12.14.2009

German Pancakes

My first enrichment activity here in Canada we did a little menu planning. We were trying to brainstorm easy breakfasts and I, of course, suggested German Pancakes because our family eats them...oh...a couple times a week.

The other sisters looked at me like I was crazy: What kind of pancakes?

I thought they were joking. These babies are a STAPLE meal.



German Pancakes (or Hootenanny's)

1/4 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
6 eggs
pinch of salt

Turn oven on to 400. Put butter in 9x13 pan and stick in the oven until melted. Meanwhile, mix all ingredients together (either in blender or by hand with a whisk). Mix until smooth. Dump into the pan and let cook for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed up.

Enjoy with syrup and powdered sugar.

11.28.2009

Apple Raspberry Pie, or: melt-in-your mouth pie goodness

So I just loaded ALL my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. I had to share. But mostly, so when next year rolls around I will already have all the recipes together.

I'm not a huge pie person. But you guys. Seriously? This was amazing. I loved the tangy, sweet flavor. And paired with vanilla ice cream? Just deathrow dinner good. Don't wait until next Thanksgiving to break this baby out.

The insides, before covered. So lovely.

APPLE-RASPBERRY PIE
{from the crafty of all crafties, Martha Stewart herself}
  • 2 3/4 pounds assorted baking apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 6 ounces fresh or partially thawed frozen raspberries
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pate Brisee
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • Cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir apples, raspberries, granulated sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into a 12-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Fill with apple mixture. Dot with butter.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into a 12-inch round. Drape over filling. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Press edges to seal. Fold overhang under, and crimp as desired. Make five 3-inch slits in top crust. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
  4. Whisk egg yolk and cream in a bowl; brush over top crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Place foil on rack below to catch juices. Tent pie with foil if browning too quickly. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 4 hours (up to overnight).

Punkin' Pie

My husband is a huge fan of pumpkin pie. Obsessed, you may say. So every Thanksgiving without fail I make pumpkin pie. I've been searching and searching for "that" recipe and have combined a few to make..."THE ONE." And it is good.

PUMPKIN PIE

{mostly from Martha Stewart.com}



Makes one 9-inch pie

  • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree, or canned
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 egg for glaze
  • 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
  • Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)
  • crumbled gingersnap cookies
  • chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin puree, and 3 eggs. Beat well. Add evaporated milk, and combine. Set aside.
  2. Between two pieces of plastic wrap, roll pate brisee into a 12-inch circle. Fit pastry into a 9-inch glass pie plate; trim dough evenly along edge, leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang. Pinch to form a decorative edge. Push gingersnap cookie and pecan pieces into the crust in the bottom and along sides of the crust. So it looks like this:

  1. Make the glaze: Beat the remaining egg, and combine with heavy cream. Brush glaze very lightly on edges of pie shell. Fill pie shell with pumpkin mixture. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
  2. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 30 minutes more (or until it is set - I cooked mine for more like 45 minutes). Cool on a wire rack.

Pie Crust

I like this Pate Brisee Dough recipe from Martha Stewart.com


Makes 1 double-crust or 2 single-crust 9- to 10-inch pies

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions

  1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
  2. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
  3. Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.



Thanksgiving Turkey

Wow does cooking a turkey intimidate me. But guess what? I've done it successfully for 2 years. Yahoo!

I loved this recipe. The meat was really moist and delish.

Now we just need to work on learning how to carve that darn bird.



Aunt Marilyn's Incredible 2-Hour Turkey


{From My Kitchen Cafe}

1 18-22 pound turkey (I used a 14-pound turkey with great results)
carrots, celery (cut into large chunks), onion (peeled and cut into large chunks), garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
butter
brown paper bag

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and let it heat for one hour. Meanwhile, remove giblets and neck and wash the turkey. Fill the cavity of the turkey with carrots, celery, garlic and onion. Combine the lemon juice, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. With your hands, rub the entire turkey with the lemon juice mixture.

Place the turkey breast down (this is opposite of how a turkey is normally cooked - so just flip the turkey upside down) in a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan in the hot oven for as many minutes as the turkey weighs (ie. 19 lb. turkey = 19 minutes). Bake for the allotted time.

Meanwhile, grease a large brown paper bag with butter on both sides. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully (because the turkey and roasting pan are HOT) make a tent out of th paper bag and drape it over the turkey, taking care to tuck the sides of the bag into the roasting pan (you can see pictures at My Kitchen Cafe if you need a visual). Turn the oven down to 400 degrees and cook the turkey for two hours.

Remove the roasting pan and turkey from the oven and let turkey sit for 20 minutes. Remove turkey from the roasting pan and pour the drippings into a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil. Make a slurry from flour and water (to the consistency of thick, heavy cream) and add to the drippings until desired consistency is reached.

The BEST stuffing

So last year was my first year doing Thanksgiving dinner by myself. I didn't attempt homemade stuffing. This year, I decided to go for it. And it was way easier than I thought. And 100% worth it. It was great because you can do almost everything before hand, then just put it in the oven. Heavenly.




Celery Herb Stuffing
{from My Kitchen Cafe}

*Makes a 9X13-inch dish*

7 tablespoons butter, plus more for dish and baking
1 loaf rustic/artisan/crusty white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 9 1/2 cups bread cubes)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced in half-moons
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (rubbed between fingers to crumble lightly)
3 to 4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350°. Melt 5 tablespoons butter. Toss with bread cubes in a large bowl. Spread in a single layer on 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets. Toast in the oven, tossing once, until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely (overnight).

