French Fries with Chipolte Peppers

Do you love French Fries? I do. Call them what you will; Fries, Freedom Fries, Oven Fries, Potato Slices, Heart Attack Waiting to Happen... I don't care. I love most all fries. Except, BK. I hate BK fries. What are you favorite french fries?
I can remember when I was little, my mother would make homemade French Fry Wedges, get this.. FROM POTATOES! She made them right there on the stove! I was very unsure the first time, but after trying I was hooked. I loved them, but I could never get mine to have the same shape hers did, thus loosing all the sentiment and taste.
However, these are not fried in oil. These are baked in the oven, with careful attention, or they will stick to the pan and all is ruined. Believe me, It Happened One Night. Just ask Josh. And unlike my mother's fries (she hates spice) these have an extra kick. You know it's kind of funny that baby Swayze is not more gassier (is that grammatically correct?) than she is, with all the spicy food I eat. One day when she is older she may kill me for mentioning her bodily functions on the web. Oh well...

French Fries with Chipolte Peppers 
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
3/4 pound Russet Potatoes (about 2 Large) sliced into wedges
1 1/2 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp Olive Oil, divided 
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt 
1 cloves Garlic, minced 
2 whole Chipolte Peppers in Adobo sauce, diced
¼ cups Cilantro, chopped
1 pinch Salt, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut potatoes lengthwise into slices that are 1/3-inch thick and then cut each slice into 1/3-inch thick strips. Dry the potatoes between two paper towels. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Lay the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread into a single layer.
Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, about 20 minutes, turning the potatoes every 10 minutes.
Heat the remaining 1/2 teaspoon olive in a small nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add garlic and chipolte peppers and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not burn the garlic.
Toss potatoes with garlic, peppers, and cilantro.Season with additional salt, if needed.

Mexi Mac n Chz

Last Friday evening, at oh about 7:32pm I set out to make dinner. Dinner was inspired by HowSweetEats.com post for Mexican Macaroni and Cheese. You see, I had planned to make this for dinner based on the fact that I HAD all of the ingredients in the house already. And seeing as how it should not take too long to make, I waited until 7:32pm to start. Well, as I open my crisper, to my utter surprise and discontentment, I realized I did NOT have everything I thought I did. Don't you just hate that? Doesn't that just make you want to scream? No? Oh, well I was already having a bad day...and I waited until 7:32 to make dinner, leaving me totally unexcited to run out to the store. So, I didn't. I went on full speed ahead and made Mexi Mac n Chz.

Mexi Mac n Chz
Serves:6

Ingredients:
1/2 lb Macaroni noodles, cooked
1 1/2 to 2 cups Chicken Breast,  cooked and shredded
1 15oz can Ro-Tel
1/3 cup Red Onion, chopped
1/3 cup Sweet Red Peppers, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Cumin
Chili powder, to taste
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cups milk
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
1- 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Breadcrumbs or tortilla chips for topping
Cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Cook the noodles according to package directions. If you have not already cooked and shredded the chicken, do so now please. (Boil chicken in water until done. Shred with fingers or two forks.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
While noodles boil, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Saute about 4 min, or until fragrant. Add the Ro-Tel, stir and season with cumin, cayenne and chili powder. Add the chicken and cook for about 3 min and turn off heat. Add noodles when cooked.
Begin preparing the roux. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a small sauce pan. When melted, whisk in the flour. When browned and paste like, add the milk and cheeses. Stir continuously until sauce has thickened, make careful not to burn. About 10 min. Pour sauce into the chicken/noodle mixture. Mix well.
Transfer into a medium sized baking dish. Sprinkle breadcrumbs or crushed tortilla chips on top. Bake for 20 min or until golden brown and bubbly. Garnish with cilantro.

Banana Bread with Streusel Topping

Every time I think of banana bread I think of this particular ex-boyfriend (names will not be disclosed here) for whom I always made banana bread, at 8pm and drove it to him at work at 9:20pm. I sat there while he scarfed it down, smitten by his BIG black truck and the smoke bellowing out of the windows. Well, truthfully my mom made it the first few times, and I just took it to him, reaping the "benefits." Ugh! Eww! Just thinking about this one makes me sick. Why oh why do girls date "grungy, dirty" guys? Why oh why do girls become "grungy and dirty" as a result of dating said type? Am I alone here? Maybe so. Maybe I have completely ruined your appetite for this delicious quick bread. I hope not, because it is so so good. What I love most about this bread is the crumbly, crusty topping. It really gives it something extra. And to tell you the truth the weekend I made it, I ate all but 3 slices. Actually it is all I ingested the ENTIRE weekend! What a carb loaded 2 days it was. But please, don't do that. Share the bread. Sharing is Caring.  Which is why I am sharing with you!

