Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Fast Pizza Dough

3 cups flour, more or less
1 tablespoon honey, heaping
1 tablespoon oil, heaping
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. (If using a pizza stone, let stone heat for at least 30 minutes in the oven before baking pizza.) Mix all pizza dough ingredients together, except the flour. Add flour and knead for a bit then put into pan (or use a pizza peel and pizza stone). If baking in a sheet pan, bake for about 12 minutes (checking often) until crust is browned and cheese is golden and bubbly. If baking on the preheated pizza stone, slide pizza onto stone and bake for about 8 minutes. Makes 1 large pizza.

Homemade Pizza Sauce
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
Oregano
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Crushed red pepper (optional)
Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until desired consistency. I leave mine slightly chunky. On the seasonings, I just sprinkle them in to taste. If I use crushed red pepper, I only use a few flakes because my kids don’t like spicy things, but it definitely adds a nice kick to the sauce to use it. I also substitute for whatever I don’t have: basil leaves for oregano, garlic salt for garlic powder, etc. This recipe is open to interpretation. Use what you like and it will be delicious.

BBQ Chicken Salad


Ingredients: 1/2 head iceberg lettuce chopped romaine lettuce chopped1 cup frozen white corn- rinse under cold water, or fresh corn if in season:) 1 can black beans- drain & rinse 2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded 2 medium diced tomatoes 1-2 avocados chunked drizzle 1/2 lime over to prevent from browning Ranch Dressing: 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup mayo 1 package Hidden Valley ranch mix 1/4 cup cilantro BBQ Chicken:1 hour before, marinade 2 pounds chicken tenders in 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt & pepper. Place chicken on broiler pan and broil 4-6 minutes per side. Let cool then dice in cubes,then toss with 1/2 cup bbq sauce of your choice! (I LOVE Sweet Baby Rays) On large platter, layer lettuces, corn, black beans, cheese & tomatoes. Top with warm bbq chicken and avocados and tortilla strips! Serve with ranch dressing, garlic bread or HOME MADE ROLLS!

Chicken Teriyaki Marinade

Teriyaki Marinade
1 C sugar
1/2 c soy sauce
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp ginger
Mix together until sugar is dissolved.
Marinate chicken 2 to 6 hours.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Creamy Green Chile Enchiladas


*Serves 4-6

Filling:
3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
2 (4 oz.) cans of green chiles, lightly drained
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, cubed
1 can white or black beans, rinsed and drained (you can really use any type of bean you prefer here)




Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup chicken broth
¼ cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 can (7 ounce) green chile enchilada sauce
½ cup sour cream




8 ounces (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
8 medium (soft taco size) flour tortillas
Handful of chopped fresh cilantro




Preheat oven to 375 degrees.




In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken and black beans. Mix to combine. Set aside.




In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.




Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Spread about 1/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of the dish. Fill each tortilla with about ½ cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I can easily fit 8 enchiladas in one pan).




Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe (melskitchencafe.com)

Honey Lime Enchiladas

4 T. honey 2 T. lime juice1 T. oil (I used olive oil)2 tsp. chili powder1/4 tsp. garlic powderMexican blend shredded cheese (I use whatever cheese I have, but it is really good with this)Flour tortillas, soft taco size1 can green enchilada sauce
Cook and shred 4 chicken breasts. Mix above sauce with shredded chicken. Roll chicken mixture and grated cheese into flour tortillas. Top with green enchilada sauce and a little grated cheese. Bake at 350º for 30-40 minutes.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

4 chicken breast halves or equivalent amount of tenders
1 box Long Grain and Wild Rice mix (Near East Brand is best, but Uncle Ben's is easier to find.)
2 cans chicken broth
4 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
Salt and pepper
-Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 of the poultry seasoning and salt. Cook it in a tiny bit of olive oil over medium heat. Cover to avoid drying out.
-At the same time, cook the rice according to the directions on the box.
-In a large pot, melt butter. Add chopped carrots and celery and pepper to taste, and sauté for about 10 minutes until tender. Add flour, cornstarch and the rest of the poultry seasoning, and whisk together quickly.
-Add stock and milk, whisking quickly as you pour. Cook over medium-low heat stirring often.
-When the chicken and rice are finisvhed, cut chicken into bite-size pieces and add both to the soup.

Baked Potato Soup

4 to 6 potatoes (baked, peeled, and cubed)
½ c. butter
½ c. flour
2 tsp. chicken bullion
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. minced garlic
6 c. milk
16 oz. sour cream
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 can corn, drained
shredded cheddar cheese
green onions

In a large saucepan melt butter on low heat. Stir in flour and seasonings. Gradually add milk and turn heat up to medium. Add minced garlic. Bring to a boil, cook and stir 2 minutes until thick. Remove from heat. Whisk in sour cream. Add potatoes, corn, and bacon. Serve in individual bowls topped with cheddar cheese and green onions

Fettuccini Alfredo

Ingredients
1 pound Fettuccine Noodles
1 stick Butter
1 cup Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a saucepan or skillet, warm butter and cream. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Grate Parmesan cheese and place half of it into a large serving bowl. Pour warm butter/cream mixture over the top.
Drain pasta and immediately pour it into the bowl.Toss a couple of times, then sprinkle in the other half of the Parmesan.
Toss to combine, thinning with pasta water if necessary.Serve immediately as a main course or accompaniment to meat or salad.

Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients
2 cups Cooked Chicken
3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces
2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup
2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
¼ cups Finely Diced Green Pepper
¼ cups Finely Diced Onion
1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
⅛ teaspoons (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Preparation Instructions
Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.
Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Chicken Tamale Casserole
INGREDIENTS
1 cup preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese (next time I will use a little more)
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast
sour cream to serve with

DIRECTIONS1. Preheat oven to 400°.2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream.