Hot Spinach Dip

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
1 cup freshly grated monterey jack cheese
8 ounces sour cream (fat free okay)
1 tablespoon grated, peeled onion (A bunch of Green onions are really good)
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard (Inglehoffer ground mustard is good)
2 cloves garlic, crushed or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 dashes hot sauce (optional)

Directions
1 Combine all ingredients in a large (microwave safe preferably) bowl.
2 Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
3 Stir; microwave another 2 minutes.
4 Stir again and microwave for 1 minute.
5 Serve piping hot.

You can make this in a crockpot too. Takes an hour on high.

SUGGESTION: Try French Onion dip instead of sour cream.

Israeli Spice Rub Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast, split
Olive Oil
4 Tbs Spice Rub

Spice Rub
1 1/2 Tbs paprika
1 1/2 Tbs ground cumin
1 Tsp Oregano
1 Tsp ground coriander
1/2 - 1 Tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tsp salt

Place chicken in baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil to barely coat chicken. Rub chicken liberally with spice mix on both sides. Grill.

Basic Masa for tamales

6 cups masa flour
1 cup lard or shortening (lard is best)
3 1/2 cups broth
1 Tbs Salt

Mix masa and salt in a large bowl. Pour in broth and mix well. Mix in lard.

Makes about 7-9 cups.

Shepherd Pie

2 lbs all purpose potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbs cream cheese
2 eggs
1/4 tsp each, salt and pepper
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 large carrots, diced
2 celery stalks diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp thyme or parsley, whichever you prefer
1 - 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
10 oz frozen peas, thawed
10 oz frozen corn, thawed


1. Boil potatoes until softened. Drain well; return to the sauce pan. Add milk, cream cheese, eggs and salt and pepper to taste; mash.

2. Preheat oven to 425F. Heat a 12" skillet on medium high until hot. Add beef, salt and pepper. Cook until browned and drain fat. Transfer beef to a bowl.

3. In skillet add carrots, celery, and onions and 1/2 tsp each pepper and salt. Cook until tender. Add wine to skillet, cook two minutes or until reduce by half. Stir in thyme or parsley and Worcestershire. Stir in beef.

4. In a 3 quart baking dish spread half of potatoes in an even layer. Top with beef mixture, peas and corn. Spoon remaining potato on top. Bake 25 minutes in oven or until top is golden brown.

Apple Biscuits

2 c. all purpose flour
2 Tbs sugar
2 Tsp baking powder
1/2 cup margarine or softened butter
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
3 Tbs brown sugar
1/4 tsp allspice
1 apple, cored and diced (2/3 cup)
2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, and sugar. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center, and add milk and egg. Stir until dough clings together. On a lightly floured surface knead dough for 12-15 strokes.

On a floured surface roll out dough into a 15" long and 8" wide rectangle. In a small bowl combine apple and lemon juice. Brush dough lightly with water, and sprinkle half, lengthwise, with brown sugar and allspice. Sprinkle apples over sugar. Fold other half of dough over apple.

Cut into 15" x 1" strips and twist strips. Place on baking sheet. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

16 oz canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup milk
Pastry for pie crust

Pre heat oven to 375F. In a large bowl mix pumpkin, sugar, spices, and cinnamon. Beat in eggs lightly. Add evaporated milk and milk. Mix well. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Cook for 45- 60 miutes. You'll know it's done when you insert a knife in the center and it comes clean.

P.F. Chang's Ginger chicken with broccoli

Marinade:

16oz sliced chicken
2 Eggs
2 TBS cornstarch
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Finished Touches

1 pint chicken broth
3 Tbs Vegetable oil
4 Tbs cornstarch
4 Tbs cold water
1 Tsp sesame oil

Aromatics

2 Tbs minced ginger
2 Tbs minced scallions
1 Tsp minced garlic
1/2 lb broccoli florets, trimmed

Sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce
2 Tbs rice vinegar
2 Tbs sugar
1/3 cup chicken broth

Combine marinade ingredients and let chicken marinate in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

In a wok, bring to boil 1 pint of chicken broth. Cook chicken for 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Add broccoli to the broth and cook until tender or steam broccoli in microwave.

Drain liquid from wok and clean wok thoroughly. Heat 3 Tbs oil. Stirfry ginger, scallions, and garlic until aromas are released.

Add sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer.

Add cooked chicken, stirring and cooking until cooked through. Add broccoli.