Heat the oil and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter has melted. Add celery, onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and soft, about 10 minutes. (You can store this in the fridge overnight)

Put vegetable mixture and toasted bread into large bowl. Stir in poultry seasoning, herbs, and 2 cups broth into stuffing. Stir in 4 eggs until bread mixture is well coated. Spoon into a buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish, and dot generously with butter. Cover with foil, and bake in a 375° oven for 25 minutes. Uncover, and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.

11.13.2009

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Skillet

Totally easy recipe and so yummy! It only makes 4 servings so it's good for a small family or just a couple. I'm lazy, so here's the link to the recipe from kraftfoods.com. Enjoy!
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/cheesy-chicken-noodle-skillet-95128.aspx

11.08.2009

Triple Berry Muffins


I have a really great extended family full of amazing cooks. My uncles are no exception. This is a recipe that my Uncle Bruce gave me and they are oh-so good. The ultimate test was when he fed them to his own children, who are some of the pickiest eaters I know, and they all gobbled them up.

I love that this uses the Costco Triple Berry mix, which I love. I used whole wheat flour and they turned out scrumptious; very crumbly, but yummy.

Triple Berry Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries
OR 2 cups Costco triple berries, thawed and lightly chopped


Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients together. Lightly beat eggs, butter and milk, then add to dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Chop fruit - pieces shouldn't be too large and fold into batter. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

{From Uncle B.}

Easy Alfredo Sauce


Another great, easy, yummy recipe from allrecipes.com. We've made this a couple times and I love it because I usually have all the ingredients on hand and it is fast to whip it up for a delicious dinner.


  • 1/2 cup butter

  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder

  • 2 cups milk (or to the consistency you like - I usually add about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions


  1. Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.

10.27.2009

Challah Bread


Growing up, every Christmas for our "neighbor gift" my mom would bake this bread. She would make batch after batch after batch. And we just couldn't get enough. Not only is it beautiful, but it is so so so delicious. So good that you shouldn't make it ONLY at Christmas time.


Challah Bread

1 1/4 cup warm water
5 cups flour
1 TB yeast
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
2-3 drops yellow food coloring

1 egg yolk + 1 TB water

Put warm water in the Bosch. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the flour, then instant yeast. Mix slowly. Add eggs, sugar, salt, oil, and food coloring. Slowly mix in flour 1/2 cup at a time until a nice dough has formed. Cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down and divide into 3 parts (if making one loaf). Braid on long cookie sheet.* Let rise 1 hour, or until doubles. Very carefully brush egg yolk and water mixture on top and sides. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

1 recipe = 1 large loaf or 3 small loaves. You can fit 3 recipes in the Bosch at once.

*To braid, form each part into a long rope (about 18 inches long). Line up the 3 ropes 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. Braid loosely, beginning in middle and working towards ends. Pinch ends and tuck under.

10.10.2009

Baked Potato Soup

I got this from my sister in-law and have made it a few times already. We really like it! It makes quite a bit, so I usually take dinner to someone when I make it to share some. I LOVE coming home from work to dinner all ready to eat!!!

6 large russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
3-14 oz. cans chicken broth
1/4 c. butter
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 C. whipping cream
1 c. (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 Tbs. chopped fresh chives (I omit these)
1-8 oz. container sour cream
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (or be lazy like me and use the fresh bacon bits)
shredded cheddar cheese

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a 5 qt. slow cooker
2. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours or until potatoes are tender
3. Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped/mashed and soup is slightly thickened; stir in cream, cheese, and chives.

Top with sour cream, bacon, and cheese
If desired, serve with half sandwiches

Caramel Marshmallow Popcorn

I seriously never have the desire to make the true real sticky caramel popcorn ever again. This just totally did it for me! It's divine! Of course, I don't have a picture of this either, but I'm eating it RIGHT NOW! :)

2 cubes butter
3/4 C. brown sugar
4 C. marshmallows
2 pkgs. microwave popcorn (any flavor, I like "natural") - remove all the seeds if possible.

Melt butter and sugar on stove. Add marshmallows and remove from heat. Stir until melted (I had to put it back on the stove for about 45 more seconds, but try to have it on as little as possible or you'll make your goods harden when it cools, we want it to be STICKY!) - Add to popcorn and start eating immediately. You won't be able to stop until it's gone!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Well, I just finished the last one and totally told myself I was going to take a picture before I started eating it. I just totally forgot and snarfed it down...it's good!

1 1/2 - 2 C. cooked rice (I use brown rice), warm or at room temp.
1 C. cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 red or green pepper, diced (I used a little of each)
1/4 C. fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
3/4 C. corn, cooked
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
2 C. shredded cheese
sour cream (optional)
Flour Tortillas (of course, I only use the costco ones!)

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin, and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for the cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas then dot sour cream down center. Arrange chicken mixture down center. Roll stuffed tortillas. Arrange wraps seam side down on skillet (med-high heat) and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Recipe adapted from mykitchencafe

9.27.2009

Chocolate-Chip Zucchini Bread

My friend brought me over some zucchini from her over-abundant garden. So I hopped-to it and made some zucchini bread. I got this recipe from Rookie Cookie {I love her recipes!}, but I was worried her recipe would be TOO chocolaty for me {yes, there is such a thing as being too chocolaty} so I took out the cocoa in her recipe. But I do love the chocolate chips. And since it is made from a vegetable it is healthy for you. Right?

Just let me think that, ok?



Chocolate-Chip Zucchini Bread

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Set oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9x5 inch bread pans. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves and whisk to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. While the machine is running, drizzle in the oil. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the vanilla to the buttermilk. Slowly mix the flour mixture into the beaten butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 parts, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold the zucchini and chocolate chips into the batter. Divide the batter between the bread pans. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans before unmolding and slicing.

