Posole

I am not sure where the original recipe comes from.  I believe it comes from Cooking Light.  I have also used leftover cooked chicken in place of the pork and my homemade marinara sauce in place of the stewed tomatoes.  I substituted creole seasoning for the chipotle seasoning.  It does give it quite a kick.  You could use a little less than 2 teaspoons.

Cooking spray
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into bit-sized pieces (or chicken)
2 tsp salt-free Southwest chipotle seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash) (or creole seasoning)
1 (15.5 ounce) can white hominy, undrained
1 (14.5 ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes with jalapeno peppers and spices (such as Del Monte), undrained
1 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Sprinkle pork evenly with chipotle seasoning blend; coast evenly with cooking spray.  Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned.  Stir in hominy, tomatoes, and 1 cup water.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until pork is tender.  Stir in cilantro.  Yield: 4 seasonings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups).

Southwestern Chicken and White Bean Soup

I am not sure where this recipe comes from.  I was given it by a nutritionist.  It is delicious!

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 Tbls taco seasoning
Cooking spray
2 (14 oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16 oz) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup green salsa
Light sour cream
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Combine chicken and taco seasoning; toss well to coat.  Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; saute 2 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned.  Add broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
2. Place beans in a small bowl; mash until only a few whole beans remain.  Add beans and salsa to pan, stirring well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thick.  Serve with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.  Yield: 6 servings (Serving size: 1 cup)

Black Bean Spread with Lime and Cilantro from Cooking Light

3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbls fresh lime juice
1 1/2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, undrained
Cilantro spring (optional)

With food processor running, drop garlic through food chute; process until minced.  Add fresh cilantro and next 5 ingredients (through undrained beans), and process until smooth.  Garnish with cliantro sprig, if desired.

Wholesome Fall Muffuns

1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup wheat bran (I have used oat bran and it works great too)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
2 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, wheat bran, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Fold the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined.  Divide the batter among the lined muffin cups (about 1/3 cup each) and bake until a wooden pick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

womansday.com/October 2013 - Lydia Smyth

Vegetable Soup

I found this original recipe online but without any meat.  It was posted as a “Magic Weight Loss Soup”. . .   Which makes sense because it consists of nothing but vegetables.  The bonus is that it is really, really good in spite of being very healthy.   

Beef*

2 cans chicken broth

3 cups V-8 Juice

2 cans Italian diced tomatoes

1 small onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1 package sliced mushrooms

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 zucchini, diced

1 yellow squash, diced

2 cups fresh or frozen green beans

2 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3-4 cups shredded cabbage

1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

1 tsp. thyme

Salt and Pepper

*I use whatever I have on hand. . .  Sometimes a small roast or a steak, cut up; not a lot, just enough to enhance the flavor.   The original recipe didn't call for any meat at all, but if I have it, I add it because it adds a nice flavor. 

Instructions:

1.       In a large frying pan, brown meat

2.      Add onions, carrots and mushrooms for about 5 minutes.

3.      In a large crock pot, combine sautéed garlic and vegetables with the remaining ingredients.  Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or until vegetables are cooked.

Flan

I confess, I love flan and I have tried many recipes!  I found this one in a magazine my mother-in-law had.   It has a great texture which is, in my opinion, the most difficult part of making flan.  Instead of the loaf pan, I usually make it in individual serving size ramekins.  

Serves 8-10

2/3 cup  sugar

2 large eggs plus 5 large yolks

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk

½ cup whole milk

1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract

½ tsp. salt

∎ Stir together sugar and ¼ cup water in medium heavy saucepan until sugar is completely moistened.  Bring to boil over medium-high heat, 3 to 5 minutes, and cook, without stirring, until mixture begins to turn golden, another 1-2 minutes.  Gently swirling pan, continue to cook until sugar is color of peanut butter, 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat and swirl pan until sugar is reddish amber and fragrant, 15-20 seconds.  Carefully swirl in 2 tablespoons warm tap water until incorporated; mixture will bubble and steam.  Pour caramel into 8 ½ by 4 ½ inch loaf pan; do not scrape out saucepan.  Set loaf pan aside.

