Slow-Cooker Weeknight Chili

 

Pic courtesy Cook's Country

I looooooove chili. It's definitely one of my favorite soups. And, being the soup lover that I am, that's kinda saying a lot. So, when I saw Cook's Country's crockpot chili, I knew I wanted to give it a try. And, when I saw rain in the forecast for this weekend, I knew I wanted to try it THIS weekend. It was really good- full of flavor from all the different spices and red pepper, onion, and BACON (yes, you read that right- bacon!). I made a few changes to their recipe, though. First of all, I halved it, didn't put coriander in that the original recipe called for (I put in a little extra cumin and some parsley), and I added some brown sugar at the very end (because everything's better with brown sugar:)). Also, since I don't have a Dutch oven, I just used a regular pot (not nonstick, though).

Slow-Cooker Weeknight Chili

 adapted from Cook's Country

• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces bacon, chopped fine
• 2 onions, chopped medium
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped medium
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds 85 percent lean ground chuck (I used 93% and it was great)
•   1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
•   1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• brown sugar to taste (I used about 1/8 to 1/4 cup)

Instructions

• 1. Toast chili powder, cumin, parsley, oregano, cayenne, and pepper flakes in large Dutch oven over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer toasted spices to bowl. Add bacon to Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels and pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from pot. Return pot to medium heat, add onions and bell pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• 2. Add beef, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, using wooden spoon to break up beef into 1/2-inch pieces, until just slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain beef and vegetables in colander.
• 3. Add tomato puree, diced tomatoes, and toasted spices to empty pot and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Return drained beef and vegetable mixture and bacon to pot, stir to combine, and bring to simmer. Transfer contents to slow-cooker insert.
• 4. Set slow cooker to low, cover, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 hours, stirring in beans during last hour of cooking. (Alternately, cook on high for 3 to 4 hours.) Beef will get tough if you cook longer than 8 hours. Add brown sugar to taste. Adjust seasonings and serve. (Leftovers can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for several months.)
• Make Ahead: If you’d prefer to just dump the chili ingredients into the slow cooker before running off to work, you can do all the work the night before. Follow the recipe through step 3, but continue to simmer the assembled chili for 10 minutes. Transfer the chili to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, simmer the chili in a Dutch oven for 10 minutes, then transfer it to your slow cooker and proceed with step 4. Serve with cheese, sour cream, and/or crackers.

 

Creamy Tomato Soup

I made this soup tonight and it was absolutely FABULOUS- I wish I could jump out of the computer screen and make it for you.  We seriously loved it and it was so incredibly easy to put together.  In fact, I decided to make it very last minute and had to make something that I had all of the ingredients for already and this was it.  Even Tessa lapped this up...I'm so glad I came across this recipe- its definitely going in the regular rotation.

google images

Creamy Tomato Soup

Adapted from allrecipes.com

1 (29-oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 (10.5-oz.) can chicken broth

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. sugar

1 Tbs. chopped onion

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 cups heavy whipping cream (or milk, if you want something lighter)

Cooked Pasta, of your choosing and amount (optional- see below)

In a large pot, mix all ingredients together, except heavy cream and pasta.  Bring to a simmer and leave it simmering for one hour.  Near the end of the hour, in a double boiler (or glass bowl over a small saucepan), heat the heavy cream until hot- do NOT boil or it will scorch.  Add desired spices to your soup (I sprinkled some dried basil and salt- you can use whatever you prefer). Once cream is heated through, add to soup.  I blended my soup in a blender at this point, b/c I knew my kids weren't going to like chunks of tomatoes- this is optional.  Then, stir in cooked pasta and serve.

*Adding pasta is optional- I added it so it would be more kid-friendly and it worked.  My kids loved this dish, and it was more hearty and filling that way.  You can add as much or as little as you like.

Bean and Bacon Soup

This is MAJOR comfort food for me BUUUUT recently Campbell's changed their recipe AND got more expensive so to find a yummy EASY recipe was major score in our house. And I might add that Quincy and Charlotte would not complain if they ate B&B soup everyday the rest of their lives....so, its safe to say I will be making this often.