{Adapted from Rookie Cookie}

9.26.2009

Chicken Curry

One of my dear friends gave me a collection of her favorite recipes for our wedding. As a mother of 5 kids, she definitely knows what it means to make a fast, easy, and delicious meal. So this is one of those recipes.

This recipe was perfect when I wanted something exotic, but not as time-intensive as this dish. Because... lets be honest. We make Indian food in our house once a week. We just can't get enough. And I feel like when you make Indian food you just have to have Naan bread. And a strawberry lassi is such a cool, refreshing contrast to the spice, so you have to have that. Sooo if I want to cut down on time prep, I go with an easier main dish. This was perfect.

Curry Chicken

4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon slat
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
2-3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
cilantro (optional)

Melt butter and saute onions. Stir in flour and spices. Cook 5 minutes. Add broth and cook until it thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken and sour cream. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

Note for Next Time: I thought the sour cream made it a little too....sour creamy. Next time I would substitute at least half of the sour cream with plain yogurt.

9.25.2009

Chicken and Black Bean Salad


This meal fits right into my mantra of "yummy meals, fast and easy." My mom made this salad growing up and it is flavorful, beautiful, and filling.

Chicken & Black Bean Salad

Dressing

1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all together.

Salad

1 can black beans
1 can corn or Mexicorn
1 red bell pepper
1/2 bunch green onions
1 chicken breast
lettuce
cilantro
lime wedges

Combine black beans (rinsed and drained) and corn (drained). Marinate in dressing.

Cook chicken breast in drizzle of olive oil. Slice into chicken strips. Slice red pepper and green onions.

Mix lettuce with black beans, corn, and chicken. Top with red pepper, onions, lime wedges, and cilantro.

NOTE: I usually find that this is enough dressing, but if you need more, drizzle some Italian dressing on your salad.

9.24.2009

Naan Bread...the real deal

I have already posted one recipe for Naan bread, but this is more like the Bombay's House...which is basically the gold standard, as far as I'm concerned.

We served this bread to Ryan's grandma when she came over for dinner last week andshe dreamed about it the night after. It is just that good.

Naan Bread

2/3 cup warm water
3/4 teaspoon yeast
2 cups flour (the recipe recommends cake flour, but I just used all-purpose. I think the cake flour would have helped it be lighter...)
3 1/2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
sunflower oil or melted butter
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)
garlic, minced (optional)

Pour the water into a bowl. Whisk in the yeast, then add half the flour. Mix together with a fork, then cover the bowl and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Stir in the yogurt, then add the rest of the flour, the salt, and baking powder. Mix together with your hands into a soft, sticky ball. Spoon 2 teaspoons oil or butter into the bowl and rub it over the top of the dough, then pick the dough up out of the bowl and roughly squeeze it once or twice. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and leave for 15 minutes.

Pour another 1 teaspoon oil or butter onto the dough and rub lightly all over, then turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Knead lightly for 30 seconds, then return it to the bowl. cover and leave for 15 minutes.

By this time the dough should be much smoother. Knead lightly on the oiled surface for a minute, dust with flour and leave for 5 minutes. Begin heating the wok over medium heat.

Take one piece of dough and roll it out into a teardrop shape, dusting well with flour as you go. You want to get the dough as thin as possible. The best way we have found to do this step is to roll out a chunk of dough as thin as you can into a 12" circle (or so) and cut the dough into pizza-shaped slices with a pizza cutter. This works PERFECT!

When the wok is very hot, gently lay the dough on the wok. Brush the surface with butter, mixed with herbs and garlic (if you are using them). Place the lid on the wok and leave for 1 minute while you roll out another piece of dough.

The naan should rise slightly and bubble. With tongs, lift the bread. If it is slightly browned on the under side, flip it and cook for 1 minute longer.

Remove from wok and wrap it in a clean dish towel while you finish rolling out the rest of the bread.

{Adapted from The Cook's Book}

9.23.2009

Lemon Coconut Layer Cake

I am a complete sucker for lemon anything. So when it came time to make my birthday cake, of course I went lemon. I tried this new recipe and it was delicious. I loved the lemon-coconut combination and the pudding in between the layers was so flavorful and divine.

I didn't have 3 cake pans, so I just did two layers. I think it would be even better with 3 layers because there would be more of the pudding filling. But either way...delicious.

Lemon Coconut Layer Cake


CAKE


1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
3/4 cups granulated sugar
grated rind of 1 lemons
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (save the rest of the juice for the filling)
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line three 8 or 9-inch cake pans with wax paper and grease. In a bowl, sift together the flour and salt and set aside.

Place 6 of the eggs in a large heatproof bowl set over hot water. With an electric mixer, beat until frothy. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup of the sugar until the mixture doubles in volume and is thick enough to leave a ribbon trail when the beaters are lifted, about 10 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the hot water. Fold in half the grated lemon rind and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice until blended. Fold in the coconut.

Sift the flour mixture into the egg mixture in 3 batches, folding in thoroughly after each addition.

Divide the mixture between the prepared pans.

Bake until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pan, about 25 minutes. Let stand 3-5 minutes then unmold and transfer to a cooling rack.

FILLING

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
grated rind of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon (I just used the remaining juice of the lemon I squeezed for the cake)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter

In a bowl, blend the cornstarch with a little cold water to dissolve. Whisk in the eggs just until blended. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the lemon rind and juice, water, sugar, and butter.

Over a moderate heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk in the eggs and cornstarch, and return to a boil. Whisk continuously until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cover with wax paper so a skin won't form.

FROSTING

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
6-8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in the lemon rind and enough lemon juice to obtain a thick, spreadable consistency.

To assemble:

Sandwich the 3 cake layers with the lemon filling mixture. Spread the frosting over the top and sides. Cover the cake with the coconut, pressing it in gently.