Banana Bread with Streusel Topping:
Serves: 8 (or one hungry mom)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups Flour
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Sugar
1 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
2 Eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Veg. Oil
2 ripe Bananas, mashed
1/2 cup walnuts
   For the streusel:
1/4 cup Flour
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Butter, cold and sliced
1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:
Prepare the topping by combining the flour sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or fork. Continue until mixture is crumbly. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mix. Combine remaining ingredients,except nuts- add to the dry mix, stirring until well moistened. Stir in the walnuts.
Pour into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle on the streusel topping. Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 min or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 min in pan before inverting onto wire rack.

Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

 

I'm not sure why or how we decide that a dish becomes of "Mediterranean"  decent. It has always baffled me, and actually made me mock those that do so. Just because a dish has some lemon, artichokes and olives, immediately it's "Mediterranean." Well such is the case, though I tried to avoid the usage of said word in the title, but Lemon Chicken Pasta, or Feta Chicken Pasta isn't really what the dish is. So here it is; 

Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless Chicken Breast, diced

1/2 lb Rotini pasta, or whatever you have on hand (Penne works great too!)

Dash of salt

Dash of Lemon Pepper

Dash of Cayenne Pepper

1 15oz can Artichoke Hearts, drained and quarrted

1 15oz can diced Tomatoes, undrained

1 4oz can Black Olives, sliced (not pictured, b/c I HATE olives)

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1/3 cup Onion, diced

1 tbsp Butter

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Heavy Cream, Half n Half, or Milk for thinning
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1 Lemon

Directions:
Prepare the water for the noodles.Cook the noodles according to package directions. In a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Swirl to coat pan. When melted, add the chicken. Season with salt,  lemon pepper, and cayenne pepper. Continue cooking the chicken, tossing to cook all sides. Add the onion and garlic. Cook 3 min.
Turn heat to low, add in the artichokes and tomatoes and olives. Gently toss to mix well. Squeeze 1/2 lemon over the mixture. Begin adding the cream/milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. (You want it to be thick enough to cling to the pasta, but not too thin that it is soupy.) Add in the feta, stir around. Let simmer for 5 min or until heated through. Serve over hot pasta and squeeze extra lemon over dish. Top with feta.

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Bread

A yummier, nuttier, health(ier) peanut butter quick bread. The chocolate adds a little extra sinfulness to an already risque breakfast bread. :)

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Bread
Serves: 8

Ingredients: 
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 cups Granulated Sugar 
4 teaspoons Baking Powder 
3/4 teaspoons Salt 
2/3 cups Chunky Peanut Butter (natural) 
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips 


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add peanut butter and milk(s) and stir until just combined. Add chocolate chips.
Pour into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Shrimp in Garlic Butter Sauce

 

Came across this recipe for Scampi alla Griglia (Broiled Shrimp with Garlic Butter)  in an old Italian cookbook while looking through my mother's cookbook bookshelf. It is dated 1968! The recipe does not call to be served with pasta, but I felt like angel hair would be a great addition. But feel free to serve shrimp just as is for a tasty appetizer.

Shrimp in Garlic Butter Sauce

Serves:6

2 lbs Shrimp,  large deviened and peeled, tail on

8 tablespoons Butter

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

1/4 cup Shallots or scallions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons Parsley, fresh and chopped

Lemon quarters

Directions:

Wash the shrimp under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Preheat broiler.

In a large baking dish, melt the butter, be careful not to let it brown. Stir in the 1/2 cup olive oil, lemon juice, shallots, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and turn them in the butter until they glisten on all sides. Broil for 5 min. Then turn the shrimp over, broil for another 5-10 min or until lightly browned and firm to the touch. Be careful not to over cook them. With tongs transfer shrimp to a large baking dish, or over top pasta. Pour the sauce from the pan over top and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Garnish with lemon quarters.

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German Peach Coffee Cake

When I came across the recipe in one of my mother's old cookbooks, I was completely drawn in. First of all, anything found in a tattered, dusty cookbook, immediately makes me feel like I tapped a goldmine. Second, was the German aspect of it. See, my mother spent much of her youth/adolescence in Europe. So again... a connection. Anyway, I thought this was definitely blog worthy.