                                                                            From flickr (oddly enough) but adapted by ME!

Ingredients:
 -4 strips of bacon with 2T preserved grease(I would NOT recommend using turkey bacon here)
-2 cup carrots choopped
-2 t. Minced Garlic
-1 t. Dried Minced onions or real
-4 c. Chicken Broth
-2 cans Great Northern Beans
-3 T tomato paste
-salt and papper to taste
-sprinkle rosemary
-sage (this was recommended by the original creator but I didn't have any)

Directions:
Fry bacon. Drain all but 2 T grease. Add in carrots, minced garlic, and dried onions. Add tomato paste. Incorporate. Add broth, drained beans, and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce and let simmer for about 30". MUST garnish with grated sharp cheddar cheese and saltines! YUM! This recipe yields about 5 servings.

Sun Dried Tomato and Feta Chicken

I am in countdown mode. In 23 days, we get our household goods delivered and start moving into our new place. I can't believe how much I miss my stand mixer... and my food processor... and all those little kitchen gadgets you don't know you depend on until you can't. It's interesting how this minimalist kitchen has impacted my cooking. In some ways, it's actually been a good thing. It forces me to be more creative, and it brings me back to basics. The other day, I finally broke down and made a loaf of bread. It has been so long since I kneaded a batch of dough from start to finish. I had forgotten how therapeutic bread kneading can be.

Last night, I was staring at a package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trying to figure out what to do with them. The trick, of course, is to use what you have to your best advantage. Chicken breasts can be a bit blah if you're not careful, so I wanted to be sure they had enough bold flavor. I started out with some sliced onions. About halfway through the cooking, I looked back in the refrigerator for more inspiration and saw a jar of sun dried tomatoes in oil. Then, when the breasts were cooked through, one last perusal of the fridge led me to a container of crumbled feta. The combination of flavors was very satisfying and robust. This "make it up as you go" dinner passed the test with flying colors, and I'll definitely be making it again!

Sun Dried Tomato and Feta Chicken
Yield: 4 servings

2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp butter
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash or other seasoning blend
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
3 TBS sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
1/4 cup crumbled feta

Heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium high heat until bubbly. Add the onions. Stir to coat with the oil and then cook for 2-3 minutes. Push the onions out of the way and add the chicken breasts. Spread the onions around them and let cook without disturbing until the breasts are nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Season the chicken breasts and then flip. Stir the onions. Let breasts brown again for another 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is just cooked through. When the chicken is almost done, add the sun dried tomatoes. Using a thermometer is your best bet to not overcook the chicken.  At the last minute, add the feta and stir to mix. Serve breasts with onion, tomato, and cheese mixture over the top.

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

I made this last week and it was really good and super easy.  I served it with a side of broccoli and it came together perfectly.

courtesy

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

From The Comfort of Cooking

4 chicken breasts (about 2 pounds) 
Salt and pepper 
1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup honey 
1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce 
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil 
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water 
1/2 tablespoon (or more) sesame seeds

3 scallions, chopped

Cooked rice

Place chicken in crock pot and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper.  In a medium bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or high for 2 hours.  Remove chicken to a cutting board, leaving sauce. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; set aside.   In a small bowl, dissolve 4 teaspoons cornstarch in 1/3 cup water; add to crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Cover and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Serve over cooked rice. Sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Orange and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

To Watch this Video-Recipe click HERE!!

Hi everyone! Today's recipe is one of my favorite cookies: "Orange Chocolate Chips Cookies!" I never thought orange and chocolate would work so great together! If you havent' try this combo, you should definitely give it a try, it is awesome!

Ingredients:

• 2½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Zest of one orange
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1½ teaspoon orange extract.

Preheat oven to 350°F (180ºC)

Mix flour, baking soda and salt, mix well and set aside.

In an electric mixer, at medium speed,  combine the granulated sugar and brown sugar and orange zest for about 1 minute or until well combined.

