Chicken Tequila Fettuccine

1 pound dry spinach fettuccine
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons gold tequila
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/4 pounds chicken breast, diced 3/4 inch and cooked
1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Prepare rapidly boiling, salted water to cook pasta; cook until
al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Toss with a little oil and set aside.
Cook 1/3 cup cilantro, garlic and jalapeno in 2 tablespoons
butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add stock, tequila,
and lime juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring 

consistently; set aside. Pour soy sauce over diced, cooked chicken; 

set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile cook onion and peppers, stirring 

occasionally, with remaining butter over medium heat for 3−4 minutes. 

Add chicken and soy sauce; toss and add reserved tequila/lime mixture and cream.
Bring the sauce to a boil; boil gently until chicken is cooked through
and sauce is thick (about 3 minutes). When sauce is done,
toss with well−drained spinach fettuccine and remaining cilantro.

Jordan and I made some mistakes when we made this, but it still turned out yummy! We couldn't find spinach fettuccine at any of the nearby stores. Most stores said that it has been ousted by wheat. I guess we've been on a pasta kick lately. This one is the best so far. Great flavor!

California Pizza Kitchen Brocolli and Sun−Dried Tomato Fusilli

1 pound dry fusilli pasta
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
About 12 oil−packed sun−dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 quart blanched broccoli florets, drained (bite−size pieces)
1 1/4 cups grated parmesan cheese (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until
al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Heat olive oil in a large non−stick
frying pan over high heat. Add salt and garlic; when the garlic
just begins to brown, add thyme and sun−dried tomatoes.
Toss and add broccoli. When broccoli is heated through,
add drained pasta (if pan is not large enough, combine
in a large mixing bowl while ingredients are hot). Add
1 cup parmesan cheese to all, sprinkling and stirring to mix.
Serve in warm bowls with a fresh dusting of parmesan cheese.

apple pie caramel apples

apple pie caramel apples

(caramel sauce)

1 pound butter

1 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

Heat over medium stirring constantly until candy thermometer reads 250 degrees.

1 bag white chocolate chips

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon (more or less to taste)

dash apple pie seasoning (optional)

4-6 apples chilled

sticks

Make sure the apples are nice and cold then push a stick into the middle and dip into caramel sauce 1 or 2 times. Hold upright for a few moments to let the caramel harden on the cold apples. Place on parchment paper and chill for 10 minutes.
Melt white chocolate over a double boiler until just melted, do not let it get too hot or it will get scortched and will not ever be smooth.

Cut access caramel from the bottom of apple, and dip in white chocolate. (I roll it along the side to make sure it doesn't get too thick). Then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture and chill again until chocolate hardens.

I had left over caramel sauce so I poured it over 1 bag unbuttered popcorn (since it is Mom Q's caramel recipe for caramel popcorn... which is Lee's favorite).

Beans and Mexican Rice

Beans and rice are kind of a staple at our house. Beans take time, but they are EASY.

Beans

dry pinto beans
water
salt

Sort beans and rinse them well. (I always find rocks in my beans, so don’t forget to sort.) Place in a heavy pot and cover with 3-4 inches of water. Cover and cook over low heat for 5-6 hrs. You can also use a crockpot. Just cook on low for 9 to 10 hours. Salt to taste at end of cooking when beans are soft. Yummy served whole over mexican rice.

If you’re feeling bold, try making homemade refried beans. Oh my goodness…so good!

Run your beans through a food processor (w/a good amount of the water they were cooked in.) Don’t puree completely smooth…refried beans should be a little chunky. Heat a couple Tbsp. of oil in a large fry pan. (I use bacon grease. Better flavor.) Cut one jalapeno in half and seed. Fry in oil to release flavor. Your beans will not be hot. I promise. Add your beans and cook until they reach a thickness you like. You’ll never want to go back to canned.

Mexican Rice

3 roma tomatoes, remove top and slice in half
1/4 cup onion
garlic clove, peeled
2 Tbsp. mexican chicken bouillon
water
2 cups long grain white rice
1/4 cup veggie oil

In a blender, combine tomatoes and about a cup of water. Blend. Add onion, garlic and bouillon. Blend. Add water to mixture so total liquid amount is a just over 4 cups. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large fry pan. Fry rice in oil until it turn a yellow gold color. Add tomato liquid, and bring to a boil. Turn temperature to low and cover with lid. Simmer for 30 minutes or until rice puffs.