Add half of the cornstarch and water. Cook briefly, add more of the cornstarch and water if needed for thickening.

Test and adjust seasonings as necessary. Drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil over stirfry and serve over rice.

Stuffed Tomatoes

4 Extra-Large tomatoes
4 oz sour cream
6 slices bacon
1/4 cup onions, diced
5 oz. spinach
Shredded cheddar
salt and papper
hot sauce


1. Hull out tomatoes, leaving an 1/4" around the sides. Turn tomtoes upside down to drain, on paper towels. Preheat oven at 350F

2. Pan fry bacon until. crsipy. Reserve grease. Dice up bacon and set aside. Saute onions in bacon grease until tender. Add spinach and sour cream; mix well. Remove from heat.

3. Salt and pepper inside of tomato shells. Stuff until 3/4 full. Top with cheddar and bacon. Cook from twebty minutes and garnish with hot sauce.

Latin-Style Pork

I was initially skeptical of this recipe because of the cinnamon, but it turned out nicely. Usually Roland eats what I serve without much comment, but he gave a thumbs up for this one as he went back for seconds :)

3 lb boneless, pork roast, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
2 large bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 Tbs cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups cooked rice

1. Place pork in slow cooker bowl with peppers, onion, tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon and garlic cloves. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on highfor 3 hours or low on 6 hours.

2. Remove pork from slow cooker. When cool enough, shred pork. Combine pork with tomato mixture in slow cooker; stir in salt. Serve with rice.

Sweet and spicy Shrimp Stir-fry

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 Tbs chicken broth or water

2 Tbs brown sugar

1 Tbs cornstarch

1 tsp chili-garlic paste

1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbs vegetable oil

2 minced cloves of garlic

2 large red bell pepper

1 large onion

3 cups packed baby spinach

1 lb med shrimp, peeled and deveined

6 oz snow peas



1. Stir together soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, cornstarch, chili paste, and sesame oil; set aside.



2. heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Cook garlic one minute. Add peppers and onions; cover and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally or until softened. Add spinach to skillet and cook until wilted.



3. Add shrimp and snow peas to skillet and cover; cook stirring occasionally for 4 minutes until shrimp is cooked through. Pour soy sauce mixture, stir and serve immediately.

Crispy bean burritos

2 cups cooked rice
1 cup salsa
1/3 cup chopped cilantro or 3 tbs dried
1 ripe avacado, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Juice from one lime
6 taco-sized flour tortillas
1 cup shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese
1 can (15.5 oz) black beans

Mix rice, salsa and cilantro in a bowl. In a small bowl mix avocado and lime juice. place tortillas on work table. Put 2 Tbs cheese in center of tortilla, top with 1/4 cup black beans, and 1/3 cup rice. divide avocado pieces among tortillas. Fold tortillas.

Spray a large skillet heated over med-high heat. Place 3 burritos, seam side down in skillet until lightly browned. Turn burritos over and cook 2 minutes. Repeat with other burritos.

Change

I find myself without enough time to blog everyday and since it's the heat of summer, I am not doing much cooking. So, I ahall instead post new recipes as I try them.

#34 - #41

#34 Leftover fajitas!

#35 Baked potatoes with sour cream, salsa picante, sharp cheddar and cilantro

#36 Stuffed bell peppers. I cut the tops and hulled out some bell peppers. Boiled them in hot water for 5 minutes. Filled with rice and leftover fajita beef. Cooked in 350F oven for 30 minutes.

#37 Leftover fajitas again.....

#38 Black bean soup that I kept in the freezer from the last time I made it with pico de gallo.

#39 Pinto bean soup :)

#40 Grilled brats(I recommed the Ingelhoffer ground mustard for brats) and went to a birthday party :)

#41 Tacos with red bell peppers.

#33 House Party!

Had a birthday/house warming party. Grilled beef and chicken fajitas with onions and bell peppers. Served with bean soup, rice, queso dip, rice and for dessert, cheesecake and key lime pie (see previous posting for pie recipe). Ironically, for the first time EVER I made good rice! All was good and had a good time! :) Unfortunately we made too much food, so we'll have lots of great leftovers.


Beef Marinade

Ingredients
3 limes, juiced
2 green onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground anise seed (optional)

Directions
1.In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice, green onions, garlic, cilantro, oil, red pepper, coriander, and anise. Whisk until well blended.
2.Pour mixture over your favorite meat, cover, and marinate for 12 to 24 hours before cooking as desired.