German Peach Coffee Cake

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 cups Flour

3/4 cups Sugar, divided

1/4 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

1/2 cup Butter

1 15oz can Peach halves, drained

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 Egg Yolks, beaten

1 cup Sour Cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly.

Press mix firmly into bottom and sides of lightly greased 9 inch springform pan.

Arrange peaches evenly over crumbs.

Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and sprinkle over peaches.

Bake @ 400 degrees for 15 min.

Blend egg yolks with sour cream and spoon over peaches.

Bake another 20 min or until golden.

Mocha Chip Cookies

The All-American treat, with a surprising addition. Coffee. These cookies are actually very fluffy and fat. I don't know about you, but I am not into the crispy cookie. I much prefer the fat chewy cookie. And these definitely fit the bill.


Mocha Chip Cookies
Serves: 20

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Butter
1 cup Crisco, butter flavored if you have it
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
4 Eggs
5 cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tbsp Instant Coffee Granules
1/2 tsp Salt
12 oz package Milk Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and Crisco together. Add in the sugars and cream. Add the vanilla and mix.
Begin adding eggs, one at a time, mixing well between additions.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, coffee and salt. Whisk together.
Add dry mixture to the butter/sugar mix, 1 cup at a time. Do not over mix. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by spoonful onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake @ 350 degrees 12-14min, until golden brown.
* Feel free to add all your favorite mix-ins.

Cranberry Chipolte Beef

Whoa. This is just so good. I am loving the tang from the cranberries and the heat coming from the chipolte peppers. Make this. This week!


Cranberry Chipolte Beef
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 medium Onion, sliced
1 1/2 lbs Beef Chuck Roast
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 16 oz can Whole Cranberry sauce
2 tsp Chipolte peppers in Adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 cups cooked Brown Rice
Fresh Jalapeno peppers, halved (optional)

Directions:
Place onion in a slow cooker. Add beef to cooker. Season with salt, pepper and garlic.
Combine cranberry sauce and chipolte peppers. Pour over all.
Cover and cook over low heat for 6 to 8 hours, or on high heat for 3 to 4 hours.
Serve with cooked rice and garnish with jalapeno peppers.

Four Cheese Vegetarian Lasagna

My vegetarian visiting teaching companion had a baby last Saturday. So precious! And so, what do Mormons do when friends and fellow members have babies? We bring dinner. What is the easiest dinner to transport? Lasagna. It's my "go to" post baby dinner. The draw back? It can get pretty costly if you don't already have the ingredients. But since I was planning on making a lasagna this week for my family, I just doubled it and made one big one. Another bonus to a vegetarian lasagna is, just throw whatever veggies you have on hand in the mix and you are set.

* I must give credit to my mother for this recipe. It is her's. I tweaked it to my own tastes and to what I had on hand. Confession: I had to call her @ 7 am this morning for the recipe. Good Morning to you, too!*

Four Cheese Vegetarian Lasagna
Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:
1 cup Broccoli, chopped.  (fresh or frozen.)
1 whole Zucchini, chopped
1 1/2 cups Matchstick Carrots
1 cup Diced Onion
1/2 cup Red Pepper, chopped
1/4 cup Green Pepper, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 tsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Flour
3 cups Milk
1/2 Parmesan Cheese, shredded, divided
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper, to taste
1 10 oz bag Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups Cottage Cheese, small curd
12 Lasagna noodles

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13*9 glass baking dish.
In a large skillet, saute the veggies and garlic in the vegetable oil until crisp and tender, over medium heat. Remove and set aside.
In a heavy sauce pan, whisk together the milk and flour until smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 min, or until thickened. Reduce heat, add the 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and salt and peppers. Cook 1 min. Remove from heat, and stir in the spinach. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture, and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the cottage, mozzarella and Swiss cheeses.
Spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture on the bottom of the greased pan.
Layer with 4 noodles.
On top of the noodles, add 1/2 of the cheese mixture.
Top with 1/2 the veggie mix.
Top with 3/4 cup Spinach mix.
Repeat.
Then, top off with noodles and reserved spinach mixture and cheese.
Bake @ 375 for 35 min, covered with foil. Remove foil, and bake another 15 min, or until bubbly.

