Friday, April 20, 2012

Quick Veggie Fajitas

Ingredients:
8 flour tortillas
1 can (15oz) refried beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large white onion, halved and cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 large poblano chile's, halved, seeded, and cut crosswise into 1/2slices
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch half-moons
2 cups corn (10oz) thawed if frozen
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup salsa
                                                      1/2 cup sour cream
                                                      2 oz cheddar or Colby, shredded (1/2 cup)
                                                      lime wedges

Directions:
Preheat oven to 275 F.  Wrap tortillas in parchment-lined foil and warm in oven, 15 minutes.  In a small pot, heat beans over low.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high.  Add onion and chile's and cook until softened, 12 to 15 minutes.  Add zucchini and cook until crisp-tender, 6 minutes.  Add corn and cook until warmed through, 3 minutes;  season with salt and pepper.  Spread beans on tortillas and top with vegetables serve with salsa, sour cream, cheese, and lime wedges.

Grilled butter lettuce with Creamy Dressing


Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grill
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
coarse salt and ground pepper
4 slices crusty bread
1 garlic clove, peeled
                                            2 heads butter lettuce, such as Bibb or Boston, halved

Directions:
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.  Clean and lightly oi hot grill.  In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, and vinegar.  Stir in basil and chives;  season with salt and pepper.  (To store, refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 3 days.)
Brush both sides of bread with oil and grill, flipping once, until toasted, 3 minutes.  Rub with garlic, season with salt, and cut into cubes.
Grill lettuce, cut side down, until charred in spots, about 3 minutes.  Serve warm, topped with dressing and croutons.

Try this:  Grilling gives lettuce charred edges that add extra flavor but keeps the inside nice and crunchy.

Homemade Maple Syrup


I’m all about saving money, and I like do-it-yourself options, especially if they are quick and easy.
While digging through a box of family recipes, I found one for the easiest homemade syrup ever. It is way cheaper than the cheapest generic, plus you get to decide what flavor! To top it off, this was faster to make than the pancakes. 
Maple Syrup
  • 1 cup white sugar.
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar.
  • 1 cup water.
  • 1 teaspoon maple flavoring.
Boil until dissolved and you are done.
I sometimes also add a teaspoon of butter pecan in addition to the maple, or pretty much any flavoring your heart desires. Once it has cooled I just pour it back into an old syrup bottle. I’m sure you could convert some of the sugar to splenda and even use real Maple extract instead of imitation if you wanted. Try it out and play around with it.

This was posted by:  The Crazy Coupon Lady

I will be trying this since my kids love pancakes and waffles.  It sounds easy and fast.  Hope you all enjoy.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Chicken Flautas

Ingredients:
1 (3-pound) rotisserie chicken
8 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 2 cups)
4 cups safflower or canola oil, for frying
16 (8-inch) flour tortillas

Directions:
Remove white and dark meat from chicken and shred, discarding bones and skin.  In a large bowl, toss together chicken.  1 1/2 cups queso fresco, and salsa verde.
Fit a baking pan with a wire rack; set aside.  In a large, heavy-bottomed pot fitted with  a deep-fry thermometer, heat oil (about 2 inches deep) over medium-high heat to 325 F.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200 F.  Place a tortilla on a clean surface and spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture in a line down the center.  Roll tortilla up into a tight cylinder and insert a toothpick through the center to secure.  Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
Working in batches, deep-fry flautas until golden brown, 4-5 minutes, turning halfway through.  Using tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully remove form oil, tilting flautas to drain excess oil.  Place on wire rack in prepared pan, remove toothpicks, and transfer to oven to keep warm  Serve hot with salsa verde and remaining queso fresco.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Jam Butter


In a large bowl, beat 3 sticks of room-temperature unsalted butter until fluffy.  Min in 5 tablespoons strawberry jam ( blueberry or raspberry also work well).  Divide mixture in half and spoon onto two 12"W x 18"L pieces of parchment paper; centering butter near a short side of the paper.  use your hands to shape mixture into a log approximately two inches thick.  Wrap the nearest end of the paper over the top of logs, then continue rolling until all the paper covers log.  Twist ends and tape to seal. 