∎ Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.  Line bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking pan with dish towel, folding towel to fit smoothly, and set aside.  Bring 2 quarts water to boil. 

3. Whisk eggs and yolks in large bowl until combined.  Add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, vanilla, and salt and whisk until incorporated.  Strain mixture through fine mish strainer into prepared loaf pan.

∎ Cover loaf pan tightly with aluminum foil and place in prepared baking pan.  Place baking pan in oven and carefully pour all of boiling water into pan.  Bake until center of custard jiggles slightly when shaken and custard registers 180 degrees, 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours.  Remove foil and leave custard in water bath until loaf pan has cooled completely.  Remove loaf pan from water bath, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and chill overnight or up to 4 days.

∎ To unmold, slide paring knife around edges of pan.  Invert serving platter on top of pan and turn pan and platter over.  When flan is released, remove loan pan.  Using rubber spatula, scrape residual caramel onto flan.  Slice and serve.  (Leftover flan may be covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 days)

Cajun Crab Soup

1 onion, chopped                         1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. diced garlic                          ½ tsp. pepper

½ cup unsalted butter                  ½ tsp. thyme

¼ cup flour                                       ¼ tsp. cayenne

2 cups chicken broth                    2 cups cream or canned milk

2 cups clam juice                           1 lb. crab or imitation

1 10 oz. frozen white corn                                 crab

Sauté onion & garlic in butter until onion is tender.  Whisk in flour.  Simmer for 2 minutes.  Pour in broth and clam juice, corn, seasonings.  Simmer 15 minutes – Add cream & crab.  Heat through

Black Beans

Quick and Easy Black Beans 

This is good with Sweet Pork Burritos 

2 Cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 T olive oil
2/3 C diced onion
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
1 C chicken broth (or 1 C water + 1 t chicken bullion)
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t coriander
1/4 t oregano
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 lime

In a saucepan on the stove, heat the olive oil to med-high heat. Saute onions for about 3 minutes or until they just start to become translucent. Add garlic and saute abut 30 seconds more. Add beans, broth, and remaining seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they are done cooking, remove from heat and add in a few squeezes of fresh lime juice. Then use the back of a spoon or rubber spatula so smoosh (yes, that's a technical culinary term) some of the beans. You don't want to pulverize them, but you want to take a bunch of good smooshes so that some of the beans are smashed, which will thicken the sauce. I like mine on the thicker side so I smoosh quite a bit. They will thicken more upon standing.

If you want a more soupy consistency, just add a little more broth.

Blackened Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Blackened Chicken with Avocado Salsa

4 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 tsp. blackening seasoning mix*

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

2 tbsp. olive oil

¾ tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. salt

Dash ground black pepper

1 avocado, chopped fine

2/3 cup  mango chopped fine

1 sweet pepper, chopped fine (optional)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

* I use Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

Preheat oven to 375*.  Lightly sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with blackening seasoning.  In large oven-proof skillet, brown chicken well in the 1 tbsp. olive oil, turning once.  Bake in pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Meanwhile, for salsa, whisk rice vinegar, 2 tbsp. olive oil, cumin, salt, and black pepper.  Stir in avocado, papaya or mango, sweet pepper and cilantro.  Serve with chicken.  If desired, garnish with cilantro leaves.  Makes 4 servings. 

Serve with black beans and sour cream, if desired.

Philly Steak and Cheese Sandwiches - Shanna Larsen

1 lb. Hamburger

1 lb. Sausage

1 cup Mozarella Cheese

1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese

Olives

Mushrooms

Green Peppers

Onions

Brown hamburger and Sausage.  Drain grease.  Add Mushrooms, Green Peppers and Onions.  Cook until vegetables are tender.  Add Olives and Cheese and cook to melt cheese.

Mustard Sauce

1 egg yolk

½ cup brown sugar

2 TBSP flour

3 TBSP dry mustard

1/3 cup vinegar

1 cup light cream

    Mix all ingredients together and cook in double boiler until thick – about 10 minutes.

