark chocolate, fudgy brownies and fresh made cookies to whole cakes and pies your sweet needs are covered. View More
Did you try out one of these recipes? Show us on Facebook or Instagram using #thecrossroadscarmel.