{Adapted from Complete Baking, by Martha Day}

9.18.2009

Chicken Enchiladas

I love enchiladas. Might be because I life up in the frigid north where there is no such thing as Mexican food (ok I may be exaggerating a little, but not much).

I love using this recipe and splitting it into two pans, freezing half for later.




2-3 Chicken Breasts
1 tablespoon oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can chopped green chiles
1/4 cup chicken broth from chicken just cooked (or to your preference...depending on how saucy you like it)
1/4 cup cream cheese, diced
1 cup sour cream
8-10 flour tortillas (have you tried the uncooked tortillas at Costco? We buy like 5 bags every time we are down in the states. So yummy)
1/2 pound Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

Place chicken breats in saucepan and cover with water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done (about 30 minutes). Shred chicken and save the broth.

Saute the onions and green chiles in the oil until golden brown. Drain off any excess fat. Add broth, cream cheese, and sour cream. Heat through.

Lay out tortillas one at a time. Put in each about 1/3 c. of filling, 2 T. chicken, and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll up. Line up each enchilada in a 13x9 inch casserole pan (or two smaller pans). Spread remaining sauce and cheese over top.

Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes.

Mexican Rice

This was an excellent side dish for anything Mexican. Easy. Yummy. Just what I like.

Mexican Rice

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
1/2 cup stewed tomatoes, chopped small
2 tablespoons Tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt,cumin, and taco seasoning.
  2. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

9.16.2009

Waffles

I'll admit it. Sometimes, we have breakfast for dinner. Like when I haven't gone to the grocery store yet. Or I don't have any time. Or we just feel like it. Like...tonight.

This is my favorite waffle recipe. And it sure hit the spot tonight with some homemade strawberry-rhubarb syrup.





WAFFLES
2 eggs, separated

2 cups flour

2 cups milk

1 TB baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup oil


Whip the egg whites until stiff. Set aside. Mix all other ingredients together. Beat on low until moistened then mix on medium until smooth. By hand, fold in egg whites gently. Cook on waffle iron.

9.03.2009

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake



This is oh-so similar to Ryan's favorite dinner that I made our first Valentine's as a couple, with some delicious changes. Sentimental? Just a little.

Another great easy to throw together freezer meal. I served this over rice and it was the perfect sauciness.


Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

1 package stuffing mix
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp pepper
3-4 thick slices of deli ham, cubed
2 cup combination of swiss and cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cooked chicken breasts ( I used shredded)

Prepare stuffing mix according to directions on box. Meanwhile in a bowl, combine soup and milk. Put chicken in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with pepper. Layer with ham, half of the cheese, soup mixture and stuffing. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer.

To make into a freezer meal, I would recommend preparing this in two separate smaller pans (especially if you are a small family like ours...this was plenty for two meals). Prepare both pans until ready to bake in oven and then stick one in the freezer for later!

{Recipe, with adaptations by me, from Sister's Cafe}

8.25.2009

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been in a recipe slump lately...trying lots of new things, but nothing good enough to share.

Finally I went back to a tried-and-true recipe. This recipe makes a yummy cookie. I love the blended chocolate chips and oatmeal because it disperses them equally through the cookie. They are melt-in-your-mouth good.

They make a lot, so I bake some and roll some of the dough into tubes, syran-wrap them, and stick them in the freezer. When I need a little treat I pull out the dough, slice it up, and throw them in the oven. When frozen they might need to cook a tad longer..but not much.



Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 12 oz. pkg chocolate chips

Cream together sugars and butter. Add eggs. Mix in salt, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and flour. Blend together (in blender) oatmeal and chocolate chips. Once blended, add to other mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Mold dough to golf-ball size and flatten down. Bake for 6-8 minutes at 400.

8.17.2009

Home Made Salsa


I have made this 4 times in the last week and it is oh so good. All of the ingredients were from my garden and my dad's garden except the cilantro and garlic salt. I didn't have a recipe to go off of, I just put in the basics and it turned out great. Add as much as you want of everything until you like it. Add jalapeno peppers if you like spice. Brandon and I are not fans of spice.
Tomatoes
Green Peppers
Onions
Cilantro
Garlic Salt

8.09.2009

Ham and Broccoli Cheese Soup

It has been raining every day this week and we were in need of a nice warm dinner. This little number did just the trick.

You will be surprised how yummy this is...the swiss cheese gave it a really unique flavor from other similar soups I have tried.

This is definitely the recipe we will be using in the future. I am not one to eat the same thing for days in a row (I'm a little OCD about it, my husband says), but I ate this for three days straight. It was just that good.


Ham & Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 can chicken broth
1 small onion, diced

1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste

2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
steamed chopped broccoli (I like lots of broccoli so I used about 3 cups...but use to your preference)
ham (again, use as much as you want. I used about 1/2 cup)

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses, steamed broccoli, and ham. Serve immediately.

Sweet and Sour Chicken


I know we have already posted a few recipes for Sweet and Sour Chicken, but this recipe is a little-bit different. It is baked in the oven and more like what you would get in a Chinese restaurant (as in not saucy, more breaded). It was fast, easy, and yummy. Definitely a good stand-by for those nights you are out of ideas.


Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

{Found on My Kitchen Cafe}

8.04.2009

Bran Muffins


I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet. Family favorite. We make it ALL the time.

The thing about it is...it makes a ton. But the wonderful part is that you can have fresh baked muffins for breakfast for a long time.