Add in the butter and mix at medium speed for about 2 more minutes or until creamy.  Reduce the speed to medium low, and add the eggs one at a time, blend each egg for about 30 seconds before adding the second one.  After the eggs, add  in the orange extract,  blend at high speed for about 2 minutes or until the butter mixture becomes light and fluffy.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour all at once, also add the chocolate chips and mix at very low speed for about 30 seconds, just to bring all the ingredients together, DO NOT OVER MIX!

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop 1 tablespoon of the dough to make the cookies.




Make sure to drop each cookie about 2 inches apart from each other so they wont melt into one another while in the oven.

Bake at 350°F (180ºC)  for about 18-20  minutes or until they are slightly brown.

As soon as they come out of the oven transfer to a cold surface.

And that is it! Enjoy with a cup of milk!

Cabbage Salad

For the longest time, I never thought I cared for eating raw cabbage. My only real experience with it had been traditional coleslaw, which I am don't care for. I have a problem with most mayonnaise based salads. So imagine my surprise when I went to a function a couple of years ago and found a German style coleslaw on the sideboard. German style coleslaw is basically sliced cabbage in a vinaigrette... there is no mayonnaise involved! Just my thing. What I found was that the cabbage is so nice and crispy and often actually quite sweet. I was sold!

This salad makes a lovely side dish and cabbage is very healthy for you! A cup of shredded, raw cabbage has only 22 calories and is chock full of dietary fiber, vitamins C and K, and a wide variety of other vitamins and minerals. While you can dress is ahead of time, I like it best freshly dressed... I like it when the cabbage is at its crispiest. 

The salad shown above was very quick to make. I shredded the cabbage myself, but you could always use the pre-cut stuff. I added some shredded carrot and some Craisins. I then dressed it with my poppy seed vinaigrette. So easy and delicious... and, oh, so beautiful! 

Meat Loaf

Hi Everyone!!!

Today I'm going to be sharing with you one of my favorite recipes of all times!


This is my Mom's recipe, and she only makes this one on special occasions, but it is so EASY and delicious that you will want to make it every single day! "Meatloaf wrapped in Bacon!"

Serves 6
Ingredients:

• 20 oz. ground meat (any kind you like)
• 8-10 slices of bacon (enough to wrap the meatloaf)
• 8 hotdog links
• 1 bell pepper finely chopped
• ½ cup of carrots finely diced 
• ⅓ cup red onion finely chopped
• ½ cup milk
• ⅔ cup cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• ½ tablespoon chicken flavor bouillon
• salt and ground black pepper to taste (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC)

In a blender, blend ½ cup milk. 1 egg, ⅔ cup cup breadcrumbs, ½ tablespoon of chicken bouillon seasoning,  salt and ground black pepper to taste, (I added about 1 teaspoon of each), blend on high for about 30 seconds or until all the ingredients are well combined into a thick paste. Set aside for a minute.

In a large container, mix the ground meat with the bell peppers, carrots, and onions, toss everything together, then add in the milk mixture, and also add in 1½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil stir together, until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Spray your pan with cooking spray and arrange the bacon in a way that half the bacon stays inside the pan and the other half stays on the outside of the pan.

Add half of the meat mixture and spread it out on an even layer, place the hotdog links on top of the meat layer, and  then add in the rest of the meat mixture.




Fold in the bacon and bake for 1 hour at 375ºF (190ºC). The internal temperature of the cooked Meatloaf should be 170 - 175ºF.

Let it cool-stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Not All Soy Flour is Alike

If you make many breads, especially breads from my site, you've probably seen a recipe that calls for soy flour. I use it in my raisin bread, potato wheat bread, and wheat sandwich loaf. Soy flour is used in bread recipes for a couple of main reasons: it improves the texture by helping the bread to hold moisture and it lengthens storage life. It also strengthens the dough, which can be important in breads with whole wheat in it so that you get a bit more volume. Additionally, it can contribute to crust browning.

The first time I bought soy flour, it happened to be Hodgson Mill's brand, and for years that was the brand that was always available and convenient. When I moved to Florida a couple of years ago, however, that brand was not as readily available, so I purchased a bag of Arrowhead Mill's soy flour. I was so confused when I opened the package and the flour looked so different! In the photo above, the Hodgson Mill's flour is on the left while the Arrowhead Mill's is on the right. Look at that difference in color. Not only did it look different, it smelled different! Worst of all, it tasted different. In delicately flavored breads, I could taste it, and I was not a fan! I couldn't understand why it was so different.

