Crisp Cucumber Salsa
Crisp Cucumber Salsa
2 cups finely chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4-1/2 tsp minced fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream or Greek Yogurt
1-1/2 tsp lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
Tortilla chips
In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin and seasoned salt. Pour over cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately with chips.
Sour Cream Paprika Chicken
Sour Cream Paprika Chicken
Serves 4
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
You can leave breasts whole or cut them up, whatever your preference. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and pan-fry until cooked through and juices run clear, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Using the same skillet, cook onion in butter until translucent but not brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Season with paprika, pepper, garlic, and salt. Pour chicken stock into the pan, and bring all to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer; mix flour with sour cream until smooth, then whisk into chicken stock. Place chicken in skillet; simmer until chicken is heated through and sauce has thickened.
Taste Variations: Place seasonings on chicken. Add veggies, such as peas or mushrooms. Can bake chicken instead at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Roasted Asparagus and Red Onion Quesadillas
Roasted Asparagus and Red Onion Quesadillas
Serves 4
Quesadillas
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
eight 6- to 7-inch flour tortillas
1/2 pound pepper Jack cheese, coarsely shredded (can also use Mexican cheese or MontereyJack)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh coriander or cilantro
Cumin Lime Cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
For Quesadillas:
Preheat oven to 500°F.
In a large shallow baking pan, toss asparagus with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and salt and pepper to taste until coated well. In another large shallow baking pan, toss onion with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil until coated well. Roast vegetables in upper and lower thirds of oven, shaking pans occasionally and switching position of pans in oven halfway through baking, until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Asparagus will roast faster than the onions. Keep checking them every 5 minutes.
Take out of oven. Mix asparagus, onion, and cilantro together.
Grease a large baking sheet. On sheet, arrange 4 tortillas in one layer and divide vegetables among them. Add cheese. Cover quesadillas with remaining 4 tortillas.
Brush top tortillas with oil and place back in the oven for approximately 3-4 minutes or until the quesadillas appear golden brown. Turn quesadillas over and bake further until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
Make cumin lime cream while quesadillas bake.
For Cumin Lime Cream:
In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients.
Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with cumin lime cream.
Tasting Notes: Other variations include adding mushrooms, shrimp, or chicken. Also to make things easier, cut tortillas in half before assembling so wedges are easier to cut.
Taco Soup
Taco Soup
Serves 8
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped (1 cup)
3 (14.5 oz) cans tomato puree or diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 bag baby carrots
2 cups water
3 cups chicken broth
4 oz chopped green chiles
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (1.25 ounce each) packages taco seasoning mix (Lawry’s)
2 packages ranch dressing mix
1.In a medium stock pot, brown beef, onion, and carrots; drain grease if needed.
2.Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, chicken broth, beans, corn, chiles, and seasonings. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
3.Top with cheese, corn chips, sour cream and olives.
Overnight Eggnog Streusel Coffee Cake
Overnight Eggnog Streusel Coffee Cake
Prep Time:20 min
Start to Finish:9 hr 20 min
Makes:15 servings
Streusel Topping
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Coffee Cake
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup eggnog
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
1 teaspoon rum extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Eggnog Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons eggnog
Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, with shortening. In small bowl, mix all Streusel Topping ingredients with fork until crumbly; set aside.
In large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Beat in 1 cup eggnog, the sour cream, rum extract and eggs until blended. Stir in 2 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Spread in pan. Sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover pan; bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes.
In small bowl, mix all Eggnog Glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over coffee cake. For servings, cut into 5 rows by 3 rows.
Steak Fajitas
Steak Fajitas
Yields 4 servings
8 flour tortillas, each 8 inches in diameter, heated
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak, trimmed of fat
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chipotle powder or chili powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 turns around the pan
1/4 head Savoy cabbage, cored and shredded
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
1/2 pound smoked cheddar shredded
6 scallions, green part sliced on an angle
2 sliced avocados
1 cup sour cream
Preheat a grill pan or grill to medium-high. Preheat oven 200°F, wrap tortillas in a clean, wet, kitchen towel and place in oven to get warm. Drizzle steak with olive oil.
Season the steak with cumin, chipotle powder, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the seasoned flank steak on the grill or grill pan, cook until the meat is well-browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until well-browned on the other side and medium-rare at the center, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for several minutes.