Bran Muffins

2 cups Bran Flakes (in the cereal aisle)
4 cups bran buds (in the cereal aisle)
2 cups boiling water
4 eggs
1 cup shortening
2 1/2 cup sugar
1 quart buttermilk
5 cups flour
5 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

In a very large bowl combine cereals and boiling water (You can do any combination of bran flakes and buds, just as long as it is 6 cups worth). Mix until it is the texture you like. I like really smooth muffins (no bran chunks) so I mix for awhile, making sure to mash out any chunks. Let stand.

In another bowl combine eggs, shortening, sugar, and buttermilk. Mix and add to bran mixture. Don't worry if the shortening still looks chunky (sort of like cottage cheese). That's ok.

Add flour, salt, soda, and stir into bran mixture.

Bake in greased muffin pans at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

You can refrigerate the batter for up to 7 weeks in covered containers. Put saran wrap directly on batter to keep from discoloring.

8.03.2009

Jambalaya

It has been too long since I have posted! Vacations have a way of putting the rest of your life on hold...

I tried this recipe awhile ago, froze most of it, and reheated it a few weeks ago. It was delicious! We especially love it with some Red Hot Chili Sauce. Yummy.


2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/2 pound smoked sausage, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2/3 cup chopped cooked ham
4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into bit-sized pieces
4 medium tomatoes (about 1 pound, chopped)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped green onion
Creole seasoning
2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
18 medium peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp

Preheat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, celery, bell pepper, ham and garlic. Saute for 5 to 6 minutes or until onions are tender.

Add chicken, cook and stir fry for 1 minute. Add tomato, broth, tomato sauce, salt, hot pepper sauce, black pepper, and bay leaves. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in green onion, cook 2 minutes more. Season to taste with Creole seasoning.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove pan from heat. Stir in uncooked rice and shrimp. Bake, covered, about 20 minutes or until rice is tender and shrimp are opaque, stirring halfway through baking. Remove bay leaves before serving.

TO FREEZE: Prepare all the way. Place in a freezer container and freeze up to 2 months. Defrost in refrigerator. Reheat at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until heated through.

{From Super Suppers Cookbook, which I picked up at my local library and have liked a lot!}

7.09.2009

Cornbread Muffins

I love cornbread, but not-so-much the texture of it {if that makes any sense}. These muffins are to DIE for and are so light and fluffy with the taste of cornbread.

These go SOOO perfectly with a soup, salad, anything that you need that extra little something.



Cornbread Muffins

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (about 5 ounces) yellow cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
¾ cup (5 ¼ ounces) sugar
8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
¾ cup sour cream (substituting plain yogurt or buttermilk for this = DELICIOUS!)
½ cup milk

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin and set aside (when I made them, it made about 16 muffins).

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, soda and salt in a medium bowl to combine; set aside. Whisk the eggs in a second medium bowl until well combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar to the eggs; whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous, about 30 seconds; add the melted butter in 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add half the sour cream and half the milk and whisk to combine; whisk in the remaining sour cream and milk until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; mix gently with a rubber spatula until the batter is just combined and evenly moistened. Do not over mix. Using a large spoon sprayed with cooking spray, divide the batter evenly among tins.

Bake until the muffins are light golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes, rotating the muffin tin from front to back halfway. Cool the muffins in the tin 5 minutes; invert the muffins on a wire rack, stand the muffins upright and cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.

{Brought to you by My Kitchen Cafe}

6.16.2009

Shish Kabobs

On Saturday night we made some awesome shish kabobs. I thought I would share it here just to give people ideas. I think this mostly needs to be done for a party-sized group, it seems like it would be hard with just two people.


What we used:
Marinated beef
Marinated chicken
Fresh pineapple
Green peppers
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Onions
Mushrooms
Squash


They were so good!!

6.11.2009

Cafe Rio Salad...with a twist

One thing I'm dying without is Cafe Rio. None of that amazing fresh-mex up here in the wintry north.

Making them yourself is a daunting task - making the rice, beans, meat, dressing, guac, tortilla strips...because you have to have EVERY PART to make it the real deal.

Another reason I don't like to make them is that only Ry and I eat them (Mady hasn't learned the joys of lettuce yet) which means TONS of food leftover.

Solution? Hint: it has to do with my new quest to simplify and stock my freezer!

I used all the leftovers in an assembly-line to put together some amazing burritos which I stuck in the freezer for quick lunches. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Ryan ate one today and about passed out from the goodness.

So lets start with the recipes:

Shredded Sweet Pork
3 lb pork roast
1 c brown sugar
1 c Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tb dried minced onions

Cook all ingredients in a crock pot on low all day (abt 8 hours). One hour before serving, remove roast and shred it. Dump out all cooking juices and place shredded pork back into crockpot and add...

1 c brown sugar
1 c red enchilada sauce

Cilantro Lime Rice
3 c water (or a little bit more...whatever ratio you use for cooking your rice)
3 c rice
4 cubes chicken bouillon
4 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tb canola oil
2 Tb fresh lime juice
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/2 onion
1 can green chilies

Blend cilantro, onion, and chilies in food processor. Bring water to boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Garlic Black Beans
1 can black beans
1/3 c tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)
1 tsp cumin
2 Tb canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tb chopped cilantro

Heat oil then add cumin and garlic until garlic begins to pop. Add rest of ingredients and serve warm.


Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
3 tomatillos, peeled and quartered
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sour cream
1 pkg dry buttermilk ranch dressing
1 c fresh chopped cilantro
6 green onions with ends, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)
3 tsp sugar
1 jalapeno, sliced thin - add to taste

Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Tortilla Strips
*Cut corn tortillas into thin strips using a pizza cutter. Spray with cooking oil ( like Pam), sprinkle with kosher salt and bake in 350 oven until lightly brown and crisp.



Now you know how to put the salads together, so I will just assist in the freezer burrito part.