Laundry Soup - Oki James

Liquid Laundry Soap

1. Warm 6 cups water on Stove
2. Grate 1 bar of ivory soap(small) and 1/3 bar of FelsNaptha soap. Put in water on low until melted. (stir well. do not melt too fast. should take about 20 mins) Make sure all soap pieces ...are melted before moving onto next step.
3. Add 3/4 C Borax +3/4 C Super Washing Baking Soda
4. Add powder to melted soap and let dissolve until you do not feel anymore grits in the pan when you stir(will only take a few minutes).
5. Put 4 cups hot water in bottom of container.
6. Add soap mixture to container.
7. Add 1 1/2 gallons tap water (6 qts)
8. Mix all ingredients together well.
Soap is ready to use.

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

1 cup (8 oz)sour cream                          Filling:

½ cup sugar                                             2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter

1 tsp. salt                                                 ¾ cup sugar

2 pkg. (2 TBSP) dry yeast                      1 egg, beaten

½ cup warm water                                  2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, beaten                                         1/8 tsp. salt

4 cups flour

Glaze:

2 ½ cup powdered sugar

¼ cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Toasted sliced almonds, optional

In a saucepan, combine sour cream, sugar, butter and salt.  Cook over medium-low beat, stirring constantly, for 5-10 minutes or until well blended.  Cool to room temperature.  In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water.  Add sour cream mixture and eggs; mix well.  Gradually stir in flour.  (Dough will be very soft.)  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Next day, combine filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until well blended.  Turn dough onto a floured board; knead 5-6 times.  Divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion

into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle.  Spread ¼ of the filling on each to within 1 in. of edges.  Roll up jelly-roll style from long side; pinch seams and ends to seal.  Place, seam side down, on greased baking sheet.  Cut six X’s on top of loaves.  Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.  Bake at 375* for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.  Combine the first three glaze ingredients; drizzle over loaves.  Sprinkle with almonds if desired.  Store in the refrigerator.

Caesar Salad Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 clove of garlic (minced or pressed)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp of milk or half and half

Mix all ingredients together and shake or whisk until well blended.

Apple Toffee Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup marshmallow fluff
1 (7 1/2 ounce) package English toffee bits

- Soften cream cheese in the microwave 10-20 seconds if necessary.
- Beat together all ingredients except toffee bits until thoroughly blended. Fold in the English toffee bits.
- Serve with crisp apple slices. Refrigerate leftovers. Can be made ahead and refrigerated.

Yield: Approximately 3 cups

Nut Crusted Chicken Cutlets

4 (6-8 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, trimmed

Kosher Salt

1 cup roughly chopped almonds (or any nuts)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

1 shallot, minced

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tsp. grated lemon zest, zested lemon cut into 4 wedges

1 tsp. minced fresh thyme

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 large eggs

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. pepper

1 cup flour

1.      Adjust oven rack to lower-middle and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Using fork, poke thicker half of each breast 5-6 times.  Place wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet.  Season each breast with ½ tsp. salt. 

2.     Pulse nuts in food processor to coarse consistency.  Melt butter in skillet set over medium heat and cook, swirling constantly, until butter turns golden brown and has nutty aroma, 4-5 minutes.  Add shallots and ½ tsp. salt; cook, stirring constantly until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-low, add panko and ground nuts, and cook, stirring frequently until golden brown, 10-12 minutes.  Transfer mixture to shallow dish or pie plant and add lemon zest, thyme, and cayenne.

3.     Lightly beat eggs, mustard, and pepper together in second shallow dish or pie plate and flour in third shallow dish or pie plate.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels.  Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken breasts in flour, shake off excess, then coat with egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off.  Dredge chicken in panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.  Transfer breaded chicken to clean wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken

4.     Bake until chicken registers 160 degrees; 20-25 minutes.  Let rest for 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

Caesar Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 clove of garlic (minced or pressed)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp of milk or half and half

Mix all ingredients together and shake or whisk until well blended.