Then one day I finally found some Hodgson Mill's soy flour in a store again and brought it home. I got the other bag out and did a side by side comparison. The first thing I noticed was that there was a HUGE difference in calories and fat. Notice that even though the volumetric serving size is the same, the Hodgson Mill's flour (bag on right) has half the calories and zero fat compared to the Arrowhead Mill's soy flour? Hmmmm. I had to look farther.

Aha! There's the difference. The Hodgson Mill's is a defatted soy flour. Once I did a little research, I came to realize that I had just gotten lucky with my initial purchase. When I started doing a little reading on using soy flour in baked goods, I found the articles usually referred to defatted soy flour.

The moral of this whole story is that you should be aware that not all soy flour is alike and one is better for baking than the other. I was not a fan of my wheat sandwich loaf using the fat-full soy flour because I could taste it in there, which was not my intent and altered the flavor in a negative way. In most bread recipes, soy flour is used more like a dough conditioner than a flavoring, so the defatted version is definitely preferred. Now you know!

Dragon Noodles

I stumbled upon this blog http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/ and have been very impressed with the concoctions she comes up with. They may not be the healthiest but they are simple and cheap. She breaks down the cost per serving so it will help you feel better about cooking at home rather then eating out!  I made this asian dish tonight. It was sooo good and literally from start to finish took 15 minutes. The best part is  I only needed to go get one thing (the noodles) from the store.

*I doubled the recipe and have great left overs for tomorrow
* If you don't like spicy things or are cooking for kids I would half the siracha sauce. Mine and Beaus mouths were on fire by the end but that's the way we like it.
* I also added peanuts but it is good without just a fun twist.

Spicy Noodles 

Total Recipe cost: $2.04 
Servings Per Recipe: 2 
Cost per serving: $1.02 
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 10 min. Total: 15 min. 

INGREDIENTS		COST
4 oz.	lo mein noodles	$1.13
2 Tbsp	butter	$0.20
1/4 tsp	crushed red pepper	$0.02
1 large	egg	$0.25
1 Tbsp	brown sugar	$0.02
1 Tbsp	soy sauce	$0.02
1 Tbsp	sriracha (rooster sauce)	$0.08
1 handful	fresh cilantro	$0.22
1 sliced	green onion	$0.06
TOTAL		$2.04

STEP 1: Begin to boil water for the noodles. Once the water reaches a full boil, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions (boil for 5-7 minutes). 

STEP 2: While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and sriracha.

STEP 3: In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the red pepper to the butter as it melts. Whisk an egg in a bowl and then add to the melted butter. Stir gently and cook through. Once the egg is done cooking, turn off the heat.

STEP 4: When the noodles are tender, drain the water and then add them to the skillet with the cooked egg. Also add the prepared sauce. Turn the heat on to low to evaporate excess moisture, and stir until everything is coated well with the sauce. Sprinkle the sliced green and cilantro leaves (whole) on top and serve!

Sour Cherry Chocolate Torte

This is another recipe that's surprised me in how long it took me to share it with you. I make this recipe all the time. It's one of my main recipes for easy company desserts or take-it-with-you desserts. In fact, I make it often enough that I have occasionally worried that maybe people might be sick of seeing it. Naaaaah, you can't be sorry to see this dessert again after trying it once.

This recipe originally started as a 9" torte. I still often make it that way, but I've become entranced with how cute it turns out when baked in a mini-cheesecake pan. I have a thing for cute, individual portion desserts. I'm in therapy for it...

This dessert is fudgy like a good brownie, but with a little sophisticated twist. I love the subtle flavor boost of the almonds and I adore the moist, tart addition of the sour cherries! The chocolate in this dessert is wonderful and present, but it is not the only star of the show. I don't think I've ever had someone refuse seconds!