To make it gift-worthy:  Wrap each paper-covered log in a pretty white fabric, then tie the ends with twine and add a tag.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls










Ingredients:

1 large head cabbage
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup instant rice, cooked and cooled
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup, undiluted, divided
1/2 cup water

Directions:
Cook cabbage in boiling water only until outer leaves fall off the head.  Reserve 14-16 large leaves for rolls and set remaining cabbage aside.  In a bowl, combine the beef, rice, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup soup; mix well. Place 2-3 tablespoons meat mixture on each cabbage leaf.  Fold in sides, starting at an unfolded edge, and roll up leaf completely to enclose meat.  Cut reserved cabbage into wedges and place in a Dutch oven.  Combine water and remaining soup; pour over the cabbage wedges.  Stack cabbage rolls on top of sauce.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until meat is done and rolls are tender.  Remove rolls and cabbage.  If desired, reduce pan juices for gravy.  Spoon gravy over rolls and cabbage.

Yields: 4-6 servings

Frappe













Ingredients:
1/2 cup Coffee
2 Tbsp of Creamer
1/2 cup Milk
Ice Cream Topping ( any kind )
Whipped Cream
4 cups of Ice

Directions:
Add skim milk to the blender.  Mix creamer and coffee, then add to blender.  Blend on medium until preferred consistence.  If too thick add milk.  If it's watery,  then there is not enough ice.  Mix in the topping with frappe,  then add whipped cream and top with topping again.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:
2/3 cup Butter or Margarine, softened
2/3 cup Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 1/2 cups Old-Fashioned Oats
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 tbsp Baking Soda
1/2 tbsp Salt
1 (5oz) package Ocean Spray Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup White Chocolate Chunks or Chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F
Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, mixing well.  Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl.  Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks. 
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire rack.  Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookie.

Enjoy

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Taco Cups

Ingredients:
1 pound Hamburger
1 pkg Taco Sauce
1 pkg Wonton Wrappers
Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream






Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Cook hamburger and drain grease
Mix in taco powder.  Just like making taco's.

Place 1-2 Wonton Wrappers into a cupcake pan.  I like to use mini cupcake pan if want these for a snack.
Place the taco meat into Wonton Wrappers.
Top with cheese.
Place into oven and bake till Wonton Wrappers are done.
When done serve with sour cream.

I like to put refried beans in the bottom.
You can put anything that you like into the Wonton Wrappers and bake them.

Strawberry Bread








  Ingredients:

3 cups Flour
1 tbsp Baking Soda
3 tbsp Cinnamon
1 tbsp Salt
3 Eggs
2 cups Sugar
2 cups crush Strawberries.  You can use frozen just thaw and crush
1 1/2 cup Cooking Oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease and flour (3) 1 pound metal coffee cans

Sift together in bowl.  Flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt.
In anther bowl beat 3 eggs until thick.  Add sugar, crushed strawberries and oil.
Add dry mixture to wet mixture mix well.
Pour into coffee cans.  Fill half full.
Bake for 1 hour.
Enjoy

Pumpkin Bread








Ingredients:

2/3 cup Cooking Oil
4 Eggs
2 2/3 cups Sugar
1 can Pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cup Flour
1/2 tbsp Baking Powder
1 tbsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tbsp Salt
1 tbsp Cinnamon and Cloves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix all together in bowl with mixer.  Pour into greased and floured loaf pans.
Bake until golden brown.  Stick toothpick or knife into center.  If comes out clean then it is done.
Makes 3 small or 2 big loafs.
Enjoy

Beer Bread







Ingredients:

3 cups self-rising Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
12oz Beer ( your picking of choice )
2 Tbsp Melted Butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter a loaf pan adn set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and beer and mix well.  The mixture should be sticky.  Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes.  At the last 3 minutes of baking, remove from oven, brush the top of the loaf with butter and return to oven. 

Enjoy

Sour Cream Bread Rolls






Indigents:

1 cup Sour Cream
1/8 tsp Baking Soda
3 Tbsp Melted Butter
3 Tbsp Sugar
1 Egg ( beaten)
1 tsp Salt
1 pkg yeast (quick rise )
1/2 cup Water
3 cups Flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350
Scalded the sour cream in pan, add baking soda.  Let cool
Mix yeast with 1/2 cup of water in bowl. Mix well
Add butter, sugar, egg, salt.
Kneed in 3 cups of flour.
Let rest for 10 minutes, form rolls.
Place onto pan and let double.
Bake for 20 minutes