Rice

1 cup uncooked rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cold water
½ onion
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
¼ cup tomato sauce
Roma tomato, chopped into 8 pieces
1 teaspoon cumin powder (or seeds crushed into powder)
1 chili pepper, sliced lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Put the oil into a medium saucepan and heat to a medium temperature. Add the rice and brown it in the oil while stirring.

Add the garlic when the rice is nearly browned. Add the water, then the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Cover, with a small air escape, and turn the heat down to medium low.

Cook the rice for 20 to 30 minutes but check after 20 to see if it is ready.

You do not need to stir the rice or lift the lid while it cooks. It is ready when the rice is fluffy, all the water is gone, and the grains are split open (because of the browning).

(Serves 4)

Chicken Marinade

Juice of one lime
1 Tsp cumin
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp montreal steak seasoning
2 Tbs honey
1 1/2 tbs chopped cilantro
4 chicken breast halves

Combine lime juice, cumin, honey, oil and steak seasoning. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat chicken in marinade and refrigerate for 12 - 24 hours.

#28 - #32 chili, minestrone, fajita marinade

#28 Dinner out with friends

#29 Basic chili

1/2 lb Ground Beef
1/2 lb Ground Sausage ( I use mild)
1 Chopped Bell Pepper
1 Med Chopped Onion
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
8 oz. Tomato Sauce
15 oz. Can chopped Tomato or rotel
2 tsp Paprika
1 Tsp Sugar
1 tsp Oregano
1/4 Tsp Cayenne
1 cup water
1 Tsp Salt

Brown meat, onion, bell pepper, and garlic together. Drain fat. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes.

#30 Vegetable Minestrone :)

1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 cup cabbage, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 cups water
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
15 ounces garbanzo beans, drained
15 ounces tomato puree
8 ounces tomato sauce
3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup small shell pasta or uncooked rice

Directions

1In a dutch oven or similar large soup pan, saute onion in oil for 2 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, cabbage, bell pepper, zucchini and garlic, saute 3 minutes longer. Stir in the water, all the tomatoes, bean and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in pasta and cook 15 minutes longer. Garnish with cheese

#31 Tuna sanwiches! No time to cook, so much to the cats happiness (he always gets some) we had this standby :)Roland makes his with diced jalapenos.


#32 Green salad with diced ham and sharp cheddar We got a mixed salad at HEB with their meal deal coupons :)

#21 - #27

#21 Leftover pizza

#22 - 24 Roland was out of town, so I ate leftovers and foraged through what was left in the fridge.

#25 Wedding reception dinner. Grilled chicken with black bean sauce, awesome steamed vegetables, and rice.

#26 Jasons Deli with friends. I must put in a plug for their fruit cup with dip :)

#27 Copy Cat Pei Wei Sweet and Sour and Chicken. I looove Pei Wei's S&S chicken, but don;t want to buy it for dinner all the time. I found this recipe on a blog and we tried it today. Got a thumbs up from us both :)

Sweet & Sour Chicken

4 large or 6 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
cornstarch {enough to dip the chicken}
oil {enough for frying}
3/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 garlic clove
20 oz can pineapple chunks {fresh is BEST}
2 small or 1 large green pepper {cut in large cubes}
1 small yellow onion {cut in large cubes}
4 cups cooked rice {enough to serve with the sweet and sour chicken}

Cut chicken in 1-2 inch cubes. Coat chicken in egg then cornstarch. Pour some oil in a frying pan and fry chicken on high heat until brown.
Place chicken in a shallow baking dish. Mix sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and garlic in a small mixing bowl.
Pour over chicken. Bake covered 350 for 45 minutes. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. Halfway thru the baking add pineapple,
pepper, and onion.

Serve over rice.

#19 & #20

Lastnight we ordered pizza for family and friends night and had friends over :)

Tonight, since I got a coupon, we are doing Pei Wei.

#18 Potato and broccoli bake

Pour olive oil into an 8x8" glass baking pan until 1/2" deep. Add 4 diced red skinned potatoes and 1/4 cup torn basil leaves. Cook in 425F oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven; leave oven on. Add chopped broccoli and mix into potatoes. Return to oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and prinkle 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

You can use any potato you like, I just prefer red skinned potatoes bacause they aren't as mushy. If you use Yukon Golds make sure to adjust cooking time, since they have a higher water quantity and therefore cook faster.