Strawberry and Cream Bruschetta

This will KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF! I could not believe how AMAZING this was. It was beautiful. Really, it was. Smooth, creamy, deliciousness. Now, I made this for breakfast. But after eating it, I realized, though your really should abstain, that this could be eaten anytime of the day. I started to imagine baby/bridal shower brunches. Then I started to think dessert. Heck, lunch even crossed my mind. But I stopped there. Really, I did. I have this thing about serving the "appropriate foods" at the "respective times of the day." (Whatever that means.) Anyway, make this. It's too simple not to.


Strawberry and Cream Bruschetta
Serves:4

Ingredients:
1/2 loaf French Bread, sliced
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 tbsp Powdered Sugar
1 tbsp Honey
about 6 strawberries
Strawberry Jam

Directions:
Butter slices of bread, both sides. Grill bread on a large skillet over medium heat and set aside.
Beat cream cheese, honey and sugar until smooth.
 Spread on top of bread. Brush with jam. Top with strawberries.
Lastly, SWOON!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for a birthday celebration at work. (The lighting was kinda funny.) But don't be fooled, these are Dee-Lish! The frosting is the real treat! And I don't even like frosting. Bon Appetit!
Ingredients:
CUPCAKES:
1 cup Butter, softened
2 cups Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
4 Eggs
1 cup Milk
1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cup Self Rising Flour
1 1/2 cup Crushed Oreos
 FROSTING:
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Lb Powdered Sugar
5 tbsp Milk
1/2 cup Ground Oreos, very ground
24 whole Mini Oreos for decoration

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
In a large stand mixer whip butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and eggs 1 at a time until combined. Scrape sides and mix again. Slowly stir in flours and milk, alternating back and forth until all ingredients are added to the bowl. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. Fold in chopped Oreo pieces by hand.
Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins so they are 2/3 full. Bake 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. (It’s really important to not over bake these so they stay moist. Watch them carefully!) Once baked, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool.
For the frosting, whip butter and vanilla together in a large bowl. Stir in powdered sugar and then the milk. Scrape sides and whip 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Fold in ground Oreos. Frost cooled cupcakes and top with mini Oreo.

 See? I told you it was good :) This is Jen. Jen is fun. Jen is so pretty. We love Jen. :)

Buttery Breadsticks

OK! Seriously! No joke, these are the absolute BEST breadsticks you will ever ingest in your entire life. They are incredibly soft and chewy. Great flavor! Even better, they are a cinch to make. Betcha can't eat just one.

Buttery Breadsticks
Yields: 12 sticks

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. Yeast
1 1/2 cups Warm Water
2 tbsp. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dissolve yeast in warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer. Let stand until foamy. Add sugar, salt and flour; mix well. Knead until smooth and elastic.Let dough rise for 10 minutes.
Melt butter and pour half into a baking sheet, resting on a flat surface.
Roll out dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into strips using a pizza cutter, twisting if desired. Roll each piece in the butter, covering all sides and arrange on baking sheet.
Sprinkle with garlic salt, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Let rise 15-20 min. Bake for 15-18 min.

Fried Chicken Tacos

Tacos with fried chicken? Fried chicken and tacos? NO! Fried Tacos with Chicken! I lifted this idea from PW. And Man, was it good!  What got me about these tacos is the fact that you stuff the tortilla BEFORE you fry them! Then top them off with all your favorite toppings. Pair these with My Take On Chili's Salsa, and enjoy!

Fried Chicken Tacos
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite sized pieces
1 4oz can of diced green chilies
Ground Cumin, to taste
Chili Powder, to taste
Ground Cayenne Pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
8 corn tortillas
Taco toppings: shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes,shredded lettuce, sour cream and hot sauce.

Directions:
Begin my heating a few tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken to the skillet. Spread the chicken out. Season and add the chilies.  Cook until chicken is done.
Meanwhile, heat a medium sized pot with a few inches of canola oil.
Take a tortilla and scoop the chicken mixture in. With tongs, gently hold the taco and dip into the oil. Gently hold the tortilla submerged in the oil until tortilla takes taco form. Let fry until golden brown on bottom and then flip.
Remove from oil using tongs. Tilt taco on it's side, shaking off all excess oil. Wrap in paper towel to soak up excess oil. Repeat with remaining tacos.
Gently open the taco and top with cheese. Allow to melt. Add sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes. Top with hot sauce or salsa. Serve immediately.