Sunday, November 16, 2014


Easy Enchiladas

Total Time: 1 hr 15 min
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings or 14 Enchiladas

Ingredients

Sauce:  
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
One 28 oz can enchilada or Mexican red sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Meat:
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

The rest:
Canola oil, for frying
10 to 14 corn tortillas 
Two 4 oz cans diced green chilies
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped black olives
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Cilantro, for garnish

Directions for the sauce:
In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the canola oil and flour. Whisk together and allow to bubble for 1 min. Poor in the red sauce, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer while you prepare the other ingredients. 

For the meat: 
While the sauce is simmering, brown the ground beef with onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the fat, add the salt and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and set aside. 

For the rest:
In a small skillet over medium heat, heat some canola oil. Lightly fry the tortillas just until soft. Do not crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until al the tortillas have been friend. 

Pre heat the over to 350 degrees F. 

Spread the 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 in baking dish. Next, one at a time, dip each tortilla into the sauce. Set the sauce-soaked tortilla on a plate. Place on some of the meat mixture, chilies, green onions and black olives. Top with a generous portion of grated cheddar. Roll up the tortilla to contain the filling inside. 

Place the tortilla seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas and pour the remaining sauce over the top. End with a generous sprinkling of cheese and any other bits of chilies, green onions or olives you have left over from the filling. 

Bake the enchiladas for 20 min, or until bubbly. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top and serve. 

Friday, November 7, 2014

Easy Enchiladas

Mix the following in a bowl:

2-3 chicken breasts diced and cooked
8 oz sour cream
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 oz can diced green chiles

Spoon mixture onto tortillas, wrap and place in a casserole dish.

Mix together and then pour on top of tortillas:

2-10 oz cans enchilada sauce (I prefer the mild green kind)
1 small can cream of chicken

Cover with shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min.  Broil for 3-5 minutes to get the cheese a little carmelized.

Serve with spanish style rice

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Nancy's Cheese Ball

I love a good cheese ball...and this one is one of my all time favorites!

2, 8oz packages cream cheese
3 stalks green onions
1Tbs Bon Apetit (or if you can't find Bon Apetit like me you can use equal parts celery salt and onion powder, so 1/2 Tbs of each)
1 Tbs Miracle Whip
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp mustard (you can use whatever kind you like best.  My favorite is spicy brown)

Mix together well with an electric mixer.  Make into one large ball or two smaller ones.  I line a small glass bowl with saran wrap and pack the cheese mix into it.  After it chills it's easy to lift the saran wrap out and turn the "ball" over onto a serving tray.  Can also roll balls in choppped pecans.  Refrigerate overnight for the flavors to blend (or if pressed for time, just put it in the freezer for an hour or two so it sets).  Serve with any kind of crackers (especially good with wheat thins and ritz).

To make into an eyeball for Halloween, mix 1/4 cup ketchup with 2 tsp chili powder.  Put mixture into a small ziplock bag and clip a tiny piece of one corner off.  Squeeze mix in a vein design. Cut a spinach leaf into a circle for the middle of the eyeball and use half of a large olive as the pupil. 


 

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Pumpkin Donut Muffins

These are seriously TO DIE for!!! they're fluffy and delicious- and best warm, but still good the next day!! They make about 12 big muffins, we doubled it and made 18 big muffins and 24 tiny muffins. We liked the tiny muffins the best.

INGREDIENTS

For the batter

  • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree (from a 15-ounce can)
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs

For the sugar coating

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • DIRECTIONS

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups. Make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.(until it changes color to a white-ish color) Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture, and beat to combine.
    2. Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack.

      http://www.marthastewart.com/331754/pumpkin-doughnut-muffins

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Fish Tacos, Slaw and Coconut Rice



For the Slaw:
whisk together, toss with:

2 T fresh lemon juice
1 t. olive oil
1 t. sugar
1/2 C green cabbage, shredded
1/2 C carrot, shredded
1/4 C red onion, sliced
1/4 C granny smith apple cut into matchsticks
1/2 jalapeƱo, seeded, thinly sliced
salt to taste

For the Tartar Sauce:

1/2 C mayo
2 T sweet pickle relish
1 T capers
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 t. prepared horseradish
1 t. lemon zest, minced

For the Fish:
6 oz tilapia or cod cut into 8 long pieces

1/2 C all purpose flour
1 t. table salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 C club soda
1 T. tabasco
1 C panko bread crumbs

whisk flour, salt and baking powder together for the fish. Add club soda and tabasco (whisk, it will be a little lumpy). Spread panko in shallow dish.

Heat oil to 375 in skillet (you can also use this oil for the tortillas if you want them fried)

Dip fish in batter then dredge in panko. Fry 1-2 min.

Coconut Mango Rice

1/2 C long grain white rice
1/2 C water
1/2 C coconut milk
1 T sugar
pinch of salt

After cooking for 15-20 min stir in:
Mango, peeled and pitted, diced
2 T fresh cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Sausage and Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
1 pound green lentils
3 Tbls olive oil
1 lb ground Italian sausage (you can also use ground Italian turkey sausage)
1 cup diced onion (about 1 large)
1.5 cups diced celery (about 4 stalks)
1.5 cups diced carrots (about 2-3 large)
1.5 cups diced zucchini (about 1 small)
1 Tbl minced garlic (2 large cloves)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I usually half this so it's not too spicy)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
6 cups chicken broth
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
grated Parmesan
fresh parsley

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes.  Drain.

2. In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add in the Italian sausage.  Brown the sausage until it is cooked through.
3.  Add the chicken stock, canned tomatoes and drained lentils, cover and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1.5 hours, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender, stirring occasionally.  Add water as needed to adjust the consistency of the soup.  We prefer ours a little on the thick side, so I add in about 3 cups half way through the cook time.

6.  Check the seasonings and add more salt and pepper to taste.  Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

KrispieRoos

Peant Butter Rice Krispie
1 cup sugar
1 cupr Karo syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups Krispies
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup butterscotch chips
 
In saucepan stir sugar and karo until bubbly over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Pour over cereal mixing well. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Melt chips in microwave and pour over treats.

From Susan Eyre