#17 Leftovers

Leftover enchiladas and rice. I cooked the brown rice with cilantro and a dash of cumin to complement the enchiladas.

Note to self: brown rice uses more water than white and take significantly more time to cook.

#16 pizza!

Too tired to cook tonight, so I'll pop a pizza in the oven. Just add some more cheese and diced vegetables and it's a passable dinner. :)

#15 Beef enchiladas

I like the McCormicks enchilada mix packets :) Just add 1/2 a diced onion and bell pepper (red is best) to the meat while it is browning.

#14 Black Bean soup with salsa

Beans are not only a complete protein, but as an added bonus, cost pennies per serving!
You can cook then on the stove or put them in a crockpot. They need very little added to them, and pair well with rice.

Nothing says southwest like black bean soup with salsa and cheddar for garnish.

Black Bean soup

1 1/4 cup dried black beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
2 Tsp chili powder
8 cups water or chicken broth

Salsa

2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced
1-2 Tbs fresh lime juice
2 Tbs fresh torn cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Pick over and discard any damaged beans or stones. Rinse the beans. PLace in a bowl, add plenty of water to cover and soak for 3 hours.

Drain the beans, In a large saucepan heat olive oil. Add onions and saute until soft. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, drained beans and the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours, uncovered until tender. Or place in crockpot on high for 2-3 hours.

To make salsa, sti together tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro and salt in a bowl. Set aside

When soup is ready season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve and garnish with salsa.

Serves 6

#13 Soup and dumplings

It's raining again and time to take some chicken soup from the freezer and make dumplings again :) Making a pot of soup and freezing it in protions for a rainy day saves a lot of time :)

The last dumpling recipe I posted was a low-fat one. This one is definitely not! But very good.

Danish Dumplings

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour (white rice flour if you can't have wheat)
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tbs parsley

In a saucepan combine water and the butter; bring to boiling. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt all at once and stir vigorously. Stir constantly, till mixture forms a ball that doesn't seperate. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add eggs one at a time, beatign well after each addition. Stir in parsley.

Drop dumpplings into simmering soup by tablespoonfuls. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

#12 smashed potatoes

While Roland grilled brats I made smashed potatoes. Love this recipe. The cream cheese and chives add a nice tanginess :)

Try to get potatoes of equal size; if that's not possible test largest potatoes with a paring knife for doneness. If only large potatoes are available add 10 min. to cooking time. Red skin potatoes work best.

2 lbs. red skin potatoes (12 small)
1 bay leaf
4 Tbs butter, room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 TBS minced fresh chives

Place potatoes in saucepan and cover with water by 1". Add 1 tsp salt and bay leaf. Boil 30 - 40 minutes, or until knife insets into potato easily. Reserve 1/2 cup potato water. Drain water and let potatoes sit in pan until dry.

Mix butter, chives, 1/2 tsp pepper and salt, and cream cheese until creamy. Mix in reserved water. With wooden spoon or rubber spatula, smash the potatoes just enough to break skins. Fold in butter and cream cheese carefully.

Serves 4

#11 Quesadillas and Key Lime bars

Quesadillas are easy and taste great. Just put cheese (cheddar, Monterrey Jack, or mozzarella) on half a buttered flour tortilla and meat of choice. Place in heated skillet and fold in half :) You can add vegs like tomatoes, bell peppers, grated carrots, chile's, or anything else. Chicken and spinach is a great combo to try out.

Key lime bars make a nice bright summer dessert. To support the bars this recipe calls for a thicker crust. To make the filling firmer for a bar, cream cheese and an egg were added. While regular limes (persian) are passable, key limes are a must because they are sweeter. NEVER used bottle lime juice!

Making this more involved (juice all 20 limes) but worth it. I used graham crackers, since that's what I had on hand. This recipe recommends animal crackers since some prefer a neutral tasting crust.

Crust

5 oz crushed animal crackers (1 1/4 cups)
3 Tbs brown sugar
Pinch of salt
4 Tbs (1/2 stick) of melted butter, cooled slightly

Filling

2 Oz room temperature cream cheese
1 Tbs grated lime zest ( make sure to zest limes before squeezing to avoid a bitter taste)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup key lime juice (about 20 limes)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle of oven and heat to 325F. Line a 8 x 8 baking pan with two pieces of foil and coat with vegetable oil spray.

2. Mix crushed cookies, butter, sugar and pinch of salt. Press firmly and evenly into bottom of the prepared pan. Cook for 18-20 minutes until a deep golden brown. Cool while making filling. Do not turn off oven.