Step 1: Set up an assembly line with rice, beans, pork, tortillas, cheese, leftover dressing, and salsa (if you want).

Step 2: Center a tortilla on parchment or wax paper. Fill with desired ingredients.

Step 3: Fold the bottom and sides of the tortilla towards the center as tightly as possible. Fold the paper around the burrito as tightly as possible

Step 4: Pack burritos in a freezer ziploc bag.

To eat, microwave for 1 minute on each side or you can cook it in the oven at 375 for about 20-25 minutes.


Glad to help you with those leftovers.

{Recipes for the salad are from The Sisters Cafe}

6.09.2009

Chicken and Vegetable Pasta Bake

I don't know about you, but dinner time at my house is C-H-A-O-S. Think baby screaming, toddler who is hungry and irritable, house that is a mess, and me...wondering what we are going to have for dinner.

To maintain my sanity I have been experimenting lately with freezer meals, using 1/2 for dinner and freezing 1/2 for later. So far I have found some REALLY great recipes to share and I have a stocked freezer (yippee!).

Here is one that we liked, with a few changes by moi:


Chicken & Vegetable Pasta Bake


Ingredients

  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, ends trimmed, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • About 3 cups dried risoni pasta
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 1/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
  • 1 cup grated cheddar
Bechamel sauce
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup plain flour
  • 3 cups milk, warmed
  • 2/3 cup grated cheddar

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, corn, and garlic and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. In the same frying pan, brown chicken until no longer pink.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain.
  3. To make the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the mixture bubbles. Remove from heat. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until well combined. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F. Add the pasta, bechamel sauce and chicken to the veggie mixture and stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the pasta mixture into a 3L (12-cup) capacity ovenproof dish.
  5. Combine the breadcrumbs and cheddar in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the pasta mixture. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Serve.
  • Freeze: At the end of step 5, set aside to cool. Divide among freezerproof, ovenproof dishes. Cover with lids, plastic wrap, or foil. Place in fridge for 4 hours or until cooled. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before baking 6-8 hours. To bake, leave foil on and cook at 375 for 25 minutes or so. I think you could cook it frozen, just adjust the cooking time accordingly. In case you forget to take it out in the morning...
{Photo & Recipe, with slight changes, from taste.com}

5.22.2009

Whole Wheat Bread


I needed to make bread today and decided to try a NEW recipe because trying new things makes life exciting. It turned out SO yummy I just might convert to this recipe instead of the one I grew up with...if my Mom won't disown me!

This makes a LOT of dough, so I would recommend halving the recipe unless you have a Bosch or a heavy-duty mixer.

Whole Wheat Bread


3 1/2 cups hot tap water
1 (12oz) can evaporated milk
3 Tbs instant yeast
2/3 cup oil
1 cup honey (use the same measuring glass as the oil and the honey slide right out)
1 cup white flour
3 Tbs vital wheat gluten
2 Tbs dough enhancer (this is optional--I just happen to have some)
12 cups whole wheat flour (I used white wheat: approx 8c wheat berries= 12 c flour)
1 1/2 TBs salt


Grind your wheat (in your electric wheat grinder) while getting everything else ready. Then, using a Bosch or other heavy duty mixer, combine ingredients in the order given, mixing well after half the flour, then add the other half of flour and salt. Add a little extra white flour as needed if dough is too sticky. Knead in mixer for 8 minutes. Dump out dough on your countertop and spread with your hand. Form into 5 medium loaves or 4 large ones. Press down the sides of each dough piece to fill the bottom of the pan, leaving the top round and smooth. Let rise in a warm spot until almost desired bread size. (about 1 hour). Bake in preheated 350 oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven to wire racks and brush tops of hot loaves with butter, if desired. Let cool about 10 minutes, then remove from pans and let cool completely before slicing. Actually, it is best when served hot, slathered with butter or jam. YUM!

{Picture & Recipe from Sisters' Cafe}

5.21.2009

Easy Chicken Skillet



To save time, I'm just going to post a link for this recipe. I printed it off like a year or 2 ago and finally just made it tonight. It is so easy and tastes absolutely amazing!

5.19.2009

Spring Stir-Fry in Peanut Sauce

Jess, I talked to Ryan about this recipe in Phoenix and told him I would post it on here so you could make it for him. I got it from kraftfoods.com. It's so yummy!

1/2 cup Catalina Dressing
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. oil, divided
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
4 cups mixed cut-up fresh vegetables (broccoli florets and red bell pepper strips)
8 oz. fettuccine, cooked and drained, reserving 2 Tbsp. of the pasta cooking water
2 green onions, sliced

MIX dressing, peanut butter, soy sauce and crushed red pepper; set aside. Heat 2 tsp. of the oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 8 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to large serving bowl; cover to keep warm.

HEAT remaining 1 tsp. oil in same skillet. Add broccoli and bell peppers; cook and stir 5 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

ADD pasta, vegetables and dressing mixture to chicken; mix lightly. If desired, gradually stir in enough of the reserved pasta cooking water until sauce is of desired consistency. Sprinkle with the onions.
Nutrition information can be found here.

5.18.2009

Glazed Mini Meatloaves


These were cute little suckers - and super tasty. The glaze was a little strong for Ryan, so may want to sample yours before you slather it all over the meat.



Glazed Mini Meatloaves

adapted from The Best 30-Minute Recipe

Makes 4-5 mini meatloaves.

Meatloaves:
17-20 saltine crackers, crushed fine (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground meat (I used a combination of lean ground chuck and lean ground pork)
2 teaspoons oil (I used canola oil)

Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir cracker crumbs, milk, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, egg, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Add ground meat and combine until uniform. Shape mixture into oval loaves (shoot for 5).