While the steak is cooking, preheat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and let the oil start to smoke. Add the cabbage, bell peppers and red onions, toss and cook them until the veggies soften and cabbage starts to wilt, about 8 minutes. Season the veggie mixture with salt, freshly ground pepper, hot sauce and juice of 1 lime. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
Thinly slice the steak across the grain and transfer to a warmed platter along with the spicy veggies. Serve with scallions, avocados, sour cream and lime wedges alongside as your toppers. Top the warm tortillas with a couple of slices of meat, spicy veggies, some smoked cheddar on top and whatever toppers you want!
Chrusciki Leaves (Fried Cookies)
Chrusciki Leaves (Fried Cookies)
Makes 9 to 10 dozen
1 tablespoon unsalted butter , melted
2 large eggs
10 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
1/2 cup sour cream
4 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour , plus more for work surface
Sifted confectioners' sugar, for sprinkling
Put butter, eggs, yolks, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, zests, Cognac, and sour cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium speed until pale and thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually add enough flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Turn out dough onto a floured work surface; knead until dough blisters, becomes elastic, and can be handled easily, 6 to 8 minutes, adding flour if needed.
Divide dough into 4 pieces. Keep dough under an inverted bowl to prevent it from drying out. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. If dough becomes too elastic while rolling, cover with plastic, and let rest 15 minutes. Cut out leaves with a leaf-shape cookie cutter; transfer to a tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough, layering leaves between sheets of parchment paper. Collect all scraps, and let rest 20 minutes before rerolling.
Heat oil in a medium-heavy saucepan until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Stretch leaves slightly so they will curl while frying. Fry in batches of 12, turning occasionally, until pale golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheets lined with paper towels to drain and cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.
Chicken Tortilla Cups
Chicken Tortilla Cups
Yields 6 servings
4 to 5 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups store-bought rotisserie chicken meat, shredded
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 medium-size tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
Salt and pepper
Zest of 1 lime, juice of 2
1 avocado, pit and skin removed
1/4 cup sour cream
A handful of chopped cilantro, plus additional for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 375°F. With a three-inch round cookie cutter, make small rounds out of flour tortillas. Nestle the rounds down into the cups of a mini muffin tin and transfer to the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until tortilla cups are golden brown. Remove from oven and reserve. In a medium-size mixing bowl, add the shredded chicken, jalapeño, onion, tomato and spices. Add the zest and juice of 1 lime, salt and pepper and toss to combine. In another bowl, add the avocado, cilantro, juice of remaining lime, sour cream and chopped cilantro. Mash everything together with a fork to combine. Fill reserved tortilla cups with chicken salad, top with avocado topping and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
Cut potatoes and boil in water. Drain. Add butter, sour cream, milk, salt, pepper, bacon, green onions, and cheddar cheese. Mash together. Put more cheese on top and place in oven until it's all melted. Garnish with extra bacon and green onions.
Mashed Potatoes Variations:
**Mash with milk and butter (one stick of butter to 5 lbs of potatoes)
**Mash also with cream cheese (at least 4 oz cream cheese to 5 lbs of potatoes) or sour cream
**Boil potatoes in water and chicken stock to give them more flavor
Turkey Patty Melt with Honey Apple Radish Slaw
Turkey Patty Melt with Honey Apple Radish Slaw
Yields 4 servings
1 package (about 1 1/3 pounds) all-white-meat, ground turkey breast
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2-3 scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, softened but not melted
8 slices multi-grain sandwich bread
8 slices havarti cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons honey
Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup spicy brown mustard, divided (1/4 cup for slaw, 1/2 cup for dipping on the side)
1 handful flat-leaf parsley
1 sack store-bought shredded cabbage
10 radishes, sliced
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and sliced
In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, dill, scallions, sweet pickle relish, salt and pepper. Score the meat into 4 equal parts and then form 4 patties, about 1 1/2-inch thick. Drizzle them with olive oil and set aside.
Place a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place patties into the pan and cook 6-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
In the bottom of a medium size bowl, stir the sour cream, honey, lemon juice, mustard and the parsley to make a dressing. Add the cabbage, radishes and apple to make a slaw.
While the patties are cooking, spread a thin layer of butter on each slice of bread, turn them over and place a slice of cheese on each of the non-buttered sides of the bread. Put a cooked patty on top of the cheese, and top with another cheese-sided slice of bread. Place the sammies buttered side down in the skillet over medium heat and cook until golden and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side. Serve the patty melts with some spicy brown mustard for dipping and the slaw alongside.
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