Sour Cherry Chocolate Torte

Yield: 1 9" torte OR 12 mini-tortes

1 lb. can red sour pitted cherries packed in water

6 oz semisweet chocolate

1/2 cup almond flour or ground almonds

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup sifted AP flour

Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9” spring-form pan or mini-cheesecake pan and dust with fine bread crumbs. Drain cherries and spread on paper towel and let stand. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler; set aside to cool slightly.

Grind almonds to fine powder, if necessary, and set aside. Cream butter in a bowl, then add vanilla and almond extracts. Add sugar and beat well. Add eggs one at a time. On low speed, add chocolate and almonds. Add flour, stirring only to mix.

Place half of the batter in the pan. Place a single layer of cherries and then put rest of batter on top.

Bake for 50 minutes at 350°. Cake will be dry and crusty on top and toothpick will come out clean when done. Mini-cheesecake version needs to be checked sooner for doneness. Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. If using springform pan, remove side and let cake stand on bottom of pan until cool. If using mini-cheesecake pan, let cool completely in pan. Serve torte right side up. Sprinkle with powdered sugar once completely cooled and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

What's this? A Cookbook!?!

This is something I first started a couple of years ago. And then I got sidetracked. The nice thing about being stuck in temporary housing for so darn long is that you finally get around to things you've been putting off forever.

Why did I ever start in the first place? I mean, really, all of my recipes are online and available to all as it is. Well, I always thought that I would be okay with taking the digital revolution into the kitchen. But you know what? I've found I'm not. I hate having to read a recipe off my computer or husband's iPad while I'm trying to cook or bake. I have to clean my hands to scroll, or the screen goes to sleep while I'm doing step 2 and have to wake the darn thing back up to go on to step 3, and, worst of all, I have to be careful not to destroy the thing with all the messiness of the kitchen.

The good news is that I like my recipes! I don't post things just for the sake of posting them. If I don't think it's really good, I don't post it. As a result, I make and refer to my recipes all the time. Unfortunately, once I realized I wasn't a fan of referring to them online while I was in the kitchen, I started printing them all out. I had quite a stack of papers going. I realized that what I really needed was to have a volume that was beautiful (I love looking at the pictures) but also had all of my favorite, go to recipes in it, ready to be pulled out on a whim.

So, I decided to make it happen. I made it using Blurb. Sadly, print on demand isn't cheap. I won't be offended if you decide it's too expensive for what it is and decide you don't need it. However, if you are like me and you want it? It's out there waiting for you. I've put a fairly extensive preview online, almost half the book (all the recipes are already online, after all). In addition to the concise version of the recipes (for quick reference, if you need a reminder of all the little tips and details, the full post for each recipe is still available online). I've included my 116 favorite recipes in a variety of categories. Every recipe includes at least one full color photograph. I know I've had the link to the preview on here for a week or so, but I thought a little explanation would not be taken amiss.

Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins

I pinned this as soon as I saw it on Mel's Kitchen Cafe (my fave cooking blog) because it looked so yummy and healthy too! I'm not a big muffin person- I'd rather have a cupcake! But, these looked justifiable. So, this morning, I had some bananas that were getting brown so I whipped up a quick batch. And, they were SO good! And, I felt okay about eating them for breakfast because they were 100% whole wheat!

Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins

*Note: You can sub the equivalent amount of wheat germ for the oats, if you like. Also, I prefer white whole wheat to red whole wheat due to it’s lightness, but either kind of whole wheat flour can be used here.
*Makes 12 muffins
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cups quick or regular oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ripe bananas, lightly mashed
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 teaspoons flour
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl (or the bowl of an electric stand mixer), beat together the butter, yogurt and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. In a blender or food processor, process the oats until they are finely ground. Add the wheat flour, baking soda and salt and pulse one or two times until the dry ingredients are lightly combined. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in the lightly mashed bananas. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Toss the blueberries with the 2 teaspoons flour and then gently fold them into the muffin batter. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (watch the muffins carefully since each oven may vary slightly in temperature affecting exact baking time). Let the muffins rest in the pan for about 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Bell Green Smoothie