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is rippling. Add meatloaves (without letting them touch sides) and brown well on one side, 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip loaves over and tidy up edges using a spatula. Brown on this side for another 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix glaze ingredients together until smooth. Transfer mini meatloaves to a foil-lined baking pan and spoon the glaze over the top of each meatloaf. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the center of the loaf registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

{Recipe & Photo from My Kitchen Cafe}

Raspberry Lime Rickey

Summer is coming, folks...and for those of us without a Sonic nearby we are going to have to create our own refreshingly cool beverages. Here is a great one we tried out last week:

Raspberry Lime Rickey


12 oz. package frozen raspberries
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
4 teaspoons grated zest and 1/2 cup juice from 4 limes (It took 4 limes to get the 1/2 cup juice but I only used the zest from 3 limes - it was plenty)
Club soda, chilled
Ice

Heat raspberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat until the raspberries begin to release their juices, about five minutes. Mash the berries with a potato masher until the berries break down, then stir in the lime zest and juice. Simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened, about five minutes.

Pour the raspberry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing on solids to extract the liquid. This works best done in batches so the seeds don't clog up the bottom of the mesh strainer. You should end up with about 2 1/2 cups syrup. Discard the berry solids. Refrigerate the syrup until completely cool, at least 30 minutes or up to 1 week. To serve, combine 3/4 cup club soda and 3 tablespoons syrup in tall, ice-filled glasses. (We put ours in the blender with ice cubes and it turned out heavenly!)


{Recipe & Photo from My Kitchen Cafe}

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and ground pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided

For the sauce:
4 Tbsp butter
2 8 oz packages sliced mushrooms
Salt and ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cream

Set the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 Tbsp of the olive oil. Add two chicken breasts. Cook on each side until well-browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Once browned, place chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil into the pan and brown the other two chicken breasts. Remove the pan from the heat and set the chicken breasts in the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Leave the skillet off the burner until there is 10 minutes left until the chicken is cooked. When the chicken is almost done, put the pan back over medium high heat to make the mushroom sauce. Add the butter and the mushrooms to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Once chicken is done, remove from the baking dish. Serve chicken breasts with the mushroom sauce ladled over the top. I served mine with mashed potatoes, using the extra sauce as a gravy.

{Recipe from Rookie Cookie}

5.13.2009

Strawberry Lassi


This drink is a traditional Indian drink, but you can make it for ANY occasion. So yummy.


Strawberry Lassi

2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
12-15 frozen (or fresh) strawberries
handful of ice

Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Chicken Tikka Masala


Not a big fan of Indian food? Don't be deterred by the name! TRY IT! It isn't too curry-ish, just lots of yummy spices and flavor.

So this is one of the best dishes at Bombay House and we have been searching high and low for a recipe that compares. This one was DELICIOUS. Ryan couldn't stop eating. It was perfect with this, this, and this. Great birthday dinner.

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (If you no-likey spicy, cut it down to 1/2 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for one hour. Grill or cook chicken in frying pan. Discard marinade.

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped (again...leave out if you don't want it too spicy)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over hot rice.

{As found on mykitchencafe.blogspot.com}

4.17.2009

Chicken Salad Sandwich

This was soooo tasty!!!

Canned Kirkland brand chicken (from Costco) - drain first
red grapes (cut up)
dried cranberries
cashews (chopped)
Mayo
Salt & Pepper
Croissants

Add as much of everything as you like and enjoy!!!

Posted by Picasa

4.14.2009

Lemon Muffins


I just noticed my last three posts have all had a citrus-y ingredient. So I'm a bit obsessed...

This one is a favorite of mine. My mom made these growing up and they would be inhaled before they had even cooled down. They are best hot out of the oven.

Lemon Muffins

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon rind (optional)
additional sugar for topping

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in egg yolks and beat until light.

Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture alternately with lemon juice.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into muffin mixture along with lemon rind, mixing just until ingredients are blended.

Fill greased muffin tins about 3/4 full. Sprinkle each muffin with a bit of sugar if desired. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden.

Pineapple-Glazed Chicken

A few things about this recipe...

I'm a pineapple freak, so of course I loved this recipe. Ryan, who is not-so-much a pineapple freak, still thought it was tasty.

Also, I added about 5 slices of pickled jalapenos from a jar and it was soooo spicy. And I like spice. So beware.

Ingredients
  • 6-10 chicken drumsticks
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon minced pickled jalapenos (if you want it spicy!!)
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Cooked white rice for serving (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove skin from drumsticks. Season drumsticks with salt and pepper.
  2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Saute chicken in two batches until golden, 5 to 7 minutes per batch, transferring each batch to a rimmed baking sheet.
  3. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
  4. Wipe skillet clean; add pineapple juice, ginger, and jalapeno. Cook over medium heat until syrupy and reduced to 3/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken. Add scallions; toss to coat. Serve with white rice, if desired.
{this recipe is from marthastewart.com}

4.04.2009

Sesame Chicken

Wow was this ever yummy and easy. Try it. Tonight.



Sesame Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of any fat and cut into bite-size pieces
2 Tbsp flour
Kosher salt and ground pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Cooked white or brown rice

In a bowl, combine soy sauce and sugar and stir well to combine. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken pieces and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Once hot, add chicken. Cook, stirring often, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Transfer chicken pieces onto a plate and put the pan back on the heat. Pour in the soy sauce mixture. With a wooden spoon, scrape the cooked bits on the bottom of the pan while the soy sauce mixture simmer. Let simmer for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the chicken back into the pan. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and toss well, coating all the chicken pieces in the soy mixture.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

{The credit for this recipe goes to Rookie Cookie}

Pulled-pork sandwiches

We made these for lunch in between conference sessions (had the meat cooking overnight). It was a fun summery meal, even though it is still freezing. So I'm excited for the warm weather - can you blame me?