The rice is really good with leftover chicken mixed in. Try it with veggies mixed in too. We like to eat it with the whole beans spooned on top. It’s also yummy in burritos, or on it’s own as a side to any mexican dish.

I hope these recipes make sense. I learned all these from my hispanic friend who cooks completely by feel. I should mention you can buy mexican chicken boulion at WinCo or Walmart in the latino section. Regular boulion is fine though.

Potato Chowder

My mouth is watering as I think about making this tomorrow night.

Potato Chowder

8 cups diced peeled potatoes
1/3 cup chopped onion
3 cans (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese; cubed
1/2 ob. bacon; cooked and crumbled
snipped chives

In a slow cooker, combine the first five ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the potatoes are tender. Add cream cheese, and stir until blended. Garnish with bacon and chives.

*I'm actually going to make this on the stove top tomorrow, because I haven't gone to the store for ingredients yet. Also I like to add the bacon straight to the soup so it's good and bacon-y all the way through. Mmm...bacon.

Bread in a Bag

My sister, Mignon, recently taught this recipe to the girls in my Young Women group. It was such a fun activity! Mignon's bread making skills are really something to be admired. I wish you could all have a one-on-one bread class from her. The least I can do is give you a few of her recipes...with her permission of course.

Bread in a Bag
Makes 1 loaf

In a 1 Gallon freezer ziplock bag add:
1 cup wheat four
1 package yeast (or 1 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp nonfat dry milk
1 tsp. salt

Zip and mix dry ingredients together. Then add:

1 cup hot water (hot enough that you can put your hand in it, but can't leave it there.)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil

Reseal bag, squeezing the air out, and work bag with your fingers until ingredients are mixed well. Then add:

1 cup white flour: Seal bag and work it in

1 cup white flour: add a little at a time, and work in until dough pulls away from the bag. Be careful not to add too much flour.

Turn out bag of dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Cover dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out dough and form it into a loaf and place in a greased bread pan OR divide dough into three equal parts,roll into snakes, braid, and place on a greased cookie sheet. Spray top of dough with PAM, cover, and let rise 20 minutes or until double in size.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Note from Mignon: I love this bread with 100% whole wheat flour. It makes great rolls as well. Just divide the dough into walnut size balls on a greased cookie sheet. Cover. Let rise until double, and bake.

Mignon's Harvest House Bread

From Mignon's home to yours. Nothing beats homemade bread. Am I right?! You can almost smell it!

Mignon's Harvest House Bread
Yields 2 loaves

2 1/4 cups hot water (hot enough that you can put your hand in it, but can't leave it there)
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp active dry yeast

Mix and see if yeast bubbles. Then add:

1 Tbsp vinegar (a natural preservative. also gives the yeast a boost)
1/4-1/2 cup vital wheat gluten (adds protein and strength)
2 tsp salt
~7 cups whole wheat flour. (Add last cup slowly, and stop when dough cleans the bowl.)

Knead until smooth, elastic, and resistant.
(IF HAND KNEADING ONLY: cover dough with cloth and let rise until double)

Divide dough in half, shape loaf on lightly oiled counter top. Place shaped loaves into greased loaf pans.

Cover with a towel and let rise until double (about 20 min.) while oven pre-heats.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minute until golden brown.

Turn loaves out on sides to cool on wire racks. Wait until cooled to slice.

Whole Wheat Muffins

From Mignon's kitchen

Whole Wheat Muffins
Yields ~ 12 muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. soda

MIX. In a separate bowl mix:

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup milk (can substitute 1/3 cup powdered milk and 1 cup water)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Pour wet ingredients over dry and stir just until moistened.

*Can bake as is OR add any of the following:
raisins or any dried fruit
cinnamon
blueberries
chocolate chips
basically any combo of these or anything else that sounds good.

Spoon into greased muffin tin or one you've lined with papers.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or more...until centers are firm so they won't collapse when you take them out.