I've had a few requests for our family's "green" smoothie. We have been eating this EVERY SINGLE morning for months and months and months and I can honestly say it's expanded my children's palates and also given me more energy during the day. Even Eloise loves it! By the way, it's not always green-colored. It's often a brownish-purplish-greenish hue. Oh, and this isn't an exact science- the measurements are very estimated! So, here it is:

Bell Green Smoothie
serves 5

 2 c spinach leaves
3/4 c kale
1/2 to 3/4 c carrots
1 tomato
2 Tbl ground flaxseed
1/2 c water (or a little less)

Blend all ingredients on high until very blended. Then add:

1 1/2 bananas (not too ripe- it makes it very yucky)
1/2 peach
1 to 1 1/2 c frozen strawberries
1  to 1 1/2 c frozen tropical fruit OR frozen berries (we alternate every other day)

I usually pile all the frozen fruit on a plate and microwave it for about a minute and a half until only slightly thawed (this makes is easier/faster to drink b/c it's not as thick and cold). Add all the fruit to the veggie mixture and blend on high until well blended. Enjoy!!!

Chicken Taco Rice

This is such a yummy meal and a different turn on taco night. I don't have a pic, but you'll get the idea, I think. You can prepare this so many ways and eat it so many ways- it really is very versatile. For example, tonight I made it with black beans instead of corn but you could easily sub the black beans for chicken. I also only use regular brown rice and cook it almost all of the way and then add it in. So yummy.

Chicken Taco Rice
adapted from Blogging: It's what's for Dinner

1 lb. chicken (about 2 chicken breasts)
2 Tb. oil
1 can chicken broth
1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. mild taco seasoning
1- 12 oz. can drained corn
1 med. red pepper sliced in strips
1 1/2 cup minute rice (or mostly cooked regular rice)
1 cup shredded cheese
1 bag tortilla chips
some sour cream
Some guacamole

Cut chicken in to bite size pieces and saute in oil in a big skillet (big enough to hold all of these ingredients). When chicken is done, add broth, tomato sauce, and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, simmer for 5 minutes. Add drained corn and sliced pepper. Bring to a full boil. Stir in uncooked rice. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover again and let stand for just a little while. Serve with chips, sour cream and guacamole. This is even better hours after you make it so you can make it one night have it the next day or make it in the morning and have it that night.

Empanadas (Small Pies)

 

Hello everyone! Today we are going to make some delicious Empanadas. I hope you like them as much as I do!

Makes 12 large Empandas o 24 small ones

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tspn baking powder
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 8-10 tablespoons of Icy Cold Water
• Marmalade (about 1/2 cup) 

To garnish: (optional)

• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the dry ingredients first. ( flour, baking powder, salt and sugar) after all the dry ingredients are mixed together, crumble in the butter and the vegetable shortening, blend at slow speed until you get the texture or coarse bread crumbs. Then  add in an egg yolk, (safe the egg white for later we will use it to make an egg wash), also add in about 8 to 10 tablespoons of icy cold water, blend till all the ingredients are incorporated into a soft and firm dough.(you can mix everything with a fork or an electric mixer)

Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

In a small bowl beat the remaining egg white plus 1 whole egg and 1 teaspoon of sugar, beat until everything is well beaten and set aside for a minute.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough, to a thickness of 1/4 inch. With a circular cutter, cut the dough into circles, if you don't have a circular cutter, you can use a small bowl, a cup or any other round object.

Once you have all your circles done, brush the edges with the egg mixture. Add the filling right in the middle of each circle, depending on how big your Empanada circles are, you will add between a teaspoon or a tablespoon of  the  filling right in the middle of each circle.

Fold the circle as if you were making a taco  and press/pinch the edges together with your fingers to close it up. and press each circle a second time with a fork, just to make sure all the edges are completely sealed. Brush the Empandas with the egg mixture and baked for around 20 minutes at 375ºF (190ºC).

As soon as you take them out of the oven, sprinkle a combination of sugar and cinnamon on top of your empanadas to make them extra sweet and extra delicious!

Enjoy by themselves or with a warm cup of coffee or milk!