1 pork roasts
1/2 can of vegetable broth
1 small onion, sliced
BBQ sauce

Put sliced onion in bottom of crock pot. Put in pork roast. Pour can of broth over the top and cook on low for 8 hours or more. Shred the pork and then pour your favorite bbq sauce over the top. Cook on low for 2-3 more hours until all flavors are blended. Serve on a bun with coleslaw on top.

{thanks to my cousin, Nicole, for the yummy recipe!}

4.02.2009

Cereal Candy

OK, I can't find the blog I found this recipe from, but I wanted to give credit where credit was due (and use her picture too!) But I can't...I think it might be bookmarked on my other computer and I'm too lazy to go switch. But this turned out AMAZING.

Cereal Candy
5 C. Cheerios
5 C. Rice Chex
6 C. Speicial K

measure those into a large bowl. Then, in a large sauce pan put:

2 C. sugar
3/4 C. white corn syrup
1/2 C. butter (the real stuff please)
1 dash salt

Stir constantly and bring to a boil. Then add:

1 C. whipping cream

Now, use your candy thermometer and cook to soft ball stage, stirring constantly. (Let me add something here, she actually says that she cooks hers to 230, which is cooler than softball stage according to the thermometer. We did it to about 232 and it was yummy, but once it all cooled, it got pretty hard so I would stick with the 230 or maybe a tiny bit earlier than that even) Once at soft ball stage, remove immediately from the heat and add:

1 tsp. vanilla

Stir in vanilla and pour over your cereal. Gently toss anc coat the cereal. Once all coated, pour out on a large cookie sheet to cool. Then enjoy!

Snickers Cookies

I tried this recipe from HERE and they were FABULOUS! So, I'm posting them here for you all to crave and enjoy. You really should consider making these beauties.

Snickers Cookies
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C. butter, room temperature
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
30 mini sized Snickers candy bars. (one bag)


In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter. Add vanilla and egg. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and add to peanut mixture. Shape dough smoothly around each candy bar, making sure the bar is completely covered, without haveing a lot of excess dough. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bakt at 350 and check at 12 minutes, and take out when they are slightly golden. Cool a minute or so and remove from cookie sheets. They are FABULOUS when they are warm and just as good after they've cooled.

3.28.2009

Tortilla Soup

This recipe is so easy and very tasty.

Tortilla Soup


3 chicken breasts cut in cubes and cooked
2-3 cups of chicken broth
2-3 cups water
1 TB chili powder
1/4 C fresh chopped cilantro
3 Roma tomatoes diced or 1 can stewed tomatoes

Boil together for 15 minutes

Serve in bowl and cover with:
broken tortilla chips
grated cheese
diced avocado with fresh lime juice over top

Banana Bread


I'm a picky banana eater - those babies have got to still be green for me to eat them. Yellow? Past the point of perfection.

Instead of wasting those too ripe bananas, I make banana bread. And this recipe is divine.

BANANA BREAD

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 TB milk
1TB vinegar
2 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp soda
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp salt

Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs well. Mix milk and vinegar together, then add this and remaining ingredients into shortening and sugar mixture. Bake in loaf tins at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

3.26.2009

Honey Lime Enchiladas

(Photo and recipe courtesy of mykitchencafe.blogspot.com)
I REALLY wish I had a picture of these but Gary has the camera with him at work today. Well, I was on the main dish for lunch group today and was on the hunt for something new. I came across this recipe for Enchiladas. I'm a VERY picky enchilada eater and DO NOT like the saucy type, I'm more of the dry enchilada eater BUT, this post had 41 comments on it and half of them were from people who had already made them and came back to comment on how delicious they were. I had to try them and they did not disappoint. These will be made again in my home!
I'm posting the recipe as I made them...I made a few minor changes to the original recipe:

6 Tbs. honey (I think I actually used about 7)
5 Tbs. lime juice (I used it from a bottle but fresh would be divine!)
1 Tbs. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded
8-10 flour tortillas (Um, Costco ones are the BOM.COM!)
1 lb. pepper jack cheese, shredded
16 oz. green enchilada sauce (straight from New Mexico-or if you don't have that luxury, then whatever will be fine)
1 C. heavy cream (or, you could use sour cream if you wanted to make a lighter version)
Mix first four ingredients together and toss with shredded chicken. I put chicken and mixture in a zip-lock baggy overnight to let it season up real nice. Pour about 1/2 C. enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Strain the chicken saving the sauce. Fill flour tortilla (after you've cooked them, of course) with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Notes: I think I might even consider making more marinade next time I made it and might even use more honey. These were delicious but I think I'd like a little stronger sweet flavor. Also, I didn't end up pouring the ENTIRE remains of the enchilada sauce on top because I didn't want it to be totally soupy. BUT, do as you wish. Just make sure you MAKE these! They are so yummy!

3.20.2009

Curried Coconut Chicken

Ryan & I don't get out much any more. I can't even remember the last time we went out to dinner - honestly. Which is so sad because it used to be a weekly event.

So these days instead of eating at restaurants we try to make fun meals at home.

Tonight was Indian night. My brother & sister-in-law posted the following three recipes on their blog last month and I finally got a chance to try them. They all turned out so good that I had to put them on here so I won't lose them! So thanks, Chris & Brittney for the delicious recipes.

For a moment, we were back at the Bombay House instead of here in Calgary where food is expensive and not-so-good.


This dish had amazing flavor and was surprisingly easy with common ingredients!

Curried Coconut Chicken

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
Directions

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.

3. Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.

{courtesy of allrecipes.com}