3. While the crust cools, stir cream cheese and zest and salt in a medium bowl until soft and creamy. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until combined and there are no cheese lumps; whisk in egg yolk. Gently stir in lime juice (the mixture will thicken slightly).

4. Pour filling into crust; spread to the corners and smooth surface. Bake until set and edges pull away slightly from sides (15-20) minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1 -1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least an hour.

5. Use foil as a sling to lift bars from pan and cut. Sprinkle with toasted coconut or serve with whipped cream. Will keep in fridge for 2 days.

#10 Grilling

Roland will be grilling a steak and I'll have some of the leftovers for tonight :) Grocery shopping tommorrow!

#9 Thai Chile Beef

Being pressed for time today I bought pre-cut stirfry meat and made the sauce the night before. Unfortunately I was out of rice vinegar and substituted cooking sherry since I like to use it in regular stirfry. If you do want to cut stirfry meat, then blade steak or flank is good fro tenderness and flavor. To make it easier to cut I found freezing it for 15 minutes helps immensely. Cut with the grain of the meat.

Roland likes it hot so this recipe includes a chile sauce and serrano peppers :)


Sauce:

2 TBS fish sauce
2 TBS rice vinegar
2 TBS water
1 TBS light brown sugar
1 TBS Asian chile sauce

Beef and vegetables

2 Lbs blade steaks, Halved lengthwise, trimmed and sliced
1 TBS fish sauce
1 Tsp brown sugar
3/4 Tsp coriander
1/8 tsp pepper (white pepper is preferable)

3 TBS peanut or vegetable oil
3 minced or pressed garlic cloves (if you are in a hurry, cheat with 1 tsp garlic powder)
3 med. serrano or jalapeno chiles, halved, seeds and ribs removed and sliced thin
1/4 cup minced mint leaves (1/8 cup dried)
1/2 cup cilantro leaves (fresh is best)
1/3 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts.
Lime wedges

1. For the sauce
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

2. For the beef and vegetables
Toss the beef with fish sauce, coriander,sugar, and pepper in a medium bowl and let marinate for 10 minutes o up to an hour. In a small bowl mix 1 tsp of oil with garlic.

3. Heat 2 tsp oil in 12" skillet or wok over high heat. Add 1/3 of beef. Cook without stirring until browned on edges - 1 minute. Transfer beef to a clean bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Add 4 tsp more oil and cook remain beef in 2 batches

4. Add the remaining 2 tsp oil to skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add chiles and cook until softened (3-4 minutes). Clear the center of the skillet and add garlic. and cook, mashing into sides of skillet until fragrant.

5. Stir in beef and juices. Whisk sauce to combine, then add to skillet and cook, tossing constantly, until the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1/2 the mint and half the cilantro. Transfer to platter and sprinkle with remaining mint and cilantro, and peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.

#8 Oven-BBQ'd Chicken

I used some Central Market bottled sauce I have on hand, but next time I'll probably use this recipe from America's Test Kitchen.

Sweet and Tangy sauce

1 cup ketchup
3 TBS cider vinegar
3 TBS light or mild molasses (dark is bitter)
2 TBS Finely grated onion
2 TBS worcestershire sauce
2 TBS dijon mustard
2 TBS maple syrup (real syrup if possible, not the pancake type)
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne

Whisk together and simmer of medium heat, stirring frequently until thick and glossy. The spoon should be able to leave a definite trail through sauce.


Chicken:

Preheat oven to 325F and move rack to top.

Heat 1 Tbs cooking oil in 12" oven safe skillet. Add boneless, skinless, chicken breasts to skillet. Cook 2 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until lightly browned (4 minutes). Add sauce and thickly coat chicken. Place skillet in oven on top rack and cook until meat thermometer reads 130F (8-12 minutes) in the meatiest part.

Remove skillet from oven, turn oven to broil (works best in a top broil oven) and heat for 5 minutes. Place back in oven and broil until meatiest part is 165F (3-8 minutes).

#7 Baked potatoes

Nothing like a potato for it's simplicity, diversity of applications and ability to serve as comfort food :)

A few tips I learned. Use the middle rack and preheat oven to 400F; cook for an hour. For crisp skins, oil the outside of the potatoes.

Russets are the most common choice, but if you want something different Yukons have a slightly buttery flavor. Red potatoes are good if you need something less starchy :)

Good eating!