Vanilla Pudding and Pie Filling - Grandma Collins

This Recipe is pretty much fail proof!

2 quarts milk

1 cup sugar

    Pour into sauce pan & bring to boil. 

In Blender, combine the following ingredients:

4-6 eggs, depending on size                                        

2/3 cup cornstarch                  

2/3 cup flour                           

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 ½ TBSP vanilla

            Blend until smooth.  Slowly add several cups (or as much will fit into your blender) while blender is running.  (This increases the temperature of the egg mixture without cooking the eggs – nothing worse than little pieces of cooked eggs in your pudding)  Add entire contents of blender back to the remaining milk mixture in the pan and cook, stirring constantly until pudding is thick and almost begins to bubble.  Add vanilla and cool. 

Three Egg Cake - Grandma Humpherys

 This makes a fairly dense cake - it's the recipe I always use for trifle or strawberry shortcake because it doesn't soak up the pudding or sauce and get soggy.  

Ingredients:  

¾ C. butter

1 ½ C. Milk

3 Eggs

1 ½ C. sugar

3 C. Flour

4 ½ tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp  Salt 

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

Heat Milk and butter until butter is melted and milk is hot (be careful not to scorch).  While Milk is heating, beat eggs lightly and add sugar.  Cool milk slightly and add to egg/sugar mixture.  Add flour, salt, baking powder and vanilla.  Grease sheet cake pan or 9 x 13 cake pan.  Sprinkle with sugar to prevent sticking.  Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes (or less if using sheet cake pan).  

Korean Barbecue Sauce

(8 servings)

 I use this sauce for Mongolian Barbecue.  This is a good size batch.  I found that even though I don't usually use it all, it's just as easy to make a big batch and save the left over sauce in a pint jar in the refrigerator for next time.  

2 cups Soy Sauce

1 ½ cups  brown sugar

¼ cup minced garlic

2 TBSP rice wine vinegar

2 TBSP  Sriracha*

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger**

2 tsp Sesame Oil

1 TBSP ground black pepper

2 TBSP cornstarch

2 TBSP Water

*found in the grocery store Asian section.  2 TBSP is fairly spicy - so, if you don't love spicy, you might want to start out with a little less Sriracha.  

**scrape skin from ginger root with a fine paring knife and grate finely.  I freeze left over ginger (peeled but ungrated) to use later.  

To saucepan, add all ingredients except for the cornstarch and water.  Bring to a simmer.  In small bowl, whisk together, cornstarch and water.  Add to barbecue sauce and boil for a couple of minutes while stirring.  Mixture will thicken.  

For Mongolian Barbecue, cut up chicken or beef into thin slices.  If you cut the meat while partially frozen, it is easier to get thin slices.  Or, ask your butcher to slice the meat for you.  Prepare bowls of vegetables of your choice (shredded carrots, sliced zucchini, mushrooms, sprouts, green onions, broccoli, par boiled fresh green beans, etc.).  Cook Udon Noodles (can be purchased  at Korean store) or linguine noodles.  Allow each person to make a bowl of meat, veggies and noodles.  In a hot teflon pan, (very important that it be non-stick), add olive oil.  Cook each bowl individually with about 1/4 cup of sauce until meat is done and vegetables tender.  

Caramel Apples - Becky Lyle

(Good for Caramel Apples)

2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups white corn syrup
2 cups whipping cream
½ cup milk
½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
½ can sweetened condensed milk

Mix cream and milk together.  Put ½ of the mixture in a heavy pan along with sugar, salt & corn syrup.  Cook on low heat until it turns a light beige color; about ½ hour.  Turn heat up (about medium) and add the remaining cream mixture.  Don’t stop boiling.  Cook for 15-20 minutes more.  Then add ½ can sweetened condensed milk.  Cook to 230 degrees or hard ball stage.   Dip apples immediately.  If desired, roll dipped apples in toppings (toffee bits, nuts, sprinkles, etc.) while soft.  Or, after caramel has set, may dip in melted chocolate or white chocolate.