Buckwheat Pancakes!!!!!!

This isn't really a dinner, but I enjoyed this gluten-free recipe.

Buckwheat pancakes

1 cup buckwheat flour
1 Tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 1 Tbs vinegar with enough milk to make 1 cup)
1 Tbs melted butter or canola oil


Mix dry ingredients together. Make a well in center of dry mix and add eggs, milk and butter or oil. Mix together.

Pour 1/2 cup of batter into oiled skillet. When top is bubbly flip pancake.

#6 Pizza

Frozen pizza is entirely unispiring, but with some personal additions of bell peppers, tomatoes, cheddar, and onions it's not too bad :) And at $2.40 on sale, you can't beat it :)

#5 Mrs. Leepers Gluten-Free Beef Lasagna Skillet

Guess the allure of covenience draws me to boxed dinners. As always I am dissapointed by the lack of, um, what's it called? Oh Yeah! Flavor! While I appreciate there being more gluten-free meal options, I am dissapointed by the lack of taste.

This one wasn;t too bad. I added some diced bell pepper and tomatos to the beef while it browned. And then topped with sharp shredded cheddar. Roland still doused ot with tobasco sauce :P

#4 Pan Seared Shrimp via America's Test Kitchen

Thought we'd have seafood before the oil hits the TX coast and seafood costs more than an arm and a leg! I LOVE the America's Test kitchen TV Show! This tastes fantastic and wasn't as hard as I thought! Iserved with white rice and a salad. Enjoy :)

Notes: Make sure to use a 12" skillet to keep shrimp from overcrowding and steaming.Shrimp will be cooked in batches of two to prevent crowding. If you don't have extra large shrimp, then 30 large shrimp per pound should be enough.

Warning: Brine prevents browning.

2Tbs vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs x-large shrimp (21 - 25 per pound)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp sugar

1. Heat 1 Tbs oil in 12" skillet over high heat until smoking.

2. Meanwhile toss shrimp, salt, pepper, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add half of the shripm to the skillet in a single layer and cook until spotty brown and the edges turn pink, about 1 minute.

3. Remove the skillet from the heat. Using tongs, flip each shrimp and let stand until all but the very center is opaque, about 30 seconds. Transfer shrimp to a large plate.

4. Repeat with remaining 1 Tbs oil and remaining uncooked shrimp. after the second batch has stood off the heat return the batch to the skillet, toss to combine, and let stand until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.


Lemon Butter Sauce

3Tbs softened butter beaten with a fork until light. Stir in 1 medium pressed garlic clove (1tsp), 1 tbs juice from a lemon, 2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley (1 tbs dried), 1 /8 tsp salt until combined. Add to shrimp when returning first batch to the skillet. Serve with lemon wedges.

#3 Leftovers :)

It's leftovers night! Time to clean out the fridge and make room for the next round of meals :)

#2 Soup and dumplings

It's raining again, so it's a chicken soup and herb dumpling night. I am posting the gluten-free version via Better Hagman's "Gluten-Free Gourmet Cooks Fast and Healthy". You can just substitute the first two flours for 1 cup all purpose white flour.

Fluffy Herb Dumplings

1/2 cup white rice flour
1/3 cup potato startch flour (Not potato flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1 extra large egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp basil
1 Tbs parsley, chopped
2 Tbs finely chopped onion

In a mixing bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients. Set aside.

Beat the egg and milk together in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and stir in the liquids. Fold in herbs and onions.

Drop by tablespoonfuls into the simmering soup. The dumplings can be close together. Cover tightly with pot lid and reduce to a simmer. Cook about 15 minutes. Makes 4 - 6 servings.

#1 Spinach Casserole

4 eggs
2 egg whites
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dill
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup milk
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
16 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup baked chicken, cubed
1/4 cup pizza sauce

Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk eggs and egg whites in a bowl until fluffy. Whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, dill, baking powder, and milk. In a separate bowl mix chicken, spinach and half the cheese until well blended.

Spray a 16" long baking dish with no-stick spray.Put half of the egg mixture in the pan, then top with half the spinach mixture. Spoon the pizza sauce evenly over the spinach, then top with remaining egg mixture.Add the last of the spinach. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Makes 18 3" servings.

This cost around $10 to make :)

I find it helps if you buy a fryer chicken, cook it and then freeze the meat in 1 cup portions. That way you can throw together this dish easily.

Beginning

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